I was never very fond of my hands... I didn't think they were very ladylike. I have tiny fingers that I feel are disproportionate to the rest of me (my ring finger is size 4.5). I have working hands (and blocky feet, but that's another story). I used to make little clay figurines when I was little and it wasn't until recently that I have been thinking this might be advantageous. Back in the fall, I bought a ring at Oktoberfest and when the hubby and I were talking to the vendor, he goes, "you have small fingers... do you play music or are you an artist?" I hadn't really considered it, but yeah... I play instruments and yeah, I make things with my hands for a living. Could it be that you're born with certain attributes, skills and qualities that make you better at some things than others? I guess there's no way to know, but my small hands combined with a short attention span and anal retentive tendencies probably lend themselves well to making things... for me at least. ;) I used to say that I was so "anal" about everything and my mentor professor at grad school would always say, "you say that as if it were a bad thing when it isn't." I think I drive my hubby nuts at times with my self prescribed Type-A idiosyncrasies and quirkiness.
So I'm working at finger breaking speeds to try to get all the orders finished and out since we'll be on a business trip very shortly. I sew a ton. I break needles everyday and have a callus on my middle finger from repeated needle pushing. I swear I prick myself several times a day and get cut up all the time from work. I step on needles I've dropped all the time as well (ouch!) I keep neosporin and a stack of bandages on my desk. Here's what my hands looked like yesterday:
I have to keep my nails short... and recently clipped them after dye stained the undersides. What a wreck. I have literally about 80-90 pieces to create in about 1.5 weeks. It is going to be insane! BUT, BUT, I am so grateful to be doing something that really makes me happy. I've had a bunch of oddball jobs, but I think this... this suits me. Happy sewing and creating!!