Last night, as I was pinning together the two halves of some toddler long johns I was sewing from the felted-wool sleeves an up-cycled Norwegian sweater I picked up at the thrift store, I thought three things.
One: “If someone described to me the action I am currently engaged in and used the term ‘up-cycled’ I would think this was the most obnoxious hipster-craft behavior ever.”
Two: “Oh my God, it’s working! These actually kinda look like pants! This is totally fun!”
Three: “There really should be some affirmations or something at this time of year for crafty people who tend to get in over their head.”
Crafting: The Rumpelstiltskin-like ability to turn a sweater into pants that still kinda look like a sweater.
So, about that last one. Here’s what I have learned: I am a compulsively creative person. I paint, mural, cook, write, build stuff, garden, attempt to suck less at sewing, and, if left alone with a plate of mashed potatoes, will sculpt fabulous volcanoes complete with melting-butter lava. Somewhere in my house, at any given time, multiple projects are exploding. It’s a sickness.
I think almost everyone is born creative, and can continue to be, in one way or another. Even accountants can get creative, assuming they have a lawyer who is equally creative to defend them.
There is a certain type of creative that is often called crafty. Crafty stuff is always hands-on. It is not the high-art intellectual creativity of writing poems or composing music. Crafty is more Madison, WI than Madison Ave. Crafters get paper cuts on their thumbs and sawdust in their hair and hot glue gun blisters. They generally transform pretty mundane stuff – paper, fabric, driftwood, old tee-shirts – into new, fun, but not exactly museum-piece items like cards, skirts, candleholders or braided hippie rugs.
I’ll see you your avant-garde interpretive dance and raise you a tomato shaped pin-cushion.
There are two problems with being crafty. The first is craft stores, which are like a land-mine strewn beach for the crafter’s wallet. Those of you who’ve never been in one of the Mega Craft Stores, it is exactly like walking into Pinterest except you sneeze more from the gawdawful fake floral section. There are possibilities….everywhere. In the craft store you realize that you can relive your greatest pre-school Play-Doh achievements…on a cake! With something called fondant! You can sew a Space Shuttle out of colored vinyl! You can buy 14 million beads for $2.95…hey, haven’t you always wanted to try jewelry-making?
The second problem with being crafty is that, after awhile, you don’t even need the craft store. The whole fucking world turns into a giant craft supply depot. You can’t walk down the street without thinking, “Hey look, those pinecones are in good shape. I could spray paint those for ornaments this year.” A week later you still have pine-cone chad in your purse. Your favorite long sleeve tee blows a hole in the elbow? You stash it with the pile of other old tee-shirts you’re saving because one day you will find time to start making all your son’s draw-string pants from old tee-shirts. At the beach you start looking for an intact crab shell because you have this idea of attempting a lost wax casting. A month later and you’re thinking that smell is never coming out of your car’s upholstery.
If you’ve really got a crafter-hoarder problem, you turn old Christmas cards into holiday prayer flags to decorate your mantle and people know to bring you chipped Fiesta-ware because one day you plan to tile a rustic mosaic birdbath with carefully-broken plates. Obviously old candle stubs go into their special “re-melt” box for when you get around to making more candles, and the ends of crayons get set aside for melting those cute toddler crayon disks.
See full tutorial for this cute and totally do-able idea at DogsOrDollars.com
I tease, my crafty friends, because I am one of you. I understand the logic of spending $40 on supplies to attempt a project that, if it works, will net you an item that you could buy new at Old Navy for $12.95. I understand that Etsy isn’t so much a shopping center as an idea center – a place where crafters go to glean inspiration from our betters (and sometimes not our betters), all while saying, “$50 for kids slippers? I can make those with that old felted wool sweater I’ve had in my closet for 6 years!”
I really am working on making booties. I think these are adorable, and the boy loves them.
It’s all good fun, as long as we do not get overwhelmed by the swirling vortex of crafty possibilities all around us. And since this time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is primo craft inspiration time – the pinnacle moment for homey, creative feelings – it’s a good idea to occasionally repeat the Crafter’s Affirmations.
Holiday Affirmations for Crafters
I will not go to the Craft Store without a coupon.
I will not go to the Craft Store “just to look.”
I will never again attempt to make a fresh cranberry garland for the Christmas Tree. No popcorn garlands, either.
Martha Stewart has a huge staff. I am just me.
This event does not have to be scrapbooked now. Or maybe ever.
I can appreciate inspiration without acting on it.
I can recognize that I could do or make something without feeling compelled to do or make it.
It is okay to specialize. (“Oooh, look, is that air dry clay…? No! Focus!”)
It is okay to move on from old interests.
I can bless new knitters with my old yarn.
There is never an excuse for puffy paint.
It is okay to not sew (knit/crochet/paint/sculpt/etc.) something for people this year.
I will not craft any gifts which will stress me out so much that I start to resent the recipient of the gift.
I do not have to make my own holiday cards. But since I love making holiday cards, I promise to start in March next year.
Anything I make for children will get stained and/or broken. I own this fact before I spend 20 hours making it.
A homemade Christmas is a mood, not a competition.
Perfect things don’t have good stories.
If all else fails, I can give wine.
Did I miss any? What are your Crafter’s Affirmation?
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This is great!
It was only with a great amount of willpower that I was able to stay out of the craft stores this past weekend.
One to add to the list: You already have materials for 15 projects in the craft room. Do those first!
Yes!
100% agree!!!
probably more than 15 projects!!
“If all else fails, I can give wine.”
thank you for that!
Beer and wine are about the only things we craft here, besides our canned goods, jerky, and our babies (hey…they’re the ULTIMATE craft project!).
My mantra is, “No you don’t need to stop in at Michael’s. You suck at crafting. Buy it from the thrift shop/farmers’ market instead, dumbass. You’ll just waste money. Now go grab a growler from the brewpub and get thee home.”
I am beyond the age of crafting babies, but I am so there with the wine, beer, canned goods and “suck at crafts” statement!
Yeah, the problem with “I can give everyone wine” is that in my world, that’s another craft project.
“Oooh, if I brew two five-gallon batches of Mead starting in June, we can bottle before Yule, and then all I have to do is make the labels!”
“Stop. Stop now.”
-E-
With eyesight getting worse, arthritis always there, aches and pains, I find it hard to do many of the things I used to do. I have sold or given away much of my supplies. Now I find myself doing the ones I can do and enjoying them more. No more pressure to finish up everything. But I have kept some and maybe Someday…
It is good to know that there are more people out there that seem to have the same crafty dilemas! I especially like “I can appreciate inspiration without acting on it.” Well maybe like is not the right term it is more that I needed to read that and let it sink in! I am more a tinkerer with crafting and have not mastered any one thing – my felted sweater mittens are certainly warm but I could not sell them on etsy for a dollar!
This year to simplify things – I am purchasing garlic presses and sharing the garlic I grew! The garlic is fantastic and I don’t think anyone else will be giving this as a gift. This will be my creative gift (and of course I can tie the package in homemade gift paper with a cute homemade card made out of last year’s Christmas cards and maybe I can roll old wrapping paper into beads to make a cute bracelet bow……)
HA, I submitted an idea like the toddler crayons for a kid’s magazine last weekend!!
I am sitting here reading your blog, just at the computer whilst watching my e-bay items that will end this afternoon – selling off knitting and crafting patterns – whilst ‘In in Doors is working away at his sewing machine making fancy shoe bags to give as gifts. ( I did the cross stitch motifs for them) . He is the one who can make the machine sing! He makes fancy waistcoats and cummerbands our of fabulous silk brocades!
I adore your affirmations! I’m one of the least talented crafty people you will ever know, but during the holidays I always feel compelled to make crazy elaborate decorations and gifts–and completely resent the process and the (sad) outcome. I am not Martha. I do not have Martha’s staff. But I know I’ll keep trying. At least, anything I grow is usually successful. Now, if only I could get those beads and felted wool to cooperate!
I absolutely adore the sweater pants. Scrumptious!
Happy holidays!
Thank you! I just discovered the fun joy of felting sweaters, and now I’m all “Felt All the Things!” which is not a good way to be. I was thinking about going to a big box craft store tonight (just to get a ‘few things’) but really, I don’t need to. And you know what? My christmas cards will probably be new year’s cards. And that’s ok, too.
Gurl! We should have invited you to our craft fest at the bar last weekend! I glittered Army men! And made an old-school tree out of ancient Nat Geos! And there is now glitter. EVERY DAMN WHERE!
Frakking crackhouse of Michaels.
(Hey, you can make some swell purses out of those old sweaters too. )
Glitter Army Men? I love you.
Actually….that gives me an idea.
One of my uncles grew up very poor. His mother could barely support herself and the 5 kids (his father was crushed by the family car one day when he was changing the oil – my uncle found him). Most of the time, it was all she could do to feed the kids. One Christmas, all my uncle got was a bag of green army guys.
Now, he’s this rich, successful banker. Who volunteers his ass off, gives freely, and loves even more freely. Occasionally, we give him gifts of army guys – he loves them because they keep him humble. I think some glittered up army dudes for the Christmas tree will serve as an awesome reminder to him how far he’s come, and how blessed by God (he’s also Catholic) he is. He’s seriously the most awesome soul I know.
Love the affirmations! I recently passed on a lot of my fabric stash to friends who’ll actually use it instead of just pet it occasionally. Yarn…that’s another story!
I add: “Sometimes you should just buy the amazingly cool item on Etsy. You’ll help a microbusiness and you’ll actually have the tree ornament/slippers/whatever in time for holiday giving instead of one more damn project you have no time to finish.”
Love this post and can relate to every bit of it!
Thank-you as usual for digging around in my brain! My husband doesn’t understand why I just can’t get rid of the “junk”. I have saved old plates for mosaics (never done), melted down candles, saved and melted down crayons, I had a small jewelery making stint and lets not talk about all of the old sock, tees and sweaters waiting. It helps to have a good friend who understands your insane brain and can say to you “You don’t have a welder! Just recycle it!”. I was just thinking of making the felt play food for kids.
Printing affirmations as I type. Now the 1st December and only 8 more mini mittens to make for the Advent calendar…….is saving the scraps of cut off yarn from the sewing going too far? (Thought my 8yr old could glue them on paper when I’ve collected enough …..or put them out for bird nesting material in spring – if I can find them. lol.)
I really love these reminders to chill out! Thank you. 🙂
There IS a place for puffy paint! Use it on the bottom of socks to make them no-skid, I made yoga socks that way. You can go the same on knitted/crocheted/sewn/bought slippers or kid shoes.
PS: Just found a site called CraftFail, it consists of projects people have found on Pinterest, attempted, and failed.
I was going to try to make the hula hoop t-shirt rug project but checking online makes it look like they come out really small. Instead I’m going to try toothbrush rugs. Because yeah, I need a new project.
Shit, now I need to go google toothbrsh rugs 😀
Shit. Now I need puffy paint. 😉
Find some old sorority girl – we all had to own tons of that sh*t in college. I think I have some still from college and I graduated in 2005!
I bet some of your readers have leftovers they could mail you!
I have some. OK, make that lots. If it’s not dried out I will share.
But you will already know that because clearly you’ve visited my house and have been poking around in my “guest” room. How else did you know about the pinecones, leftover wax, AND old Christmas cards? It’s uncanny.
Needed this today! Planning a trip to craft store right now, and feel compelled to step back and maybe NOT make stockings this year, just plan better for next year. And make ornaments to gift from old cards and ribbon, which I have a ton of. Thank you, you just saved me a bunch of dough!
As I am gearing up for not only compulsive, resentful making, I am additionally testing my stress levels by hosting a homeshow with 6 other vendors. Not only do I have to rearrange my entire house to accomodate this event, I am doing it in the midst of my husband leaving me and having the responsibility of paying my mortgage on my own (I don’t work outside of the home)- whilst the goal is to attain a “Slow” kind of an atmosphere for the event that eminates relaxation and serenity. Yes, I am the epitome of this demographic. Perhaps I will rethink this concept after the show… no time for it now. LOL
New plan! Call everyone and tell them you just came down with ebola, bail on the show, and then drink a glass of wine in the bath. Good luck!
There is never an excuse for puffy paint.
Actually, the only acceptable use for puffy paint is to turn cute toddler/adult socks into non-slip socks by putting puff paint designs / dots on the bottoms
You so pegged me….great article!!! In my case, I think I like the “idea” of making crafty things and shopping for supplies, more than I like the actual “doing” of it. I’ve collected and felted a mountain of sweaters, waiting to become the many projects in my head. I did actually cut up a few sweaters this past week, so maybe, finally…. $50+ worth of supplies and thrift store sweaters will become that potholder or pincushion or hat or cowl or scarf or skirt or…??? I can only hope! 🙂
Haha, great minds think alike 🙂 Just read through the comments and found that Amy had already given you this wonderful piece of information 🙂
It bears repeating!
SABLE – stash accumulation beyond life expectancy.
Affirmation- I have already achieved SABLE. I DO NOT NEED MORE YARN.
LOL! Great new-to-me acronym.
But how much of your stash is usable? When my mother-in-love passed last year, I took on the sorting of her yarn and sewing stash. While quite a bit of it is now in MY stash, there was also a lot of stuff I had to toss or just knew I’d never use. (6 skeins of 1970s avocado green yarn? Hello, goodwill!)
My recommendation? Take an afternoon to sort through your stash, give away what you don’t love or know you’ll never use, then buy more that you DO love!
Freecycle is great for giving away that stuff. People will totally pounce on the avocado green yarn like crazy, then it’s THEIR problem to deal with! Win!
Mother in love! I Love it!
And avocado green is awesome! I made my son a scarf and hat with some yarn of the same color a few years ago – his jacket was bright blue/avocado green. It worked perfectly!
Oh, please, does anyone out there have crochet thread? Particularly variegated pink size 20 or 30? It is now “vintage” and I am finally finishing some edging my grandmother started that will go on handkerchiefs for her daughters (my wonderful mom and aunts). I’ve actually completed two of the three, but need just a bit more pink to finish my godmother’s hankie.
I promise, promise, promise to finish this project – I have a deadline. Her sisters have already received theirs and she knows it. Her birthday is next month. Thanks to anyone and everyone who can help!
My email is hhflutterby6@gmail.com if you want to contact me directly. Thanks!
– Holly
Found some. I’ll still take fine crochet thread if someone wants to get rid of it, but I’ll be able to finish my project now. Thanks!
Ahhh yes – I’m crafty and proud of it, but things can get a bit manic at this time of the year. I had to make a spreadsheet a week ago so that I could actually see all of those swirling ideas right there in black and white. In the end I’ve settled on three projects: Make a doll for my Toddler, make her a stocking and weave some tea towels for my sisters… The tea towel idea can totally drop off the list if time runs out. I have two ‘reserve’ projects: make a advent calender for the kids and paper mache an angel tree topper.
I saw a cool Advent calendar at Starbucks – various small metal tins with magnets on the bottom (like the kind they sell as spice jars at the Container Store, but with a solid lid). Numbers stenciled on the lids. Goodies inside. They can go on the refrigerator or a white/magnetic board and (best of all) be reused year after year. Simply add new fillings. I haven’t taken on this project yet, but it is tempting!
Yes! Yes, yes yes! I love this!
Incidentally, I just did a post on a cascading paper snowflake installation for over the mantle over at my website just today.
Because I, too, am quite the crafty lady.
I so loved the checklist of affirmations. You are right. There IS no excuse for puffy paint.
two words: Crafty schmrafty…
(of which I am, so I can say that – and also have attained and begun to subsequently purge my SABLE)
two more words: homemade jam.
Well I don’t seem to have the bug as bad as you do, but… , I will admit to owning a rather huge bin of beading supplies that I can barely lift. Oh… and a bow maker that I bought the last time I was in Michaels, and wired ribbon… oh gees…
Puffy paint is not just for clothing! I ran across this post last week. Make your own “milk glass” vases with puffy paint and white spray paint! This is not my blog post, just sharing what I found. I’m thinking about trying it with round glass ornaments!
http://emmalinebride.com/handmade-wedding/diy-milk-glass-centerpieces/
Oh man. This is my new favourite post.
Apparently you have been rummaging in my studio…the broken dishes beside the dishes yet to be broken for a magnificent mosaic project, the rusty bits of roadside scraps for textural collages, the drawers full of shrunken thrift store sweaters to be made into fingerless gloves and all manner of wondrous arty-clothing, the stacks of magazines for cutting into collage, the shells, the beads, the old jewellry, the button collection, the old frames and canvases for repainting, repurposing, reusing, redoing and re and re…oh my, oh me.
Thank you. I read this with a big grin.
Hey Colleen,
Yes! I wonder how many of us there actually are out in this big old world – bet thousands, maybe millions. At least we can all read this and laugh as we recognize ourselves.
I’ve given up on crafty gifts for Christmas–too much stress, not enough time, general craziness. Especially this year. I’m all about the super easy food gifts this year: jam, granola, liqueurs. And I’ll start the liqueurs soon (have to), but everything else is going to wait until after final exams. I keep feeling fidgety about getting started, but I’m going to make myself wait. And if it doesn’t get done, it doesn’t get done. I’ve already warned everybody that this is going to be the frugal homemade food Xmas and they know how nuts I am about the frugality thing, so they weren’t surprised. 😉
Erica,
You nailed it! After moving twice in the past two years and at one point giving away 8 (!) of the big black contractors’ trash bags full of brand new quilting material, along with other assorted high-end craft things, I still am crammed (extremely) into a small 8×8′ room and it’s up to the ceiling on all four walls with my “I can’t get rid of it” necessities. My personal affirmation for this year is NOT to go to any thrift store and pick up something because I think it might be useful for ______ sometime. Fill in the blank. I love to do many, many things and have the “stuff” for all of them. And my daughter co-manages an art supply store. Pray for me…
Just because I can do something doesn’t mean I have to. Amen and amen.
You are the very model of semi-sustainability. (Hell, I’m just happy that whatever platform you’re on recognizes the word “sustainability”!) You actually went into a thrift shop, plunked down $7 or so for a Norwegian sweater worn by Lord knows how many people with the express purpose of fashioning a pair of long johns for your kid out of the sleeves. I’m floored with your passion for taking something, envisioning that it could, and should, be something else, and actually making that happen. We are not worthy!
Actually I bought the sweater last year to make a hat, and did, but that left the sleeves and, well, one thing led to another… I think there is enough left of the sweater to make another pair of toddler moccasins, too. 🙂
What I took away from your post was that you have yarn to give away.
*blink* *blink*
signed, the knitter 🙂
hahaha, I am reading this with a bag from Michael’s sitting at my feet full of new yarn, a couple crochet hooks, and several buttons, all freshly bought this morning. I think the universe is trying to tell me something.
Affirmation – I will establish a sturdy storage box for safekeeping items I made that my child latches onto, no matter how worn/dirty /tattered, and if I’m really smart, I’ll add a note to tell when it was so special or what it was “named”. But only the really really sentimental things!
Oh darling …. we are soul sisters! My hubby doesn’t understand my “stash” of craft supplies (and he’s only seen half of them!) however, every time my 10 year old son has a school project, mommy miraculously comes up from the basement with almost every item he could possibly need to complete it. 🙂 I do have a beef with you though … you used, “There is never an excuse for puffy paint.”, as one of your affirmations. Now how in the world do you expect you kidlets to safely run though the house on those beautiful felted slippers you’ve made if you don’t apply a lovely non-skid application of puffy paint to the bottom?!? You see, yes, there actually IS an excuse to use puffy paint. 😉 Now I just have to learn how to felt some of my beautiful, moth-eaten wool sweaters I’ve been holding on to because they were, “just to nice to throw away”! I see new lives coming from my dead wardrobe. Hmmmm….. can we say zombie sweaters? LOL!
Affirmation: Take the time to do it well. (Not Martha-level, okay, but well enough that *you* love it.) If it is not beautiful enough that you (or the recipient) will actually use/wear/display it and feel good about it… either take it apart and do it again, or throw it away and give up! Don’t give in to guilt about the time/money you already spent on it… and do not visit guilt upon others by gifting them things they will never use…
It is better to have a few finished projects that you use and love, than a bunch of stuff that you don’t!
BTW, the long-johns? awesome!
I am there. I am you. I have a closet in my office full of supplies. Last year I “cleaned” the closet and removed things I new I would never use/need. I had origami paper, sumi ink/brushes, supplies to create clothes pin people, every supply needed for Waldorf Wee Felt Folk (still do if anyone wants them), fabric, fabric, fabric, glitter, stamping supplies, paper, and so much more I can’t even remember anymore. I packed it all up and gave it away. Then this Fall I was looking for something only to realize that I had given it away.
I refuse to walk into a craft store without knowing what project I have in mind. However, I was doing my Christmas decorating this week and all of my lighted garland had 1/2 burned out. I had a grand idea to redo my mantle this year. I also needed to do it on the cheap and since I’d given away most of my craft supplies I needed a few things. I took advantage of a special perk of my job. I went to the local wholesale floral supply company. It’s like a crafter’s warehouse on crack. I spent 2 hours just wandering back and forth. Could.not.focus! When all was said and done I had purchased styrofoam cones, ribbon, mesh wrap and a birch covered bucket. I also got a few actual floral supplies for live mantle greens. I made a cone shaped santa and 2 little elves. They are so fricken cute, but now my cats keep eating the feather boas on them. Dear lord… I’m one of those. A crafty lady with cats. Just shoot me now.
I NEED those supplies for waldorf wee folk- I am becoming a first time grandmother! So- Laura Ramey PO Box 413, Sebastopol Ca. 95473 ( My 17 year old cat is shaking her head).
Thank you so much- will repay postage 🙂
Erica I love you…
One year we used a slew of my saved old holiday cards to make table tents. I brought them to my December All-Staff meeting. I work in a state agency, so no booze, dinner or DJ… So we sometimes do a ‘team activity’. We cut and pasted and rearranged about 80-100 cards. I took them to our local Meals on Wheels, and they put them on the trays when delivering dinner.
Can you add the like feature so we can ‘like’ some of the replies? Your followers are often very funny and clever too and I’d love to affirm their posts.
Holiday fun to all, i’m off to Goodwill for a wool sweater. I have this idea for a purse…
This year, my family is (thankfully) not doing DIY xmas. Even though I’ve got the Gift Basket (preserves – shocking, I know) done already, I’m still relieved. Instead of making scarves and sweaters and “upcycled everything” for people, I’m concentrating on sewing my fiancee’s wedding gown (and my wedding shrug) for our nuptuals (in three weeks – Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!), getting the rest of the wedding details sorted out and, er, moving us into a new apartment.
Cripes.
So I’ve got enough to do.
I think there’s a point where you stop being a “crafter” and start being Your Own Great Grandmother, but with reliable electricity. I think I am very nearly there. O.O
I have the worn out clothing pile too, but not children so I’m always trying to come up with stuff I can make for me out of those items. I never start a project unless I’m going to finish it, so I just have lots of items waiting for a project that they fit….
Also I completely agree about the whole world becoming a craft store! I’ve got a huge collection of visually appealing rocks that I decorate the house with! And after I got my sewing machine Goodwill started to look more and more like a fabric store…
“And after I got my sewing machine Goodwill started to look more and more like a fabric store…” Oh yes. and has for years! 🙂
I used to be project-y. But the constant mess of multiple unfinished projects, it just weighed on me with the ugly voice of my disapproving Aspirational Self. My solution: To only start things I knew I would finish. Ten years later, I hardly ever start anything. I’m going to change that… tomorrow. Or after Christmas.
These are my people. NASA pays better, but the rocket built by crafters of toilet paper rolls and duct tape is much more earth friendly. A wide range of emotions crowd this adicted crafters brain -disgust at the accumulation/lack of space for supplies to supreme satisfaction and contentment with a sucessful attempt. For many of us this is an inheirited disease. I alternately praise and curse my mother, who when asked if she had a small snippet of leopard pelt for a project I was creating in school would disappear into the bowels of our basement and retrieve a scrap of fur just the right size. In her spry years my dad nicknamed her ‘the squirrel’, for her early morning (so neighbors would not see her) foraging missions. Armed with her trusty pruners and a large black garbage bag she’d troll the park, and some within-reach rockeries, for pine cones, twigs, lavender…anything that might be woven into her creations. I am doubly blessed as my father took us to Boeing Surplus (gawd I miss that place) on Sundays for a fun outing. He taught me industrial crafting. Ever seen a zinc washer table runner?
I have to agree with most everything…I am totally a craft idea addict. My poor husband just smiles and shakes his head when I tell him the next project I want to tackle (I am currently in a mega-felt phase.) And my sewing sux! I am better at hand stitching than the love/hate relationship I have formed with my machine. HOWEVER, I must protest. I AM AN ACCOUNTANT WHO IS ARTISTIC AND CRAFTS! Sorry for the yelling but, we do exist. A ‘creative accountant’ is not just a euphemism for those horrific fraudsters that ruined our reputations. And I must do ok since people have offered to buy things off of me (currently I am in a felt finger puppet rut). I love being both left and right brained and I just don’t currently have the time to work and craft for others (I just make things for my kiddos right now.) Thank you for the affirmations…I am late to the party and just started with pinterest and for some reason now think I will make everything I see – I don’t need affirmations, I think I need an intervention! And Michael’s is both my inspiration and my own personal torture chamber of possibilities.
I think you were my best friend in another life, and also if you supply your husband with copious amounts of beer he will make you popcorn garland for as long as the beer lasts…also you have to ply him with promises of sexual favors…just sayin’…don’t give up on the popcorn garland!
Oh and also you might be the only person who can understand how proud of myself I was today for throwing away that garbage bag of hospital sheets from my next door neighbor’s daughter’s tea party of two years ago that have been sitting outside collecting stink bugs…I mean come on that was good fabric, nice white cotton!
I’m moderately terrified at how accurately this post describes me, right down to the phrase “compulsively creative”, which I’ve been using to describe myself for well over a decade now.
The main difference is just that I don’t have kids, so my projects don’t generally involve sewing clothing for toddlers. But other than that…
-E-
Handcrafted gifts will reflect the appreciation each recipient has for your time and talents, and for the thought behind handmade, NOT your regard for the recipient. (Because your snooty city-girl sister doesn’t want hand-made-anything, but your hippie dippie aunt will think anything you made with your own two hands is a vast improvement over anything mass produced, regardless of how lumpen and unidentifiable it is.)
Also…just because you CAN make one of “those” for everyone doesn’t mean you should. You never go wrong with handcrafted liqueurs or food. Not everyone wants a handmade doily, even if it takes six times as long and is made with love and angel feathers.
I am often struck, as I attempt some homesteading project or other, crafty or not, that should I describe my actions to another, I would be committed into the care of others! Making firelighters from dryer lint, egg boxes and melted candles springs to mind, but it makes the best firelighters LOL.
I recently did a light de stash. I am now making a coffee cozy for someone with the face of a sorrell horse on it, the exact shade of unattractive orange I just destash. Face palm.
If you craft compulsively you may also sooth yourself with the idea that you will take a table at a craft fair and make some of your “investment” back. To do this you must actually book that table, not just keep making things, just in case!!! My problem with this is that I like to make things, I dont even mind doing the fairs, but I detest, with a passion, writing the freaking labels and packaging things!
I can totally relate to this post, it is me to a t.