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I just had a moment while I was working on a project when it struck me that anyone who didn't do what I (we) do would walk into my studio and be completely confounded by much of the "stuff" that is in there.
I almost never talk to anyone about the actual work of crafting other than you guys here on the forum. But I did mention to someone not long ago that I was a stamper, and she said "Oh, and what does that entail?" and I just looked at her. Where to begin? I wanted to ask her if she really wanted to know and if so whether she had a couple of hours to spare. ;)!
This is a whole universe unto itself. It's easy to forget that. How specialized it is, what we do.
Just saying.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
I absolutely agree. People who don't make cards or do other crafts have no idea how much "stuff" it actually takes to make all these little gems we are so proud of!
I sew and crochet in addition to making cards, so I also have stacks and stacks of fabric, patterns and trimmings, and then lots and lots of yarn.
My "stuff" currently uses most of the space in two spare bedrooms.
I'm not good about purging at all, and since I'm lucky enough have the room to keep things, I keep them.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
Haha - you're right about that. Last night my daughter-in-law, visiting for the week, wanted to make a card for an upcoming birthday party. I showed her where the basic supplies were in my studio and she seemed overwhelmed. To my surprise she quickly put together a very clever but simple card. Where I usually touch every single piece of patterned paper, agonize over the type/color of ink to use, and spend too much time hunting for that perfect stamp - she just sat down, picked up some of my scraps and made her masterpiece. I hope she catches the paper crafting bug!
__________________ I'm a ChemoAngel & SeniorAngel! Click HERE to learn more.
If she come to your she will catch the paper bug. Has you called she maybe just need a little push. In that diction too. I wish had a lot more friends that would catch the paper and bug too. But, I don't see that happening either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrsclark2001
Haha - you're right about that. Last night my daughter-in-law, visiting for the week, wanted to make a card for an upcoming birthday party. I showed her where the basic supplies were in my studio and she seemed overwhelmed. To my surprise she quickly put together a very clever but simple card. Where I usually touch every single piece of patterned paper, agonize over the type/color of ink to use, and spend too much time hunting for that perfect stamp - she just sat down, picked up some of my scraps and made her masterpiece. I hope she catches the paper crafting bug!
So true! Whenever we have people over, they always give the "whoa!" reaction if they step into my studio. It takes about ten seconds to turn to complete fascination - and everyone, regardless of gender or occupation, LOVES all the things that are in rainbow order.
Haha - you're right about that. Last night my daughter-in-law, visiting for the week, wanted to make a card for an upcoming birthday party. I showed her where the basic supplies were in my studio and she seemed overwhelmed. To my surprise she quickly put together a very clever but simple card. Where I usually touch every single piece of patterned paper, agonize over the type/color of ink to use, and spend too much time hunting for that perfect stamp - she just sat down, picked up some of my scraps and made her masterpiece. I hope she catches the paper crafting bug!
Wonderful story! But the scraps existed because of all the agonizing and touching and hunting that you did before she got there!
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
When I sell my stamping stuff in garage sales, people always say "oh I see you are selling all your stamping stuff - moved on to another hobby?" I just look at them and say "No, still stamping just selling a few things to make room for new stuff and by the way, this is not even the tip of the iceberg!"
There is usually dead silence and a shocked look on their face! My last garage sale was mostly craft stuff. I sold 12x12 DSP 40 sheets for $2.; SU sets for $3.; single wood stamps (inc. PSX) $.50 each. I did not have any furniture or big ticket items and I'll not tell you the total that I profited, but the first day of the sale was over $300. (and on a Thursday for only 1/2 the day).
Only a few people who came to the garage sale really knew what this hobby is all about.
When we moved into our new home 4 years ago, our neighbor invited me and my sister over for 'a crafting party'. While I'm a crafter, my sister is NOT and neither of us is very sociable, but to develop a relationship with the neighbor, she said yes for both us. Turns out it was a monthly SU house class. Who knew they had tupperware parties for - CRAFTING? I didn't. My sister enjoyed the wine and I was enthralled with the Big Shot. At the end of the night, much to our shock/horror, plans were made for the following month and we were stuck. We still can't figure out how that happened, it was so slick. My sister did well; I helped her with the 'difficult' stuff (like using an embossing folder). A few months in, we're working away, stuff being passed around the cluttered table, and my sister innocently says "is all this really worth it"? Insert needle scratching across a record followed by total silence. Head snapped up, jaws dropped down, and eyes widened. Being a crafter, I was mortified and can still visualize the moment. My sister immediately realized she made a faux pas and tried to shuffle her way out of it by saying things like 'well, obviously you ENJOY doing it'. I smiled that universal patronizing smile, said "yes, its worth it" and asked her if she wanted more wine. Everyone went back to work but they now know she's there for the drinks.
I have no friends who are crafty, so nobody sees my 'stuff' except my 12 yr old granddaughter who OOOHs and AHHHs about paper, dies and heat embossing.
I make cards for the nursery workers at church and one said, "I always love your cards. How long does it take to make one....15 minutes or so?" NO.
There's no explaining our hobby to outsiders.
OHHHHH how I agree, my hubby belongs to a car club and I went to a meeting with him and one of the ladies asked me how I keep busy now that I'm retired I told her I was a stamper and she thought I meant postal stamps, I started to tell her what I do and her eyes glazed over so I just gave up. BUT one of the other ladies overheard me and told me she was a stamper and also sold SU products and asked if I wanted to attend one of her groups and I did, then just as I thought it would be fun she stopped selling etc. But all was not lost, I happened to meet someone who told me to try Midwest Stampers they have online groups that do swaps and also Splitcoast Stampers, I tried both and have never regretted it. I now have enough stuff to supply my own store if I wanted to and I still buy more, it's addicting but it's soooooo much fun. Magee
My aunt was here about a month ago, in from Arizona. She got into card making, mostly using embossing folders and dies after seeing some things I had shared on FB. My uncle says it's ALL my fault.
She spent the day with me while my uncle took off, visiting other relatives. Cheryl wanted me to teach her everything I know. Well, at least we made a good start. I showed her how to stamp and the "magic" of embossing powder. But I could see that gleam in her eyes when I showed her how to watercolor. She was a natural and was hooked. And she now has the MISTI on her wishlist.
It would be so lovely to live close enough to each other so we could "play together."
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
About 12 years ago, I caught the bug and a friends house. I remember seeing her room and all of her stuff and thinking this is a girl's dream room. Flash forward about 3 years and I had a pretty good collection of goodies myself. Becoming an SU demo and having a great regular club made that a reality. Flash forward to today, my ever growing stash is now all in Evernote, just so I can keep track and find things quickly. I have my own main floor craft space and it's my happy place. No, people who don't stamp, don't get it but that's fine with me. Having moved last July down to South Florida, I miss my stamping buddies up in Sand Lake, NY. I find I'm lonely down here, but very thankful to my online stampin' friends, they keep me sane.
I have no friends who are crafty, so nobody sees my 'stuff' except my 12 yr old granddaughter who OOOHs and AHHHs about paper, dies and heat embossing.
I make cards for the nursery workers at church and one said, "I always love your cards. How long does it take to make one....15 minutes or so?" NO.
There's no explaining our hobby to outsiders.
I also have no crafting friends. I introduced my daughter (just turned 14) to cardmaking quite a few years ago and she knows how much time and effort it can take to make a card - but other people, nope, not a clue. I laughed a while ago when a relative saw a collection of my Christmas cards and she remarked: "Wow, you could make a FORTUNE selling your cards!" and another suggested that I open an EBay Store. Funny how people just assume you would want to turn your hobby into a business and their idea of the time and effort you put into one card is very little. It can literally take me hours and hours to make a card because I absolutely enjoy the whole process & often add little touches to my card even when I thought it was finished - it's my therapy & it makes me happy I also had another relative who was aghast that one of their friends had over 200 stamps & a room dedicated to her cardmaking & thought that it was completely wrong to have that many because: "How in the world could you possibly use that many stamps? Why do you need more than one stamp that says 'Happy Birthday'?" I don't think any explaining to some people would suffice - and mostly I just smile through it and say very little. I have heard countless times that it is easier to just buy a $1 card from the Thrift Shop so why would you spend the time bothering? And honestly, I am sure that in the same vein, I could think that one fishing rod is the same as another for an avid fisherman so why would they need more than one? And it's easier to just buy a fish from the fishmonger. It's the same for many hobbies......and people don't understand it's the process or the social side or just being out in nature etc. that gives you joy.
Heather, I hope you will find some crafty people to play with in your new locale. I do have lots of crafty friends, a lot of whom I brought into the fold through a long demonstratorship with SU and I know I'm fortunate! I still spend most of my stamping time on my own though, except for a monthly club, church card ministry group and an occasional retreat. My story about people who don't "get it";
About 9-10 years ago my decidedly un-crafty SIL walked into my stamp room, which is half of our finished basement, and before she could censor herself said "look at all this s---!" hahaha : )
Rachelrose, you are absolutely correct about what this activity looks like to non-papercrafters - great topic of conversation!
__________________ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
Is it weird that I can't remember how I got into all this? It wasn't all that long ago. One day I was sitting at a table at an LSS with the owner who taught me one-on-one to stamp and heat emboss (***!!!MAGIC***!!!), and the next moment I'm in what used to be called my office purging and reorganizing and figuring out where to store the next 12 Oxide inks.
I don't remember how I ended up at the shop. It's on the second floor of building so if you didn't know about it you wouldn't know about it.
I was invited to a card making party about 15 years ago. These days I invite the neighbor over to make the occasional card. She thinks I have a storefull of suplies. I really don't, but I only "have" to shop for adhesive or trimmer refills. I have enough ink, paper, and embellishments to last for the rest of my life.
LOL. Nevermind other people. **I** have days I walk into my space and think that! And then I think "It is joy in many small pieces!" as a big smile breaks out.
All my life I tried various hobbies and nothing "clicked" except gardening but I dont see that the same way. Most of my family is artistic or master crafters. So I grew up with the desire but not the right choice....this isnt coming easy to me, but I dont care. It is the first (and probably only time) in my life I dont get crazy about repeated failures and want to walk away. Sewing, knitting, crochet-none of that took.
So I figure I am making up for many lost years and combining all my hobby mojo into this. But for SURE if my mom was still alive she would have a canary and I would never hear the end of it.
One evening, my girlfriends and I went to a basket making class and we spent hours weaving and finishing one basket. All of them decided to meet monthly to make a basket. When they asked me I had to tell the truth: too much work and stress!!! I just couldn't handle it. I store my grandchildren's books in my basket but it remains the one and only while I stamp endlessly. I had to choose the hobby that gives me bliss.
When I was a little girl, my mom taught me how to embroider. She helped me complete a stamped cross stitch set of bibs for a favorite aunt who was pregnant. In my teens, I taught myself needlepoint and later counted cross stitch. I bought kits and patterns, and in my 30s, I proclaimed that I had enough stitching to last me until I was 80!
Then I discovered stamping and scrap booking. The latter has gone by the wayside. I've gotten rid of a few things, but not much. Like a previous poster, I have enough to fill two bedrooms ( but I only have one bedroom- the smallest one ). A few years ago, I learned how to knit and crochet by watching You Tube videos. I've bought lots of yarn on sale! It gets stashed in nooks and crannies in various closets. It's a sickness.
I really don't cross stitch anymore, but I do still love stamping and crocheting and making ribbon wreaths. Is three hobbies too many?
I started trying to learn how to make cards because I didn't want to spend $5 on a card I didn't like. Almost always I would like the image and not the sentiment or vice versa. Now I spend more than that in supplies, make cards with images and sentiments I like… and have to remind myself to send them! lol
My craft space is half of our spare bedroom plus the closet. My hubby uses the other half as his office and ignores the closet ;) No one comments on my supplies because they know they'll get cut out of receiving handmade goodies!
One evening, my girlfriends and I went to a basket making class and we spent hours weaving and finishing one basket. All of them decided to meet monthly to make a basket. When they asked me I had to tell the truth: too much work and stress!!! I just couldn't handle it. I store my grandchildren's books in my basket but it remains the one and only while I stamp endlessly. I had to choose the hobby that gives me bliss.
I was that way about knitting/crocheting. My Friends and I went to a knitting class and they took to it fast. Me? Not at all. I kept saying tieing string into knots? Really? And they would not catch the paper crafting bug. Phish stubborn!!!
After I retired I needed something just for me. I didn't want to join a club, have to leave the house on certain days (too much like having a job!), or be available for my Dearest Retired Husband's calls and whims! LOL! (Where are you? What are you doing?)
So, after visiting my cousin who showed 3 Christmas cards she made at a friends house, I found my cause. In my lifetime I've crafted, sewed, embroidered, tried to knit and crochet, and raised 3 kids. Now it's my time and I will make cards. Will buy "stuff" mostly at thrift stores, dollar stores or use coupons for new things. Will go into my space and be and look busy!
This is for me and I love, love it.
Oh and thanks for this place, who knew there were so many people like me??
__________________ We can't all be stars but we can all twinkle.
After I retired I needed something just for me. I didn't want to join a club, have to leave the house on certain days (too much like having a job!), or be available for my Dearest Retired Husband's calls and whims! LOL! (Where are you? What are you doing?)
So, after visiting my cousin who showed 3 Christmas cards she made at a friends house, I found my cause. In my lifetime I've crafted, sewed, embroidered, tried to knit and crochet, and raised 3 kids. Now it's my time and I will make cards. Will buy "stuff" mostly at thrift stores, dollar stores or use coupons for new things. Will go into my space and be and look busy!
This is for me and I love, love it.
Oh and thanks for this place, who knew there were so many people like me??
You bring up such a good point, Dorie, about not having to leave the house at a certain time and be someplace! Not to mention having to get dressed nicely and be sure hair looks good! That's a wonderful thing about this hobby, I can do it whenever I want to, and if I'm still in my P.J.'s my cards don't know it!
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
Dorie your hubby sound so much like mine. I can just be in the next room doing dishes and he's asking where are you or what are you doing, you'd think we had someplace to go just to ourselves, hmmmmmm hey I sure do, when our children left the nest hubby converted the small bedroom into a craft room for me, it's small but has 2 bright windows with trees just outside (I love trees and to hear the birds chirping away). For Christmas that year he bought me a 4 piece desk set and it's set up in an L shape so I can have my computer on one part and can stamp etc on the long table desk. He put shelves in the closet for storage etc. I have to admit it was crowded in here but my daughter & her hubby bought me a wall tv last year so I can watch YouTube on it and in one corner I have a rocking chair with a plaque on the wall right next to it that "THIS IS MY HAPPY PLACE" and it is soooooo true, I can come in here and make cards, scrapbook or just watch tv and I'm so content, time just flies by. Card making is one hobby that I don't think I'll ever get tired of, and I've met so many friends thru this site etc. OOOPS have to sign off hubby just asked where I was Magee
One evening, my girlfriends and I went to a basket making class and we spent hours weaving and finishing one basket. All of them decided to meet monthly to make a basket. When they asked me I had to tell the truth: too much work and stress!!! I just couldn't handle it. I store my grandchildren's books in my basket but it remains the one and only while I stamp endlessly. I had to choose the hobby that gives me bliss.
I just took a basket weaving class this afternoon. We used grasses local to our area and some very pretty colors of wool, cotton, and alpaca yarns.
We got so wrapped up in it (pun intended) that an hour after the class officially ended we were all still there. I got most of the bottom of my basket finished and hope to get the sides done this week. It is fascinating and I love it.
One of the best compliments anyone ever paid me was when my sister was visiting and acknowledged that "you have a lot of stuff but it doesn't feel overwhelming at all". Misson accomplished on consolidating and organizing, apparently, so go, me! Those who are clueless do tend to do the glass-over eye thing, though, lol. Other hobbies that I've had over the years have been pared down to bare essentials or eliminated completely, so there's that...
Being a teacher, summer time I get to really play in my room. The other day hubby walked in, checking in on my latest creation. He wanted to know what was delivered earlier. "Oh, that was the case of tape I needed." Without a word, he just opened up, dresser drawer after drawer, and I laughed harder each time. "oh no, not the ribbon drawer!" "A case of tape?" he asked. "Not to worry, it'll last me a year! and just to let you know, the glue dots and envelopes are coming next week." He closed the drawers, walked out and left me with my creating spirit.
Being a teacher, summer time I get to really play in my room. The other day hubby walked in, checking in on my latest creation. He wanted to know what was delivered earlier. "Oh, that was the case of tape I needed." Without a word, he just opened up, dresser drawer after drawer, and I laughed harder each time. "oh no, not the ribbon drawer!" "A case of tape?" he asked. "Not to worry, it'll last me a year! and just to let you know, the glue dots and envelopes are coming next week." He closed the drawers, walked out and left me with my creating spirit.
... It can literally take me hours and hours to make a card because I absolutely enjoy the whole process & often add little touches to my card even when I thought it was finished - it's my therapy & it makes me happy ...
I feel the same way, JoBear. My brother asked me last evening what I had done all day yesterday and I said that I had made a card. He said, "Just one?" Obviously,that was not the only thing I had done, but it took a lot of time. Sometimes I will awaken in the middle of the night and the way I help myself get back to sleep is to think about a card I would like to design - colors, paper, which stamps to use, etc. It is great therapy!
We also have our own language. Not many places you can just go in and start talking about embossing, distress, blending, rolling and hundreds of other things. I LOVE STAMPING!
I love all of what the paper crafters before me said. I have had many hobbies over my whole life. But paper speaks to me in a whole different way. I still am not an avid stamper. Since I got my Silhouette Cameo nearly 5 years ago I have made thousands of cards and 3D items. I give them away to make others happy. Some say I should sell them. Then it is no longer fun but a job! Playing in the paper is my Zen space much like my gardening! Thanks to all of you in this forum that understand this hobby! So sad to see all the lovely paper stores close! It is hard to pick paper from a picture!
each year our exchange student is always amazed with all my stampin' toys!!!! I have had some very creative girls over the years...this is possibly the last year for us so I hope she too will be a crafter!!!
The 'outside' world has no idea! I normally get one of two reactions when people see my craft room, the look of love, or the look of confusion lol!
I have been a crafter since the womb, my mam & grans were knitters & crocheters, oh and macrame. Crafting and creative activities were encouraged and supported.
My SIL started dabbling in jewelry making, and I encouraged her from over the pond...when I moved here to Canada I realized she just needed a bit of a push and she threw herself into it & I am now the very proud owner of some amazing chainmaille pieces. She loved my cards, and started to make me one for Christmas & Birthdays...that grew into her needing a craft room, which my husband made for her in her basement....that grew to me getting her a silhouette cameo for her Christmas/birthday present this year....I have created a monster...lol
My aunt was here about a month ago, in from Arizona. She got into card making, mostly using embossing folders and dies after seeing some things I had shared on FB. My uncle says it's ALL my fault.
SNIP
It would be so lovely to live close enough to each other so we could "play together."
Have you tried looking on the meetup.com website to see if there are activities around your area? That's how I found out about ways to share my addiction, er, HOBBY, with like minded people.
I've had a couple hobbies over the years--I started stitching on plastic canvas back in the late 80's and continued until around 2005, when carpel tunnel syndrome affected both hands. I was so sad I had to quit. A friend of my hubby lost all her plastic canvas supplies in a fire, so I sent her all but one or 2 books I had. I also donated a BUNCH of plastic canvas to a group who made things from it. So essentially that's how I stopped that hobby.
I also did some counted cross-stitching. When my sister passed away, her husband stopped by our place about 4 years after that and gave me a box of her things--a few counted cross-stitch projects she was working on were in that box. There was this one pretty picture she had done all the stitches except the outlining (back-stitching) I finished that part and put both our initials at the bottom of it. It's a cherished picture I framed. I miss her so much, so it's a nice reminder of her love for that hobby. I still have a few other projects of hers to complete, which I've set aside for...stamping!!
I got into stamping in 2010. I had worked at a call center, & met a nice woman on the team--she was the first one to talk to me. I had to quit that job due to health issues. About 2 years later I saw her in a local craft store and recognized her. Ever since that day, we have been friends and she got me into this habit....er, hobby! She sold CTMH supplies--I'd NEVER heard of it! I became a consultant as well, but stopped after a couple years.
I now call myself an equal opportunity stamper. My SIL sells Stampin' Up, so I order from her website (I live in AZ and she lives in NY) and she gets credit.
When my daughter moved out of the house, I took over the bedroom and it's now called "My Playroom." (aka craft room) It's crowded, but I am really getting it organized. I am purging a lot of things. 99% of the time I donate it because I was taught that from my mom. "The more you give, the more you get" philosophy.
Yes, there is a LOT of things out there associated with cardmaking. The ironic part is I never wanted to get into scrapbooking because my attitude was, "I don't want to just HOARD things like paper and stamps and stuff like that." HA HA HA!! Yeah, coz you know, cardmakers don't EVER do that, right?!
I have no friends who are crafty, so nobody sees my 'stuff' except my 12 yr old granddaughter who OOOHs and AHHHs about paper, dies and heat embossing.
I make cards for the nursery workers at church and one said, "I always love your cards. How long does it take to make one....15 minutes or so?" NO.
There's no explaining our hobby to outsiders.
That's a shame - I don't have a lot of paper crafty friends, but no one disses my cards or thinks they are a 15 minute project. I'm sorry that happened to you. Most of my family keeps them forever...and even my mother-in-law shows them to her table mates at the retirement home she lives in - they adore seeing them. I got a taste of that last week when I made one for her birthday and got there to give it to her (with my family of course) right at dinner time. The other two women just went on and on about how cute or lovely they were, etc.
I'm hoping that some of those who get your cards really do understand what a labor of love it is for you to make the cards...we surely know what a gift it is.
__________________ The future is uncertain, because love changes everything!
I started making my own stamped cards over 20 years ago. Dimensional paper piecing became my go-to technique. Every stamp I have has been lovingly chosen because I can use it for multiple card ideas. That has morphed into combining stamped images with die cut images...LOVE my Big Shot! Cards are still created and have morphed into creating mini photo albums. I decided to sell at holiday craft shows...sold out at my first show and now I'm hooked on mini albums. LOVE making my own flowers, adding unusual embellishments and challenging myself to meet the requirements of special orders from customers that are amazed at what I produce. I know something is worthy of being sold if it amazes me as I'm working on it!! Yes, tons of supplies are stored in plastic drawers as they wait for their turn to be used. When people want to visit, I tell them that I live in a working craft studio with furniture crammed in...ha! ha! My sales serve more than just stroking my ego. Being on a very limited retirement fixed income, album sales do come in handy. I do have friends that don't seem to have any hobbies...and I wonder just how long they can sit and do nothing but watch TV. My days are filled with the joys of inky fingers, picking just the right adhesive for each step of my albums, creating gorgeous dimensional flowers, fussy cutting delightful images, discovering the beauty of working with seam binding bows, cleaning up micro-beads that bounce everywhere, checking Pinterest and YouTube for inspiration...the list goes on and on. No crossword or search puzzles are necessary to stimulate my brain...my brain is challenged to use all the supplies that I have accumulated over my years of crafting. I've found a terrific way to keep my brain cells alive! Crafting with paper is filled with such variety! I seriously doubt that I will ever run out of ideas. I can open a drawer and see something I haven't used for a while and a light bulb comes on with a dozen ways to use that item on cards and albums. I really don't expect anyone to understand what stimulates my creative brain into action. My kids don't "get it" and that's OK. I am making this world a prettier place and I like that. YES!