"My greatest fear is that when I die, my husband will sell all of my craft supplies for what he THINKS I paid for them"
Thank you @buckaroobaby for inviting me to ?*shamelessly*? admit to my crafting addiction. I'm going to divulge some of my hobby history with crafting supplies today. Luckily I don't actually need to worry too much about that quote, but I do think it's quite funny.
Truth be told, my addiction to stationary and crafting supplies is not as bad as it once was. Mostly because my spending priorities have changed a lot. When I recently packed up my house, I did feel guilty that an entire room's cupboard space had been dedicated to craft supplies. It was all the fault of a guy who sold metal embossing stamps in England... I blame him.
Have you ever heat embossed a stamped image onto paper for the first time? It's mezmerizing - well it was to me and totally got me hooked. That was the first stamp I bought. I now own several hundred.
I took up card making classes and eventually started a ~~part time business~~ hobby of making greeting cards. A few of them did sell at various craft markets but not actually enough to call a business. I gave it a name and pretended it was one for a while. I probably made about 200 greeting cards since 2001. The need to be creative even went as far as designing and having my own Madagascan themed rubber stamps made which you can see in these photos.
Have you ever heat embossed a stamped image onto paper for the first time? It's mezmerizing - well it was to me and totally got me hooked. That was the first stamp I bought. I now own several hundred.
I took up card making classes and eventually started a ~~part time business~~ hobby of making greeting cards. A few of them did sell at various craft markets but not actually enough to call a business. I gave it a name and pretended it was one for a while. I probably made about 200 greeting cards since 2001. The need to be creative even went as far as designing and having my own Madagascan themed rubber stamps made which you can see in these photos.
When I started working for Adobe, I had access to the latest Photoshop design tools and that was very exciting for me. I was able to do design courses that I used in my crafts. I bought a silhouette cameo machine which added a whole new dimension to my hobbies as I could now digitally cut out vinyl and cardstock. In about 2014 I launched a wedding invitation business which was so much fun. It didn't bring in enough money to live off unfortunately, but I loved what I was doing and helped many happy customers.
What I didn't realise at the time was that all of these skills and hobbies were actually going to meld together towards my current business. I am very grateful that even when I didn't have space for my crafting supplies, I didn't sell them and had them in storage because they have brought so much joy to my daughter who also loves crafting.
Card making is only one of my many hobbies, the others include scrapbooking, calligraphy, fineline typography and sketching, knitting, sewing, baking, gardening, photography, candle making, digital design, video splicing and mosaicing.
I'd like to know what hobbies @fionasfavourites would like to share with us, I am almost certain that she has a good story to share.
Calvin & Hobbes - Bill Watterson
What a nice hobby and work, they are works of art. You have wonderful hands.🌸
Hi @marbrym
Thank you so much for the kind words, I am glad you like them.
I do appreciate that I can work with my hands, it's a skill so I use it as often as I can, I like making things (and collecting things 🤣)
Have a great end to the weekend.
Not everyone has that ability so you should keep taking advantage of it. Just like you finish your weekend successfully 😉
Omg! You got the talent. Beautiful collection @andrastia !
Thanks @bloghound much appreciated. It's a guilty pleasure nowadays 😁
First of all, you are so creative and talented in arts and crafts.
Second, your designs are so impressive and attractive.
I’m so glad that your hobby graduated into a business.
It makes working less grueling and more fulfilling.
Way to go 🥳🥳🥳
Really? I never would've imagined. You are so talented! I love crafts - I LOVE stationary stores but I have never tried heat embossing. Your work is perfect! I love that a hobby can become a business. How terrible it must be to have a job you hate but you stick to it because it pays the bills
Hi Buckaroo
Thanks for the kind words ☺️
Oh I think you and I could blow a few hundred bucks at a stationary store. Heat embossing is captivating, it's like using liquid gold or silver on paper like alchemy.
I've worked at a fair few places and trading loveless work for your lifesource (essentially) is just not worth it. I'd rather be poor and do what makes my heart sing.
So if I need a quilt made, I'm commissioning you ok? 😊
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat??!!!! I said I could sew I didn't say I could sew QUILTS!! Quilting is gorgeous but it is quite an art and very time consuming.
Yes to poor and your heart singing. But isn't it sad that people define success and happiness by a job? I mean are you really poor or do you maybe not have the cash flow that many do BUT you are rich in so many other areas that really matter? And that makes your heart sing
Music to my ears! I just want to live a simple life, be able to make pretty things and enjoy pretty sunsets with the people I love. I don't need extravagence.
Lol ok I'll let you pass on the quilting although I know that you can do it if you can sew wedding dresses. It is super time consuming, I've got the starters of a quilt from 4 years ago, it's probably going to be ready for Lory's 21st birthday party...or her 40th. We'll see.
Have a wonderful evening and give your chickens some koppiekraps from us 😄
Oh my word. Her 40th?!!! In that case I better help you finish it!
These are the koppiekrappies we have today. Maybe Lory will get as excited as my kiddos about new chicks
OH MY GOSH! I'm the one that is getting so excited, those chicks are too cute! I would just want to snuggle them all day long! The last time I visited my friend Monique, her one hen had just hatched out a clutch and I basically adopted them for the day - I almost started crying when I had to give them back.
Yes, the quilt will give us a good excuse to get together, talk nonsense, make sewing & paper things, cuddle baby chickens and eat chocolate 😃
Or just talk nonsense and eat chocolate!
Oh gosh! I would love to, can I, after Tuesday?
Hi Fiona. I'd love to read about your hobbies or how you got started with your preserves and jams, did that start as a hobby originally?
I've written about some. Perhaps it's time for a reprise. I'll add it to the list. ;)
You received 2 LADY(LOH) tokens for entering the Ladies of Hive contest!
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Thank you very much LOH! Much appreciated.
Many thanks @thekittygirl 😄 the support is greatly appreciated!
You have definitely got some skills, and beautiful work to show for it! The filigree cutouts are particularly interesting! Kudos! Thank you for sharing with us in the weekly contest! 😊
Thank you @thekittygirl I do love working with paper, I have an afinity for it. It's by far my favourite hobby out of the lot. It was lovely being able to take part 😃
Have a beautiful Sunday.