7 Reasons I LOVE Crafting

It’s about time to tell you why I think crafting is such a brilliant thing and why I devote most of my time to it. Sure I do other things like watching the television, reading a book and meeting with friends, but it’s the time with my crafts that I find myself loving more and more. So here are 7 reasons why I think crafting is just so damn great!

7. You can make a business out of it.

Well, maybe you won’t be the world’s best seller of cushion covers after a year or have a million pound home funded by crafting trinkets, but there is always the possibility that you could. Everyone had to start somewhere, and if that is doing a part time job whilst crafting and earning at least enough to cover you for more materials, hey, where’s the hurt?

Plus it keeps your crafting room decluttered from all the things you have made but have found anyone to fob them off on….

So look no further. Set up an online store or even sell on Ebay. There is a big demand for handmade, especially if it is a niche product. After the initial set up you will need to constantly tend to it. A shop is like a flower in some pretty poor soil, it needs help to grow-as your shop will. But it’s a worthwhile investment and learning more and more about business practices, policies and marketing is actually rather fun. As if receiving lovely positive comments about your work!

Which brings me to my next point

6. Crafting brings people together.

This isn’t a kum by yah moment, but you will find largely with the crafting community that they are a very supportive bunch who like to help each other out. Obviously there are the one or two who seem to try to stir things, but they are usually people who copy other peoples work and claim credit, or trolls and thus should be ignored.

Never ignore a forum, there are some great ones out there brimming full of ideas and feedback to help you on your way. Don’t be shy; dive in! There is so much you can learn from other people that going on a forum is a very rewarding experience. And every one is always so happy, maybe because….

5. Everyone loves (well made) handmade gifts!

I put well made in the title of this one because I thought of one time where I was walking round a craft fair and saw some hand made bags on sale. I used to make bags so I thought I would inspect…and they were terrible!! Seams half done, random bits of thread sticking out here and there….! Ah, the humanity!!

But giving or selling something good which then evolves into great is fantastic. If it’s a gift, not only have you put effort and time into it which people appreciate more than a bottle of wine from the garage, but you can also personalise it. If it’s a product, there is room for custom orders to be made so that you can customise it to your clients taste if requested.

Also a well-made handmade item is unique. By their very definition, no two will be the same no matter how similar. So you would have something unique, just for you.

4. Personal Pride

Crafters get very attached to the items they make…well I do anyway…and I think it is because of the time I took to design the item, to go through the entire making process, to describe it on my shop and then the lovingly wrap it and send it away. All that time and energy spent on it is why I am so proud of my items. Everything I make I would keep if I didn’t have a finite amount of space and money.

After learning all the techniques and spending so much time on developing and item and then finally, when it is finished you can stand back and say “I made that.” You can be proud in the knowledge that it’s the only one like it in the world and that your wonderful mind and your deft fingers made that item.

Things could get emotional here so I will move on quickly!

3. You can be inspired by EVERYTHING!

You want a muse? Look around you. What patterns could you copy? What textures? What colours, shapes and forms could you twist? Go outside, look at the flowers, the sky, the birds. Go on the internet and look for others work for extra inspiration….EVERYTHING is inspiration for something new.

I read a lot so some of my items are inspired by books. It sounds odd but it’s the feel of the thing. If it’s a dark story then maybe I’ll make a black rose bracelet or a studded crown, if its light and fluffy then something pink and delicate might be made. You just have to stay inspired, keep your ideas moving.

In fact, I now carry a small A5 note pad with me for drawing ideas of things, copying tree forms sometimes to get ideas for necklaces and

                   (credit andertoons)

writing down key words just in case I am out and about and cannot make it immediately. I also take it to bed as I manage to have my best ideas just as I am trying to sleep!

2. You can make ANYTHING!

This is true.

Oh, you’re not crafty?

You can’t draw for toffee?

Everything you have ever made was terrible.

WRONG!

You just need some more practice ;)

Well-made handmade does not happen overnight for most people. When I was starting dress making I didn’t wake up one day, shout “Eureka!” and make a Victorian ball gown! No, I took my time starting small, watching other people on YouTube, going through tutorials, looking for inspiration, playing with various shapes so I could work out patterns and curves. It was the same with clay, I had to learn first. It’s a hard step to take, but it means that you can make anything!

And it’s true, you can.

You can make anything you want. Some examples are pot holders, place mats, door organisers, broaches, rings, door handles, picture frames, dream catchers, friendship bracelets, cushion covers, models, cakes, plates, recipes, movies and videos, games, banners, clothes, electronics, lights, lamp shades, tables, side boards, cheese boards, board games…..

                                                                   (credit fantasyclay) 

...or an Angry Birds bauble for your Christmas tree!!!

1. It is food for the soul and relaxes the mind.

Now, I suffer from chronic depression and have done for years without knowing. However, recently I had a break down and was signed off work for a long time. In that time as I started to get better, I realised that I wanted to do something. At the time I was more into sewing, but because of the short attention span I couldn’t focus so I needed a craft that would be easy to pick up and put down.

That was when I found clay.

Clay was easy to use, easy to mould, lovely colours, textures and there were billions of tutorials to get me started. The bonus thing was that it didn’t take me long to pack it up if I got annoyed with it (which in the beginning was very often!!) But not long after I started I realised how relaxing it was. To mould this little shape of soft plastic into something, bake it and keep it forever if I chose. I found it hugely therapeutic to have something in my hands to fiddle with especially if the tele was on.

And on those days where the walls crumbled inwards toward me, I took to clay. As I massaged the soft surface I would think of all the things I could make today. And I made them. Some when terribly, some I burnt and some I used translucent clay rather than white and it ended up brown!! But I carried on.

And on those days where the walls start to fall again I just take a little bit of clay and imagine what little world I can make from it.

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So those are the 7 reasons why I think crafting is awesome. I hope you do to. Please email me or comment any suggestions of posts you would like to see, or tell me your experiences with crafting!

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Till next time!