Are there any artists or people who love doing crafts in this forum? I love painting with oils and watercolors, drawing with pastels and colored pencils, and crocheting afghans for family. I also like doing small crafts and showing all of my work at local arts and crafts shows. I have sold a few paintings, have given many away as gifts, and have sold many suncatchers, bookmarks, and other small crafts. I'm always on the lookout for new ideas and projects to work on. I have devoted one entire room of my house to my art and crafts supplies. Between these and my reams of paper printed with internet jokes and inspirational messages, my room barely has walking room. I really need to cut down on the clutter in my house, but can't bear to give any of it up. So I just keep the door to that room shut. I love to talk about my paintings and share my jokes and inspirational messages with anyone who will listen.

I am what I like to call a crafter in waiting. I have a lot of books, materials, ideas, etc., but no project yet. Maybe hearing about some of the things you've given as gifts would insprie me to do something. RIght now my biggest stash of things I have boxedup is supplies and books on crafts and decorations for the home and for scrapbooks. Have you done anything in thee areas?

Not much scrapbooking. However, after my daughter Teresa died, I started a scrapbook of the sympathy cards, photos of Teresa, and other mementos for her daughter, Regan, who was 3 at the time of her mother's death. Regan is now 7 and almost old enough to appreciate it to a degree. She is reading now and still remembers her mother.
I have made scrapbooks of certain events in our local history,like the one with newsclippings and photos of our town's centennial back in 1984.
Scrapbooking looks like fun, but I just haven't had time to add another hobby lately. Perhaps later.

I don't do scrapbooks, but we do keep a TON of photos online. It's our form of a scrap book.

As for my crafts, I like to do what I call "window peeps"

Small wooden windows with window boxes. I decorate them however the muse hits me.. kind of like peeking into a window of my soul.

I'll post a link soon so you can see them.

Vicki

I like to work jigsaw puzzles. I usually work "themes" like Elvis, James Dean, Disney, Amy Geddes, WWII, Civil War, etc. and then I glue them, give them as gifts or donate them to local charities or orphanages. They are always looking for something bright to hang on their walls. I would absoluely love to have a talent for painting or drawing, but I am a cake decorating drop out, so drawing is out of the question. I did; however, decide that I should make homemade gifts for all the sisters birthdays (much to their dismay) and so I made things on the computer. I made one sister a calendar for next year with color pics of her farm, the animals there, her grandchildren and Mom/Dad. I made another one a coupon booklet to help her around the house and for free meals at her favorite places. I made another one matching mugs that were clear (bought at Hobby Lobby for .77) and put colored pic's of her and hubby inside and then the other I put together a gift basket with homemade face cream, candles (bought) and flower arrangement (I made). These were fun and not very time consuming.

Hi Country Girl,
Don't know how I missed your post in March. Yes, I have done craft fairs and maybe one arts fair. They didn't consider Tole Painting an Art because you can use patterns and then paint. My Calligraphy was accepted and now I've added rubber stamping. Anyone interested in learning a little bit about scrapbooking should take a Creative Memories class. Its usually two hours and you finish one page. From there I use all sorts of materials including rubberstamps in my albums. I decided today to work on the living room then crafts, then another room then crafts. It givess me time for both sometimes.
Maggie

Maggie, I myself am not as snobbish as some artists. I consider tole painting to be art, whether it is done freehand or by using a pattern. I used to sell Tri-Chem paints, which are a medium well-suited to tole painting, fabric painting, etc. I used my paints to paint pictures, foam magnets to hang on my refrigerator, t shirts, etc. Some of it was from a pattern, some of it was freehand, some was a combination of both.
I don't use the Tri-chem often anymore, but I do still enjoy painting with my watercolors and oils, and drawing with charcoal and colored pencil. Ink is messy, and it is hard to correct mistakes (which I make a lot of), so I don't draw with it much. I do, however, admire anyone who does use the medium.
Right now, my art room is in a terrible mess. When we bought new front room furniture, my husband moved this heavy broken down recliner into my room from the front room, and so far, I haven't been able to get it out on my own. I'm thinking about dismantling the chair in my room and hauling it out piece by piece. Then perhaps I can get back to doing what I love...art.

Hi Country Girl,
Thanks for making me laugh again. I keep thinking as you dismantle the chair their might be something there you could paint on or cut up to paint.(I am usually in trouble for doing stuff like this but sometimes it works)
I've seen the Tri-Chem paints and thought they were great too.
I have finally found a teacher who thinks she can teach me to draw. Had the first class last night and it was actually fun. I think everyone relaxed a little at the end when we found were all in the same boat. You must be talented if you can draw and watercolor.
Maggie

Reading everyone's post about how much they enjoy their talents makes we wish I had the time to do some artsy things. I think my biggest block to doing it is I don't have the space. I figure by the time I pull everything out and get started, I'd have to put it all away again. Any ideas on organizing things or ways to have things easily available for crafting even if you don't have room or anyplace to leave things out.

Organize?



I just leave everything out. but, then I have space to do that. I turned my dining room into my craft room. It has lots of shelf and work table space.

Each part of the room has it's own "theme".. beads, aromatherapy, window peep boxes, etc. Even my writing has it's own space.

Organize? Bah! We don't need no stinkin' organizers..