Thoughts: Why do you craft?

Burlap Mini Albums.

This last weekend I had a few hours to myself to go to Seattle’s ” Urban Craft Uprising” event at Seattle’s Center Pavilion. This event has been running for three years and during three days local artists and out-of-state crafters/business owners come to showcase their work and mingle with other artists in the crafting industry. The weather was perfect Seattle summer weather and the event was full of creativity, great design and a medley of gourmet treats.

What a great afternoon I had! I perused and shopped for some unique items while sipping a latte… Then, why did I come back home semi anxious and down? First, I think I was expecting a much happier place than a yellowish lit basement at the Seattle Center. The venue itself was a little depressing and a few vendors themselves were not a their friendliest height.

Now, I don’t want to be Debbie Downer and critique the event and patrons. I think I was too pumped up about the show, but then I realized real life not always lives up to the crazy expectations I concoct in my head. I still couldn’t think or explain why I was a little down after the show. The show itself didn’t bring me down, and the amount of talent was very overwhelming. That’s it, I was overwhelmed by all the great displays of artwork, culinary talents, sewing super powers and jewelry abode.

Sally album.

I started thinking, “WOW…I am very far from putting together a line of products, market it and sell it!”

I had to take a step back and let these thoughts simmer and go back and find out why I felt this way? You see, I started asking myself, why do I even bother crafting? What is the point of it all? Is it to get as many “likes” on the crafts I put online? Or is it to cherish sincere comments on my blog and what else? Why DO YOU craft? While thinking all of this, after my husband and I were done putting the kids down for the evening, I went to my little crafting area in my home and stared at all my craft supplies. I probably stared at it all for a good two minutes.

Then I decided to finish a craft I had started the day before: twoDIYminiphoto albums I found at the clearance section of Michael’s. I took the albums in my hands and looked at the work I had done so far. The album itself is made of only a few pages of burlap, fabric and a leatherette material. You can design a cover for it, draw something, or stamp on it. There are so many ways to personalize it. For the first album I chose five really cool black and white photos of my husband’s mom. She was a great lady, mother and friend. Her name was Sally. Or “Nana Sally” as my kids would have called her if she was still alive. I looked at Sally’s photo on the album’s cover. It looked really nice and I had so much joy choosing the materials for this craft. I had another album to craft with and I designed a cover for it titled “Blessings”. I added two gold feathers and a beautiful gold star sticker.

Sally album inside.

Then I used a few photos from a stash of Instagram prints of my three children.These are from the last two years and they have been laying around on my desk for well, two years. It was hard to choose only 4 or 5 photos since this is all the album could hold. I paired my choices down and finished putting them together. I held both albums in my hands. The first album of Sally and the second of my crazy kids. I felt quite peaceful holding them.

One album of a life that ended too soon and the second of three little lifes full of hopes, possibilities and blessings. And these two little albums brought me back to the reason of WHY I craft. It simply gives me joy. I don’t have to brand, market and PR this joy.

I simply can’t do this during this super busy season of life. The anxiousness I felt coming back from the show was gone and I felt simply content with my finished craft. I’m not sure when and if I’ll design something to market and sell. But what I do know now is that when I decide to do this, the reason will be to continue to en-joy crafting and not to try to keep up with all the talent and creativity out there. For now, I’m happy to enjoy the blessings God has given me and I’m very thankful I can encapsulate some of these in my crafts. Thank you for reading! If you wouldn’t mind sharing with me, why do you craft?

Blessings album.

Blessings album inside.

List of materials I used:

7 Gypsies mini album found at Michaels.
Jenni Bowlin Studio Rub On Feathers found at Amazon.
Trim/Bordure Lace found at Michaels.
Hero Arts Stamps Printers Lowercase Alphabet found at Amazon.
Puffies stickers found at Michaels.
Photo Corners Coins de Photo from Papyrus.

Linking back to these fab blogs:

Craft-O-Maniac Blog

hodgepodgecraft says

2013/07/18 at 7:31 am

Mini album = cute!

I think you hit the nail on the head. I craft because it makes me happy. I like to create something I’m proud of, but it’s mostly about the process.

If I’m stressed, I know I can do some cross-stitch and that will immediately calm me. On day 3, post the birth of my 1st son, full of hormones & unable to stop crying, someone told me to “take a bath, then do something you really enjoy”. I started work on his baby book (photos, notes, newspaper clippings) & the process was like therapy for me. Took my mind off feeling blue and gave me a positive, creative focus :)

- ursularosien says
  
  2013/07/18 at 9:55 pm
  
  Hodgepodge craft, thank you for your insights!
  I wish I would have discovered crafting earlier
  In my mothering years ;) Now my you youngest is 4 but is another kind of exhausting! Thankful for crafting though!

One album of a life that ended too soon and the second of three little lifes full of hopes, possibilities and blessings. And these two little albums brought me back to the reason of WHY I craft. It simply gives me joy. I don’t have to brand, market and PR this joy.

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