I'm fairly artistic and I like crafts. But I have a low success rate for crafting. One reason is because I am much better at duplication than creation. Someone shows me how to do something and I can pick it up pretty quickly. But coming up with creative solutions from scratch...not my forte. I don't necessarily have an eye for seeing the end product either. I have friends that can spend $15 at a yard sale and redecorate an entire room (and it looks amazing!). I try to do that and I end up with pieces that don't quite fit or too much money spent.
And that's the other side of it. Crafting in theory is a great way to save some cash in areas like decorating, party planning, or gift making. Crafting has always seemed to be an expensive hobby for me. Maybe I just don't have the knack for it. When I get a project in my head, I immediately go out and end up spending $40 on supplies to execute the craft.
Is it a matter of just slowly building up your supplies/tools? Or am I just getting it all wrong?
And how do you organize/store all of these accumulating crafting supplies? Mine have a tendency to come in and out of storage because I don't have a great space to keep them out.
Now I'm not a total failure. I did my own invitations and flowers for my wedding and loved how they turned out (and saved a ton of cash!). I'm pretty creative in general. I've designed t-shirts as gifts. I can write a cheesy poem for your birthday card in about 2 minutes. I can execute a recipe off pinterest with ease. I just can't seem to get out of the cycle of..."Ooo! I could do this...let me run to Michael's and buy $40 worth of supplies" followed by a new box labelled "art supplies" in my basement.
How do you creative ladies do it so well?!
Love it! I'm not "blank canvas" creative...but I like duplicating something I like (in my own colors, or style)...just MAKING something makes me feel good. THUS Ravelry and Pinterest and all those other fun things. Trust me, some people just don't have it in them! Case in point, my DIY wedding vs my friend who has not a crafty bone in her body that is willing to pay for someone else to create/make/design. Nothing wrong with either one!!
ReplyDeleteI think it's about finding your niche in the craftiness world, and finding deals. Hello Dollar Tree!!!
Check out www.dollarstorecrafts.com btw... ;)
Bulk! You buy supplies in bulk, and most bulk vendors offer way bigger discounts than says Joann Fabric's or Michael's. Also, organization is key - you need a bin for scraps, one for clothes needing repairs, one with full fabric to be used. Those clear drawered standing tupperwares work great for desk tops and shelving is a must! Mason jars which can be found at thrift stores help cheap different threads/glitters/whatever right at hand and easily found. Don't worry, everyone gets messy!
ReplyDeleteI totally feel the same way, Noelle. And to be honest, that's one thing I look for before I take on a new project- is if it's going to blow my budget and if I'm going to basically start from scratch with supplies. If that's the case, I look for alternatives or usually decide that I don't need to do that craft. I do often look for crafts made out of things I already have lying around (photo supplies, paint, etc). I think it's a matter of knowing your supplies and what you have on hand.
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