I have come to the conclusion that this is a curse that most avid crafters have, no matter what craft you create. When you find something that really works or that is soo cute- you can’t help worry “what if they discontinue it?” That always happens to me. I find something I really like, for example, these little acrylic flower beads I used to use to make beaded girls socks . I got them at Michael’s Craft store for years. They were my best sellers. Michael’s ALWAYS had them so I think I got a little complacent. One day I walked in and they had changed the whole bead department. No more cute flowered acrylic beads and me with a big order. Not a fun day. Let that be a lessen to you, my fellow crafters. Hoarding is not always bad! On a side note- since that day my husband has never again said to me in a store “Just buy a couple, you can always come back to get more…”
A Crafty Confession
By CraftyMomof3
I have a confession. I am a hoarder. Not the kind of hoarder you see on tv (but if you ask my husband, he might have a different opinion). I am a hoarder of ALL things crafty. As I mentioned in my earlier post, I love looking for bargains at craft stores. It’s kind of a obsession of mine. Call it craft OCD. I actually just threw away yarn from when I was 14 years old and I am almost 33! I had it in my head that I would some how use it. It has actually been commented on by my friends how impressive of a yarn collection I have and how well I hide it!
My advice if you are a hoarder like me…have a place to put it all. I use baskets, plastic containers and file folders to contain it. If you do have that odd occasion that you run out of stuff, check ebay and etsy. I have found a lot of things I thought was discontinued that way. So good luck and happy hoarding! Let me know if you find anything good.
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15 Responses to A Crafty Confession
One of my many hobby’s is wire wrapping. Lets not talk about hoarding!! LOL
Its a must that I keep all my beads and gem stones orginized. I need to spend more time beading than buying!! I need to get rid of my plastic containers now!! ha ha
I think my mom is a craft hoarder. Is there a support group?
Samantha- if there is my husband would like you to sign me up!
Mary- I hear ya! I have a pattern for every skein of yarn I have. I have good intentions I swear! My three year old usually has other ideas of what I should be doing with my time though.
I am not really a crafty person, but I always enjoy your writing, this piece especially.
I think a lot of us can relate to holding on to certain items thinking we will eventually have a use for them. I loved the yarn story!
As long as there is some form of organization, I think it’s a very minor imperfection!
Thanks Anya! I am just glad my 9 yr old is following in my footsteps because some of it is actually getting use. She just got a hand-knitter for Christmas and has been wading through my yarn stash.
I am not at all crafty, but I love to wrap presents so I tend to hoard all sorts of pretty wrapping, ribbons and bows. I can understand hoarding craft stuff for fear it’ll be discontinued. I think your advice to be organized and have a place for stuff is a good one (and will keep you from being one of “those” hoarders).
I am not a hoarder of anything. Nada, zip, zero. That is one of my faults. I do not keep things. However, I did decide several years ago to start knitting again and I brought back the knitting needles that I used growing up- after visiting my parents. I also bought some yarn. I have not picked them up since even though my intentions were good. But I still have them in a drawer in my bedroom and I look at them from time to time. I will not get rid of them. Retirement is just around the corner.
Guilty!!
Oh how I love crafting! I have dressers in my room (since I don’t have a dedicated craft room… yet!) filled to the brim with fabric, yarn, patterns, glue, wire, ribbon… and bags on the floor of my most recent purchases that I have no room for!
When I walk into a craft store, I sort of lose my mind. Like, I get a little dizzy and a little giddy. I start shaking just a bit. Literally. It’s like a high. ALL THE POSSIBILITIES! I’m getting all tingly just thinking about it.
Someday I’m going to turn into the craft lady instead of the cat lady. I’ll be the crazy little old lady down the street who makes her own shoes out of recycled plastic grocery bags.
Tiffany I think you and I would get along fantastically! Dressers…I never thought of that! What a great idea
I think those recycled grocery bags shoes will look great bedazzled!!!! LOL
Tiffany: Ha ha You are funny!! (Someday I’m going to turn into the craft lady instead of the cat lady) Sorry I don’t think that will work!! I seem to be both!! Some how I ended up with eight cats!! uggggg The lady across the street decided to put food out for the stray cats. One got in my garage and had a box full of babies. Then while the door was open for the first mom and babies, a second mom came in and had babies. Oh dear!!! Since they were wild they would not let me get to close. But I won them over and gathered them all up and took down to have spade and neutered. Then I threatened the neighbor to stop feeding the stray cats. I was able to give some away, but then I ended up with eight!! I could have taken them to the pound, but they would have put them all to sleep. Couldn’t stand that thought!! I lock them up at night in my sun room with all windows, and bought them toys to play with. During the day they are free. I feed them once a day in the evening, so all of them come in to eat. In my back yard my whiskey barrel planters are filled with cat litter instead of plants. The thought was they would not go to the neighbors and dig in their flower beds. ha ha I dug out a couple of spots in my front yard and filled with cat litter. They don’t always stay home during the day, but I have a count down at night. ha ha
I don’t own any cats, they own me!!
I am not really a hoarder of crafty things, but I do have a room in the basement dedicated to junk. Now my mother-in-law is a silver artist/jewelry maker and she has so many beads, stones, different clasps, and wire. I have no idea how she keeps it all straight, but she does. I am the lucky owner of some of her pieces, as are my daughters, so I am not criticizing!
Oh, I know I’m a hoarder! I’ve recently lost space in my house for my craft collection and had to box some if it in the basement for the time being. Maybe I need to get one of those “pod” storage units for my backyard just for “my” craft stuff!
I spend ALOT of money Scrapbooking.. Its my therapy and it keeps me sane. I used to be able to at home a few years ago, but now I actually pay to go to classes once a month away. (Im too busy on the computer later at night lol). My books are beautiful and I take great pride in them. I spent $$$ to turn the office into a Scrapbook office. And my husband is thrilled.. why? because I took the time to organize all my messes and use them to produce beautiful memory book my kids love to look at. You don’t have to spend alot and it does wonders for the inner peace..
I blame it on those late night infomercials for the Cricut Expressions. That thing is expensive but its my life! I dont sew and dont get a chance to od other crafts, but I love doing this. Anyone that is creative I envy! I dont every hoarders though… lol
Gee Debbie, I wonder why you are so busy late at night???LOL I have been eying up those circuit machines….are they cool? I have a pretty good scrapbooking collection myself. Got caught up with Creative Memories wave myself!
Yes! Way too many friends that were obsessed with wen Creative Memories came out. At the time it was the only stuff out there and I spent a small fortune on the stuff! Those machines are only good if you are really going to use them. If you don’t scrapbook, make cards or do posters you really dont need it. But I used to go to this scrap booking class that had it and all the clips to go in it. The New huge Cricut Expressions costs $375! And you only get one font. The other font cartridges are between 20& 30 each. Think of the investment as your childs WII or Nintendo DS. You still have to buy all the extras to make it fun..
And yes, I would rather be on the computer at nigt nowadays than be doing my love of the scrapbook. Its sad and pathetic I have to pay money to go out of my home and accomplish things elsewhere!