I am going to get back into being creative. I started doing some of my favorite hobbies again and planning to learn some new ones. Please share what you enjoy or what you are interested in possibly learning to do.
Years ago I managed a craft shop. I loved it!
Does anyone have an Etsy shop or participate in craft fairs?
I have always wanted to learn calligraphy. It's so beautiful. Is it hard to learn? Do you find it is becoming a lost art in the day of computerized everything? There is something so special about something handmade, right? What could be more personal than a handwritten note, card, letter, invitation, announcement, etc. Have you sold any of your writings? You should.
I wish I had paid someone like you to address my wedding invitations. With all of my handwriting drills that were forced on us in my Catholic school by the strict nuns, I never had beautiful penmanship. My mother who had the same order of nuns had beautiful penmanship, so did my aunt. My father had crappy handwriting. I guess I took after him. I always thought it was funny how most doctors have crappy handwriting.
I think they are for making greeting cards. I would like to make my own greeting cards.
Or, cover one side only with a new fabric, and place the old side quilt face down.
But only if you are going to use it. Otherwise, donate the quilt, and make yourself a new one.
Are there any pretty parts at all? If there are maybe you could frame that one section of the quilt. Or sew into a tote bag? Line it with a coordinating fabric.
Yeah, some things tug on our heartstrings. My grandmother that I did not know, daddy's mom made quilts from scraps too. They were a poor family. They weren't pretty quilts but they were made very well. Daddy said that it was a group of ladies that worked together as a team, a quilting bee. I used to love seeing those quilts as a child and I knew they were special to daddy. Sadly, they were destroyed along with everything else in mom's house due to Hurricane Katrina.
I have a quilt I made when I was younger, there is sentimental value to it because my grandmother and aunt helped put in a lot of stitches but it is an abstract 70's kind of pattern made cheaply with leftover fabric pieces that in retrospect do not compliment each other, in short it is UGLY. I have never found a way to make use of it, I almost gave it up several times but... the sentimental value keeps stopping me. Any ideas what I can do with it?
Mom was with me for 15 years. I no longer care for her. Long story. She is now with my brother and sister in law.
I am not aware of the swaying but movement is good. Whenever she did physical and occupational therapy it helped. She's 94 now. She's wearing out! She left my home shortly before she turned 94. She does use a walker but she would love to give up and go into a wheelchair. Everything is such an effort for her. I am sure I would be exhausted too.
It's devastating watching former active people deteriorate to horrible diseases. My mom used to do so many things, she sewed beautifully, crochet, knit, embroidery, etc. She sold lots of things at craft shows. Etsy wasn't around then. My grandmother made beautiful items too, as well as my aunts. My great aunts used to make items such as beautiful christening gowns and nightgowns with gorgeous tatting to the upscale boutiques in the french quarter back in the day.
Can she sit in a chair and sway? If so, are you away of the Dance for PD therapy?
I love comedy shows too. I have no idea why people watch trash tv. There is a lot of crap on television! LOL
I like old movies too.
NeedHelpWithMom, I think coloring books can be soothing, perhaps because of the repetitive movement of the hands. But I do think that it depends on the design, the difficulty and the person's individual interest.
If I told you that you could order a coloring book of flowers and garden scenes, would that appeal to you (yes, I'm teasing!)?
I think I've written of this before but it's worth mentioning. It's the series of what I'd call mood, inspirational and adaptive books by Trevor Greive. A friend gave me the Blue Day Book after my sister died, and it really helped me relax after that trauma.
The Book for People Who Do Too Much has some cute inspirational photos:
Cute photos of animals are accompanied by clever observations or questions. One is a bear seated, paw over one eye, accompanied by a caption of headaches (from overachieving - too much salmon fishing, perhaps)?
Another photo address overachievers' effect on those around them, with the photo showing 9 Huskies collapsed and sleeping while still tethered to a sled.
The animals are adorable, and when accompanied by a clever caption, bring an instant smile to my face, and I can feel myself relaxing.
Greive's art work and inspirations are better than chocolate, and for a chocolate lover, that's quite an admission.
Don’t you like the puzzles better than the trendy coloring books? I get bored with the color books.
I would love to try a quilt. I haven’t ever tried quilting.
I have been doing bead crochet. Haven’t completed a project yet. I am just practicing some designs.
For years I've subscribed to the Dover weekly selection of various publications, including their fairly extensive offerings of Art Nouveau designs.
They're featuring some again, beautiful, stunning designs, especially in stained glass. Most are copyright free, so they can be incorporated into designs. I've used a lot of them for handmade Christmas cards (a project that took far more time than I could ever realize).
This is one that's really caught my eye:
https://sep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-137970348157658_2611_536434269
I'm trying to figure out whether the petals are colored, painted, or a mix of something like glass used in stained glass designs. In applying the designs, they could also be colored with pastels, or painted with oils although I don't have the skills for working with oil paints.
My creative instincts are stirring! I'm seeing quilts in some of the patterns and probably will head upstairs to the quilt stash by the end of the day to design quilts that I never will finish. I think some silky kind of fabric would work well for the petals, although I've found that 100% polyester isn't that easy to work with. Satin would be better; it's thicker and less flimsy.
What are you working on now? Quilting? Crochet? Knitting? Painting? Woodworking?
I wish we could send photos on this site. I’d love to see your paintings.
When I am not caregiving or watching grandchildren, I also crochet, garden, take yoga classes (actually more like stretching classes), ride my bike, and sing in my church choir. I am also an artist. I paint in oils - mainly landscapes, though I have been in a slump. I have plenty of inspiration of what to paint. I can get inspired by flowers growing in a ditch. I just can’t seem to bring myself to pick up my brushes lately.
Will do.
Love your honesty! You sound like me as a kid. I was picky, picky, picky. Hahaha
Try going to Catholic school with nuns and we had ‘plate check’ at lunch. This is why I brought my lunch!
The times that mom was out of bread for my PB&J sandwich and I had to eat lunch at school I was punished for not eating!
Ooooh, agree on the lemon poppyseed. Very good! I like doing cookies with my daughters or my great nieces. Fun!
Yes, it has to have cream cheese icing!
That’s wonderful for you to make that for them. How lovely. It’s a beautiful cake.
I will try doing a red velvet cake one day. I saw a recipe for red velvet brownies recently. I don’t know, I am kind of a purest with some things. I think just a classic red velvet cake would be better.
And I really don’t go for all of those fancy flavored cheesecakes. Give me a classic New York cheesecake! Don’t screw it up with all the extra crap.
PBS does that English baking show. It is so different than the food network shows. They can bake! Baking is a work of art. I think a pastry chef is harder than a food chef because it is less forgiving. Baking is more precise. All cooking is chemistry but I think baking is harder.
I do simple baking. I am in New Orleans so of course I do bread pudding. I can do quick breads like banana, zucchini or pumpkin. I can do a basic yellow cake from scratch. I can bake brownies from scratch. I don’t like prepared mixes. I am a from scratch in all cooking. I can also do a carrot cake. Want to do a red velvet cake!
I am intimidated by pie crust. Not sure why. But I can do a cobbler from scratch.
My hubby does an amazing New York cheesecake.
I have to share my baking because we can’t eat it all.
Flannel backing does sound warm and cozy!
The boards are #2 yellow pine from Lowe’s. 1 X 6. I cut them into 10 inch pieces.
I do have a power screwdriver.