Confessions of an Addict

I have a confession to make. Some of you may already know this about me and some of you…don’t. Admittedly, I have an addictive personality and it’s always been a problem, whether it is chocolate or smoking or any number of things I’ve become addicted to over the years. I’ve never quite mastered ‘everything in moderation’ and to me…more and more and more and more is ALWAYS better.

Hi, my name is Kim and I’m a “craft junkie”. I have the dreaded disease that totally denies me the unadulterated privilege if going to a ‘craft’ OR ‘Art’ show and BUYING anything because I ALWAYS think to myself: “I could make that!” It makes me crazy. Nine times out of ten I never make it and I have even been known to return to the same art show in years following and think the same, exact thing. I figure it’s just God’s way of keeping me from spending money on a non-essential.

The ‘projects’ I do try most often end up costing more in supplies and tools then it would have been to buy the thing to begin with. This wouldn’t be so bad if it were an investment towards future projects, but I have the temperament that will do a project with a vengeance for about 3-6 months and then I’m done and don’t ever want to do it again. Is any of this sounding familiar?

I went to Hobby Lobby with my mother the other night. This is hard for a craft junkie. It’s the one place I could ‘max’ out a credit card (if I still carried any), and still go back for more. I have to do some prep work with myself. I give myself a little talk about what I’m going for (tonight it’s ½ price beads), how much I’m spending, and the limit of aisles I can peruse because I know what will happen.

My mother is no help. I’ll tell her as I’m walking away: “I’m JUST going to run over to the scrap book stuff to take a look at what’s on sale.” As I wonder off to scrap booking supplies or frames and home décor, she’ll be found over at the yarn picking up just another skein or two for some future project.

I’ve also tried the “I’m only going to stay in here 30 minutes” approach. The problem with that is I don’t wear a watch (I don’t want to be time bound all the time), and I lose track of time in the craft abyss called “Hobby Lobby”. There are just so many distractions…and so many cool projects or potential projects. I know I’ve gone over my time limit when I go in during daylight and leave when it’s dark.

I mentally reviewed what projects I have tried over the years and they include: sewing, crocheting, decoupage’, framed art, painting, scrap booking, jewelry making, some woodworking, furniture refinishing and reupholstering, photography, stained glasswork, glass etching, gift baskets, floral arrangements, wedding planning…I even did latch hook rugs AND macramé all those years ago…

Let’s look at just a couple, shall we. Sewing included purses, animals, clothing, wedding veils, pillows, curtains, blankets, not to mention the yards of ribbon and other “notions” I’ve purchased over the years within the “sewing department”. I LOVE ribbon. I love to embellish things with ribbon. I used to have quite a thing for buttons too, but I have reduced them down to two containers so the passion has passed. I was able to whittle down that collection during my “less is more” cleaning phase recently.

I have panels of stained glass, oodles of beads and picture frames and basically every color of paint available in the free-market. I have glue sticks and glue guns, scrap book paper and stickers, unpainted wood plaques and letters and tons and tons of cards and cardstock. I have stamps and ink. I have tissue paper and gift bags. The bottom line...is I could easily open a Hobby Lobby Outlet with all the “treasures” I’ve accumulated.

My Mother and I started beading last year at the beginning of football season (to pass the time productively) and we made 1-2 bracelets a piece each day. My dad actually gave my mom carte blanche with purchases of beads if she would stay busy and away from the television set. We each have over 30 bracelets. We have made 10 a week since August…yes, we have quite a collection.

Mom started selling them at work, so I followed suit and we have sold quite a few of the newer creations. My mother even takes special orders. I don’t do that…I have a thing about appreciating art as the artist originally created it and I cannot be TOLD how to make something! This was only a problem during my mural painting season. Oops...I got a bit off track…

We decided to start a “business” called ReKi designs (we only have a template created online but we’re getting there) and we are going to ‘sell’ our creations at shows this fall and online of course. What all this led to…is online bead ordering. I now order beads from several different ‘craft suppliers’ and together we have accumulated thousands of beads.

Thankfully Mom keeps the beads at her house and her dining room table has become the official creation workspace…except during holidays when they are packed away in a fairly small container until the food has been eaten and game time begins.

I made it out of Hobby Lobby the other night fairly unscathed. I took only cash and came out with change! Yeah! Hey, I only had $12.00 to begin with…so that’s pretty darn good for me. I only purchased 1 impulse item and it’s actually very handy for one of my gift stain glass projects so it can’t really be considered an “impulse” item…it’s more like a ‘necessity’. Sure I won’t NEED it for a few months, but now I have it!

I recently went to the garage sale of another ‘craft junkie’ and she had things her husband wanted to give away because they were either incomplete projects (planters painted on only one-side, etc.) or she didn’t even know what to do with them. Her husband offered to give one item away free if someone could tell him what it was used for. I knew, but it was too big to put in Maxx, so I didn’t say a word! It was sad. I felt for her. I feel her pain in giving up these things. I feel her pain of incomplete projects or projects gone “bad”. I had never seen her at Hobby Lobby, so she must be a “Michael’s” shopper. We only have the two stores, people and I’ve been to ALL the Hobby Lobby’s in Oklahoma and the surrounding areas.

I’m proud to say this “junkie” has almost made it through another week without taking on another “new project” or removing even one of those free patterns…the hanging temptations on every end cap throughout these stores. If you don’t know what I’m talking about just offer praise to God that you or your loved one has never been down this path of destruction. If you ever feel the urge to start a new hobby…stop and weigh the costs first or email me because I probably have all the supplies you need to get started!

Have a happy Thursday and happy ‘crafting’!