Contemplations
It is March, and for me the start of another season – the Easter season, beginning with Lent.
How does this time of restraint, focus and charity fit in with my crafting activities, or better still, how am I going to tailor my activities to suit this period?
Well as a Christian, I am giving it a lot of thought, examining how I operate now, my short and long term goals, what I am being called on to do with my time and talents and it’s effects on my environment.
These are some of my thoughts -
Focus
As a hobby crafter I am sometimes frustrated as my creative flow is constantly interrupted by more pressing and important day to day responsibilities. Although that in itself can give opportunity for creativity in problem solving, the outcome (sometimes) is ill planned out, half finished projects or compromise by doing less challenging projects, to fit around my time and space constrains. Grand ideas not followed through, procrastination and even fear of starting !
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| started June 2010 |
Goals
In the spirit of the season, I see this time as a gift to take a break away from the constraint of normal routine and thought patterns. It is often a time of solitude and contemplation, to gain resolve and a renewed perspective.
I receive many compliments from family and friends who have seen my work . The resounding cry is ‘why don’t you sell this stuff’ or, ‘you are wasting your talents not promoting yourself’ etc. I’m sure many hobbyists hear the same from time to time as they continue to show exceptional quality work, honed from natural skill, talent, and dedication to their chosen crafts.
Many take up their crafts for relief from boredom; love of the skills involved; company; a means of personal expression, or other more egalitarian reasons. Not all want or set out to be commercial, and not all crafts would fit into a ‘production line process ‘ anyway.
Some would feel a tangible loss of pleasure from no longer being connected in a tactile and spiritual way to the end product. Also the resale value, based on time, materials and skill would price it higher than most people would want to pay for often under appreciated bespoke pieces...
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| hand stringing unakite and glass seed beads with gold fill spacers on tiger tail wire |
That is not to say it can’t be done or indeed is not being done very successfully by many crafters (kudos to them!); but it is a dilemma and one needs a plan to do it well.
So, what does this mean for me?
Well I’m continuing my ‘clear out’, donating some unused materials to centres and charities that can use these items, as less money becomes available for community based craft clubs etc. It also helps me to streamline my activities.
I am aiming to finish a whole host of ‘works in progress’, stuff I started but did not finish but always held onto for the opportunity to see them to fruition ! Apart from the potential waste it would cause not to complete them; I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the connection I feel to these pieces, reminiscing and revisiting long lost ambitions, friendships, classes and research .They are just like long forgotten photos!
I hope to post a whole host of beautiful finished items !
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| Completed March 2011 - Unakite and seed bead choker |
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| beautiful gold fill hook for unakite and seed bead necklace - March 2011 |
Last but most importantly, I am trying to be more organised with my time, so that I can create a plan to make best use of my talents and skills, whether it is teaching , sharing via my blog, or even venturing into the commercial world – so watch this space!
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| All done ! Warm colours of unakite and transparent gold colour seed beads - March 2011 |
