I have been finishing things recently and making one or two new ones (about it later) and thinking about you all out there who like to make, create, recreate… too. I would love to know what do you do with all what you produce??????
When I used to sew clothes it was simple, most of it I would just wear or give to friends and family. The same is with soft furnishing, it just gets used. Quilts – these are so far the only art hanging on our walls. Embroidered wall pieces – well it’s more difficult, they should be framed and it can be expensive… But what do you do if you have more than you can use?
A month ago I decided to open an Etsy shop when, after working on February Take it Further Challenge, I ended up with more than 10 cards/pictures. This month, when I was playing with a flower shape I also made more than expected: it’s like ‘what if I use this fabric, what about using this stitch, and if I replace buttons with beads or use more layers…?’ It can be neverending…
Once I mentioned that I have a strong need to finish things, if I don’t it is always somewhere in the back of my mind hindering me from using all my time and energy for a new adventure with fibres. And at the moment – as you might have noticed – I have a need to make things which can be u s e d . (Even then I am sometimes unsure, isn’t this world full of Things…?….)
So, I made flower brooches from denim, leather and felt, attatched them to the cards with a pin (they can be used on their own) and placed some of them in my Etsy shop. I have given a few already to my friends.
Here is the whole collection, you can see them in all their beauty + description here on Etsy or at Flickr. I have also listed the denim skirt, hat and a felted bowl and a pouch there.
BUT, I have kept my favorite one for you! All the listing process, making, editing, uploading pics… is quite lengthly and at some points I felt like: “Oh, folks, just take it…” So, take it. It is a card to which white felted heart embellished with a red thread (you know, red on white…:) is attatched with a pin. You can easily detach it and use it further as an embellishment on a garment, bag, pillow…. (Ther is a blue version in the shop too.) Or you can send it to someone and that someone can easily detach it…..
So, please, leave a comment, if you would like to get this card and also if you like share what you do with things you make. I will randomly draw 1 commenter’s names (commenters to this post) out of a bowl and mail the winner the postcard and something little from my stash. I’ll draw the names next Thursday, March 27th at 12 noon UK time and announce it soon after here.
All of you who are here for the first time or never commented before, Welcome and Join in too! !!
We have got Easter holidays here in Scotland and I hope to take some holidays to be more with our girls and also do some reading. I am at Chapter 4 of Fearless Creating by Eric Maisel which is about “understanding one’s own work rhythms”. Summary of what is in the previous chapters starts here.
Red 2 White 
I’ve just been looking through your etsy shop – you have some lovely things! I especially like those denim flower brooches.
I’d love to be entered into your draw! To answer your question, I have an etsy shop too, which is where a lot of the things I make go. Otherwise, I craft for my two children, and to make gifts for family and friends.
Thanks for popping into my blog today and for your kind comment!
Those are so nice! I love your etsy shop! =] Keep up the good work.
Jane
http://mywoodenrobot.org
Such an interesting question. What do I do with all I do? When I quilt, they either go to my family (kids and grandkids) or for charity (mostly Alz’s research). Some to Project Linus.
The mixed media pieces are more problematic. Of course, some are trades, but then I get back….*S*
Lately, I’ve been using some smaller “stuff” like bottlecap pieces and tags just to put in with something else I am mailing to someone. Or birthday and holiday gifts. Or just “pls take this off my hands.”…..*L*
Cool stuff there in your Etsy shop!
I too, used to make things and give them away to friends and family. Someone (a few someones) said, “Hey you should sell those things!” So, I recently opened an Etsy shop.
Years ago, I used to make stuff and either consign or wholesale to boutiques. Most of those shops are long gone though, with owners moved west (or anywhere away from here), where life is less $$.
More great work Monika, I really likr your denim flowers. You could try them as brooches with a sew on brooch pin. As for what I do with my things most go to family/friends and the rest are in a bag under the bed!
Most of my stuff is samples for courses and that mostly goes in a box or a folder. I have given some things away, and some of it is displayed around our house. I often hesitate too about adding to the general clutter of ‘things’ that many people seem to contend with – but I think the solution is that more should be made by hand – not less. Before things were mass produced, they were crafted and treasured. It was slower and that limited the volume, but what was made lasted and was passed on. So my view is that we are not the ones who should hold back on what we are making.
These are wonderful!
Thats the thing about creativity, isn’t it?
It is abundant, always flowing over, there is so much!
Where to put it? what to do with it?
Well when it is as beautiful as you’re work is, gifts and you’re shop are a great way to spead it around!
Cx
I agree that Etsy is a lot of work at times, work I don’t factor into my prices but chew up a lot of time when I’m busy filling orders, or getting ready for holidays. However, as a way to get rid of experiments that didn’t turn out the way I wanted, I can’t imagine anything better. Also, it is a great way to reach people who wouldn’t have found you otherwise because of the treasuries and meta-search tools. Still, there is a learning curve, and I’m not actively posting new items right now because I’d rather make new things.