MY NEWEST CRAFT - MAKING SOMETHING OUT OF ALL OF MY CRAFT MATERIALS.....

 

I have years' worth of parts and pieces of the many crafts that I have made and sold over approximately 40 years.... floral pieces (3 lg. bins), materials/fabrics (three tall industrial shelving units stuffed high and full), - and many totes with all of the material cut offs, two bins of glitter, paints of all kinds, glue, glue guns, brushes, markers & inks.  Many giant bags of poly stuffing, vintage magazines/sheets of old music for piano, buttons, pipe cleaners, tons of beads and all of the findings.... On and on.... I could probably open up as a craft shoppe.... I've got all of the bases covered.  BECAUSE, when you like to create, ideas just come to you either through (in my case - dreams and thoughts just as I wake up each morning) *my mind creates constantly* or from Pinterest and Facebook groups.  Also, a walk into a Craft Shoppe starts generating all kinds of ideas swirling in my already busy head.  Thrift shoppes are also a window to a million creative possibilities.  It never ends when you love to create. Everything I see is a possibility, an idea generator.  A walk in the woods is inspiration, music, reading, photography, etc. all start the creative process for me....to create.... I just need to continue creating - as long as I possibly can.

I'm creating and creating for me and also so that my children don't have to contend with my two full rooms of craft materials, two big closets and two smaller rooms, (all on the 2nd floor of our Victorian home which I only use - no husband's allowed unless I need his help with something). I'm going to do my best to create all kinds of useful and fun types of items to give away or keep for myself to enjoy.  I bought all of the stuff to make something or another and it is now that time....no more shuffling it all around, putting in bags, bins and moving from place to place - we are now living where we will live out our days, so, no more thinking, someday - the day is now.    

I am now retired and we are now in our forever home (we've moved many times - purchased, renovated and sold many homes).  But, this is it.  I love our Victorian Home - so much room for my craft stuff - and it's all out of the way - on the 2nd floor - me and my craft stuff floor.  So, no work excuses, etc. It's time to create all of the things I've thought about for so many years.  I have been creating for many years, sold many items and have made many items for friends/family even while I was working.   Now I have all of the time I want to create and write/blog....so, that's how I am going to spend my days....

So, Happy Crafting....Happy Writing....Happy Blogging to all that share my joy in these endeavors....

WE'VE BECOME ROCK HUNTERS/HOUNDS AND WE ARE ADDICTED.....

 

My husband and I live in the UP Michigan.  And, as Facebook does, you mention a word and then you get all kinds of groups, pictures, advertisements on your feed regarding anything possibly associated with that word.  Sometimes all of the information coming at you is great, and in our case it definitely was.

All kinds of pictures of the beautiful rock beaches around Lake Superior, rock hunter groups, pictures of amazing found rocks, rock cutting/polishing equipment...on and on...We're in....Traveled up to Grand Marais MI and stopped all along the way in Au Train, Munising. Christmas and then further to White Fish Point.  And then all of the way back through and onto Marquette.  We love living in the UP but after going to the northern most tip of the Up, we realized that Michigan has everything anyone could want all in one beautiful state.  

We spent a lot of time on the beaches of Grand Marais.  We met some of the nicest, most knowledgeable people who were so willing to share all of their experience and knowledge about anything to do with rock hunting.  We were newbies and they were patient with us as we asked questions, and they were even so kind as to share some of their finds with us. Who could ask for a more wonderful way to spend any day, walking along beautiful Lake Superior, on a sunny, not too hot, day, shifting and digging through and finding one beautiful rock after the other. 

We immediately wanted to move to the area so that we could spend every day out on the beaches looking for rocks.  But, after talking about it in the cabin rental that night, we decided we really were not up for moving again - we've moved and renovated many homes in the past 30 years.  So, we vowed to make at least three trips up to the area each year.  Hopefully bringing along our son and grandson so that they could also discover the joy of the find.

When we got home, we immediately ordered equipment to do the cutting and polishing of our finds.  We also set up a spot in the basement to house the rocks and the equipment so that this new hobby could be done during the long winters.  

We are hooked...what a great hobby and so fun to find out what all of these rocks are and how and when they were formed...endless learning and endless fun...Can't wait for our next trip further up north...