That title could conjure up all kinds of ideas, couldn’t it. LOL
I used to co-own a business with my best friend. She wove beautiful baskets, and I made eggshell ornaments. Later, I added beaded jewelry to the mix. We used to always participate in a craft show here in my town. She would travel from Indiana to here for the show each year. When she died in May of 2011, it took most of the wind out of my sails. I did one more show, with help from my dear friend (and cover artist) Anya Kelleye. I had all of my friend’s baskets, and we were trying to sell as many of them as we could. It was sort of a bittersweet time…I missed her terribly, but doing the show was a tribute to her memory. And it helped having Anya there. After that, though, I lost all desire to craft anything. That’s slowly changing. I’m trying to get into sewing. I want to start making jewelry again. I’m not so sure about the eggshell ornaments. That’s still hard for me because that’s what we started out with, and I’m not sure I could decorate an eggshell without tears. Plus, it’s much more time consuming than jewelry making, and I don’t have a lot of time. The desire to MAKE something is coming back. I just need to fit it in with all the other things I have to do. I just need to get organized! I’m planning a big giveaway when I release my current WIP, and there will be jewelry involved. And swag. And a book…. 🙂
Do any of you do crafts besides your writing? What do you do?
lauralynnelliott.com 
I am so sorry about your friend… 😦 I tried to keep up on photography…. but then my camera broke 😦 As far as crafts? No… but I am looking into other avenues to explore my spiritual side.. I want to be a hiking guide, so I have a CPR class set up for October. I want to be a personal trainer. I want to do alllll kinds of stuff!!!! 🙂
Go ahead and get organized and get on your way.. 🙂
Thanks, Darlene. We had been best friends for 38 years.
Photography is a craft. I wish I was better at it. That’s terrible that your camera broke, and if you’re like me, it’s hard to afford another one. A hiking guide…that sounds like fun. I don’t think I would want to be a personal trainer, though.Too much interaction. LOL.
I WILL get organized. 🙂
I make jewelry for my etsy shop as a another form of expression and when my stained glass business is slow. I think you needed to give yourself time after such a devastating loss. I think you probably have a good idea to do something different…make a new start that you are not going to constantly compare to how it was with your friend. Good Luck 🙂
Thanks, Julie. 🙂 We actually had an Etsy shop, which I closed after she died. I’m not sure I want to do anything commercially anymore because I want to concentrate on my writing. But I would like to do some things for myself and for gifts.
Stained glass is so cool!
So sorry to hear about your loss, Lauralynne. I agree with Julia, it is probably best to do something different.
My aunt made sure I was trained in all the “womanly arts” when I was little, so I do a whole range of things from tatting to knitting. I am currently learning hand-quilting, because I inherited several quilt tops my grandmother made in the 1930’s, and I want to finish them as she would have done. Except for constantly poking my needle into my fingers, I find it very relaxing and rewarding.
I find that creating with my hands helps to awaken my muse; I guess that makes sense, if creativity is all from the same area of the brain.
All the best for finding a craft that will interest you, honor your friend and your friendship, and help you heal. {Hug}
Thank you, Elizabeth. I do miss her a lot.
There are so many things I would love to do, but I just don’t have time. If we could all write for a living instead of it being a “part time” job for many of us, we would have time to do other things. I’m working on that. 🙂
I used to cross stitch a lot, but I would have to have some powerful reading glasses to go back to that. I think I’ll just try sewing and jewelry making for now.
That sounds like a great idea, I hear you about the cross-stitch–I used to do a lot, but I need to have the sun about 400,000 miles closer to do it anymore!
Oh, and I *really* hear you about the part-time job!
I hope you do go back to making crafts. If it brought you a lot of joy in the past, it will surely do the same for you again.
Emma, if I can fit it in my already tight schedule, I will definitely do it. As much as I love writing, it can’t be everything.
I know how hard the loss of your friend is, because I lost one of my best friends a few years ago. (She was the Maid of Honor in my wedding.) I do know that she’d give me heaven-sent tongue lashing if I gave up on something I enjoyed because of her. Maybe someday you will feel ready to make the eggshells again. I think you’ll know when it feels right.
In addition to writing, I also have a passion for art and have taken a few painting classes over the years. Recently, I’ve decided I need to make a choice because there are only so many hours in the day. So, I’m temporarily moving the paints and canvasses to the basement. I may sneak them out again in winter when I’m desperate for color.
It’s interesing that Darlene mentioned Personal Training. I was certified once many years ago and never did anything with it. As I work to get in better shape, I can envision myself down the line teaching ladies to make friends with the barbells and dumbbells and not be so afraid of them.
My best friend was also my Maid of Honor. And my friend would do the same…give me a really hard time for giving up things because of her. She was the master of sarcasm, so I can just imagine her remarks. 🙂
I wish I had more time. *sigh* I can’t do everything I want to do. So I have to make choices, too.
I just can’t see myself being “mean” enough to be a personal trainer. I had one once. She was tough. LOL
I did scrapbooking before I started to seriously write, but I have no desire to do that anytime soon.
I love the eggshell ornaments. They are so pretty, but I understand your reason for not doing them. I can’t listen to Paul Simon or Peter, Paul, and Mary without getting teary-eyed because my mom loved them so much.
I think the tribute you and Anya did was beautiful.
Finding time to juggle all the stuff we want to do is so hard. I hope you get the right balance in. Most days can seem like everyone is running ahead while you’re struggling to catch up. 😀
I never got into scrapbooking. I only made one scrapbook, and it was for a trip I took with my mom and best friend. Now that scrapbook means the world to me.
Thanks, I think doing that one last show helped me tremendously.
I really got a lot done yesterday. I’m trying to use my time more wisely and still leave room for fun. 🙂