Hello, my name is Kaelin, and I’m addicted to crafting.

Hello, Kaelin

I’m not kidding, either.  In a recent conversation, a crafting friend of mine asked if there was anything I don’t do.  I’m ashamed to admit… it took me a minute to think of something. I come across any kind of new or different crafting and I literally cannot resist the temptation of trying it and starting a bazillion new projects.

I’m sure we all do this.  You walk through a department store, and see a fabulous knitted scarf.  It’s $80.  So you say, “Hey, I knit- I can do that.” Then you head to your favorite yarn store, buy $60 worth of very similar high quality yarn, and plop yourself on the couch to watch Martha who’s interviewing an amazing pastry chef while you knit.

Gee, that project looks really tasty…

…so you set your half-completed scarf temporarily aside and head into the kitchen to make 15 servings of Creamy Herbed Chicken En Croute.  Then while you’re putting the first batch into the oven for lunch, your friend the resin artist calls.

She tells you all about her latest project for transparent resin and silver jewelry- which she wants to show you how to do.  So you invite her over to have Chicken En Croute with you, and put the rest of the pastry stuffs away for later, and prepare to make resin.

Are you counting? At this point, there’s a scarf waiting on pins and needles, the En Croute is half-baked, and you’re going to start a brand new technique you’ve never tried- all before the kids get home from school… and you still haven’t made it into your studio space to do the actual crafting that you purport to sell.

At last count, my Top Ten Tempting craft projects  include:

1. Two twin appliqued quilts for my daughters

2. The canning of my own homemade sauces

3. Three knit sweaters

4. Two knit cabled blankets

5. A cathedral window lap quilt

6. Four large wall hangings

7. Three large charcoal drawings

8. My never ending quest for a perfectly working website

9. The learning of two computer languages

10. The construction of a fall wardrobe for myself and my two children

You will note that this list doesn’t include the 47 projects on my work bench, my current custom orders, or anything else jewelry related.

I have come to the painful conclusion that I truly am addicted to creating. I adore the sensation of producing something useful, beautiful and unique.  I want everything around me to be it’s hand-created best… and anything crafted that crosses my path has been too tempting to pass up!

However, there just aren’t enough hours in the day for me to create everything myself- no matter how much I enjoy it.  So I have temporarily retired from anything not directly related to making jewelry.  I’ve packed my yarn, my knitting needles, the bulk of my fabric, all my quilting paraphernalia, my canning accessories- the works.  I’m not going to touch any of it until I’ve finished all of my partial projects, my custom orders, and set half of my cabochon stash.

It may be difficult- but I’m going to resist temptation…. I hope.

What about you?  What do you have to resist?