Videoblog #4: 7 craft supplies I am no longer allowed to buy

I know how the stash can get away from you. One thing that helps me when I do go by a thrift or craft store is to have an actual goal or list of specific supplies to get and then stick to the list (I also use my husband to stay focused in stores as I am often easily distracted by the all the pretty things and sale things around). I also found that storage of craft supplies has to be visible and things have to be grouped by type of supply in clearsided containers or else I too buy yet another tube of tacky glue (or in my case fabrictac glue) and duplicate purchases. In fact a cool book I got from the library organizing solutions for people with Attention Defiecit Disorder by Susan C. Pinsky(not to say that this is your issue or anything though it is mine) talks about how best to purge things not needed and store them so you don't feel overwhelmed by your supplies. I would love to say her book has solved all my problems, but she does have some interesting solutions that I have tried and that do work. My real problem craftwise is that I love to read craft books and get excited by new crafts or techniques and wanting to run out and try them, which of course means I end up with supplies for things I mean to do some day, but haven't found time for yet. However, in the past year in an effort to rein in my craft supply spending, I have been working only buying supplies for projects that I am currently doing. So while I love art papers and rubber stamps, I haven't bought any new stuff as I'm not currently doing a lot of paper crafts, even though there were some cool papers on sale at Michaels the other day. I am still doing crochet and quilting and doll making so I have bought a few things for these specific projects (more yarn and some fray check being the most recent purchases). I loved seeing someone else's excess and you gave me a good laugh today.

Diane,
I found if you box up your supplies, label them, put them in a very high place in your garage you are, by creative law BR-549, free to purchase any item you please. That is what I told my husband. So have at girl!!!
Terri O

Hallelujia! I love a legal loophole. :-)

I really loved the Plastic Canvas & yarn part of this video. I do Plastic Canvas and I have a shop on etsy that I try to sell the items I make. I am running out of room for all the things I have made. I also have tons of yarn and different little beads and other supplies I use for the things I make. When you have time check out www.NannysTreasures.etsy.com Great Video!

Debbie Fontanetta

Your work is so cute, Debbie - thanks for sharing! Always nice to meet another plastic canvas enthusiast!

"orphaned granny squares" I seriously laughed out loud with that one!

So recognizable! Thanks for sharing! Makes my day much better to know I am not the only one!
Greetings from Stempelientje.

Just found your blog...this is really funny I am taking a break from cleaning...

I saw a cute idea for ties...use as "bunting" I think it was a fathers day project...didn't save cause I didn't have any ties! lol

The plastic canvas and fabric as well as the glue would be a great gift to local children's hospital/ward or preschool....if you can spare it...lol!

Thanks for the laugh...back down to my dungeon to find my list of "not allowed to buy" lmao!

Thanks for stopping by, Erink! Hope the cleaning went well - and that your "not allowed" list didn't get too long!

New reader here! I won't let my hubby see your latest video blog or he'd have me doing the same thing. For example, I used to sew dance/gymnastics costumes. You didn't mention spandex or sequins. If you want any, I have enough to outfit several dance schools! And I won't even get started on silk & dried flowers. Or felting yarn. How many felted bags did I really expect to make in my lifetime?!?

Anyway, I am bookmarking you now. Thanks for making me smile and even laugh out loud.

Thanks for stopping by, Gaile! I don't think there's anything wrong in the world with hoarding silk and dried flowers, for the record. :-)

This is absolutely hilarious Diane. But, unfortunately, I could top your stash 10 times over and then some. This is the House of Craft, Garage of Craft AND Storage Area of Craft. I'm trying to weed it out - some lucky etsy buyer might see a moving pull up at their house one day, LOL! Ya gotta love it!

I'm so happy to see that I'm not alone. Rotary Auction is a week from tomorrow....I have got to stay away!

I found a great idea for using silk ties. Easter Eggs!!!. Blow the inners out of an egg and rinse and let dry. Boil your water and take a silk tie and wrap the egg into it securing very carefully with rubber bands. Boil for 20 minutes. The pattern of the tie will be transferred to the egg. Let dry and put a sealer on it.(Mod Podge works great). The tie can be used for 10 eggs before it starts to fade. I can't take credit for this procedure but I also cannot remember whose blog it was on either. All I know is that it works and I can still buy ties.

Oh, yes - I think I remember seeing that on the Martha Stewart blog, and then a few other people covered it as well. I've been wanting to try this forever!

Been there, done that, got the proof all over my house..... Sigh.....

Let me know how this works out for you. So far I have not been able to really stop myself from buying yarn when it is.......

Wait for it..........

You know what's coming..........

ON SALE!!!!!!!

Arrrrrrgh! "On Sale" is like kryptonite to me!

this is hilarious!!! I have found myself but the same fabric over and over. I really must like it. but i have not used it in a quilt yet!

HAHAHA! That's awesome. I do that with jewelry components. I'm always convinced I'm out of jump rings, so I always buy more. I have bags and bags of them now. But do you think I could remember this at the craft store? :-)

This video is pretty funny! :) I know exactly what you mean when you just keep buying the same things over and over - because you think you need it- but you already have a ton of it! This video encourages me to really take a good look at what I already have stashed away before I even think about getting something else crafty.

Either actually do something with the excess or donate it to someone/an organization- schools or craft groups- so they can put it to use. Otherwise it's taking up valuable space in our homes/workshops that could be used for good, not evil. :)

Thanks for sharing this Diane!

-Sierra
beautifulanodyne

Thank you, Sierra - so glad you liked it! You make a great point about releasing excess stuff to people who can really use it.

OKAY the Tacky Glue cracked me up. How come you can never find that stuff in your stash when you need it???

Seriously! Glue sticks work the same way - I have freaking dozens of them, but can never locate one when I need it. :-)

I have a new plastic bin that is labeled "Glue" and all my glues go in there. So far, so good. When I find a stray glue in some random place, I pop it in there.

holy moly! i feel better. why so much glue? why!?!? :)

...Imagine a world where you ran out! Aaaaaaaack! :-)

i have many glues...but not all the same kind. i loved this video!
also, i brought home about 30 balls of yarn from TNNA, roughly. So, I am not one to talk.

Oh, but you totally need those! :-)

totally! for swatching!
love that my stash is ALL single balls. or, if i have the same yarn, single balls in multitudes of colors. oh well. :)

Oh gosh! Hahaha, this cracked me up. I am such a pack rat - that Mr. G+N will often hold up a random piece of trash and skeptically look at me and say "Were you keeping this for something?" One of my biggest vices is bottlecaps...I think when Craftster launched (2003?) I saw a table that had been tiled and grouted with bottlecaps...and I've literally been hoarding bottlecaps ever since. It's a bit bad.

Aw, but seriously - how freaking awesome will that eventual table be?!

sister Diane, are you my long-lost twin? Us crafty ladies, well, we're a tribe of like minds is all I can say. The "orphaned" granny squares and flowers cinched it for me. Heeheee. It's like we're collecting for the time when we all have to go underground to live and NEED to BE SURE WE CAN MAKE STUFF!! I haven't got my stash of batteries and water, but glue?!! I gots the glue!

Hee hee - maybe we should all collect our orphaned granny squares and flowers into a blanket. One large enough to cover the better part of the continent, apparently. :-)

awesome.
maybe you need to have a plastic canvas giveaway of some sort.
seriously, that was so funny and cute. :)

HOLY GLUE!!!!!! Thank for this I was in fits of giggles.

This is great! Not only do I craft, but I was also an interior designer for years. I had boxes of upholstery samples amongst other things! I just got rid of my craft cabinet because I was stuffing it full of materials and not using it fast enough. Half of my materials are now gone and I still feel like I have too much stuff.

Can't wait to see what you come up with to use those materials!

Those upholstery samples are like some kind of craft-supply crack, methinks. They're so dang tantalizing, and it sure seems like a lot of us hoard them!

Ha! I really enjoyed this videocast.....glad to find another constant in this crazy world i.e. craftsters will accumulate, no matter how much they craft. FACT.

Accumulation is like our job! :-)

Thanks Diane! I love this! :D
I am laughing so hard I have tears, and Ron is coming in and giving me a strange look...

I especially love the gourd 'necklace'.
And of course, I can't relate at all to your obsession, I mean problem...heh heh. I have all of those except gourds, PLUS lots of other various crafty-possible stuff.

I love Pushkin's expression, he's thinking "This is really, really, REALLY disturbing."
or is he saying, "WOW! I'm so glad you found all this really neat stuff to make some more cool awesome craftyness!"

Heh! I think he was much more disturbed. :-) All that stuff getting dumped all over the floor. He thought we'd gone insane!

I completely understand where your coming from. I just got home from garage sells, a trunk filled with stuff I only hope to use. Love you new videos. Keep'em coming!

Thanks, Rhonda! Man - garage sales and thrifting are the most challenging, because it's the only shot you may have to score that perfect thing, so how can you pass it by? Seriously, HOW CAN YOU?! :-)

That was adorable!

This was brilliant and hilarious.

OK the glue part almost made me cry out of laughter and amazement, thanks for the video! I sent the link to my partner who heard me giggle. He said that if we weren't limited in place (no garage in a parisian apartment), I would probably be just like you, I don't know how to take that :). I'm not sure he's quite aware of the *real* extent of my fabric stash, by the way, so shhh :).

(I shouldn't say that to you, with all your good resolutions and everything, but my flying saucer jewelry was made out of small wool fabric samples I had in my stash ;)).

I promise never to reveal the secret of your fabric stash, Adelie! I actually (ahem!) do have a fair stash of wool, too, so maybe I'll try some fabric pieces. I love what you do!

Oh my goodness, this is too funny! The plastic canvas bit is priceless. Thanks for the giggles!

This is so me!! I have yarn,glass,gourds,needlepoint, upholstery material, sculpy clay, etc- I will not buy anytmore and i double dare you to come up with something for all of your stash and I will come up with mine. He He

HAHA! That's an excellent dare. Only I'm jealous that you also have the Sculpey to play with. :-)

My boyfriend sat beside me and said that I should be able to relate to this video. I don't know what he means.

He is clearly deluded, your boyfriend. :-)

HAHAHAHa ... Thats MY Room......Hey One can NEVER have to much Tacky Glue....hahahahaha

I agree - a world without tacky glue is very hard to craft in. I'm always in fear of running out. (Well, obviously, I guess.) :-)

Oh sweetie! This video is too funny! I feel as though you have started the official Crafters Anonymous support group (for those with too many craft supplies). Hello group. My name is Dawn and I am a crafter. ;-)

Heh! Actually, it would be super fun if others video'd their excess stashes and shared them, wouldn't it? Then we could all feel like we're in good company!

LOL...Absolutely loved this video. I can TOTALLY relate!!! My current craft hoarding obsession is *drum roll please* toilet paper rolls!!! Ever since I saw someone create the cutest little scrapbooks out of them I've been saving them up to make one of my own. Ask me now if I've made one...I dare you!

HAHAHAHA! Oh, Man - I had a serious stash of those in the 90's. I saved them for a couple of years with the idea of making some kind of crazy papier mache castle thing out of them. Never materialized, of course, and then when the time came for me to move, I just couldn't handle moving two giant boxes of toilet paper rolls.

...However, the idea of making them into scrapbooks is sure intriguing. I can't even picture how it's done.

Muahaha! I'm glad to see I am not the only one with a huge stash of tapestry samples. ^-^ My mother keeps saving some for me since she works as a home designer.
But, you know, they're really useful for Kanzashi flowers! ;-)

They are indeed! They'd also make a pretty good quilt, or the basis for a tote. Or, for that matter, a table runner or journal cover. Heh - all I have to do is actually MAKE something. :-)

Oh, Diane! I LOVE this video! I laughed right out loud and it's also a total inspiration for me to clean out my own stash. I almost fell off of my chair when you pulled out the glues. WOW! Thanks for sharing!

Heh! Thanks, Kelly! I'm glad you liked it. We had so much fun shooting this - but WOW. The mess was amazing afterward. :-)

I can actually HELP you with one of your stacks! Ties! Krispy Kreme is running a funny special. Bring in an ugly tie and get a free dozen original donuts! See, just give them to all your friends and they can get donuts!
PS call to make sure your local one is doing it. :)

Hey! There's an idea. How funny - that must be a Father's Day promotion, I'm guessing...

Thanks for the smile you put on my face, o kindred spirit. And, I LOVE your new hairdo. Keep it up.

Aw, thank you! I think we have a lot of company in hoarding. And this it a great thing! :-)

Oh. My. Word. That doesn't resemble my Cupboard Of Doom, nope, not at all. Whistles innocently and walks away nonchalantly.

Are all those glues full, Diane? If not, perhaps you could decant some.

Cupboard of Doom is an awesome name! You're making me want to re-name my garage. The Garage of Excessive Hoarding, perhaps?

(Those glues are at least 3/4 full, because those are the post-decanting bottles!)

It is less Doom-ish in there after I had a good declutter a couple of years ago but it still has Doom-like tendencies and the name has stuck. I should also point out that this is a HUGE walk-in cupboard, so you can imagine how bad it originally had to be to earn that name!

"(Those glues are at least 3/4 full, because those are the post-decanting bottles!)"

In that case, it's not hoarding - you've obviously just been cleverly planning ahead for your next real-life crafting class. There you go, problem solved.

lol! that is great, i should do something similar with art supplies
hmmm but a person can never have too many ties. paint faces and clothes on the gourds and then use the ties on them? a gourd family?

Heh! Sounds good to me. I'll paint on the faces with tacky glue! :-)

Oh That was good to see! It is nice to know that I am not the only person in the world who collects all kinds of stuff because they - maybe - would be usefull some time, maybe.
Thank you so much you made me happy.

Thank you, Margit! I sense that we're not alone at all. :-)

why so much wacky tacky!?!

you make me laugh - and that is a good thing

...A girl can never have too much tacky glue. Apparently. :-)

That was brilliant! Thanks for sharing!

Lol, I know how you (and your husband, well my husband knows anyway) feel. I'm into my second Make Do Month and haven't even started making dents into my stashes. I know wer'e supposed to support our craft stores, but probably not all by ourselves. The crazyness has to stop at some point, or at least be put on hold, doesn't it..

Oh my yes it does. Or at least, for these seven items. :-) And probably, crewel wool and quilt batting, too.

Now I don't think I have that much stuff... hehe...

ROFLOL!!! Unfortunately, Vimeo stops and starts on my computer :~( But anyway, you are a girl after my own heart. You really will have to come over one day and see my Mess, I mean Stash :~) I'm not allowed to buy *anything*!!!

Ack. Vimeo does this sometimes. You can try clicking the Pause button and letting the video download all the way, and then clicking Play again. Sorry!

I found it helped to switch out of HD.

Ooooh, helpful! Thanks!

p.s. I was tweeting with another crafter yesterday about our out-sized stashes and efforts to curb them. I felt like a drug dealer repeatedly referring to "my stash in the basement".

This is VERY funny. I like your face as your assistant is stacking the gourds for you. And wow, the non-stoppingness of the plastic canvas. I have actually thought about sending you some. I'll bet other fans have. I solemnly swear to never do that. ;)

On a more serious note, this is actually a huge thing for me this year. I am decluttering my studio and basement. I have come to accept that one can only do so many crafts in a lifetime. And even if I had the time, I'm much more passionate about my newer ideas than old ones. Too much stuff totally inhibits my creative output.

Wow, I totally respect that aim. As much as I love having all this creative possibility around me, there's definitely a "window" of making that gets clogged. (Just to butcher a metaphor.)

...But how did you choose which crafts to focus on?

I'm actually feeling pretty good about myself! I STOPPED myself before I acquired gourds. I only have a few PC canvas shapes ( yes they are unused, but there are only a few...). I DID immediately purchase some 10 and 14 count PC after this really cool person put a project up somewhere-- but they are flat pieces, not shapes, so they don't count. I won't go any deeper as I'm losing confidence in my ability to feel "superior" but.. Great video!!!

Ha! True, the flat pieces don't count. *eyes her 6" stack of PC sheets nervously* :-) (Glad you liked the video!)

Hilarious! Thanks for sharing your stash, and no we will not hold you to that promise! ;-)

Will the next video be a gourd tutorial or a garage sale? ;-)

HAHAHA! I will do one massive project involving a gourd, twelve neckties, 75 plastic canvas shapes, and a great deal of tacky glue! :-)

Oh - and one green envelope. :-)

Ha ha!!!! I KNEW upholstery samples was gonna be in this video! :D Maybe you should make a few organizers?

(BTW, I haven't actually used any of my samples yet for that project.) Truth be told, I haven't taken the SCRAP bag outta my trunk yet. I don't want Dear BF to see it. sad, but true...

Hee Hee... I've hidden craft supply purchases in my trunk before, too. There's no shame in that. :-)

I was shocked when I unpacked that bag and saw how many of those samples I'd picked up. But it was all so pleasant, chatting with you and grabbing one pretty thing after another... Guess I need to make one of those tablecloths!

This is being forwarded to everyone I know.

And I know a LOT of people.

Heh! Awesome - just don't forward it to me. :-)

I almost DID forward it to you! I wanted you to know that my threat was real!!

Then I realized you know me well enough.

There have been great responses. I won't go into detail, but let's just say, you may have a career in feature video in your future...

HAHA! Oh, goody! Then I'll be able to afford more craft supplies! :-)

Caught this from a tweet...hilarious! love it. After a recent organizing of my basement, I will no longer be buying tissue paper! :)

See, now - tissue paper is something I can use more of. :-)

Heh. I nearly spit my coffee.

You should have stash giveaways! Especially after that needlepoint pendant tutorial, I'd take some of those off your hands. But I know how it is... Someday... Someday the prince of projects will come...

Man, I'd love to, but the time involved in sorting, packing, and shipping (plus the cost of shipping) make that a little challenging. One of these days, I should just open the garage door to all comers. :-)

Well done :-) That was really funny.

I share only one of those stashes - the upholstery samples - and it's already enough that the dresser-I-bought-exclusively-to-hold-upholstery-samples menaces me regularly from the side of the room.

Holy moly, a whole dresser?! You WIN!! :-)

I, too, buy lots of cotton yarns. I've making making bags out of it, though. It's so hard to stop myself. I'm making mine like Attic24 made hers. http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/crochet-bag.html They are so cool. Sarah in Houston

That bag is absolutely adorable, Sarah! Thanks for the link!

Why, Sister Diane, I have NO idea what you're going on about in this video. No idea at all.

<hums bag="" cover="" garage="" her="" in="" innocently="" neckties="" of="" own="" she="" the="" to="" tries="" up="" while="">

Also, I need an intervention: What size scrap of paper or fabric is finally no longer useful and needs to be trashed/recycled? I think for the good of the crafting community (OK, maybe just me?) we need an official verdict on this kind of thing!</hums>

HAHAHA! I so agree! When I teach live classes and clean-up time arrives, someone always asks whether I want all the postage-stamp sized paper scraps saved. I always ask people to recycle anything smaller than a 3x5 card. And I won't save any fabric smaller than about 8x10.

What do the rest of y'all think about this extremely-important question?

In short, it's stuffing. Since I sew, I also have all the little cutting and bits of thread too. I am going to make a baby ball and use mine all up. :) I have a basket that I throw it in all year. I don't really do stuffies, so I figured it's be a good once-a-year thing, but now that my boys are starting to make, we may go through it faster.

As for paper, let it go. More pretties are always coming along. Around here every church and school has a Paper Gator in the parking lot making them money. :)

Paper Gator? Like a shredder? We apparently don't have those here.

Of course, you just tweeted earlier a use for scrap fabric-braided headbands....

That is the best video EVER!! You are hilarious! I am going to laugh about this I think for months. Thanks for posting!
Happy Friday!!
Mindy ;o)

Thanks, Mindy! It was a lot of fun to make . . . except for the parts where I had to pick all those craft supplies up off the floor. :-)

Oh, funny, funny, funny! But, really hit too close to home for comfort. *insert uneasy laughter here*

Heh heh heh - I am uneasy-laughing right along with you! :-)

Too funny! Glad to see someone else as compulsive as me about hoarding supplies for that "perfect project."

Heh - seriously, I think most of us have the hoarding gene. I have a bag of headless plastic mini-dolls that I've been keeping for over a decade. Because that project is going to come someday... :-)