Patient No. 7 - Brenda Baldwin

OUS recently received this email from Brenda Baldwin. Sounds like she could really use our help! Anyone have any ideas what to do with 50 year old fabric? Let us know!

Yes, I Need Help......and Determination

OMG!! I have found my sisters. I have fabrics from 50 years ago. I was hoping to someday have a little girl and make her special dresses. I have one 38 year old U.S. Marine son. No grandaughters and I still can't part with these beautiful fabrics.

I started sewing at age seven. My uncle worked in a large sewing factory and brought me huge boxes of scrap fabrics and buttons every time he came to visit. My aunt worked in a Regal Mill factory making fabrics and she also gave me wonderful fabrics that employees were allowed to take home. This started my addiction of collecting fabrics, buttons, findings, sewing machines (more than 20), sewing collectibles, Princess sewing baskets, and anything sewing related. Oh I also collect patterns.

Last year, I was blessed and obtained a  McCalls pattern cabinet when a local Joanns moved.  I also got a Coats and Clark (store size) thread cabinet. I have always wanted these two items.  Books, old and new, anything sewing and craft related. I discovered that I have multiple copies of some books when trying to organize them . I am sure I have many duplicate patterns also. I have saved patterns for 40 years. 

I have 2 large rooms that are dedicated to sewing and crafts. The garage is overflowing with craft and fabric storage. My car has never seen the inside of the garage.

I hoard anything I see possibilities in.   A few years ago, I purchased a "Measure-o-graph" so it would make it easier  to measure my fabrics for a gargae sale...Have you ever seen a "Measure-o-graph" ?  They were used back in the 50's in fabric stores on the measuring tables.  But alas, haven't even started measuring. I just can't muster the will to get going and get rid of my stash.

The last few years I have expanded my addiction to include papercrafting, scrapbooking and  die cutting. I do crafts at a local Senior Day Care program for seniors with dementia. I am obessed with collecting Sizzix and Spellbinder dies and equipment . And, then there is the Dollar Store for papercrafting...I wish they would not even let me in the store.

Doesn't that story make you want to play in Brenda's house?!?! 

Thanks for sharing your story Brenda. Hopefully we can help! I did a quick search for the Measure-O-Graph but didn't have any luck! I'm super curious about it now... would you be able to submit a photo?

Do you need REHAB? Email me your story... we're here to help.  

Patient No. 3 - Teri Landow of The Beaded Branch!

Our third OUS Patient is Teri Landow of The Beaded Branch! (HI TERI!!!) Here's what she had to say about being a Craft Supply Hoarder:

Operation Utilize Supplies (OUS)

I have a confession to make.

I'm a craft hoarder. The reason why my office/craft space is such a terrible mess, and terribly out of order is because I can't seem to stop buying craft supplies of many, many different kinds. I can't seem to settle on one craft. Sigh. And after I buy more supplies, I wind up not using them because I don't want to waste anything. I don't want to screw up, make a mistake, and waste (gasp) the supplies.

I have paints. I have paper. I have old books for altered book projects. I have polymer clay. I have ArtClay Silver. I have tools. I have gold and silver leaf. I have a kit to make resin cabochons, etc. I have beads. I have findings. I have wire. I have fabric. I have yarn. I have embroidery supplies. I have soap supplies. I have old watches that I have taken apart. I have stamps. I have stamp pads, inks, dyes, scissors. Pretty much, it's almost a case of if you need it or want it, I have at least a LITTLE bit of it. Somewhere. I even have old Friendly Plastic pins that I can melt down and reuse. Pens, pencils, chalks, oil pastels. Really the list is quite endless.

Crashing head to desk.

I also have about a million half finished projects. Or a quarter finished projects. Or un-started projects. Okay you're getting the picture.

So what?

Well, I came across a group of friends on Plurk who suffer from the same problem! (Yeah, I know. No big surprise.... Crafters are an odd bunch.) And one person has stepped up and issued a "Rehab" for all of us. A blog has been formed for those of us in Rehab by Mel Smith (thanks!!!) of Kaotic Ekkos Curiosities and now I will be able to show what is going on as I use up supplies, and hopefully have some beautiful new creations to sell! Will it all be jewelry? Heck NO!!!! I'm planning on offering lots and lots of goodies to tempt everyone! Now, onto the crafting!

Keep remembering that sand is ALWAYS blue!!!

And check out the "Dirty Little Secret"...look familiar to anyone?!?!

Thanks for joining us Teri! Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Do you need REHAB? Email me your story... we're here to help.

Victim, erm....I mean Patient #1 - Teresa Kintner Gunderson of Gunderwerks!

Our first OUS Patient is Teresa Kintner Gunderson of GundoWerks! (HI TERESA!!!) Here's what she had to say about being a Craft Supply Hoarder:

My "Poverty Mentality" and sympathetic magic!

My friend KaoticEkko blogged about something that really hit a nerve with me. I have long realized that I suffer from a serious poverty mentality, which I describe as the subconscious (and sometimes conscious) belief that I am poor, will always be poor, and should never use any of my hobby supplies for fear of wasting them and not being able to acquire more. This comes from so many years of living from paycheck to paycheck, and art supplies were an expensive luxury. I have art supplies that I have had and hoarded for 20 years!

There is a little thing called "sympathetic magic", which is usually defined as influencing something by using or creating an item that resembles what you want to happen, or doing something as if something else will happen, in order to influence it happening. One of my favorite examples of sympathetic magic in my own life is when our sweet Basset puppy fell very ill. He was in the hospital for almost a week, and the doctors told us every day that he would not make it. One day at the store I saw and purchased a puppy bed for him. I brought it home and put it in my son's room, and told him that it was a bed for his puppy when he came home. I bought this bed even after being told the puppy would not come home, I did it to show the Universe (and my 3 year old) that I believed J.D. would get well. He did. I have no idea whether or not the bed had anything to do with it, but it was something that fed my soul and created a much needed positive attitude.

So, in the spirit of sympathetic magic, and with the help of KaoticEkko and hopefully some other folks, I am going to start USING my supplies, with the belief that I can make art with them and be able to buy more and create more. Today I dug out some molds I never use and made up some cabs to bead around. I'm determined to use up my bead supply so that I can start buying better beads and doing more beading work. Tomorrow I start cleaning and sorting my studio, and next week my sweet hubby is taking me to Ikea to look at some shelving options.

OUS (Operation Utilize Supplies) means we use up what we have, we post photos of what we've made whether we like it or not, and we clear the way in our hearts, minds & workshops for new supplies, new projects, new ART. Join us! Let's start believing in our ability to create and grow.

Thanks for joining us Teresa! Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Do you need REHAB? Email me your story... we're here to help.

And so IT begins...

My first project(s) came hesitantly but were completed nonetheless! From We're All A Little Mad Here:

Operation Utilize Supplies (OUS) :: Project No. 1

I should get super duper multi points for this post! Because: (a) it's my second post for today; and (b) I've used multiple hoarded supplies!

Firstly, not very excitingly however, I primed a 6" x 8" canvas board and a 2" x 2" stretched canvas. I am hoping to work on the canvas board tonight.

Secondly, and this one is exciting, I've finally cracked into my Doodlebug Sugar Coating Gitter assortment! I've only had it since February and haven't opened it once! I've just stared at the pretty colors in the adorable little jars. The reason it hasn't been touched is because I was afraid that I'd go through the glitter too fast! But there is a deceivingly large amount of glitter in each of those jars! Check it out:

 So I'm over a couple of my little bumps. I shall be using more canvas in the future. I will most definitely be using more glitter in the future! (Probably to Husband's dismay. I'm pretty sure he'll be coming home to glittered cats one of these nights!)

*Deep exhale* So far so good... no crying or throwing things. Let's see if we can keep this up! What Supplies have you Utilized today?

In the Beginning...

The blog post that started it all on We're All A Little Mad Here:

Get Over It!

I have a problem. I think I've mentioned it before. I am a hoarder. I like to "save" my craft supplies: canvas, paper, embellishments... even paint! I'm afraid I'm going to waste them by making something ugly. I hate throwing things away.

I made this last night:

It didn't come out right. I hate it. I was experimenting with crackle medium. It doesn't work on canvas board and it makes it look like I don't know how to paint solid white lines! So what do I do with it? Throw it away?

I could tell within the first few minutes it wasn't going to be what I wanted. I was tempted to give up. But I'm trying something new. I'm trying to use my supplies. But it hurts...like physically. My mind screams, "You're wasting it!" "You'll never be able to find that *insert supply here* again!" "It's ugly...you'll just end up throwing it away!"

So. I'm starting Operation Utilize Supplies (OUS). And I'm going to post the projects whether I love them or not. I'm not going to commit to a daily thing... that's too much pressure. But I am going to post everything... even if it's hideous! However, I still have to figure out what to do with pieces that I abhor... any suggestions?