What’s your favorite hobby to escape? This discussion is open to caregivers and former caregivers.

More woodworking questions:

NeedHelpwithMom,

Sorry that I missed your comment that you bought wood.   What kind do you buy?  I'd like to find good uses for all the wood that's cut down or falls down over the year, although some of it is much too thin to be of any use.

When I first bought my house, my father showed me how to cut down large trees (something I really wouldn't feel comfortable doing alone).   That produced a lot of wood, so we cut it up in lengths about 1.5' to 2' and I used the chunks as outlines for my garden beds.   

I wished I had saved the Colorado Blue Spruce that I had cut down as it was deteriorating in health, but I do have Arborvitae and Junipers that I could cut.    And unfortunately, the Arborvitaes seem to be infected with some kind of blight.   But I've always wanted to try rooting them to create more trees.   I've found that Yews root fairly easily though.  

And eventually I'd like to harvest the wood.   So I'm interested in what others do and where they procure their woods. 

Kbuser,

what kind of wood do you use, and how do you use it to make lanterns?  This really intrigues me. I could make a lot of lanterns from the scrap wood in my yard.   Or from grapevines, although making something smaller would be more challenging with vines.  

I hope you enjoy crochet; I really like it; it's so relaxing, and so creative.   

If anyone ever comes across Mon Tricot magazines, snap them up.   I bought them years ago, back in the 1970s, b/c of the unique French and European styles and directions they had.   Of course, I still have them!  

Does anyone use European and Japanese style diagrams instead of instructions?

With colder weather coming, I am starting to craft again and love it! Right now I'm painting rocks and making outdoor lanterns from wood. I'm going to try to learn crochet, there are so many beautiful things you can make.

NeedHelpWithMom, thanks for starting this thread.   I'm guessing it will expand quite easily as posters find it.   Thanks!

I need to learn more about your crafts, especially the kind of jewelry you make, what wood you use (and if you harvest it yourself and how you cure it) for your dog leash holder placques, etching, and other crafts.

Specifically, do you use hand or electrical tools to etch in the glass?  How to you protect it from breakage, as glass can be so delicate?

More questions later.   I'm lazy today and haven't gotten any work done yet.

I think this will be a great thread; thanks for starting it!

And, BTW, I might be returning to NO for a visit before climate change cause any more changes.  I have fond memories of the Maison Blanche mints; they are incomparable.  I've found nothing like them in this area.     I would probably leaved NO with a dozen boxes of mints!

Hey GA,

I so enjoy chatting with you! Remember us talking about starting a craft/hobby thread? Took you up on it!

You’re talking my language about St. Louis Cathedral. You know that I am a native of New Orleans. My mother was christened at the cathedral. It’s a spectacular church. Truly is a beautiful historic cathedral.

I’m so glad you joined in the conversation. I so love hearing about your gardening. I believe I told you that my favorite memories as a child with my grandfather was gardening.

I am inspired by you! I just love all the same things that you do. I feel if we met that we would be great friends!

I have started making jewelry again.

I just bought some wood to make key and dog leash holder plaques for the wall.

In the past I did wall vases for flowers because my daughters wanted them for their apartments. They were fun to do.

I enjoy making etched wine glasses. I have sold these for weddings as a bridesmaid thank you gift. Some brides do not want jewelry as a gift because so many people do that.

I like doing a ‘fleur de lis’ design on the glasses. It is our state symbol. It’s also the symbol of our football team.

I used to manage a craft/gift shop here in New Orleans and I loved it. I made a lot of things, sold the majority of what I made. I loved teaching classes, from the brownie Girl Scouts to senior citizens. I also did craft shows. Have considered Etsy. Some people do really well on Etsy.

Of course, I have always loved cooking.

My good friend does the scrapbook stuff. She’s into it big time! She has spent a fortune on it! I have done a few projects with her but never got hooked on it like she did.

Kat,

My mom crocheted, knitted, sewed, embroidered, etc. beautifully. Unfortunately with her being a perfectionist she wasn’t very patient with me as a child trying to learn. So I never truly succeeded doing these past the basic stages.

I wish I would have thought to have my grandma teach me. She crocheted and knitted beautifully also and she was lovely. Grandma did teach me how to cook certain dishes. She was an excellent teacher!

I may try these again one day.

Katsmihur, I have a friend who does a lot of free-motion quilting, but she has one of the large machines with the long extension.   I assume you've made other quilts and are familiar with the different lofts of different batting?  I've done some sort of free-motion, but really what it was is embroidery, generally in a pattern I designed.  

I experimented with synthetic and cotton batting; synthetic lost its loft over a few years.

No one favorite hobby - I couldn't choose between them!    Gardening and garden designs are perhaps the most favorite, but I also enjoy crafting with natural items (from the garden), knitting, crocheting, sewing, and especially embroidery.

I had a lot of fun designing and embroidering the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, but for some reason I couldn't get the steeple straight, so it's lopsided.   Still, I had fun with it.  

Used to make jewelry but I have enough now, and haven't gotten "dressed up" in years, having become accustomed to living in sweats, sweatshirts, t-shirts and shorts. 

I used to enjoy furniture assembly but now I have enough furniture, so I'm planning to switch to building additions to existing furniture, such as a hutch for a desk or table.

I also enjoy walking, but in areas away from cars; I like the fresh air, not the exhaust air.   

Reading is another favorite escape hobby, whether it's a gardening or craft magazine, or a good novel.  

And there's always chocolate; cultivating good chocolates can be a wonderful hobby, and it's a great stress reliever!

So happy for you! I was ‘away’ from creating after concussion.

Love to knit, crochet and more recently, quilt. I’d love to learn free motion-quilting on my very basic Brother.

I had some of my items in a local craft store some years back. KathysCreativeCasual on Etsy.