Wednesday 25 April 2012

A peek at my stash

Wow.  I was planning this post for tomorrow, but I just had to post today.  I subscribe to the Folksy blog - for those that don't know, Folksy is the UK version of Etsy, just smaller and, until now, more interested in it's sellers.  They posted this morning saying they're putting listing fees down from 20p to 15p BUT instead of listing 5 items for that 15p, you now have to pay for each and every item.  That stacks up to a 75p listing instead of a 20p listing.  They've also increased the commission and shortened listings to 4 months!  I wrote a comment on the blog saying how unfair I thought it was and they DELETED IT.  That's it, I'm done with Folksy.  I'm closing my shop and moving.  Any suggestions as to where?

I'm going to carry on seething as I write the rest of this post, I think I might seeth all week about this!  But let's not dwell on it, let's get on with this post.  It all began when I was looking for a beading needle on Saturday.  It wasn't where I thought it should be and so I had to go from place to place looking for it.  I was a little shocked how much my crafting stash has grown and thought I'd take some pictures.

What you have to bear in mind throughout this post is that I have A LARGE DOUBLE BEDROOM UPSTAIRS FULL OF CRAFTING GOODIES.  This little gallery of shame is just downstairs...

Frst up is this little bookcase in my dining room.  It's home to my growing bead and jewellery making collections.  The covered folders (using leftovers from the wallpaper so they match) contain cross stitch, embroidery, knitting, crochet and jewellery making magazines.  See the vase on top full of little balls of yarn oddments?  Love that!  Next to the vase is my wet felted universe.


My other main stash is in the living room, next to the sofa where I always sit.  If you squint you can see some craft magazines on the sofa with the TV remote - I really should have tidied up!


So let's take a closer look at this stash.  One drawer contains Aida, Hardanger fabric and evenweave, the other two contain yarn.



The top left drawer has my stash of felt, both wool felt and acrylic.  None of it is neon orange despite looking that way.  The top right drawer has more yarn and the middle drawer contains various items that have no other home - pompom makers, tapestry wool, that kind of thing.



Then there's a basket on top.  You can see my knitting needle roll, 2 of my three embroidery thread boxes, assorted hoops (used for framing, not stitching in), an embroidery frame, my lightbox (which has stopped working), and a couple of kits.


Then we have the small basket containing my Ort jar, my notebook, tape measures, scissors, needles, crochet hooks, pens and tooth picks - all the handwork essentials.  Behind the basket is my daylight lamp and my tissue box along with the label from a ball of yarn (why??), some mini post-its for marking book or magazine patterns and my lovely needlebook from Katherine.


Next to my chest of drawers is my large crochet bag, currently containing my stalled giant granny blanket.  It sits on top of my sewing box.  This sewing box used to contain all the sewing equipment and supplies I owned.  All of it, including the fabric.  And that was less than 2 years ago.



Now it contains a wide variety of things.  It really needs sorting out!  Now, you'd be forgiven for thinking this is all.  I mean, this is the entire contents of some people's craft stashes.  But no, let us take a look down the side of the sofa.



Well, well, well.  What do we have here?



Exibit number one - a tower of crafting goodies.  The missing embroidery thread box with my yarn bowl sitting on top.  On top of that is my wooden tray with a variety of stuff that I'm currently using.  Or should be using if I hadn't stopped what I was doing to make loom flowers.  And what was behind that little tower?


This basket is stuffed full of WIPs, or rather UFOs, my on-the-go project bag made by the lovely Sandra, another project bag also made by the lovely Sandra behind it and about a gazillion sheets of paper with patterns I printed off as I had to make them NOW.  I haven't made them yet.   Is that it?  Oh no, no.



Cunningly squeezed onto my craft book shelf (commandeered from the general book shelves) is another vase of yarn - handknit cotton this time, and a vase of perle cotton.  You can also see my smashed suncatcher and empty Yankee candle jars that I'm going to refill.  On the shelf above you can see my fab red octopus made by the Dotty One.

I need to just stop a second here and point out two things.  Yes, that next shelf up is barren.  I'm currently trying to alphabetise all our books.  They are in the top bedroom which is two flights of stairs up from the dining room.  It's taking me forever to carry them down, sort them out and put them on the right shelves.  I can also only reach the bottom half of the shelves, despite standing on a very large ladder.  The second thing - yes that is an oven.  No, it's not plumbed in there.  Don't go there, it's a source of massive arguments between me and Mr CA.  Seriously, don't go there.


So, surely that's it?  Nope, look at this hanging on my computer dining chair.  It's my Zakka Style SAL tote bag, stuffed with yarn!  Do you want to see more yarn?


Look on the shelf of the computer desk!  A quick turn to the right shows us the dining table.  Complete with WIPs and bear hats that I was going to list in my shop until Folksy decided to shaft the very people who make it work.  On top of my ongoing doily rug and needlework is some free paper from a magazine and some buttons.  In the background you can see my secret project (which wont be secret much longer as I can't get in touch with the lady that sent it to me) and a bedsheet.  Used for painting on.  Yep, we're really slovenly in our house, things find a place to sit and stay there for ever.



Oh, look, I've found one more pile of craft goodies...  a box of candle making stuff.  Quite a big box, and overflowing.  I suspect there's more in there than just candle making stuff.  I'm not going to look though.


So, that's it.  Apart from the entire large double bedroom upstairs that is my craft room of course.  How do you compare?  Has anyone else got an out-of-control stash like this??

 



18 comments:

Mindy said...

Can you do ArtFire? It's a free one (though you can upgrade for fees), but I don't know if it's available in UK.

That was such fun looking through your stash! I've been trying so hard to organize mine this last week or two... It's hard! (and a bit embarrassing!) ;-)

Laurie said...

Oh Wendy! As I sit here in my living room, I'm surrounded by what should be in my craft room. Projects I'm working on, four of my baskets that hold supplies, (one basket I put a cushion on so the cats can use it as a bed, even my craft baskets multi-task) The craft room is also filled to the brim, it just sort of spilled over to the living room! My husband asks frequently why I don't use my designated room, after all it has a large work table, computer desk and chair, ironing station, etc. Why? Because I end up out here where I don't feel isolated! Go figure!

Kandi said...

Holy crap, I can't believe all of that grew from that little sewing box, it's amazing isn't it. I would love a shuffle through all of your stuff it looks fab!
And on the issue of Folksy, I sacked them off last year and I'm rather glad I did following yesterday's changes.
Kandi x

Joy McD said...

Lovely, lovely!! Um, yes, mine is also out of control...oh well :)
xx

Sandra :) said...

I wouldn't be toddling off to Etsy, which is apparently a seething bed of resellers ... I mean COLLECTIVES!! ... and they have about as much respect for their sellers as ebay has for theirs - check the recent posts on Regretsy about baligate - wow!

Crafters who only work on one project at a time until it's completed (now I ask you - how on EARTH is that possible???!!) are likely fewer in number than those of us who have amassed a rather large collection of crafty goodies - I'm convinced of that! We're the norm, rather than the exception! One thing I'll suggest is that you don't print any patterns until you actually sit down to do them - just save them on your computer. Less stress, less ink, less paper to deal with, and in a year or two when you decide you no longer like that design/craft/technique you can just delete it without feeling guilty :) Also - if we could narrow our focus to fewer crafts we want to do, it will automatically cut down on the amount of shopping we need to do, LOL. That one is pretty obvious but very hard to follow, as who doesn't like to learn something new? I wish I could settle on just a few colour ranges to buy fabric in, but alas, I don't think it will ever happen. I try to keep my stash somewhat in control but yes, it does get out of hand sometimes, which makes me feel guilty, which leads to the thrift stores benefitting from my decluttering, LOL! And don't do projects in a sew-along that you don't really like or want to do, just because they're the next project in the list! Only do what you love and want to do!

mrslauralynn said...

I absolutely loved reading this post, I find it so interesting having a small peak into other people's lives!

What came to mind when reading was that you remind me of a squirrel stashing supplies away for winter with all the balls of yarn hidden away in different places, it made me smile :)

I live in a one bedroom flat so have to keep my supplies to a minimum. It's quite handy because it means I'm forced to finish projects once I start them otherwise we have nowhere to sit and eat! Things are slowing migrating from my craft corner into the rest of the living room though!

Good luck finding a new shop, that all sounds very annoying! Sorry I can't be of any help.
x

Allie said...

What about big cartel? It's free to list 3 items. I've been looking into this one.

I love peeking around your home and looking at all your goodies - I used to be the same way, until the boys came along, then had to keep everything out of reach. Most of my stuff is in totes out in the hall!

Rosa said...

Oh my God..
I'm a bit speechless but alas: This reminds me so much of my own place.
Except of course that I live in a tiny flat, that probably could fit into your double craftroom upstairs (one bedroom like mrslauralynn) and have fabric EVERYWHERE. On the sofa, the coffeetable, chairs and so on. I used to sew in the bedroom but hated to put everything away so I could find the bed *lol* - so my livingroom is now becoming my studio. My sewing table can be used as diningtable and I've bought new large shelves (HURRA for Ikea!).
I am absolutely part of the 'norm': I do a lot of things at the same time. It would be impossible for me to just stick to one project at a time - it would bore me to death.
When I see your photos I see a very creative person, who is curious and interested - I see passion.
And passion is good. It feeds the soul and makes you feel alive.
And you are very much alive;-)

Beth of The Linen Cat said...

Hi Wendy, I couldn't get blogger to load earlier so wrote this as a reply to your comment on my blog:

Hi again, I just tried to leave a comment on your blog post but couldn't get the page to load, no idea why. Completely understand why you've abandoned Folksy, the new pricing is quite a leap and can't believe they deleted your comment!!!! that's pretty bad. Sadly, I have no good ideas of other sites to use, other then Etsy. I sell very little through Folksy, all my main sales are from my own website (which I host with create.net) which I set up before I started a Folksy shop. I really hope you, and the many others who I'm sure will leave, find somewhere else to sell from. Bx

I see from above Etsy is a no, that doesn't surprise me somehow. Shame, I hope you do find something else.

On your stash, I am planning to show this post to my husband who thinks my taking over half the spare room and hallway is completely unreasonable, "no honey - this is how it's done!! " Bethx

Fiona said...

Thanks for such a fun tour of your crafty things... now I know I would love to come and play at your place!!
Hugz

Sarah said...

That is crazy in a totally awesome way. I wish my stash was that big and overflowing!!. . .one can dream.

Maybe bigcartel (http://bigcartel.com/) is worth looking into? Their starter package is free and I've heard good reports

Pam @Threading My Way said...

I enjoyed looking through your stash!!! Maybe we could see the upstairs Craft room one day... LOL!!! Mine, at this stage, is mainly confined to fabric, laces, buttons etc, which somehow always seems to grow, no matter how much I use.

Susana said...

Hola y gracias por visitar mi blog. Cuantas cosas tienes para hacer tus artesanías¡¡¡¡¡ Yo por ahora solo tengo lanas y no se donde guardarlas.
Besos
Susana

Christine Jargick - JPEG Apothecary said...

Ha! Now I don't feel so bad about my own stash! I have supplies stuffed into boxes, chests and onto shelves in my living room, a pile of sheets for crafting in the laundry area, shelves in the garage and the clothes that I am embroidering on are hanging in my own closet. I certainly feel your pain :)

Celtic Thistle said...

Can't help you with the Folksy problem, seems like they will lose out if most people feel like you do. Can't believe they deleted your message.

Love your crafty house, wouldn't be hard to guess how you spend your time if anyone tried to look "through the keyhole"!

Katherine said...

Oh, Wendy, sorry to hear about Folksy making those changes. Yikes!

I LOVED the craft tour. I laughed when you showed the sewing basket that used to house all your crafty goods. I just want to hug you! Your story parallels mine own. Mind you, I have more years of craft supply collecting than you have, so nothing here scared me. ;o) My family is relieved that I now have a designated room for my creative pursuits. No one has accidentally sat on a knitting needle or stepped on a pin in a long time thanks to this... although they are remarking that there's enough thread gathering on the carpet to make new fabric. ;o)

Katherine said...

Me again. Got blathering on and meant to tell you that it delighted me to see that you're using the needlebook I made for you. Awwww... I keep the goodies you sent me on display where I can see them.

Just-Do said...

Usually I don't really like going on a tour in someones house, but this is hilarious, and at the same time quite recognizable. Amazing to think that this all seems to be the collection of just 2 years. Can't imagine your craft room upstairs. I just hope Mr. CA hasn't developed a hobby like this too?