Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Crafting: A Fine Line



I spend a lot of time reading craft/DIY blogs, especially (lately) party-planning idea sites. It is so fun to dream up these elaborate parties; see, in my dreams it is all paid for by someone else... le sigh. I find the most fascinating ideas for reusing and upcycling all kinds of around-the-house (and Dollar Store) items. I've started cleaning and collecting all jars we use (mostly pickles and marinara) and saving them for any number of uses. I also have a small stack in my cubicle of instant coffee tins, which I can use as favor boxes, tiny flower 'vases', or short centerpieces.


And this experience has got me thinking: where is the line between upcycling and hoarding?


Jars are easy enough to use: leftovers, serving drinks, hold flowers, bake pies - a plethora of options. I listed several possibilities for the tins, though I wonder how likely it is I will do any of that. Then there's the drawer in my "craft room" (slash library slash bar slash throw-crap-in-there room) no longer entirely full of empty toilet paper/paper towel rolls.


Yeah.


I threw away quite a few of them eventually, though I keep some in case I ever actually get around to this project or one like it. There are lots of options for this craft, but again, will I ever actually frakking do it?


I'm not even a serious crafter; not even slightly close. What must it look like at craft bloggers houses, in the dark recesses of their I-might-use-this-someday treasure troves? I'm all for reusing what we already have and utilizing the mundane for beauty and creativity, btu at what point does it just become an inability to throw out the trash?

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