In an effort to declutter a bit, I recently printed out a list of 101 things you can get rid of in your home. While not every item applies–I don’t have kids so I don’t have outgrown kids toys–I thought it would be helpful in taking a look at all the stuff that has accumulated. I’ve been cherry picking my way through it. Earlier this week I boxed up 2 shelves of old VHS tapes and went online to find a place I could donate them. It’s funny, I feel bad about getting rid of them, and we don’t even have a VCR.
Toward the end of the list, there was one item that made me say “No!” out loud. Craft Supplies. I will admit that I tend to be a craft supply hoarder, and every so often I do go through my things and have a swap with friends, but “get rid of”? The thought makes me shudder. Fortunately, I’ve come up with a loop hole. It is actually using the craft supplies. To make crafts. Crazy, right?
Once again, I found myself looking at a box something I’ve had for Idon’tknowhowmany years, In this case, it was a plastic shoe box full of spray-painted walnuts and almonds. The original intention for these was to make a garland, but at the time I did not have good power tools and ended up shattering the nuts when I tried to drill holes through them. Now, though, now I have a drill press. I was able to make short work of the drilling, and only shattered 3 of the nuts when I got impatient and drilled through the bottom part of the shell too quickly. The other good thing about a drill press is the holes are straight through which comes in handy when you are trying to get a needle from one side to the other.
The beads reminded me of cranberries. I needed a few red wooden beads last year for another project, but thought they were too expensive when purchased in those little packs at the craft stores. I found an inexpensive garland made of the red wooden beads and after disassembling it, had enough of them to last me through that project, this one, and probably at least one more.
This is my long-winded way of saying I have freed up one shoe-box sized container of craft supplies. It’s a start.
alookatthelittlethings 
Got to start somewhere!
I will not mention the size of my various crafty stashes…
😉
That one box was just a drop in the bucket. But you are tight! It was a start. Now if I could just keep from adding more than I take away from the stash…
If I figure out how, I’ll let you know! (hides new balls of thread from husband) 😉
I love this!
Thanks! For some reason walnuts remind me of Christmas, so a garland using them seemed perfectly okay to me.
Way to go! 🙂
More like a long way to go, but they say a long journey begins with a single step.
🙂
I love your garland!
Thanks! My Christmas tree is sort of a hodgepodge, so this should go nicely with all the various ornaments.
And now you can put something else in it. Hubby’s grandma hunts down craft supplies for me from her old lady friends. Some of it I keep some of it goes to my Daughter. Never goes to the trash…
Never the trash! I’ve gotten craft supply clean outs from several friends’ grandmothers. It will all get used. Someday.
At least your finding ways to use them. In my experience, when I get rid of craft supplies it’s usually a month or two later I’m kicking myself because I thought of a way to use them so for now the hoarding will continue. lol. Good for you for finding a way to utilize them. The garland looks great!
I’ve done the same thing in the past. It is such a bad feeling to have to reacquire something you know you once had. It is how I justify my craft hoarding. 🙂
Absolutely 🙂
Clever idea and very pretty. I need to use my craft supplies too, well done.
Thank you! Really, with what I already have, I should probably never set foot in a craft or yarn store for a long while. Some how I still do.