This is an exciting week for all of us at Killer Hobbies. On Sunday, July 12, we'll celebrate our 800th post. And, according to invesp.com, a service which ranks more than 20,000 blogs, we're one of the top 20 mystery blogs on the Internet.
And it's been an exciting couple of years for us. We did our first ever "Killer Hobbies" blog panel at Malice Domestic this spring, and many of us will be appearing in the craft room this fall in Bouchercon in Indianapolis.
What's at the heart of all this? Crafts and Hobbies, my friends. You see, most of us hadn't met in person until AFTER our blog was up and running. We really didn't know how well we'd mesh, how dedicated we'd be, or whether this idea would take off or not. Deb Baker and I stumbled upon each other at Love Is Murder up in Chicago. Our meeting hatched this grand idea. Next thing you know, we contacted other hobbyists/crafters who also dabbled in blood-red ink on the page--and voila! You've got your Killer Hobbies crew.
I thought I'd take a moment to reflect on my personal love of crafts, a love at the heart of all this--
1. I love taking "nothing" and creating "something" out of it. The more "out there" my supplies are, the more fun it is to admire a finished project.
2. I love the people I've met while crafting and teaching crafts. I've taught on cruise ships, in the U.K., and here in the U.S. No matter where you teach, it's guaranteed to be a good time! I love the look of satisfaction on folks' faces as they realize what they can create!
3. I appreciate the comfort that crafting and hobbies gives me. Getting lost in my hobbies offers an easy and elegant escape from my troubles. I've had a pretty "down" weekend, with some real worries this year, so I lost myself working on some scrapbooking art for my upcoming newsletter. (To get it go to my website http://www.joannaslan.com/ and sign up. It's free, and it's chock full of goodies.)
4. I appreciate the end product. I love looking at crafts, at imagining the hours and effort involved. Each step, each stitch, each action is born of love, so the final product is a wonderful response to the creator in all of us!
CONTEST
You could win an autographed copy of Cut, Crop & Die! Here's how:
1. Tell me what keeps you crafting
2. And become a follower of our blog (click the "follow" button on the right side of the blog)
3. I'll choose some lucky person!
The contest ends tomorrow (July 7) at noon CST. Tell a friend and maybe he or she will share the book with you!
And it's been an exciting couple of years for us. We did our first ever "Killer Hobbies" blog panel at Malice Domestic this spring, and many of us will be appearing in the craft room this fall in Bouchercon in Indianapolis.
What's at the heart of all this? Crafts and Hobbies, my friends. You see, most of us hadn't met in person until AFTER our blog was up and running. We really didn't know how well we'd mesh, how dedicated we'd be, or whether this idea would take off or not. Deb Baker and I stumbled upon each other at Love Is Murder up in Chicago. Our meeting hatched this grand idea. Next thing you know, we contacted other hobbyists/crafters who also dabbled in blood-red ink on the page--and voila! You've got your Killer Hobbies crew.
I thought I'd take a moment to reflect on my personal love of crafts, a love at the heart of all this--
1. I love taking "nothing" and creating "something" out of it. The more "out there" my supplies are, the more fun it is to admire a finished project.
2. I love the people I've met while crafting and teaching crafts. I've taught on cruise ships, in the U.K., and here in the U.S. No matter where you teach, it's guaranteed to be a good time! I love the look of satisfaction on folks' faces as they realize what they can create!
3. I appreciate the comfort that crafting and hobbies gives me. Getting lost in my hobbies offers an easy and elegant escape from my troubles. I've had a pretty "down" weekend, with some real worries this year, so I lost myself working on some scrapbooking art for my upcoming newsletter. (To get it go to my website http://www.joannaslan.com/ and sign up. It's free, and it's chock full of goodies.)
4. I appreciate the end product. I love looking at crafts, at imagining the hours and effort involved. Each step, each stitch, each action is born of love, so the final product is a wonderful response to the creator in all of us!
CONTEST
You could win an autographed copy of Cut, Crop & Die! Here's how:
1. Tell me what keeps you crafting
2. And become a follower of our blog (click the "follow" button on the right side of the blog)
3. I'll choose some lucky person!
The contest ends tomorrow (July 7) at noon CST. Tell a friend and maybe he or she will share the book with you!
12 comments:
Yes, our crafts brought us together and continues to be the center of bonding with so many other people.
Think how many people you've helped, Joanna, by your scrapbooking classes.
One of my favorite outcomes of my mini hobby is the attention it commands at auctions. Most recently, at Mayhem in the Midlands, my mini scene brought $250 for the Omaha Public Library. All it cost me was a few dollars in supplies and a few hours of my time. What better use?
I think what keeps me going with all my craft hobbies is the thought that I am leaving a legacy for my children and their children. To show my appreciation for important events in their lives by creating things to commemorate them and applaud them. I feel good with these handmade things surrounding me and the feeling of giving to my family and friends a part of me.
I agree about the legacy. I still have many handmade items from both my grandmothers, and they are very precious to me!
I couldn't agree more about making something from nothing. That is the part of crafting that is so magical. You look at a ball of yarn and then watch it turn into a scarf that will keep somebody warm.
Camille, it is wonderful how your miniatures rake in such high bids. Wonderful they do, but it's not a surprise. They are one of a kind works of art.
What keeps me crafting is the satisfaction of giving something I have created as a gift. The crafting keeps my hands and mind busy during lonely times, I am a widow with four grown children. My mother just passed away after spending 9 months in a nursing home. I could take my crochet projects with me when I went to sit with her and she enjoyed watching me and when her mind began to go she mocked my hand movements. At her passing I had enough dishclothes crocheted to give each of the caretakers one in her memory. I also had given one of the therapists a baby afghan for her unborn child. I have started an afghan which I intend to donate to the nursing facility to raffle off to raise money for patient activities. I do other crafting besides crochet and love trying new crafts. My family has reaped the benefits of my crocheting and crafting. I had a grandmother that crafted a gift for each of her grandchildren every Christmas and I am continuing this tradition. I also love to read mysteries and love to find authors and series that I have not read. That is what brought me to your site.
Lovely answers, everyone!
What keeps me crafting? There are a few things.
1. It's a great way to express my creativity.
2. A hand-crafted gift helps the receiver know that they mean something to me.
3. When my hands are busy crafting they are not putting snack food in my mouth.
I keep crafting because it's my creative outlet. There's more to me than just being an Executive Assistant, or a wife....it expresses who I am as a person and an artist. The need to create is inside me, and scrapbooking, cross-stitching, photography, and writing expresses that creativity.
That's why I love the Killer Hobbies blog as well - you all talk about your unique creativity as well as your writing.
Congratulations on nearing your 800th post, as well as being one of the top 20 on the internet!
My husband loves to watch sports and I do a lot of cross stitch while he is watching. I love teaching my daughters to crochet and cross stitch and I have loved spending time with family and friends learning how to do the different crafts.
Congratulations to Marlyn! You've won a signed copy of Cut, Crop & Die.
Please send me an email at joannaslan@aol.com with your full name and postal address. Let me know how you'd like your book signed, please.
Joanna
I just want to say that all these comments were really wonderful. Very thought-provoking--and honest.
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