Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Special Guest Wednesday

This week, my guest is Diane (Feline Frisky.) Diane was asked to define Crafts.

CRAFTS: In the beginning, there was quilting, sewing, embroidery, crochet, weaving and knitting. These were not seen as pass times with free time then, they were skills. These things were taught in order to fill a need.. Once upon a time, girls were automatically taught these skills. Some of your Grandmother’s hand embroidered Tablecloths or Granny Square Quilt would pick up a hefty price on eBay. They are treasures.

As the homemaker became scarce, so did these crafts. These skills and many others, became hobbies when what they would create by hand in weeks, could be processed cheaper and faster by machine. Why spend all that time doing it yourself when you can buy one, just as nice, right now? These crafts faded into memory for the most part.

Thank goodness the older generations remained true to these crafts and kept them alive. A resurgence of the need for these skills eventually reappeared. Some saw the personal value of handmade crafts versus the manufactured, mass produced versions.

I remember my Great Aunt knitting me mittens and crocheting me stuffed animals. My maternal Grandmother knitted and crocheted afgans. My Paternal Grandmother was a seamstress. She sewed most of my clothes growing up. The corduroy dresses with the lace at the collar. She made my Barbie Dolls an huge wardrobe from her scraps. My Mom took up knitting for a while, then settled on embroidery as her passion. I have many beautiful tablecloths in my possession that my Mom crafted herself.

My maternal Grandfather was a wood worker in his free time.

I have dabbled in many, many crafts over the years. I have gotten frustrated and moved on, many times. I am currently deep into hand made greeting cards. I am not alone in this craft. There are at least 7 different recreational groups that participate in this hobby, in my area. One group, that I Chair, is over 70 members strong. We can’t get enough.

Why do I craft? I have time to spare. I am unable to work due to medical disability. I choose to be active through my hobby. Why card crafting? AH, it’s fulfilling for me. It’s simple to do with quick results. You can have a completed project in 15 minutes. No two cards are alike, ever. Most of the time I use rubber stamping as the tool I work with. Most times, these are grouped under paper crafts.


CRAFTS, n. Once a hand skill for making treasures, now kits that are manufactured for your leisure pleasure, a major contributor to our national deficit.

About Diane: Diane is a homemaker who maintains two environments lovingly. The first is a house in which she lives with her husband, Brian and three cats- Tucker, Blessing and Punkin. The second is her husband, in whom she maintains a home for a woman, a little boy and a dog. Diane, aka Feline Frisky fills both environments with things she's made lovingly by hand.

Diane is one of the most prolific bloggers around and shares with TLP and Mireille an affection for Maxine cartoons. The connection can be a little hard to make sometimes. The secret is out to those of us who have read her blog or her comments on other blogs, but Diane is sweet. Not that she's incapable of evil, but she seems it. Her site, Rats Are Yummy is a prodigiously updated invitation to share her thoughts, feelings, laughs, good days, bad days, slow days, holidays, arts and crafts. For those of us for whom creativity, artistic sense and fine motor control are lacking, her card-making is impressive. Some examples are here, here and here with a primer on rubber stamps, here. Her writing is breezy and impish, which either reflects her talent or how much time she spends with cats. I suspect both.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

First in my wife's heart. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi everyone. I love Diane. She is a very crafty lady... who gets her way. :)

Crafts: A womanly art called persuasion that yields the desired result without male input.

Love you sweetie, I am so proud of your crafts and am honored to be your husband.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Anonymous said...

Hi Diane,

Thanks for all your support and love.

Crafts: The art form that is driving on two wheels.

Rose

Anonymous said...

Good Morning!

Love & Rose - Thank you so much for bringing comfort, joy and understanding into my life. You are two very special people. Hugs & XXXX"S CUsoon D :)

Anonymous said...

CRAFTS, n. pl. A word supplied by a weary Providence in the dwindling hope that people will discover it and henceforth resist the urge to end the phrase "arts and ..." with a rhyme.

We were astounded to move Down Unda (Oz and New Zealand) some twenty years ago (egad!) now, and discover that Crafts Is Dead. Not a cross-stitch to be had anywhere ...

Anonymous said...

OC - Really?!!! No crafts in the Aussie Land or NZ??!! What a shame, they don't know what they're missing. (Personally, I always KNEW there was something off about 'em.....) Thanks for stopping in! D :)

Anonymous said...

crafts a vehicle for making money disappear from my wallet and "stuff" appear in my spare room.

Anonymous said...

ack! I wanted to say: Great card crafting, Diane. My sister, Caryl, belongs to a card club and I get some gorgeous cards from her. Folks who create their own cards make going to the mailbox a joy.

Anonymous said...

Quilldancer - You & me, both! LOL Isn't it amazing how, at the time, it always seems "do-able" and would make the perfect gift? Until you get it home. sigh.....Thanks for coming by today! D :)

ann said...

I am honoured that Diane calls me a friend... and I think her craftsmanship is awesome and this post is brilliant.

I remember my mother used to make my clothes when I was a wee lass and she was a prolific knitter. I used to love to knit and crochet and someone has prompted me to take up my needles once more to make baby clothes for those in need.

My most likely association and definition of the word *craft* today is its acronym.... Can't Remember A F***ing Thing... senior moments and all that. (excuse my language... naughty moi as cheeks blush)

Minka said...

I love crafts. Don´t get me wrong, I am one of those commoners that claim to be utterly artless and craftless, which is true for my natural gifts.
But many an hour spend on grandma´s lap and watching her do all sorts of wonderful things with a needle and a bit of thread has left certain patterns in the deep corners of my brain.
So, as a teenager, I tried to bend my fingers painfully to hold all those needles and roll the thread just right around your finger to get one loop into the next and here I stand, proudly, at the age of 29 and say...if needs should ever arize, I do can make socks and a scarf and maybe some gloves! I do live in Icleand...it comes in handy, believe you me!

Feline Frisky...what a crafty piece of writing! Well done!

Anonymous said...

Crafts: the creative conjurings of a clever mind, artistic soul and/or eye of newt.

such a LOVELY treat to finally see Diane doing a guest turn on WA! well done, you Frisky Feline, you... and well done to Doug for such a clever/charming intro!

Anonymous said...

Ann! - Thank you for dropping by, my friend! Welcome! LMAO!! I have a button that says that, dear! I shoulda thought of that! HA!!!

Minka - Oh, now don't give me the artless line. I got a beautiful card from you over the holidays! Knitting is a tough craft to learn, especially if you're all thumbs at it, like me. I congratulate you! D :)

Doug The Una said...

Yes, yes Brian. And we're proud to know you both. Now get a chatroom, already.

Dewy, what is the art of using all four?

Diane, you're a very kinetic co-moderator. Well done. Should that be: You is two very special people?

OC, I have to admit, I forget to check in on the status of knitting when I was there. No Southern Cross-Stitch?

Quilly, Walela's that way. Do your crafts involve mouse skeletons too?

Welcome, Ann. I was needing a good new acronym.

Minka, I've seen photos of your knitting. Beautiful and break one foot and they fit like a glove. You should go into business.

Hahaha, Puppy.

Keep it up, FF!

Anonymous said...

Great Job Diane....you know how much I love your cards!

Anonymous said...

RNG - Thank you, thank you! I really appreciate your kind words and your visit here today! D :)

TLP said...

I love crafts. My Mama was so very talented in sewing and all crafts. My sister Mary was one of the best crafters of all time. Daughter 3D is too. I'm just in the middle. I can do better than some people, but I'm not a star at any craft.

I'm going to admit that I'm confused by the family of Brian, Diane, and Dewy, et al. But I'm perhaps easily confused. Also easily amused, so it's okay.

Maxine is fun and funny and mean-as-hell. Works for me.

Nice job all around, Doug and Diane.

Anonymous said...

TLP - thank you! I find crafting a good relaxtion device, whatever style you choose. What's your "thing"?

Ah, Brian is a complicated and a tad confusing for a man, I agree. I am still becoming accustomed to all the different people he is. They are all real, though. I am really an individual person in the flesh. I am his wife, for clarification. I am not one of Bri's others.

I just love Maxine, such a cranky old bitch!~ LOL She tells it like it is!

thanks again for your kind words. D :)

Anonymous said...

Crafting seems like such a relaxing pursuit. Except my daughter is learning to knit from her grandma and she seems to be attacking with those needles. She'll get it. Then again, this may be time for me to take it up. I bought the yarn and the needles.

I'm not particularly crafty except in my head. Nice post Diane and well Doug, you're always a great documenter of your guests.

Anonymous said...

G - Glad you stopped in! Being "crafty" is a whole different topic, one I thought for sure would come up today.

Minka - Hi back attcha!! D :)

Anonymous said...

Oooooooo, love the kitty pics, and I'm very much impressed with your cards. They illustrate that it crafty is pretty clever! You chair a group of 70 crafters? That's impressive, too:)

I didn't get the crafting OR art genes, but I plan on learning how to knit in a basic way in the nearish future. I'll try, anyway.

Doug The Una said...

Welcome, Redneck Girl. Any friend of Diane's is a friend or friends of ours.

Works for me, too, TLP. I bet Dddragon can tat a doily, knit a scarf, paint a cow and cook fudge all at once.

Thanks, G. Next year, when Tali takes Calculus it might help with her knitting.

Well, hello, Minka!

Actonbell, maybe if we just reread the Handmaid's Tale. The new avatar made me laugh.

Minka said...

*giggles*

(It´s a slow day at work, what do ye expect?)

Anonymous said...

Blogger has been very crafty in not letting me get to non-don't-call-me-beta blogs. Ugh.

Jamie Dawn said...

Diane: I took a look at your handmade cards. You really do a great job on them. I'm sure anyone who receives them feels special. I agree with you that we've lost the skills women used to pass on to their girls. I remember learning how to crochet when I was young, but I didn't stick with it for long. My mother is an excellent seamstress (although she hadsn't sewn in years), but I think I was just too much of a tomboy to have the patience to sit indoors and learn to sew. I'm proud to say that I DO know how to sew on a button! :)

crafts: Activites that require a hot glue gun, a steady hand, and lots of patience and creativity.

Hello, Doug. Did you do any embroidery today? :)
Me either.

Anonymous said...

Actonbell - thank you so much! I try to add a little "Happy" to each card I make. Yea, 70 cardmakers! They are going to keep me busy! LOL

Doug - Hi! Keeping up? Good. I want to thank you for having me on as a guest. I have had a blast today.

Minka - Oh! Minka's peeking in! On company time, too! Good for you! :)

Jenna - Blogger was down for about an hour & 1/2 this afternoon. sigh....oh, yea, it's improved alright. Hmph!

Jamie Dawn - Thank you, you are too kind. They are really very simplistic in nature. I really don't have the patience for long winded projects. Some ladies took HOURS just to make ONE Holiday card! It took them weeks to finish! Not me, thanks. I'm pretty good with a glue gun, too. D :)

Sar said...

Crafts...

Sorry Doug, I'm afraid this creatively-challenged gal's got nuthin for this one.

But great guest turn, Diane! :)

yodnv: Yoda Neva is!

Doug The Una said...

Minka, it must have been slow and you might want to check everyone's pillbox.

Sorry, Jenna. That Blogger is wily.

Jamie Dawn, I did upload a picture of a doily using my 2gHz computer through the 256kbps modem, which is the male equivalent.

Diane, top flight co-moderation. Keep it up.

Sar, I feel your pain. And yes she is.

Alana said...

It takes a lot of craftiness to comment these days. I was here and gone earlier, leaving a comment for the crafty Diane, only to discover that blogger has decided to mess with me again, so let me try to reconstruct my earlier comment...

Such a crafty guest you are Diane! Squares like crafts too and my and the Squaresis's have all done knitting, beading, sewing, scrapbooking, needlepoint, sewing, quilting and more. The irony is that it has become waaay more expensive to make crafts than actually buy the manufactured stuff.

Doug The Una said...

I know what you mean, Square. Most years I grown jalapeƱos, onions, cilantro and tomatoes to make my own salsa which ends up costing about $115 per quart jar.

Anonymous said...

Sar - Thak you, I had SO much fun being guest host! (Is that allowed, Doug?)

Squaregirl - Why, thank you! Yes, crafting has become expensive. I must have over $1500 invested in my rubber stamping supplies. The price of a stamp is outrageous. People keep coming up with new techniques that you need THEIR product for. It's never ending!

Doug - A bit of a gardner, eh, Doug? Good for you. That in itself is a dying craft. Most kids think that everything starts at the grocery store. Farming is getting harder to do nowadays.

Thanks again for the chance to guest host. I enjoyed it greatly! D

Anonymous said...

I suck at crafts.
My grandmother tried to teach me to crochet. I ended up making numerous chains.
I have utterly no sense of color schemes or anything else essential to interior decorating. My grandmother carried this shame to her grave.
People like Diane are necessary to balance the Universe against clods like me.