New stamp companies and designs are everywhere, and they are more fun, more clever, more everything, than 10 years ago. And stampers are using these new designs in amazing, fun, beautiful ways.
And dies!! If I got every die I want my craft room would look like this:
No sooner does one amazing thing hit the street that the next amazing thing comes along. It's not a once a year catalogue, or even a once a month release anymore. Every day, every single day, there's something fabulous.
And the something fabulous becomes a line of something fabulous. Love Ranger Distress inks? I do. But now there's Distress paints, stains, reinkers, crackle paint, stickles, watercolor paper, card stock, and markers. And mini distress inks. And a blender. And a mini blender. And a tin to hold the mini inks.
It's just a question of time before Tim Holtz markets Distress Tears. Color away your sadness....
(photo from Deviant Art by Count-L)
And, despite being committed to spending small and spending smart, sometimes I make choices I regret.
The fact is that, deep down, no matter the downsizing, there are moments when I sort of still want it all. So, to avoid this:
and this:
I play a little mind game. It goes something like this.
If there were 3 new stamp sets a year, and I could only have 2 I'd feel deprived, like I was missing out. But there are 30,000 and I like at least half of them. Since even I don't want 15,000 new stamp sets, I concede that I must do without a lot of stuff I love. If I can do without that cute new Mama Elephant set today, I can do without it tomorrow.
It works.
Most of the time.
love my dose of you. your writing makes me laugh or cry.
ReplyDeleteYou said it, Joan! The constant hum of the hype train wears me out and throws my mojo off kilter. I spend most of my (tiny) craft budget on adhesives and paper.
ReplyDeleteDistress tears!!! that's rich!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about this as I looked through my studio last night. You're right: there are a lot of great stamps and dies out there and all are calling my name. But when I look at the stamps I have and the stamps I want, they overlap. For instance, Papertrey Ink is coming out right now with a USA die, a matching stamp and you could purchase the individual dies of each state. When I looked at my studio supplies, I had a cut file from Silhouette America, given for free from their blog several months back, that I could use in the same way as a die. Now granted, it won't cut thick mediums such as felt, 5 pieces of cardstock at the same time, grungeboard or thick cardboard but the basic card or home decor, it will do just fine. The other cool thing about the cut file is I could reshape to any size where as the die is fixed. I've held out on Tim Holtz's distress inks because the size was just too large for my studio and it was overpriced. I'm willing to wait until they've made their money back in the first couple of years and buy them from Joann Fabrics when they are on sale for 50% off and offer free shipping. I was able to pick up the mini distress inks for a steal from another online company eventhough they are "new." I'm watching my money intensely like a hawk with its prey. In this time where there's a disconnect between cash in hand and debit card swipes, my retirement has to be better than a can of Alpo dog food because I spent it on the latest (fill in the blank of crafty stuff)!
ReplyDeleteThis post is very timely. I just spent the last few days "oohing and aahing" over the latest releases from Tim Holtz via Ranger and Stamper's Anonymous. Of course I want it all and of course I don't have the budget for that kind of spending spree. But if I think about it, unless I plan a project, like this year's Christmas Cards, for a specific set that I don't have..I don't really need any of the new stuff. It's fun to get new stuff; but I have need to stop and think and be realistic about it's usefulness. Otherwise, I buy a new stamp set or some new ink and it just sits on the shelf "just in case I need it sometime"...and my money has "flown out the window" like in your picture.
ReplyDeleteexactly. I really liked the new release but I feel the same way. I want it all but then that would be beyond beyond!
DeleteWhen all this bombardment of new stuff comes out it becomes overwhelming. Sometimes I ask myself "Can I still make cards without that?" and the answer is yes. Helps me to be able to put things in perspective and keeps me from obsessing over all that new stuff.
ReplyDeleteJoan, I am so appreciative of you and your willingness to speak candidly. I have five bags in my hallway of things I've culled from my craft shelves that I need to donate because I don't have the energy to sell. I could probably cull 20 more bags worth (grocery-sized bags) and still have ample supplies left for creating. One step at a time. Thanks for the dose of reality I needed today. (love the images.)
ReplyDeleteI used to be a SU demo (well, I am again at the moment, but it's very different this time). Last year I only ordered stuff available on pre-order and then nothing else. Don't get me wrong, there was a HEAP of stuff I wanted but you know what else I discovered - I survived without it. I also haven't ordered anything from PTI for well over 12 months. Again, plenty I want but I'm now able to objectively question whether I really need it or if I'm just getting caught up in the hype. I recently subscribed to Studio Calico's Project Life monthly kit because of a change of direction of what I want to do with my crafting time and I did miss getting some 'happy' mail. I have purchased a few things over and above my PL subscription but I am much, much more discerning about how I am spending my $$$, especially when I look around my craft room at all the stuff that I have that has hardly been used (or not used at all).
ReplyDeletesticking to one or two companies is a strategy that works for a lot of folks -- helps to block the stimuli of so many companies.
DeleteI love your blog and this post. I struggle every month, week, day with resisting the urge to buy new product. I vow each month not to buy, but I get sucked in by all the hype. Maybe I need to stop following certain companies blogs, and just create. I am very suggestible, and it gets me in trouble.
ReplyDeleteHmm -- I've acknowledged my problem, isn't that the first step of beating an addiction? And an addiction it is! I think I am going to delete the shopping cart that I've been filling at Simon Says Stamp.
Thanks for the pep talk!!
I finally got off that "buy everything I see" train. Now I "oo" and "ah" about all the new stuff, but I just don't buy. The best purchase I made in the past year was my silhouette cameo. After taking a couple of classes I feel comfortable that I can replicate just about any die that I want. And I am also making my own designer paper with it!! While I love the ranger inks I have not purchased any. I have 5 different ink pads along with copic marker and refuse to start with another brand.
ReplyDeleteLove your wisdom, Joan. It's realistic and sensible. I appreciate capitalism and healthy retail competition, but not at the cost of my retirement and mojo. I don't buy anything as soon as it is released...I wait several weeks or even months....often I lose interest or something else new tickles my fancy. I have so much stuff already so I try to duplicate projects with newfangled stuff with the stuff I have...I'm often quite pleased with what I come up with. Thanks for keeping me grounded!
ReplyDeleteAnother great post! And I love all the photos you paired with your points :) I have come more and more to realizing I want to be the master over my stuff...not my stuff mastering me. The eyes are never satisfied no matter how long we look. I think our unending quest for more points directly to our hearts, if we are willing to see. Instead, we should honestly seek for what will truly fill us. Then crafting becomes fun and rewarding again and it's not so hard to be the master.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sentiment here and one that I need to think about and practice. Thanks
DeleteIt works for me too Joan. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteMary
I grew up with a mama who said, "Why put off what you can purchase today?!" I kid you not. Oddly enough, all 3 of her kids grew up with money management and greed issues. It is a hard mindset to go against because it isn't just my upbringing; it is the way society is now geared. I've been working on it. Her other saying to go with that is if you don't buy it now it may be gone tomorrow. That's the one that gets me more. Quite often I've put off craft purchases and gotten over that I didn't get them, but the one thing I really wanted is now gone. Ack! I have to remind myself that I have survived without it.
ReplyDeleteOver the years I've learned more of who I am and who I'm not. I'm not a person who likes messy techniques so I don't need sprays, mists, moist daubers, paints, etc. I don't like to make my own backgrounds so I don't need all those huge stamps and stencils. I think coming to terms with what I like in crafting has helped a great deal. Just because so-and-so can make beautiful art with that doesn't mean that I can or that I would want to.
I laughed out loud when I saw those distressed tears :)
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks Joan for these series. I love the fact that everything you say here applies to any facet of our lives.
My husband has been reading this book on simplicity.
Why have 3 towels when one have just two? One in use and the other when you need to wash the current said towel.
We are trying this at our home. Not with much immediate success, but I hope we'll get there, sooner than later.
I truly enjoy your blog posts :) Bless you.