Fandom Snowflake Challenge #5

[tjs_whatnot]

Challenge 5:

Ugh. What ideas do I have that I have neither the time/energy or talent to do? Um… all of them? Seriously, I barely have time to fall in love with things anymore. And when I do. They just live in my head, having shenanigans in my imagination as I try to continue their story, or give them moments in canon, but it remains there in my head.

Every once in a while, I think maybe I need to find a different medium, that I can get my creativity kick by doing podfics, or fanmixes, and sometimes that works--fanmixes are always a good time. But, most times, it is more frustrating to try something new than it would be to just FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WRITE SOMETHING ALREADY JFC! Like, why did I think learning how to podfic would be the answer to my creative slump? Because it didn’t require me to come up with the ideas or to write them down? Coming up with the ideas is my favorite thing, and learning how to record and edit and all the other bells and whistles of pod-ficcing is more work than actually sitting down and writing. Who knew?

So, I craft. It’s not strictly fandomy, not really. But I geek it out best I can. I started a community of geeky crafters that ran 4 years of fests that were lovely. But, we decided to give ourselves a break on fests and are looking to see how else we can charge each other up to craft more and contribute any way we can on the culture of geekiness--or whatever. I’m learning new things, falling in love with new mediums and getting to think of my fandom loves as I curse at my cricut, or twirl paper into meditative patterns.

But writing will always be there. And reading, OMG, the only thing I want to do more than start writing fic again is start reading fic again. ALL THE FIC! Stories will always be my drug of choice. Stories are why I’m here to start with after all, right?

Comments

[evilinsanemonkey]

ooh what kind of crafting do you do? I crochet and cross stitch :)

[tjs_whatnot]

I have yet to find a craft that I didn't want to try. 🤣

Right now, though, I'm in to thinning my stash, so I'm in a mixed media, paper crafts phase. I discovered quilling recently (I don't know how, but I blame YouTube's auto-load feature) and since it requires no new tools or supplies, I'm HOOKED!

I would love to re-learn to crochet and cross stitch though! My grandma painstakingly taught me both as a child, but I've done neither since she passed. 😭😭

[evilinsanemonkey]

I know of some good videos for learning crochet, if you need any recs on that front!

[tjs_whatnot]

Haha, first I have to get through my paper supply, and my fabric supply before I'll allow myself to buy yarn. I have a sickness really. ;)

[evilinsanemonkey]

haha, this is fair! i am on a self imposed 'now new yarn until you finish what you have' rule and it is proving harder than I anticipated...

[mierke]

I love geeky crafts! I do not have the time or energy to actually devote to do it (though I have vague plans of taking op crochet, as one does), but I always love seeing stuff other people come up with.

I’m learning new things, falling in love with new mediums and getting to think of my fandom loves as I curse at my cricut, or twirl paper into meditative patterns.
That sounds lovely ♥

[tjs_whatnot]

I have vague plans of taking op crochet, as one does... Naturally. Crochet was to 2021 what Making Sourdough bread was to 2020. :D

And yes, sometimes crafting can be very relaxing and lovely. ♥

[paulamcg]

Thank you for participating in this way,too! :) (I haven't done any of the challenges this year yet, except taken a look at my profile.)

I can relate... Since summer 2020 I've ended up dabbling in fanart when I've wanted the interaction that fests can offer but haven't always managed to write. And I wish I could love stories more again - without always being too critical about how well they've been written (by me or anyone).

[tjs_whatnot]

♥

Certain pockets of HP make it really hard to not have your bar set really high as far as quality and quantity. But, we also have to let ourselves off the hook that what we (and others like us) are producing have value and is needed.

♥

[paulamcg]

♥

[ruico]

I love crafting!! In general, exploring other mediums, particularly for fannish things, is always so exciting! I recently started talking more to a friend who is very into cosplay, and since I used to do a lot of sewing I considered giving it a go, but I'd have to get into foam shit too for armor and stuff, so maybe not anytime soon, lol! But I have some bookbinding projects lined up, and hhh!! There's so many cool things out there I want to try.

Any faves that aren't too expensive (or hard for beginners) you can recommend?

[tjs_whatnot]

Sewing clothes is not something I'm even close to attempting yet (I made a matching outfit for the little girl I nanny for and a dolly and it was ridiculously too big for her and to small for her dolly--OOOOPS). But, I do love sewing other things. Faves to start with? I've just discovered quilling (paper twirling) and while there are things you can purchase for it, I just started cutting thin strips of paper I already had and wrapping it around a thin pin-type thing and doing it for pretty much free.

Here's an adorable video to walk you through it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YWW6RmhwP0

And that's the easiest and cheapest--and also sort of mediative.

The other paper craft I'm addicted to is not quite so easy--but also super cheap if you have a lot of random crap in your house. JUNK JOURNALS!

Here's a video of a woman with a great accent explaining what they are and all the ways you can go about it. I like my journals to be less junk and more journals than hers, (i.e. I want pages people can actually use and write, but also full of ~stuff~.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VC3-L_bzJ4

[lilalanor]

Crafts are lovely and can definitely be fannish (ask me about my LOTR themed bullet journalling etc and also the shawl I want to knit one day that is definitely LOTR themed…)

[writedragon]

OOh. Tell us about your LOTR themed bullet journaling please. That is the coolest idea. I'm setting up a new journal for the year and the idea of giving it a fannish twist had never occurred to me and I love the notion. It might just motivate me to get it going again.

[lilalanor]

I’ve done a whole Gondolin themed monthly spread! Actually I’ve done a whole Hobbiton one as well - also Tolkien Lettering. It’s a really delightful thing to explore because you can do the whole journal or just some of it (right now I’m working on a Rivendell drawing for next years theme)

[writedragon]

I think my brain just exploded. I'm gonna fandom the !@#$% out of my next journal. Thank you for the idea!

[tjs_whatnot]

That is so cool! ♥

[tjs_whatnot]

Yes! They can, can't they. I actually really love fannish crafts because they're so ~personal~ and more meaningful. My sister made me coasters and a facemask from the BBC show Miranda that I introduced her to and she loved almost as much as me. Someone else crocheting me one of Miranda's "Veggie Pals" that is so very unique and dear to me. I used to do a geeky craft exchange and got so many great geeky things. ♥ ♥

[wantedonvoyage]

I related to all of this. I want to write, draw, lift weights, clean, fix shit, and what I basically do is work, read the entire internet, and go to sleep. If I'm lucky I go for a walk. Good on you for actually starting something and sticking with it.

[tjs_whatnot]

what I basically do is work, read the entire internet, and go to sleep. Read the entire internet... *ded* Add school to this and it's me to a T. UGH. Too much making money and furthering myself and not enough doing whatever the fuck I want. *grumps*

♥ ♥

[wantedonvoyage]

I can't even say I'm doing anything particularly productive much of the time. At least you have a goal!

[corvidology]

The brilliant thing about crafts is how they keep both the head and the hands engaged.

[tjs_whatnot]

Right?!?! And they also only take up one tiny sliver of your brain, so there's room in there to work out problems and solutions to other things. like plot holes and whatnots. ♥

[althea_valara]

Ooo crafts! Some of my geeky knitting is posted on Ao3, at xnera. I primarily knit and crochet, but I also have done pin loom weaving, paper quilling, scrapbooking, and embroidery.

I also partake in a crafting challenge community on Ravelry (A fiber arts site). The community is called Nerdopolis, and the goal is to craft something that fits a challenge theme, thereby earning points for your team. I'm captain of Team Co-op which covers gaming of all kinds (I'm an avid video gamer, but some of my teammates are more into board games). Although Ravelry is for fiber arts, Nerdopolis also has a challenge area called the Lab where we submit non-Ravelry crafts such as drawing, painting, baking, beading.. Anything you can think of, as long as it produces something tangible. It's really fun!

[tjs_whatnot]

OMG! That Nerdopolis and Lab does sound super awesome! I was in a geeky craft exchange that was really fun, but sometimes it's fun to create for yourself or something that you'd want and not having to tailor it to someone else's style/wishes--though it did get me trying new things every time. ♥

[writedragon]

I'm a geeky crafter too! Sometimes when I'm stuck on a story I'll go do some art or a craft in the hopes that it will give part of my brain a rest while juicing up the other parts. Sometimes it even works to kickstart me back into writing.

[tjs_whatnot]

Yes! Crafting and hiking are the two non-writing things that pump me up to write SO MUCH! Something about releasing your brain to think differently and get some fresh air. ♥ ♥

[who_la_hoop]

I love craft in theory, but I have a terrible habit of doing hobbies by 1) spending too much money on buying all the stuff, and then 2) doing the craft for five minutes and losing interest. At least reading and writing fic is free, lol.

[tjs_whatnot]

RIGHT?!?!?!

[themightyflynn]

I do crafty stuff as well, jsut not specifically a fandom so much as geeky in general. If I'm doing something repetitive enough (which some of my crafts really are!), I can just drift off and try to think of things I can write. So, technically, I am being productive in two ways. Or, at least, that's what I tell myself. XD

[tjs_whatnot]

That is EXACTLY what I tell myself too!

♥ ♥

[wenchpixie]

Time, oh year, lovely time with no other draws or demands on it sounds delicious.

[tjs_whatnot]

♥ So. Very. Delicous. ♥

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> So, I craft. It’s not strictly fandomy, not really. <<

I think crafting is just as fannish as writing. I mean, look at the stupendous costumes people come up with. I've seen handcrafted tomes, jewelry, giant cross-stitch pictures as brilliant as painting. One time somebody posted a bingo fill made from glass.

allbingo will be doing National Craft Month as a theme in March, if you want to play or just see what other folks come up with. I'm hoping we get more different media fills.

Re: Well ...

[tjs_whatnot]

>>[community profile] allbingo will be doing National Craft Month as a theme in March, if you want to play or just see what other folks come up with. I'm hoping we get more different media fills.<<

Ohhhh, thank you! I will keep my eye open for that!

♥

Re: Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Yay! I hope you drop by for it. I just set up my Poetry Fishbowl themes, and I'll be doing Artistic Endeavors for March, so that matches. :D

[analise010]

Can we trade gifts??? I recently retired from the podfic game and keep trying to write but the words are just *crickets*. I have 100 different ideas and when I try to write them, I feel like a toddler learning words for the first time.

As a 30 year-old, in graduate school, who's spent half her life on the internet, I'm rediscovering my love for embroidery and other crafts. Anything to not look at a screen for a while!