Do Our Hobbies Contribute to Over Consumption and Excess Waste? (And If So, What Can We Do About It?)

[seoulsearch]

As a person who has MANY hobbies and talents as you do....
Mine had a different purpose behind them.
I got involved into these hobbies out of a necessity and not just idle hands.

EVERY talent and skill came out of a need.

For example:
As an electrician I carried tools and used a hybrid shoulder bag/ tool belt pouch for my tools. And I went through these bags often....and lost tools and bits when this tool bag wore out. They just didn't hold up well when made out of nylon. So I really needed one made out of leather.

But when I looked for one made out of leather the price was astronomically high and was only halfway usable for me. Meaning it wasn't really at all.

So I designed and created a tool bag exactly as I envisioned to carry the tools I carried with exact places for each and every tool I carried and used every day. Specialty tools were in zippered pouches or on a squirrel pin (type of something akin to a diaper pin) and they attached by means of "D" rings and tape was held on by a copper chain and stopper.

Then during the creation I gained knowledge and skill....and I made all kinds of leather gifts for others such as various leather journals, friction pen holders, and zippered makeup bags....all stylized and personalized for those who would receive them. All these gifts were done with even more care and detailed finishing than my tool bag ever thought about. They got started because I had scrap leather to use after I made my tool bag. And these people expressed a desire for leather goods. Custom leather goods, hand sewn and individually crafted are not something you find in a mall or store front anywhere.
Sure I bought tools...needed them. But I repaired chair arms, fixed other guy's tool bags...did all kinds of things.

I never ever charge for any of this or sell anything....but when doing a piece I have the recipient fully in mind....I want them to use it regularly because it works well and is sturdy and fashionable.

Where home decorative furnishings and jewelry are very very personalized to individual tastes....a journal isn't so much. Nor is a makeup pouch...nor a fancy pen holder. But these pieces were each made out of love, honor, and respect for these recipients.
View attachment 264790

That book cover is stunning!!!

I'm not nearly as talented in any of my interests, but my favorite stories about people's hobbies are when they find a way to fill a need/niche for something that doesn't already exist, or isn't readily available to them or someone they know.

Many years ago I had a co-worker who found out she was expecting another baby... We had to wear khakis at work, and she didn't have much money for new clothes. My Grandma had given me a bolt of garbardine fabric I didn't need for anything, so I made my co-worker two pairs of khaki pants from a pattern for sweat pants. I was actually praying for God to show me how along the way. They were designed to look dressy -- I added outer details that made them look like actual khakis -- but would stretch with her as the baby grew.

They weren't perfect by any means!! Not nearly as professional as your beautiful book cover above. But my happiest moment came when she said that wearing was as comfy as wearing pajamas, and that they were very cozy for both her and baby-on-the-way.

Thanks very much for this post -- I have been praying that God would connect me with people I can help while trying to get back into the swing of things and your story was certainly motivational!

 

[JohnDB]

That book cover is stunning!!!

I'm not nearly as talented in any of my interests, but my favorite stories about people's hobbies are when they find a way to fill a need/niche for something that doesn't already exist, or isn't readily available to them or someone they know.

Many years ago I had a co-worker who found out she was expecting another baby... We had to wear khakis at work, and she didn't have much money for new clothes. My Grandma had given me a bolt of garbardine fabric I didn't need for anything, so I made my co-worker two pairs of khaki pants from a pattern for sweat pants. I was actually praying for God to show me how along the way. They were designed to look dressy -- I added outer details that made them look like actual khakis -- but would stretch with her as the baby grew.

They weren't perfect by any means!! Not nearly as professional as your beautiful book cover above. But my happiest moment came when she said that wearing was as comfy as wearing pajamas, and that they were very cozy for both her and baby-on-the-way.

Thanks very much for this post -- I have been praying that God would connect me with people I can help while trying to get back into the swing of things and your story was certainly motivational!

One other tidbit....
Some people are "Do-it-yourselfer" and use kits and patterns to make their things.
This describes most hobby enthusiasts. Absolutely nothing wrong with these individuals in any respect. There's a lot of people who have issues with even following instructions or making mac&cheese out of a box. However....a "paint by number" picture really is kinda tacky on the wall even when framed. Sorta like those black velvet pictures of Elvis. But....there are things like electric fixtures, and sink vanities which are just fine with a kit.

BUT

Then there are the few "Makers" who by whatever need or inspiration create things....re-inventing the wheel because the "Wheel Emporium" didn't have the exact wheel they needed at a price they could afford.
These are people who not only bought a pottery wheel and pottery kiln but also refine their own clay because the shipping costs on pottery clay is too expensive...and turn out beautiful works because they can.

Then there are the flaky arteests....who create things of creativity and declare them works of art....but aren't useful or easily understandable as pretty. At best these things are dust collectors....
However....reigned in and directed....they can create great, wonderful works.

 

[blueluna5]

I do not make money for my designs... in fact, the sites where I collect the individual ephemera such
as backgrounds, flowers, butterflies, faces and their features etc forbid it, and I am fine with that. They
do not even require attribution which is great, because it would be a nightmare for me to have to keep
track of such things and give credit to anyone whose background, eyes, flowers etc, I used, every time
I posted a panel. Ugh. Can you imagine? It would be a great long list every time I displayed one of my
designs LOL. A few years ago, someone who was very appreciative of my work mentioned a couple of
times how she would love to have some to put on a wall, and so I got her personal info via a PM and
sent four of them across the pond to her, and even paid the postage for them. Printing was free for me
because of where I work. It was because of that exchange that I started designing in a larger format,
so I can print up to 8x12 full resolution if needed, because before that it was a bit willy-nilly, and
the largest prints I could send her were 5x7 (3), although one could only be printed optimally to 4x6.

Yes, that makes sense. Digital stuff can be more confusing, although honestly I've seen people not give credit. Probably not a good idea though in the long run.

 

[Magenta]

Yes, that makes sense. Digital stuff can be more confusing, although honestly
I've seen people not give credit. Probably not a good idea though in the long run.

I do not source from sites that require attribution. Some things are just found, and others are in the public domain, but mostly, especially since I discovered Pixabay, I get a lot of ephemera from there and sites like that. It is supposedly supplied by the person who made it, and lots of ai generated works abound these days, but sometimes I will see something recognizable from some old master, like Van Gough or Edvard Munch, so obviously they did not put that file on the site LOL. I'm not looking for things like that, any ways... I look through items by category (for instance, beautiful woman, or abstract background, or flowers) and sometimes, if I keep seeing work from a particular person, I will go to their profile and look at just their offerings. One photographer had many works I collected after finding her that way. Her name is Jill Wellington, and I noted jw in the file name when I saved her backgrounds to my images folder. I counted them from her recently, and it was close to 150! Although a few may have been from someone else, it hardly matters because I don't have to give credit. After all these years of collecting I have thousands and thousands of different types of things to choose from, so naming becomes important, and I save similar items together with similar names which makes them easy for me to search out and find in my folders. Some sites that used to offer free stuff now charge, and require attribution. I avoid them. Another great thing about Pixabay is that all the files are fairly large, so I get good quality files which need sizing down much more often than stretching out to make fit/suitable for my purposes.

In fact, the main background for that panel I showed is from Jill Wellington. I know because it is named bgjwpurpleflo, which is what I call the layer in my working file. Sometimes if I want to find something specific in my folders but don't recall what it is named, I can find it if I know what other panel I may have used it in, because I name each layer what the file is named in my images folder.

 

[Magenta]

Here is another one using a background from Jill Wellington:

Psalm 11:5-7
It started out looking like this:



Normally I use horizontal images, but thought of doing a vertical Psalms' collection...

Psalm 3:3, 4, 8

Psalm 4:6b-8

From Psalm 5

Psalm 6:2-4

Those are likely all using photographs from Jill Wellington. She takes beautiful pictures!
And because I have so much of her photo art, I remember her name. Those I collect one or
two+ items from, eh, no, I do not remember their names and am so glad I do not have to!

 

[Mem]

Today, I was pressed for time to ice some cupcakes I planned to take into work for the fathers (hope yous had a happy Father's Day btw) but I was missing an ingredient (frozen whipped cream for convenience in lieu of heavy cream) for the frosting so thought I go grab it from a nearby drugstore (not there) or gas station (not there either) and ended up at Target before I found it available. While heading back toward the registers, I passed a table lined with some very sad looking tea roses and one of them 'stood out' to me. I tried to keep rushing past them but, once past the table, I backpedaled and grabbed it up also (it was a red and pink striped tea rose, that needed urgent attention, how could I leave it!?).

I justify my compulsive behavior as employment in plant rescue. But so far this spring, two have come by to comment on the beauty of my little garden space. I've made do with what I've been given (clearance rack), and others have offered their thanks for it! And I hadn't given them anything! I mean, not explicitly, but I have thought of others my choices of kinds of plants. I planted perennial lavender for its insect repellant characteristic... oh! and just when I'd resigned myself to never having a hummingbird visit, a tiny whirr of wings flew up next to my shoulder as I was placing the white impatient!

Although she zipped away when I turned to get a better view of her, I felt "connected" at that moment since I was just thinking on the subject and ...behold! Even the plainest little hummingbird was suddenly such a wonder to me.

 

[MsMediator]

I don't really have a serious hobby, but wish I did. It is something I think about sometimes. I have enjoyed periods of time where I delved into trying new/challenging recipes, photography (creating online photo albums and sharing), etc. I went through a few years where I did a lot of jigsaw puzzles. Over time, it is not that I lost interest, but I slowed down. These are not hobbies that you can improve over time and your skill set; I think you reach a plateau unless you want to go the professional route (photography, jigsaw competitions which would require lots of time, etc.). In addition, I enjoy watching movies and reading. Pets also took up a lot of time, when I had them.

The hobbies I would have (if I was inspired or had access to them) would be writing, blogging, book club, gardening, fostering kittens, etc. There are a lot of other hobbies I am sure I would enjoy, such candle making, paint/drawing, making fragrances, etc. However, I am not sure what I would do with the finished goods once I/family/friends had enough...would I stop or try to sell/give away the excess goods? That is one reason I stopped jigsaw puzzles because I framed mine and I decided I had enough jigsaw art.

 

[Tall_Timbers]

I don't really have a hobby but I do love to read, mostly fiction.

Me to. At any given time I'm working on both an ebook and audio book in the Christian fiction genre.

 

[hornetguy]

I have many hobby type things that I enjoy. I enjoy working with my hands... so nearly anything in that line... I dabble in woodwork, leatherwork, I tried stained glass for a week or so, I love to cook, and I do reloading tasks for my shooting sports hobby.... I cast and powder coat bullets, I've made wood grips for handguns, inletted and finished stocks for rifles... I enjoy whittling/carving small people/animals...
The list goes on....

 

[JohnDB]

A neighbor (and cousin) showed up last night with about 8 gallons of freshly picked peaches....
So today I'm making peach preserves.

 

[tourist]

Me to. At any given time I'm working on both an ebook and audio book in the Christian fiction genre.

I have always loved to read. Probably read over 1000 books so far.

 

[tourist]

A neighbor (and cousin) showed up last night with about 8 gallons of freshly picked peaches....
So today I'm making peach preserves.

Sounds peachy-keen.

 

[JohnDB]

Sounds peachy-keen.

Well....Father-in-law showed up with another 5 gallon bucket of peaches....I am only ⅔ finished with the first batch....

 

[JohnDB]

Yeah....just wait until Fall when all the pecans come in....
This fruit and nut farm ain't bananas.....

 

[tourist]

Well....Father-in-law showed up with another 5 gallon bucket of peaches....I am only ⅔ finished with the first batch....

You are obviously quite handy in the kitchen. You are always concocting something or another. Most impressed.

 

[seoulsearch]

A neighbor (and cousin) showed up last night with about 8 gallons of freshly picked peaches....
So today I'm making peach preserves.

Well....Father-in-law showed up with another 5 gallon bucket of peaches....I am only ⅔ finished with the first batch....

Lol.

If I had access to a mass quantity of peaches and lived in the area...

I just might have to make a point to stop on by.

"Never mind me dropping of this 10 gallon drum of peaches..."

 

[JohnDB]

Lol.

If I had access to a mass quantity of peaches and lived in the area...

I just might have to make a point to stop on by.

"Never mind me dropping of this 10 gallon drum of peaches..."

I made a bit over 7 pints of smooth preserves....as opposed to the chunky kind.
Because these can go into my homemade Danish.

My wife wants me to freeze some. For some peach ice cream later....but my Dad took his ice cream freezer with him to Tennessee. (It's a nice one that does six quarts and has the dasher with loops....about $600 these days)

Wife wants me to pick one out and just go with it. But I'm hesitant....

 

[JohnDB]

You are obviously quite handy in the kitchen. You are always concocting something or another. Most impressed.

I'm a recovering chef. Worked in some of the top restaurants with some Michelin boys and ran kitchens(country clubs) of my own. Also was a partner in a bakery where my partner was just money. I had the talents he had the money.

I say I'm in recovery but....
Well there's a lady's luncheon here on Saturday (chicken salad on milk/butter bread) as well as my Sister in Law's birthday that evening....she wants German chocolate cake. So I'll scratch one out as well as the coconut/Pecan frosting. (I recently made one for my dad as it's his favorite)
Last week was better....just 10 dozen cookies for church as they needed snacks for the helpers for vacation Bible school, antipasta salad for Sunday lunch...and 6 loaves of bread. (Sourdough and milk/butter bread) I'm never gonna get my pizza dough made at this rate.

 

[seoulsearch]

I'm a recovering chef. Worked in some of the top restaurants with some Michelin boys and ran kitchens(country clubs) of my own. Also was a partner in a bakery where my partner was just money. I had the talents he had the money.

I say I'm in recovery but....
Well there's a lady's luncheon here on Saturday (chicken salad on milk/butter bread) as well as my Sister in Law's birthday that evening....she wants German chocolate cake. So I'll scratch one out as well as the coconut/Pecan frosting. (I recently made one for my dad as it's his favorite)
Last week was better....just 10 dozen cookies for church as they needed snacks for the helpers for vacation Bible school...and 6 loaves of bread. (Sourdough and milk/butter bread) I'm never gonna get my pizza dough made at this rate.

What do you suppose rehab would have to be for a recovering, overworked chef?

 

[Karlon]

my hobbies do not contribute to over excess or waste. they earn me money: coin dealing, antique dealing & music. they pay for all of our entertainment, dining, & vacations.