Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Hoarders United with Jewelry Supplies

I have been using my blog to admit to a number of problems - my techno-tardness, my messy studio, etc., etc...and I have a new character flaw that I must admit to - I am a hoarder. I buy fantastic things to make jewelry with, but if I really fall in love with the piece or pieces, I tend to stick them away because I know that very soon, I will find the PERFECT something to go with the perfect something that I am hoarding.  Does anyone else have this problem?  I think that we should form a group called Hoarders United or something equally inane and if we share what we're hoarding, maybe we'll  find what we are missing and can use the hoarded piece up and that would go a long way to cleaning up our studios.

This is not something that just appeared in my personality, it has been festering for years in the background, but jewelry making has made it much worse.  I used to save new clothes that I really liked for the PERFECT occassion ...and would sometimes find them much later with the tags still on. I would hide a really good snack because my husband is a snacker - and then forget about it til I was cleaning closets, and then I'd feel really dumb.   I still have some great yarn from when I was knitting that I was "saving" for the perfect idea, I haven't picked up a needle since I acquired this bead addiction.

It is now September in Phoenix.  As usual, it has been a slow summer and the snowbirds have not returned to my shops yet, so I am trying to be really good about not buying supplies....but my shops are gearing up for their busy period, so they want product. So I have been going through my supply drawers - I have 25 small bureau size, 18 bin type, 90 very small drawers and one small chest with 3 small drawers...plus the space under 2 large tables.  I have allot of storage space and there's lots of gold in them, thar hills, I found out this week.  Sometimes it pays to have a character flaw, like hoarding. I found some great stuff from Tucson, some A+ quartz rondelles, and a bunch of cut stones that I put away "for later" - and forgot that I had. I had plenty of copper wire and I have been bending up a storm!! Made some fantastic bracelets and necklaces that I'll take pictures of soon and insert in here.

I've come to the conclusion that it's okay to be a hoarder - you just have to learn to check your stash every so often...otherwise something fantastic could get lost in the shuffle.  And if you're getting older like I am, you might find that your memory is not quite what it once was, so it pays to check all your drawers, especially the back corners.  I hope that if you have the same problem as I do that you will find equally good stuff when you search your storage...have fun!  !  !

3 comments:

  1. Great post Linda! Hey, I’ll join your group.

    I have my “collections” of beads, findings, wires, glass and paints. In fact, after reading your post I went and looked at the tubes of paint I have and found 10 tubes of Sea Breeze Blue. Why? Each time I go to buy a new paint color that particular color of blue calls out to me.

    I have since written a list of the colors and the number of tubes I have in my possession to refer to as I shop. However, kind of takes the fun out of discovery – but has taken away the laughter I hear from my wife when I bring in my new purchase.

    I like your statement that it’s okay to be a hoarder but just go through your stash once in a while to find those “lost” objects. I love finding something I forgot I had!

    What I find myself doing now is collecting odd stuff just because someday I may use it. For instance – I cut off four steel corners on our gazebo shelving. When I was done and looked at the cut corners my immediate thought was hey, those are pretty cool – I better save them because they look pretty artsy!

    Of course I needed to go out and purchase some welding equipment to create that perfect artistic expression. Now where did I put those new welding tips . . .

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love this article as we have the same affliction! Of course, when you are a vintage seller it helps to have been a collector all your life as you then have plenty of stock to sell! It's even better when your parents were that way too, even more stock !

    ReplyDelete
  3. I LOVE this post. I'm a bit of a hoarder, too, but only when it comes to jewelry supplies...and that covers a very wide range of items, right? I go through periods where I tell myself, especially if there is a local bead show, that I AM NOT BUYING ANY MORE SUPPLIES, UNTIL I USE WHAT I ALREADY HAVE. It works most of the time... :o)

    ReplyDelete