Other Hobbies

[Shandeh]

....I think my long-suffering neighbours will appreciate an instument that allows me to wear headphones!

Ha! I always tell my piano parents that they should buy a keyboard for my students. I tell them that the student can practice with fun and interesting sounds, they can play as loud and as long as they want, and they will never bother anyone with the noise, since they can wear headphones. I think the keyboard companies should pay me a commission!

Good luck with your lessons!

[Shandeh]

Hi, like the rest of you I have outside interests as well; my main one is polymer clay. I was introduced to the art by Donna Kato while doing a segment on Carol Duvall way back when! I am also a beadwork artist, my father is from Nigeria and I have been active with human rights issues since I was a child. I spent two years studying beadwork with the Ndebele people and their primary stitch, herringbone, is my favorite. I make beads and specialty buttons in polymer clay. I love it!

Wow! Two of my favorite interests! I have been fascinated with polymer clay and beads lately, but haven't taken the time to learn to do either one. I already have so many projects going with yarn, so I just keep telling myself "no" when I wander over to the clay aisle.

Your work sounds very intriguing!

[ashy4]

I have to admit, knitting is an off again on again hobby for me. I'll get into it, and then I'll just stop for a long time, then I'll get into it again and so on. But being a University student of the Fine Arts type, for one of my classes we had to do a yarn bombing project, so those of us in my class had to learn how to knit, and we made our projects. And just around that time I heard about the KAL and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to keep up with knitting.

But aside from knitting, my hobbies include photography, jewelry making, baking, and knitting chainmaille (Born to knit I tells ya). All of my work is posted on a site called deviantart under the same username that I have here. I just love being creative and hands on with things. I would actually love to learn how to spin yarn, which might happen later this year, because my teacher that I did the yarn bombing project for spins her own wool, and one of the plays that I am involved in has bags full of sheep's wool that we might be able to use after the play is done in March. So that would be exciting.

[zhanie]

I love piano, playing piano and listening to piano music. Although there is a piano in my living room I haven't played for years. I'm just a beginner and self-taught. I have a bench full of music but wouldn't know where to start.
My hobbies that keep me very busy at this time ( and I love love them all!) are training for the Vancouver Sun Run in April, taking swimming lessons, knitting and crocheting. Two days ago I went to a ceramics place and painted a plate. I'll post a picture when I have picked it up. I love the stained glass pictures posted here btw.

I love to watch what I am doing when I crochet, my favourite thing to make is doilies so all these motifs are right up my alley! I like the way it feels to knit, the fabric and just the rhythm of knitting. I am very lucky to have so many hobbies.

[Shandeh]

I love piano, playing piano and listening to piano music. Although there is a piano in my living room I haven't played for years. I'm just a beginner and self-taught. I have a bench full of music but wouldn't know where to start.

Oh, I wish you lived nearby!
I could teach you piano lessons!

We could probably work out a trade, where you can teach me something in return. Like how to enjoy exercising! I am SO bad at exercising.

[zhanie]

That would be so nice!

[Shandeh]

I broke down, and bought some polymer clay a couple weeks ago, because several colors were on clearance.
I want to learn to make buttons and shawl pins, to go with my knitted and crocheted projects.

I've found several online tutorials, so I'm hopeful! I think I might buy a little toaster oven, and use it on my back patio to bake the buttons. I'm thinking this will help avoid having harmful fumes in my house. I'm so allergic to fragrances and chemicals, so this seems like the right thing to do.

[Shandeh]

My polymer clay studio is fully set up now!

I found a toaster oven at my local Goodwill Thrift Store for $5.
I got a craft clay (pasta) machine, to use for working with my clay - used a 40% off coupon to get that for about $15.
Found several polymer clays on clearance, so I have an interesting variety of colors. I have hopes that I'll be able to blend them to make more colors. I think I spent about $20 on all the different polymer clays.
When I stopped at Tuesday Morning yesterday, I found a couple packets of polymer clay tools for $2 each!

So, I have spent about $40, and now have everything I need.
Of course, if my experience with yarn is any indication, this is just the beginning.

[lialab]

My polymer clay studio is fully set up now!

I found a toaster oven at my local Goodwill Thrift Store for $5.
I got a craft clay (pasta) machine, to use for working with my clay - used a 40% off coupon to get that for about $15.
Found several polymer clays on clearance, so I have an interesting variety of colors. I have hopes that I'll be able to blend them to make more colors. I think I spent about $20 on all the different polymer clays.
When I stopped at Tuesday Morning yesterday, I found a couple packets of polymer clay tools for $2 each!

So, I have spent about $40, and now have everything I need.
Of course, if my experience with yarn is any indication, this is just the beginning.

Oh wow! what a way to go, you will be able to make nice clay jewelry, I think I need to pay a little visit to the thrift store!!!

[Shandeh]

Oh wow! what a way to go, you will be able to make nice clay jewelry, I think I need to pay a little visit to the thrift store!!!

You never know what you will find at a thrift store. I was so happy to find a toaster oven there. I also found a small glass baking dish that fits inside the oven perfectly. A great setup for baking my polymer clay buttons.

I got the clay and other supplies at Hobby Lobby.