Last project was a crossbody foldover handbag in a bright blue vinyl. I made it because I knew specifically what I wanted in a bag/tote and couldn't find it for a price I was willing to pay....not because I'm that into sewing. I do enjoy the actual designing aspect though...(no pattern used).

I've been online looking for my next project and nothing seems to jump out at me. Everything just seems so...I don't know....docile? I want something I can sink my teeth into.

I walked around Pat Catan's for an hour the other day....jewelry making (meh), fine art (been there done that), scrapbooking (not for me)...

I guess I should preface this by saying I'm not a "girlie girl" and making "pretty things" doesn't appeal to me at all. I'm also not into "country" at all, which most crafting seems to fit more in that decor. I'm very "artsy" and worked as a professional photographer for awhile....LOVE b&w photography.

I've done and like woodworking but I don't have the funds to set up a proper workshop so....I also thought about stained glass but I don't know that I care for the finished product enough to bother. Something like decorative ironworking sort of appeals to me.... I guess I'm looking for a meatier craft if that makes any sense...

Any "off the beaten path" ideas would be appreciated. :)

when I get looking for new projects I look around at Etsy and see what they are up to.

"I did about 4 of them and I've had enough"...lol. I hear ya. I get bored easily. Your projects look great!

I'll have to check etsy out. Thanks!

I think part of my issue is that I lean away from "country" decorating, which most crafting seems to lean toward.

I actually have a woodburning tool that I purchased for something else. I just don't know what I could do with it that wouldn't be country.

I'll have to check out the Garden Art forum.

Thanks so much!

I get into phases. I had my sheet metal phase and made a bunch of outdoor light sconces. It was a very inexpensive craft too. I bought rolls of sheet metal at the hardware store, I had tin snips. I made a pattern for the sconces, cut them out and used a nail and hammer to punch holes in a pattern to let the light shine through. I thought about carpel tunnel syndrome after about a half dozen of them and realized I'd better come up with a less complicated pattern because I had to punch too many holes!! I attached a back section with liquid nails with a hole cut out for the light bulb area. I then spray painted them hammered copper.

Another sheet metal project I did for a while was making geckos, butterflies and dragonflies etc. I made patterns and cut them out and painted them.

Then came the gourd phase and I made dioramas with gourds. I cut a hole in the gourd and set a little scene of a house, fire pit, plants, and pained a little scenery too. I wanted to put a light inside, but never got around to it.

Then my favorite phase...is my Hanging overall planters. I take used childrens overalls and paint them with polyurethane and hang them with plants in them. They are really cute!

I also have made wreaths with prickly pear pads (carefully!!) and they turned out great and very unique.

I also found some grape roots that are similar to driftwood and decorated them with little wood quail and grass and hung them on the wall.

I've also made tea cup bird feeders, helped make a wine barrel fountain with three tiers.

Some projects I have in mind are a fountain with a half barrel with a watering can tipped into the barrel flowing water into the barrel. I've also come across an artist that makes twig sculptures that I want to try (I have a lot of twigs to choose from!!) and I want to paint our mailbox with a letter and a scene.

I hope you can capture some inspiration from where ever you can find it and go for it!! I love to go to arts and crafts festivals and gather ideas and inspiration from other artisans! It usually gets my creative juices flowing again!

This is not a girly girl craft and it's definitely meaty and the possibilities are limitless!!

Hmmmm...feel a phase coming :) LOL!

this may be my favorite site when it comes to 'non-girly' crafts :) because they're SO irreverent - but there's lots of great sites out there that do urban, or Fairy Goth, or Steampunk decor...

I get where you're coming from with 'cute' and 'country' - where 'prim' crafts are concerned, I'm more in to true primitive stuff, like Bronze Age? so there's something deeply unsettling about 'grubby candles' and who came up with the idea of dipping a teddy bear into a melted Yankee Candle?

'toothbrush' rugs are my new curiosity, having finally seen a video that revealed the complicated-in-print gesture to have more in common with macrame than it did with crochet - and I do need something to do with my leftover material!

Did you do any stained glass projects? I seriously considered stained glass but for the most part it's very victorian looking which isn't my thing at all. Learning welding sounds way cool though!

Thanks!

Now that sounds like something I'll have to check out tomorrow when I'm off.

>who came up with the idea of dipping a teddy bear into a >melted Yankee Candle

LMAO....I agree. I am so not girlie. I do love make-up but I don't do ruffles, don't do lace, pink is not a color for me. I've done drywall, installed light fixtures and outlets, plumbing, etc. I own my own power tools. Although I DO try to get them in a girlie color if possible so DH is too embarrassed to "borrow" them for his work....lol.