In which I have Too Much Stuff and lots of books...

Sometimes I really regret being a craft person. Or at least stuck to one craft thing! I am at least very very glad I didn’t do an art degree. It creates Too Much Stuff.

As it is I do have a jewellery business at Eccentric Accessories and have ridiculous amounts of crafting materials. I have boxes of beads, buttons, findings etc. I also have some big things like a drill, and a soldering iron and collection of pliers. That’s not all though! I also enjoy sewing and making clothes or altering them and so I have lots of fabric and a sewing machine. I also did A Level Art and so have an entire chest worth of art supplies along the paints, pastels and sketchbook lines. I also have massive canvases and huge drawings in folders tucked behind my bookscases and wardrobes. I look back on Art with some confusion. I don't know if anyone else did art but the teachers really wanted you to do things BIG. Small drawings and works of art were frowned upon. There was one guy in my class who did these fantastic detailed characters and didn't decorate his sketchbook or make massive scultptures. They were amazing, but it was the person with the 2 metre canvas that got all the encouragement. So yeah, wish I hadn't done quite so many big things!

If that wasn’t enough I am Origami Girl. Whenever I am tidying my room I find origami models everywhere. On the floor, in a bo, in my wardrobe. Where to keep them? I have to keep them because they are beautiful and useful for saving the world. In my last house I had a windowsill that was a delicately balanced collection of origami but in my current house the window is a huge skylight. In fact I got this room because I like to do art so I wanted a room with lots of light. Still –where to keep it all?

This does make me feel very Capitalist and a little embarrassed that I have so much stuff. I love to make things which doesn’t sound like a particularly greedy or soulless thing, yet I always want to but more things to make more things… sigh.

Anyway I wanted to include some shots of my other great love –books. I’ve also put in a few of the other things in my room. I have put so much effort and sneezing into tidying it up and now I am living alone (after a house of 8-10) I need someone to share the pretty things with. Oh and there is no such thing as too many books. This is just one bookcase of 3 crammed with books, plus a basket full on the floor.My main bookcase. Showcasing complete Sandman, Wheel of Time, teen fantasy and a few classics. You can see my Elmer bag from an earlier post by the bed.

Model of Lego Spiderman I have on my dresser.

My sword. In case of an emergency when I am out of origami paper.

Top shelf of my bookcase. I love how the brass unicorn matches the pretty writing on the spines. I also have all my matching penguin classics stacked up.

So, do I have too much stuff? Do you keep all your old art work or let it go?