Dear Eric: I’m a craft hobbyist. I enjoy embroidery, painting by numbers, building papercraft models, etc. My joy is really in the process of creating these, but I find our walls and shelves overflowing with the finished products. I suppose I’m proud of them, but I’m beginning to avoid doing these hobbies because we’re running out of space to display them. I don’t feel it’s appropriate to gift a rudimentary painting or model of a rabbit to a friend or family member, but I’d hate to throw them away. What should I do with these projects instead?
—Hobby Help
Dear Hobby Help: For some of the flatter crafts—the embroidery, the paintings—you might consider some of the art storage options available at a craft or art supply store. Even a filing cabinet might work for some of the smaller items. You can rotate out the ones displayed and ones stored, if you’d like. A gallerist!
This way, your décor stays fresh, and you don’t have to throw anything away—at least until the storage solution fills up.
It might also surprise you which of your friends and family would be happy to own your, as you put it, rudimentary paintings or model of a rabbit. Try posting photos of your creations online or having a home art show in that swanky new gallery. You can set a low price or make everything free to the takers. Even if it doesn’t clear all of the shelves, it’s a great way to include those you love in a hobby that makes you happy.
(Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.)
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