When I relaunched this blog, I thought “this is it. My creative hobbies era.”
I then proceeded to not do very many creative hobbies.
We now know that this is because of ADHD. And I have been using that knowledge to re-approach the ways I think of and do certain things. And now I basically have 2 creative hobbies that truly allow my brain to turn off and focus on what’s in front of me.
Hobby 1: Collaging
What do you do when you get diagnosed with AuDHD and realise you’re a bit of a paper hoarder? Collaging! I had loads of magazines and crafty bits and bobs so one day I decided to make a small collage in an A5 notebook, and recognised how much it quieted my brain.
This was back in February, so for Valentine’s Day Kate got me a bunch of supplies and a proper, big scrapbook so I could make even bigger and better collages! I’ve been hooked since then. It’s a really easy way to express yourself without having to invent your own imagery. I’ve always loved the collage aesthetic thanks to my love of vintage things. I love textures and layers, which can often be seen in my design work.
In addition to paper collaging, I’ve done a little bit of playing around with digital apps which I’ve also enjoyed.
Shuffles by Pinterest is an obvious one, but I do have a few issues with it:
- Using images from Pinterest feels a bit wrong to me. In the app they link directly to the creator, which is fabulous. But once you have a flattened image this is obviously no longer possible, and then it’s just out there without attribution. As I’m typing this I’m realising there’s a similar problem with magazine cut outs! But those are usually from huge publications, not small creators sharing their work on Pinterest.
- Unless you do something hacky the export of Shuffles is watermarked and it ruins the vibe.
- Obviously this is a hobby and I will no longer monetise hobbies but if you DID want to sell on your collage art it seems like a grey area. Again, this is possibly a concern with any found imagery.
I’ve been more of a fan of using Adobe Express, They have a great background remover tool. With my Adobe subscription I have access to a lot of imagery to play with. And of course it’s easy to import and use my own photos. I haven’t tried it since the update so I’m hoping it hasn’t changed much in that regard!
Anyway, Kate had a great idea for a big collage: one of all the bits of paper she’s saved over our 8 year relationship, photos, etc. Then we can frame it!
Hobby 2: Bracelet making
The Eras Tour is COMING. So over the weekend I started making some friendship bracelets. Not only did it shut my brain up, I found that I’m quite good at it? Well, maybe I’m being too self centred. But I am good with colours, excellent with patterns, and I LOVE doing little fiddly things with my fingers.
It really reminded me of the same concentration and satisfaction I get from untangling this really long, skinny necklace chain Kate has.
Anyway I’m definitely planning on making more bracelets. Maybe venture out into a choker to go with my Eras Tour outfit. (That’s an issue I’m having– I’m a big TTPD gal, but is that fun for a gig on the first day of summer? It’s not a very fun aesthetic!)
Possible future additional hobbies
I really want to get back into writing! And I mean that for everything from this blog to my annoying thoughts on Threads, to maybe some longer pieces. I love the flow of thoughts directly from my brain onto the screen, it’s SO satisfying. I’m going to try blogging on my mobile device which sounds like it’s impossible. But I want this blog to be ALL about the words. I have other visual projects. (And yes, I will show some of that here, once again finding the flaws in my logic as I type). I want this to become less about me thinking “what visuals can I use alongside this topic” and then getting sidetracked and never doing anything, and more about off the cuff thoughts that need a bit more space than Threads.
I’ve also ordered a super cheap digital camera to both document my big summer events (Taylor, Glasto, Canada) and be a bit more experimental with photography. E.g. I’ll be willing to put this camera on the ground, but I wouldn’t do that with my phone!
And of course I’ll want to document all of these things, which is a hobby within itself! But more about that next time,