Tea and Crafts

For me tea and crafts go hand in hand, I seem unable to properly craft without tea.

So if you are a crafter/artist what kind of crafts do you do and what are your favorite things to sip while crafting?

For me I find myself usually reaching for an oolong or fuzzy golden black tea from Yunnan. I am all about origami and perler beads (especially making 3d sculptures of various Minecraft mobs…so many Creepers) but lately I have taken up wargame miniature painting. I have to be careful, the other day I almost drank my paint water instead of my tea!

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This topic speaks to me. I’m a huge tea drinker and crafter. I drink just about any tea when I craft since I make my choice based on my mood. I am a card maker, stamper, scrapbooker, and make bath and beauty products.

I may have ogled your bath products in your etsy shop more than once, they look fantastic!

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Ooh, I’ve though about trying miniature painting! But I don’t know what I would do with them when I was done… :P

It can be very addicting. I started out with painting my and my boyfriend’s army for the games we play and next thing I knew I had a huge wishlist of models I want to paint and even bought a few really cheap ones from the gaming store (one of which is a Cthulhu) just to play with.

I feel that if I keep up at this rate I am going to just have a shelf of miniatures…or maybe I will set up a dollhouse filled with fighting elves and being over-run by otherworld horrors :P

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Anlina said

I haven’t got an art space set up yet, so it’s been a while since I’ve done anything artsy or crafty, but I do acrylic abstract painting and ceramics.

I like to sip something flavourful and not too complex when I’m painting, so that I can enjoy without paying too much attention.

I try not to drink anything while I’m doing ceramics, just because of all the clay dust everywhere, though the occasional travel mug is okay.

I’m really into miniatures (primarily doll house) and my cohabitating partner does wargame miniatures, so I’m looking forward to trying out some painting of those.

Inquiring minds want to know what game(s) your partner plays :P

When I was younger I worked with dollhouse miniatures and train sets, my grandmother and I worked on the dollhouse stuff and my grandfather and I worked on his trains. My dad used to build model cars and I would help him with that but I hated the paints used, so toxic, give me acrylics any day! Hehe it seems miniatures run in my family :P

Anlina said

Warhammer 40k and, I’m not sure exactly what the game/system is called, but he also does WWII war gaming, so he has a tiny Finnish army. Possibly also something else… we were drooling over some very gorgeous, very very creepy horror miniatures the other day too.

I collected dollhouse miniatures and had a big, beautiful house when I was a kid. I ended up selling it because it was just too large, and my furniture and stuff has been in storage ever since, but I keep having the urge to pull it out and do something with it all. I’m so inspired by the Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago, and now that I have better motor control, better access to supplies and more artistic skills than when I was a kid, I’d like to get back into making 1:12 scale miniatures too.

Acrylics are definitely nice to work with. I love the water clean up and no VOCs. I have a hard time wanting to work with oils and enamels just seem like a nightmare.

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I have recently taken up Cross Stitch again. I used to do it professionally (isn’t that funny?) I would get paid to stitch the models that were photographed for pattern booklet fronts.

My happy place is in my bedroom, in my oversized comfy chair, big screen TV, tea next to me and stitching. Here’s my current project in progress.
http://imgur.com/a/yGymL

Thanks! If you scroll to the bottom you can see what the end resilt will be.

That is so cool!! I have dabbled in cross stitch, never anything really big, but I have always enjoyed it, I find that it is a very relaxing craft

I am finding that the pictures help me feel motivated. With them I can tell that I’m getting somewhere, and otherwise I don’t feel like I am.

Anlina said

Ah I am envious and admiring your dedication. Your project is gorgeous.

I love cross stitch, but I always get about 1/3 into a project and then wander off and abandon it.

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vc said

Mostly knitting and crocheting for me :)

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Professionally, I’m a writer. However, I am also paint, draw, take photos, animate, and sculpt (I’m actually in the process of making a gaiwan!)… bleh… I like to create things. I’m fairly certain my blood is made out of art. XD
For writing: Yancha or a high roasted oolong
For painting, drawing, animating, and photography: Gaoshan oolong or a Chinese red
For sculpting: Nothing… the clay gets everywhere!

I should note that for all of these teas, they have to be teas that I have had before so I don’t have to put too much thought into the experience of drinking the tea. This is crucial to me for a new tea is so utterly distracting. :p

My favorite tea related animation:
http://tea-pet.tumblr.com/post/95100571171/thats-right-keep-walking-this-tea-is-mine-p

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SarsyPie said

I don’t have any specific tea for my crafting time, which for me involves crochet and knitting. If any of y’all use Ravelry, hit me up and we can share projects! Wheeee!!!

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I’m a crocheter/knitter mostly. I drink various teas while I craft, I don’t go for any particular teas.

I also draw, paint and scuplt – but I tend to keep those away from tea as I’m messy and don’t want to spill things or get paint in tea. I don’t do digital art often (but should, I have a nice tablet) but that’s the only drawing related thing I’ll do while drinking tea.

Tea related, lately I’ve been decorating tea tins. It’s on hold at the moment as the weather is horribly hot here so I don’t want to go outside to spray paint things.

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So many crocheter and knitters! I am envious, my attempts at any string/yarn based craft ended up with me tangled up in a giant knot, it is really kinda funny to watch!

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Uniquity said

I’ve always wished I were more crafty/artistic. I’ve tried my hand at pretty much anything but don’t have a lot of success except in projects where I follow instructions of others. In my mind, most of my hobbies are an extension of my desire to create but I’ve no confidence in my own abilities so I enjoy the skills of others. I love to read (since I can’t really write) and do crosswords. Someone else sets something beautiful up and I use my mind to explore it.

Recently I’ve taken up knitting which is as close as I’ve come to creating myself. I am still following the patterns of others but at the end I get an object I can say I made myself. Love it.

I like to have tea with me at most times but I’m leery of having it with knitting. If I spilled all over my yarn I would be very annoyed!

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