I get bored easily if I don't have something to do that challenges my mind or requires me to concentrate. I just can't sit around and do nothing. (I blame my previous careers in the Coast Guard and as a magazine editor.) I have carved my pipes. I have made 4 cigar box guitars (even though I can't play). I write my blog. During the holiday season, I AM SANTA. Now I am trying my hand at a new hobby. I am teaching myself how to do leatherwork. So far I've made a 1-1/2 inch wide "Santa" belt to wear in my jeans, a coin purse for one of my granddaughters and a set of leather coasters for one of my daughter-in-laws. As soon as I get better at the tooling (carving and stamping), my project lists include a 4-inch wide Santa Belt, a leather wine rack and a Sporran for my son.
I don't consider pipe smoking a hobby. It's a lifestyle.
@erivertree -- Are you hip to the Upton Tea catalog? Attached, below. I've been a customer for years. I could make some recommendations if I knew what you like.
@Watchmaker61 I am getting my grandfathers Columbus pocket watch back from the watch repair shop tomorrow, along with my mom’s wristwatch she bought with her high school graduation money. Hopefully they both run this time. The Columbus is serial#38504, from what I could dig up it was suppose to be made in 1884? I have a cool little sterling silver hunter Elgin Model 2. It is actually small enough to carry easily, it runs and keeps time.....sort of🙁. I need to get it repaired some day too.
I'm at crossroads in my life. Kids are all grown up and moved out except for one. When your kids are young they are your hobby. Now I need to embrace this new stage and make time for new interests and revisit some old ones. Currenly Ive been working out pretty consistently and music has always been there for me. I would love to find some craft to pick up. To be continued...
@BobbyG I get what you're saying, I've just never heard anyone refer to child rearing as a hobby, it made me chuckle. Even though they're grown they're still a hobby LOL
Hobbies? Reading, listening to http://www.perihelionradio.org , smoking my pipe on the rear deck, science fiction books and movies, complaining about my health, raging against the dying of the light.
Ok, so the Columbus is still not right🙁. The time was stopped at about 4:20....no kidding, when I checked it today to wind it. Anyway, the hour hand had an upward bend in it and the minute hand wouldn’t go past it🙁. I popped the bezel off with one of my Victorinox knives with a watch bezel blade but the crystal popped out of the bezel at the same time🙁. Luckily it did not break. I straightened the hour hand, but I decided to quit there and send the watch to a professional to install the crystal again, and make sure the hands are straight and secure. I am sending it to a different watch repair this time. Doesn’t anybody quality check their work anymore???
@RockyMountainBriar Not like the old days when accuracy, long-lasting, and quality meant something... I guess that's what we get for living in a "throw-away" society...
RockyMountainBriar, Sorry to hear you are having so much trouble with your watch. After almost 40 years at the bench I’ve pretty much seen and heard it all. It’s not rocket science. These things take time and care. Having said that, they can be finicky, troublesome, and annoying, to both the owner and the craftsman.
@BobbyG, Thank you for that, I have hundreds of photos like this as part of my own history project. This is a hobby of mine, at the same time being up front stating these are not my pictures. I would have to be a billionaire to visit all the historical places I would like to see. This is the next best thing.
This is a checkbook cover I made back in about 1983 or so. It has not even come close to wearing out like those cheap plastic ones even after 35 years of use.
i was trying to fancy up the old nail I was using a tamp. I sanded the rough finish off, engraved the leaf pattern in the thin sidewalls, then darkened the low spots. I'm not sure what one I prefer. The shorter one, 3" fits in a pocket better. The longer one may be just a tad too long, but the head is a smidge bigger.
@AnantaAndroscoggin You’re a braver man than I to put that type of pokie thing in your pocket. I have carried a P38 can opener in my pocket on a keychain that I have had since I was in the Boy Scouts. That thing is kinda nasty when it flips open in my front pants pocket 😖. As a side note, and a tip from uncle John, don’t drop a couple of AAA batteries in your front pants pocket if there is a keychain in there. Those freaking batteries get dang hot when in a dead short. I was afraid they were going to explode and hurt me bad😳. The people in the office were perplexed as I started dancing around with my hand in my front pants pocket trying to get those dang batteries out before they exploded.
@AnantaAndroscoggin your right about loosing the smaller tamps. 😅 My daughter found one on the couch cushions the other day and said "this is pretty, can I have it"?
Comments
Now I am trying my hand at a new hobby. I am teaching myself how to do leatherwork. So far I've made a 1-1/2 inch wide "Santa" belt to wear in my jeans, a coin purse for one of my granddaughters and a set of leather coasters for one of my daughter-in-laws. As soon as I get better at the tooling (carving and stamping), my project lists include a 4-inch wide Santa Belt, a leather wine rack and a Sporran for my son.
I don't consider pipe smoking a hobby. It's a lifestyle.
https://www.uptontea.com/
I am getting my grandfathers Columbus pocket watch back from the watch repair shop tomorrow, along with my mom’s wristwatch she bought with her high school graduation money. Hopefully they both run this time.
The Columbus is serial#38504, from what I could dig up it was suppose to be made in 1884? I have a cool little sterling silver hunter Elgin Model 2. It is actually small enough to carry easily, it runs and keeps time.....sort of🙁. I need to get it repaired some day too.
Or try http://player.live365.com/a20832?l to get Perihelion Radio
I guess that's what we get for living in a "throw-away" society...
Yea, If I had the crystal press, I would do it myself. It’s headed to Rapid City, SD.
You’re a braver man than I to put that type of pokie thing in your pocket. I have carried a P38 can opener in my pocket on a keychain that I have had since I was in the Boy Scouts. That thing is kinda nasty when it flips open in my front pants pocket 😖. As a side note, and a tip from uncle John, don’t drop a couple of AAA batteries in your front pants pocket if there is a keychain in there. Those freaking batteries get dang hot when in a dead short. I was afraid they were going to explode and hurt me bad😳. The people in the office were perplexed as I started dancing around with my hand in my front pants pocket trying to get those dang batteries out before they exploded.