Five Stages of Crafting-Upcycled Lightbulb Craft

It was a great night of creative reuse at the Salem Public Library. 28 people participated and we went through various stages of crafting together. Have you heard of the five stages of crafting? No? Okay, you got us. It’s because we made it up. But really, crafting is hard work. It involves problem-solving, skill and labor. So let’s look at those five stages closely.

Inspiration
It all starts with an idea. This is the time when your heart flutters, your palms get sweaty, and you start feeling the love of a concept sink into your soul. Inspiration is a craft crush and determining on the intensity of inspiration, stage one will soon morph into the next stage…dating. Well not really, it’s another d-word. Determination!

Determination
At this stage you are ready to work and put your inspiration into motion. You roll up your sleeves, gather your supplies, and turn on some tunes to accompany you on your creative journey.

Frustration
This is the most difficult stage of crafting to go through. The “Frustration” stage can be a simple hiccup or a dangerous mishap that has become an huge obstacle. This can be a lonely stage too. If you are isolated, the more frustrated you might feel. So you have a few choices. You can reach out for help,take a break, or brainstorm a solution. This is the stage when the character of a crafter is most revealing. It may help to remember your inspiration and come back to your project with a clearer mind.

Retooling
Hooray for you to make it to the retooling stage! Now is the time to retool, tinker, and rework your craft until all of your goals have been solved. This may take time and your craft may be put on hold for awhile, however right around the bend it the most wonderful of all stages, so don’t give up!

Bliss
Ah, that wonderful moment when your craft is complete. You can take a step back and feel proud of your accomplishment. You’ve created something new from raw materials and have learned so much on the way. Now go give yourself a pat on your back!

And most of all, remember no matter what stage you’re in, you gotta share your journey with us! They don’t call me a forensic craftologist for no reason. You see, I want to hear all about your stages of crafting and see pictures of your crafts in each stage. Feel free to post them on our facebook page, let us support you and offer guidance in your “frustration” stage, and give you a high five in your “bliss” stage. We are your craft community.

Now sing with me:

We are the crafters…..the mighty, mighty crafters!