Damn, sobriety is boring! Got any artsy crafty stuff recommendations?

Cafe Society
1

So I’ve recently and drastically reduced my drinking habits. I’ve gone from a couple of 12 packs a week, to basically a six pack every two weeks.

I’ve been doing good WRT resisting the temptation to drink. But damn, I sure am bored. Most of the shows I used to enjoy watching while sitting in my recliner and sipping on my beer just seem flat out stupid now.

I think part of the problem is, I’ve have a lot of pent up energy I don’t know what to do with. I need something more chalenging than a TV screen to keep my mind occupied.

Looking for hobbies or ideas. Preferably something I could do in my living room or dinning room. Like maybe jewelry making or something of that nature.

Thanks for any input. :slight_smile:

2

Hand made wire trees?

I bought this guys book. Talked to him on the phone & asked about payment he said send me a check when you get the book. Good book & guy.

http://www.salvillano.com/index.htm

3

Reading?
Learn to knit or crochet?
Board games with friends or family?
Sudoku or crossword puzzles?
Learn to macrame?
Hatch a plan for total world domination?

Um… jewelry making? :smiley:

4

Those are kind of neat…did you make any?

Re thread topic: Housecleaning? :slight_smile:

5

Decoupage?
Paper maché?

After all the kids moved out, Mom did stained glass on the dining room table… I suppose if you did it on a board, you could make small stuff like Christmas ornaments or little boxes. Then just move the whole board when you need the table.

6

Learn to sew? Make quilts for friends/family? Or - even if they are machine-made, you can sell them for $300 or more, if the design is intricate.

7

Learn a musical instrument? Or, if you already play one, play it more. Start a band!

8

Adult Coloring Books are popular. I like Paint by Numbers better myself.

9

Yep, I made 3. The first was the best, I over thought the second it looks like a tree cliche, the third is better. Each took 3 to 4 hours, kind of hard on the fingers especially in the winter (dry skin). Very rewarding for the amount of effort. The “windswept” versions look best to me.

10

Those are beautiful, but that guy really needs to learn post-90s web design.

11

Cooking and baking. If it’s just you around the house, perhaps you have a job where you could bring in what you make, for your coworkers to eat?

12

Home brewing beer?

13

How 'bout cooking? I hear it can be really rewarding.

14

That wire tree thing looks like it could be fun. It would be kind of cool if you could figure out a way to incorporate led lighting in there somehow.

Thanks for the responses so far guys. Except for you Dung Beetle! Me no likey housecleaning!
(Kidding DB, you’re one of my faves. :))

15

I’m in the same boat with you Grrr!. I’ve discovered I haven’t missed a damn thing being drunk every night. 400 channels and nothing to watch (except PBS when they got something good), wife and kid up to their eyeballs on some kind of “device”, dogs all pooped out and ready to crash.

Jesus it’s boring after 8pm!

16

Go to the gym.

17

I do that three times a week. :slight_smile:

18

:dubious:

19

Well, I’m a big fan of goodwill/sallyarmy/resales/junk stores. (I mean JUNK not junque) and I often look around for things I can kind of cheaply upcycle. Last fall I ended up making three door wreaths out of picture frames–one for Halloween, one for Fall/Thanksgiving, and one for Christmas. Very fun. Very time consuming. And I ended up also liking how they looked.

I also found a couple of wooden lamps that had parchment inserts that acted as shades. The parchment was all messed up, so I ripped it out and used some cool scrapbooking paper to make new shades. (I used squiggle bulbs so I don’t have to worry about the heat.) I also ended up making another lampshade for a lamp I had that I’d messed up back in my drinking days.

If you get your mind clicking, you really will start seeing things all over the place.

20

Sorry, the thought of all that sobriety made me nervous! Um…how about building model planes? Although I like the shiny little trees better.