# Damn, sobriety is boring! Got any artsy crafty stuff recommendations?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 18, 2016, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084 "2016-05-18T14:25:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/1 "2016-05-18T14:25:47Z")
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. 🙂
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### Author:  [@PlumBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlumBob)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/2 "2016-05-18T14:34:36Z")
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](http://www.salvillano.com/index.htm)
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### Author:  [@Why\_Child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_Child)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/3 "2016-05-18T14:39:40Z")
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? 😃
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### Author:  [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/4 "2016-05-18T14:49:45Z")
> [@PlumBob](#):
>
> 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](http://www.salvillano.com/index.htm)
Those are kind of neat…did you make any?
Re thread topic: Housecleaning? 🙂
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### Author:  [@Why\_Child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_Child)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/5 "2016-05-18T14:50:13Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Why\_Child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_Child)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/6 "2016-05-18T14:57:45Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/7 "2016-05-18T15:09:46Z")
Learn a musical instrument? Or, if you already play one, play it more. Start a band!
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### Author:  [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/8 "2016-05-18T15:16:46Z")
Adult Coloring Books are popular. I like Paint by Numbers better myself.
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### Author:  [@PlumBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlumBob)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/9 "2016-05-18T17:11:23Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#):
>
> Those are kind of neat…did you make any?
>
> Re thread topic: Housecleaning? 🙂
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.
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/10 "2016-05-18T19:25:32Z")
> [@PlumBob](#):
>
> 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](http://www.salvillano.com/index.htm)
Those are beautiful, but that guy really needs to learn post-90s web design.
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/11 "2016-05-18T19:54:02Z")
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?
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### Author:  [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/12 "2016-05-18T20:53:25Z")
Home brewing beer?
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### Author:  [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/13 "2016-05-18T21:19:19Z")
How 'bout cooking? I hear it can be really rewarding.
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### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/14 "2016-05-18T21:27:05Z")
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. :))
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/15 "2016-05-18T21:43:01Z")
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!
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/16 "2016-05-18T21:53:51Z")
Go to the gym.
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### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/17 "2016-05-18T23:06:39Z")
> [@beowulff](#):
>
> Go to the gym.
I do that three times a week. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/18 "2016-05-18T23:12:10Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#):
>
> Home brewing beer?
:dubious:
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### Author:  [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)
#### Post date: [May 18, 2016, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/19 "2016-05-18T23:16:07Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2016, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sobriety-is-boring-got-any-artsy-crafty-stuff-recommendations/755084/20 "2016-05-19T13:40:09Z")
> [@Grrr](#):
>
> 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. :))
Sorry, the thought of all that sobriety made me nervous! Um…how about building model planes? Although I like the shiny little trees better.
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