chyancarrek Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 I've been smithing professionally for about 11 years and have virtually none of my own work in my home. It's definitely a "cobbler's kids have no shoes" kind of thing. This issue comes up for me because my GF and her kids will be moving into my place soon and up till now it's been a bachelor's kind o' life. I need to do a bunch of "family-ready" upgrades to the ol' homestead so I'm going to make sure I take time to integrate my metal and woodworking skills into the project. It got me to wondering how many of you that are busy doing work for everyone else (either professionally or as a hobby,) approaches doing work for themselves. Do you fit it in where you can, do you decide " I'm setting this time aside for myself" or is your place populated with items you've made for other reasons and it just ends up residing in your living room by default? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 I have the opposite problem. The items I make, are for myself, and I have yet to sell any of my crafts. I have given some away, but never sold any. That is due to the fact that they are hobbies to me, and for my own enjoyment. I could see where if any of these hobbies were a profession that it could be hard to make something for myself. I would say that you should make time for yourself. We all need to do that from time to time. It is called enjoying life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 I expanded my shop it took a month with each call I recieved about work I put them off until the next month no one minded at all. Big step for you are the kids old enough to help. even thow they may not want to or you might not want them to. there is nothing more rewarding than one of them going to get you a glass of tea and sitting down with them when they tell you they get what you are trying to teach them. Firs marrage I gained 3 and once and a while we butted heads but in the long run they are more my children then there real father. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 (edited) For my house, I have a small porch stair railing, a wood stove, a paper towel holder, and a potted plant hanger, all "early Turleys." There's a quite old Spanish saying, a cognate to the shoemaker's kids. "En la casa de herrero, cuchara de palo." "In the blacksmith's house (hangs) a wooden spoon." Turley Forge and Blacksmithing School : The Granddaddy of Blacksmithing Schools Edited September 27, 2009 by Frank Turley add names, etc., as I think of them, & update Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double_edge2 Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 everything i make....the missus gives away as gifts:o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Isn't that the truth. In my house hangs exactly one(1) curtain rod made by me, and that took 5 years of threats and begging by the lady of the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 These statements are sooo true!!!! In my house, I have a shoe rack, only made out of desperation of tripping over piles of shoes/boots/wellies. Anything else in my house made by me is either pulled from stock and awaiting rotation at galleries, or stuff I've made that I don't feel is up to scratch to sell. This was touched on in a previous thread... I would love to have lots of nice handmade furniture etc made by myself, but I simply don't have time, I generally sell what I make. I made a mental note a long time ago to make some stuff for the house alongside my paid work, but it never happens!!! I am making another mental note to make stuff for myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 Well, schedule a day a month that is for you. Could be Saturday, whatever. Make a list of things you want to make, and make them. As far as de-baching for the family, you'll know what you need soon, and then you'll either pull from stock, make as the last thing for the day, or something. You'll find a way, good luck! Cliff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 If these kids are old enough and the GF is willing, let them help! It will be a big thing to them. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 You might want to get the GF and kid's input on what to make. I have a little iron in the house, Deb often takes first dibs, especially on first pieces. Of course being as they're firsts they're often not so well made so what I have at home is mostly my poorer work. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larzz Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 As I am just starting out and have only made a few items worth talking about, it has been about a fifty-fifty split. Some hangers for the shop tools, a couple of plant hangers for the kitchen, and a few gifts around x-mas last. The feed back has been good but the time to work short. As previously mentioned, move the GF up to the top of the list of "work-to-spec" customers and see what happens! (I hear happy times ahead!) In my case the better-half wanted a simple trelis of rerod for the back yard weeds (opps, I mean flowers). The return on investment was well worth the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Frosty, sounds like you and I do the same thing, there. Kathy usually gets first dibbs on my "firsts". Sometimes that's a good thing, and sometimes I only want a "first". No more. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgtwister Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 chyancarrek i wish you luck there i have tried the gf moving in thing with kids and stuff it just never worked for me she just didn't under stand the dirty stuff i do as i do a lot of welding and machining work oh and my littlemachine shop area is only 10 feet from the washer and dryer so this could really be my fault i should have maybe aranged thing differently i just couldnt understand why she would get made when she was doing wash and there was chips flying around and smoke and she really hated pulling metal spinters out of here foot also i guessnow that i think about it maybe i am all those bad words she calledme any way hope the kids enjoy what you do and maybe they will learn it from you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 (edited) Hey all, Thanks for all the great responses! As far as the GF & kids thing goes, it's all good - The family upgrades have all been designed and I've successfully explained to the kids - "no I don't think I can make a bed that transforms into a robot or a bed that will magically float in the air like the princess's bed from your favorite story" My GF loves my profession and I'm regularly well rewarded for any completed honey-do! The kids think it's really cool that their mom's BF is a blacksmith and enjoy the bragging rights it gives them at school. The boy (11y/o) is already learning and the girl (8y/o) has a nice long list of new projects for me (including a hand hammered turtle shell costume for Halloween). I live up in the foothills of the cascade mountains and after the first " we don't want to get eaten by wolves" response to the news that they're moving in with me, they're now very excited about getting up here. The question came to mind because over the years I've found that I'm very motivated to start and complete work for others (clients, family/friends), but when it comes to making things for myself I have a tendency to drift off to something completely divergent and my stuff seems to never get started. I'm really looking forward to devoting some design and production time to a project where I'll get to live with the benefits of my work! Edited September 28, 2009 by chyancarrek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 There's a quite old Spanish saying, a cognate to the shoemaker's kids. "En la casa de herrero, cuchara de palo." "In the blacksmith's house (hangs) a wooden spoon." Thanks for that one Frank! It's the new replacement for the Cobbler's kids reference! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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