Hi friends! How are you holding up? I know many of you are staying home during this pandemic and feeling lost. I also know many of you still have to go to work as you provide an essential service to the community. Thank you to ALL the workers keeping our world going at this scary time. You are risking your lives and health for the rest of us at home and I truly appreciate that. And here I am at home and I can’t seem to be creative. Talk about first world problems. I think one of the reasons I have a hard time being creative is that I feel guilty. Guilty that I get to work from home in a profession I love when others have to risk their lives and health of their families each day and that people are losing their jobs and facing insecurity. How dare I enjoy myself at a time like this right? But then I realized that being miserable isn’t doing anyone any good.
Video!
I think spreading joy and light is also important at this time. I can’t solve any of the big problems of the world right now but I can make it a bit brighter to the few of you who enjoy my videos and blog posts. So I’ll so that, OK? Take care of yourself and each other and til next time happy crafting!
The Frugal Crafter Blog 
Thank you Lindsay! Your videos give me something to look forward to. In addition to the art that you are sharing, just you being on there and sharing is so wonderful.We’ve been in SIL for 2 weeks now, so it’s nice to see and hear from someone. I have always enjoyed your videos and upbeat personality, but even more so now. Think of your job as an essential service. You are brightening the day for a lot of people.
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Very well put. I am also just in a limbo with my artwork. I did gather up 2 boxes of craft items and donated them to a local halfway home for adults. I am blessed with tooooo much stuff. I called them and they were so happy to receive my items. I drove them over and left them on their porch. With so many children at home craft supplies are really in short supply. So this made me feel better. My paints are waiting for me to get motivated. Maybe we should all go back to the 10 minutes a day challenge. I think I will start today. Blessings to all my fellow crafters. Now go wash your hands and sing Happy Birthday 2 times. Blessings from Sue in Delaware.
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HI and God Bless you for keeping us in mind 😊. I think we are lucky at this point in time. We are not sending anyone off to war and there is food out there if we will quit being selfish. Spend some time doing what you put off doing; paint, games with the family and this too will pass. Stay strong…
DGB
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Thanks Lindsey for your post this morning. I love your honesty and openness. I very much relate. While I have been working with pottery the last year or so I do have my “messy” art studio set up that keeps calling me to paint something but don’t know where to start. I think I will begin by organizing it -again…. I agree that works on so many levels. I just got to my taxes done by first organizing the office first. Then my thinking cap was ready to go. The world needs folks like you right now more than ever showing us we can get through this. While Caring for my husband with Alzheimer’s I find My meditation practice and Art is what sustains me. I forget about everything unpleasant if even for a couple hours a day or the brief moments I steel away when I can. The Blahs are just the moment(s) before joy awakens again. There is no constant and without the blahs we wouldn’t know the joy when we finally realize our next project. We can do this!!!!
🙏🏿
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I never feel guilty b/c I am blessed ( not suffering like others etc) and I never take my blessings for granted…those blessings help me bless others….I used to feel guilty all the time about everything. Then I learned the difference between false guilt and true guilt. False guilt is something we impose on ourselves. Recognizing false guilt is important. Ask yourself: have I sinned against God or my neighbor? Have I done anything wrong? If you have not, stop feeling guilty. That guilt is coming from the enemy of your soul…..it’s like self flagellation..it serves no purpose, and worse, it robs you of .many things, most importantly it robs you of the ability to feel joy. It’s bondage: bondage to emotions….On the flip side true guilt has a remedy: If you have done wrong, iow sinned against God, your neighbor (which is everyone: who is my neighbor?) The remedy: repentance and confession and if need be, righting wrongs. Either way we do not need ever feel guilty. True guilt is a vehicle that brings us to the remedy that will deliver us. False guilt will keep us in bondage. Reject false guilt, which I do believe is quite common in women, and some men too. My life changed forever when I, in my 4th decade, came to understand what I’ve shared here.
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You should never feel guilty for loving what you do and having the ability to share that with the rest of us. Yes I am still working as we are considered essential. But I also need that outlet when I get home and your videos and blog really help right now. I have been blocked so this helps.
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Thank you, Lindsay for always being an uplifting person in all times. Know that we appreciate everything you do for us.
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You are so right about having a list going. This is how I got started with my blog. I write down ideas as they occur to me. Then, when I use the idea in a project I check it off the list. When I am feeling blah, I can peruse my list for something to start.
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Dear Lindsay, as a retired teacher with RA I find I have no energy to work on the projects I saved “for retirement”! But I enjoy your energy and your positive attitude, as well as the great ideas you give us. Thank you!
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I am one of the fortunate people who are necessary, I am a CNA working to help keep my precious residents happy, healthy and fed. I am not feeling bad about anyone who is able to stay home. Inspiration is sometime a fickle creature, but I believe that you’re a spark of light in a dark place and that your art work helps the rest of us find a little piece of joy in the midst of this scary time. Please keep up the good work and may you be blessed with an abundance of inspiration.
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Don’t start blaming yourself, we have enough to cope with without blaming ourselves for luck. (Here in the UK a few people are finding it difficult to comply with requests to stay home, and are travelling for frivolous reasons, they should feel guilty, but apparently don’t) Your blog is always cheerful and inspiring, keep up the good work. YOu are a tonic for us.
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You are right about the blahs. I look forward to your emails and projects. Stay positive, do your “job” as you see it. Many of us rely on your positive energy to get us through the blahs block. Sounds like a burden? Hope not. Be well … keep your wonderful self and family safe.
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dear frugal crafter–have enjoyed your blog from the start..,,did pay for the bird class a while back now cannot access and tried to sign up for for drawing but can not complete complete for some reason—if you can help i would appreciate marie
On Tue, Mar 31, 2020 at 8:06 AM The Frugal Crafter Blog wrote:
> thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich posted: ” Hi friends! How are you holding > up? I know many of you are staying home during this pandemic and feeling > lost. I also know many of you still have to go to work as you provide an > essential service to the community. Thank you to ALL the workers keeping > ou” >
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Huh, that is odd, please email me at artstudiosofbangor@yahoo.com and I can help you out:)
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Thank you for ALWAYS makIng me smile! I can’t tell you how much I have learned watching you. I took a class for three years however didn’t learn much. I prefer the real time video even if it takes longer. In any case I look forward to seeing you blog on my mailbox. So thanks again! Hugs Marge
Sent from my iPhone
>
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I enjoy
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Have you done a video in lettering over watercolor and acrylic with various inks. I’m looking for one oh and ideas for a cool pencil box bag.
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Dear Lindsay,
Please know that your work, and play, on your YouTube channel and blog are greatly appreciated by me and, by extension, my husband, friends and family.
I first discovered your online presence six and a half years ago when I was laid up on the couch with a leg injury and couldn’t sew. So I went looking for ideas and inspiration on paper bead making on YouTube and discovered your video on making European style paper beads. I enjoyed your personality and teaching style so much that I started watching other videos and reading your blog. I’ve never stopped, probably because we have so many interests in common.
And when my foot recovered I found I was very into paper crafts, especially card making! I have spent many happy hours since then stamping, coloring and learning new art/craft skills and polishing them. (You may be amused to hear that people receiving my cards often tell me I could sell them… and I have to bite my tongue sometimes to not quip “Well, I was gifting it to you, but if you insist on paying me…” LOL 🙂
Oh, what happened to just saying “Thank you”?)
Your videos have been a constant inspiration and, many times, a consolation to me in hard times over the years. During the time I’ve been following you online, my husband and I have dealt with the deaths of several family members, friends and pets, as well as some other losses. Many times when I was at a loss as to what to do next to cheer myself up and onward I have watched my favorite bookmarked Frugal Crafter videos before going to sleep. I’ve done this so often of late that if I don’t say it before bedtime, my husband will often ask me if I’m “going to watch a Frugal Crafter video and turn in?” LOL 🙂
I think/hope that most of us are going to get through these strange quarantine days and with a new appreciation for the fragility of life and the people/relationships that matter most to us. I feel this keenly these days, along with a sense of urgency to communicate my appreciation to the people who add joy and meaning to my life, before I no longer have that opportunity.
So… please know that your work, and play, and you, are appreciated.
With affection, your online friend,
Melissa Brown
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