What to do when there's nothing to do??

[wasanah2]

Great idea, QR.  Now to find out where the crafty people go to sell their stuff.  When planning this, I hadn't planned to work since I have a small pension which appears to be adequate for now.  But I do miss working the stained glass.  It's kind of satisfying when you're just an average artist and even so, can produce something really beautiful when the light hits it.  I suppose it's the attention to detail and getting all the right pieces that fit for shading and texture that make up for my lack of talent.  It's something that I hadn't considered to be transportable due to the weight of the glass.

But I have places to store stuff with relatives and such.  I can park a cargo trailer at my aunt's place and hook up when I want to take the other vehicle out.  I still have 2 vehicles and an RV.  I'm trying to decide what I really want, and you just can't figure that out till you get out there and actually do it.  I've seen lots of folks saying what they thought would work for them, didn't at all.  So eventually I want to get down to one rig to sleep in and MAYBE a small cargo trailer to carry extra stuff.

I found out that just being out there wasn't enough.  I have to be doing something.  So maybe the provision for having a cargo van should be in the plans.  Eventually I will get rid of the RV or give it to one of my kids.  And the cargo van might have enough extra space for anything else I'd like to take with me, such as a small generator. 

Thanx

 

[QinReno]

Great idea, QR.  Now to find out where the crafty people go to sell their stuff.  
....
 I still have 2 vehicles and an RV.  I'm trying to decide what I really want, and you just can't figure that out till you get out there and actually do it.  I've seen lots of folks saying what they thought would work for them, didn't at all.  So eventually I want to get down to one rig to sleep in and MAYBE a small cargo trailer to carry extra stuff.
....

There are so many possible options that people try something and later decide they'd like to do something else. It's all very much experimentation, I've talked to people who have had 5 or 6 different RVs over their time, some upsizing, some downsizing. If you already have an RV, then that will likely tow a trailer, and would be more comfortable to live in too. Whatever works best for your own situation is the way to go. With my GMC Savana van, my first layout had too little floor space, and increasing that made a huge difference in comfort. Test and iterate.

 

[wasanah2]

Oh the RV is a travel trailer, but eventually maybe a motorhome that pulls a cargo trailer or find a motorhome that has enough basement space for my hobby.  But you know, I don't want so much living space.  I get outside more when the living space is smaller.  I'm in a 33' ancient Nomad trailer.  It's nice but it's too much space for one person...and I don't want to cut glass in there and I got rid of the truck to move it around, so likely after my experimentation is done, the Nomad will be gone.  The Tahoe, while a powerful machine, is too wimpy for that 33 footer.

Glad to know other people out there are just trying to figure it out.  But the more I've thought of it, the stained glass would keep me busy and it would be productive.  Just maybe that cargo trailer would be what I need.

 

[QinReno]

A 33' trailer would always make a nice "home base" to come back to, if you had a good place to park it, eg, in someone's back field or whatever. You know, out at the end of the 5-acres, under a nice shade tree, next to a creek, .

I thought you had also mentioned an Astro van, but seems you are flush with vehicles. People do live in cars smaller than your Tahoe, but I think one can make a better rig with a standard mini-van, where you can take out the rear seats and rig up a bed, and sit up inside. I have a Hyundai Santa Fe (the larger one, not the Sport model) and the rear seats fold down, but the Savana van is much more "livable". The GMC Savanas have a V8, and could pull a cargo trailer. Originally I was looking at a smaller Class-C, but 20-YO models are already over $20,000, so I went with the van. Endless possibilities.

In regards craft shows, the obvious huge one is at Quartzsite in the winter, but they shirley go on all over the place. There are also a lot of vendors in Quartzsite all winter long, besides just the show.
http://www.quartzsitervshow.com/

 

[wasanah2]

I'm down to 2 cars, an Astro Van and a Tahoe.  The Astro Van is a 1998, so it's kinda old, but it's so reliable.  Also as you mention, the seat situation with fold downs is a problem with the Tahoe.  They fold down and you lose a lot of headroom.  WIth the Astro, I have a ton of headroom and the thing is, I'm a rather small person too, so the Astro feels luxuriously big inside because the seats come out and are stored.

Before I started doing the van thing, I saw a cool article on a guy who made a DORM room for his sister to go to college.  She planned to eat prepaid meals at the dorms but sleep in her vehicle.  This was in an Astro.  Anyway, he made her a bed across the back and behind the driver's seat and along the side was a low board that served as a desk.  It was so she could sit cross legged on the floor and do her studies there.  The desk also had a nice lamp and he had a second battery which was charged up by the rig's alternator when she drove it.  It was only powering a lamp and her computer while she was in the vehicle, so she only had to run her engine a few times a week, if that. 

Showers were at the rec center.  Middle of the night bathroom needs were taken care of the usual way with a bucket or luggable loo, can't remember which.  Anyway, she hopped out of her van, walked to where she had bought the food ticket for the semester, had bfast, lunch and dinner there and afterwards, headed to the library or the van to study.  She had paid for the space to park in, so maybe if they knew she was living there, they may have had a problem with it, but since it was a paid space, her vehicle and only her vehicle was supposed to be there.

Yeah, my family is getting used to storing my stuff for me.  LOL  I do free work for them and I get to store my stuff.  It's a good deal, but that means I really need to be close.  They are elderly and some are frail.  I'm not going off too far from them...so Quartzite won't happen  But I can check out places in the SE.  Sounds like a lot of fun, and I can do only the ones I want to do.  I like that.

 

[QinReno]

Looks like plenty of craft fairs on the east coast. Plus in winter the snowbirds flock to Florida, just like to Quartzsite and Yuma out west.
https://www.google.com/search?q=craft+fairs+east+coast+florida

 

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

We have about 280 days to go full-time but have camped a long, long time. Here are some of what we are bringing:

Easels and oil paints.
Cameras for photography.
Metal Detector.Also gold panning plates.
PC offline for editing videos can keep one busy for hours.
Cards for solitaire. Cards for Uno.
A dart board.
Fishing gear.
Rope to crochet and turn into something creative.
Yarn to crochet and turn into a hat or blanket or something. Crochet is easy or can be if you keep it simple.
Nice paper and colored markers and such to make fancy labels when I'm really bored.
In the future we'll add a telescope.
We cook so making things to eat later in the week could take up some time.
Visiting places never been to see what's there.
Trip planning to discover what you would be driving past if you didn't take the time to look at a map because you are too independent and free spirited to look before you go.

Learn something - get a DIY book of something that interests you. Learn about the stars you'll see at night (unless in the city).
Whittle - make yourself an awesome "fire stick" or walking stick.

 

[RoadtripsAndCampfires]

I did stained glass for a few years, I loved it. I would walk into a glass shop and just buy glass because it was pretty, not knowing what I would later make with it.

Glass is heavy, very.

Profit from this business was a no show but we had a lot of fun.

 

[steamyb]

Since stealth is a high priority, ham radio is out because of the antenna. Pulling a 'hobby trailer' is about as stealth as a wagon train.
Why not paint Plein Aire? You just need a few nylon brushes and some tubes of acrylic paint. I use a pochade box for my stuff and I can set up any where I am at. Drying time is super fast for acrylics so I use a mister. Basic colors- red, yellow, blue and white will make all colors you need by mixing. The impressionists did this and if you keep it simple it will be fun. I don't try to sell but have. Each painting takes an hour tops because the light changes. Have fun!

 

[wasanah2]

I did stained glass for a few years, I loved it.  I would walk into a glass shop and just buy glass because it was pretty, not knowing what I would later make with it.

Glass is heavy, very.

Profit from this business was a no show but we had a lot of fun.

Yes, the weight is a huge issue.  The good thing is, I have a home base and I can come back to where I have the glass stored.  I can pick and choose so I can carry less with me.  I know what you mean about picking glass without a project in mind.  I do that all the time.   It's very pretty and you know you'll use it someday, and that's true.  When I start a new a project, I shop my glass first before going out and getting more.  Sometimes I didn't have to get any more.

Stained glass restoration and conservation earns more money than selling new art.  I will do both. 

I've thought about using glass to make micro mosaics.  I would be able to take a lot less glass with me and would not require electricity as I would not need the soldering iron.

Using a home base and having a small cargo trailer means I can pick and choose what I take with me.

 

[wasanah2]

Why not paint Plein Aire? You just need a few nylon brushes and some tubes of acrylic paint. I use a pochade box for my stuff and I can set up any where I am at. Drying time is super fast for acrylics so I use a mister. Basic colors- red, yellow, blue and white will make all colors you need by mixing. The impressionists did this and if you keep it simple it will be fun. I don't try to sell but have. Each painting takes an hour tops because the light changes. Have fun!

Steamy, I'm really a mediocre artist when it comes to putting stuff on paper/canvas.  Stained glass is something a mediocre artist can do that looks stunning.  I make up for my lack of talent with my patience and attention to detail.  Depending on the piece, it's time consuming, but when it's done, it looks like a craftsman labored over it for a long time.  It's all about the creative details and nice finishes to me.

I wish I were a better artist and could do other media.

 

[Van der Waals]

I think a common mistake is comparing yourself to others, or failing to replicate something in the natural world on paper. My suggestion is to funnel your attention to detail and let your mind run free with a pencil in your hand (for example, draw something using tiny circles instead of lines/strokes). I bet you'd be surprised with what you accidentally make. I used to try to sketch photographs or objects, but then I just switched to drawing psychedelic stuff that have no basis in reality. It's more fun and still makes for good eye candy.

Also it's already been mentioned, but whittling is a blast.

 

[speedhighway46]

Earn a ham radio license; talk to the world and make lifelong friends.

You’ll never be bored again.

Check out ARRL.org

 

[steamyb]

Agreeing with getting out of the comfort zone and trying something new - we have already done this!
Boredom while 'living the life!' - NEVER! Now is the first time many of us have actually been able to choose what we want to do. Play a Uke? Pub crawl? Fly a freaking kite! Make and sell them as art? Why not?
When I went from breadwinner to permanent total disability, it took a while to get my head around that. My therapist asked me, "What was the last thing you did that made you happy?". I said, "What the hell does happy have to do with paying bills?". He said, "Then get out of debt". I did. My wife and I let the kids walk through the house and the garage and get anything they wanted, then we had a living estate sale - everything was gone in 2 1/2 hours. Then the house was gone!
After a year and a half full-time in a 30' RV pulling an Accord, I am never bored. Living the Life!

 

[wasanah2]

Earn a ham radio license; talk to the world and make lifelong friends.

You’ll never be bored again.

Check out ARRL.org

I had a couple of relatives that had them.  They had to learn Morse code and take tests and stuff.  It would be great to talk to people in other places, but these days, you can pick up your phone and do the same...that is if you know them. 

I saw a historical photograph of a woman autocamping like in the 30s and she had a huge antenna powered by the car battery and sitting up in the air and she was talking to relatives elsewhere.  I thought it was funny because she was looking for a place WHERE SHE COULD GET A SIGNAL due to the mountains.  When I saw that, I thought, nothing much changes.

Getting back to the subject, how much does all that gear cost?  How long does it take to do the work to get a license?

 

[speedhighway46]

Hi: you need to learn more about Amateur Radio to make a fair assssment for yourself. Check out the link I sent you. Morse code has been dropped as a requirement for a license, years ago. Also, it’s not at all like talking on a cell phone, and you can get a signal pretty much from anywhere on earth f you are operating on the correct frequency.

Good luck to and hope to hear you on the air . . .

 

[wasanah2]

Agreeing with getting out of the comfort zone and trying something new - we have already done this!
Boredom while 'living the life!' - NEVER! Now is the first time many of us have actually been able to choose what we want to do. Play a Uke? Pub crawl? Fly a freaking kite! Make and sell them as art? Why not?
When I went from breadwinner to permanent total disability, it took a while to get my head around that. My therapist asked me, "What was the last thing you did that made you happy?". I said, "What the hell does happy have to do with paying bills?". He said, "Then get out of debt". I did. My wife and I let the kids walk through the house and the garage and get anything they wanted, then we had a living estate sale - everything was gone in 2 1/2 hours. Then the house was gone!
After a year and a half full-time in a 30' RV pulling an Accord, I am never bored. Living the Life!

What a great story; you got out of the slavery trap by getting out of debt.  I preach this to my kids so they don't get into debt so they don't have work like dogs to get out.  It's not even rocket science and totally doable for a lot of people.  I don't know who made credit socially acceptable.  It used to be really bad to have mortgaged the farm.  Oh wait, I know.  The BANKS made it socially acceptable.  Now it all makes sense.

Seriously you made the best decision ever and living a way that makes you happy.  In a 30' RV (which is the size of my TT) you can bring a lot to do, but when I get into one of my cars to go off, there is less space and fewer things I can take with me.  I love to do stained glass, but I have to work out what I can take with me.  It's a matter of weight in a small rig.  Still it's doable.

 

[wasanah2]

I think a common mistake is comparing yourself to others, or failing to replicate something in the natural world on paper. My suggestion is to funnel your attention to detail and let your mind run free with a pencil in your hand (for example, draw something using tiny circles instead of lines/strokes). I bet you'd be surprised with what you accidentally make. I used to try to sketch photographs or objects, but then I just switched to drawing psychedelic stuff that have no basis in reality. It's more fun and still makes for good eye candy.

Also it's already been mentioned, but whittling is a blast.

I sell (or give away) literally everything I create.  I don't have space for piles of sketched drawings that will end up in the trash.  I just can't throw away stuff I create like that.  I don't have trouble selling because the stained glass is so pretty, and if something hangs around too long, I find someone to give the item to.  So it's a spiritual thing too.  I don't create things that get thrown away if they are things of value.  I concentrate on making the piece more valuable.  With glass an average artist can do that.  If I were a great painter or sketcher, all the things I'd create would be snapped up and loved.  But I am mediocre.

It might be a cultural difference between us.  One person creates just for exercise.  But for folks of my ilk, we create things that take on a spirit of its own.  When I was young, I did beadwork that was just awful, but that's how you learned.  You had to make some beadwork that's uneven and messy before it looks beautiful.  It takes practice and patience.  When I was more experienced, I didn't keep the awful stuff as it wasn't fit for use, but I carefully removed all the beads and put them in my bead boxes and reused the same beads so that the items I created when younger and inexperienced could live on in something more skillful that would be cherished by someone.

 

[ChezCheese:-)]

Wasanah2, here's a trick for your fingertips if the strings of your ukelele hurt, which I learned when I took a sitar class a long time ago: get a pomegranate and empty the seeds/fruit out (eat those). Rub your fingertips in the inside of the peel. Your fingertips will toughen up from the acid or enzymes there. It works! (Sitar strings are steel and cut like hell.)

 

[Van der Waals]

Wasanah2, here's a trick for your fingertips if the strings of your ukelele hurt, which I learned when I took a sitar class a long time ago: get a pomegranate and empty the seeds/fruit out (eat those). Rub your fingertips in the inside of the peel. Your fingertips will toughen up from the acid or enzymes there. It works! (Sitar strings are steel and cut like hell.)

Some Canadian teenager told me he held a flame to his fingertips for 3 seconds per finger. He suffered for a week but he never had issues again with guitar. The pomegranate method sounds much better!

Would hardened fingertips impair your ability to do your other crafts?