Thursday, October 6, 2011

Why I Buy Craft Kits


One of my artist friends often asks, 'who buys 
craft kits?'  I tell her that I do. 

Craft kits are cleverly marketed to hit many of
my 'triggers': beautiful box, nice graphic art,
 convenient packaging.   But most alluring of all, is that 
they're in a box!  

Kits are almost always packaged in a seductively 
beautiful, reusable cardboard or metal box.  Not that 
I'll ever need or use so many boxes.  That's not the point.
The point is that it's a beautiful box that I can look at
and keep. Remember, the boxes of trinkets &
treasures that we kept as kids?

Plus, by buying the craft kit I can pretend that I,
too, can produce the same beautiful artwork  
 pictured on the front.  Of course, it takes
 time to learn a new skill and to develop an
 artist's eye for color and composition but 
 hope springs eternal in this consumer's breast.

Another reason why I buy kits is because they 
help me to overcome the daunting blank page.
They get me to square two.  By using the 
limited set of materials and by following
 the initial directions my creativity starts 
 to flow and before I know it I will have spent 
hours at the art table.

Never mind that my finished product 
never looks like the one pictured on the box. 
That's not the point. The point is to jump in and start 
playing.  Craft kits get me engaged.  They jump start 
the creative process while at the same time introducing 
me to new media and techniques.  

So, retailers, have no fear.  I will always be 
seduced by your newest display of boxes,
 I mean craft kits.  Did I mention that 
I have a thing for boxes?


Finished Product


1 comment:

Karen Crisp said...

You are a creative genius and a true artist, to boot! Looking forward to the time -- SOON! -- when calendars clear such that we can "do art" together again. Haven't forgotten that altar project, and I now have a bunch of photos/cards to frame again. :) LOVE your creative flair! Hope some of it will rub off on me! Keep up the fabulous art work. Maybe one day I'll graduate from my piddly "art" efforts to craft kits. I cling to hope. :)