But ... But ... It's Not Like It's Work! (Craft Freebies)

[Slartibartfast]

On a slightly related note, I make hats/baby clothes out of my leftovers so I don't end up with boxes and boxes of remnants.  (BTDT)  I've found out that the clients at the local food bank are much more thankful for my work than most acquaintances.  My friend runs the place so I know how they react.

There are lots of people who think that I'm just a hat machine and had the materials anyway.  But the food bank clients understand that the items are special.  The hand-knit items are so much more popular than the mass-produced ones.

I'm thankful my friend would never raid the stash, but then she knows I'll knit for her.

I think the difference is, when you're in a situation where you're relying on the food bank, you don't get a whole lot of choice in your life.  You're reliant on other people to decide which food you're given, your clothes are chosen from whatever fits at the cheapest thrift stores, and even things like where you live and how many people you live with are aspects of your life you have no power to change because you don't have the money to move if you don't like where you are.  Everything you own or use is mass-produced, usually cheap quality, and you don't have the cash to go treat yourself every once in a while just to get away from the feeling of being second-hand.  Those hand-made hats and clothes are probably a real high point in those parents' lives, because they may very well be the only one-of-a-kind *made just for them* items at that time in their lives.  Everyone wants the best for their children, and it's very, very hard to not have the power to even decide what to skimp and what to splurge on.

[FauxFoodist]

I used to bake a lot years ago, but I usually didn't eat what I made (too much product) so I would give them to a friend so he could share them with his coworkers.  I once commented on being happy to bake new things and have someone to give them to, and Friend said, "Gee, it must be nice to use my coworkers as guinea pigs" (my baking was perfectly fine).  I looked at him and said rather evenly, "If you feel that way, then I won't bother making things anymore that you could give to them."  I never gave Friend baked goods again (I kept baking; I just gave my baked goods to other people).  Friend did still get to partake of my cooking and baking over the next few years but never received any batches of anything from me again.

Another time, Friend asked me to design a website for him.  I told him I didn't feel like it.  Friend then said, "Gee, for someone who wants to do this for a living, I'd think you'd jump on the chance to do this."  Again, I looked at him and said in an even tone, "You're right; I DO want to do this for a living.  If you want me to design a website for you, then you need to pay me."  Friend just gave me a look.  Never heard about it again.

I haven't seen "Friend" in almost three years (the last straw was when he got pissed at me because he thought I should hold him as more important than then-DF).

[ladyknight1]

^Somehow, I think you have managed quite nicely without "friend".

[FauxFoodist]

^Somehow, I think you have managed quite nicely without "friend".

Sadly, I'd have to agree.  I spent ten years thinking that this middle-aged man (then in his 30s but now in his 40s) was going to grow up, but I realized, about six years ago, that that wasn't going to happen (he is the epitome of Special Snowflake).  Oh, well!

[MariaE]

I've recently taken up knitting and am getting good enough to knit for others. Fortunately I haven't met any moochers yet Well, my nieblings are constantly asking me to knit stuff for them, but they're either satisfied with things I can make out of scrap yarn or my sister pays for the yarn. Besides, they are SO appreciative of everything I make that I pretty much jump at the chance to knit them something. I'm vain like that (seriously, my oldest niece loved the fingerless mittens I made her she even wore them at my other sister's wedding, and my nephew loved the hat so much he asked me to make it bigger when he outgrew it! That's the way to an auntie's heart )

I did find the timing amusing though, when I woke up this morning to a comment on a post I'd made comparing knitting to reading, saying "But do you take knitting requests? THAT is the real question?" (She's a close friend, so from her I do, but I still laughed at the timing ).

[BabyMama]

My sister is a social worker. I have a background with horses, although currently do not own due to the expense and the lack of boarding facilities in the area.

A couple years ago, my sister visited a therapeutic riding center and thought that it was brilliant. She now has it in her "dream" head that she will someday open one, and that I will live on the property and be the farm's caretaker. Um. If I had wanted to be a professional in the horse world, you can bet your bottom that I would not have gotten a degree at a non-equestrian-centric college and an office job after that. Nor am I interested in quitting said job to become a professional groom that will undoubtedly offer great deals of mental stress, physical strain, low pay, and no health insurance. Did I mention that my sister would be my boss? 

Luckily I know that even if she did proceed, the hoops she would need to jump through would put her off immediately. Never mind who is going to fund the building operation (we live in the north where it snows 6-8 months of the year, so would need a ~$60,000+ indoor arena), pay for the insurance which I'm sure is through the roof expensive since you're dealing with people who require therapy AND large animals, the therapy-safe horses that are worth their weight in gold (and cost it), the equipment, etc.

[BabyMama]

I actually have the opposite problem re: pricing. DD's daycare does an annual bake sale which I always bake for. The last time, I took a half day off of work and made homemade donuts that I delivered to the sale while still hot. The problem is that the daycare director always prices my things too high. I try not to think about how much it costs me to make everything (I know I spend more than the items bring) but it's fun for me to bake for more than me, DH, and DD, and I like to make everything nice so try package things as nice as possible as well (no paper plates inside Ziploc bags here!)

The director likes that and thinks the price should reflect that--which, if this was a big $$$ affair, I'd agree, but we live in a small town with lots of thrifty people who don't *really* care if the cake is from a box instead of from organic ingredients (and yes, I'm generalizing a bit, but that often does seem to be the case. Plus, people don't really know if it's from a box or not unless they know it's something I specifically made, since I don't write HOMEMADE CAKE NOT FROM A BOX" on my baked goods.) So the day after I often see my pretty baked items at the daycare slowly being marked down until they're either too old and have to be tossed, or are sold at a reduced price but are now 2-3 days older than they were before.

[kckgirl]

BabyMama, could you write your own price in icing on top of each donut?

[Miss Tickle]

We just had a houseguest who told me his favourite "it's not like it's work" story:

Stan is a sailor, and has owned a few sailboats over the years.  A boat or two ago he had a "girlfriend" who asked to go sailing with him. Maybe even the whole weekend. He agreed, and spent a good bit of time getting the boat ready. She called a little later and said she was so excited, she told a couple of friends about the sailing trip and she was sure he love to meet them! They'd do an afternoon to dinner cruise, then drop them off and could continue on. Okay not what he was expecting, but he could deal.

Then she called and said they'd been talking and they'd love to spend the night on a sailboat! Stan's a chill guy, but not that chill. He suggested they take a day sail first, and see how it goes.

She didn't pass on the message. She arrived at the dock with her friends and all their luggage.

It was a 22 foot sailboat with no head. The "guests" were NOT happy. It didn't end well.

[desireesgranny]

The most asked for is my potato salad (my sister swears I must put crack in it because it is addictive!) . 

Would you consider posting the recipe in the Recipe Requests folder, or is it a Secret Weapon  :-) ?  I love potato salad but have never found a good recipe to  make my own.

To be honest, I really have never used a recipe.  I just decided to make it about 15 years ago, and voila.  Basically, I peel the potatos, boil them, drain them, then put them in the fridge overnight- they are easier to work with and it doesn't get watery.  I put in diced (small) cucumbers, onions, and hard boiled eggs (I use 3 large cukes and 1 1/2 onions, and a dozen eggs per 10 lbs), mix with salad dressing instead of mayo (and any brand will do) mixed with yellow mustard.  I start with small amounts of the dressing and add a bit more until it is all mixed but not over dressed (I am not a mayonnaise or mayo like product fan so I tend to make sure while it is there, it is not too much).  Top with sliced hard boiled eggs and paprika.

Your recipe sounds pretty much like mine. I use sweet relish instead of cucumbers in mine. You have given me an excellent idea for the next time I make potato salad.

My family also requests my potato salad whenever we have a gathering. I keep telling them that I know how to cook other thing but they want potato salad. 

[siamesecat2965]

We just had a houseguest who told me his favourite "it's not like it's work" story:

Stan is a sailor, and has owned a few sailboats over the years.  A boat or two ago he had a "girlfriend" who asked to go sailing with him. Maybe even the whole weekend. He agreed, and spent a good bit of time getting the boat ready. She called a little later and said she was so excited, she told a couple of friends about the sailing trip and she was sure he love to meet them! They'd do an afternoon to dinner cruise, then drop them off and could continue on. Okay not what he was expecting, but he could deal.

Then she called and said they'd been talking and they'd love to spend the night on a sailboat! Stan's a chill guy, but not that chill. He suggested they take a day sail first, and see how it goes.

She didn't pass on the message. She arrived at the dock with her friends and all their luggage.

It was a 22 foot sailboat with no head. The "guests" were NOT happy. It didn't end well.

Am I evil thinking the GF and her friends thought Stan would do all the work, and they could just enjoy the sailing at their leisure.  hehehe

[cwm]

We just had a houseguest who told me his favourite "it's not like it's work" story:

Stan is a sailor, and has owned a few sailboats over the years.  A boat or two ago he had a "girlfriend" who asked to go sailing with him. Maybe even the whole weekend. He agreed, and spent a good bit of time getting the boat ready. She called a little later and said she was so excited, she told a couple of friends about the sailing trip and she was sure he love to meet them! They'd do an afternoon to dinner cruise, then drop them off and could continue on. Okay not what he was expecting, but he could deal.

Then she called and said they'd been talking and they'd love to spend the night on a sailboat! Stan's a chill guy, but not that chill. He suggested they take a day sail first, and see how it goes.

She didn't pass on the message. She arrived at the dock with her friends and all their luggage.

It was a 22 foot sailboat with no head. The "guests" were NOT happy. It didn't end well.

Am I evil thinking the GF and her friends thought Stan would do all the work, and they could just enjoy the sailing at their leisure.  hehehe

Yeah, I've been on a sailboat precisely once. I won't say never again, but I will say I'll be VERY careful who I go with and the size of the boat. I got a good sized goose egg on my head because my uncle forgot to warn me to duck.

[ladyknight1]

One of my dear friends and his wife are expecting their first child. I am so excited about making the cake for the work shower we are going to have for them. It is because he is one of the humblest people I know and would never expect anything that I feel great about doing it.

[cwm]

One of the girls in another department makes decorated cakes on the side, for fun. She does make money off of it. Sometimes she'll bring in cake pops or other fun things for fundraisers, sometimes she'll bring them in for the heck of it to share with us.

Co workers have asked her a sum total of one time for her to bring something to contribute to something. She declined politely and when she was pressed she told them that she'd bring things in when she felt like it, unless they wanted to place an order, in which case her prices were $XX.XX per item. Nobody has asked her since, and she's kept bringing them from time to time.

I'm glad she wasn't put off of bringing them in at all, they're delicious, and I don't even mind tossing a dollar or two in her direction when I have her treats. Technically she doesn't sell them at work, but I told her that I feel better having paid even a nominal amount so I don't feel like I'm taking advantage of her. Also, to keep me from pigging out on them, which makes me feel better. And she graciously accepted.

[ladyknight1]

My husband has a 4lb piece of pork belly currently curing in our refrigerator, which he will smoke over hardwood on Friday evening. We have two friends who are being gifted 8 oz of finished bacon each. One owns the barbecue restaurant we frequent near our son's camp and the other just had a birthday. So much effort, time, love and space go into making each batch of bacon that it is a joy, not a chore. If someone demanded he make bacon for them, it would remove the joy from the process.