Three Ways You Might Be a Craft Snob and How to Fix It

If you cook, sew, paint, scrapbook, take photos, make things, renew old things, tinker, etc., then you are a crafter. There's a crafter inside of all of us. Since our early days of Kindergarten paper and glue, we've been crafting works of art. And we've been hard at work making the world a more beautiful place. And while we're a fairly supportive group of people, we sometimes become what I would call "Craft Snobs."

What is a craft snob? How do you tell if you've fallen victim to craft snobbery? Read below for the symptoms of a craft snob and how to best fix this crafting ailment:

You might be a craft snob, if you've ever said "I will NEVER try that [insert craft type here]."

This philosophy comes, I believe, from fear. I remember the first time I learned to tole paint. I had bought bottles upon bottles of acrylic paint, all the brushes I could ever possibly need, a book to instruct me on how to complete the project, and the wooden project I wanted to paint. I figured if my girlfriends could do it, then so could I. Oh how wrong I was. I tried and tried to conquer the craft, but I just couldn't get it. That left me with the fear that I would always be incapable of certain types of crafts, and frankly some of them I've always been too afraid to try.

But talents lay hidden beneath the surface just waiting to be discovered. I never knew that I could play the piano until I took lessons, practiced and practiced and then realized that although I struggle to memorize pieces, I can sight read almost anything. Who knew?

You don't know what you're capable of until you try. Refrain from using the phrase, "I will NEVER . . ." and replace it with "I just might . . ." leaving the door open for the opportunity to try new crafts. Give yourself permission to try (and fail) at something new, allowing yourself the chance to find a talent and interest you never knew you had.

You might be a craft snob, if you've ever laughed out loud at what someone else has created.

Hopefully you've never truly laughed at someone else's crafting attempts. With all the hours an artist puts into a project, they certainly deserve at the very least our respect for their dedication to their art. But perhaps you've found yourself asking, "What is THAT?" or "Why would anyone create something like that?"

If this describes you, then you might be missing out on something special. People that create items or projects that you might define as "crazy" have something you might not: an eye for trends and a heart for risk taking. For over a year now, I've been fighting the gold accent trend in home decor. Growing up with brassy gold knobs and fixtures throughout my house, the color seemed "old" and "dated" to me. But gold is everywhere, and as I started to bring some gold accents back into my house I realized the warmth that is inherit within golden items. How could I have missed that?

Think about trends that are hot right now that you might not have embraced even a year ago: chevrons, pallet repurposing, or even hipster style. Can you think of modern and current design without these items?

Instead of laughing at or dismissing a style, or craft, or project, think how you can appreciate or embrace the item. While not everything will appeal to you, you might discover something you come to love.

You might be a craft snob, if you only embrace one craft.

You are the discerning crafter. You don't have time for extras in your life. You learned one craft and you've been loyal ever since. You don't mess around. You get down to business and get things done.

But what are you missing? Are you in danger of becoming a one-hit wonder? Are you branching out enough to feed your own creativity?

Don't neglect your creative soul in the pursuit of perfecting your one true craft. You may find yourself outdated and bored with your own art. Challenge yourself to try new crafts. Take classes. Meet other crafters. GROW! Sometimes even just dabbling in other crafts helps your personal passion grow in new ways. Be open to these opportunities.

Craft snobs are not born, they are made. Which means they can be unmade. Encourage others' pursuits and styles. Learn to have both a critical and discerning eye but an open mind. Let go of your "high brow" approach and embrace all that the crafting world has to offer. You'll soon find your snobbery falling away and your creative soul healed.