The Charming Artisan

For a few years now my attention has been grabbed by the wonderful world of Pinterest. If your ever looking for renovation ideas or paint palettes or just about anything else, Pinterest is a valuable resource.

Some time ago, I began to look for a hobby that would keep my interest and challenge me to get off of the couch and away from the boob-tube (Television for you younger folks) and away from the doom-scrolling (Social Media garbage).

I started by searching for “hobbies for men” around my age and such. Most of the posts and articles that brought up were either fairly expensive or fairly physically involved. I don’t mind the physical stuff, but my job keeps me moving and coming up with the energy to hike or bike or swim with the frequency required to qualify as a real hobby was going to be an issue.

3D printing piqued my interest as well. The machines weren’t that expensive. The computer skills to design something in 3D wasn’t too far of a leap for someone who is used to reading and designing blueprints and plans. The hard part was coming up with ideas. I have very few ideas for objects that I would want to 3D print. Pinterest and Etsy had some ideas, but for me personally, I just couldn’t convince myself to take that leap. I would probably just make some accessories for my tools like everyone else seems to be doing.

I am technically saavy. I am a tradesman so I can build anything I put my mind to. I’ve always enjoyed working with wood and other materials. For a while now I’ve had my eye on laser engraving. I figured that it would be a nice fit for the skills I have learned over the years and the amount of time and energy I have available. (My energy levels are going up now that I know that I am diabetic and getting myself healthy. See the Family Stuff Category)

The post is just a bit of my backstory, keep an eye out for more posts about my learning experiences.

Thanks!