Melanie Toye's Hobbies

So my new hobby is going to second hand stores and buying books for real cheap!  For years, I didn’t really read many books. But since going on a trip to the LifeLine Bookfest, which you can read about on my travel blog:  https://melanietoyetravels.blogspot.com/2025/02/venturing-to-lifeline-bookfest.html?m=1 I have really fallen back into the love of reading. Interestingly enough, I just had to find the books and topics that I enjoy and that’s how I feel back into reading. Plus, you learn so much from books. Yeah, some books I skip sections because they are not relevant to me (non-fiction books). But generally, I try to read the whole thing. I guess what I am trying to say is, you do you.  I don’t tend to buy a lot of fiction books. I do struggle to read them. But sometimes I borrow them from friends and they are easy reads. But again, it still takes me a month to read. I guess that’s why I stopped getting library books. Because I would borrow about ten books at once and ...

Well in Brisbane, Australia. I prepared for Cyclone Alfred to hit where I lived. I have never been in a cyclone before so this was a touch scary. I did everything I could to prepare for it.  And then the times where I wasn’t preparing, I was crocheting. Crocheting gives me a calmness that is helpful. Also, it fills up time. But also when crocheting, if you aren’t counting stitches, you can let your mind wander. And my mind did wander… I realised that some items I left on the ground because I couldn’t be bothered to move them off the ground in case it flooded, made me realise I didn’t really need these items in my life. If I was happy to have my Lego flood and if for some miracle, it doesn’t flood, I should sell the items.  I have never really enjoyed decluttering. And for months beforehand, I would tell people I would sell me Lego in the future. But never attempted it.  I also looked at my miniature DIY kits with disdain. I used to love miniature kits. But now days, I jus...

Image by vat loai from Pixabay So I felt like a lot was churning over my mind over and over and I decided to write each type of goal / idea / thought into an exercise book for each topic (that’s what I had lying around).  First off, why one book per topic?  I just feel like my brain is so scattered right now, that having one book per topic helps take it from my mind, write it down and let it go. If I had one book for all topics sure it might work, but what if I want more than one page to write down my thoughts on it?  Secondly, now here is the cool bit. I can decorate each of the books to style it how I want. So not only is it cool to look at, it will entice me to use it. Just so I can take a look at my cool art work at the front.  Thirdly, the serious planning begins. Now it can be a bit daunting. I have so many thoughts on the topic, where do I begin? Especially when a blank paper looks at me. There is no right or wrong way. Just do what feels right. For me, I sta...

So since I have decided to make money from my hobbies as per my previous post. And to be honest I have sold a crochet item before cheaply and it was probably what I considered (and we are our own worst critic) not that great. However, I have to remind myself, I still sold it. Somebody ended up not just buying it but loving it and that’s a pretty cool feeling.  So today, I removed myself as a perfectionist and decided to revisit some of my crochet kits and especially the ones I have never done before.  Today, I crochet an ice cream, lemon flavoured and a dinosaur green and yellow. The dinosaur wasn’t exactly as great as the picture but it was my first attempt at a dinosaur and before I could change my mind, I swiftly added it for sale at Facebook Marketplace.  I’m not sure if much attention is viewed on Facebook Marketplace on a Sunday. As I know personally the top statistics for people to find my stuff for sale on Facebook is Thursday and Friday. Ready to be picked up on ...