Ended Official BYC Mini-Contest - What’s Your Hobby

[cooingdove]

hobby no. 1
drawing/ painting:

wait, how many photos are allowed per hobby? I could add more but I don't wanna spam the thread.

 

[cooingdove]

hobby no. 2 photography:

 

[Cryss]

Hobby #2:

Reading... I am an Avid reader and have been since I was 12 or 13. I got hooked on Stephen King. Before that, I would get library books to sate my mother's insistence but I wouldn't read them... until Night Shift, a collection of short stories by King.

I would read at night before bed but soon found myself reading almost all night, between classes in school and on occasion, while walking home from school. I could read a short book in a day and the long ones within a week or so.

Now, when I read, I often fall asleep so I mostly read at night in bed. I have a Nook and a wish list on Barnes and Nobel that has probably 1000 titles on it, spread across many genres. History, biography, true crime, suspense and horror are the main genres. (Can't pay me to read a romance novel though... just not my thing)

I have a fairly good vocabulary due to reading and have gained quite a bit of knowledge, mostly from the historic books but from some of the others as well.

Most rewarding of my hobbies.

The Dark Tower series was what won me to King. Never liked his stuff till then.

 

[Graphichick]

All my hobbies seem to include photography and graphic design...which is also my job. lol.

My most time-consuming hobby is my talented hairless dog! I stay super busy taking photos and videos of "Dancing Nathan." For the past 8 years, he's been an amazing ambassador for "Bald is Beautiful Dog Rescue" / I also volunteer as a foster mom and transporter. (He's on TikTok and IG...we had a horrible experience with FB and are no longer there)

I really love designing greeting cards. Just about every year I pull together an "accordion fold-out" Christmas card for my family where everyone gets their own panel to share a photo and say something short and sweet. (this is the cover of one from a couple years ago. My mom still plays the accordion at 91 years old)

I also designed a few chicken cards when my first set of chicks were young. (photography was by a friend)

 

[Cryss]

All my hobbies seem to include photography and graphic design...which is also my job. lol.

My most time-consuming hobby is my talented hairless dog! I stay super busy taking photos and videos of "Dancing Nathan." For the past 8 years, he's been an amazing ambassador for "Bald is Beautiful Dog Rescue" / I also volunteer as a foster mom and transporter. (He's on TikTok and IG...we had a horrible experience with FB and are no longer there)
View attachment 2441277

I really love designing greeting cards. Just about every year I pull together an "accordion fold-out" Christmas card for my family where everyone gets their own panel to share a photo and say something short and sweet. (this is the cover of one from a couple years ago. My mom still plays the accordion at 91 years old)View attachment 2441283

I also designed a few chicken cards when my first set of chicks were young. (photography was by a friend)View attachment 2441286View attachment 2441287

I’m loving the dancing dog videos!!!! The cards are to die for!!! I love your hobbies

 

[Cryss]

I breed TICA Minskin and Oriental Shorthair cats.


What is it that you love about this hobby? Honestly, I enjoy the genetics, the pursuit of breeding the perfect SOP cat, I enjoy watching the kittens grow and develop their own personalities, and I enjoy loving and snuggling them. My favorite aspect of it though, is watching them grow up and enrich and the lives of the people they find their forever homes with. It is so incredibly rewarding to be able to watch my babies bring happiness and companionship to someone. And I am proud to know I have provided them with a well bred and healthy animal that will be a part of their family for many many years.

When do you do the Hobby? 24/7, 365 days a year. I don't have an "Off day", because the cats need care every day whether I feel up to it or would rather be on the beach somewhere. And there are things besides caring for the cats that is also required, like researching pedigrees, health testing, filling out registrations, microchips, and attending shows, as well as thoroughly screening potential homes, and chatting and getting to know prospective homes and answering their questions or concerns. I keep in touch and am there for the lifetime of my babies.


What sacrifices do you make to be able to practice your hobby? The cats always come first. That means I don't travel. It means many many sleepless nights because I stay with my girls the entire time they are in labor. That means I am monitoring almost constantly during the very early neonatal weeks...So the biggest sacrifice is probably literally all my time. And a good bit of my husband's money.

Are you an amateur? An adept? An expert? I'll say I'm adept, because I don't feel like I'll ever stop learning, and am always looking to improve.

Are you lucky enough that this hobby is part of your job/income? This is part of our income. Although it doesn't make up a large aspect because much of what I make goes right back into the care of the cats.

Here's a few of my guys:

Whippoorwill's Salem

Whippoorwill's Voodoo

Whippoorwill's Will-O'-The-Wisp

Whippoorwill's Mystic

Whippoorwill's Wicca

Whippoorwill's I'm Your Huckleberry

Whippoorwill's Daisy If Ya Do

Whippoorwill's Hell's Comin With Me

Can’t see Daisy If Ya Do.
But I LOVE I’m Your Huckleberry!

 

[jolenesdad]

Not PURPOSELY.

It probably isn't fair to submit this as an official entry given I've entered an earlier competition.
But, the chance to show my work is hard to pass over and, while similar to my previous entry, there has been a change in direction.
I've been making lamps for a few years. There is a thread about them here.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shadrachs-lamps.1272460/

More recently I've gone a bit arty rather than crafty and I've been making sculptures.
This post shows a bit about them to save reading the entire thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shadrachs-lamps.1272460/post-23209029

A few pictures.
View attachment 2439657View attachment 2439658View attachment 2439659View attachment 2439660View attachment 2439661View attachment 2439663

Wooooooow these are STUNNING.

@FluffyBottomBantams your birds are so pretty!

2. I'm an armature vulture whisperer, and I hone my skills while volunteering at the local nature center.View attachment 2440188

hobby no. 1
drawing/ painting:View attachment 2441036
wait, how many photos are allowed per hobby? I could add more but I don't wanna spam the thread.

Add more photos! We all love to see them. Beautiful colors in this painting!!

All my hobbies seem to include photography and graphic design...which is also my job. lol.

My most time-consuming hobby is my talented hairless dog! I stay super busy taking photos and videos of "Dancing Nathan." For the past 8 years, he's been an amazing ambassador for "Bald is Beautiful Dog Rescue" / I also volunteer as a foster mom and transporter. (He's on TikTok and IG...we had a horrible experience with FB and are no longer there)
View attachment 2441277

I really love designing greeting cards. Just about every year I pull together an "accordion fold-out" Christmas card for my family where everyone gets their own panel to share a photo and say something short and sweet. (this is the cover of one from a couple years ago. My mom still plays the accordion at 91 years old)View attachment 2441283

I also designed a few chicken cards when my first set of chicks were young. (photography was by a friend)View attachment 2441286View attachment 2441287

These cards are incredible!! Love your dog those dancing photos are to die for!

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

Hobby no. 2: Freehand embroidery.
I've recently gotten into this. It's relaxing and fun, and I enjoy it.
I mostly do yarn, but I have a project with regular embroidery thread in the works, as well.
I trace the design/picture directly onto the fabric with a pencil, and then embroider it all in with yarn or thread.
Here's a dragon that I did -- the second project that I finished. It took me a few hours to do. Thumb for size reference:

I am very much a beginner, but I do enjoy it -- when I'm not accidentally stabbing myself, at least.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hobby no. 2: Freehand embroidery.
I've recently gotten into this. It's relaxing and fun, and I enjoy it.
I mostly do yarn, but I have a project with regular embroidery thread in the works, as well.
I trace the design/picture directly onto the fabric with a pencil, and then embroider it all in with yarn or thread.
Here's a dragon that I did -- the second project that I finished. It took me a few hours to do. Thumb for size reference:
View attachment 2441594
I am very much a beginner, but I do enjoy it -- when I'm not accidentally stabbing myself, at least.

Wow, that looks like a lot of work, VERY nice!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Wow, that looks like a lot of work, VERY nice!

I love the Santa Caws avatar!!!