Craft Wars and My Take on "Crafters"

I like CRAFT Magazine on Facebook and yesterday they posted an article that got me thinking. It was entitled, "Are We All Crafters?" In their article they had links to two different articles with very different opinions on the definition of craft. And they both really got me thinking. 

To me crafting can mean just about anything, whether it be re purposing old materials and making something adorable or useful, OR making something you already have into something a little better, OR just letting kids run wild with glue, paper, and anything else you have on hand. Crafting is a form of expression and creating. It's an art really. 

One of the articles did bring up a good point though. They talked about how on Craft Wars Torey says the words craft, crafters, and crafting a LOT. The author pointed out that the writers weren't using the word just because it was in the title of the show but because the word craft really doesn't have any synonyms. 

That article also argued that the word has lost all meaning and that crafting before used to mean being a person of one trade that they were exceptionally good at. But I don't agree with that point at all. I think crafting is what I said before... Creating something as a form of expression. 

Now on to my other topic for today... Craft Wars itself! I thought last night's episode was great! I especially loved their use of music and re purposing in the challenges, although it broke my heart to see musical instruments being smashed, cut and painted. I personally loved the bracelet and necklace combo that the woman who was eliminated made. But instead of just having chains I would have woven the headphone cords into a sailors knot bracelet and then added chain to that with ribbon woven in through the links. 

And I'm very happy that the guy won. His idea was really about the music while the woman's idea was just cluttered and weird. Anyone have any opinions? Who do YOU think should have won?

I would like to add too that on the episode a couple weeks ago I LOVED Cheryl's idea for a chalkboard Christmas tree. I think that is so brilliant! And it would be great for family's that can't have real trees or can't afford to buy those pricey fake ones.