Crafts in Cozy Mysteries

Hi everyone! Dropping in today for a quick post. I’m taking a break from writing all day on my newest in the Flamingo Realty series. I was writing about Stella doing some rock collecting, and it inspired this post. One of my favorite parts about cozy mysteries are the hobbies. I love finding people who share the same interests as me and I always learn something when I read that craft niche in mysteries.  

I have a few series that fit that niche. One of my mystery series contains free recipes. I have so much in common with the main character, my darling Georgie, because she is determined to learn how to bake. Same here! My recipes might be a tad simpler than some of them out there, but they are tried and true. I’m so proud of them. Ha!

My two favorites recipes I’ve included are my Christmas bread, and chocolate s’mores cookies. They’re both super easy but impressive when served. If there’s something I like, it’s to make people happy with some yummy food that I’m not stressed I’ll ruin.

My other hobby isn’t as easy to share—it’s miniatures! I love making them, everything from tiny bakeries, to circuses that can fit in the palm of your hand. I’m not sure there’s a huge demand to learn how to make small things but I have incorporated them in one of my mysteries that centers around a dollhouse. I have a dollhouse that I made at seventeen, and still have it, and the house was front and center in my mind while writing it.

I also love to crochet, but again, I’m a novice. There might come a day where I include a pattern. I adore making amigurumi animals. Some of my favorites are tiny baby turtles that each had their own little eggshell. Those play into my love for miniatures as well! Would someone out there be interested in a free pattern at the back of a cozy mystery?

Painting is another fun hobby of mine, but again, hard to work into the books. I have a couple amateur sleuths who do pick up the paintbrush though.

I’d love to learn to do woodworking. Every part of it fascinates me, from the actually construction, to engraving and carvings. I’d love to learn how to do stain glass for the same reason. I’ve done the stain glass gel paints which are a happy compromise, and much less expensive.

Of course I love to write, and believe it or not, one of my sleuths is a writer as well. And reading is an absolute, with bookstores and libraries being a favorite. I have a whole series that centers around a book club hidden away in a secret library because the books are in danger. 

When you read cozy mysteries, do you enjoy reading about the crafts? Are there any hobbies that you’d like to read about? Do you have an unusual hobby that might be fun for one of my sleuths to explore? Let me know in the comments. They might be featured in the next series!

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a great day!

CeeCee James, author of seven series! Check out my readers group or Amazon author page to learn more.