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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Really ungrateful whinge....am I horrible?

10 replies

MrsSnape · 28/12/2008 20:31

A few months ago, my mums uncle died. The man was a bit of a hermit and so when the family went to sort his possessions out, they found hundreds, perhaps thousands of pounds worth of books and art materials amongst other stuff such as samurai swords etc.

It was suggested that as I am a big fan of art, my mum should buy some of the stuff for me. The money was to pay for his funeral and go to charity so this of course was nice.

My mum asked me what I wanted and I said "please don't get me too much as I don't have the room (I'd just got rid of loads of stuff myself at the time).

Anyway, she came away with 3 huge bagfulls of stuff. Art books, drawing/painting books, pencils, paints, chinese art stuff, artist stuff, full art sets...you name it. It was really good stuff and I was grateful but in all honesty, I just don't have the room for so much stuff and I'll probably never use most of it.

I like a bit of art yes, but the ammount of stuff here, you would have thought I was a proffesional artist. I'm really not and its once a blue moon that I actually practice art.

But I thanked her and said they were lovely. Anyway, today she said she had a suprise for me, a late christmas present....another huge bag of art stuff! There is so much here, I could open up an art class for 15 people and still wouldn't use all the stuff for at least 3 years. More books, full pencil sets, paint sets, brush sets...all lovely but I just do not have the space or the time (or the skill and knowledge!) to use most of it.

Apart from this, last christmas she bought me a huge easal, 2 paint sets, 2 water colour books, a pencil set etc etc... I'm over-run with art stuff.

Do I sound really ungrateful? I feel it but I'm wondering what the hell I'm going to do with it all. At the same time I feel bad because my mum is really pleased with herself and thinks she's done me a massive favour.

Am I really awful?

OP posts:
Alambil · 28/12/2008 20:33

No, I don't think so

Is there a way to say thanks mum, but I just can't house all this stuff - I'm going to sell it and do X with the money (to charity or whatever in rememberance of uncle)?

StealthPoHoHoHo · 28/12/2008 20:34

No, it's understandable I think. Such a pity though. Is there anything yuo could do with it? Any starving artists around who would rip your arm off? CHarity shops?
Much smaller scale, but I have a reputation for liking elephants. Got a couple of ornaments a decade ago and said how nice they were, now...well you guessed it, a stampede of elephants! (Well, apart from my Grandad who gets me giraffes, we think he misheard or forgot )

moondog · 28/12/2008 20:34

No.Not at all.
Flog it without a moment's anxiety.What is the point of stuff just lying around gathering dust?

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 28/12/2008 20:36

Donate it/sell it whatever feels "right". Your mum is unlikely to come round and do a stock check/audit. I personally would keep a small amount, "on show" and perhaps do a little bit of art with the materials that you keep.

mazzystartled · 28/12/2008 20:37

It's lovely that she wants to encourage your interest.
Why don't you go through it and choose some stuff to keep, some for the dcs in time to come and sell or give away the rest?

MrsSnape · 28/12/2008 20:39

pmsl stealth, that almost happened to me! I bought two elephant ornaments from a charity shop a few months ago. My grandma saw them and said "oh! so you're collection elephants? I was wondering what to get you for christmas..." I said "no no...not collecting, I only want these two, I don't like ornaments usually!" phew...lucky escape there I think.

Don't suppose there is anyone on here that is really in to art? I'd rather they go to someone who will make use of them. I just feel awful because it was a lovely thought but its good stuff, far too good to sit collecting dust in my house

OP posts:
MrsSnape · 28/12/2008 20:40

Oh yes, I definately want some of it. There are lots of books here I will make use off and some of the pencils etc...

But the paints... well she bought me 2 sets of paints LAST christmas and I've used them once so all these extra sets have very little chance of being used. At this rate, I'll be digging them out in my retirement age.

OP posts:
squatchette · 28/12/2008 21:10

I think you're really lucky i'd be made up but can see your point about it being ott .
Could you sell it.Or even put it on here free for postage I bet there's loads of skint arty types who'd be interested.There's always freecycle too.

MrsSnape · 28/12/2008 21:14

I've posted in the arts and crafts section. If there is anything anyone specifically needs, I will see if it is amonst it. I'm thinking of it as "sharing".

OP posts:
believer07 · 28/12/2008 21:15

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, I would keep the better stuff and sell the rest.

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