Hey--crafting is work! However, if what you want is to be your own boss, take your own risks, and not have to show up on somebody else's timetable, and IF you have the talent to do a craft exceptionally well, the tenacity to stick to it through good times and bad, and the research skills to find your market, you can make a living at it. Lots of people do. Here's how you might get started:
1. Pick any craft--scroll saw, lathe work, woodburning, macrame, jewelry, knitting, crochet, tole painting, pottery, silk screening, machine embroidery, airbrushing, and so on--and learn to do it at least moderately well. Then start designing original projects for the craft and sell the instructions.
2. Design a line of collectibles that catch the fancy of collectors. Tom Clark gnomes, for example. Lighthouses. Covered bridges. Cats. Ballerinas. Football players. Train replicas. Whatever.
3. Jewelry is certainly an open field. A neighbor of mine uses cut semi-precious stones and gold wire to make jewelry, and the only reason she's still working is to have medical insurance. Jenni K (http://www.jennik.com/ ) started making wire jewelry as a student and the rest is history.
4. Design a line of souvenir products--T-shirts, ball caps, sweatshirts, wristbands, cutting boards, tote bags, welcome mats, framed photos, and so on--and sell them at events, the local farmer's market, craft fairs, tourist shops, from a cart near the local tourist attraction, and so on.
5. Paint things. A friend did right well faux-painting walls and fireplace surrounds as long as that was popular. A friend painted and sold surfboards until he branched into photography. Some folks paint things on car hoods and motorcycles and earn a living.