Like pretty much everyone around the blogosphere, I’m in a little bit of a creative funk right now. Actually, maybe that’s not accurate. My brain is boiling with things I want to do, but I have no time or money to do them.
I’m in a time and money funk.
With times the way they are we’ve got a little economic uncertainty around here, nothing like most of the country, but enough to fill us with a sense of unease and make us think about whether or not we’re being as fiscally responsible as we should be.
And I’m trying my absolute darnedest to be responsible by not starting any new projects. Or at least not starting a new project until I’ve finished an old project, and all my old projects are big fat gnarly projects. The projects that get put off because there is so very much of them to put off. And they’re all in that phase where you can’t stand the sight of them. Whenever I have a project that takes more than ten hours or so, I always go through the same cycle.
Step 1: How exciting! a new project!
Step 2: Love LOVE this new project!
Step 3: Boy, this sure is challenging, but it’s fun!
Step 4: OK, this is a little harder/more work than I thought, but the end result will be worth it.
Step 5: I’m bored.
Step 6: I really should have thought twice before starting this project.
Step 7: I’m such an idiot. What made me think this was a good idea.
Step 8: I hate this project and it’s stinking project guts. I never want to see it again.
Step 9: So what, am I just going to throw it away after all that time and money? {Guilt}
Step 10: Maybe this isn’t so bad. I do really like this yarn/fabric/color/design.
Step 11: Why did I think this was so hard? This is a breeze!
Step 12: I Love LOVE LOVE this finished project!
I think all long-time crafters go through this at one point or another. Even in my scrapbooking, a relatively quick project as these things go, I’ll still go through these steps about certain pages, just compressed into the course of three hours.
I’m trying to force myself to press on through those distasteful steps until I can remember why I wanted to start some of these things in the first place.
I finally managed to finish off my Snowman Crosstitch I started back in 2005, and I’m trying to keep that momentum going until I finish off all 120 Christmas cards, and a couple beaded projects that have been sitting around for about as long. But Atti’s first birthday is on Thursday, so I’m probably going to end up shelving all those good intentions in favor of some homemade presents and an overdone birthday cake.