OG Guide: Finding Time To Craft

How was the first month of 2017 for you?

I am amazed that it’s already almost February.

A few weeks ago I told you how I’m moving the Ornament Girl business out of my house, and into a new place. We’ve spent the last couple of weeks getting the place ready to “live in”, like doing some painting, and building fabric cutting tables and storage shelves:

We officially begin working from there tomorrow, which is exciting, and a little scary too.

Scary for me, because I have worked from home for over 10 years now. It is going to feel strange going somewhere else every day!

But – as I was taking all of my “work” stuff out from what I used to consider my craft room, I realized it was going to feel like a craft room again… and that was a really nice feeling all of a sudden.

It’s been a long time since I felt a separation between work and making ornaments, because the two have been so intertwined, especially in the last couple of years.

And I realized, I’ve not had much time for actually making ornaments (for fun!) in a really long time.

Do you ever feel like that? Like, the “should do’s” end up taking over the “want to’s” much too often, and you don’t spend as much time crafting for fun, as you’d like to?

I bet this happens to more of us than we realize. I decided to dedicate our OG Guide #6 to some of the things that cause this.

The dreaded condition of “CPO” (Craft Project Overwhelm)…

Here is a bad habit of mine: When I have an idea for a new project, I pull out the supplies (or go buy them) – even when I’m not going to work on that project right then. I don’t want to put it all away, because I’m afraid that means I won’t get it done, or maybe I’ll even forget all about it.

So, I perch that unfinished thing on top of a counter or table space (as far in the corner as possible, so I feel better about it being there)… and this way, I can ‘remember’ to come back to it when I have time (because I don’t have time right now, of course!)

Then, before long…. other half-finished projects end up right next to it.

Soon, that little corner has transformed into a small mountain of craft supplies and unfinished projects, completely covering any possible work surface – so even if I wanted to finish any of them, I have nowhere to do it (<– excuse).

The best part? I spend time re-arranging and re-organizing my stacks of undone work, and then complain that I can’t find the time to finish any of them!

A vicious cycle, it is! :)

Solution?

This will sound a little crazy… but give yourself permission NOT to finish a project if you just don’t want to anymore. (yes – without guilt!)

Crafting should be fun, and if it begins turning into a ‘should’ instead of a ‘want’… well, that’s when those projects turn into Mount Doom and cause a major case of CPO.

CPO almost always means the projects will remain undone, and new projects probably won’t happen either.

Craft Project Overwhelm = Creativity Block.

Try letting yourself off the hook (or sewing needle, or straight pin, or…). You’ll be amazed at how creative you suddenly feel.

Over-promising to make things for others…

As creative people, we generally also love to share our creativity with the world… especially with our friends and family.

But, do you ever find yourself over-promising, and then feeling overwhelmed by the idea of finishing that thing?

*raising my hand…

You might as well glue some googly eyes to it, because it sits there staring at you, making you feel awful if you try to start a different project that you actually want to do.

Solution?

Say yes to only the things that make you super excited to do. Then, grab a ride on the ‘No Train’ for everything else.

The No Train is an awesome form of transportation. It only makes stops at the things you actually want to do – and they serve up big, pretty glasses of “Overwhelm-Be-Gone” all along the way. ;)

Why Don’t You Try….

… putting away those “should do” craft projects for awhile, and making something you want to. :)

Happy Crafting!
Staci Ann

p.s. For Laughs….

p.p.s. The OG Guide is something I send out to subscribers once a week. Want this delivered straight to your inbox? You can sign up for free right HERE. (I’ll send you my free Moonlight ornament pattern, too!)