Saturday 10 March 2012

Another Making Day

 

When I tell people what I do for a living, I often get the impression that they think I sit around sewing and sketching and "doing crafty things" all day, i.e. not really working. If only this was the case!

In fact, despite my entire job revolving around crafting, there are always so very many other things on my To Do list that actually making things can easily get squeezed out of my schedule. 


Replying to emails and editing photos and updating my website and doing my accounts and ordering new supplies and packing parcels, and all the other things that need doing to keep my business running seem to be "more important" so they get ticked off the list first and being creative sort of falls off the bottom of the list (especially during busy weeks).

With this in mind, I think including a "making day" in my schedule each week - a dedicated time for all that "creative stuff" - is really, really important and I'm determined to stick with it. I'm also trying very hard to write myself more focused and manageable To Do lists so I don't get overwhelmed by tasks each week, working the whole time and burning myself out in the process... and so I can actually get on with making stuff on making day, instead of feeling guilty about all the work I think I ought to be doing!

I have to admit to admit to feeling a bit "meh" about some of the results of this week's making day (which is why I'm only showing you these slightly teasing photos) but it's always useful to try out ideas, even if they don't quite work out how you planned them :)

9 comments:

Unknown said...

We all have those 'meh' days, I am having one at the moment about something I am stitching, but I hopeful of the final result.

Miss Smilla said...

Thanks for the post - I can totally relate to the problem, sometimes I feel quite overwhelmed with what I would like to be the "secondary" tasks - taking a "making only" day might be the answer!

diane said...

We all have those days ... :-( thankfully they pass!!!!
:-)

Anonymous said...

Oh don't worry - a big part of the 'making' process is failure :) And it is those failures that make you see the right path!
Keep on going, I'm sure you'll do great :)
xo,
wink

nicedaydesigns said...

It's such a good idea to schedule a making day. I did a to-do list that only involved making things, and not all the other stuff that clogs up my week. It's helping me stay focused. I'm marking it off bit by with with a tic and a quantity of that product type that I made.

Claire Jain said...

I completely understand. Now that I'm trying to make a professional go of being in the sewing world from home, being involved in the online sewing world, photographing things and blogging all take up so much time. I love the idea of ensuring you have at least one built-in making day!

Emm@ said...

Have you seen teuxdeux.com? I've been using it over a year now and it is SO nice to have a To Do list in front of you the whole time with everything planned out.

Bugs and Fishes said...

Thanks for the comments everyone - it's good to know it's not just me who has not-so-great crafty days and who finds that all this "other" stuff takes over sometimes xx

My Life in Stitches - thanks! the feature was a really nice surprise, I spotted it while flicking through the craft magazines in my local newsagent :)

Emma@ - I'm very old school I'm afraid, no apps for me! I've started using one piece of paper per week for my to do list - divided into days of the week and a space for "misc" stuff, to help me plan a bit more and not overload myself with tasks as there's a limited amount of space on the page. So far it's working out quite well.

emmel-prutsemieke said...

I can understand what you mean. Some people think you only have to make the item and forget al the years of study and trying you had to do before the result is there.