I’m in what I will call a creative slump.  It’s not that I can’t think of things to make, it’s that I think the things I make aren’t good enough.  I watched a Q & A between Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner once, a long time ago.  Someone asked them about their creative process.  I was kind of surprised that they will spend a lot of time coming up with a design and then scrap it if it isn’t “perfect.”  I’m not sure why I thought of that interview, but the thing that struck a cord with me was that idea of “perfect.”  More importantly, what do I consider perfect.  I have to admit, I think my standards are much lower than theirs.  Maybe it’s my lack of experience, or that I’ve set my bar low enough that I am satisfied with the things I produce.  I’ve scrapped videos before, but only when the end result was unacceptable.  And unacceptable is much different than perfect.

Today I tried to do some water coloring with markers and followed a format that I had seen an artist do on a video.  I couldn’t get my marker ink to move like she did, even though I was using a similar type of marker.  In theory, the artist made it look so easy, but it never seems to be as easy for me.  If I want my YouTube channel to be great, then I need to be honest with the watchers.  This isn’t always easy for me and it might not be easy for them either.  It’s a matter of not giving up or giving in.  I’m going to power through, because failure is not an option.  I hope my viewers will do the same.

I love doing videos that are product comparisons, but I’ve been thinking of ways to branch these videos into a series called “why buy” and then the product name.  I believe newer crafters spend money on things unnecessarily, I know I did.  Of course, I bought so many things trying to find “the one” that was perfect and that’s where the series originated from.  In this case though, I think I can help the newer crafter make the decision of whether they should spend the money on a product, or use it for something else.

I’m going to start with a score board and/or score tool.  This is an investment of up to $20, depending on the tool you choose.  I’m pretty sure that I can bring this cost down to under $3 with the right tools.  So that’s my plan for today.  Find the right tools to replace a score board and show people how to score for less.  Wish me luck.

Happy Mother’s Day!

I’m finalizing my reorganization of my craft room today.  It has been a real work in progress and I’m thrilled that it’s as organized as it is today.  Once the room is completely clean and organized, I’ll be ready to work on the gelli prints.  I think I’ve been honest about my uncertainty in using a gelli plate and my obsessive need to have a purpose for the things I produce.  In this case I’m not sure about the  uses of gelli prints and hope once I produce them, an idea will spring to mind.  I know I’m going to use my art journal for them. I am going to begin by using magazine paper and computer paper so if the prints are horrible (which I’m assuming first prints probably are), that I won’t feel bad throwing them away.

I bought contact paper yesterday that looks like marble and thought I would cover a piece of poster board with it for my video background.  I’m not crazy about the bright pink cutting mat that I’ve used or the white paper either.  I’m hoping this will give it a more polished look.  I also bought a couple of very inexpensive photo frames that I’m going to use to produce my own recycled paper.  I’ve had a request for this and I’m looking forward to giving it a try.  If it’s a big fail, I have very little invested in the process, other than my time.

 

 

 

Another day, another set of garage sales.  It wasn’t a really good day for them, but I did see the sheer goodness in people today.  I’m on a mission to find the game Scrabble.  I want the wooden tray that you display your letters on.  Actually, I only need one of them.  My friend Linda thought it would be perfect to use for the recipe box that I am refinishing for my niece for her wedding shower.  She can rest the recipe card on it so she doesn’t damage the card when she’s using it.  Perfect plan.  Yesterday I was at an estate sale and asked them if they had a Scrabble game. The woman in charge asked me if I was a crafter and I said yes and she asked if I was looking for the tiles.  When I told her what I was looking for, she said she had some games at home that she used the tiles in her crafts and said she might have a tray.  I gave her my telephone number and last night, after a very long day for her at her parent’s estate sale, she called me.  She said she found two of them with no writing on them and if I wanted them, I could come back to the sale today.  I went and she was happy to see me.  I asked her how much she wanted for them and she said, “Oh nothing, I’m just glad to help.”  Isn’t it wonderful that there are people like that in the world.  People who just want to help.  Not, what’s in it for me?  It made my day.  It doesn’t take much to pay it forward.  If someone does a kindness for you, then you, in turn, should consider doing a kindness for someone else.  If we all tried to do this, we could make the world a much better place for everyone.  It doesn’t take much, let’s all start today.

I couldn’t sleep last night.  I’m not sure why, but at 3AM I decided I needed to organize my craft room.  Was it a smart idea?  I’m not really certain, but when I woke up in the morning, I felt great about it.  Tired?  Yes, almost exhausted, but happy.  It seems like my craft room is never very organized and always has more things in it than places to store them.  I really need to rethink buying anything else, but then I’ll go to a garage sale or rummage sale and find something that is a great deal and can’t pass it up.  Ok, so I know I shouldn’t buy anything, but let’s say you find overhead projector clear sheets.  You know you won’t find those just anywhere, and for 75 cents?  They will be perfect for shaker cards or window cards or anything you need a 8 1/2 x 11″ piece of plastic for.  I just couldn’t pass them up.  Or the lady that’s giving away envelopes just to get rid of them?  I had to have them.  You know I’ll be making a card that will fit in one of them.  I’m just saying.  Or how about a rolling ruler for 25 cents.  That should be really handy.  So apparently I’m a crafting hoarder.  Today I actually passed on a big box of assorted ribbon.  It was a really difficult decision but I told myself I just had to do it.  I HAD TO.  Obviously if the box had been full of some really spectacular ribbon, I probably would have purchased it because I’m just not that strong.  I’m only human.  Ok, my final admission.  I had a subscriber tell me I should buy a glue gun with a palm fed trigger.  I found one at Michaels for $30 before a coupon.  I didn’t really want to buy it if I couldn’t return it because I wasn’t sure I could use the palm fed trigger.  I found an older model at a rummage sale for $1 and bought it.  Did it have the long tip to help me avoid burning myself?  No.  But for $1, I’m happy that I am able to decide if I can use the palm fed trigger and will feel more confident in purchasing the $30 gun.  I’m looking at it as a means to an end.  Will I add yet another glue gun to my collection?  Sure, but I’ll also be doing a fact finding mission and that’s more important in my estimation.

I ‘m so excited because I finally found a use for the new set of shelves that I showed in the haul video from the stamp show/Dollar Tree.  The old Stampin’ Up wooden stamp sets fit perfectly into the slots, and although I have taken many off of the wood blocks, I still have a lot of sets that are intact on their blocks.  One of the things I have noticed about myself is this.  If I have put sets of stamps into binders, I forget about them.

I’m thinking of putting my acrylic stamps into cd cases but wonder if the traditional cd cases that came with cds will actually work.   I thought those cases have a clip for the cd to attach to the case.  If the clip can’t be removed, then I wonder if this is a practical solution.  These are the things that make my head spin.  If I have the binder out and am flipping through the pages, I find stamp sets that will work.  If I don’t have the binders out, I almost forget to look at them.  It’s a crazy Sandy thing and I always wonder if other crafters are like me or if I am alone in this nuttiness.  (I’m not sure that’s even a word, but we’re going with it.)

I haven’t really been a serious crafter for very long, but my stamp storage system seems to change with the seasons.  I just haven’t found the “one” that is perfect for me.  If you know me at all, you know I am always on a quest for the “one” in any arena.  I won’t stop until I find the “one.”  This results in me owning multiples of things and makes me totally frustrated when I fail.  Currently I feel like a failure with stamp set storage, die storage and a system that tells me what stamps I own.  I have a good system for knowing what punches, inks, embossing folders,  and markers I own.  Stamps and dies, absolutely no system.  Frankly, at this point, I’m too lazy to develop a system for either or both.  I have too many of both to document and the idea of attempting to make a system is almost more than I can consider.  So I think I’ll permanently back burner that idea.  Huh, I wonder where that saying, “back burner” came from.

Back burner

Posted by Bob on October 31, 2000

In Reply to: Meaning of a phrase posted by Shane Guy on October 31, 2000

: What is the meaning and origin of the phrase ‘Put on the back burner’?

From cooking. almost all stoves have front and back burners. The things you need to pay careful attention to (don’t stop stirring the risotto!) should be up front, under your nose. Things that can simmer away without immediate attention (soup stock, for example)can be pushed to the back burners where they can be looked into from time to time, but don’t need to be attended to just now. The metaphor has been extended to all kinds of activities: on your To Do list of life, some things need to be done Now (get out of the burning building) while less urgent things (should I write Bob a nice thank you note?) can be pushed to the back burner….

 

Makes total sense, and now we know.

My day has not started with a bang.  I made a video last night and gave Rich the memory card.  The video had to be reshot twice because I had so many problems with it.  With the video safely in the “bag,” I felt I could focus on cleaning my craft room today as it is a total train wreck.

Normally wherever I go, the three dogs follow. Rich was in the sun room, so we all made our way there.  We were not in the room one minute before the puppy had something in her mouth.  Something crunchy.  Something that wasn’t hers.  Something I would really be unhappy about.  Of course she ate the memory card that held the video I’d shot last night.  Naturally the card was ruined.  She maybe had that card in her mouth five seconds before we were prying her jaws apart, but she’s fast, and wily.  So back to the drawing board for my video.  Sometimes it’s tough having a puppy.  Today is one of those days.

I’m getting tired of worrying about the recipe box I’m making for our niece.  I’m worried she won’t like it or that it will fall apart or that it won’t be good enough.  These are the things I fret about.  I really worked on it last night and then realized what I thought was the top of the box, was actually the back of the box and it was upside down.  Ok, so I had already glued some pieces on (upside down, naturally),  and had to figure out a way to fix that mess.  I think sometimes I should stop while I am feeling fresh instead of continuing until I’m tired and making big mistakes.  I would really like to finish this box in the next century though, as her shower is in a month.  I know I have a lot of time to finish and to do it right, but somehow, I still feel time pressure and for no apparent reason.  It’s probably because I’m not making any videos because I’m spending my time working on the box instead.  I like to make 2-3 videos per week and try to do three whenever possible.  This box is sucking the creative juices out of me.  I just need to finish it and put the video up and hope for the best.  That’s my plan, hope for the best.