Big Ideas

I found this nifty book (at Walgreens, of all places):

From C. R. Gibson; measures 7 1/4 x 10 1/4.
I don't see it on their website, may be a Walgreens thing only.

It's a journal of sorts, where you can note down your ideas, keep them organized. I had been looking for something like this for ages, something like a calendar, but undated, not quite a journal... basically this thing is exactly what I wanted. It's a place to put all my projects, and give myself a sort of deadline (where possible) for completion.

It seems to be helping? I've only noted 7 Ideas so far, but it's motivated me to seriously work on 3 of them. Maybe having them on paper instead of just in my head makes them more real. These are things that are not appropriate for a "to-do" list, things I can't accomplish in even a single weekend -- long-term projects that will take time to complete.

One of the things I wanted to work on was a ton of unframed art I'd picked up from conventions and other places. And the longer it stays out of a frame, the better the chance it will get damaged. I didn't even know much I really had until I gathered it all in one place! (It was a ton.) But once I had it gathered up, I could measure everything and make a list of frame/mat sizes I needed, and hit Goodwill. Lucky for me, Michael's was having a BOGO sale on frames, too, and I was able to get some bigger and odd sizes from them and nearly finish that project in a single week. There's a few more things left to go, but I managed to get so much framed and hung on the walls, and this was part of the catalyst that did it.

Some of the projects need to be done before other things can be done. I really need to make risers for my action figures (so the ones in the middle and back are visible), before I unbox any more, and before I can drill holes to add the "fence" in the center shelves. Making those probably won't take a lot of time, but it is an expense (lumber), plus the PITA of pulling out the table saw to cut everything to the right size. And I have to measure the shelves to make sure I know what size I need to make them. (Which I should go do, since I'm thinking about it...)

I'm trying to be realistic about my timelines for completion on all of the things I've written down. I have a lot of interruptions and I can't just dedicate huge blocks of time to things, because my life (and my brain) won't let me. But the next time I'm itching for something to do because I'm stuck somewhere else, I can grab this book and pick something that needs to be done. It's nice because it means that my jumping bean thoughts can easily pick up the threads of another project if I need to set another one down. It's not the most efficient way to get something done, but the only one enforcing the deadlines is me. (And having them written down with a time frame helps me stick to those, too.)

What I really need is Calvin's Duplicator box, so I can work on several things at once, but you know how that turned out for him...

Overwhelmed by Projects

There are days that I think it might be cool to have Calvin's Duplicator. Then I remember how well that turned out, and rethink things. But I do worry that the only way I'll ever get all my stuff done is through duplicates, or clones, and if you've ever picked up a comic book in your life, you know that clones are bad news. (And are a very tired trope used for lagging sales, and the buying public is largely sick of them. But I digress...)

I managed to get a lot of my projects organized in a previous fit of decluttering. But since I can't stop my brain from thinking of new things to do, I acquire the stuff to make more. (So no more of that for a while, because it's really out of hand.)

I was advised to make a calendar, a planner, and use that to schedule time to work on things and then hold myself accountable for that time. If Life happens on Wednesday and I can't work on X, then I have to reschedule that hour of time (or two, whatever) somewhere else, until the thing is completed. Thus working my way through the huge number of accumulated materials and ideas, so that I can start all over again... but hopefully with a healthier system in place for dealing with them.

I tried looking on Amazon (after looking at Office Depot) for an undated planner, and didn't find anything suitable. Everything was not quite right, and there were so many choices for "not quite right"! I was as overwhelmed by the options for organizing my projects as I was by the projects themselves!

My husband suggested using an app (duh, why didn't I think of that?) and Trello was one of the first things that came up as a top-rated organizational tool, and it was one I already had downloaded. Unfortunately, I don't find it to be that intuitive. Maybe it's me? Which is why I had forgotten I'd downloaded it in the first place, and never really used it. On the other hand, having something I could snap pics with, and save those pics to the app easily (as opposed to printing out photos and fixing them to a paper organizer) seems so much smarter, and less likely to get shuffled into a pile and lost. So I either need to better acquaint myself with Trello, or find something I like better. Soon.

Trying (AGAIN!) to Get Organized

It's impossible to work on projects when you can't find anything. When all the components are somewhere in this mess but you can't find them anywhere. When you know you have that thing but damned if you can figure out where it's gotten to. Lately I've really been missing sewing, and it's hard since my patterns were really disorganized and my fabric stash was a mess. The last few days I've been working on getting that better organized. Hancock Fabrics had pattern boxes on clearance (interestingly, they more or less match the hat boxes I bought from them on clearance a couple years ago), so I bought a bunch of them to organize my pattern library. It's not huge by any definition, but I left myself room to expand as my ability increases. So now I can lay hands on patterns quickly and easily, and ok, fine, but that still meant my fabric stash was a horrid mess. I didn't even know what all I had, since some of it was given to me by Mom, and some of it I'd had for ages.

I decided the most sensible thing was to sort out the things I knew I had projects for first. This fabric is to be made with this pattern (with a slip of paper with the pattern number and intended view), etc. etc... I have a bin-full of skirts and hats and a bag (with a matching hat). I'm not even sure how many; I didn't count, and honestly, I'm a little afraid to. The bag on top is material for a skirt for my daughter. Not in the bin are bags with fabric to make a skirt for a friend of mine, and two more for me. I have to remeasure her, and myself, since we've both lost weight, and I want to make sure they fit properly!

In addition to all of that well-intentioned and organized insanity, I also went through the bins of fabric under the basement stairs, so I could get a better handle on what I had, so I knew what I could play with once I finished the projects in the bin. [insert hysterical laughter here] I decided to sort by color, and grabbed a bunch of empty milk crates (they were handy) and lined them up on the floor and started sorting things into them. I quickly realized I had way more purple than would fit into a crate, so I dumped out a large bin and put the purple fabric in that, and pink soon followed. (I was astounded at the volume of pink fabric I had, truly!) Once I got the colors sorted, I started sorting within the color by fabric type, into gallon-sized zip-top bags, e.g.: sheer fabrics, satins, lining fabrics, velveteen, velour/stretch velvet, cotton, etc. So if I want purple velveteen, I can find purple velveteen. I only managed to finish this with the purple, not yet with the pink. I ran out of good storage options for the other colors, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do next, other than watch the sale ads and see who wants to sell me exactly what I want the cheapest. I did managed to separate out a bunch of small-patterned and juvenile cotton prints to use for doll clothes, and put those in a a drawer neatly labeled "Fabric for Doll Clothes."

* * *

I can't remember writing a specific post about my sketchbook, and looking back through old posts, don't find one now... Anyway, a while back, I had the idea that if I used a sketchbook and sort of "downloaded" my brain onto those pages, I'd sleep better, because the ideas would be out of my head and on paper. It only sort of worked. Putting down an idea that's nagging me leaves room for new ones, so some nights I still don't sleep well. I've had to get out of bed to find paper, prompting my husband to suggest leaving a sketchpad by the bed.  I had to draw a hat idea on a paper napkin in the car because I couldn't find paper and I had to sketch it right now, which led to us going on a quest to find a small sketchpad I can carry on my person at all times.

Also? I hate sketching with a pen.

With my reawakened millinery passion, I thought it might make more sense if I kept a separate sketchbook with hat stuff in there. That way I could also include images that inspire me, so that when I'm not in front of my computer (it happens, occasionally), I still have those visuals. I also included a little pocket with images of all the hat patterns I have so that I can reference those easily when I'm sketching or looking for design ideas.

I have transferred the hat ideas from my "main" sketchbook to the hats sketchbook, and have started adding new ideas. I haven't added the napkin sketch; I'm pretty sure I can do a better job with pencil and a decent reference photo.

The good news is, that even if I complete all my projects in that bin (yeeeaaahhhh... that's gonna happen soon), I have plenty of fabric and ideas to keep me busy for the foreseeable future. All my husband has to do is throw some food down in the basement once in a while, and I'll be fine.

That Time of Year Again...

End of the year, time to reflect and plan on the coming year, right? (Not to mention look back at everything you didn't get done in the current year.) I don't do resolutions. I never keep them. All I can do is try to get concrete things accomplished, and promise not to beat myself up too badly when I don't manage it.

So far, I'm making a preemptive strike on organizing my daughter's room. She has collections that need a little curating, and a whole lot of clothing that needs someplace to go. I think I have come up with a way to reorganize her closet and make better use of the space. Today has been all about laundry, weeding out things that don't fit and getting gifts washed and folded. Tonight maybe I'll go get the shelves I want to put in her closet, and then I can work on getting her better organized.

The basement is a huge mess. I managed to undo so much of the work I did last year, that I will practically be starting all over again. I really want to get that done this year, so I can get that wall painted.

And speaking of painting... I still have to finish stripping and sanding a bookcase I plan to use for cookbooks. (They're currently on a baker's rack that is starting to show a little stress from the weight.) I want to paint it to look like the pattern on my grandmother's recipe box. I want to paint the kitchen cabinets too, but that's going to be an enormous job, and I don't know when that will happen. I'm making new everyday kitchen curtains, but that will only take me a day, max. (Huzzah for quick projects!)

There's dozens of little projects, but if I can get those three big things done (her room, the bookcase, and the basement) then I think my life will be greatly improved for the other things.

Geeky Creations

I'm attending Geek Girl Con next month, and nothing is ever simple. Not when you're me, anyway... So I have all these projects in my head of things I want to do/make/wear, and (as usual) things aren't going as smoothly as I would prefer.

My first project was inspired by a friend commenting that I needed a little top hat to go with the Skirt of Awesome. And dammit, he was right. I used the Fleece Fun pattern and made one with fabric left over from the skirt, and have been playing with it since, trying to get the materials exactly right.

The decorative element at the band is a button. I originally
had a brooch, but it was too big and heavy. I still have to
attach this to a headband, and sew things on.

Then I was apparently experiencing an alien possession, because I decided that I needed a petticoat to go under the Skirt of Awesome. The petticoat is equally awesome, and matches the bias tape perfectly... and is inches too short. :( So, I bought a half-slip, removed the elastic from the petticoat, and will tack it onto the half-slip to lower the level of floof so it hits the hem of the skirt.

Currently safety-pinned on, I have to sew it yet.

I decided that for the Friday night kickoff party before the convention, I wanted to go kinda butch. I found a vest (that needed new buttons, natch), a sportcoat that I found on ebay that I'm still not 100% certain of, and a purple silk tie that I am going to embellish. Plus two purple fedoras (one is a trilby) that needed feathers. I need a plain white dress shirt, that I can wear with the tie. That's proving to be the biggest problem. With all of that, I also finally decided how I wanted to finish the spray painted jeans, so I have to finish that, too.

New hats! The purple/black houndstooth came with tan and red feathers -- ew.

I want to make a charm bracelet or two, using Shrinky-Dink plastic for inkjet printers, and a couple of necklaces. I've got my images ready to print out, but otherwise haven't started on that yet.

While I was at Joann's trying to find bits and pieces for the things I'm making, I stupidly glanced at the licensed fabric (just in case they had the Girl Power stuff or any related things). And I found some moody-colored stuff with the Disney villains on it. Then I looked at it online just after midnight, and saw that it was 40% online (web-exclusive sale) and only 25% off in-store. I couldn't resist. I started planning the skirt and an overskirt to wear with it. And then I checked online this afternoon... and saw that 2 of the 5 fabrics I ordered are already "unavailable" and I had to go get them in the store. At the higher price. (grrr...)

Won't that make an awesome skirt???

In the process of writing this post, the purple fabric has become "unavailable" and my order is still "processing." OMG... /headdesk (UPDATE: As of Thursday morning, 4/5 of them are "unavailable" and searching for "villain" - how they came up before - yields no results.)

I think it's time to break out the vodka.

Hats on Hold

Yeah, yeah, it was bound to happen. When you have the attention span of a caffeinated puppy, it was pretty much inevitable. I'm not done with hats -- they're too much fun to make! -- but they're going to be on hold for a while, as I've bounced to other things. I would like to point out that before I bounced, I made 27 hats (no, I haven't posted all of them, obviously). So while I may not meet my Hat A Month posting goal, I have certainly made a year's worth of hats in quantity.

I'll get back to them, I have too many Plans not to.

Insanity Is Progressive

So I've made a few hats, and it was fun. Thinking about modifications, different materials, embellishment... I swear, it feels like my brain is on fire. I went to two different fabric stores on Friday, and Friday night I also hit a thrift store. I have more than enough stuff to keep me busy for a while, but I am dying to get into the garments I bought to remake into hats.

I found three blazers, three blouses and a skirt, and have already deconstructed one of the blazers (saving the lining to line the hat!) and will hack up the others soon. Because they are fitted, I don't have large seamless pieces to work with, but I think I can still manage.

Here's my haul:

I also bought Vogue patterns 7890, 8681, 8869 (left to right, below) and already had McCall's 2692 (see the Hats post from a few days ago). Plus I found an excellent video tutorial for a pillbox hat that I really want to try.

I'm going to use the instructions from the pillbox video first, on some scrap fabric before I commit to something I really want to turn out right. I want that practice hat to be something I don't mind if it doesn't work -- but that I'd still wear if it does! Once I know I can make it work, I'll use my fabric salvage. Then I think I have to make that patchwork beret; love that! And I'm pretty sure I must make some more of those little top hats.

I had a crazy thought this morning, before the caffeine hit my bloodstream: Wouldn't it be awesome to make a hat a day? Then I realized how insane that would be; 365 hats?! Even if I gave a bunch away, what it the hell would I do with them all? OK, hat a week, then, my idiot brain says. No -- 52 hats is still unmanageable. Fine, how about one a month? Fine. Fine. OK! (Ahem... everyone has conversations with themselves, right..?)

SO! A hat a month, and if I make more, fine, but I want to do one "official" hat each month, that will be meaningful in some way to me regarding the month/season/holiday.

Yes, indeed. Insanity is progressive. By the end of the year, I'll need a fetching canvas-and-leather chapeau to go with my straightjacket. 

Broken Promises

Resolutions are a way for humans to punish themselves for being human.

No, really! You make grand plans for a new year -- losing weight, quitting smoking, finishing a project... Then when life happens and you can't/won't/don't follow through, you punish yourself and heap guilt on your head and label yourself a failure, or weak, or whatever. Bah!

This year, I am making no promises to myself. I hope to help my daughter become more self-sufficient. I hope to finish the basement, and get that wall painted finally. I hope to make it up to Ontario this year, and see my friends, whom I miss terribly. (OK, that's not really along the same lines as a resolution, but still...)

I mostly quit smoking last year, back in March, though I lapsed in December with the xmas stress making me crazy. They tasted so awful... I think this time I can make it stick. I need to pay more attention to my health, and work on making myself healthier. That includes losing some weight, and that particular hope/goal scares me most of all. I have a love/hate relationship with food and how it relates to my body. Unfortunately, I no longer have the luxury of youth to let me slide through poor decision-making. Added to the physical need to lose weight, my mental health is also suffering, and that may be a more critical reason.

This year has the potential of being a triumphant return to health and happiness, or an abysmal failure that will cost me a great deal. All I really want from 2013 it to survive it.

Mother/Daughter Cuffs

Yesterday, I was able to talk my parents into a trip to Antiques on East State in Rockford. Mom had been there with me before, but we'd never dragged Daddy along. (I didn't want to leave him at home alone, while my husband and daughter went to the mall on their weekly "date.")

There, I found this:

and I knew immediately what I wanted to do with it. I would disassemble it (easily done, since it's on elastic) and use the pieces to embellish the pink felted sweater cuff I want to make for my daughter for xmas. When I saw that some of the charms were mom-related, it felt like I should make a pair of them, not necessarily matching, but using the same components on both. Not sure how I'm going to make that work, since the image in my head is pretty nebulous... but I have almost 2 months, right??

UPDATE:
Yes, I had 2 months, but I was finishing them up just days before xmas, making my own cuff last. I foolishly neglected to get photos of all three together. Oops... Here's mine (top) and my daughter's:

Mom's is actually more of a bangle. She has a wool allergy, and since there is wool in the felted sweater -- it's cashmere blend, I was afraid it would irritate her skin. I found a wire cuff form at JoAnn's (made by Darice), sewed the material to that, and then lined the inside to minimize the amount of wool that would touch skin. Other than the form it took, all three bracelets are embellished with the same components, with added touches to make each one unique. I used the "Best Mom" charm (upper right in the top photo) on my mother's bracelet.

Currently the only photo I have of Mom's. You can kinda see it!

Chipping Away

I had the thought this morning, that if I could finish one project-in-progress a week, I could maybe, maybe, get caught up to the point where I didn't feel overwhelmed by everything. I could feel productive, work on new projects guilt-free, and have that sense of accomplishment that has been missing lately.

I want to start writing again, and because of the many many things racing around in my head -- ideas, thoughts, images, textures... -- I'm too distracted to do so. If I could chip away at the WIPs and the UFOs, it might allow me some breathing room. in my head (if you'll pardon the clumsy phrasing) to do some other creative work.

With that in mind, I decided to repair one of my daughter's threadbare blankets, that was coming apart at the edges. It's a quilted crib blanket my mother made for her, but the edges needed repaired. I bought bias tape, but wasn't happy with that, so I got some satin blanket binding and used that. This should be a simple and quick thing I can finish, before moving on to more work on the basement... HA! I had more trouble with that thing. The stitches are a mess, I had to rethread the machine several times, changed the needle, etc. etc. I'm confident that it was user error, not the machine. It seems to be working fine on material that's not got batting in it. However, I did get the binding on the blanket, even if it isn't pretty, and now she can have it back.

No more sewing for me today. Shoveling and sorting through piles of miscellaneous stuff will be like a vacation after the last hour + I spent fighting with this thing...