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... Next on my list is to purge and then organize my designer paper stash. I can’t find anything without going through the whole mess. Anyone have suggestions about sorting things out. Keep sets together or separate by major color? I have the craft style papers, the glitter paper and the shiny metallics all separate.
How do you think? : ) Do you think Color first? Or Flowers or Halloween or Vintage? Or a combo? Different sorting for different brains. : )
Some of my categories: light, medium, dark, black & white, alpha, animals, birds, sets (just a couple that beg not to be separated), speciality (like how you separate glitter and metallics). If I had holiday papers I'd also sort by holiday.
Many people apparently sort by primary color. I tried it but quickly went crazy. Crazier.
If I can't decide and have more than one piece, I'll put it in two categories with a small Post-It referring me to the other category ("see dark" & "see light"). Or if I love both sides and they both belong in the same category, a Post-It will say "over" to remind me.
Abut separating sets - maybe it depends more if you're a scrapper vs. a card maker? Or a scrapper (or album/book maker) who's mostly finished with a set (separate it) vs. haven't used it yet (leave it together).
Hi Beth,
Not sure if this will work for yau, but to organize my fairly large stash of DSP I purchased a bunch of the Iris 12 x 12 paper keepers on sale at Michael's, and then separated the papers by category (holidays, seasons, baby, florals, monochromatic, etc.) I kept the paper packs together (mostly SU so I kept them in their wrappers) since the papers coordinate so well. The boxes stack nicely on a shelf, and I stored my 12 x 12 cardstock the same way. It is easy enough to grab a keeper and flip through the papers. Hope that helps!
That's what I do! wait until they go on sale or use a coupon;)
__________________ The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable. Practice safe eating always use condiments
It is amazing how a thread falls down the list. I had to go all the way to page 4 to find this!One of my goals was working on Christmas cards early in the year. I have 60 cards partially made! The front panels are completed on 40 of them, partially completed on the rest. They still need to be mounted on the Card base, but I’m thrilled!
Even better: I wanted to use some dsp, and all 60 cards make use of Christmas dsp. Furthermore, I used the Pretty Pines Framelits to cut out pine branches and pine cones. I’ve used every scrap of green paper that I have on hand, and most of my scraps of different browns!
Way to go, Lynne! Getting Christmas cards made ahead of time is one of my goals too. I haven't made as many as you but I've been participating in various Christmas challenge blogs and keeping up with the SCS Christmas Card Challenge.
__________________ Susan
My SCS gallery is here should you care to look! Or please visit my blog, Cardmaker's Garret.
This was one of my crafty goals. To make something to hold my copics. I found info on pintrest and made direction's fit my purpose, I did not want one of those huge plastic boxes, I wanted a basket with handles.
And my prices was way less than buying a remade container from etsy or ebay:p
__________________ The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable. Practice safe eating always use condiments
This was one of my crafty goals. To make something to hold my copics. I found info on pintrest and made direction's fit my purpose, I did not want one of those huge plastic boxes, I wanted a basket with handles.
And my prices was way less than buying a remade container from etsy or ebay:p
__________________ The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable. Practice safe eating always use condiments
The kid's belongings have been moved and I'm ready to start taking rooms apart, clean and then reorganize. Now to find the courage/strength to do so. I'm afraid the dust bunnies in his room and my craft room are going to stage a revolt and take me hostage
Truth be told, I've been side railed too. A friend I haven't talked to in a long time invited me to come over and quilt with some friends and now the quilting muse is wanting to come out to play. I keep trying to tell her that since both hobbies reside in the same room I need to get the room redone first but.... All she want to do is pull out fabrics and plan projects. Time to start chanting my 2018 mantra: Follow thru
If you don't hear from me check to see if the dust bunnies have sent a ransom note;)
Two months down - how is everybody doing with their crafty goals? I don’t know about everyone else, but I just love this thread. If I’ve had a good month, it’s nice to take a few minutes to remind myself of what I accomplished. If I’ve had a bad month, it’s an opportunity to refocus myself.
I’m still not at a point where I’m getting to spend regular time throughout the week in my craft room - creating, or even cleaning up/reorganizing. But I did have one week where I managed to make a whopping 9 cards - pretty unheard of for me, so I am really happy about that. I also did get another Christmas card - had hoped to make a few copies, but that puppy gave me so many challenges that I kept it to just one.
Purging continues. While the eBay sales seem to have slowed the past week or so, if I don’t count the shipping/fees, I’ve made enough to get the Rototrim paper cutter I’ve been saving up to buy. Even looking at the net balance, I’ve almost got enough to buy it. I also wrote down a few more items to take a look at to see if I’m willing to get rid of.
I’m continuing to do some random (and not so random) acts of kindness, but this month, they didn’t include stamping.
I have a feeling that March is going to be full of necessary, but not so fun activities that will take up a lot of my free time, so I think I’ll mostly focus on looking for more things to purge and try to get my birthday card stash built up. I’d also like to try to make 3 Christmas cards - one for the CCC18 challenge and one each for the February and March DG Christmas Card Challenge.
I’m also adding a new crafty goal for 2018 - to make at least 1 card per month for Julie Gearinger’s USEIT2018 thread. I’ve already done that for January, February (and even for March). Ideally, I’d make 1 with an NBUS item and 1 with a stamp/product that hasn’t seen love for too long, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself, so I’ll stick with 1 a month.
Bjeans, I believe it is New But UnuSed. You know, those things you just HAD to buy and then months (or more!) go by and they are yet to be opened up and used. I have a ton of them. That is why I say I really should do 2 a month - one using something NBUS and one using older things I used to use but haven’t for ages.
Bjeans, I believe it is New But UnuSed. You know, those things you just HAD to buy and then months (or more!) go by and they are yet to be opened up and used. I have a ton of them. That is why I say I really should do 2 a month - one using something NBUS and one using older things I used to use but haven’t for ages.
I've also heard NBUS interpreted as Never Before Used Stuff. Darnell Krause runs occasional challenges to use NBUS on her blog and that's her phrase for it.
Now I want to go and track down Julie Gearinger’s USEIT2018 thread - I haven't come across it yet.
__________________ Susan
My SCS gallery is here should you care to look! Or please visit my blog, Cardmaker's Garret.
Well I've got lots of stuff, including over 50 stamp sets, pulled out for my LSS flea market this month. Still more to purge, but I'm feeling good about it so far even though it's made only a small dent lol. I keep saying THE PURGE as I go and cracking up.
It is now March 5 and I am not terribly far on scrapbooking but I got all my card projects done, three old SU! kits completed and given away and my room is so clean and organized it is like a spot of heaven on earth to me. So far, so good for 2018.
I've also heard NBUS interpreted as Never Before Used Stuff. Darnell Krause runs occasional challenges to use NBUS on her blog and that's her phrase for it.
Now I want to go and track down Julie Gearinger�s USEIT2018 thread - I haven't come across it yet.
Debbie and Susan, thanks. Gee, I should find that thread too. It's a work in progress to differentiate between something that I like/love versus something I will actually use.
When I have people over to stamp, we sit at the dining room table. Then, if I have people over for something else, I end up throwing the crafting stuff in a tote bag, and throwing it in the craft room to be out of sight. It was getting hard to move in there. (It is the very smallest bedroom in our split foyer-big enough for a crib and changing table.). So, I spent yesterday pulling out those tote bags, going through stuff, getting rid of some, putting some away, and generally cleaning. I think I folded up 5 tote bags, ready to go back in the car for groceries. Very pleased with the progress I made!
Debbie- I'm so excited to see your progress! Even if it's not all going exactly as planned, you sound so motivated that it's absolutely inspiring.
One of the big reasons for my crafty goals this year is because I took a nice, long look at my stash and realized that the majority of my supplies have never been used. I think for a while, I spent a lot of time (and money) buying new things I fell in love with instead of using them. And that was ok, as it takes a little while to build up a decent stash and I've only been at it since 2013/14. But now I'm at a point where I do have a great collection and it's time to shift my focus to using things.
I have to admit, I am feeling way more positive, balanced and inspired using my stash than I ever did buying new goodies to play with. So, I definitely support anyone and everyone that wants to jump on the NBUS ride and give their stash some love.
Renee- You are braver than I am! I know I should be ruthless and purge a lot of my stash, but I still haven't figured out what to do with it. In an ideal world, I could just send it to a fellow crafter that will give those stamps the love and attention they deserve. But there's still that niggling little voice in the back of my head that says "But what if you need those stamps?!"
Mary Beth- Yay for that little spot of heaven! It's amazing how much more productive we can get when the room is clean and organized. It's like it's brimming with ideas and possibilities.
Lynne- Wow, that's great progress! I tend to put my paper scraps and colored stamped images into a couple of tote boxes. I really should go through and organize some of that stuff. It must feel great to have things cleared up.
As for me, I'm still going strong!
I made a card every day in February and blogged about it: Creative Cardsea: February 2018
I wasn't happy with every single card and there were days when I just couldn't do anything right. I probably pitched 4 different cards in the trash before I made something that I was okay-ish with. But I still got it done, and that's what I'm going to focus on.
I've learned a lot in February and had several important realizations! One big thing is a personal reminder that not every card I make has to be a masterpiece. Coming up with 7 perfect cards every week is just putting too much pressure on myself and it sucks the joy out of the process. My goal was to make something, not perfect something.
Another realization is that people really don't care that I use retired supplies. From watching YT videos and hearing DT members talk, they make it sound like using a retired supply is going to bring hordes of angry people to my door and frustrate them because they can't buy XYZ supply. But the very few times someone did ask about a retired stamp, all they really wanted to know was the full name and company so they could find it on E-bay. I spent so much time stressing out about something that was never even an issue to begin with.
And last, but not least, I've realized that I will absolutely 100% have to have this resolution to make a card every day for 2019. I am enjoying making a card every day so much, I'm starting to feel guilty.
March will be a challenge, though. I am traveling for a week mid-March, so it will be interesting to see how I'll incorporate card-making into traveling...
Sorry I'm late to the list sharing. I just found this thread. I decided to keep my list very simple because I usually do not do well with lists. I usually end up feeling like a failure for not completing them. So, this year, I have one goal, purge my wooden stamp stash.
I spoke with the activities director at one of the nursing homes I visit and asked if she would like some stamps. She was thrilled with the idea. Now that the stamps will have a new home, I just need to start sorting. Unfortunately, I am intimidated by my stash and haven't plucked up the courage to start. Any suggestions on where I should begin? It's all a little overwhelming as I have a large stash of wooded stamps.
For me it was more about the starting itself than where to start, so I set a timer for five minutes. While many decluttering pros suggest 20-30 minutes, even that felt overwhelming, but figured I could stand anything for 5. Of course starting is the wall to conquer for many, so once 5 minutes had passed, 99.9% of the time I kept going.
"If" this resonates, just start in a corner or shelf or bin - the stamps won't care - and set up an area with a give-away box, and begin. If music or a radio show will help, turn something on. And bring a drink and snack if needed, so getting up to get something won't provide an excuse to stop when you're comfortable continuing.
The hardest part for me was differentiating between something that was truly lovely versus whether I'd truly use it. Ruthless was my mantra, not just for my art/craft stuff. Good luck!
Sorry I'm late to the list sharing. I just found this thread. I decided to keep my list very simple because I usually do not do well with lists. I usually end up feeling like a failure for not completing them. So, this year, I have one goal, purge my wooden stamp stash.
I spoke with the activities director at one of the nursing homes I visit and asked if she would like some stamps. She was thrilled with the idea. Now that the stamps will have a new home, I just need to start sorting. Unfortunately, I am intimidated by my stash and haven't plucked up the courage to start. Any suggestions on where I should begin? It's all a little overwhelming as I have a large stash of wooded stamps.
What a wonderful way of sharing! My suggestion would be to start with stamps that would be easy for the elderly residents to create nice images with, like outline stamps. I think bold images can be a little trickier for new stampers to get full ink coverage. Maybe some images that look great just stamped, no coloring required. Two step stamps that don't have to align perfectly would be fun, too! Finally, maybe choose images that have wide appeal, like flowers, leaves, animals... Whatever you do will be great, and a tremendous act of kindness!
When needing to sort a lot of things, I found that going general to more specific works really well.
So, you could start by sorting them into 2 piles: Sentiments and Images.
From there, you can go a little more specific. So, for example, take the Sentiments pile and divide it into Birthday, Thanks and Other. Or take the Images pile and divide it into Critters, Flowers and Other.
And then from there, you can take the "Other" category from each pile and chose new sub-categories such as holiday, Christmas or season - they should be broad categories that you can see more than 5-6 stamps fit into. The important part is to keep the sub-categories clear and to always have a section for "other" stamps that don't fit in. You can stop sorting once the "other" category looks small enough or once the sub-categories start to get too specific.
At this point, you can choose each category and slowly decide what to do with it.
Go over the kind of cards you make and use that information to set up realistic goals. For example, if you make a lot of thank you cards, you might want to keep more thank you stamps - but if you make two Valentine's cards per year, maybe those Valentine stamps can go. Give yourself a reasonable number of stamps you will use in the next few months of card-making, and put those in the "keep" pile. If there's a stamp you really love but you can't see yourself using it on your next card, then put it in the "think about it" pile. The rest all go into donate.
Remember that you don't have to do it all at once! If the idea of purging ruthlessly is making you feel nervous, start with just donating a small amount. Maybe put together a small matching bundle with a couple of stamps and some cardstock you're ready to part with, or even add in a card created with those stamps that the seniors can use as reference or inspiration.
I agree with bzzzeee, it's such a wonderful and kind way to share with others! I bet that it will be much appreciated by the director and the residents.
I found I had to keep the initial purging/sorting Kindergarten simple or I'd quickly get overwhelmed. That's because the question "keep or donate" was the one that had an emotional component. It was the big one.
So my first step was just purging: keep or donate. I didn't think about categories unless they were very broad. For example, I tossed donate items into boxes for paper, stamps, dies.
When the donated boxes were full and gone - at least with lids put on and out of the room, no revisiting - then I could start organizing my kept treasures. Just my take; YMMV.
Beth - Oh, how I wish that would work for me... Unfortunately, if I listen to my emotions, everything is always a keep. :lol:
I had to step back and figure out how much actual use I'll get out of whatever supply is in my hands. I can love it to bits, but if all it will ever do is sit in my stash, I'm better off giving it away to someone who will actually use it.
Of course, my systematic/logical approach might only work for me. And even then, not all the time. I'm probably one frustrating jumble of emotion and reason. ;)
Oh, my apologies for not being clearer. I wasn't saying I listened to or trusted my emotions. (Wouldn't that be nice?! ) Just that they could have an overwhelming effect when added to also making many decisions at one time.
Even without emotionality too many decisions/categories are overwhelming. For some people handling once equals success, for me it's failure and quitting. (Some interesting articles are out there about the problems with that "handle once" guideline, even for mail.)
I have to keep things simple in a first pass. And if I make mistakes with keep or donate, this is dealing with paper and stamps, not heirloom jewelry.
Beth - That's so interesting to me, because I find it overwhelming to think about deciding before everything is organized and I know exactly what I have.
It seems to work better for my brain to categorize and then decide which category has an overwhelming abundance. And it helps with shopping for new goodies, too, since it reminds me that I have 18 thank-you stamp sets and don't really need yet another one.
Differences in brain wiring - so interesting. I learned a bit about that from a NAPO organizer who helped me with the last 10% of my garage remodel/organizing (including art on the walls!).
I think I made my purging sound too linear, because it wasn't just keep/donate, done and organize. There was a "maybe" pile which included stamps like you're talking about - sentiment multiples, leaves (so many!), etc.
That first high level keep/donate culling was very fast and rough, but removed what-was-I-thinking stamps, stamps from kits I subscribed to when building a stash, and stamps from a big box of stuff I received during a RAK some members on Studio Calico were having when I began paper crafting, plus stamps I knew I didn't like as much as others. For example, I knew I had much-used/loved wonky leaf stamps, so some other leaves were tossed.
That super fast first pass left me with less to sort and consider. Then I did more of what you do, and had more to donate. That's when similar stamps were sorted and considered more carefully.
I also did something "scary" that SCS members enabled me to do. When I looked at sets that weren't me at all but had a stamp or two I liked, I cut those out and donated the rest of the sets. Buyers at the thrift store could easily see something was removed and buy or pass. My stamps have to fit in the containers I currently have. If not, something has to leave, so doing that helped. I did mark the set they were from, just because I'm obsessive that way.
Beth, I definitely commend you for finding what works for you! I'm still not at a point where I'm ready to do a massive purge - biggest obstacle being that I'm not sure what I want to do with the supplies I don't want to keep. In an ideal world, I'd pass them on to someone who needs them and who will give them some love. But I haven't yet figured out the best way to connect with someone like that, and I'm also a bit apprehensive because I took the initiative and reached out to someone in the past and they were offended by my gesture (she said it implied that she was either too poor to afford quality supplies or the equivalent of a trash-can for "crap" I no longer wanted). I guess perhaps she was burned in the past by someone.
It does make me wonder if maybe it means I'm not ready to let go of those supplies. After all, if I was, then I wouldn't care what happens to them, right? But, silly me wants them to find a good home... :???:
Beth, I definitely commend you for finding what works for you! I'm still not at a point where I'm ready to do a massive purge - biggest obstacle being that I'm not sure what I want to do with the supplies I don't want to keep. In an ideal world, I'd pass them on to someone who needs them and who will give them some love. But I haven't yet figured out the best way to connect with someone like that, and I'm also a bit apprehensive because I took the initiative and reached out to someone in the past and they were offended by my gesture (she said it implied that she was either too poor to afford quality supplies or the equivalent of a trash-can for "crap" I no longer wanted). I guess perhaps she was burned in the past by someone.
It does make me wonder if maybe it means I'm not ready to let go of those supplies. After all, if I was, then I wouldn't care what happens to them, right? But, silly me wants them to find a good home... :???:
I can so relate to what you said about wanting to pass things along to a person who would love and appreciate them.
This can be a little bit of a trap, I've found, not just with crafting supplies. I retired and had a whole closet full of lovely suits, high heels, and dressy blouses that I knew I would probably never wear again. I kept thinking about getting rid of all those clothes, but like you, wanted them to go where they would be appreciated. I never came up with a real solution, so they stayed in my closet for a couple of years.
I finally decided that I didn't get to decide who would get what. I got to make the decision when I bought the stuff, and that was really the end of my involvement. I packed up everything and took it to Goodwill, and felt pretty good about it. I know someone will be thrilled with the bargains they found there!
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I don't think purging is for everyone - just if they truly want to. One size does not fit all, right? One person's clutter is another person's happy space. I think we know what's best for us, though it takes some of us (me! me!) time to get there. You may have just the right amount for now.
I was ready to let go of a lot because my brain felt cluttered , I felt cramped and I didn't feel happy when I walked into my craft room. Yet I did care very much about what happened to the items. I wanted to make sure they weren't thrown out - which is why I checked with the thrift shop first, and wanted the profits to go to something I believed in. I also gave some to a crafter I unexpectedly met at an LSS closing sale.
I can't imagine being offended if someone like you with such a generous heart offered me supplies, and feel badly it happened to you. No good turn goes unpunished? And if one of these days you decide you want to donate items, maybe an organization would be a good fit. You'll figure it out if there's anything to figure out. It sounds like you're in a good place and may have been far more deliberate in what you collected than I was at the beginning.
What a wonderful way of sharing! My suggestion would be to start with stamps that would be easy for the elderly residents to create nice images with, like outline stamps. I think bold images can be a little trickier for new stampers to get full ink coverage. Maybe some images that look great just stamped, no coloring required. Two step stamps that don't have to align perfectly would be fun, too! Finally, maybe choose images that have wide appeal, like flowers, leaves, animals... Whatever you do will be great, and a tremendous act of kindness!
I like the idea about choosing stamps that would be easy for new stampers. I will try that.
My crafty goal for 2018 was to completely use up a group of DSP.
Finally getting around to posting my cards from using up the rest of the Nouveau Chic DSP. This is the second group of paper I've completely used up. I'm in the middle of using Trim the Tree DSP Pack up. It's a bit harder that I thought to use every bit of paper up!
Here are pictures of the DSP I started with and the 16 final cards made.
Enjoying this thread at lot. Thanks to everyone who is continuing to post.
I am in a temporary stall, still trying get up the energy to start pulling my room apart. Not giving up, but was on the "crazy life" fast track and know I needed a breather now that life is settling down.
Congrats to all who have successfully continued to move forward with their goals.
I just finished the one goal I set for myself this year. I purged my wooden stamp collection so I could donate it. A great big thank you to everyone who gave me their purging ideas. It helped me to figure out what worked.
I already had each of my stamps in categories like CreativeCardsea suggested. Yes,(blush) I break my sets apart so I can find my images and sentiments easier. If I don't do it this way I can never find anything.
I made two piles, keep and donate and then I was went through each plastic bin I had with the idea of purging easy to stamp images and sentiments. I did throw in a few more detailed stamps in case someone there is a veteran stamper, but kept the majority of the stamps simple images and sentiments. I got rid of four 11"x14" plastic bins filled with stamps. I'm so excited to give the stamps to the nursing home. I spoke with the activity director and asked if they needed ink. They did, but it needed to be kid friendly (the kind that washes off easily). I found a set of 15 colors on Amazon and I'm including it with the stamps.
Once I started, I couldn't stop. It felt good to weed out stamps I never use or never plan to use. I also had the added joy of rediscovering stamps I want to use, but haven't yet. So, it was a win-win situation.
Thanks again for all the feedback and discussion about purging. I really appreciate it.
My goals went by the wayside, lol. It is ok. I am still journaling and coloring. My DH decided he wants to sell or completely remodel our home from ground up. He does this professionally. I knew he was eyeing our home the first day we moved in. I am excited and nervous about it. We have done a lot of work on our home and really raised it's value but he is hard core. That is my new goal. Right now, again, I am downsizing, lol. I am happy about it. Least it is a lot easier. The last few months I really know where I am in my art. That's really where I wanted to be in my goals.
Hello everyone! As we've hopped right into April, it's a good time to reflect on how the resolutions went for the month of March.
March was a bit of a challenge for me, as I had a week-long family vacation in the middle of the month. I did bring some supplies with me - and it was a good thing, as I ended up needing a last-minute birthday card. But I didn't do my usual crafting, so my card count is a few cards too low.
I also didn't get a chance to take any pictures or do any blogging, so there's about a week's worth of missed posts on my blog. Still, I did manage to share quite a bit for March and into April, so I'm pretty proud of that. I think I'll have to make a push to have some cards done in advance in the months to come, just in case I get too busy to take pictures or post a blog entry. I can imagine getting overwhelmed during the holiday season, so being prepared will help a ton.
April is looking quieter for me, but I'm a little apprehensive about May and onwards. I'm in the process of changing jobs/careers, so I know I'll need extra time to get adjusted to a new schedule and a new environment. Still, life never really stops for any of us and I'll just have to keep swimming as I adjust (good life lesson to learn in general).
How have you all done in March? Any exciting new things to share?
I have a new goal to add to my list.... well really, I have to adjust my list all together and shift my focus. The reason for my new goal is not one that makes me happy, but that I need to work with and make adjustments so I can still craft and love it. I've recently been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease of my spine as well as peripheral neuropathy... which unfortunately really impacts my fingertips. Sometimes the slightest use of my fingertips - like unlatching the dishwasher door, can bring me to tears from the pain. I'm a HUGE fan of ribbon, I love bows. I put them on almost all of the cards I make. And about a month ago, I was at my craft desk, and I couldn't tie a bow because of the pain and I just started crying. It's not just the bows either. The acrylic blocks triggered the sensation of pain too. I felt like this amazing hobby I love and my craft room and my enormous investment in this - was suddenly being taken away from me. I know I've talked about my own moments where I go in and out of creative phases. But to have my own hands make that decision for me instead of my creativity? That's a rough one.
So my goals have all been revised and these new physical symptoms have also given me some perspective. And problems, lol. Thankfully the neuropathy is intermittent, so I do have good hand days too. When they are here, I craft my little heart out and enjoy every second I can. And when they flare up, I have to remind myself that this will pass. It may be a day, may be a week, or a month... but it's intermittent and I'll be able to make cards again. So my goal is still to sit in my craft room and soak up the energy and the beauty is there - but it's also now to be incredibly grateful for days I can use my hands. And in some ways, the way this has forced me to adjust my goals and how I look at things... it pushes me to create even if I don't have that creative burst motivating me. It's like I have a limited window now where I can make cards - or paint lyrics onto canvas - and I don't know how long the episodes will last - so it's kind of helping me be less of a perfectionist. You have to maximize the time you can use your hands and focus on the positive vs. focus on the lack of perfection.
This all came on acutely and suddenly (and recently) so I had little preparation for my body to decide when I can craft or not. So my goals are to keep my spirits up, take advantage of "good hand days" to craft and to still do something creative when I can't use my hands, like maybe watch some youtube crafting videos and read some stamping blogs.
I would have never guessed a few months ago that in my 30's, I'd be dealing with this. But I am - and I will in time get used to it - and I am be grateful for the good days and I will do my best to feed my creative side on the not so good days with visual creative outlets.
At least now with this new perspective, the glitter on the floor doesn't bother me anymore because on some days, I can't even sweep it up if I wanted to! That energy has to be spent elsewhere. And I can't be an organizational addict like I always have been, so some days - those new packages of stamps - they are just going to sit out until further notice and I'll take deep breaths and life will go on. Those labels that I need to peel off and replace with a new font I love - that is just going to have to wait or I'll be in tears trying to get them off.
It sounds like such an unusual goal to recommend - but to everyone who has full use of their hands, relish it. It never ever occurred to me this could or would happen and now I have such gratitude for days when my hands work when before, I know it wouldn't even occur to me to be thankful that my hands could help create what I imagine and envision in my mind and bring it to life.
Last edited by Catherine773; 04-04-2018 at 07:43 PM..
