Now THIS is scary....

I think I'm experiencing card-maker's block.  For some time now, I've felt as though every card I make has required terrific effort for not much result, and that the time each card takes is well, ridiculous.  Yesterday, I had  announced a set-aside. As near a whole day at my  desk as possible - to finish a handful of cards for the Card Marathon event, to make a fourth card sample for this week's workshop and to get back to my Christmas present crafting.  Miss Dunnit was away at the nerdy Anime convention and Mr Dunnit had a new toy to install at his workshop.  Fait accompli, mes amis, non?  Big fat NON. 


It took me all morning to wrench out one finished, half decent card; the waste in cut up paper and discarded everything was frightening.  So, learning from my own experience, I changed tack and did something else.  Stayed creative - made up a loaf of bread to prove and asked Mr Dunnit to come home and distract me.  OOOH!  We watched some of the Grand Prix.  I know distraction when I need it.  Poor Mark...if it was up to me, you'd be first.  Always. I got the germ of an idea, so went back to my desk.  Cranked out one more card all afternoon.  I love rubber stamps and I love playing with the papers.  There's no part of any of it that I don't like.  Perhaps I need to stop doing all of this 'for' something - a workshop, an event, a challenge...and just do it to please myself now and then.  I thought it was the same thing, but perhaps it isn't.  That's a scary revelation, believe me.  

So into distraction mode I get as the evening darkens and Strictly Come Dancing shows up on the TV again. Then I hit on an idea and have to do it.  I can't decide between Gold or Diamond Glamour dust, so I do one card with each product.  Relatively satisfied, I leave the cards strewn with glitter whilst the glue dries.  And later, after Miss Dunnit has returned and my nest is full and the clock tells me to go to bed...I knock the excess glitter off the first card and into the tidy try for funnelling back into the appropriate jar.  It's a thing I've done a million times. Which probably explains why I then did exactly the same with the second card.  And now I have diamond Glamour Dust and gold Glamour dust in a mixed heap.  Not whole bottles of it, which I guess is some consolation.  I think it's time for a rest.  Familiarity breeds contempt, blah blah blah; and I'm scared that if it goes on like this, I won't want to make cards any more.  And then what?  I'd probably have to tidy up in here and get a real job.
Told you it was a scary story.

How do YOU do it

Another of my calendar pages....2012 is going to be colourful!

Maggie asked only this week, how I do it.  Keep up with the blog, internet browsing, the bl***y sewing and all the normal stuff of life.  Well, the answer is truly - I don't.  My home is by no means a stinking steaming pit of unwashed and neglected anything, but since the internet arrived Chez Dunnit, it's fair to say that my housework is superficial and the deep cleaning like windows and the back of cupboards....well, happens a lot less than it ever did when I did normal work in a real office and didn't blog! 

Most of you do more than me. And those of you that work as well as do all this - you definitely do more than me! I'm definitely a one-job-at-a-time-gal in terms of coping and also in terms of satisfaction on the finished job.  If I have sewing or a book to read - I tend to do that.  To the exception of doing anything else.  Certainly this means that I don't read a lot until we're on holiday, and I tend to not so any sewing unless it's costumes these days - because not being a natural multi tasker is frustrating!   I still cook and hoover and shop and blah, but those are a given aren't they.  So much so that despite doing these things, we don't 'count' them towards our daily achievements.  I'm a fan of routine - it helps me to achieve more than the daily chores...for example, I chore and do Pennant Joinery work every day, and I would like to spend a couple of hours crafting in one way or another every day.  Luxury.  Doesn't work like that but it sounds a good routine to be in.  It doesn't work like that because we're all struck by moods.  And usually, the mood to do something is compelling.  I mean, here I am this morning because I'm just not in the mood for my normal Saturday chores.  (Ironing and baking, if you want to know, I like to be Suzie Homemaker at the weekends.) I'm no celebrity crafter  - I don't have house or child help (I'm the first to say have help if you can and want it) and I don't have deadlines that involve publishing or pay days, so my motivation is different. My motivation for housework begins and ends with guilt.  Poor Mr Dunnit slaves away and the least I can do is have a decent home and meal at the ready to encourage him back after a day at the grindstone.  My motivation for crafting - pleasure.  Of course.  And it would seem that my motivation for blogging is to mislead people about my apparently busy life!

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 125

Not what, but who.  Well, not actually on my desk either - she was unimpressed enough at being photographed, but got less co-operative when I suggested she hopped onto the desk so I could remain faithful to the title of my post.  So here is Miss Dunnit in bad light (taken last night...she won't get up early for you, but you know that!).  Bad light - unavoidable, but hmmmm...a very untidy craft space.  Considering I've been busy making a mess with threads and fabrics elsewhere.

So there's another costume nearly done.  Now I need to get on with paper stuff. Need and want.  The ideas aren't fast flowing but my goodness, dates are approaching! 
Show us all what you're up to on your surface of choice then - upload a pic to your blog, and link your blog post here.  Easy and free - would be better all round if your post actually was a WOYWW and not too obviously a mahoosive advertising campaign.  Ta.

Thank you! I think.

So this is from my good friend- y'all know her as Lunch Lady Jan.


I unwrapped it and laughed. And then read it again. And frowned. Which of course made LLJ laugh more. Then Mr D laughed at it, nodding, as if there was something appropriate therein. And I totally see it now, it's such a sweet compliment. Really, interrupt me anytime. I'm totally OK about it.
You will not hear me chuntering, nor, I hope, would I make you feel unwelcome.
But you might find a blue tack version of LLJ. And it might have pins stuck in the butt.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm really doing it!

You know how I often talk about pushing a deadline? I admit it, I do.  But I don't do it to the point of absurdity; I can't live on the edge of my seat, it's too much for me! Here's a peek at one of the cards I've made for the Card Marathon next month.  It makes me feel important, posting a peek.  All DT-ish and secretive! I wouldn't usually - I just wait till after the event..after all, there's not a lot of point in a portion.  Well there is, in loads of other parts of our lives, I realise.  Like food.  A portion of food indicates that you have a control over yourself and that you recognise your needs and are a grown up about certain foods.  Note the use of the subject there: you.  Not I. Digression, sorry.  

Anyway, in my case,  a sneak peek/portion of a card serves only to remind me that I still have erm, a few cards to come up with -  and also may reassure Scrap Lady ally that my half of the job is more a work in progress than just being talked about.  Sure it is.  I'm typing, not talking. 

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 124

So yesterday morning, I was putting off getting back to the sewing.  It's a right old conundrum - I want to get it done and out of the way, I can't face the difficult bits, I need to wait till the sun has moved around the house a bit to warm the conservatory enough for me to actually consider sitting in there and oh yeah, I have to do it in daylight, my eyesight just won't take the small daylight lamp's heroic efforts at spotlighting the dining table.  SO what to do instead?  Tidy up a bit.  I was going to sort through the scrap boxes and then hit on an idea to clear the corner of the worktop and put the boxes there.  This will buy loads of room for the desk.  And some more stash for sale too.  (There's a link, top right).

It took a ridiculous amount of time and I didn't get to the sewing until after lunch.  But this morning, look - even though the scrap boxes are still hideous, they are off the desk and it looks slightly less cluttered and for once, you get a pic of the whole desk!  The cocktail sticks at front are waiting to go back in the cake decorating tin - I needed three for next year's calendars.  Everything else sort of belongs there.  What's missing is something currently being worked on.  I plan to correct that this morning...I have some pressing Card Marathon creations to get on with, so that's my plan before the sewing needs to be attacked!  My word, I'm in danger of multi tasking!

So what are you up to on your work surface of choice then?  Upload a pic to your blog and link it here, we'd love to swing by for a looksee.  That will include me this week, promise!

Wobbly Crash

It didn't start well.  Monday, that is.  As you can see, my favourite mug crashed out of my life and forced me to clean the kitchen floor.  In my nightie.  It was chilly this morning . And then I had to face another challenge-with-a-deadline. I say it like that because apart from the work on my Christmas preparation manifesto, everything appears to have an earlier deadline.  Who knew so much was going on between now and Christmas!  Miss Dunnit is off to another Manga Cosplay convention at Docklands in a couple of weeks.  And finally we've found fabric for the outfit.  It's hard to find bright yellow cotton in the autumn...we went to three shops in two cities.  As it needs over 5 metres, I'm delighted to say it was on sale.  Here are the adapted sleeves.

No, not a jester - its the sleeves of a kimono.  See, Manga is all about Japanese animation and characters from loads of stories.  Miss Dunnit and her group of five have settled on original Pokemon for this year's theme.  Yep.  And to 'humanise' the Pokemon and come up with costumes they can actually make (and wear), we've messed about with a kimono pattern.  Help me please...I can sew most things, but I need a pattern - these adaptations are a killer for my very little brain - I get stuck in and then my confidence wobbles and I think I'm doing it wrong and - oh, you get the picture!  Tomorrow- the actual kimono - it looks much more straightforward than adapting the sleeves. I had the idea of doing the hem in this pointy fashion as well.  But since I started on this at eleven this morning, and I've only managed to complete the sleeves, I'm keeping  quiet about that idea.  You'd probably want to know why I'm sewing the pointy bits and thinking about a pointy hem, in terms of a 'humanised Pokemon' character.  Well, I would tell you.  But I can't remember the name of the character.  I can't even remember if these pointy bits are actually part of the character's look, or representative.  Aren't I an interested Mummy?!

Ah well, in keeping with the way I choose papers, at least I'm attracted to the colour - acres of this yellow spread all over the table is a very cheerful sight.  Makes up for the wobbly crash type start to my day.