Project Proliferation Paralysis

[MaryKate]

I strongly suspect I'm not the only one who experiences this:

I currently have...lessee: two houses (a barn for my nephew and a witches' home from a Farmette kit) in what I'd call "heavy duty" progress (I'm actively working on building them); one house that's partially built (Duracraft Heritage) that I'm making plans to change a bit when I get back to building it, going from a traditional house to a bookstore with a coffee bar; the building's not in progress but I've worked a bit on some books and furniture over the past few weeks; and three kits (the large size RGT Ponderosa; a LaserTech beach house, and a Walmer Olde Fire Station that's going to be a Chicago bar and loft) waiting patiently for me to get to them. So then I bought the Front-Opening Shoppe on Craigslist and tonight I came up with an idea of what I want to do with that*.

And instead of jumping up and adding that next coat of paint to the barn pieces, cutting out more egg carton stones for the witches' house, or finishing up the latest set of books--or, you know, *anything* remotely helpful in my quest to get something, *anything*, finished, I am bouncing around online looking for more ideas of things to make. My projects are proliferating, and I'm sitting here paralyzed by it.

It's all part of the process, I know. Brainstorming needs time and idle hands. I just thought I'd vent to people who'd understand and maybe shame myself into cutting out some more freaking stones...

(*Okay, here's the idea: I'm a writer, and I love children's books and calligraphy. There's a 1999 picture book called Marguerite Makes a Book that I adore. It's about a girl in medieval France who helps her father illuminate a manuscript. The illustrations show their fairly simple house inside and out, including the fireplace, sleeping loft, chests, shelves, desks, loom, etc; and the storyline features Marguerite making inks with plants and gems and honey and soot. The shop is just about the right size and it has the right roofline; the illustrations even indicate some kind of shingling or tile on the roof with a scalloped edge, like the shingles that are already on the house. I could make the most adorable accessories, including some sample pages, and the coolest furniture and maybe even put a little girl in Maguerite's simple kirtle, overdress, and apron in the scene..and there's a cat, too, of course there's a cat. And I could echo the flowers in the borders in little pots and planters around the house--with an emphasis on daisies, of course, given the main character's name. And my brain is spinning on and on and on...but my hands need to get busy SOON.)

[nuttiwebgal]

are you on a time schedule...when I get overwhelmed with just how MINI projects I have going I have to 

clean the niche and decide what could be done quickest or what NEEDS to be done first...other than that I dont adhere to a schedule for things I am doing...it will evolve in its own time...if it must...of course that attitude finds us in the predicament of having to much to have done asap...lol

 

[shannonc60]

Oh that's such an amazing idea for the shoppe!! Umm, but yeah, I have the same problem. I hate that I leave things unfinished for years upon years, and see others finish their houses. But then I can't "finish" something because there is always going to be an accessory I find to go in, or I just can't find that perfect piece of furniture, and I can't make do with an inferior item. So I am slowly coming to terms with unfinished stuff. And I am also constantly stuck with project ideas without the necessary motivation to actually make them. I do get there eventually, I do eventually make the item (or sometimes buy it!!!) so take heart. You are not alone and you will eventually make the items. Who cares? It is YOUR hobby. Half the fun is the planning and the dreaming.

If you want actual motivation, I read a book once that was about happiness and making yourself happier. It talked about hobbies and the motivation it takes to undertake hobbies (or anything really). It said that you need to reduce the time it takes to get started on something, so set up a desk or table with stuff handy so all you really have to do is sit down and start. I do this all the time now. If I have to make snacks or whatever, I will set out some of the ingredients whilst doing something else (eg making a cup of tea) then later I'll get the bowls out, then later alI I have to do is mix the stuff and it's done. Baby steps and preparedness. 

I must stop typing (it's Friday evening in Australia, and I've had a sizable apple vodka).....

[havanaholly]

I have uncountable UFOs in 1:1 scale that I pick at until they are done.  I do a lot of needlework projects whilst in front of the TV.  For some reason I have always only ever worked on one mini build at a time, and I think I prefer it to be that way.  Actually one of my current needlework projects is to cover  scrap of linen I found in a thrift store with 1:12 rugs, which is how Brimble's and I arrived at the type of shop it wants to be.

[MaryKate]

Oh,  Nutti and Shannon, those are great points...I feel like you both are inspiring me to clean up my work space(s...things are kind of all over right now, and that's reflective of my brain atm). Maybe I'll try focusing on that before I head to work this morning, and when I come back I'll feel like I can make some linear progress on something, even if it's a small step.

Thanks to all of you for chiming in! (Holly, I do lots of x-stitch when the tv's going, especially now that it's football season. Good luck with your rugs!)

And Shannon, if you don't mind sharing, you could pass the apple vodka this way...

[thresadep]

I can totally see how we all get in I've our heads with dollhouses. It'ss like we can't get enough!!

 I myself keep looking at new projects yet have  one I am  working on and another waiting.  We can easily get overwhelmed. Our brains are just bursting with creativity. ;)

 

[Mimajo]

I really don't see any way around the problem, at least for me.  I am finishing decorating the interior of my Beacon Hill.  Then I was reminiscing and have started a replica of my grandfathers brooklyn tailor shop.  And the other day my mother brought me a dollhouse she found that needs serious rehabbing.

I think when I get the shell of the tailor shop put together, I can concentrate on finishing the BH.  Yeah, sure.

[Dalesq]

I have several projects in the works at any given time, and I've started some, only to take the house our of dry fit and box it up because I decide to work on something else for awhile.

This used to bug me and I berated myself that I wasn't "finishing" something. Then I realized that in my professional life I work on numerous matters all the time, I'm constantly shifting gears and reprioritizing. Heck, that's life in general. 

So, I putter along on my builds. Some are more finished than others, some get sidelined while I decide to make changes, some are ongoing and may never be "finished" exactly, some get sold to make way for the next house. But they all bring me pleasure and I love the process. Once I gave myself permission to just enjoy the process, I realized all the "unfinished" projects will get done....at some point  

I did spend a lot of time these last few months cleaning and organizing my craft supplies and work area. As others pointed out, making it easy to pick up the supplies and just sit down and get to work has made a huge difference for me and added to my enjoyment of the process. I've organized supplies in categories. So if I want to work on landscaping, I can get the box of landscaping supplies and put it away when I'm done. If I want to work on making flowers, those supplies are all together. I started "work boxes" for each unfinished build to hold the extra pieces and work-in-progress parts for each of those builds so I don't risk losing something nor do I have to hunt for them when I want to work on a partially finished house. This works for now. I just need to be flexible and willing to make changes in the future when the system needed revamping.

[Mimajo]

For some unknown reason no matter how much I organize my workspace....section for power tools and sanding, section for painting and gluing and an entire table for the house itself, my workroom always looks like a tornado hit it after a few days of work.  And I used to be the most organized person you ever saw!  My three kids were color coded for goodness sake!

So I have to take a day and clean up and "reorganize". 

[Dalesq]

51 minutes ago, Mimajo said:

... My three kids were color coded for goodness sake!

.....

Love it!

[MaryKate]

Oh, I want to see the color coordinated kids! ;) 

I am going to get my...stuff...together this weekend. Cleared all the sewing paraphernalia off the dining room table, got a dollar store table cloth so I can paint and dry the pieces of the barn there (it's supposed to rain; I usually paint out on the back deck). Last week I'd gone through my stash and started sorting stuff according to which house it was for; I'll finish that project and rebox it all, so I only have out stuff for what I can reasonably work on (the stones to cut while I watch tv). 

Like I said, I know this is part of the creative process. (I do this with writing all the time, too, and that only needs a couple tools which are the same no matter which story I'm working on!)  I'm so glad we can convene and compare notes!

[Mimajo]

They were coordinated according to the rugs in their rooms, blue green and pink.  Blue, pink and green towels, hampers, hangers, colored markers on the calendar.  It helped alot since we were so busy, especially with laundry.

Both girls cheered since grade school.  I was the cheerleading commissioner , my son played all kinds of sports.  It was the only way I could think  of to not go crazy.

Funny how you lose those skills, lol!

[nuttiwebgal]

I too have a box for each build...when I start working on something everywhere I go I find something for that build or when looking through tubs looking for other things...that way when I get back to working on that particular project all the things I need are in the box...and each box is stored in the house itself...

my boys were also color coded even though they were almost 2 yrs apart the wore the same size which bothered big brother so my boys wore green and blue and room coordinated the same...

[MaryKate]

In the "Be Careful What You Wish For" department, I'm at my parents' house watching a football game, and when my dad and I were talking about the missing pieces in the shoppe and removing the wood glue, my mom said, "I have some kits I won't ever use in that closet. Maybe there are parts you can substitute?" 

And while there weren't those parts, there was a complete Orchid kit. Which is not something I need or ever even wanted, but hey, it's free, and looking through some of the albums here I was struck by how many options there are for it...

So yeah, it's coming home with me. Someone save me from myself!*

(*not a serious request. I'm loving this.)

[havanaholly]

Remember that there are TWO team building blogs for the Orchid, plus all those White Orchids (the plastic version of the kit), just to show you how versatile the kit is.

[MaryKate]

Thanks, Holly. I've already downloaded the enhanced instructions and am reading the blogs and drooling over some of the gallery pics. Heading to the basement to look for oil based stain so I can condition the wood (the kit is nearly 20 years old). If I don't sleep for the next week, I can get so much done!!! 

[KathieB]

1 hour ago, MaryKate said:

Thanks, Holly. I've already downloaded the enhanced instructions and am reading the blogs and drooling over some of the gallery pics. Heading to the basement to look for oil based stain so I can condition the wood (the kit is nearly 20 years old). If I don't sleep for the next week, I can get so much done!!! 

I've always felt that as nice as it can be, sleep is an over-rated commodity.

[stickyfingers]

I really enjoyed building my Orchid, and it's a nice size for a "whatever" house...doesn't take up too much space, but big enough to have some fun with. If you have scraps of flooring, papers, etc. it would be cheap, too.

I have nothing helpful to add to the original discussion, other than "me, too." The Orchid needs accessorizing, the barn is half done, and here I'm working away at the new house. Oh, and there's a Franklin in dry fit that's been sitting on the floor of the craft room for months. I have made myself promise that I won't buy anything else (furniture, accessories) for any other build until I seriously go through the stash, first. I tend to get inspired, buy a bunch of things, then not use them after all for a variety of reasons. The stash is getting huge, but actual finished work is lacking. Maybe I really just like to draw and shop?  

[MaryKate]

1 hour ago, stickyfingers said:

I really enjoyed building my Orchid, and it's a nice size for a "whatever" house...doesn't take up too much space, but big enough to have some fun with. If you have scraps of flooring, papers, etc. it would be cheap, too.

That's exactly what I'm thinking, Linda! I have some odds and ends from other builds that would be great with this small house, and it would be a good place for some random furniture in my stash. I have several sets I bought on clearance years ago that I might experiment with repainting, etc. I may just make it into my little dream escape cottage. ;) Your pictures are a great inspiration, btw!

[stickyfingers]

Thank you so much! I really had a lot of fun with it!

[Anna]

18 hours ago, KathieB said:

I've always felt that as nice as it can be, sleep is an over-rated commodity.

Indeed, but Alas as we live in the path of renovations I no-longer have the possibilities to sneak of into the craft room without the lights awakening a less awake Hubby....

hugs