Monday, October 13, 2008

Kick My Butt Please and Get Me Out of This Funk!

I have been in a funk and I am not sure why that is or how to snap myself out of it. Perhaps I need a swift kick in the butt!


Some of it might be because of a generally super stressed out feeling I have had lately. (See my blog post about it here. )

Some of it I think is the work that it on the top of my pile to work on. I had a number of items to make where someone else had chosen the materials, and then I was told "no rush". So, since I had no sense of having a deadline, and the materials were not necessarily calling out to me, nothing spurred me to action. These were at the top of my list, so I got no joy when I worked on something else because these were sitting there making me feel guilty. Jobs #2 and #3 on the list were repairs of someone else's work, which were not calling out to me joyfully either.

I read this thread on etsy today, about being true to yourself, even if it means you might miss out on making a sale. The original poster was saying that she never made stuff in Fall colors because those colors do not inspire her. I can be inspired by almost any color. I have lately been accepting any work I can get just to keep some money coming in and with hopes of growing my business. At the moment, though I feel like I am not inspired by anything. I wonder, do I want my business to grow in directions that leave me feeling so deflated?

I know I can find joy in projects that are not of epoch proportions- I can make some earrings where the materials call out to me and I love the results, or even put together simple projects that make me smile for a minute, and hopefully these things will find a home where they can make someone else smile. So it is not necessary for my to make my business grow away from simple projects- more that I have to figure out what direction I need it to take.

OK, this blog was supposed to be about us being accountable, so here is my kick Maggie's butt plan:



  1. I will finish projects 1,2 and 3 on my pile- o- stuff to do, so they stop mocking me and making me feel like crap. This will happen TODAY and they will go to the post office where I can't hear them anymore. UPDATE: I finished all three projects today (10/13), but when I went to drop them at the post office, the big bin for the APC was jammed shut! So they can mock me from their boxes for one more night.

  2. I will clean my jewelry work area by Wednesday afternoon. I think less clutter will help my attitude immensely. I felt so much better sewing once I organized that are more.

  3. I will solve my ink colorfastness problem for my Magsbags line and get at least one prototype bag made by Friday.
  4. I will sneak in some work this week on something I have no intention of selling but I just want to make for the fun of it.

I will try to come back and add updates in the comments section...

10 comments:

Beth said...

I hear ya. I'm reading blogs instead of working on things that are due tomorrow. I guess I'll be working tonight.

ReneeBuchananArt said...

You're not alone! We all get in these funks.

I actually get inspired by reading other's blogs and looking around on Flickr. I think I'm going to go surf the web a minute and then start my next sculpture!

Good luck :)

Renee

Maggie said...

Thanks Beth and Renee! I actually did wander through some blogs and that made me feel a little better, I am almost done dreaded task #3, so I am hoping things will get brighter soon!

Laurie Roskam said...

great site! I was wondering if you would at the feature Followers that blogger offers. I can follow your blog through that. I love how it drops the blog posts right in your dashboard! So glad I found you. With gratitude, laurie B. of THE LOOKING GLASS

Kim Caro said...

yes plans always are a good way to get out of a rut...

Tara Beaulieu said...

I am the same way about colors- you know that. Everything is blue and green. It's a stretch for me to add some brownish-orange to a turquoise necklace! I never make in pinks and purples. I buy beads and then they sit there rotting. Totally uninspiring. It's it funny how we all have our "hang ups"?

( Y ) That's a kick at me, you kicked your own butt already. Go you!

Maggie said...

Laurie, thanks for the kind words about our blog. IN response to your suggestion, I have added the followers widget at the bottom of our page!

Unknown said...

I don't make things, but I have to hold myself accountable in other areas, so I totally relate! Like right now, I should be writing posts or working out, or cleaning the carpet... instead I'm reading blogs! Hope something inspires us both today!

Lama Works said...

I completely understand where you're coming from! I just about gutted my craft room today and had to reorganize. Now I'm happily back to making cards and scrapbooking again and my piles of yarn aren't laughing at me either :)

bwphoto said...

The creative process is by necessity up and down. I tend to think of it as similar to the journey of Persephone... into the darkness to bring beauty back. It is a journey and if you accept it wonderfully creative doors will open for you...I know from experience!

Good luck and believe in the process.