day 3 : time
back when i started looking at the prompt for today and thinking about how i wanted to represent time, i had a whirlwind tornado of ideas.
i thought about making a real-time video to show my process of making a card - but honestly, ain't nobody got time for that. i thought about making a timesheet a la ali edwards style with timestamps for how long i spend working on something - but since all projects are slightly different, it wouldn't be a true representation. and then today i opened up instagram and saw the post from the genius herself, joanne hawker and thought to myself, yes! a pie graph!
that led me to remember this awesome paper i have from pink paisley & american crafts that i have yet to find a great use for. but in [real] fear of messing up this paper, i decided to cheat for today's prompt and alter it digitally. so i took a photo of the paper and opened up canva, one of my favorite apps/websites to create today's post:
and voila - here's the very accurate graph of how i spend most of my free time, and nearly all my creative time. i figure i'll explain a little...
questioning my talent - all. the. time. imposter syndrome is real, friends and it's a scary beast. i have to try and remember every single day that i can't compare my beginning or middle to someone else's middle or end.
looking at my supplies - as you'll see throughout this month, i have a lot of supplies. a lot is probably not an accurate description. i have an entire room, the craft castle, dedicated to this hobby/passion/business of mine. it's filled with stamps, paper, ink, tools, machines, envelopes, embellishments, paint, adhesive, scissors and more ampersands [i collect them] than you can count. [considering i used to work for two different scrapbook stores, i could probably open my own] and i often get distracted and overwhelmed while looking at all my options.
searching pinterest - i love a good rabbit hole, and what better hole exists than pinterest? it's the never-ending trail of amazingness that is the epitome of social media. like a viral video? save it on pinterest. need to find inspiration for a color scheme? look at pinterest. need a storage solution for an abundance of stamps? search pinterest. it's the social media goldmine.
actually creating - this is my favorite part of my chart. it's where my magic happens and i get to make something out of a bunch of nothings. it's the biggest space on the chart because it's also how i spend the majority of my time. even when i'm not making cards, i'm usually making some kind of craft. as previously mentioned, i love to scrapbook, crochet and make all the paper goodness.
finding my mojo - most creatives have a mojo of some type. mine's name is maurice. sometimes he's front and center and i can't satisfy him and sometimes he'll take a long winter's nap in the middle of the summer. there's so many different elements when it comes to having a business and it'd be a lie if i said that i was always wanting to be creating. in an ideal world, yes, but also sometimes the struggle is real - and finding the inspiration, motivation or mojo to actually sit down and make something is really hard.
admiring the finished piece - without sounding too arrogant or cocky, i've made some awesome things in my day. to be completely honest, i've also made a lot of crap. but sometimes i'll finish something - or even be in the middle of something - and i'll just get so excited with the way it's turning out. sometimes i still amaze myself and while i can't take all the credit [since 99.7% of the time i'm using someone else's product] it's still a great feeling that never gets old.
photographing - i've tried so many things to not only have cohesive photos that show off my items, but also interesting photos that are fun to look at. busy backgrounds are distracting since i want the focus to be on my cards. i had used a wooden slice that i loved for the majority of my photos, but this past summer i decided it was a little too dark - so i started using a variety of panels that are a little lighter + brighter and i've loved the way the finished photos have looked. i use my iphone for all my photography - some may say it's cheating, but it's convenient and takes amazing photos. plus, the addition of editing apps is a bonus. below - left [old version] - and right [new version]
overthinking - i don't think this slice of the pie chart is really as big as it should be, but i'm just gonna roll with it. over the years i've learned that i have a lot of anxiety and while it's sometimes hard for people to understand, i think it's even harder for me to explain. choices that should be relatively simple often weigh heavy on me and it's something i'm trying to learn to adjust to instead of just pushing through.
blogging - i've had a blog in one form of another since early 2009. a lot of the history is no longer publicly available since i've had to switch from one online host to another. [i'm well aware the only reader might be my dad - but on the off chance someone else is reading it, hey! thanks for stopping by!] while i used to try and have a rhyme or reason for posting, these days it's 99% about the art i'm making and sharing - or as in this case, supporting the amazing month long challenge of #marchmeetthemaker
making lists - oh man, this is a good one. i have a favorite rae dunn mini notebook that simply says "to do" with adorable tiny boxes just waiting to be checked off with completed items. i know there's a lot of people who swear by lists and others who think it's a never ending cycle of feeling unaccomplished, but for me, i personally love them. it helps keep me on task because i love having completed squares and i like to think it keeps my a-d-d in check as well. might all be hocum, but whatever.
organizing - [i'm sure you'll read more about this as the month goes on as well] but with so many supplies, it's hard to not try and stay organized. one thing that has really helped recently is the color my life app, which has allowed me to document what supplies i have and where i store/keep them in the craft castle. now, not only can i search for something by a keyword, but then find where i'm hiding it. it's a tedious task to import everything [again, so. many. supplies.] but so far it's been amazing at helping me. also, i love when things are clean and orderly and it makes me feel like i'm more productive. i try to put my supplies away when i'm done so i can start fresh the next time and not have to worry about cleaning up a previous mess.
getting a snack - the second largest piece of my time pie - undoubtably is getting a snack. my go-to's are diet coke because let's face it, it's like my version of holy water and either skittles, animal crackers and goldfish. skittles because they're a childhood favorite and they're colorful and inspiring in their own way. animal crackers because they're whimsical and delicious and not at all greasy or crumby [because you eat them in one bite, obviously.] and goldfish because they're the snack that smiles back and what's more fun than that? nothing. the answer is nothing.
distracted by a pupper - i have two adorable and often suuuper needy chihuahua rescue pups and i love them more than i ever could have imagined. they enjoy hanging out with me in the castle and as soon as i'm in the middle of making progress on any given activity, they have the very urgent need to want a snack, a cuddle or to pee. i can't be too angry because i too often want snuggles and snacks.
and that sums up the majority of my time - both free and creative. i suppose i could also include texting my bestie, picking out shows to binge on netflix and selecting podcasts to listen to - so maybe those are represented in the dividing black + white lines.
what's your favorite way to spend/waste time? what do you make? share a link with me below.