Indecisions and Time Mismanagement

Okay, first you should know that this is the third or fourth attempt to start this post. 

Second, that admission pretty much sums up the whole intended but unwritten post, as hinted at by the title (which took a mere two attempts).

I have recently admitted to myself – and not for the first time – that I am horrible at managing my time, some of the time.  Not all of the time.  But enough of the time.

I look forward to a day off, or an evening after work, to do something I want to do.  Something creative. 

Problem is, once I have that time, it’s hard for me to settle down or relax and just do that creative thing. 

Even harder is deciding which thing to do.

Because there are too many things I could do.  Too many things I want to do.  Too many things I think I want to learn how to do.  Too many things I think I should do.

How to decide?

I brainstormed a list recently of all the current things that I want to do or should do or whatever – anything that has “do” attached.

It’s a long list.

And it could have been longer if I’d been more specific.  For example, it’s December, it’s cookie-baking time, and so I scribbled “bake cookies” with some arrows pointed at the words because that’s something that needs doing soon.  But I could have, if I wanted to drive myself more crazy, written out each and every KIND of cookie that I need/want to make. 

But I didn’t.

I’m trying to stave off the crazy.

Anyway…it’s a long list.

And though I know I should bake some cookies, I really feel like crocheting something.

But I can’t decide what to crochet.

You see, I have crocheted Julia a couple of elephants, and even though he’s older, I still feel like I should crochet Alex something, like a dinosaur.  So I’ve found a couple of patterns for crocheted dinosaurs, but I’m not sure which one I want to do.

But I also had intended to crochet slippers for both kids.  I traced around their feet and everything!  So maybe I should get going on those first, because it’s winter, or nearly winter.

And then, with Christmas coming, I feel like I should probably crochet gifts for everyone I know.  But I can’t do scarves, because my sister has pretty much crocheted scarves – and hats – for everyone anyway.  So maybe I should crochet…um…something else.  Only I don’t know what.  So maybe I shouldn’t crochet gifts at all. 

I’ll just bake more cookies!

Only I don’t feel like baking…

There’s also rugs.  I’ve crocheted a few tee shirt rugs, and I have been, bit by bit, making more tee shirt yarn and rolling it into balls for future projects.  I’ve got just about all the colored tee shirt yarn balls done, I’m just down to blacks and whites and a few grays.

I also want to make denim yarn from old jeans.  I could crochet rugs out of that, too.

Speaking of making rugs, I saw another way of making rugs that would be cool to do.  I just need the loom for it, but it’s twining, which is kind of weaving and twisting strips of fabric…it looks like something pretty doable.  I asked Bill if he could make the loom for me.  He said sure.  I could probably make it, actually, but I think I have enough hobbies without adding woodworking to the mix.

Speaking of woodworking, sort of, we’ve got this chair that years and years ago my mother reupholstered.  It’s got wooden arms and legs, and the seat and back are fabric (well, with wooden framing and springs inside and soft stuff so you don’t feel the springs when you’re sitting…).  Anyway, the fabric she’d put on was starting to go years ago when I took it with me when I moved out, so I attempted to cover it – with cotton fabric left over from a sewing project – which was rather naïve of me and the succession of cats in my life over the years pretty much destroyed all my attempted hard work.  Anyway, we’re going to redo the chair.  It needs it.  Structurally it’s in great shape, it just needs a makeover.

So I’ve been poking around online everywhere, watching tutorials and reading tips on DIY reupholstery.  I’m feeling pretty good about it, actually.  Kind of excited.  I just need to pick out the fabric from my piles and piles of scraps.

Speaking of all that, we’ve also got this loveseat in the living room that needs attention.  It’s a sort of fold-out affair that we got at Pier 1 a long time ago.  It was very pretty with a large flower pattern that has since become grimy and torn, what with these two children that came along a while back.  A bunch of years ago I got one of those “surefit” slipcovers for it, and frankly, I hate it with a passion.  It sure DOESN’T fit, not really, because the whole apparent point of this line of slipcovers is that they kind of fit, but they’re rather loose, and the website said something like that you just tuck in the looseness of it like you do with your normal slipcovers.  Only, I’ve never tucked in a normal slipcover.  They fit WELL.  I’m tired of the tucking in.  Plus, when the kids sit (sprawl, lie on, roll around on, mangle) on the slipcover, it becomes untucked, and yanked off, and so then half the slipcover is on the floor, and no one else in the house seems bothered by this ugliness except me.  I’m tired of re-tucking.

Oh, and last year at some point, sparks from the fireplace must have landed on part of the sloppy slipcover (probably while half of it was on the floor after one of the kids slithered around on it) so there are burned holes in it.  Very pretty.  I can’t tuck those in or slide them behind the loveseat.

So – I want to make a slipcover for the loveseat.  One that, you know, FITS.  I spent some time recently looking around online looking at tutorials and reading blog posts about making your own slipcovers.  I’m kind of excited to do it.

And then there are the zippered purses.  I made a few of them a couple years ago and I’ve been saving zippers from every worn out pair of pants that I’ve sliced up to salvage the fabric so that I can make more.  I have ton of zippers.  I haven’t made any more zippered purses.  I’ve got several great design ideas, I just, you know, haven’t gotten around to making them yet.  So maybe I should make some.  You know, because of all those zippers….

Then there’s the paper and beads and wire…the pressed paper made of stuff I’ve shredded.  Ornaments and gift tags made from the pressed paper.  And wrapped or decorated with wire and beads.  Or ribbon. 

Oh, and the rosaries.  I make rosaries, in case you didn’t know.  I sell them.  I should make some more to add to that inventory.  But, you know, there are all these other things I want to make, too.

OH!  And then there are the quilts!  I have several quilts that need to be repaired.  I started working on one of them a number of years ago.  And then – ooh look!  A butterfly!

I have some sort of creativity ADD or something. 

But hey, at least I wrote this post!

Comments

[Kat]

I'm laughing SO hard! This is exactly what I do to myself all the time. The worst part is that on the outside it looks like you're relaxing, when you're actually about to hit the ceiling.
Him: "It's nice to see you sitting still and taking a break, honey."
Me: "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhaaaaaargh!!!!!!"

[Liz Retzer]

Can you make a zippered purse out of tshirt yarn with a beaded wire embellishment and throw some cookies in? That would cover A LOT!

[Nabeela]

The slip cover situation would drive me nuts :) I don't like it when even the slightest thing is out of place in my house.
I've had days like that when I had a few hours to myself but by the time I decided on what to do with my free time, I had wasted it away overthinking and doing a lot of nonessential chores around the house(and munching on random food to boot!). I hope the next time you get some free time, you actually get to relax :)

[laura]

That is totally how my brain works! I'm afraid to try to make a list because who knows what I'd get distracted with while doing that. :-)
blessings
~*~