My creative space... the Hack Station.

Finding a space for my creativity is a creative act in itself. My family inhabits a two-bedroom flat, and I've now had a number of friends and bloggers ask me exactly where I sew. So today I thought I'd show you the Hack Station:

This is the corner of our living room. My sewing machine lives permanently on this Ikea Norden gate leg table, which was a second as it came with only one of its drop-leaves. It makes a fabulous sewing table, with deep drawers on either side, space for the sewing machine to sit out, and a big deep sturdy table leaf when extended.

I used to keep all my sewing notions and tools in various compartments all over the place but it was confusing and frustrating. Plus, I'm not great at packing away and I kept finding sharp objects in the hands/mouth of my toddler and baby! So I came up with a cunning plan which my very obliging Beloved executed last weekend:

Peg board!

Now my most frequently-used tools and books are accessible but out-of-the-way. This board is to be an evolving, mutating inspiration board as well as a storage tool...

In our small space I think it's imperative to make art from clutter, to combine the practical and whimsical, to celebrate the everyday items.

Looks serene, doesn't it?

But let's not gild the lily... here's one I prepared earlier:

Visit kootoyoo to see who is playing along with their creative spaces this week. Edited to add: or maybe not, Kirsty's taking a break? But here's my space anyway!

Just a minute... in June

I'm joining with Jenaveve's 'Just a minute' meme for the first time this month... here's my June in a nutshell.

Making... progress with the three projects on my new, much-reduced To-Do list. Hurrah, my craftstipation is passing (pun fully intended) thanks to lots of great advice.

Watching... Masterchef. I think Chris is gunning for victory.

Meeting... many fabulous creative types online and even IN THE FLESH at this amazing Bloggers' Morning Tea.

Reading...

This library book:

This soul food:

This primer:

This fabulous magazine:

Listening... to my two-year-old playing with his bear: 'NO! Don't do that Bear - sit on the naughty chair!' Gulp...

Drinking... too much wonderful coffee from Toby's Estate and planning a special geeky purchase for my Beloved's significant birthday in November:

(image from here)

What have you been up to in June?

Your top tips for curing craftstipation...

Image from mochimochiland




Golly gosh. There were lots of responses to my last post. Clearly we are all afflicted with craftstipation at one time or another. Thank you, I found the empathy and advice most helpful.


I thought I should collate the wisdom that was imparted in the comments and feed it back to you all. So, here's what you had to say!!

Warning: longish post. Have moved from craftstipation to bloggarrhoea it seems!



Top tips for curing craftstipation:

1. Write some lists!
It's all about the lists, baby. This seems obvious, but actually I needed the reminder that getting things out of the head and down on paper can stop those overwhelming feelings of fear and directionlessness as I approach the craft zone, or the concern that if I don't start something new NOW I'll forget it (thanks to Curlypops, and Nikki the resident schoolmarm!). Of course, writing one big long jumbled of every creative urge and project is not helpful, so I've also taken on board the suggestion to categorize. I've now separated out my various creative lists into these categories:

*'TO DO' LIST: for the things I have promised and/or should be done to a deadline.

*'ON HOLD' LIST: for things that have been started but are not essential to finish or can wait a while (thanks Dillpickle). Some of these may move up onto the 'TO DO' LIST, or they may end up being chucked (if I can be ruthless like Mim!).

*The 'PRACTICAL CRAFT' LIST: for the mending, home-decorating or home-improvement creative projects. And for me, Wardrobe Refashioning goes here.

*The 'INSPIRATION/DREAMING' LIST: for the zillion things I find in my blog/book travels and would like to try one day (but not right now).


2. Limit your main projects list.
A really long list is not very motivating. Some very helpful advice came from Cherie of willywagtail who suggested a 'mini list' of just THREE projects, which you put in order and give yourself 'all the time in the world' to do. I think this is great advice. For me, the 'perceived pressure' (rather than actual pressure) can cause me to stall. I've combined this with Ellie of petalplum's suggestion to put time frames on things.


So now, my 'TO DO' LIST has just three items on it, all broken down into a few small steps so that I know what I'm up to and can even just do a little bit next time I make the time to craft. This already feels a lot better, and I'm looking forward to getting out my sewing machine tonight, as I know what I will be doing.


Oh, and I may well join in with 'Target Tuesday' over at Woolywotnots. For the accountability.

3. Don't promise things to people.

I'm a bit of a compulsive giver, and now a compulsive maker-for-others. Sounds like a few of us are in the same boat - turning our passion into obligation, promising things to friends and family then feeling like we can't deliver!

Leonie of Raglan Guld is onto a good thing I think with her advice - just stop promising things to people. Ellie suggested the same. This doesn't mean stop making anything for others - that's what I DO! - but keeping it a surprise takes away obligation and means there is an 'out'. So I'm going to try really hard to stop piping up with the phrase 'oh, I could make you one of those' or 'hey, I'm making you a little something'.

4. Do something creative for yourself.

This must be especially difficult for those who craft for business as well as pleasure I imagine. But I'm guilty of it, as Jenaveve of August Street identified! I'm going to take on board the suggestion from Bek of Red Chocolate and alternate between my lists. Now that I've separated things out a bit, I think I might be able to do that, and have a play around with some things on my INSPIRATION LIST without feeling like I've lost my way with my TO DO LIST.

There was a great post I read a while ago (was it from you, Jenaveve?) which described crafting without judging. Giving myself permission to potter with new materials and techniques without it having to become a new full-blown 'project' might help fulfil some of those creative urges and stop the stagnation.

5. Remember it's cyclical!

This reminder from M* was helpful. We're going to fluctuate and have down times. And as Linda at two pink possums said, you can't force the mojo! Be kind to myself. Eat chocolate (strong theme there people!). Browse blogland for inspiration and encouragement.

Despite my feelings of frustration, I have actually found this craft hiatus a very good time for some of the bigger-picture decluttering/creative recluttering that I'm trying to do. The fruits of which will appear in blog posts in the near future... yep, I think bloggarrhoea might be setting in for good!

Thanks everyone. It's been helpful for me... hope it's helpful for you too.

What's your craftstipation cure?

I need some advice from you veteran creative types out there.

Do you ever get all chocked up with projects that don't want to budge? I believe the technical term for this predicament is called craftstipation. Are you a sufferer? What brings it on? What helps you to get things moving again?

I've been getting a little 'stuck' on pretty much everything I'm trying to do craft-wise at the moment. I could blame lots of things but I know what the real problem is. I've loaded myself with too many projects, set the bar too high, and now I'm procrastinating because I feel overwhelmed. Even though this is a hobby and a passion, sometimes I turn it into an obligation in my own head.

Some of the projects in my 'have started, must finish' basket include:
- The scarf that I promised in my recent giveaway (sorry dillpickle!)
- Five softies
- Woodland cap for a friend's babe
- A felted jumper-vest creation for a friend
- A denim skirt modification for a friend
- Felted wrist warmers

Unfortunately for me, procrastination involves FURTHER CRAFTING. So now not only do I have a list of things that I've started and really ought to finish, I also have an ever-growing list of ridiculous projects that I feel I must try or I will never be a complete person. These include:

- Resin-casting some old doilies
- Making a bean-bag out of old jeans
- Making a run of fabric brooches. Yes, that's right, a run, couldn't possibly just make ONE.
- More 'fashion aprons'
- Printing on fabric (with lino-cuts, stencils, and potatoes)
- Quilt from vintage sheeting

This is totally the tip of the iceberg and doesn't include my pile of mending, my wardrobe refashion ideas or my desire to make some clothing for me and the boys from scratch.

Help! Any tips on how to keep regular?

My creative space...

Playing around with my new stamp made by Jemma of Amityville Boronia which arrived in yesterday's post. It's perfect, just what I wanted in terms of boldness and chunk. The font I gave Jemma to work with is called 'Mom's Typewriter' - love it. Nothing like a bit of therapeutic stamping to take the edge off what I can only describe as my 'crafting constipation'.

Thanks Jemma!

More creative spaces at kootoyoo...

A new obsession is LOOMING...

Literally.

Today the parcel delivery guy came a-knockin', and he handed me a wonderful surprise package from Liesl of Hoppo Bumpo, containing the contraptions you see above - knitting looms!

Liesl recently 'commissioned' a Swiney for the virologist in her life, and has very generously bestowed me with this loom set in return, following my fawning admiration of her loom-inous scarf.

As someone who seems to be allergic to knitting needles, I'm thrilled by this acquisition!! Thanks Liesl! I spent a good deal of this afternoon checking out some loom knitting on YouTube.

Another little family member was also quite excited by the new gadgets, which quickly became instruments of entrapment and torture:

I did however manage to wrestle the looms away from Wilski, rescue poor 'Robert' the figurine from his predicament, and do myself some soothing practise-looming in front of Masterchef this evening.

Bliss. Just the ticket for a sewing-weary soul.

I put the man into Mannequin!

Meet Mrs Doubtfire. She's my new sewing stunt-double. She's here to help me along on the dangerous road to becoming a Refashionista. I'm hoping her presence will help me to actually accomplish a few things in the dress-making department.

Over the last week, I've avoided the sewing machine. I think I'm experiencing a bit of craft-depression. A combination of too many UFOs piling up, too many new ideas and directions catching my eye, a sense that I lack real purpose or direction, frustration at my amateur abilities.

Oh, and the 5-ish hours of broken sleep a night aren't helping.

But I wanted to finish the weekend having accomplished something creative, or at least precursory to creativity.

Enter the DIY dressmaker's dummy. I have a pile of garments that need a bit of tweaking if they're going to be wearable in the near future, and I feel that a mannequin to hang them on will make playing around with reshaping and fitting so much easier. But I don't have the bucks to fork over for one of the adjustable mannequins, plus I'm really trying to be a DIYing, upcycling, clutter-punker!! So I checked out the tutorial on Threadbanger (thanks Kylekin3!) and decided to go for it (with modified materials).

And now for the public shaming: Mannequin progress shots...

Donned an oversized old t-shirt. Asked the Beloved (in breathy voice) to wrap me in packing-tape. He was less interested when he realised it was a craft-related project, but by then he was committed.

Why yes, I do feel highly attractive, thanks for asking. And no, I don't know where my waist went, either, but if you see it, tell it to come home...

Stuffed Mrs Doubtfire (and all her devastatingly exposed lumps and bumps) with fabric scraps and an old pillow, trying to replicate my own figure and resisting the urge to just pinch the waist in a few inches, or flatten out those abs...

We made the mount out of a coat hanger and an old extendable duster handle, and inserted it into the base of a freestanding fan.

Decided to preserve Mrs D's modesty somewhat with a singlet. Oh, and her waist needed cinching in a bit, hence the belt.

I do hope Mrs D will be helpful in my refashioning endeavours, and get me over some of those procrastination hurdles. Meanwhile, she makes a fine coat stand. Personally, I'm just chuffed to have put my money where my mouth is, and made something new and useful out of some of the junk already cluttering up my home.