Lampshade Mobile


It is getting easier...kind of!
I had a good start on projects this week, but yesterday just when I wanted to finish things off, if I wasn’t busy distracting myself, there were plenty of other distractions from animals to teenagers, technology, phone calls and friendly neighbours.
I’ve kind of figured that despite how focused I manage to be, there will always be the daily juggling act to contend with and my routine is going to get busy quickly.


Even so, my colourful chandelier looks lovely and I also finished two others! ( I could probably spend the year or more simply completing unfinished projects...)


These last few years I have become quite fascinated with mobiles. I call them hanging gardens, (see my Pinterest board of the same name for plenty of inspiration), and they can be anything from dream catchers, sculptural hangings, mobiles, light shades or installations.
I make them imagining that whoever acquires them will add their own personal touches, keeping the creative energy alive.


Today I am up late again. Week 4 has begun with a minor material setback all because La Marquise (my car), true to her nomenclature, decided that she wanted a new set of keys. Who ever dreamed that 2 keys could cost a days wages!
No choice, I coughed up the fee and lost an hour and a half in the process so, once again, not as many ticks on my list as expected.
Keys today, an exploded spare tyre a few days ago, what surprises will tomorrow bring I wonder?

Fortunately I can say that the anxious feelings have nothing to do with creative projects.
Unfortunately it is due to the beautiful region we live in being a hot and dry bushfire prone area and there is currently a large fire burning through the Pilliga just to the east of Baradine.
This is a good lesson in planning and preparation especially as I find myself less prepared than I should be!
Who would ever think there could be a down side to being creative?
Creativity = collecting = stuff = interesting, irreplaceable bits and pieces.

I know...it’s just stuff and most of it can be replaced. The frustrating aspect is that the small percentage of irreplaceable bits don’t all fit in the car!
It would seem I get more comfort from my stuff than I thought. Costumes and hats are fun to make and dress up in but they are also bulky and heavy, creative writing journals, diaries and correspondence trace the passage of time and books...I won’t even begin about how precious they are!
Your stuff tells a story. In some ways it defines us or at least reinforces whatever definition we have made for ourselves. Does that sound kind of sad? Maybe but without my stash, I can’t make anything and yet the down side is that all of this stuff also weighs me down, physically and figuratively.
Unsurprisingly I now have the urge to purge!

The plan:

• Reduce my stash
• make better records of special stuff (catalogue titles of books, movies, CDs plus an inventory of household items)
• Save more stuff on USBs or external hard drives
• Have a couple of emergency tubs ready
• Have a list with realistic limits (so that Armand takes enough and Artemis doesn’t take too much!)
• Continue to reduce, reuse, recycle and reinvent

This may seem kind of crazy but I have already lost everything in a fire many years ago. I didn’t have the option of taking anything with me and the shock of that loss was even more devastating with time as I slowly remembered all the bits I could never replace. We had to make a list itemising everything for the insurance...no easy task after it’s all gone.
You would think I’d have it all sorted having experienced it!

So we come back to PP planning and preparation. Whether you are making something wonderful, putting together a flat pack, cooking or in a crisis situation, a little PP goes a long way and will hopefully help you avoid feeling anxious, staying up too late and writing paragraphs about stuff.

Despite distractions, I managed to finish my postcard creations. They have turned out quite well, there are 7 in all. Making them kept me busy and BONUS, if you are one of the lucky 7 to ask first by leaving a comment on this post, I’ll send you one!

It seems appropriate to finish off with the following quote (not sure who said it),


For the longest time, I thought I needed to be more organised. Now I know I just needed less stuff.

As week 3 begins I have been contemplating how lamely I dealt with week 2.
I’m sure I will stumble and crash along the way so this has already demonstrated how easily distracted I tend to be. I don’t need to be self critical or worry about it because the reality is that we often try to juggle more than humanly possible despite our humanness! And time management and creative self discipline have always been tricky for me. I possess them in a strange way, just like my organisation skills are completely unique even if I feel I appear all over the place!
I am definitely capable but have noticed that I do things in concentrated spurts of activity rather than a constant, consistent flow. I am also rather greedy when it comes to sacred ME time!

I have begun, though not finished, revamping the covers of our sofa. I have previously attempted this task without liking the results and it has been on a deeply buried to do list for years.
I sometimes underestimate how long certain projects will take even though experience has taught me otherwise! However there are always surprises. Occasionally I begin a project where everything goes smoothly and the results are exactly what I imagined all in record time. That is an amazing feeling.
In these early stages of this project I have recognised that planning is super important.
In week 1 I knew what I was doing, had the materials ready and did it.
This week I ummed and ahhed about what to make, never settling till the end of the week when time got the better of me. But week 3 is a new week. I will indulge in some creative correspondence by making my own mixed media postcards. Dare I suggest one for each day of the week...in between work, painting walls and living with teenagers?

I have discovered that focus is not straightforward.
I keep getting distracted by life & myself. I am good at inspiration, probably too good. I find it anywhere & everywhere to the extent that I get caught up in being inspired & don’t actually make or do anything!

To be able to focus, I need to decide on a project for each week; plan, prepare & make. I need to retrain myself & keep it realistic because I already have so much happening in my daily routines. I am not a fast person. I like & need my PONDER time, so 52 weeks will allow me to challenge myself while continuing to work (teaching & hanging out with books), be a mum (full of wonder), read (because one can never read enough) & being a domestic goddess...(not ever going to happen!).

I have chosen 52 weeks because 365 days would be more than I can manage at the moment. I recently bought a book called 365 A Daily Creativity Journal Make something everyday and change your life by Noah Scalin.
It was a great find only days before starting my own challenge. There are daily prompts, tips and interviews with people who have or are making everyday.

I am starting off with a hand bound creative journal which I plan on personalising for a friend who is currently living her own challenging journey.