Tag: Organization

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Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Step out of your comfort zone

Is it time to get out of your comfort zone? Are you setting goals for the New Year? I am. Stepping out of my personal box has been on my mind almost constantly these days.

Last month, Hubs and I spent time (together) out of our comfort zones. It was a business conference (which was out of my comfort zone) for women. Yes, Hubs was definitely out of his comfort zone, but he wasn’t alone. When we pulled into the parking lot, another couple was getting out of their car. The man looked at Hubs and said, “I’m so glad to see you! I’m glad I’m not the only one.” There was instant brotherhood bonding going on. I thought they were going to high-five and fist bump right there in the parking lot.

Despite the obvious gender differences, the teaching was great. Hubs and I came away motivated and encouraged.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

I’m sharing this story because many times being out of your comfort zone is the only way to grow your business, grow personally or emotionally, or even grow as a crocheter. It feels much like hang-gliding naked. I know that is a horrible visualization, but it’s exactly how it feels.

So, let’s step out of our boxes, get out of our comfort zones, and write some goals. There are many different ways to do this. Some examples:

  • Word for the year
  • Write them down in categories: personal, spiritual, health, business
  • A bucket list

Set Audacious Goals

Don’t procrastinate, just pick a way to record your goals and do it! But, make sure your goals are big and audacious enough to be dreams.

Last night, while I was at the gym, one of the machines in front of me had a tv, and there was one of those shows on. You know the kind, where the multi-millionaire businessman helps some dinky home business hit the big time. Yeah, that one. The takeaway I got from that show was DREAM BIG. Dave Ramsey said it, too, in his talk at the business conference Hubs and I attended in November: Dream Audaciously. Set your goals high! If you only make it 1/4 of the way to your goal, at least you are 1/4 farther along than you were last year.

Organize a Path to Your Goals

Take your audacious goals and divide them out into monthly steps and then start walking — one step at a time — in the direction of your goals. Even if you don’t meet any of your goals, you will at least be further along the path. The key to this, when you don’t reach your goals the first month, is don’t be discouraged. Keep going.

Develop a plan and make it happen! Something amazing happens in our lives when we take the time to write down our specific goals, not just keeping them intangible thoughts in our brains.

~Dave Ramsey

Why am I Talking About This?

You may be wondering why I am even talking about this. I hear you saying, “But, this isn’t crochet. Why is she talking about goal setting and business conferences? What is the deal?” Actually, this does apply to crochet and your yarn stash. I have been setting goals as I figure out what I have on hand for the Use Your Stash Challenge.

Think of Your Goals as a Gatekeeper

If everything you do is pushing you toward your goals, then everything you decide to do will go through those gatekeeper goals. This sounds a little wacky until you really think about it.

If using up a good portion of your stash is your goal, then set some audacious goals about what you will make. Challenge yourself to work as hard as you can to finish up those projects! Get ’em done, move ’em out! Commit to doing it, even if you don’t love the project anymore.

What are Your Audacious Goals?

I’ve been hard at work on my goals. I set all the partially finished stuff on my ironing board (because my 6′ x 3′ table was already full), and took snapshots of each of them. The good. The bad. The downright ugly. The stuff I’ve fallen out of love with. All of it.

It’s all stretched out there, teasing me to get started. Quite frankly, I am intimidated — and a little embarrassed that I let my WIPs get so far ahead of me. They’re almost out of control.

There’s these …

 

get out of your comfort zone

And then there are these granny square centers…

granny square centerscenter rings granny centers

Then I found these granny squares that I tested and neglected to do anything with…get out of your comfort zone and finish that WIP granny squares neglected granny squares

And let’s not forget the scarves, hexagons, and potholders that are unfinished…scarves hexagons and potholders

While this may all seem like a lot, I haven’t even shown you all the yarn I have squirreled away. I am pretty sure I could go a year without buying yarn. (Ha! Like that would ever happen.) But, I do need to get the stash smaller.

So, one of my audacious goals is to not buy any yarn in January and the first half of February.

My second audacious goal is to finish as many of these WIPs as I can in that same time frame. Why don’t you join me? The official start date is January 15, 2017. It will be fun to hold each other accountable, and also to encourage each other.

Talk to you later,

Karen

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Organizing New Ideas for Future Crochet Projects

Organizing New Ideas

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Sometimes, when you get new ideas for future crochet projects, you aren’t ready to start working on them right away. You need time to think about them — to refine and perfect them — until you’re ready to begin the project. So, how do you keep those new ideas stored and organized until you are ready to start working on them? I have several things which I do that help me keep new ideas in mind.

(This post has Amazon affiliate links)

1. Take a Photo with My Phone

I will take pictures of things that  inspire me or trigger ideas in my mind. My phone is usually always with me and a photo is worth 1,000 words. The thin and thick stripes in this wrapping paper would make a great crochet blanket, scarf or sweater.

Inspirational stripes

And here’s an example of a striped fabric that caught my eye. I like the colors in this, although they do seem a bit dark. The widths of the various stripes and the color sequence would lend themselves easily to being repeated in an afghan.

Fabric inspires new ideas

This blanket was inspired by the yarns within it since they inspired me to see the Autumn landscape of Oklahoma: the browns of the plowed fields; the golds and rusts of the trees; the blue from the sky and lakes; and the green of the old dried grasses in the pastures.

Inspired by nature

2. Pin It to My Secret Pinterest Inspiration Board

Yes, I do have several secret boards. (Doesn’t everyone?) If it is online, I will pin it to my secret inspiration board which no one else has access to. When you choose to create something based on what someone else has created, you need to be very careful about claiming too much of their work as your own. You can use it as a springboard to a new idea, but downright copying and passing it off as yours is piracy.  While I do have a secret Pinterest board, it isn’t filled with just other’s work — it has photos of color mood boards, stitches that I want to try, and other things that I think will make beautiful projects.

3. Go “Old School” (Paper and Pencil) and Write the New Ideas Down

(Affiliate links are included for the products I use. I will receive a small percentage of any item you purchase, but it will not affect your pricing.)

Often, I will draw out new ideas or write them down. I find this method increasingly hard to manage, though, as papers tend to get shuffled and lost. Here’s an example of a couple of my composition books (link) (which I love!) full of ideas and crochet patterns.

Storing new ideas

I also love the post-it note brand of tabs (link) and Post it note file folder labels (link).  I use them to mark the beginning of each pattern or idea that I put in the composition book. It helps keep the patterns organized and easy to find.

Another thing I use all the time is a legal pad  (Link) and clipboard  (link). I write the pattern and notes furiously and then flip the pages. You can even see the paper sometimes in the background of my photos. Nearly every pattern I write has its beginnings on paper in some form. I always try to date and take progress photos as I work. This helps me keep track of how I put it together as well as document my thought processes. This all translates to detailed patterns, with photos, for you!

Organizing New Ideas

4. Pin It to a Real Life Bulletin Board or Magnet Board

saving new ideas
Check out more cool bulletin boards here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/165564215

Sometimes I’ll see a photo in a magazine I own, or maybe the colors in fabric or yarn in my stash will catch my eye. When that happens, I will actually pin the photo or the materials to a bulletin board. I haven’t been doing this as often as I have been taping them into the composition book. The book is working better for me at this time, since I don’t have a dedicated working space. I often find myself in my chair, at the dining table…basically, working all over the house.

How Do You Save Your New Ideas?

Now that you’ve read about the methods that I am using right now, I’d love to know what you do to keep your ideas organized. Leave a comment below to start the conversation!
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Talk to you later,

Karen

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Being Boss

  • Sometimes being self motivated and your own boss is an issue. This week I am doing a good job of being boss. I feel the craft show looming down on me. I am so worried that I won’t have enough stock that I feel like I am working overtime. Taking time off to play or be social is truly hard for me, so I tend to work all the time. Then I face burn out.

If I look at my work as play then my attitude is much better. So, this week while playing. I finished up these colorful and fun hats. I love them.

Being Boss

I sent my daughter in to yarntopolis (my yarn storage) to pick another color for the same style hat and she picked light blue. They are so much fun to crochet. The colors change all of the time and that makes it quick work. I have also been busy hand sewing the  tags on a bunch of the crocheted items.

Today, I am cleaning in the makerspace and getting the next round of sewing organized. I am waiting on some supplies but I will sew pot holders and coffee press cozies today. I also need to do cut capes out so I can get them sewn. All this planning is overwhelming but I am using my Kanban board as a reminder of what needs to be done, what is in process and what remains.

Talk to you later,

Karen

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July’s to do list

I am already writing July’s to do list. Yay, it is the first week of July and I am on a roll, actually I am on the couch resting my knee as it is not happy with me today.

I have hit a wall on being creative these days. I am tired and grumpy a lot of the time. I hate taking pain meds as they tend to drug me up. I have been up since early today and it has taken quite a bit of energy. I have spent  huge amounts of time on Pinterest yesterday and today but I am not inspired to do much. So this to do list may be shorter than normal.

Here is what I have been working on and what I hope to finish this month.

My organization to do list. We have accomplished more than is shown on this photo. It is a much shorter list now.

July's to do list

 

My sampler blanket

July's to do list

 

I hope to finish about twelve to 20 crochet hats. I want some to look like these but I also have some new designs running around in my mind.

I am also wanting to finish my quilt before I have surgery.  It is at this stage right now. July's to do list

I have quite a bit of quilting left but if I work hard on it a couple of mornings I might get it finished. I have several patterns that I want to write. There is this granny square blanket pattern that I want to write. That is a ton of work for the next two weeks in July. We are still in the middle of changing around our den to a maker space.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

 

 

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Use Your Stash Challenge-2015 Numbers 8-13

It has been a really busy week, I have been working on the Use Your Stash Challenge-2015! I have gotten several projects done and I might even be out of the single digits.

#8 I have finished this scarf/shawl combo.Use Your Stash Challenge-2015#9 I made four of these for a friend. Since they used stash yarns I am counting them as one item.

Use Your Stash Challenge-2015

#10 This crib springs recycle to wall storage. I know it looks half finished but it is ready to hang and painted bronze.

Use Your Stash Challenge-2015#11 I finished this baby blanket. Use Your Stash Challenge-2015#12 I also sewed up about 20 cup cozies but I am only counting them as one. I have tons to sew that are already cut out. I am going to call a group of 20 cup cozies as one item for the challenge. I will get them all sewn that way and I won’t have them sitting around as WIPS. Here they are at the half way point.

Use Your Stash Challenge-2015

#13 I also sewed some child sized reversible superhero capes. These two are blue and silver. I have a ton more to sew and it is just a matter of time to sew and the willpower to see it through.

2015-01-19 16.48.22

 

This is what is next on my list of things to do.

  •  Baby bibs: 6 done, 2 in the photo and 1 in the mail and 3 others.

Use Your Stash Challenge-2015 Numbers 4-10

  •  Baby blankets ready to iron and do the top stitching: 3 sewn and complete, 1 left

Use Your Stash Challenge-2015 Numbers 4-10

  •  Finish quilting the striped quilt!
  •  Put the binding on the stripe quilt
  •  Cut out and sew  more super hero capes
  •  Sew cup cozies that take red thread
  •  Deconstruct some jeans so they are ready for cutting.
  •  Pack some orders
  • Clean the studio

I have some fun things planned this weekend and the weather is promising to be rainy. This is good, it will encourage me to get some serious sewing done. I have so much to do. I will need to get some more navy thread, but I can sew with other colors until I get a chance to pick some up.

This year the Use Your Stash Challenge seems to be more about finishing what I have started. I like it. It is encouraging me to actually complete some things that have been hanging around for ages. I hope I can keep up the momentum and my mojo for getting things done.  I have some custom orders that are in different stages of waiting so I must get back to work.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

 

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The New To Do List

This to do list has so much marked off as I have been super productive this week. It has been good to finish up or get so much done on several of my projects. I am pretty happy about following my to do list. I started work on several super hero capes that I am working on for a show this summer. It is on the To do list as it will use up a ton of satin that I bought two or three years ago.

The New To Do List

I also finished these little Valentine envelopes that I crocheted for a friend. She has a booth at a craft/antique mall. So, it was a whole sale order for her booth. These are a perfect size for gift cards.

The New To Do ListI finished up this shawl/scarf. The colors are wonderful. I am pleased that it is finished as it only lacked about three rows and the red border.

The New To Do List

I have added 8 inches to this blanket and will probably finish it up later this week.

The New To Do List

I am pleased that it is working up so quickly.

I still need to work on these items as I haven’t gotten to them yet.

  1. Finish the quilt (there is probably only 2-3 more hours of work.)
  2. Sew 3 coffee press cozies
  3. Sew 20 coffee cup sleeves
  4. sew 3 bibs (already cut just need to be sewn)
  5. sew up 4 flannel blankets (already cut just need to be sewn)
  6. sew 10 more paper pieced quilt squares

If I break this list down into easy to accomplish steps. I would rewrite the list like this.

  1.  Iron flannel blankets and pin
  2. Iron satin
  3. Iron quilt cottons
  4. arrange sewing by color thread
  5. sew items by thread color: blue, white, red, black and pink thread
  6. cut out capes
  7. cut out quilt cottons
  8. Press all seams and completed projects for photography

I hope all of this helps. I tend to be easily discouraged by the mountain of work standing in front of me. I am still wishing for some snow. It would be nice to be snowed in for a day or two.

talk to you later,

Karen

You can visit my shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChocolateDogStudio

 

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The Neverending list of to dos

Here is my to do list for the week.

I am working on my to do list and all the WIPs that I have accumulated over the year. I am getting quite a bit completed but nothing new or earth shattering. Thisneverending list of to dos just has to get slimmed down by a bunch of work. Here is the list so far.

Yarny things:

  • Crochet shawl

The Neverending list of to dos I love the colors in the scarf/shawl. It will be big enough to be a shawl  and yet small enough to wear with a coat. It matches my winter coat and most of my clothes so when I take off the coat I can still wear it.

  • blue and white Stripe

The Neverending list of to dos 

I have added four white rows and will probably take it tomorrow to work on while I wait for classes to be finished.

  • multicolor granny stripe

I haven’t touched this one yet. I love the colors and it is only a matter of time.

The Neverending list of to dos

Sewn things:

  • Various cup cozies – I have made 2 batman cup cozies
  • coffee press cozies
  • hot pads or pot holders
  • 2-3 aprons
  • a quilt that needs the machine quilting I have worked on the quilt and just lack the long sides and bias binding in order to finish this up.

The Neverending list of to dos

 

  • I have been cutting and sewing some satin that has been sitting in the studio since 2013. I am glad that I am finally sewing on it. I am still in the process of drafting a workable pattern so I have some prototypes. I am probably going to take them with me tomorrow and see how they work on real life kids. Since I am lacking little kids in my house any more.

As far as being organized.

  1. I have made a menu for the week
  2. I am planning to make some jelly this weekend
  3. I have checked my appointments to make sure that I am missing nothing.

I read this great blog post by Michael Hyatt and I am breaking my tasks down to smaller pieces. This will help me be more organized. I am also going to set a time and date for myself to go and sit at the sewing machine to sew. I am also going to decide which project to work while I wait for kids at various activities. Cooking dinner and the clean up that goes with it add all kinds of stress to my day. I am making a menu and then setting an alarm to remind me to start dinner at a certain time every day. I tend to work up until the last minute and then dinner is unhealthy (no vegetables or salad), sandwiches, or fast food. All of which are bad for the budget, and add stress.

Things I am going to work on to whittle my neverending list of to dos down to a manageable size.

  1. Finish the quilt (there is probably only 2-3 more hours of work.)
  2. Sew 3 coffee press cozies
  3. Sew 20 coffee cup sleeves
  4. sew 3 bibs (already cut just need to be sewn)
  5. sew up 5 flannel blankets (already cut just need to be sewn)
  6. sew 10 more paper pieced quilt squares
  7. Finish the crochet consignment pieces
  8. Finish the crochet scarf shawl ( I think I am only lacking 6 more rows and then a picot border)

Here is what I said last week. http://www.chocolatedogstudio.com/2015/01/06/tuesdays-project-progress-week-one/

Talk to you later,

Karen

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4 Blocks a Week – Week 2

Here are my four blocks for this week.

4 Blocks a Week

This one desperately needs blocking.

 

 

4 Blocks a Week Here we go with number three. I am using a different book for the squares this week. Leonie Morgan does a great job showing the different rows in different colors. I hope they look great in one shade of yarn.4 Blocks a Week

4 Blocks a Week

 

4 Blocks a WeekThis one also needs blocking. I will have to steam block them and see if they improve.

The week is proving to be a challenge in many ways. I keep skipping around on different projects and it seems like my progress on one any of them is slow. I have a Minion hat to get out in the mail and then two or three projects that I seem to be working on more seriously than the others. I hope to get them finished pretty quickly as well.  I am also working on some organizing.I have been sorting through Christmas ornaments and decorations. It appears that we have a bunch that are old and not used. The cleaning and organizing progress in the studio has also slowed down as I am waiting on some parts for some shelving. The parts should come in the mail this week. Then I can get more work done. My studio is up under the eaves and I am putting up shelving so that I can stack my tubs on them. I think it will help me get to them more easily.

The quilting class that I am taking with friends is starting in March instead of this week. I am going to try to get the fabrics gathered together for that class this week. We are making a log cabin quilt and I hope to sew it entirely out of stash fabrics. I also start my Use My Stash Challenge next Monday. I have been thinking about different projects to start and WIPS that need to be finished up. These will all be part of the Use Your Stash Challenge. I am also thinking about my rules for the challenge.

Our daughter heads back to school this week and the rest of us will try to get into a schedule of sorts. I just feel really scattered in my thinking and that time to think is in extremely short supply.

Talk to you later,

karen

 

 

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Tuesday’s Project Progress – week one

It has been such a long time since I told you  my project progress and list of things to do for the week. I hope to keep this up over the year. It is so hard to do.
Here is my list of works in progress with photos whenever possible.

Yarny things:

Granny circle thing

Tuesday's Project Progress

Crochet shawl

Tuesday's Project Progress I love the colors in the scarf/shawl. It will be big enough to be a shawl  and yet small enough to wear with a coat. It matches my winter coat and most of my clothes so when I take off the coat I can still wear it.

Crochet shawl/scarf

I am making another one of these scarf/shawls. This one is out of sock yarn. I finally decided that I am never knitting socks. The double point needles keep slipping out of the yarn and I would drop stitches because of it. I have had the yarn for ages. It is a  lovely, grey, red, and blue self striping yarn. It is washable and will make a great scarf.

grey diagonal

Tuesday's Project Progress

I have had this in a partial state for at least a year. It is time to finish it but I just don’t like what it is turning into. So, I need to either frog it or finish it. What do you think?

blue and white Stripe

Tuesday's Project ProgressThis I will finish as it is for ChocolatesBabyShop. I love the combination of colors and it will make a beautiful baby blanket.

multicolor granny stripe

Tuesday's Project Progress

crochet hats of various kinds

Sewn things:

  • Various cup cozies
  • coffee press cozies
  • hot pads or pot holders
  • 2-3 aprons
  • a quilt that needs the machine quilting

I am also in the middle of cleaning/de-cluttering/ organizing the studio. (I am rearranging the furniture to make it more useable.)

That is a huge list and doesn’t include my home school mom duties, my housewife chores or just daily life. I am overwhelmed with everything that is on my plate right now. I need to take it one thing at a time. I know that I can get the important things done and the little things will melt away. I can also delegate some of the daily chores. Three things in my favor this week.

  1. I have a menu for the week.
  2. I have a calendar with appointments listed on them
  3. The post office will pick up from my mail box!

Well, I should let you go as I am needing to get on with my list for today.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

 

 

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I’m Hyper – Procrastinating This Morning.

Today: quite frankly I am procrastinating, I am hyper – procrastinating! I’m not even sure if that is a word. According to Merriam Webster’s online dictionary this is the definition of Hyper

Full Definition of HYPER

1 :  high-strung, excitable; also :  highly excited
2 :  extremely active

and this is the definition of Procrastinating.

pro·cras·ti·nate

verb \prə-ˈkras-tə-ˌnāt, prō-\

: to be slow or late about doing something that should be done : to delay doing something until a later time because you do not want to do it, because you are lazy,

Ouch, that hurt! It is how I feel though. I am intentionally lazing around and resting. The weeks have been filled with RUN..Run… Do this and do that! I need down time, my body craves it like I used to crave quiet (when I had four little people in the house.) I have done some of the chores that were screaming for attention yesterday; laundry and some picking up. I have some unpacking to do and some dishes to do. I have yarn I bought yesterday that I can’t wait to get my hands on. I have a bunch of photography for the Etsy shops and then some Christmas gift creating to do.

hyper-procrastinating

I have tons of things that have to be done, some errands and so forth but I am being a procrastinator on purpose. I’m not thinking or planning or scheduling. I am not considering the clutter in my house. Well, yes I am but I am ignoring it willfully. I am doing something incredibly difficult for me to do; sitting. I know that I will have to jump up and go and do before long. Chores, errands,  sewing, crochet and life calls, but for this little while I am going to sit and rest. I am adding white space or margin to my life. I have not had a chance to do this since our vacation in August, or at least it feels that long ago. Do you remember when I talked about margin? I have had two cups of coffee in bed and then some poking about on the internet with no specific purpose, a little thinking about this or that, and I ordered a music book for my daughter.

hyper-procrastinating

I have been taking stock of my life. Looking at what is truly important and while I haven’t reached any conclusions I do have some renewed purpose. I think I am back on track and headed several degrees into a better direction. You remember geometry class where you learned that a degree off of the right direction would put you miles away from your destination. Life is like that as well. So I am puttering into the right direction again. The photos are from our vacation this past summer. The last time I got to sit and just be. I am ready for a bit more of that time off.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 Well, if you want to read what I wrote about Margin you can find it here: http://www.chocolatedogstudio.com/2014/02/04/margin/

PS. It is now Friday and I wrote this on Thursday. I am still procrastinating. I guess rest is what I need to do right now in between life as wife, daughter, mom and chauffeur.