Wednesday, September 21, 2011

in the works...with some thoughts about time management

The current EtsyBlogger Carnival is hosted by Edi of memoriesforlifesb.  Here are the topics:
1. How do you prioritize your time? How do you get more hours out of the day?
2. Are you a multi-tasker? Or do you prefer to finish one project before starting another?

I wrote a hub last month about this topic: Time Management Strategies and Techniques: How to Find Time For Your Hobbies and Personal Goals.  I am constantly asked, "How do you find the time for this?" about a number of my different projects.  This hub is my way giving people an honest answer because truthfully, there is no way to answer it in 2 sentences.

However, the basic answer I do give people is that I get a lot done while I'm watching TV, and I don't do a lot of random online browsing anymore.  I am constantly amazed how many people watch 2-3 hours of TV every day after work and don't get anything else accomplished during that time.  If you don't know where to start, cut out half that time or start getting something done while you watch.

As far as multitasking goes, I'm sure that you can tell from a lot of my "in the works" and "sneak peek" posts that I almost always have at least two beading projects going at one time, if not three or four.  I enjoy working up shorter projects in the middle of longer ones to help break things up.  I give myself plenty of time for the deadlines I do have, such as the EBW Challenges, so I don't get stressed out.

With all of that being said, here's a look at what I've been working on this past week.

I have been assembling my button magnet supplies this past week.  I haven't done a craft fair in almost a year, and it's been a long time since I worked on magnets.  I'm also going to try to develop some button tacks and button pins for my next show in November.  Does anyone have any ideas for how I could display pins?

I got out an old color combination when I remade this pendant recently.  I originally made a peyote cuff to match that I sold a while back.  I decided to make a herringbone piece this time.  It will be part of my new line that I'll release in 2012.

I've also been making a few purple/red pieces.  This is a brand new one that I'll be listing sometime this fall.

I have all of the pictures done for my clasp pattern and new right angle weave pattern (which I'm using my Picasso piece for).


I'm on track to list both the Picasso piece and the pattern for it well before the October 5 deadline.  I'm planning to release the clasp pattern before the end of October.

12 comments:

  1. I like the purple and red combination - oddly appealing.

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  2. Gosh, I don't watch a lot of TV and I also don't browse the net randomly, so how come I don't have more time?!
    Your work is beautiful!

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  3. I agree...TV time is the best time to get stuff done! I save my favorite shows for workout time- that way I am way motivated to do it!

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  4. As you know, I'm a multi-tasker too :) I can't watch TV with out doing something else!
    You've been so productive lately...keep it up!

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  5. Had a thought for your pins too...
    I made a display for my pendants using a large picture frame. I took out the glass and oovered the backing with cardstock. I then pushed thumb tacks through and that is what my pendnats are hanging from. Works great :)

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  6. I agree - I don't watch TV and don't miss it. I find that making a list of what I want to accomplish that day helps to keep me on task.

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  7. I really don't watch tv, usually bead or browse the web, lately i have a couple projects going, but like to put my concentration on one at a time. I do listen to music while I bead., usually to loud :)

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  8. I "watch" tv everyday while I work on projects, cook, etc ... for some reason, I get things done w/o hearing much of the tv. A friend does not like when people do this, but it works for me!

    Oh, I am looking at 3 projects, in different stages, on the coffee table right now.

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  9. I dont watch tv in the evening, I listen to tv while I bead, or knit or whatever else I have on the go. I find my days are busy and if I have time to sit down and enjoy a coffee I am usually beading or planning a project.

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  10. I was thinking you make a sleeve, like what we do for hanging quilts. Then stick a dowel through the "sleeve", and attach the pins to the fabric. Kinda how they would look like on a blouse! {:-D

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  11. In the past, I have used a shallow dish with rice in it to display pins. I wanted to make it easy for customers to pick them up to look at them.

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  12. Grace, purple and red is one of my favorites. It is an odd pairing, but it works so well.

    I'm glad that I'm not the only one who gets something else done while watching TV. Nancy, working out while watching TV is a great idea.

    Edi, Deb, and Connie, thanks so much for the pin ideas!

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