Planning Creative Time

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Gingerbug

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Oct 9, 2007
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Even being retired I find that it's either feast or famine....I either spend a whole day playing around creatively or go months without anything....crazy.

I'm going to try putting Create on my To Do List each day...and see how that goes...How do you plan time to be creative?
 

tanya

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Jan 8, 2012
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I have only recently taken up needlework/ tapestry again- last time I did any I was pregnant with DS (now 10).

I plan to do it when we are at DS's swim meets. For anyone who is not a swim parent- Meets usually start at 7:30 am with warm up. They go all day with a short 45 min break for lunch. Just because they go all day does not mean that DS swims all day. And the events never, ever run in a good order to let you swim early and leave or arrive late.

It is common for us to be at a meet that goes for 8-9 hours. But DS swims in 4-5 events that go for no more than 6 minutes in TOTAL for the entire 9 hours. There is a lot of sitting around and waiting at meets. The kids hang out up the back, play outside the pool etc. Parents read books, newspapers, knit, chat, cheer, complain about how long the meets go for- I will be doing needlework
 

DahliaDoll

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Oct 15, 2007
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Gingerbug ~ I am retired also. My motto is "Crafting is my busy-ness." I spend a large part of most days crafting. It's fairly rare that I do not do any crafting at all in a day. That said, I don't wait for large blocks of time to do crafting. I love lap projects (knitting, CCS, hand sewing) to do while riding in the car or "watching" TV in the evenings. Simple knitting projects work well to keep me awake at meetings (although it has annoyed some participants ... oh well), waiting in doctor's offices, visiting with friends/relatives, etc. Although my days of sitting through swim meets is long gone, I had the same experience as Tanya. I would usually have a knitting project to work on while at a meet.

It might help to divide your planned crafts into small steps. That way you can challenge yourself to do one or two steps a day and still have time for other activities that you enjoy. Good luck!
 

ChristmasPir8

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Nov 8, 2008
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all my craft stuff is in the closet and seems to only show up when I need to make cards or something. And that is rare. I started picking up knitting dish cloths again but that's about it.
 

AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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I typically work in my craft time in the evenings after DS goes to bed, I sit and work on something I can hold on my lap while we watch TV.

To work on things actually up in my craft room has proven harder - if DS is awake he always wants to do whatever I am doing too and depending on the craft it is hard to let him.

I think I need to plan at least one night a week where I go up to the craft room after DS goes to sleep and while DH is still outside working in the garage.
 

luludou

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Dec 28, 2007
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I mostly craft when I'm alone.. which is usually Mondays... but I always have so much to do that crafting comes in last :(
 

snowqueen

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Nov 1, 2007
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My time is crazy also Gingerbug. I have so many things I would love to do but something always stops me. We've been getting lots of company this summer (not that I'm complaining because I love house guests.) it's just taking away from that creative time. We've also had some big issues with black mold in our entire roof. Needless to say that caused a big change in plans. Hopefully, things will slow down and I can start sewing in the evening.
 

MrsSoup

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Oct 13, 2007
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I don't plan creative time, maybe that's my problem. I guess I worry that if I plan it, then I won't be creative, it will almost be like a pressure to create something instead of enjoy it. However, with that being said, I haven't done much recently. I did buy an adult coloring book and have colored a couple pages, but I really want to get back into knitting. And DH bought me a bunch of canvas and paints for Christmas and I still have not painted anything, so I need to do that. I think once I get my office together I will start setting aside time each day to do something creative!
 

angelpugs

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Oct 2, 2009
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Now that it's too hot outside i'm using my time indoors doing alot of crafting until this weather breaks and i can enjoy being out,i'll just keep crafting,not muck else to do.
 

luludou

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I try to make time but now I HAVE too, according to my new lifestyle ;)
 

ejagno

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If crafting is important to you then it should be important enough to have it's own time slot in your busy week. I have it scheduled into my weekly plan just like paying bills or taking out the trash. There are certain creative activities that just blend well with my day such as knitting or crocheting while winding down and watching television at night. Other things like sewing, floral or gardening needs their own specific uninterrupted time so that is what gets scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday afternoons each week. I am blessed enough to have a designated room for these activities so I can simply set them down and come back to it and start right where I left off. For those of you who have to take things out and put them away it is certainly more challenging as I've been there also.....................but it can still be done. I kept my projects in clear sweater boxes with notes to stay on track when it had to be put away.