Too many ideas?

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Permalink Reply by JL Yarnworks on August 18, 2007 at 12:40pm

All the time. With two young children and two part-time jobs in addition to my home business, there's never enough time to implement all of my ideas.

I started just jotting down notes and allowing myself to occasionally ignore what needs to be done in order to explore other ideas. I also sometimes bribe my friends into helping me with the busywork (usually paying them in yarn) so that I have more time for the fun stuff.

I'm open to other suggestions though!

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Permalink Reply by Morgan Street on August 18, 2007 at 3:56pm

Sometimes I'll write down my ideas but more often than not, they don't disappear. They just find a little shelf in the back of my head and sit patiently. Then every now and then they'll step forward to remind me that they're still there. Sometimes it can be upto a year later and I'll start creating something and it will dawn on me that I'd thought about it ages ago. Kinda weird but that's how it works for me.

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Permalink Reply by Melissa on August 18, 2007 at 4:00pm

I wish I could answer this. I have started to draw out my ideas, as I design jewelry. But I am so bad at drawing it rarely helps me. ;) So most of the time I sit there in bed and think of all the things I could be making. It keeps me awake and the items still don't get made. HAHAHA, Frustrating isn't it?

I have a hard time with some of my ideas. There really does seem to be so many. And as a beginner in jewelry, I don't have all the skills needed to make most of them come to life.

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Permalink Reply by Sam on August 18, 2007 at 4:07pm

oh, and melissa, i stay up for hours thinking of new projects. it's becoming a bit of a problem. :P my eyes close, but my mind just keeps going and going...

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Permalink Reply by Melissa on August 18, 2007 at 4:35pm

Sam, that is exactly my problem. I have been a chronic insomniac since 7th grade (I am now 31 *GASP*). I tried to lay down twice today for a nap. As soon as my head hits the pillow, my mind starts turning....and very fast.

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Permalink Reply by Valarie Wade on August 18, 2007 at 7:37pm

oh my yes. I have painting ideas flood in the minute I shut my eyes most nights! I get up and write them all down so that I can finally get some sleep. There's no way my time will allow that I get all my ideas painted.
plus when I get out my canvas to start, new ideas come in to replace the old. i've yet to paint any of the stuff I have wrote down in my notebook.

I then I have ideas for dolls, jewlery, things I can make with my paintings, etc. and now I want to buy a scroll saw! *sigh*
at least I'm not the only one trying to take on more than is humanly possible

: )

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Permalink Reply by Sam on August 18, 2007 at 4:05pm

i have a little journal where i jot things down every once in awhile, make lists of what needs done, what wants done, etc. i also plan things for specific fabrics, and draw sketches.. even though i'm by no means an artist, it just helps me to remember the picture in my head.

i have so, so many ideas and lots of times they just sit around until they finally get used. i wish i could do everything i think of, but there is nowhere near that much time in my life because the ideas come faster than the results! the most important ideas, though, just compel me until i have to stop everything and make it... bursts of creativity. they're exciting. :D like when i made my little owl!

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Permalink Reply by Morgan Street on August 18, 2007 at 4:25pm

I"ve been known to leap from my bed at 4:00am and head to the kitchen to to make soap. quite bizarre according to my husband :)

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Permalink Reply by Nichole Hilts on August 18, 2007 at 5:26pm

Yes! I can relate Jodi! I figure it's my ADHD kicking in. I try to just focus on one thing at a time but it is almost impossible. I like the journal approach. Lists work for me sometimes (sometimes!). I think that no matter what, it is impossible to do EVERYTHING you think of..but rather try and pick the best ideas and weed out the so-so ones. But what do I know?! I am still learning how to multi task without letting stress consume me ;) Great topic..

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Permalink Reply by Travel Turtle on August 18, 2007 at 10:42pm

I get flooded with food ideas, so I keep a notebook where I just write down the names of items I want to try, knowing I can figure out a recipe later. I imagine some of the more creative ideas are difficult to sort out. If you don't like to journal, you could take the lawyer/dr. approach and record it into a tape recorder. You can even go so far as to have someone transcribe these recordings in regular intervals (I don't know how much that would cost though).

I get a lot of travel ideas, so I decided to start writing a travel blog so that I don't feel like my ideas go to waste. I don't know how that's working for me so far, but it's a start. The travel blog is a public blog, but I also have a design ideas blog that I keep private. I have pictures from various online sites that I find inspirational and I jot down a short comment. The key to online private blogging of inspirational things is to use great tag words so you can look things up later.

Good Luck!

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Permalink Reply by shabbyvintagemom on August 19, 2007 at 4:21pm

I'm sooooo glad to see that I'm not alone! My mind is constantly going thinking about things I'd like to make, how I'd go about putting it together, the supplies I need etc.... If I could give up sleep I would! Crafting/Creating is so relaxing to me~ being a mom you tend to stop doing things you enjoy because there are only so many hours in a day. But what I recently started doing was putting my ideas into a sketch book- sketching out ideas(pictures), list the steps I would go through in making the item & the supplies I would need to create it. When I get the time I go through it and create something from it.

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Permalink Reply by Lani Robertson on August 19, 2007 at 8:36pm

*WOW* It is SO amazing to see that so many people are just like me! I can NEVER sleep at night, because of all of the ideas flooding in! :0

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