This month’s “Where Bloggers Live” post–on Collectibles– seems like it was tailor made for me. As a “collector,” I have to say that I might be one of the foremost experts in my genre. Allow me to share my vast wealth of knowledge on the subject for you little people.
Although I am currently immersed in more projects than this one human being (aka, me) could possibly find time to complete…(hence my continued hiatus from quickie crafts and regular blogging for now), this particular topic, and my expertise in it…compels me to take a hiatus from my hiatus (is that redundancy even possible) to discuss my collection and share some of my vast qualifications and insight.
As a matter of fact, SO proficient am I in my collection, that it has led to secondary talents, the way a gifted chef develops a profound sense of taste and smell and can tell the ingredients of a dish merely by tasting it,
I believe I have eluded to it in these many years of posting my drivel for your review and keen discernment, and It’s only my humility and modesty that has prevented me from openly sharing my collection in the past.
Yes, it’s time I admit I am a collector…..
of…..
PROJECTS.
Indeed, I am a purveyor of projects, addict of ideas, enthusiast of inspiration, collector of creativity…a to-do dilettante. This of course has led to my secondary talents of procrastination proficiency and excuse enthusiasm.
Take one look around my house and you can tell it is not NEARLY enough space to house my collection, Therefore, I have 2,428 pins on 107 public and private Pinterest boards dedicated to it.
Likewise my pea brain is incapable of storing all my future endeavors, so I take pictures of things I could make, do, replicate or admire and store them among photos of my family and dogs. so that YEARS later, while looking for a trip memory, I can stumble across dozens of fabric photos, or a recipe or some other thing I will never “get to.” Check out this screen shot from my phone:
WHO TAKES PICTURES OF FABRIC???!!! I DO!!!!
There are also pictures of all kinds of other things…for gardens, home decor, etc. Stored ideas, which, as noted, has resulted in the myriad excuses sub-gallery which includes:
“I broke my knee,”. That one served me well, but was costly.
“I don’t have time” (even though I have watched EVERY rerun of the original Perry Mason in the last year; played several hundred/thousand matches of on-line backgammon and hundreds more 75% completed expert-level sudokus….Hence the procrastination proficiency)
“The dogs were needy.”
“I haven’t figured out the details yet.”
“I’m mulling.”
My mental library for excuses has two sections: fiction and non-fiction. I prefer the non-fiction section, rooted in truth. Even I have distain for the fiction section…like it’s some Dorian Gray reflection of my personality.
“I finished it, but I have to redo it”
I guess “easy” projects aren’t my thing.
“It’s on my project list” which is a VERY close relative of “It’s in progress”
When it comes to projects, it seems my eyes are bigger than my stomach.
SO yes. I DO have time. I’m just not using it properly. I mean, if we dig through this blog for my About page, I said from day one that I have a bit of an accountability problem. I don’t think I’ve ever hid that, haha. (Although lately–with evidence on full display via Instagram–I WILL say I have been knocking it out of the park in the “action” department. Damn, I’ve even impressed myself on occasion.) Check THIS out!!! (and thank you to those who already did.)
Truth be told, I think I DO quite a bit (she said, bolstering her actual truth with the occasional and self-protective sprinkling of half-truths and fiction.)
Nope, I definitely DO quite a bit…but there IS room for less procrastinating…and that’s the FULL truth, amIright, Iris?
Speaking of Iris… She has a great collection of elephants, as did my grandmother. Not sure what she’ll feature today, but please visit her and my other blogging friends to see what they collect:
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Bettye at Fashion Schlub
Leslie at Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After
Sally at Within a World of My Own
Iris at Iris’ Original Ramblings
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Who doesn’t like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes? The second Friday of each month is when this group of six bloggers links up to share their workspaces, homes, towns… or whatever our fearless leader, the fabulous Bettye, proposes.
Make sure you visit everyone to see where the magic happens!
Meanwhile, I’ll be heading outside to continue working on last year’s Butterfly Garden project.
I’ll have to add that post “to the list,” haha.
And while I DON’T have an “actual” collection, per se, I DO enjoy collecting comments…and would love it if you’d leave one below. 😬
You certainly do DO. And that is not in any way meant to be read as dodo as in bodily function. Or dodo like the bird. Your videos exhaust me and cause me to procrastinate in do-doing anything over here. I think I read like you do. I have to read a few pages and digest. Read a few pages and consider. Read a few pages and sleep. Whereas you do, and then step back to figure out the next step or how to solve a problem like the corner issue you mentioned.
I take pictures of clothes in stores to try to keep from buying them, which only works somewhat successfully. And Pinterest is the place I file things that I might want to find later…when I have the time and energy to wade through all of that to find whatever it is. I just pinned a mirror from Bettye’s eBay shop and a lovely transferware plate. I bid on one (bidded?) and put the other on my watchlist and pinned both. Hoping to make both pieces my own. The mirror will be for a project I found on Pinterest!! Who’d have guessed. And one I might need your expertise advice on trying to complete. Stay tuned.
I love following all of your projects from beginning to beautiful end. You are amazing. I am feeling very anxious these days and wonder if knocking down some drywall might help me?
You surely do have a LOT of projects. I used to do projects, but not much anymore. Age and body work against me. I don’t think I’ve ever had as many as you’ve had – and certainly not nearly as big and long lasting.
Thanks, btw for the mention. Do you still have any of your grandmother’s elephants? I’ll bet she had a great collection. I have a pretty good one and stories behind many of them. I’ll have to do a post on elephants one of these days, though it would be a challenge to pick which ones to include.
Loved your post, but it made me tired reading all the stuff you do.
Iris
Okay, first, you win for Best Blogger Hair! Don’t argue with me.
AND for Most Industrious.
I also “collect” inspiration: Pinterest, folders on IG and TikTok, folders in my camera roll and on my computer…sigh. Inspo I will never actually act on. Unlike you. Doing all the things. With the thick luxurious hair.
You’re my hero, Em.
Collecting projects is an interesting hobby. Any time you finish one, your collection is diminished. We all know that can’t stand, so of course you need to be constantly adding new projects just in case you make too much progress finishing the ones you have. It’s a race against activity. It’s a good thing you have Perry Mason, sudoku, and backgammon to slow you down.
Um, honestly, my bead stash is working out kind of the same way….
In all reality, I could admit to this same thing. Let’s talk knitting. I have over 8 projects started (meaning, I got the gauge and started working on the back of the sweater), but somehow another fun project gets highlighted and the older ones get put on the back burner. I’m actually thinking of combining the started projects into one sweater (one of these days, haha. See, I can procrastinate).
But it’s really not our fault. There are just too many cool things to do and make and we want to do it all, right??
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Oh Em, you do make me laugh! I too love Perry Mason! Keep the blogs and projects coming! Vee