Searching for Inspiration Despite Chaos

I was so excited about getting in my craft room and getting to create yesterday. I've been forcing myself to complete some other busy-work for the past week or so to catch up with the business side of things and haven't let myself really make any jewelry. As such, I was chomping at the bit to get my hands on some beads. Yet, when I did get in there, I froze.

I think I've become overwhelmed by all the STUFF!
Don't get me wrong. I love all my supplies and tools, and I never thought too much stuff would be a problem. However, there's just SO MUCH of it that I don't know where to start most days. Lately, I've been turning to my sketchbook for ideas, but those tend to be general and not supply-specific. This means that I often have to run out to fetch more supplies for an idea I had. I've just about run out of places to store all of this. Between all the

Art beads, jars of buttons, trays of beads, tackle boxes of beads

New beads, found objects, button cards, thrifted jewelry

STUFF I'm just a tad lost.
Do you ever feel this way? How do you get your mind to center in on one project and away from all the stuff? Is it possible to find inspiration despite the chaos?

At least I've already got a back log of items made and ready for the shop. Here's the newest. It's already been reserved.

Unique Princess Necklace - RESERVED

Anyway, I'd love to hear any tips you have on my first world problem.
How do I let the beads speak to me when they're ALL clamoring for attention?

Sketch or Forget

If you stopped by here yesterday, you saw my photo for the prompt "Words." I spent a portion of the previous day considering what my subject would be before settling on the canvas I made Pat.

Before making my decision, one of the main subjects that kept coming back to me was my sketchbook.

There are A LOT of words in there. I've found that it's imperative that I have some writing materials near me at all times because ideas will just pop into my brain no matter where I am. And if don't get these ideas written down (play epic disaster music with lots of drums now,) they just FALL OUT OF MY HEAD! It doesn't matter how enthusiastic I am about these ideas/designs or how much I swear I won't forget them, if I don't write it down it's gone. Sigh.

Now don't get me wrong, my book is not just full of jewelry ideas, but marketing ideas, blog topic suggestions (this was one of them), color combinations, craft experiments, poetry, doodles, straight-up journaling, links or websites to remember, lists of supplies, and so much more.

If I don't have my exact sketchbook with me, I'll just draw something out on anything. The other day I was in my car in the bank drive through when an idea came to me. Fortunately, there was a slip of notebook paper in the seat next to me to get the stroke of inspiration written down.

Since I know that I have a horrible memory, I write down just about everything I can. However, sometimes the ideas and memory-jogs that go into the book don't translate as well later. I've got quite a few design ideas that I just can't seem to decipher. It's a shame really because I'm sure I was really excited about those ideas when they came to me.

Right now I'm trying to keep up the momentum of getting all my ideas in the book, no matter how tiny they are or how out of this world. So it's filling up faster than usual. I like that. As well, I'm in the process of going through my sketchbook and attempting to actually make the ideas and designs come to life. I've had some successes as well as some failures.

Many of the successes (or what I consider a success) end up in the shop.

Bubbles Ascending Necklace

Many of the bad ideas never get made, but some have to be tried in order for me to discover what a bad idea it was, like this necklace.

I was going for a waterfall effect, but it just keeps tangling.

As I work through my sketchbook and ideas, I may be sharing some of them with you here. For now, though I'm just going to keep plodding through it.


Today I'm working on one of those inspirations that just HIT. You've probably seen them before, my Shabby Beads. My painted fingers were the perfect subject for today's February Photo A Day Challenge prompt.

Day 3: Hands

Also, there's a few GIVEAWAYS going on that I thought I'd share:

• Pips is offering up some of her Petal and Flower Capped Beads for just leaving a comment. So easy!!
• Over at Second Surf, there's a massive leather giveaway going on with several ways to enter. Get to it! 

What do you do when inspiration strikes? Do you have a sketch/idea book too or do you have other methods? I'd love to know.

Wednesday Woes, Girl's Night, and New Craft (WWWW)

Ahhh, hump day!!
There's something about Wednesdays that just irks me. I'm not sure what. I think it's the fact that you're still only halfway to the weekend. However, I do have something to look forward to tonight - I'm going to dinner and a movie with a fiend and some of her friends from work. Since LOML has a fairly strict no-girlie-movie policy, I've lucked out that this friend and her friends include me when they head out to see girlie movies. I saw both the House Bunny and Sex and the City with them. Tonight, we'll see He's Just Not That into You. It has some of my favorite actresses in it!!

Besides that, wanna know what else is new? I'm learning a new craft. YES, ANOTHER ONE!! I read on another blog (sorry I can't remember which one) how fairly easy loom knitting was. I've got a ton of yarn. I found the knifty knitter at Wal-Mart waaaay cheap. I've knitted a hat (pictures pending.) REALLY! I did it in one evening, while watching TV. I've started on a matching scarf now too. The hat is not perfect - there's one mistake and it could be a bit bigger. But, it was sooo easy. If you are personal friends of mine (or family) you can go ahead and expect a hat and/or scarf for Christmas this year. I've been looking for crafts that are fairly easy to complete in front of the TV, in the living room, and needlecrafts (knitting and embroidery) seem like the way to go. Ahhhh, craft ADD strikes again!!!

Now, for some "Wild, Wild Web Wednesday" It's not much, but it's just for you!!

• Check out this woman who misses her flight and throws a temper tantrum. LOML and I often discuss why adults don't throw tantrums like we did as kids. We might get what we want more often. J/K!
  
• Roald Dahl was my favorite author as a child, and still is for children's books. I haven't gotten much into his writing for adults yet (but it's on the list.) At this site, you can explore his writing hut. It's kinda dirty and depressing, but if you've ever read his children's books, you know they all kinda start out that way.

Wild huh?
Well, I'm off for now. Try to enjoy your Wednesday - you're halfway to the weekend (glass half full, right?)