Hello world!

I have made a resolution, albeit a bit early for the new year, to not buy another crafting product until I complete the mass of unfinished projects that I already have.  What unfinished projects?  You know the ones.  The bits and pieces that you have hiding under the bed, in the boxes on the shelf, or (gasp!) staring at you in plain view everytime you walk into your craft room.  Do you have them too?  I can’t deny it.  I have many, and after being a life-long crafter, I will probably have many more.

So what is behind my sudden urge to bring my orphaned projects to fruition?  I could say lack of space.  I could say clearing of clutter, but to tell the truth…I was struck with an indescribable sense of guilt as I began to complain about the mess in my craft room and the lack of space to put it all in (although, thanks to my BFF Erica, everything does have a home).  What brought on my guilt?  A few things actually.  It began with a letter a coworker sent out to our staff telling us of the hard times she and her daughter faced not being able to make ends meet, and asking for our help with odd jobs and chores that she would be willing to undertake for us for a few dollars.  Here I am surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in craft materials and this woman and her daughter don’t know if they can pay the next electric bill.  I was saddened with myself to think that I have so much to be thankful for, and yet I was complaining about the mess it made. 

So, I began my “reformation” by making an anonymous donation to my coworker.  I didn’t have work for her to do, and to be honest, she works enough at three jobs.  I wanted to give her the gift of my gratitude for running our ISS program and taking those students who we just can take another minute longer.  The other decision I made was to be thankful for the materials that I have and to complete them and make use of them.  I have many crafting hobbies.  I quilt, I scrapbook, I cross-stitch, I make cards and stationary, and many other things that fall into so many categories it’s hard to list.  So over the next few days, I will be cataloging my “unfinished business” and posting it for all to see.  I will not buy anymore craft materials until I use what I have to complete the projects that I intended to do.  Your job, reader, is to hold me accountable for finishing these projects.  Don’t let me veer off the path and buy that pack of paper that I really don’t need.  And maybe, just maybe, I will inspire some of you to dig to the back of your craft closet and pull out that unmarked box of orphaned projects and finish a craft or two.  Just a thought…

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