Monday, June 27, 2011

Photo Shoot




I am so excited I have a photographer to shoot my work. I have a girl with super model potential. I can say I knew her when! She is perfect. We will be shooting her today at Butler Park in Austin Texas. I will have my vintage and up cycled clothing featured with my art pieces. Greta Olivas will be behind the camera. I can’t wait. Click to see more of the finished product.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Organizing Through Goal Setting

What is truly great is I am active, organized and focused on completing task. I am giving myself to task 100% for given periods in my schedule. I know how much time steps in my projects take so I lay out task to complete. I am mixing mundane task which I find bog me down with more stimulating task throughout the day.

Schedule Blocks

For example, I broke down fabric while I watched Hitchcock movies. It is a simple repetitive task so I develop a rhythm and get lots of work done in one 80/90 minute block. Today I completed sewing some towels and afterward organized smaller rugs into large projects. It was such a rush a reward for the sewing which I’m not crazy about.

I can schedule a hour block on the dining room table while my family is out swimming. I pin thirty dish towels ready for sewing the next block I have.
I set up blocks at the end of each block.

Online study and emails are combined, I read about clay types, marketing, studying blogs and other things I need. I have email time in blocks also. If I need to communicate more often because of sales, posting, photos or writing I set up standard blocks. In between if I need to check communication I am only allowed to respond to the specific task and nothing more until I have a larger block scheduled. In email blocks I limit myself by attempting to touch things once. If it is a quick easy response I handle it right there. I make a snap judgment on how I use my small block of time by deleting junk and getting the most out of my time.

Monday, June 6, 2011

DIY Shrinky Dinks

                                                                      Before the Oven


I don’t know why I love repetition but I do. I came across a DIY shrinky dink and decided to do something with this great picture of an old VW I had taken. I love the car and wanted to do something fun with it so I thought a collection of DIY shrinky dinks in various colors would be awesome. I have all the colors and a cute little grouping and ideas are pinging off my head like a pin ball machine. Have look at my car collection in pictures.









After the Oven









I used the number six take out boxes. And colored the boxes with sharpies. I scanned the panels because I see this turning into something else I just don’t know what right now. I also have to wait until my family is out of the house because cooking plastic fumes can’t be             good for them, Right? You’ll see the results as soon as I do!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Focused Attention

I recently read a wonderful blog “A day without Distraction Lessons Learned from 12 hours of Forced Focus”. I found that to ridged or relaxed goals could defeat the purpose. Of completing goals. In addition, you must build in rewards to aid in success. My list of goals is long and the day is short so here is my plan.

My plan is to focus attention to accomplish specific goals. To do this I need to prioritize my goals and create a plan of action. I do this first because I need to know where I’m going to make the map to get there. Now I have always had a map but I get off the path frequently and would like to correct this obstacle.

To accomplish more and have a more productive day I will have no more than three main goals at a time. These goals are than broken down into daily action steps. I have the goals posted for all to see and I have the steps broken down on my daily calendar. Before I go to bed and when I wake up, I look at the plan.

This week I needed to upgrade my phone, run a firing of bottles, write and complete a large crochet project. Everyday I have family and outside work requirements also. The trick is blending my obligations to accomplish both.

Here is an example of my daily to do list.

Paint cones

Wash bottles
Call optometrist
Movies
Visit north farmers market
Hangers for rugs?
Bank
Phone?
Spanish lesson
Exersice


Borrowing from A Day without Distraction I have decided that I will achieve more by giving each task individual attention. Yesterday I set out with one goal in mind to purchase a phone. That done this morning after quickly looking over emails I set up the new phone.

I have my baskets of yarn set up for quick access to work on crochet project through out the day.

I have broken down the steps to firing the kiln and when I have blocks of time I knock out another step. Count down to firing.

In between, I take care of work and family.