Hi friends! Are you a crafter plagued by UFOs? No, not the flying variety, I mean Un Finished Objects! Not to be confused with WIPs, Works In Progress, that are currently being enjoyed. UFOs are those “lonely only” socks and mittens you started with the best intentions but lost interest before the other one was made (I have that problem so I knit them 2 at a time!) or the extras you make thinking “I love this card design I’ll make 50!” but poop out on the job after just stamping and coloring 10 images. Do not fret, Lindsay is here to help in this weeks vlog:
Don’t you feel better knowing that you are not the only one? I sure do LOL! Do you have any advice for those pesky UFO’s? Let us know in the comments section. You guys have the BEST ideas! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!
The Frugal Crafter Blog 
My UFO’s are bits and pieces of a die cut that get cut out with a die but
dont get used on the card Im making. They have added up fast and all the negatives from other die cuts that could be used at some time or other. Then there are the extra pieces from an embossed piece of cardstock. I put them in separate containers and looking at them overwhelms me. I need to sit down with all that stuff and try to make something out of all those leftovers, geesh, it turned into a nightmare.
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I have the same problem. Now I keep them for awhile after which I THROW THEM AWAY. It’s wonderfully liberating. Really, how many punched out pieces or the negatives can one person use? Keeping them benefits no one.
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I’m with you. I have negatives, positives and pieces. How to organize them so they are useful is a problem. Pitching them is a possibility.
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If you work on a UFO 10-15 minutes per day, you’ll finish without being overwhelmed!
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An unfinished object for you might be a new object-to-finish for me…so I keep my bits and started cards together as neatly as possible. Every couple of months our crafting group meets specifically to work on everyone’s stalled projects, finish them and have them ready to go for mailing to those who like to get cards and words of love and encouragement.
I am always surprised when someone mentions receiving a card from me and how they liked it. I used to do tole painting, but I’ve found that a real in-the-mail card seems to give someone pleasure and they don’t have to worry about what to do with it.
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(English is not my first language so don’t pay attention to my mistakes please.) I consider my UFO’s as “long term WIP’s”. I am not good at throwing my crafts out. Over the years I tend to come back to all the different crafts I do, but I do add new crafts all the time. I love multi crafting and as long as my UFO’s don’t overtake my house… Sometimes they are an inspiration too!
But I do have a tip for you if you have UFO’s with mistakes. When I made a mistake in my work – for instance knitting – I used to throw it in a corner and didn’t finish it. Now I undo the mistake first and if I still want to throw it in a corner: next time I pick it up I can start working at it without the mistakes. It helped me a lot finishing projects.
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Lindsay, you are right on track this week. Was looking at my craft room and thinking – holy cow you need to get in there, clean up and do something with all of those unfinished projects. For me its just overwhelming at times (I work outside the home full time) and I just find its easier to sometimes just walk away and not do anything (for like months at a time). Winter months it seems I spend more time in there, why who knows.
I totally agree that you need to do something with the items you have. I now have three boxes that get emptied at least once a month (Give away, throw away or keep) – my sons school gets a lot of items for their class (give away) and one of my boys always comes in to the room on garbage day to empty my throw away box (that really helps to make sure I don’t keep it!). For my finished projects (mostly cards) they get donated to one of the local charities or hospitals in our area.
Thanks for all the videos – I love them and always look to your blog or you tube channel for inspiration.
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I think you hit the nail on the head for me, and I didn’t realize! I am a multi-crafter, and used to oil paint. I never painted at home, but I did buy all the supplies. But I have about twenty paintings around the house, most of which have never been hung, that I have kept. For the most part I want to keep them, but I feel that no one else would want to pay what they are worth to me. So they sit stacked up at the top of the stairs and no one enjoys them – little of all ME! Your point received is that I probably have issues with others owning my work. Having said that, I do make cards that I can give without a problem! I will look out for the video on pricing and see what I can do.
Thank you – Julie
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Oh yes, UFO’s and WIP’s they can be come a millstone, or a stepping stone. I go through about once a year and do a serious 3-C clean, clear, cull. I share with St. Vincent’s, some one or the handy dandy trash can. I was not always this way. However when I had more sstuff then I knew what to do with… Mercy! I at one point decided only ONE hobby. we ll at that time my daughter was a new born. so I decided on scrap-booking. Well you need to be-able to rubber-stamp, color, quill, crochet, and glitter these things right… well 27 years later I have a room, much like you – in the basement. a room about 12×12…
And to think I started on the top of the dryer. However before that.. Years and years.. I was 5 years old and dislocated my shoulder. So my Grandmama was teaching me to embroider, what else are you going to do while being down and quiet. The next summer I found Grandads. office stamps and then the games began.. sense then I have been doing something fun. At 57 years of age I still want to try new and more stuff.. I have sold plenty of work, there is only one piece I regret having sold… that is not bad. Keep going and looking for new stuff in your own craft closet.
It is amazing what a crafter can do, and Artist I am not, I have done art. I play with amazing abandon some times. Other I fret and stew about every piece of bling I place. GO DO and make a UFO/WIP week two or three times a year..
PS. I don’t like the 2 socks at one time.. I like the hard stick dpn’s not the loops… I just can not get the feel for them. Good for you though.. only about 1/4 more time to do… I realize but …..
Happy Stamp~y cynD
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You have probably heard this before, but you resemble the Actress Virginia Madsen ALOT! On another note, I love watching all of you vids, and i am only /3 thru them, but i will hate it when I’m done, and will only get 1 a day… keep doing what you do, you are such an inspiration to me.
Aloha from Kauai
Sherry
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Hello Lindsay — I started a scarf 2 years ago and your video has
inspired me to get it out and finish it.
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You have made me feel “normal”!
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Hi Lindsey, Thanks for your inspirational videos.
I have some UFO that I keep and when I am stuck for something to do on a cold and rainy day in the UK I get one out and finish it. It makes me feel great.
Recently I was finding it hard to find things in my craft room and came across an organisational guru – The Scraprack Lady – Tiffany. I had my craft stuff in separate containers/boxes in places all over my craft room and found it hard to find anything without loosing momentum or getting distracted when I searched/found/discovered something I forgot I had.
Now all my embellishments are grouped together by colour or theme so when I want a red button I can find it and seeing other red things inspire me to use things I forgot I had. Now my felt flowers that I made pop up when I use that colour. Before they where just stuck in a box with all the other flowers I made but never used (UFOs), because out of sight out of mind.
P.S. I could not afford the scraprack she sells as my budget did not allow but you can use her tutorials for free on youtube and use plastic drawers or bags for each colour and post it notes to label all your papers and kits/themes to make them easier to find. I made up my own system and I can already see the benefits. Hope this helps.
Tracy
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You identified a problem of mine. I’m a multi-crafter too, and currently have sewing, paper and clay projects going at the same time. Best thing you said…clean up your area and see what you have.. Organize and you might find you already have too much stuff. Move it on or toss it!
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I keep trying new things, but my passion is card making. I do a lot of challenges, swaps, etc. and feel guilty sending anyone a card that I didn’t make myself……so, I give them to a lady at my church (a card maker too) and she repurposes them to send to shut-ins. Certainly has been a good way to share my cards as well as others and to not have to toss them! There are many organizations that will take unfinished projects and finish or change them up to send to our servicemen too. It certainly is a good feeling to share….twice blessed!
Hugs,
Jan
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I have scads of unfinished projects some of them cookbooks I was making for gifts and journal books half done. I have a box of cards I’ve been sent and made in class and I think I need to donate them to a nursing home for distribution.
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Hi Lindsay,
I’m BRAND NEW to scrapbooking & super excited, especially after watching some of your UTube videoes. You’re so full of energy. I just LOVE that. My BFF are honestly “late” to the party but nonetheless are very excited & can’t wait to start. We are taking a scrapbooking 101 class at a local store in a couple weeks. We have no idea where to start or what we need. Could you give me some pointers? I purchased some cute paper (on sale & w/a coupon; double score!!! LOL) & a MS paper trimmer/cuter. Should we join a kit club? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. All of our children have varied interests & activities.
I’m so exited to hear from you,
New Scrapbookers in NOLA,
Jeannine (& Michelle) 😊
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welcome to the scrapping world. You will love it and the people in it.
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Great advice. I am just starting to multi-craft as beading led to learning how to bead crochet, then full blown crochet.
Then my son was born and I couldn’t find a baby book I liked, so I had this brilliant idea of taking hardbound art journals to make a “Smash Book” for him each year – and this was before I knew what a Smash Book was! (You wouldn’t believe how many of those I’ve made throughout the years and didn’t know they had a name… :-P)
And on top of that, my mother was a stamper for many years and with her career change, doesn’t have the time for it anymore and is downsizing her life to boot, so I’m in the process of inheriting all of her stuff…
I see many UFO’s in my future…
A HELPFUL TIP: I’m an “out of sight, out of mind” kind of person who would find myself being inspired by components as I was in the process of making a piece of jewelry. I go to make one thing, and end up pulling beads and findings for several other projects I may or may not come back to as well as have parts and pieces from items gifted to me all over my work space. Every few months I would clean off my work space, making any projects which still inspired me and cleaning up any which didn’t, as well as, taking a good look at what had been gifted me as to whether or not I would leave them as is, repair them, or disassemble them and “file” the components.
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