Wednesday 16 December 2009

The Creative Process

I think about something for a while, on and off, not really in detail, just thinking over ideas. Then, I suddenly have a breakthrough and get all excited and gather together some things with which to realize my marvellous idea. Then I look at the things and realise that it is not going to be as easy as all that. This is the point at which I may give up (leave it till later...)-or at which I think 'yes I can do it!' As I have said before, I never know exactly how it will go.
Such an idea has been going around my head for a few weeks now. Here it is in order of events.
1. ADO (Art Dolls Only group I belong to) has a monthly challenge and this month it is elves.
2. I do not want to do an elf like an elf done before by anyone, though that will be tricky with the tons of elves that have been made, drawn or existed(?!) over the years.
3. Wrapping Christmas presents for various groups of people during the evenings this week (school, friends, family) has been slightly tedious. I have the best of intentions, get everything prepared in advance but still it takes me hours! I always have this romantic idea of wrapping pressies, sipping wine and listening to Christmas music or watching a film. It always turns into a production line of epic proportions and does not live up to my hopes. If I wrapped them as I bought them then it may be easier but that never seems to happen. Anyway, the point of this is to say that I wished I had an elf or two to help me with this job.
4. The idea sprung into my head as I stood at the kitchen table wrapping another present.
5. It is called 'The Elf's Nightmare'
6 I collected a head (I have a few I made a while ago from polymer clay and they sit in a box looking resentful) He looks quite elfish. (Or is it 'elvish'?) I got a box I have been saving 'just in case it is useful'-hurrah! I got some wire.
7. I stopped to think.
8. I put it all on my pending table section in the back room (the small space next to the sewing machine where I put things I can't be bothered to put away immediately!)
9. I shall decide whether to continue after the rest of the presents are done-as sadly, no real elves have turned up yet.

I suppose this is why I, and lots of people have so many unfinished projects. The initial idea is so exciting and I can see it glowing in my head. I then come back to reality with a little jolt when I think of the practical side.

Back later with the advent calendar-not an elf!


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have wonderful songs in my head- but they sound awful when I sing! I have wonderful drawings in my head, but they look as if they were drawn by a five-year old when I put them on paper! I have wonderful projects in my head that never quite turn out the way I imagined them - never mind, it's fun trying!!!

sallybailey said...

I am so in need of an elf or two here! The bailey household is in danger of going into christmas meltdown as we speak!! Have you and Andy any plans for New Year? We'd love to have you at our annual DMU reunion!! Festive love, Sally xxx

jabblog said...

Barry and I are both great starters but get excited by other projects so really nothing ever gets finished!
I'm with you on the present wrapping - always think it's going to be enjoyable and relaxed and it just becomes a chore that must be finished . . .

Anairam said...

Oh, I can so relate to #3! Despite my best intentions I usually end up wrapping the last prezzies 20 minutes before we are about to open them. I always plan to have beautiful tags, handmade ones by moi (and to be fair to myself, I sometimes have SOME of these), but I invariably end up scrawling a message on the wrapping for the last few presents. And the elf, oh yes, all those projects started but not finished ... I do think that you are pretty organised to have a special halfway house for those projects, though !

Anonymous said...

I really don't like wrapping gifts. I think that's why I choose gift bags. They are much easier!

Jessica Nichols said...

Second to last sentence is sooooo true for me. Sigh. Darn old reality! We should have an online wrapping party. Seems like everyone feels weighed down by that part....