It’s the first snowy day of winter here, and I’m cozied up inside… and it occurs to me, that much like our ancestors prepared ahead of time for winter, I enjoy storing up blog posts and pictures in case of future need!
Now, “need” in blogging terms is hardly a life-or-death thing… but it gives me a warm feeing to have a post or two drafted in case I get sick, weather prevents me from taking pics, or life gets too busy. Sometimes I don’t even write the post – just having the pictures ready to go is enough!
For example, right now in my drafts I’ve got two general Better Picture Project discussion posts, a pattern repeat that seems a bit boring to blog right away, and two patterns that I’ve tested which haven’t been released yet. I don’t usually have quite that much squirreled away, but I have to say, it’s feels good!
Do you post everything right away, or do you save some of it up for a rainy day? I’d love to hear!
p.s. In a very uncharacteristic move, I’ve decided not to buy any more fabric until Christmas, unless it’s for gifts. I have way too many clothes and enough fabric to keep me going for a few months… and heaven help me, I’m trying train my brain to take pleasure in responsible frugality! Hold me to it, please!
Crafting A Rainbow 
I always try to get ahead but it never lasts long 😛 I’m more of a last minute post-maker! I can’t believe it’s already snowy somewhere! We’re just getting to the really cool (but not really cold) fall weather
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Whereabouts do you live? I’m near Toronto, in Canada, so this is actually late for our first snow to stay on the ground! It’ll be here until (ugh) April. Now I”m just depressed! 😛
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Love the tree photo.
I think I have about 15 posts waiting. Some are just outlines, some are waiting for pictures, a couple will be my next posts, while I try to get some other pictures or wait to tell secrets. A couple I may delete. My big problem is pictures. I never seem to have a pile of pictures and no need to post. There isn’t much in the way of overhead lighting in our house and it’s very grey here for 3/4 of the year add tot schedules and pictures are a bit of a nightmare, but I love sharing with the online community.
Good luck to you on not purchasing fabric. I keep thinking of taking a buying hiatus, but then there is a great sale on something I don’t have anything of.
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Oh my goodness, 15 posts? That’s a lot! Well done!
Pictures are a perenial problem, aren’t they? I’m really not looking forward to haveing to take pics inside all winter. There is a theme month about that coming up on the Better Pictures Project series, but I’m feeling like it can’t come soon enough! maybe I should move it forward?
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I’ve been enjoying the better pictures posts and taking notes for when I learn to use my camera. All of the tips give me direction for improvement efforts.
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I read a great many sewing blogs and learn so much. My fear is that sewing Christmas stockings for family and two Sewaholic Stanley tress for friends would be pretty tame blog fare! I keep thinking about starting a blog but do nothing about it – not a good combination!
Wow, is your snow still there this afternoon? You must be just that much further north; our snow was here and gone. It makes for great sewing weather though!
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you on not purchasing fabric. For me, I’m trying hard not to buy anymore fabric online. I’m staying off the web so as to avoid Black Friday fabric sales!
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You should blog! I really do find it relaxing and rewarding. I started this blog before I started sewing clothes, so for the first few months it was all wreaths, ornaments, coasters, and random other things I’d sewn. If you do start one, promise you’ll let me know so I can follow?
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Yes, after a mild autumn, we were suddenly hit with freezing temperatures and snow yesterday, for the first time. It stayed cold but the snow didn’t lie (except on my car and didn’t melt for several hours) . I have one or two blog posts, the text, on the go. I start writing if I’m somewhere waiting. It’s usually the photos I’m short of.
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I”m glad your snow melted quickly! After only two days of snow, i’m tired of having to dig out my car for 10minutes every morning!
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Here’s one of my mantras (that sometimes even works!): I am inspired by who I am and what I have. Read: I don’t need to look like anyone else or sew what they are sewing unless it truly reflects me. I probably don’t need a new pattern. Also, I can go fabric “shopping” in my sewing room. I’m past the point of buying things that I aren’t right any more (no quilting cotton except for scraps from a shower curtain project), so my fabric stash is very use-able. Now use it! (Maybe I’m convincing myself here!) Good luck with your intention.
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That’s a good mantra! I’m trying to work on finding joy in what I have instead of buying more as stress relief. Happy stash sewing to us both! 🙂
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How lovely! Both the picture and having some posts stored up. I often write ahead, at least when I finish projects to do so– the pictures are usually what delays me in actually posting. But I can write on my Kindle even during the late night feedings, and it helps keep me awake. So that’s a win.
I’ve actually been doing pretty well with not buying fabric this year, overall. My problem is more that I’ve had two destashes passed to me in the last couple of months. I did get rid of the worst stuff, but I have a harder time with stuff that wouldn’t have been my first pick but is ok enough to at least use as wearable muslins. I dream of the day when I get this pile down enough that I can justify choosing my own fabric again, but at least Christmas is coming and my mom has good taste in prints!
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I”m so fascinated by people who write first, then take photos! my writing process is totally inspired by whichever shots worked out best, and trying to tell a narrative with them. I’ve never tried the other way around!
For what it’s worth, I’m so impressed with you taking on that 30 days of eating what you have in the pantry, and how much you’ve managed to sew and still keep to a stash-busting plan. All of that with your first baby? Oh man. I”m in awe.
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Hah! I have something like 70 draft posts (spanning 6 years of the blog; most are trip reports) that I will *eventually* get around to finishing and posting in my nonlinear way. I’d like to say that it’s a lack of pictures that’s holding me back, and that’s part of it for my makes, but really it’s because it takes me forever just to write one post to my liking.
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Bahaha – 70???? Wow. This could be there year you post them ALL! (Seriously, how are you liking your year off? Does it feel totally natural not to be working?)
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Absolutely. Because I am naturally lazy, I lie around eating bonbons, drinking tea, and reading, and it’s fabulous. Eventually I will get off my silken couch and get some stuff done. And seriously, I do have a lot of half-written posts from my *last* leave year, but I also have half-written posts from last month that I need to finish (wedding dress, anyone?). Once Mom has sold (and actually gotten the rest of the stuff out of) her house, I will be able to sit down and compose witty stuff.
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I am very rubbish as posting when I finish things. I have a huge backlog of things I haven’t blogged. I eventually get to the point where I have missed the season and just don’t bother! I’m a bad blogger!!
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I think you and I are similar in that we like a good pattern repeat… and sometimes I’m less motivated to blog those. Are you still working on making office wear?
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We have had snow too! We were driving to Scotland on Saturday night and it was like a blizzard. Didn’t really lie though. 😦 I do have a fair few blog posts squirreled away but these are usually UFO related with a few Wardrobe Architect posts mixed in that I haven’t posted. At this rate I will be able to use them for next year. 🙂 Xx
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Oh, I’d be interested in reading your Wardrobe Architect posts! You should put them up sometime!
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I don’t generally have posts written ahead of time, but I do love to have some pictures stored up. When I take photos for blog posts, I tend to have John take a bunch of shots of a few different projects. That way I don’t have to be constantly asking him to come do photos with me, and I have some photos that I can blog anytime. 😉
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Yes! I almost never take pics of just one thing any more. Gotta bang out a couple of projects and photograph them all at once. It’s even worse now that it’s always dark when I leave for and get home from work. Only leaves the weekend, and it’s usually crap weather at least one of those weekend days…
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Yay for future planning! I’m often motivated to write and take pictures on very different schedules. Writing happens in the early morning when my brain is fresh but when I would rather be sitting and getting used to the idea of moving about my day. If my brain is particularly active, I’ll splat out a whole lotta verbiage and save it for when I have time to add pictures. I wish I could be that productive with pictures, but it’s not my general personality to have multiple projects going.
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Ooh, morning writing? I bet that’s a satisfyingly productive start to the day. I usually write mine in the evenings while I lie on the couch with the cat!
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I usually don’t have posts scheduled ahead of time unless I’ve sewn like 3 or 4 easy things at once and took their pics all at once. I usually write after I take pics.
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I write after pics, too. I’m really fascinated that some people do it the other way around… I wouldn’t know where to start!
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I usually have a few posts in Draft mode. Some will likely never be published, but that’s okay: I enjoy the writing process for what it is, and it’s nice to have that outlet regardless of whether or not I ever hit the “Publish” button!
I try to start a draft once I begin a project, that way I can record relevant details as I go, rather than hope I remember it all once the thing in question is finished; I also like to start drafts when I have a plan for a future project, since that helps keep me accountable and on track. I usually have the text of a post the way I want it by the time we get around to the photos, which of course can be delayed due to weather or our schedules. Photo-specific text is added once those are finished, and then it’s time to publish!
I do not allow myself to have more than one project in progress at a time (trust me, it’s for the best!), so I can’t take an entire series of photos featuring multiple items; that definitely limits my ability to plan posts ahead of time! I am impressed that you are able to do that–that would be a nice, comforting feeling for sure! =)
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Wow, you write posts right from the planning stage onwards? That’s really neat! My teacher brain says that’s exactly what i would encourage students to do, but I certainly don’t do that myself! 😉
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Well as it happens, I come from a long line of teachers, LOL! (Though I could never be bothered to draft research papers–how’s that for backwards??)
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I have many pictures and makes that never get posted! I actually have a post started called “Honorable Mentions”….those makes that didn’t quite cut it or ones that became out of season. Winter is definitely the hardest time of year to blog… I am going to try the “change in the car” approach to picture taking that I know you do. Make hay while the sun shines…literally!
Oh good heavens… Gillian! No fabric purchases until after Christmas! I refuse to be an accountability partner for that one…sorry. If a fabric purchase is needed for a “little pick me up”…..then by all means!
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Y’know. This would have been a smart idea. We just got our first big dump of snow in Edmonton today. Shame I don’t have much saved up. I tend to fall behind in my sewing plans and I essentially post things shortly after I finish them. Next time I go on a sewing binge I’ll plan a photo binge too!
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