How to Tell When a Project Just Needs to be Shelved

18. February 2011 · 4 comments · Categories: Ebooks, Embroidery, Fighting, Goals, Sewing · Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Sometimes it happens.  You had this fab idea for a project.  It was exciting and it really got your juices flowing.  But once you got further into it you realized that it wasn’t quite what you had had in mind when you first got started.  It’s just not making you happy any more and you find yourself wondering if it’s better to trudge through and finish it up or shelve it until it does start to make you happy again.

I’ve been feeling that way myself lately.  And I’ve come to the conclusion that sometimes it may just be better to shelve a project rather than to keep working on something that is no longer bringing you the joy it once was.  Sometimes its better to shelve it and free yourself up to take on other projects that will bring you joy.  After all, isn’t the fact that they bring us happiness and some measure of joy and fulfillment the whole reason we do these projects in the first place?  Besides there is nothing that says you can’t come back to that old project at a later date.

So I’ve decided to step back from the projects that haven’t been bringing me joy so that I can focus on the things that are.

What am I putting on hold?

  1. The eBooks. Working on them and selling them through the site just hasn’t been as fun as I thought it would be so I’m shelving the project.  What will I do with the two I already have?  I’m not sure yet but I’m pondering several options.
  2. The Flanders Gown. It was so much more fun when I started it but once the fur went down hill it just wasn’t as inspiring anymore.  Since all it needs are sleeves I will probably finish it but I’ll do something more simple that I had originally planned.
  3. Commissions. I’ve enjoyed working on the commissions I’ve taken but now that my most recent one is done I’ve decided to take some time for myself for a while.  I have about 20 buttons to make and that’s it.  I’m going to finish them in the next couple weeks and then I’m going to focus on some personal projects that have really been calling to me.  The calendar will probably open up again for commissions at some point in the future but for now I’m going to focus on personal projects.

What am I still deciding on?

  1. The Etsy Shop. I just don’t know what to do about it.  On the one hand I’ve enjoyed it and I have some big ideas for changes to it but on the other I’m not sure that the things I want to produce fit in best at Etsy.  Still pondering this one.

What am I going to do more of?

  1. Fight. Fighting has been bringing me a lot of joy lately and I want to free up more time for it.
  2. Sew and Embroider for myself. I have several personal sewing projects that are calling to me.  Plus less free time has meant less time for my embroidered jacket.  I worked on it recently and it reminded me how much I’ve enjoyed this project and really want to free up more time for it.
  3. Enjoy the fresh air and warm sun. This winter was rather stressful but the thing that always made me feel better was going outside and walking around the building.  Now that its starting to warm up being outside is even more pleasurable.  I want to spend more time outside, go to fighter practice in the daylight, move my workouts outdoors, and get in a little diving.  I can’t wait for Spring.
  4. Write. I’ve really enjoyed the FR and YWU articles that I’ve written and I have several ideas for new tutorials and HMA articles that I’ve been neglecting.  I have two more FR articles in the works and I want to get started on at least one of the HMA articles after Ymir.  I might even see about teaching at summer University.

A Saucy Ymir Countdown

17. February 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Culture, Food · Tags: , , ,

I’m in the middle of preparations for Ymir so things have been a little quiet here.  Currently the weather for this weekend is supposed to be amazing so lets hope that the forecast holds.

I’ve done a little reorganizing on the website and I’m in the early planning stages of two major projects.  I’ll be able to talk about them in more depth once I’ve finished outlining my plans a little better.

I have been looking through a 1591 edition of A Book of Cookrye and I wanted to share one of the sauce recipes with you all.  The following is a rough transcription of the recipe.

To Make Sauce for Capons or Turkey Fowles

Take onions and dice them thin, and boil them in fair water until they be boiled dry, and put some of the gravy into them and pepper grore beaten*.

From reading through the recipe I believe you are to thinly dice the onion and boil it, allowing the water to reduce until the onions are nearly dry.  Once the water is reduced add some gravy to the sauce from you birds and a little ground pepper to taste.

I’m planning on trying this recipe for myself in the next week or two.  I’ll let you all know how it goes.

*I believe “pepper grore beaten” means ground pepper but I am very new at working with period recipes.

Pictures on the Way

10. February 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Events, Sewing, Website · Tags: , , , , ,

I did get pictures of my Flanders gown.  They are still currently on the camera with my KASF pictures because I’ve been totally lazy about downloading them but I should have them up before the end of the weekend.  In pseudo related news I discovered at KASF that I have to take in my last last pair of bodies and I expect I will have to alter my Flanders gown now as well.  That was pretty cool.

KASF was really inspiring.  I’ve been rather uninspired project wise lately and it really helped to get my juices flowing.  I’m currently brainstorming a couple of projects and I’m getting back to my long sidelined jacket project.  I am doing some reevaluating of the jacket project though.  My vision of where I’d like it to go has changed a bit and I don’t know whether it’s better to alter to project to suit my vision or to continue to push on to finish it as is.

I’m also considering a website reorg and maybe a new template.  It’s been about two years since the last one and since I usually get this itch every 2 years or so this one is hitting me pretty much right on schedule.

Flanders Gown Update

04. February 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Sewing, Tutorials · Tags: , , , ,

Well, I’ve postponed this post for 3 days because I wanted to have pictures to go with it but I still haven’t taken them.  I think I must be the worst costumer ever but hopefully you all will forgive me. :)

Last weekend I got a lot of work done on my Flanders gown.  I ironed all my pieces, put the bodice together, lined the skirt, attached the skirt, and even did most of the hand finishing.  In fact right now it is sitting on my dress form lacking only sleeves, a hem, and it’s front fastening.  I’ve even started the sleeve mock up although I think I still need to tweak it a bit.

Tonight I need to pack for KASF so I doubt I’ll have a chance to work on the sleeves but I am going to try to get pictures up so at least y’all will be able to see it in its current state.

Don’t forget our Tutorial BOGO Special!

We are still running a special on our tutorials through February 6th at midnight! From now through then if you purchase one of our tutorials I will email you the second tutorial for free! Please see my website for details!

Flanders Gown To-Do’s and Website Ponderings

24. January 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Fighting, Sewing · Tags: , , , , ,

Sorry there was not a practice update this week.  I was very busy with work on Thursday and unable to make it out.  Hopefully this week will be easier and I will be able to make it out.  I’ve really enjoyed the last few practices and it feels good to be out again even if it is freezing cold in NC this winter.

Not much happened with the Flanders gown this weekend.  We helped friends move into their (very beautiful) brand new house on Saturday, Saturday and Sunday I had to go into work to check on a freezer that decided to start acting up Saturday, and I spent Sunday afternoon running a low grade fever, drinking lots of juice, and working on a web design project.  I’ve been thinking though that I would really like to wear the gown to KASF in a couple of weeks (Feb 5th).  Everything is cut out and the interlining has been stiffened so I really think I could finish it up by then if I set some time aside for it.  So my plan for tonight is to make sure everything is ironed and sketch out a rough schedule for myself.

The other thing I’ve been considering over the past week is what to do about my site and my expanding costuming interests.  I’ve been branching out more and more into 19th and early 20th century fashions.  However discussing them and putting them up on “Elizabethan Mafia” seems out of place.  I’d like to continue to keep Elizabethan Mafia focused but at the same time I’d like to start discussing my other costuming endeavors.  Currently I have several options running around in my head:

  1. Just keep everything at Elizabethan Mafia.  I’ve spent six years building a following here and this is already how everyone knows me.
  2. Make a second site dedicated specifically to 18-20th Century costuming and keep my 14th-16th Century costuming and HMA research at Elizabethan Mafia.
  3. Refocus Elizabethan Mafia around my HMA research and move all my costuming to a new site.
  4. Build an entirely new site from that would cater to all my interests and redirect traffic to it from Elizabethan Mafia.

Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Am I over thinking it?  Am I crazy?  (Most likely but it would be nice if you all told me no.  :) )

Practice Log 1/13/2011, etc

18. January 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Fighting, Sewing · Tags: , , , ,

Sorry for all the quiet last week.  With the ice storm we got last Tuesday and the holiday yesterday I’ve been completely thrown off schedule-wise.

I did make it to practice last week although sadly it appears last week was my goob practice*.  I forgot my contacts, forgot just about everything else, felt sick, etc…etc…etc.  I still fought just not particularly well.  Ah well, these things happen.  I just need to make sure that they don’t happen again this week.

I did spend some time working on my Flanders gown this weekend.  I didn’t get a lot done but I did get the remaining pieces cut out so I can finally get started on the assembly.  I also think I’ve changed my mind about the sleeves again.  I really need to get this project done just so I can stop changing my mind about it.  I also fit my shell jacket mock up.  It’s currently still up on my dress form as I debate making some other alterations to it but otherwise I’m pretty happy with it.

*goob practice:  That particular practice when coming back to regular practice from a break when a fighter seemingly forgets everything they’ve ever known.  It may be the first practice back or it may wait until practice 2 or 3 to strike.

2010 Retrospective and 2011 Plans

01. January 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Goals · Tags: , , , , , , , ,

It’s New Years Day which means it’s time look back on the projects I’ve finished and the goals I set for myself over the last year and start planning out the ones I want to work on this year.

2010 Goals:

1)  Continue to work on my physical fitness and fighting.
2)  Only have one embroidery project at a time.  Until it’s finished this means my jacket.
3)  Do more sewing.
4)  Learn to play 2 pieces of music appropriate to Elizabethan England by Pennsic.
5)  Spend more time with my students.
6)  Continue to post Silver and Swetnam installments weekly.

I had a lot of false starts with my first goal of working on my physical fitness and fencing.  I would stay focused for a few weeks and then drop off.  I was really disappointed with myself in this.  These were really important goals for me and I let myself set them on the back burner over and over again.

I did OK with goals two and three.  I couldn’t maintain working on a sewing project and an embroidery project at the same time but I did enjoy more sewing projects this year and kept myself focused on the one embroidery project (my jacket) even if I didn’t get as far on it as I would have liked to.

I wrote about goal four recently already.

I did enjoy spending more time with my students both on and off the field this year and I’m looking forward to even more next year.

I did not continue with my Silver and Swetnam series mostly because I’ve decided to change those projects slightly.  Instead of working on them in a series I’ve decided I want to publish them all at once.

2010 Planned Projects

Get my fencing in top notch shape In progress
Embroidered Jacket In progress (Started August 2009)
Flander’s Gown In progress
Silver Training Blog Series In progress
Swetnam Training Blog Series In progress
Steampunk Gown Finished! January 2010
Wrapped and Stuffed Buttons @ Etsy Opened! January 2010
Grey Wool Bias Cut Hosen Finished! February 2010
Linen Kirtle Finished! April 2010
White Linen Bias Cut Stockings Finished! April 2010
16th-17th Century Stocking Tutorial Finished! April 2010
Blue Linen Bias Cut Hosen Finished! May 2010
14th Century Hosen Tutorial Finished! May 2010
Saviolo Dueling Blog Series Finished! June 2010
Early Modern English Dueling Class Finished! June 2010
Green Linen GFG Finished! September 2010
Burgundy Linen Effigy Bodies Finished! October 2010
Recreating Elizabethan Bodies Tutorial Finished! October 2010
Monochrome Embroidery Tutorial Finished! December 2010
French-Cut gown
A new linen suit
Natural Form Gown

2011 Goals

1)  Continue to improve fitness and fencing
2)  Have one sewing project a month
3)  Publish a new ebook every 1-2 months
4)  Be able to play 1 Elizabethan popular song by December

In December I rededicated myself for improving my fitness and I’m pleased to say that I was able to stay pretty straight and mostly narrow even through the Holidays.  I have also begun outlining my plan for working on my fencing one already and I plan on discussing them in more detail when their more firm.  My first fitness and fencing goals revolve around Gulf Wars and I will be discussing them in future posts.  My other goals are all pretty self explanatory. In order to keep myself on track and focused I’ve decided to keep my total number of goals this year lower than last and I will be posting monthly updates.

2011 Planned Projects

Get my fencing in top notch shape In progress
Embroidered Jacket In progress (Started August 2009)
Flander’s Gown In progress
Silver Training Manual In progress
Swetnam Training Manual In progress
14th Century Cloth Hosen ebook
New Rapier Armor
Shirt, Brais, Hosen
Charles de Blois Pourpoint
Edwardian Lingerie Gown
Arming Garments Class

The first non-fencing related projects I will be working on are the 14th Century Cloth Hosen ebook and finishing my Flanders Gown.

Stockings Tutorial Update and Upcoming Ebook Series

13. December 2010 · Write a comment · Categories: Ebooks, Tutorials · Tags: , , , , ,

For those of you who are not on Facebook (or who may have missed my post yesterday) last night I finished my 16th and early 17th Century stockings tutorial reformat. My plan is to have it available on my site as the first in a series of ebooks before the end of the year.  I’m very excited about this project.  I’ve been wanting to do a series of costuming and martial arts ebooks for Elizabethan Mafia for a while and I’m very excited to be starting the project with this tutorial.

Another Completed Project

06. December 2010 · Write a comment · Categories: Tutorials · Tags: , , , ,

I’ll be turning in my latest article for Foundations Revealed this evening after giving it one more review.  I’m pleased with the finished article and it’s been a lot of fun to work on.  It’s currently scheduled for publication in January and I’ll be sure to let you all know when it’s available.

This means other than getting my stockings article up I’m pretty much free through the end of the year and I’m thinking about what I want to work on next.  I have a web design project I’m working on but it doesn’t have a hard deadline.  I’m thinking about trying to finish up my Flander’s Gown by the end of the month and I’m also currently throwing around some ideas in my head for a project for a steampunk party we’re thinking of attending New Year’s Eve.  Maybe I’ll do both.

Or maybe I’ll enjoy some celebratory sushi before making any decisions.

Looking Down the Road to Gulf Wars

19. November 2010 · 1 comment · Categories: Events · Tags: ,

Most people spend this time of year thinking about Thanksgiving, buying Christmas presents, and what they’re going to wear to 12th Night.  Well, maybe the rest of America doesn’t think about 12th Night anymore but most of my friends and I still do so it’s going in the list.

I’ve got several commissions I’m working on and a couple of additional freelance projects so it’s unlikely that I’ll be making something new for 12th Night this year but I have started thinking about Gulf Wars.  I realized this week that it’s only 3.5 months away and if I’m going then I’m going to need to get my butt in gear and start a list of what I need to mend, fix, make, and practice between now and then.  I’m planning on taking some time this weekend to sit down and draft my list.  Of course I’ll share it with you guys when I’m done but I’m curious about you guys.  How many of you are planning on going to Gulf Wars?  Have you already made your listed and started on it or are you waiting until after the Holidays?

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