I had some grand plans for journal making this week.
It started when I saw a contest on designlovefest where you choose one of their Make It projects, and, well, make it, and then Instagram it.
As I was looking through their posts (which, yes, requires opening like 20 tabs – I need to have all the information in front of me), I came across this simple but really cool looking journal project. I was really excited. I would make one for myself. I would make some for gifts. I would become a journal-making MACHINE! Not only would I Instagram it, I would blog about it. If I won, the journals I gave as gifts would be that much more awesome, because I could be like “Happy [insert occasion here]! Here’s an award-winning journal for you.” Sweet, right?
But I needed to get this blog launched first. Even though the first post went up earlier, I wasn’t really done messing with the site and ready to announce it to the world until this week. And then the last couple days life in general did not go as planned, and, on top of the stress that had come up (or maybe because of it), I haven’t been sleeping well. By the time I went to join the crafters at CraftHack last night, I was hoping to have my journal(s) done and contest entry posted, but I had barely started.
So I brought along my paper and various cutting implements with me, so I could continue to fold, cut, and interweave the signatures.
My Craft Hack buddies had very kindly announced my new blog on Facebook. But I got the impression that a couple of the Craft Hackers mistook the “journal” in “Travelcraft Journal” to mean that I knew things about making journals. That was not my intent, which probably became increasingly evident as I was fumbling my way through a really basic one.
As it turns out, I am not a journal-making machine.
Maybe it was the wrong paper, wrong method, my inability to cut straight. It wasn’t coming together well. It wasn’t even laying flat. I clipped the pages together and laid it under a copy of 501 Spanish Verbs.
Lo dejé allí, me dormí (pues, intentía a dormir), y regresé el próximo día.*
It still didn’t lay flat.
I thought about working on it tonight, but tonight’s priority was actually to rest, to try to wind down, so I could get a good night’s sleep and get back on schedule. I looked at that journal and decided I wasn’t up for the task. I wasn’t going to make the contest deadline. And I might need to come up with some new gift ideas.
But there’s enough stress in life without worrying about a craft project that isn’t coming together right. This should be fun. Since it’s not, I’m putting it aside for now and hoping that putting this all on (virtual) paper helps my mind to rest. Maybe another day it will work out better and turnout more enjoyable. Maybe I’ll even turn into a journal-making machine.
So how about you? Any big craft fails lately? Or sleep fails?
*”I left it there, went to sleep and came back the next day.” Or at least that’s what I meant for it to say. My Spanish is rusty, and I didn’t actually consult the book.
