With fall coming up, I feel like I am more creative than ever! All those crisp leaves, those bright colors, cool mornings, hot chocolate, the list goes on! Yet there is a price to pay with being creative.

Sometimes I feel it is both a blessing and a curse. It’s easy enough to see the benefits of being creative. I mean, I know I can see it every time I go to my office. There are fabrics, papers, notes, and so many other items that represent a project I’m working on. I love it, almost as much as I love fall!

But there is a down side. Not many know this, but I have six books that may work themselves into a series, four short novel sized ones, and two short stories that I am working on. Craft wise, I have a partially completed sign, and over two dozen handcrafted books that are also in the works.

The blessing is that once I finish them all, I’ll have a lot to show for all the time, effort, and supplies I put into each project. The curse? I’m left with what feels like an overwhelming amount of work. So how do I manage to keep my stories straight and my crafting within budget?

When it comes to the stories, I write down an outline of the book, short story, or novel idea. If I have a moment of inspiration, I do my best to give myself time to work on that story despite working on a separate project. Otherwise, I force myself to focus on ONE story only, and occasionally I’ll take a break with a short story. Those breaks are also great for motivation as they allow me to quickly complete a writing project. Plus, at some point, I can publish a Short Story Collection. So, time not wasted!

As for crafting. It is always difficult for me to not go out and buy more materials. New fabrics are so tempting! I force myself to only buy fabrics and papers after I complete my current list of crafting projects. Although, I also try to keep in mind just how much material I still have, and the goal is always to use that up before buying more…it’s a good goal. *sigh

In the end, the curse is only a curse if I lose focus and try doing too much all at once. Now to get back to work and keep on being creative! I hope this keeps you inspired as you work on different crafts this fall, too!

Photo Credit: Anni Roenkae