Gearing Up For Projects That Fizzle

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The discussion centers around the common experience of losing interest in projects after gathering materials, with participants sharing personal anecdotes of acquiring supplies for hobbies they never pursue. One user reflects on Thomas Edison's tendency to stockpile materials, paralleling their own habit of buying tools and supplies at swap meets, often resulting in unfinished projects. Despite having completed many items, they express frustration over their tendency to start numerous projects without following through. Others contribute by discussing their own experiences with unfinished projects and the overwhelming nature of managing multiple interests. Some participants mention past successes in selling unused items at flea markets as a way to alleviate the burden of unfinished projects. The conversation shifts to lighter topics, including crafting and baking, with several users sharing their experiences with gingerbread house making and other creative endeavors. Overall, the thread highlights the challenges of maintaining focus on projects amidst a plethora of interests and the joy of sharing creative experiences.
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Ever got everything assembled for a project only to have you interest fizzle before you actually got started on it?

Im my case there seems, sometimes, to only be enough interest to get me through the gathering of materials stage, and then my interest is "used up".

One biography of Edison spent some time discussing how he blew exorbitant amounts of money on amassing a vast variety of materials he thought he might need for his R & D. He never wanted to be caught without that Japanese silk or Chilean saltpeter at hand, and ended up with huge amounts of stuff that never got used.

The huge swap meet every weekend here in San Diego at the Sports Arena is a terrible contributor to this habit of mine, because you can get some amazing things very cheaply. Last year I bought a set of used leatherworking tools for about $10.00 because I thought I might like to play around with that craft and see what I could come up with. Plus, I couldn't resist the bargain. It was probaby $100.00 worth of stuff. Couple weeks ago I picked up a box of clay sculpting tools, because they were brand new. About $50.00 worth for five bucks. Thing is, I already have all the clay sculpting tools I've ever needed. I couldn't resist the bargain. I haven't touched the leather tools to date.

Then there was the time I got exited about the brand new rocket someone was letting go for $5. It has three engines included. It is sitting on the floor in a corner now, a year and a half later, never having been launched.

Yesterday I bought 6 used books. I already have hundreds of books. And while I am usually always reading one book or another, I seem to continuously acquire them at a rate in excess of what I can possibly hope to read. At the swap meet you can pick books up from between a quarter to a dollar.

It's not like I don't get anything accomplished. The Brush Shelter is littered with many finished things. The trouble is that I'm geared up to do about 20 times more things than I'll probably ever get around to doing.

Edit: Be back later. I'm off to the swap meet.
 
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After a post on this forum, I took it upon myself to prove that you can nail jelly (British for 'jello') to a tree. I came up with several different methods, bought the jelly, found some nails, found a plank (tree substitute) and then never did anything with them.

Edit- I'm suddenly getting back the urge to try it.
 
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matthyaouw said:
Edit- I'm suddenly getting back the urge to try it.
I think you should push forward. Nailing jello to a tree is the kind of project you may regret never having finished for the rest of your life.
 
I always have too many things going on at once. I start on a project. It leads to another project. I discover something else by chance that I also want to do. This leads to two more projects. I pick back up on a project that I abandoned last month. I feel stuck in a rut, drop everything, and start a new project...
If anyone knows how to avoid this, please do tell.
 
A few years back i rented a booth at the flea market, and sold back all the stuff that I bought from there. It was a act of freedom, the burden of unfinnished projects is gone...I am a free woman!

umm want to sell your leather tooling set?
 
I used to have many projects pending or in process, but aside from the never ending and overwhelming job of trying to keep up with the property, recent years find me highly focused. I have quite a few things on paper, or at least reasonably thought out, things that I do plan to attack one day, but until I am ready to dedicate a nearly full time effort, not to mention the money, I now wait before making any purchases or [esp] taking anything apart. :biggrin:
 
hypatia said:
A few years back i rented a booth at the flea market, and sold back all the stuff that I bought from there. It was a act of freedom, the burden of unfinnished projects is gone...I am a free woman!
Wow!
umm want to sell your leather tooling set?
If you're serious, you can have 'em for the cost of postage. I just SO doubt I'm ever going to use them. PM me.

Now, anyone interested in two 1 hp motors?
 
I've done that a few times. But, sometimes it's just a long delay between gathering supplies and starting the project, or I start a hobby, make one thing, and give up on the hobby.
 
  • #10
a leather tooling kit sounds cool!

i don't really have the problem you all speak of... but i feel a pf flea market coming on. anyone have bracelet making materials? i love making jewelry. remember those sequin doll things? those are awesome. i also like puzzles and gingerbread house making kits.
 
  • #11
Gale17 said:
a leather tooling kit sounds cool!

i don't really have the problem you all speak of... but i feel a pf flea market coming on. anyone have bracelet making materials? i love making jewelry. remember those sequin doll things? those are awesome. i also like puzzles and gingerbread house making kits.
Ooh, I love making gingerbread houses! I made a whole village one year (including a farmhouse and barn and used animal crackers for animals and made fences out of Kit-Kat bars and Twizzlers). One batch of the dough recipe I have makes a LOT of gingerbread, so I just kept building until I ran out. :biggrin: It's harder to find places that sell bulk candies though, so that's the limiting part in decorating them.

I should do that again this year if I can find my recipe. My kitchen is big enough to take on a project like that again.
 
  • #12
Ivan Seeking said:
I have quite a few things on paper, or at least reasonably thought out, things that I do plan to attack one day, but until I am ready to dedicate a nearly full time effort, not to mention the money, I now wait before making any purchases or [esp] taking anything apart. :biggrin:

This is what I usually do. I have tons of stuff on paper or in computer files. I'll probably never get around to developing most of it, but the exercise itself is worthwhile, I believe. (Anyone interested in 8 or 9 synthesizer/sampler-keyboard/music instrument projects?)

Moonbear said:
I've done that a few times. But, sometimes it's just a long delay between gathering supplies and starting the project, or I start a hobby, make one thing, and give up on the hobby.

This wouldn't work for me. I'd lose half the parts before ever getting around to them.

KM
 
  • #13
Moonbear said:
Ooh, I love making gingerbread houses! I made a whole village one year (including a farmhouse and barn and used animal crackers for animals and made fences out of Kit-Kat bars and Twizzlers). One batch of the dough recipe I have makes a LOT of gingerbread, so I just kept building until I ran out. :biggrin: It's harder to find places that sell bulk candies though, so that's the limiting part in decorating them.

I should do that again this year if I can find my recipe. My kitchen is big enough to take on a project like that again.
i don't want to hijack the thread but...

I made the awesome house last year! i did out all this math to make this two story house that was like 3 feet tall. and i measured out the walls, and built supports and did all this stuff, and then i went to bake the thing, and i realized... i hadn't accounted for the size of the pans... turned out that my pan was smaller than the size of the walls! i was devastated. we ended up having to paste bits together... it looked kinda silly in the end, but it was still huge and awesome. We also ended up making a cute little Santa's village. Even got some keebler's elves to stand around. it was so cute. i usually get a big piece of board, and wrap it in wrapping paper, then cover everything in powered sugar and frosting so its all snow covered... and portable!
 
  • #14
Kenneth Mann said:
but the exercise itself is worthwhile, I believe.


I agree. I spent many years developing new ideas. Some of them came to be but most never amounted to anything. However, the experience gained and the skills learned in going through he design process hundreds of times has proven invaluable to what I do now. And you never know...I'm not dead...yet. I still have a couple of very promising ideas on the back burner.

Also, one of my inventions did sell and ultimately helped to make my career.
 
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  • #15
OK, I'm rid of the leatherworking tools.

Anyone need feathers? I have a pheasant skin (pelt? hide?) and about a million peahen feathers. Anyone do Indian type crafts or tie their own flies for fishing?
 
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