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clare14 Mar 30, 2006

With Easter holidays starting as the kids break up from school tomorrow, I've LOADS of bear making to do, and need to plan to achieve!!!    I would love to hear how you structure your bear making days, as I all too often find myself getting side tracked by here, or ebay, or household chores etc.....   

If I was actually at work I wouldn't be able to slink off and do these things, how do you structure your days??   Help me achive what I NEED to - PLEEEEEZE!!!!!   I need discipline!!!!   I need 'bear making Nanny 911'!!!!!   

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorMar 30, 2006

Hmmmmm . . . I wish I could help you, Clare.  I'm supposed to be a full time bear artist, but it is VERY RARE that I put in a full day devoted to bearmaking.  There is definitely too much else going on in life and since I don't work outside the home anymore, it's just too easy to get caught up with something else that demands my attention.  I have zero self discipline, but maybe someone else has some good habits!!

Aleta - The Silly Bear Mar 30, 2006

Hi Clare,  :rose:
My typical weekday looks like this:
7am-9am:  Coffee, E-mail, TT, Business Correspondence, Breakfast (Multi-tasking!)
9am-11am:  Workout, Household Chores, TT, Post Office and/or run errands
11am-5 or 6pm:  In the studio.  Occassional TT breaks while going for another cup of coffee.
6pm-8pm:  Dinner with my darling husband and catching up on his day.
8-10pm:  In the studio.
10-11pm:  Watching TV and drawing out, stuffing or cutting out new bears.
11pm-12midnight:  Peeking in on TT for the day and making lists for the next day at work.

I work off of lists to do.  It's the only way for me to get things done.  I also work a lot on the weekends.  I have to be doing something every minute!

Warmest hugs,  :hug:
Aleta

gotobedbears Mar 30, 2006

5 am - get up
5.02 - pee
5.03 - put coffee machine on
5.05 - switch comp. on
5.06 - shower
5.20 - dress
5.25 - feed annoying cats
5.30 - put radio on loud so it wakes El Tel up
5.31 - look in mirror, pull skin back real tight like a face lift until you recognise the person in the  reflection
5.32 - pour out coffee
5.33 - check emails
5.34 - delete the emails
5.35 - go and sit in garden (weather permitting)
5.40 - daydream about George Clooney and smile stupidly
10am - wonder where the time has gone
10.01 - think about making a bear
10.02 - do crossword
10.10 - finish the crossword and think about working
10.11 - finish off really bitter coffee
10.15 - start to get buzzy from the bitter coffee and fly around the house trying to get loads of stuff done but in fact, achieve nothing apart from making all the dust float up
12.00 midday - eat brunch
12.15 - read newspaper, phone mates
2.00pm - gasp at how the time has flown
2.01 - make coffee
2.12 - drink coffee
2.20 - fly around the house trying to get loads of stuff done but in fact, achieve nothing apart from making all the dust float up
3.40 - think about getting the evening meal prepared
3.41 - sleep
4.56 - wake up to a note saying El Tel has gone out on his bike for a 15 mile cycle and wonder at his stamina/stupidity
4.58 - open fridge door - stare into it as if something will leap out and say 'Taaa Daaa' and cook itself
5.00 - throw veg into the oven hoping it will look like i made an effort 'Italian Roasted Peppers' anyone?
6.00 - sit down to a healthy meal
6.45 - munch through a big bag of loverly munchies whilst Mr Health & Efficiency watches a dreary documentary on WW2

do you really want me to go on?

gotobedbears Mar 31, 2006

Lisa wrote:  yeah, keep going Penny,  you haven't finished..when does the bear get made!! ha.ha.

That's when i rush around in a caffeine induce state Lisa my darlin - i never remember much about it really so it still seems like a magical process to me

Penny  :dance:

Jellybelly Bears Mar 31, 2006

haha, penny you are too cute

My part time occupation is this, I can't work at all so I suppose I could call it my full time....I spend the time I can on it and love working at night and also find that I get a huge buzz for a while and get heaps of work done in one hit...then I slow down a bit, I suppose it all depends on how I'm feeling...but this internet really is sooo addictive and time goes so quickly!!! 

But the upside of getting a little side tracked on the net...besides the enjoyment, inspiration and encouragement I get from TT, I have had sales through collectors seeing my name on groups like this...it is another outlet to get your name out there...and also for people to "meet" you.  And its fun   I think it is all part of the job hehe   And when I can't work on my bears, this is the best way to keep motivated. 
Good luck Clare  sorry I can't be of any more help. 
xox Sarah

kbonsall Mar 31, 2006

WOW PENPEN! you are so organized that you actually have your peeing on schedule LMAO - you crack me up!

I am only a part-time bear artist... I work full time at a law firm so sometimes when I come home, I dont want anything to do with making a bear.  I make most of my bears on the weekend I make from 0 to 3 bears in a weekend

thumperantiques Mar 31, 2006

Cllair,  when you figure it all  out could you let me know!  Honestly, I try to work with lists, like Aleta, but having to keep the house clean for viewing is cutting into my bear time LOL!  I do have it easy with only me here for 6 out of 7 days, but now the bloody snow has melted early and I have to start cleaning up the yard!  I was hoping to move without dealing with the gardens this year.  So, instead of making bunnies, I have spent two days in the front yard, cleaning out gardens.  It looks nice, but I have never, ever had to deal with gardens before in March!  So much for winter.  Really though, I'm a night owl and do a lot of my bear making late in the evening, after hubby is in bed,  until wee hours of the morning cuz there are no interuptions, but that won't work if you have small children.  I always find it harder when the weather turns nice, as it is always to inviting outdoors.

                                                Hugs,

                                                Brenda

Dilu Mar 31, 2006

The gollies are always up first, and by the time I hobble out to the living room cereal and sugar are flying.  the cats are drinking out of milk puddles and the kids have a sugar high going. 

It goes downhill from there

kbonsall Mar 31, 2006

downhill from there?  LMAO Dilu, you are so silly!!!! :hug:

thumperantiques Mar 31, 2006

Dily, you are so cute and funny - what would we do without you!

                                         Hugs,

                                          Brenda

Laura Lynn Banner SponsorMar 31, 2006

......  I'm supposed to be a full time bear artist, but it is VERY RARE that I put in a full day devoted to bearmaking.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!  Sue Ann, are you my sister????       :hug:

       Penny, Lisa and Dilu... you crack me up!!

Aleta - The Silly Bear Mar 31, 2006

Oh for pete's sakes you girls!!!  Am I the only one who works around here?                  

And you wonder why I occassionally need a fuzzy slipper night!  I am woman of lists!!  Louise?  Where are you with that glass of Merlot?   

Warmest hugs,  :hug:
Aleta

Jane Perala Mar 31, 2006

Afraid I don't get up until 6:30 (my husband has already been up and let the dogs and horse out - and fed the horse - and is just going out the door to work). 
Then I make a cup of tea, check on e-mail, auctions etc. 
Get dressed about 7:30, have breakfast and feed the dogs. 
8:30 I head out with one of the dogs for my morning walk. 
Between 9:00 and 12:00 I work on bears, with a short trip upstairs to get a cup of tea around 10:30, and back down to the studio. 
12:00 to 1:00 I have lunch and feed the horse, clean the barn, and give the dogs a run on the property. 
1:00 to 4:00 I work on bears, at which time my hubby comes home and I have yet more tea with him (no wonder I am always having to pee) - then finish up whatever I was working on and at 5:00 start making our supper and feed the dogs. 
After supper and dishes I do handwork on my bears while watching TV with my hubby. 
9:00 make hubby's lunch for work next day, put the horse in the barn for the night.

Of course this only happens on ideal days, which are few and far between, and on other days "life" interferes!  You know, Dr's appts, the vet, the farrier, telephone calls, visitors, grocery shopping, banking - just stuff.

I did make one move a few years ago that I have never regretted, and that is to hirea cleaning lady.  She comes once every two weeks, and is a real blessing - I don't know what I would do without her.  One of the best things I ever did.

Well, that's my day in a nutshell.

Jane P.

Jane Perala Mar 31, 2006

OMG - that turned out large!!  It really startled me.  I thought I would make it easier to see - wow, sure is.
Sorry about that.

Jane P.

Laura Lynn Banner SponsorMar 31, 2006

Well, hubby and daughter are out of town tonight.... for a wake   but that means I didn't need to cook dinner and i"m working on bears... as soon as I log off here LOL!  Nighty nite!

I Love Teddies Mar 31, 2006

Penny, too funny!   

Since I don't make bears, I can't tell you how I schedule time to make them.  But I can tell you that I think about bears from morning til night.  And then from night til morning.   

All Bear Mar 31, 2006

A.m. Computer.  Email, TT, book-keeping, banking, boxing, purchasing, marketing, website updating etc, . (Also, feed cats, do washing, fling vacuum cleaner around halfheartedly).

P.m. The rest.  :P

Penny, you're definitely hired by the way.  :lol:

Aleta, like you, I'm a maker of lists ... but I guess that's my age catching up with me!  I'd never remember ANYTHING if I didn't!! 

QUESTION: How on earth do you girls manage to get up so early and work so late?     I'm still bleary-eyed at 8am and struggling to fight the urge to go to bed at 8pm! 

nettie Mar 31, 2006

I am quite organised really.I get up at 5.50 ,feed the cat and fish,take the dogs to the beach for an hour and a half,come home and drive my daughter to school ten miles away.Back at 8.45 do e-mails and tt then make up parcels.
Start sewing at 10 till 1 then lunch and feed the pond fish and hang out washing.
1.30 till 4.30 sewing away merrily.then make tea for my daughter and I then sew till 8 then do my workout then an hour of t.v hot chocolate bath and bedzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzthen all over again.
I do this most days but if it is sunny I have an hour off for gardening and at the weekend I have two hours sat and sun for shopping and cleaning. (oh and I go for wee wee every two hours on average)
Diane xxx

Marion Mar 31, 2006

I badly lack of organisation...
My perfect day would be :
7.30 am: wake up, feed cat, breakfast, emails, ebay, TT + clothes in the washer
8.30 am-11.30 am : bearmaking
11.30 am- 1.30 pm : housecleaning (+ clothes off the washer ), "lunch" in front of computer, parcels, go to the post office when needed
1.30 pm- 6.15 pm : bearmaking
6.15 pm : dinner in front of computer  (+clothes off the dryer ) (+vaccum)
6.45 pm - 9 pm : bearmaking
9 pm- 11 pm : movie with fiancé / bearmaking when fiancé works
11 pm - 12 pm or 1 am : internet (TT + chatting with friends), thinking of work for the day after, bearmaking when do not feel sleepy.

But in fact, I've never had such a perfect day and I have lots of problems waking up in the morning because of the chat thing in the evening . And I make internet breaks all the time  :rolleyes:... And my sister calls me too much and my mother too... And I play with the cat... 
On saturday afternoon, go out shopping a little, buying nothing :D.

Hugs  :D.

rufnut Mar 31, 2006

Wow I can only dream......................  Maybe when I retire, 

Penny, you made me laugh, thanks.  :dance:

PeachtreeCottage Mar 31, 2006

Well I'm totally backwards from everyone else.  I'm a night person so this is a typical day for me.

Mid afternoon - wake up and drink some cola to get caffiene in my system.  Read/respond to emails, process any sales/orders, paperwork, etc.  This is my do the stuff you don't really wanna do time. 

Dinner - grab a fast bite to eat and try to figure out what I want to work on

After dinner - play an online role playing game.  During game lulls and waiting times, work on crocheting bear parts, play game, make bear parts, play game, make bear parts...game over for the evening...

Late night/early morning (ie. 1-2am) - turn on a movie to watch while I make bear parts (oh did I say I actually FINISHED any of the bear parts earlier?  hahahahaha no way!).  Work and watch tv until I get something done or get tired.

Morning (i.e. 6amish) go to bed to get some sleep....wake up mid afternoon, rinse repeat.

One thing I do do however is work on certain things on certain days.  Mondays I put together the bear parts made during the week and try to get them to resemble a bear.  Tuesdays I take pictures and put together my ebay auctions.  Wednesdays I try to mail out any thing sold within the last couple of days and mail out my newsletter and auction posts.  Thursdays I start a new bear project and if I didn't get Tuesdays stuff done I do it on Thurs.  Fridays I do all the Weds stuff I didn't get done.  Saturday I work on bearparts while playing online game.  Sundays is my DAY OFF!

That's the general plan...in there somewhere I also work on websites, do whatever needs being done for the Thread Artist Guild, and please take note that I have 2 days to catch up on what I didn't get done, so that should tell you how much this plan works (yeah right!)....

Did I mention I was a night owl?

/bearhugs,

MerBear Mar 31, 2006

Like Kim...I work all day in a law firm, although I'm not a lawyer, just one of those of do the actual work   
But once I get home, finish with supper and the other mundane stuff one must do, by 7 PM I'm sitting with my sewing. Since I hand sew only I have my immediate bear stuff right around my chair so I can watch CSI and L & O all evening while sewing til about 11 PM. Sometimes I might put it down a bit early to spend some quality time in the hot tub with my favourite husband but the evening is not complete without some sewing. I usually do new patterns and cut out mohair, etc on the weekends, in between cooking, cleaning, and whatevers.

Marion

clare14 Mar 31, 2006

This has been so helpful, thank you Aleta, I'm going to try lists, I like lists and have not ever thought to use one with my bear making, genious!!   :hug:

Penny, oh I cracked up when I read your post, soooo funny, in fact I'm still giggling!!      In fact, reading through many of the posts, it's very clear that our bathroom breaks totally interrupt production!!!    

Thank you so much everyone for your input!!   I really appreciate it!!   :hug: