I don’t usually title my blog with what many people consider to be a dirty word, but I find my creative process is enhanced by a bit of procrastination.

I just realized that I first wrote about my “triple flip” dolls on May 20, 2014, almost 5 months ago. WOW! I really do procrastinate.

They all now have underwear, new dresses and wigs, a process that could have taken a few days. But no hats…

I don’t enjoy (hate) making hats. So I usually find the easiest, most effective way to make simple hats for my dolls. Dolls with hats sell better and they look kinda cute, too. Add to that the process of photographing and documenting every step for a tutorial and my head explodes.

Today is the day! After I write this post, do my real work, eat lunch, and go to the grocery store, I’m gonna make hats. Really.

But back to procrastination. First of all, I have been a procrastinator for a really long time. In school, I wrote my best term papers the night before they were due. When I was selling my reproduction dolls at doll shows, I always stayed up the night before finishing just one more doll.

Now that my life is my own, without so many deadlines, I’ve discovered that some projects need to stew in my brain for a while before I figure out the best way to finish them or even take the next step.

On one of my favorite blogs, Mary Corbett’s Needle ‘N Thread, she recently wrote that she forces herself to “face stitching hurdles” right away. That’s an honorable way to create, and it works for her.

In discussing this topic with my dear husband (DH), he said that he, like me, sometimes needs time to think things over before continuing with a project. But, if he leaves something to stew too long, he never gets back to it.

For me, the key to using procrastination as an advantage is making the commitment to eventually get back to at least 95% of the projects. But, it is also important to give myself permission to just let some projects go.

I’ve caught myself in the trap, sometimes, where I hesitated to start something new because of GUILT about having so many unfinished projects. And that’s just ridiculous. GUILT, not procrastination, is the dirty word.

So, do you think procrastination is a dirty word? Or do you accept it and make it work for you?

Oh, since some of you kindly indulged me and guessed about the mystery tools, I’ll tell you the answer.

The five on the top are half-cone sticks or embroidery shoes, used in stump work and needle lace embroidery for 3-dimensional stitching. On the bottom is a ring stick, for making lace/embroidery rings and above that is a stiletto for punching holes. I could use items from around the house for all of these, but they are just so very elegant that I had to have them.

The only picture I could find to show you the sticks/shoes is in Stumpwork Embroidery, by Kay & Michael Dennis that just came in today’s mail from Amazon.

So, should I indulge myself and dive into the new book?

NO, I’m going to MAKE HATS!