Do you ever feel as though you are just running in place? I often feel that way this time of year and I can’t even pretend to be like the proverbial duck who is smooth and unruffled above water and paddles like crazy below. I do not look or act unruffled!

Yesterday, I decided that part of the problem is that I have too many odds, as in odds and ends. Those are all those things that are lying around waiting to be finished. I used to have more follow-through and quickly finish whatever I started, but lately that hasn’t been the case. For example, I found 5 necklaces strewn about the work table just waiting for clasps. Several others lay about in various stages waiting for a piece to go through the patina process or a pendent to be wired. In one corner, I found several stacked containers of complimentary beads that were organized for projects and on the sewing machine, there were two garments cut out amidst the stack of mending. Obviously, I’ve not exactly been twiddling my thumbs, it’s just that the work had not reached fruition. So, with determination I commenced to finished things.

One afternoon later, the necklaces now have closures. Most of the beads in the containers have been put away (some of them were not so complimentary after all), and I even completed the mending. In other words, many of my odds now have ends.

There are many other areas of my ranch work, house work and bookkeeping that remain as odds with no current ends. I have no control over most of those until other things fall into place. I do, however, have control over my studio and it feels good to complete several creative tasks. This has given me a better outlook on things and although my web feet are still paddling like crazy, I think I’m looking more smooth and unruffled on the top. Let’s just hope my feet don’t get tired!