It happens to everyone. Why just last week I posted ONCE-- a post about how I just didn't have much to say and was in a bit of a funk. I like what you're saying about letting your subconscious figure things out. That's usually the best way. Get back to a place where you enjoy doing the things you're doing and then take it from there. :)

Mutantsupermodel ... I think that's the key, finding the joy again. :)

Alice, go easy on yourself! I totally get where you're coming from. I've been known to say things like, "Even probably gets sick of giving concerts and performing all the time, just cause it's his/her work." Once we take something we love and try to make it more, it will always sometimes feel like work. Just not as often as "other" work feels like total crap. :)

As a new-ish reader to your blog, I'll say that I actually wouldn't WANT you to post everyday. I don't have time to crochet along with daily posts, so a weekly post would be just fine for me. Good luck sorting it out and thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Kelley L. ... Haha! Yes, well, those crochet-a-long videos were a lot of work. Even if I didn't have a job, I don't think once a week for a video is realistic. :) Thanks for the thoughts.

I have been blogging for several years now, and have recently allowed myself to not have something to say EVERY day. (even I don't want to read about why I don't have any ideas to write about...) Don't be defeated, or deflated. I enjoy seeing and reading about what other people are crafting. Maybe more simple entries would help you, like look what I did today! (or this week). Perhaps you could pick one project to blog about each week. The only way to find the comfortable fit for you is the experiment.

Dina ... Part of my problem is I *do* have something to say every day. More, even. I just don't have the time to say it. Or the time to manage the comments that come in. I have the dream, I just can't make it a reality. Which sucks.

Working on one craft project at a time is a good rule -- and one I am constantly breaking. I wanted to make a purse this weekend, but I was also working on an embroidery project, and there is still that blackberry jam to make ....

And with all that going on, I beat myself up about not being able to start on the purse. I guess I need to be more realistic.

Hanne ... Oh, goodness me. I'm not going to only work on one crafting project at a time. I'm only going to work on one craft business goal at a time. :) There is no way on this earth that I could just have one craft project going at a time. I like to bounce from project to project as I get stuck or feel inspiration. But for business-y stuff, if I have eighty-five goals, I'm never going to get anywhere on any of them.

This is an interesting topic, and I think many bloggers, including myself, have thought about this. I believe that the best blog posts are written when people feel inspired and really want to share something, and also have the energy to do so. If that means blogging once a week, once a month or whatever, then be it. There are tons of blogs out there to read, so no blogger actually needs to update their own blog on a daily basis. I think that what we need are bloggers who like what they do, and do it at their own pace.
I'm sure the inspiration to continue blogging will return to you. How long it takes isn't that important. It happens when it happens. I'm sure your readers will be there when you do. I will :-)

HildeC ... I actually feel inspired all the time. I think I could write two posts a day, easily. I just don't have the time to do that, manage all the comments, keep my layout/categories up-to-date organized, work on projects, answer crafty emails, be present on Ravelry to support the people using my patterns, and work on paid crafty projects (not to mention taking care of my non-crafty life).

My frustration is that I see all of the things I want to accomplish with my blog, and I just can't do them. My reality limits what I can get done. So the question is, what can I do with my blog that will be satisfying? Even at my most productive, I'm only doing about 10% of what I want to do with my blog.

So interesting to read your post today. I hit a similar wall last night. I feel like I have so much to say -- I have a posts worth of things to share every day, but I just don't have the time to do it. Which is very frustrating. So I took every spare minute to blog, and I got fried! I had to finally admit that while I enjoy blogging, it's still work. Sometimes I just need to relax and enjoy my project without feeling like it has to be a tutorial or a post. And sometimes I need to just curl up and read a good book instead of *doing* something! I have a hard time with all of that.

Best wishes to you in coming to a place that works.

~Angela~

Angela (Cottage Magpie) ... Yes, relaxing, what a concept, right? :) I've been doing a lot of that this month, and it's been nice. Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one in this boat.

Like some of the other people who have commented here I think that this is something that all bloggers/writers/crafters go through. You set goals and then you realize that those goals don't make sense once your emotions/schedule/mood change. That's okay. I think it's still good to set those goals. When they stop working, you can be easy on yourself, explore the reasons why and see what you want to change in your life. A blog, as any craft, is not so much a product as it is a process!

CrochetBlogger ... I've made adjustments before, but this feels different to me. This is the first time that I've actually burned myself out. Perhaps it is just the same thing happening in a different way. This is the first time in 5.5 years that I've posted so little.

Sometimes it is really hard to put time aside for craft when there are other, more "urgent" matters to attend to. But it never fails to be SO satisfying when you actually sit down and create.

Jess K. ... I have no problem putting aside time to craft. I work on craft projects every day. The problem I'm having is finding a satisfying way to blog about the creating. Time is the big issue. It isn't urgent matters getting in the way, either. It's stuff like going to work, eating dinner, and sleeping. Not necessarily urgent, but definitely unavoidable.

It's hard. I go through waves where I do nothing but make, make, make and then I realize that I might have wanted to post about it, but now the project is old in my head. It looked like you were superhuman from the outside to be getting all of this done and working a day job. Take it easier and we will be here when you want to chat.

Seanna Lea ... The perception that I'm superhuman is part of the reason I'm sharing this struggle. I know a lot of people don't want anyone to see them sweat ... I'm not one of those people. :) I can be an overachiever, but it comes at a cost. And this burn out is the price I'm paying for pushing myself so much.

I totally get where you are coming from. Totally.

Lolly ... I bet you do. :)

I think your response to HildeC is right on: What can you do with your blog that will be satisfying? There's no law that says you have to post every day, unless you set that expectation for yourself. And, it's okay to ease up on yourself. :)

Carmen ... The thing that would make it satisfying *is* posting every day. I want to post everyday (and a million other crafty things ... patterns, videos, etc), but I just don't have the time. I'm sure I can find another avenue to being satisfied with the blog ... but it's sad it's not the avenue I want it to be.

Maybe nothing needs to be fixed? Maybe you are just getting used to a new season in your life without the "big" things and still getting used to it & how you really want to live it? Best wishes with your transition!

Elizabeth ... What a great perspective. :) Thank you for weighing in.

Well said!

Hang in there. Sometimes we need to hibernate before our reemergence can make any sense to us!

CrochetBlogger ... Yes, indeed. :)

In addition to all the other awesome comments I want to add that it's important to be honest with where you are at any given time. To know when you just need a little push - and when you need to just sit down.
Often, when I'm in the middle of a whirlwind of activity (whether its cleaning or crafting) I'll find myself standing in the middle of my living room with my 'what's next' face on. That's when my husband looks at me and says "have you even eaten lunch yet?"

julia @ Simpletruths ... Ha! Yes, there can be inertia when you're in motion, too. Finding the balance is the hard part.

I won't apologize for missing you. Swept along constructing my own hex tote, waiting for the next video was crazy fun. I am sorry for your deflation. I would fix it for you in a crafty minute if I could. But I can't; that's another lesson I always have to learn. I still think you're super. Even, especially, crashing and burning. Maybe this friction will lead to a satisfying groove you can't/don't feel just yet. Maybe it's alchemical and this leaden lump of disappointment will transmute into a shiny happy ray of focus for you. And maybe I've overdone it with the cup-half-full-thing.
If I come up with any cloning recipes or formulas for adding hours, I'll let you know.
I'm asking a friend to help me line my fabulous hex tote (because sewing is where I sit down and cry) then I'll photograph it. I'll send pictures and you can peepshow them or not.
Your new cards are great.
Thank you. That is all.

Kelly ... I really love doing the crochet-a-long videos. Even though I feel like the Ed Wood of the craft world (90% Enthusiasm and 10% video skills using barely acceptable recording equipment), I was hoping to continue to record videos weekly to supplement the tutorials I already have up or to illustrate new projects to come. But I think the hex videos are the straw that broke the camel's back. SO MUCH WORK.

I don't think your cup half full stuff is too far off the mark. As curmudgeonly as I like to think I am, I'm an optimist at heart. I just need to get over the disappointment of not being able to do everything I want to do.

I definitely want to get back to doing the peepshow posts. I need to be posting more, though, or my whole blog would just be other people's projects. :)

Oh gosh, burn out *sucks*. It's one thing that's definitely easy to achieve, often before you know you're there!

Also, Thank You. I'm fairly sure that most creative people feel like this at some point, and it's easy to think you're the only one. I know that when I'm in a total funk, I look around at other blogs and wonder why I can't achieve that, forgetting that they have moments of funk-ness (it's a word!) too. Sharing when things are hard makes the highs even better, I think, and I really ope you find some time to recuperate your brain a little and get the space you need to figure stuff out.

Laura ... Thank you for the sweet comment. Definitely helps to know you're not the only one, for sure!

I totally applaud you honoring the ebb and flow of your energies here. I mean, planning posts and thinking about your blog like a magazine editor are great tools, but when a blog is a labor of love, there has to be, well, LOVE for the whole thing to go. I'm trying to learn the lesson that downtime is valuable, and taking a step back important. I'm sure your mojo will come roaring back again with all kinds of fresh new awesomeness as soon as it's rested and ready.

Sister Diane ... You're absolutely right. :)

peace, girl, peace. breathe in - breathe out. peace.

katie the kid ... Not too much peace, I like to mix it up a bit ... but the breathing, yes, that's a good idea. Big hugs! :)

I must say: I feel ya!
I feel selfish leaving such a long post here, but here goes some of my own background (for possibly no reason whatsoever) ...Last year for about six months I basically supported not just myself, but also my boyfriend and our small struggling business by yarning my heart out. I sold my handmade items at farmer's markets and did so with manic, pretty satisfying energy for quite a while ... before, well, burning out. I too said I didn't think I would ever stop making things, and I'm still plenty creative, but I ended up having to take a break from the mad crochet hat production line. At the end of my farmers market days, I added a relatively ill-fated blog to my website, then found I lacked the time/energy/zeal to post much after many months of working myself silly and learning that my wares were seriously underpriced and that I was really displaying them in the wrong place. Having to take a break and change my overall approach felt like failure at the time, but it's really just change, and change for the better at that. Our business is more what it's supposed to be now; I only sell my items at select festivals and I'm working on more accurate pricing. I think it's slowly coming back around in a far more sustainable, sensible, not-killing-myself-with-yarn way. You recently posted something about selling handmade items to be a losing battle, which I thought was kind of sad, even though I know the sentiment all too well. I think it can be done, I think it's just quite hard to get the entire equation right and still have it work without burning yourself up in the process/killing your dream&zest for something you love. I sort of just dove face first into what I was doing and did it All.The.Time, and I even read about how this could result in disaster, but I had to learn those ropes myself. I was easily crocheting 40hrs a week in the thick of it, and there was a time that I loved it, but there was also a time when I just couldn't do it anymore. I took a break, plain and simple, and tried to let it go for a while. I've spent a lot of time thinking about all this in the meantime -- the creative process and how change is just change and, no matter what anyone says, at the end of the day you are but one human --and a really cool one at that. :) Anyway. I'm not entirely sure why I'm sharing all that, and when I have more time I'll come back to read through the other comments left. I really respect that you wrote all that out and simply told your readers what was going on. I think, like you said, that's part of it. Spirit dozers are, afterall, a barrel-forward sort of creature, though probably still require an occasional refuel. ;)

cara ... That's a wonderful story about finding your way by adjusting what you're doing to mesh better with the world around you. I'm glad you took the time to write such a long comment! :)

I'm very happy to hear that you are able to find a way to support yourself by creating things. When I was crocheting Starling Handbags to sell (before they were named Starlings) I calculated what I'd need to make to support myself, and it came out to something ridiculous like $400 per handbag ... and that was 40 hours a week EVERY week. No vacations, no sick days. And on top of that, when was I going to sell the bags, or list them on websites, or package them and ship them out? I do choose to live in places that have high living costs, so it makes more sense for me to work a job where I get paid a big city salary and have free time to create. If I tried to create to live, I would have no free time. Everyone's situation is different, though.

And you just reminded me that I need to reply to the cartoon email! The spirit dozer is just too adorable. And, yes, you're probably right that they need an occasional refuel.

oh, wow, that's even longer than I had hoped, sorry!

cara ... Long comments are totally fine!

It's a good thing to realize you aren't superwoman. I'm amazed at anyone that can do something productive and do it consistently. It's a life goal of mine. I love your blog and will continue to follow even if you only post once a month! :)

Jenny ... I'm sure I'll jump back in the mix soon. Good to know you're a loyal reader, though! :)

I understand "burn out". I had a very successful well paying job for 16 years. I finally had to quit and walk away. It sucked the life out of me and I was unhappy. I now work from home creating websites and I have a blog also. I find myself often at times getting sucked into this vortex of my computer not coming up for air. Lately I have been making myself go out and do things. I did it yesterday and now today I will be in front of the computer again. Good Luck. I can relate.

Michelle ... I think part of my No Excuses goal/time schedule should include the goal of relaxing once a week and I think I should schedule time to work on that goal. :) Seriously, though, I should take a day to just laze around once a week. Not even check my email (or my webstats or twitter ...).

I so enjoy your blog and crafts and tutorials and just your crafty badassness. I've often wondered how a person could do so much without burning out. Don't be so hard on yourself! Post when you are ready/have time and we will all be grateful. Sending lots of positive energy and prayers for your happiness and well-being.

Susan C ... Well, now you know, it's not possible. :) Even if I didn't have to work, I had a personal assistant, a cook, and a maid, I still don't think I'd be able to do all the cool stuff I want to do, so regardless of my circumstances, I need to figure out what's reasonable to attempt to accomplish. In the meantime, I'll brood a little. ;)

I was just thinking everything you put into words, yesterday. It seems like a day can go by and I didn't accomplish the long list of tasks I had. The baby was fussy, the dog needed exercise, laundry had to be folded -- then my time seems so short I don't know what to start first. I'm learning to take it slow and make a list and prioritize that list. I can't make a set deadline but I at least know what I have to do, and what is most important. I just got my first sewing machine and now I'm like, "when will I find time to work on those projects?!". But I will. In my time and not on a schedule. Take it slow and enjoy taking a break every now and then!

Erica Gilmore ... Exactly. :)

Whew. Thank you. This takes some of the pressure off. My blog has fallen to the wayside as I work on my book and try to get other parts of my life in order. I feel so much less guilt now!!

Bridget B. ... Happy to be of assistance! ;)

Sometimes you just need to take a breather, especially when what you initially found exciting and fun is no longer exciting and fun and is more like a chore. Being able to step back and see what has changed in your motivation and being able to think up a way to try and recharge yourself is half the battle! So take the time you need!

Kim L. ... The whole problem is it's still fun and exciting, just more fun and more exciting than I have time for. I don't think any of this is a slog. I love it, but I can't be ON all the time, which means I won't be able to produce all the *stuff* I want to produce ... videos, patterns, etc. I've got to simple it down to what I can do in the time I have. I feel hobbled.

Hi Alice
When I started blogging I read a lot about having a blog plan and planning your blog in advance and committing to a set amount of posts per month, etc. It all seemed so artificial to me. I blog when I have something to share. I feel a lot more authentic that way. I will never have thousands of readers a day, but that's ok. that's me.
My best advice is: Just be you. Don't try to conform to any pre-set idea of what a craft blog should be. If that means lots of posts in one month and hardly any the next month, that's ok. We will still love you.

Ansie ... I have a lot more to share than I have time to share it. That's my big frustration. I have 30 posts I want to write in a month and the free time to write 10 or 12. What do I cut out? What stories do I not tell? What patterns to I not share? What craft techniques to I keep to myself? It's a sad math to figure out which of all the things I love to do get to be done and which are abandoned.

I got all excited and braindumped before I could make a succinct point! Your posts are individually great and appreciated whether one at a time or one after the other.

A Starling, made and finished entirely by you, would easily be on the lines of a designer handbag, so such a price wouldn't really be out of line in that respect! (But enabling other people to make their own is more fun!).

cara ... Well, definitely more fun for me. I'm not what you'd call a "people person" (gag) and I don't think I'd be much of a salesman of my physical wares. Especially swanky $400 purses. That's so out of my league. :)

I didn't have time to read all the comments, just got through a few. But how about occasionally turning off comments? I tried that before. It was sort of nice.

Kuky ... That's a good idea!

Don't try to fix things. Sounds like you just need to let schedule some unstructured time so your mind can regroup and rest.

I tend to do the same crazy thing - working at work and then working even harder at crafting. And with at least 6 projects going at any given time, my brain gets fried too! Hummmmm - maybe i should take my own advice!

But isn't it fun to make those plans and create those crafty lists?

What a thoughtful post...a great insight to oneself and an inspiration to me personally. I have felt exactly as you have described. I've set goals in the past only to have them fizzle out in the end because of all of the energy and enthusiasm put in the beginning. I love what you said, "There is only so much enthusiasm you can substitute for relaxation." What a profound thought for those of us who tend to put so much energy into one thing and forget all else. It reminds me of the old yet applicable story of "The Tortoise and the Hare." I feel I need to pace myself...and to acknowledge my limitations is only a strength to that end. Hurray for you and your inspiration to us! Thank you!

Marlyce ... Oh, yes! The tortoise and the hare is a great example. I think I was hoping I'd be the hare that gets picked up in a limousine because I was recognized as such a great hare and get a chauffeured ride to the finish line ... ha!

I love your blog and I totally understand that you need to find the balance. I'm still working on that myself. I'm going back to a very intense job and I need to find the balance between thinking hard all day and finding the time to be creative as well. Luckily there's so many ways to be creative!

Abra Sonnanstine ... So true! I wish you all the best on your journey to finding that balance in your new situation. :)