Post project wrap-up

So some musings on the Giant Bead Thing before I more or less put it to bed (at least until time to frame it).

No, as yet I'm unsure what I'm going to do with it, really. I have Plans with regard to framing, but after that whether to keep it or ultimately gift/sell/something it? Haven't really though ahead that far. I'm leaning towards selling it, honestly because when it all comes down to it I could reproduce it if I wanted/needed to. It'd be a pain in the ass, but possible, and probably in a bit less time given the lessons learned this time around.

Speaking of lessons learned:

1. If at all possible, get all materials ahead of time. I really had no excuse other than $$$ when I started this, as I knew exactly how many beads of each color I was gonna need. This resulted in a rather nasty surprise about 1/6th of the way through w/r/t the silver lining not being as securely bonded to the inside of some of the beads depending on batch, so there are intermittent color consistency problems throughout. Something only I'm really going to notice, but it bugged me. This also applies to thread, now that I know approximately how much of it I go through. Again, something only I would notice, but I can definitely tell when I went up to a slightly thicker thread midway through. Yeesh.
   
   
2. I now have a better sense overall of the time this takes and have adjusted my pattern generators to reflect that, which means I can get it down to something of a schedule. This is also good for not overdoing things with regard to craft related repetitive strain issues. I'm still a little O_O that three decades of typing have never been a problem but a few months of intense crafting and my arms turn into throbbing wacky noodles.
   
   
3. Related to the above, I know sometimes Life happens, but next time I'm in the thick of one of these things I need to set and stick to a realistic daily goal. Had I committed to, say, one and only one row a day on this and stuck to it? I'd have been done 2 months ago. Granted 2.5 hours out of my evenings is a little bit hefty, but I honestly spend about that much time farting around the Internet doing nothing but getting my blood pressure up. Related to that, I also have to have the discipline to STOP after said goal. I do have other things to do, and letting the beads eat me alive isn't good for me or my to-do lists.
   
   
4. Some of you on the kinkier side of the spectrum may be familiar with something called sub/Top Drop. Today I learned firsthand that there is definitely something very much akin to this upon completion of a bigger project. I think I'd never really noticed it before as I'd tend to jump immediately into the next one; this time owing to Reasons (and a need for supply restocking) I'm making myself take a little bit of a hiatus. Today, though? Concentration totally fractured and there was definitely kind of a loss of purpose happening, which I partially balmed by basking in accolades. (I may have a wee problem with Internet Validation. Wee.) Actually, I definitely felt this right after the wedding too, which, can be thought of as one of my bigger craft projects, lol. But yeah, there's definitely a bit of a crash/depression/mehness that happens. I will have to watch out for Craft Drop in the future and plan some aftercare for myself.
   
   
5. While index finger callouses are certainly a thing, I may want to invest in a thimble. The trick is to find one small enough for my dinky little fingers. I'll probably still stab myself on a regular basis, lets be real, but a reduction in finger sticks might not be the worst thing ever.
   
   
6. At some point I need to invest in either a small tacklebox or a slightly shallower pillbox (with stronger latching). While mostly amazing, the pillbox I've been using has a tendency to pop open either on impact or just rattling within whatever I'm traveling with at the time, leading to all kinds of headache inducing messes. See also eventually needing to reorganize my bead drawers... yeah, I may be fishing for an excuse to order stuff from here or here because I have Storage Container Problems.
   
   
7. The was various and sundry I learned along the way - things that made the process of getting this thing easier/streamlined/better that'll be applied to the next project. Despite the increased time commitment I'm definitely happier with hand stitching as opposed to loomed, both for the lack of finishwork (which I do hate) and the improved quality of the piece.
   
   
8. I love my logo. Bet y'all didn't notice the "signature" in the bottom right corner, did you. Go look, it's there. Pixellated, but definitely recognizable.

So yeah... It's been real. As always after the completion of a giant undertaking, the last bits of in-story dialogue from The Princess Bride come to mind:

-- Is very strange. I have been in the revenge business so long, now that it's over, I don't know what to do with the rest of my life.
-- Have you ever considered piracy? You'd make a wonderful Dread Pirate Roberts....

brb, off to "consider piracy."

INDECISION!

It's actually probably a good thing I can't make up my mind which of the pokemon "coasters" to start with because otherwise I'd be beading again RIGHT NOW. Le Sigh. That said, HELP ME INTERNET.

[Poll #1922389]

Those last two options are not actual legit patterns, I will side eye you HARD if you pick them expecting me to bead them.

EDIT: D'Oh - ignore the unnaturally huge bulbasaur. It's the same size as the rest.