Welcome to the Craft Abyss — Where Unfinished Objects Go to Wait (And Wait, And Wait…)
Can we talk about something that nobody in the crafting world likes to admit? The unfinished projects. The ones that started with so much excitement and enthusiasm, that you worked on during a live crop or a crafting session, and then somehow... ended up in what I am officially naming The Craft Abyss.
But first — let me introduce you to a term that was born in the quilting world and has since spread across the entire crafting community like glitter on a carpet. The UFO. Unfinished Object. Quilters have been using this term for decades to describe those projects that got started with the best of intentions and somehow never made it to the finish line. And honestly? Card makers, paper crafters, mixed media artists — we are all just as guilty. If you have a craft room, you have a Craft Abyss. Mine is thriving. 😄
Yes. The Craft Abyss. That place where projects go when life gets busy, when you run out of a supply, when you lose a tiny screw and just can't deal with it right now. We all have one. And today we are talking about it — because the first step is admitting you have a UFO problem, and the second step is laughing about it together!
Exhibit A — Meet My Decoupage Box
I want to introduce you to a project that has been living in my Craft Abyss for approximately eight months. This beautiful wooden hinged lid box, partially covered in the most gorgeous celestial themed rice paper you have ever seen.
Do you remember this? Yup. Still a UFO. And yes, that is my Dutch Doobadoo Varnish Decoupage Glue sitting there waiting patiently alongside the box — and it has also been waiting eight months. We are all in this together!
This box was from a live Facebook craft along — and it was actually the very first time I had ever worked with rice paper. And you know what? It turned out LOVELY. The Ciao Bella celestial paper is beautiful, the technique worked, and I was so excited about how it was coming together.
And then it went into the Craft Abyss.
I don't even know where the screws are anymore.
EIGHT MONTHS (at least), friends. Eight months this beautiful, almost finished, celestial decoupage box has been sitting there looking at me. And I know I am not alone in this because every single one of you has a version of this story. The project that went really well and still somehow never got finished. The one that just needs one more thing and that one more thing has been pending since last summer.
How Many UFOs Do You Have?
I said I have at least 15 unfinished projects and I want to be very clear — I am absolutely lowballing that number. When I really think about it, between the boxes, the cards, the albums, the projects I started in crops and never quite finished... it is significantly more than 15. Some of them I will finish. Some of them I give away with the remaining supplies so someone else can enjoy them. And some of them are just... in the Craft Abyss. Waiting for their moment.
The Craft Abyss does not judge. The Craft Abyss just holds space. 😄
But Here Is the Thing About UFOs
There is actually something kind of wonderful about an unfinished project. It means you started something. You tried something new — maybe for the first time, like rice paper! You showed up at a crop or a craft along and you made something with your hands. The fact that it isn't finished yet doesn't take away from any of that.
The Craft Abyss is not a place of shame. It is a place of someday. And someday is still a real day!
May Challenge — Let's Rescue Something Together
Speaking of someday — this May I am challenging all of us to rescue ONE project from the Craft Abyss. Just one. Finish it, gift it, or make peace with letting it go. And at the end of May I want us to meet back here and share what we rescued!
Drop a photo of your UFO in the comments below — let's see what's living in YOUR Craft Abyss! And tag us when you finish it so we can celebrate with you. Use #CraftAbyss so we can find all your posts and cheer you on! 🎉
I am going to go find those screws. Wish me luck. 😄.
In the meantime, here are a few projects I did finish - check them out!