Let's Do a Jig

Wanna do a jig with me? No, not the Irish dancing kind! What kind you ask then? One that will make lasering more efficient!!!

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A jig is a template that allows me to laser several objects at once and line them up in the exact same spot each time. This is nice for small objects. They may only take 20 seconds to laser, but then I stand there feeding the laser all day. This way I can be more efficient...and multi-task more :)

This need for a jig came when I bought some new wine bottle stoppers. This style already has the cork attached making them impossible to laser free-standing. I starting by cutting 12 holes in a piece of wood the size of the cork. I then built legs using the left over circles to raise the jig so the corks would be off the table and flat on the board. I thought I was pretty slick for reusing the cut circles :) Until I tried to use the jig and it wouldn't line up in "home position" inside the laser!

As you can see from this photo, there are two rulers on the top and left sides where I line up my work so it is in "home position". By adding the legs, I was only able to eyeball it and hope I was lined up...not good. So I added the second board on the bottom of the jig so I could line it up. Several calculations later...and I had a working jig!

Here you can see the bottle stoppers in the jig from the top and how they hang through on the bottom.

After I created my first jig, I thought of other items a jig would be handy for! I made two more for my magnets and pendants. These jigs started with the same basic concept...cut a bunch of holes in 1" and 1.5" diameters to match the sizes of my items. Since I didn't have to raise this jig off the table...it was super easy.

I just drop the wood blanks in...and out comes several beautiful magnets and pendants :) I love that these jigs allow me to get so much more done!

What have you created lately that makes your work easier?

Priorities and Time Management

I am this week's host for the EtsyBlogger's blog carnival. Here are the two topics I gave our team to write about: 1. How do you prioritize your time? How do you get more hours out of the day? 2. Are you a multi-tasker? Or do you prefer to finish one project before starting another? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I start each day with a to do list. I make my list at work that night so when I get home in the morning, I know exactly what I need/want to get accomplished for the day. Having a list and having priorities helps me stay on task! And I love crossing things off my list :) I try to get as much computer work done at work on my breaks as I can. The more I can get done before I get home means more time to create :) And now that I have my smart phone...I can read and comment on blogs anywhere I am! (Like waiting for Jesse to get out of Napa!) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am a huge multi-tasker! I do as many things as I can at once! I love my laser machine because it works while I work :) I can be working on scrapbooks while it's cutting out guest books for me! How cool is that! Or I can be printing earring cards while I'm updating my blog! I also don't spend much time doing leisure things like reading or watching TV. Our TV is rarely on and I'm about 6 months behind on all my magazine subscriptions! I do spend time browsing the net, but I try to do this while I'm eating breakfast or lunch. (Yes, I eat all my meals at the computer!) One more way I can multi-task :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So, share your tips with me! I'm always looking for ways to get more hours out of the day! It seems 24 just isn't enough :)

Multi-Tasking

Last week I gave tips on how I make the most of my time and shared a few time-saving tips. One of the biggest things that saves me time is multi-tasking. I'm hardly ever doing one thing at a time! So today I thought I'd share some things I do to multi-task successfully. *I will send several items to my printer to be printed at once and I'll work on something else while the printer does it's job. *I also do this with my laser engraver. It has to be supervised, so I need to stay in the room. But some jobs take quite a while...so I use this time to work on other projects while it runs. *My internet can be slow sometimes and take a while for something to download. I read emails and catch up on blogs while my file loads. *We eat a lot of casseroles! Once the food is ready to go in the oven, I usually have about 30-45 min. before lunch is actually ready. I use this time to continue working on projects. (Or clean the house!) *I'm guilty of working while talking on the phone too. I need a headset so my poor neck doesn't get a cramp!

How do you multi-task? Leave a comment and share your tips with us all!

Creative Time-Saving Tips

Last week I told you how crazy my schedule is and how backwards it is from "normal" life. Today I thought I'd share a few tips on making the most of your time and getting more done :)

*Make to-do lists! I do these on daily and weekly schedules. I make a list each day before I leave work of everything I need to get done that day. I also make a weekly list of things that I want to get done if I have time after all the things that need to get done.

*This ties in with writing things down. I have to write everything down or I'll forget it! Carry a notebook everywhere you go so when an idea strikes...you'll never forget :)

*Stay Organized! I know this is easier said than done. But it will save you time in the end making it easier to find things later and making it easier to work on new projects :)

*Schedule your time! The computer can be a real time-sucker! I get caught browsing the internet when I should be creating! Set a timer for 15 or 30 minutes (whatever works for you). When the timer goes off...get off the computer. Then allow yourself time later to finish what you didn't get done.

*Break your tasks into 15 minute sections. If you wait for a large span of time to get things done...you'll never get to it!

Here are some ideas:

**Set out supplies for your next project

**Write descriptions or edit photos (this doesn't have to be done all at once...break it up)

**Clean your work area

*Multi-task! I don't ever do one thing at a time (it's a personal problem...LOL!) But I can get more done when I multi-task. I'll have a new post next week showing you ways you can successfully multi-task :)

What time-saving tips do you have? I'd love to hear them :)