buying less to make more

I've been feeling overwhelmed with everything lately, I think it's because I keep buying stuff and planning on making things but never seeing any gains from it.

So one day as I was making the long slow walk to school for school-pick, I suddenly realised that if I put an embargo on buying and focused on planned making then I should start to see results hence, start to feel better & ease the burden of clutter that seems to be overtaking me.

Ok, sounds easy but the more I thought about the harder it became. So I decided to start a write lists as opposed to making ones on the computer as I can tuck them into my pocket, tape them to walls etc and to easily refer back to them and not get distracted by emails announcing new patterns or sales.

So, what do I have and what do I need to make this year?

I'll go through my laptop & cupboards to find out what patterns I have and list all the ones that I need to make, the ones I want to make and the ones that just look like fun to make.

I'll sit down and plan the rest of the years gifts to include family birthdays, unplanned/unexpected friends birthdays, teachers gifts and of course that looming date that is Christmas.

How do you cope with your craft project planning?
Do you have a stash of fabric/yarn that is just getting bigger & bigger?
Are you losing yourself to your unfinished projects and never coming up for air too?

Some things that I know are coming up that I've been "thinking" about are:

~ Mums birthday in August -- I've almost finished her bag, it's like this one but in her colours.

~ Laney's birthday in September - I can't settle on one thing to make her, I keep flitting ideas about

~ Pete's birthday in October - gah, I hate making things for blokes because what the heck do they like?

~ Joe's birthday in December - I settled on a brilliant idea for Joe then promptly forgot what it was ...

~ Mum & her partner Roly's Christmas present - I thought I'd make them a quilt

~ Santa presents (for their stockings) for Joe & Laney

I keep buying pdf sewing patterns, I.DON'T.WHY.  I mean, I have heaps already but I get tempted with a new release or a sale. Call me a sucker for a good sale!  Anyway, I am (fingers crossed) going to try my very best to NOT buy any more patterns until I've made at least 5 in my current stash. There are some exceptions of course, a couple of bloggy friends have some patterns that are being released soon, so I'd like to support them & buy them and there is a pattern that I've been eyeing off for ever (well actually two), so I might cave-in and buy those.  

...arghhh, send help now because have you seen this:::::::

One month free and you get to keep one class forever whether you stay with them past the trial month.  Hmm, I foresee some fun sewing coming up!

Ok, I give up and I'm off to have a cup of tea so please tell me how you keep your sanity in the meantime!