Money for Money

Good morning!!! Or afternoon depending on when I actually am able to finish this post.

So lately I've been meditating a lot and working on self-improvement, chakra work, and all that fun stuff. Through all this I've found out that there's one thing that seems to be worrying me and holding me back. The big M word. MONEY!!!

I REALLY didn't realize how much money you have to fork out to actually make money in a small business. Ugh... I mean, I grew up on a farm, so I've always had a sense of it, but DAMN!! I've got my eye on 4 smallish craft sales in the near future and just to apply for them will cost me over $100 dollars... And I still need to get some sort of professional banner made.

So you know what?! I'm on a business hiatus for the winter!! I've found that I'm putting WAY too much pressure on myself to make money in this that I'm not even enjoying it any more. I mean I'll leave up my etsy shop and facebook page, but I'm really feeling that I need to make more products (like actually have a full table) before I do anymore shows or anything. I think I have a Farmer's Market all planned for next summer (less rural), so I may set my sights on that for the future and just save my money to buy more yarn (and maybe even local yarn) and work on my photography skills before I go all out again.

And I WILL go all out again!! I firmly do believe in jumping in with both feet, but I do think that I need to do a little more work before I jump in again. And get a more professional set-up. And I need to work on my sales pitch a lil bit...

BUT!!! I do still firmly believe in jumping in before you feel ready, because let's be honest, who's ever ACTUALLY ready. I've just realized that there's a lot of work to do in the meantime.

So, in the great words of Tiffany Han, DO THE WORK and then JUST SAY YES!!!

Ciao for now!!

Habits...

Habits... Hard to form easy to break... Kind of like trust:P

 

Anyways!! I say anyways too much:P I figured that I would touch on habits a lil bit here, because that is my current uphill slog... I recently got a job as a marketing admin (YAY:D), so now, not working ANY evenings or weekends, is the time to build up some good habits!

You never realize how long evenings are until you work an evening shift and go back to days. They just kind of yawn open before you, and usually I just end up going to bed early:P

Do I have things to be doing? You bet! But, being the procrastinator I am, I just piddle around with things and waste time until it truly is crunch time!

 

So I'm trying my very hardest to form some habits, and try to say no to things people ask me to do just because I don't have time, or if I do what they want I won't have time to do what I truly need or want to be doing! Wow that was a run-on sentence!! But anyways, I'm trying to form some habits to give some sense of calm to my life.

 

First off, I didn't sign up for a CIP (REALLY hard courses) class this year. At this point there are other things I would like to prioritize. I'm hoping to sign up for some Winter Craft Sales, so I need to start working on those applications, as well as making more product!! My loom has sat vacant for the last month:(

 

I'm also training for a marathon. Not to race in a marathon (not yet anyways), but to do it just for me! Just to prove that I can do it! And also in preparation for something called The Canadian Death Race. 125km through the Rockies. Oh yeah! Because that's totally happening!!!

 

So basically, the habits I'm working on right now are running and sewing/weaving. Is it going to be easy? HELL NO!!! Will it be worth it in the end? Only time will tell!!

Is there something that you're super passionate about but just can't find the time?! In the words of Nike, JUST DO IT!!!

 

Photoshoot!!

Goood morning everyone!!

 

As I slowly make my way to work via a slowly rolling bus that was 4 minutes late when it picked me up, I have already come to terms with the fact that I'll probably be late for work today:P Oh well!!! Then I realized that it's been quite a while since I've written a blog post, and that's just not ok!!

So, I'll start with what I finally managed to work up the courage to do last night, and since you're all wonderfully smart people who read my title for today's post, you can more than likely guess what that is. I finally got the guts to stop stalling, gather up all my works, and just take some freaking pictures already!!

 

I do, unfortunately, live in a city, but in a super old part with lots of trees, and my back yard is completely river rock (it's a dog issue, don't ask:P). So when I finally decided to take pictures myself, with my lil camera phone, I found plenty of places to snap a few shots! I even made an appearance in a couple of them:P But it was insanely bright out so I had my sunglasses on:P

 

The point is, even though I am by NO means a professional, or even semi-professional photographer (I don't even own an actual camera!), I went out there and got shit done!! Instead of stalling and waiting for my pal who IS a semi-pro photographer to be available, and then waiting for us both to be available at the same time (we're both insanely busy) I just went out and did it!

 

You know how much it cost me? NOTHING!!! I just took some, in my opinion, half decent pics that just need a lil bit of editing, for absolutely free. I just arranged my products in a way I thought looked kinda cool and artsy fartsy, and went for it!!

 

And, after some minimal editing, I will be sending these pics off to two stores (possibly more, I keep finding them) who I just reached out to. That's right, they didn't find me, I found them. I'm starting to realize that nothing happens in life without you first asking a question, and forcing your way in:P

 

That's right!! I'm breaking and entering my way into the art scene!! Who's with me?!?!

You Only Fail If You Don't Try

Right?? That's what the saying is?? Because this is sucking pretty hardcore... Like really... Another day at the market and all I have to show for it is a peeling sunburn....

 

But it's not failure because I'm still trying!! So, I haven't really been talking about my Farmer's Market excursions since I started... That's because so far the only thing anyone's bought from me is a couple of sketches... And that was my Mom.... So not going too well...

This has caused me to do some looking inside and hard thinking. This is what I've come up with!

 

1) I have chosen the wrong market! The market that I chose is INCREDIBLY rural, with the

most popular booths being baking and knitting, and other things like that (and Norwex, everybody LOVES Norwex:P). They are simply not interested in more artsy things like hand-woven goods and sketches (that one may be on me, still learning on that front:P).

 

2) I may not do a Farmer's Market again next year. It just doesn't seem to be my thing. I will probably do the odd craft show (hoping for the bigger ones), but I find events like that every weekend to be incredibly draining...

 

3) I think I'm going to see how it goes over the net for the next couple months. A friend of mine has agreed to do my photography for my Etsy site, so I think I'll just chill on that for a while and see how I do for the summer.

 

4) A lot of people seem to be really interested in what I have to sell, but no one is sealing the deal, so maybe I'm just not a good salesperson in person. Maybe I should stick to the internet approach of doing things.

 

Anyways!! The point is I'm not giving up!! I've been told that it would be uncomfortable, and really hard in the beginning, and all I would do was work (which I pretty much do). Of course, for some reason I didn't imagine it being this hard (I see a lot of people on a facebook page I'm on doing things very successfully), but I firmly believe that there is no such thing as an overnight success. I just need to work harder!!

 

I'm thinking of making little bracelets for kids at the market (out of my first go on my Inkle Loom, so I'm not really giving away any prized merch), and then maybe sending out samples to some stores I know display made in Manitoba talent. I was just listening to my fav podcast this morning (you all know the one I'm talkin bout!!), and the guest said something that really resonated with me. I think it was Emily Mcdowell that was being interviewed, and she said that if someone's already doing something, she won't do it. It's not worth her time and she wants to stay innovative.

 

I've listened to this episode probably 100 times now, but it never really struck home until now. No-one else is really doing what I'm doing, so I just need to give it some time and get the hell to work!! With any luck someday (not any time in the near future but oh well) I'll be working from home and doing this for a living.

 

But for now, I must get back to my 9-5, because my "Lunch" half hour is ending (working a late shift today:P).

 

Have a good one!!!

 

Whoops!! Missed a day!!

Oops!!! I already missed a day! To be fair though, I was insanely busy. First Farmer's Market can be marked as a success. Monetary-wise? Nope!! I lost $20 plus gas by going there, but experience? PRICELESS!! ...and hot... Apparently I need SPF 2000 and will be going to my local drug store to find some... UGH!!

As I may have already mentioned, I am of a STRONG Scottish heritage with VERY fair skin. When I was a kid I used to tan wonderfully, but then puberty hit and hhheeeellllloooo sun burns and freckles. Freckles aren't so bad, but the sun burn... OUCH!!! Totally feeling that today!!

But enough about that!! I've had a busy crafty weekend!! Last we spoke it was Friday, and I was FREAKING OUT about Sunday. Well, now I've come through to the other side and I'm still alive!!

The weekend started with Saturday... Turning down a trip to the lake with my hubby and my dogs (:'() to tie up all the loose ends for the next day. And, because I was heading that way anyways, I thought I'd drop by Plato's Closet (and there's a reason I'm naming them specifically) and try to sell off some jeans since it's a consignment store.

So off I went with my tub of jeans, piece of artwork to drop (remember craftivism drop was today), and my list of last minute stuff to do. My first stop was Plato's. First off, even though it's a consignment store, it feels like a regular store in the mall where you're being judged on EVERYTHING. So I dropped off my bin, and they said that they would let me know when they were done, but it would be about half an hour. Sounds good. Mmmmaaayyybbbeee 15 minutes later I saw they were done with my jeans. Turns out they "only accept skinny jeans"... Because that's the ONLY type of jeans that women wear. I took the $2.80, because apparently one pair of shorts I had were short and skanky enough, and my jeans and I walked next door to the Salvation Army Thrift Store. When I dumped that bin of jeans into the bin I was actually THANKED, and given a coupon. And more importantly treated like a human.

So, unless you aspire to be like Mean Girls, DO NOT SHOP AT PLATO'S CLOSET!!! You will regret it.

Anyways thought, when I'm super pissed I tend to do crazy things. So after that I went to the mall, bought a bikini, and dropped my painting in a La Vie En Rose change room. Something I would probably not had the guts to do beforehand. YAY for being angry!!! Then  I grabbed the rest of the stuff I needed for the next day (won't bore you with the details), and went home.

The day of the Farmers Market dawned wet and possibly stormy. It had been cancelled the week before due to the weather (it was intense), but this week the weather held!!

So, like I mentioned before, I didn't really sell anything (my Mom bought a couple of sketches that she really liked), but I met a lot of the other vendours and had some good conversations with people about my product and what I was doing. People seemed excited, but I didn't really have all that much selection, so no takers. 

But that was ok, because I sat on my loom all day, and now I have the start of a small purse/bag for Canada Day. 

Anyways, I'm sticking with the whole "You only fail if you don't try" saying and I'll be right back at 'er next weekend. WITH some sort of shade, and a lot more sunscreen:P

C'ioa for now!!! I'll post again tomorrow to make up for yesterday:P

And the Race is ON!!

CHARGE!!!! FULL SPEED AHEAD!!!

It's now crunch time and things are getting hectic and stressful!! And because I'm me, I just keep adding onto my already heaping plate:P It's like at the restaurant Mongo's, you load up your bowl until you're pretty much spilling oil all over the floor and have a small food pyramid waiting to be cooked. Such is my life!! But what the heck have I done now? Well! Let me tell you!

So, as all of you now know, I am in a program called Style School. This is it's last week, so you think I'd be relieved right? WRONG!! Our last project for the program is called Craftivism! I've linked in a complete description, so I won't bore you with all the details. Basically, we have to make an uplifting craft (ie. a painting with the message "You are worth it!") and at the same time we will all leave our own craft in our own home town in fitting rooms, etc. AHH!!! I just did a To Do list that NEEDS to be done before this Saturday, and even that is daunting!! Plus I want to finish up on cleaning up my house.

So!! The race is on!! The drop for my inspiring craft is either Saturday or Sunday (unsure yet which), and Sunday is a VERY hard deadline!! Thankfully, I pretty much just have to tie together some loose ends for Sunday (however loose they may be), and I'm still very much undecided about what kind of craft I would like to do. A painting obviously, but the canvases I bought eons ago are for acrylic painting and I've mostly been doing watercolour lately... Hmm... You know what! I think I'm going to stick with my gut and just go acrylic!! I may be less experienced with it but who really cares right?! It's the thought that counts on something like this. The perfectionist in me may disagree, but she needs to realize that there just aren't enough hours in the day!

Anyways, I'll be VERY busy for a while now, but my next post will be coming out on Saturday (insert ominous music here), so hopefully you'll only have to deal with one more post about all this insanity:P

Have a good one!!!


I even added to this list... Ugh...

Follow the Signs!!!

Follow the signs!! Read the signs!! ...make the signs...

Thus we have my dilemma of the week(s). I need to make some signs. Not super fancy signs, but just some signs. What do I need these for? My Farmer's Market!!

Holy Moly!! I started to plan out all of the small details this past week and never realized that I would need signs for:
-The Business (Me:P)
-Prices
-Cash Only

Then I need a cash float for change, a table (DONE!!), lawn chairs (DONE!!), table cloth (Dollarama), and the list goes on... And it's REALLY starting to keep me up...

Well... It was... As with many of my posts I started on one day and am finishing on another. I started this one on a stressy Friday, and am ending it on an exhausted Monday... Zzz...

I didn't actuallt have to play slow pitch this weekend (Saturday I was a spare so they let me take off because it was my 5 year wedding anniversary, and Sunday we were rained out), so I actually got a lot accomplished! ...or it feels like I did... Only time will tell... 

I have effectively not only moved ALL my clothes from the inlaws to our house, but I have sorted through them and now have 2 LARGE bins to donate to the Salvation Army, with 1 more small pile of shirts to go through! I'm so excited!! 

Plus, most of my old tshirts that I couldn't bear to part with, O'm going to turn into a "Tshirt Quilt" by cutting out all the logos (mostly band shirts and my cheeky old ones), sewing them together, and adding a backing. SUPER excited for that!! You know, in all the spare time I have:P

On top of wading through my closet, I also managed to finish up all the write-ups for the MAHTA newsletter, and, since we have such an amazing Office Assistant, was able to just pass off the word document for her to make all pretty and format and junk. I do enjoy doing all that, but at the moment I have neither the time nor the resources to get into that cat fight! So, I typed and articled my lil heart out and VOILA!! We have content!!

I then, right before bed, started to work out a price chart for my products for the summer... It's a LOT harder then you would think!! My Inner Critic was not being very nice. Kept telling me that people won't pay for my crap... But you know what? I think that if I tough it out enough, I think people will like what I have to say!! ...maybe... We'll see!!

Anyways, I've been telling people left, right, and center about the Farmer's Market, and a lot of them are family, so hopefully I get a few pity buys at the most:)

I haven't really done much in the way of production of content this weekend, but this week will for sure be crunch time! EEP!! 

I've also come to a decision on how often I'm going to he doing these blog posts! Even if it's just a short post with a couple pics, you can expect something from me every two days!! I've decided that if I can't make time for something I love every other day, then what kind of life am I living right?!? 

Ciao for now!!!!

What was I doing?

Question of my life... What was I doing? Where was I? In case you haven't noticed already, I'm a semi absentminded person. The old saying "You'd lose your head if it wasn't attached totally applies to me:P

But what does this have to do with my creative journey? Well, as I mentioned in my last post, Farmer's Market time is getting REALLY close... Like super close... So I'm kinda going into overdrive trying make up some content, and figure out exactly what I'm going to do.

I would really like to make some business cards, but 1. they're expensive and 2. I don't know about the rest of you, but I have about a million business cards in my wallet that I haven't even looked at. That's just my current wallet. An interesting tip I picked up from Tara Swiger's podcast (see previous post) was to have a notebook and take other people's email addresses or phone numbers. This was a very interesting concept to me, and, not going to lie, completely blew my mind!! Then I've effectively placed myself in the drivers seat, and I won't be refreshing my phone all day to see if anyone wanted to email me back! Super exciting idea! Another was not to stare awkwardly at people when they are checking out your wares. This may seem like a no brainer, but nothing annoys me more than people either staring at me when I'm trying to look at something, or trying to hard to sell me something. Urgh...

Anyways, that's not all I'm starting to peg down. I also need some kind of signage... This one is keeping me up nights. I don't really have the funds for a professionally made poster, but I also don't want it to look cheap and tacky... Maybe I'll grab some of my papercraft supplies from my inlaws this weekend (if I have time... Ugh...) and make it up. I'm thinking a posterboard is all that I need, and then just decorate it with my name and products and such... I dunno... I'll figure something out:)

The thing that, without a doubt, is stressing me out the most is the fact that I have to provide a table! Isn't that silly!! That and having a cash float! Also silly! I have loads of change kicking around home, I guess it's the bigger bills I'm stressing about... I'll have to ask my mom! She's done loads of silent auctions and this sort of thing. And the table!! Pretty sure I know some people with a portable table that I could borrow for the summer. Or even part of the summer. Hmm...

Leaving the totally stressed out line of thinking, things are shaping up!! Still an introvert living in an extrovert's world!!

And I'm going to do something that I've NEVER done before on this blog... I'm NOT going to add a picture:P Mainly because I haven't taken any new ones since yesterday of my Farmer's Market content:)

Have a good one!!

Monday with Minions

Hello again world!!

It is another Monday, but I am slightly more peppy today then normal!! First, the wonders of sleeping, and second, I am in an interpretive minion outfit today!!!

So why am I dressed as a semi-minion on a crazy Monday? It's my... STYLE SCHOOL CHALLENGE OF THE DAY!!!! The song that we had to inspire our wardrobe after today is the song "Happy", which is a main song in Despicable Me 2, so naturally... MINIONS!!!

Anyways, that was my morning excitement... Now, what have I been up to? I really am sorry if these posts have been a lil dry for the past week, I'm still trying to adapt to my new sleeping pills:P They are wonderful, but they make me a lil bit drowsy during the day too...

But again, the question of this blog is, what creative endeavours have I been into lately!! Well, as has been the norm over the past few weeks I've been playing around with the creativity of style, which is super duper fun, as well as weaving my heart and soul out.

It has recently hit me that I will be attending a farmers market for the first time in the very near future (like 2 weeks), and I REALLY need to get cracking on my content!! But I've also been super excited to be wearing my woven goods lately as well. A real favourite has been my gold scarf, which I've been wearing pretty frequently as a head scarf.

A real fear of mine was that, yes, I can weave to my heart's content, but what if no one likes it, or worse, what if I don't like it?!? I was SERIOUSLY concerned when all I had to go by were several loops of woven fabric that didn't really look like anything, and at that point, never would. But I went to Dollarama, found a darning needle (a REALLY big needle), and started finishing up some of the products that I'd already finished the main work on.

The result? LOVE IT!! I'm currently hand sewing (my sewing machine is still ill) two pieces together that I purposely wove to be the exact same to make a wider scarf. The hand sewing is slow going, but otherwise it's looking great!! I've also taken stock of my colours and have come to realize that I do, in fact, have more wool than originally thought, and before I go and buy more I should really use all of what I have up. Shouldn't take too long!!

I've also been putzing with a Facebook Page. As of right now it's less than half done (just has a few words on it really), but I think this will really help things too!!

I also went out to my parents farm for the weekend (hence my absence), and went to a couple small town places where I might be able to canvas to hang up some of my artwork. So, now all I need to do is to compose a letter to send out to all of these places (email or snail mail), and a sample piece of art. You never know right? Raise your hand say yes:P

I've really been having fun with the whole slowing down while drawing thing. I guess my biggest worry was, since I'm primarily a writer, that I would lose my momentum/whim and wouldn't be able to get back into it. This happens with writing (as you may have noticed on this blog with a SLIGHT overlap of content), but I'm finding for my sketching I'm not really having any of those problems. I can leave it for sometimes days, and then come back to it without the world ending. I've heard several terms now for the imposter complex (jiblets, vampire voices), but it's super fun to prove them wrong in this instance.

I think I'm finally coming out of my depressed, sleep-deprived slump. This is so exciting for me!! I just need to start painting again (and find my easel) and I'm one happy camper :)

Have a Happy Monday all!!

A Brave New World

Good morning!!!

Has anyone read this book? It's terrible, don't do it. I had to read it in high school and I don't even think that I finished it. It's the expression I love. Trying something new? It's a brave new world!!!

This has kind of been my motto throughout all throughout the last 6 months. It's a brave new world!! Countless times I have stepped out of my comfort zone and, mostly, been rewarded. I took another HUGE step yesterday, by actually wearing what I'm making. That's right, I wore my yellow scarf I made as a head wrap. It looked awesome!! I was terrified to leave the house, but it looked awesome!!

Which is leading me to want to work even harder (and get more wool) because yeah, this is something that people would actually want to wear, and they're versatile!! LOVE IT!!

My big thing is that I keep running out of my product... Aka yarn!! It's kind of mind blowing how much yarn this thing eats up!! A normal size ball will only last for 1 product for a not very wide scarf/headband/whatever my heart can think of.

I've also been pretty busy on the sketching front!! The only thing that I really took away from the critique I went to was to slow down. So, I'm taking my time now and adding in (at least I think I am) a little more small details. It's HARD!!! I rush through everything naturally, so slowing down is almost physically painful for me!! But I have done it, and as a result, my pics are looking better then ever! It's pretty exciting!

Other than that I'm pretty much just continuing to rock out in style school. There's something super fulfilling about dressing to your personality. I mean, to an extent I've always kinda done it, but not really, and DEFINITELY not at work!

Until next time (I promise to have a more food for thoughtish post:P)

Garfield had the Right Idea

Ugh... Monday... First Monday back at work...

First off, I feel the need to apologize for my lack of internet presence over the last week. I've been having a blast on a staycation, and today is my first day back at work.

So, how did my first Monday start? It started with me forgetting to turn my alarm back on, so I woke up at the time I was supposed to catch the bus... Yay me!! Anyways, stole my hubby's truck and made it to work on time, only to fight through a mountain of emails and tasks that have been compiling.

Anyways, enough negative! I had a fantastic week off!! I got some weaving done, got some painting done, sent off my application for a Farmer's Market, and overall just recharged a lil bit. It was fantastic (minus the previously mentioned spaz attack with the sewing machine).

I also played Slow Pitch for the first time in... The better part of a decade I would have to say... It was SUPER fun, and I'm playing with a great group of peeps. However, and I don't know if I've mentioned this yet or not, I have a REALLY hard time going back to something that I used to be good at when I was younger and finding that I now suck. Harsh right? I would never in a million years think that way about anyone else. I would applaud them for trying and being brave enough to get back into it. Me though? NOPE! In my perfectionists mind I have to be equally good, or better than, I used to be. No matter how long it's been since I last did it.

Horse riding is another example of this. When I was in high school I was pretty darn good at it. I was winning ribbons and taking names. But I was also riding multiple times a week, and the Bank of Parents was still open for business. Now that I'm an adult with actual bills, priorities, and family (fur family counts too!), I actually have financial constraints. So, I rode less and less, and eventually stopped. Last summer I decided that I would try a new type of riding (I used to show in hunter/jumper), endurance riding, with a friend of mine. She even let me borrow her horse in exchange for helping out around the barn.

The result? Disaster. For some reason, my brain was expecting me to hop right back in the saddle and be able to ride for hours on end, after not riding at all for a couple of years. The horse I was riding was also a spooky Arabian, and though very sweet, she seemed to think that the world was conspiring against her. Now, back in the day this was no issue. Hell, I learned how to ride on a VERY SIMILAR spooky Arabian who's greatest ambition in the world was to buck me off (sometimes rodeo style). I had developed quite a deep seat, and horses were very hard-pressed getting me off. This was what my brain was expecting; something my poor body could no longer deliver.

The first time I fell off, I had a complete meltdown (the fact that I was changing anti-depressants at the time did NOT help matters). The second time, I hadn't quite recovered from my first meltdown and dissolved into tears of frustration again. The third time, I gave up and walked my horse the remaining 10km of the event. I was done. My mind couldn't wrap my head around the fact that my body could no longer deliver to the impossible standards of a cocky 18 year old.

The same thing (minus the multiple melt-downs) happened at Slow Pitch. I was writing cheques my body couldn't cash. Growing up I played quite often (my Mom was super into it so I naturally practiced lots), so I wasn't half bad. I had never really played competitively before, but this is a beer league, so no biggie. Right?

Well, after being unable to manage nothing better then a bunt, and being totally winded after running the bases (with a break at each one), something dawned on me. I'M NOT 18 ANYMORE!! Not to mention the fact that the most physical thing I've done all winter is climbing stairs and walking 2 blocks twice a day. The hardest thing about all of this? Letting myself be ok with it! Letting myself know that I'll get better as the summer goes on and not to worry about it. This isn't the Olympics, and as long as I'm having fun who gives a bibble?

I mean, yeah, my legs were killing me by the end of the night, and the day after I was given a cruel reminder that I do in fact have abdominal muscles. And thigh muscles. And calf muscles. And muscles in my arms. OWWWW!!! Moving for the next couple days was not that much fun. But I did it. And I'll do it again this week (and this weekend, we have a tournament...).

The moral of my random rantings (that isn't entirely creative, but for sure applies to it), it's OK to suck at something that you used to be good at! The skills will come back if you give them time, and NO ONE is holding you to anywhere near the standards you're holding yourself to. Not-a-one!! Give yourself room to grow and you will, and you'll probably come out better then you were before!

Anyways, enough preaching for one day!! :P Hopefully my next post will be a lil more creative-based, but the moral applies to creativity as well, so close enough. :)

My pretty new glove :)

Back in the Saddle

Alright world, I am back!!! What have I been doing lately? Reading and defunking It's been great!!

 

But, I figured that I shouldn't be too neglectful or people will stop looking...

So!! Here I am again!! My Farmers Market papers are all filled out and waiting to be sent, my summer has been totally planned out (with pretty much no weekends free), and I've been playing with my loom, but I am quickly running out of yarn... So, to Wally World I go!!

 

Anyways, I haven't been doing too terribly much creatively lately, but I have been doing some business planning and scoping out a few things. First off, I have realized that there are absolutely NO professional pictures of me anywhere in the world. My solution? Hit up google and try to find a cheaper photographer that would be able to take some better portraits and headshots of me for my business page/everything business related.

 

I have also been researching how to take better pictures on my phone, because after talking to a couple photographers, they do not run cheap!! At the moment I really don't have any additional income to put towards that, so back to Dr Google I have gone! Turns out my ole Samsung Galaxy can actually take half decent pictures, which at this point, is really all I need.

 

I also did a reach out to some of my Facebook friends to see if anyone would be willing to style some of my wears for me (woven belts, etc.). I have a few bites!! Yay!! ...which also means I really have to start weaving hardcore... Thank God I have the next week off!! I think I'm going to be pretty busy with a lot of things!!

 

So, all of this is in the name of trying to grow my name and what I will be selling. Getting up to speed on the content is really the hard part. Ugh... But hey, at least it's with stuff that I genuinely enjoy doing!! Yay!! I'm also thinking of getting a Get to Work Book day planner to REALLY get myself organized. I also may have a journal/day planner fetish... Not my fault, they're just all so pretty!!!

 

Anyways!! Now that my darn Newsletter is done (for now...), I should have a bit more time on my hands to actually get to work on some of this stuff!!

 

TTFN, Ta ta for now!!

Fuzzy like Dryer Lint

Hello all!

 

I can say that now because (at least it looks like) people are actually reading!! Yay!! You make my year!!

 

I think it's going to be one of those days... You know the ones where your brain is almost too fuzzy to think, and where you have so much stuff to do you kind of want to lay down and take a nap?

 

Turns out making a to do list just ratcheted up my blood pressure even more... Go figure.

I started this post yesterday (got too busy to finish it :P), but since then I'm feeling a bit better!! I mean my brain is still fuzzy as hell, and I was going to take a picture of some dryer lint last night, but I didn't get home from my meeting until super late so yeah... No dryer lint from my copious laundry pile today... Maybe I can find a pic online... Yeah, I'll do that!

Anyways, like I was saying, feeling a lil bit better today! Got my newsletter all sorted out, so that should be OK in the next couple of days, and I think I may have tacked down my summer schedule and figured out the markets I would like to go in.

The stressy stressy part is now making the content... All while trying to make up clothing/fix rushed clothing for the MLHS (Manitoba Living History Society)... Some of it by hand... Ugh... Thank God I have a week off coming up!! I will probably be doing nothing but weaving and sewing and painting and drawing... Maybe I should enlist some free help... Hmm...

But anyways, after raiding my parents basement for material that my mom doesn't want anymore/won't use I think my larders are pretty well stocked for a sewing frenzy!! I just need to get some more crazy colourful thread and I'll be all set to go!! ...and maybe some more material, I have an addiction and I'm willing to admit it, just not ready to deal with it yet...

It's the painting/colouring book front that I'm concerned a lil more about, since this is the area that I'm the least experienced in and I kind of have no clue what to do/charge for it. I'm thinking that I'll start with a super low price to start out, then slowly raise them over the summer if people buy them... That's painting out of the way, but with the colouring books I'll have to make up my costs because they'll have to be done by a professional printer... Hmm... I guess the first thing to do would be to get quotes... I don't really want to do it if it's going to cost me $20 to print for a book that I can only sell for maybe $10, because at this point I'm thinking that as long as I can cover my costs I'm pretty well donating my time spent on any projects I'm doing. At least until people start to notice me and are willing to buy at the higher prices. But we'll see I guess!

I wouldn't mind taking a class on drawing etc., but really, who has the time!! CLAH!!! ...if you don't watch Jimmy Fallon that means "cackle like a hen"... Yes, I'm a nerd and proud to admit it!!!

Anyways, until next time (which will hopefully be soon, and hopefully I'll have something more interesting to say or a new project I've finished), TTFN, ta ta for now!!!

Image Courtesy of Google Images

Haha!! See, I found one :P

Sick and Tired of being Sick and Tired

Soo...

Where have I been? I was sick as a dog pretty much all weekend, so I gave myself the weekend off. Why? Because I can! I am trying to be a little nicer to myself and admit to myself when I really don't want to do anything, and I'm not just being lazy.

What did I do instead? I dragged myself to a sewing meet on Saturday, which I'm very glad I did, and pretty much just laid on the couch and slept/watched TV/read on my phone. Being a Type A person I usually feel guilty as hell doing this, and usually have about a million to dos buzzing in the back of my mind. The difference with last weekend? I gave myself permission to just RELAX! To not think about the to dos, the half finished projects, work, and all of those other things that buzz like a mosquito in my brain.

How does this relate to the creative process? Well, in every way that counts I'd say. Last week I was kind of feeling burnt out, exhausted, and just didn't really want to do anything. I finished what I was working on on my loom, there was nothing coming to mind to draw, and I just didn't really feel like making a blog post. I guess (aside from being sick) I just needed some relaxation and downtime.

So, I sewed something by hand with no pattern and very little help (I went rogue:P), I caught up on some TV shows, I re-watched the new Star Wars movie, and I got out the material for my next big sewing project. I did all this without thinking about applications for Markets this summer, without trying to figure out more branding, or a business strategy, and you know what? I had a blast, even though I felt slightly death-like.

But, even having a down-time weekend I still managed to get some creative fun stuff done. By that I mean I sewed a day-cap, which is a 1800's bonnet type hat. The pieces were cut out wrong and someone kind of threw it at me and went "Here, have fun!" I forgot to take a picture of it, so I might hold off now and wait until my whole outfit is sewn (that's what the material is going to be fore) and just get a pic with everything:)

In closing, I would have to say that I quite enjoyed my lil break, and it's left me feeling more invigorated for it (even though I'm still sick). This headache can go away any time though :P

Spring?? Where did you go??

I walked to work this morning in a parka, toque and mitts... It's April... Not that this is uncommon in the great frozen North, but still. Come on, enough already!

Alright, rant done moving into actual content now :)

So, I've been kind of away from the whole Social Media from a couple of days now, been feeling kinda bummed out and stressed. Why? Well, I kind of figured it out yesterday when I was telling a friend how tired I am. She told me that she hardly slept last night, and I agreed yes, I don't sleep super great. Then I started adding up all of the things I'm currently doing/just finished/are coming up... It was exhausting just writing it! Anyways, here they are in their glory:

• Marketing Director for the Manitoba Animal Health Technologists Association Board (having to meet multiple deadlines in the next couple weeks)
• Company Softball team
• Active Member of the Manitoba Living Historical Society
• Just finished a very intensive Certified Insurance Professional course
• Filling in applications and making content for Farmer's Markets for this summer (most are due by 3/30/16)
• Doing an application for an Artist Mentoring Program
• Just applied for a new position at work

Whew... Oh and plus trying to have a life at home too with my hubby and dogs... Wow... So yeah, needless to say I'm going to be making up a to do list today with deadlines for everything!

Anyways, on the brighter side of life, I might be having a few guest posts in the next little while on here! I'm super excited about that! I'll also probably (hopefully) be doing some guest posts on some other blogs as well hoping to get a lil foot traffic around here, and just because I love to write.

Speaking of writing, the first Letter to the Editor I submitted to a big local paper has been PUBLISHED!!!!! Mine is the first letter in the link. Operation Bombard Local Papers with Letters to the Editor until they give me a Job is well underway!! Yay!! On the writing side of things, I'm also starting to brainstorm ideas for a literary non-fiction (writing in 3rd person, not super great at that) to submit to another magazine competition. It's kind of ironic that I was so worried about how I would write two short fictions, when now I'm having even more trouble writing a non-fiction. But hey, once I start things kind of just write themselves.

I'm also working on my weaving. I'm now on creation #3 and loving every minute of it! I REALLY need to get some new and fun yarn though... I need more vibrant colours and different textures for my weavables!!

Well, that's all for now!! Things are looking up for the moment, even though it's cold as sin outside!!

 

PS - This is what I got from Starbucks today to warm up! Yay for winning work draws!! 

Monday Blues...

So, I have had an interesting and eventful weekend... I managed to get Friday off for "studying." Then, I got my reply from the scholarship I had applied for to go to a meditation retreat in Seattle in a couple weeks... No dice, and after looking into prices found that it's a little too much money to spoon out right now... So needless to say I spent most of my weekend in a bit of a funk amd as a result didn't really do too much crafty stuff.

However! I managed to drag my mopey ass over to Chapters and Micheals and got 2 new journals and a sketch pad. That helped considerably😜 I still haven't written in them, but it'll come😜

I'm also continuing on with my looming experiments, which are going REALLY well! When I was at Micheals I was also browsing through the yarn, but my will power held out and I didn't buy anything! Yay! There's lots of different thicknesses and textures that I can't wait to try out on my loom. And, of course, the bright colours. So many bright colours! I may have drooled a lil bit!

I also have plans for the sketchbook (other than the obvious sketching). I'm planning on trying to make an adult coulouring book (or kid if I can't make it intricate enough), and do a trial run with it at farmers markets this summer and see if anyone buys it😊 Pretty excited about that actually! Just have to get started now! Probably on lunch tomorrow (felt sick as death today). The bus ride blogging is also not really helping😜

I digress! The journals I have no plans for, but to add to my intricate collection of journals and maybe try art journalling... I should probably try to do some actual journaling too... Hmm...

I also REALLY want to start painting with my acrylics. Previously I took a couple classes on actual lifelike landscapes, but I think I kinda want to try abstract? Maybe? Look out for it on Instagram! @renaissance_renegade

Although I'm pretty bummed about not getting to go to Seattle, things are actually looking up for me😊 My next entry I'm going to be touching on being called an artist for the first time!! ...I'm mostly writing it down here so I don't forget...

Until tomorrow!!! ...probably...

Don't Forget to hit SAVE

Hello all!

As the title dictates, I was about halfway through an entry last night and I had to get up to do something else. Not thinking, I simply locked my phone and walked away. When I came back I had received an important email from a Board of Directors I'm in, so naturally I minimized my blog screen to deal with the email. Then, when I came back to it, all that was left was the title... I almost screamed, because at that point I had no clue what I was writing about😢

So, this is kind of a take 2 in that respect. But it will also probably be totally different.

This past weekend I've been weaving (see the pic for my first product), prepping to sew another dress (1812 this time), and giving my submissions to the Grain Magazine Short Grain Contest a final once over. I don't think I've ever been more terrified hitting the send button on an email, because, unlike this blog, at least one person will actually be reading my writing. My work has been published before, but on a much smaller scale (newsletters). However, now my new philosophy on life, go big or go home, is demanding more. But what's the worst they can say? We don't like your stories so we're not going to publish them. If I don't win (won't find out until August, 2016) I'll just submit them elsewhere, or publish them here on my blog. It's something I love to do so it's not even a chore.

That and I LOVE to be heard. I'm a rather loud and opinionated person once you get to know me😜 I'm also trying to come up with a literary non-fiction for another contest, but that one isn't due until November (it's the end of March now), so I've got lots of time. I'm thinking about using the time I was attacked by a feral cat in clinic, but we'll see what I actually end up doing. My stories kind of write themselves.

And like a boss, I remembered to hit save this time (I had to go back to work midrant😜).

Anyways, back to before. I'm also coming leaps and bounds in the weaving department!! I completed my first product (rope/tie/belt thingy), which is not perfect, but I love it anyways😜 I'm now starting on my second project (forgot to take a pic of it last night to post here), which is a lot wider then my first project, so I'm learning all over again. I, being a person with multiple thumbs, am finding it particularly difficult. That's how you learn though!! This one is pink, white, and gold. Super excited to start growing my stock so I can start selling.

That's all for now!! Yay creativity!!

Cooking with Grease

Hello again!!

I'm cooking with grease now!! ...that's a saying right? Anyways, things are slowly starting to go my way😜

My course is over in 2 weeks (FINALLY!!), so I'll actually have some time to work on all my projects. Not to mention I finally sat down and figured out my new inkle loom, so I've almost got my first woven creation finished!!! It's very basic and kind of woky in some places, but for a first try it's not too shabby!!! Pretty excited about that one. I'm also getting a bit more of a following on Instagram, which is totally awesome, thanks to my doodles of the day.

I'm super excited to get going on my loom again tonight and to post some pics!! Not to mention getting some wild and wacky wool and make some loud creations.

Also, since I went out to my parents this past weekend, I raided my old/my mom's fabric hoard and found some goodies in there. Should probably cut out that 1812 dress pattern and actually get that going too... Yay hand sewing... I have a short attention span😜 In case you couldn't tell😜

Anyways, my journey continues in an uphill trajectory and I'm really starting to enjoy myself😊

OH!!! Almost forgot!! I also just submitted my first writing for a magazine short fiction contest. Super nervous, but also really excited😊

Things keep on looking up!!

Never Wear a White Shirt with a Muffin Top

Mmm... Muffins... Slept in today and grabbed what I thought were my normal fitting pants and a nice white shirt. NOT!! They are, in fact, my skinny pants and have had me muffin toppin since lunch time😜

The point of this? Absolutely nothing, just needed to get it off my chest😜 Anyways, this past weekend I went to a Manitoba Living Historical Society Baggage meet, and was introduced to the amazing world of weaving!

I'm so excited!! I also have big plans to learn how to weave wool as well. Business ideas anyone? My entrepreneurial dreams have re-errupted into something huge!!

My big plans at this point are to actually learn how to use my Inkle Loom (yay for google), and then the sky's the limit!! Eventually I want to do the whole "from sheep to cloth" type thing, but for this summer I'm thinking of just starting with all my woven creations. There's a long way to go, but now at least there's a path again.

Plus, with all my historical connections and whatnot, I can do it completely old-fashioned. With all natural dyes for the wool, grassfed sheep, and all that other wholesome stuff everyone seems to love these days.

So excited!!! Yay for my new loom!!
...now I just need a business name...