Decisions, decisions

Things are having to change.

Winter is here and Christmas is nearly upon us. It is time to take stock and decide which way to go now.

I have stopped the school job as I can get a lot more hours at the supermarket. It was a hard decision to make as I will miss some of the kids a lot. I've watched some of them grow from little, tiny scraps to confident individuals and hope that I have had a small part in them blossoming. On the other hand, some of the staff made the decision very easy.

As for the shop, it is definitely a non starter. My potential partner really wasn't fully committed to the idea and the one shop we could possibly afford was going to be a big problem. The lady we would be renting off didn't seem too bothered about getting her property agent to call me and would not give me their number. So, it really wasn't worth the hassle and stress!

Last week I was invited for a chat at the same Artists Studio that I went to once before. This time they did seem to like some of my work (the mixed media and the jewellery) but were very 'sniffy' about the rest. Crochet and patchwork just doesn't seem to class as anything like art. But they did kindly give me some constructive criticism. I do intend to narrow down from all the different things I do and have a good clear out.

So, most of the fabric is going and a lot of the wool (except for things I can use in the mixed media) and concentrate on the art and jewellery. They did suggest that I try to step outside my comfort zone and try to expand on some of the ideas I have and to explore them fully before moving on to something else.


I don't think I really stand a chance of getting a space there as they have other people to see and I'm assuming that he others have some sort of formal training and I am self taught. They will let me know sometime after Christmas so we will just have to wait and see! If I don't get in this time, I will just have to keep improving and do better next time.

Keeping confident and fingers crossed!!

New Start?

Things have been rather hectic round here. I have started another job. I still have the school job as well so I have been a bit exhausted! I am  Janitor at a local supermarket. (Four letters, starts with 'A' and has a green logo - you know the one!)

So, working two jobs and still trying to keep things organised at home is testing my sanity a little.The kids are doing little bits to help - but only when I get a little frazzled and grotty! The new job is hard work, always on the go, but I am enjoying it. I've been there about two months now and I think I'm getting the hang of it. Still lots to learn - it's not the brainless job that most people will assume it to be.


I am still finding time to make things and have learned to follow a proper crochet pattern and have managed to spend time in the studio as well.

I need to get my stock built back up as I may possibly have found a friend to share the shop with. She is a fellow crafter and has a small business that she runs from home and has had the same idea as me. She wanted a shop to sell direct but couldn't afford it on her own. So we thought about teaming up and sharing the costs. She has many other plans and we will have to sit down and put it all down on paper to see if it will work out for us.  Fingers crossed !!!!!!

So, I will really have to pull my finger out and actually get something done instead of 'researching ideas' on Pinterest and complaining that my studio is too small to work in!!



Back soon xx

Sunny days and whatnots

The past few days have been good ones.

We had a grand day out as a family the other day. In the SUNSHINE!!! It was lovely to be able to sit outside in the warmth and have a picnic. We went to Gawthorpe Hall near Padiham (that's in Lancashire for those that don't know). It is a house that was built in the 1600's and houses the Kay-Shuttleworth Textile collection. The embroideries that they had on show were fabulous. Go here to find out more -

Gawthorpe Textile Collection 


I got the idea to go there the day before when me and the kids were out with my friend and her daughter at the local museum which has had a makeover recently. It now has a café so it is much more interesting to visit!! as it was the Easter hols, there were activities for the kids to do but sadly we got there too late to book in for them so the kids just had a run around in the fresh air while my mate and me had coffee, cake and a good natter. She told me about Gawthorpe Hall and the Textiles as she used to live just around the corner from it.

And my weekend of exploring didn't stop there.The same friend sent me a text last night asking if I would like to escape for the afternoon today.  Of course I said YES!! So me, her and another friend escaped from kids and husbands and went off to a craft exhibition in Higham (near Padiham too - see, you get a geography lesson too!). More coffee and cake and more nattering. We all work with primary children in some capacity so we had plenty to talk about. The exhibition was in the local primary school so we compared the things they had that ours schools didn't and came away with ideas.

I also came away with ideas of things I can make There were some lovely things available to buy from some very talented makers. Glass, Cosmetics and skin care, baby knits, jewellery and paintings to mention just a few......

A couple of days out from the usual routine can do wonders for the soul. it may not have been time away from everything but it has been enough to recharge the batteries and relax a bit before starting all over again. Back to the normal routine on Tuesday!!

They're back.......

Well, the shop idea didn't happen. The proposed rent was raised when the Letting Agent got involved, and it really would have been silly to go ahead when I couldn't be sure I would take enough to cover it.

To be honest, I don't think my heart was fully in it. The dreaded Big Black Clouds have returned and everything just seems to be a huge effort. So, trying to start a business was a bad idea when I struggle to muster up the energy to get out of bed some days.

People will probably look at me and think that I'm fine but I've just got better at hiding it. As soon as I step out of the door, my ' Happy Mask' goes on. I go to work each day and no-one is any the wiser about how I feel.

Depression is something that I have suffered from for the last 17 years and most folks don't realise just how disabling it can be. The impact it can have on your self esteem and confidence is not nice. And just for the record, telling someone with Depression to ' pull themselves together' is not even the littlest bit helpful!

Utter Madness!

I think I must be going a little potty. I have been to view a local empty shop today.

 It has everything I'm looking for in a place to make and sell my things. My (shed) studio is too small and cold to want to spend any length of time in. It will cost me more than at the moment obviously, but it will allow me to have the room to grow.

People will be able to see the things I make if they get displayed in the window and that will let them think about buying items at a time that suits them, not just when I happen to be at a craft fair. They would be able to save and come back later.

There is nothing else like 'My' shop in the local area so my hope is that it will get noticed.

It will be a struggle at first, financially, but I hope to get at least some money back. If I can break even each week at first, I will be happy.

I have to work out all the figures first and Husband-of-mine is behind me 100%  Online promotion will still be important to get the word out there about my creations so I must keep up with my Facebook page and this blog.

I have felt for a while that I am capable of much, much more and that I have been letting life pass me by.

 I have realised that life is too short for 'what if's'.

Is it just me?

Blogger is trying my patience today!

It has taken me nearly an hour to get logged in because it kept telling me that my account didn't exist! So I must have imagined writing a post here yesterday then....

Anyway, I'm in now, best make a post then.

I havn't had chance to do any art today as  Daughter-of-mine 1 had an Athletics Training session at Sportcity in Manchester. Husband-of-mine stayed with her while I took D-of-mine 2 into the city centre on the new tram route. It's still sale time so we managed to pick up a few arty bargains. D-of mine-2 loves her Art as well. She has taken to Art Journaling really well and has an Art corner in her room where she sits and creates for hours at a time. It's wonderful to know at least one of my kidlets has a passion for Art.


So, as I havn't made anything new today, here's some pics of some of my past pages. These were planned a bit more than the ones I showed yesterday.

There SHOULD be three, but only this one seems to have uploaded from my phone - 3 TIMES!!!!! Technology really is out to get me at the moment it seems.


Lets just hope I can get back in here tomorrow so I can try again........

Decisions, decisions.

 HAPPY NEW YEAR xx

  I know it's been a while since I was here - again!- but I have been busy. A couple of Craft Fairs done (one was actually profitable! first one where I have made my stall money back!) and a bit of a studio redo.

I've also been doing a bit of thinking. I'm not really sure that my heart is in the craft fair business. Don't get me wrong, I love to make things. I really enjoy making my big blankies and all the crochet purses and the fabric brooches and the teddy bears and all the other things I make.
The problem is that it is absolutely soul destroying to stand behind a stall all day, having to smile and be polite and friendly just to have people say that your stuff is too expensive and walk on by then watch them buy something similar to yours from another stall.

My real passion is my Art. My jewellery style has evolved to more of a mixed media style and I love it much more. I'm hoping that it will sell better. My other love is Art Journaling. I have started up with it again today. Even though it is something I love to do, it's not something I find comes easily. Before I ever put paint/cutting to journal I spent a couple of years researching it all because I was afraid to get it wrong. After a few months of sticking and paint slapping, I stopped because I found it stressful. Pages just didn't look like I wanted them to. I just couldn't be relaxed enough with my style. It was difficult to work with no rules.

So today, I got out some old tubes of paint and some cuttings and printed images that I had already laying on my desk from the studio reshuffle. And I did just literally tear, slap and stick with not much thought to what I was putting where on the pages. It felt good. I have had a very relaxing afternoon.

 

 

It felt good to get my hands covered in paint too.

And now that I've worked out how to add photo's taken on my phone, I hope I will be able to drag myself here a bit more often!