From off the rails to back on track

I’ll admit it: I still want to knit more than anything else. Sleep might be a close second behind the desire to knit. (I worry that the desire to sleep might read like depression, but that’s not at all the case. Think hibernation.)
Luckily I’ve been able to shake off the laziness and finish two more journals for Saturday’s show. I’ve also poured resin for some pendants. (There were nearly no bubbles in the Gedeo resin. My Ice Resin got really dark. and while it’s supposed to be usable, white backgrounds now have an antiqued look.) I’ve even prepped some packaging for better display. (Why did it take me so long to step up how my necklaces are presented?!)

However, that rambling aside, it’s Thursday, and I know I should have some kind of book report. Where did those days of leafing through books and then breaking out paints or beading supplies go? Taken over by the knitting gods? Could be. Or maybe my block stems from the fact that I knew I wanted to dig into Tara Swiger’s Market Yourself. Opening that book meant that I had to do what feels like work rather than play.
I have forever said that I don’t like having to sell myself. Not in my day job, not in my side gig. I think, in both cases, that my work speaks for itself. If people can’t see that or don’t want to take the time to figure it out, it’s not my problem. But, especially for the Ponder Press stuff, I need to market what I do. Otherwise, my world will never be bigger than the market or the handful of shows I do in November and December. And, these posts will be seen by my beau, my mom and one or two friends.
I know what I need to do. And I know why I need to do it. So, why is it so ridiculously difficult?
Am I, like so many others, afraid of being exposed as a fraud? I know all of the counterarguments. I really do.
•I need to do it as long as it makes me happy and I do it all in truth.
•There’s plenty of room in this world for people to make art/jewelry/stuff. If not there would only be a handful of artists. Full stop.
•Why belittle what I make? Isn’t that insulting to my customers?
This post feels whiny and self-serving. Strike that, I’ll let it serve as an online journal entry. Let’s just say that I’m working through my stuff.
And, I’ll keep working on the book. I’m less than six pages in, and I already know one more thing I can do to help pretty up how stuff looks on my table and help to keep my business name in mind.
I stopped at the first quiz in the quiz; it’s something to the effect of what makes you “You.” ACK! My neuroses?
I think this calls for admiring the new Rubber Moon stamps I bought to make my displays more fun. I must breathe deep and breathe in these sentiments.

   
    
 I’d love to hear about your struggles with self doubt. Rest assured, you’re not in this alone.

Short days, short posts

Back from a weekend in Port Townsend. Morgan and I wanted to check out the Wheel In drive-in for their last weekend of the season. We had a great time. Unfortunately, the “sleeping bag of sleep,” knocked me out. I made it through most of the the 1940s The Wolfman. I was in and out for all of The Earth vs. the Flying Saucers. And, we left before Halloween started. I don’t think I could have handled that one.

I love how eager Morgan is to support the drive-in. Now one of our “if we won the lottery” daydreams is to say we’d buy it and run it.
I really dig Port Townsend and think I could live there and make art and whatnot. Funny how one’s needs and priorities change as one gets older and finds the right person for settling down. (whatever settling down means)

I brought enough craft activities to have been locked in for a week. What did I do? I read. I did a little knitting, but way more looking at knitting patterns. I think I need to put my third poncho to the side and make use of the yummy cashmere blend yarn I bought in San Francisco last year.

On the bright side, I did finish my first journal made from The Crazy Cat Lady board game.

  
 My goal is to make at least one, if not two, more journals before the Winter market at Crossroads this weekend.
But, tonight is for hanging out with Morgan. His classes keep him plenty busy, so weekends have been given extra focus! It’s unicorn time!

Post-market free fall continues

It’s not been a week, yet, since I had my last day at the market. I’m not sure how best to explain it, but there’s an untethering that has left me feeling sedentary and directionless each night this week. I look at craft p*rn online and feel stirrings of inspiration, but mostly I’ve only made a mess since Sunday.
I haven’t even leafed through any books. I cannot even find the inspiration to decide which book to peruse.
I can’t help but wonder if it’s the shorter days that have me wanted to binge watch Key and Peele and crochet (if that). Could be. Maybe it’s the relaxation that comes after six months of six-day work weeks. I don’t know. Whatever it is, I’m looking forward to saying goodbye to it. I’ve signed up for a mosaic class and and metal-working class. (One in November and one in December, respectively.) Learning something new is always good for getting the creative juices flowing. Hey, isn’t that part of what my book project was all about?!
Sigh …
I have, however, done a few things.
• Disassembled another painting set from my craft books shelf. Slowly I’m freeing up space.
• Poured resin. Never mind that I forgot two pieces and made something too pink and not red enough.
• Done more organizing of my beads. I do love these storage trays. Of course anything is better than the throw-it-in-a-box approach I’ve been using.
• Taken steps to make my book-keeping more efficient. (There’s the book tie-in for the week!)
• Updated the “find me” section of my site. I’ve for four holiday shows coming it. I do hope familiar faces will come by and say hi!
Or, say hi here. Comments are always welcome!

A day late and a dollar short

I dropped the ball on my Sunday post, but I refuse to beat myself up about it. There was pre-guest cleaning to do. And baking! I received a Bigfoot cookie cutter for my birthday, and I needed to put it to use. So, after cleaning up the kitchen, I decided to make sugar cookies, which meant that I then has much flour to clean up. I think I’ve seen octopus cookie cutters, but I need a proper squid. However, I can imagine that getting all of the tentacles out without breakage would be a challenge.

   
 Saturday was my last day at the market this year, and now I’m left wondering where the past six months went. The market is a time investment. It’s a great community. It’s an anchor for the year. As much as I’m really looking forward to sleeping in two days in a row for the next six months, I will miss my market neighbors, regular customers and all of the friendly market faces. It never ceases to amaze me how something that takes up so much time is something that I can miss so very much.
It’s kind of a bummer that I had a great idea for displaying necklaces on my *last* day at the market. Oh well, it only means that next year I’ll be able to debut all kinds of neat ways of displaying items.

  
I’m still working through tasks and plans inspired by Schoolhouse Craft.

Without the regular deadline of the market for making new jewelry, this is also the time of year when I long to just knit and and crochet. I did get rave reviews for one of my ponchos. I’ve started a third — a very practical black and gray. However, the needle size that was recommended is just too small. So, I’ve started over with larger needles. The knitting is moving along at a better clip and I no longer feel that the project will never be finished.

Last night’s lack of sleep is catching up with me. It’s been a day of moving slowly and sluggishly and doing things like calling hiking boots hiking books. Both have their place, but if it’s boots you need, it’s boots you should have.

Apropos of nothing, I got an email from REI today saying they’ll be closed the day after Thanksgiving. I love that. Please, please, please let this be a trend.

Derailed by details and some other stuff

Thursday is book day, and I’ve got nothing to report.
At least not craft wise. On second thought, I took my “Instant Artist” set off of the shelf and think that the pre-printed canvases will make for great journals covers.

  
I think they need to be left blank to let someone else do the painting. (This is 100% the kind of freeing activity I hoped for when I decided to go through all of my books.)

I also returned several books to the library, and their unopened, unperused status is no longer tormenting/mocking me.

I finished a book for an interview for work. As much as I have craft crushes on any number of people, products and techniques, I have a genuine respect for Ruth Wariner, whose The Sound of Gravel will be published this January. Because the book’s release is still months away, what I can say is that she is really, truly lovely. I don’t envy her her childhood, and I admire her spirit, her soul. Oh, I can also say, visit her site and pick up the book when it’s published.

I’ve been listening to the audiobook of Challenger Deep, by Neal Shusterman. Once again I’m left feeling a bit bummed out that so many wonderful YA authors started publishing after my YA years. And so, well into my adult years, I’m still reading/listening to these great and moving works. Truth told: I think I’d prefer this as a physical book. However, the parrot’s voice sounds so much like Jim Rash that I keep thinking about the TV show Community, and that makes me happy.

I’m giving myself homework. I need to break open Market Yourself by Tara Swiger.

And, I need to figure out how to best use these display cards.

   
 I want to stamp on all of them. Should the stamps show? Should they be a surprise beneath the surface? How often will I be able to break away from the “Sparkle like you mean it” stamp? There’s always another decision to make, isn’t there? I guess that means I’m alive, and really, in this case, how can there be a wrong decision?