Wednesday, February 28, 2007

lesson of the day

Ok, lesson number one for today is to ask good questions. For example, making a vet appointment and making sure it's actually in the town I live. Poor little fluffy cat-of-doom-and-cuteness had his first ride in the car for nothing. I think he still loves me...Does anyone have tips about cats and fleas? I used frontline flea poison (like advantage) and I don't think it worked. Any tips? Florida is a crazy flea heaven.

Weekdays are slower for me in Craft Land (where my jewelry business is located). Overlapping my current full-time nanny job and the beginning of Beaded Weeds is like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich: crunchy and sticky but also sweet and satisfying. I added about five more pairs of earrings to my Etsy site on Monday night and plan to add more as the week progresses. I think I am finally getting the hand of pricing although obviously my work on Etsy isn't getting a lot of sales. I seem to sell much more when I actually am at a craft/art show. I wonder if this is true for most crafters/artists?

Here's to another day in Nanny Land. I wonder how many more lessons I will learn today...

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Learning to be slow



This is a photo of our kitchen table, where most of my office work is conducted at the moment.

I know it's the same day I began this blog. Today I spent what seemed like endless hours looking at this computer. I did get outside a bit (jogging, hanging laundry) but after about 11 hours (woah! more than I thought) here, I think it is important for me to note that the hardest thing about starting a business is how slow the process is. There are so many new things I'm learning to do. I think it's time to get away from the buzzing, glowing screen. Maybe time to make something with my hands.

A seed-like day

I imagine everyone with a blog has been here: reflecting on day one. I never even imagined I would write a blog until I met a chic collage artist named Claudine Hellmuth (http://www.collageartist.com) and her husband Paul (Thanks for the business tips, you two!) Claudine and I participated in an art show this week at the house of my friend and local art consultant, Kathy Gibson. I exhibited and sold jewelry and paintings of roosters. Does anyone know why roosters are so popular? I think there is a possible psychology or sociology thesis out there about this one.
I am in the beginning of starting my home-based craft business called Beaded Weeds. I will root it in my jewelry, although I know I will branch out into the many other things I make. I have posted some pieces on ETSY (http://beadedweeds.etsy.com) and Mikel will assist me in website-making soon. This is not just a seed-like day. It's a seed-like time in my life. How will the seed grow? What will it grow into? It's a mystery. Right now I'm just trying to give it the best soil to begin to sprout.