I've been having one of those evaluating things moments when you stop and take stock of what you're up to and where you're going and how you're getting there and all that. This was precipitated (is that the right word? Isn't that to do with rain? See what happens when you write all spur of the moment, like), by the fact that I was doing my Lemur Lady accounts this evening and it would appear that, without really noticing, I seem to have started a Proper Little Business. I've gone into healthy triple figures in the 3 months I've been selling stuff, and whilst the actual profit is not enough to feed a church mouse with a cheese allergy, my hobby is at least not costing me anything and is making a little bit of pocket money. Looking across the room, I can see that the tiny carrier bag of sewing stuff that I had only a few short months ago has grown into three huge storage boxes, one of which is so full I just broke the handle on it and had to spend a good five minutes swearingly picking everything up off the floor.
This is All Good. Very good in fact. Problem is, it's too good. I'm now at the point where I have more stuff waiting to be made than I have time for, around my Real Work. Sitting in the broken-handled box are, variously, Superman, Batman, Alice in Wonderland, 1950's housewives, owls, skulls, dinosaurs and more. All in fabric form, I might add. Otherwise it would be no wonder at all that the box broke. Plus I reckon Batman and the dinosaurs would have had an awesome fight. Superman wouldn't have got involved though because he'd be all 'ooh, no, don't touch the stegosaurus, it's endangered', and Alice would be sharing pineapple upside-down cake recipes with the housewives and the owls would be standing in the corner with the skulls talking about how Superman is such a girl scout.
Where was I?
Oh yes, rambling, that's right. Aaaanyway, my point is, now I'm all discontented-like. And devising Life Plans. My life plans mostly involve the SO win the lottery so that I can stay at home all day making Stuff out of Things. Even though I actually quite like my job - I work for an ace company and all, but here's the thing:
There is so much Stuff in the world and so many Things I want to make out of it. Not just sewing - rediscovering my crafty side has made me want to take up drawing and painting again for the first time since school, and learn how to bind books, and finally find out what scrapbooking is all about. But I have no time to do all these lovely things in because I have to earn stupid old money to buy stupid food and pay stupid rent. *kicks imaginary stones with trainers in stroppy manner*
Sigh. Ah well, one step at a time. Maybe one day I will be big and brave and clever enough to be able to make a few more pennies from my makings and Lemur Lady will be known around the world as a purveyor of awesomeness and I will only be able to go out in dark glasses and that will not just be because I am always hungover like it is now but also because I am so very very rich and famous and followed everywhere by paperazzi from the Crafting Times and suchlike.
But since that hasn't happened yet, I guess I'd best go to bed. Work in the morning, see.
Meh.
Well done on doing so well with your business- that's a real achievement! I can understand your frustration about not having enough time though. I think it's natural to feel that way because there are just so many things you COULD be doing that sometimes it's almost overwhelming. I guess just try to take things slow... if you need to ease up on the business side of things, that's OK. I read a blog the other day about craft and the 'slow revolution' http://makingaslowrevolution.wordpress.com/about/ Interesting stuff.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, now whose rambling? :p
Hope you feel a bit more positive soon. I can definitely relate.
Ellie
Aw, thankyou. TBH it was just a bit of a whinge, I'm just having a very busy time of it at the moment what with one thing and another and when that happens it's always the most boring and grown up thing (i.e. proper work), that gets the flak.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting article, by the way, thanks for the link :)
Ah yes, the old "sh!t, I have to go to work when there's too much fun to be had" thing. I hear you. Perhaps if I could start making more awesome food, you could design some awesome food-boxy-things with fun fabrics and we could send them to our millionaire clients. And starving children and whatnot.
ReplyDeleteA plan with no drawbacks, I like it.
ReplyDeleteyou need to become agoraphobic like i am :)
ReplyDeletei mean, it's crap - & mostly we eat beans on toast because are so poor - but at least i get to stay home and sew zombies all day.