Taking my first creative steps

My baby steps last week started with a proof reading of a book about about a craft I had not heard of called smash books.  The wording was simple and read almost like a diary or blog post, and the projects were very creative and inspiring . I could see that I had the potential to do these kind of things if only I could focus and started doing projects for myself and not to please anyone else.
So I started  to create a commissioned bag from a pair of jeans and a top that the customer had given me to play with, while posting pics and comments on my face book page along the way.  I also got out my crochet hook out and  started to teach myself the basic stitches but using a pattern - so far I've made two flowers for a scarf and started a basic blanket. I also took a few items I had made to a friends for some feedback and sold a recycled t-shirt picture, a pin cushion and have 2 orders for special cards.
The best thing about this was taking time out for me to do something I enjoy, without feeling guilty that I wasn't working.
I noticed that when I set my mind to do something and plan in advance, taking it one step at a time I can achieve these tasks.  It's also taught me that starting a creative project early in the day or early in the set time scale, gives me a chance to experiment and enjoy it without being stressed about meeting the deadline because I've left it until the last minute.
I realized that I dont need to have constant reassurance or approval from anyone to enjoy being creative and that if I just get on and do it, with a little more time and research I could potentially find a market for my creations and make a living from them too.
So this week the baby steps I am committing to are - getting organized and selling more of the stock,
so I can make space for a permanent studio / sewing room . 
making time everyday to do something creative
write a catalog wish list for John Lewis in my next blog post

Plus take steps to build my own self esteem by helping my friend test a course she would like to start to run for mums !
  

Throwing away the schedule

On Friday disaster stuck as the power cable broke for my laptop !  What was I to do with no other proper way of working online ? Well I turned this into an experiment. I even turned off the internet on my phone to see if  I was more or less productive when I'm not continually checking in online.
The first day was awful - I was pacing up and down , worrying about organizing a courier for a collection , worrying about my customers trying to contact me , worrying about how I could continue my business, worrying about how I would write the book revue and the catalogue wish list that I had promised 2 clients. Then I stopped and took a step back, just for a minute to re access the situation - I realized I had lots to do away from the computer it just wasn't all connected to the business.
So I took the time to have a major tidy up around the house and especially the kitchen - where lots of work had been over taking the dinning table for weeks. We could finally have family meal times again which I was badly missing. It also made me feel refreshed, it uncluttered my space and in a funny way started to un clutter my head.
So in gusto on Saturday me and the youngest daughter started to un clutter her bed room. Giving her and her sister more space and also gaving us some un interrupted one to one time, where we talked about so much and re connected. The rest of the afternoon I spent sorting through more of my clutter -  my craft magazines and books that I no longer wanted or needed. In the process of flicking through pages it filled my head with inspiration, new ideas and future projects.
Sunday being Mothersday was already a planned day off for me so I could forget about work for the day.
You don't know how excited I was when I received a new spade, recycled seed pots and tray  and peat free compost and seeds. It made me remember why we had invested in a house with a huge garden - and the fact that being a work from home mum means I can now dedicate some time to creating my recycled cottage garden with fresh fruit, veg and herbs, a bigger fish pond and maybe even some chickens. While all the time I can spend time with my children encourage them to be part of a greener way of life and encourage wild life to thrive too . Something I think we all take for granted a little too much some times !

All the business side of things worked out in the end too - I borrowed my mums computer to print courier label and post a brief honest note on my face book page about the laptop cable.
So all in all a very productive weekend !

  

My "Golden Ticket" Moment

I've just had what I now call my "golden ticket moment".  While working through the mindset questions Erica Douglas set me as part of my personal development course , I found I was eating at least one chocolate bar and drinking one small bottle of coke a day! Now was this to keep me going ? or was it comfort eating / loneliness- or just a treat because I'm working so hard these days ?
Either way I suddenly thought well if that's costing me £3 a day what does that work out a year. On the back of the wrapper I quickly scribbled down my calculations

So on the other side the golden side of the wrapper I wrote the total again to re affirm it to myself .
Then I wrote it on a nice big ticket size piece of pretty gold shiny card so I can pin it up and remember it every time I go to reach for chocolate or fizzy drink

So that's my golden ticket moment ! keep watching to find out where we go and what we get up too !