Business-like thoughts

At the beginning of the school year my daughters came home from school with "exciting" news: their field trips are no longer sponsored through school, they can only go if they collect enough money - through fundraising. Fundraising is not my favorite activity: I firmly believe that children go to school to prepare for college, not to acquire rudimentary selling skills. So, fundraising was a "no."
Instead, I made a different deal with my children: for every item I sell on Etsy (at my online store), I donate $1 to their class, cash. That way, everything I gave to school would actually go to the classroom, and, additionally, it would not put a squeeze on our already overstretched budget - since the money comes out of the profits.
Well, it's time to pay up. As of today, I have made my 11th sale on Etsy. In addition to that, I have sold some items on Tophatter - an auction site for anything and everything, handmade and not. My children have earned about $20 - fair and square.
Of course, for many people out there 20 sales is not much. I see shops on Etsy that have hundreds and thousands of sales. But - for me it's a milestone. A good start. Something to hope for. And - a way to contribute to my kids' classrooms without having to buy things I don't need. In the times of financial strain, every (seemingly) little thing makes a big difference.

For the Love of Stitching is still developing and taking shape. It will be a while before I can call a business in the official way. But every new visit, every new sale, every suggestion brings it closer to the goal. Please visit and let me know what you think. All feedback is appreciated, and constructive criticism is welcome.

A Quick Note on Oscar Articles

           So the Oscar ceremony has not even started, but the Internet was already buzzing with the headlines like, "ridiculously beautiful couples," "worst dressed celebrities", "embarrassing moments at Oscars" etc. Because the reporters did not have anything to say about this year's event - it has not started yet - they dug into the previous years' news. And you know what? Not a single article seemed to say anything nice about anybody. Even seemingly flattering articles were full of "undercover" poison: the winner's speech was bad, or the actress' dress was sheer... 

            Why is it the reporters sound so... bitter? Do they think that, if they actually say something nice about the actors, or do some real research into their career, we, the audience, will not read them? Do they seriously believe that we are going to pay attention only to gossip? or is it an illustration of a famous saying, "Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little"? Is it envy?

Blankets and Biscornus

Happy Sunday to all! And not just a Sunday - a Hermit Stitching Sunday Weekend, as I found out from Chris't post. Makes me think of hot tea and sweet pastries... and stitching, of course!

As for stitching - I have been doing a lot of it lately, and even selling some, thanks to online auctions. Here's the new biscornu I stitched just the other day.

Starting a business (if what I am doing can even be called that) proves interesting, but very different from what they show in movies or even teach in business classes. When they talk of "business" in class, I imagine an office with computers, printers, and office workers. Business plans, advertisements, lawyers...

I think, though, this idea is based on the experience of an employee, someone who comes to work at already established place. Any new business starts with you knowing how to make something. Then, after making it for a while, you say, "I can make it really well! I wonder if I can do it for ____ (insert anything of value, essentially - not for free)". Then you try to find some people that might buy the thing you make- through social outlets, web sites, acquaintances, friends, family... anyone and anything that is available.

Advertisement campaign is just a fancy name for a person going from one place to another - be it physical or virtual - asking: "Want to buy what I made?" So, that's what I do now. Thanks to Internet, I don't actually have to go door to door, but just post my pictures online, and thanks to online auctions, occasionally I make a little money. Is that how other business people start? I think so, although I do not have any definite proof. Well, maybe I do - there's a story I heard on the radio about a man who had to borrow $25 a week from his secretary and who was always broke - until his idea became famous and popular. Once it did, he made his dreams come true and married that secretary, and they lived happily ever after. His name was Walt Disney.

One day my dreams will come true. In a way, they already are - I am making something real, something that will leave a memory of me. That brings comfort to my heart.

Speaking of comfort.... 

Nothing brings comfort like a crochet blanket.

Love and Luck to All!

That was my thought when I was stitching this new biscornu designed by Olga Maxden. The whole process took me roughly six days, from stitching out the hearts to attaching the beads to putting it all together. And I loved every minute of it.

In addition to that, when I am not thinking of love, luck and stitching biscornus, I crochet. Right now I am working on a humongous soft blanket. Every Saturday  - well, almost every Saturday - I go to the crochet group at our local Beverly's store and enjoy the company of many ladies with the same interest as mine.... as well as birthdays, baby showers, life stories, and everything that comes with sitting in a large group of women for three hours straight. Surprisingly for myself, I do not mind.

One Saturday, though, I had to miss this "gathering of minds" for one simple and sad reason: I lost my crochet hook. Now when I say "I lost" I really want to say "It was stolen", but I don't have any real proof of that, except for conviction in my head. Who were the culprits? I will tell you, if you promise not to laugh. They were Nargles!

Nargles, according to the Online Urban Dictionary,  are creatures that "are known to live in mistletoe, and they are quite the little thieves." I did not believe in them at first, but the recent disappearances and subsequent "returns" of my favorite items made me change my mind.

Let's see... About a year ago, I purchased a Celtic Autumn chart in Solvang, brought it home, and put it in my drawer to be started at a later time. When that "later time" came, I opened the drawer and could not find it there... I searched my entire office, questioned my children and my husband, but, alas, the chart was nowhere to be found.

Disappointed and sad, I gave up on finding it. Then, about a month ago, something told me to look in that same drawer again, and there it was, my chart, neatly folded and with conversion printouts, just as I left it, in the exactly same place. I was overjoyed.

The next two thing to disappear was my embroidery scissors. Taught by the chart experience, I did not immediately rush to the store for the new pair, but decided instead to wait. It took those scissors a week to reappear... right next to my armchair. Finally, my crochet hook disappeared under unknown circumstances, and reappeared today in my office, right in the middle of the carpet floor. How else can all this be explained? Nargles, of course!

I am sure that, after reading this post, you will immediately start believing in nargles too. But even if you are not totally convinced, or if, even worse, while reading these words you shake your head and mumble to yourself something about a "looney, batty cat lady" who lost her mind or memory... well, that is, of course, your choice. May I just leave you with one thought: there are lots of creatures in this world, some visible, some not, some believed to be purely imaginary. But just because you have never seen something, does not mean it does not exist. And if something exists in my head, does not mean it is not real.

 With that, I wish Love and Luck to All! 

(Note: to qualify for a wish, belief in nargles is not required).

Back to school

My kids are going back to school tomorrow, and so am I. I have signed up for a couple of classes at our college. I like going there, college has a special atmosphere that makes one think he can survive solely on coffee and inspiration. All financial problems, all family troubles or job search concerns fall away before the aspiration of fulfilling one's dream (or, in this case, an education plan). Even if it is short-term, this boost of energy is needed. Without it, accomplishing goals would be impossible.
This time, I am going for an Accounting degree. First time around, I went for an Associate's in Child Development and graduated - almost five years ago. After that I worked for Head Start, until two years ago, when I was attacked. Since then, dealing with noise and uncontrolled environment (those who teach know that's what preschool is) has been difficult for me. So, I am going for the second goal I have. Hopefully, I will be able to make this work field mine... eventually.


Wish me luck!

New Year starts with...

My new year has started with a hope for a job, followed by a sudden drop of disappointment. At the last moment, the client cancelled the assignment. And I was all ready to go!
I suppose that is the down side of working temporary assignments: anything can change at any moment. So, I am back to my life: stitching, crochet and housework. I will just have to remember that... anything can change at any moment!
As for the stitching, at the end of December I finished a small Thanksgiving ornament, but never had a chance to take a picture. Here it is.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 The cross stitch design is by Joann Elliott, stitched on 14-ct Fiddler's Cloth. Originally, it was meant to be a card, but the ornament seemed more interesting. I am thinking of making the whole series - Independence Day, Halloween, Christmas, and Easter.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all, even though it is a week late! This year Christmas and New Year simply snuck up on me; I barely had time to turn around and - flop! - I was caught unawares in the midst of all the holiday bustle. Presents, shopping, cooking, cleaning, -  holiday preparation tasks give me a headache. So much attention has been paid over the years to what to get my loved ones for the holidays, what to do and how to make the season more special, that, by the time it's all done, I have always been too tired to enjoy it. This year I wanted to do something different by not doing too much. I wanted this holiday season to be quiet, with only closest friends and family around. And - I succeeded. That is, this was the least exhausting and by far the most fun holiday season for me yet.
As for the End of the Year results - I have an End of the Year finish to share. My Celestial Lady cross stitch is finally finished and framed.

Celestial Lady

 She is sitting on the cloud between the Sun and the Moon,  with the Zodiac circle whirling around her...

It took me five years - on and off - to get her completed. Now she has taken a place on the wall above my chair to serve as inspiration for new projects. So far she's been doing wonders.
In the New Year I wish all of you health, love, happiness and  - inspiration...