Sunday, April 11, 2010

A New Leaf in Seat of My Pants?

That sounds terribly uncomfortable, doesn't it?

So for the 3rd summer this year I am doing the Folger Home Summer Market show in Avon Lake. I have been planning projects and buying up supplies--fob hardware, zippers, purse frames, the most adorable birdie fabric (among several others). I decided that some sort of reporting on my SOMP productivity might help me rise before my children and get something accomplished. I'm hoping this will be a couple-times-a-week thing, at least while classes are still happening (just 3 weeks to go, and I will have survived my first year of teaching college!).

Among other things, I'm hoping to make 30 new zippies, 10 medium totes, a handful of frame purses, some thumb drive keychain thingees (a better name is in the works), about 100 fobs (these are super-easy and a big hit at shows!), and some calendar covers. And of course, the second I get that list in writing last week, I get the urge to figure out how to make zippered accordion wallets... I'll keep you posted on that front.

This week so far I have completed 4 zippies--Amy Butler Wallflower and Full Moon Dots in cherry (love these!), and I cut fabric and sewed zippers for 4 others. I'm hoping to get those other 4 finished today, maybe, and posted in the shop this week.

There. A goal, a report.

This is not just about me running a successful small home business. It's about me getting out of bed and getting something accomplished before my CEOs wake up, feeling like I've done something that fulfills the creative part of my soul before the mothering part of it takes over for the day.

Don't get me wrong though--if I did not have kids, I would not even know how to make bags. I didn't even figure out how to make a bag until our son was 6 months old. Our kids have freed up my creativity in ways I did not see coming (grad school, bag business), and I am really thankful for that. So now to do something on a regular basis about it...

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