Dreams and Goals and Whatnot....

I've been thinking quite a bit these days about what I want to be.  I feel like my time of piddling around with ideas and trying this and that are coming to an end.  Once little missy is in school all day, I'll need to be doing something to contribute to our household income.  Over the last few years I've tried this and that and I'm starting to really really think that as much as I LOVE to make things, making and selling handmade is not my way to go.  It just never seams to pan out for me.  I've made party packs, my very first endeavor, which I ended up making more custom banners than anything.  I found I didn't like having to fill orders as they came in.  It was a lot of pressure to have things made and shipped quickly.  So that one ended.

I started my Road 10 Vintage shop in late 08 and I have been able to keep up sales as long as I work at it.  And so far I feel like this route has been and will be the best type of business for me.  I love the search and the hunt for each treasure out at the estate sales and thrift shops around town.  Even photographing and editing each item can be calming - I get to be in my own little world with my music on and just be nothing else at that time.  I've been working all day at photographing and editing all my Christmas items.  I had a couple sales over the weekend I had to package up and take to the post office.  But I think at the end of the day today I realized I really like this process.  I feel like I am fine tuning it all the time.  My dream for this is to one day have enough steady sales to have it as my official JOB.

As for the handmade shop - I've only had sales to those I've sold to before.  I do wonder about the site I'm using.  I've got it set up through BigCartel.com and I am tempted to move my items over to Etsy to see if they'd do better there.  I worry about the flood of crochet over there, but I have to say I haven't seen any pj pants like mine.  So that could be good!  But the one thing I keep thinking about with my handmade goodies is that I would love to write patterns or a book.  This is one of those things that seams so very very big and hard and complicated to go about.  I need there to be a book at the library called "Gail - this is how to write a book about crafts or crochet... and get paid and what not"  Think it's there?  Bet not. this is one of the more dream like things.

I guess what I've got running through my head is that you only live once, why not go for it?  I suppose the only thing slowing things up now is time.  I don't want to rush away the bit of time I've got with this silly 4 year old around here.  She's been so very chatty and silly these days.  I love it.

Looking forward to the holiday week next week.  We'll be headed to Kansas for Thanksgiving.  Little missy can not wait to see her cousins.  A fun weekend of food, we'll be sure to go see Tangled, I'm going to do a photo session for my brother in law and his family and hopefully get some more crochet done!