Birthday!

This week is my birthday. And I am taking a little time off. I am concentrating less on my business and more on myself. Birthdays are fun, even though I am the oldest person out of my colleagues.

I still enjoy the birthdays when they come around. I am not a stick in the mud, especially when it comes to the family time and presents that are received.

I really only have one issue with this year's birthday. It's the fact that my driver's license expires. Okay, so yesterday I only spent about 2 hours at the Department of Licensing in order to renew my license. I even had the option to just renew by mail. But there was an issue. You see, the last time I had my license picture taken, I was a lot younger, a lot skinnier, and my hair was fire engine red. I'm still young enough that I get carded when I go to bars (this will come in handy later in life, I swear). But I don't like being the one that requires a double take in order to verify that it's me in the picture.

So I opted to go get my picture retaken and renew my license the old fashioned way. There's only one slight issue with that. The picture itself. There is something about that pale blue background that makes everyone look a little older, more tired, and generally scarier than they are in real life. And my photo was no different. I smiled for the photo, styled my hair just-so, and stood with good posture. And yet I still look exhausted, my hair's a mess, and it looks like I've got ten chins. Annoying, yes. But at least now when i get carded, people can just look at the hair color and move on. That's good, right?

I also went shopping yesterday for jeans. I've lost 4.2 lbs since starting the Cinch! diet.  And my jeans were getting loose. And I happened to tear holes in ALL my pairs of jeans in the matter of a week. Go me. So there was no helping it. I had to buy new jeans. Also picked up two pairs of boots that are squooshy enough that I should be able to stand on them for my 9 hours at work. At 60% off. I love buying off season.

I was productive and am feeling celebratory. Perhaps tonight we will go to the Olive Garden and eat yummy food. Peach bellini, here I come

Crafting As A Way to Connect

I was looking through the listings at CafePress and noticed a few t-shirts that got my hackles up. As a knitter, I am keenly aware of the volume of strange and often inane comments that can be solicited just by knitting in public. I have heard them all. I don't need a t-shirt with all the reactionary statements with regards to those comments spelled out on them.

But what you must understand is that your reaction will determine how these people react to the crafting community as a whole. You must accept the most inane comments with grace, and reply with as much grace.

For example: "Oh you knit? You should totally make me [Blank Item]!!"

You first reaction will be to tell the person that it will be a cold day in hell when you knit them something. You might want to throw in something about how they probably have NO CONCEPT as to how much time it takes and that the expense is not something they can afford.

Now Stop. Breathe. Just don't do it.

The people who actually have the confidence to make a comment like that are, for the most part, not trying to be rude. They are trying to demonstrate and interest in what you are doing. And remember, you are in a public place, so chances are, that person is not the only one within earshot.

These people are simply seeking a connection with another human being. Perhaps they have experience with another craft. Perhaps they are just bored. The important thing is that you smile, thank them for their comment, and then invite them to try whatever craft it is on their own time.

See that? You have done two things:
1)You have accepted their comment, and been friendly back, regardless of the snark level of the original comment; which puts a good face on the crafting community as a whole, and you as well.

2)You have sewn the seeds for another person to join the crafting community and add their talents to the pool. Just think. Enough people say, "You should try [blank]" and soon enough, that person may consider taking the plunge!

All it took was a little understanding and some tact. Tact is sorely lacking in many of our day to day exchanges, sadly. It helps that the crafting community has a built in safety net that prevents.

I understand that those T-shirts are awesome and amusing, and while I am not saying that *wearing* one is bad. (I happen to have a t-shirt that says, "It's handmade, not homemade, bitch." The biggest issue is if you actually take those words to heart, and start being snarky whenever someone comments on your activities. Remember, we are all still people. And everyone deserves a chance at a nice conversation. Keep it civil, and invite another person to the community.

Crafting first and foremost is about connecting with the craft and those involved. Remember when you were first starting out? Didn't you ask questions and look for support? This is an opportunity to bring another person into the fold, or at least have them speak fondly of us. Please remember that.

Good Mail Day

I ordered a few things from Amazon right after Christmas. Here's the loot:




Start Your Own Business 5th Edition by Entrepreneur Press. I ordered this book after much hemming and hawing because I know there is still so much for me to learn about building a successful business. This has amazing sections, like "Pinpoint Your Target Market" and even includes links to services that are helpful/useful/important. I am already on the 4th chapter, and highly recommend this if you are considering any type of business model.




These are the cutest measuring spoons ever invented! With measurements such as Drop, Smidgen, Pinch, Dash, and Tad, these are the perfect sizes for measuring dyes. The smallest (Drop) is 1/16 of a teaspoon. Perfect for the single skein dyeing that I am doing. And now I know what my grandmother's scribbles meant. :)



With my new work schedule the way it is, I need to use a coffee tumbler everyday, as I am unable to finish my first cup before I need to be out the door. This is a godsend, because it is a push button, automatically sealing tumbler. This means I can stash it in my purse, and it doesn't leak all over. I bought a purple one, and the red one is on my wishlist. And the price isn't half bad!



On my Kindle, I downloaded Content Rules! Which is a great little book about how to create better/more engaging content in both advertising, consumer communications, and posts on this blog. I am hoping that it will help me refine my posting so that I can be more interesting and more helpful to those who find my blog. This is a very interesting little book, and I hope others can get some benefit out of it as well.

Quick Survey

Am doing Market Research (with capital M and R...)

Please take my 6 question survey so I can better serve the yarn/fiber community!


Thank you so much for helping me understand what you all want!

Want to share this survey with your friends? Here's a link!
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BPUK8WBT5/

I Promise, this is good!!!

An explanation as to my crazy week:

1) Completed group project for my class. Did the presentation, spent most night at the Business Library until late. Ended up getting a 115/125. Woot.

2) Put the ball in motion to restart the indie dyer business. New Name, same idea. Claimed domain name, etsy name, twitter feed, Facebook account. Working on a logo. All in one day. Have started learning how to build own website. (while selling on Etsy, mind you.)
Will post once the shop is up and running.

3) Twitter feeds: Personal = @pandorasslave
Shop = @elusivethread

4) Having survived the quarter at work, I am simply trying to float. Looking for other employment, and trying to stay positive.

5) Subscribed to a spiffy magazine, called The Crafts Report, which is specifically for crafty business owners. Downloaded and memorized the trial issue, then immediately subscribed.

I've been a little busy lately, but it is all for the good of the collective, promise.:)



Here's what really matters. I went to see Roger Waters perform the entirety of the Wall, including stage production. I can only say, it was well worth the price we paid and the seats we were in. And Vancouver is a wonderful place to visit, even if the drivers are a little....special...

And I of course went to a yarn shop.



Three Bags Full in Vancouver BC. Cute shop, bought some Sweet Georgia Yarns (whom I now know someone who knows her! SQUEEE!), some Corriedale, and some Targhee to spin.

It has been a whirlwind. But it's getting better all the time!

Thankful

As tomorrow will surely be a whirlwind of activity, I wanted to share my thankful list today. I hope you have a list as long as mine. :) Happy Thanksgiving



I am thankful for the glorious vacation I took with my best friend CraftyCoug this past February. I visited old haunts in California, and it made me remember that I deserve a vacation every once in a while.



I am thankful to have my father still around. And for the fact that if he will dress up for my brother's wedding, he most certainly will dress as a pirate for mine. :)



I am thankful to have a great and successful family, who have taught me many things, including how to deal with stress in a constructive way.



I am thankful to be wholly in love with a wonderful man, who is willing to live with my massive stash of yarn and who was willing to support me if this job doesn't work out.




I am thankful to have learned a skill that makes it so I can 1) create fabric out of STRING and 2) make 3 dimensional objects out of flat fabric! I am also thankful that this craft helps keep me calm in the most trying of times.

The last thing I am thankful for this year is my friends. Too many to upload pictures for. They have kept me sane when everything else was falling apart. I am grateful to you all. And I am thankful to have a Plan C.

Crazy Hectic: OR, What's Gotten Into Me?

At some point in time with the ramp up to the new year (school starting is WAY more about new beginnings than the dead of winter after Holiday bonanzas...) I decided that I had entirely too much time on my hands. Keep in mind that I work full time and also was trying to take classes in order to prepare for the return to school as a Masters student...

In the past week, I have procured 3, wait a minute, 4 new books.



1.) Creative, Inc by Meg Mateo Ilasco and Joy Deangdeelert Cho

2.) Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac: The Commemorative Edition

3.) Alice Starmore's Aran Knitting, new and expanded edition

4.) GMAT 12th Edition Review the official guide to the 4 hour crazy that is the GMAT.

Keep in mind, I am always collecting books. But this represents a big step for me. I already owned the 1990 printing of the Knitter's Almanac. My only excuses for this addition to my library is that 1) Elizabeth Zimmerman is god. 2)it's commemorative and 3) OMG color pictures!!! and an intro by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

The Creative, Inc. book and the GMAT review are the two that are the most important for me. I am actually done with the prerequisites for the MBA program, and now need to get my butt in gear to actually apply. I have already talked to the people I need to about letters of recommendation. I have started reviewing for the evil test known as GMAT. My stress levels are high, and I want to succeed. I am even scheduled to go to the QS MBA World Tour fair tonight. Despite a million reasons why I should stay home. I want to get it all done. I want this. I want to no longer be the person taking orders, but the person who successfully manages a business and gets a decent income (pipe dream, that...)

I have been working overtime the past two weeks to prep for the new influx of students, and have really not been sleeping. I can't imagine why I am crazy enough to believe that I can work full time, study for the GMAT, also take business related classes at the U, and also still get knitting done, in addition to maintaining my household. This is the new crazy.

In better news. New Stash addition:



This is from Yarn Pirate's new booty club. It is 8 oz of superwash merino, and the colorway is called Fiona. Signed up for this before I realized that I wasn't going to have time to spin with the crazy (see above). It is shades of pumpkin orange, iris-y purple and some darker spots of merlot. And it's super squishy.