break

I took a break from writing about selling hand-made crafts during the summer. I was doing a lot of traveling, and house-cleaning, and other such going ons, and I just didn’t keep up with this blog. THEN, wen fall started, we decided to start homeschooling our children (now aged 4, 3, and 1) and I spent all of my free time working on resources and planning, and researching. I still have to remind myself sometimes that we are JUST doing preschool right now, it doesn’t need to be anything high tech. In two weeks, I will be participating in a craft show and I have been working my fingers to the bones trying to get all of that in order. So, that’s a basic going-on in my life in the past 4 months. I am planning on coming back to crochet pattern writing and writing regularly here in mid-October. Things have slowed down a bit, we’ve got our homeschooling schedule figured out, and I’ve actually figured out how to keep my house in a mostly presentable state with little maintenance.

Here is a basic question for all of those who started following me during this hiatus: What would you like to learn about selling hand-made crafts? Is there a specific craft that you would want me to focus on?

Your in the grove. You’ve got a steady supply of orders, and you are rising to meet those demands. You love your craft, you love making these things for other people, and life is just peachy. For whatever reason, you start to lose your motivation and your inspiration. Those monogrammed onesies are all starting to look the same and it’s making you bored.

Take a break. Take one afternoon, or even just a couple of hours, and create something for you. Or even make new products to sell. Change it up a bit. Do a bit of home-improvement instead of sewing. Maybe just sit and mindlessly watch television. Doesn’t matter, just give your brain a break.

If you love your craft just as much as I enjoy to crochet, then you will miss the work. But, also, the break will allow for your mind to clear, and for your zeal to build-up again. People in the “real world” get days off all the time, so allow yourself that. It’s all to easy to make your crafting 24/7, whether you are creating, or thinking, or computing, or marketing, or brainstorming. It can definitely take a toll on all of your grey matter.

There are several benefits that can come with this break. Don’t get too swamped that you forget to take care of yourself. Relax, replenish, and then come back ready to stick your nose to the grindstone and sell like a mad-person!