Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Anticipation!


I've been haunting Barnes and Noble for two weeks hoping for an early release of the One Yard Wonders book, so I can see my name in mass printing! No luck though for an early sighting. Today I had a meeting downtown and ran over to the B&N nearby, but my vanity has been checked once again. They hadn't unloaded the trucks yet! It was there, outside, in the truck! However, one more trip to my B&N this evening with a friend. I'm praying it's there.



If you see it before I do, take a picture of my page for me and tell me what page number I'm on. The authors named my project "Beach Time Towel Tote." I just called it "towel bag" and told them to go to town with re-titling it for me.
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One-Year-Old Birthday Applique Shirt and Diaper Cover Set

Look what a new customer designed for her little one's first birthday! Didn't it turn out sweet? She is using it for his photo shoot and birthday party, and I can't wait to have a picture back for my portfolio. I put a second set in my calicodaisy etsy shop -- if you know someone special who would love it.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Turning 20!

Michael and Camille 10252009 frame
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I have a 20-year-old! My son had a great birthday ... Well, I think he did. He just wanted cash so he could go out with his university friends! We did see him, though, and my husband took the kids to the last day of the fair here so they could have a final fair food fest and kiss some sea lions! To think that 20 short years ago, I was a new mother and only 25 ... Turning 20 more in just a few days myself.
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By the way, Margaret at The Q4 blog is starting up a new long-arm quilting business. She is kicking off her new adventure with some great prices for the next couple of months. First come, first served, though, so hurry. I did, but, unfortunately, I don't think my quilt top qualifies as is. My backing isn't large enough, but, coincidentally (as above), I have a "Turning 20" quilt top that might do. I just have to create a backing first.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Oh, Happy Day!


(Written yesterday but still feeling the effects today!) Today I am doing something I NEVER really allow myself without feeling guilty that I should be working on something else. I am sitting on the front porch at 11:30 AM, eating chocolate cake, Diet Coke nearby, Jip at my feet, and computer on my lap while blogging without, for this moment, another care in the world.

I've had a horrible couple of months full of self-reflection, self-doubt, a bit of guilt, and a lot of insecurity about the future. Now, that's not really a bad thing for me because I tend to be a hopeful person and am always looking for remedies and what I can do to keep moving forward, and sometimes I need to just be quiet, stop, pull myself together, and rearrange my focus. Every so often though, the silence is deafening and the unknown bears down on me and I can't remember anything good or important that I've ever done. I haven't had steady work in over a year, and slowly a feeling of failure of not planning well enough and doubting that I have been on the right path has been building. On one hand, I really have used the time I've been without work this year to work on my studio business plan, learn software, begin to create my own patterns, build my website with a designer, and move toward the creative-business dream I've had since a kid. On the other hand, no real income.

I'm the part-time sort of girl. I don't really handle a 40-hour a week job well, not even before children. I can work hard and probably work more than 40, but the being scheduled every single day doing the same job every single day holds no joy for me. I'm so thankful that I learned to be a transcriptionist so long ago and that it has sustained me in a home business for over 10 years. I was very fortunate, especially because I needed to have a flexible work schedule with over 20 surgeries in my household between 2004 and 2007.
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The hard part of being self-employed, though, is staying ahead of the game and always having new prospects and keeping up with the market. I knew my market was changing with voice recognition and electronic medical records coming into play and have been preparing by building my studio and thinking about what I might need to do in the future if transcription wasn't going to be my game anymore. I was sort of blindsided, though, when two of my accounts that sustained me both switched to a new platform nearly at the same time, and that was it. I had nothing, all at once.

My hopeful, get-it-fixed self started scrambling. I do have other clients on my list for whom I do all kinds of project work, so that was something. I picked up a p.r.n. position at the hospital, so that was another thing. I worked on my calicodaisy handmade website, and that's done, though I still have to figure out how to load the products there. I've formed a new network with some local direct sellers, and we have big plans for 2010. I've increased my product line and have gotten better and better with certain skills. A number of folks have come to regard me as the go-to person for special gifts. I put out my first pattern. One of my products made it into a the One Yard Wonders book, which comes out this week!

All those accomplishments really have been great strides in a year, but no real income yet, and, in the end, you know, it all comes down to money when one has a budget to meet. I've got to work! I've applied for all sorts of positions, refashioned my mind to think that I can go to work 40 hours a week, as lots of people do. It's not like I have small children anymore, no daycare is needed. However, it seems like I'm not a good fit or the right candidate for anyone or any place. All of a sudden, I'm wondering, "Who am I?" All my brains are gone. I have nothing to offer this work world. I'm obsolete. No one wants me. And yet, I have all this talent and opportunity right in my home for the sewing/embroidery and computer project work.

After a particularly horrible week last week that coincided with the flu and my being told that "apparently you are not a good fit for our team," I was at the end of myself. I coughed and cried for an hour or so, and then I said, "That's it. Get up. Go to the computer. Start networking with every person and company you've ever worked with from home and get working." I did it. I wrote, I took the crazy first-timers' tests required for some medical transcription companies, I offered back-up help on an as-needed basis. It took all day and my head hurt, but it was something I could actually do, and I didn't have to look pretty or talk nice without sounding desperate because it was all by computer.

Again, though, the silence was deafening. I heard nothing through the weekend. Monday, I worked with one of my clients who just tried my patience that day, but I sat there and was thankful that every 15 minutes was another quarter-hour of billing. Then Tuesday, one of the companies I've worked with in the past has a new account and got in touch. I went to a small business leads group I had been invited to join and heard my successful business friends give a glowing introduction of me listing their versions of my accomplishments and networking talent. Then Wednesday, while cleaning house and cooking an early Thanksgiving Dinner for an international guest, a pretty firm, long-term offer for transcription was e-mailed to me requesting a formal phone interview on Friday.

The relief that swept through me! It was twofold: 1. It was a real offer with a reputable firm I'd worked with for four years before. 2. The firm wanted ME back. (It's always about the relationship for me!)

Geez! The sun was shining, the house was clean, chocolate cake had already been baked and decorated, and I have options again, actually, I will have steady income again.

So, I had the phone interview Friday morning, the work doesn't have to be full-time but does include a weekend day (they all seem to now, as the market is so tight in that area), and the production pay rate is tops. At this point and after all my self-reflection and hunger for steady work, I have no complaints, no wishes for tweaking anything, no nothing. Just a sense of peace that I'm valuable to someone in the workplace and that I can have a good income doing what I enjoy and still work from home and still have time to carry on with my sewing and embroidery studio without being overwhelmed and exhausted.

And, the icing on this situation is a third company whom I have worked for in the past now has new accounts and contacted me Friday as well. After more than a year of silence building to this deep-set fear as well as a new perspective on my financial goals and willingness to work wherever I can in these middle-aged years of my life, three companies that I enjoyed working for and which let my services go due to the market and normal business cycles have come around with work in hand and are seemingly glad to use my services again. The steady income is still at least six weeks or more away from now, as one has to wait for billing cycles, etc. However, from dead silence to more than enough choices; I'm very thankful.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

a lttle piggy dropped by ...

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... and left me with the flu!! Let me tell you, it is HORRIBLE! I have a very high tolerance for pain and discomfort, so when I say it is horrible, trust me. Every joint aches. Intestines ache. The inside of my elbows ache, my clavicles. And, it whacked me with a head cold and cough, too. Chills and shakes. My friends are docs and nurses, and, unless you're dehydrating, you just have to get through it (disclaimer: call your doctor). Alternate Tylenol and Advil, Sudafed, cough syrup, and lots of fluids. I'm such a cougher, I have to sleep in the easy chair.
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I started a new assignment yesterday, which was when things began to go from bad to worse. I didn't want to call out today, as they don't know me well. I woke up at 6:00 AM, felt better, went to work until 3, and from the time I got into the car, all the way home, I went downhill again, and here I sit in the easy chair bundled up with the cat on my feet. I have so many more important things to do, but not tonight.
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Before falling prey to this, I made paisley i-pod cozies and those darling owl pretties for your little one's hair or for your lapel. The owls are created on my embroidery machine, and one can put a pinback, ponytail holders, or hair clips on the back. Your choice!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

The First Shark Bit It ....

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... and the second one leaked out! After being in iron hell for months, I bought the Shark Pro Iron in August. 1500 Watts of hot, steamy joy. This deceiving beauty sliced through the wrinkles like soft butter on hot bread! Until Wednesday night. The Shark just shut down and died. I ran around plugging it into other outlets hoping that it wasn't so, but, alas, the Shark was dead. So, I took it back to Kohl's and traded it out for another one. Surely, it was a fluke.


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Not so! Back at home, I plugged the new one in, heated it up, and got back to ironing out these patchwork camera strap cozy covers. At first, all was well, and then, dreaded thing, it started to leak out. Drops here and there, and then a full-fledged loss of control pouring out all over the sewing room floor! Now, I'm just MAD!

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A Rowenta lives here now -- on trial, to be sure. This one with all its German- made glory and 1600 Watts of heat. We'll see. I'm skeptical and still pretty irritated about the whole thing and haven't turned it on yet. In this day and age, how hard is it to create a small appliance that stays heated and is sealed well enough to keep the water in and the steam blowing? Irons have been around for so long, it isn't rocket science, is it?
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Meanwhile, I want to be young-ER and having babies again, so I can sew all these darling things for my children to wear! My son would have been quite the adventurer in this reversible earflap hat, and my daughter would be the cutest in everything appliqued and monogrammed! I had my same sewing skills 19+ years ago when we started our family and I did sew jumpers and john-johns and dresses and nursery decor, but all that was straight out of the fabric shop pattern books. All the dreaming I did over Hanna Andersson catalogs and shopping at Gymboree... I would be a very cool mom right now due to blogging and the awesome home equipment I have. However, "45" arrives in a couple of weeks, and I need progressive lenses ........

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Rainy Days, Busy Hands

Halloween Banner Bunting

Well, I wasn't exactly productive over the weekend in the manner I had hoped, but I used my time pretty wisely. Halloween buntings were made; I had to try something new.

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An order for a Little Sister/Big Sister sorority gift came in last week. I sent out these pretty pillows to an Alpha Chi Omega university girl in Florida. That brought back lots of memories for me! I'm still great friends with a number of my sorority sisters.
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Charm packs are in the house -- or at the handmade fair! This Butterfly Garden set is so pretty, and, if used in a quilt, I think it would go great with Olive Kona Cloth for sashing and backing. The fabric was prewashed, so those 5x5 squares will be true after sewing up; no shrinkage to worry about.
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I finished up these French Numbered Linen design pillow covers. I have numbers 1-5 ready to go. If you have an embroidery machine, I have the digitized designs for sale as a set. Also, if you love the numbered look for your home and can sew yourself, just order the embroidered panels from me. You can choose colors and fabrics.
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Time to start loading up for the craft fairs on the calendars. This pop art curvy wristlet is so sharp! I'm begging myself not to get any more new ideas and just start pumping out the list of 100 products that I have listed and have purchased supplies for. So, everybody on my Google blog roll, please stop posting the wonderful, new tutorials until after the holidays!

Friday, October 2, 2009

Happy October - Looking Forward To The Weekend

HeaderAutumn2
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Not much to say here as I have been working out of the house for the past six days. I'm so happy not to have to take an early morning shower and get business-ready for the day! On the other hand, I am so happy to say that I have worked for the past six days. Thanks for your encouraging comments and e-mails regarding my waiting for the tide to roll into my studio work. I appreciate it. It's actually very good to write those worries and plans out, because it makes me think about what I'm saying and also opens up a chance for others to weigh in.
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I am so desperate for a new blog header. I've been through all the free places, but I don't want a new template, just the header. I found the one above at delightful dots. She has templates, tutorials, and headers. Love it. I downloaded the item to my desktop, then uploaded to flickr, then edited with text in picnik option. The thing that makes me crazy is I can't fill my header box!! I've tried to adjust and have been playing around with editing programs but can't get it. It occured to me today that I might be able to take the black frame that is automatically there through blogger out. Can you tell me how, please?
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Set of Monogrammed Bibs and Gift Tote
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I downloaded GIMP (a freeware photoshop program) and have been buying scrappy digital artwork to use down the road. I am determined to learn how to "photoshop" artwork. This is especially important to know because I have the software that converts artwork into embroidery files. Did you know that? If you are a graphic designer or you know how to fool around with photoshop images, contact me if you would like to turn your work into an embroidery design. OR, if you have any of your children's simple artwork you would like embroidered out forever on a tote or pillow or a fabric panel, I can do that, too.
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butterfly garden set
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This pretty set of fabrics appeared at my local fabric shop the other day. I plan to make some charm packs and maybe a banner for the "college-savings shop" at the handmade fair. I put together a yard-set package for anyone who is interested in the fabrics by the yard. The photos need to be retaken in better light, but these show them off pretty well. If you would like a charm pack of #40 5x5 inch squares, let me know.
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Halloween Pillowcase Dress Top
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A few Halloween-inspired items are at the calicodaisy etsy shop as well.

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I'm just about rested up this morning from my long week at work. My big plans were to be in Atlanta today through the weekend with friends and family, but a few items came up requiring a big cash outlay (vet bill and car repair), so I had to make the very difficult and grown-up choice of staying home and rescheduling the trip. However, there are now three unplanned days ahead of me. Of course, I just used up about four hours hanging out on the easy chair and watching morning shows. Anyway, a big list is growing next to me, and I'm going to get on it. Maybe if I say I will show before and after photos, I can be more accountable? Hmmmmm.... Let's just say, "I hope I am much more productive than one could ever have imagined" this weekend!