Twists and Turns

Life twists and turns. I know that as well as the next person, maybe better than most. I for one, am glad, I don't see what is coming. My sister Cindy left me a message on my phone a week ago with a lead to a job. A JOB. Which is different than my shop in most peoples minds. People rarely ask how my business is going. Where as if I had a new JOB they would. Developing a business of my own on an international website is so different that most people have a hard time wrapping their minds around it. Personally I love it. No change there-it is my vision for my future as a professional. Very excited about my second shop which will feature fibers and fabrics. Anyhow-a nursing job. And a good fit. A part-time seasonal RN position at a clinic which treats people that fall within 200% of poverty line. Went today and visited with the director. I am interested, would give me 4 months of added income to reduce overall debt and monthly bills. And the job sounds rewarding.

Time

I like time. Do most people say that? Of course, the word time means alot of different things. I like the perceived measure of time. Structured minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, seasons, years. I like that the fact that our 'time' is structured on material fundamentals-the sun and the moon. It's my physical reality. I like the concept of time because in my world of dualities-that means there is a place of 'no time' and I am excited about that too. I like time because it has a beginning and an end. My Mother always told me 'this too shall pass' and made sure I understood that went for the good as well as the bad. A realist is what my Mom always says she is. Anyway, there are many times that 'the end' is soothing to me. The Klingons ask 'do you want to live forever?' and I holler NO. I definitely believe in cycling and because I am a faithfilled optimist-I have good expectations for cycling up. I am sitting here under my fig tree filled with peaceful gratitude for this time I have and anticipation for what is coming. I like time because life is easier in alot of ways now that I am older. My baby just turned 21 and that seems like a milestone for me also. 4 out of 6 reached adulthood safely. Well, maybe those aren't very good stats-but, there it is. Just for perspective...I also like Ferb of Phineas and Ferb, peanut butter pie and soft old quilts.

You Never Know

In regards to my shop.....everyone say 'gamut'-I never know what people are going to choose to buy. Simple unknowable. I make everything-of course using the work 'make' loosely. It is not raising the sheep, shearing, carding, spinning, dyeing with my own organic dyes and weaving the fabric, then designing and sewing the garment. More like getting a box of brownie mix and adding the egg, oil and water. On occasion it is buying all the ingredients of the brownies. Choosing the best cocoa I can afford and the best for the environment, using only local butter from a mom and pop little organic dairy down the road. Sifting and stirring with love in every bite. Searching and experimenting with different ingredients, a different nut or cream cheese to make the best brownies you ever had. It never is buying a brownie somewhere else and passing it off as my brownie. Never. But I digress.

No-people will always surprise you. Once in awhile I will discover I have made 'a cute thing'. That is a piece of jewelry that is in sync with what alot of girls/women would wear and buy. My ivory or coral flower jewelry on chinese coin charms are 'cute'. So I sold a couple and ordered 10-20 of each component prepared to sell several of their cutetishness selves. Another category is a little different that 'cute'. I can't think of a word to describe it. An example would be my hamsa/fatima/miriam/handof protection necklace...with a flower cabechon on it. It's also 'cute' but also 'spirtual'. Hmmm. I ordered hands and flowers. Prepared. I make one-of-a-kind things-my ooak tangle bracelets. People respect them. I select the beads, the color motif, the artistic wire. Then I sculpt the wire and beads into bracelet creation. I have sold 2. They get hearts. My long, long necklaces/bead ropes are popular-they are from my soul.

I see things sell that never had a heart to their name. I have things with 10-12 hearts consistently and they molder. Now-I heart things all the time that I like as a shop owner, as a seller that I can incorporate, that give me an idea. It accounts for some of this mystery.

I think about the buyer who buys pieces that I are more than the brownie box mix brownies. They please me. I get excited over them. I think-would I like them? Are they interesting? I do know that I will be happiest the closer I get to the source in my creative acts. Represent me. Pondr ponder.

Ouch.

It has been such a good month-this May. Lots of sales, nice words. My head was swelling. Until this morning that is. I survived the unthinkable...a negative rating. No-2 negative ratings. My shop has forever (?) lost it's 100% rating. Pain and suffering. Harsh also. The client said things like 'cheap chain, clasp doesn't work, wont go over my head-I cant wear it.' It was her first purchase on Etsy. She had a rating of 2-from me of course, both positive. I sent a convo immediately. No begging, no tears. Basically I said 'send it back for repairs and a refund of your money.'

What really hurt of course is that anyone would really dislike what I had made. It opened up an important line of reponsibility. Supplies. Do I have any idea of their durability, their worth. Really-no. Like any kind of plating. Will it last a day, a week, a year? I hate that. I love working with my 100% cotton fabrics I buy at my local fabric shop. Safe. Knowable. High quality. Unlike alot of supplies like chain that I order.

I will accept returns now if alteration of repair doesnt satisfy.. I want to do that. Thinking about expanding my shop with hats, wall art, pillows and altered clothing.

Back

It has been busy! In a good way. I had a terrible night around the first of the month. One of those times when you are awake around 3-4am and everything looks dark and scary. I was worried about money the most. Bills now, bills in the future, unknown bills. BIG BILLS. When I am scared I take it to my Higher Power, who I call Beloved. I love the adoration that is evident in dervish worship and that is the relationship I desire with the Divine. I prayed for financial peace. I also want to be able to make my living through my shop-where my avocation and vocation are the same. Not coincidentally-my business has been booming all month. I have sold over 400 worth of merchandise this month...more than any month's total. I am thrilled and don't take it for granted. It has allowed me to restock and pay off my etsy bill quickly. Now I can funnel the rest into our account. Grateful. Thank you. It has been a beautiful spring. Green and cool. Iris, lilac and roses are blooming. My mother got her second cataract surgery and doesn't need glasses anymore except to read. Is that not cool? Amazing. Going to relist items and put up 10 pair of earrings todday. Yea!

I was reading...about prayer

Even on the most beautiful of days death surrounds us. Sitting with my laptop I was reading facebook and checking out one of the blogs I follow 'enhabiten'. Enhabiten is one of the gentlest, lovliest blogs there is. The writer has a shop on etsy with the same name. It features housewares that are vintage, handmade, faded, soft edged. The author and owner mentioned that a friend Molly had recently died and she requested prayer. And then offered her dilemma-she wasn't sure if she believed in prayer. Prayer is just a word. Prayer is just a word, a collection of letters that forms a sign, that gives an impression, a concept in our mind. Personally-I think that prayer is communication to a higher source. An universal-no, beyond universal, outside of time and space and matter Divine. That sees me, creates me, loves me. Prayer is a vehicle that carries our thoughts, our emotions-fear, love, desire...and relieves our burdens of them. I believe prayer is powerful. I believe we are all connected. I believe in the spirit. Mine, yours, ours, divine. She asked for prayer for Molly and those who knew her. I will pray.

A Good Week

Pow! Pow, pa-pow, pa-pow pow pow! A cool weekend at my Etsy shop-Gamut. It had been 'dead' there several days, like it was invisible. 118 hearts. No sales. Doldrums. I checked it at 4pm...nothing. Checked it at 11pm. Something had happened. Something weird and wonderful. A locket that I had made in Feb had jumped 300 hits and 20 hearts. I love a mystery. Looked through all the treasuries-alot. Not there. Checked the front page-not there. What could have done this? So-I sent a text to one of the people who hearted (marked it as a favorite) this item and she replied that it had indeed been on the front page of Etsy. And while it resulted in only 2 sales-it gave me enormous free publicity! I only wish that somehow I could have been notified. Then this morning I received a convo from a woman in Spain that I was in her blog. Another first! It is a fantastic experience to receive this validation. As an artist? Maybe.

I read an article-and then the thread from the comments on how to make a living from your blog. Is this for product endorsement? I love a mystery. Beautiful day.