Working Out a Plan

I have been working with that epiphany I had yesterday, and I have been developing a plan that may give me some chance at breaking the cycle and learning a new way of looking at life.  For the first time in weeks I am actually feeling rather hopeful again.  I know it is not going to be easy, or come quickly, but I think I can start making forward progress towards becoming a more supportive friend to myself.

I spent the better part of the day today pinning a quilt, twice.  I had the whole thing almost completely pinned when I discovered two very large pleats that had been pinned into the back!  So I had to unpin everything and straighten it out and then pin it all again.  This was my first attempt at pinning a quilt up on top of tables instead of down on the concrete, and I found every flaw I could create in the process.  I think I have a better idea of what I am doing now, so hopefully the one I have ready to pin tomorrow will go easier.  It was definitely better not having to crawl around on my knees all day, and the dog sure likes it better since he can be outside with me now when I pin.  With the quilts on the ground I couldn't keep him off of them, now that isn't a problem.

I also managed to get a few pictures taken of more new t-shirts for Etsy.  By the time I finished with the quilt I only had an hour or so of unshadowed day light to shoot pictures in, so I didn't get very far, but I am making progress and that is all that matters right now.  I have been working on a new marketing strategy for my business, well its hard to call it a "new" strategy when I never really had a strategy before, but I guess it still counts.

I have always looked at my "business" as a hobby.  My husband's business pays the bills, mine is just to provide me with spending money, and since I have never had that much interest in spending very much money, I haven't put a lot of effort into the business.  I have decided it is time to change that.  I need to see if it is possible for me to make a real business for myself, one that actually maybe turns a profit and could maybe give me that chance to live the life I want to live.  I have done fairly well considering how little I have really tried to make it work, I think if I can really dedicate myself to this I might be able to do alright.

I really want to concentrate on building my Etsy Store right now.  There is a huge marketplace there that I have been pretty much neglecting for years and it is time for me to see what I can do with it.  I have always been hesitant in the past due to the listing fees on Etsy, but they are actually less than eBay since I don't have to pay the store fee, and if I could even get half the monthly sales on Etsy that I do on eBay, it will totally be worth it.  I just know that I need to be a lot smarter in how I list stuff on Etsy so that it gets more exposure, and I have been developing a plan for that.  Wish me luck, I am sure I am going to need it!

And don't forget you can still get 40% off of everything in my Etsy Store by using the coupon code "Facebook" at checkout! Hurry!  Offer ends September 29!