Im going through craft magazines today for inspiration.  I need a long list of things to make.  Ive heaps of fabric and I need to clear it out.  I will come back with some photos.

It's a beautiful freezing but sunny blue sky kind of winter's day.  It's a good day.

Ive pulled out the peacock dress screen and am working on it every minute I can.  One side is dark tones.  The other light.  This is the dark side.  It makes the whole thing easier.... that I can buy fabric I love, measure up the fussy cut panels I wish to use.... and then Peter can make the dress screen frame to fit.  I love making these.

I walked back from Sam's school this morning.  He is really upset that he doesnt do well with his writing.  He has been really sick with the flu and chest infection and today he really didnt want to go to school.  But he is there.  Had a really great talk with the student welfare teacher.  All the kids and all the teachers are great.  Hope this gets resolved.  Ive asked that he is given writing work sheets that he can finish.  He gets upset when all the other kids finish writing tasks and he doesnt.  The teacher hasnt responded to my requests before.  I hope she tries it this time.  I cant be dragging him to school every morning.  He has a right to a happy primary school day.

Ive been working on  my first hook book for sale.  Its ok.  The pages inside are beautiful.... but I am going to undo the ouside cover and redo.  I can make it look sensational and then I will be happy to sell it.

Dishes, guinea pigs and sewing.... mmmmmm..... well I will fix up the animals but then Im going to leave the dishes and go sew.  Other wise it just never happens.

A beautiful sunny day here with intense clear blue sky.  Thank you God.  I just cant handle another rainy day.

I hope I can get a photo of the mermaids finished.... but here is one getting dressed from the book - well website - http://www.weewonderfuls.com/

Show or tell?

.... a group Im in was talking about how much to disclose to another person about something you are making.

Most of the people I know who create things for sale are women.  I wonder if this gender thing makes a difference?  A recent article by a successful website designer, a man, talked about offering more than information, offering indeed service and help, for free.  He spoke of the benefits to his business by him being able to gather feedback and customer data like what it was, exactly, that they wanted from his professional service.  He believed, according to the article, that it would be highly beneficial to his business to go out there and create for his customers for free.  At least for a time.

So why are women who are creating cottage industry makings so secretive, some might say suspicious even, of people who want to know the HOW and the WHY?  So many people, women, admire other people, women, who share all the details of inspiration as well as the design of what they make.  

I think part of the problem, part of the difference in attitude, comes from the lack of confidence some people have in their knowledge of a particular craft or perhaps in the lack of confidence they have in their product.  This must be the case - because the people, the women, out there sharing everything about their success stories have confidence in their art by the bucket loads.  Long before the book they are out there making youtube videos on what they are doing.  No cloak and dagger stuff there.

I dont have a lot of confidence day to day in normal situations.  But I do have some confidence in my sewing ability and in my style and the care I pride myself on when making a quilt, screen, hook book or doll for sale.  And I do think that it is because of this confidence that I am willing to share how I create and would be willing to empower others to create the same things if they wish.  

Anyone can copy anyone else.  If they have the determination.  It is next to impossible to patent something you make in a cottage industry.  Simply because the natural inclinations of the next person to make the item will change them a little, or a lot, and deem them different to yours.  So I think it is really important to share the how and the why.  Have confidence in your product that only you can make in your own style.

Just wanted to quickly (I should be doing dishes... the ONE thing I was obviously born to do)..... jot down that Im having second and third thoughts of what I should be doing.  This is all about work and what work makes me the most money vs the effort (ie tiredness so that I can DO what I love and COPE with the family)

I currently work:

takeaway shifts anywhere between 9 and 22 hours a week -  fluctuation hurts household budget sometimes

I clean for a mum

I clean for one man 3 hours a fortnight and one woman 2 hours a fortnight.  You wouldnt think that that would be too much....

Ive sold a screen and really really really want to put all my energy into building my business.

I really have to decide what to spend my time on.  I dont want my business to go through another year and have a zero business account bank balance.

I think I might have to save up and then hold my breath, give up all work, and just jump into my business.

Can I ever afford to do that?

Way overdue is a fairy garden memory quilt Ive been working on.

I always take too long to find just the RIGHT inspiration.  But anyhow it has happened now.  I took this photograph of a tree that stands just outside my sewing room aka shed.  It really makes me think of a little garden house tucked away from the big world.

Rather than try to put everything into the one scene I am going to have a few small scenes around this large one.  One of those will be toadstools something like this.  This isnt my photo.