Hanging on for dear life

This is going to be a long blog, so I'll break it into two parts:
  One of my unfortunate personality quirks (those of you who know me, quit snickering at the "one" and "unfortunate") is that it takes me a long time to build up the courage to do something about negative situations I find/get myself into. Even though I experience the stress, I grit my teeth and hang on until I am so frazzled, the rope breaks. Recently I hit my "I am done with this" point in two areas of my life. One was an additional part of my job and the other was not promoting Spindles and More.
   The first was an additional part of my job I took on a few years back because I was tapped and they "needed me." Perhaps what should have clued me in to the potential for crazy was that the one person they offered it to before me looked them in the eye and said "Heck NO."
   This additional part involves being in charge of checking over sets of legal paperwork for the SpEd department  (so far this year I've checked close to 145 sets, in addition to writing my own sets), facilitating the monthly department meetings where I got to continuously break the never-ending bad news that yes, we are being asked to do more, with less time, resources and money and no, there is no way to "trim the fat" because we are already cutting into muscle, oh and that they now want us to start using the new format last week... Additionally, due to my exalted position, I was gifted two years in a row with a client who's parents were beyond obnoxious. I do not say this lightly, I've taught SpEd for 12 years and have been dragged to the doorstep of needing to slap a parent due to their ignorance on very few occasions, but these just obnoxious just to be nasty.
   And yes, there was a stipend, I suppose I shouldn't complain, I was paid for all this extra work. The stipend was, drum roll please... $1000. Total, for the year, before taxes, stretched over 12 paychecks.
   So, when I really took the time to look up from pedaling as fast as I could and evaluated the situation I realized a few things: 12 hour days at school were ridiculous, the people I was covering for still weren't doing their job and I was still covering for them, all the extra effort I was putting in was not being acknowledged by those who needed to acknowledge it, the pay was NOT worth the time, my health/mood was deteriorating, I was NOT happy with all the stress involved in the situation and finally, my husband and friends needed to be part of my life, not an afterthought squeezed in when I didn't have someone's paperwork to check. So I thought about it and I told my boss I wouldn't be doing it next year. They are not happy and are not sure who'll they'll get to replace me, but as my husband reminds me each time I worry "it is no longer my responsibility." "It is not my problem, It is NOT my problem, It is not MY problem." And the funny thing is even though I have another 4 months of serving in this capacity, my health/mood/relationships has already begun to improve and I smile and want to laugh every time I break that news that I won't be doing this next year. I try not to smile too much in front of my boss...
 

To advertise and how??

  So I am debating the idea of advertising my shop in various places. The question is, how where, when and at what cost? There are several yahoo groups I am part of which offer the advantage of being free to post ads to, it is a specialized audience so there is more of a chance of results, one would expect. Then there is Ravelry, it costs to advertise here, but again, there is a specialized audience who are more likely to respond to ads. It will require a little more research to choose ad placement and duration. Etsy is a similar situation to Ravelry, specialized audience and again ad placement will make a difference. The downside to etsy is that I did a showcase there one time and had 0 response from it, I don't want to repeat a pointless experience. Finally Facebook offers a much wider base of exposure, but is not specialized at all. It's more of a get the kite aloft, cut the string and see if anyone responds to the attached note situation. I'm not sure it would work out at all, but it might be worth a try.
  Cost in advertising is an issue, this venture has been more of a way of expressing my creativity, not a money-making operation, so that means I need to take some savings and invest in the advertising that will make the most sense.
  Naturally, I prefer to go to shows and vend directly where people can handle and try the spindles, these are scarce on the ground due to the registration fees of some of the shows and my lack of networking and awareness of the shows. I know there are people who do the shows full time and have a full-time business, but I already have a full-time job that I cannot survive without, so "getting serious" business-wise about my spindle-making just isn't an option at this point.
  Anybody out there have some insights or advice?

Pouring my heart out

*blarp* Well, there it is folks, I've poured my heart out. Never really sure how much to say and since no one reads it, why bother, you know? The shop has had few sales recently and the economy doesn't help. I don't really feel like I should keep creating inventory when I can't move it so I'll wait a bit. I can still spin, knit and crochet as a creative outlet. Besides, I have more items to list that haven't made it on yet. I haven't photographed or listed the hand-painted scarves and blouses from Talita Cumi. This is something I really need to get down as it is a source of income for them.

Until next time...

It has been so long

I know, I know, as a blogger I'm supposed to be doing this regularly, but time and other things get in the way and I'm pretty sure no one reads this anyway... So, all that said, I am trying (again) to get the Etsy site updated. I have several spindles I haven't even listed yet from 2010. There are pictures and inventory cards for them, which is a good start, they've just never gotten listed.

The crocheted and knitted items finally have tags on them and really need to be photographed and listed as well. And then there's the recycled yarn I've been messing with. That will require a new category in my shop. After the Etsy site is updated I need to get the SaM (SpindlesandMore) inventory finished so Hubby-Guy can upload it onto the dot com site. Mind you, I've been working on doing that since we lived Braddock St, two moves and four years ago. I struggle with the idea that no one will appreciate the work I've put into my creations so it is safer not to risk anything and drag my feet getting them listed, even though I've never had a complaint from purchasers.

Ok, so far this session has been all about me... On the family front, my sister, the massage therapist is getting married in two weeks!!! She's been living with us this past year and recently has been working on preparing the house she will live in with her husband. She will be an absolutely gorgeous bride and she and Ben will be thrilled with each other.

Cold and snow

Now is the time to purchase a spindle or yarn from my shop. It is cold and snowy out there and you need something interesting to do during this chilly time of year.

Find me at www.SpindlesandMore.com

Coffee Swap 6 and chocolate

I am doing the Coffee Swap 6 in Ravelry. My partner is in California and I'll be sending her some really fun stuff, but can't give details here yet because she might read it and then the surprise would be gone.

So... I have debated about the next statement I'm about to make for several days and have now made it to several of my friends without the sky falling in on me.
I have found a chocolate that is better than Dove Dark Chocolate... yes, I actually said it (and have now put it in writing).
It is a Fair Trade- Equal Exchange Organic Dark Chocolate with Caramel and Sea Salt bars. They are unbelievable!!! Gives a whole meaning to drool worthy! Now, I know I am adult, but I once I had tasted this chocolate, I didn't want to share it. I had a very powerful urge to growl and crouch over it protectively... Not a good thing when you live with your husband and sister in the same house.

So tomorrow I am going to get more of it (Hubby is not sure this is a good idea) as well as some stuff for my swap box (see 1st paragraph).

Ok, so the spindles aren't on the etsy yet and I'm working on it...

Life recently

I have been busy recently. I took over the lead Special Ed. position in my school, took on a new teacher mentee, prepped for and began a new school year, discovered Ravelry (WOOT!! I am SpEdTchr on there), did some serious work on my etsy site with updating and re-listing, updated the Spindles and More inventory lists in both formats (my trusty index card system, and the database on the computer), attended a fiber festival and am blogging about it all. Ok, well, the blogging is going to be a bit skimpy for a while because of all the other things going on.
I did purchase some silk singles in a lovely denim blue for a scarf and some milk fiber that I need to play with. I also discovered another breed of sheep I am willing to spin (besides Merino and Rambouillet)... Polworth. Ok, so it is 3/4 Merino and 1/4 Lincoln, which still kind of makes it a Merino, but hey, I tried something new thanks to River's Edge Fiber Art from Grand Ledge, Michigan. Thank you ladies, it is LOVELY!!!
I really want to get more things listed on etsy, I have another dozen or so of the large spindles to photograph and list, but my job and life are conspiring to keep them in their unlisted state.