I’m going to write some goals for 2010. Not “resolutions” which somehow seem about personal discipline, but more like hopes. I skipped doing a list of goals last January and find that I am disappointed- it is fun to reread what was on my mind a year ago.
Yeah, well… Every year at this time, I have the same goal. Get my studio back into work mode. Right now, bits of every Christmas project I worked on litter the studio. Not to mention bits of all the other work I did in November and December. Now is the time to find the floor again!
And, realistically, I need to start with a resolution after all. I promised Peter a quilt, on his birthday, last April. Got to get working on that.
Onto the goals!
-Write up more patterns to sell. Give more away- free tutorials and patterns. Or maybe just more giveaways.
-that ties in to improving my comfort level with Photoshop and InDesign.
-Get rid of stuff- I’ve been saying that since we cleared out my parents’ house 5 years ago now? Here is an example of the kind of thing I really should just throw away, but…
I mean, how funny are they? Just the legs! These are from the edges of my Spoonflower fabric. Ideas anyone?
-Open a new Etsy shop to help with the clear out- supplies and vintage stuff.
-teach more classes. I’d love to do some travel teaching but am not so sure how to make that happen. For now, the dining room table teaching is working very well for me.
-do a major blog redesign. I have been thinking about that for a LONG time, but it is one of those things that is very easy to put off.
-get to a place where my studio feels like home again. That includes getting things more organized, going through the unopened boxes, finishing hanging art up. I want to do a photo/video open studio.
-And my biggest goal- Spend more real life social time with people who are trying to figure out this art/craft/internet business and life thing. Start a coffee shop meet-up to make that happen. I am so tired of trying to talk to people who have never heard of Etsy or read a blog. Too much explaining and no communicating- you know what I mean?
I might add some more to this list in the next few days. I am getting excited about this new year.
I bought myself one little present this Holiday season. A wise little owl to watch over my desk. I found him at Crystal‘s booth at the Bazaar Bizarre in December. I absolutely could not walk away from the table without him- it was funny really. I love him- Thanks, Crystal!
HooT! Happy New Year Everybody!
Ohh, legs! How about some kind of mix’n’match fabric book? Where you turn the top pages and the bottom half of the page separately, to make different people? Gwen Marston has a nice small book about making fabric books- she uses selvedge edge for words in her books.
could have a much better time during meetings and things.I think you should make a magnet set that mixes and matches doll bodies, because then I could buy it, and put it on the file cabinet next to my desk. Then, just before a meeting began, I could make a church-y looking lady have a tattoo’d bottom half, and a mustache man have a kitty bottom half, and me and my rich inner life
Also, I deeply appreciate you showing us how trashed a working studio can get. Makes me feel like the pile around my sewing machine is MUCH more artistic!
Why don’t you put out feelers to see if you would have anyone interested in a class in the Columbia, SC area this year? I remember someone posting an interest in a class held in the southeast. What a great excuse for a visit!
ill join your coffee shop group :)
Hi Mimi, Happy New Year. Thank you very much for commenting on my blog post. I thought I’d let you know that I have been a big fan of your work for ages, particularly all of the lovely boy/man dolls that you do: from the clever jouy tattooed men to the sweet school boys. All the best!
I think the legs would make a funny edge to a pillowcase. Making pillowcases seems to be all the rage now with quilters. Happy New Year!
A sunny owl! This bird should help in 2010.
I like this one:
-And my biggest goal- Spend more real life social time with people who are trying to figure out this art/craft/internet business and life thing. Start a coffee shop meet-up to make that happen. I am so tired of trying to talk to people who have never heard of Etsy or read a blog. Too much explaining and no communicating- you know what I mean?
A meet up is a great idea. The social networking thing can only go so far. And some of us who don’t do the craft fair circuit, don’t meet as many fellow artisans as we would hope to.
Be well, and happy new year,
Roberta
So many things to respond to in this post! I’ll start with the photo that gives us a real-life view of your studio. I feel better about my own clutter and desperate need to amp up the organization! Thank you for sharing.
I am totally on board to help facilitate a meet-up with others who are trying to figure out art/craft/internet business and more than happy to discuss off-line. I have been meeting with what I call an “Accountability Partner” once a week for the past year and credit this consistent focus and sharing of resources and ideas to actually getting my first photography product launched.
One of my all-time favorite entrepreneurial gurus is Barbara Winter, author of “How to Make a Living Without a Real Job.” (www.barbarawinter.com) She is an ongoing source of inspirational ideas.
Ooops!
p.s. Regarding the Spoonflower fabric edges — I immediately ‘saw’ pot holders. But I love all of the other suggestions, too.
Looking forward to your next Tiny Worlds class.
Your work space is like mine and I can’t seem to part with anything!
Must be creative minds, you never know when you may need it for your art!
Thank you so much for your kind comment.xx
Happy good year for you also…
Mimi, I am hoping that you meet your goals for 2010. And that I meet your goals, too, since we share more than a few!
Right now I am struggling with setting up a new work space, invading out main room which is the warmest in winter, or cleaning up the studio till I can get this new work into there. My studio looks a lot like yours, but with extra piles lifted from other parts of the house when I was making us crawd friendly over the holidays!
Frankly, I think you are amazing. The amount of really good work you produce, the blog you keep up, the shows, classes, patterns…OMG…Mimi rocks! HNY, Wyncia
I think the legs should go into that quilt for Peter. What’s not to love about disembodied legs on a quilt meant to warm them?
Happy New Year, Mimi! All the best to you!
I think the legs might look neat in a hoop with some embroidery done to them.
About teaching- how about http://flyingphoebe.blogspot.com/ ? Like the Flying Phoebes? I think I would look for places that I was interested in visiting, look to see if they had cloth doll clubs/guilds, and send a nice email. My understanding is that the teachers expenses are paid by the group hiring the teacher,but they usually put you up in a members home and not a hotel. Make it low stress, but if it works, that would be great. Particularily if you came somewhere near me!!
COME TO PORTLAND, OREGON AND TEACH A CLASS!!!!!!!
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Hi Mimi!
Good luck with all your goals for 2010. I was actually really excited reading them because they’re pretty similar to mine. It’s nice to know there are others out there. :-) If you ever come to the Minneapolis area I’d love to buy you a coffee and chat!
Good luck and congrats on all your success!
-alyssa
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