Thursday, October 7, 2010

News from the Edge

Poke me with a fork, I'm done. I quit that job. One week was all I lasted and I'm surprised that I held on that long. I did my orientation with two other women and they've both quite as well. You know the old saying, "If you can't say something good, then say nothing at all"? I'm going to invoke that adage and say nothing.

Unfortunately, the financial situation hasn't changed in that week so I've made a pledge to myself that I will get up each morning and treat my Etsy shop as my job, working it.... working it! To be honest I've been treating it more as a hobby. Someone told me that you have to approach it as if you weren't going to eat unless you made it a success.

What does that mean? It means taking a shower, making the bed, putting on makeup (maybe!), developing a plan, planning my day and working it.... working it!

I'm a little bit computer savvy but I'll invoke generational ignorance about the social networking arena. It seems to take an awful lot of time and that's time that could be spent creating. But I'm going to make the attempt.

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I wish I had the money to travel to all the bloggie get-togethers and various venues such as Junk Bonanza (is that the name?) and the recent Creative Connection gathering in Minneapolis. This is just not possible but there are always local meet-ups and I'm going to attend one tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the Champagne and Ball Gown Night at the Nada Farm Sale about 45 minutes west of here. I've met some of these women before and they are awesome!

There's the lovely Jennifer Rizzo who has been working with Anne Marie to put this event together. Let me tell you, Jen is a little dynamo. When I first met her I couldn't believe that she was married and had a bunch of little ones. Where does she find the time to do all the things she does?

At the last bloggie gathering she made lovely tote bags for all of us. So beautiful. I use mine all the time. Jen is a expert at networking, having rubbed elbows with the likes of Mary Jane Butters at the Creative Connection event. I'm planning to corner her out on the prairie tomorrow night and get some tips!

The NaDa Farm Sale is being held at Anne Marie's family farm. There is only one word for Anne Marie - serene. She is beautiful and talented and has a style all her own. She's just an earth mother, baking bread and tending the garden. She is a person of deep faith and it shows because she's very grounded.

Stay tuned for an update and photos from the ball gown night. I don't own a ball gown but plan to whip something up this evening. Nothing works like being under a deadline.



7 comments:

Vee said...

Well I don't have to be so kind. They are losing a very good woman and, most likely, three good women. When we stopped by J*oann's last week, they were doing the interviewing/hiring bit with the mangager walking around the store with his phone in his ear. I was near the fabrics when he called the gal working there who said, "If you keep hiring all these people, we won't have a job." Then she saw that the clerk from the register was standing near and she said, "Not you. You weren't hired under this program. You know that they're all going to be let go the day after New Year's." I thought that was a wonderful way with marketing in a store nearly full with customers.

I wish you every success with your online business and I can attest to the fact that you do impressive and beautiful work. I wear my apron nearly every day. It's my favorite!

Becky said...

Can't wait to hear and see about your evening! Sounds like a grand time!

ellsworth said...

Suzanne,

I have been reading your blog for a couple of years now and I've commented here and there. While I'm not one to through religion into the mix, however, I believe that God sometimes has the path for us and we just need to find it. If you didn't feel right at that job...that it wasn't right. Your gut insticts usually are right on.

And you are right, you need to treat your Etsy store as a job. Slowly and surely success will come.

Keep plugging away. Not every blog reaches millions of people but that doesn't mean that it doesn't mean a million to those it does touch.

ellsworth said...
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bv said...

Oh, put me in your pocket! i have a ball gown~we are having thanksgiving in the barn/hay storeage/ and wearing barn ball gowns..but enough about me. you introducted me to na da and lots of those ladies from a get together and i love them, not as much as i love you, but i do. i can't wait to hear all about it and to SEE you in your gown.
bv xo

Leslie T said...

Good for you! There comes a time in life when we shouldn't put up with being treated badly. When I was younger, I worked several jobs that were doo-doo. It was just the way it was. But in my mid-life years, I walked off of a couple of jobs with no notice, because it wasn't worth being treated horribly. It's terrible to know that your day is going to consist of spending hours of your life being miserable. Heaven knows that life throws enough challenges our way without adding any more angst to the pot with a nasty employer. Financially, I couldn't afford to quit those jobs, but mentally I couldn't afford NOT to.
I think that you should sell pillow cases in your Etsy shop. I love pretty pillow cases.
Here's another thing I've been hunting for unsuccessfully.... the old-fashioned floor-length flannel nightgowns in a decent, soft flannel. I know they're not fashionable anymore, but I love them. The granny gowns with the Peter Pan collar. It's sad that the last few I've bought online have been terrible quality and I've been so disappointed. And of course I can't find one single one in a real store, they just don't carry them anymore. I think you should make them, Suzanne! In great plaid colors.
Okay, there's my illustrious opinion. You're a fantastic seamstress. If you lived down the street from me, I'd be beating your door down, hiring you to make stuff for me. I'd also be taking you to the beach :) and we would eat lots of gelato while we sat on the rocks, gazing at the pounding surf and solving all the problems of the world, hee hee. It would be grand.
Have a great weekend!!

Karen said...

I am delurking here to give you my full support!

Lesli T your comment was so sweet...you sound like a great type of friend to have. :)