Late Sunday Nights are for Sighs...

...I am sure you have all been there...obsessed by beads, would like to make it a livelihood because you enjoy it more than your day job, still need the day job to pay for beads, but wait, you really have several "day jobs"(wife, mother, co-worker, room mom, sideline cheer-er, household logistician) that also need your time and attention. Time is my toughest task master.


To prove how obsessed I have become: my husband and I leave tomorrow for a couple days down south. A job hunting trip for him and a chance for me to check out a town that we might move to if the job thing works out for him. My girlfriend, who is generously taking care of my children, asked if I had all of my research done. The only research I have done? I googled bead shops! (And I can't wait to see the Beadstro Art and Bead Gallery - on name alone it can't be missed!)


The juggling of jobs means that I can only focus on making beads more than just a hobby in fits and starts: craft fair (one, had to cancel out of other), etsy, entered designs in contests (two), donations to school silent auction (at least those sold :-)). But no instantaneous success! What? How could this be? Because realistically it will take more than fits and starts. I know this because I have watched my good friend and the most awesome bead nerd I know Jen really make something of her business, and she has been working at it really hard for a couple of years.


So (I tell myself), the bits of time I have now I should use to learn, and watch others do great things, so I can learn from them too. I loved reading about how Lori is taking a year off to learn, and Kerry is enrolling in some summer e-courses to broaden her skills. I'm lucky too to be included in Lori's Bead Soup, and am looking forward to seeing all of the creations that are sure to result. The ArtBLISS joint venture of Cindy and Jeanette is really inspiring, and lucky for me, is based here in DC, so I am looking forward to taking some classes at their inaugural bead retreat in September. And for short term inspiration, I can look forward to a late August trip to Tucson to see my Mom, which always includes a multi-hundred-dollar trip to my all time favorite bead store, ABC Direct (the web site does not do this place justice). While I wait out the year or so I need before I can step down from my day job and find employment that allows for more beading time, I'll keep beading, learning, and posting - my goal for the summer is a weekly post and 100 items on Etsy (starting NEXT week :-)).