Earlier this year I took a business class at the Community College, via the web. It was a lot to consume for a person that hadn't been to school in years. I did it for the knowledge I needed and wanted and also thought it would be good motivation for my children that are in school.
When I completed the class, I got my Certificate, it hangs above my computer to remind me of my accomplishment. It wasn't all that easy, but it wasn't that difficult either. My children were proud of me and I also.
Well, after accomplishing this feat, I wonder 'Now what?' From February to September I didn't have a clue. I tried a variety of things, including MLM. None of which suited me or made me happy. Then I thought back to my lessons learned, 'Do something you love.' Simple, I love to crochet. But where do I start. I have the yarn, I have some stock to start. I questioned friends and family, some with good advice and some not so good.
I placed an order with a seller on Ebay, and low and behold, a total stranger had the answer I was looking for....ETSY. The seller contacted me as to what I do and with the merchandise I bought, something she says she never does is contact a buyer. I emailed her back, she emailed me. In her third email she told me about Etsy, she understood my plight. She was my Angel.
I signed up with Etsy in late September. Weeks went past, no sales, not even a nibble. I didn't get discouraged. I kept crocheting and listing and one day I stumbled upon something someone wanted a little girl's coat - toddler. I've managed to sell four, three this month alone. Two of which was a special order and the other two went to the first purchaser of the first coat I listed. Then there was a boy's cardigan.
The FANTASTIC WEEK, I sold three of the above mentioned items this week alone. I've got the fever and I've got the bug.
I'm estactic. I'm finally in business. The lesson was during the confusion and not doing what you love, something you're passionate about you don't go far happily. And don't waste a lot of time figuring it out, just do it.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
How I Got Hooked
It's 2 o'clock in the morning and I can't sleep. So much to do. Sometimes I wonder why I even set out on
this endeavor. Sometimes I think I think I must have been mad. The short days, long nights of doing it all.
No help, not physically, but always words of encouragement.
That's why I started. Let's go to the beginning.
My family and I moved into a newly built subdivision from the city and I hated it. The area was still under construction and there was mud everywhere. The only time I felt comfortable in my new surroundings was when one of my friends would come out for the weekend. The worst part was the long commute into the city to school, public transportation. It was easy to get to school, getting home was a different story. I wasn't use to riding buses, so I had a big problem, I would get lost. You see, I could catch the bus about two blocks from my house to go but to return, I had to take a different route. Walk up and down hills for about a mile home.
Well, finally, I got it all together and found out the bus I took into the city, I could catch home, except it came about two hours after I was out of school. I would spend that time watching football practice or hanging out in the diner across the street playing the pinball machine. I must say I got really good at it. We turned it into a sport.
One day on my ride to school a neighbor and her family boarded the bus, I was usually the first on, we lived at the beginning of the route. She had books, a hook and yarn. I had never seen this before. I always read on the way in. After a couple of weeks of just speaking and watching, I decided to ask her what it was she was doing. She told me she was crocheting and I asked if she would teach me. "Not a problem", was her reply.
After school that day, I went to the store and bought yarn and knitting needles, show you what I know.
I went home that evening to get a jump start on my project and I wrapped and wrapped and wrapped. For some reason the yarn wouldn't stay on the needles. That was frustrating. The next morning I got on the bus, proud of my purchase and eager to learn and find out what it was I was doing wrong. To my surprise, I bought the wrong instrument for the job. She offered me an extra hook and show me exactly how to start. That was it, I was hooked.
I'd chain and try stitches, make up stitches (I thought), and take it apart. It didn't matter I was doing something new. Something I could take with me. I couldn't carry my sewing machine around. We'd crochet on the way to school, I'd crochet during school (not in class), I'd crochet on the way home. It took a while before I figured out that I could actually use this hook and yarn to make useful items and then I really went all out. I would see hats or scarves or whatever in the store, buy the yarn and go home and start crocheting.
It was strange that after I started producing items, my mother told me that when I was about 5 or 6 years old, my great aunt had taught me to crochet on one of my visits during the summer to her house with my grandmother. I use to make doilies. I hated doilies. The up keep was too much and they were all over the house.
Well, here I am now taking my hobby, my love for crochet to a different medium. I no longer share it with friends and family, I'm sharing it online and enjoying it more than ever. I'm doing something that brings me joy. My fiance' told me I could and it took about two years for me to hear him and some nudging from a seller on Ebay, from whom I've made several purchases.
I'd like to thank them both for believing in me.
Thank You, Parker, for having faith enough for me and keeping me motivated, I love you.
And Thanks to You 'Wildorchidsneedlework'.
Check me out at: http://www.newdaycrochet.etsy.com/
this endeavor. Sometimes I think I think I must have been mad. The short days, long nights of doing it all.
No help, not physically, but always words of encouragement.
That's why I started. Let's go to the beginning.
My family and I moved into a newly built subdivision from the city and I hated it. The area was still under construction and there was mud everywhere. The only time I felt comfortable in my new surroundings was when one of my friends would come out for the weekend. The worst part was the long commute into the city to school, public transportation. It was easy to get to school, getting home was a different story. I wasn't use to riding buses, so I had a big problem, I would get lost. You see, I could catch the bus about two blocks from my house to go but to return, I had to take a different route. Walk up and down hills for about a mile home.
Well, finally, I got it all together and found out the bus I took into the city, I could catch home, except it came about two hours after I was out of school. I would spend that time watching football practice or hanging out in the diner across the street playing the pinball machine. I must say I got really good at it. We turned it into a sport.
One day on my ride to school a neighbor and her family boarded the bus, I was usually the first on, we lived at the beginning of the route. She had books, a hook and yarn. I had never seen this before. I always read on the way in. After a couple of weeks of just speaking and watching, I decided to ask her what it was she was doing. She told me she was crocheting and I asked if she would teach me. "Not a problem", was her reply.
After school that day, I went to the store and bought yarn and knitting needles, show you what I know.
I went home that evening to get a jump start on my project and I wrapped and wrapped and wrapped. For some reason the yarn wouldn't stay on the needles. That was frustrating. The next morning I got on the bus, proud of my purchase and eager to learn and find out what it was I was doing wrong. To my surprise, I bought the wrong instrument for the job. She offered me an extra hook and show me exactly how to start. That was it, I was hooked.
I'd chain and try stitches, make up stitches (I thought), and take it apart. It didn't matter I was doing something new. Something I could take with me. I couldn't carry my sewing machine around. We'd crochet on the way to school, I'd crochet during school (not in class), I'd crochet on the way home. It took a while before I figured out that I could actually use this hook and yarn to make useful items and then I really went all out. I would see hats or scarves or whatever in the store, buy the yarn and go home and start crocheting.
It was strange that after I started producing items, my mother told me that when I was about 5 or 6 years old, my great aunt had taught me to crochet on one of my visits during the summer to her house with my grandmother. I use to make doilies. I hated doilies. The up keep was too much and they were all over the house.
Well, here I am now taking my hobby, my love for crochet to a different medium. I no longer share it with friends and family, I'm sharing it online and enjoying it more than ever. I'm doing something that brings me joy. My fiance' told me I could and it took about two years for me to hear him and some nudging from a seller on Ebay, from whom I've made several purchases.
I'd like to thank them both for believing in me.
Thank You, Parker, for having faith enough for me and keeping me motivated, I love you.
And Thanks to You 'Wildorchidsneedlework'.
Check me out at: http://www.newdaycrochet.etsy.com/
While in the neighborhood visit some of my friends:
http://www.qbranchltd.etsy.com/
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