Inspiration

The other day I was going through some of my mother's old crafting supplies. I came across half-finished projects that were older than me, templates for favorite Christmas decorations that she'd made, and even the poodle she made for the poodle skirt I wore to a sock hop dance in junior high (the skirt was long gone, but she'd cut out the circle of felt around the poodle).

My mother passed away almost a year and a half ago. She was my best friend, and I take after her in many ways. My love of crafts is one of them. I used to talk with her about ideas I'd have for selling handmade things, and she smiled, nodded, encouraged me - but didn't give me a hard time for not following through. One year she gave me a book for Christmas: How to Sell What You Make. I still have it.

I think making things brings me closer to her. For Christmas I made some stuffed toys, one of them for a nephew. I felt I was channeling my mom. I knew she'd always longed to be able to knit things for her three grandsons.

Unfortunately she lost the ability to knit after her stroke years ago. First it was her difficulty with numbers and counting. In later years as her dementia progressed, it broke my heart to see that she couldn't knit a basic stitch anymore. I'd tried to have a regular knitting night with my mom, where I helped her to start on a simple hat for one of her grandsons and I would do the counting for her, but it ended up being the end of knitting for her. Although I think it just made her happy to hold the needles and yarn in her hands and watch me knit while we talked.

It's nice to see the variety of things she made, like knitting, sewing, painting, ornament making... I am my mother's daughter.

What's in a Name?

I used to want to be an oceanographer. I've always had a love of the coast and the fascinating creatures hidden beneath the waves.

A few years ago I had an opportunity to go out on a small boat in Bantry Bay, Ireland, with some workmates doing fieldwork. We got word that a rare whale had been spotted off the end of the Beara Peninsula, so we headed at full speed towards the open ocean to see if we could catch a glimpse. As we went we noticed more and more things floating in the water around us, so the driver stopped so we could take a look.

We were surrounded by hundreds of small, bright blue ovals floating on the surface and sporting hard, semitransparent sails. They were about the size of a small cell phone, and I was stunned by the brilliant color. I'd never seen anything like it.

It turned out to be a type of jellyfish called a By-the-wind sailor. They have short tentacles and are primarily moved by the wind and surface currents. Occasionally large groups of them get washed onto beaches.

Photo courtesy of  the British Marine Life Study Society

As I was brainstorming business names, I started to think of coastal themes and remembered my experience with these creatures. And it struck me that my dabbling crafty way is a bit similar to their journey. I go where the winds of inspiration take me.

I don't want a business name that would box me in to a particular theme. With this I feel like I could sell a variety of things if I wanted to, to allow me some variety in what I create.  It may not be the best way for branding purposes, but it fits me.

For now, it's just an idea and a blog name. 

A good place to start

I have always had diverse interests. Travel, arts and crafts, science, the sea, the woods, maps, music.... I love to learn new things and explore new places. It's when I feel most alive.

The challenge/benefit (take your pick) of being a dabbler is knowing a little about a lot of things, but being a master of none. For many years I've entertained the notion of trying to sell things that I make. The feeling has come on with a vengeance in the last couple of months. I've been inspired by amazing women who are working hard to sell their creations online, who are writing blogs to share their stories on a variety of topics and leading me to others doing interesting things. It's given me a wee bit of hope that maybe this is something I really could do.

The biggest question for me that stops me in my tracks is: what should I make? I have a history of learning a new craft, making some things as gifts, and then moving on to where the wind of inspiration takes me next. What will satisfy my creativity and keep me interested? What would be most profitable? What would be most marketable? What could I be OK with making over and over again? What will make me happy?

So this blog is going to capture my journey of exploring my options: talking to experienced crafters, exploring the blogosphere, and making experimental items from my long list of ideas to try to find the answers.  It's going to be a long process, given the full-time job and all the other major life happenings going on - but I am ready to begin!