I found this interesting:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/business/23craft.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1230044649-E0l6G3c7v/6NFFTP6hmgXw
I think that this article says a lot about the crafting industry and this Christmas seaon in particular. One Etsian remarked that it made crafting seem cheap. Do you think that this is giving crafting a bad name? Or is this good press for crafters and handmade artists?
Let me know what you think.
Showing posts with label article series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label article series. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Forgotten Projects Calendar
Today I added the Forgotten Projects Calendar to my blog. If you scroll down just below my blog posts you will see the Calendar. In this calender there will be start and finish dates to all my projects. It is very empty right now but as I start to get a sense of my time line I will be adding projects.
The calendar is one way for me to keep organized as well as for you to track my progress. In my previous posts, one of my biggest weaknesses is my lack of calendar/ planner use. I am horrible with keeping dates organized and things on schedule. This public calendar is a way to keep track of my work and my progress. It is also meant to be a learning tool for other unorganized crafters and small business entrepreneurs.
Please make comments and let me know how I am doing and whether you are finding this series helpful!
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Forgotten Projects Part 3
Today I went upstairs to my desk and couldn't find it! It was hidden under a pile of papers and ( for lack of a better word) crap. Since I have been out of school I have not spent an extensive amount of time at my desk. I do a great deal of my Etsy work from our laptop on the couch in front of the television after work. The only time I really spend time on my upstairs computer is on my days off, half of which I have other events planned and don't get to clean my office like I should.
As a part of this Forgotten Projects series I want re-organize my projects. Through my initial search of unfinished project I realized that my storage/ closet is a complete mess. I do not take care of it on a daily basis like I should.
So, today's topic will focus in on what is preventing me from keeping my projects, yarn and business organized.
1. I never put things away. I have a real problem of taking a box of yarn out, taking the skein that I need and then not replacing the box to where it belongs. I do the same thing with my clothes, my makeup and a variety of other things. I need to work on taking the time to return things to their rightful place before the clutter gets out of hand.
2. The stack of to be filed. I often do not file my important papers right away like I should. They pile up and up on my desk until I am forced to do something about it. I need to work on filing items as soon as I can. It only takes a couple more seconds to do so in the first place instead of an hour to do so later.
3. Growing tired of a project. Everyone will get tired of certain projects. I get frustrated with projects quite often and I tend to just roll them in a ball and trow them in the corner. I need to figure out a way to label, organize and keep projects so I can easily come back to them.
4. Using my Calendar. I have never been able to use a planner or a calendar to save my life. Every school year I would buy one and start out wonderfully, writing all my assignments an test dates. Then half way through the month I give up. My boyfriend gave me his old palm pilot a couple years back. I used it a lot at first. Now it just sits on my desk. I don't think Ive touched it since I graduated. I just now found Google calendar and I am try to use it as much as I can.
These are my top four reasons for my being so unorganized. I am sure there are more but these are the ones I am going to start working on. By my next post I hope to have my Google project calendar up and running so you can follow my progress on each project.
As a part of this Forgotten Projects series I want re-organize my projects. Through my initial search of unfinished project I realized that my storage/ closet is a complete mess. I do not take care of it on a daily basis like I should.
So, today's topic will focus in on what is preventing me from keeping my projects, yarn and business organized.
1. I never put things away. I have a real problem of taking a box of yarn out, taking the skein that I need and then not replacing the box to where it belongs. I do the same thing with my clothes, my makeup and a variety of other things. I need to work on taking the time to return things to their rightful place before the clutter gets out of hand.
2. The stack of to be filed. I often do not file my important papers right away like I should. They pile up and up on my desk until I am forced to do something about it. I need to work on filing items as soon as I can. It only takes a couple more seconds to do so in the first place instead of an hour to do so later.
3. Growing tired of a project. Everyone will get tired of certain projects. I get frustrated with projects quite often and I tend to just roll them in a ball and trow them in the corner. I need to figure out a way to label, organize and keep projects so I can easily come back to them.
4. Using my Calendar. I have never been able to use a planner or a calendar to save my life. Every school year I would buy one and start out wonderfully, writing all my assignments an test dates. Then half way through the month I give up. My boyfriend gave me his old palm pilot a couple years back. I used it a lot at first. Now it just sits on my desk. I don't think Ive touched it since I graduated. I just now found Google calendar and I am try to use it as much as I can.
These are my top four reasons for my being so unorganized. I am sure there are more but these are the ones I am going to start working on. By my next post I hope to have my Google project calendar up and running so you can follow my progress on each project.
Friday, July 11, 2008
The Forgotten Projects - Part 2
This Wednesday I started a article series called The Forgotten Projects. To recap the purpose of this series is to help me get organized and sort through all my unfinished projects. Last time I promised to make a list of projects that needed to be finished. As I was making this list I realized I needed to prioritize my projects as well as include the new orders that I was receiving.
Here is my list along with explanations for the ordering:
1. Finish my grandmother's purse. Not only will this be long over due but it will also make her very happy. She has not said anything about it for a while and i think it will surprise her when she gets the package in the mail. Along with making her happy, it will also have the added bonus of her using it and bragging about her granddaughter.
2. Promo Bookmarks. About a week or so ago I answered a Etsy forum post for promos. She needs them by a certain date to get these "thanks for purchasing goody baggies" together. I need to make thirty.
3. My boyfriends belt. My boyfriend asked me me to make him a belt because he could find one to match his new shorts that he received for his b-day.
4. Take pictures of two tractors. About a month or so ago a women contacted me through A.Nieman Photography asking me to take a picture of these two tractors. Her husband was a huge fan of the one, she was a huge fan of the other. She asked that I make a digital image of the two facing each other. She gave me no time frame but i feel i need to get this done because her husband was diagnosed with cancer.
5. Pillow for custom order. I had a request for one of my crocheted pillows. No time frame on this one because she is having problems with her pay pal and doesn't want me to start until she gets it all settled. I have to buy all the materials still.
6. Finish other purses. I have a couple of purses that need their linings sewn in and/or snaps attached.
7. De construct. As I was going through my forgotten projects I realized I stopped most of them because I messed up then I abandoned them without undoing the yarn. I need to undo the yarn to I can use it for something else.
Well thats the list. My next step will be setting a calendar of dates for completion of each project. I will post this on my blog using my Google calendar. Hopefully I will finish this tomorrow since I have the day off of work.
Here is my list along with explanations for the ordering:
1. Finish my grandmother's purse. Not only will this be long over due but it will also make her very happy. She has not said anything about it for a while and i think it will surprise her when she gets the package in the mail. Along with making her happy, it will also have the added bonus of her using it and bragging about her granddaughter.
2. Promo Bookmarks. About a week or so ago I answered a Etsy forum post for promos. She needs them by a certain date to get these "thanks for purchasing goody baggies" together. I need to make thirty.
3. My boyfriends belt. My boyfriend asked me me to make him a belt because he could find one to match his new shorts that he received for his b-day.
4. Take pictures of two tractors. About a month or so ago a women contacted me through A.Nieman Photography asking me to take a picture of these two tractors. Her husband was a huge fan of the one, she was a huge fan of the other. She asked that I make a digital image of the two facing each other. She gave me no time frame but i feel i need to get this done because her husband was diagnosed with cancer.
5. Pillow for custom order. I had a request for one of my crocheted pillows. No time frame on this one because she is having problems with her pay pal and doesn't want me to start until she gets it all settled. I have to buy all the materials still.
6. Finish other purses. I have a couple of purses that need their linings sewn in and/or snaps attached.
7. De construct. As I was going through my forgotten projects I realized I stopped most of them because I messed up then I abandoned them without undoing the yarn. I need to undo the yarn to I can use it for something else.
Well thats the list. My next step will be setting a calendar of dates for completion of each project. I will post this on my blog using my Google calendar. Hopefully I will finish this tomorrow since I have the day off of work.
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