Doing what you love, making mistakes and learning!

Are you doing what you love? Do you take just a little time each day to think about what you love and how you are going to do it? I ask this because for a very long time I didn't even think about doing what I loved. I went about my day working, cleaning, taking care of everything, but me. I noticed I didn't really care about what I ate, what I did or didn't do and eventually it got to me.

So, in early 2008 I decided to start doing what I love again. It's made all the difference. My FibersStudio adventure is going full steam ahead in my spare time. Yes, my spare time. Ugh. See along with being a dreamer I am also a mom, a wife, a graphic designer & web design contractor and on and on.  All these responsibilities (!!!) have piled up over the years. Hmmm....so how do you make time to do what you love?

I began to say NO! to those things that weren't what I wanted to do. Politely of course! I gave up TV which I don't even like most of the time. I gave up the rat race. I gave up wanting new things and instead find thrifty ways to obtain through trade, making, etc. I gave up going out to dinner a lot or eating out a lot. I gave up many, many things that people do everyday without thinking. And you know what? I gained everything I love about my life back again.

I started finding and gathering my yarn, my books, my sewing machine, my loom. I started thinking about how to start this new adventure. I began knitting because at the time my kids were 7, 2 & 1. I could easily begin a knit project, go outside with the kids and run them to and from school with knitting needles with yarn in tow. It was a great start!

Then with the kids sleeping regularly after 16 months straight of NOT sleeping through the night I began to plan larger projects for the loom. I didn't get to this until a year later, but once I did I knew I could sit and weave for a time with the kids busy with projects like homemade playdough, coloring, etc. I took the time to create in the evenings when I wasn't working as a contractor. I dreamed of a logo and name for my adventure along with starting a Etsy shop!

And in the next year I made lots of scarves, lots of baby blankets and lots of mistakes! Oh, but I learned. Some things I made mistakes on I even knew better. Like the deep purple shawl I planned with this lovely cotton, rayon and flax yarn I had found in Asheville, NC almost two years ago. It's got a slub (a bump ever so often where a little extra yarn is left) in it. I used it in the warp even though I knew better! Oh, well it broke several times. I will not tell a lie. So, I cut the project short and now it is a really lovely table runner. I made mistakes with how I took pictures and learned over time no flash and afternoon daylight on a white background works wonders for your products!

Even though I did make those mistakes I never lost sight of my goals. I just kept plugging along when I could at what I love to do. In the process I feel like I am being more true to myself and I have started to pay better attention to what I need. Not what I want necessarily, but what I really need. I do need to go to bed at a decent time and sleep through the night. Something I was not doing before and really it got me way down energy wise. I started thinking about what I was eating and how my body was doing. I started riding my bike and walking again. I loved riding as a kid. What freedom! I still feel that same feeling each time I hop on. I began to do things in small increments and not all at once. And with each little gain I gained a little bit of me back.

Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of our wants, needs and goals, but with a little bit of effort and a whole lot of desire we can get back to the things that make us most happy in life and find reward in what we do.

FibersStudio Debuts as an Exhibitor at Art Expo 2010

Wow, what a fun and fantastic time I had. I will say this...I am worn completely out! It took me six days to even start writing this post. I am calling it post expo exhaustion!

Setup for the Art Expo 2010 was a breeze the night before. I had a good helper: My Mom. She's a pro at getting things done. Thank goodness for such people in this world and I am so fortunate to be related to her. We've always worked well in this fashion. When I was in high school and college I sold merchandise and tickets at Mountain Stage (Mom's an associate producer there). It was like old times except the roles were reversed. She did a fabulous job and wouldn't even let me pay her. Hmmm, she just might be due for some new woven table linens don't you think? She's more than earned them.


On Expo Day, we got there early in order to set up the last little bits of this and that, tag some items for sale, and make sure we had everything the way we wanted. It really worked out beautifully. While I helped teach children and adults to weave on a small cardboard loom, Mom took over sales. Many friends and family came to visit and see the expo. It was so good to see so many!

Honestly, I couldn't have done any better in my mind. I was in the Charleston Daily Mail the Friday before. Talk about publicity! Nice article and it focused on my education, current adventure with FibersStudio and the activity I had planned for children or whomever wanted to learn to weave. I was completely floored and honored. I heard from many friends who had read it and this made the event even more special.

I am of the mind that experience is also a key educational tool. So I went into this expo thinking if I sell one item I'd be happy. Well, I sold more than one. I sold enough to pay for my booth cost & the cost of the trip to and from. I made a very nice profit.

I loved that people whom I did not know that had read the article in the paper about me and came to see me. Some made a the very direct point that they were there because they wanted to meet the weaver in the paper. Some were weavers & knitters themselves. I enjoyed talking to them and hearing their thoughts on what I had done, but especially seeing their eyes light up when they began talking about their own projects. When you really love what you do it shows in how you talk about it. I notice that people usually square their shoulders a bit, lift their head, look into your eyes and talk with such grace about what they do in full smile. Some wanted to know about the project I had prepared for the kids. I gave away many cardboard loom kits to those who were interested. I figure why not? What better marketing tool is there out there than giving something to someone. Maybe they'll find something they love in trying something new.

The kids were amazing. This was my favorite part because I love teaching even though I do not do it now for a living. I would simply hand the children a loom, their favorite color of yarn on the table and a plastic tapestry needle. Then I would show them the very basic technique of weaving over and under each warp thread. With in seconds they got it -really got it! They took to the project very quickly. They were excited about it and talked about it, and asked for help! In the end most had to go before they finished, but they just took their little kits with them yarn, needle and all. I was happy they liked it enough to take it home with them!

I preach "Do what you LOVE!" constantly to anyone who will listen. I am extremely passionate about what I do whether it is graphic design, web design, being a mom, speaking about autism or even my FibersStudio adventures. I am a complete dreamer who fully fits those lyrics, "Dream on, dream on, dream until your dreams come true" that's sung by Aerosmith. Cheesy, but true!

I believe to the depths of my soul that if you really do what you love good things will come to you. That's why I started FibersStudio. I needed to get back to doing what I really loved and I felt I had no choice but to start when I did. There was no question in my mind that I could not wait any longer.  I am only now working in my spare time with my FibersStudio adventure, but it's all mine and I love it.

A fortune I recently got in a cookie said this: "Through greater effort and hard work a precious dream comes true." I can honestly say this dream is coming true and I am a happy girl.

Do something you love today. Never ever be afraid to dream and go for it! For me going to the Art Expo and getting my name out there was just that. I cannot tell you how happy I was to hug my friend from high school that introduced me to the expo! Or how much it meant to just be out there. It made all the difference!

Gearing up as an exhibitor!

Yes, gearing up for my first art show as an exhibitor with FibersStudio. I am excited also because I am getting to help with special exhibits for children. I will be teaching weaving—a simple coin/treasure pouch on a cardboard loom. I have been making the looms for days! Should have 100 packets that include the loom, instructions and yarn for the project ready by Sunday.

The Art Expo 2010 has painting, pottery, photography, digital photography, jewelry & clothes designing, etc. A lot for people to do with many age ranges in mind.

I am not nervous at all. Basically I am looking to this experience as just that...experience. It's hard to gage how much to take or even what will sell. I am fully aware that I may sell nothing, but just getting my name out there is going to help me in the long run. That is part of the reason why I am doing this. So my business will grow a bit.

So, I have my knitted scarves ready to go, and woven shawl with hand-painted glass beads, a hand-dyed & hand-woven wall hanging, and finally a wide woven table runner. Plus 6 woven baby blankets. I'll probably go ahead and take the few bits of paper products too. So there is some variety.

What I am trying to decide on is if I want to take orders on items-most likely shawls and scarves. So tonight and tomorrow I will be figuring out if I should attempt this. If I do, I will most likely have a picture of the end product and then samples of the yarn next to it to choose from.

I think though I'm most excited to see people I haven't for a while. This is taking place in Charleston, WV and I grew up there from 8th grade on and went to Marshall University. So I am hoping to see some friends.

I'll let you know how things went and take pictures too!