Nick of time

I almost skipped the writing today too. I want to stop, I want to continue. See my dilemma?
I finished and sorted some of the cards today. I have about 6 finished sets and I started the 7th. But then decided I won't stay up late and I'll finish it tomorrow. I want to design all this week and in the meantime decide on the name of new shop and also about some other organizational thingies.
And on that note I'm going to sleep :)

Skipping

I skipped yesterday. I really don't know what to write here except what I do all day long and that is not even interesting for the sake of writing every day. And the only reason I started writing every day is to remember to write every day, lol.
I almost forgot to write today too. It's because I'm going to sleep earlier now.
So I am breaking a promise I gave to myself to write every day. Especially since I won't be able to write when I go to holidays. I really don't want to make myself write when I have to swim and rest and not think about "have to's". So I'm ending it now. I am ending the have to. I won't end writing because this lets me be more organize, but I won't get up in the middle of the night just because I forgot to write here :P

Organizing

In my experience it's best to start your new work organized. I can easily design, well not always but when I'm inspired, but that part is not an issue. The issue is organizing your work. That means I have to lay everything out for myself before I start something new and then write it down. I even have a notebook now for these things. I experienced disorganization and I'm still experiencing it with my crocheting and knitting. But for this new thing organization is a must! That's why I was so hesitant to start it in the first place, because I'm not organized. People tend to say artists are like that, but I believe it's not true. You can't organize when you'll get inspired and start working, but you are not inspired all the time and you don't create new things all the time. Why not organize your life as best as you can during slow times and when the inspiration strikes you can give in to it and even start a few projects at the same time if you feel like it. I know I always feel like it :)
You can control your organization up to a point, but what if your customers keep charging through your virtual door and you can't keep up? Do you cry behind your computer while smiling from every picture? I believe most do :) But you are a human being with your own emotions. Do you really want other people to see you smile while you cry the river between your four walls? Do you live for others or for yourself? Let's be honest, you live for yourself. Not only for yourself, of course, but you are the first link, then comes your family, friends and so on. Organization is the best tool there is in human world. Not control, organization. We need to separate these two words as they have different meanings.
So, to cut this post short, I am trying to organize myself before I start my new job, because it will be a good start no matter what awaits me afterwards. Even if I crash and burn (which can happen only if I bail it completely), I will learn a new skill which I can then implement into other things.
And with those words, I am going to search for some best free organizational online tools that will help me in my future endeavors. Good luck to you too if you are on the same search as me! ♥

Friday

Still researching the same thing. It's as I'm trying to find a secret to a well of life, for crying out very loud! I swear I'll write the whole info at the end of my research and put it out there for all to find.

Rain

It's raining whole day. And I am trying to relax :) Although I am also researching some printing thingamajigs, so the relaxing part is not yet achieved. I will however go to bed early so I could at least have a good night sleep :)

Relaxing

I need it. I want it. I'm gonna realize it! :)))

Designing

I am enjoying designing new things. I designed a whole set today. It was a mess because I'm doing it on my laptop which is very slow, but it's coming along... slooooowlyyyyy :)

Learning more

I tried some designs tomorrow to get the hand of ps and it works good. It's all a matter of practice. :)

Weekly summary

I don't know if I relaxed enough. I keep imagining myself in Greece, maybe that's relaxing enough ;)
I did however go out and enjoyed the sun last week. And I also picked up another thing to learn. Graphics. Yes, graphics. I need something that will bring me more money. I won't ever give up on writing patterns, that is my love and my everything. But it doesn't bring me enough money and I have to find some other job. And since I'm old (yes, compared to 20-somethings), I do need a job. I don't like to work for anybody and I don't have much qualifications but I'm an extremely fast learning if I set my mind to it and I think I can do it. I just spent the last few days deciding what I'd like to learn in graphics because it's a vast field. And invitations come to mind. Actually it came to mind first but I didn't like the part where I have to work after someone buys something from me, hehe. When I write patterns they are available for immediate download. And with invitations you have to work after the fact. And I want to be free to explore the life in any way I choose. But then I thought, I can start with invitations and who knows where that will take me, right? And I don't have to do that my whole life. I don't seem like an adventurous type, more a couch adventurer, lol, but I am more open to new things now than I've ever been before. Now I need a learning curve. I've already started on some things.
In the meantime I can't forget my only love, crocheting and knitting. I edited a new video which will be helpful for one of my capes. I did a voice over and now I have to insert some pictures of the cape and complete the video. I'll do that tomorrow. And then the pattern for one cape will be ready for publishing.

What I want to do next week:
-Relax and exercise.
-Read.
-Publish one cape pattern.
-Publish one video.
-Write one blog post.
-Send first newsletter.
-Learn more about invitations.
-Write some more patterns.

Learning

That seems to be my pattern this year ;) I am trying to learn something new and in the meantime I'll decide what I'll do with it.
Today I watched some video tutorials and I am slowly learning. My learning process will probably last very long, but I don't mind. I just need to continue crocheting/knitting while I learn this new stuff. Because I tend to be engulfed in anything new and forget the "old" for a while thus creating a void in my designing process. And then I have to catch up which results in 20 or more designs being published at the same time, hehe.
On to practicing this new thingy! ♥

Day out

I was out almost the whole day so nothing much to write today. It was a nice day, that's all :)

Testing

Last night I was working on a new video. I had so much troubles with audio but I finally worked something out. I still don't like the final solution, but I am no professional, I'm just a beginner so I really can't spend so much time one something that is only a small part of what I do. Maybe in time. I wish I could ask someone but none of my closest friends don't know anything about this. I could have found some forum and post my question there, but I was reading some similar posts last night and the answering to questions took more days than I wish to wait. My voice sounds like I'm speaking from a barrel this time. Last time I had problems with noise. But I used a different method. This time I needed to hear my previous recording while I record the voice over. And each time I tried it, the program recorder both the original voice and my new voice over. Then I had to disconnect something called line-in mic (still don't know if this is the right phrase) and then only my voice over got recorded. And there was no noise. But my voice is a bit muffled, which I don't like. Now, I only have a simple cheap mic so I couldn't test this with a more professional one to see if the mic is the problem or it's something else. And I'm not rich enough to buy different mics just to see where the problem lies. So for now I'll do it like this. I'm a perfectionist and these things bug me sooooo much :)
On another note, I started testing some of my new designs. In my language, that means I started a new project completely :P When will I change? ;)

Working on another video

I started working on another video. It is a video of finishing one of my crochet capes. I filmed three videos for finishing 3 crochet capes. Knitted ones are easy because there is only sewing involved. Although I can always film a few videos of how to knit short rows. And maybe I will.
As for the video of this cape, I want to edit it tonight. I would like to release one cape pattern every week. So that is 7 weeks. I want to release one cape starting this week and for that I need to finish this video. I plan to release the pattern on Friday or Saturday evening. Together with that I will have to write another blog post and connect the video to it. The pattern is already written, I just want to add some pictures to it and a link to this video. I've had cold for the past week, so I'm hoping my voice will sound better now. That was the only reason why I didn't edit these 2 videos last week.
It was a very warm day today so I went out with a friend and now I'll work part of the night. Today I won't be studying the new thing, maybe I'll do it tomorrow. See, learning how to not pressure myself :)

Studying

I started a bit of studying today. I just read a few articles. Yesterday I bough a notebook so I can write things I think are important. Yes, I can bookmark and leave tabs open, but my experience is they will stay there without me ever reading it. So I decided to take things slowly this time. I am just searching and reading and taking notes. My mum taught me that paper is your best friend. Maybe this means I am serious about something, who knows, only time does ;)
When I used notebooks in the past, that meant I mean business.
As for patterns, I am ready to publish one hat pattern. It's an Inverted Cable hat which is a part of the Inverted Cable set.
I also cleaned my desk today. It was covered with projects I started and didn't finish. Mostly gloves. I put them all in one big bag and I will finish them one by one when I take breaks. My breaks are when I watch some tv show and knit something easy. And my gloves are easy since I've knitted more than 500 pairs. I can do them in my sleep :)
I am trying to relieve myself from pressure. Keep your fingers crossed that I succeed ♥

Change

I need a change. I'm overtired and I don't see the results. Yes, patience is a virtue but I can't eat patience (if there is a dish called patience, I'd love to eat it). Today I phoned a friend to ask her about some advice. I can't do this anymore. This means I don't mean to stop doing it, but it doesn't give me the desired results and I am living off of it. Most people start their business while doing their day jobs. I didn't. Well, I did, but my day job was translating and for the past 2 years I haven't got it at all. So these past 2 years this is my only source of income. And since I have time and many ideas I thought it will be easy especially because I am humble and don't need much. But it's getting harder and I have no help at all. Granted, I usually don't ask for help, I'm not used to, I can even say I'm not taught to ask for it. But enough is enough. I am not a quitter by nature. I can drive myself into the ground but I'd never admit defeat. I don't admit it now either. And the main reason for it is that I won't stop what I do, never ever. I love doing it no matter what! But it takes a lot of time to live off something like this. Especially in a sea of free patterns. I'm all over the place as far as design.
Some people knit/crochet just for kids or pets or women or men or... I make what my head tells me to :) This is good if you want to show someone what you know and how good you are at doing it. But if you want a steady income, you have to focus on a niche market. And I can't seem to do that.
I need to learn some other skill and implement it. I was searching for the past few months. Today I got an idea and wanted to talk to a friend. She gave me some boost, but my doubts will kill me I tell ya. I just can't stick to something for the life of me. One short life and too much things to learn.
Whenever I see something I always think if I can make it/do it. And I never do, I just think about it. That drains the energy that can be used for something fun or even practical.
I am currently taking the time to see what else I can do. I have an idea, but I don't know if I'll stick to it or maybe find something else. In the meantime I am doing the things I already do, which is crocheting and knitting. I'll learn new things in the meantime and if it feels right I might do it.
I want to learn to relax but it's hard when you associate relaxing with something that has become your job. When your hobby becomes your job, then what is your hobby, right?

Weekly and monthly summary

Last week was all about pictures. I've decided to clean my room so I needed to take all the pictures so I can sort, fold and remove all finished items from my room. And pictures are finally good. I wish they were great, but at this point the most important thing is to put those patterns out there. I will also post the finished items.
I filmed a few videos too. I just need to edit them. But since I have a cold and talk funny, I'll wait until I get better to do voiceovers. I can however edit the video part and add sound later. So maybe I'll work on that next week. I also wrote a few patterns. Two. I started the third one but then I had other things to do, so I'll work on it next week. I actually did everything I set to do last week :)
I did a lot past month, but since I don't see the results yet I keep thinking I didn't do nothing. It's because I haven't published any new pattern yet. And not only that, but all the patterns I'm preparing are for winter, so I don't know how they will be accepted now. My previous experience tells me that patterns I publish in april get popular in november. I started working on the summer patterns and as far as I can see they will be ready in september. It's like I'm living in Australia! :)

What I want to do next week:
-Relax, relax, relax!
-Read.
-Write patterns when I feel like it.
-Work on summer designs.
-Walk and go outside more! :)))

Cleaning

Today was a cleaning and all around relaxing day. I started by washing some of the things so I can make more space in my room. I've made a mess with my projects and I need to sort all that out. And in between of cleaning and sorting out I am working on a summer crochet shirt/top.
I wrote the pattern for one size completely, I crocheted the back of the shirt and I'm working on the front, which is the same as the back.
I'd love to work on summer designs from now on, because the warm weather is starting and it would be hot enough to work with wool yarn. I've had a hard time taking pictures yesterday, I can imagine how it can be when it's 40 degrees outside. After I finish this top I'm working on, I have 2 more summer designs in my mind. I have enough cotton yarn for one design and after it's done I'll buy some more for the other one. I keep drawing designs in my notebook. I don't think I'll make everything from my notebook but it's better to draw them than keep them in my head. Overcrowding ;)

Pictures 2

Took another series of pictures today and this time they were good. Not excellent, but it's because I did them myself, but I can work with them which is all I need. :)
And it was a particularly warm day. Although it was nice on the terrace and it was windy, which can be seen on pictures due to my hair going all around my face! :)