Post Script

I totally agree. I keep thinking, "what if I get one of the family diseases and have no insurance?" (My dad died pretty young of one and we were lucky insurance-wise.) I don't have a husband to take care of me or put me on his insurance, either.

Any thoughts or opinions about health care aside, I will say that it's
remarkable the fierceness I saw in artists in Europe and Canada vs
those of us in the US who have to worry about health insurance or
getting sick or getting sick and then not being able to get health
insurance.

When I came back to the US from London, I remember by roommate being
shocked that insurance concerns were waying so heavily on me.

Kim, you are the first person I think of in terms of singing other people's praises.
And you're quite right that that comes back to you.
I fall in love easily too. All it takes sometimes is a beautiful, scary, hilarious, fascinating link on
Facebook. Or a very clever line.
Or perhaps simply having a heartfelt opinion.
Wearing you heart on your sleeve is certainly dangerous and often painful.
But I have always thought that, if we're to be judged for anything, it's how many connections with other humans we accepted and how many we refused.

Oh, I love that. I've thought a lot recently about an odd (and, since you
know me, I imagine quite surprising) mindset I was in for quite a while that
I wasn't really a people person, that I preferred to be alone. Of course
that's not the case; it was obvious to everyone but me. Regardless, I love
the idea of considering the connections we've accepted versus refused.

Ah, Miriam. You've hit on something I face almost every day and have discussed with Kim(my) at
length. Your strong points.
When people tell me they like my style, I am nearly always taken aback.
My style? I have a style?
It's been an enormous hurdle for me to see coherence in what I do.
So how do you sell yourself (something I stink at) if you can't see what to sell?

Kim has been kind about this, but it's still a struggle.

So. I feel strongly about selling finished pieces instead of just patterns. Now I'm trying to
deal with what Miriam's talking about-- recognizing what you're good at and what you can't
do yourself.
Website? Not without folks who know how.
Photography for website? Maybe.
Making stuff that looks good? I'm better at that.

All this to say, "friend collecting" (love that, Kim) is one of the best aspects of the crafty life.
That and the beloved barter system.

"My style? I have a style?"

Hee. I have actually said that before.

Once I actually turned to a friend and said something along the lines
of: "Wait... Why didn't you tell me I had a style?! I've been trying
to find mine and I already freaking had it?!"

It's weird what we don't notice about ourselves and everyone else
does, a bit of the inverse of when we think we see a zit or a new
wrinkle, we think everyone will notice but no one ever does. :)

You know, it's funny. After seeing that post published, I thought, "Crikey!
I say, 'collecting people' and it must sound as if I mean, 'to keep them in
my back pocket so I can call upon them to do my bidding! Mwahahaha." I'm
glad, Kathy, that you didn't think that.

I think of collecting people as sort of having them become a part of my
life. In the sense of friends, it means I fall in love very easily. Once
I've fallen, there's no going back. In this sense, I "collect" people to
become a part of my life. In the sense of colleagues—whatever that may
mean—it's a similar type of thing. When I meet someone (in physical life or
online) and I feel some sort of clickage with them, that's collection. I'm
not keen on amassing a Rolodex filled with "networking contacts"; I do, on
the other hand, very much enjoy forming meaningful relationships with
people, even if the relationship is very wee.

Anyhoo. It sounds to me like you need a web-someone to help you out with
that, and set you on your feet so it's no longer a looming, daunting thing.
Maybe someone will barter with you...

As for "selling yourself", I say forget about it. Take credit when you
deserve it, give credit when it's due. I spend what a more top-10-list
businessy type might refer to as "self-promotion energy" on promoting other
people. It's way easier to sing the praises of someone else than it is to
feel like you're patting yourself on the back all the time. And it has a
stunningly consistent way of coming back to you eventually.

I don't know why I'm holding back. Maybe I'm trying to 'get better' at my craft (making jewelry). I've been taking classes at the local art center, which has helped me to see that I'm pretty good at it, and I get all sorts of encouragement from different people. I need to learn how to take good photos but I haven't worked on it yet. I need to get some business cards made, still working on a design. Maybe I'm trying to do too many things at once.

I have found the key to doing this indie thing well is to know what your strong points are, and what they aren't. If you are uncomfortable with your photography find someone who can take the photos for you! Maybe they'll work for trade, or allow you to pay them in installments, but don't be held back by something you can't do. Just find someone to do it.

Also, this supports other indie people, which is always good karma.

I think I can do the photography, it's just finding the gumption to take the camera (which, btw, is sitting right next to me on my desk!), moving the jewelry pieces outside, figuring out props/backgrounds (for which I'm planning on using monotone but pretty papers). Pure laziness- but after talking about it here this morning I'm pretty sure I'll go ahead and do it, since the sun is out and I'm at home today.

I'd be very happy to support other indie folk, thanks for the reminder! Yesterday I was looking at the local printer's website but I'd much rather get cards, tags etc from a fellow craftsperson. Thanks Craftivista and Miriam!

You're more than welcome, Anne!

I'm glad you're finding out more about why you're not where you want
to be with things!

As for the photos, you might want to check out this article: http://theswitchboards.com/articles_professiona...
Besides being helpful, it also makes it fun and non-scary!

You're more than welcome, Anne!

I'm glad you're finding out more about why you're not where you want
to be with things!

As for the photos, you might want to check out this article: http://theswitchboards.com/articles_professiona...
Besides being helpful, it also makes it fun and non-scary!

It's funny when you finally realize you're holding back. Because
you're like, "Why? This is so stupid!" And when do you know when
you're "good enough?"

Trying to do too many things at once gets me too! That's when I have
to slow down and make lists and actually do the things on the
list...which sometimes means having lists of lists to do. :)

Oh, and go for it!

The thing that pushed me to do it was a consultant. My last corporate job hired a consultant to help us find joy in our work and to feel successful, valued and to work as a high performing team. In the process, we realized that there was no way I could feel successful in the job I had.

What made me feel successful was to be creative every day and have my work appreciated by others. I could see the string of unhappy jobs I had been in, and a succession of other unhappy jobs before me and the realization that I was spending 50 hours a week on something that was driving me to drink.... I decided to do it. It couldn't be worse than the alternative of crappy unfulfilling jobs with death as the only sweet release.

Also, I had been diagnosed as pre-diabetic and was supposed to be loosing weight. I was too exhausted at the end of every day to exercise or even cook healthy, and the stress of my job was contributing to keeping the weight I needed to loose from coming off, even when I COULD exercise. So there was also the health factor.

All in all, I'm not sorry that I did it, just a little bit sad when I think about those gigantic paychecks and the health insurance with no deductable.

Totally understand this post. So glad that you ladies opened this to the public for discussion.