Learnin'

Uh, so yeah...I set seriously huge ambitious goals for myself.


My Bag-A Day goal was met.
Well, sort of.


Like my brilliant attorney father, I gathered all of the facts:


Fact:  Every time I went to build, I found I was missing a key construction component or tool.
Fact: I cut out over 40 purses, bags, satchels, clutches and coin purses.
Fact: I actually constructed and made about a Baker's dozen.  
Fact:  I am not a Baker, at least not one by trade
Fact: So, I'm thinking that number doesn't help matters much.
Fact:  I photographed about four of them
Fact:  WTF????????
Fact: I gave one as a Christmas present
Fact: I screwed one up so now I have to keep it.
Fact:  I liked one and kept it as a marketing tool
Fact: I am super pleased about my clever green little bag of recycled playing cards, kept that too.


The stats?  Yes, yes.  I got the numbers; formed the equation; scratched head in thought; carried the one;  and came to an answer:  I have about a six purse inventory.


Six.


That number, to be crass and plebeian: sucks it.  Big time.


Epic fail?
Not so much.


I look at this as a successful challenge even if I never even came close to meeting that initial goal.  Why?  Because I didn't slack.  Not  once.  This is something very important I learned about my own personal strengths.


This is it.  This is what I want to do.  So I went for it.  Head first.  Plunge.  And I learned a ton.


Here is what I gleaned from this situation:

• I now have, in my happy possession, all of the supplies that I need to continue to forge forward.
• I do have at least 40 bags cut out that I can build from start to finish.
• I  can photograph these aforementioned bags in the comfort of my own home.

To this, I say "Huzzah".

So.  I reorganized and regrouped this evening.  I categorized the cut out bags and put them into manageable groups.  I am now planning my February attack plan.

First?  Start off with those Shiny Happy Romancers: The Lovers of Valentine's Day.

Goal one:  Make and photograph every flippin' red and pink bag by next weekend.

This is my newest challenge.

Heart challenge.  LOL.

So ok schmoopy romantics.  Fear not.  I will have that groovy blushy bag for you or for your sweetheart.

Gotta go sew!

Snow-Pac 2 Rock

Being self employed during the biggest Chicago snow since 1967 is pretty amazing.

While the world around me freaked out and beat the snot out of each other in local grocery stores over toilet paper and the last loaf of bread, I sat calmly beading handbags in my living room. While my neighbors that I do like fought with the neighbors that I do not like fought audibly in the hallway over who was going to shovel or not - I sketched new earring designs, did some water color renderings of costumes I want to make in the future.

I am in no way saying that being a self employed accessories designer is easy.  I work harder than ever.  I may conduct the ordinary course of business in my pajammas, but I also work about twelve to fourteen hours per day. I am constantly revamping my designs when I am not actually working on inventory and I am photographing or blogging at other times.

The flurry of activity outside often reflects the same in my small shop, I suppose, as things are piled 6 feet high and I can't leave until I dig out a path.

I have about 29 bags  in the "bag-a- day" challenge I just have to get them documented...

Now...since I can't go anywhere.  I'd best be getting on with some photos.  I'll report back in a week with my progress.