New Changes for 2014

Sooooo, the last few months, six months.....no actually the whole year, kicked me in the butt. I found myself working so hard with no time to relax. Towards the end of the year, my busiest time of the year, I felt like I was going crazy. My house was a mess, and every room turned into my studio. I had way too many events and I was frantically making. Right before Christmas I asked my mom for advise. I knew things HAD to change for next year for me to be a happy healthy person, wife, mom, friend, business owner and artist.

With her great advice, I moved my girls back into one room where they now share a queen bed and I converted Cora's room into OUR craft room where my little loom is now. It used to be in my kitchen. I know that sounds funny. But when you have a small three bedroom house, you try to use up all extra spaces. For more that two years, I had it at the back of my kitchen next to two windows that overlooked the field next to our house. I loved my view and I loved that I could quickly weave whenever I liked. But I started to see a pattern, especially when I was super stressed out with events. I would choose weaving over doing the dishes any day. Soon my little studio corner started spreading into my kitchen and then dining area and living room. Things were getting out of control. Especially working with Cora on her new business, We Are Going To France.

Now we have a craft room were the rules are we CANNOT do crafts outside of that room AND no little girls can be on my rug where my loom is. I know that might sound mean, but I knew I had to set boundaries if it was ever going to work. I think this has been one of the best family and business decisions I have made in a long time. The girls love working with me. When I am working at my loom, they feel inspired to work on crafts or play Lego's. You can really tell that they love that I have opened my world to them. I also appreciate so much that I can close the door when I am done. Like I said, I had no boundaries, and would choose weaving anytime over doing the dishes. Especially if both loom and a sink of dirty dishes were in the same room.

I also took sometime last week writing down all the show and sales I was in last year. I wrote next to it an arrow up, if it was worth it and an arrow down if I thought it wasn't. About half were worth doing again. This list will be up in my art studio downstairs where my big loom is. I will have to look at it every time I am faced with a possible show. I have been praying for wisdom with my business decisions for the future.

As of right now I am excited about;
* my new scarf making challenge to use up all my yarn that I already own to make all my next scarves. I will be posting updates on my blog and featuring other artist that are up for the challenge as well.

*New one-on-one weaving lessons and dye workshops I will be teaching at the Kansas City Textile Studio starting in February. To sign up, click on this link, Beginning Yarn Dyeing.

*Upcoming solo show at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center for April and May.....yay!!!

*A Mother's Day Holiday Event at Kansas City Textile Studio that will have other mother/daughter makers from Academie Lafayette selling their goods. Cora will be there representing We Are Going To France. And 15% of all our sales will go towards the school. Kim will be there giving a tie-dye demo. So excited about this!!

Pretty exciting events coming up for this year. I am grateful for the new changes. Thanks for all your support and taking time to read this.
Sincerely,
Debbie