What do you do on your creative days?
My post topic today stems from a customer question – “how many projects do you work on at once”.
The simple answer Kim, is MANY!!
There’s good reason for this though. . . . working in the studio is actually my full time job. Not that my hours probably qualify as full time [giggle]. They are quite variable and spread out over the week as I work around the kid’s activities and family life. I’ve been self employed for 18 years now and during that time I’ve earned my living from several different creative areas. At present I divide my time between teaching classes, both in the studio classroom and online, I design painting and stitching projects to sell as pattern packets on my website and then in between times I sell finished products and do commission work. My work is certainly varied and diverse and that’s the way I like it.
I tend to do certain things on set days. Monday to Wednesday I have people coming and going from the studio, so I work on quicker, smaller projects. Thursdays and Fridays are my big project days. These are the days I know I can work uninterrupted and really sink my teeth into a time consuming piece. They also tend to be painting days. Given my day job is also something I like to do in my spare time, I save up smaller hand sewing jobs to finish in the evenings while watching TV with the family. I’m not sure whether that qualifies as work or hobby?
I have several workstations set up around my studio so I can work on numerous projects at the same time. I try to keep my desk at the window neat and office like. That’s where I do paper projects, bookwork and the packaging and processing of orders. I have a bigger long table in the centre of the room that is the official ‘messy table’. I try to keep my clutter confined to that one area but on non-class days I do utilize the classroom tables. . . ummm maybe that should be, my creative clutter erupts like a volcano and spews forth to engulf the class tables. It can look a bit messy at times, but I tell myself it is creativity evolving.
Being self employed has its advantages. I feel blessed that I can make my own hours, be my own boss and work every day surrounded by my creative clutter. I have a very understanding husband, who shall we say. . . hmmm. . . tolerates the craftiness. By his own admission, he doesn’t really ‘get it’ but apparently “loves” everything I make, so I’ve got to be happy with that. Who doesn’t love a critic that embraces everything you do – lol.
Soooo, I hope I’ve answered Kim’s question and given you a better idea of what I do on my creative days.
I’d love to hear from you. . . how many projects do you have on the go at any one time?
Hugs ~ Kerryanne
Love your pictures.
Don’t think I could cope with self-employment as I am not very disciplined…easily distracted…and would be starting far too many things and end up getting nothing finished LOL
Toni :o)
Thursdays and Fridays are my mega days in the studio too, where i work on big projects & hope to finish them too!! Love Posie
Ha en fin dag!
kram
Hanna
I’m still getting the hang of self employed it’s not that easy is it !
I have far too many projects and a zillion ideas spinning around .
This is an interesting topic, I would love to be self employed with my crafts but don’t think I fit into this description. I still lack confidence with my work, but saying that I have my own work space with everything in a place I do sell some of my work but not allot yet. I have 4 things on the go at the moment, which is knitting, stitching, and embroidery. I also have so many ideas spring into my head that I have a small sketch book ready to draw an idea quickly before I forget. I have to say there are to many unfinished projects though, but that’s part of the fun.
Julie.C
Just found your blog! It is beautiful! I am enjoying reading thru your posts! Thanks for sharing your lovely work!
Hi Kerryanne,
Love your pictures and post!
Interesting subject~let me think, I have at least three paintings on the go and started a new project yesterday that’s urgent and then I have heaps of sewing projects on the go as well.
If only I had more quality hours in each day….
Have a great day,
Hugs,
Anna
thank you for your comforting comments on my blog…
it is funny that you mentioned the art journal. when i was most blue the other day i wrote down words describing how i felt at that time on a sticky note that was lying around. i didnt mean for it to be left there when my hubby came home but he saw it and held me as he didnt know i was feeling THAT bad. instead of throwing it away i put it on my crafting table with the thoughts of turning it into a page in my journal. they are sad words but just getting them out helps me move forward.
thanks again, i hope the ‘blue’ lifts from you house as well.
xxxrosey
Hi Kerryanne, I have many projects on the go at once too, spread over the house at different times. I think my husband is finally understanding why I “have”to do all that I do, although he just ‘tolerates’ my work areas as well. I have given up on hoping that he will embrace it like I do but you are right, at times he is the greatest objective critic because he isn’t caught up in it.
I wish I could do my arting and crafting full time but I snatch whatever minutes I can each day. Sometimes it gets overwhelming with all that is wanting to come out but just doing something each day keeps me somewhere on the track. At the moment I have Fridays for my creativity and the weekends I try to keep for family unless there is a deadline or a big project. It’s a hard balancing act sometimes isn’t it?
Lee:)