I have contemplated this post. I like new years and making resolutions that say... I'm going to do it differently from here on! I like being able to to start over. But this year, I'm having problems with that because we are from our toenails to the top of our heads starting over and were not even sure where were going yet.
Ralph and I are in the process of redefining our dreams. We have come to the conclusion that we agreed to follow our dreams together but the dream were following isn't the only dream we have had or ever will have. So... if that's not the dream we will follow, what is?
Pizza, we love our pizza store in San Augustine but were we happy in Houston? not really. I liked the convenience of living in the city but we were working so hard we never felt like doing anything or going anywhere. We came home because everything was falling apart. Things were not going well in the San Augustine store and his son's family was in crisis and we were worried about the safety of our grandchildren. Deciding to close Houston and move home was really not a hard decision. Family first, we missed home, we didn't want to work as hard as we were in Houston... we saw early graves for both of us at that pace. So here we are back in San Augustine but what now. this is obviously not going to do more than pay our basic bills... so we need to do something. We need to build a new dream or redefine our pizza dream... we need more income.
So maybe that is what 2013 brings us, the year of discovery.
I have started an Etsy store and have made 6 sales! woo hoo! not bad for my first month, i would say! I am selling upcycled fabric (mostly vintage sheets and men's shirts) and I have made some products from them. I also put on some vintage patterns i had, seeing how they do. I haven't put my first quilt on there but I'm going to this week. My sister (her link is
here) also started a store and were talking about doing a couple "themed" stores together. A pet boutique of homemade pet items being one of them.
Is this my dream? I think its part of it. It has been so nice to let my creative juices flow. Ive felt stifled creatively making pizzas although I will always believe each pie is a piece of art... lol.. i was ready to explore some new media! So the making stuff has been fun. The organizing product to get it on there, i need help with that. I have at least 30 more sheets of fat quarters to put on but I've been so busy by the time i figure out which ones i don't have I've run out of time.... I will get there. But i have set the goal at 1000 per month in income by December 2013! wish me luck! This is the only part of the plan that is definate. "Tamara will sell 1000 worth of fabric, quilts and handmade items per month" We have one goal set....
But what else do i want to do... the possibilities is endless... i have a desire to make cheese! I want to grow a garden and go to farmers markets. wouldn't it be cool to sell items i have canned? lol... so who know a milk goat or cow and a garden may be part of my dream!!!
But the dream is a little more than that... it involves Ralph too. It is both of us loving what we do and working together. He has a few things that he has been researching and he may do.
First, every man's dream to have a still. We are looking into starting a micro distillery. Yep, were talking moonshine... but doing it legal with licenses and marketing it and selling it. Right now that is looking like the most promising. And its something we will both do and have fun doing. Trying different recipes (lol yep tasting them will be fun too... i know some are laughing because you know i don't drink! I guess I'm going to have to amened that and say i don't drink alot! lol)
Another thing he has talked about and is looking into is making knives and other things using his blacksmith skills, or he also has a associates degree in saddlery, boot making and leather work and we have talked about getting some of the things he needs to work with that as well.
Ok... so here is the funny thing. We told his son our ideas of our dreams and he said were turning into hippies and were going to go live in the woods making stuff. Well... we laughed but now that were thinking about it, yeah... that does sound pretty cool to us! Maybe that is where 2013 is taking us. Maybe were just gonna become hippies and live in the woods!
plaid shirts throw - I know, so simple and easy, its the same 8" block that i did the vintage sheet throw in. Ralph and i have a 12" block plaid shirt quilt on our bed and i just love the simplicity of it. Here is some "process" for you. I used to lay them out and arrange and rearrange them to get a "random" look. But half the time i mess those up and quite frankly im lazy! I hate getting up and sitting down to sew then getting up to get the next batch... so lately I have just been sewing them in two's then a row of 4 then i will arrange and rearrange those on the floor next to me so i dont get any of the same too close together. Anyone else lazy like that???
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