Memorygirls - Make Do and Mend

crickett1234

You know when you have one of those days when the Universe is telling you what you should be doing, and using a megaphone to do it? Today is one of those days.

I have been struggling a bit with trying to work out what I really, really want to do with my life. I thought for a while it might have been my own business, and I think that might feature somewhere... but it suddenly struck me what my ideal job would be with a peculiar amount of force.

How did this fact come to me? Well, on Monday night, when I was waiting to go to Choir rehearsal, I was browsing the shelves of my local bookshop. This is a dangerous thing to do because I love books and invariably I end up buying something. Monday night was no exception. I bought a copy of "The Power" and a book called "Moonheart" by an author I had not previously heard of, one Charles de Lint. I managed to read a chapter of it yesterday (while commuting on the tram between work and the park and ride site) and have read a few pages this morning and this lunch time as well. I am totally hooked. He writing is exceptional, and his genre, Urban Fantasy I think it is called, is just amazing. I think I have a crush on a writer I have done a bit of research on line, and it appears he has a vast back catalogue and is still writing. Oh, and he has a facebook page... so I have asked him to be my friend!!

While I was looking into all of this I got this amazing bubbling of feeling from my insides. It felt a bit like utter terror and a lot like excitement. It wasn't just that I was excited at the idea of reading all of this author's books... but the feeling that I could do this too. I could write novels and be published and be able to see my books on a shelf in Waterstones. OMG! I really could do this. Now, I have never got that kind of feeling when thinking about starting up my own business. My head is saying that starting up my own business is a sensible way to go, but the writing thing (just writing that made me tingle ) is making my hair stand on end. It is my heart saying this is the way. Perhaps my soul waving and hollering support in the background as well. I can't seem to shake the feeling that this is what the Universe wants me to do.

And you know the peculiar thing? Ever since I was small, I have loved writing stories. I am remembering that one of Mr Big's challenges was to think about what we did as a child and what we enjoyed.

Right, I am practically hyperventilating at my desk with excitement at the moment! Need to make a cup of tea and calm down a bit and then I need to think about how I am going to do this.

Thank you MG for this thread and the amazing things it inspires. (and I do hope DS1 is happier today. BIG HUGS to you both)

clairewop

Bitsy_Beans wrote: »

Mine too I can get away with wearing nickle for a couple of hours but after that it's itch itch itch. Thankfully (for my husband) I am more a "silver" girl than gold so end up with the slightly cheaper option

Anyway I wanted to pick all your brains. I've been really enjoying this thread and the positivity and sheer activity on it. Feeling really motivated to do something (I realise since the birth of my kids I've been sort of treading water ) BUT there are lots of things I'd like to try to boost my income, fit round my family life and my current job as a childminder. I am just not sure if I have enough talent in the things I like though I love baking, I love craft/card making etc that sort of thing, I love working with young children (just a bit fed up of my house looking like a creche all the time ) and I just feel unsure which path to take. Is it just a question of asking the Universe for guidance and seeing what signs appear?? Just really want to put some of this new found energy and enthusiasm to good use

Anyway sorry for the ramble.

MG - good luck with your plans for SA.

clairewop - I'd like to see the duck ones Edited to Add - Love the ducks but especially love the Christmas Angels But then I LOVE all things Christmas LOL

Why don't you make some cards and have a go at selling them?

Ducks are on

clairewop

crickett1234 wrote: »

You know when you have one of those days when the Universe is telling you what you should be doing, and using a megaphone to do it? Today is one of those days.

I have been struggling a bit with trying to work out what I really, really want to do with my life. I thought for a while it might have been my own business, and I think that might feature somewhere... but it suddenly struck me what my ideal job would be with a peculiar amount of force.

How did this fact come to me? Well, on Monday night, when I was waiting to go to Choir rehearsal, I was browsing the shelves of my local bookshop. This is a dangerous thing to do because I love books and invariably I end up buying something. Monday night was no exception. I bought a copy of "The Power" and a book called "Moonheart" by an author I had not previously heard of, one Charles de Lint. I managed to read a chapter of it yesterday (while commuting on the tram between work and the park and ride site) and have read a few pages this morning and this lunch time as well. I am totally hooked. He writing is exceptional, and his genre, Urban Fantasy I think it is called, is just amazing. I think I have a crush on a writer I have done a bit of research on line, and it appears he has a vast back catalogue and is still writing. Oh, and he has a facebook page... so I have asked him to be my friend!!

While I was looking into all of this I got this amazing bubbling of feeling from my insides. It felt a bit like utter terror and a lot like excitement. It wasn't just that I was excited at the idea of reading all of this author's books... but the feeling that I could do this too. I could write novels and be published and be able to see my books on a shelf in Waterstones. OMG! I really could do this. Now, I have never got that kind of feeling when thinking about starting up my own business. My head is saying that starting up my own business is a sensible way to go, but the writing thing (just writing that made me tingle ) is making my hair stand on end. It is my heart saying this is the way. Perhaps my soul waving and hollering support in the background as well. I can't seem to shake the feeling that this is what the Universe wants me to do.

And you know the peculiar thing? Ever since I was small, I have loved writing stories. I am remembering that one of Mr Big's challenges was to think about what we did as a child and what we enjoyed.

Right, I am practically hyperventilating at my desk with excitement at the moment! Need to make a cup of tea and calm down a bit and then I need to think about how I am going to do this.

Thank you MG for this thread and the amazing things it inspires. (and I do hope DS1 is happier today. BIG HUGS to you both)

WOW!! exciting Go for it, what have you got to lose?

Bitsy_Beans

crickett1234 wrote: »

And you know the peculiar thing? Ever since I was small, I have loved writing stories. I am remembering that one of Mr Big's challenges was to think about what we did as a child and what we enjoyed.

Me too. I've always wanted to write a book and I confess I wanted to BE Enid Blyton writing childrens books when I was little.
I have to say though since Easter this year I have taken up one activity I did as a child - adult tap class. If I had the time and the money I'd kill for an adult ballet class too :rotfl:

Go for it! So nice that writing makes you flutter

clairewop - I would make cards but I just feel mine look a little too homemade I'd really like a Sizzix or a die cutter of some sort but can't afford that at the moment. Perhaps I should set myself a wee challenge to raise the money for a sizzix to help me on my way.......

clairewop

So do you think the ducks will sell? I'm still not sure.

Anyway got lots of parcels to go to the post office, so will catch you all later

Plus the postie has been with the sterling silver headpins so am going to be busy later, and I need to pop to the £1 shop for more mailing bags I've run out

clairewop

Bitsy_Beans wrote: »

Me too. I've always wanted to write a book and I confess I wanted to BE Enid Blyton writing childrens books when I was little.
I have to say though since Easter this year I have taken up one activity I did as a child - adult tap class. If I had the time and the money I'd kill for an adult ballet class too :rotfl:

Go for it! So nice that writing makes you flutter

clairewop - I would make cards but I just feel mine look a little too homemade I'd really like a Sizzix or a die cutter of some sort but can't afford that at the moment. Perhaps I should set myself a wee challenge to raise the money for a sizzix to help me on my way.......

I'm sure your cards are fab!!

My 11 year old son makes cards and they sell, I sell them at the farmers market with my jewellery.

Why not put a few things on ebay to raise the cash? those machines are always selling on ebay too.

Bitsy_Beans

clairewop wrote: »

I'm sure your cards are fab!!

My 11 year old son makes cards and they sell, I sell them at the farmers market with my jewellery.

Why not put a few things on ebay to raise the cash? those machines are always selling on ebay too.

Yeah that's what I thought - set myself a mini challenge to raise the dosh. I keep telling my H we have to save for things we want so perhaps I ought to practice what I preach :rotfl:

Well done to your son selling his cards

Helen105

God Crickett1234 it is scary how much we have in common (apart fron the choir, I can't sing).

I like writing & it has always been a dream to earn a living as a writer. It has stayed strictly a dream as I have never managed to finish any of the stories I've started.
Inspired to stretch myself by this thread, I started classes in screen printing and creative writing and I now have a plan to bring them both together. Excuse, me whilst I tell you a story:

Last Christmas I discovered DD3 (15) was pregnant, in April she had the GS who is a sweetheart. Things have settled down nicely, and he is in nursery and she is doing A Levels. One of her A Levels is in Graphic Art for which she has a talent particularly for drawing quirky characters. She had an ambition to become a children's book illustrator but I think it would be much better if I was to write the book and she was to illustrate it.

I know that it is hard to get an illustrated book published and they don't pay much anyway so the second part of my plan is to get some of her characters printed up on t shirts and bags and sell them from a website, which will also include at least part of her book.
The ultimate aim is that we will both be able to work that 38 week year from home that Mr Big talked about but a lower aim would be to provide her with a satisfying job that would support the GS.

Memory_Girl

OliveOyl wrote: »

And an update from me (said in the style of 2 Ronnies :rotfl:)

1) Company ARE sponsoring the web-site, and we're meeting the Graphic Designer on Tuesday 18th
2) Launch party on 13th November is proving to be quite exciting. An African/English Fusion, with food from both groups and local entertainment. This has unexpectedly thrown up some zenophobia which is a challenge I'm eager to accept, so you must ask the universe to keep my bull-headedness in check
3) oh my, I can hardly believe this. How about the possibility of a £10K grant to refurbish another site? (I want a little icon fainting with delight, but have to use this :j ) :j
4) am trying to pluck up courage to ask someone for storage space for Kits for Kids. We're now aiming for 10, 000 shirts to be shipped over at Christmas....... I keep telling myself "what's the worst he can do? Laugh in your face?" When I have a space, I'll let you know.:o

I think that's enough

10,000 tops by Christmas – Lordy woman, set a scary target!!!.

Then I got to thinking – that’s 10,000 kids on Christmas morning that get something really, really important to them. That’s 10,000 kids that know someone else somewhere is thinking about them.

So then I asked myself “what do you want for Christmas MG?” – don’t know about you, but 10,000 smiles on Christmas day sounds just about the best present anyone could wish for?

So – you know me – I need a plan of how to get there – and inspiration struck when I caught sight of my “Money Tree”. Eureka!!!! Break it down in to smaller chunks.

So the target is 10,000 shirts in the next 10 weeks ( I feel a challenge coming on!!!!!)

1. There’s 87 people in the matrix (so far) , me, my mum and my mums best friend makes 90.
10000 shirts divided by 90 = 111 shirts each in ten weeks , or ten a week. Still a big scary number.

......................... but hang on – I’ve also got my top 20% of my Mr Big 250 list

So

2. There are 90 people in the matrix and they each sort out a list of the top 50 people in their lives – that makes a possible pool of 4500 people that collectively we could ask for football tops from. That’s just 2 tops from each person (and my DS1 already had 8 laying about here) and after all we are asking for second hand kits for Kids for Christmas. It’s not a difficult or embarrassing ask is it?
So I put together an email and decided to spend 15 minutes today seeing what I could achieve for OliveOyls kids.

So I emailed my top 20% list and I’ve already got 18 tops pledged. Seven Head teacher’s have come back to say they will put slips home with their kids and pop posters up in school, collect the tops there and I can get them closer to Christmas.

Three shops will put posters up in their windows and collect for us. The local Rugby club – ditto. The local college will put up posters and their PE dept will collect kit for us. Got a contact in the finance dept of St Andrews University who has got access to a mailing list and will mail out a plea – she will collect the tops and throw them over to me bag by bag.

The Rotary club sponsor our Christmas lights and I’ve asked them if we could run a collection of tops on “Lighting up night” and can they help me advertise the fact in the local press.

It was so easy to ask – because after all I wasn’t asking for myself was I? But I’m pretty impressed that I managed to come up with people other than my top 20% to ask.

So who else is going to play?

Memorygirl

Kittikins

Yay MG, you go girl! Can I be cheeky and ask for the wording of your request email....I've sent out a request to my freegle group and had no replies and am wondering how to approach some of the chaps in the office whose kids I know wear footie tops (as I see the snaps at their desks). I just don't know how to word it so eloquently that they will do their bit for Oo

(I'm so cheeky and/or lazy aren't I....but you're obviously having great success with it already!)