Debt Reset....

jwil

Very exciting about the holiday.  Nice that you are getting the small annoying jobs done as well.

CRANKY40

Thank you @jwil , it's lovely not being able to see the pipes any more. 

Today we (the HT helped) removed shed clutter ready for a small repair being done next week. I'm still tackling clutter by trying to remove two things a day either to the bin or to the charity shop bag but I'm thinking that the car load of cardboard etc that we've just got shot of can count as today's lot. 

The grass needs cutting and there are some other jobs need doing out there but it rained last night and this morning so no chance of doing anything today. I may be having a longer than usual coffee break then.

Take care all of you 😊

beanielou

Morning CRANKY40. 

Sorry that I did not realise that you had a diary. 

Anyway, here now. 

WinterWarrior

I missed the holiday announcement. Exciting ✨

EssexHebridean

Hurrah for holiday booking, and especially a trip abroad when you've not done that for a while! 

CRANKY40

Good morning, 

Hello @beanielou, this is my second diary. I have to admit posting is a bit sparse these days. I joined a slow living thread which in the way of my universe meant that my life then switched to hyperdrive and I've been very busy this year so far and usually too tired to post much when I sit down. 

@WinterWarrior I'm not sure that exciting is quite the right word. The HT doesn't like heat and his favourite foods are pizza and pasta. He's determined that he wants to go abroad though so we'll give it a try. 

I was up early today as the car has gone for an MOT. Fingers crossed it passes. The HT did his first paid work yesterday - it's just a couple of hours twice a week in someone's garden but it will be good to add to his cv. He's aching a bit today 🤣

I'm going to cut our grass this afternoon and possibly move the mini greenhouse to somewhere that the sun is on for most of the day so that I can put my little plantlings out in it. I'm going to do some crochet too to use up some of the yarn stash.

The HT thinks that I should start an etsy shop so he's made me a banner and designed a business card for me ready. No pressure there then 😄 It started when I made myself a little bag to carry my book and a drink in for when I want to go and sit out somewhere on holiday. The bag is cute enough but it's not lined so I'm not sure that it would be a useful day to day thing. Someone did offer to buy one of my shawls once but that was a one off too. I'll have a think. 

Take care all of you 😊

EssexHebridean

If you think you will still enjoy doing the crochet thing if it comes to doing it as "work" then grand. I've spent years with folk telling me that I "should" sell my photos, and while I've dabbled in the past, I know from experience that as soon as the photography crosses from something I want to do, to something I *have* to do, it stops being anything I enjoy at all! (Also the people that say this have no idea how much work is really involved - they think I just click the shutter and there - ready to sell piece of work...it's not quite like that, in much the same way that the finished item in any form of crafting also has an awful lot of work behind it to get it to a finished state!)

These days I tend to just smile and say "no, I shouldn't" and call the conversation closed!   (Also - the HT is suggesting it from a position of love and pride in your work, which is quite different, and very lovely!)

CRANKY40

@EssexHebridean the HT is suggesting it as a means of transforming a lot of yarn that I was given into cold, hard cash. I made one of his friends a birthday present which she really liked. This pleased him on two counts - one was that friend had a nice present and two was that it didn't cost him anything 🤣🤣🤣 He tells me if something is wrong like the bunny peep that I tried with googly eyes. He said that I couldn't give it away because it looked like it had "Seen Things". He was right 😄

WinterWarrior

I am the same with quilting. The hourly rate would be about 5p per hour and people would still think it was dear 🤣 they don’t see all the costs in the materials at all and aren’t comparing apples for apples when they look at mass produced sweatshop items. I prefer it to be a hobby and a rare and treasured gift if the crafting spirit moves me!
I bet most holiday places have pizza. I remember Mexico all inclusive having pizza ovens. Sadly it was at night, outside, and you could see flappy bitey things by the light of the candles and had no idea how much winged protein you’d consumed 🤣😅

foxgloves

Interesting discussion about selling handcrafted items. Years ago, I made pewter jewellery & did local craft fairs. Fun to do but as an income generator, I didn't cover costs when you take into account fees for the stall & materials, so that means my time was pretty much given for free. Most people seem to attend craft fairs to browse, not to buy, even if they like the wares on offer. I always make sure I buy something, even if it's just a card, an edible or something for a gift.
I do occasionally get asked to knit for people, but I usually say it will be too expensive because of the time it will take. I sometimes knit socks for people but they either need to supply me with the correct yarn & pay £20 towards my time (which in no way covers the actual time taken on 2.5mm needles) or I can send a link for them to choose the yarn, I will order it & add the cost plus the p&p to their invoice. That's about as far as I go, as hand crafting time is so far away from minimum wage, but I can knit socks while watching tv or in the car, in a coffee shop, wherever.
I was once stopped in town while I was wearing my traditional hand knitted gansey by a woman who asked me where I got it from. I said I made it myself & she asked if she could commission me to knit one for her. I said no, & explained that even if I charged her £250 for the knitting time, that wouldn't even come close to the hours I'd need to spend on it, & of course she'd also have to meet the cost of the gansey yarn which is quite expensive as it is 100% wool & a specific ply.
I think making little quick things could be different. I have sold quite a few pairs of handknitted baby socks over the years, including a consignment via the bay of e to someone with a christening dress business, but even though v small, they are blimming boring things to knit!
F x