Friday, April 29, 2011

You Have to Start Somewhere...

I have been toying with the idea of embarking on a journey into the blogosphere for a few years now, yet my insecurities about technology and attracting an audience kept me from venturing forth. I am a thinker and tend to spend a lot of time in my head now that my children are all in school and i can actually hear my own thoughts between the hours of 7:15 a.m. and 2:35 p.m. (pure luxury to anyone who's been home with their beauties for over 16 years!), and often wonder what others would think if they could follow the flotsam and jetsam of my stream of consciousness throughout the day. I've considered writing a book (hasn't everyone?), but that seems like a big commitment. I'm awfully good at starting big projects, but the finishing...not so much. A blog seemed like the perfect outlet, save the fears mentioned above. So I put it off. For years.

Enter the current season of my life...One year ago next month I completed my (drum roll, please!) masters degree in Counseling in Educational Settings. I was excited to be re-entering the workforce in a job I could sink my teeth into after so many years at home, but after major cuts to the education budget in my state (announced within weeks of graduation) I soon learned that there simply were no jobs. What now? I was ready to be engaged in a meaningful, rewarding professional activity and had no place to expend that energy! I knew that I needed to do something I loved, and turned to my crafting passions for a solution. My bff (who I am also blessed to call my sister-in-law) and I started making jewelry like two women possessed and began going to craft fairs. We decided that we simply had to open a bead shop together, which required one or both of us to relocate, and for a few months it looked like it would actually happen. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be and I again found myself searching for meaningful occupation.

Someday I will blog about what lead me back to my first craft-love of quilting, but in the interest of brevity (and not losing my audience when I've barely gotten started) I will simply say that I realized I wanted to turn my passion for quilting and bag-making into a business. Then I found etsy and was blown away by not only the business possibilities, but by the community of artisans and crafters sharing their stories, experiences and tips freely with newbies like myself. I had found a home and that home brought me full-circle back to blogging. It seems that blogging is a great way to promote such a business and help potential customers get to know you as a person. So here's the truth: I had the idea to start this blog primarily to promote my etsy shop, and hope that you will click on the link provided in my blog and fall in love with something I've made that you just have to buy. But honestly, this blog is about way more than that because I am about way more than that. This blog is about sharing life and interests like reading, music, family (including pets, cause they're family too), and humor (because what's life without it?).

So whether you visit my shop or not I hope you'll stop by regularly to see what's happening here in Eclectobohemia, and to share what's going on in your part of the world as well.