One thing leads to another...

When we decided to write a book with a major publisher, we knew two things:

1. Some parts of it would be a pain in the rear (dealing with someone elses' deadlines and demands)
2. It would give us street-cred.

We were totally correct on both points. Going with a publisher means you get an editor, who may or may not work with you in the way you are best suited... it also means dealing with their schedule (they said our book would be available on September 20, and we noticed it was actually in stores and Amazon on August 23.... we actually MISSED the launch date of our own book because they forgot to tell us), and they had no marketing plan. WHAT! We are supposed to handle the marketing of our own book, totally on our own for that. So that's why they wanted us to have a strong social media platform. lol.

The street-cred thing is highly sought-after by artists. It seems that no matter how great you are at what you do, the crafting community only believes you are "real" if you've been published. I actually had someone say to me once, after I had been doing free monthly demos and teaching sessions for their polymer clay guild for several years, that I was not a "real" polymer clay teacher (because I was not published and/or traveling the country like a gypsy to teach in other cities). How do you think that felt?

I digress. It's finally here! Next month, on November 5th, I will have my first guest-post on www.CreateMixedMedia.com! I'm so psyched about that. And today I'm being interviewed by www.iCreateFlix.com for their podcast, as a guest teacher. And I have a guest post coming out on their blog later this month too, when I will be featured in their newsletter AND I'll be releasing a new class on making a mixed-media shrine with cutout niche. So cool.

The next step will be getting published in Cloth-Paper-Scissors.... and then I think I'll take over the world :)

Packing up for Craft Shows and such- Crafty Love Note # 3

At the end of October, I'm going to vend with a friend. It's mostly her booth, she's been doing it for a while and I'm just starting to poke my head into that world. So booth decor and a way to arrange my small items (mostly jewelry backstock) are on my mind.

I was at Michaels today and saw that they now have "suitcases" made out of cardboard. You know, in the boxes section where they have faux books, hatboxes and various sizes of decorative paper boxes. While I was looking at them, a thought occurred to me... Why not get one of them, and arrange the inside so that I can put all of my earrings and necklaces inside of it and have it totally ready- all I would have to do at the craft show is open it up and Voila- it's ready to go! My plan is to do some customization, the box I got is mostly black so I will probably add some paint to the outside and perhaps some other stuff, maybe paper, on the inside. I'm going to put ribbons in the lid, taut, so that I can slide earring cards in there. On the bottom, I intend to cut a piece of foamcore, wrap it in faux suede and lean it so that I can pin my necklaces inside. Then with some minor touchups, I should be able to sell jewelry right out of the box.

So here's my Crafty Love Note for you- always keep your mind totally open when you are browsing at the craft store! Sometimes I go there just to wander, think, and brainstorm and the most interesting connections get made in my mind. I problem solve and sometimes I walk out empty handed without buying anything. Today was my lucky day, because those boxes were 40% off. I might go back for more!

 

You're not crazy-

I grew up in an abusive household. I hate to say it, because my Dad is still around and although he didn't directly abuse me, ever, he did leave me and my siblings with an alcoholic mother to deal with while he worked. Adult children of alcoholics (that's what we're called) are codependent people. It's a fact, and it was in studying ACOAs that codependent behavior was actually discovered, categorized, and labeled. So there's no escaping it. Actually, it felt very liberating when I found out- no one wants to hear that they are codependent- but when you are actually diagnosed, it feels incredible.

I went to a therapist a couple years ago because I thought I was crazy. Insane. I was accepting behavior from those around me that was astonishingly terrible, and I was committing the same levels of atrocious behavior myself. Mostly I just felt like I was emotionally out of control. I wasn't going to do anything stupid. But I felt like I was absolutely stuck, especially in my relationship with my husband and my options for living my life. There were no boundaries between me, him, everyone, and my desires for my life were in no way being fulfilled.

When I discussed exactly what was going on with my doctor, she gave me the book Codependent No More and told me to read it asap. I saw myself in those pages and breathed a sigh of relief. And I believe there were tears too. I was NOT crazy, I am codependent. At least I could DO something about that. It's not easy- believe me.

What has helped? Well, at that time I was seriously seeking and trying hard to figure out what was wrong with me. I had already lost my faith (it's been found again...) so that was out. I turned to books like Byron Katie's Loving what is, and Louise Hay's You Can Heal Your Life.  If you are codie like me, I highly recommend both of them. They will change your life if you let them.

Now, when I'm frustrated, I turn to the Work- which has an amazing worksheet you can use for any situation to bring yourself back down to earth. This worksheet helps you to turn a situation inside out and see it from perspectives besides your own (which can be skewed by lack of boundaries, and lots of other things.) Louise's book and philosophy is all about positive affirmations. Which work. For a long time, when I was actively in therapy and studying to overcome the symptoms of codependency, my favorite was, and still is, "I am ok." As a child, I spent a lot of time being not ok- and as an adult, I sometimes need a reminder that even if I feel crazed, alone, or confused, in my present moment I am ok. Really.