This week...

This week has been a difficult week for sure, what with "Eclipse" opening and me being at the midnight show and all ;) but more importantly, this week, I have not had the time to sit down and be creative. It really is a struggle to work a 830-530 job and then commute home all the while hoping that I'll have enough energy to cook man friend dinner, do any chores around the house and THEN sit down to craft or be creative. The juices are not a flowing this past week that is for sure.

We are going on vacation next week, heading down to visit man friend's parents and also have my parents meet his, so it should be an eventful weekend. The even better news? We are coming back home early with about 5 days off at home, with nothing to do but do what we want... I have been waiting for this type of time at home for awhile now. This is my opportunity to really get myself in gear and work on my biz/craft/sanity/Lifetime Television for Women. I cannot tell you how excited I am to have the time to really sit down and think about what I want to do.

Also, it will be my 28th birthday on the 10th... Hopefully man friend doesn't forget!

Meet my Mannequins

Remember when I mentioned getting some amazingly good deals on mannequins from M+O? Well let me introduce the newest additions to my household. BF and pets are none too pleased but I care not!

It's a gonna take some time...

I have been inspired by the absolutely MASSIVE online crafting/ handmade/ DIY community. There are so many talented and amazing people out there and especially a pretty impressive base of women who are entrepreneurial in spirit and are successful!

The one thing I have learned in the past few weeks, about starting your own biz, is that its going to take some time. (Me singing the George Harrison tune " To do it, to do it, to do it, to do it riiiiight") I am a little impatient at times, which is why I will stay up into the wee hours of the morning to finish something, even though I have to be up early to work for the man. This urge to complete something satisfactory and quickly is something that I really need to work at curbing or at least suppressing.

I am still trying to find my creative voice; still trying to whittle down the millions of ideas that I have into something concrete and marketable. But marketable isn't everything. I am a perfectionist and want to see my creations being produced to my standards (high) and that speak to me (and hopefully others). Right now I am playing with an idea when it comes to me... and if I have the stuff to run with that idea (or the stuff in question isn't that expensive). I had to quit a couple of bags I made,using the wrong thread, botching the fabric choices, just absolutely hating how it came out HA! I just recently learned(with the life lesson of patience)that when you step away from something and come back to it, let's say 2 or 3 days later, then you might be surprised at how you can view it differently. I just came back to a bag and TOTALLY turned it around with a seam ripper and some fabric paint. I had abhorred the look of it earlier but gave it some time and totally found that BF's dyed t-shirt, torn into strips, pinned and sewn onto the bag, made for a REALLY cool effect.

It is going to take time. And since right now BF isn't asking me to marry him, I don't have any big events to plan and therefore I have time to craft and wait and craft and wait and craft and be amazed!

Feeling Discouraged

Today I feel discouraged. I have been working on crafting and sewing and studying and blogging for 2 weeksish now. I know I know, 2 weeks is nothing... but I am a woman who wants/ needs/ yearns for immediate success or even small successes. I have gotten a lot of positive encouragement from BF and has actually been surprisingly sweet about things he may not necessarily care too much about. He cares about his investment in me and with that comes his investement in my interests. Man, he is a good guy!

I have been working on a tote, then a purse and I have had many a good creative idea come through my head. First I dip dyed a tshirt then cut it to form over backing to eventually work into a purse. Well that turned sour when I pinned an absolutely awesome ruffly pattern and then botched it when I went to secure it. I absolutely abhor how it came out and I can't help but think I squandered a good idea with poor executuion. BF keeps reminding me that I am working out the kinks in my ideas and my creative flow. That I need to work on foundations instead of trying to rush to the finished product. I think I need to take that advice to heart and really crack down on my work.

It's hard to stay encouraged even when you have someone encouraging you every step of the way.

HEY!

Cousin, 849pm: I wonder if AC Moore is open. Eh, who crafts after 900pm?
Other Cousin, 849pm: Amanda Shelley Davis

A text I received on Saturday, after a miserable day with a gum infection. That made me smile...

Makin' Stuff For Friends...

Me thinks I should definitely start making things for friends... They can appreciate one's early work the best right?

I have also enlisted the help of a friend, who happens to be a graphic designer, to help me out with the logo. Photoshop is kind of hard you guys! I have a feeling I would have to commit ALL of the energy I am committing to Prim and Propah to photoshop JUST to create a logo. Obvi, I have some ideas and we are going to get together to discuss sooooo maybe a creative partnership is in the works? (me crossing my fingers)

Yay for tomorrow being Friday, for a cookout with family and some Watermelon Martinis. Life is good these days!

Library Time!

So after following some pretty inspirational crafters on Twitter, I got the idea to go check out some crafting and sewing technique books from the library. I am sure you are asking the question, "Why didn't you think of that on your own?" Wellp, people I am the type of girl that impulsively purchases things when the urge attacks, which thankfully I am not only working on but improving on. Hence this situation... I was looking for a particular book Bend the Rules Sewing and was this close to buying it (me holding two fingers very close together)but then thought better of it. My new favorite crafter, Maggie Whitney, taught herself to sew by taking out a whole slew of books from the library and it was like a lightbulb! Why didn't I think of that?! Of course, the library!! Ha, I am a moron sometimes.... and what a great way to save some sweet moola, support my public library and find out if a book would be worth buying.

I am not a complete beginner as I know how to thread a bobbin and sew curtains but when it comes to more complex techniques and jazzy jazz, I am still a newbie. I am so completely determined to step up my game, it is a little crazy.

Boyfriend's Mom is setting up her sewing room for when we visit over 4th of July weekend. She has been crafting for ages and I am sure she has some nuggets of wisdom to share with me. Maybe I'll hit up my Aunt too... she has been a quilter for years and used to make such beautiful pieces.... since one of my new ideas is "Weaving" and then "quliting" (Ill have to explain in another blog) perhaps I can get some basics from her on the quilting front.

New tecnique!

Trying this tonight!

How am I supposed to be creative?

When boyfriend watches shows about black holes?

PS. I have secured a mannequin and a half form from M+O. I know, I know... I haven't even really established myself but I am jumping on the opportunity to get things while I can and on the cheap. $30 for a full form and $15 for the half. Hello, I just saved at least $150+!

PPS. I think I am going to whip out the sewing machine tomorrow for some playing around. Maybe I'll post pictures of any good creations.

PPPS. Black holes and space makes me want think that I want to hand paint silk with liquid dye. Ok, so you can find inspiration in anything.

I'm really feeling the buttons...

So the more I think about it the more I want to build around individual buttons and have each one of my items have a button. Maybe written on the tag, the origin of the button and maybe a little blurb on the button? I was also thinking of having the handtag attached to the item by ribbon and a button (like a small pin with the Prim and Propah logo on it (still to be designed)). Obviously each item would not be about the button but that could add a little touch to each item so that its not only unique but you can see it is with the little proof in the pudding sort of thing. I don't know how well that will work out with printing costs and such or how I would swing it but I think, for now, I am running with it... in conjunction with my button coupon idea. If you send me a button with what information you would include with the button, it would end up on a new item with your info as the origin of the button...

Shout out to my M+O Girls... Inspirational Chatter

Soooo as a part time job, I pick up some hours from Martin + Osa, the now "on it's way out" American Eagle concept. I worked my usual Wednesday night with some of my FAVES... always a treat, especially when we had a little time to gab and catch up.

This is my part time job, to them this is their full time job where they put their heart and soul into their work, a lot of them starting with this brand 3 years ago from the get go. AS per usual we got to discussing what was going to happen when our store closed (one of the last to go), what would happen to the fixtures (I have dibs on one if not two of the female mannequins SCORE!), yikes to the Nike Town that's moving in. Everyone is pondering their next moves, discussing life long dreams and aspirations and where we are at in this life. Needless to say we weren't all that busy last night. Jenn wants to run her own boutique someday, preferably in her hometown of Pittsburgh, where she can sell others' bobbles and trinkets and accessories and all sort of creative things. She wants to work for herself, which I can appreciate because so do I! Stacey has always wanted to create handmade handbags and sell them in small boutiques or online but has always felt, eh in motivation or in confidence and sometimes both. I used my ramped up motivation to get my girls thinking (or at least I would like to think I did)about trying to get to those dreams and trying to keep 'em alive. We ended the night talking about the oil spill and Justin Beiber so I can't really say how our "life long dreams" chat came to a close...

...BF reminded me yesterday that I need to start small, get myself situated and have a good foundation. He thinks (and I mostly agree) that if you take on too much at once you will feel like a failure when things don't work out perfectly. He wants me to think about what I want to do and narrow it down a little. He is right in that I have a million things going through my head and I need to organize those thoughts into a clear business model. He is still 99.9% supportive although the other night before bed he mentioned "gotta have those buttons" in a funny way, which means he reads the blog (YAY!) but he is also making fun (NOT YAY!). Speaking of buttons, someday doooooooown the road I thought about taking buttons as a coupon of sorts? That way I can incorporate buttons from all over the place into my creations. Is that a bad idea? You send me a unique button, I give you a $1.00 off plus whatever postage is.

Looking for Dress Forms...

... and I found this... which I found absolutely hysterical.

Navigating Photoshop, Cost and Motivation

I have a million ideas running rampant in my head, so much so that I am having a hard time getting them organized and thusly having a hard time being productive. I spent my free time over the past few days, sewing some designs together for my first creation (a summer bag for BF's mother)sort of quilting stylie but with an edge. (I'll post pics soon.)A million ideas, so many so that I can never remember them all, which is why I now carry a notepad with me everywhere. (screen printing, hand dye, painting fabric, flowers, beads, logo, graphic tees, reusable bags, Prim and Propah being Eco Friendly!, silk scarves, marketing, broaches, hair accessories, children's clothes, stationary, socks! the list could go oooooooooon)

All I can think about is getting that logo finalized and then I KNOW Ill be on my way... well trouble is that I have Photoshop but do not know how to use it really (ruh roh). I have done some tutorials online and am slowly getting the hang of like two things in PS buuuuuuuuuuuuut then I start getting impatient and frustrated with not knowing what I am doing and not being able to complete my project in a timely manner. I'll get there, I just need to put my mind to it.

I am also trying to collect the things that I think I'll need, want to need, need eventually, need right now, need never haha. Trouble is there is a cost associated with all of this "stuff" and have to keep myself curbed on that spending (BF and I want to vacation in Napa this fall)... Unfortunately there is a Micheal's within walking distance of my work but I have been good so far! I organized all of my sewing paraphernalia this weekend and I have a lot more than I thought. BF bought me a brand spankin' new sewing machine for Christmas, his mom got me those super sharp, you could murder someone they are so sharp sewing scissors... I have a modge podge of cloth and paints, beads and bobbles.... lest us not forget the vintage buttons (something I want to be a staple in all my work; even if it is just one button- I want it to be reflective of me. Always have and will love buttons)...

Oh stream of consciousness... how you get the better of me.

CREATION of an IMAGE

So boyfriend has done all that he can do to set me up a consistent "online presence", Twitter, Facebook, Blog, Domain... the whole kit n caboodle. Soooooooo my next step in the creation process, I think will have to be my logo. I am thinking that the Prim and Propah should be represented with two P's but I also don't want to remind people of Pee Pee and/or Urination... so I will have to get creative with my creation, go figure.

I was looking at some really awesome plantable labels that you can order online in an attempt to motivate me to get an idea of how I want to represent the "brand". I really want to give off a feminine and almost motherly vibe (eco friendlyish? Girly but mature?) but with a twist, a little razmatazz.

This is the most serious that I have ever gotten in regards to starting my own brand. It will obviously be hard to do and A LOT of work but for once, with the support of BF, I feel really really motivated. I mean really motivated.