Well....................... 6 weeks after quitting my job now. The second polka dot clutch bag did sell, in less than a week. I have not however turned my flat into a bag factory. Why? It seems that after making SEVERAL cute as button bags, the only ones that sold were exactly the same, black and white with polka dot bows. I need to think about this one. If I make 3 exactly the same or very similar, will they ALL sell so quickly? OK so that is the challenge, it may sound dotty but the dots were flying, ditsy flowers did not fly anywhere! Common sense tells me I should have just done that immediately after the second bag sold, if something works, stick to it! I have however been caught up in silver, playing with a little saw is a bit more fun than the sewing machine. I've made pendant and earring sets but they have been for birthdays (mam's & sister's). Now it's time to see if this sells too. Back to the bag lady for now!
To do:
Make all the same bags! Maybe try different colour dots?
I did also enquire about having a stall at a flee market, not too pricey. So really I should be making it my mission to make enough gloriously wonderful stuff to fill a 6' table.
Oh and the second job interview was to be a diary keeper for a very busy lady, so I said yes and am just waiting for references to be sent from the place of evil. Hi ho Hi ho it's back to the office I go! With some lucozade and I will get paid hi ho hi ho hi ho hi ho.
No more lotto winnings (oh actually £10, and a slight gambling addiction).
Saturday 28 August 2010
Monday always follows Sunday, poor Sunday!
So, Monday, the first day of my new working (on a money making scheme) week... Interesting. I slept in, turned the alarm off and didn't get up till 9.30! However I am not feeling guilty for my lazy lack of get up and go. I did get up at 7am and made a coffee but I went back to sleep. I had made a to-do list and have done all of the 'to-do' things. Now I just have to wait to see if bag day was a hit or miss idea. Looking at my listings on ebay every five minutes may not really be improving anything much. Along with my 'planned' to do things I have also had a couple of unexpected occurrences.
The first was a call from a possible new employer, after an interview the other day. Message left was could I ring back to arrange an 'informal chat' with the executive office for some job there. Hmmm, office, executive office?!? Although this is against my new thing of never stepping foot in an office again, I think I have to go to see what the job is, or so I thought at the time.
Second occurrence, I won £500 on an online lotto game. Now, I don't normally play any instant win games but a friend had just won £60 so I thought I'd give it a go. I put £10 on and won in the first couple of quid! I then transferred this immediately to my account. Now, whilst I realise that this is not a life changing amount, well, not under normal circumstances anyway. It did make me think that maybe everything does happen for a reason, this amount would cover my mortgage payment this month. I could even buy some silver to make some jewellery for my collection of wondrously wonderful handmade things. Oh yeah, another thing I hadn't mentioned yet I did do a course, a few years ago, to learn how to make some sterling silver jewellery . I haven't really made any since but have just been ordering wet and dry sand paper to get started again. Anyway, my point was, is the £500 lotto win a carrot? A glimmer of hope that all is not lost, that I should not give in to the office? Is it? I don't know. I made an actual choice to walk out of the last job, that I had put up with for one whole year, it was an extreme situation, the place of work actually made me crazy. Do I really want to go back to another office? Or would doing that make my walk out a waste?
Crumbs, looking back at my list, A was win the lotto, OK so it was only £500 I was aiming a little higher but I appear to have done it, surely I can't complain that it wasn't the jackpot. Maybe I should have put that as my point A. Win the jackpot! Point B was to think up a money making scheme, well, I sold one bag!! Just point C to achieve now- make lots doing very little. What are the chances? So far in an obscure way I have ticked off most of my list, even the points that were only in case of a miracle. Hmmmmmmmm. Now the real plan should be to set up my own business, be my own boss and make some money maybe?!
The first was a call from a possible new employer, after an interview the other day. Message left was could I ring back to arrange an 'informal chat' with the executive office for some job there. Hmmm, office, executive office?!? Although this is against my new thing of never stepping foot in an office again, I think I have to go to see what the job is, or so I thought at the time.
Second occurrence, I won £500 on an online lotto game. Now, I don't normally play any instant win games but a friend had just won £60 so I thought I'd give it a go. I put £10 on and won in the first couple of quid! I then transferred this immediately to my account. Now, whilst I realise that this is not a life changing amount, well, not under normal circumstances anyway. It did make me think that maybe everything does happen for a reason, this amount would cover my mortgage payment this month. I could even buy some silver to make some jewellery for my collection of wondrously wonderful handmade things. Oh yeah, another thing I hadn't mentioned yet I did do a course, a few years ago, to learn how to make some sterling silver jewellery . I haven't really made any since but have just been ordering wet and dry sand paper to get started again. Anyway, my point was, is the £500 lotto win a carrot? A glimmer of hope that all is not lost, that I should not give in to the office? Is it? I don't know. I made an actual choice to walk out of the last job, that I had put up with for one whole year, it was an extreme situation, the place of work actually made me crazy. Do I really want to go back to another office? Or would doing that make my walk out a waste?
Crumbs, looking back at my list, A was win the lotto, OK so it was only £500 I was aiming a little higher but I appear to have done it, surely I can't complain that it wasn't the jackpot. Maybe I should have put that as my point A. Win the jackpot! Point B was to think up a money making scheme, well, I sold one bag!! Just point C to achieve now- make lots doing very little. What are the chances? So far in an obscure way I have ticked off most of my list, even the points that were only in case of a miracle. Hmmmmmmmm. Now the real plan should be to set up my own business, be my own boss and make some money maybe?!
Hello unemployment, goodbye to going CrAZy!
The first week of unemployment was euphoric, a weight was gone from the shoulders and I was buzzing with grand ideas. After looking and looking at my inherited (from my Grandmother) sewing machine I had an urge to become a maker of all things wonderful. I got the scissors out and a pair of old ikea curtains became a handbag. I decided that it would be the most perfect job in the world for me to make things, sit at a stall now and again selling unique 'made by me' things and lead a boho hippie life. No office, no set hours, no rules. For a whole week I became frantic, material flying, thread strewn all over the floor. I have visited every haberdashery I could find and fought with the concept of getting a zip to make a pocket close.... Before discovering the zip foot of the machine! Oh the zip foot was like a light shining halo moment. In my haste to become a hippie designer I didn't really consider the correct way to do things but after several mistakes, coffee fuelled days at the machine I had actually made a little clutch bag with a polka dot bow, complete with a zipped pocket and a fastening clasp. A small achievement that represented a new outlook on life.
Since this frantic persona was within me I also sat up one night till 1am making my very own website. I bought a step by step set up site that did the trick, the only problem is that my lack of photography skills means that I have had trouble trying to display my wonderful creations to a satisfactory standard. I still have not really got around this one yet! Anyway, my new site can not be found by search engines just yet so I listed my (oh so wonderful) polka dot bag on ebay, and somebody actually bought it, a 'buy it now' price after only 2 days. My first customer, and so far my only customer. The frantic craziness has died down a little, I'm not sure of I ran out of steam or if the real world get a hold of me again.
Out of the blue a woman called me, for a boring admin job I applied for months ago, invited me for an interview. Through gritted teeth and fake gratitude I agreed and went along. I can't pin point the deflation in my attitude but I think it, in fact I know, it came from that call. A call that the unemployed wait for, the call that secures the opening of doors to a bank balance without the minus signs. A call to the 9-5, sit in the office and moan your effing face off all day because you hate the majority of the day, but it pays the bills. Oops a swear word has just slipped out at the thought of the office being part of my life again. I think I have developed a phobia of office buildings, brings me out in a sweat, stomach churns and I start to swear............. F**k. Will I find a way to avoid offices FOREVER?!
Ok back to the plan, I shall make another polka dot bow bag and list it on ebay, if it sells I shall have to make my living room a bag factory. I have made a couple of other bags but I need to have a chat with my camera to behave in some way to be nice to me. Tomorrow is official bag day. I must become a talented in demand bag lady, if the bags don't sell I shall go back to my list and hope for the lotto win. I have been unemployed for two whole weeks and two whole days. Tomorrow is Monday again, a new working week with no office. In fact I am no longer considering my self unemployed, I am a struggling designer. In fact, no I am not a struggling designer I am a new and up and coming designer. PMA positive mental attitude and all that jazz. I am believing in miracles here and am hoping that tomorrow greets me with open arms. I shall look into the whole paperwork stuff of self employment when I am snowed under with payments for my wonderful bags. Maybe I could also start yoga and chanting for more positive hippie vibes.
Another note here is that on my first and frantic week of being a crazy hippie maker of dreams I may have had more coffee than food, far too frantic to eat stuff and now I may need to purchase a smaller bra.... I would have much preferred a flatter belly than a flatter chest.
Since this frantic persona was within me I also sat up one night till 1am making my very own website. I bought a step by step set up site that did the trick, the only problem is that my lack of photography skills means that I have had trouble trying to display my wonderful creations to a satisfactory standard. I still have not really got around this one yet! Anyway, my new site can not be found by search engines just yet so I listed my (oh so wonderful) polka dot bag on ebay, and somebody actually bought it, a 'buy it now' price after only 2 days. My first customer, and so far my only customer. The frantic craziness has died down a little, I'm not sure of I ran out of steam or if the real world get a hold of me again.
Out of the blue a woman called me, for a boring admin job I applied for months ago, invited me for an interview. Through gritted teeth and fake gratitude I agreed and went along. I can't pin point the deflation in my attitude but I think it, in fact I know, it came from that call. A call that the unemployed wait for, the call that secures the opening of doors to a bank balance without the minus signs. A call to the 9-5, sit in the office and moan your effing face off all day because you hate the majority of the day, but it pays the bills. Oops a swear word has just slipped out at the thought of the office being part of my life again. I think I have developed a phobia of office buildings, brings me out in a sweat, stomach churns and I start to swear............. F**k. Will I find a way to avoid offices FOREVER?!
Ok back to the plan, I shall make another polka dot bow bag and list it on ebay, if it sells I shall have to make my living room a bag factory. I have made a couple of other bags but I need to have a chat with my camera to behave in some way to be nice to me. Tomorrow is official bag day. I must become a talented in demand bag lady, if the bags don't sell I shall go back to my list and hope for the lotto win. I have been unemployed for two whole weeks and two whole days. Tomorrow is Monday again, a new working week with no office. In fact I am no longer considering my self unemployed, I am a struggling designer. In fact, no I am not a struggling designer I am a new and up and coming designer. PMA positive mental attitude and all that jazz. I am believing in miracles here and am hoping that tomorrow greets me with open arms. I shall look into the whole paperwork stuff of self employment when I am snowed under with payments for my wonderful bags. Maybe I could also start yoga and chanting for more positive hippie vibes.
Another note here is that on my first and frantic week of being a crazy hippie maker of dreams I may have had more coffee than food, far too frantic to eat stuff and now I may need to purchase a smaller bra.... I would have much preferred a flatter belly than a flatter chest.
All in a days work!
WOOOPS!! A few weeks after making my half hearted list of what I need to do before I'm 30 I have accomplished one part of my final plan!! I no longer work in a crappy office! I erm... Quit. I have never quit a job before on my life (that I can remember) Managed to negotiate my notice down from four weeks to about four hours on a random Wednesday. This felt good at the time but now I need to (even quicker than ever) come up with a money maker, to pay the mortgage.
Now, in the middle of a recession, it would seem absurd to quit a fairly safe job. However, when you realise that you are going to work leaving behind your common sense, integrity and any morals just to make it through the day, it surely is the time to quit. On my first day of unemployment I emailed my CV to every recruitment agency in my email address book. I must have about ten saved. Only one rang back, for a job in Sunderland!!!!!!!!!! When you live five minutes from Newcastle there is no reason to sit on a metro for one whole hour to get to Sunderland...... Is there? I guess I'll find out when I can no longer pay the mortgage and have to give in to the idea. I would then have a crappier office job in a less convienient location and will be even more sick. Well, they do say that the grass is always greener on the other side!
Now, in the middle of a recession, it would seem absurd to quit a fairly safe job. However, when you realise that you are going to work leaving behind your common sense, integrity and any morals just to make it through the day, it surely is the time to quit. On my first day of unemployment I emailed my CV to every recruitment agency in my email address book. I must have about ten saved. Only one rang back, for a job in Sunderland!!!!!!!!!! When you live five minutes from Newcastle there is no reason to sit on a metro for one whole hour to get to Sunderland...... Is there? I guess I'll find out when I can no longer pay the mortgage and have to give in to the idea. I would then have a crappier office job in a less convienient location and will be even more sick. Well, they do say that the grass is always greener on the other side!
What is it all about?
So here I am........ if you're reading this I'd like so say "hello" I'm not sure what brought you here, if fact I'm not even sure what brought me here but "hello" and welcome to my blog.
Every day for me seems to be the same, get up, go to work, come home, eat food go to bed. OK, so I also manage to fit in going to college, putting off doing assignments (by wasting time doing things like this), getting drunk, recovering from said drunkenness and other day to day activity type things. Nothing exciting though. I am also currently mid-mid-life crisis! I am 30 at the end of this year, 8 whole months away. So by the end of the year surely I should have some kind of happy career, since I am currently off work with stress and going a tad mad, I am more likely to be unemployed than a 30 something vision of work-life balance.
So, I have 8 months to either:
A, obvious one here- win the lotto
B, Create some money making scheme- a little lacking in ideas here
C, Blag a well paid job getting paid lots for doing very little- OK so this one is also not likely either
D, ...............
I’m giving up on the list of options as it could go on forever and be completely useless without the aid of a miracle. So, the new one and only plan is to:
Not work in a crappy office, but still manage to pay the mortgage! Woo but HOW?
Every day for me seems to be the same, get up, go to work, come home, eat food go to bed. OK, so I also manage to fit in going to college, putting off doing assignments (by wasting time doing things like this), getting drunk, recovering from said drunkenness and other day to day activity type things. Nothing exciting though. I am also currently mid-mid-life crisis! I am 30 at the end of this year, 8 whole months away. So by the end of the year surely I should have some kind of happy career, since I am currently off work with stress and going a tad mad, I am more likely to be unemployed than a 30 something vision of work-life balance.
So, I have 8 months to either:
A, obvious one here- win the lotto
B, Create some money making scheme- a little lacking in ideas here
C, Blag a well paid job getting paid lots for doing very little- OK so this one is also not likely either
D, ...............
I’m giving up on the list of options as it could go on forever and be completely useless without the aid of a miracle. So, the new one and only plan is to:
Not work in a crappy office, but still manage to pay the mortgage! Woo but HOW?
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