The ole age of pimping oneself to pick up work "AKA" Commission Work. How does one go about it. My first answer is always "A lot of Luck" but it's become more then that these days. We are hungry and Jorge says that's the best form of getting work. Often a successful business once on top become less about the little people and slack for the better word because they are not hungry.
We can not depend on the working world any longer it's not a secure world any longer and having a fall-back has become the number 1 thing in our life - having our lives rely on a single movement is not an option any longer. Too many changes, too many or too little attitudes and it's a stressful living from check to check. And so we have become bull grabbing by the horns and taking some major risk to un-starve ourselves by our own power.
Commission work (Custom Orders) is becoming a dream come true for us and it's been a hard road to get to. But we are reaching it... Even I have been getting on the wagon train (everyone knows how hard I PIMP Jorge that folks seem to forget I have some hidden talents too) with commission work - I have 5 woodburning pieces I am contracted to do (1 is a super challenge for me and I am so excited)...
So what does this have to do with my blogging readers. Well I am here to remind you that you have starving friends who could use the help. So before you get into your car to head for the hills and purchase junk made from machines who have no souls - contract your friend to work. It's about time we get back into helping each other out. Some of the most wonderful Mums stay home to raise their families and support their husband rely on such at home work... Barder - can't afford the price BARDER trust me this helps.... I do this myself and it has helped big time in our lives (right Chrissy?) Keep spreading the wealth of friendship-service-barder-products by looking at your backyard first...
Again it's about supporting ones backyard... If you are a crafty creator I'd be happy to do a blog article on you (FREE) just drop me a line at mr_mrs_crafty_rving@yahoo.com
We hope you can support this blog by today product choice:
I so love Sarah and I have been fan of hers now for lets see about 5-6 months now!! I was surfing the facebook world of my friends when I seen one of her creations and said "OMG I so want one" and I will. her babies are on my Christmas list... So when I asked her "How in the world did you become a Master of Puppets here is what she had to say...
Thank you so much! I love creating these guys!
Here's a little about me:
My name is Sarah Hainsworth. I am 24 and the wife of a wonderfully supportive and incredibly good looking man. I'm also the mommy/nanny/slave to a little black cocker spaniel and a freckly cocker/aussie mix. My husband, Bryan, is in his second and last year of PA school (thank goodness!) and I work pretty much full time on my puppets. We're in a very temporary state of life right now and I've found that the only way I can keep my sanity is through creating. Along with making puppets, I also sew clothes, make home decor items, knit, crochet, and paint. I feel like a beginner in so many of my creative endeavors, but I love every minute of it. I choose to focus of puppets because it's such a unique niche and they are so much fun! I began working with puppets in college. Of all wonderful things, my school (Brigham Young University) offered a puppetry class, so of course I had to try it out. While I am certainly no performer, I discovered a love for all of the crazy faces and personalities I could create with a bit of fabric, foam, and imagination. After graduating from college I worked with a fantastic designer creating life-size marionette-style animal puppets for a stage version of "Charlotte's Web" at a local university. After that, I worked for almost a year at a local theatre as a props and set designer. I had to quit that job when my husband got accepted to PA school and we relocated to California. After living in CA for a little while, I discovered that this place just wasn't going to let me work a day job, so I started up my etsy shop, On Hand By Hand. It started very small and I just used the basic patterns and techniques I had learned in my puppetry class in college. I got a pretty good response and made a few sales right in the beginning and it has grown from there. It's been almost a year now and I've been able to branch out a little and create my own patterns and styles. It's loads of fun and I'm so excited to see my business grow! I recently participated in my first craft fair and I hope to do many many more in the future. I absolutely love being able to see people light up when they see my puppets in person. How can you not smile when you see a puppet? I truly believe that these creations can be loved and valued by anyone and everyone, regardless of age and status. As the great Jim Henson said, "The most sophisticated people I know -- inside they are all children."
Here are just a tad of her puppets and to see more visit the above links... Do fan her page and let her know EVIELYNNE sent you - this helps her see where and how her fan base is growing!!
Puppets are not just for children - we use them in commercials, movies, theaters, and so many other areas... check this article and we hope to see you become fans as we just became.
Please support this blog by making today's Product purchase
My poor husband. His entire custom order work goes smooth as ice. Down to the last 10 belt and WHAM wrong color. He so freaks and is currently at the store in a panic looking for hot pink ribbon - and would you believe they don't have what he is looking for. We hope by the end of next week he'll relax enough to laugh about it. And then to top it off - this little sickness bug made its way into my body - how dare he... So tomorrow I am to stay in bed with computer, notepads, pens and pencils - and work from there. I have to start working on a business letter for a client ( an important client wink wink)of mine and with great joy will have finished by Monday. I am glad for the work it will keep me busy and down at the same time... Let's see if I have any fun pictures for ya.... Oh yes but snuck it off a friends facebook page - they won't mind "they rock"....
LOL guess which one is me.... Leave the comment!! You know the drill...
The one thing we learned is to have the utmost communication with ALL of our customers. Treat them as you would want to be treated.
The Charity dress that Jorge did had this to say:
pillowblessings
August 23 2011 10:50pm EDT
The colors, the workmanship...everything...PERFECT. You 2 are awesome. I tweeted you also...as soon as I get a check after the 1st from my office...I will order more roll ups. I can't wait for the Hospital and the orphanage to get these. I fund all of this myself so right now just to keep up with sending the seamstresses fabric and all...I am working non stop. It's my passion though and no matter what, I will do this :) I am also taking on a new project that I haven;t posted yet in Los Angeles, Holy Cross Trauma Center...it never ends...lol
Hugs to ya both <3
Imagine doing what Karen does all from your own pocketbook - truly an amazing person... Please be sure to check out her web site: www.sweetpillowblessing.org and see how you can team up with her or to at least send her email mail and tell her how great she is. We look forward ourselves working with her...
So yesterday Jorge did his demo dresses for the BIG contract he has with another customer in who I have to state for the record has beyond awesome communication (56 emails between us - AWESOME and what we like) and from every step knows what she wants... She loved the demo dresses (and her favorite is the green dress as it is also mine - however Jorge's favorite is the purple one) and they are now up for sale in our store. Here they are....
The details are amazing - this customer has brought the best out in
Jorge and looks forward to being challenged more.
You can find both of these doll outfits for sale at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/mrscraftyrving
I didn't put the hat on correct but it does sit on her
head better then what you are seeing.
You can find both of these doll outfits for sale at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/mrscraftyrving
And today Jorge is working - he routine until Monday will be 2 full complete outfits and 1 main dress for the store. Then Monday he'll do more - his goal is 5 but that has to be in between customer checking in - but I got that covered because I will be outside with my computer working on my work and I can wait on customers as they come in... No one can say we are lazy that's for sure... Multi tasked is the key we have to live by and acting like a team and being in sync is our secret.
We do joke around with the dolls - telling them what's in store for them - and well Trixie will be working over time starting Monday and lucky Reese is only working part-time. You have to be silly when it comes to crafting - it should be fun otherwise "What's the Point". Besides we are fun folks!!
As many of you know I am up everyday at 3:45am and normally I work in bed while Jorge gets some more sleep. On few occasion he's wake up along with me. Today was one of those days and so I sat at our table next to the window to work this morning. See who came to visit??? AMAZING!!
We have so many new items to share with you in the next couple of days and I am sorry we haven't been able to blog as much as we'd like to. Our electricity comes from a ginny that requires a lot of gas and we are trying as might to keep the budget low this summer. You know the old story!! but I promise you we have been crafting up a storm and I am happy to report that Jorge my wonderful husband has been picking up custom orders in which we are so thankful for. Enjoy the moose and be sure to check back for updates on our current projects...
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Many of you might have noticed the growing trend of younger, still-working RVers who have chosen not to wait until retirement to achieve their road trip dreams. One couple I recently connected with has figured out how to live full-time on the road while bringing in a steady income. And while they make sure there’s plenty of time in their schedule for outdoor adventures, they also carve out time to give back to the community too.
Jorge and Evielynne Sanchez met in Utah when Evielynne attended Brigham Young’s law program. They fell in love, got married and moved to Miami, Florida to be closer to family. But their life in Miami wasn’t all that they had hoped for. "Not seeing each other for more than an hour a day after our jobs," says Evielynne, "was tearing at our marriage." They both agreed--it was time for a change.
We'd like to personally thank Erin who is a wonderful wonderful person. Funny, helpful and a big fan... The kindness Erin has should be in every SOUL...
I sold a hat the other day on our http://www.etsy.com/shop/hatmasters one of the fun ones I did... And so now I am back to working on the hat store to get ready for our 2011 Winter. Yes folks I said it "WINTER"...
Here is a hat I just did today... What do you think? I do have a question for you all... Does anyone miss my etsy feature of the day? I have gotten some cool emails about where are they... So I thought to see what the rest of you though?
I so love this and thank you CampGround_Crafters for posting this in our group... I am becoming more and more of a knitting doer... So having Celebs help putting knitting on the map even more so helps us, that is those who depend on their knitting skills to make an income.
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Well since I have to be up before the chickens now, I lose a lot of crafting time now. I work from approx 4am till approx 11-12noon Mon thru Fri now (I use to be able to take the same days off as my husband but now my boss has a ton of research for me to do this summer and so now I can't until January - but I dare not complain because I get to work from the comfort of my rig).
And so today is my last day of work (shhhhh I got to take this Wed/Thurs off but no more). And so after I completed my work day - I decided to start on a new set of mittens. LOL but the phone kept ringing and time kept creeping by and so here is where I am at. I also want to thank Pat from Campground_Crafter for helping me today with a knitting question. It means a lot to me when someone of her skills takes the time to help little ole me.
This summer was suppose to be about learning new skills and I am so failing in this department - Sue a lady who is working for the same company as my husband is also from Campground_Crafter has taught me one stitch and I am grateful for that. And so now I am pushing the issue and turning to youtube and my personal videos I've purchased to learn more. After all this is more then just a hobby for us. We do run 4 stores and would like people to continue to purchase our things and to be able to ask if I can make something and I can jump up and say - That? Heck yes I can do that up for you.
And so today after finishing up with my work - I head outside with my husband and sat to knit. After dinner (we eat outside as we do most days) my husband was looking at the table he made (yep it's a poor mans table but you know what? It was made with love) and says "Wow your knitting is so natural and beautiful". And so he snapped a pictures and here's what it looks like.
I love it. And so tomorrow with my having the entire day off - will work on the rest of my project and get her up for sale ASAP.... But oooooh there is a 40% chance of rain tomorrow - so it maybe a movie day with knitting (hey either way I am knitting and for me that's a dream come true)...
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
Did you know that Daisies are my favorite flower and so
Knitting is a bit of a challenge for me and yesterday I had told you all that today I would attempt my first mitten set. Well as any good crafter knows "trial and error" is the secret to our success lol... I know where my boo boo's where made and so tomorrow I will go forth and start making them for the store. So here is the mitten I promise my viewers... Again this was all about "trail and error"... No tears but dang knitting 2 stitches together was a challenge because it was tight and hard to do... Other then that it wasn't that bad....
Today is moving day. We are only traveling 110 miles today. Well over night in Pasco, WA and then head off to Idaho tomorrow. Everything is packed, cleaned and amazingly organized. It was so cute last night Jorge had said to me. "Are you OK? Are you stressed?" - you see I am freak and freak out real easy when it comes to cleaning - I always would rather clean by myself then have someone around. But with the rains yesterday I just didn't have that option. I said to him "Yes I'm OK and no I am not stressed" why? Well because you didn't yell at me once. LOL - it's true folks I didn't. But there was one last cubby to work on - the coffee cubby and I don't make coffee and so I am never in the cubby. Jorge got scared LOL because it was anything but clean or organized. He feared he'd be the one reason I'd blow my lid off. But I didn't. It meant a lot to me that he cared enough and feared me enough to know better. But it wasn't that bad and took me about 20 minutes to clean and re-organize everything . All is right in our world again... So for May for Me for the next 5 days will be still about relaxing - just non crafting wise - I will post pictures of our RV fun until we are in our summer location and all of our inventory is unpacked and put in it's spot. We'll be beading for our next May for Me Project. Both Jorge and I and so it should be a lot of fun - and we won't be alone. We'll have our wonderful friend Sue from Lake Whales, FL that will be working for the same company and who is going to be my teacher this summer in crocheting and knitting - I so need to up my skills so that I can be in the same league as my very talented husband.
Please add us to your prayers today and hope to see some comments tonight (if we have wifi). I hope that everyone has a wonderful day!!
A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence.
It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout.. We all stood there, under the awning, just inside the door of the WalMart.
We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.
I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.
Her little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in, 'Mom let's run through the rain,'
she said.
'What?' Mom asked.
'Let's run through the rain!' She repeated.
'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied.
This young child waited a minute and repeated: 'Mom, let's run through the rain..'
'We'll get soaked if we do,' Mom said.
'No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.
'This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?'
'Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, ' If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything! ' '
The entire crowd stopped dead silent.. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain.. We all stood silently. No one left. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.
Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.
Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just need washing,' Mom said.
Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They got soaked.
They were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did.
I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.
Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday.
To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.
I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.
Send this to the people you'll never forget and remember to also send it to the person who sent it to you. It's a short message to let them know that you'll never forget them.
If you don't send it to anyone, it means you're in a hurry.
Take the time to live!!!
Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when you'll need each other --
and don't forget to run in the rain!
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Jorge and I would like to wish all of you Mum's out there the very best Mother's Day... And may the Blessing lay in your hearts forever... Thinking about you and loving the effects of all your smiles...
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I started this at 11am and worked up until about an hour ago and I am sorry to report I need a lot of practice... A LOT!! The poor things is just NOT CUTE... I was going to give my Bear to JuneBug my cat but then decided that I am going to attach a key ring to and put it on my backpack. Why Not?
I should say something positive about today's project. I have never casted on after or added stitches to a working progress - So I rock at that now. I have never binded off with out using crochet hook and I can now bind off. So there you go I succeeded in my quest to learn something new!! Job well done and my pat on back is now done....
Now on with the giggles....
Jorge and I where chatting up a storm today and I had said "you know this May for Me is so good for us because it's allows me to challenge myself and put aside my fears. It forces me to put a time frame and do the best that I can on my chosen project" And it's working sort of lol... Will I make another? Sure only this time I will use a bigger needle - this was done on sports yarn and using a size 4 needles - I have never worked on a project with small needles before.
This rad, vintage sweater was made in the eighties by Biba Pariscop of viscose,wool and angora with big shoulder pads and ugly fluffy pink teddy bears! The tag indicates size II (odd size!); please refer to the measurements to insure a perfect fit. Contact me with any questions!
Measurements (in inches, unstretched):
Around chest: 44
Sleeve length: long
Total length: 26
Vintage, from the elegant to the absurd!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condition:This item is in excellent, previously owned condition.
It is free of stains, tears, odors and excessive wear.
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
MAKE THAT 2 QUESTIONS...
What should I name my bear?
Have you ever crafted something so ugly that you just had to keep it?
