Where to pick up after leaving off for so long

The more time that goes by I have had a real hard time getting back to posting on the blog. I've been confused about which direction I wanted to go in with it. I've discovered some really pretty blog designs which seem to reflect more of who we are but then figured out that I would have to pay somebody hundreds of dollars to replicate said type of blog. The only reason this was something worth pursuing is because I understand the importance of a nice blog which generates a lot of traffic IF you are planning some kind of crafty business which needs said traffic. Then I got freaked out about all of it. I shrink from competition which I don't know is always a good trait. Having to do anything for the purpose of trying to make money just sucks the fun out of it for me and I know I've got to get over it at some point.

I also see all of these pretty blogs which seem to have little substance. There is this trend now for posts like "ten things I love" with pictures of clothes or jewelry or furniture people want. I have a weakness for these things myself but I don't want a blog completely focused on materialism. Sometimes I walk a fine line myself between what is art and what is wasteful consumption. Nevertheless, I would like to post pictures of cool thrift store finds or redecorating or a cool dress I bought on etsy for instance. I just wouldn't want it to shadow posts of real substance. And let's face it, not all of us mothers want to constantly post about our kids or homeschooling adventures. Sure, those things have an honorable place too but I do have interests outside just being a parent and I like to express that as well.

So here I am, kind of stuck with a plain blog design I'm not real fond of but not wanting to pay somebody else to fix it up for me...and the fact of the matter is I am nowhere near where I had hoped in starting any kind of handmade goods business anyway. Life gets in the way. Homeschooling gets in the way and I just don't have any product to sell as of yet. I just got a wheel which is super exciting but I've got to figure out how to use the darn thing first from learning on a drop spindle. The bottom line is that I had high hopes for the new year and that I was just going to get out there and start this business and be an artist. I think the enthusiasm was fine but I've still got so much trouble shooting to do. Aside from the evil voices in my head which tell me I'm not good enough to sell anything anyway, I have skills to improve upon like dyeing and spinning and figuring out my own patterns. Until I'm comfortable with all of those things I have no business putting product up for sale. In the end I guess I've been shying from the blog because I'm a little embarrassed that I haven't been able to make all of these things happen in the time frame I had hoped.

making valentines

 February nature table

 cute valentine gnomes

Winter hit us native Floridians much harder in the pocketbook than it did in terms of weather, which we weren't expecting. Business at the restaurant is starting to pick up a bit and I like to think that spring is a light at the end of a tunnel we are quickly approaching. For now I leave a few pictures of Valentine festivities and homeschool related stuff.