Posts Pouring In

I know - three posts in one day after a month-long drought? What happened?

Search me. Or, rather, stay with me while I figure it out in my typically stream-of-consciousness manner...

Remember that whole cyclical-life thing I talked about earlier this summer? I sort of cycled out of creativity altogether for a few weeks there. A lot of stuff going on...in other words, life.

I got a great IM from my sis yesterday, though. She began with, "I'm here to kick your butt in gear!" Turns out her messenger bag is a HUGE hit (and I'm still waiting for her to get pics of it, so I can share it with you), and now that law school is back in session, she has a bunch of friends who want plarn "bags, scrubbie things, wallets, whatever you got .. they want it!!"

Well, wow. That's pretty cool.

And then today I was approached out of the blue about another creative opportunity, combining two things I love to do. I have to leave that as a tease for now, but if you want to do a little happy dance to celebrate with me anyway, feel free! I was happy dancing all afternoon.

And, all of a sudden, I'm fired up again!

I've felt sort of in limbo since school has been back in session. When I took my leave of absence (in April) from the store where I worked evenings for three-and-a-half years, it was with the understanding that I'd come back during school hours when Kalen started Kindergarten. I sort of had the feeling as August approached, though, that my availability (10am-2pm) wouldn't quite mesh with the store's needs, especially taking the current economy's effect on retail into consideration. I spoke to my manager last week, and she wanted to mull it over...to play with the hours a bit to see if it could work. That in itself is a compliment. She could have just said no outright. I talked to her Monday, however, and it is a no-go.

I'm okay with this. The income would have been nice and would have helped pound out the debt faster, but we're fine. And now that I know, I'm at total peace. I have excitedly thrown myself at the feet of my children's teachers, offering to do whatever they need me to, I'm going to start volunteering at the media center at school, I'm writing for my ongoing gig, and I can start designing and crocheting for my etsy shop. I am going to miss the closet design aspect of the retail job quite a bit, but bag design should fill my creative needs, don't you think? I don't believe I can accurately convey my thankfulness that I have the opportunity to stay home with my financial contribution being so little. Many thanks to my husband for working so hard, and to both of us for sticking to our total money makeover.

All off this finally brings me back to what my original purpose for clicking "New Post" was. I'm finally going to sit down tomorrow and design a bag for my shop. You heard it here first!