A Little About Now

The past is fun to look at, but also really painful. While I am proud of the work, its also a little embarrassing to see the mistakes and shortcuts I took. They are not bad projects, but they make me think of the things I would like to redo or fix on them and I haven't gotten around to it. Because, well, let's face it. Its more fun to think of current projects than past ones.

So what are these current projects....hmm...let's see. There are those current ones I am actually working on and those I WANT to be working on.

In the first category there are those I am actually working on. I have a small sign business. They are signs with a small inlay (usually an animal and most often a monkey) and a child's name carved next to that. I bought a sign making template kit to rout out the names and I freehand for the inlay. They are not perfect, but are just charming enough to be perfect signs for kids rooms.

I suppose they could say just about anything though. From "Robert's Office" to "Library" etc. For now though they are sold on a friend of mine's website where she sells baby items. http://www.yourbabysneeds.com/pesi.html While this is a lot of fun and there is a steady stream of orders, its still just a hobby on the side.

I also have a 2 things I am "commissioned" to do. I am making a house sign for one lady in my mom's group. I admit I am stalling on this one. I know what I want to do and I know what I can do. Unfortunately I don't have the skills to do it as nice as I want to do it so I think I am stalling. I hate that. I also have another mom who asked me to try to build a birthing stool for her doula practice. If I do it really nicely and its portable she will tell the other doulas in her doula groups and I may get multiple orders for them. This project excites me and is super scary at the same time. I am so worried one will crack during delivery and either mom or baby could be hurt. I will test it all ways I can, but its still scary if I don't do it right.

What I want to do encompasses so much. I want to make some dollhouses, toy chests, kids toys and other items for an etsy shop and for friends. By biggest wall is money and time. Dear sweet time that I have so little of between the kids, the house and work. As it is every weekend this month we have plans and yet I have to find time in the evenings to get some orders done because I could use the money with my daughter's first birthday party happening at the end of the month.

Balancing time is the hardest thing. If I am in the garage and I can't always pop back in the house quickly to help with the kids and I lose track of time so I tend to not cook as well on days I am working. Plus weekends are only 2 days long. During the week I am working. I am on the road at 6am and I get off work at 4pm. It takes an hour to get back from work and then I pick up the kids at their daycare and preschools and then get home, throw together dinner, get them ready for bed (bottles, baths, story time, brushing teeth, pj's etc) and then Robert gets home somewhere in the middle of the bedtime routines for the kids. Finally they are both asleep and its nearly 8pm. I try to visit with Robert, pay bills, catch up on housework (I would say exercise too, but let's not start lying to each other this early in the blog relationship) and finally I crash asleep. Its not much time with the kids or my husband. So 2 days for a weekend means we are trying to spend time as a family, play, swim lessons etc, and if I spend 4-8 hours in the garage on either day, that is even less time with them.

Its hard to be a mom and have a hobby like this. I can't just bring my nearly 1 year old out there and while my 4 year old loves to come out, its a distraction and I have to watch to make sure he remembers the safety rules and has his ear protection on before I can start up any machine. It just takes longer to get stuff done. Plus, he is a very bright 4 year old who asks a million questions about everything and wants to build stuff like me. So I have to answer questions and distract him from asking to help build stuff when its not something he can help with.

All in all, I try to pack everything into a few hours each night and a little during the day on weekends. Its tiring, and really hard in the winter when its super cold in the garage, but its worth it when I can give someone a gift or place a new piece in our house.