#10 Art is Therapy

When I head upstairs to work in my art room, I get a calm but excited feeling. It is my sanctuary, a place where I can escape all the stresses of the world. A place where I have control over my creation, and nothing else really matters. Working with my hands, I am creating something from my heart. It gives me a great sense of self and accomplishment.

In this world of stress, I wish everyone had a room or place to go to, where they can truly be themselves, forget the outside world, and immerse themselves in something gratifying.

And you know what the bonus is??? That someday, this piece of art will make someone smile, whether as a gift to someone else, or a treasured keepsake for themselves. Nice thought.

I encourage everyone to find that in themselves....to let go....and let your creativity out.

#9 Managing Your Time

I have often heard people say that if they were to work at home, they wouldn't get anything done. There can be a lot of distractions, and creating a strict schedule can be hard.
I have worked at home for many years, and yes, I have had challenges. Especially when there were 4 kids running around the house.

The trick is, to find what times of the day that work best for you to create. These should be times when you have the space and quiet to really get into your work, without distractions. When the kids were in school, I had all day to do my work. I work best in the mornings, but many artists love working late at night.

If you can create a "work schedule" as if you were working outside the home, and let people know that these are the hours you are busy (and they respect that), then you really can get a lot done.

I even give myself a regular lunch break, which usually involves checking my e-mail and other mail.

When my children were teenagers, they would sometimes help me with some of my projects. This would give them a little spending money. I also designated one day a week when it was each of their night to cook dinner. It was good for them to learn how to cook, and gave me some extra time to spend with my family. My children also helped in maintaining the house...doing laundry, mowing the lawn, cleaning and other chores.

Time to me is the most valuable thing we have, and managing your time wisely can help things go smoothly and relieve tension in the home.

#8 A few words about Researching Shows

I am sure we will get into more details about this subject later, but for now, I wanted to just touch on a few suggestions about getting started doing Arts and Crafts Shows and Festivals.
RESEARCH!!!! Go to area shows and browse around. (I spent a lot of time doing this before I ever started doing shows. )
Take note of how big of a crowd it draws, how well the show is advertised, what types of things are offered for sale, and how well organized the show is.
Are imported items allowed, or is it all hand-crafted?
Take note of what seems to be selling.
Notice price ranges.
Don't be afraid to talk with vendors, of you meet some who are open and friendly. (you can gain very valuable information this way...and learn of other good shows)
This is the perfect time of the year to do this (plus you might get some Christmas shopping done!)
You can find shows listed in local newspapers, and on-line.