Tote Bags
Sunday, March 28th, 2010Note: The photos in this posting are pictures of tote bags, pillows and wall hangings that is my current hobby and hopefully a way to earn extra money. See article below.
March is National Craft & Hobby Month, which reminded me of a difficult time during my divorce. For a long time I could not do any of the creative things I enjoyed, like sewing or knitting. My heart was so hurt that I had no interest in anything other than what I needed to stay afloat.
However, that changed when I found a job with a small retail store that sold Bernina sewing machines. I had worked for another Bernina store 20 years earlier and was trained on a Bernina, so this job was a good fit. One week the owner invited someone to teach a class on crazy quilting, which I took. It jump-started my desire do something creative again.
I am attracted to crazy quilting because it does not require a repetitive pattern like regular quilting. The word crazy actually comes from the word “crazed,” as in an old cup that has become crazed with thin lines all through the china, in no set pattern. Fast forward to the present and I am now crazy quilting pillows, wall hangings, and tote bags. I posted a couple on Etsy, a virtual craft store, but hope to sell more through word of mouth, as I create new items as gifts for friends.
Sometimes a hobby can become a business, as is the case with Vilma Barr, a woman I am interviewing for www.menupause.info at the end of the month. If you are looking for a job during this difficult time of divorce, don’t negate the possibility of taking something you enjoy and making it an income source. You may have to find a job you are not crazy about to put food on the table, but the hobby-turned-income earner could be a sideline.
Divorce is a difficult time, so having a hobby might be one way to get through the difficult days and nights. If you don’t have a hobby, consider knitting or painting or even a new sport. Get out there and be good to yourself at the same time!
Note: More on actual job hunting in the next posting.
P.S. If anyone is interested in a custom made tote bag, pillow, or all hanging, you can email me directly at: writeonthyme@yahoo.com or leave a message below.
