Let's get real

Returning to myself

Dear Reader,

Big newsletter news

First up, a little newsletter housekeeping. If you would like to comment, that option now exists here. You can interact with me, with each other, and we can now have online conversations together. Scroll down to the bottom of the page if you would like to comment. Full disclosure: I still have a very small amount of subscribers, but regardless, I thought it was important that we could communicate.

For those of you who know me in real life, you know that I am an authentic person. What you see is what you get, and I tell the truth. So, let's get real, shall we? I've been a little discouraged lately. When I first made my decision to back away from instagram, I was invigorated. I felt like it was dragging me down, zapping my creative energy, and stressing me out. While I would have loved to make a clean break, I soon realized many of the shows I participate in only convey information on instagram, so I still need to keep my account. I only pop in either on stories or occasionally a post, to advertise my newsletter on Mondays. But to be honest, it's been EXTREMELY hard to get subscribers that way. Mostly because I have about zero reach on that platform anymore. And, then I'm back to where I was before, feeling frustrated and not so great about the whole experience.

Maybe it's time to go old school and have a sign-up sheet for customers at my shows. I think one of those marbled composition books would be perfect. Word of mouth has always been and always will be (in my opinion), the best way to convey information. I've also been making stickers with my website on them and sticking them all over town. Way more enjoyable than waiting for a post to perform if you ask me. And, I've had a lot more views on my website since I've been doing this.

I'm grateful that this newsletter has given me more accountability to show up for my writing practice. While I've kept journals for more than half my life, it's been wonderful to write for someone other than myself. That's something I haven't done since grad school. In the process, I've also learned that while I studied fiction and poetry writing in school, I prefer writing personal essays. Who knew? It only took me many decades to realize this.

I haven't been crocheting much lately because I've felt a bit uninspired. Summer crocheting isn't so much my jam, especially this summer when those words seem more like an oxymoron than ever. I LOVE summer, just not with yarn. I know I have to make some samples for a crochet tutorial I'm working on though, so hopefully I'll get into the groove again. While people often notice or comment on my crochet more than anything else I make, it's also what I sell the least of. Go figure, right? I'm considering just offering made to order and custom pieces on my website in the future.

Whenever I have this feeling of creative ennui, I think it's important to take a detour from what I normally make. I've been saving up discarded paper wherever I find it and shredding it, so last week I focused my creative energy on making paper and paper clay. I used the handmade paper to make gift tags and hang tags for my clothes. I'm going to offer the gift tags for sale.

This week I'm going to work on some bookmarks, and possibly make small journals. As far as the paper clay goes, I'm going to focus on making lamps, sculptures, and possibly some functional objects. Working with paper is way more messy than fabric and yarn, but I think it was just what I needed. For those of you who create for fun, for a living, or both, what do you do when you’re feeling uninspired?

To be honest, my sales have been pretty low lately, and I've talked to other folks who have said the same thing. Making clothes is what I love, but selling clothes can be quite difficult. Most customers go through a checklist before purchasing.

• First they have to like the style and/or color.
• Then, the price has to align with how much they want to spend.
• Then it has to fit.
• Some people are very tactile (myself included), so the above list is even more difficult when you're selling online.

Maybe that's why, after all of these years I'm sincerely humbled and grateful when people find something I made that they really love.

Last week at a glance

• I sent in my grant application.
• I've been scouring FB marketplace for a step van for the mobile boutique. I'm open to a school bus if I find one that will work. If anyone has any leads, please feel free to comment below.

• The gardens are doing great, but watering the community garden in this heat has been exhausting.

  The community garden has so many milkweed plants.

No matter how many times I start plants from seeds, I'm always in awe when they turn into an actual plant. I planted some sunflowers in the garden and started some dill and cilantro seeds that are now starting to grow.

• I have a birds’ nest in my elderberry tree again. I’m using the plural possessive because I believe it’s a family

• I ate watermelon every day last week, which is so refreshing. Did you know that if you add a little sea salt to your watermelon it will help balance your electrolytes?
• I froze a bunch of the watermelon and I'm probably going to make some limeade with watermelon and fresh mint this week.
• My family and I went swimming with my bff last weekend. It was cold, so I only went in once, but we had so much fun just hanging out and playing board games.
• There was a lot of baking at my house last week. I made lemon blueberry pancakes and peach crisp, and my son made a rustic loaf of rosemary bread.
• I actually had to wear pants instead of shorts to walk my dog on Friday morning because it was only 66 degrees.
• I'm on book seven of the Outlander series which I often listen to while I work.
• I added some small fabric collage artworks to my online store.
  here

Local happenings

• I plan on going to
  this yard sale on Saturday.

I think some of my creative ennui is just general ennui since it's now August and I am an endless summer sort of person. My favorite time of year is coming to a close, so I will soak up all that I can this month. I'm not ready to shift into fall mode just yet, even though it is my second favorite season, and Halloween is my favorite holiday. I should probably get started on my costume.

I hope you have a wonderful week.

XO,

Christa

Upcoming shows

• The Big Bloom Second Sunday Art Market Warehouse District Beer Garden 555 N Charlotte St. Lancaster, Pa Sunday August 10 1:00-6:00

Links

Email: wildchildfibers@gmail.com
Website: https://www.wildchildfibers.com

Anytime 20% off discount in the online store for subscribers.

If you’d like the coupon code, leave a comment and I’ll give you the code. ♡ ♡

Thanks for reading. I appreciate you.