2014… this story is just getting started

I always love when you hear comments from actors or musicians who say they used to practice being interviewed when they were kids. I love these stories. The quirky things we do in our private spaces! 

Now, I've got no aspirations to be an actor or musician, but I do have one secret interview skill I have been practicing lately. You know those "Quit Your Day Job" interviews on Etsy? I totally practice what I would say if I were ever chosen, what advice would I give, what have I learned so far in my journey. What funny stories do I have to tell. One problem. I still have my day job. It's about time I stepped it up and made a plan, believed 100% in thunderpeep. Well really I already do this, but there has to be $$$ to back it up. Being able to live and run this little company without a backup paycheck is scary, and honestly not a reality at the present moment. I'm a single lady living in a rather expensive city. I don't live an extravagant lifestyle, that's one thing I have going in my favour, but those are the nuts and bolts. People love to say "there's never a right time, just do it". Those people are always have a significant other at home with a paycheck and just want to live vicariously through you. Do not listen to them. They are the little dark angel sitting on your shoulder, the one who is always coaxing you to do the wrong thing. I require some savings and a strong plan to cover the slow times. That's the reality of it. I'm making this statement of resolution today so that by the end of this year I will be ready for Etsy to come knocking about how I made the transition to sole entrepreneurship. I'm making it to all of you so that at the end of the day I have someone to answer to.

Some other Goals for thunderpeep this year…

1. All of my products are switching over to being silkscreened by the end of the year. That was the original intention when I started designing, but production was a challenge in my wee studio and the limited time I had, what with that Day Job interfering. It's still going to be a tight schedule and a bit more work, but I love it and miss getting dirty with my inks, so it's a sacrifice I'm more than happy to make. And honestly, how awesome are those Trolls going to look silkscreened.

2. Build my blog {pretty sure I say this one every year, but this year I mean it. For reals. Mean it}

3. Do 1 travelling show this year {right now it's tied between Edmonton & Chicago}

4. Notch 5 new wholesale accounts - outside of Ontario {if you have any suggestions of awesome stationery shops where you live let me know, I will reward successful tips with cards ;}

5. Have Fun.

6. Finish and print my Troll Stories books --> this one I'm aiming to launch with the Midsummer collection! So Freaking EXCITED

Some Goals for Michelle this year…

1. Have Fun

2. Don't forget your friends & make some new* ones while you're at it

3. Have Fun

4. Get past the beginner phase in my Learn to Speak Norwegian quest

5. Take more pictures

6. Plan your big adventure in celebration of turning 40!

Now, for that #5 Goal I'm starting a challenge over on Instagram {mainly because I'm addicted to it and love ogling everyone's pics} My intention is to take a pic of a moment in my day, everyday, all year. If you want to join in use the hashtag #welcometomyday Hopefully we can get loads of us doing it and a) we can all get some new followers and b) spy on people's lives. I'll try to make sure my life is spicy and interesting for you!

How about you? What are your big plans for 2014

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Weekend Rap - not really

This weekend hasn't wrapped up yet. Even with that extra hour this morning, there is still an ever-growing to-do list, as I sit here and type. I was staring at it while trying to think about how I'd sum up my weekend for this post. You know, to make it more interesting than just saying "hey, I packaged a lot of shit this weekend". I did also do some crafting and burnt my finger with the glue gun. That was exciting, there is still glue stuck on my poor finger.....

But instead, I wanted to say something else.

I'm stressed. I'm not really sleeping. I work all the time. And yes, I'm happy. Maybe not in the exact moment I'm wondering if I'll have enough money in the bank to pay the bills or if I'll get my display perfectly built, or if I'll make all my money back at One of a Kind. But I love what I do and I'm doing it for myself. I'm not stressing myself out for someone else's gain (ie: someone else's business). I don't want to be one of those people who constantly complain about my job, but stay in it for YEARS without doing anything. Too often I hear them say - they're waiting for the right time, to get their portfolio ready, waiting for blah blah blah..... no excuses. There are too many excuses in the world and not enough doing. Been dealt a crappy blow, that sucks. I feel for you. We've all had rough times in our lives, some more so than others, but we've all had them. But it's how you react and respond to those bad times that makes you the person you are. I've always been a fighter. And I'm going to fight for my little business right now. I've made the conscious decision to take it to the next level and I knew there would be some tough times (and they are tougher than you ever think they are going to be) but it's not always going to be like this. The sleepless nights will turn into being able to set my own hours. The stress over finding money for all the things I need to get done, will turn into me being able to do all the creative things I want to do. And one day I won't have to work for someone else to pay my bills, I'll be able to do it all on my own, with my own little business (hopefully sooner rather than later) I'm always going to push for things to be better, so there are going to be good times and hard times. That's business and that's life. To all those people who keep asking me why I'm doing it all, is it really worth it, you are going to kill yourself (insert any stupid question you've ever heard) I feel sorry for them. Some people are happy to just go to work, come home, cook dinner etc. But most of those people I know aren't happy. At the end of my life, I'm going to know that I did something (I've done a lot of somethings already)

I guess this was a bit more of a rant than a rap. But you can blame my lack of sleep and social interaction on this one. Or you can just take it for what it is meant to be. Me just telling you that's it's ok to live your life the way you see fit, no matter what anyone else has to say on the subject. And if you don't understand someone elses dreams or goals, you don't need to. They're not yours.

I don't have a video to share, but I do have a song that has the same spirit as this post. The first time I heard it I was on a train trip and in one of those down moments where I started to doubt myself but I realized something. I've done a lot of things most people won't. I tried. Sometimes I failed, sometimes I succeeded, and everytime I had fun and wouldn't change any of them (except maybe moving back to Toronto - I really, really miss Vancouver) but when I die my life will be a pretty interesting tale - and it's not even half over yet ;) There is no video, so it's just a picture of pretty Ryan Tedder and the audio to the song "I Lived". You'll get it.

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