Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Adventures in Networking
For my final examination of areas in my life in which I have fallen out of love with my old ways, I look at how things are going in the world of Etsy.
As soon as I picked up this book at Borders, I realized that I was no longer enamored with my normal going-it-solo route. So I started looking for Etsy teams that I might fit with, and found, well ... several. As of right now, I think I am a member of eight teams (you can find the list in over there in my sidebar).
Scrambling to try to get "networked", I added people willy nilly, left-and-right to Facebook and Twitter. I have now signed up to Stumble and Tumble, Flicker, Shutter and Kaboodle. Someday I hope to actually learn how to use all of these services, and get my contacts organized (thus my fiddling around with TweetDeck today). Ahhhhh!!! In an effort to make my life simpler, I have totally complicated things--as usual!
What was that I said about falling out of love with Wonderland in one of my previous posts? The Cheshire Kitty might as well put a blindfold on me and spin me around and around and throw me out into the forest. I'll be wandering around on these platforms for a looooooooonnnnnng time.
As soon as I picked up this book at Borders, I realized that I was no longer enamored with my normal going-it-solo route. So I started looking for Etsy teams that I might fit with, and found, well ... several. As of right now, I think I am a member of eight teams (you can find the list in over there in my sidebar).
Scrambling to try to get "networked", I added people willy nilly, left-and-right to Facebook and Twitter. I have now signed up to Stumble and Tumble, Flicker, Shutter and Kaboodle. Someday I hope to actually learn how to use all of these services, and get my contacts organized (thus my fiddling around with TweetDeck today). Ahhhhh!!! In an effort to make my life simpler, I have totally complicated things--as usual!
What was that I said about falling out of love with Wonderland in one of my previous posts? The Cheshire Kitty might as well put a blindfold on me and spin me around and around and throw me out into the forest. I'll be wandering around on these platforms for a looooooooonnnnnng time.
Going Non-Profit on Etsy
Hmmmm, I wonder why it took me so long to come up with this. Something had been feeling wrong to me about trying to make money off of what I love (arts and crafts) and I couldn't put my finger on it until this morning. I just realized that what I really want to do is use my Etsy shop to raise money for organizations and turn it into a 100% non-profit.
The question is, how do I do that? When I looked for information on Etsy, this is all I found:
So, where do I begin? Do I start by making contact with the organizations? What do I do about taxes? Anyone with any experience in this area, please help!
The question is, how do I do that? When I looked for information on Etsy, this is all I found:
Charitable listings and shops
DOs and DON'Ts > Shops and listings > Charitable listings and shops
Etsy understands that members may wish to participate in fundraising for charitable organizations and causes. Charitable fundraising is subject to many laws, and unfortunately, there exist unsavory people who may attempt to take advantage of your good will. Therefore, for the protection of our community, Etsy has established some policies regarding charitable listings and shops that use charitable fundraising as a promotional tool. Members participate in charitable fundraising at their own risk.Members who do not comply with Etsy's policies may be subject to review, which can result in suspension of account privileges and/or termination. If Etsy removes an item listing for violating Etsy policy, the seller is still obligated to pay the listing fee for that item. Suspended or terminated members remain obligated to pay Etsy for all unpaid fees per our Terms of Use.
- Members represent that any charitable fundraising complies with all applicable laws.
- A seller who promotes that their Etsy shop engages in charitable fundraising on behalf of a recognized tax-deductible charitable organization (for example: 501(c)(3) status or equivalent with the IRS, similar legally-recognized non-U.S. charitable organization) must receive appropriate consent from the charitable organization.
- The seller must include clear information about the organization and donation details in the listing and/or Public Profile.
- Listings created solely to solicit for donations are not permitted. All listings on Etsy must be for a tangible item available for sale.
- Members must comply with all policies, including Etsy's Community and Conversations policies. Members must not send unsolicited donation requests.
- A charitable shop involving multiple people must comply with all applicable rules concerning collective shops.
So, where do I begin? Do I start by making contact with the organizations? What do I do about taxes? Anyone with any experience in this area, please help!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The ADD's of Creativity
How do you use your creative energy? Are you a poet, painter, potter, or just perplexed by the thought of making something?
Throughout my life, I have dabbled in many different venues of self-expression, seemingly as an act of survival by creativity. Swinging from vine to vine, I have grasped on to one lifeline after another in the jungle of arts and crafts. If I try to tell this story in order, it goes something like this:
I also played cello in junior high, something that I sometimes think of resuming, but when?
I haven't done much with it lately, but it's nice to know my guitar playing inspired my nephew to pick it up later on when he was old enough to hold a guitar. He now has a room full of guitars and music equipment--quite the little rocker!
My niece was also curious about the object as a baby, but has since found other creative interests to hold her attention such as beading, handcrafts, etc.
I went so far as to dabble with a 4-track recorder, electric guitar, and midi keyboard after being inspired by Beck and other 90's indie music artists, but it has since fallen by the wayside...
How can you blame me, I figured I must have a talent for writing poetry. Whew, gives me the shivers and not in a good way!
I even went so far as to take a creative writing class when I was on Study Abroad in Stratford-on-Avon. I mean, what better place to write poetry than the possible birthplace and town of Shakespeare himself!
That creative outlet comes and goes. Every once in a while, a poem still sneaks up on me...
Drawing was another way to indulge my fantasy world. I remember taking a class at the Olive Rec Center (when I wasn't in gymnastics or basket weaving) and learning that I could draw things from real life as well as from my imagination. I still have my drawing notebook from high school art class, and pick up the pencil now and again.
Painting, just an extension of drawing. Sometimes I get in the mood, and other times blank canvases sit in the back of my closet just dreaming of their day in the sun.
Fashion design was another art-related interest. I remember designing a horrific dress in collaboration with several friends during Mr. Mathias' math class one day in 7th grade. He caught me with it and said, "Susan, if only your math was as good as your drawing... oh wait, it is." I used to play with my Fashions by Me kit for hours and hours, making outfits from all kinds of gaudy material.
Later on, this gaudiness became a reality (for better or worse) in making costumes for my high school dance production shows. The thought did cross my mind to go to FIDM after high school, but when I saw the price tag, I high-tailed it over to the local community college instead!
I was hooked. Here was the first time I was able to express myself in public (even though the audience probably had no clue what I was trying to communicate) without being shy and reserved. I could use my budding seamstress skills, hairdressing, acting, and dancing and never once had to say a word to the audience. My creativity was fully unleashed for the first time. In fact, it ended up being my (first) college major, which later on shifted to English/Creative Writing, and then finally to Religious Studies (the B.A. I finally finished).
<-- MY FIRST STUDENTS, BERNARD AND TRIXIE
Later, in junior high and high school, I tutored some of my friends in math, but it wasn't until I was in my mid-20's that I finally realized this was my calling in life. Now I've been in the classroom for 10 years and still feel that every day presents an opportunity (if not dozens) to use my creative and problem-solving abilities to the fullest.
From crafting interesting and provocative lessons to shifting your teaching angle on the spot when you see kids aren't getting it, and now, learning new ways to use technology in education, this is my ultimate love and challenge.
So there you have it! The story of my creative life in a very large nutshell. Hope you enjoyed coming along for the ride. Now it's YOUR turn--what inspires you to create and what venues does your imagination come to life in?
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Falling in Love
The Safe Place by The Little Fox on Etsy
This post is supposed to be about how I fell in love with crafting and creating; however, I think I've pretty much exhausted that topic in previous posts here and here.
Instead, I feel the need to revisit those persnickety goals I came up with not so long ago (has it only been two weeks?), and check in on the progress (if any) I'm making towards them.
Hah, now I realize what a pipe dream it was to think I could cut 12 hours from my work schedule. Since I set that as my primary goal, my mind has been consumed with ideas of things I could do for work, things I want to learn about teaching and technology, and wanting to work on our class and student blogs. It's almost as if the thought alone made me feel guilty, like I need to work overtime to make up for even thinking of abandoning my students. Or really, I just love teaching kids and want that to be the priority over crafting and trying to sell my wares. Could it be???
In fact, I didn't do any shop updates this week (since putting together my Valentine's Day Scarf Sale for the month of February last weekend), and you know what? I don't feel bad about it at all. To be brutally honest, I'm kind of glad I didn't have any sales, or I would have had to wrap the items, package them up, get to the post office (not a thrilling place my past few experiences) and get them in the mail, all on top of parent conferences at work. I know, I know, this is sooooo not good P.R. for my shop, but I have to say it.
I did up my meditation time and that seems to be helping me not feel like it's imperative that all things must get done--NOW! Somehow, I wonder if this is what helped me decide to reprioritize my time back to teaching.
Didn't get any exercise in, because I was feeling sick again.
Goal #2: Taking the time to organize and put things awayGoal #3: Finish up projects that are already out instead of starting new ones
I did clean up the living room. Now I'm down to one little pile of papers on the couch, but the dining room table and rocking chair are no longer being used to hold up stacks of stuff! I also put away most of my "in progress" projects and am down to just my regular knitting bag by the couch.
Overall, I think it was a very good week.
I guess what I'm saying through this little diatribe is that I fall in love over and over again with different parts of my life, in cycles. Sometimes I am in creative/making things with my hands mode, and sometimes I am in research/educator mode. And sometimes, just sometimes, I clean up the house a little bit!
(Of course, there are people I love too, but that will be another post to come....)
Jim Warren on Planet Perplex
Can you find the 7 hearts in this picture?
So, what about you? What are YOU most in love with in your life right now?
This post is supposed to be about how I fell in love with crafting and creating; however, I think I've pretty much exhausted that topic in previous posts here and here.
Instead, I feel the need to revisit those persnickety goals I came up with not so long ago (has it only been two weeks?), and check in on the progress (if any) I'm making towards them.
Goal #1 - To prioritize my time in order to balance work, shop, recreation, and my many interests:
Hah, now I realize what a pipe dream it was to think I could cut 12 hours from my work schedule. Since I set that as my primary goal, my mind has been consumed with ideas of things I could do for work, things I want to learn about teaching and technology, and wanting to work on our class and student blogs. It's almost as if the thought alone made me feel guilty, like I need to work overtime to make up for even thinking of abandoning my students. Or really, I just love teaching kids and want that to be the priority over crafting and trying to sell my wares. Could it be???
In fact, I didn't do any shop updates this week (since putting together my Valentine's Day Scarf Sale for the month of February last weekend), and you know what? I don't feel bad about it at all. To be brutally honest, I'm kind of glad I didn't have any sales, or I would have had to wrap the items, package them up, get to the post office (not a thrilling place my past few experiences) and get them in the mail, all on top of parent conferences at work. I know, I know, this is sooooo not good P.R. for my shop, but I have to say it.
I did up my meditation time and that seems to be helping me not feel like it's imperative that all things must get done--NOW! Somehow, I wonder if this is what helped me decide to reprioritize my time back to teaching.
Didn't get any exercise in, because I was feeling sick again.
Goal #2: Taking the time to organize and put things away
I did clean up the living room. Now I'm down to one little pile of papers on the couch, but the dining room table and rocking chair are no longer being used to hold up stacks of stuff! I also put away most of my "in progress" projects and am down to just my regular knitting bag by the couch.
Overall, I think it was a very good week.
I guess what I'm saying through this little diatribe is that I fall in love over and over again with different parts of my life, in cycles. Sometimes I am in creative/making things with my hands mode, and sometimes I am in research/educator mode. And sometimes, just sometimes, I clean up the house a little bit!
(Of course, there are people I love too, but that will be another post to come....)
Jim Warren on Planet Perplex
Can you find the 7 hearts in this picture?
So, what about you? What are YOU most in love with in your life right now?
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