Weekly update. . .later

I am on a "social media" break.  I do still log on to check for messages and such, but I'm not posting, and I'm not really group participating much. I am just feeling a bit burnt out on the whole thing, social media, business, life stress in general. 😒  

My plan to give Blue legs is not going well, I was so frustrated the other day I was snapping rings and ended up throwing my pliers down. 😖

There is a certain pressure I feel to create content that I really kind of hate. I mean I love making things, but I do not like the constant need for content. . . photos, posts, engagement. The push the business aspect is crushing my creative outlet with its' daily grind-ness, it is literally sucking the fun and happiness out of making things. 😒 Anyone else ever feel that way?  

There was a time, not long ago, that seeing this laying on my bench would have made me so happy, but now I'm just annoyed the legs aren't going the way I want, and it's not done yet and I can't get the photos I need to post more, blah blah blah. 😫

So, I decided to take a break, but each day that goes by I feel . . .guilt/regret, fear of losing ground.  I am going to take my "me-time" though because I shouldn't feel bad about taking care of myself.  I haven't been feeling really well, it's not serious (I don't think) allergies from the high pollen mixed with joint aches and hot flashes from the menopause, I do have an appointment in a few days.  I also have a birthday coming that is closer to 50 than 40. 😏 

Currently I'm not sure how long this "social break" will last, I don't really have a plan. 😐 Ideally it will only be a couple of weeks of no posts, and I can actually get some stuff done to post about when I come back.

Weekly update. . .slow

Well, it's been a week not a super one and not really a productive one, but it's over and I'll try again next week. 😏 

My back is still sore but not as bad. I did stuff but don't feel like I accomplished much because nothing is "finished". I am considering the local farmer's market next month, I have a standing invite, my back should be ok by then, the weather may be tolerable, it's a definite maybe. 😅  

Progress on Blue is slow, I have finished the scales down the back, and I'm working on his tail, but I plan to keep it short.

Since my husband has claimed him and he will be purely decorative and not wearable, it has reinforced my desire to give him legs. However, it's going to take some testing to find a pattern and ring size combo that creates the right look and structural stiffness. I may go ahead and start the next one before this one is finished. 😅 Ya' know because I need more projects. 

Weekly update. . .recovery

Well, Debby passed and made a mess of my yard, although we were lucky no major damage, never lost power, just tons of small sticks, branches and pinecones everywhere.  The clean-up stinks, bending over a thousand times picking up sticks is not helping my backache issue. 😓 My back is slowly getting a bit better, not as sore as it was, some improved range of motion, but nowhere near normal. 😏 

I have made things this week. 😉 I made some progress on the black and blue dragon, he's coming together nicely.  I am very happy with my color choices and pattern so far.  

And apparently so is my husband, he walked in my shop last night to see the latest version and called "dibs". 😐😏😅 Seriously, between my husband, my friend, my mom and dad, everybody wants one, I may never get to actually sell them.  Of course, I am having second thoughts on that anyway, parting with some things is hard when I put so much time, effort and energy into these. I've never had this attachment issue with the jewelry, occasionally with the art I will miss a piece after it's sold but I rarely have that clingy "mine" reaction. 

I got a bracelet order for a color/size combo that I didn't have made, whipped it up, packed it and shipped it off no problem. 😉

I have literally sold hundreds and hundreds of items over the years, from my previous business to tons of jewelry, wire trees, paintings. There are only a couple of things I genuinely regret letting go, a canvas I miss, a particularly spectacular wire tree, but overall, I make things with the intention of selling them, so I don't get attached. I think maybe part of the difference with these dragons is they have a face. 😐😅

When I'm making them, they almost seem to develop personalities. 😇 Or I could just be crazy. 😅😆

Weekly update. . . ouch

Not much business news this week, just personal stuff. 😅

I have somehow messed up my back, not entirely sure how but I think I have a slipped disk or something. Doing all the daily chores like scooping the litter boxes, run the vacuum, empty the dishwasher type things is killing me, but no one else is going to scoop the boxes or vacuum for me so pain be damned house be clean. 😖 However, the continuous pain is exhausting, I am moving slow and regularly stretching but I have accomplished very little this week aside from keeping the house and planning meals. 😕 

I haven't spent much time working because my shop's desk chair makes my back hurt worse. 😑 I've tried working rings on the couch, but I keep dropping them, which gets frustrating since I don't want to have to crawl on the floor to retrieve them. I do have the next dragon layout started he's going to be black and blue, kind of how I feel. 😉

In other news Reover has a vet check-up coming this week, he's due for shots and I'm not really looking forward to the appointment myself. First off, it's not easy lugging that moose to the vet, he's large and heavy when in the carrier if/when he gets mad and flops around, he's so heavy he can nearly knock me over. My back is screaming in protest of his weight already, as I suspect the vet will when they weigh him. 😏 I do not look forward to being told he's "obese" he knows that word and it makes him mad, seriously calling him fat pisses him off you can see it in his face. Not in this photo that's just mild annoyance at not getting outs, notice how he's in front of the door and occupying my slippers. 😅

The last vet that called him obese he hissed at I'm just saying. 

I know my cat is fat, but you can't just put a cat on a diet. First of all, there are 3 of them in this house so trying to limit the food for one is not easy, taking away the food for all doesn't work. Changing and giving special food to only 1 of the 3 doesn't work either, they are cats they eat out of whichever bowl they choose. Getting lazy fat house cats to "exercise" is a whole other challenge, I considered buying him a treadmill/wheel, but I don't think his lazy butt would use it. 😅

Oh and apparently there is a storm coming. 😕