New Disorder

We all know about and sometimes some of us are afflicted by the alphabet soup of disorders...ADD, ADHD, OCD and on and on.
I have EBBC...Easily Bored By Crafts!
Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE to make things and some genres I have been active in since I was 8, like knitting and crocheting. But I really love making something new and different and if it involves upcycling, recycling, repurposing, all the better. I rarely can or will make the identical item twice. Because of my EBBC, my shop tends to be an eclectic mix with a bazillion categories (Thank you Zibbet for feeding into my disorder!) that may overlap or over reach. It's hard to pinpoint me in a 4-5 word description to fill in those blanks about what I sell. But, hey, this is me! My flightiness also includes a deep love for many materials as well...buttons, yarn, buttons, paper, ribbon, fabric, and oh, did I mention buttons?
I do admire the clean look of shops and booths that are so organized with items made with love but will fall under only one category like card makers, just  knitters or just jewelry.
I have fun making stuff and find it hard to make the same things over and over. Of course, if they're monster sellers, I can reconsider!
Anyway, here are 2 of my new items, one upcycled and one just darn cute!

Anyone else want to join my EBBC support group?!

Breathe......

Crafters are a unique bunch. Compulsive, obsessive, dedicated, energetic, talented, focused. I'm sure those traits are apparent in many fields but since I'm a member of this club, that is my observation.We search our brains for unique projects. We shop for the materials. We organize our work spaces. We execute the item. Photos are taken. Listings created. Postings regarding said items go on forums, Facebook, Twitter, etc. We compliment others and thank those that acknowledge us. We wait and wait and wait for the Paypal notice...you've made a sale. Sometimes it's in 5 minutes of a posting. Often it's way longer.

Now all I've described above should be only a small part of our day but for many the percentage is too high. Most crafters have other jobs, homes, school, families needing attention. Frustration seeps in. Questioning arises...why don't they like me? What am I doing wrong? How come she sells and I don't?
Public moaning is posted on the internet. Comraderie & understanding from fellow artisans helps but maybe, just maybe,
this is the time to walk away from the computer. Leave the craft space. Put the camera down and change direction.

Pick up a book. Weed the garden. Bake bread. Watch a movie. Visit a friend.

Remove yourself from the craft environment and breathe. Do not let your shop/items/creations be 100% of your life. There's much more out there. Refresh  and when you finally do check back in, bingo, there may be a sale. And if not, move on.
Do what you love and love what you do!

Why I Love Zibbet

This letter is being reprinted with permission.

Hi guys,

I just wanted to quickly jump in here to add my two cents worth to what has been a pretty hectic week here at Zibbet, and apparently an 'interesting' one at Etsy.
I just wanted you guys to be able to get a bit of a philosophical feel for how Jonathan and I and our team like to run our organisation.
I figure if people are going to have the opportunity to trust us, then it will require communication and getting to know one another a bit more.
So in that vein I'd like to list a few of our beliefs and values concerning how we would like to see Zibbet move forward as it grows bigger.

1. I want to say very emphatically that here at Z we are not in the business of bagging other venues. Whether they are better or worse than Z, we are not here to cast a shadow on what they do. Especially in light of events this week, let me say we are not interested in tearing down Etsy. We have a lot of respect for Etsy and what they have achieved and there is lots that we can learn from them.
2. Our leadership of Zibbet will not always be perfect, because as humans, we are imperfect. However, we will always endeavour to give our very best effort for the marketplace we have created and those who choose to belong to it. We will make mistakes, but we will never stop trying not to.
3. We will always seek to maintain the highest level of communication with our members as possible. This is motivated by the genuine desire to make Zibbet the best selling venue it possibly can be for your sake. We will always try to be available to our sellers by answering questions, listening to concerns or ideas and generally just being available to personally contribute to peoples' needs. Even as we grow very big, Jonathan and I plan to stay heavily involved in communicating directly with as many sellers as we possibly can. We know this will stretch us, but we are committed to it.
4. Common courtesy is a passion of ours so this will continue to dictate our behaviors and the way in which we interact with you. We believe if someone asks a question they deserve an answer. If we make a mistake, we will own it and apologise. We aim to treat every person with respect. We know we will probably not be able to please everyone, but we will not engage in the practice of 'simply writing people off' because they are upset about something.

All of this may sound lofty or overly romantic and nostalgic, but it is the truthful reality of our desire going forward.
Please feel free to quote or copy and paste these comments in any of your communication with others.
If we work together, we can build one of the greatest online selling venues of all time.
A few thoughts from me, for what it's worth.

Andrew

Learn more about this great site at zibbet.ning.com

Back to normal...what's that?

For the 1st time in weeks, I am home this weekend and there are no sleepover guests and none on the horizon...YAY! I think I'm caught up after the trips. And maybe even caught up on crafting....well, maybe not! I did manage to make 2 hats and a pair of fingerless gloves in Florida and now they're up to the store in Massachusetts. Listed some new things on etsy like the Holiday Winter Clock on the right and added new magnets also. I have 3 knitting projects going and magnets ready to be sanded. I guess the crafting will never be completed!



Anyway, below is another Iron Man Triathlon picture taken right before the swim. Trust me, none of these guys looked so good when it was all over! I am so proud of his dedication, commitment and fortitude. What a guy!