Gainful Employment

I have been officially retired for two and a half years now and, alhough I am enjoying myself immensely, I really am too young to join the ranks of the retired. Since I am my sole provider I really need to get off my butt, stop living off my savings and find another job.... but I am having way too much fun. With the quilt guild bees and the sewing guild groups plus the knitting club at the Humble Middle School, I just don't think I can squeeze in a 'real' job. Time for Plan B ... that is to make my hobbies my job.

My first foray into the crafty job market was when the owner of Quilter's Quarters in Conroe asked me to do the bog coat workshop as a class for them. Instead of just going over the steps in construction, the class and I will make real live bog coats. I even have one that can be made for a baby from a fat quarter. I don't see the classes on their calendar yet but one will be on February 6 and another on March 28, both in the afternoon. The income will be very small compared to the pleasure I have in bringing this great jacket to other sewers and it is a beginning. Now, if only enough people sign up for the class that will make the minimum required. I have my fingers crossed on this one! If it works I'll try it out with Sew Crafty Houston.

My next attempt has turned into working at Yes Prep in Houston once a week for a couple of hours running their Arts and Crafts Club. Ike ruined their ability to hold this club last semester so they are trying again. The original Fall instructor is hosting the Japanese club this time while I will take over Arts and Crafts. This is a real paying job and will take a lot of prep time including a real lesson plan and sourcing of materials we can use. The classes will go on for twelve weeks and end up with a student extravaganza.

This one has me a little nervous in that I hope I have come up with projects that will interest the kids without being too juvenile. I will try to get others to be guest speakers/demonstrators but I don't know if many will interested as these kids probably can't afford to buy many supplies from them... sales being the motive of many demonstrators. I'm off to do paper work today and the club starts next week. The wierd part of this employment is that I heard about in a Sew Crafty Houston post last year and it appears that I am the only person who wants to do it.......or maybe the crafty fairies spread some fairy dust so that my name made it to the top of the list.

I don't want to know!

I hope your week has started well. It's around freezing here this morning and Alex and the girls were having a hard time finding a cosy spot in the backyard. I can see the three of them right now all huddled down in a pine needle nest enjoying the sun. I wish I had a big telephoto lens for my camera to get a picture for you.... maybe later.