The busiest time of the year for me

My primary job is motherhood; however, I do have a hobby. An obsession, really. I love yarn. I love working with it, either crocheting or knitting. I have played with hyenacart without success and may try it out again in the future, but for now I sell my items solely on Diaperswappers. I crochet and knit wearables, toys, diaper covers, sponges, kitchen items, you name it, I crochet it. I like to say I can crochet anything, but have recently encountered a challenge that stumped me for a couple weeks, which actually made me happy because it was wonderfully challenging, but the degree to which this challenged me forced me to face the possibility that someday there might be something I won't be able to crochet. Just because I haven't found it yet doesn't mean I won't, but I think even if I do find something I can't do, I will enjoy the challenge and the process of trying to figure it out. I'm quickly learning to knit almost as well as I crochet; however, I am not as good at figuring out stuff via knitting like I am via crochet. Yet.

I enjoy stepping outside of the box and making something new out of it. I enjoy creating something fun, beautiful, warm -- something multi-dimensional and useful -- out of something flat and blank like yarn. Its art to me, self-expression. It's relaxing, therapudic. I enjoy it. I don't make a lot of money off it, but I make more than I spend on the yarn, it does fund cloth diapers for my kiddos and give me a little blow money and I enjoy every minute of it.

Realistically, the busiest time of the year for me is always "right now" (the present) as its the only time of the year that is "real" at any one time, but all philosophy aside, the busiest time of the year for me is right now. Easter. It was at this time of the year that I first began selling homemade crocheted items and it seems like the time when I sell the most items not based on the amount I net, but the quantity of items I make at any one period of time and how hard I push myself to make things for others. This is the 3rd or 4th night in a row that I have stayed up late (after 1 am) to try to wrap everything up in time to mail it by tomorrow so it would arrive in time for Easter (at least based on the USPS's estimated delivery time of 2-5 days for First Class postage, which most of my packages are sent as since they usually weigh less than 13 ounces).

I do work hard for the 4 to 6 weeks before Christmas (and sometimes 1-2 weeks after if I don't finish everything in time) as I try to make Christmas presents for all my family, but its different when you are working for your own family than for others. First of all, the cut off time is different. You don't have until the shipping deadline, you have until the day of. And its somehow easier to put off making stuff for family in lieu of spending time with family than it is to put off making stuff for others. There's a lot more pressure with making stuff for others for some reason.

I'm a perfectionist. I'm always worried that people won't like what I make. I know I do my best and I know my best is wonderful work, but there's always that fear that it won't be well received. But so far, so good.

Well, I'm exhausted, so I'm off to bed. I anticipate writing posts in the future regarding WAHM work and tips on how to run a wahm business thriftily and successfully, but for now I'm satisfied that I was able to adequately express why I am up at this crazy hour knowing full well that I will be awakened by the kiddos in 5-6 hours and the satisfaction I find in my hobby, even when I push myself until it kicks my butt. Goodnight all :)