Friday, January 4, 2013

New year, new exciting things to come


Its been far too long friends. Some of you know that there have been many significant changes in life over the past few months that have kept me from writing. There are many more to come, but hopefully the things that have stopped my blogging are a thing of the past.

 

   First of the changes, is the biggest. I’ve moved. Not online but literally moved. For the last seven years, with the exception of a brief three months in 2008, I’ve lived in Indiana. I was a month shy of turning sixteen when we moved, two days after Christmas. I’m going to be honest here and now. I didn’t want to leave. I put on a brave face and a smile because that is what I was expected to do. But that’s beside the point. We started out in Gary, Indiana, formerly the murder capital of the United States. After High school, I made my way down to Indianapolis, for college. Now I’ll be a bit positive. I enjoyed living in Indianapolis. Public transportation allowed me to save money by riding the bus, which in turn taught me time management, learning to plan my day around the bus schedule. I could work and go to school, and I had a handful of people I cared about. There was always something to do, and being an art student in that city was wonderful. Art and artists were all around me, and I had amazing teachers. But there was so much I disliked about that place. The climate, the crime, the education system. I resolved to move. Back to where the majority of my friends and family were. I was going to move back to Nevada.
 

   So that’s the first big change. I’ve moved 2,000 miles. Now the second. I’m single. I’m not going to go into details as to why, but my Significant Other and I decided to dissolve our relationship shortly before I moved. I have respect for him, the decisions he’s made, and for his family. We did not end badly, but we did end. For now I’ve resolved to be single. I’ve prayed and spent a lot of time thinking. I’ve left my love life in God hands. If I do have a love story, I’m letting him write it. I’m done trying to force things to happen the way I want. I’ve resolved not to worry about that part of my life. If something happens, it happens. If not, it isn’t the end of the world.

   There are several other changes, but they are not as significant. These two things are what are contributing to the expanding of Butterfly Dark.

   If you’ve been watching the Butterfly Dark Facebook page, you’ll notice that something else besides crafts is popping up in the pictures. Photographs. I’ve been experimenting in photography, and been commissioned to do some events and portraits. I’ve found I’m enjoying it. I’m no professional, but I’d like to do more photography. I’d like to learn more, and get better at it. I’ve been reading up on photoshop and experimenting with the program to see what can be done to enhance the photos. Not necessisarily change them, but enhance. Make black and white, or monotone, sepia, and airbrushing the acne out of teenagers faces. I’m learning so much.

   But don’t count crafts out! I’ve been working hard at different things. Mostly hair accessories. I’ve been creating hair bows and flowers, putting a bit of vintage and steam punk flair into them. I’m working on having these items photographed and I’ll be reviving the Etsy shop as soon as possible. Until then, they can still be sold, you’ll just have to contact me through facebook.

 

 Which brings me to another thing. Butterfly Dark is becoming more than just an online entity. We’re becoming a physical presence. Now this is just a rough timeline, but we’re hoping that by September or October, that we will have enough inventory, and to have everything set up to start working the fair circuit. We’re hoping to have a physical booth at local Northern Nevada craft fairs, farmers markets and other such events. And by we, I mean more than just me. I’ve recruited some help, some friends, some family, and we are going to try and pull this off. I’ll announce where our first event will be, and I hope all of you who read would try to make it. Not just to support Butterfly Dark in this adventure, but to support local businesses in general. Especially in Northern Nevada, small businesses play a huge part in the economy. In the meantime, I’ll be attending local fairs, seeing what sells, what doesn’t, what the crowds are like and so on.

 

   I’m asking for your patience as well. Everyone who reads this has already been very patient with this blog and I appreciate it greatly. I’m living with the most amazing people right now, my adoptive Grandma Mary. We live in Silver Springs. Yes, the middle of nowhere.  We’re working on it, but right now we don’t have the internet. I drive into Carson once a week at least and I’m able to use my laptop at the library there. Because of budget cuts our local branch is open only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11am until 4pm.  I’m also working, thankfully, much closer to where I live. Hopefully that will make blogging a bit easier. Again, thank you for your patience with this blog.

 

I’ll leave you now with new thoughts on the new year. Who has resolutions? What crafty plans do you have, if any? Will you make a goal to better yourself this year? It being only the fourth day in, have you stuck to it? Do you plan to succeed? I hope this beautiful new year finds you all well, and I hope to literally see some of you soon.

  Love, music and feathers people!