Happy New Year!

My new year has started a little late this year with one thing and another but I finally feel like its New Year so although a little late, in the tradition of New Year I'm just deciding upon my Resolutions!

Looking back over 2011, I quite successfully stuck to some of my resolutions - like trying to make a real go at my jewellery business Grinning Cat Designs and with the help of the fantastically talented Becka Griffin I've got my logo and business cards sorted.

But I still have a long way to go so top of this year's New Year Resolutions is to complete my website and Etsy Shop. And to blog a little more regularly!!

One sad element of looking back over 2011 for me, is that I had to say good bye to my wonderful cat Foggy, the inspiration for my business.

So Happy New Year to all and here's hoping I can stick to my New Years Resolutions in 2012!

The Grinning Cat is trying to stop me working!

My clever little cat 'Foggy' seems to be doing her best to stop me working... She sleeps on my desk, so I move to the dinning table where she then sits on top of my work, so I try to do some computer work but she decides to sit on the printer!

Oh well maybe I'll give up for today.

My Grinning Cat is Poorly

My very own kitty 'Foggy' has become quite poorly over the last couple of weeks and the vet has given her special food to eat to help but now she wont even eat that. I'm finding it very hard to be inspired to create some grinning cat jewellery as it just makes me think of foggy, then I worry and have to go give her a cuddle!

Really hoping she'll get better soon...

Do you craft for the love of it or for the sell of it?

I would love to make my living from creating jewellery but should that be the main reason we as crafters create our products or should it be because we love creating beautiful things and if we can make some money that's a bonus?

This is something that seems to be on the minds of many fellow crafters. One crafter asked on a forum "my stuff isn't selling, should I make something else..?" which got me to thinking "why do I make - for the love of it or for the sell of it?"

I love making jewellery but have often worried if I haven't made huge amounts of money at a craft fair and have often considered I should be making something else. Especially when its so competitive among jewellery sellers to even get into craft fairs! But I really do LOVE making jewellery so have made the decision to create beautiful bespoke pieces that I would really want to wear myself and to try not to put too much emphasis on the money side of things - though more money would be fab!

I believe only when we make things for the love of it, will we be able to actually make a sale from it. 

The Grinning Cat Having Fun

Just had to show these pictures of The Grinning Cat having some catnip induced fun!!!

Inspired

After coming home from our holiday, I felt rested and refreshed and decided to do a bit of sorting out in my craft room/workshop and I came accross these fab cottons that used to belong to my Gran and have been wrapped in a plastic bag after being rescued from the family attic some months ago. I'm now totally inspired to create some textile based crafts... maybe a textile painting or a heavily decorated and beaded bag. Watch this space!

Grinning Cats New Phone

I've just got a new HTC phone and its driving my kitty brain mad! But am looking forward to getting to grips with it so I can blog whenever I'm inspired too.