Supporting my Family.

In my constant pursuit of a more "Handmade Life" ... one in which I have the freedom to homeschool my child, to pursue my artistic goals, and to live as simply as possible ... I am always searching out ways in which to financially support my family in a way that feels good and meaningful to me ... and that sustains our pursuits. Throughout the years, I have tried many different ventures ... most of which I liked and many that I didn't. But lately I am feeling excited and somewhat satisfied with the direction I am taking. And I'd like to tell you about it ...

I have many different interests ... most of which center around "craft", "art", "books" and of course ... my son. I love photography, painting, sewing, collecting vintage goodies, collaging, etc. I love to make and collect things for my family, but I also love to sell them. It feels so darn good when someone wants to buy something that I took the time to create. So, Etsy has been a great fit for me ... and so far I have enjoyed some success with it. I have sold several upcycled journals on the site ... as well as handmade bags, note card sets, holiday banners, etc. (thank you for your patronage). But lately, I am feeling the drive to expand my offerings on the site by selling limited edition prints of my photography as well as high quality fabrics (a true love of mine). I am especially excited about offering some of my best photography ... and I hope it inspires me to capture and create even better images (I am definitely an amateur).

So far, I am using one store to offer it all - but that may change as sales grow. And I must say, that I am always thinking about new items that I would love to create for sale (screen printed tees, fabric buttons, gocco prints, wearable art ... and the list goes on and on). Anyway, Etsy feels like a great fit for me, as it is a company that I can believe in ... and I am selling products that make people feel good :) Also - from now until further notice, I have been donating 25% of all Etsy sales to Haitian Roots ... and that feels REALLY good for all of us.

As I continue to grow my Etsy Shop ... I have still needed to generate income elsewhere. One way in which I have done this is to create a link from this blog to Amazon.com (my favorite shop for books). See that little box to the upper right of this blog? The one that allows you to search on Amazon? Well, if YOU use that link whenever you purchase an item from Amazon.com, my family will earn between 4-6% of your total purchase. Isn't that great? So, if you are going to make a purchase anyway, we would be so appreciative of your making it through our link. They pay us with gift certificates, thereby allowing us to purchase some great books for Isaac's homeschooled life. Thank you :)

I have much to learn about marketing my photography, hand-sewn crafts, and fabrics ... but I enjoy the learning curves. Slowly, but surely, I hope to be able to financially support our household in a significant way ... through art and craft ... in a way that is good for all of us. And because I realize how important it is for SAHMs (stay-at-home-moms) to generate incomes to maintain their ability to raise their children ... I also support other Etsy crafters as well. Just about any gift you could ever need for anybody in your life can be found there ... so I urge you to support creative economies by searching Etsy for all your gift needs as well. Your family and friends will thank you :)

So, there it is ... some of my life goals in writing. Thank you for all your support thus far. And for those who are also looking to support their families in a less than traditional way ... I'd love to exchange ideas with you.

Love,

Jodi

P.S. I just re-priced some etsy goodies at SALE prices. Please see if there is anything you can use. Thanks!