Monday, January 23, 2006

No rest for the project-ed

Is there an adjective form for having many projects? You know, like "projectfull," "projectissimo," or some such? I can't think of it if there is, but suffice it to say that I am full of projects lately. Or full of ideas for projects. (I have Aries rising, don't'cha know.) It's a lively state of mind that I frequently allow myself to indulge in, but the problem lately is that I can't get to sleep. When I posted last night about Bean screaming and keeping me awake? She eventually quit around 3:15, but I couldn't fall asleep again til well after 4:00 for thinking about all my projects. Then this morning when she went down for a nap, I tried to go down for one, too, but was unsuccessful because my brain was just revving through all these different project options.

It all started with my trying to come up with ways to make a little cash from home. As some of you will recall, I was soliciting ideas from the blogging world (some of which were quite interesting, by the way). My regular, helpful readers who no doubt had only my best interests and wallet in mind, seemed mostly to recommend that I steer well clear of any idea that included anything crafty I might want to sell. I thought to myself, "This is probably good advice. Everybody and their sister is doing something crafty these days and thinking they can make a buck off it. Best not to go there." But what's been keeping me up nights and naptimes, whirling around so busily in my head? Ideas for lucrative crafts, of course!

But wait, just listen to this! Okay, are you ready? Hand-made rag rugs in bright, interesting, mod colors! C'mon, wouldn't you like one of these hand-made rag rugs if you saw one and it wasn't too expensive? It would be washable! It would be in a color palette that would work well in your kids' rooms! No? Oh, all right...

Well, then how about funny little misshapen creatures made out of retro-looking calico prints?! They'd have funny little legs and arms and knotted fabric hair, plus child-proof button eyes, and smiles and butt cracks sewed on with embroidery floss! Wouldn't that be cute, but still fun and you'd be buying them for your kids but really you'd kinda want to keep them for yourself?! Huh? Huh?! No? Jeez, alright already. No crafts.

But RGLHM suggested a business where I advertise my baking services to the parents at Sister's school for things like potlucks and class snacks, birthday parties and the like. Since I've decided the local catering job isn't for me, this is probably the most doable idea I received and I may give it some more thought. It is a field I know well, after all.

But it still isn't as much fun as crafts, dammit!

7 comments:

Mama D said...

I am about to start my fourth week back at work and I feel terrible admitting that I am loving it. I feel more like myself again. I am allowed to make $94 dollars on top of what the government pays me and I make more than that so I could work less but I am enjoying it too much! The shame, the guilt, the adult conversation.

Carol said...

It is hard to find something that pays enough to warrant doing it. Think practical...

I am a fellow Olympian...

Anonymous said...

I'd buy one of the rugs . . .

Anonymous said...

I like "projectissimo."

Yeah, I'm with you on the craft stuff -- almost impossible to try and make a buck, but (as evidenced by my suggestions) doing the crafty stuff is somehow quite appealing.

But I do think with your background the baking idea might work out.

Suzanne said...

Those rugs do sound really cool...

Kathryn Thompson said...

I really like the rug idea. Seriously. That sounds awesome. The baking thing too.

Another thought...a friend of mine got hooked up with a couple of companies that send out a lot of gift baskets, real estate companies, investment firms, etc. She created fresh baked goods to be given to clients. I thought this was a great idea. She could do it from home and made good money. You could also write off a portion of your car payment and the gas if you're delivering the baskets. Just an idea....

Anonymous said...

I vote for 'projectissimo', too! Since getting stressed out about all the car and home stuff going on, I have busied myself by being very projectissimo. See, I even made a sentence with it!