Winds of change....

'Follow the wind' by naokosstoop.

The winds of change are finally breezing in.
After what seems like an eternity.....I think.....no I'm sure that I've found my direction.

Born with a sewing needle in one hand and a Lincraft club card in the other, I was always destined to be creatively driven and when you have mountains of people telling you "you're so creative, you should make something of it" you think, sure, good idea. I can make stuff! Why not turn that in to a career.

But somehow being creatively gifted just doesn't translate into a career path. It definitely gives you something to do on the couch on cold winter nights, and it surely pleases many family and friends to get another handmade present. Surely!

Following crafty pursuits, for me, is like the need to eat. It's the petrol in my tank.

But I felt drawn to make something more of it.
What though.............Life can be put on hold, trying to decide on the whats! even more so, combating the what if's.
So after much procrastination, I made the leap into selling online on Etsy over a year ago.
I cried happy tears when I had my first customer who wasn't family or friend.

Soon, I ventured out in to the market scene. With trepidation, fear, and a great amount of self doubt.
Once again I cried happy tears that it was such a success. Tears too, because I had waited soooooo long to take the leap.

One year on, I can't tell you how much I have learnt and grown. Personally and professionally.

So I reach this happy place.........two kids, devoted beau, crafty business, life is good. A little messy and chaotic, but good.

Except for that little, itty bitty niggly feeling in my tummy, that says 'there is more to this crafty adventure, you're not there yet'

Soon I make new crafty friends through my market endeavors and we all have this itty bitty niggly feeling nagging at us, that there is something more...........

It's hard to stop your self going full speed when you discover other people with the same niggly feeling . "We could do this, we can do that, lets try this, how about that........" So we slowed down, took ourselves seriously and started planning.

A big part of me feels overwhelmed and scared, but a bigger part of me feels exhilarated and as though finally......this is where I'm meant to be.So what is it?
All this rambling and who harr!

It's about a new venture that I am so proud to be a part of. A new venture that I'd like you all to be a part of too.

Three crafty peeps, Jennie, Margaret and I have formed a non - profit association, specifically created to encourage and support craftspeople, hobbyists and micro business in Melbourne's northern suburbs.
We will be having crafty social events, summer markets and community outreach programmes.

After what seems like a mountain of paper work, a sea of insurance quotes and a month of venue hunting, we have finally come to an end, which really marks the beginning.

Today Northside Makers have gone live.

check out our blog, and start sending your ideas our way for what you'd like to see happen in your local craft group.
Our membership forms and stall applications will appear there real soon, so join up and follow us now at the early bird stage as we grow into something that I really think will be a wonderful crafty explosion in the North.