A story of my "addiction"...

They say that talking about your problems makes it easier to handle them... Let's see if this is the case. So when next time I see "Rag Shop", "AC Moore" or "Michael's", I hope to just drive BY, not stop and spend a fortune. Yes, I am addicted ... to the craft stores! I can spend hours and hours going aisle through aisle, getting ideas right on the spot about what else I'd like to try to make. I get excited easily and then there is no stopping me, especially when the sale is on. I've stocked up on different kids of fabrics, lace, buttons, beads, cross stiching patterns, fabric paints, paintbrushes, modelling clay, numerous projects for woodburning, card making and stamping, scissors for scrapbooking, ink and fountain pens for calligraphy, etc...

I go through different phases in my addiciton. A couple of times I felt that I was going to recover and then, oops, I lost it again. At one time there was a "Rag Shop" just around the corner. I didn't have to drive, all I had to do was to stop by practically every day after coming back from the park to see what's on sale. All the sales girls knew me by my first and last name and stopped asking me if I had a coupon to use with the purchase (there was always one!). Mirek was asking me how I was I gonna find time to do all these projects and then even stopped asking. We had to buy a cupboard to store all my supplies. I think "overvisiting a craft store" could be a pretty solid reason for a divorce! But remember the vows... "in sickness and health"... Well, that store went out of business (I wonder why, with all that money I was spending!) and I slowed down a bit.

Photography was always a passion of mine. Over the years I've collected quite a collection of photo images and then one day decided to start a business venture. How idyllic it sounds : "my work is my hobby". I started making custom post cards with my photos. I made myself a business plan and was ready to launch. Even my "Images of Life" business cards were printed. I worked on a list of the stores and sent out samples of my cards and a contact letter. I'd sent them to the gifts sores, book stores, flower shops and craft boutiques. I asked my friends to distribute the cards for me. Eventually, it seemed that something positive started to happen. I got myself a spot in a craft boutique in Chester, NJ. I was on the cloud nine! Without even a slight hesitation I signed a six months lease and "moved in" two weeks later. Mirek had made a beautiful stand and I took care of the display. I also had a few woodburned pieces ready, so they were for sale as well... A $100 for rent in February and 2 cards sold... another $100 for rent in March and 3 cards sold... again $100 for rent and 4 cards sold. Well...you see what I'm trying to say here? The store owner was comforting me saying that since I'd missed the pre Christmas shopping spree, after was always the slowest season and that soon sales were gonna pick up.

To make a long story short, they never did for me! All the initial investment, $600 in rent fees went down the drain and all I was left with were memories of being an artisian and a huge amount of cards and woodburned gifts. I was upset, but I learnt to look at every experience in life as a lesson to mature, become wiser and laugh when it's hard to. I can humbly say that I'd tried a business and didn't succeed. Well, I guess a hobby should stay a hobby!?

Have you been to "Rag Shop"?