Making money from your passion

A couple of conversations this week and reading a blog post by Andrea at Four Square Walls got me thinking how many of us are lucky enough to make a living by following our dreams or hobbies.  I really admire people who do, who stick to what they want and don't give up no matter how long it takes.  I never really knew what I wanted to do when I was at school and it was sort of expected I would leave and get a job, any job and that is what I did.  I have never been out of work from leaving School at 16 and I am grateful for that but I do envy those who have a true passion, one that is unwavering over time.  I returned to education later, and studied part-time while working from home when the children were younger, I did this  to improve my options and it did. I changed my job from working in a sewing factory which was killing my love of sewing to becoming a teaching assistant.  I do enjoy my work but there are days when I feel I am missing something.  I suppose a lot of us feel that way sometimes, I have done a few  alteration jobs for people this week and I really enjoy these jobs, just me, the sewing machine and some loud music.  I sort of need the stability of a regular income too though, very brave the people who own their own businesses and may not know how the next month will pan out income wise.
I have a few bits listed at my Folksy shop and I did sell another bag this week, only a small profit but such a wonderful feeling that someone wants to own something I made.
When I see fabric I am full of ideas what I could do but the thought of items sitting unsold in the cupboards puts the breaks on a lot of the time.  Fabric is expensive which is why I choose to use recycled mostly  but how gorgeous are those prints below?

 I want to do more of this  but working full time and having a family means I sew when I can. I know that is not very brave or daring and maybe I should be taking more risks with it.  In Andrea's post she confessed to having given up her job and taken a job in a sewing studio to learn more and follow her dream.  How brave is she and although I would not want to go back to working as a jobbing machinist in a factory by choice  (don't get me wrong I would if I was out of work and needed to) I love the way she has just gone for it to see if this is for her.   I spoke to friend last night who's daughter is at college doing performing arts, she wants to sing and that is all she has ever thought of doing, her parents are very supportive and she is working on songs for an album and is always out doing performances.  I just thought wow! If she is going to give it her every best shot I'm sure she will get somewhere with it.
I think sometimes we compromise because we need some stability, of course more so when you have a family you are not just thinking of yourself when you make choices. Working for some one else means you have to bite your tongue quite a lot, you feel your life is not your own at times and there are things you just don't agree with but what can you do?  We make this trade for the comfort of having a pay cheque each month and someone else having the worry of how that comes about, I just think sometimes are all those hours that we will never get back well spent if we are not truly happy?  I just want to say to every one out there who is following their dream and working doing what they love most, good on you, I want to join your club one day.  I just need to figure it out...

Being healthy without spending a fortune

I have just started the evening meal and later on I will be going for a swim, we were talking about exercise and the gym etc. earlier at work and it got me thinking about how much is spent by some on memberships and how little they are used.  I joined my local pool a year and a half ago when the Change4life scheme had posted through my door.  I  have always gone to the pool but I only used to go once a week and sometimes that wasn't a definite thing, but the cost was always an issue as a quick swim soon adds up especially when you are taking the children along.  I had looked at joining before but it worked out too expensive however when the offer was on I got two years membership for £249 which is great, it covers the gym and sauna also but I don't use these.  When you consider I was paying £4.00 per swim before this is a huge saving plus I go two or three times a week now, the only downside is that with lessons and swim team meetings times can be limited in the evenings. If you are looking to join a gym or pool I would definitely recommend keeping an eye out for the Change4life posters outside your local leisure centre.

I think they look like jelly babies (but that is not very healthy)

It should have been £249 for the year but if you paid in full you got the second year for free, I think this just shows it's best to save when you can and then you can make the most of offers like this.  There was the option to pay monthly by direct debit but that was just for the one year  membership.

When the posters were up again near us recently my husband decided to join but he prefers the gym as he doesn't like to swim.  There are lots of things you can do if you don't want to spend money however, walking is always the easiest and cheapest plus most accessible to all ages, my friend has just started going to jive dancing in the week and she says that is really good for working up a sweat they are not formal lessons it's more of a social evening.  I have borrowed DVD' s from the library, there are all kinds of exercise workouts you can get there.  You can also get free trial sessions at some gyms and if you have health problems there are great reductions you can get from a GP referral.

Frugal things

Well the sun was shining at last all  day yesterday so the washing was on the line, that is the first frugal thing of the week and what a difference I think it makes to your mood just to get outside and feel the sunshine. I can never understand when people complain about the warm weather we just don't get enough of it for anyone to complain!  Wear a hat, open some windows but please don't complain when the sun shines!  A walk with the dogs to the park and a visit to family and while I was there I got given this skirt for the fabric...

I don't know if I will modify it and keep as a skirt (probably a bit shorter and less gathered) or if it will become something else, still free fabric is a good thing it cost so much now.  We then discovered had not picked up a pudding for desert when we went shopping so I made a chocolate and orange cake and the best bit was the eggs were form my sister in laws hens that she gave me the other day.  She actually said they don't really like eggs which I though was funny seeing as they keep hens. So cheap desert sorted! 

i had a sit at the top of the garden in the sunshine and we had been talking about what plants and stuff we need for the garden when I spotted this...

Can you see that little splash of pink? Roses growing among all the brambles at the other side of my fence near the tracks. I took a close up.

How beautiful is that? It will be really tricky to get to as the thorns on the surrounding bushes are huge but my husband said he will get boots and gloves on and get us a couple of cuttings.  I read that it is ok to take cuttings from wild plants just don't damage or uproot the original, which is bizarre when you consider the land that gets cleared for houses etc. Also it was mentioned that wild roses only flower for a couple of weeks early summer and that cuttings should be taken August to September.  I think if I wait until then I will not be able to find the plant without the flowers! Does anyone know if it will still work if we do it this early, rather thrilled at the idea of a free plant.  

One last frugal thing that got done this weekend was my husband finished re-staining the decks.

I think that has transformed them ready for the summer lets hope we have a good one.