Some people have asked why I don’t sell stall signs or bonnets for some spare cash. Well, the first reason is that I don’t think my work is professional quality. It’s nice and the people I make them for as gifts really like them, but I’m very much a crafter, not an artist.
Even if I were a better artist, I could never have a shop because I am terrible at managing multiple creative projects simultaneously. Which is basically the opposite of my professional life where I do Operations and successfully manage many large projects at the same time. However, something about creative work makes me dig in to one project at a time.
One step at a time
Stall signs have a lot of steps. None of them are particularly difficult or actively time-consuming – and I highly recommend you try making your own using this guide – but they can’t be done very quickly. First I have to make the design on my computer. Then print it and transfer it to the wood. Next, burn the design into the wood. This step often gets broken up into a few mini steps depending on how complicated the design is and how much the wood burner needs to get turned off to cool while I go do something else. After the design is done, I have to stain the wood. This takes like 1 minute of active time, but then lots of down time for drying. And then another coat. And then more drying. And then sealant. And then more drying.
Picture is from Paola’s blog, but probably PC to Laura
You would think that I would be working on wood burning the next sign while the old one was drying. But I don’t. Because my brain doesn’t work that way. I have to get one done and then I can move on to the next one.
And that’s why prizes are taking so long to get out. I finished Emma’s bonnet right away because I was making fly bonnets for Nilla and everything was set up. Sara’s bonnet would have been done, but it came in the wrong color and I had to return it and re-order it. Then my dishwasher broke and half the contents of my kitchen moved onto the dining room table and I cannot easily access my sewing machine. I mean, I could. But I’d have to clean up. And there’s really very little chance of that happening until the dishwasher gets fixed. Which is dragging on forever because the part is hard to find and my husband and I are seriously contemplating just buying a new dishwasher so that we can move on with our lives. But I digress…
I finished Paola’s stall sign for Laura and then moved on to Teresa’s. Now I’m waiting on the USPS sending me padded flat rate envelopes. Because apparently it makes better business sense for them to mail me a set of 10 for free than to just stock them in the post office where I could pick up one on my own. While I’m waiting on envelopes, I have actually moved on to making the next sign and I’m almost done Appydoesdressage’s sign (just needs sealant), but I’m still moving at the speed of one sign at a time.
So if you’re thinking maybe I forgot about you, fear not. I am at work on getting prizes out. I’m just slow. Like, very, very slow.
I am not worried- take your time.
Yours is done, I just need to ship it.
Haha, I totally understand. I am not much better when it comes to cooking, it is why I can’t cook and can only bake. Laid out step-by-step instructions, doing one thing at a time? Great. More “art than science” and things need to be ready at the magical “finish” time for a meal? Not so much. I really appreciate your doing this for us, period, no rush!
I just like baking better because I liked baked good like cookies and cakes better than regular food.
No rush at all!! It is amazing that you offered up prizes.
I like doing them, I am just slow.
I feel ya. I have a saddle pad half done that was going to be customized like two years ago? Its one of my tasks to get done. Even though it is now covered in cat hair
Well, at least I’m doing better than 2+ years per project.
No worries, I totally get it! 😀
I have all the stuff for yours if I can ever reach my sewing machine.
I think having an official business takes some of the fun out of it too. I am the least crafty human alive so I need to rely on craftier humans to help me and my ponies look decent.
That’s true, I’d probably like it a lot less if I needed to do it for a living.
I feel the same way about my paintings!
Crafting for me is very much a function of inspiration. Which itself ebbs and flows. When I’m really in the zone I can do all sorts of fun projects. But then it might be a while before I try anything else. Regardless I love the bonnet!!