Desperately Seeking Gina

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Instagram Killed my Blog

I am simultaneously vowing to stay off Instagram more now through the end of the year and also saying that I’m going to post every day for The Project Stir IG Challenge.
I’m a walking conundrum, i know. The truth is I spend way too much time looking at all those perfectly styled little squares of everyone else’s seemingly perfect curated lives and I forget to live my own. 
It’s time I move back into this space, my first love, and share more behind-the-instagram info before it’s too late. And, by too late, I mean I’ve forgotten half the year of details and have only my own not-so-perfectly curated little squares to remember these days by.
I have a few projects I’m excited about for the month of October.  The first I mentioned above: Project Stir.  Later on in the month I’ll be writing more about this awesome project my blogging friend, Sarah is embarking on. 
Sarah and I at Arkansas Women Bloggers University in Hot Springs, AR 2015
 For now, I wanted to share her Instagram Challenge with you.
I’ll be participating by sharing new photos along with some throwback photos I am sifting through and digitizing. I’m a total sucker for nostalgia and I am loving the thought of preserving more of my family’s recipes and gathering experiences throughout the month.
You may notice I’m not doing Month of Pumpkin again. I’m afraid it’s probably a blogging tradition that I will remember fondly. I still love pumpkin! Don’t get me wrong-I’ll be sharing my fave finds on the Facebook page and a bloggy friend and I are doing a #PumpkinSwap with each other. So looking forward to that fun.
It seems like there’s more to this month that I’m not remembering at the moment. You’ll see me here, that’s for sure.

Quitman Fest rEcap {alternately titled: What I learned from my first ever craft vendorship}

Craft vendorship.  Let’s just say I’m better at making up words than I am at selling crafts.

No. No, that’s not true. I am trying to not be bitter about a disappointing first-craft show experience. It was disappointing. It was a complete flop. It wasn’t all my fault, of that I am sure.

The decision to jump right in at the last minute was a typical Gina move. In my defense, I read up on craft shows, the how-to’s, the 101 tips you should know before becoming a craft show vendor. I’m racking this one up as a learning experience, a lesson on how to prepare, how long it takes to prepare,  and all the other mumbo jumbo that other, smarter, more crafty people have put forth before me.

Instead of focusing on what went wrong I’m choosing to remain positive and focus on what went right. Also-on what I could have been better about.

The good:

-I love a good display and I loved gathering props to decorate our booth.
-If there was a cutest booth award, I’m sure our tent would have brought home the blue ribbon.
-I have a great ability for remaining positive when things look bleak. Or, maybe I lie really well.
-I am also able to sit still in one spot for hours on end.
-A lot of down time meant much brainstorming with Melissa and seeing possibilities with a different angle.
-Much pom pom making happened.

The bad:

-Even though I worked every. single. day. for 3 weeks, I feel like I had nothing to show for it. Strike that. I did have nothing to show for it. I started too many projects and didn’t finish enough. My “batching” process backfired and I ran out of time and energy to finish.
-Hustling at the end and not making lists hurt me as I packed up the goods and the props. I left out some cute elements because I forgot to pack them up.

So, was this a loss? Money, yes. Time and learning curve, no. I’ll do better next time because: make or die.

Make or Die

Just poppin’ in real quick to update on where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to.

The answer is simple: in the craft room making pom poms or cutting fabric, picking up stacks of fallen piles, or searching, always searching, for that one thing I need to finish a project completely.

#QuitmanFest, my town’s annual fall festival, happens in 5 days and for the first time ever I have signed up to be a vendor. I don’t have nearly enough product but, luckily, I have a new friend who’s going along on this adventure with me. One has to start somewhere, right?

The other day, on our way home from a trip to town Thom pointed out-not accusatorially I must add-I have not made any money in the last few ventures I’ve embarked upon. Nor have I broke even. My first reaction was to feel defensive-I’m not doing it for the money. And, then, a moment later, saddened. I can’t stop making and trying just because the first few didn’t pan out. Make or die is what I whispered to myself as I looked out the window. Make or die.

Make a creative life even if it doesn’t end in a windfall. Make ends meet creatively. Make myself happy with life, every day, every moment.

Autumn happens in just two days. I’m loving pumpkin-everything and I’m loving the feeling of the season in my heart, even if it feels like a gazillion degrees outside, still.

Tuesday Truths

Desperately Seeking Gina, Tuesday Truths

Some things I’m thinking this morning:

-This mild and cool weather in August is wonderfully amazing and I am trying to enjoy it.  But, it’s making me fear winter is going to be awful. And, by awful, I mean cold and snowy.  Also-I’m seeing talk of this popping up on the weather apps and FB pages.  Totally trying to not obsess about it.

-I signed up for a craft fair!  It’s a month away and I don’t have much made in the way of crafts.  This is how I tend to do things-jump right in without any proper planning but the more I think about something the more self doubt takes over and I talk myself right out of stuff.

-There are people building across the street. Our quiet little cove is filling up and while most of the people here are weekenders, the weekends are the days I am home and like to enjoy the quiet. Gah.  I’m much more of a hermit than I care to admit.

#AWBU is just a few days away.  I’m excited to see old friends and looking forward to meeting new ones. I’m also getting anxious about having to be social. I’m totally awkward at it, you guys.

Loving lately:

Magic Lessons

Iced Coffee

Brownies with chocolate frosting

Periscope…loving Rhonna Farrer’s “how-to” scopes. (#RhonnaDesigns)

What are you thinking about and loving today?

Weekend Update: Bargains Galore on 64

Ah, the infamous 160 miles of Arkansas yard sales tale.  I’ve heard and read about Bargains Galore on 64 since I moved here eight years ago.  I’ve never actually gone in search of such wonder, though, because, hello-August; Arkansas; Summer. It’s scorching in August, y’all.  Who willingly drives from sale to sale under burning hot sunlight?

Desperately Seeking Gina, Bargains Galore on 64

It turns out-we do.  We’ve had surprisingly cool temps the last few days.  And, by cool, I mean low nineties.  That I could do, I thought, as we set out early Saturday morning (and by early, I mean 9:30 am-it was a day off, after all, and sleeping-in is a MUST).

Thom and I made the hour trek to Conway to begin the 64 adventure. Our first stop was a huge, dusty, packed lot wth eight or so very large sales, swimming with bargain shoppers. I found a few treasures at the first tent; craft supplies!  It already looked promising.  I made the rounds through the other tents and made only one more purchase; a set of tiny winking Santa mugs for only fifty cents.

Desperately Seeking Gina, Bargains Galore on 64

Desperately Seeking Gina, Bargains Galore on 64

We left in a plume of dust and headed further down 64.  Traffic flowed fairly smoothly-we were all on the same mission and had the same technique.  As we would approch a line of parked cars, indicating another sale (the signs were blocked due to the line of parked cars) we would do a slow drive-by to scope out the sale and determine whether or not we’d stop.

We passed a lot of sales.  They looked to be full of either kids toys or kids clothes, and we’re not in the market for either.

Desperately Seeking Gina, Bargains Galore on 64
Ceramic Baby Parts, Anyone?

This method continued all the way to Morrilton where we found the main drag full of sales, sellers, and food vendors.  I took my time and strolled through each sale looking for nothing in particular-that’s how I yard sale. I know what I need/want when I see it.

It was back to Conway for lunch and then we headed down 64 in the opposite direction toward home.

Sadly, we didnt find much that we couldn’t live without.  It seems that everyone in Arkansas is selling the same old things.  It sort of makes me sad to see all the junk-where will it go if no one wants it?  Are we filling land-fills with all this once-wanted “stuff?” It makes me rethink my purchases a bit.

Desperately Seeking Gina, Bargains Galore on 64
My bargains, including a vintage bed sheet for bunting making.

Thom and I rolled into the Cove after seven and a half hours of yard sale-ing.  I spent a whopping $5 in 47 miles of yard sales.  Lunch cost four times that.  But, the fun?  The time spent together?  Priceless.