embroidery Friday/ talking shop

Just thought I'd share some of the embroidery I've been working on.
 

These are all from a project I am working on for Cis and I have another morning in my sewing room today (don't be hatin') so I may even get it finished.

It has been such a creative and productive week for me. This was just what I was hoping for back in November when I was up to my eyeballs in hair clips and traveling art shows.
Some of you have asked how all the craft shows went and what it's been like starting a small business. Well, I have to say all in all it was a really positive experience for me. I did about half a dozen shows in November and December, some went better than others...some were quite busy and some not so much. I didn't have a single show where I was rushed off my feet but I made sales everywhere I went and everyone was really positive about my stuff and I made enough money to feel like it was worth pursuing further.
I spoke with lots of other vendors who had been doing the shows for several years, they all said business was slow, much slower than previous years, but meeting people, making contacts and having people invite me to other shows was totally worth the effort.
I will definitely be back to doing craft shows in 2009...but now I think I know which ones are the better ones to attend. As with all things there is an element of trial and error.
I have lots of ideas for my Etsy shop and hopefully this month I'll actualize some of them. I have two quilt commissions to get to first then I am hoping to build up my stock over the first half of this year and get some bigger quilts in the shop.

There are parts of staring a small business I have not enjoyed like keeping accounts, paying taxes on time and generally feeling a little too busy. But there is a great sense of satisfaction in doing this and there is so much free support available through small business centers, friends and family that those egregious tasks seem less significant.

Of course I couldn't get through this post without saying a huge thank you to everyone of my readers who helped in one way or another. Those who helped to spread the word about the shop, those who bought something and of course my fabulous pattern tester (thank you Angie!) you have all been so kind and supportive and I hope in 2009 I'll have some more good things to share with you.