Jacqstar - a month in the life (part one)

The lovely Jess from Create and Thrive  has organised an Instagram challenge for handcrafters called 'A Month in the Life' in which we post a picture each day of our businesses based on a different theme each day: 

Create and thrive a month in the life

So I thought I'd share my photos and my stories behind them. 

Day 1: Workspace 

Secret Lair (very messy)

                                      

This is the Spare Room. Also known as Jacqstar's secret Lair (I've always wanted a lair- it sounds so cool!), the Creative Cave, or most recently the junk room :)  At the moment, there's stuff everywhere, as I'm in the middle if several projects and working my way through Leonie Dawson's Double your Biz programme. 

Double Your Biz Programme

Day 2: Hands

                           

I didn't have someone Handy (see what I did there???) to take pictures of my hands in action so I improvised. I suppose wool is my first passion, followed closely by paint. If truth be told, I care less abou the medium and more about the colours. Oh how I love colours! 

Day 3: Work in Progress. 

One of my many works in progress

Wow. I started this over a year ago, and it still hasn't progressed much further than what you see here. I have no idea what it's going to be- I don't think it has decided yet. 

Day 4: Raw Materials. 

some of my raw materials

As I've said, the medium is secondary to the colours and textures, but I do love shiny glittery things. I love to feel the softness of the wool. I'm very sensory so as long as it appeals to a couple of senses I'm in love with it! 

Day 5: Sketchbook

a few of my musings on paper

I had forgotten what was in my sketchbook- it's been so long since I've even opened them. Looking at my ideas has inspired me to get back into sketching and getting all the pictures in my head out onto paper. 

Day 6: Action

but she had wings...

I don't have any shots of me in Action. But this is my Action plan. My dream board reminds me of what I want from my business and where I need to go. It's my who what when were and why -  It keeps me moving in the right direction. 

Day 7: Packaging 

brown paper packages tied up with string...

I use old knitting and crochet patterns and wrap them up with scraps of wool that are too short to do much else with. Mum taught me to waste not want not, so I'm the ultimate recycler :) 

That's the end of the first week. See you same time next week for week 2

P.S. follow me on Instagram http://instagram.com/jacqstarcreations/

Love, 

Jacqui xx

...But She had Wings...

Recently I met up with my mastermind group of incredibly talented ladies from Leonie Dawson's Amazing Biz and Life Academy. Our mission for the day was to creation a vision board for how we see (or want to see) our businesses.

I've been giving a lot of thought to what I want the direction for my little biz to be. I've jotted down lots of words, ideas and feelings (both what I want to feel and what I'd like my customers to feel), and then found pictures that seemed to convey those thoughts.

It got me really thinking about where I'd like to be in a year or two or 5 years down the track, and what I can do for my customers. It's all about what I can do for you.

What Do I Have That Can Help You?

Now I'm a bit of a hippie tree-hugger save the planet,  ooh

yeah I love dolphins, rainbows and unicorns kind of girl, and so I really want to integrate that into the future of my business, so that's the kind of ideas I wanted to put into my vision board. I love peacock inspired colours and just colour in general, so there's an element of that.

I've also added inspiring words and snippets from song lyrics (can you pick the song?) that fit into my theme. I'm Allowing my business to be successful and giving myself Permission to receive all the abundance that comes with it.

I want to do my little bit to help the planet, so I want to

use Eco yarns that are Earth friendly and sustainable, don't use fossil fuels, have gentle dyeing processes etc. And I've added those images to remind me of where I want to be and why I'm doing it.

I've also added lots of butterfly and wing images which are aligned with my Butterfly Lady range of inspirational sayings and drawings (which I've made into a series of gift cards) and a snippet from one of my favourite quotes at the moment: 

'When she transformed into a butterfly, the caterpillars spoke not of her beauty, but of her weirdness. They wanted her to change back into what she always had been. But she had wings.' 
-Dean Jackson

OOH I love that quote to bits...

Thanks for letting me share this vision board with you and my vision for Jacqstar. What do you think? Did you spot the song lyric? Have you ever made your own vision board or have wanted to make one? Let me know...

Love always,

Jacqui xx