tyger tyger burning bright in the forests of the night

Couldn't resist posting this photo. Out of focus and all- which is why the Blake quote- although the Little Black Sambo (sorry but I remember the original version!) tigers chasing each others tails and turning into butter might have been appropriate too).
I was taken to the zoo last Sunday by the nephews.
I just wanted to see the tiger cubs.
This is their mum pacing the boundary of their enclosure whilst they frollicked in the trees.
Ahh- there is nothing like a big cat for the soul. Paws for thought.

idle hands are the devil's plaything

{Thanks to all for the rain dance help. Whilst things aren't perfect yet (if ever!) things have got better. It's hard to be creative when all your energy is going towards just keeping your head above water. Again with the metaphors, etc,etc, blah,blah, apologies}

So what has been happening? More work, new product and a few new stores to get stock into. Paul at D+H laughed that everytime he sees me I have something new on the boil. Well idle hands are the Devil's plaything!
Being Saturday I did spend a largeish chunk of the day reading the newspapers (and dyeing gloves and making bracelets- if you know me you know I love to multi-task) and in the article about Carolyn Fraser (writer and printer) in The Age she talks of her craft as being like..'getting 8 hours of sleep. It's both a necessary and deeply satisfying activity to me. Without it I lose the strongest connection I have between my head and my hands.' Yep- know how she feels. The last paragraph was also interesting, about how artists co-opt technologies for their own ends once the technology is commercially obsolete. I like that.

I'm thinking of hiring a new staff member

He'll be working in the accounts department.

there must be a change in the weather....

I've spent the last month plodding through the lack of cash-flow. Droughts aren't just about water.
Strangely the amount of work I've been doing (heaps) is not showing in the bank account (empty or awfully negative).
It's kind of like watching those big black clouds pile up, threatening rain and thunder and lightning, only for them to pass right over your head. You just end up jittery and parched and just a little bit out antsy.

So now I'd like a change in the weather and this is my rain dance.

To continue the weather metaphor, I'd like a shower or two to water my creative garden (new metaphor). So I can see that the hard work isn't for nothing, and so I can feel like new things are going to happen... hey there's enough 'manure' around here for something to take root.

Should probably stop right here with those metaphors.......
But you get my drift.

Choosing to work for one's self isn't the easiest lifestyle choice and especially when it is in the craft field. I may do work for companies that would appear to be quite successful (and for some others that I wish to help) but trying to get money out of people at the moment is unbelievably soul destroying. I know you must all be sick of my complaining but the stresses of the last few weeks have taken their toll today.