Disclaimer I make every effort to give attribution to all images I feature on Epheriell Designs. If I cannot do so, I will always state the source of the image, or link the image to its source. If you find an image of yours that is not attributed, please contact me so I can do so. Thank you.
If you would like to use any images or text from Epheriell Designs, please check if there is an original source for the image. For the text, please link back here.
Jess xx
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By Jessica, on July 5th, 2010%

I know that traditionally it’s the flush of a new year that has people talking about their dreams for the future.
But here, in Australia, the middle of the year is an appropriate time to plan and think about the things to come. In our seasons, the time of Yule – or midwinter – has just passed by. The days will now slowly start to get longer and warmer. A whole new spring and summer is in front of us (not to mention it’s a brand new financial year too, for those of us in business)!
My dreams? Well, the first one is to get going on this holiday that Nick and I have been looking forward to! We’ve had so many delays… and I don’t want to jinx us… but I think our departure is pretty close now!
I also have a big dream in the form of a little magazine. *bespoke* Issue 1 is due to be published in October, and while that’s a long way off yet, there’s a lot of work to do, and a lot for me to learn, before that comes to fruition.
I have dreams to keep growing Epheriell, to keep creating new, beautiful, eco-friendly jewellery – and to grow this blog and inspire/help/share with you all in the months and years to come.
I also have an ebook that I’ve been working on… and I want to get it finished! I’ve interviewed 7 top Etsy sellers all about their businesses, what has and hasn’t worked for them, and I’ve learnt so much from what they’ve shared – and I’m sure other people will too!
Finally, my biggest dream is this – to be able to keep working on all of my creative endeavours, and to make a living from them so I don’t have to go back to a ‘day job’ once we return from our travels.
A few years ago I set myself the challenge of making a living online before I was 30. Well, I’m 29 now, and not quite there yet, but I’m an awful lot closer than I was even six months ago, and I have the desire to keep working, keep creating, and keep dreaming so that I can make that particular dream a reality.
I often have moments of doubt - when I think “is this really possible?” “Am I capable of doing this?”
I’m very lucky, though, to have a very, very supportive husband who just calls me a ‘clever cookie’ and has never once doubted that I could pull off every crazy dream and scheme I’ve come up with. I think that without him, I’d be a lot further away from my dreams.

I’ve never thought of myself as a dreamer – but perhaps I am.
But one thing I never want to be is a dreamer who never turned those dreams into reality.
After all – this is the only life I’m going to have. And if I don’t follow my dreams and make them happen… well… no-one else is going to do it for me!!
So – I guess my final question is – what are your dreams? What are those things burning deep in your heart and mind – that you want to achieve and bring into being?
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By Jessica, on June 19th, 2010%
Burnout.
It’s something that most – if not all – of us running our own, one-person businesses suffer from once in a while.
You’re working days, nights, weekends – any moment you can fit a little work in. You wake up and your biz is the first thing on your mind – and the last thing as you fall asleep. You get twitchy if you’re away from your computer/studio for more than an hour at a time… but then, maybe suddenly, or maybe slowly, you realise that it’s all a bit much.
The pressure of doing it all, keeping on top of your e-mail, orders, blog, twitter, FB, forums, etc etc… it can wear thin. I know I feel this way once in a while – where my usual inexhaustible reserves of enthusiasm seem to vanish like fog in the face of a bright sun. In fact, I feel a little like this today.
If you asked my husband how much of my time I spend working, he’d likely reply with “all of it” – which is part of what brings these moments of burnout on.

Don’t get me wrong – you all know how much I absolutely LOVE my business, I love what I do – it’s a joy to me… but even when your business is you joy, there are times when you need to take a step back, clear a little bit of space in your mind, and breathe.
Today, I sat down with my stash of yarn, tucked up in bed, and crocheted a few new granny squares for the blanket I’m working on. Of course, my mind couldn’t help but think – and this post is the result! Sometimes I wish my brain had an ‘off’ switch… do you?
I plan to get back to some more crochet soon, and just let the gentle rhythm of doing something that I don’t HAVE to do soothe my mind.
Tomorrow, it will be all systems go again – but I always need to remind myself that time out is just as important to running my business as the time I spend working is.
What I’d love to know, dear readers, is what you do to combat burnout in your lives? How do you know when it’s approaching – how do you handle it? What strategies work to help you regain your energy and enthusiasm, and launch yourself back into your work with gusto?
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By Jessica, on June 10th, 2010%
Do you have a craft widower in your life?
You know, that guy who you live with?
The one who always has to step over your pile of fabric as it slowly creeps along the floor?
Who has to clear a space on the table every time he wants to use it because it’s covered in your beads/paper/yarn?
Who brings you a cup of hot beverage when you’re working away…
Who bemoans the amount of time you spend online – claiming you spend more time chatting on Twitter than you do talking to him?
Well, he needs to know he’s not alone. This is an ode – and a thank you – to all those craft widowers who put up with our mess, our distraction, our strange obsessions…
You know we still love you, and we’ll come to bed soon…
…right after we finish this last listing…
***
This is my craft widower… and boy, does he take it with good grace. The amount of tea he has made me over the years has to truly be without measure.

I guess I should call Gobbolino (cat of a thousand names) my crafty orphan, too. Many has been the time he’s come over to me and I’ve been too busy on the computer to pay him any attention. Not that that’s stopped him getting it, mind you. I’m sure your fur-kids or real kids have the same attitude…
What does your crafty widower do for you when you’re in your creative headspace?
Or – what does he NOT do that you’d like him to?
Share with us in the comments below!
(P.S. – if you’re a crafty guy and have a craft widow in your life… we’d love to hear from you, too!)
***
Want more Epheriell-y goodness? Subscribe to Epheriell Designs! Also, you can follow me on Twitter!
By Jessica, on May 28th, 2010%
So, I came home tonight to find that my feedburner stats had returned to normal… and that Epheriell Designs has passed the 1,000 follower/subscriber mark.
Thank you, thank you, thank you all!
It truly blows my mind that over 1,000 people have liked what I post here enough to click that little subscriber button!
I hope I can keep inspiring, entertaining, beautifying, educating, amusing, and sharing with you all, and just generally bringing a little glimmer of happiness to your lives every day!
After all – it’s you that makes it all worthwhile!
Jess xx

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My July Jewellery Giveaway
'Follow' this blog through Google Blogger by clicking on 'Join this Site' below...
*bespoke* zine
A brand new zine all about handmade - seeking submissions from you!

Ebooks My Free E-Book
An e-book based on the successful blog series I did here in mid-April 2010.
A printable Ebook - inspirational quotes for every week of the year!
I Recommend...
The Unconventional Guide to Art + Money
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