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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When I was about 15 my dream was to make every object that I needed for my life. In the 70’s lots of people dreamt of a handmade life but not many people were able to live the dream. A few people have kept alive the skills we learnt back then. Lots of people have always knitted. Most of my friends in the 70’s would have worn one of my hand spun and hand knitted jumpers. Then we had the dark years when craft became unpopular and a dream like yours and mine would just seem totally stupid. People would say; “why would you wanna do that” or “why make it when you can buy it cheap in the shops”. Why? Because there is something magical about doing it yourself. There is something very magical about the dream that you and I and lots of other people share.
I have made a living from my art for the past 10 years, it is possible, so please don’t ever give up. I can’t say that I am rich from what I do but I certainly am proud.
Marilyn, your post almost made me break into spontaneous applause! Thank you!
You are absolutely right – there is a magic and a soul in handmade (and I am in no-way a mystical person, but there are just no other words that describe it properly).
You are an inspiration to the rest of us 🙂 I know I’ll never make the kind of money from my creative endeavours that I could make in a ‘real job’ (pffft, what’s more real that living a fulfilling life where work is play?)… then again, maybe I will! But I’ll never know if I don’t try.
Oh Jess, how timely… I have been thinking about this a lot lately :)… about where I want to be & how I am going to get there. Right now, my dream is to be wearing a cap & gown, standing on the grassy hill at my University, hear my name called and be handed my testamur in front of my husband & children.
It sounds rather trite… but it is very real :)… I have been chasing this dream part-time for more years than I care to count… and I’ve had many little hiccups* along the way that meant studies have had to be slowed right down/put on pause… But the fire in my belly cannot wait anymore, and from mid month, I will be a full time uni student until the double degree is completed.
*{not sure that I ought to speaking about my children in that way ;)}
Terrifying & wonderful all at once
*raising my teacup to the realisation of all of our dreams*
PS: I agree, you ARE a clever cookie xx
Aww, thanks Kirsten – and how exciting! Not too far off till you receive that testament to all your hard work… and get to work with more little people!
I shall join you in raising my teacup to our dreams!
get a job first, so i have some funds.
i want to try out different crafts like jewerly making, pottery, making clothes then expand on the one craft. i want to be able to create things of my own, things that i can share. i’m always dreaming and designing, but i never end up producing anything.
if i can get a job by the end of the year, i think i’ll make the goal year when i turn 20. 5 year should be enough.
Great post Jess. One day I too plan to make decent living from my craft. I always get to a certain point then I hit a bump or two. This time I’m going to drive over that bump.
And I think you are a clever cookie too.
X Kerri
Sophie – the fact that you’re 15 and having those dreams is awesome – keep at it!
Kerri – bumps are a pain… and driving over them sounds like the best idea to me! x
Great post Jess! It’s funny, when we call someone a “dreamer” it’s not usually a compliment exactly…but without dreams, how do we know where we want to end up? I guess the key is to have the vision AND keep on chipping away at it in an active manner, day by day. Dreams without action are worthless – and vice versa.
Keep the inspiration coming! And keep dreaming big 🙂
Thanks Jess – and you make a great point 🙂
First… I love that picture…. and I love this post, its actually just the way I have been feeling lately. Maybe because i too live in the world where the weather is changing and we are in winter now.
Ive always been a dreamer. I was the kind of kid that layed in my bed all day reading and dreaming about being the characters. I used to dream of being an artist…. and then I started dreaming about living in a different country. Well, I live in a different country now… and I realized that once I moved here I kind of put myself and my dreams and hopes on hold. Its a little complicated to explain, but for sake of adapting to my new culture. And now… Im teaching English to small children… and dreaming of staying at home crocheting and making things… and taking sewing classes at an institute nearby so I can make lots of things…. and randomly… of taking piano lessons. It’s like this winter into summer, I am waking back up. And remembering my dreams and desiring to mix them in with my new life. It’s going to be an adventure… in my case, my husband is just learning about this side of me… and his response? “Julie… sometimes…. you are just an explosion of things” in a positive way of course. 🙂
I’m a fan of dreams, and I am a fan of this post.
Thank you Julie! I love the quote from your husband – awesome!
Sounds like you’re going through a bit of a creative explosion at the moment, and it sounds wonderful!
I feel the same way you do. It’s no fun to just keep dreaming forever and never try to make them come true. I dream of making a small living from my scrapbooking business and photography business. I continue to soak up knowledge about photography and someday hope to make it happen.
Jessica, I am dying to know who that quote is from. I want to make a piece of wall art with it, but the print is too small at the bottom of it for me to read! Please tell me. I love it!
Corinna – here – http://hexdeflective.deviantart.com/
😀