Furloughed...

A little update. 
 
I have been furloughed, like many other artists, the funding for my position dried up and I find myself without "work".  I'm not saying I'm not working... I am working... just not where I was working... I'm not working for money...  but I am still working...
 
My last day of "FULL TIME" employment was July 31.  I was furloughed from my theater as there are no longer performances happening to support income.  I am the second in a department and have been cut.  I have cleaned out my office and personal items, received lovely messages from my students and colleagues, and will miss being in school every day.  There is a hope I will continue back with my position, but not a guarantee of when that return might be.  So I am now unemployed.
 
Over the past 2 weeks I have updated my resume, re-imagined my professional website, applied for 4 positions, applied for unemployment, taken my kids to the lake, made 100 buttons, sewn 50 masks,  made breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks, picked up all the toys 100 times, read every book we own twice, posted 11 new items in my Etsy shop, made sidewalk chalk art, played in the inflatable pool, cleaned the toilets, a lot of other things I can't remember, and am now writing this blog post.  

 

Anyone got a paycheck for all this work I'm doing over here?

 

It's funny how just when you think you are moving forward in life, you end up in a circle back to where you were.  What do people say... "When one door closes another one opens...".  or is it about windows?  Anyway, here I am... back in the studio.

 

A different studio than before.  Almost a year ago we moved into our new home.  My studio was cut in half and so was the time I spent in it.  My shop has been slow for the past few years.  I went back to work full time/out of the house.  Got Married... had a baby... who is now 2 and runs the show...  

Last year this room was her play room.  I had a little table in the corner and she had toys galore in here... now she has a little table in the corner and I have taken over.  

 

 

When the Shut Down happened in March I reclaimed some of this space.  Then I found sitting all day was painful and we started making improvements.  I moved a bench from the kitchen in and I use that as a standing work space with my cutting mat and tools.  I also ordered a table riser which I use for photos and laptop work.  So I can stand and type this blog.  I was very lucky and my husband built a couple of shelves and a table top for me to use as my work bench.  I was also able to repurpose 2 bookshelves that were in the living room of the old house.  Now I have some nice cabinets to store all of my art and craft supplies.  This little studio life is good.

 

 

I made it through the last 5 months of Quarantine... I guess I'll make it through the next 5? 

 

At least I have my little studio, an overactive imagination, and a work ethic that won't quit.  I have a ton of "Works in Progress" and more items coming to the shop next week.

 

OH! Starting this week!  Shipping Guarantee through Etsy!  More coming on that this week!

 

 

More coming everyday... maybe even another blog post...