Apr 29, 2020

What should I be doing?

That's what I keep asking myself! I keep reading articles about how to cope in our current situation and I've come to the conclusion that I'm pretty sure I can cope with what's going on in anyway I feel, so long as I'm following the keeping everyone safe rules! Listening to the radio keeps me informed while working away in my CRZyBest Shedquarters, which I feel extremely lucky to have, I know a few of my creative friends who rent studios, are no longer allowed to use their workshops and are having to find space to work from home, with whatever tools and materials they managed to grab before the doors of their studio buildings to were shut to them.

While listening to my pink radio, I hear conflicting messages from the presenters as they each interpret the information in their own special ways. I have learnt to make sure that I check facts through the original sources before believing anything that they have said and this in turn keeps me and my family safe. I take my Jack Russell 'Barley' for his one walk a day, which in turn is also my daily exercise. Barley's walks can also turn into a visit to the post office, if I have parcels that need tracking, so keeping things as minimal and essential as possible, picking up shopping that I can't get delivered on the way home if needed, including picking up and dropping off items for people that are self isolating.

Although I haven't been able to do all my shopping on line, I have been able to buy birthday gifts for my family from small, local businesses like Shop Reddish and Love Lalaland and I've also bought rather an abundance of cheese straight from the dairies that make it, helping to support those dairy farmers that are findings times pretty hard. I do love a bit of cheese!

So with cheese on my mind, I'm currently sculpting a little set of copper mice as a gift for another lover of cheese, should I sculpt a piece of cheese too? I'm not sure! Answers on a postcard, or in the comments...

As CRZyBest I have been focusing on the positives created from what has happened... Before this started I was creating a few bespoke pieces of jewellery and tiny sculptures for events that should have happened this spring, I now am feeling so happy that I can spend a extra time creating even more detailed and extra special items for these wonderful events, that will now hopefully be happening in Autumn this year instead! Check out my CRZyBest events on Facebook and Instagram for more information.

"Focus on those little things and the big things won't seem so big..." that's what I've decided anyway!

Looking back on last year, some amazing things happened to me and I was lucky enough that at the start of this year I had not one but two, massive (to me anyway) bespoke commissions to focus on and I was finishing the second commission as all this 'other stuff' started, so with my focus where it was, I wasn't living in the real world anyway... I was living the creative life in my Shedquarters. Nearly two weeks in, I finished the second commission and I thought the real world and what was happening, would jump up and smack me in the face! Well, it didn't quite wallop me into reality, as I do like to live in my own little world and although things have had to change, I have adapted and I'm able to carry on creating most things.

As I mentioned before, I'm lucky to have my own Workshop, affectionately known as my 'CRZyBest Shedquarters' in my garden, so as a self employed creative, with my own tiny business I can continue 'work from home'. I can continue to sell my unique handcrafted jewellery and accessories, most of which are a great size for #letterboxgifts. I've changed most of my post to standard 1st class so I can offer free postage to the UK if you use the code 'LockdownLife' at the checkout for any letterbox gifts, I will then pop things straight into my local post box on my daily Barley walk. I've also learnt how to calculate and pay for international postage online which is a bonus as my 'local' post office is a good Barley walk away and past the park!

Hopefully, while we are all spending time apart, we will also be able to think about how we can come together... I took part in some awesome styled shoots last year and even managed to sneak one in at the start of this year, pretty amazing, if I do say so myself!

January's shoot was organised by Adele from Fly On The Wall Photography and styled by the amazingly talented Bethan from Finishing Flourishes, not only was it great that we were able to do this at the start of this pretty weird year, the shoot was published the other week by the wonderful people over at Unconventional Wedding, so lots of sharing and supportive shout outs commenced! Take a look at their blog too, as they have loads of ideas and helpful tips concerning the current situation for suppliers and couples, not to mention their quirky ideas for wedding planning.

Hopefully I'll write a few more blogs sharing the details of my creations, along with the talented people involved in these awesome styled shoots and maybe I'll get more of my creations listed on my website, especially as people aren't able to see them for real during events at the moment! Whatever you are doing #staysafe and #lookaftereachother, perhaps even reach out and support a small business or two when you are shopping safely online!