I’ve nearly finished preparing my paperwork for my tax and am feeling very down. I’ve found that in that financial year I did a lot of work for very little monetary return. I remember many years ago being on a stand for one of the Australian magazines at a craft show. The daughter of the editor was also on the stand that day, and she told me a story of some person who once commented to her how fabulous it must be to be so rich – with her mum being editor of a needlework magazine. The girl just looked at her, amazed and incredulous that this person could think that that would make them rich.
I don’t know if the general public thinks that needlework designers are just rolling in it, but perhaps some do, seeing they seem to think its their right to steal designs from them by breaching copyright. (But that’s another issue…)
I think that part of this feeling down is due to frustration with not being able to get on with my next book very much. It seems that all sorts of other things keeping crowding in and demanding my attention: classes to prepare for next year, embroideries for gifts, embroideries for magazines, illustrations for magazines, and just life in general.
If money was the only reason why I was doing this career, then I’d be leaving tomorrow today. But there are other reasons, which my husband gently reminded me of last night. Yes, I could go out and get a “real” job, but it would not give me nearly so much satisfaction. And I wouldn’t be here with the kids, able to take them to and pick them up from school, take them to their music lessons, have them home with me for the day when they are sick etc.
But it would be nice to have a little bit more of a return for all that hard work. I’m going to need to take a long, hard look at my business over the next little while and see what’s wasting my time, and what needs to be improved. How to do that, I’m not really sure!
I’ll try to look at it positively: what I don’t earn, I don’t have to pay tax on. 🙂
And I promise that I’ll try not to wallow in self-pity for too long. There’s a lot I have to be thankful for. Sometimes I just need to deliberately and consciously remember those things.
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
Hi Yvette
After reading your blog today I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate all your hard work.
You have encouraged and inspired me through your books, classes and daily blog. In whitework embroidery I found “my thing” in embroidery and have become a passionate needleworker.
My stitching gives me infinite pleasure and the concentration required and rhythm of the stitching means the time I spend stitching assumes an almost meditative quality – a little window of peace and quiet.
Thank you for sharing your very special talent so generously.
Best Regards
Jan
One of the difficulties with creative work is that sometimes you end up with the payment time-slipped from the work. It’s disheartening when you come to the end of a year like that, but fortunately there are enough of us impoverished artists that the Taxman understands the concept!
What you are doing is very very important. Your books are famous for their useability and readability. And they teach people arts (like Hardanger) that would otherwise be lost.
Don’t forget that.
Your post kind of reminds me of my new neighbour Gareth. Not is he very cute (!) but he’s doing a Masters in Choreography. No car in his spot, so he must bus and train, and living in my set of flats (not exactly salubrious) – all for his art. But he will go on to create performances that will give other people joy, and appreciation of Dance.
The Mountmellick stitch along blog is a very generous project you have created to encourage people to learn and do stitching according to their time. Embroidery is about sharing and enjoyment in life, and it is not about competing and putting people down in order to be the best. What you are doing brings out the true meaning of embroidery. There are lots of mother in the same boat (I am one of them too) as you who rather work from home and be able to take care of their children. The time you spend with your daughters is priceless. When my daughter was in primary school, she said to me she preferred to come home after school rather be at after school care all the time.