Today is the last official day of my November hiatus from Instagram.  At the beginning of the month, I must admit, that I did have a little bit of FOMO and even some apprehension regarding whether or not I was doing something that might be detrimental in some ways to my business. As the month continued though, I found myself REALLY enjoying my time away. Removing yourself from a situation so you can observe it from the outside is always a great way to gain insight, and that's exactly what I did during my time away.  I already knew that social media is insidious, but my time away definitely solidified that for me even more.  As an introvert by nature, I felt a sense of freedom when I removed instagram from my life that I hadn't felt in years.  In short, my time away was refreshing, productive, and enlightening. The question that remains: where do I go from here? 
     Well, I'm going to pop back on tomorrow and see what I think. 

See you later,

​Christa 

     Today I'll give thanks by walking on trails where my Susquehannock ancestors walked. Grateful as always, to spend time with my family. 

Blessings,
Christa

     I've been making my own underwear for many years, and once I thought I had practiced enough, I started selling some underwear sets at My Aunt Debbie. This morning I revamped a couple of my patterns and made two pairs of briefs and one bra top. As I watched the blustery gray day from my studio window, I was reminded once again how empowering it is to make things for yourself. Somehow, for me it's even more empowering to make things that are necessities.  It really isn't that difficult to make your own underwear, and it's a great way to use up scraps. 
     Expect to see some undies and bra tops at My Aunt Debbie just in time for small business Saturday. 

xo,
Christa 

     I've reached approximately the middle (one day over the mark) of my November hiatus from instagram. I thought this might be a good time to think about how I'm feeling at the middle point of this social experiment. This break has made me realize so many things, some of which I already knew, and maybe some things I didn't even realize. You know how you have to remove yourself from a situation and look at it from the outside to see what was really going on? Well, that's what I've done, and now it's time to reflect. 


Some of what I've learned 

1. Removing myself from social media gave me back so much time that I had lost. 
     This was by far, the biggest lesson I learned. I have no social media at all right now, and it feels great.  I'm creating more, reading more, and filling up my time in ways that are much more rewarding. 

2. When I make things now I don't share the pics anywhere except on my website, and that lack of feedback has been liberating. 
     I've been in a creative field in one way or another since I was in school, so I'm no stranger to constructive criticism, and it can be very helpful. But, I think without knowing it in some ways those of us who create things and post them on social media are perhaps swayed by positive feedback. What I mean by that is, are we really leading with our hearts, or are we following the likes? Before social media, I would make things and I would have no idea how anyone was going to react until I would take my pieces to a show.  Even though that could be a bit stressful, it was also exhilarating. 

3. My time away has freed up my brain to focus on other ways to grow my business and connect with customers. 
     Because I don't have to plan out my weeks (particularly Monday-Friday) based on taking pics and posting them, I have more time to think about where I want to see Wild Child Fibers go in the next several years. I've come up with what I think is a pretty interesting idea. It'll take some time to make it happen, and the help of my husband, but I think that this idea has some great possibilities. 

4. I'm less stressed out 
     Life is stressful enough, so why add more to it? I'm a stressful person by nature, I push myself too hard, and I expect too much from myself on top of all of that. Why yes, I was that kid who had special permission to take WAY too many credits in college, why do you ask?  Anyway, I really wasn't aware of the emotional impact instagram was having on me until I took it away.  

    What is the take away here in the middle of it all? So far I'd say the biggest question is, where do I go from here? What do I want? Aside from word-of-mouth (always the best form of advertising I think) instagram was how I advertised.  How do we advertise without social media??????? 

Side note: Since my hiatus I have received countless emails from instagram telling me who has posted recently, liked my posts, etc.  I finally had to report the emails as spam and unsubscribe. 

Thanks,
Christa 

     Let's get one thing straight: I do not like winter.  For the most part, it's cold, dark, and depressing. Summer has always been my favorite season ever since I was a kid, and not much has changed about that. Where I live we have four seasons, and even though I would probably enjoy an endless summer, I have learned to appreciate different aspects of each season.  I also have lived in the desert of the southwest, and I have to admit, that after awhile, the weather just got boring. 
    
Some things that I think are good about winter (good might be a strong word, but I'm trying to maintain a positive attitude)

1. Hibernation: I'm an introvert, so this works for me. 
2. Delicious hot drinks
3. Getting cozy on the couch with a handwork project (insert hot drink here)
4. A big snowstorm that shuts everything down 
5. Sledding 
6. Hiking and/or snowshoeing: The trails are never crowded in the winter, and I love the solitude. 
7. A cat or two on your lap (dogs too of course, but that happens all year long around here) 
8. How invigorating it can feel to take a walk on a really cold day. (night walks after a big snowstorm are my favorite)
9. Hats, scarves, etc. etc. 
10. Winter boots 

 Projects I'm working on this week

1. Crochet cardigan/jacket: I'm currently working some finishing work around the cuffs and neckline 
2. I finished up two more sleeve tanks that I listed yesterday in the web shop 
3. Yesterday I gathered up some yarn for a scrap scarf, but I only crocheted a couple of rows so far. 
4. Still working on a blanket that I'm crocheting for my daughter's birthday in January. (I think she might be on to me though, because she keeps asking me what I'm making). 
5. I pieced together the body of a jacket this morning. 


See you later,
Christa 

Since I started my instagram break, I realized that I hadn't taken any product photos. Today though, I took pics of three new jackets, a vest, and a top that I listed in my web shop. I feel that I've really been enjoying greater creative freedom during this time away, and it's been great. Even though I don't follow trends, and I've always focused on making pieces that bring me joy, the pressure of instagram made me feel a sense of urgency to keep creating at full-speed ahead, almost in a performative way.
I've also been using this time away to try and figure out how I can connect with my customers without the use of social media. I have what I think are some good ideas brewing, and I'm excited to explore those when the time is right.

I hope you're enjoying your weekend,

Christa

     We just got back from a camping trip off-grid which made me rethink camping in colder weather. We stayed in a cabin, so sleeping was cozy and warm, but the mornings and nights were pretty chilly.  The best part about it was that the state park was practically empty. No internet service, beautiful weather, and amazing hikes, who could ask for anything more? 
     
     New projects 
*Today I finished up a top, a vest, and three jackets. I’ll take pictures of them tomorrow and hopefully list them in the web shop, 
*I chose a bunch of yarn for crochet accessories that I plan on making next week. 
*I’ll have many new pieces available in the web shop and at My Aunt Debbie (if you’re local) just in time for small business Saturday (November 26th). 

Thanks,

​Christa 

   Tomorrow my family and I are going on a camping trip and I'm looking forward to some quality off-grid time. We had to cancel two previous trips at this same location due to rain, so this time we opted to stay in a cabin.  Packing when you're not sleeping outside is much easier, and there's way less stuff, but that doesn't mean that I'm still not doing my best to procrastinate. 
     My time away from instagram has been great, and I'm looking into ways that I can grow my business outside of social media. Not sure how I plan on making that happen yet, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to be able to figure that out.  I honestly feel like I have SO much more time now.  Of course, just like everyone else, I find my own ways to waste time. 

My Projects : What am I working on now, what's coming on the camping trip, and what will I be working on when I get back?

*I finished seaming up my cardigan this morning. 
*I still have to trim, steam, and tag a top, a vest, and a jacket 
*I pieced together two jackets and sleeves that I'll work on when I get back from camping 
*My camping project will be a crochet blanket that I'm making for my daughter. (I hope I can keep this a surprise, because it's either going to be an xmas present)

When will I have new pieces ready both in the web shop and at My Aunt Debbie (if you're local)?

*November 21 or 22

I'll see you in a couple of days when I get back,
Christa 

     I have running "list" on the notes app on my phone. In part, this is a list of things I hope to accomplish in a day.  But, it's also kind of like an idea page,  mostly regarding things I'd like to make or try to make. I like to think of lists as suggestions, kind of like recipes, which I also really don't follow. If I have an idea that I want to try out, I put it here.  My lists are random, just like me, and that's how I like it.  Sometimes you have to empty some ideas out of your brain, and I find that an abstract flow of ideas suits me just fine. 

Random List 

1. What I'm reading right now

*Morning book: The Rainbow by D.H. Lawrence 
*I read this many years ago, and I recently found a copy at a free library near my house. 
*Night book: Lighthouse-keeping by Jeanette Winterson e-book on Scribd 

2. Favorite podcast right now 

*Don't Ask Tig
*I mostly listen to this when I walk my dog, Albus. I absolutely love everything that Tig Notaro does, and this is no exception. 

3. What's my favorite thing to make right now?

*Jackets 

4. Best tv show of all time (in my opinion)

*Northern Exposure 

5. Something that made me happy today 

*Finding a kombucha at the back of the fridge when I thought they were all gone. 

See you later,

​Christa 

     I finally finished up the jacket I was working on today. I'm pretty happy with the results, even though I still feel like it's a learning experience every time I make a jacket. This one took me a LONG time, and I definitely will not be making the amount of money I need to on it versus the amount of work that I put into it. That's how it goes sometimes. I always give myself permission to experiment with new shapes and designs, because if I don't do that, I'll never grow creatively and ultimately,  I'll get bored.  Using only donated fabric helps out immensely with this whole process. 
     Normally, after finishing up a piece, I would do all the finishing work such as thread trimming, tagging, and steaming in preparation for taking pics. Instead of doing that today though; I folded up the jacket and put it  away in my cabinet so I could finish it up tomorrow. Then I started to think about how many pictures I was taking every day for my instagram stories and posts. I wonder how much more free time I'll have this month when I don't spend hours every day taking pictures? 
    

xo.
Christa