I Did It My Way
I've had a lot of opportunities in my lifetime that arose that just didn't feel right in my gut at the time, even if they sounded amazing. When I was 19 I was in a talent contest in Sacramento California and I won. One of the judges was a local news anchor and she approached me privately after the contest. She thought I'd be a good potential candidate for Miss America. She wanted me to attend a specific college with their assistance and to basically spend a year grooming me to enter the contest. At the time I was a burgeoning punk rocker who was feeling a deep seated need to rebel against anything that felt like the establishment and I surely couldn't see myself in a beauty pageant. I didn't want to be what other people wanted me to be, I wanted to become myself. I graciously declined her offer.

Several years later I was fronting alternative country and rockabilly bands in the Cow Punk scene in the Bay Area of California in the 80s. A fan of my band and good friend of mine was friends with Big Brother and the Holding Company (Janice Joplin's band) and they were looking for a new lead vocalist. They had an audition pending and she'd recommended me. I belabored this opportunity for the better part of a week, and then I decided that it would be impossible for me to build a career being compared to or attempting to emulate one of the greatest rock and roll singers...ever. So I again graciously declined the opportunity.

I left graduate school after one semester. I had spent seven years working to support myself while I attended undergrad and managed to graduate Magna **** Laude with a BA as the Outstanding Theatre Major. It turned out the head of the grad program I was attending lied to me to get me to attend their school. I had declined another prestigious school based on her lie. On top of that I was being used as a scapegoat in a multitude of weird ways to divert attention away from a faltering theatre department. I knew if I left, that my dream of an MFA would be crushed, but I simply couldn't stay in a toxic environment. So I mustered up my intestinal fortitude and I left.

Then I took a sharp right turn and chose to get married to my husband and to build a family. I loved him, he loved me; we had a shared vision of life and a common hope for making a difference in the world. We opened a retail business and for five years we tried to sell fair trade products to the wrong audience, in retrospect we realize we should have been on the internet. Finally we had to close our shop and as some of you know at the same time I decided not to sign a contract that cost me 50 grand in lost income that year. I think a lot of people thought me pretty foolish for making that choice, but I can tell you that it felt damn good. It also resulted in the discovery of my current career.

In every lifetime we have a multitude of choices. Some of them are big, some small. Every one of them impacts us in ways we'll never be able to quantify. I actually do believe in regrets, I think a life without them is a life not lived deeply. That being said, I don't regret these decisions I've made. I trust my intuition. Anytime I've not trusted it, I've been terribly disappointed. I can't do things just because they're what I'm ‘supposed' to do, I have to do what I feel in my soul is right for me. Sometimes that means saying no to the obvious choice and instead picking what's behind door number three. Often it leaves those around me scratching their heads. So be it.

I believe that these 'roads less traveled' I have explored in my lifetime have been more difficult, but most definitely more rewarding. I've discovered things about myself and the world around me I'd never have known had I skated across the surface or taken the safe route.

At the end of the day, each and every day, I can honestly say to myself and my daughter that I did, indeed, do it my way. I can encourage her wholeheartedly to do the same. I have a vision and I think it good. I trust that it will lead me toward the success I've earned by not taking the obvious pathway. I trust that it is leading me to amazing new adventures I'd never explore if I made the safe choices. Every moment of every day we are making choices and every choice impacts our journey. The only person who can decide what choice is the right choice...is us.

The Impatient Crafter Happy Cute Make Kewpie Doll Challenge 2008 Entries! The Kewpies are here! 50 tiny naked kewpies went forth into the world and ten fabulous kewpies were bedecked in some amazing formations. As for the other 40 who are naked and cold somewhere in a drawer or a shelf or a studio table...well, I feel for them. I do. I hope they'll eventually find their way into an art project. I think the challenge was daunting as these are seriously diminuitive dolls, but these ten artists rose to the occasion and came up with some incredible art. Kudos to each of you! Not the granola bars, the congratulations! Woo hoo!

So without further adieu I present the entries in The Impatient Crafter Happy Cute Make Kewpie Doll Challenge 2008. Three of these entries will be bestowed with prizes and accolades but all of them deserve a hearty round of applause. The judges will review the entries this week and make their decisions and next Wednesday we'll announce the winners. Huzzah!

xoxo
Madge

Sharon Scanlin Kewt as a Button Kewpie Copyright 2008


Jean Yates Goth Angel Kewpie Copyright 2008



Jean Yates Goth Angel Kewpie Back Copyright 2008

Jean Yates Goth Angel Kewpie Copyright 2008

Stefanie Girard Kewpie Gives Troll a Haircut Copyright 2008

Cheryl Phelps Digi-Kewpie Copyright 2008

Nancy Kay Butterfly Kewpie Copyright 2008

Katie Hacker Forest Faery Kewpie Copyright 2008

Yoli Manzo Kewpid Kewpie Back Copyright 2008

Yoli Manzo Kewpid Kewpie Front Copyright 2008

Corrine aka Jafabrit Transpiguration Kewpie Copyright 2008

Gail FriendFairy Kewpie Copyright 2008

Hali ChambersGanesh Kewpie Copyright 2008

Email Schmemail Jean Yates Goth Kewpie Angel in Tutu Copyright 2008

I promised to reveal the kewpies that were entered in The Impatient Crafter Happy Cute Make Kewpie Doll contest today. Unfortunately I'm having some issues with my Yahoo business email account and it's making downloading the images to my desk top painfully slow. It's making the entire process of email painfully slow. I feel like I have dial up again.

Have I mentioned that I'm impatient?

Incredible time sucking pain the arse email!

 
I did manage to get this one photo of Jean Yates' Goth Angel Kewpie on my desktop. So creative! I'll effort to get the rest downloaded and uploaded to FlickR asap.

I found out today they're trying to move up the release date on one of my new books. That's a good sign! There's going to be a special display in a major book chain for it! I can't wait to see that. It's coming today for first author review. I'm madly in love with the cover.

 
Oh wait! I just heard a loud thump on my front porch...either a small farm animal just expired there OR it's my book for first review...

...must...go...see!
Yes, I'm leaving you with baited breath...

"The suspense is killing me...I hope it lasts." Willy Wonka

xoxo Madge

(...okay I'm looking at it now and it is AMAZING! A-MA-ZING! I LOVE THIS BOOK! YAY!)

"Oh, do you know the Mushroom Man, the Mushroom Man, the Mushroom Man...he lives in Tokyo!" Photo Copyright Margot Potter 2008

There is absolutely no connection between this photo I took in Tokyo and the following blog. Don't ask why. Just enjoy the giant blow up Mushroom Man.

It's time once again to spread the linky love across the blogosphere! O frabjous day, calloo callay! Huzzah! Hooray!

So I was looking at the QVC schedule this morning and what to my wondering eyes did appear? Who do you think has a brand new hour of craft products?

Who? Who?

Oh...I think you know who. It's like a massive crafty takeover!

Good grief, Charlie Brown.

Moving forward...throw on your slicker and grab your umbrellas, it's time once again for a Linky Love Shower:

My quick and easy Golden Moon earrings are the featured free project on the front page of the Simply Beads website!


Dover Books is currently having a 60% off sale on a huge variety of permission free clip art publications and other fabulous books. If you love integrating vintage images into your work, but you want to be sure you aren't violating copyrights (because that's very, very important), Dover is the place to go. They have everything you could ever imagine in handy dandy thematic publications often with DVDs. Fabulous.

In case you missed out this week here are links to my Brini Maxwell NPR interview and our new Margot Potter Demo Reel video specifically tailored for an exciting and top secret opportunity.

The Impatient Crafter Happy Cute Make Kewpie Doll Challenge FINAL deadline is Sunday midnight PT. Get those dolls dressed already people! We have fabulous PRIZES! I hoofed it to the P.O. a gazillion times and I didn't even get to keep one for me. Insert tiny violins here.

About Family Crafts Check out these spotlight crafts... Make everything from a scarecrow candy jar to a Beaded Safety Pin Bear.

About.com Cross Stitch Connie has been feathering her stitching nest. Find out how she made her stitching spot work.

Aileen's Musings Aileen's been having fun again creating another Día De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) project.

Cathie Filian Halloween is just around the corner so fly on over to Cathie Filian's blog for some spooky new ideas and frightfully fun projects.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world Work and play are in full fall swing this week at Craftside with news like the Crafty Chica giving away a space on her cruise, a job opportunity for a Marketing Specialist at The Quayside Publishing Group, Lisa Engelbrecht signing and demoing at Barnes & Noble, and of course two fun craft projects; a funky recycled denim purse with motorcycle gear handles and tiny needle felted pumpkins.

Crafty Princess Diaries Flower power time! Tammy posts about a CFE over at CraftStylish for all your flower fanatics.

Layers Upon Layers One of the most frequently asked questions at Layers Upon Layers is how to do image transfers. Here are Cyndi's favorite methods and tutorials for each!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery See some pumpkins that are "carved" out of some cute sweaters and a classic saying in cross stitch.

The Impatient Blogger What's your brand? Madge shares some thoughts about branding and a new demo reel in this thought provoking post.

I lied, I'm blogging. Okay sorta...here's a link to my NPR Interview with Brini Maxwell! I didn't know it went up in June! Doh.

Go hear: http://tinyurl.com/4zb5gr