...and so I have added - not one - but TWO new projects to my repertoire. That's on top of the recently launched line of chalkbags under ClimbAddict Designs.
The new ventures are similar, and came about when I was invited to join a team of sellers on the Etsy.com platform called Etsy Climbers. This is a group of people on Etsy who rock climb and either have shops on the site, or use the site to shop. The Team Page provides a place for you to join, if you are interested.
At any rate, I was excited to join this newly-formed team and immediately started presenting ideas for team promotion and activities. I guess I did not really notice that the team did not have very much activity. Oops. The ball had been sent rolling and the team Captain was very interested in my help.
The problem was, it soon became clear that she had a lot on her plate, and wouldn't be able to help me with any of the ideas for a while. She told me to go for it on my own, and so I began by builinding a Facebook Page for the team, Etsy Climbers on Facebook, which you can find here.
Unfortunately, it also became clear pretty quickly that I would need to be making decisions on behalf of the team, and as I came to her for approval, she felt it would be best dealt with by having me take on the Captain position.
Well - I felt a bit uncomfortable, worrying I might have pressured her, but I also felt she was sincere. As so - I am captain of this team. To that end - I hope you might consider Liking their Facebook page, which I linked to above. There are many talented climbers in the team, and together we make jewelry, greeting cards, chalkbags, prints, herbal teas, lip balms and climbing salves and more.
That said - when I first gave the group my list of ideas, and was met with excitement from the team captains, I wondered who there seemed to be no other feedback, except from one person who feared I was going to use the opportunity to self-promote at their expense. And as I waited for the captain to return my emails about the ideas - and wait4ed.... - I thought "Okay, these people don't really have interest here. But my ideas are good, and there are a lot of climbers who would be interested in acting as a collective, and they don't all have shops on Etsy...."
I waited as long as I could stand it - but eventually I said "Okay - I am going to begin development on that group" And thus began Creative Climbers.
The platform will be a network for climbers who are artists and entrepreneurs, and will work to collectively promote the various ventures of it's members, It will also be a place where people who want to support and work with climbers can easily find them.
And here I am... a month away from getting in my van to drive cross-country for the winter, broke, and with two very time-consuming projects to work on, which will probably pay very little dividends, and none for a while.
WHY do I DO these things to myself???
Nonetheless, I am excited about the projects. The Etsy one is further along, as I feel an obligation to the team, whereas nobody really knows that Creative Climbers exists yet. I do have a Creative Climbers FaceBook Page, as well as one at Twitter, but so far that's it.(Click the Facbook Link if you want to get updated or become a member). That will change on October 8th, as ClimbAddict is sponsoring the New Paltz Climbing Film Festival with donations of chalkbags. I will have a table in the lobby as well, to show the chalkbags line, and Creative Climbers will also get some representation, since Climbddict is a member(the one member) of Creative Climbers...
So - if you are attending the film fest. come by and say hello. I will be holding a drawing for one of my chalkbags at the table as well(winner will be able to choose from any in the line), and who couldn't use a fabulous hand-sewn chalkbag! I know I sure could, since I still have the very first prototype dangling from my harness...hahahah
I have been spending nearly all my time either sewing up bags or working online. Barely getting any climbing in. And as I said, I'll be hitting the road some time between October 15th and 30th - time is flying! But I am sure I will get a few days in, and look forward to those stellar Shawangunks views in technicolor.,
If you'd like to help Happie on her roadtrip, there are a few ways to do that! You can choose to support any of her online shops, such as ClimbAddict T0-Shirts and Giftware for Climbers, Talisman Studios Hair Accessories or OutrageousTees.com. Or, you can send her a (very much appreciated) donation in any amount via PayPal, by clicking the button here:
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