extension of free shipping + randomness.

the free shipping deal on jewelry at the upstairs room has been extended until this friday, march 19th. yay! thanks to everyone who has taken advantage of that sweet deal thus far, and i hope to see a few more of you grab yourself something sans shipping fees before it's all over!

i've been steadily busy for about the past week. had a lull in business a few weeks ago, and started to get worried...until i snooped around a bit and noticed 90% of shops were experiencing a similar lull. things seem to be back on the upswing again, and i'm glad. i have several new catnip toys i'm getting ready to debut (hedgehogs! seahorses! etc), as well as new jewelry. as soon as i catch up on orders, these things will be posted. huzzah!

i really love running an etsy shop. i love making everything, i love staying busy, i love creating things for felines and humans, i like feeling productive, etc. but the steady pace keeps me from developing other skills that i'm more interested in in the long run, so i'm debating whether or not i should close the shop or take a vacation in order to get this other ball rolling. i'm not sure i feel ready to reveal what this other shop will be (it'll be completely separate from the upstairs room, i think, although i may combine this new thing with jewelry and have the upstairs room be all toys). i'm still working out the kinks. i've worked so hard to get the upstairs room established, so the idea of starting over with a new product and store is a bit daunting to me. if only there was more time in a day!

i have so many projects and ideas...it's almost depressing to me that i cannot realistically follow all of my artistic whims. the only way i could do so would be to quit my full time job and work on my arts and crafts full time but...i can't do that. i'm terrified. if my new shop gets off the ground, i definitely could make a living from selling those wares, but i feel so overwhelmed, and my upstairs room customers still depend on me for service, and i love my clientele so much. great people (and kitties), they are. but i feel the urge to do MORE. i always feel like this, for better or worse, and my ambition to do MORE is always killing me softly.

the upstairs room, as you may or may not know, is named after a song by the cure. perhaps silly to you, but i'm a music obsessed freak and music must play a role in EVERYTHING. so in keeping with the theme, the second store will also be named after a cure track, as yet undecided. if any cure fans wants to weigh in on that decision, feel free. ("all cats are grey" is already taken, and that was my firstt choice, sadly).

but all of this....it's for future times. i really need to focus on NOW.