Pacing Holidays

Only six days remain until the halfway point of January, which means I’m behind on listing Valentine’s Day art and molds in the Etsy store.

Because of my late start, I’ll list a few items at the end of the week, then that’s that for hearts season…

As frustrating as that feels for a hearts lover, I can let that shit go because:

• I juggled the beginning of the school semester (teaching is my day career) with a three-week-long cold—thus the dent in my Valentine’s Day plans.
• Before that, a last-minute move wrecking-balled last year’s Halloween and Christmas listings. I had no control over needing to move.

So: reasons.

Stories can’t lead to inaction, though. I don’t want to recklessly tumble through the other 2024 holidays; this means a plan is in order!

Spring in February

While I’m not huge on Easter, I love springtime art.

Also, I have an extraordinary amount of butterfly blanks that I haven’t listed yet. They would work well for spring.

So I plan on working on bees, trees, and butterflies for the second half of January; that way, I can have spring in the store by the beginning of February.

Family in March

Weddings, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day,—family holidays—crop up throughout spring and summer.

I have so many dried flowers!—so preserved flowers will be my focus for March. At the very least, I’d like to make floral worry stones.

Zodiac in April

I can’t keep up with all the zodiacs. Not yet, anyway. I have too many other ideas in the way, and I am but one person.

Yet it’s sacrilege to not make any zodiac art, ever—especially given the zodiac mold collection I’ve accumulated.

So I’ll prepare for my sign and my sibling’s sign.

If I make Cancer- and Leo-related art in April, I can have it listed by May, which leaves June, July, and August open for zodiac shopping.

Christmas in May

I love Christmas in July!

But that would mean listing Christmas-related things in June. Prepping for Christmas in July in, err, June, means whipping up the holidays in May.

Nothing wrong with that!—I love any excuse for red/green palettes.

Opinions in June

Patriotic days like July 4th and Labor Day, followed by pride events, and then the election season…

All of this means June is the month for expressionism…?

Honestly, I make pride year-round, but: goals are good.

Halloween in July

I will not miss spooky season this year!

All the bats; all the cauldrons; and all the spider webs!

Cryptids, too—I want to make more cryptids.

Haunted houses. Cat ghosts. Skulls…!

Yes! YES!! MORE SPOOKY.

MOOOOARRRRR

Autumn in August

Autumn means leaves, forest critters, mushrooms…

And the onset of food-related holidays.

Christmas should be set from the Christmas in July planning—and Thanksgiving isn’t my jam—but the spirit of eating lots of tasty foods? Plus, all the cute food molds I’ve gathered over the ages?

Seems like August is the time to make food and cottage core art and molds for listing in September.

Winter in September

While my Christmas stock should be good-and-ready, I’d still like to celebrate snowflakes, snow globes, and thunder and lightning.

Snowflake glitter has got to be the cutest glitter…

If 2024 if anything like 2023, California will still be scorching in September, so dreaming of the incoming cold season will keep me sane, too.

Cats in October

I make cat brush rests continuously. Yet I have other cat-themed molds that are often neglected.

Since I love cats, why not celebrate them right before the shopping season? With any luck, the cats I list in November can find homes via gift-giving.

The more cats I can scatter through the universe, the better. If they find their homes through acts of love, that’ll warm my Grinch heart.

Experiments in November

Last year’s experiment—using colors to express pent-up feelings—was a huge success, at least in the art therapy department (which, in my opinion, is where it matters most; it’s why I initially pursued art).

The verdict’s still out on if I made sellable art…

I’ve been refining my coloring techniques until I have enough stock to list in the store. Then everything I’ve made for the last few months will roll onto Etsy like a tide. From there, I’ll see how well the idea is received.

Whether the color-intense pieces are received well or not, the experiment was worth it! I feel better for having made my latest works.

I’d like to discover yet another onion peel to my creative spirit in the coming November. Who knows what experiments I’ll want to pursue when the time comes?

I’d like to say the unknown is exciting, but honestly,…I hate variables.

I’ll feel more satisfied on the other side, when the unknown is known.

Rest in December

Like 2023, I intend to unravel throughout December.

Bodies are not meant to sustain high productivity 24/7.

Like any other living thing, we need our moments of hibernation.

If I am fortunate, I’ll keep the Etsy store open (again) and fill mold orders to maintain my creative flow, without asking my muse to spring forth new things until the passing of the year.