Forward planning.....

With another birthday looming on the horizon, and the prospect of being able to semi-retire in the next few years, I've been giving some thought to what remains of my working life.

I've been making dolls and miniatures since 1988... that's 28 years, and I'd like to complete at least 30 years before I hang up my dollmaking apron.  So, while Tower House Dolls won't be closing its doors just yet, I certainly feel as though I'm on the home straight.

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you will know that nothing galvanises me quite like a deadline.  I still have lots of things I want to do, but I'll have to prioritise if I'm to have any chance of completing my work-related bucket list.

To this end, I've decided to stop taking commissions, as of now.  I will, of course complete all outstanding commissions, which will probably take me through to the summer.

Then there's my 'work bucket list'.  I have entire notebooks full of random ideas, cuttings and illustrations from books and magazines, collected over the past 27 odd years and that's before considering my many, many Pinterest boards.  There's no way I can ever hope to make all of them but I'm going to select my very favourites and work towards making them a reality.  

Finally, I'm going to implement a Rule of Ten in relation to kits.  I really enjoy devising and designing them and I've calculated that over the years I've created well over 200 different kits.

Yes, I'm amazed too!

Some of my 'bucket list' miniatures will be available as kits, but I'm only ever going to make just ten of each.  It's a nice round number and is eminently manageable without my losing the will to live.  I want to begin downsizing my copious toymaking supplies and my lovely collection of fabrics and trimmings and producing a limited number of different kits seems like the way to go.

From now on, I plan to concentrate on fulfilling some of my work ambitions.... time is running out so it's now or never.  In a way it will be like reclaiming my love of the hobby, which is where it started all those years ago.  Anyone who turns their hobby into a business will identify with the adage that when your hobby becomes your job, it stops being your hobby.  Time and space to work on your own projects simply evaporates in the face of the constant pressures of earning a living from a small business.

It feels as if I'm coming full circle......