Oct 1, 2016
The Side Hustle
Hey oh gosh hi ho there.
I am alive. I’m struggling a bit for something worth writing a blog post about, (day to day life isn’t all that riveting, you know?) but I’m still kicking. Mostly I’m having a hard time getting over some super funk type blues that were kicked off with a month of everyday rains and a canceled craft fair, but a big whine fest isn’t really good reading material. [unless you’re into that sort of thing, in which case, it is in fact, at my personal blog here.]
This week I’m preparing for my NEXT craft fair, which is indoors, so rain or not by God it’s happening. It’s the YWCA’s Fall Bazaar, which KP2 and I did last year as well, so I’m very pumped to have been invited back.
This year will see all the same crafts that I’ve talked about in previous blog posts (since there was no previous craft fair at which to sell them due to rain), plus the famous carrot cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, and I’m thinking maaaaaaybe some cake pops. Because those are a fun thing that are big in the states but I haven’t really seen them here… even though I have noted the Japanese culture very much enjoys food that is served on a stick.
Anywhoozle, that’s all on Friday, October 7th, from 10am to 3pm. If’n you’re in Nagoya it’d be cool to see ya at the YWCA in Sakae.
After that, The Mister and I will be celebrating our wedding anniversary by attending a Navy Ball out in Yokosuka. Always nice to have an occasion to sort of gussy-up, but a sad reminder that I need to not “taste test” my goods for the fall bazaar so I can still fit in a pretty dress. Fingers crossed on that.
And last but not least I’m working on embarking on a new avenue for online sales of my designs. It’s called RedBubble, and it works as thus:
- I can upload designs, to which I retain my ownership and rights.
- Through that site I can select from a myriad of items from clothing to home accessories, which I can then tweak to alter how my design will be printed upon it.
- I can select my preferred markup of the item, essentially determining my profit on any sale.
- The site from there works to-order creating whatever was purchased. You pick a design and an item, they will print that design on that item, handle the transaction, pay me and ship you your new stuff.
why yes, now YOU can own an artistic representation of the best auto correct of Japanese ever... on a laptop sleeve, a sticker, or a t-shirt. wooooooooo.
[www.redbubble.com/people/kpquepasa]
Sometimes to keep your head above water, you just gotta find a side hustle.*
Do YOU have a side hustle?
I want to know about it. Tell me in the comments!
(and gimme a url link if you’ve got it!)
*thank you to blogger helloalissa for such a very apt term to define all the little projects in my life.
today’s little language lesson
毎日私はハスルをします。
Mai-nichi watashiwa hasuru o shimasu.
Every day I’m hustlin.
The name is Kp or KpMcD (Kristin, actually, but for the sake of continuity let's stick with the nickname, shall we?) Hailing from the Midwest US and living in Nagoya with my husband (The Mister), my dobermutt (Mac) and an elitist marmalade tabby who answers to no one (Bubba).
www.KpQuePasa.com
6 Comments
helloalissa
on Oct 1
Hey thanks, but I absolutely didn't coin that phrase. Not sure what to call it when it's all side hustle and no regular job. (Time for more hustling?) Sigh. I feel like I'm about to become busy, but am not right now. (Freelance English Lessons for the most part.) I'm curious to check out this bubble site as well. It sounds like a not just fabric version of spoonflower? Hopefully it works well for you... I'd better try to focus on the projects I'm already distracted from.
KpQuePasa
on Oct 2
@helloalissa ah, more a shout out for reminding me of such a fun phrase.
JTsu
on Oct 4
That's awesome! RedRubble sounds like a great option. Sorry to hear about the cancelled craft fair but I wish you tons of luck at the next one. In addition to my part-time teaching gigs, I've started 2 accounts on Patreon, which is like kickstarter but ongoing and usually aimed at helping artists make art via regular crowd-funded income. My first one, Geek Crafts Japan, specializes in sock monkeys that I make and raffle off to my patrons every month. More here: https://www.patreon.com/geekcraftsjapan My second, Weird Japan in a Box, offers patrons a small selection of uniquely Japanese items, including Engrish, edibles, and other weird things. More here: https://www.patreon.com/japanbox
KpQuePasa
on Oct 5
@JTsuzuki What creative ideas! I'm curious how you're able to offer such a great array of Japanese bits and bobbles and cover shipping with the pricing you've set - your patrons are getting a deal!
JTsu
on Oct 6
@KpQuePasa I'm using lots of lightweight bits, including stuff from the 100 yen store and whatever weird Japanese snack items are on sale in my grocery store that month.
helloalissa
on Oct 16
@JTsuzuki Thanks for mentioning Patreon - I'm interested to check that out as well. An Engrish box is a fantastic idea. I've thought about doing something similar but didn't know of a way to set it up, which is the tricky part. Engrish hunting is a fun hobby isn't it?