Sorting Hat

Alright, so the Sorting Hat has very little to do with this post. It's called "Sorting Hat" 1) to give you a clue about the theme of this week's make and 2) because I was going to name this post "But what to call you." I heard that in my head in a very particular voice, and I could not figure out what movie it was from until I realized the line was "But where to put you." Ah yes...the Sorting Hat.

Anyway, I'm writing once again with a question. Today, I told Jason that I wouldn't play any scrabble on facebook and that I would be super productive. Well, I haven't made a whole lot of progress on my work to-do list. But I have been productive. I've been doing some research and some dreaming about someday when Jason is out of school and I can start my own business. Yup...that's what I want to do. I've finally decided. I often find myself saying, "Wouldn't it be cool if I could start a tea house?" or "I want to get a building and gut it and sell studio space for all sorts of artists and have a gallery where people can sell their stuff, and we'd have sweet events and stuff," or "Maybe I could teach classes out of my house where people would come and make stuff or have that be a part of a whole experience with crafting and food!" (Hmm...does that one sound familiar?) Or sometimes I throw all of the ideas together into one big art-food-teaching-community-awesomeness compound!! How cool would that be!?!

So where does all this come from? Well, basically, I have the coolest mom in the world. Yes, even cooler than Soule Mama. Over the years, my mom has been a demonstrating weaver and spinner at a historic village, an entrepreneur, a basket weaver, a basket-weaving teacher, an artist, a jelly-maker, a fiber arts apprentice, a Sunday school teacher, a shop owner, the head of a Lyme's Disease support group, a worker at a gourmet cheese store, a teacher at a Jewish preschool, a craft show vendor, a dean/counselor/craft lady at Delanco Camp, a sheep farmer, and oodles more. And most of that was just in my lifetime! This might give the impression that she's someone who goes flitting around from thing to thing, but that's just not the case. She's just a person who has so many talents and interests that to leave some unexplored would be a dreadful waste. When someone would ask her about why she's starting some new venture, her answer was always, "Well, I need to do every cool thing." I remember one conversation in particular that went something like this:

Mom: I think I need to settle down. I need to just stick to one thing. Maybe I should just focus on developing my business.
Robin: But Mom, you have to do every cool thing.
Mom: No, I'm done with that now. I've done enough cool things. I need to stop the craziness...Hey, look! That diner is for sale. Wouldn't it be fun to own a diner?

So you can see that maybe this little addiction to brainstorming new things to do, never being so fulfilled with where I am that it stops me from dreaming up my next cool thing...maybe that's genetic. Or maybe I'm just trying to be like my mom because she's just so cool. Or maybe she's just given me all the tools and skills and ideas to do my own cool things and to not use them feels like an awful waste. Whatever the case, I've decided: Jason will get a job that gets insurance for us and our family, and I will build a cool empire of my own. (Sound like a good plan, Jason?) My first step is to make a ton of stuff. My second step is to be a craft show vendor, because that's an easier place to start from than a tea house/studio/school/compound.

I was reading this blog, which lays out everything you need for your first craft show. And my brain started reeling. I've started a list of all the different things I want to make. I've envisioned my displays. I've thought about how I can set up a separate business bank account and keep track of materials and time so I can determine pricing. I've thought about things that will be my trademark. I've thought about promotional ideas and giveaways...

...and now...all I need is 1) a lot more free time (which I can be patient for because even though it feels like it sometimes, seminary can't last forever), 2) some start-up money (anybody know any charitable patrons lying around?), and 3) a name for my business. Tricky. I've thought about building from the Swan Bay Folk Art Center empire, maybe making a sister company to my sister's company (Little Sheep Felt). Little Bird something? Little Frog something? Little Red something? The results of Etsy vendor name searches put those three out of the running. So now, starting from scratch, the possibilities are endless. So I was thinking about going from my mom's model with something like this:

Every Cool Thing.

What do you think? Too cocky? Is "cool" not cool anymore? And I really hate being cold, so should I not do anything with possible cold connotations? Should I find a name with more obvious logo possibilities? I don't want to limit myself to a particular medium. I don't want to use "The Weekly Make." (It would be nice and nostalgic because this blog has been one of the main stimuli of what I want to do, but I don't think it carries over into a good business name.) I just don't know what to do!! I need your help. Any thoughts/comments/suggestions? Get those creative juices flowing, people. I need to get some actual work work done today.