The Dilemma

I just opened my Photoshop program this morning and it told me there are only 3 more days left of my trial. Just 3 days!!! I’m loving Photoshop, learning new things, and I think, quite possibly, just barely scratching the surface of all its capabilities. You see, I’m very new to Photoshop, new to blogging, new to Etsy...so many new things that its overwhelming and exciting! I’ve come across so many intriguing blogs and inspiring new artists through Etsy and elsewhere online. Which leads to my dilemma: I’m finding that lately I’m spending far more time at my computer desk than my craft desk. I’m feeling much creative frustration as my hands are yearning to get back to work with paper, scissors, and glue, and to bring to fruition the ideas swirling ‘round my head and my sketchbook for new “LillyBonBon-ish” creations. I’ve posted many things on Etsy, and then turned around to take it off soon after to supply the couple of stores I’m in. I just haven’t quite figured out how to manage it all yet.

Another twist on this dilemma was the recent influx of birthday, graduation, mother’s day, and thank you cards needing to be made. To compound that, I decided to knit both my mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law each two dishcloths for mother’s day presents. They were then tied up with ribbon and topped off with little card tags that I made in (where else but) Photoshop. I used vintage cards featuring adorable little birdies, altered them a bit, and added some new text including the following message that said, “To make your dishwashing chores a bit more colorful ~ handknit dishcloths~”.

Lest you be feeling sorry for my own mother at this point, rest assured she is kept well-stocked with these handy, durable dishcloths by my aunt…my knitting teacher and the sharer of this dishcloth pattern. I’ve only made 5 in my entire knitting lifespan (which has only been about 2 years or so now) and the first one I made is too precious for me to use…yet. My knitting has slowly expanded to include other things like a little pouch for my tiny digital camera, a hat, and several scarves. I’m not the fastest knitter yet so I’m quite sentimental about each item I make. I’ve come across people selling similar-looking knitted dishcloths on Etsy and I’m amazed at what they are selling them for since they take a near eternity for me to produce just one…well, I’m exaggerating a wee bit, I guess, and I have in truth become slightly quicker over time.

Well, I’m digressing now and getting off-topic. The dilemma today is whether to use my Photoshop trial to its fullest (since I’m not quite sure when we’ll actually buy it), or to get back to my first love…paper and scissors? Oh, there are just not enough hours in the day!