…simply social wrap up…

It’s always nerve-wracking, putting something of yourself out in the world. This blog? Doesn’t worry me. After almost 14 years of writing and sharing in this space, it feels like an old friend. Instagram? Likewise. But to go that next step, oh man, I get so so nervous. The podcast was hard one to launch. Another was my Crafty Monkies class on Saturday night. It might have been harder, because I had to wait until 9pm for kick off.

It was a brand new style of class for them, and I knew they were taking a risk on me. I also had a fair dose of imposter syndrome. I knew what I was doing for my own stuff, sure, but to teach? For three hours? And make it general enough everyone could take that information to develop their own style? I was PACKING IT.

All my footage was pre-filmed, and then in the class I provided a live voice over to explain my process. Going in, I had about 1.5hrs of footage for a 3hr class. That would be fine, I thought, some of that was still photos that would take longer to discuss than the default 4 seconds allocated, plus I had a few breaks for questions. It would be fine…and then Rachel told me a lot of people were looking at joining on the replay. If I wasn’t nervous enough before, by this point, I was positively ill with worry. What if I didn’t have enough to fill the three hours allocated to the class?

But I needn’t have been worried. It was such a lovely group of crafters in the class, who were encouraging and engaged, asking some really cool questions. It didn’t take me long to get into swing of it, and I was off and racing. Imposter syndrome be damned, I actually was quite confident in this material. In the end I actually ran over-time, trying to jam pack as much information as possible into the class to make them think they had received value for money – probably my biggest concern. My lovely attendees were all very positive at the end of the class, having had a great time and having learned a lot. Success!! And holy moly did we cover a lot! From composition and perspective tips, to maximising their phone’s capabilities, and from critiquing my own first flat lay photo, to how I style, shoot and edit now, along with explaining my reasoning for what I am doing. I think one of the biggest compliments was one of the attendees jumping off the class and into my insta DMs, said how they had followed me for years and loved my photos, and had come away from the class inspired and equipped to take what they learned and make it their own.

It was a huge amount of work, because of the different format to the usual CM class, but man, I was buzzing by the end of it. We got out of class at 12.30 – as in AM, as in half an hour after midnight – and by the time I made a sleepy tea, kicked around insta for a bit, did some cross stitch, and finally felt ready for bed, it was 2,30am. Friends, I have not seen 2.30am since 2014. I have not stayed up continuously until 2.30am since 2002. Come Sunday morning, I was SHATTERED. I had a very lazy day pottering about on a few projects, but doing a lot of not much. It’s now Tuesday, and I am slowly coming down off the buzz, and just in time to prep my marketing materials for my next Crafty Monkies class (hint.- it’s one of my most popular projects ever). (UPDATE: the on-demand recording is now available!! It’s also part of the CM 31% off sale for December)

I have one more weekend of work left – I am shooting a wedding this coming Saturday. While I don’t normally work as a photographer any more, I do the occasional one for friends, or in this case, the daughter of friends. I’m actually really looking forward to it! It’s been ages since I’ve shot a full day wedding so I’m kind of feeling like this coming Sunday might be a write off again. After that, though, it’s holidays and the downhill run to Christmas…if I make it though this week. Not only do I have the wedding to prep for, but the teen’s drama recital on Thursday that I’m still finishing my dress for, and far too many Advent challenges to catch up on. I’m down to a rolling list in my day book, instead of daily lists, and it’s all starting to look a little crazy!