Update :: Continuing the quests... WT, Patreon, and CHRISTMAS !! :-)

I was busy with my emails again... and the links that lead to social media... and then social media... and then, suddenly, I remembered it was THURSDAY !!     :-)

One of my sons became my first Patreon supporter the other day.  On my end, it is a way to see how the Patreon system works with real people...  there is so much to learn about all the online connections and how to reach your goals with them.

In questions of Faith, and how GOD works in the middle of all our problems and desires, it is still a one day at a time plan, the only reality we can do.

I didn't get to my prayer journals today... I don't think.  Sometimes that happens... I get to them as soon as I can.  Prayers are not always an immediate topic.  I try to make a note of the time and date when I enter a late prayer, so I know it was a long day and busy.

I just shared (today) on Toby Mac's regular weekly Facebook post for audience prayer needs about how my journals have changed my life, and what they can mean to other Christians.  I hope others will try it.  I added my prayer needs at the bottom.

Prayer has always been a hard topic to deal with.  There are a lot of different view on it... and we all want GOD to give us what we pray for.  When He doesn't... it creates a theology problem.

I was busy with food today... I got to go to the grocery store, then had to decide what to do with what I bought.  I started keeping track of how many times I go to the store for food.  I want to go weekly, to certain stores throughout the month.  My food budget is government food benefits.  I have been trying to decide the best way to shop, store, and eat food within this very tight budget.  

Time just gets away from us.

I have problems I am working to overcome.

The battle between what I WANT to do and what I actually get done seems like a constant war.  Progress gets made, but in very tiny steps.

Working on CHRISTMAS is taking over my days, sometimes my nights.  I have been working on how to keep track of what I do, and deadlines for things.  I can only do my part.  GOD has to do His part.  What the results are reflect His Plan and Purpose for this time and place.

We all create the future... our choices, our actions, our opposition, our problems, our supporters, our goals, our failures, our faith....  it all leads to the bigger future.

I think my efforts to make paper mache items will be worth the effort. I am making them thick, and looking for my sanding paper supplies.  Once they are smooth, I will head into a primer layer then figure out some kind of design.  I am trying a "vase" and a bowl shape... plus some bracelet options.  I think smooth will be the critical issue with bracelets.  Then design.

My son has been sending me photos in emails.  Today they were like a blog on how to refurbish a wheelbarrow.  Inspired me to get better at my blogging.

So, for today, that is about it.

Sign up with my Patreon page, if you can.  Only $5.  That is the goal. 

You can do more if you want to, but the goal for 2020 is ONE MILLION supporters at the $5 level.  Think about it.  Thanks.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

work2gather.us

and more...

13FEB 2020 Challenge Update

Hello to all...

I can't believe what I discovered today!

I found a YouTube video about "Forever Foods" (things that last a LONG time in a pantry), and the maker had a Patreon page.  So I went to check it out (Prepsteader).  When I went to contact her, there was no place to connect for questions or comments! I went to the website (prepsteaders.com) eventually and found a Contact Us form, so I tried that.  As I write this there seem to be problems connecting with her sites... hope it is just a glitch from here.

Now I am waiting to see what I hear back, if I do.
I was amazed that I couldn't just ask a question.

I was asking the page creator if she liked being a part of Patreon, and if she would check on my page and suggest anything.  I shared that I make every tier a different project, and am trying to focus on exclusive benefits (available only to supporters), and that I want to find the right place to suggest the ONE-TIME donation button, separate from signing up.  I hope to do this more often and get more feedback.

Note::  I was looking for her name  (something like Christi Swartz) and discovered her YouTube channel states over a hundred thousand subscribers, since 2012.  I probably won't hear back from her, her Patreon only has 18 supporters.  (Found her name!  Christa Swartz -- only one letter off!  :-)

I do see this a lot.  I think there is a flow that each person has to find.  I would like Patreon to be my first space because of the tiers... as I move forward, I can build up and slow down as needed... the funding is month-to-month and that works great for the money issues. My individual project tiers will become a varied participation option.  I am interested in many things, so that works best for me.

If only GOD would just bless my efforts.  :-|  He just doesn't seem to listen to me!    :-)

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This week's Patreon Update has a graphic that is pretty close to one I might use to advertise my quest.  I am waiting until I decide what to promote.  I have a very limited amount of funds.  I may try to do a quarterly ad campaign, while I learn about this process and decide where to focus my money and time.

Let me see if I can post the graphic here...

It looks blurry here, so I hope it looks better after I post this.  You can see it better at the page...

https://www.patreon.com/DebsRetirementPlan

This one has a lot of the information to share with people as an advertisement.  I may need to do a post boost if it doesn't work as the right ad size.  I guess we will find out soon... I need to start getting that information.

Below are the new tier photos (graphics) I made for identifying the tier for the Challenge.  The first one had too much information to read it right... so I remade it into the second version.

Note -- I am trying to post all of these at the Pinterest board for this Challenge.

https://www.pinterest.com/work2gather

Creating graphics for all the different spaces online is quite a challenge in itself.  Canva has prepared sizes for some of the social media needs, and Twitter posts are what I do most of my graphics as, but the tier options are 460x200. This seems to be very different.

It was also my first effort, so I had no idea what would fit.  I am planning to make more, especially for the recycling tier.  Once I get some of my crafts made, I can use them as the graphics..  

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I am wondering if my page name is a big hindrance to my current quest...  I chose the name because that is what this support is for... to help me build up my finances so I can do as many of the things I have been trying to do all my life as I can.  Crafts, WT, Bucket List, etc.

When it is attached to my support Challenge, it sounds like just a retirement plea... which it is, kinda... but not with this Challenge.

What to do.
If you have any suggestions, let me know.

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Guess that is enough for now.  I am beginning to make lists of topics to share and notes about things to write about.  Maybe my journal will help with that.  I am beginning to write more details about my days and have begun to just write on pages as I need them for each day.  I was trying to keep it to two pages per day, but that isn't working.  CHANGE is always necessary!  :-)

In Christ,
the Great Savior,
the Life,
and our hope for heaven.

Deb Martin
work2gather.us

30 JAN update - #My2020PatreonChallenge

Thursday already!  Time just goes too fast!

I have been busy making tracking aids for my CHALLENGE... and trying to get my record-keeping "flow" to go smoothly.  It hasn't been achieved yet.  :-)

This year I am using a "Back to School" composition book to keep my daily notes.  I seem to forget or I am too tired by the end of the day.  I have mostly recorded "notes" the next day or longer.  This is something that seems to be slow to change.  I use to keep track on my recycled scratch paper and then just staple each day and then store them with my monthly receipts and other records... in a zip-loc bag!  At the end of the year everything went into a cardboard box.  --  I am finding plastic storage boxes to keep my records in for long-term.  I like the "gasket" boxes.  (I am using those for my project supplies, too.)

New this year is finally organizing some of my recycled 3-ring notebooks as ongoing record options.  I have one for my monthly letters I write to friends and family.  It has taken awhile to get to the notebook format.  It was just easier to stack them as I wrote them.  Now I can actually look at the last letter I wrote to an individual person, if I want to.  --  I sorted my stack for last year and that was part of the extra motivation.  I also needed a notebook big enough.  I had to change all my notebook contents around to get to there.

I wanted to have one small notebook for current tracking, but that keeps getting too full.  I have one for all of 2020, but that is going to be too small.  -- This means I have to keep my eyes looking for just the right size of 3-ring binders to change to.

It is beginning to take shape.

Changing habits is always a blurry process.  You keep going back to what you use to do, remember you aren't going to do that anymore, and then work at doing the new thing you want to do.  This is true for all the changes in our lives, good and bad.  Repetition creates a habit.  What we repeat becomes what we do without thinking.

I have read different ideas on how long it takes to change a habit, and the 12-week one seems the most realistic... even then we can slip back into the old ways.  I guess after three months of really working on it, you have your mind focusing on the new pathway.

My design issues are in limbo right now.  I am going to create separate designs to use for different ongoing actions I need to post about.

I am getting my keywords organized.

I have been going through my email accounts, my computer files, my online sites, to see what needs to be changed.  I don't think January will be long enough, but I am thinking all of the "habit changing" might need until March.  The race is on to beat that deadline.  What would "beating the deadline" look like?  I don't know.  I will have to think about that.

Finding people to sign up is what I am trying to figure out.  I know my computer has problems, and my internet access... I often think my work is useless under all these "persecutions" -- but -- I also keep going for myself.  It is amazing the things you learn in these circumstances.  It will help me to build a better future for myself and the Body of Christ.

Did I share that I received my logo mug!  :-)  Sooooooo wonderful!

I'm going to be adding t-shirt designs to my selling sites and want to order one for myself... at least one, for now.  I am not sure which one I will end up with.  Keep checking my stores.  I mostly focus on Etsy right now, then I will add my listings to Ebay.

• Etsy - https://www.etsy.com/shop/work2gather
• eBay - https://www.ebay.com/usr/work2gather

It will be a lot more fun to post small updates (like photos of what I am doing "right now") when I figure out the process.  I entered a post for my Facebook "Story" recently.  I was staring at the photo of my "Every abortion is one too many." t-shirt and decided to share what the details meant.  I don't really know what the purpose of the separate space is, but I am learning.

I think I need to activate my smartphone and get that learning process going.  :-)   -- It's all about the funds... how to fit the new bills into the budget.  Sales would help that process, but there seems to be a problem reaching Christians as my buyers.  Pray that GOD will bless me so I can move forward.

I guess I better get back to my work.

Until next post,
In Christ,
Deborah Martin

Announcing #My2020PatreonChallenge

This year I am trying to do something BIG!  And I am praying for GOD's blessings on my effort... which I call a quest!  The minions of the Evil One are always busy, but I hope to learn a lot of new things about the internet and how to conquer it.  It is a never-ending problem for me, but I SHALL TRY MY BEST TO OVERCOME THE ISSUES IT CAUSES.

I made a graphic to try to post here... let's see what happens.  I hope it will be readable.  This is my second effort... the minions have already been busy.  

Lets hope it stays this time.  I am assuming you can click on it and make it larger.  I need to find the right sizing for future graphics I think.  This is a long learning process.

I have been trying to work out the details since deciding to try this.  I have decided to post weekly updates on Mondays, and to post at a blog on Thursdays.  This is my first week with this new scheduling attempt.  Naturally, I will post more often when the QUEST requires it... this is just my plan to make sure I keep in touch.

I chose this blog because it is my personal blog... what matters most to me.  It is the right blog for my Challenge updates... for prayer about problems... for sharing my dreams about what financial support will allow me to do... and more.

Patreon is about creating things and finding "patrons" to support you while you work to create... providing time, equipment, workspaces, supplies, and supporters to encourage your path.  I have a long list of things I have wanted to create but lacked the finances to make them happen.  My RECYCLING tier is one of those goals. 

For posting about my creative activities, I will blog at my CRAFTS EXPLORED site.  As things progress, that will increase.  I am striving to create some of my projects and post them to the tiers they apply to... ornaments, art, jewelry, recycling.  My FOR EVERYONE tier is my $5 tier... the one I want to increase support on. 

Why?  Because the funds at that tier can be used for any supplies and equipment I may need for the other tiers and my unspoken goals that are attached to each tier.  That would be like making jewelry out of real silver, being able to rent or buy space to work in, get a kiln and other equipment for working in clay, glass, etc. Transportation is always a problem, so general funds would help solve that problem for all my tiers.  My RECYCLING tier needs some big safe spaces and expensive equipment.  I need a great camera and recording equipment to post at all tiers and other places.

There are lots of needs that require financing. 

I hope this will be GOD's time for blessing many years of effort.

I have been going through a lot of thinking spaces about how to reach out to the world through the internet.  I created the # for sharing, but that is very broad and includes every PATREON creator during 2020.  I don't mind sharing my efforts, but there are a lot of creators at Patreon!  No one will find me!  :-)  So I am still looking for a better option.  Until I find one, this one will have to do ::

#My2020PatreonChallenge

Another issue I am grappling with is the name of my page.  I originally just wanted to find a small group of supporters to help me fund my creative goals in retirement.  I'm not sure if I can change the name and not lose any connections already made, but I will be checking into that.  What name might be better, especially because of this CHALLENGE, is known only to GOD right now!

I have to keep going forward and learning what I can.  The answer will show up, or we will end the year with the same name.  I am using JANUARY to make all these kinds of decisions.

I do hope you and your family and friends will share $5 with me... it really isn't much money but it is really important to me. 

I promise... it will be used wisely and will try to help as many others as GOD will allow me to help.

Don't forget to follow my Patreon page, my Twitter account, and here.  I'm working to get my Facebook connections looking better and will share them when that gets done.  I started a Pinterest board for my Challenge, so you can help me figure out Pinterest sharing.  And I have a Flickr account but need to figure that out as well.

You can link to my selling efforts as I create new listings and post them in various places.  My goal is to focus on Patreon first, then Etsy and eBay, then other spaces.  Someday I want my own website for selling my creations, but that has to wait for now.  :-)  I am trying to build a brand called CHANGEWORDS.

Lots of things to work on... join me in the effort!

In Christ,

Deborah Martin