It’s ok to take a break

At the end of 2018 I launched an oversized clutch collection. It started with a bang and ended with a fizzle a short while later.  I just had too many things on my plate so I was unable to follow up with new styles. At least not until the end of 2019.  A colleague and I decided to host a popup event.  At the time it was a good idea… or so I thought.  Once again, I had too much on my plate but I still decided to go through with it even if it was just in a smaller capacity.  I created a collection of regular sized straw and leather clutches but I never tested the design before-hand to ensure that it met with the standards that I wanted.  Needless to say, the techniques that I had used on the larger clutches did not work on this size. So there I was with clutches that I was unable to finish because I thought the same method would work. 

So I'm just going to let you in on another little secret of mine. My first inclination when certain things start to get tough is to take a break. Sometimes depending on what it is, it can go from a few hours to a few days, weeks, months or even years.  I have so many things that I have started but for one reason or another I had to put it down.  Now the thing I had to realise about myself is that no matter how long I put something on hold, I always pick it back up again.  I don’t see it as quitting, just as taking a break (sometimes extended) until I can get my mind in the right place it needs to be in order to fully accomplish what it was that I had originally set out to do.

Right before the pandemic started, I decided to schedule some time in to work on my technique. However, at the start of the pandemic I had to put it on pause yet again but recently, I was able to revisit my clutches again. I had a bit more time to concentrate on fixing the issues that I had previously encountered. This time around, I did not have a million other things fighting for my attention. When I looked at the clutch design the solution to my problem came to me right away.  The solution was so simple that I almost felt silly that I hadn't thought of it when I first encountered the problem. 

I had to learn and in some ways i am still learning to stop putting so much pressure on myself to accomplish so much at the same time.  I am also learning to not feel guilty about taking extended breaks from certain activities when I am overwhelmed.  At the end of the day, I know that the integrity of my work will only suffer if I continue on without a clear head.  So now in 2020, I am happy to reintroduce you to our modern take on a staple in the Bahamian culture: The Straw Clutch.