What do you do with all your free time?

[Sherry]

I sometimes feel like I have to explain myself, because people don't realize how much work goes into my job outside of the actual event.

When people ask about my job, they usually follow up with, "So what do you do during the week, when you're not working."     Ever get this?

Then I feel like I need to start listing out to them all the other things that go into my job, but my mind goes blank and can't think of everything right on the spot.  I know that a lot of the things I need to do are time consuming.  Taking calls, writing down all the info, getting back to each customer, printing out forms, preparing kit, preparing for event, filing, emailing customers pics after event, updating website, etc., etc.  I wonder if I should write out a list one day, so I will have it handy when this comes up! Ha. 

No, it's probably an innocent enough remark, but it does make me wonder if people think I do nothing at all during the week.

[Skidzz]

Yes... I have, but my reply and I quote is always.... "free time, what is that?"  lol

[Sherry]

I love that!  I'm so glad I posted this.  I'm sitting here thinking I need to make up lists and blah, blah, blah.  Your remark is so simple and gets the point across!

[Party Picassos Facepainting]

How do manage time to take everyone's photos? The lines are long, time is short and my camera takes it's time. I do ask the hosts to send photos, but sadly, that does NOT always happen.

[Skidzz]

Well I have my daughter take pics for me, although she isn't the best photographer...  but I can generally fix the pic as long as she gets the painting in the shot... lol

[Sherry]

I have my camera handy on the table and after each face, I ask the parent and child if it's o.k. if I take a picture.  I snap a quick picture and then we're off to the next face.  On events where speed is critical, I skip the picture taking. 

My camera (Nikon Coolpix) seems slow sometimes too.  I push the button, but it seems to have no reaction.  It seems I keep pushing and pushing and finally it takes and I have no clue what makes it decide to finally take the picture, because sometimes it takes it right away. 

[reginanewsum]

I normally always have my camera setting on the table next to me. I have gotten so slammed that I totally forget pictures! But if when I paint and the design is looking OMG great I will ask the parents or parent if I can take a picture when I am done, So while the child is looking in the mirror at their face I get my camera ready and have them smile pretty! I love the mirror pictures, I love to capture that moment of the first sighting! I have a whole collection of mirror pictures, hopefully I will put them in an album some day, thats my plan.

[smoothdansa]

When I'm painting at the boardwalk on the weekends people ask if I do this everyday and I say no.  Kids are in school during the week, duh.  I don't work during the week so I mainly get on my computer and look for festivals or events, or I just get on my xbox for about 6 hours.  I'm starting to get into body painting so these next weeks I plan to get some photo shoots with models to get my portfolio going.

[Psalmbook]

Free time? What's that!? I homeschool my kids, play taxi driver for them, am super active in outreach & church, run a full fledge home business, cook, clean(or at least manage the kids into cleaning), take care of my mother, I have a husband(isn't this a full time job in itself?)....

People think that picking up face painting is an easy buck, but when you look at what goes into it to make it sucessful, it's a big undertaking.... I often ask people if they really want to give up their weekends & family time, because it's mainly a weekend job. If we want to do fun family activites, we do them during the week.

[Sherry]

Right, my Saturdays are almost always tied up.