Marketing myself ... help!

So here's the thing.  I feel like I need to make a little bit more money every month.  I do have a regular contract gig with a heritage consultant that ends up usually being about 5 hours per week - sometimes more.  And I work at the Millet Library 3 hours per week.  And then I have contract work that can be quite a lot at certain times of the year.  But there are always dry periods ... like now.  We're kinda in-between seasons with both archaeology and heritage consulting.  And this is the time of year I start to feel pinched.

I really shouldn't worry about it.  For years now this time of year has been tight.  And I spend my time gardening and doing things around the house.  And when work starts up again, I realize there is more than enough work to keep me busy and to pay the bills.  But somehow that doesn't stop me from feeling ever so slightly panicked at this time of the year.

However, a little extra money each month wouldn't hurt.  We have things we want to do around the house, trips we want to take, you know, the usual.  We have enough money to cover the basics - quite nicely, actually.  But just not enough for the little extras.

So I've considered different things. 

I sent out a few e-mail feelers to archaeologists over the past couple of weeks and got a couple of nibbles - although nothing firmed up yet.  I really don't want to go into the field for long periods of time (although short jobs would be great), but I'd love to do historic artifact analysis again - did some last winter and realized just how much I missed it.

An Etsy shop is another way to go.  Make some jewellery and some other home-crafted things and sell them on line.  But from past experience I know that hand-crafting and selling is not a way to make significant bucks - however, it would scratch my creative itch while hopefully bringing in a few dollars.


I also do have that article that I am writing (slowly ... oh my God is it going slowly!), but that isn't really a money-making venture.  As a matter of fact, it's very much a money-losing venture, but if I could sell it, I'd recoup some of my expenses.

And I'd like to do research for people, too.  Genaeological research or anything else. 

The big problem with all of it is marketing myself.  I'm not good at it.  I guess I don't like to put myself out there for rejection - but I suppose I'll just have to suck it up and get on with it.  Because if I don't do it, no one else is going to, are they?

Anyone out there have any suggestions??  If I do the Etsy thing, you're liable to be seeing more of my home-made stuff here on the blog.  This is one place to market, eh?