Thought to Ponder

The way you treat your employees is the way they will treat your customers. ~ Richard Branson, Virgin



more to come, soon.

Tips for Craiglist Buyers

I have a thing you have bothered to call about, so it must be something you want. I'm simply selling something I no longer need or want. You are not doing me a favor. If anything, I'm doing you a favor, so if you want me to sell it to you, start with following this checklist:

1. Show up on time. Arrive when you say you are going to arrive. Being late is disrespectful. Disrespect does not incline me to want to sell you anything.
2. Remember: I am a person. 
3. We've never met before, so being pleasant and courteous is a good start.
4. I am selling an item. You are not doing me a favor. 
5. I've put a price on it. That's the price I want or I would have put a different price on it. 
6. YOU are NOT doing me a favor.
7. Don't call 10 times talking about random things or call, trying to keep me on the phone going over and over and over the same thing. I don't have that kind of time. 
8. Don't call 10 minutes before you said you'd arrive to ask for a different time. Again, disrespectful. 
9. Don't start listing all the things that are wrong with the item when you arrive. It's rude. Rudeness does not incline me to want to sell you ANYTHING.
10. You don't want it? Fantastic. Just say so and have a safe trip home. 
11. YOU ARE NOT DOING ME A FAVOR.

Criminy! What on earth are you thinking? Coming to my house and acting like a fool? Calling on the phone eating up my time and energy for nothing. Seriously putting a disclaimer on the ad right now. Fools and Disrespecters need not respond. Some day soon this is going to be a very funny story.

It's a quickie update of sorts...

We've been away for vacation. It was the best vacation yet - relaxing, fun, interesting, filled with people I love. Just the sort of bliss that you want to continue always, which got me to thinking about what might be in my life that negatively impacts my bliss. While floating on the lake or visiting charming small towns around the lake, I let my mind work in the background. No forced study, no struggle, no angst, just letting my brain do what it does best. At the end of the week, I knew that several things needed to change. (I started this on August 2 and am just finishing it today. When you start reading, perhaps you will understand why.)

Scarlet & Gray

The first on the list was my phone. It's nearly 4 years old and in smart phone technology, that's generations! For example: new smart phones have 2GB of RAM standard these days; my old phone had 368 MB of RAM (2GB=2000MB). So? you might say as my husband did... So, it means that when more than one app is running, using RAM, there are MANY screen freezes, system shut downs, inability to use the keyboard, etc. It had also started to lose functionality... like backing up.

So, what to do, what to do. I really love all the new technology, big screens, fancy cameras, but I do not really love the price tags. Technology, like cars, comes at a crazy premium for this year's model. I decided to take the same approach I do when buying a new car... I bought a good quality used model with all the important aspects I was looking for, but at a price I can live with. The bonus to the route I went is I don't have to commit to a two year contract. This is one are of my life where I am a true commitment-phobe. 

So now, I'm a happy iPhone user, who lost all my contacts. Apparently iPhone and Android are not friends and won't share contacts, which I didn't know. And I could enter them all in manually, except the old phone will not cooperate with that. So, I've been slowly rebuilding my contact list. Some people just don't want to help a girl out and so I'll be doing without the pleasure of their contact info. Oh well.

Another thing on the list is my job. I haven't been super happy... Okay, I haven't been happy, even, nevermind super happy, for a while. I like working and I want to feel happy working. I have in the past, so I know it's possible and I don't think it's asking too much. I'm discerning just how to handle this and as it's a big one, I'm taking my time. As Forrest Gump would say: That's all I have to say about that. For now. But, I'll keep you posted.

I've been suffering with some sort of rosacea on my face for a while now. At least I think it falls under the category of rosacea. As with a lot of things, there isn't one cause, everyone experiences it differently with different triggers and combinations of symptoms. The point is: I'm over it. It's negatively affecting me in subtle, sinister ways (like avoiding having my picture taken or avoiding situations with new people). I'm over it. I don't want to live like a hermit.

And it's not like I've been doing nothing... I tried eliminating common "food triggers", but to no avail. Eliminating wheat, tomatoes, spicy food, caffeine, sugar, etc... Any common food trigger I eliminated individually and in combination only made meal time challenging and made no difference whatsoever to my face.  

So, back to the drawing board. I've been researching and have found a couple of things that are really making a difference.

You may remember my post earlier this year about changing what products I was using for skin and hair care, to eliminate sketchy chemicals. At that time, I switched to using only Castille soaps for body and face. That made a difference. The one I use has two ingredients in it: Olive oil, Aloe. Because of the olive oil in the soap, I no longer need lotion on a daily basis. I use it occasionally when it's dry, but haven't used any all summer (so much humidity). Then, after much research and waiting for supplies to arrive, 10 days ago, I started using a blend of avocado oil and tea tree oil before bed. I basically use a 2 to 1 ratio, more avocado, which I eyeball so it's not exact. The change in my face has been dramatic. DRAMATIC. It's only been 10 days and it's noticeable! I was talking to my husband yesterday and he paused mid-sentence and told me how much better it looked. WOO!

Another area that needs attention is organization in our house. We live in a very old house, built when closets were novelties, so there is a serious lack of storage. So whatever storage we have must be really organized and faithfully reviewed. Prior to two years ago, I was much more diligent about looking at the drawers and cabinets and organizing and cleaning them out. But in the last two years it's fallen by the wayside a little and it's starting to negatively affect every day life. I've purchased a few shelving and storage ideas and am going to attack (sounds fierce, doesn't it!) the corner cabinet in the kitchen. I don't know why I think this must be the source of all the clutter, but I do. So, I'm about to wrap up this post and begin. 

There is much in life to be grateful for and every day I see it more and more. This post seems like of litany of problems, but I hope you will look at it the way I do. Life has challenges in it. Period. It does. No one is exempt. In knowing that, I find it very easy to say okay, this is what today holds let's get after it. In putting things aside, not really looking at it, refusing to deal with it or in any other way denying your challenges, just let's them breath and grow. When you shine a light on it, fear (and trouble) withers. It cannot withstand scrutiny. Fear needs the dark and the secret. 

This blog is my way of shining a light on things that are challenging me. I don't always list the most troublesome primarily because not every challenge I face is strictly my own. Just because I feel good and right about posting my personal struggles does not mean I have the right to detail the challenges of those I love. Respect first.

Geez, this is a long post. If you made it all the way to here, Woo HOO! I hope you found something worthwhile. If you didn't, you won't be reading this so, no point in finishi...

So, ALL that being said... I feel energized and am going to get after it. 

PS... We are still yoga-ing, now two times a week. LOVE it!

Birthday Party

Today my youngest is 21. It's a good day and just a little wistful. 21. Such a momentous occasion. Always on their birthdays, I find myself flipping through the photo albums in my memory of all the years.

He arrived 5 weeks early and has been on the move ever since. He's amazing and wonderful and challenging and smart and it's a pleasure and an achievement to be his mother.

Happy birthday sweetness!

Thoughts on Starting a Business

Chickens in the yard.
Charming.

It's been just over six months since I started selling my creations. It has been very, very, very good. Here are some thoughts on the adventure:

1. I am proud of all I have learned, which has been a lot. 
2. I am even more proud of the work I'm creating. I learn how to be a better artisan every time I sit down at the bench. 
3. I've started calling the table where I work on my jewelry "The Bench". It makes me smile.
4. Worrying only removes the fun.
5. Some things are challenging. Accepting challenges are part of the process does make it more manageable when they show up.
6. I did not know A LOT before I started. I knew I'd have things to learn, but boy oh boy! I still have learning to do, but now I realize that will always be the case.
7. The more creative I am, the more creative I feel. I wake up thinking about things to make!
8. It is easy to get distracted. I've made a list of goals and posted them at my bench, so I can keep them in focus. 
9. It's a time commitment. Like the challenges, accept that you will spend a surprising amount of time building your business. If you are the sort to schedule things, by all means, make a schedule. Sticking to a schedule is not my strong suit, so I wing it. 
10. I Celebrate Everything! Seriously! It's just me in this business and up til now, lots of it has been challenging or frustrating. To make sure I remember why I started, I make a point of celebrating every little success: finishing something, learning a new skill, figuring out how to take more interesting photos. Celebrate it all. 
11. I ask a lot of questions. I don't magically know the answer to everything that crops up. Asking others allows me to gather information I use to make decisions. Sometimes the people I ask don't know anything either, but quite often, solutions occur to me in the midst of my information gathering. So I ask questions... of anyone it occurs to me to ask and everyone I consider my peeps.
12. Taking breaks is important. For me this business is meant to be fun. For me it's about being creative and letting my spirit dance. When the work of it starts to overshadow the fun, it's time to put away the pliers. Seriously.
13. Buy good tools. Whatever you are doing, you need the correct tools to get you there. About a month ago, I upgraded my tool set. It was an investment, even though I did not buy the most expensive set out there. It was worth every single penny. Good tools allow you to produce good work. More than that, good tools help you easily make good work. Let me explain: I had a bead crimper, purchased 10-ish years ago. It's frustrating. The criimp bead has to be in there just right to get it to work. I purchased a new one and out of the gate and every time I use it, it works correctly. It is more narrow or slimmer and fits into the tight spaces easier. It has a long narrow flat tip, more narrow, but just like flat nose pliers, which you sometimes need when while crimping. I realize I'm going on here, but really, truly, it's amazing. The day I decided to order a new one, I'd spent 10 minutes trying to close the crimp bead on a bracelet and rather than crimp, it broke the bead and the bracelet fell apart, beads scattering everywhere. I could go on and on about every single tool I replaced. The new set is wonderful, and helps me create what I have in my mind. Amazing.
14. Similar to #11. I spend time learning techniques from others. Books, classes, YouTube, and just surfing other sellers. I find new things to try, new ways to do things, improvements for things I'm already doing. 
15. I spend the time to review every order the moment it arrives. I look at everything, making sure I received every item ordered and that it's all in good condition. I won't sell a damaged piece as though it's in perfect condition. Not everyone has the same rules or standards that I do. I've learned this the hard way. 
16. I am grateful. This has been a fun ride. I've learned a lot and grown through it. It's brought a new aspect to my relationships with my kids as they've become advisors for my business. It's a fun and rewarding experience. I love being creative. I love making other people happy! I'm stronger, happier and more me because of this adventure and I'm so grateful!

Of Human Tornados and Growth

Yesterday was an interesting day. Work was filled with drama and angst and tension, all of which arrived with and stemmed from one single person.

Thankfully, it wasn't me.

It's disconcerting to watch a human tornado in action. Leaving chaos and confusion in it's wake.

For most of the day, I held myself separate. It's a skill I've been practicing for some time. You know the phrase "in this world but not of the world"?  I've been developing the skill of witnessing, without committing emotional energy.

So yesterday, I was in the chaos, but I was not of the chaos. Until the last 30 minutes of the day, when I let myself swirl around in it. And then it affected my evening, as negativity is wont to do.

Because it did, I realize how much work I have to do. At the same moment, I realize how much work I have done. I mean, I was separate for most of the day. Focused on my own goals and accomplishments, I was aware of, but not involved in the tornado. Each time it approached me, I smiled and moved myself out of the path. This is good to recognize. I feel lighter, happier and accomplished realizing it. Yea!

Turns out I don't begrudge having work to do. This is also growth! There have been times when I'd beat myself up for not being more, better, perfect. Those times are past. I no longer expect or want perfection. Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

My goal is to be love. In every situation, every relationship and every interaction, my goal is to express love. Which is not to say that I give up my needs or wants to keep the peace. It is not loving myself to constantly give in or not express my feelings or to take verbal abuse from anyone. What I mean here is that there are ways to say what needs to be said without leaving destruction in your wake and that is my goal. Some days I am really good at it. Some days I recognize situations that trigger negative responses and know I have work to do.

I found this quote from Deepak Chopra. It made me think of the number of times I've said "I didn't have a choice". Kind of a cop out isn't it? I didn't have a choice means, I made a choice I don't think you will like or I made a choice that does not live up to my expectations for myself. So, I'm repeating it to myself each morning. Because I always have a choice, I choose Love.

Love is the answer. 
I choose Love.
Love is all you really need. 
Love. 
Love.
Love. 

Lots to See and Want

I've been busy loading my etsy shop with some fun new items... come visit!