End of the Year

I thought, after posting 2 days in a row, that I would be all consumed with blogging. HA! that definitely did not happen,did it? What have I been up to? The holidays - Thanksgiving and Christmas. They are over now. Yeah! Mostly because all the work they involve. I tried not to go overboard this year with the kids. I think I did pretty good - not GREAT- BUT PRETTY GOOD. Maybe by writing it here, I will remember that for next year, either only three presents per kiddo, OR they get one present from Doug & I, and then they can can receive gifts from each other. This is ALL in the spirit of simplifying. Plus, it dawned on me, that not only is there college a few years away, but cars. The thought overwhelms me financially. Not only would I like to be able to buy my kids a car & send them to college, I'd like to be able to retire! So I guess this brings me back to my second post - starting an at home business that would have very little start up cost, & something I could do from home.

The first Monday in December, I took Noey to CCD. This night they had a labyrinth. The Church of Religious Science has had theirs out, and I always wanted to do it, I did not realize that our church also offered it. Though my meditation was not spiritual, I did speak to God while I walked the maze of the labyrinth. My question was what to do for a follow up career - so to speak. So my answer was to sell on ETSY. OKAAAYYY! I signed up for a photography classes for the year; an online photography class through Big Picture Scrapbooking; a online photography network - Clicknmoms; & a drawing class. This is my year to sort it out and to find who I want to become. I'm also thinking about taking an online writing class when my drawing class ends - & that is if I don't want to continue with the drawing.

One of my other thoughts was inspired my the movie Julie & Julia. I wouldn't do a cookbook - that has been done. But what about Martha Stewart Magazine? I've always loved her (& hated her at times. Hate, because I felt a lot of what she publishes in her magazine are sooo complicated & unrealistic for the everyday woman). So here are my cons: 1) Time consuming with all the other things I have going on & want to do. Would I end up resenting trying to keep up with each of her crafts & recipes? 2) Cost - not cheap. Everything is the finest quality - & that means expensive. 3) What would I do with the end product? Would it end up on Etsy? 5) How could I accomplish everything in one magazine in a month's time? 6) There are things I just CAN'T do - like knitting Pros: 1) I would learn a lot - A LOT! In the back of my head is the hope that like the girl who blogged the Julie and Julia account, that I would get a following & that I would get sponsors.
I spoke to Doug about it. At first he thought it was a fun idea. When I brought it up a second time, I think the time & cost factor played into his response. There are only 4 weekends he said - enough for only 4 recipes. It would not be like that. It would be meals every night. But I would have to find the balance with being able to get my daily responsibilities done - meals, cleaning, washing, taking my kids to ALL their extra curricular activities, and being able to do the assignment of the day. The meals part would be the recipe at hand in the magazine, but the crafting part. . . January 2010 is a doable magazine, with the exception of the knitting because I don't know how. And there are times when Martha Stewart Magazine is sooo FULL of projects & recipes - the recipes alone out number the number days there are in a month. So what do I do . . . . . .? Do I try? Do I bend it to fit my lifestyle? What happens if I fail?

How do I Find the Courage

I was listening to an old episode of Planet Money (which I love!). They were discussing the Monroe Plan (if I remember correctly) & how effective it was in Europe after WWII. Actually, they were discussing how beneficial it would be in Africa. It all came down to starting a business, teaching people about a business plan & how to follow it. Entrepreneurialism is the way to go - at least that is what I took from the discussion. And it scared me. It scared me because I want to start a business. I want to start a no cost business. I don't want to borrow from the bank. I don't want to get into debt. I don't know how to write a business plan. Would I be able to follow one!
Starting a business is more than just finding my creative niche, my passion, it is also about finances and accounting and being organized. Two of those things I am lame at.
While I was cleaning the TV room, I found this paper I cut out of Country Living Magazine. They have a convention for women going into business with a fabulous product. Here is what they suggested: 1) MONEY, MONEY, MONEY (which I don't have!): 2) Belief in my Product (which I'm trying to find!); & the following: a) business plan (go to sba.gov); b) capital ( which is the money, money, money thing!); c) tax id # ( I do have, but have no idea where it is at!); d) a mentor (reminder to myself-check out SCORE for a mentor!); e) business cards.
I need practice on marketing myself. I need to start subbing so I earn the MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, (though I've totally enjoyed being home!). I need to go solicit my business card and market myself as a sub. It will be good experience for my future business! Right?!

I Finally Did It

I finally set up a Blog Spot? It took me years, mulling it over, do I want to be this public?! I won't even Face Book right now. Dead set against it. But I see all these crafters & artist blogging, and I am at a point in my life where I KNOW I don't want to go back to my previous career, (at least on a full-time basis!); and I KNOW I want to do something creative; and I KNOW I want to do it from home. What I DON'T KNOW is WHAT!
I thought by starting a BLOG, I could start figuring out my direction. I feel like a 20 year old not knowing what to do with her life, but I'm NOT 20!
Anyway, back to the artist thing. I thought I can post my creations, whether it be sewing, photo, scrapping, etc; following a recipe and maybe, hopefully find the direction I want to take. I know that creating is important to my well being. I know when I don't create something, I feel like I'm bursting out of my skin.
OKAY! Here is my first giant step towards a future filled with art and creating, inspirations, & a few dull moments in which to rest up.