Update

Hello all....just to update you on what's been happening, we've had no choice but to put the sale of our house on hold...at least till the spring. We will probably sell in March/April now. It was just way too impossible to have it ready by the end of October with all the work that still needed to be done to it. I was going to be a home stager at one time (and may still be again, who knows) and I know what the house should look like in order to attract the buyers.

There were also too many things going wrong so I took it as a sign that this wasn't the right time for this to be happening! Everything happens for a reason, after all! Right?

I am still working on the house to prepare it because spring will indeed be here before I know it. So, for now, I'm painting and organizing. On top of everything else that I've been doing...I still have to work full time right now but I also have some projects to work on. I have to make two elf costumes for someone for December 6th and I also have Advent banners to make for a church. So, I'm chaotically keeping busy!

I must say though that lately, I've been playing with the idea of possibly seeing if I can work 4 days per week and try to work on my own business on the 5th day. This way, I could get the best of both world's. If I can convince my boss (who knows that I don't want to stay there forever), plus see about focusing on it, that maybe, I might have a better chance of making it happen sooner rather than later. I'll keep you posted on what I decide to do or if I can convince my boss! If I do this, I will want to do it for possibly January...take the leap. I'll play with some numbers and see where it takes me!

I'm excited about the possibilities! Hopefully, all will work out in the end!

Selling my house to make room for my new future!

Well, after waiting all summer, I finally came to the conclusion that if I want my dream of owning and running my own business in my home, I need to sell my house! I wish I would have come up with this a lot sooner but I have to believe that things happen when they are suppose to. I only hope that I will be able to get all the work done that is needed to get my house up and ready for sale! There is a lot of work to be done!

I have always wanted my own business and have always wanted the convenience of doing it from home to make things easier for me to run my household and still have income coming in...and in order to do both, I need to sell my house. My present house is way too small and not in a convenient location for doing what I want to do with my business. Plus, it would be really nice to find something that represents what I want for my business. Since that is costumes and themed party planning, I'm looking for something Victorian-ish!

I find that lately, my business is beginning to take on a life of it's own...it's transitioning. This is all so exciting for me. I guess I wasn't ready before but feel quite ready now. Despite having so many houses on the market out there right now...I'm hoping that everything will happen for the right reasons and that it will all become a reality very quickly and very soon!

I'm aiming for the first week of October...here's hoping that it becomes a reality. Got a fair bit of work done outside this weekend...also working on the bathroom and trying to modernize it somewhat...will be glad when it's done since we only have the one bathroom! Anyway, will keep you all posted as to the progress! Moving on and moving forward! Woohooo!!

Yay!! I have Inventory!

Yes folks! I now have some inventory! On Sunday, at church, one of the ladies who promised me some inventory for my party planning business, came through for me! She gave me 24 centerpieces with candles, an archway, table cloths, chair covers (there are four of these but I can use them as a pattern and make others), mini-lights and so much more! All for FREE! That's the best part!

I moved it all into my work room and put it all on my shelving I have in there. So you see, this is so great! It's the beginnings of my business! I also have lots of mini-lights too! More stuff I got for free when we went into the endings of a Christmas in July sale that was beginning to pack up. They offered me all the lights I wanted for free! Bonus!

So far, I have quite the collection started! This makes me really excited! It makes it really hard to be at my J-O-B without thinking about the work I'd rather be doing right now! Which is organizing and setting up my workshop. Plus, I have shelving to put up, clothes racks to put together and put up...a worktable to set up...I want to get busy making costumes and getting that inventory going! I have this incredible urge to work on all that but alas....I'm stuck here at work, lol! Oh well...I can dream for now, I guess and make some wonderful plans for my escape! Tee Hee Hee!!! or should I say Muahahahaha!!! *rubs hands together with twinkle in eye*

Getting Excited!

Well, since my last post, things have been divinely moving forward for me whether I want it to or not! I guess you could say, I'm just along for the ride!

I have been talking to different people about my dream of owning my own business and when I tell them what I'd like to do...they get all excited and think it's a good idea! So...that leaves me to believe that this should be done! I've also been reading a lot of Ken Robert's articles on his blog, MildlyCreative.com and have been very inspired by what I have read. A couple of the ones that really stood out for me was the one that says you have to be clear about what it is you want to do otherwise how can you convince someone else....AND...your intention to make your dream happen....if I don't have intention in my life regarding my dream, how can I honestly say that I want to make it happen! He is so right!

So, my son is starting school on August 17th at the Carpentry Trade Center and needed to assure the funding for it...so my husband took him to the bank and got him the loan for his course...but while he was there, he talked to the lady at the bank about each of our business ideas and she loved it...she loved them so much that she gave us a business package to get us pointed in the right direction! Can't wait to dive into that!

Also, I was talking to some ladies at church about my business idea and what I have done for the teens in our community and they want to get me to decorate for their social get togethers as well as let me advertise any time I do throw a dance or party for the teens! One lady is supposed to give me some items that she was going to use when she was thinking of starting a Wedding Decorating Business....for free! And I had another girl tell me that she's going to give me an archway after she's done with it in June next year! She said she won't have any use for it! Plus, I talked to someone else who said their sister did Weddings until she got sick 3 years ago and can talk to her about selling me what she has plus get me the names of her suppliers! So you see, I have lots to think about!

My idea is to have a costume/puppet and themed party planning shop...I can rent costumes as well as sell them. Also, decorate for themed parties as well as weddings! The consensus seems to be telling me that there is a need for this business. Someone else even said that their sister rents out ballgowns for proms and weddings and such and stays quite busy even though it's a small town! I know of one or two around here but for some strange reason, they aren't listed in the phone book or advertised very well...they rely mainly on word of mouth! I'm really excited about the prospects of what's going to happen! I will keep you posted as to what happens! So stay tuned because it looks like things are going to happen for me! Woohoo!!

Being Inspired by Others

I have been trying to organize and get some things done before jumping into the heavy planning stages of my business. In the meantime, I have been getting inspired by others who have gone before me and who are doing it right now! Being on Twitter has allowed me to meet some wonderful people and to see what's going on in there businesses! There are some really cool businesses out there not to mention some really great websites!

It really has given me some food for thought to see what I can aspire to. For now, I am just getting inspired and doing as much inspirational reading as I have time for. Summertime is always a busy time and so finding time to get it all done can be challenging at times to say the least! One thing is for certain...I feel determined to reach for this goal because I finally feel like I can grab for it on the shelf.

One of the things that I want to accomplish within the next little while is to flip a couple rooms...by that I mean, I want to switch rooms so that I get more workspace for myself. Right now, my workshop is really small and has been a major dumping ground for anything that doesn't have a spot in our already small home. The other day, while reading someone else's blog on cleaning their office space, they gave me the idea of creating my perfect work area. I need more room and as much as I love that room...it's just way too small to work in. I need to be able to breathe in there and not feel claustrophobic! So, I plan on weaning out a lot of things and then switching everything from one room to the other. I think that it will be a great thing for me because it will give me the room I desperately need to work in as well as the motivation to want to go in there to work!

I'm feeling excited about all the prospects that I can feel for my future...I can't wait to get started! It's growing harder and harder to sit behind a desk day in and day out instead of doing my own thing! All this inspiration that I'm getting from others is motivating me to work harder at achieving my dreams! Woohoo! Can't wait to make a go of it!

Time to move on!

Well, I've begun the process of trying to simplify my life so that I can begin to pursue my dream of owning and running my own business. The dream has been there for a long time but because I had begun some volunteer commitments with the youth ministry in our church and doing outreach for teens, it left me with no time for anything else but my full time job working 40+ hours and volunteering doing 30+ hours with that. Needless to say, a lot of other things have suffered because of it.

I've decided to step back and stop the volunteering altogether so that I can put all my focus and energy on starting and running my business. Life is short and I'm not getting any younger. I don't want to let life pass me by and not have done everything within my power to get me there. Yes, helping out with the Lifeteen program did give me many rewards and a lot of experience with using my creativity, as well as giving me much needed strength. After thinking on it...I feel at peace with it. So it must be the right decision to make.

Our son is graduating this year and will no longer be allowed to go to Lifeteen unless he makes the decision himself, to volunteer to help. One of the main reasons I was helping was because he was going to it and the rest just became the bonuses of helping out. My problem is though, that I had been volunteering to help out at other churches as well...three in total to be exact! Some were temporary commitments but time consuming just the same! Sometimes things were happening at the same time where they would be pulling at me all at the same time. It almost drove me mad! I just kept looking at it as if they were clients and I needed to please them all. I managed ok but it was touch and go at times! lol!

So, once I finish up with these last two commitments (banners for one church and the graduating Lifenight), I would like to consider myself finished with the volunteering so that I can put my energies and focus on myself, my business and simplifying my life! I'm at a good place in my life...it's time to move on!

Always Good to check things Out!

Good day all,

Well, it's always good to check things out...just so you're sure! My husband and I took a vacation day today and drove out to check the house out in the country. It was a beautiful drive and we enjoyed the drive out despite the not-so-perfect weather. It was cloudy with mild rain. Some fog even, in some places!

We made it there just in time for our appointment with the realtor, which I had set up for 11am. Needless to say, the house was in terrible shape. Totally run down because it hasn't been lived in for over a year. It's sad really...it was probably a beautiful Colonial home in it's day...but now, it's basically abandoned! Needs a lot of TLC. It could be again but for the asking price (which isn't a whole lot by today's standards) is still way too much for how much work will be needed to renovate and fix it up. It would definitely make a great summer home for someone. Not so sure after seeing it, whether or not I'd picture it as a Bed and Breakfast.

Anyway, both my husband and I realized as soon as we saw it, that this was definitely, not what we were looking for. Sure it had potential but not for us. It was definitely way over our heads for renovating...we're more cosmetics and not really heavy renovations type of people. I'd rather let the professionals handle this one. Your best bet, would be to buy it dirt cheap and tear it down and build new...that way, you're mainly paying for the land and not the building.

What shocked us the most, was that it was actually used for a senior's home before it went up for sale...which is rather scary considering it's delapitated condition! We really felt badly for any senior that may have had to stay there.

Well, we talked about it and decided that we will keep looking but are in no immediate hurry to jump into a venture like this any time soon. In the meantime...we can dream, can't we! ;-) Have a great weekend!

Here's the thing...

I was bored at work one day and started browsing the real estate sites...I came upon an old inn which was no longer in use and for sale...at a steal, I might add. It's got 8 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 kitchens, an office, 2 living rooms, a great room and Rec room....plus 1.45 acres. It's got loads of potential! Of course, that got me thinking and daydreaming of what I could do with something like that. A bed and breakfast....a retreat house for teens or adults for that matter...a rooming house....and the list could go on and on.

The only thing is, it has loads of work to do to it, it's way out in the country and my husband knows nothing about carpentry or what it would entail to renovate something like that. But we are both 42 and not getting any younger. He figures that he would have to keep working if we took this endeavor on...for a while anyway...but it's 50 minutes away. He could stay in town during stormy weather in winter and come home on weekends. Those are minor issues. My main concern would be...is this just a huge risk to take on.

It would mean a complete upheaval of my life...quit my job to concentrate on creating this new life. Jumping in with both feet to make this work. It is definitely a lot of work but I don't mind the challenge! I would relish it actually because in the end...it would be mine and would allow me to work from home. Of course, I wouldn't just do that....I would have a work shop so that I could have a gift shop on the side, maybe a little coffee/tea house....and sell whatever I would create or design...I could have a beautiful flower garden and totally transform this place into something breathetaking...that's my vision.

My question is....is it too big a risk to take and to jump in with both feet without weighing all the consequences? Right now, I'm trying to find as much information on starting and running a bed and breakfast because I've never done it before....I have loads of books on other things but that's not one of them.

We also would have to sell our house and right now, there are too many things to fix on it to do that right away anyway. Something tells me the house will keep...it's been for sale for a very long time apparently. I'd like to actually see the house up close instead of looking at pictures on the internet...maybe that would deter me a little....or make me want it more! Who knows?

I would appreciate any input that any experienced person out there might have had! ;-) It's a huge decision and not one that I want to take lightly...so I really need to think long and hard on this one! Thanks!

Being a Scanner!

I used to think that there was something wrong with me....why wasn't I able to pick a profession or something that I wanted to do and stick to it? Did I have something wrong with me? Was there something that I was doing wrong or should have been doing? I just couldn't figure out why! Until I read about Barbara Sher...she wrote the books, 'Refuse to Choose: A Revolutionary Program for Doing Everything You Love' and 'I Could Do Anything, If I Only Knew What It Was'. Right now, I'm reading, 'It's Only Too Late If You Don't Start Now: How To Create Your Second Life At Any Age'....Barbara helped me realize that I'm perfectly normal! There's nothing wrong with me other than the fact that I love a lot of different things. She calls that, being a 'scanner'. My only problem is that they just happen to be all at once, lol!

Lately, I've been feeling the itch to want to be an Organizer and/or a Home Stager, I also love to make costumes/puppets, jewelry...Party planning...I simply LOVE to be creative....I have a passion for thinking outside the box when it comes to creating things! For the past two years, I have been doing volunteer work at some churches and schools and used my creativity to create environments for teen get togethers, I've thrown parties/dances for the teens, and I've helped out at my son's high school musicals for the last three years, helping with costumes! I have had a blast! I thoroughly enjoy doing those things. This year I am also helping to make liturgical banners for one of the churches that I go to. All of these things, have strengthened my experiences at being creative.

Right now, I'm trying to figure it all out and try to create and form a business that I can make a good living at and feed my passion for being creative. I want to do it all....I think that I can do it! I have an abundance of resources to look at...but because I work and do a lot of volunteering, I don't always get the chance to read any of it. It tends to make my life a bit chaotic and overwhelming. I'm trying to slow it down though and take things one day at a time and one thing/item at a time. It'll happen, I can feel it. I haven't always felt it in the past...but things are changing for me....I'm focusing on releasing positive energy and living a life full of positive outcomes! After all, everything happens for a reason....everything that I have done up to this point, has been for a reason! I just have to become more aware and figure out how the puzzle fits together!

Life is an adventure...I want to enjoy the ride!

Time to get moving!

I have been so busy with volunteer projects that I had sort of put all my thoughts on getting my business moving on the back burners. It's time to get moving again and try to get inspired. I really could use a day away from my J-O-B to read some inspirational books, listen to some inspiring CD's and do some research but for now I will just be inspired by looking at the different websites of my twitter family. I cannot get over the wonderful websites that are out there! So much talent!

I do have an incredible amount of things to do besides..for instance, Spring Cleaning...I love spring cleaning, always was my favorite time of year! I need to re-organize my space/house! Not to worry though, I will designate an allotted time slot for me to propel myself forward. ;-)

I have a great many interests and enjoy each one of them. Right now, I've begun losing weight (so far have lost 30 lbs.) and trying to get healthy! It has given me a tremendous amount of energy of which is really great because to do the things that I need to do, I need all the energy I can get. My 25th high school reunion is coming up in July.

I've ordered the book, 'The Creative Entrepreneur' by Lisa Sonora Beam from Amazon. I can't wait to receive it and get to work with it! I have a lot of books, CD's and resources at my disposal to draw inspiration from. Now I just need to devise a plan, make some goals and reach for my dreams! I really want this year to be different...I want to reach for my dreams and achieve them!

Here's to working towards a dream (or two)! :-)

Moving Forward....

I am excited about moving forward with my dream of owning and running my own business! Lately, it has been feeling more and more like a reality! I am in a foreign territory here but I want to move forward just the same! Fear or not!

The things I know for sure are, that I am a very hard worker...I know that I can do the work! I have always done 110% no matter what I have done in my lifetime. I am what people would consider a perfectionist. Not to mention, I'm a people pleaser! I wouldn't be happy unless the customer was happy. Personally, I think that those are some pretty good combinations for running a business. I'm hoping to learn the rest (business aspect) as I go. Right now, I need to ask a lot of questions and learn from those who are already doing it! So I've been observing on Twitter and have been fascinated with what I've seen!

I am a huge fan of Barbara Sher. She has written many books on escaping the J. O. B. world. She has a unique perspective that makes you realize that, 'Hey, there's nothing wrong with me at all'...lol! You see, I used to think that there was something wrong with me because I couldn't settle on one thing I liked to do with my life. I am a creative person and absolutely LOVE thinking outside the box and being creative! So, when I read her books, she explained that I was what she called a 'scanner'...which is someone who loves all kinds of things and can't settle on just one thing. We wouldn't be happy if we did! I love that!

I also belong to Valerie Young's website, 'Changing Course', which taught me about having multiple streams of income. So, if I want to have a bunch of small businesses that could bring in small amounts, that somewhat relate, they can all add up to give me a reasonable amount to live on. Which gives me the happiness factor! I've always believed that a job isn't worth doing unless you're happy with it. Otherwise, you lose a piece of your soul! I've been there, done that....didn't like how it felt! I also look at it this way....I'm not getting any younger and I don't want life to pass me by without having tried! Right?

So, I've come to realize that this is the year to make things happen for me...I'm moving forward and onward to make my dreams happen. I'm learning from reading different things that have been inspirational to me, that life is short....no one knows what tomorrow brings and that I...me alone with God's help, have the ability to make my life what I want it to be. No one else can do it for me...so I have to do it. I have to make the changes and create the life that I want! I'm excited and scared at the same time but I think that I'm in the right place right now, in my life to make things happen! I can feel it! It's going to happen!

Here's to moving forward!

Making plans!

Well, I have been wanting to start my own business ever since I can remember. Mostly because I didn't want to answer to someone else. I hate someone having that much control over me! At my age of 42, it's not pleasant! I have been searching and going on journey's of self discovery for probably the last two to three years, trying to figure out how to go about starting my own business!

At first, I thought I wanted to become a home stager, only because a realtor had said I would be a great one, years ago when she saw my house. I strongly considered it, looked into it, took some courses and bought a lot of books and DVD's to show me how....but fear, always got in my way. It always left me feeling that I was an impostor, playing at decorating! I haven't ruled it completely out, but it's not in the cards for me at this time! I want to build some self-confidence first by starting a little side business making puppets, costumes and props. You see, I work full time right now but I have the advantage of doing this on the side, for now till things take off!

I'm excited because this is the first time that it actually feels like I may succeed in actually doing it! I have been talking to several people and trying to ask questions. Trying to dispell any fears that I might have. Of course, there will always be fears but if they are small and manageable...then those I can handle!

This year, 2009, has been the year of making changes for me. I was told at my last doctor's visit that I was borderline diabetic and that my liver enzymes were elevated. Not good! I joined and began a diet plan called Simply For Life. It's a lifestyle change. Since joining in early February, I've lost 17 and a half pounds! I feel wonderful! I also have been going to a wellness clinic and have totally made some remarkable changes for myself with a lot of positive energy and positive thinking! The mindset, is a wonderful thing! The law of attraction!

I also have my faith and belief in God...it gives me a lot of balance in my life! Finding peace isn't always easy but if you can find what works for you, you can live a wonderful life! I know that I'm well on my way there! I thank God every day for His wonderful graces!

Right now, I am just trying to make plans and get this business up and running and on the road! Some of my volunteer work will be done in another month and I will be free to start getting things done and on the road to new beginnings! I welcome you all to follow along while I start creating my newest venture!

I have joined the social network, Twitter, and have met some very creative and brilliant people who are very helpful in showing me what's out there! So to me, this is exciting and I can't wait to get started! Thanks for following!

Here's to making plans and getting started!