On Overcoming Jealousy

I was angry. No reason to be angry. I have the life I have dreamed of (with a couple tweaks of course). But there was nothing that made me happy continually. I would have an “UP” day followed by 6 other grey days. FRUSTRATED!? Am I bi-polar? Do I need medication?

 photo credit

Trying to figure out happiness has been hard. From dealing with depression as a teen and seeing the effects of bi-polar on my mother I was wondering if I too was destined for medication. I tried other things to beat the blues. Vitamin D, exercise, more vitamin D. I thought about giving up coffee to see if that made me cranky...But I quickly dismissed that thought because I knew I wasn't strong enough for that. Anything better yet? Nope.

There were several realizations lately however that have me feeling more balanced. I realized that in a lot of ways I was jealous of people. And that really just brought me down. For a while I hated Facebook because it made me upset. I would see the fun and wonderful things my friends were doing and low and behold I wasn't invited or seeing the lives of others through pictures just made me long for something better than what I had. Therefore I almost refused to use Facebook even to promote my business.

Instead of being jealous about people why not just be happy for them?

Browsing successful shops on Etsy made me jealous. Allthenumbers made me jealous because of her success and I mean how cute is she? 1Crown3Tiaras made me jealous because of her success and cute clothes. But look at her profile picture, I am sure we would get along. This jealousy had to stop.

-A calm heart is the life of a fleshly organism, but jealousy is rottenness to the bones.- The Bible, Best Seller

I read the Happiness Magazine from Real Simple and really took to heart the already known adage that “Things don't make us happy.” I know this. I tell my daughter that all the time. But it is another thing to be happy for other people because of the things they have.  Money, skills, a gourmet cook husband, better car, cuter kids (deranged thinking), a house, fun parties. 

BE HAPPY FOR THEM AND EMBRACE ALL THE GOODNESS THAT YOU ARE SURROUNDED WITH IN YOUR LIFE.

Lessons I have learned:

• Don't be jealous of others. Be happy for them. Celebrate with them. They will be there for you too to celebrate when its time.

• Don't put energy into things or people that constantly disappoint you. (Another realization.)

• You can learn to control negative thinking patterns and embrace the loved ones that are right in your home/life.

I can say for several weeks now I have felt at peace. I enjoy my life. I do things that make me happy and I embrace all the little things that just make life wonderful. Like Starbucks new infused cinnamon coffee. Because I am trying to become a better, wiser person I have had happiness wake up with me in the morning and it feels good.

Why Am I Always Getting Back on the Wagon?

This beautiful picture credit can be found here.

Answer:
#1 I am young and foolish
#2 I am foolish and young
#3 Wisdom is after you learn from your mistakes and realize that you are indeed actually OFF THE WAGON!

Wow I haven't posted for a bit, I haven't sewed in months (small lie, I did sew a valance for my kitchen the other day), and wow have I loved the break!  Not really from posting, I love this outlet.  But a break from sewing.

It came when my serger, for lack of a better word,"failed".  Back to the repair shop it went and my business then stopped for 2 months.  Wow, not every one with a business can just walk away from it like I did.  My first concern is wondering how this is going to affect my business.  Will it start running again?  Will I have lost my little fan base?  But then the concern really isn't there anymore.

Apparently I really needed the break because, quite frankly, I wasn't having fun.  I was way off my business plan.  I constantly felt pressure and turns out I don't like pressure all the time.  Now that I have been off the work wagon for about 2 months now I am starting to coming around.  Tomorrow is my first day back to work.  I am actually nervous!  Maybe even more nervous than when I first opened shop almost 2 years ago.  

I have realized in my break that I will feel more successful and confident if I am having fun and loving what I am selling.  I don't want to be commercial.  I want to be me and do what I can and that is good enough.  I am going to approach the business in a different way.  I am going to WRITE down my business plan and make sure that I stay on track.  Tricia McKellar had a great tool for writing a business plan called The Wonder Thinking Business Plan-o-Rama.  

Thanks for sticking with me and I can't wait to get to work tomorrow.  Sign up for the email update to know when the shop is up and running!  Or connect with me on facebook!

4 o'clock Blues



 Do you ever just have so many things going through your head that you aren't really sure what is making you feel the way you are feeling? (I am sure this is a girl thing.)  Like is it because sales are "slow"?  Because I don't feel like I am on top of my "game"?  I haven't been taking my vitamin D regularly?  Or because by 4 o'clock all I want to do is curl up on the couch and have it be 4 o'clock for a few hours? 

My husband comes home around 5.  So when I finally get to sit at 4 o'clock there isn't much time to do anything before he gets home.  It's not the best time to start a new project or much anything else because really by 4 I just want to veg out.  Completely veg.  I want to watch Good Eats (I like Alton Brown, sometimes) or Julie and Julia and eat.  The days duties have brought be down to this.

Lately 4 o'clock is my Achilles heal.  Its only 4 o'clock blues when my daughter goes down for her nap late.  If she goes down at 3 then I have two hours!  Miracles can happen in two hours before hubby gets home but in one hour it puts a cramp in my leg.

So hear I am watching Julie and Julia and really, really, really wanting, needing to kill the 4 o'clock blues.  I either need to do something or take a NAP!  But now its 5:30 and the hubby isn't home...Should have taken a nap.
(Post delay do to husband coming home at 5:33 with a necklace and flowers...awwww...)

photo credit

November Sale!

40% OFF Ready to Ship Inventory   Simply email me (jenelle@perryfinalia.com) what items you would like and I will send you an invoice via PayPal for your items plus shipping.  Pay within 24 hours and its yours!*   PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY AND WORKMATES!   Here are the goods: Reversible SimpleMod Jumpers: Aqua Dogwood / Yellow Tiles - 12months, 3T, 5T     Reg $52.00 Sale Price $31.20 Berry Plaid / Berry Flower Fields - 2T, 3T, 4T, 5T     Reg $52.00 Sale Price $31.20 Navy Flower Fields / Green Trees - 6months, 2T      Reg $52.00 Sale Price $31.20   SimpleMod Jumpers: Navy Flower Fields / Tux Ruffle - 6months, 2T          Reg 36.00 Sale Price $21.60   ShiftMod Tunics: Black with Grey Dots / Poppy Pocket - 6months      Reg $34.00 Sale Price $20.40 Fuchsia Birds / Blue Dots - 12months                        Reg $32.00 Sale Price $19.20 Navy Flower Fields / Stripe Pocket - 2T                    Reg $32.00 Sale Price $19.20 Teal Floral Bliss / Pink Butterflies - 3T, 3T                 Reg $32.00 Sale Price $19.20 Purple Filigree - 2T                                                    Reg $26.00 Sale Price $15.60 Midnight Bouquet - 12months                                  Reg $26.00 Sale Price $15.60     *PLEASE DO NOT purchase on the Etsy Website!  You will not receive 40% off.  Can not be combined with previous FREE SHIPPING offers. Do not reply to this email.  Send requests to jenelle@perryfinalia.com. Offer ends Nov 25th, 2010. Shipping prices are $2.50 for the first item and $1.00 for each additional item.  For international prices please see price listed on the website. This is first come first serve basis.  If your item(s) aren't available I will let you know and you can choose something else or pass.

Why I Have/NEED a Handmade Business - Part IV

Ok this is the last and final part of why I have/NEED a handmade business.  I now realize that I should have named this series 4 REASONS...blah blah blah.  But I think you stay at home moms or stay at home mom dreamers will benefit from this.

A FACT:
IT IS A BIG ADJUSTMENT TO BE A STAY AT HOME MOM.

It is hard.  It is a hard adjustment but it can be made.  It is a different hard than working out side the home.  Some challenges that I found was going from a routine to a complete lack of structure.  How can that be so hard? It is easy to all of the sudden feel worthless, useless and unproductive.  This leads to sluggishness and depression.  Oh and you aren't bringing home a check anymore...

Being home everyday is a challenge. You can only clean your house so much before you go batty. You must give yourself goals and make structure out of your freedom.  You can take the skills you have learned from the work field and make them your own standards for your business. 

I found out very quickly that I needed my business more than ever.  It is an outlet and a way to feel more constructive.  Especially when you start to see a profit from it.  It is such a blessing.

As women (I think most) want to be profuctive. Useful. Happy.

There are FOUR reasons why I NEED my biz.  I need my baby, I need income, I need good clothing, I need a constructive outlet.

I NEED my handmade business therefore I HAVE a handmade business.
(photo credit)

Why I Have/NEED a Handmade Business - Part III

Yes there is a part III.   And it is why I started sewing in the first place.  I have a hard time clothes shopping.  I used to be so thrilled when I was younger to enter the "GAP".  And then I grew up a bit more and experienced the luxury of its big sister, Banana Republic.  And to tell you the truth going to the GAP now bores me to death.  V-neck sweaters again this year?  Cable knit, scoop neck, really?  We are talking basics with NO ORIGINALITY.  BR is also a basic luxury which I find necessary from time to time.

When I go shopping now (which mostly happens online), I leave the house and hope to find something that really sings to me.  Something of good quality, good origin and some taste!

Good origin is hard to find unless you have $200 to spend on a top. (I don't.)   But I have become more aware of what my money is supporting.  Cheaper isn't better.  Do I want to support sweatshops in other countries?  Or should I really think about what I am supporting?  The latter is what I hope.

But here is my quandary.  Do I dress my baby in Target/Gap clothes that everyone, EVERYONE has?  Madras plaid again this year?  Please.  I wanted something more for my baby girl.  But I had no idea where to even find, DIFFERENT and BETTER.   So I said to myself," Self, you must make your own clothes for Jocelyn."  I want color, I want modern, I want ME in baby size.  This is what I wanted to accomplish.

When I took my first sewing class I was shown how easy it was to alter patterns.  I had bought a pattern for the class that was the completely wrong size for my daughter.  The instructor helped me alter it to make it work.  That was a lot of fun.   I learned so much from that class.  And it also introduced me to the miracles of a serger. You know the thing that makes clothes look professional.  Look under your shirt, see that multiple stringy goodness?  That is what a serger does.

So now I am home, I get to be with my baby and create original clothing and my Joce looks very hip and original and I share it with the world.  But there is still one more reason I have/NEED my handmade business.  A hint? Structure vs craziness!
(banana republic credit)

Little Effort, Big Business Results

Do you know that hesitation feeling you get when you are going to have a garage sale and you are doing all this work to get it ready and you wonder...what if no one comes?  Or what if no one wants my stuff?  And then at the end of the day you have a couple hundred bucks in your pocket... YOU did that!  You put your self out there and people responded.  Maybe you posted an add on Craigslist or you just stapled up a couple signs around town.  And people came, they bought, and you conquered.

The same thing amazes me with the things that I have been up to lately.  Like having a handmade clothing business.  Really? 157 sales and wholesale accounts?  Really?  In reality it seemed like little effort and people have responded to my taste and my spin on little girls clothes.

There was another venture I made recently that really made me think about this public response.  I make wrist pin cushions.  I don't have them online yet and really want to get there. (please kick me in the hiney and tell me to get going on this.)  But I made up a batch of them went to Sisters, OR.  To The Stichin' Post. Owned by Valori and Jean Wells, fabric designer and quilters.  I talked to the manager there. She looked at my pin cushions and asked to keep one to show Jean. I also had a very simple line sheet of prices.  That same day I got an email for an order of 72 pin cushions!  I was thinking 20...Nope 72, right on!

Then I made another stop at another quilt shop in Bend, OR. "We would like 48."  They said!  Are you kidding me!?  Ok little to no effort.  No special marketing, just a little stopping by and wabam! 120 sales!

With little preparation you can really get results.  I mean lets get down to some of the effort involved.  You should have a business card, some prices on a paper (hopefully printed from the computer and your logo and contact info) and dressed properly.  When you put yourself out there, people respond.

Just like a garage sale, just like PerryFinalia, just like wrist pin cushions. 

Are you wanting to offer something to the public and something is holding you back?  What is it?