Take a day off if you can and get a little bit of inspiration

What would it be like if you were already truly living your dream life and succeeding in your dream career or business? I know I think about this everyday and imagine what and how life would be like if I was already there. Why not take a moment or a day to experience your dream life. For me the first thing would be to figure out what I would actually be doing if I could and then how much time and money would I need. Maybe I don't even need to do something that requires any money at all! I think this is a great idea and could potentially motivate myself or maybe even others to go forth with their dreams. By doing this, it could help you to overcome fears, learn, approach potential clients and to think more positively and to motivate you when you know the reason you are working so hard for.

If you're not able to spend a whole day living your dream life, whether it be financial or personal reasons then perhaps a inspiration board may be what you need to keep yourself motivated.  Recently, I've been introduced to Pinterest, which is a virtual pinboard that lets you organize and share your inspirations found on the internet.  Great alternative to keeping yourself inspired.  However, you will need an invitation to be able to use the service.  If you're not able to get invited to Pinterest, you can always create a visual board that you can put up somewhere you can see it everyday.  Think of when you were a kid and you posted all your fabulous creations on the refrigerator! 

So go ahead and get inspired!

Here's the stickman!

So here's the stickman image I've been working on in Gimp. I finally figured out how to be able to post it to blogger, call me a newbie! The original image had been saved as xcf and didn't allow me to upload to blogger. So what I finally did was change it to a jpeg file and export it, which allowed me to post it. It's not the best and still a work in progress. I have been learning and becoming more familiar with Gimp, but I feel I need to practice more and keep familiarizing myself with the program so I remember it.  I have printed notes to help that I like to go over so that I have a visual reference whenever I need to. 

I haven't done much lately because I have a lot of projects I am researching and also since I've been riding the bus to work I notice I've been falling asleep soon after the kid!  Hence I haven't been working on the computer much, but I hope to rectify that with a diferent plan this week.  But anyways that's where I've been and this is my stickman image.  I've very proud of it because it's something I created and it's helping me to learn and grow in Gimp!  More to come....
I have so many projects going on and since I've been taking the bus to work I've been falling asleep earlier and not been working on anything while I'm at home.

Getting Gimpy with Practice!

I had originally intended to post my practice image of a stickman but I've been having issues with uploading the image. I believe it's probably how it was saved but I'm not sure, hence I still need to practice. Anyways, I uploaded a digitial scrapbook practice/idea to show what I have done so far. It's not the greatest but I am working towards improvement. If I do go towards digital scrapbooking I'm leaning more towards doing baby albums. I created this using one of the tutorials I found online, once I've gotten a few tutorials under my belt I plan to post my creations and links to the tutorials. I'll try to post my progress as much as possible, right now it's all still a little new to me.

I'm also entertaining creating t-shirt designs, logos or maybe even websites. I'm hoping this experience will help me realize the type of business I want to get into.

Learning to use Gimp

I haven't posted in awhile because I've been learning how to use Gimp, otherwise known as the GNU Image Manipulation Program. With my sorta hectic schedule, I've been trying to fit in little bits of learning time here and there! The more I read, watch, and practice, I feel like I'm getting the hang of it, sort of. I'm hoping to use Gimp either with digital scrapbooking or if I decide to go back to my idea of producing my own t-shirts, maybe even both.

One of the things I wanted to learn was how to create my own digial elements for scrapbooking. I found a lot of tutorials that showed you how to create pages but with already created digital elements. So I found a tutorial on About.com called Basic Gimp, it's meant to be a user friendly introduction to Gimp. You are to create a stickman and modify it in different ways. I'm still going through the tutorial but I already feel I know a little bit more about Gimp from it. I have gone through the first part and created my stickman. I'll post my work or link once I have it completed which hopefully will be in the next couple of days.

It may be a bit of work finding this particular tutorial so I've included the link for it. If you can't click on it, post it to your browser and it will come up.
http://graphicssoft.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=graphicssoft&cdn=compute&tm=24&gps=164_440_1076_598&f=20&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.ufocomes.de/files/basegien.html

So this is what I've been up to, not very exciting but I wanted to share the information I found. I will continue to post any new information on anything interesting I find!

Using Smilebox for Digital Scrapbooking

Create a free scrapbook

Leaping into Digital Scrapbooking!

In a recent post I spoke about the different niches that are out there that you could potentially make an income from.  Two of my own goals are to be financially independent and be a work at home mom.  On my journey to WAHM status, I've thought about a few things that sounded interesting to me.  A few years ago I kicked around the idea of doing scrapbooks, it's fun and a great way to preserve your memories, a lesson I learned the hard way twice!  I can really get into scrapbooking but then I also find myself getting a little overwhelmed and losing my creative juices.  So recently I came across digital scrapbooking and I wanted to know more. 

So what is digital scrapbooking? It's basically another way that you can preserve your memories with  your computer using software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements or Jasc Paint Shop Pro.  If you are not able to purchase a program such as Adobe, you can download GIMP, which is a free image software to create your digital scrapbook.

Much like traditional scrapbooking but on the computer instead.  Just as buying paper supplies, the software used can vary from inexpensive to expensive.  Instead of going to a traditional store to buy supplies, a digital scrapper will purchase their inventory from online stores.  Once all your supplies have been gathered, you use your software to create your pages and place everything where you want them to be.  Joining forums and finding other blogs on scrapbooking will also provide valuable information.

Before investing in any special program, take the time to check out the free digital scrapbooking sites that are out there to be sure that this is something you want to get into.  I found Smilebox while searching for free digital software on google and have found it fairly simple to use.  You can also use Smilebox to create animated postcards, greeting cards, slide shows, in addition to creating scrapbooks.  The initial service is free, you can try them out for 14 days free and if you like it, upgrade for $5.99 a month or $39.99 for a full year.  The free service will allow you to email or post to facebook but if you want to print or save your creation to a dvd you must sign up for their monthly or yearly service.  This is a great way to test the waters before jumping in with both feet!

I will continue to learn as much as I can about digital scrapbooking and look into using the tutorials and other helpful sites that I can learn from.  This may be what I'm looking for, but only time will tell as I have other ideas I wish to implement. 

Ho'o maikai!

Ten Niche Markets for 2011

Got Niche?

Niche Market: addressing a need for a product or service that is not being addressed by mainstream providers.

As anyone who has started blogging or even their own business has learned is that finding  your niche market can be a difficult task.  No one wants to build a business or start a blog on a particular product without knowing what your niche focus will be.  Here is a list of ten top niche markets to help you get started and to be a success in your business.

1) Self-Development-People are always wanting to know how to improve their daily lives and are constantly searching for different ways to do it.  They want to read or listen to materials pertaining to this topic to be inspired or enlightened.
2) Save Money-In this economy, with all the uncertainty of jobs, people want to know how they can save money.  If you can provide them with helpful tips or guides, you could potentially increase your sales, or bring more attention to your page.   Also, look at all the coupon sites that are all over the internet.
3) Arts & Crafts-If you're good at a certain craft, such as sewing for example, you could promote your own crafts and business.  Also, giving away tips or providing free tutorials can be a good promotional tool as well.
4) Everything Baby-Over the last few years there has been a surge in the baby mode.  There's so many products, tips you could provide on baby safety or what to do when your baby is teething (I've found a free helpful sites myself).  There is no limitation on the extent that you could take this niche, just take a look at all the sites for car seats, strollers, clothing, etc.  The sky's the limit!
5) Weight Loss-There are alot of new products, books, dvds on helping a person to lose weight.  This will always be in demand because people want to know how to eat healthy and lose weight quickly!
6) Careers/College-With our unstable economy, a lot of people are finding themselves out of work and looking for a new career after years of service.  Some may have to start all over again, or you can find young adults looking for that right career.
7) Online Dating-In the past few years the number of people looking for love online had increased steadily.  Causing the number of dating websites and products to increase as well.  Because it has become so popular breaking into this field can be difficult and you may be met with a lot of competition.  To break into this highly competitive field, a budding online entrepreneur should break the online dating field into smaller pieces, small enough and broken apart into pieces that aren't highly saturated.  For example, you could get more into the local dating scene and create a guide to help people find love or companionship with someone already in their area.
8) How to make money online-Gone are the days of complete job security and people everywhere are searching for opportunities to create their own business and work at home.  We all want to make money and make it fast, give people a few tips on making money online and you'll have them coming back for more.
9) Fashion-This is a constantly evolving niche, if you have a blog you can establish a following that can make you good money. Keep your readers interested with great content and fabulous pictures.
10) Recipes/Cooking-Getting dinner ready in 30 minutes, new ideas on traditonal recipes, spice up dinner party menus are all great niches within this area than can prove to be profitable.  I know I love searching for new and healthy food to make for my son.

There ya go! A few ideas, that I may even try myself, to get you started into finding your niche.  You can blog or write about various topics, but you'll do better if you focus on one particular niche.  If you're passionate about a topic, great go for it! But for others you may not know what your passion is, it might be a good idea to research and learn as much as you can about the topics that do interest you. 

August Goals and Selling on your blog with E-books

So this month I am revamping my goals and making a few changes.  I have put writing a business plan on a back burner until I fully decide what kind of business I want to have.  I would love to be a work at home mom and hoping I will find the right path through this blog.  I will continue to practice sewing and creating upcycling projects but for the moment I am taking a step back from them as well. 

In August I will be concentrating on growing my blog, sharing ideas on various topics or projects I create or come across.  Market research for my company as well as helping my hubby with his bail bonds job, and looking into writing E-books.  I've already had some fabulous ideas and inspiration from Jill @ Creating My Way to Success. 

I keep finding myself losing focus because of life's daily routines so I need to kick it in gear and get focused !  I am hoping to have an E-book published this month to give away and then eventually have E-books for sale.  This may go into next month since I am learning and researching different topics.  In the meantime I plan to post valuable information on the blog that anyone can use. 

Ho'o maikai (Do your best!)

Updates

I haven't been blogging that much lately because I've been doing a lot of researching and trying to figure out what I truly want to do.  I've also been thinking of updating my about me page to better suit what I will be doing.  Last month I had goals of writing a business plan, doing a few upcycling projects but then I got sidetracked.  Actually, I got a little frustrated with sewing and needed to take a step back.  I'm not giving up on it completely but it's been pushed to the background.  In the meantime, I' ve been thinking of other things that interest me and I could make a living from.  I'm also helping my hubby with his bail bonds job to get it going.

So for this month I am going to really make a push to put out relevant  information that others can use.  I also want to learn more about writing ebooks and seeing if I can be any good at that.  August will be more of a path of self discovery I'm hoping!

Scrapbooking with Stampin Up

Knowing When It's Time To Move On

I've been trying to master sewing lately and I enjoy it, most of the time.  I get easily frustrated when the thread or needle breaks then I have to take time to fix it.  Part of the reason is that I have so little time I can devote to it but I wonder if I'm just forcing myself to love it, is it truly my dream job?  During college, I did enjoy it for the most part but didn't quite have the patience for it.  I figured it was just because I was new at it and didn't know exactly what I was doing.  Now is it because I don't have time for it or maybe I just don't love it.  I really love the creative process of sewing but I don't know if I love it and can devote all my time to it.  I'm not saying I'm giving up on it completely, I would still love to master sewing so that I can do little repair jobs or hemming at home.  It would be so easy for someone to tell me to give it up but when will I truly know it's time to move on and find what I am destined for.

Rethinking Goals

Earlier this month I came up with a list of goals that I would like to accomplish and I've found that I've slacked on really getting them going.  So I've decided that I need to readjust my goals and instead of giving myself a time line.  A few things, such as writing a business plan and growing my blog, will have a time line but adjustments may be needed along the way.   The goals I set was just so that I could physically see what I wanted to accomplish and how I would go about it.  It's been difficult to stick with the plan since I still have a full time job and I try to spend as much time with my husband and son that I can.  What I need to do also is to have a schedule and stick to it as best as I can. 

Hemmed My First Pair of Pants!

Since I've gotten my sewing machine working, I decided to finally hem one of my hubby's pair of slacks.  I found an article in Woman's Daily that gave really great tips on hemming pants.  I had it all sort of figured out in my head but this article really helped.  I had already had the correct length because I had measured my hubby awhile back and had used safety pins to keep it in place.  But I still needed to shorten it in length because I had not cut it to size.  I measured 2 inches to leave a little bit of room for the stitching.  I may need to go back and resew it again because I used a 1 inch seam allowance from the bottom of the pants, which now that I think about it is a bit too long but not too bad for my first sewing venture!  I don't have any pictures because it was a fairly quick process.  I started working on a jeans bag but I broke the needle and will need to put in a new needle in order to continue.  But it's a learning process and I felt really good and excited while sewing!

Scentsy No More

Although I loved the products and wanted to do well with Scentsy, I just came to a decision that it just wasn't for me.  Another factor was money, I wasn't able to put into it what I needed to and still support our personal needs and my dreams.  I had hoped it would be a great way to make a little extra money.  I wasn't a 100% into and didn't have the drive to really push it.  Now I need to focus more on what I truly want to do and through my blog writing and research I truly believe I will accomplish that.

Logo Design Draft

As part of my July challenge, I am creating a logo to represent my company.  I've gone through many designs and ideas in the past few weeks, I actually starting coming up with logo ideas awhile before I decided on trying to challenge myself.  I felt that the butterfly alone was just too plain by itself and that it needed a little bit more.  I became inspired by the logo of the Cupcake Girls on WE tv.  Their logo has a delicious cupcake on the inside of a cirlce with a pink background.  The color scheme they have chosen also flows into the other aspects of their business, giving it an even theme.  I saw this and I knew this is what my logo needed.  One of my original ideas was to have four leaves in the background of the butterfly.  But after much thought, it just wasn't right, it seemed to overwhelm the design and that's not what I was going for.


My next step is color choices, I want colors that will stand out but not overwhelm the design.  So far, purple and lime green with black borders comes to mind.  I want the logo to be recognized even without the business name. Over the next several days I will experiment with the colors I have chosen and see if I need to change my choices.

Journey to Success: Goal Setting

Lately I've been trying to think of how I will be able to accomplish my goal of being an independent business owner and perhaps owning an online boutique.  I made lists of all the things I enjoy which I am still working on because I like a variety of things.  I'm listing everything from favorite foods to my favorite shows to narrow down what my interests are.  I spent many years doing other things and I've forgotten about the things I enjoy most. 

I realized I need to come up with goals that will get me to where I want to be and how to accomplish them.   This will also help me to remain focus and to develop my business. 

MY GOALS:
1) Design Logo
2) Write Business Plan
3) Practice Sewing
4) Work on Upcycling Projects of old clothes into something useful
5) Product & Service Development
6) Grow Blog
7) Market Research
8) Look into writing E-books on specific topics
9) Useful products,ideas, information to share on blog, post upcycling projects I find

#1 Design Logo
I've already started on gathering and designing ides of what I want my company logo to be.  At first, I wanted a picture of a baby but I didn't want it to be one thing specific because I was still unsure of where I wanted to go with my business.  Then, as some of you may know, I decided to go with butterflies.  My next task was to find the right image that would respresent my company.  At first, I was a bit impulsive but I took it down a notch after realizing I need to take my time because this image will forever represent Minoaka Bebe Designs.

#2 Write a Business Plan
I've previously began a business plan for other ideas I have and I will be able to adapt them to my current idea.  A business plan is a great blue print to see where you are, where you need to be, and where you are going.  This will bring more structure to my business as well as guide me along the way.

#3 Practice Sewing
When I attended UH Maui, I had taken an intermediate level class of sewing, which sad to say I didn't pass but I learned a lot about sewing and the basics.  I will hem clothes that need hemming, make bags, baby things, and try a few upcycling projects that I find online or on other blogs (giving proper credit of course), and whatever else comes to mind!

#4 Work on Upcycling Projects of old clothes into something useful
Try various upcycling projects of my own, as well as those I find online or on other blogs because I've seen so many wonderful projects from other bloggers.  This is where #3 & #4 will coincide with one another.  I will also post my projects on my blog and sharing my progress with others.  This will be an ongoing project, I will try to accomplish on a weekly or at least twice monthly basis.

So far these are a few of the goals I have come up with but I'm sure there will be corrections, additions, deletions as I grow my business.  I've been inspired a lot by Jill at Creating My Way to Success, Cupcake girls on WE tv, and Paul Jr. of American Chopper.  So for July I am going to tackle the first 4 goals since #3 & #4 tie into eachother.  Also, I finally got my sewing machine threaded and ready to go after only a year of owning it so now I will be able to hem clothing and do a few upcycling projects!  I've also made a schedule for myself and will try my best to stick to it but as it is in life, things change.

Brownieos aka Brownie Stuffed Oreos

I got this fabulous idea of making brownies stuffed with oreos from Bekah Joy over at My Little Loves. It seemed like such a simple and easy thing to do and it turned out pretty well. I know my hubby loves sweets and I wanted to make something for his first official "Father's Day".



I loved that this mix had the Hershey syrup so that you could add it separately, so yummy!

Sorry I had issues with uploading the pictures so I have what the brownies looked like after baking, next time I'll use a smaller pan!  I poured some of the batter on the bottom of the pan, placed several oreos on the mix then poured the remaining mix on top of the oreos.

 So this is what they looked like before putting them in the oven.

I used regular oreos since this was an experimental process for me, they turned out so well I think I might use marshamallow or maybe chocolate chip cookies!
 
Here's the link to the original recipe I found on " My Little Loves"http://freespiritedtmama.blogspot.com/2011/06/oreo-stuffed-brownies.html......Enjoy!!!

Logo Ideas...

I've been searching and trying to come up with ideas for my logo,  I'm leaning towards using a butterfly as my logo.  So my current mission is finding images that I like to inspire me to create my own and this is what I have so far!




image courtesy of http://www.butterflypictures.net/


Image courtesy of http://butterflywebsite.com/

There were so many to choose from but I managed to narrow it down to these three images.  These are just for inspiration and I hope to use them to create my own.  So now off to the drawing board!

Aloha and Mahalo to my Followers!

Just wanted to send a quick shout out to thank my followers! I will try to keep it fun and interesting as I learn my way through discovering my dreams.  We're in this boat together!

Cat

Create a Logo

Since I got the idea of trying to create a business (still working on what that will be) I really need to come up with a logo that definies my company.  Lately, I've been watching a lot of American Chopper and I have become interested in Paul Jr.  Tuetel starting his own company Paul Jr. Designs.  I've really become intrigued in all the steps he has taken to have his own company, from getting a company truck to designing a bike for Cadillac.  It has made realize I really need to come up with a logo that defines Minoaka Bebe.  I came up with that name because of my son.  Minoaka is smile in Hawaiian and Bebe instead of baby.  One of my ideas for the logo was to use an image of my son because he is my inspiration and the main reason I want to run my own company.  Then I thought of maybe a butterfly, which I'm now sorting leaning towards.  Another idea would be to somehow combine the two, so I've been sketching a lot lately but still have a way to go.  I'll post my final design on the log, hopefully that won't take a million years.

My future with Scentsy

I started as a Scentsy Consultant back in March and I love the products and the company.  However, I find myself in the midst of a decision.  Majority of the consultants find success with doing the parties, I decided that I didn't want to go that route.  I've told numerous friends, co-workers and posted on Facebook my Scentsy business.  I realized that I haven't marketing myself properly, but it's been a difficult task on a tight budget, that could be the reason for my slow sales start.  I may have to focus my energies and resources to another endeavor, one that I can truly put in a 100% effort. 

Teething...A Rite of Passage

Babies go through different at different times in their young life, some are early and some are later. In either case they both hurt. My son is 10 months and has just started the rite of teething passage. On Thursday he had a slightly high fever and was fussy and a bit irritable. First I tried to give him a bottle to see if he was hungry and he was just not having it. The next thing I tried was an oral pain reliever from CVS pharmacy that helped numb his gums, after giving this to him he calmed down and took his bottle, finally going back to sleep. In preparation for the upcoming teething ritual I went on a mad hunt for answers and this is what I have found.


Signs of teething:

Excessive drooling leading to a red and spotty rash around mouth
Resisting having a spoon put in mouth at mealtime
Frequent loose stools that have a distinctive acrid smell
Diaper rash
Low-grade fever not accompanied by illness
Runny nose
Tugging at ears

How to help a baby with teething:

-If baby is in pain, give him/her a nice warm bath, this will help calm and soothe them. Try rubbing olive or baby oil on him/her after drying them off. A nice massage will also help in calming them.
-Wet the corner of a clean washcloth and put it in the freezer, the terry cloth feel is somewhat comforting to a baby.
-Use counter pressure. If baby will allow you, rub your finger gently across their gums to ease the pain.
-Offer a teething ring, store it in the fridge to keep cool not in the freezer as extreme cold can hurt baby's sensitive gums. Teething rings are made of plastic or firm rubber, try different ones to see which one works best for baby.
-Cold food. For example, cut up a bagel, put the pieces in a sandwich bag and store in the freezer. Give baby a piece if he seems uncomfortable, fresh cool fruits work as well, don't put fruits in freezer.
-Provide cool, icy drinks for baby only if baby is old enough for drinks other than breast milk or formula.
-Chill smooth and comforting foods such as applesauce and yogurt, if baby is old enough, in the fridge.
-Keep the area around your baby's mouth clean, if they're drooling a lot, to prevent "drool rash".
-Over the counter remedies. If baby is really fussy, try acetaminophen such as Tylenol or ibuprofens like Advil or Motrin may help. Use a q-tip when applying to avoid numbing baby's entire mouth. Be very cautious about using this remedy because too much of the medication may numb your baby's throat which could interfere with his/her's normal gag reflex. Also, a baby's saliva may wash away most of the medication before it has a chance to work, thus washing any possibility of its relieving effect. Another drawback back is that any numbing agent can prolong the process of teething since it relaxes the gums causing the teeth to take longer in pushing through.
-Cinnamon sticks. They're a natural analgesic, they're also hard and don't splinter.
-Sweet cuddles may help in soothing since baby may need extra comfort.

Since every baby is different, what works for one may not work for another. So far my son has enjoyed nibbling on just about anything he can get his mouth on. I rub his gums when he allows me to, since he first began teething things have calmed down a bit but now has a third tooth breaking through. I'll report back on his progress and what tips work for me.

Sources for article:
The Baby Sense Secrets by Megan Faure, Ehow.com, Massage-Chair-Relief.com,
Mayo Clinic.com, Wikihow.com, Parents.com, Child's Magazine.com.

Knocking it off...: Knocking it off's very first giveaway!!!

Knocking it off...: Knocking it off's very first giveaway!!!: "'Calling' all people! We are so excited to announce that we are having our very first Knocking it Off giveaway!! Yay! We wanted to ge..."

Hard to Poop

Every now and then my son has a bit of constipation, when I notice that he’s going through this I try to limit the amount of banana or applesauce he has and give him apple juice. My current method is to give him apple juice 2x a day to avoid constipation. I’ve been researching a lot on the internet and in books to find different methods that can help me and other moms out there. Different methods work for different babies and to find the best one to work for your baby. For a baby that is formula fed, try adding an extra bottle of water each day to see if it helps in any way.  I'm also adding more pears, peach and strained prunes to his diet, I was quite surprised that he liked the prunes as much as he did.


Common Causes of Constipation
A common cause of infant constipation is a diet that is low in fiber; foods such as bananas, applesauce, cereals, breads, pasta and white potatoes may contribute of cause constipation. My son loves applesauce but what I found is that although it’s okay to give baby apple juice, applesauce is the whole of the fruit and can contain a higher level of pectin (which firms up stools leading to constipation). You can give baby one to two ounces of fruit juice such as grape, prune or apple juice twice daily and practice different exercises to help relieve constipation.

Relieve Constipation Using these Exercises
Gently massage and rub your baby’s tummy in a clockwise direction. Start by placing your hands at his navel and massage in a circular motion, moving out and away from the center of his belly. Another trick to try is the bicycle method, this I’ve heard a few times from the nurses at the hospital. Place baby on his back and lightly hold his legs in a half-bent position, much like riding a bike. Gently move his legs as if he’s riding an actual bicycle, you can alternate this method with a tummy massage. A nice warm bath may help to relax baby and help to get things moving, you can give baby a tummy massage as you’re drying him off.

CKW Designz for Scentsy!

Aloha Everyone!

Just wanted to share this wonderful company with you called Scentsy!  Scentsy sells wonderful smelling wickless candles and I recently became a consultant with them.  I love Scentsy and I hope that it will help me to achive my goal of owning my own business and earning an income along the side.  I did a bit of research and then just went for it!  I need to try it to see if it's something I can continue doing.  I have realized that I don't enjoy doing the parties but I've had a few sales since I started a month ago.  It's a slow go and it's been challenging to do it on a limited budget as far as advertising.  I may have gotten a little gungho but I'm gonna keep at it.  I'll keep you all tuned as to how it turns out..until then read a little about it below.....I apologize if this post is a little long or if I step on any toes by posting it!

Join My Team ckwdesignz.scentsy.us!


Scentsy's philosophy of Simplicity, Authenticity, and Generosity has made us one of the fastest growing companies the direct selling industry has ever seen. And we just keep growing! Right now, Scentsy is expanding into Europe. First comes spreading Scentsy throughout the U.K. and Germany, but after that, who knows? Anything's possible with Scentsy!

As an Independent Scentsy Consultant, you'll not only be embarking on an exciting new business opportunity, enjoying flexible hours, the ability to earn income, and the satisfaction of connecting people you care about with products you believe in. You'll also be on the cutting edge of a thrilling international expansion. Now is the time to join Scentsy

So Many Benefits


At Scentsy, we don't just recruit Consultants—we sponsor, support, and mentor them. If you choose to join my team, I'll be your personal Sponsor, helping you every step of the way as you launch your new business. You'll also have access to our entire network of Scentsy Consultants through the MyScentsy Forum and a wealth of online training and resources.

Scentsy's home office hosts a Consultant Support Department, available every weekday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. (MST) to answer any questions you may have. And you won't want to miss Scentsy's annual Convention and other seasonal training and networking events throughout the year!

And, the icing on the cake: every Scentsy Consultant also gets a free website for three full months (and just $10 (USD) per month after that), a free online Workstation to organize and run their business, free credit card processing, no inventory to manage, no credit card fees, and free shipping on orders over $150! (Discounted shipping rates are offered for deliveries outside the contiguous U.S.)

Getting Started Is Easy

The Scentsy Starter Kit

For just $99*, Scentsy will send you a Starter Kit that includes everything you need to run your Scentsy business–and it all fits conveniently in one shopping bag.

Your Starter Kit** will include:

Scentsy Party Fragrance Testers

2011 Spring / Summer (15)

Favorites (20)

Scentsy Man (5)

Romance (10)

Spa (10)

Corner Café (10)

Tropical (10)

Demonstration Products

Full-Size Scentsy Warmer (1)

Scentsy Buddy (1)

Scent Pak (1)

Scentsy Bar (1)

Room Spray (1)

Fragrance Foam (1)

Travel Tin (1)

Scent Circle (1)

Light Bulbs (4)

Business Supplies

2011 Spring / Summer Catalogs (50)

Discover Scentsy DVD (1)

New Consultant Start-Up Guide (1)

Scentsy Planning Calendar (1)

Planning Calendar Stickers (1 sheet)

Business Cards (100)

Invitations (100)

Order Forms (100)

Host Guest Lists (5)

Host Rewards Brochures (5)

Host Envelopes (5)

Buy Brochures (5)

Host Brochures (5)

Join Brochures (5)

Consultant Folder(1)

Welcome Letter

*$99 price does not include tax or shipping

** Contents may vary

Dress up a room with a Scentsy Warmer, add one of 80-plus fragrances, and enjoy! Shop here for all the latest styles and scents.

Shop my online store ckwdesignz.scentsy.us

 Host a Party
Have fun while earning Host Rewards—free or half-price Scentsy Products—when you host your own Scentsy party.


Looking for a rewarding career that works with your schedule? As a Scentsy Consultant, you’ll set your own hours & have fun while you earn.



Join my Scentsy team

The Baby Sense Secret by Megan Faure

I am so glad I found this book, it has been a blessing in disguise.  Like many other new moms I have the What To Expect During The First Year but most of it read like alien language.  I happened to find this book by Megan Faure at Borders and upon flipping through the pages I knew I had to have it.  It reads like a user manual for babies and helps guide you through the first year.  It gives you the information you need to help your baby become a secure and happy child without losing your mind.  I find myself constantly referring back to it and helps me to decode what my baby may be saying such as cues to when he's tired or wants to be held.   There's also tips on helping you to adjust to having a baby into your life.  You'll find a lot of information on sleep issues, feedings, routines, surviving colic and so much more.  I found the feeding schedules, sleep and teething cues to be very helpful since I'm still trying to figure it all out myself as well.  The Baby Sense Secret will help guide you to understanding your baby's needs and how to read his/her changing moods so that you both can have a good night's sleep and establish a routine that will work best for your family.  No matter what stage your baby is at this book is a must and a wonderful gift for that expectant mother!

Tanis age 9 months, 8 days..sleepless night

Since he was born, Tanis has been sleeping through the night with the occasional middle night wakings which are rare. Last night he awoke around 2 a.m., he doesn't sleep with a blanket because he rolls around so much. So he may have been a little cold last night. At this age we're still trying to work on breaking him of the bottle habit. During the day he takes a nap without a bottle but at night he has one before as he goes to bed, I know its a very bad habit but I'm trying to make it a smooth process as possible...for everyone. He may also be in the beginning stages of teething so I don't want to sleep coach him. When everyone (meaning grandma) follows the daily routine it all works out okay. So last night I gave him a bottle which he finished and I had hoped he would just fall back asleep. Unfortunately, last night was one of those times when a bottle would be the only thing to get him back to sleep. Since he had fallen asleep earlier without it, I figured he would fall back asleep fairly easily...but that wasn't the case. It's hard when I work in the mornings because I have to give him to daddy and can't be there for him. I feel so bad when he cries and I want to make it all better for him. It has truly been a learning process for us.

Kate Middleton Wedding Dress

I wasn't all into the whole "Royal Wedding" brouhaha but I have to say that Kate Middleton looked absolutely stunning in a gown designed by Sarah Burton. Burton most notably took over Alexander Mcqueen's house after the designer's death last year. Kate's gown showcases exqusite details such as the lace flowers hand-cut and hand engineered onto the silk ivory tulle with gentle padding on the hips invoking a Mcqueen trait the Victorian silhoutte. Arches and pleates giving the skirt of the dress volume. The back of the gown showcased 58 organza covered buttons and the train was an impressive 9 feet in length. Her "halo tiara", given to her by the queen, was held in place by a whispery silk-tulle gently sweeping across her face. A stunning royal bride indeed!

Walking the neighborhood.

Yesterday, myself, Scott & Tanis all went for a nice long walk in our neighborhood. I'm trying to establish some sort of routine for Tanis and going for walks daily is one. It also is helping me to get fit and try to lose some of the weight that I've gained after baby and have been too lazy to lose...Each day I go a different route so that he doesn't get bored, but he seems to just chill out and enjoy the ride. Anytime I see something interesting I point it out, but he was in such a zone out phase he was not interested.

Starting a Home Business

I've been trying to figure out the best home business to start and I've bounced around different ideas back and forth for as long as I can remember. I want to incorporate my love of fashion and my love for my family. One of my ideas is to start an online boutique, I know it requires a lot of hours but it may also provide the freedom I am looking for. I hope to have a website full of my own designs, I got the creativity, what I first need to master is the sewing and I know with practice and patience I can accomplish that. It's just been hard with the hecticness of my life, when I'm not at work I'm hanging with the baby or doing the things I can't when I'm at work. I want to be able to be with Tanis & Scott, but also make a living that allows me to be with them when I want to. I have realized (surprise! lol) that I still need to work and bring in money in order to accomplish this goal. I'm also hoping that this can be a family business and we can all work together...I'm still on the path to self discovery so stay tuned!

Milk overload!

This is what happens when you have just a little too much to drink..milk that is!