February 25, 2012 - Progress Report

Was so tired today, but I did some relatively inactive work. Early in the morning while there was light and the family was sleeping, I took loads of pictures of new product. It looks like I have a lot, because I use the same headband and just add different flowers to them. I'll do the same when I have them modeled too.

So progress for the week. I finished and presented my new website. I had no idea it would take that long to make just the way I want it. And by finished I don't mean really finished, I just mean the overall look and design. I still have to add a shop, but I didn't just want to slap it together and throw on things. I wanted it to look perfectly beautiful and professional. I wanted it to have the essence of what my flower jewelry is about and I wanted it to be enticing. I think I did that (I hope).

Weight loss is a serious meh. Five pounds in almost 2 months. It's progress, but I really have to step up my game next month. I thought that not smelling food for 2 weeks would do something, but I guess the sitting around counteracted the not eating thing. I'm going to start walking more in March. I usually don't hurt myself doing that.

I still have the brochure and display packaging to design, but I've started on that. I was thinking of doing shows, but it still gives me the creeps just thinking about it. I am not a direct sales person, that's why I sell on the Internet. Not that I can't do it, I just hate it. My last boss tried to get me to do sales, he thought he could turn me into a sales person. It really isn't that I can't it's more that I really don't want to. It I have to go to shops and talk to people about my wares, I'll be fine. If I have to go to an interview for a job, I'll be fine. I've managed to talk a lot of people into believing I have talent. But to sit for a whole day at a table talking to people about my work and how much they would love wearing it, not so much.

Once again, I spent no time on the product design portfolio, or the CAD program.

I also got our taxes to the point of near completion. My daughter needs a few more expenses tallied and added and my taxes will be sent in April 15 as once again I owe more.

I finally got my student load forbearance and amazingly enough they removed $2000. Now I only owe 56 K of a 38 K loan after paying for 10 years. Oh how I would love to have the money, to make them an offer for payoff and just get all my debts out of my life. Student Loans, IRS, every creditor I owe.

Well that's about it for the wrap of the week. Back to editing and listing my new merchandise. 

February 12, 2012

I was remembering the first time I built a porch railing. It seemed so daunting. There were 2 columns (actually 4, 2 at each corner) and I had to construct 2 newel posts railing and balusters. I also had 2 old flower boxes I wanted to save and mount on the front balusters.

My pictures are in a box in storage somewhere, but I found this picture on Google Maps. I also found my childhood home. You can move around the whole street, the whole neighborhood. I find it very creepy that someone cam out to those neighborhoods and took all of that photography to post on Google maps. I always thought those guys hanging out on the streets were surveyors. I think some of them were Google spies.

The Newels were the hardest to construct. I didn't just buy them. I built a frame and constructed a hollow post over it. There was a square plate with a short 4X4 screwed to the porch, and a 4X4 piece at the top. Then a square top with a round finial.

The railing was not as hard as I thought because the railing has spots for the balusters to sit. It was a little tricky, because you either assemble the whole railing and mount it or assemble the bottom with balusters and try to fit on the top. I opted for that, because I really didn't want to try to hold up the completed piece and attach the top and bottom rails all at the same time. I had some help, but it was not an easy thing to accomplish with even 4 hands.

It was something I wasn't sure I could do, never did before, and in the end, was very pleased with the results. I wish I could show you a picture of the porch with flowers in the boxes.

If I was a bit younger, the challenges I've given myself would not be so daunting. I would be sure I could accomplish them and tackle anything that got in my way. I'm not so young anymore. Not that age should matter, but sometimes it can be a barrier to others.

Did you know that health insurance can cost an employer twice as much for employees over 60 as for employees under 60? Not really fair, but a fact. So what to the people who turn 60 with no job prospects do until they turn 66 and are eligible for Medicare? Or depending on their age, maybe older.

Well if I don't get the Flower Jewelry business going, or get a job designing product, I can always install porch railings.