A Few Months Later

Things just don't turn out as you plan. My goal was to drop my Apron and Accessory line and Boost my Felt Flower Jewelry line with an added touch of Product design.

Well the flowers are selling, but certainly not enough to live on. But the Aprons and Accessories (especially after adding Bow Ties and an eBay store) is booming. The one business that I wanted to eliminate. So, now I'm building a website (poppysgardengate.com) for that business and seriously considering ending my line of Eco Felt flowers. Well not entirely. I may just move everything to a free store and shut down that Artfire shop. I'm thinking maybe storeenvy.

Maybe it's just that I need to focus on just one line, but I can't focus on just that one, because I make my income off the other. I suppose it's like having a full time job and trying to sell my craft. I guess if others can do it so can I. But they're on Etsy and I'm perma-banned. So until there's another alternative, other than eBay, I just have to do what I need to do.

On a cheerier note. One of my designs sold to a major retailer. Here are the statistics on that one. I spent 3 weeks, about 400 hours on 28 designs. 9 designs were selected for presentation. One design sold. My income at this time, about $1000. If you can't calculate, that's about $2.50 an hour. Not so great eh? Sounds like working for your craft?

There are other possibilities though. More of the designs can sell, or I can sell the designs to other clients, and I can alter designs to use for other clients too. And the retailer that bought the product is only introducing them in 200 stores, if they do well they might increase the line. So my dollar per hour will increase. Lets just say, I'm confident enough in my design, that it will do well and sell through another season. I'll let you all know what it is, when it's on the shelves next spring.

I've also resigned myself to making my Aprons and Accessories for income. I still get to work at home, and my income this year has doubled what it was last year. I just love my flowers and hoped that more than the few who buy from me would love them too. Oh well, maybe I can incorporate them into my lighting designs.

April 16, 2012

Time is running out. I really have to finish everything soon. It's time. I need my brochures finished and I need my packaging done. NOW!

My design portfolio is coming along wonderfully. I completely redid it. Well just made it less of a jumble. I did a few small artistic touches (changing the banner, ever so slightly) and rearranged the pages. I hat way to many tabs at the top, so I've incorporated a lot of what was in tabs, as links on my portfolio page. It's easier to understand and when viewers get a pop up saying they need a password, they will understand why. I just can't leave my designs open for everyone to look at.

I've put teaser images with links. Some of them are open designs, but I have to let the visitor know what I'm capable of don't I? I still have a lot of work to do on it, but not nearly what I needed when I started. I'm very pleased at how it's coming together.

I suppose I should mention somewhere on the site that it was designed by me, and that I do graphic designs too. I think I know where to do it. My about page needs some serious work. I may add a home page and definitely a contact page. The rest will all be hidden and accessed through links on the other pages. I'm kind of enjoying web designing. Maybe I should take an HTML class. Not right now I think.

Tomorrow I sew. Still my bread and butter, although I have really increased sales for my jewelry and product design.

April 15, 2012

A long and exhausting day today. I didn't even get yesterday's post done until after 10 pm today. Lots of full moon kind of events, and it's not even a full moon.

I was watching a new car insurance commercial, and quite honestly, it made no sense, wasn't funny and was really truly bad. I wondered how much the writer was paid for that ad. Or did even use an ad agency, or just ran an ad in Craig's List for a really bad commercial. I remember the Quizno singing road kill.It nauseated me so much that I will never eat there. Not sure what the hell they were thinking there, but I bet they lost a lot of customers. It is not always a good thing to give people a reason to talk about you.

And then I watch Mad Men and remember vintage commercials that were clever, snappy, memorable and worthy of your few minutes of commercial interruption. I believe I remember a time when you actually looked forward to commercials. So few are enjoyable, now I think instead of thought provoking they are irk provoking.

I worked on my design portfolio website today. I didn't get a lot done, but I just about completely redid everything. It's pretty much the same format, but instead of loads of tabs, I'm using a portfolio page, with links to what I had tabbed before. I will also add a contact tab. I kept my jewelry website clean that way and I love the simplicity. Not sure why I didn't do that with my portfolio.

I'll be sure to post the site here again, when It's finished. After my research, I think I know what I'm doing now.

April 13, 2012

Friday the 13th and nothing really bad happened. How about that. As a matter of fact my son in law and his father both went out and got new cars today. Son in law got a used minivan that cost about as much as my first house did. It's really nice for his family. Huge and mega insured for the 6 years of the loan and fully featured. Very nice for the family. Not great mileage, but he doesn't have to go too far with it except vacations. I can't wait till I can afford a car for myself. I could pay cash for one if just one of my designs sells big next year. I need to find more clients soon.

Speaking of finding clients, I finally did a little research on the portfolio website. I found some great links. Build a Killer Online Portfolio in 9 Easy Steps is the best one I found yet. An Online Portfolio is not just for designers either. Artists and craftspeople should have one too. If you want to do juried shows, you should definitely have one.  It's the way of the world these days. I love my Weebly site. They make it so darn easy to build. You don't have to know HTML to make a simple and lovely site.

Mine portfolio still in progress, because now that I read how to build a killer portfolio I have a lot to rebuild.
If you want to take a peek, it's here cmdreifortportfolio.com . You can bookmark and see where I take it. I think it's too tabby. I need to have a portfolio page with links to those design pages I think. Cleaner look.

Not only did I start really focusing on my portfolio (with big focus on resume), but I also made a logo today for my flower shop. I'm really pleased with it. It' is just what I wanted, simple, symbolic,  and using my flowers graphically. I will mostly use it on my images as a watermark, but I may have a few other places for it.

See how cute it looks as a watermark?

I'm very pleased with the design. Guess 6 years of training in Art didn't go entirely to waste. Maybe I should do logo design. Didn't know I had it in me. But I should also say that it is easier with yourself as a client. You know what you want. Sometimes it's hard to get into your clients head to see what they are visualizing. I was working with someone who was trying to make on for me, and I was a bit too demanding I think. But I like how this turned out.

April 12, 2012

Things were so different when I was a kid. It wasn't just that I was naive, the whole world was. Those of you who are older know. Those of you who watch Mad Men can see for yourself. No one even imagined that little Sally could suffocate in that plastic bag, or get addicted to those sleeping pills. What was the harm in that? Everyone was innocent back then. I'm recalling how I loved my baby seal skin hooded jacket and my baby alligator purse. I didn't know back then that someone was killing babies. I don't even think my family who bought them really realized it.

OK, so today I just killed a bunch of ants that were trying to get into the cereal and my crock pot. I'm not a Buddhist after all.

Today I did some more photography and listing of my flowers. But as promised, I'll review what I did for my product design business.

I was only supposed to be getting myself ready to present my product to potential clients, but somehow I ended up with paying clients. Not a lot of money, but some, and maybe more sales in the future. This was all from updating my linkedin resume. Not a bad idea to just add something once in a while. When I am done with my website, I will add that too. My portfolio website, that is.

What did I plan to do, that I didn't. I planned to loose weight so I'd look more professional. Nope. I planned to learn my CAD program so I could send clients, CAD drawings. Nope.

I did however learn to use the CAD program enough to make some rough base drawings and alter old drawings so I could work on Photoshop to finish the designs. About the only thing I did accomplish is to work on my website and even that isn't finished. Although it is very close. The way business is going this month, I'll have plenty of time to finish it too.

The big thing I have yet to do is make my resume. I have an old one that I need to polish up, things like explaining what I've been doing for the past 4 years. I need to take a peek at how resumes are written these days. Formats change like lighting and I haven't written one for 4 years. Progress is a fickle companion.

April 1, 2012

I promised I wouldn't work on my portfolio website too much, and I did keep my hands off it for most of the day, but I redid most of it tonight. I'm going to give you a sneak peek right here, but remember, it's not nearly finished.

I really don't have any experience viewing web portfolios, so I don't know what's the best way to format it. For now, I don't want to look at others. It will keep mine fresher. I will look up how to make a design portfolio website soon I think. I probably want to at least link my resume to the home page. I haven't finished that page yet either. I'm pretty excited about it. But it still doesn't say all it needs to.

I also contacted Vistaprint about my lousy postcards and they are sending out another set. I hope they are better than the first. I'm concerned about my daughters business cards, because I bought them the same week and she ordered 1500. It's so funny that they are so bad, because my business cards bought at the same time were fine. Well, I hope they are OK, because I really need to get my mini brochures ready.

I've decided to send off a single pin with each brochure. I also REALLY have to get my retail packaging together. And I need to order kraft boxes for my shop.

It was a really slow week fortunately, because of all the design work I had to complete. Wish I would have sold a bit more though. But this year was far better than last.

Today I really have to get new jewelry pieces together. And finish my sewing.

March 31, 2012

I feel like a huge weight has been taken off my shoulders. I think I'm caught up with my product designs. For the past two months my client has been feeding me projects one after the other and with only a few days to complete. I'm not even sure there isn't more, but I think there isn't for now. I am sure there will be changes to be made, but those won't be as hard as the original designing, because I've been making changes so the designs for the first retailer, while designing for the second retailer.

I think these presentations are only done annually, but my client is keeping me in the dark right now. There may be other product to design for them at other times of the year though.

I worked on my design portfolio website today, all day, and there is still a LOT to do to it. I was just taking the images I'm posting and putting a copyright banner over the client info and design number. Then posting the images on the pages. I don't like the format as I have it, so I'll be working to redo them all soon. I think I'm going to limit myself to an hour or two a day, and at the end of the day, so I don't spend all my time in front of the computer. After all, I do have to make a few more jewelry pieces if I'm to do a photo shoot this week. Not sure, it's good Friday so not sure the model is really available.

Hopefully today I get some time to work on my jewelry, and take some pictures. I also have some new items to make with fabric I have, and a few orders I have to do. I spent a lot of the day watching the baby for my daughter too. That was also a good time to work on the portfolio website.

I had to take a day of mindless work, to rest and refresh. I hope I'll have energy tomorrow.

March 30, 2012

I've had such an exhausting month. I hope it was all worth it. Of course it wasn't all the work that made it exhausting, it was a lot of the extraneous things (life) that did it too. Family health issues, birthdays, the woman next door locking herself out at one in the morning after I worked for 14 hours straight and pounding on the door and screaming for a half hour before someone finally let her in. And no, she's not a drunk, just a little altered from her med cocktail.

I had a semi relaxing day. I haven't sold much this week so after watching my granddaughter most of the day, I cut out the few things I sold, did the dishes and some laundry. It was nice after all the work I did.

I had bought some colored pencils on line, and was expecting them at the Post Office. I guess the people at the Post Office didn't notice them, because my daughter didn't pick them up. What she did get, however, was my new post cards. Now, I just ordered these Monday from Vistaprint and I've NEVER received anything that quickly from them. They were horrible. Cropped wrong, wrong color, just horrible. I was so disappointed. I'm not sure what they were trying to accomplish working so quickly, but it didn't impress me. Now I either have to contact them and get a refund and look somewhere else or trust they will send me a new set with correct images.

This really sets me back on my brochure, but I do have time to get better prints. The cards I got were blown up and cropped off center and kind of pinkish brown instead of the nice pewter. Not terrible, but they don't match the business card I got PRINTED AT VISTAPRINT!!!! How can I send out something to potential clients that don't match? This has just been a cursed month and I suppose that because of it, none of my product designs will sell to the huge retailers that were presented with them.

One thing about all this work I've done the past three months is that I really love designing product. I like crafting, but I love designing. And I'm good at it too. I'll share my website when I'm finished, and you can see.

March 28, 2012

Posting this a Day late. Crazy Life.

Things are going too well I think. Still not selling a lot of jewelry, but getting friends on the bandwagon at least. I really have to try to do something to get my ranking up on my website. I tried a giveaway to get people to drop by, but that didn't work so well. Maybe I need to post it on my recipe page, on the Turkey recipe I get so many hits on.

I know I can link a blog to my website, but I'm not sure that blog is appropriate. Maybe I need to make a Wedding and Garden blog to link too. I suppose a Gardening one would work. I love flowers and know about a lot of them. Ha, maybe I should find a really popular, well read blog and link that to my website. Heck with mine.

I've also decided to put a page of just my different flower types on my website. Still working on how to pull that one together. I want the site to be clean, but I think adding a page will not harm it any. I think that as for the store, it will all be bulk items and on a hidden page. For single items I will refer to my Artfire shop. It will make life a lot easier for the buyer and myself. I don't really expect to sell much off the website at this point. I think most customers will contact me directly and request an invoice.

I'm hoping for the best.

March 27, 2012

It's getting so close to the end of my four months. I'm finding that I've given myself too many tasks to do. The reason I am not accomplishing my goals though, is that my workload has increased so much that I can't finish everything. I wish I could have just focused on getting it all done, but I had too many sales and unexpected design clients.

Last year at this time, things were so slow, that I had to sell a lot of my jewelry to make ends meet. Oh well, next year at this time when I have loads of money, I can buy new jewelry, right?

The thing I regret the most is that I didn't have the free time to learn the new CAD program. I can do a bit on it, and I can take what I've done into Photoshop and alter, but most of my drawing has been on Photoshop.

I also wish I had finished my design website. I plan to contact some more people soon and want to have it up and running smoothly. Wish I could put on some of these new designs. I guess I can put some of the rejected ones. As soon as I'm finished with the new client designs I need to finish that site. I can make a decent living just off the drawings, not even including commission from the sales of product.

When I look at my old designs, compared to now, I have grown so much. It's a lot due to the freelance work, and partly due to my time on Etsy and Artfire. I've been exposed to so many techniques and styles by working there and seeing so much, that my work has improved greatly. It has only served to improve my product design and still influences future designs and trends.

March 26, 2012

It's been a very dry week for business. Life has been crazy though, so I guess that makes up for it.

I was thinking about writing again just now. I had a writing teacher that said you should never use cliches, that all of your writing should be fresh and new. He said how horrible Soap Operas were, because they are 90% cliche. At the time I thought, that's what they were supposed to be. So because of that, when I put in any cliche phrase into my writing, I think it's bad. I'm starting to rethink that one. I think it's OK to put a tiny bit of cliche into your writing. It might just be a comfortable familiar thing to the reader. Or maybe it brings the writer to the level of the reader in the reader's eye. And after all, how can you avoid a string of words in all situations.

OK enough of the writing over thinking.

I was so behind in my work, that I had to do quite a lot today (and will tomorrow too). So I planned to cut and sew and cut and shape flowers and finish my designs and send them off. I woke up in the morning to a new Vistaprint add for postcards half off. I wanted to make the cover of my mini brochure out of a small post card, so.... on top of my huge todo list, I added finishing my brochure cover. I had one almost finished so I finished it and uploaded it. It was the wrong size. I have no idea how I got the wrong template, but I did. I had to redo the whole thing. I think I might have been planning to use the bigger size, but I thought the smaller will be better now. And it will cost less.

The nice thing about the post card, is that I can also sent them as a post card. So I ordered 100 for now. They match my website and I have a binding machine, and paper cutter, so I can whip up 4 page little brochures. I'm very excited about them. I guess I'd better hurry and make my packaging, so I can take pictures and get it in my brochure and on the website. I'll have two options for wholesalers, recycled kraft box or hanging clear pillow boxes.

I've definitely taken too much time off of my project and it's time I got it in gear again.

March 25, 2012

Nearly another birthday. You would think at my age, I'd have it all figured out. After all, I am seriously close to retirement age, or the other place. Maybe I'll live longer because I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up.

I've been thinking a lot about writing lately, It's quite a skill. I like to write and review and rewrite, but this blog doesn't leave me that option. I was talking to my cousins about certain cartoons that seem to be written for children, but really have a lot of adult content. That's quite a writing skill. I think to be able to write wonderfully, enticing ad copy is a great skill too.

I tell this great story about an incident with my ex-husband. I've had kids ask me to tell it again and again. But without the body language and expressive tones, it might be oh so boring. It would be a great skill to relay the motions and expressive voice in word alone.

I'm getting ready to write my brochure, and want my feelings to be properly expressed. I want my product to be properly represented. I need this help on my design website too. Then I can knock a few more things off my to so list.

March 24, 2012

Ack! I think the whole point of this diary was to DECIDE between my flower jewelry and my lighting design work. Well I failed miserably at two things so far. I haven't been tracking my goals and I really haven't lost weight. Considering I was pretty sick for almost two months of this thing, I did pretty well.

I was dressing to go out to a family dinner tonight and the bulging gut was very disappointing. I've decided that I really have to get rid of the heart attack fat, if nothing else. I've been walking more, but not as much. I plan on getting that fishing license and walking to the park across the street to fish. maybe I'll take some of my money and buy a bike, that will be good too. If I get any good at it, I can even bike to the Post Office, but I'd have to be really good, because we have a LOT of packages to take in. Our Post office will not pick up packages where we live.

I checked my spreadsheet of things I needed to accomplish and the dates. I did NOT do a good job. I am very behind. I should have my design website finished and my brochures made by now. The logo is holding me up. I really need to either get it or do without. I have to decide. I may do without and use the logo on my images only if I ever get it. I think I have to decide on that one this week, I need my covers printed.

I have a lot to do this week, good I'm healthy again. I'll post my progress, as usual.

March 18, 2012

Today was a crafting day. I also worked a bit on my next design project. I have to get them in by the end of the week. A few phone calls, one from the person I am designing for to discuss the project, and one from my cousin to arrange visiting my sick cousin. I understand he has a terminal illness, but is feeling very well considering. Terminal doesn't mean the same thing it used to. Many people with terminal illness can live longer than those without. As I've said before, my son who we were told would not live to adulthood, has outlived many of his friends.

I was reading this wonderful post on Handmadeology about Offline Marketing for Online Businesses. I can't even begin to tell you how much Handmadeology has helped me put together my approach to promoting my business. It's almost as if they are reading my mind and know the next stem in my progress. Are you watching me Tim?

Speaking of watching me. I've noticed that certain places like Groupon, Facebook, Vitacost and of course eBay and Amazon, seem to know what I'm browsing and coincidentally send me ads in key places. I even get ads on Google or AOL that relate to emails I get. I'm not sure I really like being spied on like that.  I suppose one day I'll have to invest in software that block spying, because my freeware doesn't seem to be doing the trick.

Back to Handmadeology. The post is about cross promotion and using shops or other venues to get your product seen. I hadn't considered this before. It's about not just taking your wares to a shop and dropping it off to sell, but also offering a service to your shop. For instance, I have a fairly large following on Twitter. I suppose I should grow that following locally too. But I could promote the business that I might sell at too. I could promote myself to local papers and say that my product is available at .... cross promoting them as well.  It's just brilliant.

I know you would like to think that your product alone is what would sell you, but we live in the real world.  Remember that Our past president couldn't pronounce the simplest of words and got all D's in school. It's not all about the product, a lot of it is the packaging.

I also think that I need to be using this information in my everyday life. Even in my design business. I need to sell myself. I've been working on my design portfolio website, and haven't even made a front page yet. I finally  realized what it is I need to do to promote myself. High End design at Low manufacturing cost.  Brilliant epiphany.

March 17, 2012

Today I was asked to do another rendering of a light design I had done freelance. This means that the Store I had designed for has chosen 6 of my designs to sample. It does not mean that they will buy them, but if the company I make them for can make nice samples at a good cost, it might mean that in 2013 they will be in the retail store and I will make commission.

I find that I definitely like designing product much better than sewing. There is a toss up between making jewelry and design though. Right now my income has doubled what I was making last year because of the design work, but the majority of design work is just this time of year.

I will be having a lot of work this time of year which will let me focus on getting my jewelry to shops at the end of April as I had planned. I need to focus more on my website to get the rankings up. I planned on having a giveaway in March, but I've been too busy. It think I need to do it anyhow. I'll do a quick giveaway of the Pick your own mini bouquet brooches. They will get them in time for Easter/Spring holidays. I'm hoping that I will bring traffic to my site and also have people recommend my flowers. I'll plan for Wednesday.

March 5, 2012

My horoscope this month suggested that I visualize where I want to go. That the time is ripe for my life to change and my goals to be met. I really believe in visualization. I believe it can lead to clarity, focus, and the ability to meet goals. I closed my eyes and tried to see myself happy and working hard and comfortably successful. Nothing specific came to mind. I still can't decide what I want to do.

I know that I don't enjoy sewing. I know that I enjoy doing computer graphics, and design. I know that I enjoy the therapy of handcrafting jewelry and even crocheting. I wanted to teach. I really wanted to teach, but I think that ship has sailed. I'm getting very close to retirement age. Maybe I can teach crafts at my retirement home in a few years.

I had quite a lot of things to complete for my flower jewelry business. One was a new business card that reflects my new product and my new website. I also wanted the address on the card to be my new website, which is linked to my Artfire shop. I really needed some, because I was almost out of cards.

When I woke up this morning I read my email and found a deal I could not pass up, so I had to throw together a card quickly. I was waiting for my new logo, but realized that it wasn't really suited for the business card. It will be on my website and brochure though. I decided to make the card reflect my website and the brochure I'm working on.

I'm very pleased with it and only hope that it turns out nice. I'm not sure how the photographic image will turn out, but the altered photo worked well on my last card.

Another thing checked off my list of things to accomplish in four months.  

March 4, 2012

My head is really spinning with all the work I'm doing. I had to spend the whole day today at a friends baby shower, but all the time I'm thinking of what I have to design and what I need to do for my flower business.

As soon as I'm done with the designs and can take a breather, I'm going to review everything I need to get ready, and look at all I've done. I'm hoping I'm pretty close to completion for my flower jewelry wholesaling. I know I have packing to complete and my brochures and of course samples. But I'm doing pretty well so far. I also need to look at blogs and websites that I can contact for promotion.

I really need to spend a bit of time on my design portfolio. I've been fairly successful with that, so I think I need to make some more contacts. I just need more hours in the day.  

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 21, 2012

Today I felt better than I have in over two weeks. I only had to take some pain meds once in the morning. I rarely ever take any meds, just my supplements. I've been taking acetaminophen four times a day for over a week. So not like me.

Even though I felt little pain, I guess I'm still shaky. I've been dropping and spilling things all day. Starting with an egg that I miraculously caught after it slipped out of my hand and flew up after bouncing off my hand. It was funny.

Then the sewing machine would just not work right, and when I finally got it to stitch right, I ran out of bobbin thread. Really, three times with three different colors on three orders. After one order was finished I noticed a stain on the vintage fabric. I got it out, but not easy on a finished piece and not necessarily something I wanted to deal with. A few things to be made, should have taken very little time and with cutting ended up taking about 4 hours. And I never even got packaging done yet.

I keep my onions, apples and oranges on hooks on the wall. Just easier that way. The onion bag fell on the floor near the litter box in the dustpan. Gross! Now I have to wash them all and peel them and store them in the fridge. I just realized it was probably because it was on the same hook as the rolling pin my daughter used to make the beignets today.

Finally I went in the kitchen to clean up and put the last of the food away. Huge pot of rice, plenty for another meal, so I put in in a bowl covered with foil. It was like the thing was made of rubber. I put it in it bounced out on the floor. Dumped over and all the rice fell out.

I even had to take a break writing this, because one of the cats dumped a full glass of water all over the table and floor, and the paper masks my grandson made for Mardi Gras so that the black marker ran all over the table.

I did have two very wonderful things happen though. I became a Top Seller on eBay today. I don't even know how that happened, but I'll take the discount that goes with it.

I also wrapped up my website enough that I feel proud to post it. akacinders.com I don't have a shop on it yet, but there are lots of links to my Artfire shop. I'm still not throwing in the towel yet.

February 11, 2012 - Progress Report

I have been sick and sitting around all week so today I had to catch up on Housework. ALL DAY. I didn't really do anything other than sprucing up my other blog today and doing a little promoting.

I thought tonight might be a good time to check my progress. I'm going to let you know how I did. I made a spreadsheet with completion dates for projects and lets see how good I did.

Weight loss is a miserable minus. I've lost some, but no where near what I wanted to loose.

I did complete, photograph and list Bangle bracelets. But I still have many new things to make, like rings, bouquets and baby photo props. But my deadline for those hasn't passed yet.

I wanted to have my Logo finished by January 31^st and it's almost done, but I can't decide if I need changes or not. It should be soon, because I need it to finish my new business cards, packaging and brochure.

I have almost finished my website. It was so much more complicated than I thought it would be. But I'm very happy with it now. Just a few more touches and I'll start promoting it.

I have 3 more days to master my CAD program and I haven't even started. I'd better get on that. I might be able to use it for my flower designs too. I really like to draw on CAD, I'm just not familiar with the program I have.

I have my Design Portfolio half finished and that is not due until March 1 so I'm pretty good there.

I've also made some contacts and discussed the possibility of working freelance in the lighting industry again.

I have made some progress in the past five weeks. I hope there will be a lot more to come.