Another Milestone

Well I guess you can say there's been a couple of milestones both reached and approaching.

First, my boys graduated high school on the 6th. It was a bittersweet occasion but most of all a joyous moment in time. I know that whatever path they choose in life they will be successful in their own rights. I just love my boys and wish them all the happiness the world has to offer. Okay gotta move on before the tears start to fall again!




The second milestone that's approaching is....I'm about to reach 400 sales on Etsy!!! Woohoo!! I'm just 2 sales away and completely ecstatic! In just over 9 months I will have 300 sales....holy cow! You'll have to excuse all of the exclamation marks but I really am excited about it :) In a market where the jewelry competition is quite fierce, I am thankful and so very appreciative for each and every one of my sales.

My first year was such a struggle (just barely reaching 100 sales), trying to find my niche, and trying to stifle those feelings of wanting to throw in the towel. I don't know why I didn't...but I'm grateful now that I found the strength and the ability to hang in there. It definitely helped having the support of not just my friends and family but fellow Etsians as well!

Here's a little shout out to my bestest Kweenie Toni of ToniDesigns! I will forever be thankful we found each other on Etsy! You have been my pillar of strength on so many occasions and I love our short novel conversations! You're the best and I just love you girl! Kweenie Karma activate!!! LOL :)

To my little Etsy sis...Debora of Beadinbythesea! You can always use me as a sounding board :) Thank you for your support and for the lovely ring that I have yet to take off of my finger. I wish you continued success on Etsy!!

Now I'm off to make a little something for my 400th customer!! Weeeeee

Staying Positive and Being Thankful

At a time where the economy is low, and where money seems to being going out more than it's coming in...it can be difficult to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. For me, I'm being inundated with not only household bills, but upcoming graduation and college tuition costs. I need to line up my boys' Senior photos, plus order their cap and gowns and just those few things are right around $1000 for both of them. For college, I'm looking at close to $75,000 a year combined. And though the thought of all of those expenses can get me spiraling down into a nasty depression I still look at all of the things that I'm thankful to have. Like, the roof over my head, the cars that we drive, the job that I have, my pets, and so many other things, that I really have no right feeling down when there are plenty of others around the world don't even have that.

I was actually just talking to my mom about this...and telling her how thankful I am that I have my home...and how thankful I am that they have enough bedrooms in their house just in case I one day need to live there again! We both had a good laugh at that one, but all joking aside, I do have other resources if things were to go severely sour.

So how does one keep from getting so depressed when their being flooded with everyday bills, etc.? I had someone tell me once, "Why worry what you can't control? You're doing the best that you can and that's all that you can do...so don't sweat the small stuff...be happy in knowing that you are doing the best that you can."

You're probably thinking "easier said than done"! Believe me that's the same thing I was thinking when that friend of mine told me that little tidbit, but if you think about it, it's completely true. Plus I'm a firm believer in "Your thoughts attract" and I've put the latter to the test and it's definitely made me a believer! When I'm completely stressed out about money, it never fails that all of a sudden I get more unexpected bills or expenses...and it just keeps going and going...a vicious cycle so to speak. BUT, the second I say screw it...things will work out (the trick is to really believe it), everything does work out....don't ask me how, they just do.

This is where the verse from the song Tubthumping comes in....

"I get knocked down, but I get up again....never gonna keep me down"

I swear it's my new motto!

Don't get me wrong...from time to time I do wallow in the crap that overwhelms me (my pocketbook) but what I mentioned above helps me put things back into perspective! Walk away from the T.V. when all they're talking about is the down slide of our economy...it'll just depress you more. Instead, spend some time thinking about the things you do have, give yourself a break and stop beating yourself up. At the end of the day, if you can say that you've done the best that you can....then really that's all that you can do! Be happy with it...you'll get through it, we all will!