Summer in Arizona

Oh my gosh, I didn't realize that it has been so long since I have posted. It looks like I was the last one to post anyway. :(
It is summer and it is HOT here in Arizona. We have already had our first 118 degree day, we have had 2 giant habubs. We haven't had much rain though. Wish we would get more here in the valley.
Business has been slow. Either because of the summer or the economy. Don't get me started on that....
School will be back in session soon and I have picked up some work with back to school items like back packs and lunch bags. There are sure some cute ones out there.
I have a new line of tote bags coming out soon. I find more and more people trying to be "green" (I prefer "Blue" since we ARE the blue planet" ;)  I use tote bags for the grocery store or a quick run into Costco or Sams. I always have them in the car. Will have them on Etsy and Craigs list soon.
As always I am so Thankful to know the awesome women of SuperWAHMz.com.
Well, take care, have a great summer........ until next time. :)

Etsy

Well, I finally got around to posting on my Etsy page.
Business is slow but finding time when you are a home/mom based business is hard to do sometimes.
There always seems to be something to do and no time to do it.
At this time I don't have embroidered items on Etsy.
Instead I chose to post some of the NEW stock I have left over from custom embroidery jobs
that I did and over ordered.
These blanks are perfect for embellishment.
They will make great gifts for birthdays or Christmas.
Since it is Thursday and I usually post on Thankful Thursday let me say now that I am
so thankful to have known the women of SuperWAHMz for so many year. You are awesome.
I am Blessed for sure to have you in my life.

21st Century :)

Here I come, kicking and screaming, into the 21st Century LOLOL
I need to work on my website.
I think it is about time I learn how to do that myself and
maybe take a class or two on search engines and how they work.
I need to learn how to blog more efficiently and
I need to learn how to tweet LOL
OH.... and I need to make a newsletter.
Not much to learn there. Maybe I CAN teach this OLD dog some new tricks.
I think I might be looking forward to the challenge.

To keep my business or not to keep my business

That seems to be the question I am asking myself these days.

Are any of you asking yourself that same question? Times are tough, nothing any of us don't know. My industry seems to be suffering maybe more than some. The first thing to go for a business is the little extras and embroidery seems to be one of those little extras. Even the local sports teams are having to cut back.

I totally understand but it does beg the question.... can D's stay in business another year. That is a question I never though I would ask myself, especially after 17 1/2 years.

In the back of my mind I continue to ponder opening a different type of business. I think I will always own my own business. I think it is in my blood. Just trying to figure out what that business might be keeps my mind turning.

Hope all is well with everyone. I miss the chatter.

You CAN Own a Million Dollar Business!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Dogs Rule

Here at D's we have added a FUN new item to our Family FUN Wear line of great embroidered gifts.
We believe that Dogs are family too and we thought that you might like to proudly display your pooches name on a colorful tote. Of course we all love cats too so keep an eye out for our new Cats Rule items, coming soon. I am looking forward to adding more Dogs Rule items as time goes by.
Since this is Thankful Thursday let me see if I can find something to be thankful for.....hhhmmmmm lets see....... LOLOL as if I can't find a ton of things to be thankful for. :)
Today though I think I will say I am thankful for my health. Although fighting my weight, all in all my health is pretty good. I have work, I am thankful for that. I have an awesome husband and I am super thankful for that. I have awesome kids and grandkids. Oh my gosh, who could ask for more. AND, let me not forget my SuperWAHMz friends. They are THE best. I have some pretty awesome non wahmz friends also. I am so thankful for friends. Life is just good. :)

I Don't Like Ike, Day 5

Day 5. Still no power. Stores are opening and the gas lines are getting to be less than ridiculous. My husband, Shane ventured out early this morning and found another cooler. I was relieved. It's hard to keep that much food cold when there is no room in the cooler for ice.

The "boys" (our employees) are coming over today to clean the backyard. They need money and it's the only work we can give them right now. We call them boys because we are old enough to be their parents. Boy, does that make me feel old. None of the boys have running water at their houses, so they will all take showers here.

A dear friend came over yesterday to fill up water jugs and take a shower.

I am running out of busy work to do. Today I am going to tackle decluttering my office. It's a big chore and a little difficult to do without power. Not only is it full of work stuff, old trade magazines, etc., I also have a huge section of Girl Scout related stuff that needs to be boxed up and moved to our new meeting location. I'll give it my best WAHM effort.

My neighbor bought a generator yesterday that is big enough to run the wash machine. She said I could wash a load of towels today. Thank goodness. A shower is wonderful but what's the point if you have to dry yourself with a stinky towel?

The other two major chores that need tackling are decluttering my closet and my daughter's closet. Those might wait until tomorrow. My office is a doozy.

Yesterday, my daughter and I ventured out to find ice. I had to visit two PODs. Found it at the second POD. FEMA really is doing a remarkable job with the PODs. Lots of city employees, fire department and police were working the distribution lines. KUDOs to FEMA and the City of Conroe!

Anyway, on our adventure we saw a caravan of 15 work trucks with backhoes and other heavy equipment from Georgia. We also saw a caravan of electric company trucks (bucket trucks) parked on the side of the road just a mile from our house! There are electric trucks from as far away as Canada here working to restore power! It's wonderful! I can't wait!

I can't log onto the internet in the afternoons. It's too much of a power drain on the neighbors generator. So, until tomorrow morning... This is Kandas the SuperWAHM, reporting in from Hurricane Ike Central. :)

I Don't Like Ike, Part 2

Well, this is day 4 after Ike. I thought it might be fun to learn what a WAHM does after a hurricane. Currently, we have water and gas but no electricity. Phone and DSL work. I am running my PC off the next door neighbor's generator. But, I only have a few minutes more before I need to shut down.

Yesterday (Day 3) went like this:

Woke Up. Ate defrosted frozen pastries.

Threw some undergarments in the bathtub with some liquid detergent. Stomped around in the tub for a few minutes. Rinsed out the garments. Rigged up a clothes line using my husband's weight set on the backporch and hung the garments on hangers to dry.

Hooked up the generator line to the laptop and read some email. Could not respond to messages for some reason. Also posted to our business blog and website that we'd be without power for up to 4 weeks.

Washed the pots from last nights grilled spaghetti dinner. Yes, we made spaghetti on the gas grill.

Made cheese sandwiches for lunch.

Cleaned out the fridge and freezer. Threw out over $100 worth of food. Fridge sparkles.

Garbage truck picked up. Thank goodness.

Mailman delivered someone else's mail to us.

Entertained 6 neighborhood kids with sidewalk chalk and a parachute.

Filed a couple months worth of vendor bills and correspondence.

Raked the front yard.

Swept the living room rug and floors.

Cleaned out some of the garage.

Went to neighbors house for hamburgers.

Slept like a log. Exhausted.

Day 4 agenda:

Email and Blog Posts
More in the garage.
File Customer Correspondence and Invoices
Clean out the pantry
Watch neighbor's kids
Drive to POD to pick up MRE's (look that one up on the internet)
Grill chicken for dinner with the neighbors

No school all week. So entertaining the kids is high on the priority list.

Hopefully, I can post more tomorrow!

Resume?

OK, I need a resume. I have owned and operated D's Stitcheree for 16 years. I know there must be something good I can put in a resume other than I am a SWAHM. I love being a SWAHM but find that I may now have to seek outside employment, at least for a little while. hhhmmmmm how does one compete with much younger workers when she has been at home for 16 years and does not have a formal education. Went to college 26 years ago. Do I go back to school at 56, hubby says no, I would never recoop the cost because employers would rather hire younger workers. I LOVE being a SWAHM and this will probably be mute in another month when my business picks up, BUT, for the time being this is an interesting predicament I find myself in.

Me & Angie - best buds

This quote came to me through my Google Alert for "wahm." I just had to share it...make sure you don't have a mouthful of, well, anything. Ready?

"Angelina Jolie really has a lot in common with the average WAHM, which means Work at Home Mom. They both have to figure out how to manage their time, household, and families while looking pretty."

You have GOT to be kidding me. A multi million dollar actress has something in common with me? There ain't no way our lives are even remotely similar. Sorry, I don't buy that. There is no way she works as hard as I do and makes as little money.

And since when does she work at home? I don't think a movie set in some far-off place constitutes home.

And the last part of this quote, "while looking pretty." Uh...apparently the author here has not worked at home long. Or has a whole different idea of it. While I get up and shower every morning, brush my teeth and fix my hair, I sure don't go out of my way to look pretty while working at home. Really, for who? The dogs?

Anyway, this just amused the heck out of me, so I posted it. What do the rest of you wahm's think about it?

Here's the whole Google Alert......I'll give credit where credit is due.

Angelina Jolie is the Perfect WAHM, now what does that mean? Angelina Jolie really has a lot in common with the average WAHM, which means Work at Home Mom. They both have to figure out how to manage their time, household, and families while looking pretty. Debbie Cluff went from a simple SAHM (stay at home mom) to a WAHM and has ideas on how to market the at home phenonmenon. Go to powerstrategies.tv for the entire article. Links for Learning: Online Coaching - http://linksforlearning.wordpress.com

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day to all you wahm's and wahd's out there. One of the hardest things to do if you work at home is to take some time off. Really take some time off. Work is always there and it is easy to say I'm just going to do this little bit.

But sometimes you need the break to recharge and refocus. So, this is our holiday, we labor at home, take the day off, relax and enjoy yourself! (I'm going to try to take my own advice : ) And it will be back to work tomorrow.

Guilt

I run my own business. And it is labor intensive and requires a lot of my time. I not only make and paint my piggy banks, I maintain my website, process my orders, print my business cards and do the packing and shipping.

Some of it is hands on product creation, and some of it is the office/paper work. I am falling behind on the office work. Especially the website maintenance. Why? I know how to do it. It just takes some time.

I am falling behind because I feel guilty sitting here at the computer working. If I am at the computer, I am not painting. Or physically completing something. My priorities are to get the piggy banks painted and shipped. However, if I don't get the website updated, I won't get the new products selling.

But I feel guilty working at the computer in the evening, so either I keep painting, or I don't work in the evening. And during the day I paint, because I feel guilty sitting at the computer. Like I am neglecting the piggy banks. Argh.

What I am trying to say is, it is tough being a wahm. You have to make time for everything. All parts of your business....whether it seems like you are physically accomplishing something or not. And don't forget your family. They're the reason you are working at home in the first place.

When does the merry go round stop?

I feel like it's been going around and around forever...and I HATE merry go rounds! I can't even watch my kids playing on one at a the park and the "real" ones w/ the horses I can't even THINK about them without getting a little queezy (how do you spell that anyway?).

Apparently, for a WAHM, it never stops! Jill mentioned yesterday learning new tricks. As a WAHM, we learn new tricks every day - we HAVE to. When you're a one woman business, there isn't any delegating. For some things I pay folks that know what they are doing. Other times, if the budget is tight, you have to "figure it out". That isn't necessarily a bad thing. On Monday I found out I needed an ad banner by Tuesday at 10am - YIKES! I don't have one, don't know how to make one, don't have the money to pay someone to do it right now.

So, after asking for help and waiting for replies, I said to myself "wait a minute - I have an idea!" Instead of re-inventing the wheel, I've learned to use what I have. Sometimes you don't have to make something totally new, you have the pieces, you just have to put them together differently. It worked like a charm.

I had spent lots of money on the photography and packaging for my Comfy Cozy pillowcases.
James Applebaum at Electric Bluefish Productions created the inserts using images from a photo shoot with Jeff Blumberg at PictureTHIS! Photography. So, my "lightbulb moment" came just when I thought I'd have to cancel the ad - use the insert! A few text modifications for the ad and help from James in formatting it and "ta-da" - banner ad for MomFinds.com was ready to go.

Sometimes we have to take a deep breath and for me, that can be hard sometimes. I'm always 3 steps ahead of myself and am learning the trick of stepping BACK to look at a situation before I jump in. Usually, things work themselves out and I can avoid adding any stress and anxiety to my life:)

My merry go round is still spinning. Another day, another ride! Hopefully with this ad, it will mean another dollar or two!! Today I'm hoping I don't have to learn any new tricks. I'll leave that up to our beagle puppy LOL

Happy Mommy Moments

This is my nephew. I am posting it because, to quote Lynn, "I can"! This little video is a good enough reason for me to work at home.

Beautiful Music

You know, some days I just don't want to listen to Country Music or Rock & Roll, some days I am just in the mood to listen to nice quiet beautiful music. As I am working on the computer just now I am listening to the music from Somewhere in Time. Oh my gosh, the music is sooooooooo beautiful. The music is from "Rhapsody" on a Theme from Paganini Opera 43. What ever, it is just absolutely beautiful music to me. I also LOVED the movie. What an awesome love story.
Just so you know. I am working also. I have my embroidery machine working on a new baby design for bath towels and bibs and I am updating my website.
So..... do you love to listen to music when you work and if you do, what kind of music do you like to listen to. If you are like me at all you like a wide variety of music and it just depends on your mood as to what you listen to on any given day. :)
Enjoy life. It is much too short. In fact, if life is gonna be so short, eat dessert first :) LOLOLOLOL
Oh, and since this is Thankful Thursday, today I have to once again say that I am so thankful for my girlfriends. I am so blessed by each one of them.

Retirement

Oh, if I only knew then what I know now.
I have owned D's Stitcheree for 16 years now but did I plan for retirement?? Not really.
I do have a small IRA but today that wont last long. As a small work at home business there has not always been enough money to even consider putting any of it into a savings. I would like to encourage you to rethink this if you are in the same situation that I have been in. I was too busy raising kids and paying the bills to even think of saving. Now, if I could do it over, I would put a dollar or two away a week. I know that isn't much but over the 16 years I have owned D's, just think of the savings I would have had. I could have bought Savings Bonds or put the money into my SEP IRA. I am 56 and I am going to start doing just that. I know I don't have as long as some of you do but starting somewhere is better than not starting at all. I hope you will start something new today.

WAHM Works!

I love Wednesdays! It's quiet again in my office. My boys are happy to be playing at a friends, it all works out for everyone.

Today I'm hoping to finish up the massive problems I had with my website and the server switch. I don't think I ever came back on to update the situation, let's just say that I have had to re-create EVERY thing I had done to my site for at least a month or 2. UGH - doesn't begin to cover it. For some reason the back-up file of my site couldn't be recovered and what ended up was an old version of my site. Don't understand, don't want to. Just know that you should keep a back up version of your site on YOUR hard drive. I trust no one anymore. It's been very frustrating because as a WAHM, time is already at a premium and who has time to do anything twice! I've looked at the bright side though and while updating virtually every item on my page, made some keyword changes and new images for the pillowcases and calendars that hopefully will make a difference to sales.

I've got to get some orders out as well, so better get to it.

Stressed = dessertS

Stress is a very real part of a wahm's everyday life. There may be orders to fill, phone calls to make, deadlines to meet....all on top of taking care of a family and home. It is important to learn how to deal with stress.

Although I am not one, really, to talk about it. Or offer advice. Stress stresses me out. I get irritable and moody, and generally just want to be left alone until I do what I have to do.

My other way of dealing with stress is eating : ( Sweets in particular. Desserts does equal stressed backwards, you know. Or vice versa.

How do you deal with stress? The stress of working at home. The stress of raising kids. The stress of trying to do it all. There has got to be a better way than eating your way out of it.....

Guest Article: The 10 Crucial Differences Between Being a Small Business Owner and an Inspired Entrepreneur

By Nick Williams

When I was stuck in the corporate world many years ago, I dreamed of escape to the freedom of running my own small business. Eventually I plucked up the courage to leave and started my own small business, with the goal of training and inspiring people. In order to run my business, I taught myself how to do VAT, keep my books, do my accounts and keep stock of products. While I was free of the pressures of a boss and organisational structures and politics, but I still didn’t feel very free and I even felt a little disappointed. I felt a slave to my business, and had left the corporate world to work for love, but seemed to end up working for money, and working for my business, rather than my business working for me.

Today I see there is a big difference between the small business owner that I was then, and the inspired entrepreneur I have become today. I realise I had the heart and soul of an inspired entrepreneurs, but was trying to squeeze myself into the straightjacket of being a small business owner. Below I am sharing what I have identified as being the ten main differences between being a small business owner and an inspired entrepreneur.

Difference one - Inspired entrepreneurs follow their inner calling.

Inspired entrepreneurs have found the work they were born for, and are following their particular and unique calling. There is a great fit between what they do and who they are, and feel they are constantly drawn forward to become the person they were born to be.

Difference two - Inspired entrepreneurs create a business that supports their own talents, passions and lifestyle.

Inspired entrepreneurs create businesses that supports them and their lifestyle and don’t sacrifice their lifestyle to their businesses. Many small business owners sacrifice their own needs in order to be successful. Inspired entrepreneurs know their business can be a vehicle for discovering and expressing their own unique gifts and talents.

Difference three - Inspired entrepreneurs have a higher purpose than just making money.

Inspired entrepreneurs love making money and are very willing to make money, but that is not the sole purpose of their business. They didn’t set up a business to become an expert on tax and bookkeeping. Inspired entrepreneurs are motivated to create and contribute and that much of the conventional stuff needs to be done well, but is for the maintenance of the business, but not the purpose of the business.

Difference four - Inspired entrepreneurs are always evolving their business.

Inspired entrepreneurs love working on their business as well loving to work in their business. Small business owners tend just to work in their business, doing what needs doing to make the business work. Inspired entrepreneurs intrinsically love what they do, but also love stepping back and thinking creatively about their business, how it can be more fun, inspiring, profitable and effective.

Difference five- Inspired entrepreneurs love growing themselves.

Inspired entrepreneurs love learning and growing themselves through running their business. They know that running their own business is the best personal growth seminar on the planet, becoming a mirror to highlight both their strengths and their weaknesses. They are curious about what they can become and love discovering what they capable of. They are less interested in being competitive and more interested in realising their own potential.

Difference six - Inspired entrepreneurs are fuelled by inspiration rather than motivation.

Motivation is often about getting pumped up by some external force, whilst inspiration is about being lit by a fire within that can burn forever. Inspired entrepreneurs don’t need to pumped up, but they know they need to regularly kindle and rekindle their flame of inspiration, by going to their own wells of inspiration and inspiring themselves.

Difference seven - Inspired entrepreneurs love understanding how they find and attract their ideal clients.

Inspired entrepreneurs are endlessly curious about how to attract and serve their clients better. They love serving and contributing, and believe that what they do makes a difference. They enjoy getting the word out about what they do, and getting people to act, but only in ways that are grounded in honesty and integrity. They are willing to give up being anonymous.

Difference eight - Inspired entrepreneurs work in inspired, smart and strategic ways.

Inspired entrepreneurs know that hard work alone is no guarantee of success. They don’t confuse being busy with being strategic. They have shed the prevailing belief of the protestant work ethic and know that success doesn’t come from pain, struggle and sacrifice, but instead know it comes from brilliant ideas, well implemented. They know that “time out” to generate new ideas and think strategically is often more valuable than another hour at their desk.

Difference nine - Inspired entrepreneurs navigate their life by using joy as their compass.

Small businesses tend to be more mechanical and repetitive, whilst inspired entrepreneurs navigate their business and life through a sense of joy, inspiration and aliveness. They also have a sense of destiny and rightness about what they do, knowing that their particular talents are being used to the maximum and that they and their business evolve through a sense of ongoing revelation about their next steps. They hate being bored and are always asking, “How can I inspire myself next?”

Difference ten - Inspired entrepreneurs value their heart and their thinking.

Inspired entrepreneurs know that they bring the love and the money together by marrying their inspired heart together with their brilliant entrepreneurial thinking. They become potent by using one to support the other and not have them be enemies. They use great business strategies to support their inspired ideas.

So start inspiring yourself and setting your sights higher by become an inspired entrepreneur rather than a small business owner. It is one of the best ways on the planet of being happy, inspired and fulfilled, and making the contribution you were born to make.

Nick has created a free 8 part transformational e-course “Secrets of an Inspired Entrepreneur” (value £79.99) You can sign up now by going to www.inspired-entrepreneur.com right now.

Nick Williams is one of the world’s experts on inspiration at work and is passionate about helping create a new kind of entrepreneur. He is the best selling author of five books including The Work We Were Born To Do.

Guest Article: 4 Dynamic Marketing Tactics

Copyright 2005 Bob Leduc
http://BobLeduc.com

Some of the simplest marketing tactics often produce the most profitable results. Here are 4 examples that have proven highly effective for any business.

1. Focus on Your Best Prospects

Imagine how profitable your business would be if more of your new customers were like the best customers you have now. Here’s how you can make that happen…

Take some time to analyze your current customers to determine what key traits they share - and why those traits make them ideal customers for you. Then revise your sales message to appeal specifically to them.

This will increase both the number of new sales you get and the profitability of each new customer.

2. Pile on the Benefits

Customers usually buy something to save time or to save money. Offer them an opportunity to do both and you will boost your sales. But offer them multiple opportunities to do both and you will cause your sales to soar dramatically.

For example, structure your sales message to stress both the time saving and money saving benefits of your product or service. Then include a discount price offer if they buy before a certain deadline (more money saved). Finally,
figure out how you can deliver all or some of what they are buying immediately (more time saved).

Tip: If you cannot deliver all or part of your product immediately, add something to the purchase that you can deliver immediately. It can be as simple as a series of helpful tips related to your product posted on your web site …but available only to new customers.

3. Make Buying Easy

Make it easy for potential customers to buy from you and more will buy. Look for ways you can make your buying process easier - and faster.

For example, design your selling procedure so prospects do not have to make unnecessary decisions. Every decision they have to make interrupts the buying process …and diverts their attention away from completing the sale.

Tip: Don’t ask for unnecessary information during the ordering process. Instead, follow up after the sale with a personalized “thank you” message - and include a brief request for the information.

4. Follow Up - Again and Again

Selling is not a one step process. Most people do not buy something the first time the see or hear about it. You can salvage many of these potential customers with an effective follow up system.

Your follow up can be as simple as contacting these prospects periodically with a new offer. Or, better yet, follow up periodically with some useful information …and don’t charge them for it. You’ll build a supportive relationship that gains their trust - and eventually the sale.

Tip: Make sure you have a way to get the email addresses of visitors to your web site. You need it to follow up with them. For example, offer them a complimentary special report or other useful information …delivered only by email.

Each of these 4 dynamic marketing tactics provides a simple way for you to boost your sales and profits quickly. They are simple to use, highly effective and require very little if any new expense.

Bob Leduc spent 20 years helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase sales. He just released a New Edition of his manual, How To Build Your Small Business Fast With Simple Postcards …and launched *BizTips from Bob*, a newsletter to help small businesses grow and prosper. You’ll find his low-cost marketing methods at: http://BobLeduc.com or call: 702-658-1707 After 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV