Say What Wednesday.... Foot Cardigan

So originally I was going to have Wednesdays be Wordlesss Wednesday but that just seems boring to me since I like no scratch that.... Love to talk! So this is my very first Say What Wednesday which will feature products that I love or can't live without! For our debut, I am featuring Foot Cardigan. 

I first saw Foot Cardigan on a rerun of Shark Tank one night and it caught both Danyella's eye and my own because we LOVE funky socks! Think of Pippi Longstocking and Punky Brewster and that's our mismatched, funky socks! The funnier or more outrageous the better!

So after one of the Sharks made a deal, we immediately opened my iPad and checked out their website. For $12 (with shipping) a month, I could get funky surprise socks each month.... say What?! I ordered a subscription for myself and for Danyella. For Danyella's socks, I opted for the gift wrap for $2 more.  Plus for a bonus there was a code for a free pair of socks so Score a Win for ME!

Danyella received her pair first which came in a pack of 2 and gift wrapped with a picture colored by a kid. As a mom, I thought this was an awesome idea. The next day my socks came. The socks were in funky patterns and thick which I like. The only problem was that only one pair came in my package so I emailed Customer Service. I found out that the kids socks all come in packs of 2 which is even better for the money and our free pairs would come sometime in January when there new line comes out. 

I now have 3 funky pairs of socks so far and a shipping notification for my February pair is on its way. The customer service is super nice and speedy in their responses (I ended up screwing up my subscription and only Danyella's socks came in January so they fixed it and sent a new pair ASAP to me). If you love socks or looking for a different gift to give for a birthday head to footcardigan.com  right now!! 

         This is the pair I received yesterday!

Walking into a Wall

"I love it when I go to the doctor's office and they tell me how I need to lower my stress level.... I am a single mom so there is no lowering my stress level right now." 

This has been the mind set I have had since my daughter was a baby and I went to the doctor for anxiety and depression. Here I was raising this baby who from the time she was born was awake every 2-3 hours until she was about 4 years old. As a toddler, all she wanted was Mommy to comfort her like when she was a baby and even going on 9 she does this on occasion still. 

I thought that as she would get older things aka life would get easier but it hasn't at all. If anything things became more stressful because instead of paying for diapers and formula now I was paying for dance lessons, recital fees, new dance shoes, clothes that got more expensive and the toys and gadgets that she wants. At 8 years old, I try to teach her the value of the dollar and how money doesn't grow on trees but then she sees her friends get all the things that she doesn't and feel left out which makes me feel like an epic fail of a mother. What parent doesn't want to give their child everything they desire and the memories that they will tell their grandchildren??

This is where I feel like I am walking into a wall because as much as I try to increase my income, it doesn't seem to be enough. I am a creative person at hear and a sales person by nature. I love to create and sell my products along with my other 2 sales business' but the only way I know how to expand requires the one thing I don't have.... a new, reliable car!

Before you go on to give me suggestions... my credit is in the dumps so no leasing a car, no I will not allow someone to co-sign for me and feel burdened to someone else, getting a "job" is outta the question due to not having transportation to get to said "job" and no I don't live in area that provides public transportation (you look out my window and all you see is trees and farmland). 

So there is my wall.... I feel like I cannot further my life the way it is but see no way of getting ahead. On a bright note..... I am grateful for the income that I do have, my loving, loyal customers and the business' that keep me afloat everyday. 

Celebrate Being Single

Valentines Day is all about love and couples so for the single ladies, we can feel very left out. Now it's not that I didn't want a Valentine or a boyfriend but this year I chose to love myself more then be miserable with the wrong person. 

Good ole Facebook reminded me of my poor love choices and the love I lost (aka the bad boy) with the new memories feature which stung for a minute. At least I was strong enough to keep the tears at bay while I scrolled through the good and bad memories like the year I was broken up with on Valentines Day. I'm not sure which is worse being broken up with on Valentine's Day, the day of love or My Birthday, the day to celebrate my life. 

My daughter and mother gave me Valentines candy but it's not enough to wallow in my sorrows of being single on the day of love as I watch everyone else get married or engaged on Valentines Day. Thanks again Facebook! So today I am making an investment into my own happiness and buying the leftover, discounted Valetines candy! Let's celebrate being single by eating chocolate and being merry! 

Expanding my horizons

Since I am unable to crochet like I used to due to my neck injury, I am looking what else I can make. I have lived in the world of crochet hats and scarves for years now and recently was asked to create a baby layette set. After creating this adorable sweater, booty and hat set, I began to think that I would love to expand my crocheting horizons. 

Today I was looking through my collections of crochet patterns that I have collected for the past 9 years (it's quite large!) and found some adorable baby patterns that I am going to begin. I bought Unforgettable yarn after seeing people rave about it but had no idea what to make. This pattern for a baby layette with sweater, hat and blanket set just called my name!  I will need to purchase more yarn but this is going to be super cute! After I'm finished I will be posting this for sale in my shopify store so be on the look out! 

Happy Valentines Day and be creative!

 

Maui, Hawaii

Wordless Wednesday: Maui, Hawaii 

2016 A New Year A New Me

2015 was not a great year for me... Not one of my worst year but not real growth was created in 2015 so I have big plans for 2016! I'm starting a New Year A New Me campaign in my life and my business'. I want to feel like an adult, a woman, a human with feelings again. With everything that has happened to me, I shut off my ability to care, to love, to feel. The consequences to shutting myself off was that I lost most of my friends, lost people I have loved and most of all I lost myself. Most days I have sat in my chair or any chair, feeling as numb to people as my hands do on a daily basis. It's not healthy for my mind or body.

So big changes are in store for 2016! I have been listening to Gretchen Rubin's "The Happiness Project" on audible and have laid out a game plan for 2016. Some months will be harder then others but I want to smile again, to love and be loved, to feel happiness through my body and my life. 

As my poster states: This Year.....

A bad habit I am going to give up is eating snacks late at night or when I am stressed!

A new Skill I would like to learn is how to create professional makeup looks!

A person I hope to be like is the best self I can be!

A good deed I am going to do is continue to volunteer with Soldiers Angels!

A place I would like to visit is Disney World!

A book I would like to read the newest Nicholas Sparks book!

A letter I am going to write is to my children!

A new food I would like to try is jumbalaya!

I am going to do better at paying off my debts!

Now it's your turn whether you comment below or write them down for yourself to see, I encourage each of you to find small ways to better your life in 2016! 

Bah Humbug Club

It's the time of year that people are supposed to feel more love in their heart then any other time of year... So why am I living the spirit of Bah Humbug? As a single mom, I feel more stressed out around Christmas time then ever and it seems to get worse every year. Danyella gets older and wants more things and those things get more expensive. I would love to cancel Christmas gifts and spend the money on the car I need to buy but the rest of my family doesn't agree with my theory of getting back to the true spirit of Christmas. 

Christmas is t supposed to be about what we get but what we give to others. I have tried to instill this as I raise Danyella but the world we live in is all about me me me. All Danyella really cares about is whether Santa is coming to give her the iPod she wants or the doll she wants or the other things on her list. I would rather have her buy gifts for other kids that need clothes or something special for Christmas and get away from the I want, I want, I want attitude. 

With the lack of Christmas spirit makes me not want to do any of our Christmas traditions like watching  Chrsitmas specials.... Doesn't help that TV has ruined how special these movies and shows are by running them on a loop everyday so now it's just another show. I used to love baking Christmas cookies but really could care less about baking them this year. Singing Christmas carols... Bah humbug. Driving around and looking at decorated houses.... Bah humbug. Even buying gifts for yo there... Bah humbug! 

I am not sure anything will change this attitude of mine before Christmas morning but until bedtime on December 25th, I will be putting on the fake smile and pretending (as much as I can act my ass off) that I am enjoying Christmas this year. Who else is joining me in the Bah Humbug club??