marketing.

my spanking new sparkly "moo" cards. aren't they lovely?

in my multiple daily check-ins on twitter, i came across rena tom's blog - where one of her contributors, tara swiger, posted a thought provoking article on "how to make time for marketing". marketing is something that i constantly struggle with, seeing has how having a full time job, juggling motherhood, and running a household tends to take up a good chunk of my time.  however, my little sideline jewelry making venture is something that i would love to expand and grow, and i know that marketing has a lot to do with it.

the thing that struck me most about ms. swiger's article is the fact that she emphasizes that if you don't have enough business, you have to make time for marketing.  which made me think about what i have been doing that has been effective, and that i can make time to do everyday.  also, making myself accountable to someone (other than the mini or the husband or the new baby) can help keep me on track - i know that for me, putting it out there most of the time keeps me goal focused.  while i am not the best marketing person out there, and this is definitely new territory for me, i can't afford to NOT do it, you know?

off to analyze what i do and how i waste my time... it's going to hurt, i'm sure!  but a great holiday season in sales might just be the reward i can reap...

Read more...

early labour & late pregnancy stress.

as i write this, i am sitting comfortably in one of my dining room chairs, watching Parenthood on demand, listening to the mini talk in her sleep through the monitor.  last week was a totally different story - at this time last saturday, i was uncomfortably ensconced in the triage room of labour and delivery, listening to mcbaby's heartbeat and freaking out a little because it looked like s/he was imminently going to arrive.  over a month early.  to a mother (me) who is not fully prepared.

in the end, my contractions stopped and we headed home and i was able to make it to the end of this week at the office, which was my last!!!!  i cramped and contracted through the week and of course, didn't finish up everything and stressed about it all (still am!). my lovely co-workers also got together and made a beautiful quilt for the baby (see above!) and if the baby had arrived, i would have missed it all.

sitting here in the quiet, i have to admit i am feeling excited, overwhelmed and nervous - but hopefully everything will be okay.  because most of the time, it always is.  right?

Read more...