Connections

We all need to be connected on almost every level in our lives.

Be it business connections or personal ones, you just never know when you will need someone's expertise in your life. That is why I firmly believe that you shouldn't burn any bridges if you can avoid them.

I have found that works especially well in my small business. From working with fellow peers, you just never know when someone will be able to offer their help. Be it simply from sharing your LIVE videos on their own page, to clicking on your "Like" and "Follow" option, no one would succeed without connections.

I've recently discovered such needs from wanting to have my business name adding to an apron I can use for craft shows or even in my LIVE Facebook videos and I discovered it through my husband's cousin who does amazing custom products featuring your logo or in my case just my business name in the font I have chosen to you. She is amazing, quick, professional and her work is top quality. You can find her shop on Etsy and it is QuiltinCin if you want to contact her for your business needs.

The other issue was working on a custom piece for a veteran who was a Silver Star recipient in the Marines. His wife wants a wreath for their Nevada home and she wants something with that honor on it. Let's just say searching high and low on the internet revealed NOTHING.

Nothing on Pinterest.

Nothing in Google's search engine.

Nothing.

No one had ever done one so there was nothing to get any ideas from.

I was simply going to use a star wreath frame and replicate the medal with gold and silver and add a United State Marine sign to it and work with it that way. They truly aren't concerned with the accuracy, but something to commemorate this high honor for his service. Thankfully two people rose to the challenge to help out. You know working with copy rights and trademarks can be tricky, but have discovered if it is going to be used for personal use and not sale, it is fine to make something custom. 

In fact, both ladies offer the high quality products I only want to use in my home decor and wreaths and also why I am sharing them with you. Cindy from QuiltinCin and Jane from Jane's Front Door Decor are two people I trust with 100% of my work. Not only do they work with you, but their products are beyond what you would expect. I've been working with Jane on quite a few of my wreaths and she also has an Etsy store you will definitely want to check out.

I'm always about trying to find ways to help others, through the connections I have made and let me tell you, these two women are amazing and I love to be able to help promote their own small businesses.

So just remember the people you do meet through your social media or just face to face, might just be that one critical connection you need when you find yourself in a challenge. Work hard to make those lasting connections. 

Conforming to New Changes

Change is hard.

I mean at times, it can really be hard.

Pull your hair out, scream at the top of your lungs hard, but none of that changes that change is here.

As a former corporate trainer, I used to teach a class on Adapting to Change, so while it might seem to you that I can probably weather the storm a bit better, I still am human. I still want to pull my hair out and scream at the top of my lungs.

It's like trying to battle back the waves at the beach.

You can try as hard as you can, but you will get no where.

The best thing you can do, is to find ways to accept the new normal. Or sure running and hiding might help for a short time, but sooner or later, you have to come out from where you're hiding and face facts. Change is here.

For my family, this will be a year of changes in almost every area of our lives.

My youngest daughter is getting married before the end of the year. Big change, financially for all of us.

My oldest is moving again and of course, the old landlord is being a bit of a pain, so working through those issues can put a lot of stress on a family.

My husband is now having to travel more, meaning all those things that need to get done, have to wait or I have to hire someone to do it, so it won't be something he has to do on whatever free time he has.

I am moving forward with my small business and still having to manage all the other areas of change as well with everyone else's change. Can you relate?

As a wife and mom, our change doesn't just affect us. Everyone else's change affects us as well. At times, it can feel downright overwhelming. You seriously consider running away from it all, but in the end, it doesn't do anything because everything is still right there when you come back to your senses.

As much as we can try to plan for change, plans can change. People can lose their jobs. Health issues might take a bigger precedence in our lives over the minor ones. And our kids never stop being our kids even though they're married and out on their own.

The one thing I do know is that you can manage. You just need to stay within the borders of today, and stop worrying about tomorrow. Remember, you've heard me tell you before that a tomorrow is never guaranteed. So manage within what you CAN do today. It helps you from feeling like a plane crash survivor and more like you can do this. I believe that is why woman are so good at managing things and being able to multi-task.

Just don't forget to take care of yourself. Even it is just locking the bathroom door for 5 minutes and being completely alone, except for the pounding on the other side of the door, asking if you are in there? Or the paws that reach out under the door.

Everyone seems to want a piece of us.

Just make sure you take care of you. Even Jesus had to walk away from the crowds and pray talking to His Father. It helps us to balance everything else out.

If you feel overwhelmed at this moment, have you prayed about it? Have you prayed that God will give you the strength to face today? Not worry about next week or even tomorrow. Ask God to help you manage the overload of what is happening to you today. I pray that if you do, God will show up and you'll get through it just fine.

You might smell like smoke, but you will survive. Tomorrow is simply another day on the battlefield of life. Get some rest and don't forget to talk to God! 

Super Busy Weekend!

WOW! I don't know how I let Friday slip by without posting, but somehow I managed that. I guess I had way too many things to get done in the time I have in my day. So now I have time, to catch my breath and tell you what's been going on.

Steve finally arrived home, beat tired from his long work week in Cary, North Carolina. He was there from early morning on Monday to late Friday night. In fact, I almost had to fly solo again with my Facebook LIVE but reached out to my awesome neighbor Tammy and she agreed to come sit with me and simply read all my comments. Bonus!!!

We even got a chance to say H and G to Steve as he popped in quick enough to say Hi and Goodbye as he was making his connecting flight from Dallas, Texas on his last leg home Friday night.

My oldest daughter is moving from her rental home in Modesto which is too big for her and her husband, Steven and downsizing a bit to something more affordable and one that the property owner is willing to let them do things like paint and landscape. That is always a plus all the way around because it will make the home more desirable when they move on and increases the value of the home. It also makes it a home worth coming home to for them.

I did manage to make three very different wreaths that are included in this post, the first was what I made during my public group's Friday night LIVE at 5pm which was a Vintage inspired Easter Bunny Blessings wreath which our group voted on, and took me back to the times of The Velveteen Rabbit and Beautrix Potter characters so I could finally find a use for my vintage eggs I found on a shopping trip to Michaels one day.

Next I worked on another vineyard inspired wreath to add to my shop since every single one of the previous 3 variations have SOLD out and this one is more plums and grape colors. It is so fun to make things that truly exemplify what my business is all about. One of a kind creations, unique and using on the highest quality products.

Lastly, my public group challenged me to make something a bit patriotic, so I threw them a curve ball and took a star wreath form I had since the beginning of the year and we made a patriotic themed star wreath. It is nice because the price point is lower, and it has so many multi-purposes besides hanging it on your door or in your home. You can also use it as a centerpiece or candle holder and would even make for a great all-weather piece for a memorial headstone!

I LOVE creating things as I guess God has blessed me to take some of my talents and let loose in the home decor field for now! I just have to remember to thank Him and continue to serve Him and those who watch me to the best of my abilities. You can find all of these wreaths for sale at my Etsy store or simply contact me through my Facebook page Kat's Creations or email at Stevenkat27@gmail.com. I accept all payment types and ship within the US.

Lastly, I received an unexpected recognition for being one of the top 50 blogs for Christian Books today. You can check it out by clicking here. I've been reviewing books since 2009 and this really made my day.

So how did your weekend go?

I Survived!

I did it!!!

Well not without struggles, but I managed my first Facebook LIVE without any assistance from my hubby or my kids. Yet, this girl soloed and came out the other side. Remember when I told you how I was facing my own challenges to see if I could do this in yesterday's post, well I did it. I got through it. I didn't lose my cool despite how badly I may have wanted to pull my hair out when things began to pose a challenge.

Despite all my husbands best attempts to educate me on setting up my lights and how to manage both filming the LIVE and responding to viewer comments, I struggled. I didn't realize that if you wanted to go LIVE in landscape mode, you have to keep your camera in landscape mode before you click the LIVE button. So I managed. I hate to delete my first few minutes and begin again. But isn't that how we really learn, from the mistakes we make?

Next up once I got that figured out, my lap top which I was using to view LIVE comments from my viewers crashed. I could still see the LIVE happening but the comments were no longer showing up. Gotta love technology. So I explained what was happening to my viewers and told them I would be responding to their comments once I finished my tutorial. They were super understanding. They know things are going to be bumpy until you figure things out.

Despite all those issues and spending two hours prior to that LIVE session getting everything set up and prepped, I did it!!! I still need to look into back up options for when things don't run smoothly and until I get some money under my belt and buy an external camera I can control remotely, things like this will happen. Yet I didn't let it stop me. I didn't stay stuck. I didn't give up. I kept on going. Even more amazing is that I won't let it defeat me and I will be making more LIVES alone.

That is the wonderful thing about grace, I got lots of it plus understanding from the 9 people who were watching me. I only hope that I can continue to improve but also be there for them, when theyre ready to take that leap forward. So tomorrow, I go LIVE before a bigger audience, my main Facebook business page, Kat's Creations, which is a public and FREE place to get those great DYI tutorials. Whether things go smoothly or they have their own challenges, I will rise above and perhaps in those struggles I will be helping someone else not give up either.

This is what we made last night in my Paid Private Group and it is for sale in both my Etsy store and also through Facebook or blogging. If you're interested in purchasing this, I accept all payment types and can ship within the US via USPS ground options for an additional fee.

My Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KatsCreations777
My Facebook Business Page: https://www.facebook.com/katscreations777/ 

Lots to do!

I am super excited for the first LIVE video in my private wreath making group. It will be just me and the wonderful ladies who have joined our group. It gives me the opportunity to work with them more intimately, they get to ask more questions while we go through the process to make an adorable spring or Easter Wreath.

This will also be my first time, setting up my video lights and setting the stage without help from my husband who is still traveling. It will be fun to figure things out on a smaller scale before I open thing up on a bigger scale for my public LIVE on Friday at 5pm PST. If you haven't seen my videos, I have included a sample below for you to see what I have been doing in my small business.

I usually have Steve's help setting everything up to ensure it goes smoothly from light set up to working the camera, answering the questions we get and reading everyone's comments so I can simply work on showing people how to make a beautiful wreath.

Until that time tonight, I will be working on how I want tonight's wreath to come together, and get all my supplies cut and ready so when I click on the "Go Live" button, I'm ready to go. It should be interesting. Have any of you, used the "Go Live" option on your Facebook page? If you are operating a small business you are missing out on some FREE marketing through the largest social media outlet there is.

Facebook knows that almost everyone has a smart phone and spends time streaming videos. I mean think about it, if you at the doctor's office waiting, what are you doing? Where do you go? Think of all the people that can be attracted to what you are doing, simply by 'showing' them how to do it. I have grown my business by 200% simply by doing just that. I hope you will join me and my Facebook page at Kat's Creations! I would LOVE to have you come watch what we make each week, that my viewers vote on, so even I won't know until tomorrow night at 5pm when the poll closes. Hope to see you on Friday!

Making Adjustments

Well today is another day.

Another day, missing my hubby as he travels once more for business. I do LOVE to get his phone calls when he is able to make them, and sometimes I wonder if he tries too hard to stay connected to me. I completely understand that he is at work and super busy with so much crammed into his days and nights, but it is the effort he makes to show that he cares. Plus he gets lonely being away from home. So I guess there is adjustments to make on both sides.

Today, I taking a look back at the jobs I LOVED the most in my life and one of them by far is working as a Service Supervisor for LA Cellular back when they were still around and then working as a Corporate Trainer, first for LA Cellular and then for ATT when they were bought out. I LOVE managing people. I guess the best way to describe my management style is to say that I work for those who work under me. I am there to help them move up and to motivate and be their personal cheerleader the whole way, if that is the goal they strive for.

I guess that is why I LOVE using those skills today in my small business to teach those who want to learn how to make wreaths and home decor. I LOVE showing them how they can be successful and that age is simply a number. I work with women and men of all ages. Am I worried that they will take business away from me? I might have initially, but someone called me on it today when I asked people what they were learning from me, and one lady said I had to remember why I started this journey to begin with. That is so true because it is what I would tell first time home school moms. Remember why you chose to homeschool even when you feel like you can't do it anymore!

It is the same rule I applying to my small business. To never forget those you serve. Your customers. For me, those are the people who buy my products and those I am teaching how to do it. Without them, I am just one person making videos and wreaths and collecting them in whatever space I have available. I have my own cheerleading team and that is my amazing supportive hubby. He puts up with my shopping trips, long spent walking aisles simply looking for inspiration for my next project without rushing me to hurry up. The one who offered to spend our 20th anniversary doing our LIVE video to those who tune in to watch us make something, and one we did together. We did go to dinner afterward, but like I told my husband, I now have a video of us spending time together forever! Just one moment in time captured like a priceless treasure it is. It will be something our entire family can watch and has watched.

Life is like that sometimes, requiring us to take a step back and remember why we do what we do. For me, it's about giving back to those who can use a helping hand along the way. To make gifts of their own to give to those they love. I love seeing their stories and the best part of it, is seeing their faces when they add something beautiful to their home, or send it as a special gift. I guess that is why God has called me to this unique place at this time in my life when I am making my own adjustments. No longer teaching home school and planning for my youngest daughter's wedding this year. More adjustments are coming but I have to remember why I am here and what it means to move forward.

Two More Additions

Such a busy weekend.

We had a lot to do in a small amount of time.

Such is the case whenever hubby will be traveling. It's a time to catch up with what needs to be done from laundry to chores so that things are relatively easy if that can be, while he is gone. For me, it was learning how to set up and prep my kitchen for the Facebook LIVES I do, each Friday night at 5pm PST. This week I will be flying solo. It meant I had to learn to set up the lighting, how to program Facebook to begin recording and how to manage my own replies. I usually have Steve do it for me, so it allows me to focus on just teaching people how to do whatever I am teaching that week, without having to stop and read comments. He usually reads them to me and mans the camera.

So that will be interesting to see how my first solo attempt will go.

Poor Steve is scheduled for back to back meetings in his corporate office, which also means that his nights are also occupied with business dinners and whatever else they have him tasked to participate in, so the only time that is truly his is the time when he heads back to the hotel room. Poor guy, not his favorite task in the slightest.

So for me, today involves adding more inventory to my wreath store and working on ideas for this weekends videos. I usually have my Facebook group vote on what they want to see. Yet, I'm still trying to keep it simple, manage my Book Review schedule with about 4 books to review yet, and manage keeping the household going. We have also had really bad windy days which are causing my allergies to kick up.

The pictures above are the two new additions I added to my Etsy shop this weekend, one for Dog Lovers and one for Cat Lovers! If you LOVE to have one, message me or go to my Etsy store at Etsy.com/shop/KatsCreations777 and check out everything that is available. 

So what's going on in your world today?

Valentine's Day Sale!

Just wanted to let my most faithful of readers to know that all my Valentine's Day Wreaths are on sale today! Each of these is handmade, and unique in that I will never replicate the same exact design. That is what I am doing that sets me apart from all the other wreath makers you can find everywhere you look.

I design each piece as I feel led by God to inspire a real love for the use of materials and craftsmanship. Sure you can find handmade wreaths for a whole lot less, but I personally decide not to skimp on materials or quality to ensure that these will last for awhile.

These are the final 2 that I have left in my inventory and each are quite different in their details. You can buy them from me directly by simply contacting me at Stevenkat27@gmail.com or you can go directly to my Etsy page and purchase them there as well. I accept all payment types and offer shipping anywhere in the US based on USPS ground shipping rates.

Getting Schooled

The one thing I have learned since really taking my small business seriously this year, instead of merely making things that people might want to buy, is relearning the business world. What worked for small businesses 5 years ago, no longer works today. This is why you see so many big name brick and mortar stores closing their doors and relying on online sales. This generation of consumers is driven by social media.

This generation of consumers is always on their smart phones and computers. They want to look and shop from the comfort of their own home, so how does one stay competitive in a world where people can shop prices within minutes to find the best deals.

I refuse to give up the notion that customer service and loyalty remains key even though watching LL Bean give up their lifetime warranty on their products so simply given a year or more to make any necessary changes. Why? Well if you read the article, it was part in people shopping their products at garage sales and then asking the company to provide a new product in exchange for the old one, even though they claim the number of opportunities wasn't driven by this claim. I think it has. There will always be those who take advantage of the system to get it to work for them. I mean who would even think to do such a thing right? Yet this generation of consumers is getting smarter and now know how to work the system.

So one needs to be educated on how small business needs to stay afloat in a competitive market, so it is back to school but with those that are successful and willing to pass along their training to you. I have signed up with those small business owners that I can relate to such as Jennifer Allwood, a successful and wonderfully talented entrepreneur that has business classes on such things like using social media to promote your business and why it works so well. She has recently closed her classes temporarily to help those that have signed up and be able to really coach effectively to what works. You simply can't sit on all your social media sites and promote your wares anymore. I mean who wants to follow someone's Facebook or Instagram pages when all they do is be hit with more pictures of what you are selling right?

So it is a slow process for someone like me, but I am learning. I guess the saying that it is never too old to teach an old dog new tricks still applies. Well for this girl, I LOVE learning. I don't think we should ever stop. In fact when I was a corporate trainer for years, the one thing we understood to be successful in the working world is never settle for what you know. Always be learning, and the more you know the more you will provide a valuable asset against someone who is a one trick pony.

Small Business Dreams

WOW! I can't believe how long it has been since I have gotten back to my original blog. So much has happened and change is all around us. I am still reviewing Christian books and family friendly products though I have scaled back quite a bit so I can focus on breathing life into my small business dream. It has always been a dream of mine to find a way to employ my kids and hopefully give them a fun job to do and that of course is still in the works. But hopefully in time, God allowing and according to His will and timing that will come to pass.

However I LOVE to create beautiful things. I mean come on, we serve our Lord and God, who is Creator of everything, so how can we not create? I have LOVED creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere within my own home and have gotten some amazing compliments, but I felt that God wanted me to take that vision further. Now when you watch couples like Chip and Joanna Gaines do just that, you realize that your dreams don't have to stay buried. You can step out in faith each day and do the very next thing until either God stops you or you are continuing on the way, with His blessing.

So that is when I decided to take what I was always doing and broaden my horizons. I began making wreaths in a very competitive market. There are those who make the most beautiful wreaths and have taken the time to share their skills with us that can find them through Google or Pinterest and even Facebook searches. Most will offer those services FREE for a time, and eventually open it up even further if you pay to join their groups. Once you learn the basics you can broaden your business a bit and expand to find your own path and that is what I have been doing.

I decided like most of my viewers on Facebook to take it back to basics and realize how much those foundations are important to share. I absolutely LOVE to encourage, cheer lead, motivate and hopefully inspire those that have become a small group of faithful viewers. But going back to basics is also back to blogging as much as I am creating products to sell or even books and products to review. So if you'd love to take a peek at what I've been doing you can find me on the following social media platforms while I begin to build my own website. I would LOVE to have you follow me on any of them and look forward to chatting with you tomorrow! For now Kat's Creations is the name of my small business that creates beautiful wreaths and decor for your home or office.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katscreations777/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katscreations777/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katscreations777/
Etsy: https://etsy.com/shop/KatsCreations777
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCATiFtRFR9r8zA0srzeZ_kw