Jet Designs

How to settle in to Working from Home

It has been a while since I last posted on my blog.  It has been a massive couple of months for my whole family.  We have left our retail space to pursue my ultimate dream of working from home.  I am lucky enough to have a wonderful family that has helped me set up a new studio on the front of our residence from which I can sell my supplies and hold my classes.

I am now in my second week of working from home and I have yet to fall into a groove with it all.  The concept seems simple enough but the reality is very different to how I expected.  I have never been at home before (only public holidays and the odd annual leave).  Since I left school and went to Uni I have always worked full time.  The only real time I had off was when Ella was born and I had 6 months at home to care for her before returning to work.

There is so much to be done around my home that I would love to do, but I am also aware that I need to concentrate on my business and develop my ecommerce and classes to a higher level.  I also want to interact more with Ella since I have only been around on the weekends.

I am sure I will fall into the groove soon, it is just a weird concept being here.  Is it the female guilt of making sure the house is tidy before I go off and do my work?  I never thought that would concern me, but it is (big time).

Today I went down to my glass studio and starting work on some beads and then I got the phone call from the school saying that Ella is not well, can you come and pick her up.  Well, this is a first also, she is never sick, and if I had been at the old shop I am not sure of what we would of organised for her.  But I turned off my glassing torch and headed off to school without have to put a sign up anywhere to say "sorry shop closed due to family emergency".

I really think I need a fairly strict routine for housework, family and business.  If you are a work at home Mum let me know how you coped to start with I would appreciate any tips.

This is the outlook from my new studio set up - we look onto the golf course,

Beady Goodness & Off to School

I have been down on the torch for the past couple of nights - since I have moved out of the laundry into the double garage it has made me more productive.  Bigger space = Bigger Mess.

These are few creations that I have produced and listed on etsy over the last week.

 

 

 

This week has also seen my little Ella go to Prep - she has loved every day of it!

And we are off and racing........

Kerri and I are heading to the Ipswich Cup today - we scored some free tickets to one of the sponsor's tents.  We will be treated to food and drinks in the comfort of the Lion Nathan Tent.

We have sold a fair few fascinators and jewellery items to the girls going to the cup, it is a massive social event here in Ipswich.  So we will be on the look out for our handiwork around the track.

Jim is looking after the shop today, and my parents are turning up this afternoon to help celebrate Ella's 4th birthday tomorrow, so this means that I must behave myself today and come home at a reasonable hour and in a reasonable state.

I can't remember that last time I have had a Saturday morning home alone.... it has been too too long.

So here I am alone, about to get dressed and do a quick house clean before Mum and Dad arrive.

I am soooo excited about my girls day out!

Frosty Morning and Frosty Cupcakes

Well I had a busy and very cold morning today - here is Ipswich it was -2 degrees and our first frost of the winter has fallen.  I was up until 10.30pm last night making cupcakes for miss Ella to take to Kindy as she turns 4 this Sunday!

I made the frost topping this morning at 5.30am and when Ella awoke she dunked them into the sprinkles - quite yummy all by themselves so she tells me.

So off to Kindy Daddy and I go with our mother load of nutrition with Ella trailing behind.

I have been twittered!

Yes I too have succumbed to twitter - I really have no idea what I am up to, but what the heck , I will give it a go - so if you would like the follow my crafty ramblings please do so.  I think this may be a better idea than facebook!   Just chat, no quizzes, no games, no hugs and kisses

my twitter site is www.twitter.com/jetdesigns

Can't blog with out a photo - here are a couple of lampwork beads I made and created into beadable gifts - great for that person with everything.  If you are ever after something like this please contact me and I can custom make something for you

The "Unfortunately" meme

Hi - found this great meme on Lara's blog - I thought I would give it a go - if you decide to join in this is what you do.

All you do is google “unfortunately, yourname” and see what comes up!

If you have a go, leave a comment on my blog so that I can check yours out.

Unfortunately Tania and I were a little over anxious in terms of our partying, and decided to get completely wasted the Friday night before

Unfortunately, Tania's story is not unusual, but the spare prose and seeing the world through Tania's eyes will make this book appealing

Unfortunately Tania and I would not likely be present at the place where the victim is killed when the killer strikes

The following weekend we had decided to make use of the weather and go rollerblading along False Creek, here unfortunately, Tania lost control and fell

Unfortunately Tania still had her Swiss Army knife in her purse, though fortunately, once she explained that she was indeed Canadian and not a football fan

Unfortunately, Tania only has one e-mail account registered for her use, that she uses for both her work as well as personal affairs.

Quite weird what comes up!!

Can't blog without a photo - this is the item that I taught in my latest beading class. - Another class on Monday 16th March 1-3pm if you are around Ipswich - I have a couple of spaces left.

Santa delivered a gun slinging fairy

I am not too sure if fairies are usually equipped with guns, but Santa delivered a bubble gun and a fairy costume to Ella and hours of fun was had in the backyard of Grandma's and Granddad's.  Simple pleasures are the best and the bubble gun took over from the brand new bike Santa also delivered and the beautiful doll house that Granddad made for her.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas Day!  Back to the grindstone tomorrow morning - boo hoo

Recycled Windows

I saw a stall holder with revamped shabby chic products on their stand recently - they had a window turned into a framed coat holder

I had a few sash windows lying under my house from a recent renovation.  I have started to turn them into recycled works of art.

I have 5 more windows of vary sizes - some of them I am going to put photos in and one of them is going to have a cork board, as the glass is broken.

The project didn't take long to do - but I did have to go buy a decent staple gun to attach the fabric - as the timber in these windows is well over 100 years old and very hard.

I have some really cool retro fabric to put in the others - I was a bit on the conservative side with the first one.  The Cath Kidson fabric is a bit too prissy for me - I have sort of gone past the shabby chic style, but It was great for the first go - I can always change the fabric when I feel like it!

The porcelain knob is original which is a fantastic feature on the window frame

 

I Yearbooked myself

My friend Maree - posted about this site last week - and I had to give it ago - Jim and I have just been wetting ourselves with laughter - here are the results

Do try it out www.yearbookyourself.com

Oh so funny!!!!

What a Wonderful Day - Warning Huge Post

Jim and I both had the day off today with Ella.  Since yesterday I did the multitude of cleaning, today was a bit of a play day and no housework.  Early this morning I did have to venture down to our shop to have some photos taken as we are doing some local advertising and the paper is going to do an editorial on our shop as well.  That done, I headed home and while Ella was taking her nap I managed to get on the touch and pump out some beads ( Jim was glued to the SciFi Channel on Fox)  When Ella woke we went to do banking and headed to Gloria Jeans Coffee for a milkshake. On the way there is a Bananas in Pajamas ride that Ella was insistent on riding before we went home.

The day was so lovely that I decided to spent the rest of my afternoon starting to spring clean our very neglected garden.  We installed a water tank about 9 months ago, which is great as I never seem to be home or have the time to water when it is our allocated turn.  Ella helped out but before too long she had stripped all her clothes off and enjoyed the weather and the water.  These are the days for her to remember, fancy free and footloose.

Jim cooked a whole chicken on the BBQ rotisserie for dinner ( which was lovely) -- 

My day couldn't get any better but it does. - Jim has to do a wide load tonight at 2 am so he went to bed really early, Ella is in bed, - so I am enjoying my new office/craft/guest room all to myself (selfish me).

I have been sitting on my new sofa finishing off a handbag, listening to K D Lang on my new MacBook Pro laptop (in love with it).

Also photographed some fabric that I bought on Etsy from Fabricworm. It is Heather Bailey - Pop Garden and Bijoux range.  Not sure what I am going to do with them yet - Usually if I leave them at the shop my customers end up buying them from me - so I better have a good think and maybe leave them here at home.

I have also finished a ring that features one of my handmade flower beads - I had one similar that I took to the markets last week and it sold straight away - so this one is also for sale at $20 and will be listed on my website under handcrafted lampwork beads & jewellery and my etsy store

Goodnight - the end