New knowledge = excitement

It's been ages since I have blogged, a month actually.....terrible.

Lately I have been so busy. Between the kids, and growing demands of my other business Quirky and Quaint, I don't know actually if I am Arthur or Martha. Life is like a washing machine, wishing and washing from one responsibility to the other. From the kids, to maintaining the house, to cooking, to operating Quirking and Quaint, and then knowing desperately I need to start completing the half finished designs for my other baby Tiges and Weince. Ahhhhh I get exhausted thinking about it.

Amongst all of this business, I am still an addict for knowledge. I love to follow those who I know I can learn from. Even though I am not at traditional 'school' anymore so to speak, I still consider myself a student, learning as I go, making mistakes, and thriving with other great decisions.

Can I tell you a secret.....I  love an e-book. Learning and absorbing in my own time is thrilling, and so empowering.

An artist that I TRULY admire is Kelly Rae Roberts. 

Beside her beautiful work, her success over the last few years has blown me away. I have been secret admirer so to speak, watching, looking and reading from a far. She has some amazing e-books and I have finally purchased the one I have had my eye on for a while - The whole shabang.

She is teaches a lot of subjects that I am very interested in like marketing strategies, your goals, teaching opportunities, licensing deals and scanning and printing techniques. It seems to cater to me perfectly right now. There is so much to learn it makes my mind buzz with excitement. This is definitely the perfect tool for me at the moment to sit back and think about where I want to head, how to get there, and the best part being taught some proven skills. Saves time in my eyes.

I look forward to sharing some more about how I am enjoying the over 200 page e-book with you all. I have reached page 45 and so far it's amazing. I love how Kelly is so passionate about following your heart and listening to those internal nudges and emotions you feel when something excites you. She believes you can do anything your heart desires, which is news to my ears as I feel like I am just beginning.

There is a whole lot of love over at Kelly's site, whether her art style is for you or not, her business management, strategies and knowledge can be adapted to any creative business.

I apologise for my absence, but after reading some helpful hints about blogging via Kelly's e-book, I look forward to developing redeveloping my style a bit, and just writing from the heart, what inspires me, and most importantly enjoying it a whole lot more. I love blogging, and hate that my posts have kind of dropped off a bit, so I am picking myself up, dusting off, and I'm going to soldier on.

have a great weekend,

Kylie xx

YIKES...I have had a crazy month

I can not believe it has been nearly a month since I have blogged.

It's terrible actually.

I knew it had been a while, & I always think about how I have not posted anything, but sometimes life gets in the way. When I am incredible busy, my poor old blog seems to suffer. Priorities come into place, & the most important tasks must be completed first.

OK I am not going to go on about why I have been literally "Missing in Action", but my business journey has been a tremendously positive one & I had to get some things organised.

I know you all know that I have another business, Quirky and Quaint.

For those who don't, it's a party plan business where I sell predominantly children's homewears & accessories, sprinkled in with some lovely items for mum.

Fortunately I have had 3 lovely gorgeous girls join the business to sell the brand. These lovely girls have literally turned my world upside down. I have had to work in such a new way. All of a sudden, I have girls to organise & support, make sure their job is as smooth running as possible, as well as paying them for their extraordinary efforts. It has been quite challenging to say the least, yet so exciting. I have had to hire some ladies to help me restructure the business, & mentor me along the way. They have been such huge resources, & brilliant at what they do. They have a lot more experience than I do in the direct sales business (35 years), hence why their knowledge & wisdom I am so blown away with.

During this last month I have had to have agreements & manuals created, new brands included into the business, researching trade marks, as well as creating my very own catalogue. Just getting that organised for printer has been crazy, learning what graphic artists & printers need has been stress in itself.

Doing all this around the kids has been quite impossible, & I have finally popped them into occasional care one day a week. Having 5hrs alone is amazing & I get all the hard stuff done, well the jobs that need full concentration.

I am getting on top of it, & finally breathing. I haven't created a new design for my Tiges brand which is killing me & I miss it, but I know its time to get back to that....And of course my blog.

I am just so happy that I have finally blogged about something today.

A small & simple pleasure.

Pressure of a busy mum

I don't like making excuses but I have truly missed writing in my blog this year. I have been so blessed that my little business has grown & keeping me very busy and occupied. Unfortunately when I am pressed for time, my writing space gets some terrible neglect. With both the kids home full time leaves me very little time to sit, surf, explore and blog about my passions I love. At At the end of the day I can only do what I can do, & my orders & my lovely customers are very important & I must keep them happy & interested in what I do. Lets face it they keep me at home & employed.

I was only thinking the other day why do women put so much pressure on ourselves. I know all about this as I am the number one offender. Like many of us I am incredibly ambitious, always have been. I like to take on more than I can chew whether it for business, pleasure or family. This is a snippet of my life, which I am positive will be a mirror version to so many other mums.

1. Look after my kids.

They are my number one priority, always will be, but MAN they are hard work.

Keeping them amused

Educating them

Going to the park, & lets be honest I don't always feel like it.

Running errands with them, which is nearly impossible unless they are eating.

Bathing them.

Constantly stopping them from destroying the house, asking them to not jump on that, please don't draw with that, eat over your plate, use 2 hands to hold your drink.....

Bribing them to eat their dinner

Leave each other alone

Don't snatch, hit, tease

2. Keep the house tidy.

Kind of.......I am over worrying about it as soon as I clean it & turn around somehow everything I have put away seems to sneak out again within the hour. My dream house, like in an interior mag will happen when I am an empty nester I have been told. Decades away!!

3. Exercise.

I was a fitness freak pre kids, & this has suffered worst than my blog. My poor body :0( I am a sucker for the "yummy mummy" syndrome. Too many glossy mags & celebrity mums take me on an unrealistic journey. I do realise that they look like they do because the have personal trainers, chefs, and full time nannies to watch the kids. But it doesn't stop me striving for great personal presentation.

4. Cooking.

With all of this Master Chef in my face, a bit of Donna Hay, & Jamie Oliver enticing me with so called ' easy meals' I find myself wasting time trying to damn well 'master' them. I wonder why I try as the kids never eat it anyway. Unfortunately I haven't been blessed with kids who eat 'everything'.

5. Getting enough sleep.

I work at night, & a bit when I can during the day when my youngest sleeps. When I go to bed depends on when I have finished what needs to be done. When I wake I have no control over it, as it all depends on when the little people's eye open & start demanding my attention. I wish I has a dollar for every time my mum told me, "You don't get enough sleep, you know it's not good to be burning the candle at both ends". Unfortunately at the moment it doesn't work that way.

6. Seeing my friends

A lot of my closest friends still don't have kids so going to dinner has become a challenge. That's OK though they get it, so we catch up every 6 weeks or so, & I go alone. the biggest positive of this is all of the new friends I have my lately, I feel so blessed. A lot of them from the handmade market scene. And a bunch of women I have Hudson to thank for this, as they have come into my world through activities for him. I have the best mothers group, great friends at his soccer class.

7. Guilt

Oh the guilt.........Not being able to do it all. I don't dwell on this as much anymore as I have come to realise I am only human & not a machine. I am doing the best I can with the hours I have, & the circumstances I am in, & I guess sometimes something have to give a little.

So this is my little list, I am sure it's very similar to yours :0)