Crafting, Cravings and Crazy

Just another day

2011-10-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

Fall is here. Air is cooler and candy corn is in the stores. I swear my body will last forever because I can't stop eating that stuff. It's sooo good and so bad. My tongue gets coated and my jaw hurts from chewing and yet I won't stop until the bag is gone.
I'm a little 'fluffy' right now so I don't know what the Hey wrong with me but I'm hopping that I will wake up and get back on track next week.
thank g-d I sell jeans for Vault Denim (Yes had to get a plug in there) but seriously I need some big girl jeans.....
Here's to next weeks craving being Apples!??

Selling Vault Denim Jeans

2011-08-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

I have become a sales rep for Vault Denim Jeans. I now go to my friends and a their friends and hawk designer denim.
I'm torn between loving this and hating this new job. I love it when the parties go great, when people love the jeans and the sales are great. I hate it when I can't get parties booked or the jeans are not what the customer was looking for.
Basically it's retail.
But the company is great, their support keeps me moving forward.
Now I'm ready for cooler weather and more sales.
Wish me luck, I really want this business to take off because i can do it on my own time and it works well with my crafting.
Now it needs to work well with my shopping!
www.vaultdenim.com/carencohen in case you are curious.

2011-06-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

"http://www.vaultdenim.com/carencohen"
I know have my own website. The question is- will the masses flock to it? Sign up for it, make me rich?
I'm thinking it will take more than just being there.....let the marketing begin!

blogging in an abyss

2010-03-25T18:18:00.001-07:00

I keep trying to think of an interesting theme for my blogs. Should I take a year to grow a business or a plant? Maybe I should build a house or at least keep the house I have upright? I think of all my followers, the movie about me and of course the dollars that would come rolling in.
Then I check and yes still there is not one person in the whole world following my blog and I assume there is no one but me reading this.

the truth is I kinda like it like that. I was the kid that never kept a diary because I was always afraid someone would read it.

I'm not sure how I would feel if i knew there were thousand, ok hundereds ok someone reading about me online.
Twitter I get- a few words I can monitor. Facebook - well that is just fun.
but a blog.
Not sure how I would feel about that.
I've been doing this for a while now. Not often and not consitantly - just when the mood strikes.
I liek it - the slight chance I might get 'caught' with the safe knowledge I probably won't

Me and the family

2009-11-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

Thought you all would like to see me and my family- of course I 'happen' to be wearing a pair of my handpainted jeans and one of my necklaces.....not really I had just come from a show and I always wear my own stuff to shows.

Really who expects perfect?

2009-11-01T18:24:00.000-08:00

Just read an article about alcoholic moms. While I do see the connection and honestly can see how easy it is to slip down that path, their reason's seem so stepford wivesish. The article said the moms started drinking because it was so stressful keeping up with PTA and thier kid's activities and trying to be perfect. The article went on to discuss the increase in 'mom stress' in toady's society and I just thought "What the!?" (yes I am qouting Sponge Bob)

My husband might call bullshit on this one, but really who cares what other moms think. With both kids in public school now, I am full force PTA mom. All I can say is the more involved I get, the more ridiculous it all seems. I can honestly say that I will never be that perfect to be in charge of ten activites and have home made cookies and a clean house, perfect little dinner on the table, kids excelling in all aspects of their lives and .....who really cares.

My house is clean enough, we eat healthy enough, and I do what I can. My seven year is a tough critic and his approval is hard enough to get.

The best part is the other moms who feel the way I do are the cool moms. So not only do I get to let all of that go, but i get to let go hanging out with cool moms and we can have a glass of wine because its 5:00 on a Friday and after a long week we just want one.

Back from the marathon!

2009-10-14T18:04:00.000-07:00

Ran the Chicago Marathon this weekend. Wow what an experience. I've run a smaller marathon and I have to say- there is nothing like a big city event. I believe I smiled for all 26.2 miles.
Now it's back to reality. Sigh...but not really, I had put so many things on hold for 'after the marathon' that it's nice to have it behind me. Now it's time for craft shows and product making.
Sold three more necklaces and here is the email I got from the customer:

"Great--this is perfect because my next sister's birthday is in a couple of weeks. I'll send you a photo of the four of us in the necklaces. We LOVE em!!"

Feedback like that is always nice to hear!

www.dillyjack.etsy.com or www.djbabyclothing.com

So my count is now......165 to go???

Rain, wind, and success!

2009-09-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the Sandy Springs Festival here in Atlanta. It is usually the highlight of my season. Not only is it a good show from a sales perspective, it's a lot of fun! The festival is 5 minutes from my home and I love spending the weekend selling and visiting with friends.
This year started out as wonderfully as all others- and then Mother Nature made her presence known.

It rained, and then it poured, thundered, blowed, crashed and closed the rain or shine festival down!

The next day we returned to a collasped tent and a soggy, but sunny, festival.

It ended up being a great event - but I can't help but wonder what my sales would have been if I hadn't missed 5 hours on Saturday.

Still I am please to report my sales at 30 pieces of dillyjack jewels sold! Only 170 to go...

Have you bought yours? http://www.dillyjack.etsy.com or www.djbabyclothing.com

Gasp...is that the sun??

2009-09-23T10:49:00.001-07:00

Gorgeous sunny day here in Atlanta. After a week of rain, including record flooding, it is simply wonderful to see the sun.
But I have to admit my joy is tempered by the weather reports for the coming weekend.
Rain.
While any rain on a weekend is no fun, this weekend is my big craft show in Sandy Springs. Not only is it miserable to stand outside under a tent in the rain, no one comes to a soggy festival.

So I'm holding out hope that they got it wrong. I don't need gorgeous weather- I just need some Dry weather.

So think of me when you are planning your weekend events, and send a little dry weather my way.

Necklace count is holding at 198 to go.....a rainy weekend is NOT going to help change that.

Almost a week later and it's still raining.

2009-09-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

I was coming to blog about my wonderful news- two necklaces's sold! That makes only 198 to go! And while I am thrilled to be moving forward in my quest to 200 sold, there is really nothing more I can talk about but the rain. It's raining here in Atlanta, it's pouring and honestly I wish I was snoring.
I've seen rainy weather before. But never in my life have I seen anything like this. It has been pouring, thundering and storming for days on end here. Schools are closed, houses are flooding and unfortunately people are getting hurt.
Driving to pick up my children from school I had to take the roads at 5 miles an hour to make sure my mini van made it through the puddles. I live 1/4 a mile from the school!

This rain has us house bound, it has us tired and it has us all feeling blue.

Here I am trying to train for a marathon, create art for a craft fair and get my children ready for their sports. But really here I am watching everything literally wash away.

It's a rainy Wednesday

2009-09-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

Doesn't that say it all. It's not the begining or ending of the week, it's not a holiday and it's not a beautiful fall day, it's just a rainy Wednesday.

It's also day three of my self imposed challenge. And the count stands at.....200 to go. That's right not one sold.

While I am not particularly shocked, I haven't done much to promote in the past two days, I thought I might get one or two 'sympathy sales'. Hey I'm not above people being nice to me because they feel sorry for me!

But I guess I am going to have to work for a living. So just as soon as I can figure out a way to finish every chore I have been putting off for the past 6 months and eat every snack product in the house, I am going to get right to it.

Why is that? Why are we suddenly motivated to clean the grout in the guest bathroom when there is some sort of deadline approaching. Truth is I love making necklaces and since my background is in PR I never mind promoting them. The only time I can't motivate myself to do it is when is HAVE to....is it me? You too?

You know I think I'm going to go ahead an research this. Should only take me what ....(How much time do I have until carpool)

working for a living

2009-09-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

With the economy being what it is, the news reporting bad news and just a general sense of worry, i'm addressing the thought of working for a living.

Now that both kiddos are in school "full time" (and I use that term losely), I have no real reason to not find some kind of part time job.

No real reason except the house, the errands, the food, the, the, the,.....
You get the idea.

So again I have to revisit my jewelry. How do I get it going? My personal challenge is to really give this my all before I say it doesn't work on a large scale.

So here it is I am going to challenge myself to sell 200 flowers between now and christmas.

It's the first working monday of September so it's as good a time as any to start.
I actually have a decent inventory made and some good craft shows coming up. I will give myself permission to count anything sold anyway (craft show, etsy, word of mouth, standing on the side of the road) but I won't count the three that were already ordered but not made.

So today's count is
0

Wish me luck!
http://www.djbabyclothing.com/
http://www.dillyjack.etsy.com/

2009-07-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

So sick of being defined only as Mom.

2009-07-22T09:08:00.001-07:00

I am a mom and very proud of it. I love my children and being with them is truly the highlight of my day. Second only to being with them is being without them. I cherish my alone time crave it almost as much as I crave our together time.

But I am not only a mom I amso many other things. As are so many other Moms. Yet everywhere I look everything is trying to define me as a MOM. Mom bloggers, mom stores, mom jeans, mom restaurants, icky mom shirts with cutesy pictures like a glass of wine and the slogan "mom juice". Funny, yes but do I really want to wear that?

When all this Mom stuff first started I thought it was great. How cool to be thought of as cool because I'm a mom. But please now I am OVER IT!

I want to be defined as a women, a runner, an artist, a homeowner, a car owner, and oh yeah I am also a mom.

Does that make me a bad mom? If I'm still taking care of my kids exactly the same way I would be if I was wearing my Mommy T with my Mommy bumper sticker, drinking my Mommy drink, then no my parenting is not tied to my product placement.

I'm proud for my children to see me as me, not some general female group of moms.

I'm proud to be a Mom. But please don't send me that on a shirt.

Gmail - Inbox (567) - caren.cohen@gmail.com

2009-07-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

http://mail.google.com/mail/#inbox

Cold Cold day

2009-01-15T09:48:00.000-08:00

I am an avid runner. I am not fast or particularly talented but I do like to run, far and often.

But today I realized I don't like to run i the cold-- brrrrr.
Being the spoiled southerner I am I have taken the day off.

There was a time when 30 degrees didn't sound cold.

let me tell you its freezing.

So today i wll catch up on emails, do some PR work and get to painting.

Its amazing that while I will get some business work done, I still can't seem to find the time to get any housework done...hmmmmm

Stay warm-- i'm off to pain some bright sunny flowers!

Thinking of spring (whistfully)

2009-01-12T14:29:00.001-08:00

Having just read the fashion reports for spring I am very excited for this new year. Boho chic is in. Soft flowy fabrics and big bright flowers are every where. While I love the idea of the flowy fabric hiding all my winter weight...its really the flowers I'm fixated on!

With cost cutting everywhere-- it easy to add some of my funky clay flowers to an outfit and have an instant spring hit.

My bright funky designs as the perfect way to take last years wardrobe to this year.

And as always I do custom requests.....

tired

2008-09-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

So what happens when everything happens at once?? Apparently I'm going to find out! DH is off for a boys weekend, the in-laws are in-town for a family reunion and I am having a booth at a festival all weekend! Oh an thrown in two little kids and a football game.

The best thing I can hope for at this point for the weekend to be over, never before have I been so excited for a Monday.

And yet, being busy has its own kind of pleasure. I'm not worried about the kids, I won't have time. I'm not worried about being lonely and I'm not at all stressed about my craft festival. With so much going on it will be what it will be. Hopefully what that will be is a success!

It's summer!!

2008-05-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

whew- I don't know who was more excited for school to end...me or the kids! Between end of the year parties, play dates and sports I was losing it. But summer is here and so far its been great!
This is the first summer that my son is old enough to enjoy it. Now that he has been in school, its stressful- you don't realize how silly pre-school is until you leave it.
We are all enjoying the break from early mornings, school projects etc.

So far we have made it to swim team, the zoo- and the gym....

Now if I could just find someone to give me a summer vacation all would be prefect!
I'm trying to stay sane while my husband tackles a garage re-do. he is wonderful to take this on- but I wish he would just do it. Instead every 5 to 10 minutes I have to go out to the garage and look at what he has done and comment on it.

Yeah-- you put up the shelves.

Between that he asks me where I want things to go- or what kind of space i will need. While I do appreciate him asking, it would be more wonderful if the asking was followed by listening.

He will ask me at least 5 times how I want something and then just do it some random way anyway.

I know my part of the job will be putting everything back together-so i would love to not have to do as much as this part as possible.

The nice thing is when its done I can start my long over due project of cleaning out the house. So maybe by January we will be caught up? ha ha

Going Potty

2008-03-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

No not the kids..Me! I never knew that going to the bathroom would be a rare privilege. And no I don't mean going alone, I mean at all! Suddenly with two very independent kids, its seems next to impossible to get them to go with me to the bathroom.
I can't believe how many times I have been crossing my legs actually begging them to go with me when we are in a public place. Now that D is potty training, or resisting potty training, it worse than ever- 'Let's go potty' is followed by a no no potty- which is then followed by me convincing her that its mommy who has to go, not D.

You either laugh or cry

I have to laugh.

On a good note my website was featured on GoCityKids in their steals and deals section. It has equaled lots of page views and even a few sales! not much, but enough to inspire me to start painting more. I think the break, planned or not, was very needed.

Monday---

2008-03-10T11:09:00.000-07:00

Its just Monday-
Monday's are my one day of the week to get caught up. both the kids are in extended day programs so I have until 3:00 (instead of my usual 2:00) to get things done.
Today what I have accomplished most is sitting.
Sigh
I have this huge guilt for not being more productive, but last week so so busy-- and this week is shaping up the same......it to easy to just sit here.

I think instead of pushing myself harder, I'm going to embrace my inner slug!

On a plus note I received another order for my flower necklaces. It is amazing to me how much pleasure I take in each order. Its just very rewarding to have people actually want something you made.

Another plus note is that the kids actually slept this am-- thank you time change! I swear between DH's snoring and D's getting up before 6:00 am Ihaven't had a decent nights sleep in months.

Ok - here is my last chance to actually accomplish something. See I talk a good game by saying I'm going to forgive my slothfulness, but really I just feel guilty and use up the same amount of time anyway!

Gorgeous weather

2008-03-06T12:33:00.000-08:00

It is beautiful here today! So gone is the plan to leave the kids with my house keeper and run some errands. Instead we are all going to play outside! Organization can wait! Its days like these that I love being a Mom. If I wasn't I'd be stuck inside some office watching people smoke around the courtyard.

Tongiht, I promise (myself) I'll get some work done...

A new day

2008-03-05T11:17:00.001-08:00

What is a blog if its not a private diary set online for the whole world to see! I have resisted for so long, avoiding being true to myself in my blogs. Yet I am the same person who cautiously writes in her diary in case someone every finds it. So in my new spirit of letting go, I've decided to bear my should for the whole entire world.
Of course in doing this I am perfectly aware that in the grand scheme of things no one will ever see this anyway-- but here it is! if I get bold and REALLY want to bear all- I'll link this to my business website (http://www.djbabyclothing) but for now I'll keep this here, hidden under my cyberspace mattress.

Just enjoying the kids

2007-04-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

Today is a rainy cold spring day. Unusual for this time of year. But today has also been a great day. I took D on a sales call with me and she was a dream....for a toddler. We finished early so the two of us went to lunch. While we were sitting there it struck me how rarely I do this with her. With my son we went to lunch all the time, now it seems we are always running from one thing to another. I guess it seems that way, because it's true! So it was nice to have this rare lunch date. Now she is sleeping and her brother is playing and I am trying to get some work done.
It is days like this that I treasure being a mom.

Even years latter---- the pain is still there

2007-03-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

Today I got an email from a friend saying she had a miscarriage. I started to cry. She is not a good friend and I only knew about the pregnancy because I had bumped into her out and about. But the pain she felt is still so familiar. I think you never get over that loss. In my case I was only 6 weeks pregnant when I had my miscarriage, yet the pain is still so real. It is a loss no matter what, for that fact, it's a loss every month when you pee on the stick and watch only one line show up.

The idea of going for number three has drifted into my mind now that my baby girl is getting big, but when I hear news like this I know I can not go through it again. Besides the fact that medically I probably couldn't have a third, the emotional aspect is something I know I can't ever go through again.

Time to go hug the kids.

The very first post

2007-03-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

Ever since I experienced secondary infertility, I have wanted to talk about it. When you are infertile with a child, you find yourself in a truly unique position. It is hard to find compassion from the women who are still waiting for their first child, yet your fellow mommy friends truly don't get what you are going through.

When I found out I wasn't going to 'just get pregnant' it was truly a shock. I had to take a few doses of clomid to conceive the first time, but my Dr. thought that once my body knew what it was doing I would be fine for subsequent pregnancies. HA HA HA

So this is my blog, what I went through, how I did conceive, and life for me now. I love to give my friends tons of useless advice, and I love to talk about infertility. So this blog will consist of a lot of both!

Also, I truly believe that it was talking to other women, the advice I received from them, as well as the resources they sent my way, that led to my second pregnancy.

So welcome to my blog!

-CC