Happy Holiday from our Family

Preparing our Family Holiday Greeting Card Photos

We had a great day today.   My whole family drove upstate New York to Croton Dam and took some photos for our annual holiday greeting cards.

October 5, 2009: Multi-Tasking Again

Just like what happened last week, I've been working on many existing projects.  I had a wonderful relaxing weekend with my family and I feel recharged to start another week.  Here are the updates:

Cbeads.etsy.com

Took pictures of some new crystals from my friend.  I will be selling these wonderful crystals soon both on my etsy shop and my own online shop.  I should be able to start posting them before the end of this week.

www.cbeadsinc.com
Working with Rakel and John from Ingero to finish my website.  I went over the content and items that would be available in my store: Czech Glass Beads, Pearls, Crystal, Gemstones, Handmade Beaded Chains, Wholesale Shop, Jewelry, and Findings.  I also had to write down introduction, policies, and other customer service related issues.

Mother-Daughter Project

My Mom sent me some fabric swatches that she wanted to sell online.  I picked up some styles for my mom, so she could purchase some sample yardage today.  I will receive those samples by next week, then I could photograph the fabrics.  I have to help my mom figure out a name, setup a paypal account, setup her etsy shop, and more.  This is our first major collaboration together that's why this is really special to me.  I'm glad to be able to do this with my mother even we are miles apart.

New Home-Based Business Venture

I got my business starting kit today.  I will start using the products tomorrow and will document it on my blog.

The Business of Multi-Tasking

I'm doing so many things these days that has been very rewarding and exciting.  Many business decisions to make and reevaluate the success of my home business.

Here are my current projects:

• Finally working on launching my own website: www.cbeadsinc.com.  I will be selling more varieties of beads like czech beads, pearl, crystals and semi precious stones.  Creating your own website is very difficult but I got some help from Ingero, who designed and will host my site.  A lot of work is involve, but I am definitely ready to branch out on my own website.
• Starting a business venture with my mother from the Philippines.  We will be selling apparel fabrics at etsy in the next 3 or 4 weeks.  My mother, a very successful business women, is my hero and inspiration.  Since leaving my country 11 years ago to pursue my studies in fashion marketing and design, my mother and I been brainstorming how we could start and mother-daughter business.  We decided to collaborate on this so we could do something together.  We might even start a clothing line in the future.
• A very close friend --who happens to be a bead supplier-- and I will partner up to help sell her inventories in my etsy shop and in my new upcoming online shop.  I got some samples today, so I could photograph them and start listing them at cbeads.etsy.com.  I will also sell her pearls in my new online shop very soon.
  
• My best friend Jas and I will temporarily stop taking custom orders on our clothing shop at topsycurvydesigns.etsy.com.  Jas is expecting her first child this month.
• Started a home-based business with my friend since grade school.  I've been reading and studying more about this new business venture.  My instinct tells me that this will be very successful.  I will try the products next week and experiment if they are effective.  I've shares this business opportunity to many of my family and friends, and many are interested to start this business with me too.  Made a lot of phone calls, emails and text messages.

As you can see a lot of my projects involve either my family or friends.  I am fortunate to be surrounded by many successful, motivated, adventurous, and exciting people.  They are very influential and supportive on everything I want to accomplish.

Stay at Home Moms: We are not alone

I came across an interesting discussion in the etsy forum the other day and I would like to share them with you.  It's really wonderful to know that a lot of individuals out there are having the same experiences like me.  I don't feel so alone.  Juggling everything from housework, children and my small home-based business is really difficult but very rewarding.

Here is the link to the forum
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6301883&page=1

My Inventory: How I pick beads

My idea on picking the right items in my shop is simple:

• Offering quality products and finding the best reliable suppliers are very important.
  
• I primarily sell firepolished Czech beads.  I like to set up my shop as a collection.  It's a good idea to have a specialized collection on the inventory instead of selling too many things.
• I only have four major types of beads: Lentils, Donuts, 4mm firepolished beads, and Teardrops.  Also, I sell handmade beaded chains.
• Having fewer types of beads help me organize my inventory and helps a lot when shipping many orders.  Less containers and bins when organizing.
  
• I have at least 20 colors per types of beads.  Lentil beads are my bestseller, so I have more than 50 colors in stock.
• I recently moved my ring and earring collection from my jewelry shop to my supply shop, because managing more than one shop became difficult.  I also manage my clothing line at topsycurvydesigns.etsy.com.
  
• It is really important for me not to have too many different types of beads.  I like to specialize on only four types of beads then load up on the number of colors.  This way, my shop is more organize and buyers wont get overwhelmed browsing.
• Bestsellers category helps my customer get a quick look on items that's very popular in my shop.

• Wholesale lot gives my customer greater discounts when buying in bulk.
• I wanted to offer unique items that is not offered at etsy, so I came up with selling Handmade Beaded Chains.  Perfect for designers, jewelry makers and crafters. These ready-to-use linked beads are perfect for their beautiful pendants, necklaces and bracelets. The sections can easily be taken apart. 
•  It's very important to stock up on classic and basic plain colors like black, clear crystal, bronze (brown), amethyst, green, and blue.
• I find it very successful to have multi-colored strand beads instead of having too many plain colors.  Example is my picasso mix donut beads.
•  Keeping my shop fresh is important. To do this, I introduce many new colors every month.  If an item did not sell quickly, I usually restocks them after three months; however,  I immediately restock on hot items.  

New Arrivals: September 15th, 2009

Had yet another wonderful and successful bead shopping trip today with my toddler. I bought mostly beads to restock and some new ones. I came equipped with my ipod and mini speakers to watch her favorite show "Curious George." I was so happy to be able to shop in peace, although my daughter still got destructed with the beautiful beads, so she had to grab one of them that I ended up buying too (she has great taste like mommy...hehehehe). On our way out, Perry (my favorite guy) gave my daughter cute bear beads which she could not stop playing with now.

My Typical Day at Work and Home

As you read along, like many stay at home moms out there can definitely relate with my chaotic life:
7 AM - Wake up time. Try to post 4-5 items at etsy by renewing them
7-8      - Breakfast then get my daughter ready for the day, chores
9-10      Walking exercise to Central Park w/ my daughter
11-1 PM - Lunch (including all preparations)
1-2        Get my daughter ready for her afternoon nap
2-4        Work on etsy. Renewing about 10-15 items.
             At the same time cook dinner
4-6        Play with my daughter
7           Dinner then give my daughter a bath
8-9        Daughter's bedtime ( really varies from how we start the day)
9-12      Work on Etsy, more chores, bath, and just a little free time with my husband

Does this sound familiar?  There's really not enough room left for myself.  I'm in desperate need of a "ME TIME" someday.  I haven't had my hair done for more than a year.  I just actually started my daughter in day care twice a week for 2 1/2 hours a day.   Hopefully, I could leave my daughter  alone in day care next week, so I could get a little break.

Cbeads.etsy.com: My Full Time Home-Based Business

Some of you may have already heard about ETSY.  Etsy is a "place to buy and sell all things handmade."  I  learned about this internet phenomena from one of the vendors in a church charity event.  The women told me that I can sell my handmade jewelries at etsy and I should give it a try. I signed up to sell a week after that day.  The business started very slow then gradually got better.

Here's what happened:
November 7, 2006 - I signed up at etsy
November 10, 2006 - Got my FIRST SALE -  http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=209797
December 12, 2006 - Got my 2nd & 3rd sales - http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=5064725  &  http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=5064724
December 31, 2006 - I only generated 10 sales since I started less than 2 months ago

Year of 2007 - Generated 295 sales
February 23, 2007 - I posted a question in Etsy forum saying "how can I make $100 a day?"
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5042484
I got many responses and helpful tips to make more sales.
August 17, 2007 - I gave birth to my daughter

Year of 2008 - Generated 1111 sales (mostly from November & December 2008 sales only)
November 6, 2008 - Second year anniversary at etsy.  I went back selling at etsy full time (working during my daughter's daily naps and after she goes to bed at night.
December 2008 - Had an "End of the Year" clearance sale that helped cleared up my inventory to start fresh for the new year.

January 2009 to the present (Sept 19, 2009) - I already generated 1362 sales to date
http://www.etsy.com/shop_sold.php?user_id=110502

February 20, 2009 - Opened a clothing line with my best friend
TopsyCurvyDesigns.etsy.com

To visit my bead supply shop, please go to
cbeads.etsy.com


To know more about Etsy, go to www.etsy.com

My First Diary Entry

I want to tell a little bit about myself.  I'm a stay at home mother of a two-year-old girl.  My family just recently moved to New York City because of my husband's work.  I've been involved in a home based business a year before I had my daughter.  It's been really hard to juggle my time between taking care of my baby, house, and managing my small home business.  I initially started selling handmade beaded jewelries, then ended up selling bead supplies after giving birth.  Like many mothers out there, time is always an issue.  It is really hard to juggle everything and have a balance life at the same time. Few months ago, I ended up getting burned-out and depressed.  I had to evaluate my life and figure out a way to live my life to the fullest.

My goal is to find a successful home-based business where I can still have more time for myself,  family and friends. What does it take to pursue real happiness, good health, and freedom?  I hope to find these answers someday.