May 21, 2012

The diary of a reluctant housewife

When I was younger (not much younger, cause clearly I’m incredibly youthful now ;) ), I remember “making” my own perfume .. and by making I mean mixing various perfumes to create my own original scent- O! it was original alright!, I’d then bottle it up, decorate the bottle with a label, usually made from some lace and a Tutti Frutti cartoon cut out from the Tutti Frutti Mag… (damn it! I just gave away my age didn’t I?)

Anyways, I would bottle up these grotesque sweet smells and give them to my Nanny to take to her job where she would (get this)… SELL them to her co-workers.

Yes, people actually bought the crap! … and although I have no actual proof, by the ‘overwhelming’ request for re-orders, I’m pretty sure Nanny’s office smelled like a whore house.

When I decided to close up my fragrance shop (demand was just too high, and I couldnt afford a staff), I went into Bow making. I think I got one of those bow making kits for Christmas and I was inspired. This I must say I was a bit better at and so I would spend hours making bows upon bows.. big bows – flowered bows- shiny bows- tiny bows… and again, I’d send them with Nanny to work and she’d sell them… THOSE sold like “hot cakes”

Well now Im home– So desperate and determined to find that balance of staying home with my babies and having something to call “my thing”  and I find myself feeling like the jack of all trades.

I did Beauticontrol for a while. It was fun, and “lucrative” for a while… but I was done dealing with the skeptical people who were always looking at me like I was trying to rip them off.

Recently I started up my invite and favor business, it seemed like a great idea since I had been doing it for friends and family for free for years…
I even thought making the business more of a party planning biz, Then I thought, maybe I should just focus on the favors, then I saw adorable tutu outfits on line – and thought.. HEY! maybe I can make tutu’s- I get to save money by making my daughter stuff and maybe make a sale here and there– not that I’ve ever made one before, but I’m sure I could if I tried.. I mean, If I could make perfume at 8, surely I can swing making some tutus out of tulle.

And yesterday, In tweets with a crazy talented, and equally frustrated mama- we began admiring the big sassy accessories they have out for babies.

And then today— as I had my morning coffee, I looked over at my coffee table
and found this:

& I thought…

Really? is this creativity or an illness formed out of desperation to break from this mommy-mold I’ve fallen into?

… and more importantly, why did Nanny have to retire? She took away all of my loyal clientele! Was it really TOO much to ask of her to work til she was about 110 years old? I mean I thought I was her favorite!

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  • T.J.

    omg, you are too funny!

    I say, we take a sewing class together, then mesh all of our crazy ideas and inventions together and start a business! (haha!)

    I felt like I was reading about myself w/ this post.

    I (want to) believe that by bouncing from idea to idea, we are just following life's little 'hints' that we are on the right path..eventually stumbling upon what it is we were 'meant to do' or 'be'…

    not an illness out of desperation,

    It's in your blood to be crazy crafty, and business minded..I call that talent..just ask you Nanny, I'm sure she'd agree!
    ;-)

  • So Not Mom-a-licious

    I wish I was creative. I would be cool to make things for money and still get to stay home. But I also wish that I could invent something that no one has come up with yet. Sounds like a smart idea right? But I everything I come up with is already taken!
    My last option is to just try and win the lottery. Which still hasn't worked out for me. So until then I will stick to working at home on medical claims. Boring.

  • Elisa, The Unlikely Housewife

    Wow, you are definitely a creative, crafty one. Me, I'm not very crafty. But I'm passionate about shopping fr unique accessories on Etsy :-)

  • Maria @BOREDmommy

    WOw, we have MANY similarities in this post, although craftiness is NOT one of them. I too keep asking myself what I could do for work from home and can never come up with something.If you come up with something for someone who has zero talent in anything involving ribbons, please let me know :)

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  • http://beingmomnow.blogspot.com/ Mommy C

    I completely get this. I love being a mom, I love being home, but I want something else too. Something that I can call my own. Something that I can talk about beyond my kid.

    I found you thanks to TMC BTW. I can't wait to check out the rest of your blog!

  • http://thegrownupchild.ca The Grown Up Child

    I commend you because I couldn't do it. I only work three days a week (Tues thru Thurs) but every Monday night I'm thinking to myself 'thank GOD I'm going to work tomorrow!' Of course, every Thursday night I'm thinking 'thank GOD I'm not working tomorrow!'. ;)

    I have wanted for years to start a party planning business. I just don't think I could fit it in right now with two small little ones and the house and job and husband and all.

    Anyway, I know this post is old and that you have really found 'your thing'. Social media! Congrats to you!

  • http://beingmomnow.blogspot.com/ Mommy C

    I completely get this. I love being a mom, I love being home, but I want something else too. Something that I can call my own. Something that I can talk about beyond my kid.

    I found you thanks to TMC BTW. I can't wait to check out the rest of your blog!

  • http://thegrownupchild.ca The Grown Up Child

    I commend you because I couldn't do it. I only work three days a week (Tues thru Thurs) but every Monday night I'm thinking to myself 'thank GOD I'm going to work tomorrow!' Of course, every Thursday night I'm thinking 'thank GOD I'm not working tomorrow!'. ;)

    I have wanted for years to start a party planning business. I just don't think I could fit it in right now with two small little ones and the house and job and husband and all.

    Anyway, I know this post is old and that you have really found 'your thing'. Social media! Congrats to you!