This Change stuff is HARD

Hello My Peeps,
I can't believe that it has been so long since my last post.  I must do better!  It has been a crazy month with so much going on.  You know that I have been working on getting Sweet Tea and Honeysuckle up and running.  It has been wonderful but hard.  There is so much to do all the time.  I have the Etsy shop open and I am using every spare minute to make products to stock the shelves.  When I am not creating then I am working on advertising and getting the word out about my shop.  If you haven't seen it the please check out my Facebook page.  I am working on getting "likes" for my page so my posts about new items, shop news and upcoming events will get out to the most people possible.  So, go now! Look at my page, click on "like" and be sure to share it with your friends.  We are moving into fall and fast approaching the holidays.  (How did that happen?)  I have some new ideas that I will be rolling out just in time for your holiday shopping.  Christmas is coming!

Trish

P.S. I know this was short but I have some other news to share with you soon.

Check it out...

Today, 7/24/13, Sweet Tea and Honeysuckle has made it's first sale!  Yea!!!

Feeling Great,
Trish

Change, Step 1-A

Happy Friday everyone!  Just wanted to give you some updates on my new venture.  I hope you have had a chance to check out my new Etsy shop, Sweet Tea and Honeysuckle.  If not, WHY??  Just kidding, but I would love for you to take a look when you have a minute.  There is lots more to come so please check my shop often and tell you friends about it.

I have been hard at work on my ideas of what to make and stock.  Trying to determine how to get more exposure and draw more people to my Etsy shop.  When starting an on-line business it is all about "word of mouth" advertising.  You have to get people to your site and encourage them to share it with the people they know.  Luckily in the age of Social Media this is much easier to do.  Please, share the link to my shop with everyone!  Also, I have set-up a facebook page for Sweet Tea and Honeysuckle.  I encourage you to go to my page and give it a "Like".  This is another awesome opportunity to spread the word and get more people interested.

This week I have also been working on the branding of my shop.  I have had some wonderful ideas from my Mom and we are very close to getting the look I want.  If you want some hints then you have to "like" my Facebook page so I can easily notify you when I post new pictures and alert you to new items added to my shop.  Since all of my items are handmade there will rarely be any duplicates so if you don't get to it first then you may miss out.

So, your mission, should you choose to accept it is to go to https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sweet-Tea-and-Honeysuckle/197988940359352  and "LIKE" the page so you can get updates on everything happening with Sweet Tea and Honeysuckle.  Also be sure to check out www.etsy.com/shop/SweetTeaHoneysuckle and share the link with ALL of your friends.

Stay tuned, more to come...
Trish

Entrapped?

If you happen to be a regular reader of Miss Mother Mom you may remember my post titled "Let's Get Crafty".  If not, you can see it here.  On one wall you can see a HUGE movie poster of the 1999 film Entrapment starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones.  Yes, it is a full size, original, theatre release poster.  I'd like to share a little story with you regarding this film, Prince Charming and me.

Once upon a time there was a girl.  This girl had great family and friends, a job she liked, a house of her own and a cat named Ollie.  The only thing missing was someone to share her life with.  As with most people, her heart had been broken a few times when she was younger.  Because of this the girl had become picky about the guys she would date.  Very picky.  Friends, family and co-workers had always been helpful in looking out for someone new.  There were dates.  A few guys who even made it to relationship status.  Still, Prince Charming had not been found.

Then one April her Mom kept pushing her to try something new.  This was before internet dating and social media and all that.  So to make Mom happy the girl decided to give it a try.  After a week or so she got a message from this guy who left a phone number and said he would like hear from her.  Nervous and skeptical she gave him a call.  They spent a couple of hours on the phone.  They spoke again the next night and decided to meet for dinner and a movie on Friday that week.  April 30.

He asked her to pick a place for dinner and take a look at the movies playing.  They had talked so much on the phone that week  but she wanted to meet him, being the cautious single lady, instead of him picking her up.  Nervous.  Excited.  He was so nice and sweet on the phone.  She pulled up at the restaurant and saw him standing on the sidewalk.  Very cute!  Casual but nicely dressed.  He looked nervous too.  Deep breath and here we go.  Dinner was great.  They talked and talked.  He was so funny and entertaining.  Going good.  He asked about seeing a movie.  She suggested Entrapment.  It had just come out.  Sean Connery was starring.  It had a little of everything.  Action, romance, drama.  He said it sounded great.  It was.  Afterwards he drove her back to the restaurant to get her car.  He asked if she would like to go to a reception the next afternoon.  She told him she already had plans.  Did not want to seem to eager.  He asked if he could call her.  She said yes.

Later that night, after she got home, he called.  He was just checking  to be sure she got home safely. Prince Charming!  Two and a half months later he asked her to marry him.  July 18.  Seven months after that they became husband and wife.  March 11.  That was the beginning of happily ever after...

Entrapped!
Trish



  

Are you ready for some football??

countdown:  50 Days and 9 Hours till kickoff, are you ready?

GO HOKIES!!



Change, Step 1



The decision has been made.  Going to make some changes.  Decide on my priorities.  What do I want to accomplish?  What is my plan?  What do I do next?

Step 1:
Time to get my small business up and running.  Work to build it into a money making project that I will have fun doing.

Check out my new shop on Etsy and tell all your friends!

If you are on Facebook then check out the Sweet Tea and Honeysuckle page.  Like the page and send an invite to all your friends.  Once I build a big enough fan base on this page I will begin selling here also.

I am looking forward to this next step in my new adventure.  You can help make Sweet Tea and Honeysuckle a success!

Happy Birthday America!!

This is the day we celebrate the birth of this great nation.  237 years ago our founding fathers put down on paper The Declaration of Independence.  This document was the formal statement of our separation from Great Britain.  This was the beginning of the United States of America.  The land of the free.  The home of the brave.  The independent.  The strong.  The united.  USA!

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."  

The full text can be found here.    

It's time we remember the foundation that this country was built and return to the fundamental ideals that

made us strong.  It's past time to convey equal rights on every citizen of this country, not just the ones who think like you.  Laws cannot be used as a means for legal discrimination.  Equality.  For all.  

So, as you celebrate today remember where we came from.  Remember all those who came before us, fought and died to give us the freedom we have today.  Pledge your loyalty to this country and to the people who make us strong.  Do your part to make it better.  Keep us strong.  Keep us great.  Keep us united.  USA  USA  USA

     

Time to change

About a week ago a Facebook friend posted this picture.  It struck a cord with me and I have been thinking on it ever since.  Actually it is another viewpoint of a conversation I have been having with myself for months now.  I want to simplify my life.  I want to be able to spend more time with family and friends.  I want to create things.  I want to do things that make a difference for others.  I want to enjoy life and not just wander through it. 

Other than a means to pay the bills (which is important) my job does not fulfill me anymore.  Working 8-5, Monday thru Friday takes away too much time from things I want to do.  I want to build my own business.  I want to be able to volunteer at my son's school on a regular basis.  I want to be able to do what I want to do.  I want to be able to set my own schedule.  This quote tells me to listen to and trust my inner voice.  And that voice is getting a little more pushy every day.

How do I make that work?  Where do I start?  I have never been a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl.  I need some instructions.  I need plans.  I need information.  I need structure.  I need to have a good idea of the outcome before I start something.  I need control.  This is the beginning of my journey. 

Stay tuned,
Trish

Sir William, Inventor and Chef

It's about 4PM on Thursday.  I'm at my desk, finishing up for the day and the phone rings.

"Hello, this is Trish."
"Hi Mom, how are you?"
"Hey.  What are you up to?"
"I made a homemade light oven."
"OK... what did you make it out of?"
"I used a shoebox and that Hollywood lamp that gets hot."
"Oh."
"I'm making cookies."
"You know that is probably not a good idea.  The box could catch on fire."
"I know where the fire extinguisher is."
"Oh.  Still not a good idea."
"But I'm making cookies."
"Where did you get cookie dough?"
"I made it."
"With what?"
"I used the chocolate powdered coffee creamer and water."
"Oh."
"You can have one when you get home?"
"Sounds good.  Is your Dad still mowing?"
"Yes."
"Can you wait until I get home?"
"No, they are almost done baking."
"OK.  Be careful and I will see you shortly."


Here is a recreation on Saturday of the process.

The Oven.

Inside.

Preheating.

Cake #1.

Pan Holder.

Oops.  Light burned out and we had to finish in the toaster oven.

Yummy!

A Cookie Makeover.

Almost Done.

Adding Fondant In Progress.

Ta-Da!

Love my William.
Trish

Special thanks to William for providing the captions.

The Amazing World of Pinterest

Pinterest.  Pin interesting stuff.  Electronic bulletin board.  Idea box.  Whatever you want to call it, Pinterest is an amazing site.  It is a place for ideas, projects, visions, helpful hints and so much more.  It is a place where you can feed your obsessions.  Where you can share those obsessions and find others who can obsess with you.  You can get ideas to spark your creativity.  There are thousands of decorating ideas for both inside and outside your home.  You can see the latest fashions.  Learn a new hobby or craft.  Or you can just appreciate the beauty of art, nature and people.  Pick out some new recipes to try for everything from snacks, meals, desserts to cocktails.  Gather a visual bucket list.  Organize your to do list.  Share your ideas and successes with others.  The possibilities are endless!

A while back, my hairstylist and friend, April, told me about Pinterest as we were chatting during a regular appointment.  It sounded intriguing and I made a mental note to check it out.  A few weeks later that note cycled back through my memory and I looked it up.  Find Pinterest Here.  I registered for an account and learned how to navigate through the site.  It was like the BEST Christmas morning EVER!  There was so much to see.  So much I wanted to do.  A few minutes turned into an hour.  My few boards had to be split and multiplied into more defined categories.  I was having a ball!  My creative brain was firing on all cylinders and I was ready to do it all!!

Fast forward to a couple of months later and I am still pinning like mad.  I have my Mom logged in and continue to gather more of my friends into the wonderful world of Pinterest.  I have been ever so helpful in getting wedding ideas and baby ideas for many friends in need.  I have told Prince Charming how much money we can save if I start making cleaning products at home instead of buying them.  And I have begun trying all the new recipes I have been drooling over.  There is a whole beautiful world out there and it's on Pinterest!  Check it out, I promise you won't be disappointed!

Pinspired!

Trish 

Follow me on Pinterest

What's in a name?

Several years ago, my amazing son decided that everyone needed a new name.  A better name.  A funny name.  A cool name.  So, as he saw the family members who most often cross his path, they were re-christened.   His Aunt Elizabeth became known as Octavia.  (By far the coolest of all!)  Then Aunt Mary was Anna and G'ma was now Katherine.  There were others but they have faded away over time, however; these three have remained constant.  If I ask him if he talked to his G'ma he will come back with, "Don't you mean Katherine?"  My Mom (Katherine) has been very cool to go along with this.  She will now even sign cards to him as Katherine and Pop-Pop. 

We have ducks that we keep as pets and William also has two fancy mice that he has raised.  William has always named the animals, sometimes with the help of his Dad.  Over the years we have had ducks named Andy, Hershey, June, Whimpy, John, Olivia, Token, Smoky and Toady.  So far there have only been three mice and they are Cella, Lexi and Pickles.  We have a new flock of baby ducks and as soon as we decide which ones we will keep and they begin to distinguish themselves from each other William will get to name them.  What will he come up with this time?

 "Miss Mother Mom" is one of those names that originated from Sir William.  He delights in making up new names for me just to see if I will answer to it.  I usually do.  They are almost always silly and kind of cute. Sometimes they can be crudely boyish (think "hilarious" bodily functions).  And even sweet and loving.  Miss Mother Mom has always been a favorite of mine as it is so very William in it's design.  Seemed like a great name for my blog.

Trish

Girls Night In

Several years ago we (my Mom, my Sister and Me) started having Girls Night In.  An evening of fun and frivolity consisting of food, drinks, music, conversation and maybe even a movie.  Rules are simple, NO men and NO kids!  Over the years our group has grown and now we have as many as nine ladies joining in.  Sometimes there is a theme or not but there is always fun and laughter, lots of laughter.  Every girl needs a group of  friends that she can count on for love, support, comfort and fun.  I am blessed to have these wonderful women close by my side.  Pat, Elizabeth, Mary, Holly, Carol, Angie, Lisa and April, Love you ALL!