Tuesday, December 28, 2010

New Years Resolution -Number 1

I know I'm a bit early with the whole resolutions bit...  but I was going to blog tonight about Christmas...  starting now..

and it's 10:36 PM...

and I have to work tomorrow at 7:00 am, with a 25 minute commute... 

so if I want to be on time I have to leave at 6:35..

and if I want to wear clothes I have to get up at 6:25...

and if I want to not look like I drove to work with my head out the window I have to get up at 6:15..

and if I want to wash my face and brush my teeth, well then better make it 6:10...

and if I want a shower, 5:55...

and if I want to jog... so that I have a reason for needing a shower.. well then I need to be up by 5:25...

and I REALLY want to get back in the habit... 

My muscles have no tone, and there are (gulp) jiggles. (( ew. ))

All that and my endurance is that of a...

 a... 

 ??

 ...person with really crappy endurance.

10:45!!  Must sleep. 

xoxo 
See you on the flip side.

Cam

Monday, December 20, 2010

Well... Okay then

So maybe it wouldn't be particularly effective to send large women's underwear to people who make me crazy, but sometimes....  man alive, it sure is tempting.

There are days I need to have more patience and forgiveness for people.  Especially the ones who lie and cheat and steal....  Because.... aren't we all guilty of those sins to some degree at some time in our lives?

I only know one person who is perfect, and no...  I'm not talking about you.  ((But I love you anyway.))

xoxo
Cam

Friday, December 17, 2010

Big Girl Panties Club

In honor of my favorite whiny people ever... who will remain unnamed, I have decided to start::

Wait for it....

The First Official
Big Girl Panties of the Month
Club!


Do you know someone who seriously needs to man up and put on some clean big girl panties?  Sign them up for a year supply, one pair per month.  This will ensure that at least twelve days a year your special person will have clean undergarment... for at least a few hours anyway...

Membership details coming soon!

xoxo 

Cam

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Art Necklaces by Camille xoxo

I am soooo excited! 

I have now posted six necklaces to my ETSY store.  Still working on my store name...  I've had an account for a while and my current user name is out of date.. Anyway.. Here you go! 





Cam's Making a Statement is an art necklace made of 6 handmade paper flowers. With silver chains, and a dangling bird charm... vintage buttons, and brads.... What makes it Cam's Making a Statement is my signature beautiful handmade flowers. Necklace is backed with cotton fabric for comfort. Considering this necklace is made mostly of paper it is extremely light weight.

This signed Art Necklaces comes with a certificate of authenticity that you have purchased from the original designer. The certificate will identify the piece by name, photo, and item number. Additionally, a master log of all purchases is kept to authenticate your art piece.

Name: Cam's Making a Statement
Verification number: 006




Considering this is the very first Art Necklace I ever made I suppose it should have been number one! Created for Scarlet Lime in August of 2010 when I was the feature artist... then it turned into my profile picture... and started the requests for an Etsy store...

Trendsetter is an art necklace made of 6 handmade paper flowers. With silver chains, and a dangling bird charm... brads.... What makes it Trendsetter is my signature beautiful handmade flowers. Necklace is backed with cotton fabric for comfort. Considering this necklace is made mostly of paper it is extremely light weight.

This signed Art Necklaces comes with a certificate of authenticity that you have purchased from the original designer. The certificate will identify the piece by name, photo, and item number. Additionally, a master log of all purchases is kept to authenticate your art piece.

Name: Trendsetter
Verification number: 007



Liz's Bouquet is an art necklace made of 6 handmade paper flowers. With a silver chains, and a dangling picture charm, and a violet rhinestone flower pin... What makes it Liz's Bouquet is my signature beautiful handmade flower. Necklace is backed with Satin for comfort. Considering this necklace is made mostly of paper it is extremely light weight.

This signed Art Necklaces comes with a certificate of authenticity that you have purchased from the original designer. The certificate will identify the piece by name, photo, and item number. Additionally, a master log of all purchases is kept to authenticate your art piece.

Name: Liz's Bouquet
Verification number: 005




Ali's Alibi is an art necklace made of a vintage triple strand of white beads, with additional non vintage metal necklace strands. What makes it Ali's Alibi is my signature beautiful handmade flower.

This signed Art Necklaces comes with a certificate of authenticity that you have purchased from the original designer. The certificate will identify the piece by name, photo, and item number. Additionally, a master log of all purchases is kept to authenticate your art piece.

Name: Ali's Alibi
Verification number: 002






Annie's Cool and Collected is an art necklace made of 6 handmade paper flowers. With a slightly eclectic arrangement of silver chains, and a fly away birdie charm. What makes it Annie's Cool and Collected... Well, Cool and collected is my signature beautiful handmade flower. Necklace is backed with silk for comfort. Considering this necklace is made mostly of paper it is extremely light weight.

This signed Art Necklaces comes with a certificate of authenticity that you have purchased from the original designer. The certificate will identify the piece by name, photo, and item number. Additionally, a master log of all purchases is kept to authenticate your art piece.

Name: Annie's Cool and Collected
Verification number: 004




Melodrama is an art necklace made of a vintage triple strand of pearls, with a beautiful gold clasp. What makes it Melodrama is my signature beautiful handmade flower.

This signed Art Necklaces comes with a certificate of authenticity that you have purchased from the original designer. The certificate will identify the piece by name, photo, and item number. Additionally, a master log of all purchases is kept to authenticate your art piece.

Name: Melodrama
Verification number: 003
 
 
I would love to know what you think.  Especially about the colors, and style.

Monday, December 13, 2010

It's happening!!!

First necklace is up...  5 more to post...  then I will post the link.  :)  Big Big smile!!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

I'm Behind Schedule! Don't be a hater. I love you.

Okay... ETsy store is not going to open tonight.  :(  I'm behind on making necklaces, and then the dumb winter and shorter days and all that crap.  The decent lighting is gone so fast.  Hope to have it up tomorrow...  But it might be Tuesday.  :(

You still love me right??

What's finished so far is FAB.  Seriously love the colors...

Here's that you have to look forward to:

Liz's bouquet

Ali's Alibi

Cam's Pick

Annie's Cool and Collected

I am soooo excited....

xoxo Cam

Saturday, December 11, 2010

By Popular Demand:::

I've been all over town buying up all the best vintage necklaces, and jewlery findings.... 

I should have initial postings in my Etsy store (which has not been created yet) by Sunday night. 

I am so excited... and nervous.


In an effort to expand my color pallet I am making necklaces and naming them after my friend's color style.. 

Because my friends have GREAT style.


I have also decided in an effort to combat the copycats, all my necklaces will be signed and number and come with a certificate of authenticity. 

Maybe that's presumptuous
of me to assume people
are going to care,
but I know I would. 

Always support the original artists.
It means a lot. 


xoxo
Cam

They are coming....  soon. 

Sunday, November 28, 2010

My Very Real Post About Timelines.

Sometimes I get a bit down and feel like everything is dark, and dreary.  It becomes all I can see. When I first wrote this post I was in that place.   I had convinced myself it had been dark for so long.  It's not a good place to be.  Now, I am in a better place, and I have revised most of this now that my vision is not so narrow. 

I wrote out some of my timeline.


2007:  Pretty care free.  Really lacking in the whole life experiences category.  Took most everything for granted.  Didn't really know what I believed, who I supported, or why I was suppose to do it... and I didn't really care.  I just wasn't important, so it was easier to go/do/support who, or what, I was told too.


2008:  The year of change.  2008 was a freaking blow to the gut.  The kind that leaves me unable to take a breath and feeling like I'm suffocating.  And suddenly, nothing and everything matters.  But I can't tell which is suppose to be which. Everything is disoriented, and nothing makes any sense.  And everyone else moves on with their life, taking the only remaining light with them.  And I don't even care.

And the lights go out.



2009:  Desperately trying to get a grasp and just breathe. Things HAVE TO change, but I have no idea how to make them.  I want the pain in my heart to go away, but it has taken up permanent residence.  A lot of people make judgement because I should know better.  I should.. this is true, but this way sees to be the right way to fix so, so, many problems,

and fix me.  Things had to change.  I could not move.

It seems so reasonable.  And I gain a lot of new, and rather unpleasant titles.

And then comes the sifting of friends.


This part is painful.  I don't want to care that people who use to be happy to see me and talk to me now behave as if they don't know me..  as if I have personally made offenses against them.  I don't want to care, I really, really, don't want to care, but every unacknowledged passing stings.  I want it to feel like I am sifting them, but they are sifting me and placing a value on my soul and worth.  There are also the friends that I thought would have been there for me through anything, but instead they turn their backs, and walk away, and never look back.  I never should have trusted them... 

(Make a mental note never to trust anyone.)

I still don't know... anything about anything.  I'm afraid to love my children because it will hurt too bad.  And I cut the strings to anyone with power to hurt me, because it's absolutely not worth the risk..

God makes me so angry.  I want to hate him so much.



2010:  Feels like I'm trying to climb out of the deep canyon, on a wet slope  Everything seems very, very, pointless.  And very, very, stupid.  I'm not even sure why I'm climbing.  I feel like everything that seemed real was not.  My priorities change, and change again, and change again. I have decided it's okay to love my children because they are just children, and it's worth the risk that they might permanently break me forever.   Finally ready to start figuring out what I believe, but it's a long tough road.  I'm starting at ground zero, and not in any rush.  I don't really care if I die before 'I'm saved' if I don't know what it is to be saved. It's not about defiance, it's about wanting to know the Truth... and not moving forward until I do. It's about refusing to be rushed.



I knowing some people will read that..  and shake their head, and sigh, and damn me to hell because again..  I should know better.  I should have a testimony, and I am sooo ungrateful.  

I do like it to be warm, so damn away.  If you're right...  hey, thank you for the eternal warmth.  I refuse to just go through the actions.

2010 also brings witness that very few really care about the catalyst in 2008.  The ones who do are all people have their own catalyst.  No one else can even comprehend

why
I'm
not
over
it. 

All they see is the fall, without understanding why.

It doesn't matter if you don't get it.

I build the walls even higher.


And I realize I moved out of my metaphorical house a very long time ago, and it scares me to death to even think about going back in. 

Horrifies me. 

Looking forwards,  I have made no progress, everything is still so far away.  Everything is still so very depressing. 

But, as I look backwards down the hill  I can see how far I have come, and it's encouraging. 

I no longer want to give up. 

I no longer want to hate.

I'm considering love.


As I look over my timeline it does not begin in 2008, and it does not end now. My mind feels open to perspective, and possibilities, and healing, and strength.  This time is so short.
Breathe In.
Breathe out.



xoxo Cam

Sunday, November 21, 2010

The Necessity of an Art Studio.

Ahhhhhh....  My Art Studio.

(I love you Art Studio!!)

A couple weeks ago my husband was so kind as to let me commandeer the "office" and turn it into my Art Studio. 

I have been desperately in need of somewhere to create Art.  I had bits and pieces scattered all over the house.. at it was a bit unbearable for the family when I was actually working on anything.

There would be small piles of "do not touch me" everywhere...  like puddles after a rainy day.


 My studio is an eclectic mess of everything.  It's not near finished, and I expect it never will be. I have grand ideas for this space... and even grander ideas about what will come out of this room.   



This bird cage is my favorite find.  What I love best about it is the door. 

The door to my birdcage is suppose to be open to symbolize freedom from all of the things that keep us from being able... capable..  of being our best.  The door to my birdcage has strong springs, and it snaps shut when you try and open it.  

Ironic. 


This room makes me want to create.  Even in it's partially decorated, unfinished state, I am in love. 


It's a bit of a fit for all my art supplies and sewing supplies, but I'll make SURE it works. 

BTW...  at Brave Girls October, I completely forgot to bring my apron..  So I made this new one. 
I love it...  Mostly I love the dress underneath.. 

This bust form was my grandmothers.  I suppose she didn't want the poor girl hanging around naked so this dress has always been on the bust form..  for as long as I can remember.  I'm fairly certain it was made in 1960, and if the fabric was not faded from time I would absolutely take it off the bust form and wear it.  It's a fabulous wrap dress..  Oh Love.


One of my favorite bits about this new art studio of mine are the art projects my sweet, sweet Jennica Girl keeps making and leaving behind for me.   



She makes these projects on her own.  The verse are her own.

She has an artist's heart.

This one makes me rather sad...  knowing the life lessons she is going to have to go through before she learns the truth about gates and fences. 


I wish she didn't have to learn it.

I made this truth card while thinking heavily about a couple of friends.  I most likely need to apply the words to myself, but it is so much easier to see what someone else needs,
and so frustrating knowing they don't see it...

all the while ignoring the mote..


It says:

You are not too
damaged to
 become whole.

You will heal
You are healing
right now.

You do not travel alone.

Let the door close.

The "let the door close" is the most important part.  Sometimes we know so well that something or someone is not good for us.. not doing us any favors, and holding us back from the direction we really need... and really want to go.

But it's sooo hard to close that door.  Close it and actually leave it closed. 

I always run back and open and close, and open and close, and open and close.. and then I try to just walk away...  leaving the door open -- Like that's going to actually work.

It doesn't.

Close it-
Walk away-
Never look back.

yeah, right.

Keep trying and eventually you have the courage to lock the door and throw out the key.

xoxo
Cam

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Girls Night Invite.

Okay, I know I've bee Blogging about Rendi a lot lately, but I can't help it!  I'm so excited....

....  :)

This weekend I'm having a big Rendi event!  I've just done most of my Christmas Shopping, and personal shopping...  Really hoping my purchases will arrive on time...  Really hoping I'll have time to make my house all sparkling... and make some homemade yummy treats... and mostly that you all will make it!  Well okay, not all of you...  But those of you who are local, who want to come over COME.  It's going to be such a blast!

We're going to party like it's 2010... becuase lets face it 1999 sucked.  All this drama over Y2K, and then.... nothing.  Not one single person got stuck in an elevator.  Such dissapointment.

Come hang.  And afterwards, GIRLS NIGHT.  I'm thinking Cheesecake factory, or PF Changs, or SUSHI...  Yum sushi...  No set plans yet, other than the "musts":

Must involve food...  or drinks... or both.  Mostly dessert.  And hot chocolate, with whipped cream.  And Diet soda.  (You can have what you want, but this is likely what I will be having.)

AND

Must involve lots of really great women who are looking for a little female bonding and reconnection.

Anyone is invited to the Rendi party and of course out for a little estrogen and chocolate fueled good old bonding.  Email me if you wanna come..  I would love to have you.  I'll send you details. camillemcc@gmail.com

xoxo 

Cam

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Free Personal Shopper Services!

Christmas is right around the corner. 

Less than seven weeks away.  Forty one days to Christmas Eve to be exact...

Which equals about 984 hours till Christmas Eve
Subtract sleep at a realistic 7 hours per night, because I don't know anyone who actually gets 8 hours.

697 hours till Christmas Eve

Minus the time we take to get ready in the morning, and time to get ready for bed at night: I'll be very conservative at 1 hour total....

656 hours till Christmas Eve

Time to eat: subtract 45 minutes per day...  and unless you eat out for every meal, better include some food prep time, and clean up time....  an extra hour per day.

663.75 hours till Christmas Eve

Do you work full time?  Minus 8 hours...and 45 minutes for commute time... 5 days a week..

366.25 hours till Christmas Eve

Minus incidentals...  Grocery shopping, getting gas, errands, hair cut, doctors appointments etc. etc. 

341.75 hours till Christmas Eve

Wasted time (NOT including Facebook time!).  Because really, how often do YOU maximize every minute of every day?

300.75 hours till Christmas Eve

Religious observance... if you observe the sabbath day and do not shop... well than subtract

278 hours till Christmas Eve

House hold chores (laundry, cleaning etc.) at approx. 5 hours per week

243 hours till Christmas Eve

Quality time with family: Watching TV, talking, games, homework, etc....  at a MINIMUM of 3 hours per day:

120 hours till Christmas Eve

Holiday Planning and Decorating: Get the tree, Decorate the tree and the house, hang Christmas lights, Christmas Cards, etc. etc. etc....

96 hours till Christmas Eve

Make and deliver goodies to the neighbors etc.

80 hours till Christmas Eve (I know some of you are thinking, who cares about the freaking neighbors!  There are only 96 hours till Christmas! and you are beginning to thinking back over what else you plan on cutting)

Travel plans?  Better count 6 hours to make the actual arrangements, 8 hours to pack, and an average of 6 hours in actual travel time.

60 hours till Christmas Eve

Are you traveling for Thanksgiving too??  Uh oh..  You're in trouble..  we'll just pretend like you're not and save ourselves the stress..

Personal down time:  Girls nights/ Guys nights/ reading/ Facebook/ Blog reading and writing/ journaling/ crafting/ chatting on the phone/ tanning/ pampering...  whatever your weakness::  being very conservative at 30 minutes per day...

39.5 hours till Christmas Eve

Extra Curricular Activities: Exercises, kids sports practices etc:   For me this totals about 3.5 hours per
week..

15 hours till Christmas Eve

Snow shoveling, emergencies, car trouble, Illness....  etc.. minus an average of 15 minutes per day.

4.75 hours till Christmas Eve

You've got just less than 7 minutes per day to buy your Christmas Presents, wrap them, and mail them.

I'm just saying...

Email me the particulars:  Age, gender and sentiment, and I will design, and customize your beautiful, meaningful, Rendi Christmas gifts, upload pictures for any picture frames (FREE of charge through Christmas!) And arrange to have the items shipped to your recipient, wrapped and including a personalized gift card.  And I'll do it for free. 

Seriously, That's like adding time to your day....  time to take a nap: How good would that feel?

Email me:  We'll talk.

camillemcc@gmail.com

xoxo
Cam

Saturday, November 6, 2010

I am so excited...

Rendi is up and running!  Seeing as my daughter doesn't read my blog I'm posting a couple of the items I have created for her for Christmas.  :) 
I can't wait...  I hope she will love them and cherish them forever. 

Little reminder for me in there too... 

RendiStyle.com Style #R2070: "RendiStyle.com Style #R2070"
RendiStyle.com Style #R2001: "RendiStyle.com Style #R2001"
RendiStyle.com Style #R2025: "RendiStyle.com Style #R2025"

Wanna check it out:  Click here

Rendi:  Customizable home decor: Made in the USA: Shipping within 48 hours:  Beautiful

Just think of it as prepackaged homemade for the busy gift giver.  After all, You DID take the time to design and customize...

xoxo
Cam

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Lets all go to the movies.

My Bestest has inspired me to try to blog more often... and so even though I said I was going to bed over an hour ago, here I am starting a new blog post.  :) 

After I lost my baby I was talking to a friend of min who had also lost a young child.  She very insightfully pointed out that tragedy is like a movie.  Whether it's happening to you or someone you know, the traumatized goes through some horrid mind numbing experience.  The friends and those around watch, and offer sympathy, cry and sometimes offer a hand...

But eventually they movie ends.  And they are ready for the movie to end.  They want to move on with their life.  They don't want to stay with you anymore in your darkness and fog.  And so they move on, only remembering your pain on occasions and eventually forgetting and seeing the new you as the permanent you, whether you want it to be or not. 

You become the _______. 

The widow
The mother with empty arms
The divorcee
The single mom
The abused one
The depressed one
The sick one....

You are no longer you, but you have become your title.

Expected to be able to handle your burden by now...surely.

I don't want  be that kind of friend.  I don't think any of us do.  I know I have been.  I haven't always been there.  It takes a supreme amount of love to stay after the credits have run and all that's remaining is the static. Sometimes it's hard to know how.

But I want to try.

xoxo Cam

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The front door.

:Ahem:


That's all.

xoxo

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Let the Races Begin...

That's what it feels like anyway.  The race to Christmas.  With so much to do and not enough time to do it.


And me...  incapable of turning down a project.

And so this morning I made a flower for my necklace.





And this evening I will make about 30 more. 

More to come....  Including my return to Etsy.

xoxo
Cam

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Cam - The Rambling Wo-Man..

Seriously? 

I'm a bit behind the blogging schedule (in my mind I seriously just thought, "there's a schedule??"...)  Yes, I know... 

But,

Life
is
so
busy.

Sometimes I have to remember my priorities; and they are things like helping my children with their homework, and gymnastics class, and basketball practice, and counseling appointments...  I could go on and on, but I know I don't need too.

You're
probably
dealing
with
the
same
things
yourself.


And so, thank you.

For being patient with me.

Because even though I feel like there are so many things I want to write about and ideas for projects...  sometimes life gets in the ways, and if I forget about what's really important...  well then I won't be me anymore, and what fun would that be?

So here's some of what's going on.

Rendi.  Growing like a weed... but the good kind of weeds. And not that kind of weed.  :)  We're going to be having a BIG party/bash/throw down/event very soon...  It's going to be amazing..  Melody and Kathy and I will be there along with some really amazing friends of ours.  We're planning away and so very excited. 

I Realized what a great business gift item Rendi products make and picked up a good order.  Now is the time...  If your business sends out holiday gifts, and you're looking for something amazing and affordable lemme know.. :) I will totally hook you up.  :)

Teresa Collins Designs.  Love her, love her work... but not designing for her team anymore.  Teresa has some pretty---.....  she's doing great---........  Okay so she's working on something.....  Okay.  I really can't say anything, because I really don't know anything, except that Teresa needed to make some changes... more notably, requirement changes, and it just wasn't a good fit for either of us anymore. We have parted as friends and I hope we always will be.

On another note, After some encouragement, I'm strongly considering making some paper necklaces for the holidays and posting them on Etsy.  Mostly because I'm delusional and I really think I can fit another item on my already toppling plate.  Mostly I'm excited becuase someone I really admire, with a reputation for very good taste contacted me asking if I would sell her one.  :)

In December I'm going to the Charity Wings - Seaside Soiree in San Diego.  I'm so excited.  Some of my favorite Brave Girls will be there as well as some amazing talented people I'm really looking forward to meeting. 

I really want to tell you all about Brave Girls Camp 10-10, but that post is going to need some real time.  I want to make sure I do it right, and so I want to make sure I have time.  Soon.  I promise.  xoxo  (It was sooooooooooooo amazing.)

Working is fabulous (refering my full time job).  A good friend of mine started working with me and she's an excellent match for the company and what we do.  Full steam ahead...

As I'm writting, it kind of sounds like life is perfect.  It's not.  It's so totally not perfect, but I make a conscience decision to focus my attention on what it going right, and not on what isn't.

It
has
made
all
the
difference.

Focus is everything.  Where you are focused is where you will consciously and subconsciously focus all of your energy and your attitude will develop around it.  Isn't it ironic if a couple things don't go how we expected in the morning... and we maybe start thinking, "Oh man, I need to tell someone about the horrible morning I've had, I hope it doesn't turn into a horrible day!" well then... wouldn't you know it, the rest of the day just all goes downhill?  Or does it? 

Have we focused so much of our attention on looking for "What ELSE can possibly go wrong to ME today??" that things that really are not that big of a deal, or we might not have even thought twice about suddenly go on "the list".  Don't tell me you don't have one? The list of all the bad things that have happened today, or this week, or this year...  so we can tick them off to anyone who might listen.  I'm guilty.  SOOOO guilty. 

One day I perceiving my morning to be particularly bad, and I decided to try something.  I started telling myself, "This is going to be a fabulous day!" and I started to look for the positive things... just little things, like, when driving, "oh that person just let me in because it's my lucky day!"  AND seriously.  No cheating. 

Here's what cheating looks like, just so we're clear:

"okay, I'm going to try this positive thinking thing..." (even though I'm having the crappiest day ever becuase of 1. this, 2. this, and 3.THIS (that was a big one), and ...and..and... but whatev' I'm thinking happy thoughts.)

(Okay here we go...) "yay me.  woohoo..  it's going to be a greeeeeat day...  i bet the driver of this car next to me is going to let me in because i'm having such a great day" (I bet they really DON'T let me in because this is just a CRAPPY day in my Crappy life....)

(OKAY see!  They freaking didn't let me in because they're just a JERK, and this is a CRAPPY DAY and I AM so irritated and ANGRY and Frustrated and I NEVER sHOULD Have Gotten OUT OF BEd at all because they world hates ME AND NO ONE LOVES ME AND i REALLY SHOULD HAVE JUST HAD WORMS FOR BREAKFAST AND.... ARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!)

::breathing:: steering wheel gripped tight::eyes buldging out of head::

::breath::breathe::

::Breathe some some::

(Must try a bit harder.) "I am a nice kind sweet person because that GUY was clearly in a hurry (BIG FAT JERK) and I was being very kind to let him go on ahead. (YEAH RIGHT! I should have freaking cut him off... Wheres the FIRE BUDDY!  I settle for tailing him...)  I am nice and kind and wonderful and it's going to be a great day."  BIG FAT STUPID LIE.  My Life sucks!!  (This is the stupidest thing ever.)

Ah-hem.  Not so productive.  Don't give it the half try.  Give it the whole try.  NOBODY deserves to walk around from morning to night tallying all the "Alexander and Horrible, Rotten, No Good, Very Bad Day" events.  Don't do that to yourself. 

And besides
It's way more fun to tally the good stuff. 


xoxo  Love ya.

Cam

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Have you any Rendi?

  
 I've done it.

I've signed up for my first ever network marketing opportunity. 

I'm in shock. 

I have always been sooooo anti-network marketing.  I won't listen to pitches, I'm not interested, and I don't want my friends to bug me about joining.... and I wouldn't want to bug my friends about joining... or buying... either. 

Then came Rendi.  I'm not going to tell you much about, just why I decided to go for it.

1.  First and for most, my number 1.  Rendi is a part of an established 20 year company with a great reputation for quality and ethical business practices... AND they are completely new to the home party market.  Literally Zero market saturation.... Okay they did launch on October 1, 2010, so maybe .0000000001% market saturation..At this point there have probably only been a small handful of parties that have even been hosted across the entire nation... and  by a handful I'm talking about less than 30.  Brand new market.

2. Brand new concept in product and home parties.  The Rendi products are beautiful pieces of wall art, customized with your sentiments, quotes, names, dates etc.  Your order is placed via the website and the product is created and shipped, here in the US (Trinity, Colorado to be exact) and shipped within 48 hours.  AND the prices are extremely affordable. And my good Friend Melody Ross designed one of the lines and I love, love, love her artwork.  At the home parties guests are encouraged to bring their laptops, and place their orders online.  The only product you bring to the party are the personal pieces you have purchased for your home.  No inventory to carry.

3.   Next, and more important tome than the products:  I have had the privilege of conferencing directly with Annie Danielson, the founder of Danielson Designs and Rendi, and I am sooooo impressed with her.  For about 30 minutes Annie spoke of her love and passion for personal development, and especialy for the joy she feels when women grow and do things they never thought they could ever do.  She is passionate about helping women grow and recognize their inner strength, and accomplish dreams they believed were completely out of reach.  You could almost feel the tangible passion in her voice and words. 

Danielson Designs has always utilized women, stay at home moms, single moms, etc.  in the production of their products.  Giving women the opportunity to work from home while adding to their household income.  This is something I am passionate about.  I own a fulfillment company and I try to do the same, taking projects that I can assign out to stay at home and single moms who desperately need the income, and desperately need to be home for their children.  It helps these women be able to accomplish what is most important to them.

After the 30 minutes Annie spent discussing her passion for helping women to grow, she said goodbye...  not a word about sales, revenue, recruiting, money...  Not a word about build, build, build, go go go... sell sell sell that I would have expected from the owner of a new company pre launch.  I honestly believe Annie is 100 times more passionate about helping women succeed and follow their dreams than she is about "getting rich." And the staff at Rendi seems to mirror Annie's sentiments. The environment is extremely positive and supportive. Please don't mistake my words to imply Rendi is not going to be financially successful.  They will be.  No question.

4. And Finally, the affiliations, structure of Rendi, and their compensation plan.  The compensation plan is truely one of the best in the market.  Extremely well thought out.  Rewarding of hard work, and quite high paying compared to the rest of the home party market. Months and months and months of planning has gone into the development of the plan, utilizing industry experts, and professionals to ensure no detail is left unattended.  And of course, Rendi is a HUGE supporter of BRAVE GIRLS!!!  Brave Girls Club is also an independent stylist, and have asked me to be involved with training and managing a portion of our team.  I have also been selected to be a part of a small group of about 10 people who make up the Rendi Leadership team.  As such I receive specialized training, and new announcements before general release.  Personal training meetings occur at least once a week with in-depth discussion about every aspect of Rendi.  It's amazing, and provided with all the tools I need to help my team be successful. 
Rendi is going places.  Fast and big, and I'm going with them.  Would love to have you come along. If you'd like more information please check out my website, or shoot me an email. 


Love you.  xoxo
Cam

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Jennica's Baptism and the Dress

The Dress first.

I LOVE to sew.  Sometimes I forget that I love to sew because I never have time for it.  When my daughter was born we gave her a special blessing and I made her a beautiful baby gown, the really super long old vintage style.  And so when she decided to be baptized I really wanted to make her a dress.

In my limited time, I found this pattern.  It was close to what I wanted, except I wanted to add a wide waist band, and trim, but the basic style was right.


A few minor alterations, and of course lots of extra embellishment and ...

we have a winner.


LOVE.

Love the way it all came together and turned out. 

Because I was using white cotton fabric I cut two of every pattern piece and stitched them together to made the fabric twice as thick... and less transparent.

I added lightly gathered layers of fabric cut on the bias with unfinished edges to the sleeves and skirt.

For the waistband, I trimmed about 2.5 inches off the top of each piece of the skirt pattern.  Then I cut a section of fabric approximately 30 inches x 3.25 inches.  I folded and pressed the fabric in 1 inch sections, then stitched along the fold at the 1/16 mark to add the vertical lines.  I know there is term for that...  I just can't recall what it is...


To the bodice I added whimsical handmade flowers and  simple buttons.  I used diamond glaze to add the word "beautiful" from a vintage dictionary to one of the buttons.  

I really wanted to achieve a vintage, handmade appearance.  Some green ribbon stems finished out the design, and were stitched into the waist.


Seriously...  I know.  We are going to have REAL boy problems.  I don't know how I ended up with such a beautiful, amazing daughter. I love her so much. 


This picture from Jennica's baptism is awesome.  Did you check out Jesus grabbing my husband by the ear?

Classic.

The baptism was wonderful.  My 5 yr old said the closing praying, in a room of about 40 people, and asked God to bless grandma and grandpa not to get 'attacked' when they went home. 

It was a beautiful day.

Then this morning Jennica was singing a church song.  The lyrics say:

"I know who I am,
I know Gods Plan,
I'll follow him in Faith."


Only Jennica was singing it:

"I know who I am,
I know Gods Plan,
I'll follow him in vain..."

We might have to work on that one...  especially since she does not believe me that she's singing it wrong.

xoxo Cam