Here are some shots of my work space. It’s definitely in phase 1. A place like this needs to be inspirational to walk into, so paint is definitely in order and I have lots of plans for a better organizational setup. Maybe it’ll be fun to look back on these pics in a few months and see the progression.

Laurel, can you imagine that this was recently filled with guitars and teenage boy stuff?

printing shipping cutting...

Related posts:

1. Busy bee!
2. The chicks are here!

No related posts.

Thanks to open-source tools like Joomla and WordPress, it’s so much easier to build an online presence. Sure you can go drop $40,000 for a website like many clients have, but I want you to know something…you don’t have to if you’re willing to put a little elbow grease in and build your online boutique yourself. There are first-tier options out there that are effective and a great first step toward your goal.

I am currently developing a curriculum for getting your hobby/passion/art into an eCommerce environment all by yourself. You’ll learn everything you need to know to form your own business, finding wholesale vendors, getting your product online, setting up a shopping cart, apply standard SEO (search engine optimization), taking advantage of social media, and marketing your site for minimal investment and without hiring a programmer .

I’m excited and passionate about what I do. I put my professional experience to practice in my online shop. Knowing what tools are out there and how to put them together, I think it would be a lot of fun to teach others how to get up and running.

If I taught this course, would you be interested? You’d learn how to file for a DBA, get a sales license, get your Federal EIN number, set up your business checking, find and set up wholesale accounts, build a fairly plug-and-play website with a shopping cart, and how to market your site with minimal financial investment and some elbow grease. When I say “minimal investment”, I’m talking less than $300 for filing your paperwork with the state, getting your web hosting set up, and spending a little on targeted pay-per-click ads. If you’ve been sitting there, wishing you could get your dream online but thinking it was an investment of thousands, I’m here to tell you it can be done for substantially less and a little sweat equity.

We’ll spend a day together, everyone online, walking through the process. When you leave, you’ll be armed with printed reference materials so you won’t forget a single thing as you go down your chosen path.

If this sound like a class you’d be into taking and you live in the Chicago area, please email me at alana@alanawaters.com. My professional portfolio and resume is available for review at www.alanawaters.com.

Come on! Let’s have some fun!

Related posts:

1. Busy bee!

Related posts:

1. Free Art Project
2. Martha Stewart’s advice on keeping backyard chickens

My cousin and I were very close growing up. He’s about 6 months older and grew up outside of Portland, Oregon. I spent the bulk of my childhood in coastal Texas, but our parents made a point of us spending time together. His parents, educated, creative, and progressive, made sure he grew up with his eyes wide open and since I looked up (and still do) to him quite a bit, a lot of that rubbed off on me. When I was 20 I went out to spend some time with my cousins, aunt, and uncle in Oregon. I remember him coming up behind me one morning and shutting the water off as I stood like an oaf in front of the running faucet while brushing my teeth. I never did it again. He said nothing, but his example was wonderful. We took morning road trips to waterfalls and hiked around Mount Hood. He taught me about the heartbreak of clear cutting, and of many other hidden unjust stories. As an adult, he is a talented writer and has been researching the effects of spilled jet fuel on neighboring communities for years. The clusters of cancer victims surrounding these airports are staggering.

BUT I digress…

My point is that he was my strongest inspiration in becoming an environmentalist.

My cousin and his youngest son a few years ago

The sermon on the day of Will’s Christening was given by a guest speaker who told us “How to Raise an Environmentalist”. Her point was spot on. You raise an environmentalist not by reading scary stories about oil spills and global warming, but by teaching them to be in love with nature so that they care about what happens to it. My daughters have both spent hours with me in my canoe, on nature walks, tending to our gardens and the wild birds who visit. Autumn has camped with me in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and kayaked in Lake Superior Provincial Park on the crystal clear waters of Pancake Bay. We’ve hiked up beautiful waterfalls, rappelled along cliffs covered in ancient Ojibwe pictographs, explored the Grand Canyon and the deserts of Arizona. As Sophia and Will get older, I’ll take them on similar trips.

Around the house, we try to incorporate ways to make our impact on our surroundings a bit more kind. My friend Aaron inspired me to ditch our old gas mower in favor of a rotary-style and I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner. Mowing our yard is now a quiet and enjoyable experience instead of a loud, smoky one. -Plus I think it does a better job.

I’ve been wanting to add a rain barrel for ages and finally got one put up today. This one from Fiskars was $55 at Home Depot and came with a diverter for our downspout. It’s almost the same color as our fence, so when it’s tucked into the corner we barely notice it. I attached a soaker hose to it, which snakes in and out of the hostas and hibiscus in our yard, then over to the chicken coop where I have a handy way to fill their water tank.

We have several different types of bird feeders which attract a wide range of birds through the summer as well as the winter, when we put out a heated bird bath.

We try to show our kids that nature isn’t somewhere you go on vacation, that it’s away and at home. We go exploring and then come home to take care of our tiny square of it. I’m proud of my children and their love for nature. I know they’ll always be good citizens of the earth not because they fear for it’s future, but because they are being raised to have compassion for it and enjoy the beauty it has it offer.

Related posts:

1. Looking back at 2009
2. The Homies
3. Busy bee!

She tends to them several times throughout the day, checking their water, sitting with them, holding them on her lap and petting them. The chicks will come and eat right out of her hand and seem more tame around her than Dave or me. She’s a natural animal caregiver. Animals love her and she loves them.

Related posts:

1. Win a super cute lunch tote from Let’s Picnic!

Just tall enough.

Related posts:

1. ikea hacker: Dishy jewelry plate

We added 3 little Araucanas “Easter Egger” chicks to our family about a month ago. We chose this breed for their hardiness in cold temps as well as their large, beautiful multi-colored eggs that can be green, pink, blue, or lovely chocolate brown.

Last weekend Dave and I worked on building the coop (Mostly Dave. He likes the tools. I painted and held stuff.) and then this weekend we built the run. This morning the girls had their homecoming when the two structures were joined and they were allowed to have their run of the place. They’re having a blast.

I sprinkled some fresh basil and meal worms in the run alongside their usual feed and water and they went nuts! It never fails that no matter how many treats there are, the first one who grabs a bite get chased by the other two, even as they step all over the extras. Go figure. I just came in from sitting on a garden stool and watching them for about an hour. Their behavior is so interesting and funny.

We’re really enjoying the whole experience of owning these interesting animals.

Related posts:

1. Pantone Home Paints Concept
2. Home
3. The quiet days

I’ve been busy, busy, busy! First on the list is my new online store, Bluebird Goods. After moving, I got so inspired by this 1927  bungalow with it’s original stained glass windows and kitchen cabinets. I want to capture this environment and blend it with what I grew up around at my grandmother’s home on the Gulf Coast. I love making things, fixing up old furniture, and using antiques to decorate with whenever possible. Old things have so much more character than new, plus you have to hunt for the right thing. So keep an eye out as I add more and more goodies for you and your home.

Next up is that I’m taking some time out of the marketing rat race while I figure out my career path. The options on the table right now are to take one of 2 potential full time gigs or move forward with opening my own Interactive agency. I have enough client work to do it, but am anxious about the ups and downs of that financial roller coaster. So until Monday, I’m taking a mental break from it all so I can think about it with a clear head.

Whew!

Baby Will is taking a nap right now, but when he wakes up later I’ll take new pics of him. I can’t believe we’re so close from him turning 1 year old! That’s crazy! Then, of course, Sophia is only a couple of weeks away from her 9th birthday. Just breaks my heart how quickly she is turning into a beautiful young woman. She has such a sweet, earthy spirit. She’s just a little flower child. Part earth mama, part rocker chick, always amusing.

No related posts.

At any rate, Dave and I hung this thing yesterday evening and immediately upon flipping the switch, there was a POP and a *SPARK*, but then the lights stayed lit. The circuit breaker did not trip, but the dimmer switch didn’t work. For now it’s turned off with tape over the switch so no one starts a fire, but I would really like to know what THAT is all about!

At least it’s pretty even when it’s not turned on.

Update: I posted this question on the new Sears site, ManageMyLife.com. We’ll see what they say.

No related posts.