The 'Etsy' Bitsy Provider

   

 I have pulled a 180! Growing up with my mama's crafts filling every corner I built a wall up to all things "country" and "crafty".  Quilts were all over the place and I often found loose buttons and pieces of quilt scraps in my laundry. The country style has never been my thing- I tend to gravitate toward shabby chic, vintage or modern styles when it comes to decorating. Sometimes, I combine all three.  Mama always tried to get me to at least try sewing like she did, but I always resisted.

     Matt and I have had a tough time financially over the past year and I've been searching for ways to help us out. Our financial situation hasn't been because of our crazy spending (we're both tight wads!) but circumstances beyond our control have smacked us in the face and robbed our wallet. The thrifty part of my brain works really well and I can go without spending or saving major bucks when I buy our groceries, but saving money isn't enough when you need to increase cash flow.  I started a part-time job as a nanny which I am so thankful for! My new income hasn't made us rich overnight or taken care of the issues at hand, but it's a great start to helping us out.  My little job has really improved my self-esteem and that in itself is a huge pay off! Just the fact of knowing I'm helping us out now has improved the way I think of myself. I'm not such a bully to myself now.

     I've been looking at ways to bring in extra money and things to work on during the times that I'm not working.  I decided to pick up jewelry making which I realized I'm not too bad at to be a beginner. I opened a store on http://www.etsy.com/ and named my store Pearls For A Gypsy. Then, I surprised myself by calling my mom and asking her for a sewing machine for Christmas! What?! I also asked for her to create me a starter kit of supplies that she has on hand.  My next project is making throw pillows that I have made as Christmas gifts in the past. I will be adding those to my online store soon! I am also going to use my writing in some craft pieces and see what I can do with that. I'm really excited about the new projects that I have going on and I'm finding that working on things really instills a sense of pride in me because I feel like I'm continuing what my mama has started.  I also feel like I'm genuinely helping with our financial situation. It's going to be such a blessing to be able to potentially make money from home since I'm unable to work a full-time job right now. 

    We shall see how it works out! Please stop by my store and browse for Christmas gifts! I would love any feed back that you may have- positive and need for improvement! Thanks!