BUSY=SUCCESS!!

Wow, what a blessing these past few months have been for me...I haven't taken the time to write in a while, although, I have written many blogs in my head during the day. Just can't seem to take the time to get it out.

A few weeks ago, my best friend since I was 3 left. She came for 11 days and we covered this island. Toured, climbed, swam, snorkeled, shopped, and ate, and then ate some more...It is one thing to have a friend, but one visit, there is no words to describe it!! Thank you Jen for coming here!

Then after she left, it was full speed ahead on blocks because she brought me my miter saw I have been needing. Can't believe she did that, but she knew that when she asked if there was anything I needed, she could get a crazy response...she sure did!! Things have just been so crazy with orders. Everyday orders come in and then out. I can't stop, I can't slow down, it keeps me sane and busy. Subbing has slowed down a bit, so I am able to constantly work on the orders. I have not had chance to catch up on new ideas and sets. Every time I post a new item, I get requests for them so I cant get ahead. I am taking the month of January off so I can come out with some new items! Stayed tuned to see more of Kreations by Kelly...

To run it or not to run it...

So I started the website, www.tinkerkell.com and now not sure if I want to keep it up and running. I check my FB page about one thousand times a day and just don't want to spread my self to thin. I have my FB Kellys-Kupcake page and I think that might be enough. I also need to just keep up with my blogging and advertise here. If someone is interested in something, they can email me right?

I jump into everything with both feet running. Always. I have this massive swimming pool and it full of the things in my head. I check the water level, as to whether it is shallow or not. That let's me decide if I can start something. I take a few steps back and then just go for it. I jump in and then come to the surface, I think, yea, this is for me. Then I just sit there and tread water for a bit and then decide to stay in or get out of the water...I am not the type to get in using the side steps. I just take the plunge. It's always ok to get out, dry off, sit for a bit, and then get up and do it all over again!!

It's been a while...

Wow, has it been that long since I have sat down, wait, be right back, have to get the coffee...sigh, I am sitting!! YAY!! The past few weeks has been a whirlwind for me. I did awesome at the 58th Signal Battalion Fundraiser with my cupcakes! The picture is of my table, but I my vision for it is to lean towards Shabby Chic decor. I want the whites. Just love that look...

Anyway, so during the Bazaar, it was slow at times but during those times, I was very busy marketing and networking. It took off. I met so many people, got names of coordinators for shows here and met lots of great ladies who do crafts! Just had an awesome weekend. Since then, it has been NON-STOP. With people coming by for Baby Gifts, custom orders for personalized blocks, and baby blocks. This past week I took the plunge and started my website, it is www.tinkerkell.com. I decided to go with that because for one, I just love Tinkerbell, she is just adorable. Her name stands for a lot. She is a fairy who TINKERS with things. She is a builder, she works with her hands. That is me, I love working with hands and creating things. Every day I have new ideas and make them work. SO, I took her name out and put MINE in!! Tinkerkell...everything I TINKER with...

My blogs, my photography, my fiverr, my crafts, my scra booking, my nutrition...list just goes on. I also love helping people and consulting. Not professionally, but just enjoy telling them about deals, coupons, bargains, new places, new websites, new everything!! I made my FB page and that is going well. I also joined a FB group of ladies here on island that work from home and just love the group. Everyone is just so supportive of each other and that is how it should be. We are all on this island together and without each others support, we wouldn't be where we all are today. This picture is name set I completed today! Another satisfied customer...

I am at 'piece' again...

Wow, it amazing what a picture can do to you that you haven't looked at in a while...since cleaning off my platters, I have found myself scrapbooking more. I just can't express how relaxing and calming it is. To go back through hundreds and hundreds of pictures to pick a theme to create an everlasting memory is just breathtaking. My whole world stops revolving around me and I just go back to that moment in time that my camera captured. I just sit and stare at it and just smile. No matter what the day held for me, as soon as I sit down, I am happy and at 'piece'!

It takes a few minutes to visualize it in my head of what I want. Once the glue goes down, there is no turning back. I go through tons of papers and embellishments, making sure to pick the perfect one. Then I start cropping, trimming, distressing, rearranging a few times, and then it starts to come together...just like 'pieces' of a puzzle. As I get further into it, the empty spaces begin to fill up. I don't empty space, geesh, now that I think about it, no wonder I don't like empty space on my pages...I hate empty spaces in my time and life. If I have a few minutes to chill, I am still doing something. I don't sit, everyone knows that, so I guess they go together...anyway, back to scrapbooking. (just had a KDD moment there) I then look at the page and see where I can fit one more embellishment or ribbon. Finally, when there is no more room, it is just perfect for me, like the pieces of a puzzle, it just all fits together!

For those of you who don't know, I used to teach scrapbooking at Central Texas College. I did a few classes and then stopped. It was great, it was there I met two awesome ladies who one of them became such a dear friend, her and her family. We will have such a great story to scrapbook together one day when I move back to Texas...I brought allllllllll my scrapbooking supplies here to Oki and hopet og et caught up on the past 7 years...ouch, that looks bad. I don't go in order, I look through pictures and when a page idea comes to mind, I go for it. I am very behind, but hey, you can't rush time. I like to create scrapbooks for others as well, but can't put my heart and soul into someone else's memories while mine are so fresh in my head.

My scrapbooking tells my life, my dreams, my goals. It lets me be me with every ribbon, paper, rub on, and chipboard letter. It is my one way to express myself at the given moment in time and if I ever lose who I am, I just take a few minutes to sit down and look through the finished books. I just smile or caress the picture. Takes me back. There is no replacing that with any piece of technology, bank account, car, trip, nothing because it lies in your soul. You take all the materialistic things out of this world and you are still left with moments, happy, sad, funny, frightening, but you still have it...forever.

My scrapbooks are my book of life and I am the author...I am not after a prize or recognition, just capturing memories and holding onto them. One of Jacob's most favorite things to do is to sit down in my lap and we go through his baby books. I tell each and every story and he just laughs as I hug him tighter and tighter. When we are done, he says, 'can we do it again, I love my baby moments'. I save every little piece of moments for my books. Ticket stubs, receipts, ribbons, etc to add to that moment. I try to make each page come to life while looking at it.

Well, he just got home from school and it is time to go back and start his 6th Birthday Party page...will be posted soon!!!

7 Years in the Making!!

Ugh, does this have to happen today...Jacob turns 7...I am just torn up about it. Yes, of course I am so happy and fun about the day, but he's getting older and I don't want him to. I want him to stay young and my baby. I know that won't happen and I need to let him grow up, I am, trust me, but at night when I go in to tuck him in, I just can't help but get sappy. He still looks like the day he was born and when I kiss him goodnight, he makes that noise babies do and throws his arms up to stretch and move. Uh, sigh. His birthday party went awesome, no other way to describe it. Just perfect. We are so blessed with the friends here and they were all there. They were there for mine, and now for his. Just wonderful! I know that I can't keep him a baby, but he will always be one to me. I try everyday to raise him the 'right' way. I have a hard time realizing that you can't raise the kids today like we were. It sucks. I am way to over protective, but I can't fathom the idea of anything happening to my baby boy! I love you Bunk, Happy 7th Birthday!!!

As I sit here...

I just stare at the screen trying to remember word for word what I wanted to type throughout the day when I finally get a chance to sit and type. Now that my PINK keyboard is in front of me, I draw a blank. Then it dawns on me as I sort through the tons of websites I visit each day why I am typing...HATERS SUCK. Sorry, that was a bit harsh, but so are they. Just imagine the tone of that sentence with me very cool, calm, and relaxed sitting with you and chatting and then all of a sudden, I jump up and scream, HATERS SUCK...get the picture, good, here I go, hang on...!

The other day I, well, Jacob and I, ran some errands and we came across an entertainment unit on the curb. We looked it over, made sure it wasn't broke and grabbed it. I wanted to add some color to it so I covered it in fabric, to give it some life. I posted it and sure enough, my HATER fan club came out again. They wrote on the OYS site this time and not the underground page that this sat in the rain, was wobbly, cracked and broke. I don't pick stuff up that is like that. I am trying to start a business doing this so why would I?? I guess there are people out there that just can't stand other success. It bothers me. I know I shouldn't let it, but I am not that strong to hide it. I can tell you that it's not a big deal, but it is. It hurts. It sucks.

I got bashed a few weeks ago and gave up. Then I sat back and realized that nobody will do that to me. Well, I started looking at my plate of things like this...let me paint you another picture...You have a BBQ, all the food at this BBQ are your ideas, dreams, thoughts, projects all laid out on the table for you. You go down the line, look at some of them and decide if this is for you. Is it good for you, is it bad, will it cause heartache, etc. Then you sit down and enjoy every last bite of those mixtures of ideas, dreams, and thoughts. Yummy, just thinking about how delicious they are and how you could just let this fester in your stomach and do you good...right? When you are finished, it's time to scrap off the tiny bit of leftovers you can't fit in your waistline anymore. Well, you go to lay it down on the counter because in comes another idea and you forget about the plate that now has the food drying and sticking to it. It continues to sit and harden because you are to busy jotting down other ideas, dreams, and thoughts. You go off and have a blast with those new ideas and just let the other ones sit. Well, there is a time that you HAVE TO GO AND CLEAN IT OFF. Wash the plate and put it away for another time. There will be more BBQ's, trust me.

So, for now, with being at peace with it all, I have whole heartedly decided to stop the junkin' and flippin' for a bit. I am strong in a sense that I can survive my husband defending this country, but can't survive people tearing me up. All my friends tell me not to let it stop me, but I just can't do it anymore. I will get my plate out again in Texas where I have the support system with me at work everyday to do this.

Right now, it is time to focus on becoming a substitute teacher, which my packet has been filled out for about 9 months. I just haven't taken it up because I have been to busy with the furniture stuff, you know the bad food...Hopefully I will get picked up for that and will be surrounded in my scrapbooking. I haven't done that since we got here and my goal was to be caught up on my thousands of pictures before we go back. If I make anything, it will go on ebay or etsy. Somewhere where people appreciate the work and not slam it into the ground, like this place. This island is small and these wives have nothing else to do but get in other peoples way. I am not giving up, I am just going to relax for a bit with all of this. I am smiling and very content. I appreciate all the awesome feedback and comments. Truly is amazing.

a test.

Facebook Test

For some reason when I went to share my last blog on FB, it says that the message has been blocked due to abusive matter. So this is a test in case it does go through...

Down in a hole~wait, I see another door...

So, today I was reading more on my life as a internet celebrity and how people don't have anything else better to do than bash others. I also had some words with this lady about her telling me I am a rude person to deal with when it comes to selling stuff, that is another blog and I don't feel like getting upset over that again...yea yea yea, I'm over it. Yes, I was upset, but now I have had time to GET OVER IT! So...this is how it is.

I don't like to draw negative attention to myself. I am not the one to take the spotlight, I usually hide behind people. I don't try to fit in because I was born to stand out in my own way. All this nonsense has made me hide in a hole for a while. I took my Scentsy sticker off my car just because I don't want people to point me out in a crowd. I took my stuff off the yard sale page to just go MIA for a bit. Want things to settle. This is how I look at all this...I may be in a hole, but while being down here, I turned around to take a look at my surroundings and off in a distance past all the ways of jealousy, envy, stupidity, and bashing, I noticed this teeny tiny PINK door with a light on. I went towards it and VIOLA...it's a NEW START for me. I am a huge believer in fate and that for every bad thing that happens, there is ten good things that come out it.

Once inside this new door, and closing the one behind me now, I am going to stop selling my items on the OYS page and go bigger. My house is one big clutter closet with all this stuff and I know Jeremiah supports what I do, but I am sure he would love to come home one day to open the door without running into a dresser, table, paint cans, etc. I don't have any projects going on right now that are requiring me to post it and sell it. I am refocusing on my OTHER passion of scrapbooking and paper crafts. I brought EVERYTHING with me for scrapbooking and have it all set up in our third bedroom. I have so much stuff, I could open a store. My goal while here was to get caught up on my books and go home with no scrapbooking supplies. Um, well so far that ain't happenin', lol. Soooo, instead of getting up and checking to see if I have sold anything overnight, I will scrapbooking and doing what matters...preserving my life!!

I am going to focus on making gifts, pages, crafts and items to sell. I have big hopes and dreams in my future and it's time to get started. I have an Etsy account and will be selling on there. Forget the people here who bash me, they just don't realize that in this bashing session, they have inspired me to go bigger. So 'Thank You' to those haters.

There are a few more certificates I want to accomplish while here for when I get back and without the worries of the OYS page, I will be soaking up every ounce of information to persue what I want. Even though I made excellent money in my 'junkin', it's time to let go for awhile. But, I am not giving up, I am just moving on. This whole thing has taught me not to give up on truly matters~

I'm famous!

Ok, so the other day I posted some of my painted furniture on the okinawa yard sale website. The site I list all my stuff on...A friend of mine called me to tell me that on Okinawaunderground.com, there was a thread about me and my furniture. There were two bashing me and the others were defending me. The bashers were asked if they were jealous or envious of my work. Loved it!

I let it go and thought it was funny because the stuff they were talking about SOLD for $20. They were saying stuff like, 'what if it had mold on it, what if it were left in the rain and she is just covering it up'. REALLY PEOPLE, my customers have kids, why would I deliberately sell something dangerous to children when I am trying to make a name for myself and to carry this business back with me to the states. I swear there are some people in this world that don't deserve to speak. Anyway, so the big cabinet that I had posted, I took off due to adding a few things to it.

I reposted it this evening. In my ad, I fully described every detail that went into flipping it. I also made a statement at the bottom that basically was bashing my basher but in a professional way. I text me friend to tell her to read my ad and sure enough, she went to the OU page and said they had already started a thread on my ad. Freaking crazy...

After my 'PINK Standing Closet' was reposted, it was the third item on the list and guess what, you guessed it, someone IMed me about and will be here in the morning to look at it in person! The laugh I let out went to my bashers...then I had someone else write me and her IM said, 'I love your work, do you do custom orders'? Well, OF COURSE I do!! I was so flattered. THEN another lady emailed me and just said, 'just want to tell you that your work is gorgeous, congratulations'!

I am smiling so big right now because I am NOT the person that will allow a few peoples choice words or comment to ruin what I AM WORKING for...just ain't gonna happen! Now, excuse me from typing any longer, I have a rocking horse to tend to...

I have a Fanclub!

Apparently, I am famous! Just not the way that I have always dreamed of...I got a call yesterday from a friend and she told me that she was on a site looking some info up on something good she is involved in. Well, upon doing so, she stumbled across a thread (topic of conversation) that was talking about me and how I flip all this furniture...I HAVE HATERS! I feel honored that there are wives out there that sit around and talk about me and my skills. They have nothing else better to do all day than sit on this site and go back and forth and bash me. The funny part is that everyone that was writing in and commenting was standing up for me! THANK YOU! They were saying things like, 'Good for her', 'leave her alone, it's something she chooses to do and it's not illegal', 'there are TV shows out there that people do this on'...and so on. I guess I am just mind blown that there are people out there that spend their time bitching about other people success.

I am not going to change what I do to satisfy jealous envious people. I refuse. I refuse to satisfy them and even comment on what they wrote. I do what I do because I am good at it and enjoy it. Enough said.

I find it comical that this happened. I have to stop myself from going back to see if anything else has been written, I am not lowering myself to their level...I have furniture to paint! So that being said, I am off to finish another piece of furniture to post so it gives these lame people something to do today!!

If anyone wants to read my fanclub memos...go here. www.okinawaunderground.com. Scroll down til you come to the thread titled : 'Not a joke AFD NYJ'...something like that. Please do not create an account and leave a comment, just don't need the added drama. I would appreciate the support BUT I know I already have it! So for that, I truely THANK YOU ALL!

Natural...

Sometimes I feel I try to hard to be 'me'. I find myself more at ease with photos when I don't try as hard to be natural in them. The photo on the left is at the Valentines Day social for his Battalion. I had on fake nails, tried the whole fake eyelash thing, yeh, that didn't work...I just tried to hard to feel good in the dress. The whole time I was thinking, oh gosh, what is sticking out, what is not sucked in, what is showing? I just didn't feel natural. Now as for this other one on the right, I just love this picture. I feel 100% naturally pretty and relaxed. I didn't take 3 hours to get ready and I didn't have anything fake on. Just did my makeup like I always do and was very comfy in my jeans and casual shirt. I was just so happy and naturally posed for this picture. We were talking down the hill holding hands and throwing back love taps...then Kriston turned around and said, 'smile'. I did. I didn't hold anything in, didn't stick anything out, just was NATURAL! To me there is a big difference and I love it. I have to realize that the harder I try to be something I am not, the harder it is so see the genuine happiness in the photo!

Cleaning off the chair...

Chair 'Before' 'After'

Geesh, I don't even know where to begin on this one. I used to think that instead of 'cleaning off the plate', I should just buy a bigger one...well, today I have decided that I can't do that anymore. It's time to 'clean off the chair' to allow a little room to sit! There does come a time when enough is enough. No, I didn't add the handles, just showing the seat part!

These thoughts began with realizing that I am messing up so much on Scentsy orders because my heart is just not into it anymore. Everyone sells it here and I keep buying stuff to keep myself afloat for the next 2.5 years to continue it in the states. Everyday, there is someone else joining here and I am not a competitive person, so I have to let it go. I am so consumed with my 'full time' job Junkin' that it keeps so busy. I also am in the middle of reupholstering a ladies dining room chairs, ear deep in crafts and love every minute of it! As I was beginning to pull the staples out of the next chari, I realized that if I am not using my hands in either creating, painting, or using hand tools, I am not happy. The Scentsy is alot of paperwork and sitting. Everyone knows by now that I DON'T SIT!

This leads to the next random thought...TINKERKELL...I changed her name to mine because I am always busy and tinkering in something. She never sat still either. I just enjoy using my creativity to much. I see something, I make it. If I don't have the materials to do, I order it or go find it somewhere. I also recycle or reuse everything. For example, Jacob needed a Valentines Day box for his class party. I used the box that the Vday cards came in. We covered it in some Vday scrapbooking paper and some stickers....leading to...

I wash my styrofoam plates and bowls. They can be used a few times over before splitting, so I wash them. When it's just the three of us here for dinner, that is our fine china. I recycle picture frames, paper, labels, you name it, I reuse it and create new things out of it.

I just have to realize that there is a time when to much is to much. I need to focus on the few things I am good at and give it my all instead of fanning my self out to far...I have included a picture of the chairs I just did! I finally took the 1 minute to learn how to post pictures to the blog!

During the day, there are so many times I just wish I could talk and it would type for me. I always have thoughts and ideas in my head. Soemtimes by the time I get to sit and type, my mind goes blank...we normally don't celebrate Valentine's Day. He is usually gone to the field, NTC, or IRAQ. But not this year, he was home and we loved it. I went to lunch alone due to him not being able to get away from a promotion thing at work. Then I went shopping in American Village by myself. It was quiet and relaxing. After coming home and learning that Kriston, Terry, and the girls weren't coming up for dinner, we decided to go to Macaroni Grill. So far we have chosen that place for every occasion. Since we couldn't go in the states, we are making up for it here! So for a day we never celebrate, it turned out wonderful!

Now Brianna is gone, Jacob is (supposed to be) sleeping, and Jeremiah has put himself in a time out in front of the XBox..., I am sitting!! I love to reflect on the day and let my thoughts loose. Due to Facebook, I have rekindled so many friendships, some I thought I never would, and love it. It gives me a chance to be me and for those who accept that, a chance to keep up with me and keep learning about who I am and have become.

I love being able to express myself and show the world who I am. If they don't agree, stop reading about it! Since being married to the ARMY, I have considered myself the "PINK" sheep of my family. I am the one who mived away and had to learn a whole new world. There isn't anything I can't do. I love it. It makes me.

Underestimating

Why? Why do I always underestimate myself. I don't give my self credit. I am always wanting me to do better on things that no one can do for me. For example, I went to have my makeup done by Lancome. The 'artist', she didn't have a license, so she never went to makeup school, did my makeup nice, but not the way I wanted it. So far NO ONE can do it the way I want it. I really wsih I could put in a call to Kim's artist and get my eyes done like her. Oh well, that will never happen, so I guess I better watch alot of youtube and learn it myself. There has been a few occasions when I do my own makeup and it has always turned out better. I need to believe in myself more.

I do so much for myself. I have been so angry in the past for Jeremiah always being gone. Sometimes I thank the situation because it has taught me how to be strong and believe in myself. There isn't anything I can't do...ok, maybe an oil change or something but for the most part, I do it. I enjoy it.

I do my crafts, I flip furniture and make so pretty awesome money doing it. I give up on myself to fast. I have always had followers but to me, it's just not good enough to sell. Maybe it's because I post items I make on websites and other websites. I have been trying to get my name out there for years. At the end of the day when nothing sells, I just smile because I know that my hard work and love went into what I created. I enjoy making things and using my creativity. I won't give that asset up. For nothing or nobody.

Not enough time in a day...

You know the famous question, if you could go back in the past to meet someone, who would it be...mine would be the person who invented TIME. I would ask him/her to add a few hours to the day. I get up a few minutes before Jacob gets up for school. I make the coffee, turn on the computer, and it's a blur from there. I really have managed to turn my 'housewife' career into something big. I take care of the house, the bills, the cleaning, and the laundry. I do my kickboxing and that is my good stress reliever. I can't say cooking because Jeremiah loves to cook and he helps with grocery shopping, he loves it. With junkin' and Scentsy, I don't sit. Don't forget school and occasionally I will sit to watch TV. I hate sitting though. I sit here at my computer typing this and all I can think about are the 10 projects I have starting to pile up in my front hallway. I fall asleep to thinking of paint combinations. I just want to get up and go work on something. Sleep sometimes just gets in my way. I don't have time to sleep. I just need a few more hours. I am trying to figure out a sleep pattern for me. For some reason, on the weekends when the alarm doesn't have to go off, I am up earlier than the week wide awake. I get more done. I am trying to get in bed by 11 and up by 6:30. That might even be to much sleep.

My week so far has been a blur...between two scentsy parties, errands, driving around, trying to be in two places at once...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. Everyday this week there is something happening all the way through Sunday. Then it begins all over!

Guess the saying holds true...I would rather work 80 hours for myself than 40 for someone else!

Keeping up with Kelly...

Wow, where do I begin? I have been told by few that they are betting I will come out with a book on my stories...I guess this is the best place to begin.

In June, many of you know that we got stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Got here, got settled, and just love it. Everyone kept telling us that it would take awhile for us to adjust and get used to everything. Not us. We fit in and got settled very quickly. Stared sight-seeing driving til we got lost just to find our way back and learn the roads. It just has been wonderful. So wonderful that I don't have a chance to get homesick. Between facebook, emails, magicjack, iphone mail, and chats, I don't have a reason to be homesick. Geesh, technology these days are so beyond what we imagined 10 years ago. Jacob knows more about it than I do...

My father came to visit for the holidays and that was just perfect. We got alot of sight-seeing in and showed him around. Ate some wonderful food and loved every minute we had together. Mom and Rich are now on the way in April so I have taken a break on sight-seeing til they get here. The weather will be warmer so playig tour guide will involve some other places.

Now that it is February, our 10 year anniversary is around the corner. We are so lucky and thankful to be spending it together, unlike the past years of him being in IRAQ. I have made some plans and hope it goes smoothly! Jacob is excelling in school, just doing wonderful. We got past the behavior speedbumps and has been smooth since then.

Jeremiah has moved to Battalion for his Battalion and does not have any soldiers under him anymore, first time since we have been together. As for me...geesh, I stay home and work full time for MYSELF! Couldn't be any better. I go Junkin' and flip furniture. My friend Kriston and I do it together and get busier and busier with it. Two nights a week, I go with Wendy to kickboxing and really enjoy that also. Almost love the class as much as the company.

My Scentsy is still going well, I was promoted to Director a few months ago and have 46 on my team. The dogs are doing great, they have adapted well.