Mermaids of the Lake Blog

As You Wish Design: A Story of Friendship and Sharing a Dream

Do you dream of sharing a business with your best friend? The Mermaids did and we made it happen. We love hearing of other women who are making a dream come true! Read this inspiring story of two best friends and stay-at-home moms who are on a rewarding journey together; working, creating, laughing and playing in their own business.

By Kendra and Kristin

"Friendship, laughter and grace"… are three words we use to best describe the partnership behind As You Wish Design. As two stay-at-home moms, we were passionate about our families, friendships, faith and our homes but our job descriptions were about to change as our youngest girls were headed off to first grade in the fall. Buying the myth that we would have lots of free time on our hands, we began a hypothetical conversation about what it would take to begin working outside of our domestic routine. We could not have imagined that within hours we would fall in love with hand-stamped, personalized jewelry. Or that within three weeks we would be the proud owners of two large Wal-Mart tackle boxes, beginning to fill with the tools and supplies needed to launch our cottage industry. A meaningful name, logo and business license soon followed and the Wish Mamas were born!

Beautiful, hand-stamped, and customized just for you!

The Greek philosopher, Epicurus, got it right a couple thousand years ago when he said "It is not so much our friend's help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they WILL help us." This knowledge has played a large role in the friendship behind our business. We often ask each other for help, an opinion, forgiveness, or a much-needed walk with the dogs. We work through misunderstandings, laugh at things other people do not find the least bit funny, struggle to stay at fighting weight, pray for each other, and celebrate our children's milestones (preferring report cards over driver's licenses)… together.

Every step along the path has meant learning something new. Blogs, Quicken, taxes, silver suppliers, chain styles and quality, advertising, social media, photography, font styles and websites. Oh my! Not to mention… How do we stamp a piece of silver and make it into something personal and meaningful? But armed with a good friend, learning can be so much fun! We now know the miracle that happens behind the birth of each new business. The stuck times, the laugh-till-you-cry times, the brainstorming and encouragement times that cause an idea to take flight into something that can be offered to others. Sometimes all it takes is a glass of wine on a back deck to see things more clearly. After two and a half years of business, we are so grateful for a partnership that gives us a place to fail, a place to dream, and a place to grow personally. We know we would have derailed this train long ago if we were driving it alone.

Unique, customized necklaces for the Mermaids, Debbie and Shelley

Our families have embraced what we do now with a mixture of pride and disbelief. We're sure our hubbies thought this was another hobby, complete with stacks of discarded tools collecting dust in our basement supply rooms. Our families take over at home when we have home-parties at night, support us when we are neglecting our homes as we devote our time to our next business step, and enthusiastically check out our newest creations (ha). We could not have a business without them.

We still LOVE what we do at As You Wish Design. As our alter-egos (Hammer Girl and Sister Sledge), we have celebrated wonderful milestones, marked difficult memorials, made more gifts for special people than we can count and truly can't wait to put our hammers to the next one. We love the stories behind the designs people choose. We love the people we've met in the process. We love that other people want the best for the people in their lives.

Taking risks and following dreams involves conquering fears and believing wholeheartedly that the path you embark on is worth traveling, even if you can't clearly see what the destination will look like. We celebrate all of the friendships behind each small business that comes to be!

Cheers to You!

We LOVE what we do and often find our cupboards bare because we would much rather be metal stamping than grocery shopping.

The founders of As You Wish Design, Kendra ("Hammer Girl") and Kristin ("Sister Sledge"), forged into the world of hand stamped, personalized jewelry in April 2009. Stay-at-home moms with three kids each, our youngest girls were heading off to first grade in the fall. We bought into the myth that we would have all this time on our hands, and one day began hypothetically talking about what it would take to leave our nests. Whatever "it" was, would need to be fun, meaningful, and flexible, allowing us to put our families first, and yet, start to have something just for us again. In our search, we happened upon hand stamped jewelry and immediately fell in love. Within three weeks, we had a silver supplier, business name and logo. Everything came together so effortlessly and we knew it was meant to be.

We feel so blessed every day to be able to make special treasures for you that reflect each of your unique stories. Our favorite part of our business is being able to hear the meaning behind the necklaces we make, whether it is to celebrate the joys in your lives, bring healing during difficult times or give a gift just because.

Please contact us to make a piece as unique as you are...

www.asyouwishdesignjewelry.com
asyouwishdesign@ymail.com

Kendra: 509-954-3814
Kristin: 509-499-2857

I love "going" to work!

By Mermaid Shelley

A little over a year ago I ended a long career working in a government agency to go into business for myself. There are SO many reasons why I love my new job. One is my very short commute to the office - up my spiral staircase to the loft! Another, is being able to dress in my pajamas if I want to. Let me share a few pictures of my work place.

This is the "office" mission statement predominately placed...above the kitchen sink.

I have my "reference" library close at hand.

One nice thing about this office is there are no fire codes. I can have candles and incense fired up all the time!

In the spring and summer, the "break room" is my deck.

 

I get visitors from the neighborhood. How many of you get to watch deer, quail and other little creatures from your office?

And, look at the office help...the cutest little assistant you ever did see! I have to say, working from home is wonderful and today I really appreciate it!

 

A day off just for me - from the Mermaids of the Lake e-zine archives

A day off just for me!

By Mermaid Jennifer

(Originally published in January 2008 at www.mermaidsofthelake.com)

As a mom, wife, and business owner, I have a full plate. Each day before 7 a.m., there are obligations to other people – breakfast, lunches to pack, laundry to do, beds to make, checks to write and dishes to do. Many times before I even hop in the minivan and drive to my job, I feel that I've had a full day. And I know that I'm not alone which is why I've written this story.

For the most part, it's all good – it's my life after all - but I was longing for a moment to myself where I could decide to do whatever I wanted to do. In my mind, there would be no one in the house slouching on the sofa in front of the TV and others' tasks for me wouldn't matter. Really, where I could take a moment and reflect on the hard work that I've done and enjoy the fruits of my labor.

It seems crazy to think about, but it took me months of frustration with my busy schedule to take a Friday off to do whatever I wanted to do. 

So I finally took the day off. For the first few minutes after the kids left for school, I felt like Peter Parker in Spiderman 3 where he walks down the street with a goofy grin on his face smiling at everyone. He has a skip in his step and "Walking on Sunshine" plays in the background. For me, it was a matter of taking time to observe my home, and my life. I walked through the kitchen of my empty house noticing parts of the décor that needed attention. I leisurely threw in laundry and read the paper. There were framed photos on the wall that I moved to a different location. The fireplace mantle received a new treatment with fall colors and candles. I sprayed Febreeze around the house for a nice smell.

There was a feeling of utter contentment running through me and it was wonderful. Of course there were still some errands to run. But somehow on that beautiful fall day I felt as light as the breeze. I went to the bank and when they asked, "How are you today?" I actually meant it when I said, "I am so great today. I have the day off and it's wonderful." There was a feeling of euphoria that I haven't felt in more than a year.

I went to the have my nails done at the Nail Palace and picked purple for my toes. I observed the other women in the salon some who seemed hurried and others who seemed to be as relaxed as I was that day.

Then, although on an errand for my son's third grade Halloween party, I went with my Mom to Cost Plus World Market to look around. Playing with the jewelry and the clothing felt like a mini vacation. We had plenty of time and we could really just wander around that afternoon.

When does life become so hectic that one day off is such a luxury? How do weekends become so encompassed by catching up that they no longer offer respite from the work week? Although I know the answers to these questions, I know that executing the day off is something akin to running away.

But in the end, as I find out, it doesn't really make that much of a difference to others. Work continues as a necessity on Monday morning. Schedules resume right away as well as obligations. But for that small moment in time, that time to myself was just about me; me as an individual, as an observer of my own life and as an actor in my own play.

It's that feeling of freedom that will prevail in my memory of that day. I took charge and laid down what I was going to do. No email was read, no phone calls made. But that small moment to myself won't soon be forgotten as I move into another busy day.

Goal Setting - How the Heck Did I Get Here?

By Mermaid Shelley

“You have brains in your head, and feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” – Dr. Seuss

Have you ever asked yourself, “If I keep on the way I’m going, will I get where I want to be?” Yeah for you if the answer is yes. For many, the answer is probably not. The number one reason for many women is that they have not set their own goals and priorities. The wants and needs of others drive them. 

Here are some additional reasons why women hesitate to set goals:

• They are not convinced of the value of goals
• They are so busy coping there is no time to think about goals
• Goals imply commitment to action
• Women are busy helping others reach their goals
• They fear they’ll fail to reach goals
• They fear they’ll succeed
• They don’t know how to set goals

Which of the above apply to you? Are you willing to work on overcoming your obstacles? To get where you want to go, you must set your own goals and priorities. Then plan your day with these priorities in mind. Learn to say “no” to requests that are incompatible with these objectives.

When setting goals, you must make them specific, motivating, measurable, attainable, realistic, and have a specific timeframe. What would a goal look like with these attributes? Say you want to loose weight for your high school reunion. Your goal statement might look like this: “My goal is to loose 15 pounds. I will look great and feel good when reuniting with my old friends. I will be a size smaller, so will need to buy new clothes. This goal is within reach because I know how to cut back on my food intake and can fit in 20 minutes a day of exercise. Fifteen pounds is a reasonable weight loss because I have six months before the event.”

Goals are necessary both at work and in your personal life. Top priorities are those activities or projects that move you toward your goals. A good question to ask is, “If only one thing could be done today, which activity would be the most important?” Set this as your top priority. Then, if only one additional thing can be done, what is next in importance? Prioritize according to importance, not ease of completion.

You may be waiting until requests from others come in before organizing your day. Then, you schedule your important activities in to the time you have left. A better way to organize is to block out time on your calendar for vital projects and protect those times. Then schedule appointments for the remainder of the time. It is important to occasionally take a timeout to see if you’re going where you want to. 

Mermaids of the Lake e-zine offers organization tips in every issue. Here are a few articles to help you get where you want to go: Don't Hate Me if I Say No!, Switch! Change Your Attitude for Success, and, Dream Goals and the Law of Attraction

Influence It! A gift from Karen Keller

By Mermaid Shelley

The Mermaids enjoy many powerful partnerships with women who are making a difference. Dr. Karen Keller, the Influence Expert, is one such woman. Backstabbed! How to Influence the Bully at Work is an article authored by Karen in Mermaids of the Lake, the magazine.

Karen's blog, Influence By Design, is packed with ideas and observations that help women tap into their true potential. She offers this free bookmark to readers. I have one, it's a great reminder that we can have influence in all situations.

Get your free gift from Dr. Karen Keller!

Karen Keller, Ph.D. is the Influence It! Life Coach for women and creator of the website Real Power For Women Who Want It.Unlike other psychologists, Karen is also a Master Certified Coach and the only modern-day teacher of influence as a way of inner thinking and being...then ultimately doing for having more of what you (really) want. Her first book, "Stepping Stone to Success: Experts Share Strategies For Mastering Business, Life & Relationships"with Deepak Chopra, Jack Canfield, and Denis Waitley is expect to come out soon. Experience the gift of inner influence for power decision making by subscribing to Karen's highly recognized blog for women, Influence By Design. @KarenKeller

On the road again...travel for work.

By Mermaid Shelley

Do you travel for work? In my day job I am pretty much a desk jockey (come to think of it, for Mermaids, too!). But, I do travel regularly for meetings or to deliver training. Today I am on my way to my agency headquarters. I am going to spend a week with my administrator doing job shadowing. I think it will be fun and will probably be quite enlightening.

Once again I am faced with the choice to either dread travel or decide to make it a nice break from routine, to actually treat myself. I have a few things that I do each time I prepare for a trip that helps make my work away from home something I look forward to.

First of all, I clean up my house. It's not really a big cleaning, just making the place nice. The dishes are done, counters cleaned. All rooms are picked up. I change my bed. The sheets are fresh, so when I come home the bedding is smooth and nice so I can sink in and, ahhhh, know I'm home. I leave the bathrooms smelling fresh, hang clean towels, and polish all surfaces. I just can't stand coming home to a dirty, smelly bathroom!

Even though my college-age daughter will be home, I bring in my more delicate plants from the deck. I have learned my lesson with this! Even though Sarah is conscientious, she just doesn't care that much about my plants. So, they get moved to my kitchen counter for the week. They'll be fine.

Packing is pretty easy now that I'm a pro at it. I pack a wardrobe based in black. Really, black goes with black! You can't go wrong. And, I take things that aren't fussy. Just simple separates. A pair of pants, two skirts, several blouses and tops. It's easy.

There will be down time, too, so of course I throw in jeans, shorts and t-shirts. I think I'll skip the bathing suit this time. I do like my shoes polished and nice, so I will need to take a few minutes to do that before I go.

Since my clothes are pretty basic I use accessories to jazz things up. I love packing my jewelry because it's always fun to play with color. I don't take anything very expensive. If something is lost or stolen, I'd be sad, but not devastated.

I always include the pampering bits. This trip I am taking a good adventure story, two work out videos, some incense and a candle (hotel rooms are so stuffy!), a wonderful hand-made bar of soap, popcorn and good German chocolate for a treat if I need it, and my own fresh ground coffee and my little coffee press.

Once I'm all packed, I will set out food for Sally the cat (Sarah will feed her, even though she won't water my plants!). Then, I give her kitty kiss good-bye.

It's really all quite easy. I have my little routine for packing and leaving the house. The few things I bring make me feel pampered. Then, because I've left things neat and tidy, I know that my home will welcome me when I get back. See you next week!

For more of my travel pampering ideas, see Travel currents: Making work travel a time for you on the Mermaids magazine site.

 

Hey, Happy Monday!

By Mermaid Shelley

I know it's Sunday, but I want to talk a little bit about Monday....Manic Monday by The Bangles is one of my favorite 90's songs. All the drama about being late to work and wishing it were still Sunday is a collective American experience. What's funny is that I feel just the opposite about Monday. It's a day for a start fresh. I think of it as my do-over day. 

Monday is all about mental attitude. How one feels about Monday is pretty much how the day will play out. For me, Monday is the day to get back on track with my exercise regime or diet. It's the day I designate to review goals and make a plan to ensure I'm on track. 

Preparation for my new week starts Sunday night. I have a nighttime ritual that helps me rest well and welcome Monday. It starts with laying out my clothes for the next day. Surely the best day of the work week merits a nice outfit. What-to-wear panic should be avoided at all costs on Monday morning. Next, I organize my day planner, work projects, to-do-lists and other paperwork. I then strategically place everything by my purse, making all ready to grab on my way out the door

Once the organization is done, I take extra time getting myself ready for bed by smoothing on a nicely scented lotion, consciously tending elbows and heels. Often I will exfoliate my face, always followed by a slathering of extra moisturizer. Slipping into a pretty nightgown or nice pajama's feels wonderful at this point. Once snuggled into my cozy bed, I read one of the many books from my bedside table.

So, even thought it's Sunday, I think its good to think about Monday now! Being well rested and prepared for the day magically changes Monday to a special day. The coffee tastes better, the workout feels great, the commute goes smoothly, my smile is brighter and I end my phone conversations with, "Hey, Happy Monday!"

Here I am at work, all happy its Monday!

For more great ideas to make Monday a good day, check out Mermaid Debbie's article from our Mermaids of the Lake publication, Surprise, it's Monday!

There are still two days left for our Chocolate Giveaway! Scroll down a few posts to enter!!!!  Good luck!

Shelley's snow story...trying to get to work on time!

Brrrrrrrr! It is definitely still winter here in the Inland Empire. The distinct four seasons is one of the reasons I love living in Eastern Washington. Debbie has shared quite a few pics of our beautiful snow covered Liberty Lake area. I want to add a few as well.

Here is the view from my deck one late afternoon, just before dusk. I am so fortunate to have this tree covered hillside as my back yard:

Each evening I have between five and ten deer visit. I love them!

Here’s another of my sweet deer friends.

Enough about the cute deer. What I really wanted to share are the views of the snow at my office. This year it was pretty amazing. Just getting to work from my home has been quite the adventure. The snow accumulated more quickly than usual. Our county and city snow removal crews were overwhelmed. School kids enjoyed many snow days at home first because the cars and buses could not navigate the streets. Then, later classes were canceled because mountains of snow and ice at intersections and on sidewalks made it unsafe for kids to walk to school.

My office is in an area of Spokane called the South Hill. It is just crazy in the winter. Snow and ice make the large, steep hill a nightmare to navigate. Thank goodness I have super good tires on my Camry! Here is the street outside my office building.

Usually my co-workers and I park on both sides of the street. But, the plow only made one sweep through. There was limited parking on one side and enough room for one vehicle to pass on the street. It was kind of like musical chairs fighting for a parking spot. Most of us ended up hiking several blocks in the weather to and from the office.

Here are the steps going up to the office from the street. As much as the maintenance guy tried to stay on top of it, the steps were often a law suit waiting to happen!

I turned around and took a shot from the office back down to the street.

Here is the view from my office.

Another view.

The record snow fall made the top story in news for a couple of weeks. As difficult as it was to navigate on the roadways, I thought it was beautiful. There are days when the sun comes out and the temperature dropped to 3 or 4 degrees. Snow crystals sparkle in the air and turn the woods into a magical white kingdom. I love it! Its one of the multitude of reasons why I pick to live here.

Desk liberation!

Recently I sold my web development business and became a contractor to the company. I now work part-time from home in addition to being a publisher of Mermaids of the Lake - and being a wife and mother. I still wear many hats, however, in this blog I'll be writing about the transition from full-time business owner to being an at-home Mom.

Observations during this first week of liberation:

• Many, many people in my community have the luxury of working out at the local health club during the day.
• I went to the club on Monday morning and it was packed! Surprise to me. I thought everyone was at work on a Monday morning.
• The minute you are not working full-time a radar message goes out letting all volunteer organizations know that you can now help them!

• Cleaning one's own house is much harder and more time-consuming than anticipated. I should have kept the housekeeper!

• It is really nice to not have to sit at a desk 8 hours a day. It feels great to be moving around, even if it is cleaning the house, during the day.