Spring Tune-Up
As my last blog post announced – I have let the services side of HouseLife go. One of the many reasons behind this shift is that I need to focus more energy and time inward – so that I can bring more of myself to the tasks I do choose to continue with. As is so often the case with life, I didn’t have to wait long for an opportunity to do just this to come my way! A past speaker at a HouseLife event, Linda Kiernan, emailed me about an upcoming event designed to help us tune-in to ourselves and reconnect to Living with Purpose, Passion and Peace.
She writes that:
This three-hour workshop is like a spring tune-up for your life; or better yet, it’s like a spring TUNE-IN. This class is both practical and soulful as it will help you take action on real life issues, all the while honouring the core of who you truly are.
Spring Tune-Up – Living with Purpose, Passion and Peace will support you to:
✔ Rejuvenate a deeper, clearer connection with your dreams and goals
✔ De-clutter the “to-dos” of your life, and learn how to systematically create emotional and mental order
✔ Create a daily habit of dedicating time to your dreams and goals, your happiness and your inner wisdom
✔ Understand how the THRIVE Method can move you from being stuck to taking purposeful action in 20 minutes or less
✔ As an added bonus, you will be introduced to the Life Line which will help you focus on areas of greatest need in your life in under 5 minutes
PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP.
JOIN US TODAY! REGISTER BELOW.
WHEN
Sunday, April 28, 2013
1:00 – 4:00 pm
WHERE
Wolf Willow Art Studio
9 Spruce Centre SW Calgary
COST
Early bird until April 21 $47.00
(Price will increase to $57)
Register here.
http://www.lindakiernan.ca/
Maybe we’ll see you there!
Farewell
Dear followers, friends, clients and business buddies,After careful deliberation, many tears and indeed a sigh of relief, I marched into my boss’ office (my bathroom), looked my boss straight in the eye (looked at myself in the mirror) and said what needed to be said:
“I am frazzled, tired out and overwhelmed! I don’t have enough time to do everything I want and need to do, and personal shopping and styling haven’t made the cut of what is a priority at this point in my life. As sad as it makes me, I have to quit HouseLife’s personal services indefinitely. You’ve been a great boss, maybe we can work together again in the future.”
She’s a great boss, so she said:
“Ack! I’m so sorry to hear that! You are a GREAT employee, and no one has worked harder than you to make this business a reality. I know that you wouldn’t make this decision without really thinking it through, and I’m proud of you for being honest with yourself and me. Now that you know what your priorities are, I know that you will feel more balanced and at ease in your life. I look forward to working with you again one day.”
We have a great relationship.
So, there you have it. Due to a myriad of reasons, I am closing down this business as of April 10th, 2013. It has been my pleasure to work with every client that has crossed my path – especially those of you who honored me with your return business, your kind referrals and your thanks. I have made connections with people that I will hold dear for many years to come and I’ve had experiences that have taught me valuable life lessons. I am grateful to all those who have touched my life through this business.
I am choosing to focus my energy on the health and well being of my family, the students in my piano studio, my own musical path, and my own inner journey. I have loved sharing parts of my life through this blog, and I plan to continue to do so when it feels right. If you wish to stay connected – please do! The blog is likely to change and evolve as I do. I’m not going to hold anything back – all topics will be explored!
Thank you for reading, I wish you all the best.
Making Something Out of Nothing
Reduce waste, save money and boost flavour in your cooking by making your own stock
Not buying new is just as much about finding ways to reduce waste as not buying new is. The goal is to prevent the mountains of garbage from growing. One way to do this, is to work to lessen the amount of food waste that we put into the landfill. Composting is a great way to reduce waste – but not everyone has a yard or the ability to do composting. Also, most people can’t put animal bones into their compost because it is too small to properly break them down. Until every major city has an urban composting system, we can do some small things at home. The good news is that you can reduce waste, get more nutrients out of your food, and save money all at the same time! Here are 3 ways to make something out of nothing, in the kitchen.
Reduce Waste by Rescuing Bread Ends
On more than one occasion, I have found several moldy bread ends at the bottom of the bread box. If this is a likely scenario at your house, you can try the following to rescue them from their fate in the landfill! As soon as I open a new bag of bread, or pull one out the bread maker, I take the ends and put them into a bag I have reserved in the freezer. When the bag is full, I pop them into my food processor and, voila! bread crumbs. I throw them back into the freezer and use them in mac and cheese, or meatballs – anything that calls for breadcrumbs.
Get More Nutrients by Making Stock Out of Scraps
I love homemade soups, and I also use a fair bit of stock in much of my cooking. One tip that I learned from my days in food services is to use kitchen scraps to make stock. Save up your vegetable scraps for a week in the fridge (including everything from onion paper, carrot peels, sweet pepper cores, apple cores etc). Also, save meat bones from your cooking (including those that have been nibbled on, like chicken bones, pork chop bones, ribs etc) in the fridge or freezer. Fill a large pot with the scraps, cover with water. Bring it to a boil and then lower the temperature to simmer all day. If you have enough water in the pot, and keep the lid on, you can safely leave it on the stove even when you aren’t in the room….or the house, but don’t tell anyone I said that! Drain at the end of the day and package into plastic containers and keep them in the freezer until you need them. You can add a good amount of nutrients and flavour to a meal by simply cooking grains like rice, cous cous, quinoa etc in homemade stock instead of water.
Save Money by using ALL of that Fancy Cheese
I like to have parmiggiano reggiano and romano cheese on hand for a variety of dishes – and blocks of those cheeses don’t come cheap. I learned that ministrone soup is primarily flavoured by parmiggiano cheese rind! Who knew? So, when I get to the end of the rind, I save it with my meat bones and throw it into my stock, or spaghetti sauce for extra flavour. Just one more way to get more bang for my buck, and reduce waste.
Merry Christmas everyone, and I’ll be back in the new year!
12.7.12A Very Merry Thriftmas, to you!
These little ornaments were given to us over several years by the very talented Fa-Linn. Thanks also to Michelena Bamford of www.rockymountainwreaths.ca for the vintage highchair!
In keeping with my year of not buying new, I managed to convince my family (with the help of my big sis) to participate in a Thriftmas this year. This means that we have to give gifts to each other that are a) an experience, b) second hand or a re-gift or c) handmade (by yourself or someone else). Everyone wasn’t originally on board, but they came around and we are excited to experience gift giving in a different way.
Christmas in a Year of Not Buying New
Choosing to fit Christmas into my year of not buying new wasn’t as difficult as I thought it might be. I posted on facebook about my first dilemma, which is that I didn’t have Christmas lights! I actually received 2 offers for free lights on facebook, and ended up getting 3 strands from my sister who purchased them at the Women In Need Thrift store. Dilemma solved!
Besides decorating, my next concern was my eldest daughter. But, when asked what she wanted for Christmas, she said “a long stuffy snake that I can wrap around myself, and a video game”. That’s it. So, I’m making a snake out of fabric scraps and second hand batting (thanks Sonja!) and we are getting a second hand video game. We also went to Value Village and bought a few funny dress up items to make into a “Snowman Making Kit”. I’ve not stepped one foot into the mall, and I’m less than 1/6 of the budget that we spent on her last year. 1/6!!!
Why Bother?
We decided to do this year of not buying new for several reasons – you can read more about it here. Encouraging my family to take part in it with how we celebrate Christmas has been a happy side-effect. I think that by doing this, we are all helping to cut down on the needless spending, and mountains of garbage that exist in the world because of over-consumption. We are also telling eachother that it is okay – no, that it is encouraged – to give us second hand, and re-gifted items. We are giving each other the gift of spending time together with experiences, and injecting money into the handmade economy – using our $$$ to change the world for the better. The limit on gifts has inspired me to be more creative, and has meant that I get to spend more time engaging in my hobbies of craft making and knitting.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas, one that is full of love, free of obligation and that honours your special gifts.
| Posted in Personal blog, Second Hand, shop local | No Comments »
How I’m going to re-brand HouseLife by blogging through 2013…
HouseLife has been in transition for a couple of years, but you’d never know by reading the blog or looking at the website. I’ve been sitting on some big changes, unsure of where the business was going to go and unsure of how to get it there. sigh.As my life has changed since starting HouseLife 4 years ago, so has the business, whether I consciously decided it or not. I’ve questioned everything from the services I offer, to the name and branding of the business, to whether I should have a business at all since I started. The last few months, being home with my two beautiful children has helped me to solidify in my heart and mind the kind of business that I want to have and the kind of presence that I want to have in the world as an individual and a business owner. But how do I get there?
I don’t have all of the answers yet for how things are going to evolve, but I know that I want to embark on a journey of sustainability for my family and eventually for my business. First and foremost, I’m committing to building my blog! And I say it again and again to clients, other small business owners that I meet and my friends and family, we all don’t have to be experts at everything and we don’t have to go it alone.
So, I’m going to join several other small business owners at a workshop called “Blogging to Business Revolution” and I’m so stoked! I’ll be attending the full day session, facilitated by Kim Page Gluckie (remember her from Marketing Yourself II: Creating Your Personal Brand?) on Saturday December 1st, and you can bet I’ll blog about that!
Stay tuned folks, and join me for this journey to “revolutionize” my own business over the next 12 months. There will be several exciting things on the horizon, including style workshops, consignment shopping lessons, and an expansion in the content of my blog to encompass more of my passions. Weeeeee! I’m loving this ride! 11.26.12
Holiday CRAVE-ings Shopping Party!
I’m thrilled to have come across this event just in time to let my followers know about it! It’s coming up THIS WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 28th! I’m 100% against over consumption at Christmas time and shopping for the sake of shopping, in an over-crowded mall, for things that people don’t need. But, I’m 100% in favour of giving things that are useful, locally made, having fun with girlfriends, and supporting women in business in my home town – and this event combines all of those things. I know several CRAVE women, including Kim Page Gluckie of MPowered Marketing and Krista Duckworth-Hopfauf, owner of Rewind and Better On You Consignment stores, and I know that anything they’re part of is worth attending (since they were both integral parts of my last event, he he he!)Many Local Calgary Businesses Come Together for One Night of Shopping, Entertainment, and Mingling on November 28th for the 1st Holiday CRAVE-ings Shopping Party Event…
WHAT: This November comes “The Perfect Package”: A holiday party and shopping trip in one! The Holiday CRAVE-ings Shopping Party will be an exclusive, glamourous evening of fun filled with shopping and entertainment for both women and men. A variety of clothing, jewelry, handbags, treats, décor, gourmet food and much more will be featured by many local Calgary female-owned businesses and boutiques. Customers will have the chance to mingle with other customers and business owners while getting the latest trends and completing their holiday shopping lists.
Tickets may be purchased at http://thecravecompany.com/calgary/events/holiday-craveings-2012/ for $15 in advance and $20 at the door.
Swag to be given to the first 100 guests to visit each pop up shop.
Look for your CRAVINGS SAVINGS of the night, each pop up shop is giving one item or more away for half the price.
WHEN:
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
6:00pm – 9:00pm
WHERE:
Venu1008 (east Inglewood)
1008 14 St. SE
Calgary, AB T2G 3K2
MORE:
For more updates, be sure to follow CRAVE Calgary on Twitter (@CRAVEcalgary #CRAVEparty #holidayCRAVEings), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/cravecalgary), and by attending the official Holiday CRAVE-ings 2012 Facebook event page (https://www.facebook.com/events/122893411198609/). Facebook giveaways will also be featured on various Fridays in anticipation of the event.
ABOUT CRAVE CALGARY:
CRAVE Calgary innovatively connects small business owners with the customers they CRAVE. We host business chats, symposiums, and other fabulous parties to connect you with savvy entreprenesses. We spread the word about the need-to-know women in your city with our CRAVE guides. Our blog and social media provide valuable forums for sharing business tips and learning what women all around the world crave. CRAVE is your one stop shop for connecting with smart, successful women business owners and discovering new, innovative ways to boost your business!
CONTACT:
Kim Page Gluckie // 403-479-9669 // kimpg {at} craveparty.com
A Year of Not Buying New….
On October 1st, 2012, I committed to a full year of not buying new.I’m certainly not the first to take on this challenge. The Compact, a group of 7 friends in San Fransisco committed themselves in counteracting “the negative global environmental and socioeconomic impacts of U.S. consumer culture [by] reducing clutter and waste in our homes…[and] simplify our lives”. They went about achieving this goal by not buying anything new, except food, medicine, and toiletries. Angela Barton, writer/editor/blogger joined the movement for a year and decided to continue with it indefinitely. You can read her journey on her website www.myyearwithoutspending.com.
I’ve decided to join the cause and I’ll blog about it here. Of course, I’ll be putting a fashion and style spin on it. I hope to find the time to share new ways I put my own clothes together, and new additions from Goodwill, Value Village and other second hand shops around town. I might give up on buying new, but not on looking cute.
Here are my reasons for taking this challenge on.
1. Consuming doesn’t make me happy, but sometimes I spend money like it will. I’m going to disrupt this pattern in my life and hopefully grow in the process.
2. I am a small local business, and I want to support other small local businesses. It isn’t cheaper, but it is better. It feels good to put my money directly into the hands of people who imagine, design and create a product or service I use.
4. I don’t want to contribute to a global garbage crisis. I strive to be frugal and creative in other areas of my life, but because of my love of fashion, I have over-indulged in new clothing far beyond what I need.
5. Money! I’m on semi-maternity leave and since I own my own business I’m receiving almost no income. I had a blast shopping at Goodwill last week – and I spent $36.00. Tally up another $24.00 in alterations and cleaning costs and you get a grand total of $50.00 for a few pieces that inject life and personality into my closet. And hey, they’ve already proven they stand the test of time by making their way to the thrift shop. I also feel good knowing that I supported a local tailor who runs her own business, and the Goodwill corporation that works to support and employ people with disabilities. It feels a lot better than cramming 4 paper tote bags into the recycling bin after a shopping spree at the mall.
The rules:
1. I will not purchase anything new for myself or my family in the way of clothing or housewares until October 1st 2013 with the exception of consumables. For clothing this includes underwear, undershirts, tights and socks. These items wear out quickly and are difficult to find second hand. Also, I just can’t get my head around wearing another person’s underwear.
2. I will allow myself to purchase “new” clothing made from recycled material that is locally designed and crafted. Putting money into the local and handmade economy feels good!
That’s it. I hope you’ll follow my journey and let me know what you think!
| Posted in Fashion, Personal Fashion, Personal blog, Small Business, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Meet the Models for Marketing Yourself 2!
My goal for the Marketing Yourself events has always been bring people together to make meaningful connections and to showcase hard working small business owners. One way that I continue to promote this aspect of the event is to run a model contest for women in business instead of hiring professional models. With 10 applications this year, it was so hard to choose! These four women stood out from the others because of their passion for their businesses, their desire to learn how to dress to represent their personal brand and their enthusiasm for connecting with and supporting other women in business. You don’t want to miss seeing them in their catwalk debut – they are going to rock it!If you haven’t seen a HouseLife Fashion Workshop, you can check out the video from the last event here:
I’ve also gone one step further with this event to support small business by showcasing clothing from Rewind Consignment. Owner Krista Hopfauf has been so generous with her time and merchandise and we are so excited to show you what sustainable re-useable clothing can look like! If you haven’t been down to her boutique, you’re truly missing out on some great finds and a lovely atmosphere!
Remember, tickets for Marketing Yourself 2 are $5 cheaper online than at the door, so buy yours today at www.houselifefoodfashion.com/events. Buy 10 and get them for just $15 each!
Meet our lovely and talented models, and check out their businesses too!
Erin Aumack
Independent Beauty Consultant, Mary Kay Canada
erinaumackmk@gmail.com
www.marykay.ca/erina
403.669.1304
Erin has been with Mary Kay for just over a year, and has started her journey into senior management. She wanted to be a model because she needs a new style, and thinks she needs all the help she can get! Erin loves helping other women feel good about themselves, and knows that when she feels great about herself, it’s only going to help her in her various roles as wife, mother, daughter and business woman.
Michelena Bamford
Owner and designer, Rocky Mountain Wreaths
rmw@rockymountainwreaths.ca
www.rockymountainwreaths.ca
403.690.4877
Rocky Mountain Wreaths is a local, sustainable natural decor business celebrating the beauty and abundance of our surroundings. Michelena is excited to be branching out and offering new experiences such as workshops and residencies this year, and especially thrilled to be a model in this fashion show!
Angela King
Co-Owner, Triple E Commerce
www.TripleEcommerce.com
tripleEcommerce@gmail.com
403.926.4244
Angela loves taking on new challenges, projects & adventures at once! A mom of 2 young sons, she currently works part time & as an entrepreneur. After starting her first online business with her husband (2005), Angela became addicted to the possibilities and now owns an online mall providing 1000’s of amazing products. So excited to be part of this event, she can’t wait to dress the part of a confident & inspiring woman, and she knows Meagan is the best woman for the job!
Louise Ridout
Director, EducationWise
info@educationwise.ca
www.educationwise.ca
403.228.0081
Louise’s personal mission is like Meagan’s, to build and sustain the positive self-image of others, and boost confidence with learning that reflects inner strength, beauty and brilliance! At EducationWise Tutoring they help students improve their grades and increase their self-confidence, while honouring their personal learning style. They offer K-12, postsecondary subjects and programs for mature women wanting to improve career options.
What are the Marketing Yourself events about?
If you’re wondering if Marketing Yourself II is for you, you’re probably not alone! With so many events and opportunities designed for small businesses, it is hard to know where your time and money is best directed.As a small business owner myself, I have the same questions about events that I choose to be involved with.
The event coming up on April 28th is designed to be an opportunity to build your network with other like-minded individuals, promote your business and very importantly – LEARN about branding and marketing from experts in several different fields. Meet our experts HERE.
Check out our sweet video of the previous event to see if it looks like something you would enjoy:
NETWORK: There will be light appetizers and wine available and a carefully curated small market to set the stage for mixing and mingling with other women in business. We believe in the value of meeting other women, building community, and making those connections that add value to our lives and our business in the present and into the future.
PROMOTE: This kind of market is different than many others because there are several opportunities for attendees to come back and be reminded of what you have to offer, due to the various scheduled events throughout the evening. Plus, we’ve scoured the city for the best of the best, you’ll be surprised by what we have to offer!
EDUCATE: The amazing part of this evening is the group of talented women that we have brought together to share their vast knowledge of marketing and branding. They will share industry tips and tricks, personal stories and inspiration to get you up and keep you going in a direction with your brand that reflects WHO you are, and WHAT you have to offer as a woman in business.
I will also be sharing my knowledge as a professional stylist throughout the “Reinvent, Re-imagine, and Recycle Your Wardrobe” fashion show and workshop about how to dress for success. The clothing is all from Rewind Consignment, and the emphasis is on sustainable, affordable and versatile clothing. We held a model contest and the winners are women in business of all different ages, body types and personalities – they are awesome and can’t wait to show you their new clothes!
Remember, tickets are $5 less online, so go ahead and buy your ticket today. Or get a group of friends together and take advantage of our book of 10 for $150. I hope I see you there!
Have an inspiring day!
Introducing: The Marketing Yourself 2 Panelists!!
Read below about the inspiring panelists of HouseLife’s past event, Marketing Yourself II: Creating Your Personal Brand.Linda Kiernan
Certified Passion Test FacilitatorTM
Certified Dream CoachTM
author of “I Love Being Grateful”,
C.H., B.A.
www.LindaKiernan.ca
www.iLoveBeingGrateful.com
(403) 875-8989
Linda is a business owner and courageous explorer of the inner frontier. She helps people take conscious steps toward a dream-come-true life; and she supports others to get clear about what deeply matters to them and then live life from that powerful awareness. She loves the idea of discussing brand because it is an opportunity to explore and illuminate your authenticity and allow it to shine out to the world.
Astou Djamat-Dubois
CEO & Owner, Smart Success Consulting
www.smartsuccessconsulting.com
(403) 383-0811
Astou is an energetic and an ever optimistic individual who believes that relationships and not riches should determine the measure of success. As an entrepreneurial coach, she is passionate about bringing out the best in people. Astou holds an MBA degree and has been living in Calgary since November 2008 with her husband and 2 boys. Astou’s personal brand is POSITIVITY!
Kim Page-Gluckie
Owner and Consultant, MPowered Marketing
kim@mpoweredmarketing.com
www.mpoweredmarketing.com
(403) 479-9669
Kim is a small business champion, marketing consultant and workshop creator/teacher. In 2007 she left a marketing career to be full-time mom to 3 girls and part-time consultant at MPowered Marketing. She’s also grown a passion for creating communities; founding IAmPTE for part-time entrepreneurs and becoming the leader of CRAVE Calgary.
Sharole Lawrence
President, Glow Marketing
Sharole@glowmarketing.ca
www.glowmarketing.ca
(403) 618-7458
Sharole Lawrence is President of Glow Marketing with over 17 years of marketing experience with some of Canada’s largest advertising agencies, Sharole has worked on numerous branding projects. Sharole’s branding philosophy is simple, first strategically define your brand’s “personality” and “story” and then make it come to life.
Carol Thompson
Sales Director, Mary Kay
carolmk@live.ca
www.marykay.ca/carolt
www.facebook.com/CarolTmk
(403) 826-0024
Carol was a teacher for 11 years before she started her Mary Kay business in March, 2010. She was attracted to the sisterhood and unlimited earning potential, but what really inspires her is helping women feel beautiful! She runs an active team of 80 beauty consultants and has earned 2 Mary Kay cars as well as over $6000 in jewelry and prizes. She is a Homeschooling, Work-At-Home Mom who loves that her business is as flexible as her life.