Coming Back Home

After 2 1/2 years back in the corporate work force, I am coming back home, both figuratively and literally.  It was a hard decision, but one that I made for my family and myself.  I kept telling myself for months, that my kids were to an age where I should feel comfortable working.  I kept thinking about how my husband will be retiring from the military in a year and a half, and me having a stable job would secure us.
Then the tables started turning. I started feeling like, "is this it?", "is this what I want to do for the rest of my life?".  I was so turned around, I wasn't even sure if I was happy at my job.  I wasn't sure if the stress was workload, burnout or what.  And what would burnout mean?  Would it go away?
At the same time, my kids were having issues.  My son, who has high functioning autism, started middle school this year.  It is a hard transition for kids on the spectrum.  Not only do they have to prompt themselves for tasks, but they have to deal with puberty at the same time.  I felt like all I was doing was nagging him.  I felt like every sitter we hired, wasn't enough.....not necessarily the fault of the nanny.  They were being judged against what I thought I would do if it were me home. My son needed help.  Help keeping a schedule, help prompting him to have better hygiene, organizing his school work, ensuring he was getting enough sleep (he is an insomniac).
And for my daughter, there are social issues.  We have moved so many times in the last 5 years, she doesn't have that core set of friends that many 5th graders do.  She doesn't have a best friend. And my sweet, sassy, artsy little girl, has my 'heart on sleeve' demeanor. The gossip, girl fights, and cattiness of 5th grade hits her hard.  I wanted to be the one to dry her tears, give her advice, share in her day.
By the time I was home from work everyday, not only was I emotionally withdrawn from the exterior I was told to put up at work ("leave your emotions at the door"), I was mentally exhausted.  I was beaten, and had 3 hours per day with my kids to make them a meal, help them with homework, and get them to take showers etc.  As you can imagine, this basically was a cranky mom barking orders.
This was not the mom I wanted to be.  This was not the me i wanted to be.  I wasn't taking care of myself at all.  And my biggest concern was, is this the life I wanted to live?  Not to sound like a hipster, but YOLO!!!
So even with just a year and a half until no guaranteed income, here we go, on a self discovery tour.  I hope to use this blog in the coming year, to tell you what I've learned, share some DIY projects (I love working on my house), maybe some stories on my progress on healing and bettering myself, inside and out.  And closer to the big day, getting into life transition from military to civilian. I hope you join me on the journey!

Say What?!?!?!

This may come as a big surprise to some people.  It is not something I've openly talked to about, because frankly, until I was sure, I felt it would be bad business to talk about.
Many of you who have been loyal fans to LilacAve know the story.  I started LilacAve after I left my career in Fashion Merchandising, to be with my son who was diagnosed with High Functioning Autism.  For a brief 7 months I did return back to my corporate life, only for us to start a whirlwind 2yrs, where we moved to Hawaii (7 months) to Georgia (16 months), and back to Virginia. During that 2yrs I put everything I had into LilacAve.  My ultimate dream was to make the business into my income.
While pursuing this "dream", our family made a lot of sacrifices financially, and we tried to concentrate our lives on doing things, and not material things.  We tried to really concentrate on what we REALLY need versus what we wanted.  It was almost like a recovery from the fast paced, buy everything we need, and don't need world before the economy crashed.
At the beginning of this year, I felt like we really had "made it".  I was earning some pretty big increases over previous years, and as exciting as that was....it was also exhausting. If you saw my blog back in June (My Reality of Owning a Micro Business), you saw that I was starting to question some things about owning my own business as an income.  What about vacation, what about 401k and retirement, what about growth plateaus?  I was starting to worry about the feasibility of maintaining the perks....working in my PJ's, being home for my kids after school, freedom with my schedule, and still growing to the point that I could pay for my kids college and retire one day.
Then summer came.  Summer Business is like a Texas Summer.  Usually it doesn't rain much.....but this year it was a full out DROUGHT!  My business came crashing to a screeching halt.  And not just slow for summer.......even slower (30-50% down from previous summers). It was heart breaking.  It was exhausting.
Back in about mid August, a series of events and random conversations, led me to start applying for jobs in my old career path.  As I kept interviewing and talking about merchandising theory, balancing inventories, and managing financial plans based on sales, I got excited. I remembered the passion I thought was dead.  The idea of co-workers, a steady income and vacation days, started to feel like a great big hug.
This Monday I got a job offer. I was more giddy and stress free than I've been in quite some time. And the more I thought about what this means for LilacAve, the more I thought, maybe it is time to let her go.

Say What?!?!?!?!

Here's the plan. It will NOT be right away.  I have too much made candles, lotion bars, and lip balms to just close up shop.  And at the moment I am at 1899 Etsy sales.  I propose I will stay open until 2000 sales. 
After that, my Etsy shop will close but my facebook business page will live on. I am hoping after a hiatus, I will start to yearn to make candles, and fabulous spa like products again.  I will want to be adventurous and smell new things, make new things.  I'll miss old things (like Blueberry Cobbler and Wood Wicks).  I will start to make things, and post them for sale via my Facebook page. 

I leave this blog post, thanking my customers for your encouragement, your praise, and being my "work" for over 3yrs.  However, I'm not leaving our friendship, it is just going to evolve.

Much Love,
Deb

P.S. To help me get to my goal and to Thank You..... any time between now and the closing use THANKYOU coupon code and save 25%.
**you cannot use 2 coupon codes coinciding**

Where the 'Magic' Happens

Sounds like an episode of 'Cribs', right?!? Well I'm not an aging rock star and this ain't that type of magic!  This is where I turn coconut oils, beeswax, and soy wax, along with many other things to create the fabulous items of LilacAve.
We finally moved back into our house on Lilac Ave back in mid July.  I had set up shop "sorta" in our smallest room, but last night my daughter decided she wanted the smaller cozier room, and I could have the bigger room.  This room will double as a guest room when we have people, so it does have a full sized bed in it....which I think will likely serve as a dog bed for my assistant, Bear. But the rest of the 12' by 14' room is mine.
What actually worked out well, is I tried to use every excess piece of furniture and repurposing it versus buying bookshelves and 'new' things.  As a military family, we move all the time, and it seems in the past we've always needed to buy and sell things to work in whatever new space we have.  This time not only were finances a constraint, but I was tired of being wasteful. So I thought I would share some of the ways this space was repurposed.

• The green folding rack was originally bought as an easy fold and go display for craft shows.  In its off season I used it for its intended use as a plant stand. Here it works great at holding my fragrance oils, microwave and soy wax.  I *would have* likely bought a microwave cart for this.  So using this plant stand instead actually saved me $50-150

• This white bookcase we have used for actually several moves.  It was a black color, but I love it in this white color.  It will be holding all my finished product. Saved me $75-100 (granted this wasn't a repurpose, just a reuse).
• The table is actually my utility table for craft shows.  Underneath it is all my packing materials, and on top will be my actual work space for setting candles, soaps, etc.
• Here is a sewing station.  The white cabinet we inherited from our renters.  They left this over the toilet cabinet in our master bath.  Instead of ditching it to the curb, I thought I could use it for extra storage.  I am thinking during Craft show season, I will have my husband saw off the legs, and I will use it as a table top display.  This saved me $50. Right now it holds my boxes I use for tarts, tealights, and soaps. The folding table was also painted white from black.  I bought it from TJ Maxx about 4 yrs ago, and let me tell you, there is nothing as versatile as a large folding table.  It has been everything from a TV stand, craft table display, computer desk and more.

• Inside the closet I have little closetmaid shelves that were bought for a craft show set up that didn't work so well.  They've also been used for toy bin storage for my kids, and closet organizers.  Right now they are working fantastic as my glass storage.  I sure am glad we lugged these around and even kept them when we were not using them.  They are $15/ea, so these 4 would've costed $60-$80 brand new.

So the good news is, the less money I spend on my office, the more money I can spend bringing new products to you! 
And even though this room was originally supposed to be my daughter's....I'm kind of diggin her 'Cozumel' Teal choice for the walls....I feel so exotic in there!

And the winner is........................

#8

 

So who is #8...look at the 8th comment down! It's:
Beth Thompson!!!!

Congrats Beth!

Happy Anniversary!!!!

Our 1st item sold!

Here we are at our 3rd Anniversary for LilacAve.  I like to tell people just starting out, how when I started LilacAve, my dream was to sell an 2 items a week.  I thought that would make me happy. since then, we've grown to be an income for my family, and that has been a huge gift and a reward. The journey has not been without challenges, but it has been quite a ride.  Cheers to continued growth and always raising the bar a little higher.

To celebrate making it this farm we have been celebrating!  Here is the last of the 3 celebrations!!!

GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Entering is super duper simple! Just post on this blog, your 3 favorite things about LilacAve. It could be a product, it could be something about the values of the company, it could be you like my hair....whatever.  Just name the 3 things you like best!  Tomorrow morning a winner will be picked, and they will get a FREE 3 month Scent of the Month membership!!!!

What is the Scent of the Month membership.  The 1st week of every month, you get to sample the scent of the month, by receiving:
(1) .6oz Soy Tart
(2) tea lights
(1) 1oz Body Butter
(1) 1oz Bath Salt

The Cliffnotes Version of the Cute Stuff Sale on Nice Girl Notes

So if you know me, then you know, I LOVE NiceGirlNotes. Awesome blog, funny, and of course she is the organizer of the Cute Stuff Sale. Cute Stuff Sale is like having a ladies night out, online, and buying handmade stuff at some wet dream type prices.

So last night Lilac Ave in a matter of minutes sold 20 lip balms, 3 Sweet Cheeks bars, 5 Lotion Bars, and 3 MAN Soaps!! Crazy right?!?! And there were folks that didn't get the LilacAve stuf they wanted....it was "Cray Cray" as they say. (no worries, offering 15% off at www.LilacAve.com AND www.LilacAve.etsy.com until 6/5/11, when you use coupon code LOVENGN)

However, I also totally scored, a scarf from 2LittleFriends, 2 headbands from HoldsIt (1 for me and 1 for my daughter), and some awesome Thank You Cards from TwoPoodlePress.
               
I would have loved to have scored a hat from TwoSeasideBabes, a ring from NinthStreetNotions, or the gorgeous stuff BrideBlu was offering....but alas, the budget and the refresh finger lost out!  
We had a good time posting videos and pics, and chit chatting as a group of fired up, half drunk ladies do. I had so much fun!!!!

Fun Facts about Citronella

-Citronella Oil has been registered in the United States as an insect repellent since 1948.

-Citronella Oil comes from the plant, Cymbopogon.

-Citronella can be effective in calming barking dogs.

-The plant is bluish green with lemon-scented leaves, and is cultivated in Java and Sri Lanka.

-One study shows Citronella candles can minimize bites by 42%.

This is Lilac Ave's 1st year selling Citronella Candles. These candles are made of 100% soy. Creating a long lasting all natural candle. All the citronella candles will be using hemp wicks. What a great way to get pumped up for spring, summer, and all the barbeques, time outdoors, and sipping lemonade on the patio.

Why Soy?

At the bottom of each of my listings, I have a "Why soy?" explanation. I thought it may be good to really discuss the benefits of soy candles.

Personally, I feel like the candles I make in soy wax smell less perfumey, and more "fresh" than traditional candles I am used to, or what I smell when I walk down the candle aisle in Target/Walmart/Kmart/fill in the blank.

However there are more scientific reasons why soy is better!

- They last longer

I know in my studies that Yankee Candle says their tart lasts 8hrs. I am pretty sure they are about double the size of my .6oz tarts that burn for at least 16hrs...some customers say even longer.

A soy wax candle can burn twice as long as paraffin....think of it, it's like you are buying twice the amount of candle, for usually a similar, or slightly higher price.

- It is vegetable based versus petroleum based.

Soy wax comes from the soy bean, which is a vegetable crop. In fact, many of the soy bean farmers are American farmers. So buying soy candles is also supporting domestic farmers and workers.

- Soy is green...it is renewable!

Because soy is a vegetable, it is a renewable resource. Paraffin (what traditional candles are made from), are made from petroleum, which we all know is NOT a renewable resource.

- Soy burns cleaner.

Soy wax does not produce the black soot that paraffin candles do. Less mess, less "stuff" in the air.

How to Make the Most of Your Candle

Recently, I had some buds over, and we were talking about things I do, and what they do to make their candles last EVEN longer. I thought I should share these tips with you folks!

1. A Simple Motion Goes A Long Way- A buddy of mine loves her mod square candle she bought from my shop. She found a way to lengthen the life of her candle. The very first time she lit it, she picked it up and sort of tilted it around to widen the melt pool. After that first light, the candle is like memory foam, and will melt back to those same distance, causing a longer fragrant burn. This works with any candle that is wide in area, but maybe short in height.

2. Waste Not, Want Not- I had a wonderful leaf shaped candle. It smelled fabulous as it burned down, but it eventually came to it's end. Well because of it's unusual shape there was a lot of wax still hanging out in the nooks and crannies. It seemed like a waste to lose. So, I put the candle in the freezer for 10min. This causes soy wax to shrink. So when I pushed at the wax in the nooks and crannies, a chunk fell out. I saved all these chunks, and have been burning them in my tart burner. These crumbles were equivalent to at least 5 tarts....a savings of $5, and letting me enjoy the great scent for an additional 80+ hours.3. I Just Can't Let Go- Some containers are just too perfect, too pretty, too sentimental to get rid of when the candle is gone. I've had several cases over the last few months, where owners of these little jewels, give the containers back to me, to fill with their favorite scent, or one they want to try. Refills are discounted from a regular candle purchase, and a great way to do your part in conservation and reuse.

4. Do You Believe in Reincarnation- Look around you and many thinks that could or would be trash, could be a treasure. How about filling your favorite Schnapps with a matching Reed Diffuser scent? How about making last nights pasta jar see another day, as a mega jar candle? These items can be filled for you as well...making your trash, your treasure :)