Preparation for Lana

Come September 8, 2011 I'll be giving birth to Irina Mirabella or simply Lana via Caesarian operation. Until now we're not yet ready *sigh*. We still don't have the exact amount of cash needed for the operation, I still have not prepared the baby necessities like soap, alcohol etc. All I have now are the clothes and other accessories given to me by my friends during my two surprise baby showers. There are enough toys for the nursery decoration though :)

If given the chance to win a nursery makeover, I would prefer a modern nursery for Lana. Her older sister already has much pink on almost everything so I am thinking of creating a lime green room for Lana. The website http://www.unique-baby-gear-ideas.com has a lot of wonderful ideas to offer and this is were I got the idea of choosing a modern lime green room for Lana.

The color lime green is not gender-biased and it gives a spell of fresh vibe all around. Thanks to Robyn of Chadds Ford, PA, USA for sharing her wonderful ideas for a Sublime Modern Lime Green and Nursery.

...and so the bazaar season planning starts!

It's mid-June, mid-year already and in the Philippines, this is the perfect time to plan for bazaars should you have plans in joining one or two come Christmas season. Shopping for Christmas starts around  October because unlike many other countries who celebrate Christmas only on the 25th of December, the season starts in September 1st here. It's a common tradition passed on from one generation to another :)

I've heard of friends working on some serious plans in joining bazaars this year. In as much as I want to, I couldn't as I'll be giving birth 3rd quarter this year. Anyhow, one of my friends have asked for my advise and tips on how to set-up good trade show booths, because as we all know, an attractive bazaar could rake in more sales compared to just so-so bazaars. It needs a lot of planning and the right strategy for a successful bazaar experience.

I told them that they should purchase attractive table skirts. Bold designs in contrasting colors often hit it big in bazaars. In a cramped places like that, you wouldn't want to blend in, do you? When joining bazaars, you want be noticed and get sales. If your items are new in the market, it's better to invest in large banner stands, maximize the sizes required in the bazaar. It's the first thing that most customers will see so ensure that it's attractive and professionaly made.

One last thing, don't forget aesthetics, nobody wants to enter a booth cramped with stocks right? Planning to beautify a small space can be quite challenging but it's better to do so than end up with no sales. Invest in a beautiful pipe and drape and make sure that everything's well coordinated.

Excited for our House Renovation

Come June 8, our house renovation will finally start :) What makes it more exciting is that our room is will be renovated too!

Room renovation simply means that I can buy new curtains and linens and we'll have the new air conditioner installed --- finally! After months of being stuck on its original box. With the new air conditioner working, I am required to buy new oversized king quilts, something that I've been dying to buy since time immemorial. Too bad we didn't own an air conditioner then :(

I am fascinated with quilts because of the blast of colors that somehow jives when sewed together. Awesome, aren't they?

Another thing that makes me want to buy quilts is Bella's T-shirt Quilt the Twilight saga. It was a high school graduation gift from her mom, a "compilation" of Bella's shirts :) Quite amazing.

I can sew quilts myself but the thought of doing a king sized one is overwhelming and a bit scary for newbies like me. Hmmm...

Moving on, we're hoping that we won't be spending that much on our house renovation because we still have a new baby coming and for sure we will be needing extra cash for our new baby. We'll have the rooms renovated and the front yard turn into a mini-office for me and our business, Posh Baby Philippines and PH Bakehouse.

God will help us with this right? I know that He will. We've been waiting for the right time to renovate our house and I guess THIS IS IT. This is really is it, LOL!!!

Hello Nursing Scrubs!

After spending the last 4 years in DLSU-Health and Sciences campus and after going through rigorous training in the said nursing school, my dear sister is finally graduating! And by graduation, I mean no more boring white student-nurse uniform and hello to nursing scrubs! Like her, we're very excited too!

Now, we're searching high and low for the most comfortable and inexpensive scrub tops because she's on the heavy side so she prefers comfortable clothing for her to work efficiently. We've found a lot online and thanks God it perfectly fits our budget! Hurray for online shopping!

Seriously, this batch went through a lot and I must say that those who will graduate this year is indeed worthy of being called a nurse because their years of training was no joke. The nurses coming from this prestigious school are well-trained, disciplined and knows what they are doing.

Congratulations, Saydie! we're so proud of you!

Planning and Planning Still

Now that we're really serious in acquiring that lot in Tagaytay, we're now thinking on what to do with it. Hubby and I are getting a 250 square meter lot somewhere in Pasong Langka, Tagaytay City, Silang Cavite.

It's within a subdivision but we're not planning to put up a huge house on it, just a rest house made of bamboo and other native eklavu. My dream is really to have a place where my kids can run around and rest at the same time and I guess this lot is very perfect - affordable and huge enough for us. We are not after a farm lot because it's too expensive and we would still be needing caretakers, right? But for sure we'll be planting fruit-bearing trees and all :)

During weekends, the whole family will travel all the way from Bacoor to spend Saturdays and Sundays there. And hmmm....the idea of stargazing under the tent attic is very, very tempting. Barbecue on the weekends, perhaps?

Oh, I can't wait to get hold of that lot LOL!

I'm in need of a financial advisor! HELP!

Ever heard of a financial advisor? I haven't until my financial life went crazy and here I am looking for one. If you are an investor who needs good qualification financial professionals then you need a good company with financial advisors complete with credentials, business practices, services and most importantly professional ethics.

Don't just jump into anyone and ask for financial advice. You need a reliable company if you want that close to perfect transaction. Find the best company like Paladin Registry - they have well trained professionals from financial planners, investment advisors and money managers.

Crazy it may sound but I am in dire need of a financial advisor. Our financial status is indescribable since I stopped baking last January so the money coming in each month was lesser that I have expected. We have pending loans to pay and months of unpaid mortgages. I hate to jot down each one of them because I would go crazy - that's a fact. Now all I need are resources, more resources where I can get enough moolah to cover our overdrafts :( I know that this isn't the best solution but it's the only one I know :((

Should I apply for a loan with Social Security Services?, get a multi-purpose loan from Pag-ibig? jump into loans from individuals? I don't really know. I have not settled any of our bills yet for this month and for sure I'd go crazy again mid-month on where should I get enough money to pay for it. Sad life, isn't it? I feel like I'm Becky Bloomwood-Brandon now with neck-deep overdrafts and a dire need to SHOP.

ahetchushopping. youruinedmylife.

Babae Kapuso ka ng Bayan Entrepreneurship Summit 2011

Yesterday we went to the Babae Kapuso ka ng Bayan Entrepreneurship Summit in World Trade Center in Pasay. I love attending trade shows like these because we always get a lot of freebies from various exhibitors, apart from the things we learn from speakers. I am a business-minded person, remember? So every little detail I get from them is considered a treasure.

It was quite late already but there were still a lot of open trade show booths. My eyes feasted on the 1,001 wonderful items around me but too sad I was out of the budget already hahaha :)) There were toys, lots of it! Food, kitchen items like knives, hand towels of all kinds of materials, table skirts and many others! The 1 hour was not enough to go around the booths and appreciate all the products for sale!

I saw banner stands of various relaxations parlors offering a lot of to-die-for FREE spa services like hand and back massages, foot massages, head massages, facials and FREE products! Some even have installed Pipe and Drape for privacy of those having whole body massages.

It was one amazing event and I wish I could go back there again but at this rate, I could probably not :(

Taming a Sports-minded Husband

I have no problems with my husband. In fact he's the most vice-less person I know unless the topic is Manny Pacquiao and boxing. It's as if the world stops when Manny Pacquiao enters the picture. He would drop every thing that he's doing whenever Manny is shown on TV, he is an active contributor in Manny's website, he would watch Manny's every game Live in someplace with his fellow fans and I guess he would watch it on the ring side if we can afford it. That is how crazy he is.

On the other hand, my friends say that this is better instead of having a husband who plays basketball or any other sport for that matter. It holds true because she wouldn't find her husband home every day because he's usually out playing or practicing basketball! We'll I guess Manny's game of every 6 months is indeed something to be happy about, right? The husband of my cousin is at the peak of his youth so she would always find him betting on baseball, football and basketball game online so his main vices are getting the best sports picks and game predictions!

Oh well, if you have husbands like ours, well, first of all remember that your husband is still an individual and has certain habits and relationships like what you have with your make-up, shoes and bags. It is best to respect it like he respect yours. But if things are really going crazy and he becomes forgetful of his responsibilities, mind these tips on how you can tame him:

• Find a task, work or hobby that you can do together - that you can do as a family. This way you will get hold of his time. Why not do some gardening and set schedules and responsibilities so at least he would do something worthwhile before he plays? Remember the saying, "If you can't beat them, join them!"
• Show him what you do with your schedule, too. If you husband sees you in the salon or out drinking coffee with friends then of course he'd do the same! So show him that you devote your time to him and to your kids so he would be dead-guilty if he choses sports over you.
• Don't force it. Don't make him feel that you are pulling him away from his vices - do one taming thing at a time so he doesn't get pressured.
• If nothing else works, Let him be. I guess being addicted to sports is one fair game than being addicted to some woman, right?

:)

How Business Cards Helped my Business

I can still remember the first time I ventured into online selling back in 2004. I was still naive back then because no one taught me how to do business. Wherever I am now in this field are all fruits of my trial and error :) I started selling in eBay and one of the ways to get connected to the eBay community was to attend JAVAs, an informal get-together of sellers and buyers. During those gatherings, I would normally see co-sellers giving away business cards and I wondered why. Back then I thought business cards were only for businessmen and women - I never thought I was already one!

6 years later, I have grown from a naive girl into an established businesswoman and in those years I made sure that I always have my business cards with me. Here are the benefits of having one:

• Business cards does the marketing for you for it keeps you in the mind of prospective customers. And with small business people like me who simply couldn't afford traditional marketing like in radio stations and mainstream media, a business card is the key so prospective customers won't forget about me.
• These cards make you look like a reliable business person and you all know that first impressions last, right? People around the world thinks it's a professional thing to exchange business cards during certain gatherings. On my case, I prepared a bunch so I was ready on the second gathering that I attended.
• It will increase your sales bigtime. It a practical investment considering the sales it will give your business.

One simple tip though, in designing your business cards, ensure that they're coordinated with your business - from the colors, font and theme. This way people will recognize your company the moment they see your businesscard.