Around The Clock

Hello Dear Friends!

     Man, I've missed being on here. This past week I had a lot of trouble figuring out my blog and how to log back in, but I'M BACK! I'm excited to share what has gone on this past week. I have sold candles and have had several email inquiries since I posted The January Stock Album. I have 8 new cups and I look forward to showing them to you on here; however, today I will share with you something that inspired me. I was looking through my "Quotes of the Day" and one quote grabbed my attention. It actually scared me a little to think that I may not be working as hard as I should be. The quote is "Work like there is someone working 24 hours a day to take it all away from you."

     I read that Friday morning and as soon as I got home from work (at 830pm) I went straight to it. It was even more frightened that my blog site was still not cooperating that I had to release all my tension on meditation. I had spent just under $900 earlier that day, my blog was not working well, I have to spend $115 later this week and I have to spend another $300 on materials. I remembered the quote I had read earlier that day and I got straight to work. I had to take photographs, fix the lighting in the room, edit the photos (took me a while because of how picky I am), upload them, figure out the prices, write down the descriptions then upload them to another account. I had finished everything at 1:20am but my mind was occupied with "What if that wasn't enough?" "What if the edits weren't done right?" "There are other better people out there." "You should've spent more time on the photos." Those lingering thoughts kept me awake for another hour until my mind tired out my body and I fell asleep.

     Have you ever felt that way? That no matter how hard you thought you worked on something that it'll never be as good as someone else's? You feel as though you don't have enough talent to fulfill your deepest desires? I feel that since reading that quote, my mind has been working against my heart to push. To push me to an edge that was out of my ordinary range. In the next 5 to 6 months, my schedule will be hefty and full! I'm excited and scared, but I know one thing is for sure. I need to push my limits, go out of my comfort zone and work hard for what I want. What is something you're working hard towards?

An Education?

Your Career?

Your Growing Family?

Your Small Business?

To Purchasing Your First Car or Home?

Your Health?

To Work On Yourself?

     It's going to take a lot of dedication, sacrifice, encouragement from others and a lot of hard work! Also, don't be afraid to fail! Some of the most successful failures never had a wonderful beginning. Take Charlie Chaplin for instance. He was rejected by every single producer because they said his material was "too obscure for people to understand." Walt Disney was fired by the newspaper editor because he "lacked imagination with no good ideas." Vincent Van Gogh only sold 1 painting...to a friend." Dr. Seuss's first book was rejected by nearly 27 publishers. Stephen King threw away his first novel manuscript "Carrie" because he wasn't pleased with it. Thank God his wife retrieved it from the trash because now his 49 novels have sold over 350 million copies and are now famous film remakes. 

     As I finished some candles earlier today, I thought I'd release some unwanted tension with a drawing. I couldn't deem this any more appropriate for what I am working towards. 

Voila! 

                                                                          All My Love,

                                                                                Alexa-Rae

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

Hello Friends!

     This week, as I've been expanding my cupboards and preparing to sell one of the first groups of candles, I have pondered on this shop that I've started. Yesterday, I went out to find extra items to sell (like plates and handles) and I remember stopping in front of the counter and smiling the whole way in to purchasing the items. The clerk noticed, smiled and said, "You happy lately?" I laughed and replied, "I just love what I do. I wouldn't want to do anything else." 

        I spoke with my grandfather (not be relation but because he was like a grandfather to me) who told me about his job in the 40's. He would share stories about his job working as a milkman. He would wake up early in the mornings, case the glass bottles and deliver them house to house. When he would deliver them around 5 in the morning, he would get the chance to speak to the persons being delivered the milk. He would sometimes show up to the next house late because of an intriguing conversation he had spent hours in. Everyone greeted him with a happy smile and oftentimes would offer him a nice hot  breakfast or a quick snack. I had asked why he stayed in that job for so long and never looked for anything else and he said, "When you're doing what you love, it no longer is a job or a chore. It's part of who you are." I wish I had the photo of him in his milkman cart to share with you but it is embedded in my heart forever. I don't want to be remembered as the candle maker lady who loves to antique. I want to be remembered as someone who shared with others her heart's deepest passions and her love for giving a little light into your hearts and home spaces. 

     Now, some of you may be in a different situation than I am. Some of you may have children, some of you may have 2 jobs to support your family and some of you may be single parents trying to make it out on the job market struggling to make it through your career, BUT you have a dream. You have a dream to one day own a home for your family. You have a dream to save up enough money to travel around the world. You have a dream to get through college and payoff some debt that is owed. Some have a dream to own or start a business doing what they love. Whatever your situations, please remember. It isn't impossible, it is achievable. You may lose sleep for all the hard work being put into it, but in time you will thank yourself for not giving up. 

Quick Timings

                                                                        Happy Monday! 

     We should always begin on a good note! Even if it is the most dull day of the week (just kidding, we love you Monday). So I'd like to share with you what has been going on around here. January has been so great to me. I have made a list of a few short goals for Tasse Éclaire and I'm hoping that all of them will happen this year (guess I better get a move on). From music video commercials to adding a different collection of cup fillers every season (shhhhh, that wont come out until this coming spring). All these ideas that I have in the books leads me to question, "Am I going a bit too fast?" 

     

     I have no idea about marketing strategies nor do I know diddly squat about businesses and its functions, but I know what I love. I know that in the past, I've had brilliant ideas that I could ever possibly explain to you. Now, I am unable to act on them because I never took my dreams too seriously to take any action at all. I hope that those reading this will, too, understand that your dreams made you happy in the inside. Now, imagine that you just went out and put your big adult pants on and DID IT? How much happier you would be? Can you picture it?

     Well, I'm in the beginning stages of building a shop and I'm trying almost every idea in the book to get this to work. I know that I have to set high standards and even higher goals for myself because I don't want to do average... I want ABOVE and Beyond! Well, Let's get back to business. I brought you here to introduce a little music snippet that I made this past weekend. Consider this a preview of all there is to come. All the merchandise featured in this short video will be up for sale this Friday! 

Here it is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeAA5oUafD4

2014

     First things first, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I kindly welcome all things new into my life, including my little shop that is underway. My cupboards are growing and I am needing a much bigger space to hold my supplies! (good complaint) I wasn't sure how this would all plan out but I am getting much help from family members who have businesses or are thinking of opening a shop of their own.
     I have so many ideas to open up to you all about, but I still have to finalize all the small details. I also have to expand in different ways to make sure all the candles are out in their new homes and out of the cupboards. 
     Here are some photos of what I have sold or what I have left:

 ((SOLD))

   ((1 left))

((Available)) 

((SOLD))












                                                                            All My Love,
                                                                             Alexa-Rae 
                                                                          (Tasse Éclaire)