Pandora's Casket

When you have finally hit the mark that you have set for yourself in your business it is a wonderful feeling. Then it happens. The realization that your orders are larger than life. Questioning yourself and staff's ability to get these orders out in a timely manner might start to filter in your thoughts. Panic attack? Oh surely you will indeed have one if you are normal.

From personal experience this is exactly what happened. Sleepless nights. Dreams of orders not being where they should be. You name it, it was there.

Our family based occult products has hit big on an international level. Orders that started out slow with quantities of 50 soon have raised to nearly 2000 in one order. Panic? You can count on it. There are so many things that with larger orders such as this, along with the normal order per item quantities that range from 1 to 50 a day, that goes through your mind.

My thoughts are mainly on the quality of the product. Even though the numbers have reached astronomical limits, the oils and other products must maintain the same high quality for the client. Everything has to be the same as making one oil but on a larger scale.

This week is an inventory week. Preparing for the order in advance. The first such order for nearly 600 oils should be here at any time. Waiting for the next of 2000 is in the back of my head. At least the client sent the list ahead of time

My youngest daughter will take over the eBay storefront and other sales while these orders are being filled. She has wanted to get her hands in the oils and powders for awhile now. haha This week I will pull her aside and have her make a few oils with me sitting there taking her through the process, step by step.

My oldest daughter will help with the larger oil order. Since she has her own internet business when she is not busy she will dive in as well Even my oldest son has offered his services after school and the days that he is not working.

After all is said and done, it is a family business and the family comes together!

I was all set to start making our Vegas vacations plans when my father got ill again. It is nothing really bad but it makes it hard for him to eat right now.

We took him to the emergency room and the doctor said that he has Bells Pleurisy. What that is actually is a viral infection that happens behind the ear. When this happens it paralyzes the nerve and the side of the face that the infection is on becomes swollen and dead. It looks much like a stroke but it is not. When speaking everything comes out slurred and you can barely understand what the person is saying.

He is now on two different medications for it. Taking one pill 5 times a day. I am running out of smooth food to put it in. haha

This can happen to anyone of any age. It is more common in stroke victims though.

The entire week was just rather stress filled due to his being sick. He is starting to feel better and it now showing all the symptoms of the side effects of the medication.

I see a very long week ahead of us

Today I was working in my work room or smelly room as it is commonly called, and noticed how cluttered it has become. One thing that does that is when I start the packaging process. I tend to throw everything on the floor and then at the end of the time I am in there I sweep it all up before shutting the door at night.

The floor is linoleum and spills are a common occurrence. If I had carpets in there I would need to use Ladybug steam cleaners all the time!


Making my oils and other products is not a neat a job at all. There are always spills, droppings and knocking things over. I get in a hurry and BAM there goes something.

During this week I have to really get in there and re-arrange everything for the upcoming weeks. I dread doing that. As it means that will take days to do. Then by the time I get it cleaned, I will mess it up again.

At one time or the other if you carry product that can be wholesaled out to retailer, you might think about it.

Although wholesale might sound like a great deal to start into you really need to think about a few things.

First the normal wholesale cost is 50% off the retail price. You need to keep this in mind. Fifty percent off your product might just not be do-able at all.

Also you need to think about the quantities that you will be selling. Setting a standard order is one way to ensure that you will get the price that you want.

Before setting your wholesale price you should factor in a lot of things. Here are just a few examples:

Man hours
packaging
all items needed to make the product
overhead

It's not an easy decision to make. Are you prepared for the bulk orders that may come in?
Do you have the time and space to make the item in timely manner?

If you are unsure if you are able to go wholesale with your buyers then you might just wish to sticking to retail prices.

In preparing for the holidays I do not just focus on the business side of sending out Yule cards. I like to send out special cards to close friends and family. I was talking to my daughter the other day and told her that since the baby, Jeremy, is now with us she should think about sending holiday photo cards. I think that would be so adorable. Last year I bought a Santa Suit with the feet in them, that came with the hat as well for the baby. Yes, he was not born and we just found out she was pregnant! I think that would be the cutest picture ever to receive. And I am sure the friends and relatives would cherish the card forever.

Over at VistaPrint they are offering a discount off many, and I mean many items that they have in stock. Right now for those that wish and really should take advantage of this holiday sale, they are offering a promotion with a special code to lower the already reasonable cost of the holiday photo cards. In order to take advantage of this all you have to do at check out is to place this code in the box. The code is as follows:

XmasFree


I am a repeat customer of VistaPrint so I know first hand about the quick shipping and the quality of the items you purchase. Plus the site is so easy to use.

But don't believe me try it yourself!

What had appeared to be a slow, easy going weekend is now filled with things that either need to be done or have to be done.

Take for example tomorrow. Had actually planned on catching up on all my paper work (Yea right, like that is going to happen), prepare for an order of making over 500 oils and then just reading. Now, it has been way laid to going to Muncie.

My daughter and son in laws 55 gallon tank broke and has to be replaced. Like two days ago. Which means that we will be gone most of the day. I guess I can write a list and get a couple of other things that I need for the upcoming Samhain and the in coming order.

Sunday will be a hustle to get things completed and laid out for the week. I might just might squeeze in a few hours of nothing.

If you believe that raise your hands

Have you ever taken a good look at your watch? Thinking about the workmanship that is put into the construction? I have due to the fact that my father used to repair antique watches and I would watch and sometimes help him with the smaller repairs. Getting to know the better crafter's of watches became like second nature to me. I know that he always admired the craftsmanship of Movado mens watches. Some where just a little more than his budget though.

I own a lot of fun watches and two rather expensive ones for dress up occasions. I am no fool when it comes to my time pieces. I purchased those to ensure that they will last a very long time. And they have with, knocking on wood, no big repairs having to be done to them.

In looking over the site of The Watchery I found many, and I repeat many styles and makers that absolutely made me drool with desire. I would love to own this watch, which I would be able to wear out on those casual business affairs that I attend.


You have to admit the style is extremely unique. Another watch maker that will again with stand the test of time. A watch is an investment. Here on this site you are able to find nearly all the brands for watches that you would want to find in one place.

The site is extremely easy to navigate. Broken into categories of all the product names that they carry. Which are then in sections for mens, womens and both. This way if you are only looking for a womans watch, for instance you only need to select the womens link and it takes you there immediately.

For such a graphic intense site I was pleasantly surprised by the quick upload of the pages. Very impressive. Makes your shopping experience pleasant.

All the Movado watches are backed with a guarantee and are not knock offs or fakes but the real deal.

The site is hacker safe and there is no worries while using your credit card information while you are making your purchase.

So don't let time pass you by. Take a look at the wonderful time pieces available at The Watchery.

As the days of September quickly trickle down I am faced with only a hand full of weeks remaining in order to ready our supplies and storefront for the biggest, well one of them, shopping times of the year.

Each September I have already made sure that any and all shipping supplies have been stocked, and I mean stocked well. I leave no bubble wrap gone unchecked.

October is a busy month and starts for me the shopping season. By the first week of October the buyers are looking for particular items and usually I have what they are seeking.

I will in the remainder of the weeks have all things together and start making those goodies that I do each year.

My one most popular item this year will have a marketing twist to it. Each year I make sure to splatter the best and cutest Halloween marketing pictures I possibly can create. Last year it was spiders and spider webs mixed with a lot of webs. Thrown in skeletons and it was so cute. The entire process of the pictures and display takes a week. Yes, an entire week of staging and photo shoots. Tons of fun.
This years pictures will prove to be a lot cuter I think.

I have already began the pre-Halloween stress factor. Keeping the lists going through my mind of exactly what needs to be done in advance so when the time comes I won't be so stressed.

I also have to remind my postal workers of the rush as well. I feel so sorry for her sometimes. Picking up 15 - 20 large package every other day.

Once this is over then it is for the Yule season. Glad I have shorter hair this year. Less to pull out.