My various endeavors

I couldn't think of anything to blog about this week that wouldn't just be more of the same, so instead, here's a list of my various online stores and projects and what they are.

Customizables
My main store on Zazzle. Over 5,000 projects and growing, all of them customizable, most of them easy-to-use templates, and special requests are always welcome.

HelpACARF
A Zazzle store started and maintained by me to raise money for a local animal shelter.

Shopping for Baby
One of my side stores on Zazzle, Shopping for Baby focuses on kid-friendly themes, baby shower invitations, and so on.

Event Shoppe
Another Zazzle store, Event Shoppe is an ongoing project featuring designs for special occasions. Birthdays, anniversaries, new babies, and more.

PrairiePrints
A Zazzle store featuring my artwork and photography on quality poster prints.

PrairieGhost Creations on Etsy
My Etsy store, featuring a variety of crafts and handcrafted items of my own creation.

PrairieGhost on DeviantArt
Though I haven't been updating it much lately, my Deviant Art Gallery has a variety of art and photography from over the years.

I hope that's enough to keep you entertained for a while!

Until next time.

What makes a bad day bad?

Thursday was a heck of a day for me. To start things off right, my car was broken, unwilling to start for reasons unknown. In addition, Dad had an interview all morning, so it was necessary for me to handle the harvesting and preparation for market, then I had to head to market and set up by myself without Dad's help because he had an afterschool program to supervise. Market went reasonably well, but upon returning home, I had to break into my own house because I'd gone and misplaced my keys. As if that wasn't enough excitement, a computer error caused my debit card to be charged for a transaction it shouldn't have been charged for, resulting in an overdraft fee and putting me more than $70 in the red. On top of it all, I survived the day on only a few hours of sleep, which in and of itself can make a day tough to bear. Yet, despite it all, I ended the day in a marvelous mood, something that I would have found quite impossible when I was employed at Wal-Mart.

It's amazing what a difference it makes when you know, even if just on a subconscious level, that your needs are met. Your errands are done, your bills are paid, and you don't have to get up early in the morning to go someplace you really, really don't want to be. It's not about the gadgets, the gizmos, the luxuries in life--it's about meeting our needs, our real needs. To know that we have food and shelter, love and family, means so much more than owning the latest iDevice or bells-and-whistles cell phone. As a society, we get so caught up in finding things to spend our money on so that we can be entertained for a while that we forget how to be content with the things we really need. Food, shelter, and people we love can make the difference between a good day and a bad day, at least, that's how I feel about it.