Category: Lavender Fields Creations

Chronicles of a SAHM, Lavender Fields Creations, Saving Money

Unexpected Surprises

Sonja Hollis

I have been struggling to find the perfect fit when it comes to finding part-time, work from home employment.  For me, it is much easier to find employment in a brick and mortar business and just as easy to find part time, but looking for a flexible, permanent, part-time, work-from-home job – has not proven an easy task for me.

I need flexibility because I invest so much of my time into my children and their activities.  In addition, I have to make accommodations due to my disability.  I can’t lift heavy things or sit/stand for long periods. I also cannot be outside in extreme weather- so yeah – my opportunities are limited.

I have continued to focus on growing my own business during my job search however, by making jewelry, painting, and writing.  It can be so disheartening when the money just doesn’t come in fast enough.  I try not to get discouraged, because I still get a pension check and of course, my husband – but it’s nothing like working to get what you want. Sometimes, I break down and allow myself to cry but then I pick myself right back up and pray and work as hard as I can.  I am researching new ways to “enlarge my territory”  and finding new networking opportunities to increase the traffic to my store, Lfieldscreations.etsy.com.

My husband, having seen me trying as hard as I could for additional employment and working hard every day to create items for my store, did something I was not expecting.  It happened on the day where I was about to break down again but instead prayed and asked the Lord for guidance because I wanted to make sure that what I was doing was what God wanted me to do.  Then, I received an email copy from my husband:

Screenshot (14)
Cricut Maker -Everything Rose Bundle

It was letting me know that “my” Cricut Maker was on the way!  I cried like a baby! I mean – ugly cried.  To have someone believe in me and support me in the ways that he has shown me – setting up both my business and crafting offices, installing a landline, and now buying a Cricut! I am so grateful and excited! This is confirmation for me.  I have been watching Youtube videos and writing notes preparing myself for the day that I could afford it.  I wanted to be ready to go whenever I got it.  My friend Sarah and I talked about it all the time about what we would do when one of us got one…and now I do.  I can’t wait to start our craft days.

God is so good and His goodness knows no limits. I give Him all the glory.   Love yall.

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Chronicles of a SAHM, Lavender Fields Creations, Lupus

He is!

Sonja Hollis

www.bible.com/114/2sa.7.22.nkjv

Chronicles of a SAHM, Lavender Fields Creations, Saving Money

Multiple Streams of Income

Sonja Hollis

For the last few weeks, my goal has been to acquire multiple streams of income.  I’ve already had my Lavender Fields Creations  store up and running for the last four years, which has brought me so much creative (and financial) joy.  To be able to create something that someone else not only likes, but wants to purchase, is incredible. However, I’d like to pay off my school loans within the next couple of years. My one income is not going to make that happen. 0D692A54-578A-464B-A51F-558FDBCB89AC

I began my journey looking for a “work from home” job.  I’ve taken numerous assessment tests and applied to just as many jobs – probably more.  I’m currently hired at three different companies doing jobs such as; a resourcer, a proofreader, and data entry clerk.  The only downside to being hired to those positions is that there are so many other people who have also gotten hired for those same positions.  Unless you have seniority at their company, it’s really hard to find regular work.  I told my husband that it’s like playing double dutch with my eyes closed – I never know when it is a good time to jump in.  For one company, I have to sit in a queue and wait for work to be assigned to me.  Then, I have only twenty seconds to approve it or it will be assigned to someone else.  For three days, I sat and waited for eight hours in front of this computer and was never assigned.  Thankfully, I have a large monitor so I was able to use my split screen to  continue doing other work while I waited.  I’m not so sure how that will work out, but I won’t quit.

For another job, I get an email nightly to let me know if work will be available for the next day.  I’m on day three with that and no luck.  I see that there are people whose seniority is definitely a benefit.  I get it.  I just need the opportunity to hone my skills by working and get my seniority.

So until something comes along,  I will continue making jewelry, blogging, and writing my book.  I’m even thinking about a YouTube channel for jewelry making.  In any case, I will keep the faith. God didn’t bring me this far to leave me.

Check out my jewelry store while you’re here.  I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Chronicles of a SAHM, Journaling, Lavender Fields Creations

Uninspired

Sonja Hollis

I find myself feeling totally uninspired. This is quite a contradiction as I am writing this because of a sudden inspiration to tell the world about how uninspired I am. (Weird)

Anyway, years ago, it was easy to put together a paragraph, a page, or a chapter. Now it’s difficult to even string two words together without having to use a dictionary. Inspiration used to flow from my fingertips onto paper, later to a keyboard where words were given life – like water – to anyone who would willingly partake of its goodness. I loved to write words describing my life and every intricate detail – it was juicy.

I don’t know if it’s the dis-ease that I have now which makes me mundane, dull, lackluster and oddly droll, but I want more. I want my old life back. I want laughter and dancing. I want poetry and fiction.

I want to feel life but how do I do this? How do I get my groove back?

Lavender Fields Creations, Lupus

How I Became a Purple Butterfly

Sonja Hollis

So, I found out from my doctor that I have Lupus – along with Sciatica and arthritis and a few other ailments. Funny, I was only going in to get some medication for my bad knees and back and well…that escalated quickly. I was immediately placed on three new medications and given a prescription for physical therapy. Then, I was sent on my way home.

I sat in the car for a while, contemplating what she’d just told me. I had very little knowledge on the disease and hadn’t been given anything other than the medication from the doctor – not even a pamphlet. I guess I could’ve asked more questions at the time, but what was I supposed to ask? I didn’t think it was fatal. So, I did like anyone else with a computer would do – I went home and Googled it.

I found out that people don’t die from Lupus; however, they may die from the complications. I also found out that everyone is different, so different medications work differently for everyone.

For years I’d had symptoms which couldn’t be diagnosed, such as painful body spasms, migraines, fatigue, swelling and pain in my joints, pain in places that didn’t make sense. During that time, other doctors would only give me pain meds or muscle relaxers to help me rest.

The truly amazing thing that happened though with this diagnosis is that EVERYTHING that I went through made sense now. All of it could now be lumped into one category and be explained. I could now explain to my friends and family that I was crazy or lazy or faking my pain. It was a real problem. Now, I could give it to God.

It truly is an eye-opening experience that makes you appreciate life and contemplate mortality. I have learned not to stress about so many things anymore. I will either find a solution to the problem or be all right that there isn’t one or that it is out of my reach.

I’ve decided to document some of my thoughts as it pertains to my illness because I’ve found that writing is therapeutic.

Thank you for coming on this journey with me. ❤

Chronicles of a SAHM, Lavender Fields Creations, School

Don’t Quit!

Sonja Hollis

Golden-GrizzlySo, today I will reopen my Etsy shop after an 8-month hiatus.  I realized that I needed to dedicate myself to my studies for these past two semesters in order to succeed…and I did!! While I didn’t get an ‘A’ in either class, my success was in passing both with a B.  Those were the most challenging classes I’ve had in my education thus far.  Mid semester, I thought about quitting because nothing made sense and I had received my first failing grade on an exam.  I reached out to my professor and she talked me out of it.  She reminded me that I was able to throw out one exam.  She went further and explained that the exam was difficult for the majority of the class and then gave me some pointers on how to succeed.  After tweaking my methods of studying, I was able to focus and pass my next two exams with a B.

It is so necessary in a person’s educational journey to have someone that they can talk to, be it a spouse, a friend, sibling or professor.  Reach out to someone if you feel like it is too heavy.  As the African proverb states, “It takes a village to raise a child.”  I am a child of God and my village truly came through for me.

Pictures of new (and old) jewelry pieces will be posted soon!!

#ThisisOU

 

 

Chronicles of a SAHM, Lavender Fields Creations

My First Blog

Sonja Hollis

IMG_20141211_131055So I’m sitting here trying to figure out how this whole “blogging” thing works.  There are so many things to learn, so I guess I’d better delve right on in and figure it out as I go along.

My company, Lavender Fields Creations, LLC  was started in November, 2014.  I began creating jewelry – mostly bracelets – but I never sold anything.  I used to give away everything I made.  My husband noticed last year that my interest in making jewelry had increased.  I was now making earrings, necklaces and even keychains.  So, he suggested that I get online and sell my wares.

I began by trying to sell items on Facebook, but then realized it was too difficult to keep track of everything people were requesting because the posts would show up so randomly.  I then decided to start my Etsy page, which has been somewhat successful.  The only draw back is that customers have to sign up for an account in order to purchase something and most people are uninterested in doing that, unless of course, they are your closest friends and family.

So here I am on WordPress, with my own dot com, hoping to draw additional interest to my jewelry.  In addition to jewelry posts, I will occasionally post poetry that I’ve written over the years.  (I love the art!)

Feel free to browse my page and just let me know what you think. I thank you in advance for your interest!

Sonja

Lavender Fields Creations

New beginnings…

Sonja Hollis

In November of 2014, I began a new journey.  I opened a jewelry business – Lavender Fields Creations!   I’ve been making jewelry for a couple of years, but last year I began making more and more quality pieces.  My husband noticed that my interest in making jewelry had spiked and suggested that I start a Facebook page.  It was the scariest thing I had ever done.  It’s one thing to create art – regardless of the medium – and have people other than your immediate family and closest friends to comment on your work and quite another to have complete strangers commenting and liking your collection.   It was extremely frightening.  

 
I initially opened it up for just a few friends, but then my husband posted a link to my page on HIS page.   So, I had to make it public.  I had so many views and likes that in just a week, my views had gone from thirteen to over one hundred.  The only problem was that I wasn’t selling anything.  People were making all kinds of requests – “nickel free” “smaller pieces” “larger pieces” “real gold.”  
 
I tried to maintain a list of all of the requests, but even after making some of the custom pieces, they didn’t make any purchases.  
 
I opened up an Etsy page and on the first day – a sale!! How exciting!  It was for a pancreatic cancer awareness bracelet that I made in memory of my father.  I immediately checked the bracelet for any imperfections, then packaged it up and mailed it.   
 
Since that sale, I’ve gone through a personal tragedy and have not been able to keep up with my pages.  I just lost my mother at the end of January to brain cancer.  She had been fighting cancer for a year and a half.  So I eventually unpublished the Facebook page and I haven’t updated my Etsy page in weeks.  
 
Beginning the Monday following her memorial service, I plan on reopening my poetry page AND my jewelry page on Facebook, updating my blog at least once a week, updating my photos and jewelry on Etsy and getting back to business.  
 

I would like to leave behind as big a legacy for my children as my mom did for me.