Get Some Action

It’s  that time of year again; the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, picking out the best gift, the perfect wrapping paper, and ribbon. As for me I gave that up about three years ago when I started a tradition with my older nieces and nephews. Instead of frantically trying to find a gift for each of them I create a special day that is tailored to them.


This type of gift giving has really worked out well for many reasons. First, it gives me quality time with each of them. Second it allows me to take my time and find something along the way that I think they will enjoy. Third , it allows me to stretch my budget which helps tremendously around the holiday season. Especially since there are eight that I need to consider, and lastly, it helps us discover new places and things together.

Here's how it works:
1. Keep my eyes peeled for deals that may involve something that they would enjoy
When I find something I schedule the day. I have been very lucky finding deals on:





Groupon
Buy With Me
Deal Go Round
Eversave

2. Via mail I send little hints leading up to the day. Usually they are so random that they don't guess it.


3. I pick them up and disclose what the day will consist of.

Some of the events that we have enjoyed have been The Blue Man Group, Cake Boss, Cirque de Sole’, Movies, Theatre, Ogo, etc..

This past weekend two of my nephews and I celebrated their day. I picked them up, went to breakfast, and then told them that we were heading for a paintball adventure by Action Games. I found this deal on Buy With Me. Saving of 50%. Cha Ching!

Since neither of us had ever done paintball we didn’t know what to expect. We suited up in camo, loaded our guns with paint, and with butterflies in our belly we hit the woods. 
Located in Tewksbury Action Games  has 6 outdoor fields that specific games are played. Games like capture the flag, attack & defend, Fort Courage, Mission Recon, etc... Games are typically played from 9-2 with a short break for FREE BBQ luch at 12:00.

Is it painful you ask? Well let's put it this way, I have welts in places that I can't disclose BUT we had a fabulous day! I loved it, and my nephews had a blast too.
If you're looking for something to do, I highly recommend it as one of your stops.

A Purpose-full Life

It's that time of year again, no not time to clean out my closet and refresh with a fall wardrobe, the time of year that I start to think about purpose. My "purpose". 

My family and friends seem to know that its coming even before I do. A lot of people self reflect sometime around January 1st (well, maybe the 2nd or 3rd depending on how their New Years celebration was) but not me, I'm a forward thinking, a grab the bull by the horns type of gal so I start this journey well before the New Year. There's something about the season change, summer to fall, that automatically makes me reflect on my purpose in life. I ask the same questions every year:

What am I doing? 

Am I doing what I should be doing? 

Is what I'm doing purpose-full?

It's so annoying!!!! 

Last week I read a blog post written by Emilie of Puttylike (www.puttylike.com). The post title caught my eye "Can't Settle on a Niche for your Business? Not a Problem." Well that's interesting because that's exactly my problem I can't settle on one thing. What's holding me back? It's not that I'm good at everything that I do,  it's just that I like to do many things.  

Emilie suggests that instead of pushing everyone to choose a niche, we should empower people to create the sorts of businesses that work with their personality. Interesting! , so I made a list of some of my personality traits.

I'm usually outgoing, but I can be an introvert as well

I can be devoted yet sometimes, uncommitted 

Sometimes I'm enthusiastic, and other times indifferent

Some days self directed, others directed by externals
I am confident, yet sometimes self doubting 

This left me wondering if I needed medication.

I tested Emilie's expertise and sent her an email asking for help. I let her know who I was, what I am doing, have done, strengths, weaknesses, all my interests, and pretty much anything else I could fit in. She mentioned in her post that she likes a challenge, well here one was a big one.

Later that day I got Emilie's response I was anxious to open her email to see what she came up with. Did she nail it?....and oddly enough, she did. What she gave me was the common theme to all of my rants; and that overarching theme was "design". 

She was right, I am happiest when I am creating, when I'm being inspired by design, or inspiring someone with my creations; and although there are many more layers to who I am this is a key component that must be present in my everyday existence. 


How about you? Are you living a purpose- full life? Do you know what your common theme is? Perhaps you should ask Emilie, she may understand you better than you understand yourself.
Remember: It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not that does.

Food For Thought

via ella pea

Here's some food for thought....more to follow Thursday.

Small Spaces, Big Ideas

Have you ever seen a double decker bus transformed into a vintage dress shop? How about an old train car gone chic? Here are two ladies that had a big idea for their small spaces.

Photo by Leela Cyd

In Portland, Oregon Erin Sutherland transformed a 1965 double decker British bus into a vintage dress shop called Lodekka. The bus is a 1965 Bristol Lodekka. “Lodekka” is a made-up word to indicate that the bus is low to the ground and has a “low deck.” 

Lodekka carries vintage clothing and accessories for women, shirts, shoes and furnishings for men, knick-knacks and ephemera. If I'm ever in Portland, Oregon you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be hopping that bus.

In Essex, MA Lily Ellis transformed an old train car into a fabulous chic shop called Etta Place.  Etta Place was a companion to the American outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Although Lily is no outlaw (at least I don't think she is), she certainly has an adorable train car to hide out in if she is. 

From the moment you walk in you feel as if you are in your own home surrounded by many "pretty things". Jewelry, handbags,toys,linens,antiques and grandma's juice glasses; oh, and don't let me forget the yummy treats in the penny candy nook. 

If you're in the area you must make Etta Place one of your stops, I think you'll agree that Lily has a big idea for her small space.