Easter influence

On the 18th (March)--week 4/in preparation for Easter, we did a somewhat complex design--I mostly emulated Ray's (b/c the first week I went off on my own & did not get good results...but now, I want to continue to do my own thing--design wise & see how it will be critiqued; this to me is the only way I'll be able to see what I got to give; the potential & now, that I did this arrangement, I am much more confident. I am confident I can do this!

The woman in the green is holding Ray's arrangement

mine is the one sitting here-->

In week 3, we called this the Novelty arrangement--when it has a holiday or some kind of theme: St. Patrick's Day.

Sunflowers

Already a month into class--WOW! I love it! Week 2, we used a sunflower...and I learned about the positions of an arrangement: it can look triangular, linear...there is so much!

Switching to petals & leaves

to switch gears, I started my floral design class on the 26th of February--when Ineware just turned 6 mos. (& what would have been our 6th year dating anniversary; when we got back together! What a nice anniversary gift!)

Today was week 5 & I continue to enjoy the time in class to just "be". This arrangement was from week 1...My teacher's name is Ray. This is my third "class" with him--I took his flower district tour & then the following year, I took his wreath making class...The more I embark in this floral design class, the more I see what I envision myself doing possibly in the creative: design, interior design? architecture? magazines/color, writing? color-design-building-working with my hands-with color-I like working alone/from home--not dealing with people & their drama, magazines-color-design-creative....

I love my husband!

On Easter Sunday, I actually went out again from 8-9A to sell on the corner, but again I had no takers. I still felt dumb. But made a 5th attempt to sell (with the support of my incredible husband, who took these pictures and advertised for me...) the baskets on our front lawn...guess, I should have given it up a while ago--and I was making a big fuss over this, b/c I thought it would succeed & I did not want to lose $80.00+ bucks on all the materials I spent from my husband's hard earned $. But, he really just wanted me to spend time with him as a family, with the girls. He wasn't all stressing me over this. It was something I wanted to do. Bless his heart. I love my loving husband. I pray he is blessed for the way he gives--he is a precious soul. So good. This is when I see what really counts. I pray that God uses me to give back to him the way he has given to me. He deserves the best that life can offer! He was not even mad at me for "failing" to sell the baskets--he just stood back & strong support to see how I was going to do with all of this & he never criticized me or anything. This is the most touching lesson I learned from all of this: That my husband loves me.

Mini Martha in a mini market

I wrote this while I was standing there (at the PHS Farmer's Market) feeling dumb--I see I was very insecure about what I was doing & maybe that feeling influenced my lack of sales: "God, I feel so insecure. Ineware is in the car seat in the car. I hate standing here looking like a complete fool. Ghetto baskets on top of a Volvo--a lot of white people shop here (how can I stand confident with these cheap baskets?) [People walk by & ignore them] the kind of baskets they like are Martha Stewart style. I've been standing here for 5 minutes & no one has taken an interest. I regret doing this. I regret trying to step out on faith. I look dumb---Okay, maybe I can look a little more like a dummy b/c some teens parked a van next to me & the teenage driver locked them all out of the car accidentally...guess, I don't have what it takes. I feel like a failure. Need to go & get a real job & most people came for the fruits & vegies (& flowers). No one is supporting me cutting short---The other vendors actually pay to have a shop in the market. I should do the same. My confidence is_____ Huh! A lot of people here don't even celebrate Easter. My baskets suck. (& I am the one treating other people like they are dummies--to think they would actually spend their $ on this stuff). Maybe though I can pretend to do a market/cultural ethnography like I'm in business school....

Martha Stewart baskets next time

So, it was on Thursday that I attempted to sell the baskets twice and then I tried again on Saturday morning (with Ineware) at the PHS Farmer's market & I saw that people may not want to patronize someone who has not gone through the proper protocol & paid the fees to be apart of the market--since I was in the parking lot. I was there for 30 minutes & felt so embarrassed. On Thursday though, I did realize that the kind of baskets I did were not "appropriate" for the demographic I was trying to sell to. Well, I had no demographic, but the locations (such as farmer's markets) tend to pull a lot of white-possibly "educated" and "middle/upper middle class" people, who probably appreciate quality & the nicer things in life. That's why they take the time to go to the farmer's market versus Food for less (j/k) or Ralphs for produce. They probably do still go to Ralphs, but their desire is for earthy & organic. At least this was a good MBA project or even since I have a BA in Cultural Anthropology & Asian Studies, this was a nice market & cultural study. My baskets seemed great for a certain part of the Latin community. Though, I realize that all types of ethnicities can like & do purchase the finer things in life...ya ya ya!

No takers

So last Thursday, on the 20th, I went out with the girls to the farmers market in So. Pas. They were great--totally worked with mommy! However, I did not get any takers...( I was trying to sell them outta the car/parked near the market & put a mini sign up, that Ineware partially ended up chewing on & tearing the "R", so the sign read, "Easte Baskets"...had the baskets up on the car...) So, I decided to go to the corner lot on Windsor...but since Alatimi was sleeping in the car, I had to park & place the baskets further away from the view of oncoming traffic. No sweat. A woman came by--perhaps more outta sympathy & she said she had 3 kids & that I was brave (I had Ineware in the Bjorn & then I tied her on my back)...but she had to take her kids home & she said she'd come back, but I waited til 6:30P & I did not see her. It felt so humbling to do this. At least the girls were supportive...and so was hubby.

Wish me luck

So, yes, I am selling these--for $20.00 each. Wish me luck! Should be done with them today. The girls are working with me again (napping now); but, before I worked on the baskets, I wanted to start this blog...we're also approaching week four in my floral design class, so I want to get this going, so I can track my progress over the next 12 weeks (its a 16 week gig). Thank you Ama, for all your love & support & for believing in me and giving me the space & room to create magnificent things. I am so grateful for all you do, with all my respect, Rahja

Everything's in place

First I started with 7 baskets, then I bumped it to 12; my profit margin will be greater with a higher quantity & being able to spread the products out.

starting out

See how the girls are working with me (not in a literal sense)

Inspiration came from a basket I saw in the store

Okay, its taken me some time to put these together, but I'm almost done with my Easter baskets. As they say, 'I am stepping out on faith'. I hope to be able to do something creative that can make $$$$$ while still allowing me to be there for my family...I got the inspiration from doing my floral design class--which, people outside of class have commented on my (amateur) designs, as if they were really from a shop! And I saw a basket at the store & it was a sort of "faithful" gesture for me to say, 'I think I can do this--and I love doing it, so I know it can turn out great!'