It's official!  MooreMagnets has a new blog and website!  I'm still filling the shelves, but I hope you will join me there!

Ecommerce Conundrums

I have spent a bit of time over the last week reducing some of the things that I have started and not finished.  Mainly lots of online things that I have started, but have never come to fruition. 

It seems that since I first started having a website in 2005 for MooreMagnets.com somethings have changed a lot, and others not so much.  The biggest thing that has changed is the shear number of options that people have for websites and shopping carts ... however the functionality of websites and shopping carts seems to not have caught up so much. 

Some of my friends understand these complications - especially when they are trying to offer customizations or a wide range of products.  However, other friends who have a basic product line to offer don't have the needs of customization and sail through the ecommerce set up without many headaches.

So ... over the coming weeks you may see some changes around here.  Mainly that I am considering moving my blog to wordpress ... however I am not sure how that is going to work with my existing posts here ... and also setting up a shopping cart on wordpress ... which could end up to be a total nightmare LOL!

Mainly I would just like to consolidate some things ... and make things simpler ... I am ALL about making things simpler!

Resolutions ... Admitting Defeat ... and Getting back on the Wagon

Ahhh ... I woke up this morning to the realization that my house is crazy town again ... You know how the stuff just sneaks up on you ... Really, last night it couldn't have been this bad!

I guess I haven't really been defeated by my resolutions ... after all my resolution was to be a better me, and earlier this week I just needed some girlfriend therapy.  You know when you just have to stop everything, pick up the phone and completely loose track of time while you vent, laugh, catch up, and ignore crazy town in the background and visit with a girlfriend who really does understand. 

I'm in the process of eliminating virtual clutter ... all of those online things that are sitting in the back of my head ... delete this, update the url's on that, get rid of that blog that was a great idea but I know that I am never gonna post there. 

And, this morning I am tackling the house ... Satisfied to say that I am typing this post to the hum of the dishwasher and clothes washer ... The laundry will be tackled today ... bathrooms will be cleaned ... Not sure if all of the vacuuming will be done, but the blankets that seem to have invaded the living room will return to the bedrooms where they belong. 

And, I will take photographs of all of these magnet boards that I have finished.  I have actually been productive this week.  Just not a balanced productive. 

This is one of those days when I realize how much simpler things were when I worked outside of the home.  Where work was somewhere that you went and left ... and the housework wasn't screaming at you the entire time you were at work ... and work wasn't screaming at you while you were trying to tackle the house.  The lines get crossed when you work from home ... home and work lines become blurred ... and you must focus at some point, but not just on one thing.  You have to have the ability to focus on both .. just not at the same time!

I know there are lots of people that wish they could work from home, and I do realize how lucky I am ... but it is not the glamorous life ... magical things don't happen ... and life is not perfect when you work from home.  It is a challenge ... and you must be focused and dedicated ... you must be able to manage your time.  I've been working on this all but one year of the last 9.5 years ... it hasn't gotten any easier!

Wish me luck ... at least I know the laundry doesn't fight back!

Time Management - 5 Minutes

Time Management seems impossible sometimes.  Especially when you are running around and working like a crazy person!

So, do you think you could carve out 5 minutes to work on Time Management?

Tonight, just sit down and make a list of what you need to do tomorrow!

Want a cute list?  There are several really cute free printables over on mommytracked.com ... and no, they aren't just for mommies!

http://www.mommytracked.com/downloads


Now ... Off to work on my list for tomorrow!  

Green and Navy Blue Office Accessories

Oh, the beautiful things that you can find on Etsy!

Green and Navy Blue is such a classic color combination, and absolutely stunning in an office!  White, Black, and Silver accessories would go great with this color combination too!  Here are some great office accessories paired up with one of the newest magnet boards that I have listed.

Links for each picture can be found below!

1.  12 inch x 12 inch Magnet Board with Navy Dogwood Blooms by MooreMagnets

2.  Navy and White Chevron Key Fob by BrooklynLoveDesigns

3.  Navy and Green Scissor Sleeve by CityChicCountryMouse

4.  Green Chevron Fabric Organizer Storage Bin by BaffinBags

5.  Personalized Folded Note Cards in Preppy Green and Navy Palms by Misspokadot

6.  Navy and White Chevron Mouse Pad by SSKDesigns

7.   Apple Green Mums Guest Book by EmersonBindery

A New Ad to go with New Pictures

I am so happy with all of my new pictures!  The faux floor is working out so well, and the re-do of my dining room has given me the perfect spot to take lovely pictures!  Now, it doesn't matter if it is raining, too sunny, too shady, too cold or too hot ... I am taking pictures!!

You can see more info on the faux floor here:  http://mooremagnets.blogspot.com/2013/02/product-photos-tools-for-amature-or.html

New Magnet Boards! I am in love with the Poppies!

Ah, finally some new magnet boards listed!  I had to make sure that I used some of the new poppies fabric that I got.  Although, I had a really hard time cutting it!  It is so pretty!  All of these are beautiful!

I am still loving my new photography set up!  And I am getting better at playing with my camera and new lens!  Love these close ups!

You can find these in the Magnet Boards section of my Etsy shop!  At least until they sell out!  This is the last of the Amy Butler Periwinkle fabric ... and that does make me sad!

My Style - Comfort!

I haven't told you about the amazing boots that my hubby got me for Christmas!  They are so comfortable, and perfect for tromping all over our 7 acres of land.  You can see I have already been wearing them, and they wear beautifully!  I've never had boots that are so comfortable and boots that I can actually wear for a full work day!

So, I thought I would put together a little collection of things that I need to add to my wardrobe to dress up those boots for trips the to the store, or even out for a casual dinner!

1.  I thought this amazing leather bag would be perfect for me!  It really fits my style, and looks rugged enough to withstand my daily life!  Beautifully designed by leatherpassionkomal

2.  This bracelet by Jewels by Trish would add a perfect accent with the brown focal bead and leather cording.

3.  These are my wonderful boots!  They are by Ariat® and they are similar to these at Tractor Supply

4.  I am in love with this poncho by AliceCloset on Etsy!  The casual hem could easily be dressed up or down and would keep me nice and warm!

5.  I would wear it all with my favorite fitting jeans (Also given to me by my wonderful hubby!)  They are Carhartt Curvy fit! 

Being the best you can be ... doesn't have anything to do with the competition

Over the weekend, I asked my husband about what he thought about my new pictures.  He really liked them, but asked why I was taking all of the pictures over again.  He knows it is a lot of work, time consuming, and he also thinks that my previous pictures were good. I thought they were good too!  I think my new pictures are better though. 

It got me thinking though.  Why isn't good, good enough?  Why do I keep striving to make good, better?  At what point is good going to be the best? 

I don't pay a lot attention to what other people are doing.  Meaning, I am not out there trying to make my things, or pictures, look like everyone else.  I make changes because I really try to be the best that I can be, and do things the best that I can.  Perhaps it is why I don't make magnet boards like everyone else.  Why I put the extra effort into mounting metal onto boards.  Why I include magnets with magnet boards.  Why I keep improving my pictures. 

It isn't about being better than someone else, it is about being the best that I can be.

It is why I keep improving my products, myself, me ... I want to go to bed at night knowing that I gave it my all.  I want my kids to know that being the best you can be isn't about beating out your competition.  It is about knowing that you gave it your all, and if you aren't satisfied with that, then you make adjustments and improvements. 

Today, I will be a better me than I was yesterday.  At least I will try, and knowing that, I will go to bed satisfied and accomplished. 

Product Photos - Tools for the amature ... or budding photographer perhaps!

So, I was all excited last August when I got a new fancy camera!  It is a Canon Rebel DSLR and it was replacing my 7-year old Canon point and shoot.  I was a little overwhelmed, so I met up with a friend that I hadn't seen in 20 years (since high school!) who was a professional photographer.  It was a great morning!  Great to catch up with an old friend, and also great to go over all of my camera settings.

Kevin was a great teacher, so I have to give a big shout out and thank you to him!!  You can see his work on his facebook page - Kevin M. James 

Unfortunately a new camera didn't solve all of my photography woes.  It certainly improved them, but not quite to the point that I wanted to get to.  I needed lighting and I needed a better setting.

I started out purchasing a fake floor mat on Amazon.  I decided on it because it was heavier than just the vinyl ones that are used as back drops.  But, at 23 inches x 34 inches it fell short when I was photographing larger magnet boards.  I also invested in some lights, stands, and a white backdrop - also from Amazon - and they really help on those darker days in my house.

So my new fake floor arrived today!!  It is 4 feet x 5 feet - plenty large enough for what I needed.  Actually I could have used 2 feet x 5 feet, but that size wasn't available.

Here is a photo grouping on of the fake floors - so you know what I am talking about!

 And here is the result!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE what is going to happen with my pictures!!