GRATITUDE

• I am grateful for my talents and passions
• I am grateful for friendships that constantly encourage and motivate me
• I am grateful for my personality that makes me who I am
• I am grateful for my close family relationships because they were my friends before anyone else was and they are still there through the years
• I am grateful for love and the joy and laughter that comes with it
• I am grateful for my new friendships
• I am grateful for a new year that acts as a fresh slate for new accomplishments

Progress and Gratitude

So I did it!! No, I did not bake for my man's sister, she cancelled last minute, I instead baked and gave the neighbors free samples of my red velvet muffins, they were moist and amazing if I do say so myself, I loved the outcome.

My neighbor from across the hall loved them, sent me a text immediately saying how awesome they were and that she would be making an order soon, that was really encouraging.

I skipped two or three neighbors, (details), thanks to my dude's appetite, but I plan on making coconut mini muffins before Friday (we're on Thursday, so probably tomorrow evening) and I'll give them. I packaged them in the traditional queen cake packaging, but I plan on getting one or two color ribbons and doing that instead to add a personalized touch. I plan to use boxes for the ones that require frosting.  I feel like I'm on the right track and I hope something good comes out of this because I could do with the extra income, there are so many things I need, shoes, clothes, bags, accessories, a car, fine dining..I need financial independence more than anything else. I feel like I'm onto something here and I don't want to give up before it becomes a success.

So my project for today is to figure out how to color fondant, roll it out successfully and cut it into shapes that will work for the cupcakes. I want to do different sized shapes in different colors.

I will post pics as soon as I do it, definitely before the long weekend gets here, meaning I only have today to do it! I will use this blog to help push myself because I definitely need to be pushed and I am accountable for my own success or lack thereof.

It's a beautiful afternoon, and I'm inspired by it to list a few things that I'm grateful for (also, I hear its a very good, life changing habit):

• I am grateful for the gift of life and another beautiful, inspired day to live 
• I am grateful for the gift of friendship that I hope to never take for granted
• I am grateful for my family and their unconditional love
• I am grateful for wifi and all the opportunities it accords me

First up:Intro to my scatter brain

I begin this blog, not because I am going through anything too crazy, but to motivate myself to keep moving forward regardless of the craziness that is my life.

It will probably provide a  good source of therapy and accountability to myself for all the stuff I say I'm going to get done, but gets pushed aside by my next big ambition.

I lost my job two months ago due to budget cuts and such, I have not cried or gone through any form of depression yet although I do feel a gaping hole especially financially, as well as in other aspects of my life. I have a lot more time on my hands, a whole lot! And, my challenge is how to fill the time and create income at the same time.

It however has not been all bad, I LOVE, ADORE the flexibility I have, I've lost a good amount of weight (I refuse, scratch that, I'm petrified of stepping onto the weighing scale, I use my clothes fittings to judge, and people's comments) since I started taking rhumba classes and I'm generally a happier person. I am also very blessed to have a supportive man by my side, I would be lost somewhere in a dusty desert complete with sandstorms and loneliness. My vanity however tramps everything else until I start making some good money. So for now, the greatest gift unemployment has bestowed upon my is my weight loss.

How could I forget? My friendships have grown much, much stronger, my girl got her baby and I was able to be at hospital with her throughout most of her early labour, we were there when she delivered and are there to visit her whenever we can. 

I have also started baking and intend to take it a little more seriously, and I've gone as far as registering a company name. Now I just need to follow through, which is the main reason I am starting the blog. I want to have an account of my journey from ground zero which will motivate me to get off the ground.

My first plan was to go door-to-door giving my neighbours samples of my cupcakes in coconut, red velvet and chocolate flavors. Reality tells me to pick one flavour and go for it. It's still my first plan since I have not executed it yet, I hope that gives me a few orders from interested neighbours. My closer and more immediate plan is to make red velvet cupcakes for my man's sister's birthday today as a gift. I have marshmallow fondant that I made a while back and now just need the morale to get going! 

To get that going I have sign this off as my first post and check in a little later with pictures of the cupcakes, wish me luck as I build on skills the new way, screw classrooms, hello internet/google/youtube tutorials! 

Ciao!.

M