Urban Suburban

A lot of people want to find new and exciting ways to make their yards more efficient and more green. Living in the city doesn't make it an easy task to grow a garden or grow plants in general. Less space, less resources, and less nature period. I found this new way of creating raised garden boxes and I think it's a great way to save space, save time weeding, and it doesn't hardly cost anything to start if anything.

If you can find free pallets (a lot of business give them away for free) you can start and grow your own little garden. Keep in mind if you're going to be growing veggies, you need to make sure the wood hasn't been treated with any kind of chemical.

1. To start just get a pallet and staple back cloth on the bottom to keep the dirt from falling out of the bottom.

2. Place on either gravel or grass where ever you like.

3. Fill with dirt and plant your rows for veggies or flowers

By planting this way, it saves on weeding because the weeds cannot grow in between the rows. It also looks pretty neat and saves on space especially if you have a tiny yard. You could even put one on your sun deck or patio!

Green houses are also a great way to have fresh herbs and tomatoes all year long. Put a small lean-to on a deck or patio and let the fresh taste of spring and summer enter your home all year long.  Buy one from a local hardware/garden store or make your own from old windows or sheets of glass. Be creative make your garden yours and own whatever it is you would like to create. My hope is that after this season we will have fresh veggies, herbs, etc and be a bit more self sufficient at home. By doing this I hope my family will be happier and healthier and I hope to include my daughter every step of the way to show and teach her just exactly where her food comes from. I've even gone as far as buying her a little watering can and shovel to keep her involved in the process.  I think this is a great way for kids to learn about their surroundings and the environment.

There are so many other ways to be more efficient and green. Stay tuned for pictures and more ideas on how to create an urban garden in the suburbs.

Enjoy your day!

Brie

Be Your Own Boss

I am like everyone else. A slave to working Monday to Friday, 5 days a week and expect my pay check in the mail every two weeks. I have just recently started my own little business on the side and have been in business for the last 2 years. This I do on my weekends off while I am still getting a full paycheck so that I do not lose any income. The point of this would be to try and be my own boss, to get away from the every day grind of work. I want to have my freedom, do what I want when I want to and have fun. Starting your own business certainly isn't easy, it's actually quite the challenge but very rewarding in the end. You have something to call your own that's yours, kind of like your baby. You watch it grow and give it the power it needs to succeed. You thrive on it doing well and making you money.

I started a small business from my home doing party rentals where I bought a bunch of stuff and started renting it out. I have a proper supplier and buy things regularly to stay in the loop. I was amazed just how quickly my name got around and how many clients I ended up getting in the first and second year.

I was so proud of my accomplishment, basically starting from scratch with no money up front I was able to get my business going. My hope is that one day I will be making so much money and have so much business, that I won't have to work Mon-Fri anymore so I can spend more time with my kids.

Find something you love to do, do what makes you happy and try and make a go out of it by selling your product or providing your services. There are a lot of people out there looking for good, quality, local items or services and even though the economy isn't the greatest, people still have to go about their everyday lives. Pick something you are really good at and thrive!

In the mean time, by working on the weekends I am making more money and thus have more money to spend on things (or more money to pay down my mortgage). A few extra payments a year makes all of the difference. You'd be surprised.

If you are thinking about owning and operating your own business there are a few key points you may want to note:

1. Pick something you love to do, do your research and make sure there is a market for it in your area.

2. Have a game plan, create a business plan and make goals for yourself

3. Make sure what you are doing is legal, apply for a business license in your home town

4. Apply for loans, grants, anything you can to help fund your new found business

5. Advertise, advertise, advertise! Get your name out there, promote yourself, make business cards, do as much free advertising as you can, put flyers on windshields, advertise on the a free website, etc

6. Work hard, put your blood sweat and tears into your new found business and be consistent

7. Make customers come back, spread the word and give you a testimonial. Repeat customers and word of mouth is probably how my business has survived. Word of mouth is huge as people often want verbal references.

8. Be organized! Make sure you file all receipts, keep up on your book keeping, create proper contracts, and most importantly be professional.

9. If it is a home business you have started up make sure you claim a portion of your bills etc. For instance if you have one room in your house you use for your business, take the square footage and make it into a percentage of your house. Then deduct that percentage from all of your bills as business costs. It adds up! Bills include but not limited to; mortgage interest, property taxes, heat/hydro, internet, water, maintenance and repairs, telephone/cellphone, etc.

10. Watch your competition and price accordingly. To stay on par with everyone else you must make sure that you're prices are not outrageous. Products and services are only worth how much someone is willing to spend. If there is someone down the street selling the same thing for 1/2 the price they are bound to go to them instead. Stay in the loop and price accordingly.

I really hope you all find your passion and can do something you love to do while still earning a profitable income. It is a lot of fun, a lot of hard work and dedication but worth it in the end. You have something to be proud of and have a sense of accomplishment. This is personally speaking and I am going to continue with my business in hopes of it's great success. I hope one day I can be a full time stay at home mom with my kids and work from home. That is my ultimate goal. In the mean time, I strive to be great, put all my energy into my "baby" and hope that it will continue growing for years to come. How else am I to pay for my mortgage?

I hope you've enjoyed, thanks for listening.

Brie

The Laws of Attraction

Some people are firm believers that the laws of attraction are very real indeed. I am starting to believe it myself actually. The whole thinking behind the laws of attraction is that if you will it and you think and stay positive, positive things will come your way. If you think negatively and are always depressed or cursing the world all the time, bad things will come your way.

Last year something incredible happened to me. I had never won anything in my entire life, mostly because I never thought I would win. Then last April I was called #9 into a radio station for some tickets to a concert. This was only the beginning. All month the same radio station had been doing promotional advertising and giving the chance to win a brand new 2011 Chevy Cruze away. When you heard the beep (could be in the middle of a song) and you were caller #9, you got a ticket to go to a party where you were one in 100 to try and win the car. Well that following week after I won the tickets I was stuck in traffic on my way home from work due to a car accident. When I heard that beep in the car I started to try and call in to be caller #9. By some strange force I knew I was going to be caller #9. I kept trying, I tried about 3 or 4 times before finally getting through and low and behold I was caller #9!!! I was so ecstatic I was bouncing up and down in my seat (passengers seat). My husband was trying to cool me down as he knew there was still only a 1% chance of me actually winning the car. When we got home I was still bouncing and just knew I was going to win that car! I picked up my ticket to the party the next day and was still vibrating from all the excitement. As we walked in the parking lot to the radio station the car that they were giving away was sitting in one of the parking stalls and we walked right past it. As we walked past it I said to my husband "that's my car right there, I am going to win it, it's all mine!" Of course my husband was skeptical and didn't want me to get my hopes up but I didn't care, I just knew.

The following week was the party. I dressed for success as I knew I would probably be getting my picture taken when I won the car. I wore my lucky red lipstick because the car was red and I knew it would be good luck. When my husband and I got to the party we grabbed some pizza and pop and took a good hard look at the car we would soon be driving home. Everyone's name got put into a bin when we arrived and the order that they were drawn was the order that everyone picked their square. There was a board with 100 squares on it and everyone got to choose one square when their name was drawn. Some squares had not so smiley faces, some had other prizes behind them and there were five squares that had keys behind them. If you got a key you would be one of the five finalists who could try and actual key in the car. If the car turned on it was yours to take home. Most of the squares had already been taken when it came to be my turn. I was probably #75 in choosing my square. Four of the keys had already been chosen and so there was only one key left. I just knew I was going to get a key. I still had hope. I knew it in my mind when I stepped up to the plate. Low and behold I picked the last key. I was jumping up and down like mad because I knew, I just knew that car was going to be mine. I went over to the other people who picked keys and stood and waited until all other squares were picked. Once they were all picked, everyone turned their attention to the five people who had all won keys. We were each given envelopes with actual keys in them to try in the car and we tried in order. I was key #4. So key 1,2 and 3 all went and tried the key in the car and busted. No such luck. I turned to the guy behind me and said "well only a 50/50 chance" shook his hand and wished him good luck. I knew as soon as I sat in that car that the key would turn for me. It would start up the car and I pictured my reaction and what I would do. The time came for me to turn the key, sure enough it turned the ignition and started the car. I was so excited I literally screamed as loud as I could. The whole thing was being recorded live on the radio where I'm sure some of the listeners thought someone was being murdered I was screaming so loud. It was mine, the car was mine. At last!

I thought like the car was mine and could visualize me winning from day one. I just kept positive and kept my eye on the prize the entire time. I don't think it was just pure dumb luck, I think it was a lot to do with my positive thinking and wanting it so bad I could taste it.

If you are reading this and are thinking yeah right this was just a once in a lifetime thing, it'll never happen again. Well think again! Just the other day I was listening to the radio and if you were caller #9 you can have the chance to win some cold hard cash. I thought to myself I am going to be caller #9 and I am going to win some money. I let it ring a few times and finally I heard a hello on the other end. I was caught be surprise and as I was driving I quickly pulled over and stopped the car. I was caller #9 again? Wohoa! I thought to myself. Ok, now let's win some money. I had to open different envelopes and tell the radio VJ to keep going or to stop. I got to envelope # 4 that had $444 in it. I could have one farther but thought to myself let's not be greedy. I could loose it all! So I stopped and walked away with $444 worth of cash! I visualized myself winning and I won!

I never was a believer in staying and thinking positively but I sure am now. I think that the laws of attraction work and that if you send out positive vibes you will attract good vibes back to you. Either in luck, health, money, love, whatever it may be it will come with positive thinking. You also have to be very determined in your goals and do whatever it takes to help you achieve your goals. You can't just sit around and wait for things to come your way. You actually have to try. "You have to play to win"!

I hope this inspires some of you to be happier in your thinking and to think positive thoughts. Draw all of the positive energy towards you. Keep negative thoughts away and enjoy life.

Good luck in whatever you choose to do.

-Brie

Be all that you can be!

I have learned that it's who you are inside that makes you a good person. Not your religious beliefs, or your background, or even whether you have come from a good family or not. It is what you do with your knowledge, your education, your experience to make this world a better place. Whether you volunteer, help people in your line of work, or even make someone's day great by giving a tiny compliment, it's these small acts of kindness and generosity that make this world a great place to live.

Even though there is so much hurt and suffering still going on in the world, if you can make a difference in one person's or one family's life it makes all the difference. If everyone did this in their everyday life, the world would be better for it. I have my own morals and beliefs and I strive to be a better person everyday of my life. I know I am not a saint by any means and I know I am definitely not perfect but I feel that I am an overall good person. Not saying I don't make mistakes from time to time either.

For instance, today we decided to help another person by becoming a Sponsor to a child in need that lives in Africa. One small step in the right direction and I feel pretty convinced that this act will make a difference. It certainly makes a difference in one persons life. It could have made the world of difference for all I know, I don't know. If everyone did something like this (and I know not everyone can afford to do this) the poverty crisis across the world would be slowly diminishing.

All I am saying really is be everything you can be. Be the best Doctor or Lawyer or Firefighter. Whatever your job may be, be the best at it and strive for excellence in everything you do. One day you too can change the world, make a difference in someone's life. Be educated, go out and learn first aid because you never know when you may have to use it. It may save one of your family member's or a total strangers life one day. Donate where you can to a charity of your choice. Pick something you believe in with all your heart and fight for your cause.

Live in peace and harmony and you will ultimately feel good about yourself. Think of others and not only yourself and you too will feel empowered.

I hope you enjoyed today's read. I would love to hear about all the ways you have changed the world one step at a time.

Thanks for listening!

Brie