A Natural Home

I personally like the look of dovetail, both the full on option and the half option.

The full on option is where both sides are interlocking and they show thru either side of the drawer. It is a strong hinge and you need very little if any glue.

This style is particularly lovely when you have two types of wood, so that each can show thru, we have done this with a cabinet that was done in walnut, ash, and cherry, it was quite striking.

The half option is where only 1/2 of the drawer has the dovetailing thru it, so that you can see the joinery on the side of the drawer but not the front of the piece.  It is strong, but not as strong. The advantage to this however is if you are using say poplar for the drawer sides and back and have another species in the front.  You want to avoid adding on an extra front to the drawer adding more weight and having to buy special screws.

Of course in our simply affordable dresser, we use screws as we want to keep this piece as low as possible in price.

If I had my druthers I would have all of our stuff done in dovetail, but sometimes time and money are hindrances to any project. 

The WAHM or work at home mom used to be an unusual thing, but with so many mommies starting little internet sites selling this and that, it is becoming the “in” thing.

Working Mother Magazine contacted us (or rather me) about doing an article about our cottage based company, and I began to realize that I am not a work at home mom any more.

With 5 employees, 30 families that we work with, a warehouse, a store, and another store about to be opening, we are not a start up internet site any more.  We are a “real” business.

There is a certain freedom in being more than I once was, but it is also scary.  I have more responsbility, but I have more freedom to leave if I want and let the employees take care of things.

I can delegate and spend time with my family. I get to stop answering the phone and just veg out with my kids, do the laundry, cook dinner, or shop for a gas grill made in the USA or Canada without having to answer the phone. It is nice.

A WAHM is generally someone trying to run a company from start up, but she really is not planning on paying her bills with it, or paying off her house. She is just happy to be making a little extra money and that is it.

There is nothing wrong with that, but there is something missing for the equation, the real business aspect.  Filing taxes does not usually stress a WAHM out. She is not dealing with 1099s, w-2s, corporate S filiing status, etc… I had to file an extension this year, as I have not had time to get everything together.

The working mother redefined, or the WAHM expanded I have become. It feels good. I am proud of what I have built my business into. We have many happy customers, and a very very few disgrunteled ones… Women who are thinking of going on your own, you can do it.  It takes time, patience and a desire to make something of the company and yourself, but it can be done and it is almost as rewarding as raising a child (only it pays the bills,LOL).

A few years ago I dug up the brick side walk along my house and re planted it.  Yes, this was FUN and it took about 3 weeks to do.

So yesterday, I was cleaning the back area of our home and wanted to get rid of the darn english grass that was taking over the haphazard brick job I did with left over bricks.

Dragging the children in with my project, I  dug up the bricks, stacked them, and then had my hubby run the rototiller in the grass to pull it.  WE then placed 2 sheets of landscaping fabric down so we could put the bricks back down. I have to say it looks pretty good, still a little rough around the edges, but we will get there….

When I was a child, and I would visit my aunts and uncles in Ohio, I would notice that the clothing I had on was ahead of what styles they were wearing in Ohio.

This was noticeable, when I was 12.  I did not pay attention to the furniture, or the other trends, just the clothing, but it was still there.

Now that I am late thirty something, I still see the lag.  When we bring out new furniture lines I look for the EAST and WEST for ideas and inspiration.  The Mid west is 3-5 years behind. We can not sell non country in Ohio, they just do not understand it (this does not apply to those of you who actually pay attention to fashion trends in furniture- where ever you might be in Ohio)

The same goes with the green movement.  I noticed the other day in the Columbus Monthly, that the mayor of Columbus, has a green plan, and frankly I was SHOCKED.  The fact the mayor of Columbus who is usually more concerned with developing the downtown and having no taxes in the new high rise condos, is concerned about GREEN it is a shocker.

WOW! Even Victoria’s Secret is using recycled paper for the their new catalog. Limited must find it an economic advantage to go GREEN, after all everyone else is doing it.

Although going GREEN is the in thing, I think that people can make small improvments in their lives to makes things better.  Going out/ driving less. COnsolidating all your trips in one day (if you can).Growing your own food, using the glass and plastic jars your get from the store and  then recycling them when they are past their prime.

I am not perfect, no.  I do what I can, I walk what I talk.  I live organic (with the occasional slub from going to a dining facility that is not green), I wear organics, and we sleep organics.

I applaud Coleman’s efforts even if they are some longn drawn out plan to run for a higher office, I am glad that Central ohio is pulling itself up a bit and trying to make a differnce.  Hopefully, it is not just a flash in the pants, but a real change.