Life update, Spring 2016

Hey all!!

I knowwwwww, I'm sorrrryyyyyy.  Stupid me had to go and get a job. Ha Ha

So yeah, I work in an office again. I do have freedom to work from home as needed, or part time eventually, so that will work out great.

However, in the meantime, with the timing of everything, me and my husband (who if you follow know has MS), do not have insurance until 2017. If it were just me, I wouldn't care, but its him too.
Basically, in January I applied for me and the girls to get state medicaid. My husband had coverage through work still. Then he was dropped in February. So, at this point, I call the state to get him added to the application as well, which extended the process out again.
A few weeks later, I got a job. However, after starting I find out they only really cover ME for insurance, and to add him it would be an outrageous amount of money that would make us go for broke.  So I called the Marketpace to see how that all works. They gave me a quote and suggested that I try to see if the state will cover us, and if not, then to call them back. Great!!

April 1st, the state calls to tell me that the kids were accepted and will be covered, but me and my husband don't. We'll have to try the marketplace. Soooo.....I call the marketplace a few days later....well since Brian lost his coverage as of Feb. 1st, and  its now 64 days later (limit is 60 days), we cant get coverage.

Call the state back....they say that even with my unemployment info, we made too much money and now I have a job so we most likely will NOT be accepted still. They did tell us that the letter they sent telling us we were not accepted, was dated 3/31/16, so maybe we can try to fight it.

So that is what is on my plate for today. And...I need to get dental insurance for us both too in the meantime as well. WTF.....and to top it all off, we have to pay fines at tax time for this shit...even though its the government who wont allow us to sign up for anything.
Pick one...either I have insurance and cant pay my bills, or I have no insurance, and keep a roof over my head. Hmmmmm.....?????

Anyway, crafting is back in session. only about 1 craft per week. And not a lot of ready to sell items, as I am stock piling too much, because no one wants to buy from me, boooo.

But here are a few items i made for my girls, and already have a ready to sell one, with a fish theme, in progress. I will continue to post as there are more items.

Until next time....

Unsold Wreaths

Hey all!

As I was going through some of my stock I realized that I still have a lot. I have fall wreaths and winter wreaths still available. Even a few summer ones from last year that would be great for THIS time of year.
Therefore, this post if going to be a showcase of sorts, to show you all, what is still available. If anyone is interested in any of the items you see, please feel free to message me, or visit our FB shop and message me there. 
Prices are not firm, so feel free to make an offer.
Pass the word to your friends and family as well.
Thank you!


Summer/Fall wreaths:

Coral chevron ribbon, accented with orange and yellow sunflowers

 Black chevron ribbon, accented with red and purple flowers.

 Orange handmade felt rosettes. The Halloween ribbon is not attached and can be changed. Although, that is the ribbon on the reverse side of wreath, but who will see that other side. This could be great all throughout the fall months.

Fall leaf patterned ribbon with gold accents throughout it. Embellishments of fall leaves, marigolds, and berries.

 Christmas/Valentine's Wreaths:

 Silky white ribbon, accented with poinsettias and a glittery red deer.

 Greens wreath base, with red white and green deco mesh ribbon and glittery red Christmas balls.

Goldish brown decor mesh embellished with gold, red and white ribbon, gold Christmas balls, and a glittery red deer.

 Over 200 handmade felt rosettes.

 If you are not in the market for a discounted, out of season wreath and are really interested in something for the NOW season, stop on by our shop and see what's new for Spring/Summer.

3Ladybugcrafts on FB
3LadybugCrafts on Etsy
Or search #3Ladybugcrafts on Instagram

Going back to WORK!!

Hey all!!!

So if you read my last post, you saw how I was worried because it seemed like everything was NOT happening, all at one time. Well I FINALLY got a break!!!

I got a call yesterday that I was accepted for a job!! YAY!!!  I can start to breath a little bit!!!

However, along with this, it has caused some apprehension. But, I am not letting that make me take a different course at all. Its just a new change that I haven't been used to in a long time.
I will be going back into an office environment for 40hr work weeks...away from home.

When my kids were younger, my parents watched them, and they weren't in school yet either.  As my oldest got older and started school, things did change for a year or two, and it was...a bit of a stress for a while.  My mother could no longer really handle all 3 kids anymore, so we started splitting the time between her and my dad, and my sister, and my husband, and after school care for my oldest, and day care for the twins. It was a messy schedule, but it was the same every week. So we adapted well.

Towards the end of this messy time with scheduling, in 2008, I took a job where I had the availability to work from home as needed. So that helped a lot. In the summer time, I would work from home part time, on the days when I didn't have anyone available, and go into the office when care was available. Again, that helped a lot.

In 2010, some changes at that job happened, and instead of jumping ship, I hung in there, and just kept plugging away at my job, which eventually became a full time at home gig. The company was impressed with how I handled the transition and said that I could keep working from home, full time. GREAT!!! And this DID last almost 6 yrs. I feel very lucky for that. Although, I knew it would come to an end eventually. And so it did, in November 2015.

But through this, I now no longer needed to worry about other peoples schedules. I took my lunch break at the time the kids got done school, and we would come home and I would go back to work until my day was over.  If I needed to go pick up a sick kid at school, I could do so and only be away from the computer for 15 minutes. I didn't have to rely on my husband or sister or anyone to watch them.
I could start dinner or pull something out in the middle of the day if need be. I could throw a load of laundry in real fast. 

Now, I will need to be relying on my husband more. Normally, this would not bother me at all, however, (if you follow me you already know this), he has MS. Therefore, some mornings are hard for him and some mornings he wakes up early and is fine. some days he feels great and some days he can barely walk.  Once I start working, I will need him to be dropping the kids off at school every day & picking them up. And its not just one drop off and 1 pick up, its 2 different schools, at 2 different times.

Also, he works part time in retail, and his schedule changes all the time. Luckily his job is fully understanding, and will work around the girls school schedule and my schedule. But again...if he is not having a good day, he now will have to do drop offs, picks ups, AND work.  I don't like having to depend on him like this, but we have no choice.

I also realized today that in the summer, my kids will be home all day. So the days where hubby has to work during the day, we will need to find someone to watch them, which means paying a sitter again. Hopefully this will only happen 1 or 2 times a week, and/or may only be for a couple of hours at a time.

Its going to be a new transition for us, but we'll figure it out, we always do. I just have a bad habit of thinking about scenarios going forward, and worrying about how to handle it when and if it happens. Its annoying...but I am always prepared. HA HA

New ventures are always to better yourself, right?!?! (insert positive thinking)

Along with this, I will be pushing out some new Spring and Summer wreaths for sale on my Etsy shop, in the next week. Check in to see what we have to offer, like our shop on Etsy, like our Facebook page, follow my collection on Google+ for Etsy. Share with your friends and family!!! Share the love!!!   )links below)  Sneak peak of the newest wreath in progress in below as well -- bright colors for those sunny days!!!!!!!

See you soon!!!!

3ladybugcrafts on Etsy
3ladybugcrafts on Facebook
Etsy shop collection on my Google+ account

Life...can you cut me a break already PLEASE?!?!?!

Hey all!

I know its been a while since Ive done a life update, but that is because....NOTHING IS HAPPENING.

So after my moms passing, and my dads health got better, I started back on the job hunt a little more. I send resumes out to every telecom company in the area, and really didn't get any bites. I did get ONE interview, and I don't think that we were a good match. I got the sense that if they weren't in such a desperate need of someone NOW, they might be willing to hire me and train me. But I got the feeling they needed someone who could just jump right in.

Also from that interview, and by viewing a lot of the job posts I have realized that the experience I have, in no longer "today's technology". I have worked with Voice services for so long. And now, a lot of phone service is done through internet. I understand the basics of that, but would still need to be trained. And I'm having a hard time finding someone who will take the time to do that.

I have my past experience to fall back on, office administration work. However, I haven't done just that in 18 yrs. However, in ANY office job, you have to know the basics of how an office works, and I do. I can answer calls, order supplies, make copies, type letters, send emails, file, etc etc. That is what I do for my own household, everyday. But to re-start that as a career, doesn't pay what I need.

I know a lot of people see that and think I am being money hungry, but that's not it at all. I would LOVE to be able to take a little pay cut, to just get back into the working field. However, I have 3 children to care for. I also have a husband who has Multiple Sclerosis, and could very well have to stop working all together, for the rest of his life, at any time, if his disease takes a bad turn. Therefore, I need a career where I know I will be able to make enough to carry our 5 person family.

And with our financials right now, school for a career is not an option.

Now I had a feeling I was going to lose my job for about a year prior to actually being let go. That is when I started really getting into the blogging and crafting, to see how I could possibly make some extra cash. And here we are a year later...and they have both pretty much turned into hobbies.
Yes, I sell about a wreath every month or two on average, and that helps buy groceries or pays for gas that week, but that's about it. Not enough to depend on.

AND.......on top of all of it, my husband lost his insurance a couple weeks ago, because they finally realized he was part time now. WTF?!?!?!   So, I rushed to get him added to the state insurance application I had in for me and the girls, but that pushed the whole process back again, so its a waiting game.

I have really been trying to stay positive through everything. I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason. But I am starting to lose faith and my mojo.

SOMETHING NEEDS TO BREAK THROUGH ASAP!!!!!!

Sorry for the vent, but I needed to let it out somewhere, as I feel I have no room to complain to my husband.

But on a lighter note, for your viewing and maybe purchasing pleasure, below are a few wreaths that I've pumped out for Spring. Stop on by and like the Etsy shop #3LadybugCrafts on Etsy to see the latest and greatest as we finish them. Also, you can like our FB page #3LadybugCrafts on FB.
Thanks!!

Easter Gooddies at the Dollar Tree

Hey all!

I hit the Dollar Tree last weekend, for the first time since Valentines' Day was over. I thought I'd check it out to see what type of goodies they have for those Easter Baskets. I was pretty impressed.

Quit a few brand name items. Some that I even saw at "another" lower priced store, and here they are only $1.00. 

Just to touch base on a few items for you, below are some of the Easter candy that caught my eye.

 Peeps in fun flavors

 

Tootsie Roll money banks, in Easter themes

Bunny lips lollipop (like Ring pops for Easter)

 

Easter Life Savers

 Cute little Easter tin ornaments with various candies inside

And don't forget dessert at your Easter gathering.

Lastly, they had a few really cute decorations for your kitchen. I am not one to decorate my kitchen too much, but will definitely be purchasing these for the holiday festivities.

Tip:  You can also put these magnets on your stove

Hope this look into the current Dollar Tree holiday goodies, helps give you some fun ideas. Now get hoppin on over there!!! 

Shopkick App

Hey all!!

I was introduced to this new app a few months ago. I ran into a friend who told me you could gain credits on this app, in exchange for gift cards, no purchases necessary.  I was a little skeptical, but played around with it anyway.

I even went as far to get an electronic gift card through this app, and it worked. SOOOO, now I am here to give you a review and school you about the Shopkick app.

 In the app, the goal is collect "kicks". Kicks are like points. You can earn them by simply having the app open when you walk into a store, by scanning certain items at the stores, and/or by simply making purchases at the stores. 

 I have noticed, that the more you participate, the less options you will have to gain kicks. For instance, I no longer get kicks for walking into my grocery store, and the list of items I can scan for kicks, is not as long as it used to be. BUT, I do get 1 kick for every $2 I spend in there. (Yes, you do have to hook up your credit/debit card for this method of kick collecting to work) So, simply just by grocery shopping, I can easily earn over 50 kicks.

You can click on the "Deals" tab to see sales that are going on in the stores local to you.

On the "products" page, it shows groupings of items that are popular right now, the prices and where you can buy them.  You can click on the like heart icon, to save it, so you can refer to later, if you happen to go to that store.

I have found a trick with these groupings on the products tab. If you click on each collection, about every 2 or 3 collections, scroll all the way to the bottom, and you will see an envelope that you can click to ear 1 kick. I have noticed that each day, the app created about 5 new "product" groupings. So every few days, I will go through them all and collect as many Surprise Kicks as I can. ( see below)

 

Once you collect a certain amount of kicks, you can earn Rewards. I typically collect Kicks, so I can gain a gift card, available on my phone, for 2 of my most shopped stores like Target and Walmart. You can then just have the cashier scan your e-gift card right from your phone. 
I tried to claim a Walmart card for my first time, as I seem to have the most trouble with them with coupons...IT WORKED!!! No issues.  Took $5 off my order without a problem.
 

 

 There is also a screen where you can see how and when you earned your kicks.

All in all, I am really liking this app. If there are a lot of things to scan at a store, I can give my kicks the phone and send them off to scan for me. Each time I grocery shop I automatically earn large amounts of kicks. And best of all, once you hit a certain amount, you have a money off coupon waiting for you to use, anytime you need.

I highly suggest you download this app today and try it out, if you are a frugal shopper like me.

Happy Kicks hunting!!!!

Low cost Valentines gifts for women FROM men

Hey all!

As we all know, since the retail man is shoving it down our throats, Valentine's Day is coming!!!  And if you are anything like me, you have a husband who is.....how do I word this?? Clueless?  A procrastinator?  Over thinks about my reaction and doesn't put enough of his own thought into it? You know what I mean!!  My husband likes to wait until the last minute, for Valentine's day, and by that time, we are either out of funds or the stores are out of the good stuff.

Guys, we are not that difficult to please, really. Here are a few cute, low cost things you can do for your woman for that special day.

1 - Get a few cute boxes and fill them with her favorite candy or snacks. Or even better, fill one with a cute little stuffed animal. Guys might be thinking that is corny giving a girl food. But your girl will be thinking how sweet it is that you took the time to pick out the boxes and candy FOR HER.

2 - Make her a dessert that has a romantic theme, like chocolate covered strawberries. They are easier then some migh think. Just melt chocolate chips in microwave, dip strawberries, and place in fridge until ready to eat. To jazz them up even more, get some cute Vday sprinkles to put on them as well.

3 - Craft her a gift.  You can make her a card (bring out the inner child in you). Or you can get a little more adult and jazz up a picture frame in the valentines theme, and place a picture in it of the two of you.

They key to any of these gifts though, to plan ahead. its not even February yet and I am seeing stores run out of things. Plus, if it looks like it may have taken you a few days to get things together, she will appreciate it more. As for items you might need to cook, do it while she is at work, or send her on a shopping spree to get her out of the house for a few hours.

Again, we are not that hard to please. It just takes a little effort.
Hope this helps!!!!