So lets be honest.... How has the economy affected your scrappy life and every day life?

I started All Moments Remembered online store in 2007. The first six months were okay. But then it took off full speed. Looking back I can say it grew a bit to fast for one person to handle. I added a kit club with a friend helping me design it. That club went hog wild too. The problem was it was only me over here putting together the kits, packing and shipping them. All the reasons I had opened my online store from home were down the drain. Work from home so I can do more with my family but also contribute to the family income. I was working harder and more hours then I had ever been before. I was loving every single second of it. I started a message board for the site and what a blast that soon became. The friends I have made there are true treasures to me. These girls are so dear to me and like family in so many ways. But there again having a message board takes a lot of time. You need to keep up on the back ground maintenance. You need to keep it fun and full of new ideas. You need to make sure all post are nice. I can admit I really have not had any mean spirited horrible post. But really it takes a lot more work then anyone can imagine. But again I love it and could skip sleep to do it. But with that comes the moments that you know you need to have more balance. My mother's day card last year from my 8 yr old son said " My mom is the best even though she is always on her computer" ACCKKKK!!! It was true. I had started an online business to be able to spend more time with my family and that was not happening. Online crops? OHHHH my do they keep ya from our family! I have to admit they are sooo much fun and you just can't help yourself. So how many of you out there find yourself on the computer way to much even if you love being on it? Tell me I am not the only guilty mom.


This economy has changed my online business. I gave up the kit club. It was just to much and it gave me back a lot of time for my family. All good stuff! But then the economy really hit me hard. Online sales slowed down once the gas prices went back down. My intense love of owning my own business. Then my love for scrapbooking brought me to the idea of opening a brick and mortar store. WHY NOT!! Oh I wish you could have been here when I ran it past my hubby... Yikes! In this economy you want to open a store front???? He was not for it one bit. My thought was well so many are going out of business I could get displays and such for a great price. I should be able to get a super deal on rent of a building. I mean who would not want to come to my scrapbook store and have fun? I mean we all still have funds for scrapbooking right? Well lets say I got my way, got my cheap displays, great landlords and a fair rent in a darling building and I opened All Moments Remembered brick and mortar store. I am in heaven. As the online has slowed down the in store has picked up. Now I can tell you this is no get rich plan. Okay for the sake of my hubby I can say it is not a bring a paycheck home yet plan either. But hey it carries itself. The classes are the heart of my store. As one lady said who was taking a class " I find it to be cheaper then therapy and way more fun" We laugh during classes. We meet new friends. We catch up with old friends. We get to create and get to make something we might not have made time for at home. I can say I have made some very dear friends through my store.


I am sure hoping some day soon the economy will turn around and my store will flourish with business. Do you have a small business you are just waiting to bloom once the economy turns? Are you enjoying what you are doing now even if you are not on the get rich trail yet? I so love what I am doing and would not trade for anything. I look forward to my days at work. I just wish I knew when things were going to get better in our economy. I have spent many nights tossing and turning and wishing I could sleep. I have spent lots of time trying to figure out how to get all the coolest new items in the store while still paying all the bills. Every day seems to be better and it always seems to work out. But I still often worry about what the store will become. I hope to prove hubby wrong and show him I WAS SMART starting it in this economy. :) So what has this economy done to your dreams? I could go on and on if I added in my woes about home life and such with this economy but I will stick to the business part for now. So if you have you own business online or store front lets chat. Lets find out what is working for others. Like I said my classes and having a haven for women to come and just laugh while creating has been my key! What are you doing? What is working for you? Do you have suggestions for me? Do you make sure to budget in your scrappy spending money each month? I have found many have done this and might give up that yummy coffee but are still doing their hobbies. This economy has to get better, RIGHT????





I would love to hear from others trying to make it through these tough economic times.





Cheaper then Therapy,


Stacey :)



PS. Be sure to check out my online message board. I can honestly say I have the sweetest group of ladies there ever!