From My Wedding

As I am waiting and putting together some odds and ends here and there I figured I could update my portfolio a little bit too. Here are some pictures from my wedding - a truly home made wedding. Without sounding like a version of Martha Stuart, I was trying to keep costs down as I had just moved to the US and immigration and visa application was expensive to us at the time, I ended up making a lot of it myself. Wedding favors, dessert, wedding cake, flowers, decoration, wedding dress, and brides maids dresses... it was a perfect day and looking back I wouldn't have changed anything, besides for that I was missing many of my family and friends.

Enjoy:

Ohhh...

.... it's coming, it's coming!!! I just placed my order for some of the supplies I need to start my screen printing. I was going to do it yesterday but they had to verify my Sales Tax ID number first. And as soon as I saw the email I placed my order. It actually came out costing me $30 less that I had calculated on - so that is always nice!

So finally I can get moving for real. The stuff should be here on Thursday... until then I need to make some more labels and print some shipping labels. But for the first time, I can actually say that I think it will all come together this weekend! Ahhhh!!!! :D

My first screen printing projects will be Creeper (two different prints), Toddler t-shirt (one print), Toddler dress (one print).

Playing

Trying to connect my Etsy shop with this blog. But so far it looks kind of empty since I haven't uploaded any items on the shop yet. I have two different items done, but I was going to start with some screen printed item first... but maybe I should just throw what I have out there... I can't decide. I thought I had this great plan, but I am still waiting for the items I am going to print on to arrive...

Here is a little preview of one of the items, I just fell in love with this fabric when I saw it and HAD to make something out of it!

So far I have 4 baby dresses (New Born to 24 months) already made in this fabric... I love it, but it is not cotton so it may not sell as good because of it. But I couldn't resist...

And beside for connecting the blog with the shop I also connected the shop with my facebook account. I don't know if it will attract more people or not, but since it will all update it automatically it is worth it!

Tonight I am home with a sick dog. I don't want to go to bed in case he needs to throw up again... But in my mind there cannot be anything left for him to throw up!

EIN & Sales Tax ID - DONE!

Oh.. I am getting closer!!!

On Monday night I went to my accountant so my SS-4 and PA-100 was filled out correctly and on Tuesday I filed the two applications online. I received my EIN right away and today I received my Sales Tax ID.

This means that I can now:
Open a bank account
Connect a PayPal account to it
Set up my PayPal to Etsy.com
Buy at wholesale
Start my shop

Ahhh... do you guys know how excited I am???

First Batch of Labels

As I am making sure I am following all CPSC, FTC and CPSIA regulations I made my first labels for all my items yesterday, including:

• Name of Business/Brand (Candie Ink)
• Country of Origin (Made in USA of imported fabric)
• Size
• Designer Name (Helena Mathis)
• Fiber Content

• Wash and Care Instruction
• Batch Number
• RN Number
• Date of Production
• Place of Production
• Web address

They came out looking great and the whole process was really pain free! But I think I am going to make them just a little bit larger so I can fold in the edges easier to be able to attache them to the clothes as I do not want to use fray check.

CPSC Webinar

For those of you that are targeting your items to products intended for children this is a great opportunity to get the latest info on rules and regulations: 

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
cordially invites you to participate in a special

- Webinar -
Join CPSC Officials for a Chat Addressing
CPSIA and Small Businesses

Friday, March 26, 2010

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is a child safety law that affects people and small businesses that make handmade toys and other products intended for children. Our contacts at the Consumer Product Safety Commission will be joining us in a Webinar to talk about what the CPSIA means for our community. 

Here are the details:

On Friday, March 26 at 11 a.m. EDT, (8 a.m. PDT) Senior CPSC Officials Jay Howell and Gib Mullan will be live on a Webinar for our members to talk about how the CPSIA has impacted small businesses.

Jay and Gib will share their insights and experiences about how the CPSIA is being implemented and enforced, how compliance with the law is possible, what has been stayed and what is in effect, what needs to be tested and what does not, and what the future holds.

Presentations by both officials will be followed by a question and answer session. Jay and Gib are doing this webinar as part of an effort by CPSC to connect with organizations like ours and to demystify the CPSIA for small business owners.

CPSC will record the session for those who can't make it.

You can help move the presentation into your areas of concern by sending in advance questions to the web address below. That will help us decide which topics will be most useful for you!

To participate in the webinar go to: www.cpsc.gov/webcast/index.html

Send in your questions before, during and after the webinar to:
HTAquestions@cpsc.gov. (This email address will be active until a month after the webinar to follow up on all questions.)

Proud Owner!

I just wanted to say that I am now a proud owner of an LLC. I received my letter of filed organization yesterday and now I will continue the quest with getting my EIN number and also to set up a business account so I can get the PayPal and Etsy.com site all connected to it.

I have been reading pages after pages of tax rules - and I am happy that I have an accountant so I don't have to be too tuned in to what is going on as far as taxes, but I feel more confident knowing at least the basics of it. That way I at least have a chance of asking the right questions when and where I need to. Some of you might think I am overdoing it - but I rather be too careful now as a start than go back and say Oops!

Hopefully once everything formal is taken care of I can just get going and hope that it will pay off.
Soon, soon I will be posting my items! Can't wait!

LLC or S corp?!

Well.. I guess my choice is LLC and S corp after doing some research. But I guess that will have to wait until next year since I already passed the date of when it has to be sent in, March 15th.

Until then I will be a LLC and taxed as a sole proprietorship. I think that will be just fine, this way I will have some time to figure out what type of salary I can expect, and how my husband and I should divide the responsibility...

But there really is no easy way to figure this out. IRS provides the rules and forms to be filled out, but no recommendations or help. Help that is found online may or may not be objective. And help from an accountant or lawyer can get costly...

I am expecting my LLC application from the State to return this weekend and I was doing some reading on how to fill out my SS-4 for my EIN number... I thought it would be a walk in the park - just fill in the blanks type of deal... but there is more to it than that!

I am not too worried about it though - I feel confident that I am making the right decisions... now I just have to keep CPSC at bay and hope that they don't ban everything I need to make children clothing besides for cotton or wool... it would be a shame if all of a sudden we couldn't use zippers or buttons...

Set-back number one

But I am planning on making it my onlyONE!

On Friday night I came across some information while researching hanging tags for my clothes. "Should I have a hanging tag on the clothes I sell or do people not care about them" was my thinking. My husband didn't think I should, since they get cut off and thrown in the trash right away. I agreed, but still feel that a tag was the right way to go just to get the new and special touch on it. I was even thinking of making the hanging tab into a business card... What is your thought on it? Would people realize it, would it be a "ah that is so smart" or "that is so cheap"??? Right now, after a few days of thinking, I am leaning towards hanging tags but maybe not in the style of a business card... but love some comments on it!

So where is my set back?

It has nothing to do with hanging tags - cause I believe you can pretty much put whatever you want on those, but my head started to spin when I learned about FTC and CPSC rules and what I HAVE to put on the sew in labels for each item... it was crazy. But thanks to DuhBe and her fabulous description on the issue I manage to figure it all out. Not without getting a little bit sweaty but at least there is a way...

So if you are planning to make anything that is intended for kids - read it! It is well worth it times a thousand.

So this probably set me back a week or two, but it is ok... I am still waiting for some paperwork to be finished.

Going Crazy

I am so ready to get going. I am so curious to see what this whole new venture of mine will bring to my life... But I am still in waiting mode - I am waiting for the Department of State to send me back my papers...

I feel like I am sitting in a car, my foot is on the gas pedal; full throttle yet ~ I am going nowhere because someone is lifting my car off the ground!!

Do you have any idea of how frustrating that is?

Off course I still have ton of things I can work on in the meantime but I just want to roll out the carpet and do it all ~ all the way. The way I am doing it now is just bits and pieces here and there... but I guess ones the carpet is to be rolled out I will be happy that I did them all before.

So even though in waiting mode I am still working and thinking of this 24-7!

I know... It's been forever

... but I have a ton of excuses, if that helps?

Almost two weeks ago I literally pored some boiling water on my upper thigh, well it was not on purpose off course but never the less PAINFUL! The size of a hand of bubbles on my upper thigh, making it hard to walk, sit, and even to ware clothes... The night it happened I spent about 2 hours in a cool bathtub, with a hoodie on too; or I would have been burned and cold! It is a lot better these days - I have been using natural d-Alpha Vitamin E oil as the only treatment on it after it started to cool down. Not that I have anything to compare it with, but it seems to do its trick.

Started some long wanted Pole dancing classes (yes with a burnt leg) and have been sore and bruised for 4 days! I have always wanted to try it, and I knew I was going to like it - but that I was a natural on that thing... that was a surprise even for me! ;D

Also, I am FINALLY starting my business. I have been putting this off for too long, not buy choice but it has just not been in my heart all the way out to my finger tips - now it is and i am SO READY! I sent in my paperwork to the Department of state to form my LLC and just waiting to get it back so I can send in some tax papers and then I am ready to GO!

I opened a blog for my new venture: Candie Ink where I will be posting my items and also have a portfolio of what I have done in the past. The Portfolio is far from done but I am working on it along with ten thousand other things I have on my mind for this start up. I am going to use an online store at Etsy.com and hope that I can connect with people that are looking for something that I will create. I will be accepting PayPal and Credit Cards (it is pretty much a must when selling stuff online).

I am ready!! So ready!!!

So I am sorry... I pushed you down on my prioritizing list dear readers...

What's up?

I have been working on setting everything up with my new business. I sent my papers in to PA Department of State yesterday and hope that I can have an answer back before next week. Next step is the tax document: SS-4 and I hope I won't screw it up. I never contacted a lawyer. I felt, when I had red through everything of what was required, that I could do it myself.

I already have an accountant and I plan for him to take care of my yearly tax issues, just like he already is. But maybe I will contact him along the way. Just to make sure...

Have to look up if there are any extra sales taxes in the township I live in... which would suck but I wouldn't be surprised.

A well. In the meantime I am working day and night to try to figure out what to sell and how much of it I should get out at first... It is a constant battle in my head and it never ends: One day I feel one approach is right and the next day I have another approach... I am driving myself crazy... hahah!!!

So all to all of you; you will have to wait a little bit longer to see what I am creating.

Until then.

Ready Set Go!

I am about to call a lawyer this week to set up my LLC and I am ready to GO!!! I am so excited and hope that it can grow to something greater one day.

I am setting up an account on Etsy.com where I will be selling my products, but off course you can always email me for an order at candieink@live.com

Wish me LUCK! :D

My name is Bond...

Dancing has been my life for so many years – It is sometimes how I define myself; as a dancer and choreographer. But moving to the US removed that from my life… not completely as I am still teaching children how to dance. But it is not the same, the whole atmosphere is different. I knew my dancers back in Sweden and they knew me. Off course it makes a big difference since I am teaching a much younger crowd here than what I used to do before but they would come to me for anything, not just dance stuff. I loved that. I loved that I after a while considered them my peers rather than students, even though they will forever be ‘my girls’.

This is one of my proudest moments during my time as a dancer and choreographer

Dance: Bond 007

Team: United Feet, Sweden 

Competition: World Championship Disco 2004 & 2005.

The costumes were great, the dancing was great, the girls were great, the experience was great, and the 6^th place was overwhelming!

Carneval on the Dance floor!

Here is another one of my creations it took a little while to finish them all since every girl received a different top... I did have some valued help and the costumes came out looking amazing and full of life! 

And 'my girls' are still the best!

Dance Show Formation

Disco Small Group

Disco Duos

In Europe the dance form 'Disco' is very popular among children and teens - here is a small selection of what I have created for some great dancers and wonderful young women.

LCHF "Pancakes"

Like pancakes as much as I do? I am not a huge fan of the American style pancakes but like the Swedish style pancakes much better, I think you refer to them as crepes. I like mine with berry jam/preserves and whipped cream.

But as with many foods we have gotten addicted to, regular pancakes (American or Swedish) are not healthy. I am not talking about what we put on our pancakes, I am talking about what we put IN them. Wheat, wheat, and wheat... Did I mention that wheat is our biggest culprit when it comes to a healthy life style?!

You see... wheat is something so many companies promotes as healthy - whole wheat and heart health here and there, making it even more dangerous than sugar. Why, because people actually believe that whole wheat is healthy! I hear it all the time, and I was once, not long ago, one of those people too... Wheat is NOT healthy people, not even a little bit.

So back to my pancakes. Here is how you make some delicious pancakes without wheat:
For about 4 normal size pancakes:
2 eggs
1/2 pack of Cottage cheese (DO NOT PICK ANY LOW or NON FAT SELECTIONS)
a bit of salt
2-3 table spoons of Spelt flower

Mix it in a bowl - heat up a frying pan - add real butter - when melted add a few spoons full of pancake mix and flatten a bit to make a pancake, don't make them too large as they may be harder to flip if you do - flip to other side once firm - done.

Serve with warm mixed berries and whipped cream or anything else that is on the OK list.

By the way - I am not taking any credit for this recipe... just found it and thought it was very good!  

Motivation and Self discipline

Sometimes I think motivation and self discipline is something you have to go and get and hang it around your neck to make sure you won't loose it...

I have lost mine more times than I can count. Some days it is just GONE: Plans I make for tomorrow don't seem as fun the next day, goals I put up for myself don't seem that important after a while, and projects I start like a rocket ship may never become a finish product - ever...

I am off course a dreamer and sometimes I believe that my dreams will come true as long as I dream harder! For real! Some people have told me that it is all due to the Capricorn in me... But I don't know. Over the last day or two I have been reading a lot about zodiac signs and even if I am born Capricorn I cannot shake the feeling that I am an Aries too. I truly believe that we can be different signs in one person no matter when we are born but the question now is - is the combination of being a Capricorn and an Aries a good one????

And can I blame the lack of discipline and loss of interest if I don't see results fast to my zodiacs?? Or is it just me?

Why is it so fun to start something but not as fun to finish it? And why do I reach such a great satisfaction when I do finish something and get great reviews if I only finish a small part of what I start?! Does any of this make sense?? I am at a loss here... When do I win? When will I realize that seeing the project to its end is the better thing for me, and when will I realize that a project has to be started with respect to what has to be done, and not the satisfaction of dreaming about the finish product?

Am I analyzing myself too much right now????