Health Scare

Last week was the scariest week of my life. Let me start this story back in September though. I had been having these pains in the upper right portion of my tummy for months. On the night of September 11th I had had enough and went to the ER. They diagnosed me as having a bad gallbladder that needed removed immediately. The following day they removed my gallbladder and I went home a couple days later.

After the expected recuperation time of 4-6 weeks I was still having those same pains in my stomach. The dr's were not sure of what was causing these pains but they kept doing tests. Throughout the months of October through December I had CT scans, MRI's and many more tests.

Meanwhile I had began taking shorter breaths due to the pains. By Christmas I was noticing it was hard to breath at times. But my stubborn self just kept working through the pain and now shortness of breath.

Finally on Tuesday January 4th I made an appointment with my doctor regarding the shortness of breath. By the time I got to the doctor that day my heart rate had elevated(220s) and my breathing had gotten very very bad. The doctor called an ambulance and I took a ride to the hospital with two very cute EMT's. By the time we got to the hospital my blood pressure was 148/108 and my heart rate was 235.

I was admitted to the hospital and was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia from not taking full breaths from the pain. Also I had let it go too long to the point I had sepsis (blood poisoning). They started administering major antibiotics through IV's immediately. I slowly started feeling better until Wednesday when the pain in my stomach started getting worse.

On Wednesday afternoon I went into respiratory distress and quit breathing. The nurse called the "rapid response team" to my room over the intercom. Before I knew it they had several dozen people squishing into my hospital room and they began CPR. I did not have to have chest compressions. But they classified it as CPR due to the artificial breathing for me. Luckily my breathing started to regulate itself just moments before they were starting to intubate me.

I stayed in the hospital until Friday the 7th. I am now home trying to recuperate. It is very hard for me not to be up and about. I am always baking or promoting my shop. Right now it is a new learning experience for me to learn to take care of myself. I am not sure if Megs Creations will ever be reopening. That is something I will have to think very hard about.

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Pies in a Jar

New item in the shop this week. Pie in a jar. Yep you heard that right. Yummy homemade Pie in a Jar. Eight flavor choices at this time.

Cherry
Apple
Blackberry Blueberry
Peach
Pumpkin
Triple Berry (raspberry, blackberry, blueberry)
Pecan
Chocolate Pecan

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The Evolution of Megs Creations

Wow how the last 4 years have flown by. I remember sitting at my kitchen table drinking my coffee. Thinking to myself how I had completely burnt out on the childcare industry. Absolutely love the children but it just wasn't the right career path for me.
Knew I wanted to do something with food. Had been getting compliments about my baking and cooking for years. In high school at culinary classes I discovered this passion of mine. Just never know where to take it.
Until that morning not so very long ago. I decided I would create some mixes in jars similar to what we used to give as gifts when I was a child. I fiddled with recipes for almost 6 months. Then came that first season of craft shows and bazaars. Oh how I learned from those first shows.
Then one day a friend told me about Etsy.com. Sounded interesting and something I should check out. I even got on the site and set up an account. Couldn't think of a name because I wasn't really sure what I would be selling yet. Thought oh Megs Creations sounded good no matter what I sold.
Well I got busy with life and forgot about that account I set up. Then one morning when I was a little down on myself. Sitting there drinking my coffee. Going crazy taking care of 8 kiddos 50-60 hours a week. The local news did a story on a few etsy shops that were run by local stay at home moms. Then suddenly I remembered that forgotten shop I had set up.
Decided right then to bake a ton of stuff and get it in my little Etsy shop. That was August 2008 and wow have we grown since then.

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wow it's been a while

Wow does time fly when you are busy. I have been so busy lately. We recently moved, which was at first very stressful and pretty depressing to leave the old house. Now that we are settled in here at our new home its not so bad. We are temporarily in a condo for a year at most. The kids are adjusting better than I thought they would. Sure they still miss the huge yard we had. The rainy Washington weather is here. So that has helped a little with the yard issue. My husband was laid off last week until March. He is a mason and has normally worked through the winter but not this winter. His company said the economy is just not good enough to support the construction industry through the winter in the Northwest. He will get unemployment but we will definitely be struggling. So every sale in my shop helps us alot http://www.etsy.com/shop/megscreations

I will be putting a lot more time into all of my ventures. My hubby will be home to help with the kiddos and the house. Therefore leaving me more time to spend at the bakery creating lots of new treats. Megs Creations has really expanded locally. I am so excited about some of the upcoming projects I am working on. In December I am selling my cookies and other goodies at several local Christmas plays. Since hubby is home I have also found more holiday craft shows/fairs to sell at. I will be at 808 main st Vancouver Wa on the 27th, 28th and 29th and in Milwaukee Oregon most of the weekends in December. Which I can take local orders of cookies or mixes now for pick up on those dates.

Also will be working on many new flavors of cookies and mixes. Soon I will be listing more spice mixes. Instead of all the beans and pastas for my soup mixes I will be listing only the actual spice packs for the soups. With lots of new flavors in soup spice packs coming soon. Also many new crock pot meal mixes coming soon.

Well enough of me rambling. Please check back soon for sneak peaks of some new goodies.

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Redoing Pictures Sale

I am once again redoing my pictures. I want to make a listing for each individual mix I offer. In the pictures for these new listings I will have the jar of mix and the final product. Like if its dip mix then there will be a picture of the actual dip all made up and in the same picture will be the jar of dip mix and likewise for all the other mixes. I think if got pictures done for all mixes than I would finally be satisfied with my pictures. Below is what I have now for pictures.Well it's just kind of boring. I think with more dramatic angles and the picture having the final product in it as a prop will be much better. So therefore I am running a sale for all my quart jar mixes. Only $10 with free shipping, (not to be included with any other offer). And my dip mixes and pancake mixes are all $6(dip) and $8(pancake) all with free shipping as well. I will be listing lots of new listings this week with a generic picture like below.

But if you don't see a certain flavor listed at this super great deal of $6-$10 yet. Then just let me know and I can make you a listing. Check out my shop for over 100 flavors then let me know which one you want at this super cheap price and I will make you a listing. http://www.megscreations.etsy.com I want to get as many pictures and new listing done as possible. I will be running this special all this week. Then after that I won't be offering any sales for awhile. So you better jump on this great offer now.

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Balancing Act

Sometimes I feel like I am doing a balancing act. I always have too much going on. Between being a mommy, wife, school and running a business that has so much going on by itself. Sometimes I read other peoples blogs for inspiration. I read about so many work at home moms who seem to have this all balanced perfectly. How do they do it? Time management of course is huge. I really try to stay on a schedule and keep up on my to do lists. Yes plural, I have so many to do lists. It's kind of a joke between me and my husband. He teases me about all the lists. But with so much to do and so little time sometimes it is necessary to keep everything organized with lists.

Lately I find it really hard to keep motivated and stay on my routines. Being a stay at home mom running my own business it can be very easy to let time get away from me. The summer here and so much to do with the kiddos also doesn't make it any easier but oh well. We have done so much this summer, movies, library, parks, playgroups. Having the daycare has always kept us at home. Now that I am not watching kiddos we can come and go this summer.

I have so many ideas right now for the holiday season. I feel like I am in a mad rush to make sure this holiday season goes well. Been working on finalizing my craft show calendar for the rest of the year. So many venues to pick from. Trying to figure out where will be the best for my business can be so overwhelming in itself. Portland/Vancouver area has such a huge community of wonderful artists that naturally we have so many great craft fairs to pick from. I have never done any of the bigger juried craft fairs. Been mainly the schools and church craft fairs so far but I feel like it is time to step it up and go for the bigger juried venues.

Which leads me to needing banners, flyers, new biz cards and those sort of things. Been hard at work with all the promotional and label type stuff for Megs Creations. It's so much to think about. I feel a real branded look to a business is so very important. Which I have almost achieved. With my business being so many different layers (etsy, wholesale, local, catering and craft shows) it can mean a heck of a lot of different labels, tags, flyers, cards, biz cards and such. I have been trying desperately to teach myself some graphics programs but I really have no idea what I am doing or what programs to even look for. Have worked with a couple people for the graphics I have now but not completely satisfied and I need so many more items now. Therefore I have no choice but to try and figure it all out. But this graphics stuff is all way over my head.

Wow I need to stop ranting. I think I have gone on enough about my latest ventures for now. Will be working on many new mixes and cookies this weekend. Hubby has promised to help take photos all Sunday afternoon. So stay tuned for new stuff early next week. I haven't been this excited about new flavors for a long time. Think exotic fruits and many new spice mixes.

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New mixes!

I have been working on many new mixes. I have finalized the recipes. Now to just take pictures. Hopefully by the end of the week I will be listing goji berry muffin mix, new pancake mixes, new dip mixes and so many more.

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