chelseaMADE

just a college girl trying to figure out life...follow my adventures as the creator of a handmade accessories line ❤

Saturday, December 14, 2013

A semester full of the good, and the bad...

This semester has been hard. I anticipated it to be busy. I anticipated the change in educational institutions to be difficult. I anticipated the course load to require more studying than I'm used to. I even anticipated my new job to take its own toll on me and my time. What I didn't anticipate was everything else that life threw my way. This bog started to chronicle my experience trying to start a business, and I know a long the way it has strayed from time to time. This blog has been my venting medium for work, it's been my bragging space for my family and the accomplishments I've made in my person, and professional life. This blog has been my place for random ramblings, and of course, somewhere to share my love for my work as chelseaMADE, and school.

This semester has brought many good things, as well as bad. I've rediscovered my love for science. Something I was afraid I had lost after the scandal Tiffin University has put me and my fellow classmates through. But my courses this semester has brought me a new found appreciation for a subject that I've loved for so long.

I've been pushed by many influential people in my life to consider a future I thought would be far out of reach, and it pushed me to take it seriously. Whether my future lies in grad school, med school, or to be a happily married stay at home mom, at least now I have the courage to explore my options.

I've grown closer to my family and loved ones this year, and even though my schedule has kept me too busy to spend a lot of time with them, I still have grown closer none-the-less.

Sadly this semester/year has brought on things I wish I hadn't experienced.

 I saw the slow unraveling of a childhood friend blow up to reveal a person who would blackmail, lie, steal, and even throw her best friend under the bus. Having just finished Gossip Girl via Netflix, I'd say it was like a combination of the ugly side of Blair and Serena exploded into one. I'm sad to say I chose to lose a friend I've had since the sixth grade then support the person they had become.

One evening mid-semester I experienced something I never thought myself, or my loved ones would ever be involved in. There was a shooting in my apartment building that not only endangered the lives of many, but took away something I didn't even know I had been taking for granted. My feeling of security. Having spent several nights shuffling back and forth between my parents home and my aunt's after the incident when I'd be the only one home, I can at least say I am taking steps towards feeling normal again after everything. At least I can say I'm spending my first night alone in the apartment as I write this. I still jump at every door slam, I still get tense and quiet every time I can hear any of our neighbors in fear of a rerun of the most terrifying night of my life. But I know I can't try to get a normal life back without learning to get my independence back first.

So now that I've told you a little about my personal nightmare of the semester, I can tell you about my professional one.

Recently I have been going through the hassle of trying to figure out how to protect my company no matter how small it may be, its still something I've spent a great deal of time on, years in fact. Even before the blog started, there was a lot of trial and error trying to design a brand, a business name, and style I could be proud of. Due to the fact that there is still a lot of growing to do, and issues to figure out, I had not paid to license my business or brand name. Someone who had previously worked under a different name, chose to pay to license my business name, and through social media, it shows they knew about my business before they went public with the name change and officially licensing the name. As anyone who has aspirations of creating something their own, and developing a name for them self can imagine, it pains me to think someone else could care so little for all the work another human being had put towards something.

chelseaMADE is my love. No it's not as important as Vincenso, and it's not my family, but its something I could call my own. I am a very creative person at heart, but I chose to go with my interest in science for my education in hopes that it would lead to a more stable, and humble life style that would let me live closer to my family then an art, or design career path would have led me. chelseaMADE was my outlet to show my creative side to the world. Especially since I've had to sadly say good bye to my days in theatre due to scheduling conflicts, and a general need to move my life forward. This has been my only artistic outlet for a while now. I'm pained to say for now, I'm not sure what the future holds for chelseaMADE. Hopefully I'll be able to figure something out that will allow chelseaMADE to stay, chelseaMADE.

In the meantime, I have decided to explore starting a different blog that can just be a place to explore my thoughts, and my days, business aside. Please don't take this as me giving up on chelseaMADE, because I am not. I just think I need some time to figure out whats best for me and the business, and in the meantime, I would like the option to blog about my life whenever I choose, and I think when and if this blog returns full-force, it should be more about the business, and less about my venting grounds.

Once I choose a blog name I will post a link here so you may choose to follow if you'd like. That will most likely be my last post here for a while till I find a way to move chelseaMADE forward, without the issues this situation has brought on.

post signature


Read More

Friday, August 2, 2013

Coffee date and Fridays Letters :)

If we were having coffee today, I would tell you just how bad I've been craving coffee! Ugh! One of those delicious frappes need to get in my belly immediately! Doesn't matter where it's from, I NEED one! Work has kept me so busy lately that I don't even have time to get a coffee, I really need to learn how to make them at home. This week when I signed my time card, I had a total of 95.15 hours! So, when I say I've been busy, I really have been.

If we were having coffee this morning, I would let you know I got a promotion! Now instead of being the paste crew foreman, I am the range supervisor with another co-worker of the Rodriguez Range. I help run the line changes during matches to ensure we have a speedy recovery time when we switch yardage for their shooting points. I miss the kids at the warehouse, but I like my new job. I couldn't complain :) 

If we were having coffee this morning, I'd tell you I've been contacted by an old classmate turned photographer and have been given a pretty awesome opportunity when it comes to the store. Nothing's official yet, so I won't say more, but I'm excited to see how this pans out :)

If we were having coffee today, I would tell you that I've been offered a new job in Tiffin which I'm terribly anxious to start :) I'll be a pharmacy technician, and it sounds as if they are able to work around my class schedule by giving me nights and weekends. So I couldn't be more thrilled to return to school and start this amazing new opportunity :)

**********
Dear Vincenso - I love you so much! And I'm so thankful that I've been able to spend so much time with you this summer. As well that you seem to be getting closer and closer with my family. I love it :) I love watching you play with my nephews. They love you so much!  Dear Mr. D- thank you for giving me a chance as a young girl and giving me all the raises and promotions you have to make it possible for me to continue my education. Without you and my job, I don't know how I would have made college work, and I will forever be grateful for all that you have done for me. Dear Tiffin Apartment- hopefully you find room to stretch because I'm coming with all my goodies soon. And idk if I'm gonna fit! Dear family- I've had a lot of fun this summer and I'm so happy I got to spend so much time with you and all our visitors! Dear school- classes are coming soon, is it foolish of me to be so excited? Dear self- better get excited for this next chapter in life because its coming soon! Keep your head up, study hard, and just keep telling yourself you're gonna make it and you will! :)

Read More

Friday, July 19, 2013

Coffee Date and Friday's Letters

Yay! I love Fridays, I get paid, and sign my time card for next week! Even though I don't get weekends off its still a good feeling hitting Friday, and I have nothing stopping me from my blog today :) that makes today even better!

Okay, so even though I can't drink warm/hot coffee, and I work too much to make it somewhere for frappe, we can still pretend we're having coffee ;)

If we were having coffee today I would tell you how thankful I am for overtime! Yes it drains all my energy, but its good money, and I could never turn it down. If it weren't for my job and my long hours, I never would of been able to continue funding my education. 

If we were having coffee today I would also tell you how happy I am that I was able to spend so much time with my family while they visited :) I don't have many pictures but once I get ahold of some I plan on writing a post just on their visit :)

If we were having coffee today I'd apology for missing last week's coffee date, and explain my absence was due to a rehearsal dinner for a wedding. I would also tell you, unless its my baby sister, I'm retiring from weddings. One awful  experience with a jerky groomsmen is enough for me. NEVER AGAIN, will I be a bridesmaid!

If we were having coffee today, I would also tell you how handsome Vincenso looked at the wedding. He looked so stunning, it was absolutely worth it. My boyfriend is a keeper, and I can't believe he went all out for a wedding where I couldn't even hang out with him through most of it! I'm such a lucky girl :]

If we were having coffee today, I would tell you that I've been going through a long process of emails, and meetings, and phone calls to try and transfer to Heidelberg University, and in the next week I really need to either push them to let me finish paperwork, or give in and stay at Tiffin University. It has been a very stressful  process, and as much as I hope everything works out and I can transfer, I'm really just looking forwarded to knowing whats going on, and where I will be going to school when I start classes in a month. 

*************

Dear Readers-  I apologize for my lack of quick responses to comments. That is on my list of to-dos for this evening and tomorrow morning. Dear Vince- Thank you for always being here for me. It means the world to me that I can always count on you. I love you very much. Dear Heidelberg- please take me, and please make my life easier by just giving me an answer about my course of action. I'd appreciate it. Dear Government- I'm in college, I'm poor, why do you insist on taking so much of my hard earned cash for your taxes when I need every penny I get? Dear McDonald's- can you please just sponsor me with a lifestyle supply of frappes? I love them but I'm too poor at this point to spend money on them. You should let me advertise for you so I can get them for free :] Dear God- Please create a longer day, so that I may work crazy long hours, and still have time to get enough sleep. I think we could all benefit from a few more hours during the day to work with. Dear Crew Members- I don't enjoy yelling at you. I don't want to get you in trouble. I don't think its fun. Please stop breaking all the safety rules and stealing hours of pay that you didn't earn. I'd really prefer if we could have a day where I don't have to yell at you guys for breaking all the rules. I promise we can get along if you all behave. Dear Work- Thank you for the 74.6 hour work week. I will appreciate the exchange of money for my lack of sleep next Friday when I get a beautiful overtime paycheck. Dear Crochet- I miss you dearly.


 Photobucket
Read More

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

WIP WEDNESDAY- bikini top finish :)

Hey guys! I know I mentioned last Wednesday that I didn't have much time due to the family visiting. However, I haven't had much luck finding time to work on things this week either. I only have two more days in this weeks pay period, and I'm hoping to hit at least 70 hours before time cards are sent in, at this point I have 52.5. Considering we're already going in an hour earlier tomorrow, I think I'm gonna make it :) All work things aside, I did manage to finish the bikini top from last week :) it fits even better then the original blue one I modeled it after. I think I have an extra stitch in the first row or something, but I followed the stitching well, and yet it fits much better. So I'm pleased. Eventually I will have all the sizing things down and I could put different sizes in the store :)


 
Read More

Monday, July 15, 2013

Insta-lately Update

ONE- Cute picture of Vince, Ava and I at my sister Alicia's during their visit. 
TWO- Vince and I at the wedding this weekend :]
THREE- The delicious starbucks coffee I got the morning of the wedding. 
FOUR-Jenna and I getting spoiled on the way to amish country.
FIVE- Crochet, snacks, sunglasses, and car sick medicine on the way to amish country.
SIX- Day eight of the yoganster challenge on instagram. 
SEVEN- A quick glimpse of Vince failing to spot me correctly during a yoga move!
EIGHT- After going to the brewery with holly's family, Vince, Dad, and Steve decided they were Yogis. 


post signature
Read More

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

WIP Wednesday

Hey guys! It's WIP WEDNESDAY and I haven't had much time to work as usual. I hate the lack of free time during the summer. Except I love that my lack of free time lately has been due to my lovely family coming to visit! I'm so happy they were able to make it home :) Yesterday was sadly our last day with them and we visited Amish country. On the way there I took advantage of the free time and took some car sick medicine and climbed to the very back of the car and set to work on a bikini top :)


So now I have the base of a fun patterned bikini in cotton already made and just waiting on straps :) hopefully I get a chance to make a couple straps quick this next week.


Read More

Friday, July 5, 2013

Coffee Date Friday/ Friday's Letters


Coffee Date Friday!

If we were having coffee today I would tell you all about how excited I am to have my sister Holly, and her family here to visit! I would also tell you how excited I am that my sister Alicia, and her family, as well as Vincenso are on their way! I have to run into work quick to drop off tshirt money this morning, but after that its a day with all the babies, and I just can't wait!! Which is why I gotta make this quick---so i can get back to playing!

**********

Dear Week- Thank you for finally getting here and bringing me my family <3 Dear God- Thank you for making their trip go smoothly! Dear Holly & Steve- thank you for making some gorgeous babies for us to play with! Dear Alicia and Dan- Thank you, for making two of the cutest boys and our little princess and keeping them close enough to see year around :] Dear Vincenso- I can't wait for you to get here to meet my family! Dear Christie- Thank you for not minding that I'm taking so much time off of work to see them!




Photobucket



post signature
Read More
Powered by Blogger.

© chelseaMADE, AllRightsReserved.