work at home

Ways I tried to make money while raising the kids came to my mind this morning. I guess doing small crafts at craft shows in malls and at public parks in Hawai'i must have been first. I think I used to do it around Christmastime, making tapa dolls for tree ornaments and other such things. For awhile I babysat at home. We had a little blondie baby whose mommy was a school teacher. Her husband was teaching hotel and restaurant management at UH. They lived in Kane'ohe and later moved to a mansion at Koko Head. That house was wrapped around a large swimming pool. When Kimberly went to school we watched 2 Hawaiian kids who were children of a single mom who was a young widow.

One year I picked kamani nuts at Kailua Park and figured out a way to make them into miniature hula implements (mostly 'uli'uli). I taught a girlfriend how and her husband managed to get a contract from Hawai'i Visitor's Bureau and we were making those up the ying yang because at the time nobody was doing these (that I know of). After that she and I sold jewelry for a little while.

When that petered out she got a line on making lollipops and I got into that one while my kids were playing sports and Kawika was in Honolulu Boy Choir. I stayed up late nights and early mornings to finish orders for sports teams, birthday parties, etc.

I tried the multi-level marketing Amway and other similar businesses. When we arrived here in Washington, I tried some of those for the second and third times and realized that I don't like MLM stuff where you have to keep track of and motivate other people. So, I didn't get into Pampered Chef when it started here, though I know the person who brought it to our area made enough big bucks to buy a fancy house and tripled her husband's income (he's a lieutenant at Wes' firehouse). I've never done tupperware either. I did try Mary Kay but considering that I don't wear make-up most of the time, that went down the tubes too.

I tried the Reliv business, also an MLM and found some great vitamin-mineral products that improve my health and life daily. Sharing it? I tried, but maybe I'm just not one to be a walking commercial for something. Besides, after you do this, that and the other thing, your friends and family think, "here she comes, I wonder what she's selling this time?"

Hmmm....what is it now? More to come