Home Manager. Momma. Hairstylist. Artist. Lover. Fighter. Everything and anything.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Work, spend, sleep, repeat.


Work is picking up for me, I've had a few really good weeks where I've done a head of extensions every day, and had some really slow weeks where I've only made like $100. I sometimes wish I wasn't commission based, but when I see those huge pay cheques I'm not one to complain.

At the salon we decided to have a giveaway, for a "hair to toes" makeover with a value of $700 worth of product and services. We've been getting a ton of fans on our Facebook group, and a bunch of entries. We're going to see how this one goes, and if it works out well, we plan to eventually work up to one a month. Several new customers coming in for our half of waxing wednesday special, and general inquiries about other services we offer. I'm going to learn to wax and do nails as well I think, because if I have a slow day, though I won't make much on some services ($2.50 for an eyebrow wax for example) at least I can take some walk-ins and maybe use my magical upselling skills and get them in for extensions.

In July is The Sarnia Baby Show, which I have rented a booth for - it was a complete steal at $60 for the vendor fee, I've found a tent at Walmart for $25, and the local rental place I can get 4 tables and 2 chairs for $50. I mostly plan to advertise, as I don't know if I'll have enough time to make a ton to sell, but I intend to have a bunch of displays and business cards for people to view first hand what it is I do. So I'm finally going to get around to finishing my belly cast, and the one my friend Lindsay let me make for display purposes, I intend to have images of all the previous commissioned baby name canvases I've done, I've been working on patterns for felt food, and I'm currently waiting for my fake nails to come in the mail so I can start painting up sets for sale. I also intend to have brochures for the salon, a giveaway box (for whatever my boss wants to donate), and maybe if she's alright with it, I'll have coupons for $5 off extensions or something to hand out. I'm hoping this helps keep me busy, because the more money I make, the more that can go into our savings account, and the sooner we can buy a car.

Originally we were saving up to send Eman to Hamilton for a week for a barbering course, and then he would take a 2 month apprenticeship at a local ABA shop, but finding and funding living arrangements doesn't seem like it will work in our favour. BUT I got chatting with my boss, who's husband has a barber shop over in Port Huron (state side), and she said it's too bad we don't have a car because he could go learn from her husband. So now the plan is to get a car and his passport, and then he can travel everyday to go learn, and then hopefully once given the go ahead, we could have the upstairs room at the shop turned into a barber shop. Not entirely sure ho we would work childcare for Pinxit into the mix at the moment. I also was thinking today that there is a room that they intend to use for foot cleanses, but no one has even asked about them, so IF my art picks up to the point it's interfering with my job, I might suggest moving the foot cleanses into the pedicure room, and ask to rent out that room. That way I can be at work if a walk in comes in, but if not, I can work on my art.

It was such an annoyance today; I have a regular who is a total sweetheart and would give you the shirt off her back, but, she's also known for forgetting her appointments even though we give her an appointment card, and call all our customers the night before to remind them. I had my entire day booked out for her to do highlights and redo her extensions, and she never answered any of the calls… Today would have been perfect for me to be able to just pop upstairs, and spend the 6 hours I spend sitting around playing around with my phone working on something else instead. I would have gone home had I not had a client at 3:15 (and actually did consider going home and coming back, but the manager told me to wait around and eventually it didn't feel worth it to walk all the way home and back again). I also was kicking myself because I took my book out of my purse thinking I would be busy all day, so not to bother.

In other news, we recently scored some awesome stuff for cheap off a local "mommy market" Facebook page - for Mother's Day we got a Wii for $100 I think with 4 or 5 games, and then yesterday the Wii Fit board and game - brand new still sealed for $70 I think, an iPod today for $40, Eman's gotten himself some cd's, we had gotten a male Boston Terrier but he wasn't a good fit with Vincent and we contacted the owner trying to give him back the next morning and she already spent our money… So we found a friend in London to take him - which we also found a dog crate for $30 on there too so we included that with him. He seems to be a perfect fit for them, so we're really excited for him, he's such a nice dog. 

What else… At the end of the month I'm finally getting my "Momma" tattoo. Been waiting at least a year to get it, and it keeps getting pushed back, which is a huge bummer. First time was because my friend didn't give me enough of a heads up that she couldn't take me to get it done (though she was the one who brought me to my consult so I assumed she would be bringing me back), and couldn't find anyone mid-week to take me, and by the time we called to change the appointment, and what time my FIL had available, all her Saturdays were booked up, so it was moved to the 23rd. But now I think we have to move it back another week because the artist is getting a new liner machine. I really hate getting tattooed in the summer, so I hope I can get it all done in one sitting (front of my ribs, not sure if I can sit for 3 hours), because I don't want to have to wait till October to finish it…

On Saturday I'm going to see Hawksley Workman at Artwalk (part of my Mother's Day gift as well) - pretty freaking excited, except my husband bought two tickets and doesn't plan to go with me now, so I have to find someone to go… Not easy when you have little amount of friends, and none that like the same music as you. I was going to ask my MIL to go with, but there's been a recent family crisis and I don't think she'll be up for it. Maybe I'l just walk around and ask people in the crowd if they'd like a free ticket…

My sleep schedule is pretty messed up right now, which is quite ironic I find, as last weekend I wrote out a daily schedule to fit in working out, homeschooling, outdoor play, etc into our days. I've slept in almost every day, and then today I came home and napped for 3 hours… Hence why it's now a new day and I'm writing this instead of sleeping. I blame it on Eman turning our bedroom into a freezer box blasting the AC - I have the hardest time (like most) getting going in the winter mornings because who wants to get out of a nice warm bed? I literally have slept with 2 blankets a few nights because it's that cold… I'm just waiting for the day when he burns out the motor and it's the middle of August and we are melting.