Make the Switch I Did

It's been 5 days and I can say I like it.  I'm talking about my coffee. Yes, I can officially say I am now a black coffee drinker and yes, I really am enjoying it.  I never thought I'd be able to give up cream (real 10% cream) in my coffee. I generally drink 3 - 4 cups of coffee a day and for years upon years I have added cream to every cup and loved it.  

My husband recently kicked the cream habit several months ago and never looked back but I really didn't even consider giving it up as it is a small but extra amount of calcium that I thought I needed besides loving the way my coffee tasted.  

Five days ago after I went to the grocery store to shop for my list of items I came home without the cream. Of course it was on my list but as often happens I overlook one or two items and come home without it. This time I didn't feel like returning to the store to buy the cream so I decided to drink my coffee black.  

Not gonna lie, the first few sips well actually the first cup tasted slightly bitter and I cringed a few times while swallowing it down.  Then a couple hours later I tried again and eventually having another cup after dinner.  By the third cup I actually started thinking okay it's not that bad. I think I can do this.  So I carried on the next day and the next day and as I said now it's been 5 full days and I've made the switch.  I am a black coffee drinker.   

Now I know that many people love their fancy coffees like macchiatos and frappuccinos and of course lattes and that's okay but once you get started on real pure coffee made from a lovely berry growing plant from an exotic location you might find you don't need all that extra 'stuff'' in your drink.   

Sugary and sweet can mask the true taste of the coffee but then maybe that's how many people feel they can tolerate drinking it.  When you find the perfect blend or roast you should be able to drink it black and enjoy the true essence of the beans.  Coffee roasters spend hours developing the roast profiles. Growing, harvesting and processing coffee beans is a real art that takes a great deal of time.  Coffee can taste very different when it comes from different areas of the world.  

Black coffee has virtually no calories.  Yup, pretty much zero.  Added cream and sugar or even just one can add several calories to your diet depending on how many cups you consume in a day.  Just food for thought but maybe switching to black coffee is something you might consider.   Otherwise, Life's short, Enjoy the Coffee! 

 

Christmas Stocking For Her

 She'll love this cute fashion theme holiday stocking. Rose gold faux glitter accent the cuff, heel and toe. A fashionable handbag with flowers and a classy take out coffee beverage add a touch of class. Ready to personalize with a name or a saying as desired. 

Filling Up The Shop

Well it's now mid September and time to be focusing on new designs and upcoming holidays for my store. As you know with any business or store you have to be ahead of the game with your marketing.  Zazzle has given us a list of upcoming special days and celebrations that all shop keepers should be planning for. If you want to catch early sales and stay on par with other stores you have to be working on these things early, way before the holidays arrive. 

I have to admit I've been concentrating more on the marketing end of things and haven't been designing very much over the last few months. I realize now I better get hustling and fill my shop up with trendy and unique designs on products that will begin selling this fall and winter season.  

I've been inspired the last few days to play around with my paint program and have created a few new designs to share with you. Another great thing that Zazzle has recently added for the benefit of designers is that now all images can be transferred to any product. So if you see a design that say is on a t-shirt but you would like it on a coffee mug then you as the customer can go ahead and choose to have it placed on the cup.  That's a pretty cool feature and should benefit designers. 

Visit the Shop

Comforts of Working From Home

Working from home can be great when you consider all of the comforts and perks that go with it. However if you don't have your work space or office set up properly it can also be a distraction. For myself I need organization. I can't work when there is too much clutter or the area is messy. Everyone works differently, I know. 

There are things that are definitely essentials that you need in an office space when you work from home.  You will need a designated room or portion of a room that provides you with a quiet place to concentrate when needed and allow you to get tasks done in an orderly fashion.  A space with plenty of windows that let in natural light is one that is important to me. Dark spaces are hard to work in. 

A good desk with a computer or laptop set up is necessary for all online businesses.  Some people like adjustable desks for a variety of work tasks they may be doing. A desk should be large enough to hold desk accessories and items that you'll want at your fingertips. Adding a few personal decor items is a nice touch too. 

A solid adjustable chair that is comfortable is very important as sometimes you are spending a lot of time in it. Being able to vary the height and lean back occasionally can help you get through long sessions. 

A desk lamp or task light is another essential as you can position it where you want it to shine as you work. 

My coffee definitely has a place on my desk and I refill it a few times as I am working. It gets me up from the desk so I can stretch and get a brief walk up the stairs to the kitchen to refill it. 

Is there something that you consider essential on your desk?  Maybe it's a snack or your phone or a picture that inspires you! 

I've been creating youtube video's lately and working back into my routine a little more. ( If you read my last post you'll know what I'm talking about)  

Here is the latest one I created to showcase my dental designs. Thanks for watching!