Kid in a Candy Store

Oh my, there sure are a lot of cute things with Owls on them nowadays! Funny how you never notice things until you have a reason to.

I opened up my first delivery from Origami Owl and was bowled over by the cuteness. I had forgotten how much I really, really, really love charm bracelets - and how I was NEVER allowed to wear mine as a child because it was too nice, too expensive, and 24kt gold.

As an adult, charm bracelets just aren't very practical, especially with small children, an extra large dog, and a spirited toddler in the house. But a charm necklace - now that's something I can use and love.

Apparently, I have had quite a bit of charm-envy building up inside, because when I opened my box tonight I squealed. I loved just about every itty-bitty little charm that came in my beginning designer's kit.  And the origami, japanesque packaging is adorable too. The little fortune cookies fashioned out of up-cycled kimonos, the take-out box packaging, the little burlap bags with logos. It's all just darling and so well thought out.

At Staples, in the Martha Stewart office section, I found some coordinating labels and an aqua blue organizer that was just the right size for the locket boxes.

I scored some owl name tags and a luggage tag, and some polka dot note cards and a binder too. I had to buy myself the owl coffee mug. (I need another mug like I need a hole in the head but it will make it feel like I'm working if I'm drinking my coffee out of my "official" work mug.)

Sweetpea helped me unpack everything and we started organizing it to set up for our first party.

Then we put together our first order tonight, it's ready to FedEx in the morning. Even the boys wanted to see what we were doing and wanted to know how I knew how much inventory to buy, how I would price it and sell it, how I would advertise it, and how I would know if I was making any money.

What a great unschooling opportunity - suddenly math isn't just boring problems on a worksheet - but how you actually know if you have a hobby or a business.

For now, I'm just having fun, and I know that.

I do hope to eventually make some money and be able to donate to some deserving charities - and teach the kids some real life lessons in small business ownership to boot.