If I had a do over, I would...

Holidays always bring times of reflection to us. And New Year's brings the thought of resolutions. This is the first time that I (Jen) haven't thought about goals or resolutions, per say. One of the greatest things that I picked up this year that worked well for me is making shorter goals instead of goals for an entire year. I made 90 day goals and I accomplished a lot more. That felt great, but I've been thinking what if I had a do over on everything? What would I do differently for my entire life?

Impressing People is Not Worth It: 
I have accomplished not looking so closely at money (to the point of insanity), but it's biting me in the ass. I have to admit, I'm quite stressed out about it all. I feel that we are in a situation that we can't get out of and it's driving me crazy. I've tried techniques including Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman methods. They don't fix it. They don't get the situation under control. I want a redo to 1996 and not sign up for a credit card and in Christmas 1997, not to use said credit card to buy all of my family gifts that I couldn't afford. I honestly never recovered from that decision of going in debt. I've had credit card debt since that year and I can't recover. I want out from under that debt so badly I can taste it.

Don't Say Everything:
I've learned a lot about how to be open and who to open up to in 2012. I've lost a few friends, redefined a few boundaries with a few people, and mended some family and friend relationships a little bit more. Where I'd like a do-over is the moment of sharing too much before it's shared. I don't have to share everything with everyone. Usually what provokes that is that I want to share it because I want them to understand where I or we am/are coming from and why we make the decisions that we do. I struggle a lot with wanting people to understand my point of view and I assume they don't... Maybe they do. And if they don't, does it really matter? Probably not. They'll think what they want anyway. And it's none of their business!!!!

Quit Judging those that Judge:
I have a lot of emotion and anger towards people that judge other people, but I've realized that I'm no different. I'm judging the judges. I don't want to judge the judges. Everyone comes from unique backgrounds and make choices differently based on their backgrounds. And just because someone else sounds like they are judging, doesn't mean they are judging. We're all in this together. I want to just take a chill pill from now on and have peace in my heart about other people's motives. Who cares what their motives are? Let them deal with it....

Don't Sacrifice Mental or Physical Health:
If I had a do over, I'd, **GASP**, be more selfish. The thing is that I watch a lot of people (and I was one of them) sacrifice every part of themselves to the point their expectations and perceptions are so skewed that selfish is considered negative. "Me" time is important. "Friend" time is important. "Hobby" time is important. A job that you love is important. Relationships are important.  Taking care of your mind and your body is important.  INVEST WHERE IT MATTERS! If you have time for other stuff, then do it, but if you don't, stick to the basics!

Don't Trade Money or Opportunity for Friendships that will last a Lifetime:
It's hard to put it in a short paragraph, but I have to say that there are a few very valuable friendships that I have made along the way in various locations. The problem is that they all live many hours away from us. Those relationships matter most to me and I can't be with them regularly. If I had a do-over, I would have tried to stay near those friends instead of taking the path that I chose. Now, in Cincinnati, we do not have near the support system that those friends may have been able to give in Maryland, Seattle (at the time) or Indiana. It takes time to build those friendships and I long to be near them regularly.Wish I would've invested more time with them and not sacrificed so much of them to "better" our situation. They were better than any situation we've gotten ourselves into and those said situations aren't any better anyway. Also, I would've invested way more time into the friendships that matter and that I want instead of the ones that I thought I should have.

  
What does any of this have to do with anything? Glad you asked....

You might wonder what the hell any of this has to do with Brass Hammer Designs. It may not look like it has much to do with it, but it actually has everything to do with it when you look at what motivated BHD to start up and to try to fix all of these said problems. BHD is a business that stemmed from a hobby to try to help offset some of the above things (financial issues, mental/physical health issues, finding fulfillment in work and missing friendships...). It didn't really accomplish any of that, but we got an "A" for effort on our part. We tried for a year now. We're not giving up. However, we are realizing that BHD has a different place in our life and that it cannot fill those voids that we mentioned above.  You may have noticed that we haven't been as active and this is why. We've turned our focuses on Josh finding a job that is fulfilling to him and towards dealing with the mental/physical health issues. This is where we are. We'll always be here and we'll try our damnedest to fill any needs you might have. We always appreciate referrals and purchases. Hopefully you'll continue to stick with us as we have a Work-in-Progress Art Business.

Until Next Time.... Jen Crandall, Wife/Manager
Brass Hammer Designs (Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Etsy and Twitter!)

A.D.D. or Normal?

This morning started off with me cussing because of a series of things - the dog peed on the floor, I spilled coffee on the couch and I absolutely cannot find a piece of paper that had checking account number and routing number for our business account. All I want to do is set up our etsy account to accept Credit Cards - for the LOVE!!!!! I'm blaming it currently on Josh's A.D.D., but I know a LOT of people must lose key pieces of information like this, right? Josh's jobs have him logging his thoughts on random pieces of paper and then they don't get transferred to a place that won't be thrown away. That has to be an A.D.D. thing, right? Isn't it??? No?

So, as thankful as we were yesterday, I'm frustrated today. Family time is over and we're trying to create sales by making it easy for our customers to  make a purchase with their credit cards instead of PayPal, which you may not have an account with. I'm hopeful Josh will be able to locate it soon, so we can make things convenient for you. I'm in rest mode today and wanting to sit on my butt for a bit because we're heading up to Purdue tomorrow to enjoy the rest of my birthday gift..... Laundry, cleaning the fridge and Christmas decorating is on my list today....

So a poll at this point..... have you ever misplaced something this vital multiple times?



We'll await your answers as we head to the Purdue vs. IU Oaken Bucket game tomorrow.....

BOILER UP!

And hopefully the outcome is better than it was last game we went to.... Homecoming in October.

Until Next Time.... Jen Crandall, Wife/Manager
Brass Hammer Designs (Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Etsy and Twitter!)

30 days of Thanks!

We can't help but notice that many of our friends on Facebook are participating in a movement of the30 days of Thanksgiving during the the entire month of November. Even though Josh and I did not participate in the 30 days of Thankfulness for the month there, we are very thankful for so many things. It's good to write down what we are thankful for to keep us in perspective and that is why we are sharing our 30 days of Thanks here.

Day
1. Thankful for the air we breathe and our health and the roof over our head.

2. Thankful for each other and the love that we share.
3. Thankful for the support that is given to us by our families.
4. Thankful for the friends that we have in our life - you all are amazing and we love you.
5.Thankful for the special group of friends that are our family away from family.
6. Thankful for our right to vote.
7. Thankful that even though the election results didn't meet everyone's expectations, we still have control of our own thoughts and actions.
8. Thankful for Facebook and the connections that without it, we probably would not have.

9. Thankful for our fans. Without you, Brass Hammer Designs would not exist.
10. Thankful for relaxing Saturdays that give us much needed rest.
11. Thankful for all of the Veterans that have served our country and everything that was sacrificed by them and their families for our freedoms.
12. Thankful for the ability to travel and learn more about the global perspective.
13. Thankful for our college educations and the perspective that it has given us of life.
14. Thankful for the advancements in medical technologies that have increased cancer survival rates and help us have less-invasive surgeries with faster recoveries.

15. Thankful for our dog Buster, who has been an awesome part of our life. And for Daisy who we still visit in our dreams. 
16. Thankful for the Small Businesses in our lives that recognize us as much as we recognize them as being a valuable part of our community: Swing This, Garage Massage Therapy and Bodywork, Rituals by Nature, and Tony Deal Photography
17. Also, an extra thankfulness to Swing This and owner Joe Daniels for all of his genuine support for improving our health.
18. Along with Joe's support with health, we're also just as thankful to Rituals by Nature's Will and Missy Marlar for their dedication to skin care products. PLUS all 3 of you have helped us learn how to manage our business better and we are so thankful for those conversations that we have regularly.
19. Thankful for organizations willing to help people in need during disasters.
20. Thankful that we have a few holidays to remind us to be thankful for our freedoms and Thanksgiving to remind us to be thankful in general.
21. Thankful for my (Jen's) job and career that has helped us land in all of the great places to encounter all of the great people and make a final landing in Cincinnati. Thankful that this career has supported us a lot through thick and then.
22. Thankful for the struggles that we have had that help us appreciate each other more.
23. Thankful for music and artists willing to risk failure to share their talents. Some of our favorites: Clutch, Murder by Death, Old Crow Medicine Show, Grateful Dead, Avett Brothers, Bob Marley, Jewel, Johnny Cash, Jack Johnson, Cake, and so many other talented ones that go unmentioned.
24. Thankful for modern conveniences (such as washers, dryers, toilets, stoves, ovens, microwaves, phones and cell phones and computers and databases and excel sheets!!!!) that make life easier and thankful for the inventors that created these items from their heads.
25. Thankful for the internet and Google Searches to find nearly every answer to every question. Also, thankful for the freedom of information in the United States that helps unveil a lot of truths that are not available in other countries.
26. Thankful for good athletes and inspirational people, such as Felix Baumgartner.
27. Thankful for those that do the right thing even when no one is looking.
28. Thankful for good memories with great friends
29. Thankful for friends with good advice when it is most needed.
30. Thankful for our island and the ability to go therefor vacations.

Until Next Time.... Jen Crandall, Wife/Manager
Brass Hammer Designs (Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Etsy and Twitter!)

Managing Your Own Career

Had to share this - it was too big and too good of information not to share with as many people as possible.

Kathy Beechem, currently the Director of Spiritual Growth for Crossroads Church, came to Kroger on 10/18/2012 to speak to the Women's Associate Resource and she was phenomenal. I was thrilled to hear what she had to say and appreciated that she had several good principles to apply to managing your own career. I wanted to share it with as many people as I could because I'm so inspired by it.  Enjoy!


Principle #1: Produce oustanding results no matter what position you are in. This means being the top performer in what you are currently doing and meeting the metrics that that position is measured on. Produce quality and good quantity results to be noticed. To do this, you need to know the ranking system for your role and your area. This is usually boss-defined.  Be involved with being the best at hitting that measure. The top 10-25% range consistently creates value on the team and to produce reliable results gets you noticed.

Principle #2:  Build reulationships while you are producing outstanding restuls. Be genuinely interested in others and do your best to remember names. This is a HUGE one - NAMES.  Also remember that it's the 2nd level up that you has more influence in your career. So make sure you have a relationship with your boss's boss.

Principle #3: Expect Change and look for Change. Have a good attitude towards change, look forward to it. Remember, where there is change, there is opportunity. Learn within your unit, your company, the effect of the economy and world on your industry.

Principle #4: Where two things meet is the Sweet Spot. If you have history in an area and then it meets with one of your passions, don't miss it. This could be a chance for a sweet spot!

Principle #5: When your career hits a point that has more than one option, choose the option that gives you the most options.

Principle #6: Community involvement allows you to develop leadership skills that can propel your career. Here is the key though: do not volunteer unless you have a passion in it. If you don't have a passion for it, you probably won't do your best and you won't be interested in showing up consistently. (See Principle #1). Learn your heart, so you can be ready for involvement in your community. And remember, it is absolutely okay to say no if you don't have the passion for it. Just be honest. There's nothing wrong with not having passion in everything.

Principle #7: A door closes. Another door opens. Expect disappointments along the way. How you respond to those is how it will make a difference.

Principle #8: There isn't a map. It's a journey. YOU make the map! Kathy told us her history and she started her career in a convent trying to become a nun that wanted to change the Catholic Church. After that, she became a teacher for the better part of a decade. Then she entered Human Resources and then into Management in US Bank. In 2010, she was named in the top 25 women in banking by Forbes Magazine. She felt her career took another turn when her husband became ill with a brain tumor that resulted in a book about dealing with a terminally ill loved one. And now she is working at Crossroads. Her point in telling us her history (and my point in sharing it here) is there was absolutely no way you could predict her career path based on how she started. None...

Principle #9: She mentioned Community Involvement again because it can allow you to build relationships that can propel your career. You meet key people that share your passion, and can see the potential you have in a job.

Principle #10 wasn't really a principle, but it was worth mentioning after some Q&A time with the group. Focus on your strengths and know how you're wired. Keep developing what you're good at. Don't discount things that come easy to you - that might be the sign that you are good at it. Weaknesses - don't spend too much time trying to correct all of your weaknesses.

I hope these 10 principles impact you as much as they impacted me.

Until Next Time.... Jen Crandall, Wife/Manager
Brass Hammer Designs (Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Etsy and Twitter!)

Nothing Comes Easy

I apologize that we haven't posted in a while. To be honest, there hasn't been much inspiration. We've been doing the same thing week to week. Josh is looking for a new job that he can build a career in and is dealing with a few health issues that are taking up a lot of his mental energy. I have been my normal busy self with all of my hobbies and such. Nothing has slowed us down enough to really sit and think about a blog. Sadly, Brass Hammer Designs is usually the first to suffer when we both get to this point. But tonight, I find my mind focused on the phrase: "Nothing Comes Easy."

So what does the phrase "Nothing Comes Easy" mean? Think about it. What ever comes easy? People always talk about how hard they work for things, but how often do you really hear of someone not having to work for something they cherish? Yet, we waste tons of money playing the lottery or gambling for that slim chance that something will come easy. Why do we do that to ourselves? Why in the world would we ever think any differently than the norm?  I search for quotes to inspire me at moments like this and here are two really great ones:

To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first.
William Shakespeare

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.
Robert Collier

It really doesn't come easily. You have to work at it at a slow and steady pace. And when you work for it, you respect yourself more and you enjoy and respect everything you earned along the way even more. It's sweeter..... You know those moments you've felt this way...... when you bought your first toy as a kid, when you bought your first car, when you bought your first house..... You know these feelings. Remember them when you think about buying into that easy fix.... As easy as we would like things to come, success just does not come easy. Ever.

Until Next Time.... Jen Crandall, Wife/Manager
Brass Hammer Designs (Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Etsy and Twitter!)

Get Mikey to Try it

A few years ago, I had training for work and we covered the generational differences of the 5 generations in the work force today (yes 5). One of the things that was noted of us GenXers was that we are loyal to people and not companies. I find that very true of myself even today. There are certain people in my life that I believe completely in their products, their services and their companies and their friendships. I feel they believe in us too, but convincing someone to switch brands or spend money is very difficult. The only way that I know how is to get people to try things. I tend to do that by giving gifts to the doubters or people that are hesitant and hope that they will start believing in the products and in turn, start buying them for themselves. That's easy to do with someone else's product, but not as easy to do with your own - especially if you are selling artwork. It reminds me of that commercial in the late 70s about Mikey trying Wheaties.

Josh has said it a lot lately: "Art doesn't make itself." That's true and one of our customers just posted  another great quote from Samuel Butler on his Facebook wall: "Any fool can paint a picture, but it takes a wise man to be able to sell it."  How can it sell itself if people don't see it? We need to get exposure. I don't think I can give everyone a gift of art to get them to try it.... That could be $1000 that we don't earn. We have to start working at this if we want our art to sell. Online presence isn't enough. Getting it into people's hands so they can see it in person, touch it, enjoy it and then yes, buy it and take it home.

So that probably is next step. We have quite an inventory built up, so we will be making our way to something soon most likely. Just have to get organized.... Ahhhh - organization with an ADD. Is that even possible? :) And I still am convinced it's contagious and I have caught it.....

Before I go and start trying to organize this, I want to share with you where our loyalties lie.... Depending on where you live, you may be interested in these products and services:

All Natural Face and Skin Care products: Rituals by Nature
The best kettlebell gym and community you could ask for: Swing This Kettlebell Studio in Latonia, KY
My favorite lady at 602 Salon is Jacquie Smith Meadows.

Onalda Martinez at The Garage Massage Therapy and Bodywork in Cincinnati area.
Bridgette Dobbs at The Right Touch Massage & Therapy in New Castle, IN
Yoga - Kim Spivey at World Peace Yoga
Another Great Yoga instructor - Leah Gates at Kenwood Hot Yoga
Makeup Services: Dashing Beauties by Marie
Tour and Limo Service: Night Shift Limousine and Only in Cincinnati
Custom Motorcycle Work at Stella Kustoms in Severn, MD
Daniel's Restaurant and Open Air Bar in Elkridge, MD

"He likes it! He likes it!"

Until Next Time.... Jen Crandall, Wife/Manager
Brass Hammer Designs (Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Etsy and Twitter!)

Appreciation for Close Family & Friends

We'd like to take a moment and thank our friends and family that have supported us through this still-very-evident recession. Josh's mom gave us an older car a few years ago that we used to sell and get some money from to make ends meet during that time and she continues to send him money when we're in a rough patch. And today, we drove home a 2004 Toyota Camry that my mom and step-dad gave us to help us through the next few years of this recession. We are thrilled beyond words!

This gift couldn't be at a more timely moment because Josh's Jeep has had no A/C all summer (during one of the hottest summers we've had this year) and blows hot air when the vents are on. It has manual windows. (Holy Crap - I just realized people under the age of 20 probably don't remember manual windows now unless their parents still have a vehicle with them. Our Jeep is 18 years old, and automatic windows were vast then, so it's a rare bird. You have to open them by cranking a handle on the door and you can't just touch a button to open the passenger windows.....) So, back to the hottest summer of the year and not being able to open windows easily and vents blowing hot air - that is a recipe for sweat stains on your shirt and maybe your pants on the way to and from every destination in your vehicle..... Try going to an interview that way. And with gas prices and grocery prices and just trying to survive, we have not been able afford to get the A/C fixed just yet - it was going to cost at least $2000. We cannot save $100/month right now with the bills that we have going out.

So, this just made us realize how much we appreciate our family and friends who know what is going on in our day-to-day lives and step up to help us in ways that we can't even express enough appreciation for. Without these types of people in our lives, we would be a lot further in debt and Brass Hammer Designs would not even be a possibility. Hopefully all of our readers are fortunate to have people in their lives to help them through these hard times. And if not, hopefully you are able to get through this recession with minimal debt or stresses.

Hugs to all of our parents, family and close friends and a big THANK YOU for being there for us. We LOVE you very much. Hopefully you know how much we appreciate you.

Jen Crandall, Wife/Manager
Brass Hammer Designs (Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Etsy and Twitter!)