Long time no post?!

I've really been on my PC but obviously not on my Blogs of late so no posts, sorry! I have kept myself busy but to me not busy enough. I'm not very good at judging myself and my actions or production so no matter what I do I never seem to think I measure up. The meeting with my full time j-o-b was day before yesterday and the decision now rests in the companys' hands. Ten days to two weeks or sooner before I hear any word.

The biggest thing is I really don't care to go back there so I'm leaving it up to the Lord to decide. Of course I haven't really taken any action to make any money elsewhere except to file for unemployment which won't go through pending a decision. I have done some research on things to do for the CafePress Shop and I have worked on my other business online so I guess I have done some things. I tend to beat myself up sometimes.

Sorry this is such a depressing post! On a lighter side how about if I show you how the office is coming along? This is how it started. I know I don't keep a very organized office do I? That's why I started this, to hopefully get it organized! But I have this lovely little alcove to put it in so next post I'll show you where we're at with it. Since I'll be home I promise it won't be so long.

So until then blessings to all and collect your blessings and the people you love around you and let them know you love them. Don't keep all your secrets whispers. Jamie

And I had to say I hated Spring Cleaning!

This has really been a week of changes for me. Between my self will run riot and the Lord's will, it looks like I'll be home for at least 4 to 6 weeks if not lose my full time job. And I had to say I didn't like Spring Cleaning!
We finished the shelf above my desk. Now it's gotten cold and I seem to have slowed down to computer mode. Which isn't really bad as I have some catching up to do.
I have started another lens on Squidoo! This time on my Candle business. I love Squidoo. It's fun and I learn so much from it if I have the time to just play with it and read the lens there. If you haven't done one I highly suggest you do. Whether you have a hobbie, collection, are an expert on a subject, have a cause or group you want to raise funds for or a business or website you want to promote, it's a great place to do it. Check it out at Squidoo.com.
Last night I ventured into the world of CafePress. For those of you who aren't familiar with CafePress it's a website that sells clothing and other products that you can put your own designs, photos, or graphics on to sell. I had started to open a shop there back in April when I first started Squidoo but I hadn't done any designs yet. With the help of my 6 year old granddaughter Harlie showing me some basics of the Paint graphics program I started with some of my own designs. If I give my husband ideas he is a wonderful artist. I gave him a rough sketch of the logo I wanted and his design was perfect! The link is below if you are interested in seeing what we have done.
One of the reasons I wanted to open the shop was that it could be an adventure that we could both share on the computer. We both decorate gourds together but in different ways. It will be the same with our graphic designs as well. He gets tired of "looking at my back" so I thought why not? We discussed it and he agreed. He just takes longer than I would like. What else is new?
Now I have no excuse for finishing my office or getting my Spring Cleaning done or having a Yard Sale. Did I say Yard Sale? Me? The last time I had a yard sale I said never again! Oh well, no excuse this time! I'll let you know how it goes. The lord will provide I pray. Please pray for us.
Until next time God bless and keep your whispers light, Jamie

Sorting Your Office

The trick I have for me is to now organize all the mess I thought I sorted so neatly when I moved it, into where I not only want things to be, but where this old dog will remember where they are!
Even in this day of palms, cell phones with text messangers and email and such, even young people have labels on everything. Or at least all the good home magazines out there suggest it! So, why not me? Well, of course I don't have a label maker but, my daughter does and I will borrow hers and when I do get things sorted I'll get labels on them.
In the meantime it's going slow. We got one shelf hung yesterday and still need one little board to face the front of the one shelf I've been wanting for two years. My husband came up with the idea after we couldn't get another pre-made shelf hung because there wasn't a stud there. Funny how things work out that way. Then my daughter just happen to have a 2 by 2 frame that she brought me that fit almost perfect so we got it in!
So more pictures for mid-stage and more learning to organize and yes more spring cleaning, oh my. Till next time. Jamie

The "Writes" of Spring

As I listen to the birds singing outside this morning, it lightens my heart. Of course it lightens my cockatiel's heart also. She misses her friend Susie who passed this winter but she loves listening and singing with the other birds as she looks from her perch out the window from her cage.
After the on again, off again, spring we've had here my husband just brought me in two white clematis flowers to put in a vase for my desk to brighten the start of my day. Yes how sweet in the middle of what looks like caos. You see over this past weekend we embarked on our first journey into the world of home office organization! My hope is to post some before and after pictures and maybe some lessons we've learned along the way when we are finished. You see my home office is in our living room.
With my other "j-o-b" and my internet job it not easy finding the time to launch major projects and being the "Magpie" that I am this has been a large undertaking of moving and sorting, well I'm sure you get the picture.
One thing I have decided is that to bring good things into my life I need to get the old remnants of the past out. So out goes the trash and unnecessary things as we go and simplify to streamline my time to help my future, clear my mind, and reduce my stress. I'm sure it can't hurt!
So far we've reduced alot of clutter, found old objects to use for new purposes, and are building selves. I love shelves. I love shelves. I can't say that enough. I love shelves. My house is small so I love shelves. And I love spring.
Oh, did I mention I hate spring cleaning?
What are your thoughts on spring cleaning? Are you doing anything to your home office? To de-stress your life? Give me some of your thoughts? I could use the help and maybe others could too. Share your Magpie Whispers with me here and maybe in my next post I'll be able to use them.
Until then Light your Way in Whispers, Jamie

Why such a title?

When I knew I was going to start this blog I also knew I wanted an original title. I keep a notebook in my car and write words down as they strike me. One day on the radio someone mentions the "magpies" being out again. Just the notion of magpies have always made me wonder. What are they? I wrote it down in my pages of words.
Today I finally decided to look it up and it's really kind of funny to me. Yes, magpies and I have one thing in common: we're chatterers. But it also says a magpie is a person who collects things that have been discarded by others. Hummm. You should see my house. I guess I fit both those descriptions.
Whispers. Not only is it to speak softly but did you know whispers can be a secretly expressed belief? Or to tell a secret privately?
Both of these I thought were rather amusing when I looked at my word page, that had most of these words all listed, in one form or another, and written softly on the page.
I am a collector of people, things, memories, and words, and I'll blog as often as I can and chatter about them to those who will listen. Jamie

My first post

Hello, my name is Jamie and since this is my first post I'd like to tell you about myself. I'm happily married and live in a small town in the Midwest. We have , of course, a small house, as all our children are grown. We have four grandchildren, ages sixteen, nine, six and two. At our house we have a dog, Ike and a cockatiel, Snowball. My husband Steve is a disabled Viet Nam veteran so he's a house husband and I have another j-o-b outside the home. We love to garden and landscape but, since we've only had our home for six years and the house is over 100 years old, the yard and the house still need some work.
I have a home candle business at http://www.jamieslights.com/. I love scented candles and of course I think these are the best. The business opportunity really is the best so check out my site and see what I have to offer. I also have a page at www.squidoo.com/jamiecarver on business. Squidoo helps to drive traffic to your site if you have a lens there because Google loves Squidoo.
Last week Save the children started a campaign to get people to do a lens on Squidoo for their favorite Idol. American Idol is going to give money to Save the Children on April 24th on their show and votes will be taken. I had been wanting to do a lens (page) to put some things I had collected on, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. If you have a chance check it out at www.squidoo.com/savethechildren/inchrist . I'm pretty happy about it because it's been consistently in the Top 100. If you go to these links and they don't work go to squidoo.com and type in Jamie Carver and you'll find me. Click other lens and it will take you to my fundraising lens. Please click on the stars on the top to rate it and leave me a note so I know you've been there and what you think.
Now you know what I've been doing. This time last year I couldn't have done anything remotely like this. I could turn on my computer and read my e-mail. That was it! So you CAN teach an old dog new tricks, believe me!
Until next time!