Thank you Lord for this precious day....

Hi there...

it's 7:49 PM and I have replied to my last email of the day. I am ready to finally rest. This has been the second day  with my helper and I think I have been working harder than before LOL

I guess it will take a while for me to get used with this idea... It's really strange... I am not sure if I like the idea yet... We will see...

It's kinda scary... I am not sure how to explain this feeling... Debbie is a very nice lady and seems to know what she is doing but, of course some mistakes always happens. So, now, I am going to rest on my couch and fix the mistakes... As my mommy says "I am going to rest while I  carry some stones" LOL My mommy comes up with the funniest sayings... I love her :)))

Today I have embroidered a First Birthday dress that turned out just BEAUTIFUL. I love embroidering my little dresses... Have I already told you that? LOL They are just like a blank canvas where I can use my imagination... dream with the little baby who is going to wear it... So precious... :))))

Thank you Lord for one more day you has given to me, thank you Lord for being with me and protecting me  all the time.

God be with you and your family,

Have a great evening :))

The CraZee Lady next door .... LOL

Embroidea Custom Embroidery First Employee :)))

Welcome to Embroidea Custom Embroidery Debbie!

It finally happened today, I hired my first employee and she did Wonderful on her first day :) Her name is Debbie and I knew her before. Met Debbie once when we went through the drive through at Taco bell. She saw the Embroidea sticker on my car and asked if I did embroidery. She sounded so excited and friendly  We exchanged business card and became friends. I have been trying to help her build her own embroidery business but poor thing is having a hard time finding Customers, so, I asked her if she would like to work for me. She was so happy about it. She has learned a lot today and she will keep on learning. I know that someday, just like I did one, Debbie will take off and take care of her own business but, I am going to enjoy her company while she is working with me. And I will always be there to help her whenever she needs me...

I was so nervous in the morning. It might sound silly to you but for me, and old lady who treats her machines like babies, take care very well of them, I never thought I could stand seeing another person around my machines...  LOL So silly, I know, but I did good, I got more relaxed as the day went on and I feel much better right now. Everything is just fine...

I feel like I have taken another big step towards my dreams and all I ask God for is to give me patience, and wisdom to deal with all the changes that  are going to happen from now on.

My First Birthday dresses are selling like crazy and I feel so thankful that all this good things have been happening to me. God knows what is in my heart and mind and I trust that at the right time a big door is going to open for me and that will be the answer to my prayers. God has a plan for me, that I know for sure and  I feel like I can understand better what I came in this world for. He has given me many talents and I wont disappoint him.

I wanted to share this wonderful news with you my friends and Customers...I DID IT!!!!! :))))

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day! I surely had a good one.

God bless

Zee

Letter to my mom

My Daughter-in-Law, me and my Mom in Brazil

My dear Mom,
tomorrow is going to be Mother's Day. One more year that I wont be able to spend with you. I just wanted to let you know that every day is your day... You are my queen, my model of a perfect mom.
There isnt a day when I dont think of you, I am always mentioning all your sayings and wish I could live closer to hug you. I am very proud of the woman I became because of you mom. I will never forget your words whenever I would get you frustrated.
You would say, "One day you will be a mom and you will know how it feels like when you act like this"

Yes mom, I am a mother now and its my turn to tell my kids the same. I wish we didnt have to wait so long to appreciate you and now I know exactly how you felt whenever we would be naughty.
You went to school only for two years when you were a child but you taught me things that they were not able to teach me in college.

Many times I got mad at you because I couldnt do whatever all my other friends used to because I had to go to church every Saturday and Sunday with you.
Mom, you taught my brother, my sister and I that we had to work to be able to buy stuff that we wanted to. I am very proud to say that I worked as a baby sitter, maid, factory employee, seamstress, I harvested coffee beans, cotton, beans, rice, so that I could buy my own school supply.
You worked hard as well, from 6:00 o'clock in the morning to 6:00 o'clock in the evening. You would come home from work and cook lunch for the next day, you would do the laundry by hand. When our daddy got sick, you were the bread winner, you never complained about the life you had.
When I close my eyes mom, I can see you walking back home from work. We would be outside playing on the street and I would watch you walking toward our house and think to myself, "my poor mom, I wish she didnt have to work so hard"

On your Special day Mom, I will be thinking of you as always, I will call you and let you know that you are the best mom in the entire world. You are my hero, my mother, my friend and  you mean the world to me.

Thanks Mom for giving birth to me, for loving me and for always  being there whenever I need you. God bless and be with you always mom..

Thanks for everything you taught me and thank you for just being you... My wonderful mom

I wish my mom and each one of you, a Happy Mother's Day and God bless every mom in this world.

Happy Mother's Day to you!

God bless

THANK YOU... THANK YOU... THANK YOU LORD!!!

Good Morning :)))

What a beautiful day!!! Ah I feel so thankful today for starting to feel better.

Yesterday I was feeling so bad with my sinuses, I couldn't brief, I had not sleep for three nights in a row, sitting in my TV room and feeling miserable. I tried everything people would tell me, I am on antibiotic but I have done neti pot, Vicks, steam, nasal saline, everything one can think about  and nothing seemed to help. I was watching my pile of work getting bigger and bigger, Customers calling for their embroidery, I was working the entire time but I wasn't as productive as when I am not sick. it was 4:30 yesterday when my throat started hurting so bad and I thought I'd better go to bed and rest. I woke up about 6:30 with my phone ringing, it was the lady from the Uniform shop asking about her embroideries. I had not done anything yet. I felt so bad for her because I understand they have deadlines as well. I thought I better get up, take  a hot shower and come to Embroidea and do her embroideries. That is what I did. I've gotten all her garments embroidered and felt so good about it :)) My husband came to my room and showed me this paper that Isabella had done at school and one thing stuck to my head. it was about a nice thing to say to different people and to Mommy, she wrote down "I hope you feel better soon" I think that THAT  was what I needed to see...That gave me the strength I needed, I did all the shipping, invoices, got my steamer and went to rest.

Isabella's medicine to me :)

I have always missed not having my mom living close to me, but, the last few days I have missed her the most. I know what she used to do when I lived close by, all kinds of teas, chicken soup, and love... I was wishing for my mom so bad... I decided I had to get better soon for Isabella.

Last night I slept better and today I feel  much better. Not totally well yet but I can tell that I am getting there :))

Brian could tell I was feeling better this morning  because I was doing my normal activities that I do every day. Getting laundry done, first thing in the morning, cleaning the kitchen, swiping the floor, I like my home half way decent because I always have customers coming over. I told my husband: I feel so much better today! Isabella heard me saying that so, she asked me: - MUCH BETTER mommy? yes I said... MUCH BETTER :))) And she had a big smile on her beautiful little face. Ahhh, our kids, there is nothing we wont do to see them smiling :)))

Now I understand why we have to go through some period of sickness once in a while, to appreciate more the days when  we feel  healthy...

I have always been thankful for every day when I wake up in the morning , only for waking up it makes me happy already because God is giving me a brand new day as a gift but, today, I FEEL SO MUCH MORE THANKFUL than ever. All I can say is, thank you Lord for being with me, although I miss having my family living close, I know that YOU are the FATHER who is always with us, no matter where we are.

Ah, by the way, I have sold two First Birthday Dresses this week to Canada!!! Isn't that FANTASTIC?  Thank you Canada! what a Beautiful Country... Thank you Lord for everything!

And God bless the entire world. :))))))))

Decisions...decisions...decisions...



The day I bought my first embroidery Machine

Wow...Hi there :) It feels like a while since I've posted here. So many things going on, lots of work, me being sick and so many decisions to take, what should I do?

I have a dream and I wont give up on my dream, I have always been cautious about taking decisions I'd rather to take it slow. Just like when I started Embroidea Custom Embroidery. I was so afraid of getting in debt when I bought my first embroidery machine, I was afraid of not having enough work to even pay for it, I am not the kind of person who decides about something and then cry about it later. If I take a decision, that is it. I need to be sure about it.

So, when I first started my business, I was for 6 months without work to do at all. I was new in this Country, I had not too many friends, didn't know what to do. I remember being so scared of not bringing a pay check home and helping my husband. So, I decided to go back and work a little more while I was still building my clientele. I would work all day at another embroidery place, would come home after work and would work some more for myself, embroidering the few things I had to get done, relatives and friends of my husband who would ask me to get some embroidery done for them. So many people helped me at the beginning... I will never forget all the people who helped me.

Soon I started embroidering Red Hat Society t-shirts and would sell them on EBay. I am very thankful for EBay, it helped me a lot, I used to sell my First Birthday dresses and Red Hat Society apparel online. I started getting really busy, there were days that I worked 20 hours a day. I had no small kids so, it was fine with me... We can build nothing in this work with no sacrifice...

After Isabella was born, when she was five weeks old I started leaving her at the Daycare and go to work. It was a very nice Home Daycare, I am still friends with Deb from the Little Shadows Daycare. I love them all but, but Isabella was always getting sick, she had ear infection constantly and  I hardly had time for my baby girl, didn't see her first steps, first words...Until the day I told myself: - What is the purpose of having a child if I cant spend time with her? I had to choose in between bringing the pay check home at the end of the week and watching my daughter grow up.

I had to take this decision, I trusted that God has a purpose for me in this world and He will never leave me alone. I took the plunge, I quit my job.

I am so glad I did it! I haven't made tons of money, not even close to what I used to make while I worked at the other place but, it's enough. I have many Customers now, I have three embroidery machines and thinking about buying another one, I am growing my website, Isabella is 7 years old now and  I have another decision to take. I need to hire some help.

I have had an open heart surgery two years ago and a week after my surgery, I was working to meet my deadlines. Sometimes after I am done working at the end of the day, I look around and wonder where did I find the strength to do everything by myself. Embroidery, digitizing, invoices, phone, family, sales, taxes...

I think that time has come when I have to take a bigger step and hire some help. I feel all the old worries hunting me again Will I have enough money to pay for my helper every week? I don't even pay myself a salary!

I guess if I don't try it, I will never know... I have someone I know in mind and I have already gotten the phone to call her and offer her the job, but, how much to pay? How much can I afford? Will it work out ok having a friend as an employee? Will she accept my offer? Will I be able to separate friendship and employee? So many concerns....

I guess sometimes I just need to remind myself that I am not that young no more, it comes a time in life that we have to let our fears go and just trust that everything is going to be all right.

Well my friends, I guess this is what we call life. Isn't it?

"Miracles happen to those who believe" and I DO, I DO, I DO!!! :))))))))

Decisions... decisions.. decisions...  Here I go again :)

Everything is back to normal again and life is good :))))))))))

Ahhhh life is really good right now... Everything is ok with the world  :) I have three machines back to work again :))) I have always loved my machines but, no matter when which one of them breaks down, it is always a pain. But now, the sun is shinning, the machine is fixed, my orders are going to get done. I still have this sinuses infection but I know that as soon as the antibiotic kicks in, everything will be all right :))) So, no worries, I have put my "big girl's panties on" LOL

If you ever need a Melco embroidery machine Technician, you have to call Goodday Machine Repair.

Ben is the owner and he is my babies machine's doctor :)) He knows my machines so well... It's been quite a few years dealing with my babies... I am already able to fix many things on them, change motherboard, color thread optical sensor, grabbers and many other parts but this time it drove me crazy. I couldn't figure it out what the heck was wrong with that baby. Ben, said he would be here at 10:00 o'clock this morning and he was exactly on time. He went through everything I had already done to find out the problem, I would just watch him and say, "I have done that"  over and over again... The man changed the color change optical sensor, the motor and nothing... I noticed he was starting to get frustrated. All I did was pray that it had nothing to do with the motherboard of the machine.... That wouldn't be a pretty thing to happen to me at this time... Oh boy not that...

Suddenly Ben came to my computer and I heard him say "I CANT BELIEVE IT!"  I asked him what  was going on and he told me that he had gone through all that trouble and it was a software issue... that time I was the one who said "I CANT BELIEVE IT"  Can you believe it? The Technician drove all the way to Illinois to fix my machine and it was a configuration problem. I have two Amaya XT and an older model red one, that is the one with the issue. Somehow along the way, that machine started to act like it was an XT like the other two but, it doesn't have all the parts that the XTs have, so, there was a conflict. Who knew!?!?!? Even the machines get confused sometimes, even the machines start to act like they are younger than the real thing... Nice try baby machine!!! LOL All you got with that is drive this poor old Zee crazy and made her work harder and longer to keep up with the orders. Don't ever try that trick on me again, I am keeping an eyes on you! LOL

That is too funny! I know a few people who have tried to do that as well and it didn't work out good for them :)))))))

Anyway, Life is good, lets get back to work and make some money to pay for the damage! :))))))  Nah... Money is no a problem... Well it is actually the solution!!!! LOL. Just kidding... As you can tell, Zee is in a good mood now.... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh what a wonderful world... Thanks Ben for figuring out about my baby's trick and for being a good human being and excellent technician. God bless your heart!

God bless the entire world!!!!!!! 

Georgia is on my mind as well Ray Charles :)))

 

I am so glad that I have finally sent one of My First Birthday Dresses to Georgia State today! Wooooo Hoooooo. So far, California and Florida have been the two States that buy my little dresses the most. Of Course I can’t forget, Texas, Virginia, New York, Alaska and many other States but, this was the first one to Georgia! It put a big smile on my face. Thanks Mom for choosing My First Birthday Dress to your little princess! Now Georgia is going to be always on my mind too Ray Charles! :))

I wish you had an idea how much I enjoy embroidering these little birthday dresses... I wish I could embroider them all the time, make it my full time job, but I consider this type of work my hobby, I still can’t make a living selling them... 

I surely appreciate every minute I spend working in each one. I enjoy embroidering the Baby girl's name on them, imagining her little face and praying that God always keep her healthy and safe always. My excitement is not just when I sell them but when YOU mommy send me a picture of your baby so that I can have her on my website. When YOU receive the little dress that I embroidery especially for your little one, when I finally know for sure that you are satisfied with what you've gotten, that is the time when I celebrate the most :). I pray that I keep up the good work and pray that I keep you mommies always happy with the talent that God gave to me.

OK, I need to share this nice thing that happened the other day. Isabella, my daughter has a little girl friend who lives down the street, they play together almost every single day. She is a cute, delicate and adorable Chinese little girl named Lydia. The other day, our doorbell rang and when we checked it was Lydia and her mommy. They were coming back from their church where Lydia won a scooter and a box of skittles. She already had one and she didn't like skittles instead keeping them, she decided that she was going to give to Isabella. How sweet is that? Isabella's scooter broke the other day and both couldn't ride their scooters together no more so, when she won that one she was so happy that she could to give Isabella and both would be able to ride together again.  I thought that was the nicest gesture ever, coming from a little child.  What amazes me, after Lydia and her mommy left our home, Isabella decided to make her a "Thank You" Card and went upstairs to get her crayons.  She came back with brand new box of the littlest pet shops, her favorite toys. Her grandma brought them from Florida to her but she already had that one so, she said: - Here mommy, I am giving this to Lydia, I really appreciate what she just did for me and I am going to help her with her Littlest Pet Shop collection as well. It reminded me about a movie I watched once, "Pay it forward" I loved that movie, we do something nice to somebody and what happens next? It comes right back to us :))) I am so glad I could watch this happening right in front of me with my daughter while she is still a little girl.  Well my friends, it's time to put my legs up for a while on my favorite couch :))

I have a terrible sinus infection and only God knows how I was able to work today. Thank you Lord for giving me the strength when I need... God bless each one of you... AMEN