Being a Fashion Rep, Mom, Consultant. Teacher and Photogapher . . . . . Is it too many hats??

Recently on Instagram I was approached to use my Instagram feed to begin representing a fashion line on Spreesy.  I weighed my options and thought it couldn't hurt for me to give it a go.  I actually do LOVE much of the fashion I am representing through my instagram feed and I personally get to choose what I rep and put in my Spreesy Store, so I am not selecting pieces that don't represent my "mom" style.  However, I am beginning to question am I doing too much and trying to wear too many hats.  Should I be using my personal instagram feed or making separate feeds for the fashion line, my photography, and my personal life? OR even BIGGER question, you know the old saying, "Jack of all Trade Master of NONE" have I fallen into the pit of mastering none of what I do and just doing TOO MUCH?

As a mom of #3littleMiracles and stay at home mom for now, I just want to do my best to help provide for our children.  Truth be told if I had my best option by children would be in a private Christian school and I would be working full time 9-5 in a interior design studio, that is my first passion.  I hold two degrees (an Associate in Interior Design and a B.A. in Architecture) which for the past thirteen years have hung upon my walls to remind me of what was and what I hope to one day return to. For now I continue to help friends with their decor problems, redecorate my own home on a regular basis, keep abreast of current decor trends, and design furniture pieces for my own homes for my hubby to build in his spare time ;-).

I LOVE Photography, and WILL continue doing it, but truth is it takes a LOT of money and studio space that I don't have and so I just don't foresee me being able to truly grow this business very well.  In addition, I really need to get some formal training in photography.  I have taken some online courses, book training and I have relied on my past course studies in interior and architectural design to understand spacial relationships and how I want to compose the images that I capture for clients when I have more formal shoots. But I just don't do enough location shoots for it to be lucrative enough for a full time income and let other things go.  I LOVE doing it, love working with the clients, and I feel I do a pretty good job for the money I charge them.  I am honest with them if I feel they have a job above the scope of what I can handle I refer them to a good friend of mine who studied photography and has a well established studio.  I went most of 2015 without more then a handful of shoots, then suddenly in 2016 I have 3 shoots booked back to back without even trying and possibly a informal wedding and maternity shoot, go figure.  I just can't plot this business but I do love it and will continue until God guides me full time to something else.

Eastern North Carolina Photographer, Engagement Shoot, Downtown New Bern

Working with Mary & Martha is something I am not really sure of.  I got into it because I TRULY DO love the product and the message of the product and what the company stands for.  Spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the number one thing and when we as Christians have an opportunity to share God's Word with others we need to do so, Mary & Martha has empowered woman with a chance to do that & have a business at the same time. My slight hick-up with this is that I was in LOVE with the full product line that was in the 2015 Fall catalog, including a line of ceramic dinnerware that they had called the Grace & Gratitude Collection.  I joined in late fall and shortly after I joined the announcement came out that this line was going to be discontinued from the Spring lineup.  I was disappointed, but having done this kind of business before for almost 8 years with Southern Living at HOME I knew how this works and I eagerly awaited the reveal of new Spring products in 2016.  To my disappointment when my box of catalogs arrived in February and I sat down with my much loved heirloom mug filled with hot tea and find that after combing over every page I am not thrilled and find few new products that I am EXCITED about.  Do I still have products I love, YES!! Mary & Martha still has amazing products that are fantastic quality and speak God's Word into my life and my home, but I am disappointed that the Spring add in's aren't bringing in a FRESH style and excitement.  The one BRIGHT spot for me was the Adventure ON line.  So for now I keep trying to share Mary & Martha with others and see where God takes me with the journey.

As for the Instagram venture with Spreesy.  As I said earlier I am really enjoying the fashion, more so now at this point in life then I would have 80+ pounds ago, but I am not sure yet if this will be a lucrative adventure or not either.  I guess I am enjoying this so much because I was always hiding myself and not really able to wear fashionable clothing at over 260 pounds but with the weight loss I have a healthier figure and a better view of myself and want to look good for myself, my husband and my family.  My taste still runs very conservative compared to other bloggers and there are some pieces that I would wear with leggings or add length to the skirt by letting out a hem once it arrives to me, but for the most part I love the pieces I have posted in my little corner of the Internet at 3 little Miracles Boutique. Below I am wearing the Emma top that I purchased from my own shop, I love this top, it is super comfortable.  I do wish they had a L(they only have a Medium left in stock), because these days I wear a 14-16 and this top runs large and this was sold as a XL and when it arrived the tag said 1X (which as a former 2xPLUS girl I know that is actually larger then a XL).  Of course the Emma looks cuter on the model but I think I look pretty cute for a mom of #3littleMiracles.

So as you can tell I have some debates going on for what is the best "business" option for this homeschool mom.  BUT either way life is good and God will provide the way and in the mean time I am happy doing what I do and learning and building my skills along the way.

God bless you ad yours on the journey!!