Friday 13 July 2012

Creating Unique Clothing

I am SO excited to participate in the 4th Annual Where Bloggers Create 2012 blog party!! Hello to everyone around the world from here in Australia. Thank you Karen Valentine for being such a gracious host! You'll see below why I'm especially thrilled to participate in this, my first, blog party. 

Welcome to my creative space that I share with
Coco and Channel (my wonderful little dogs)

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Here is where the Urban Rags line of clothing is made. I read a book recently from Stampington Publications called "Where Women Create". I absolutlely loved the stories and the workspaces that these people had created. When I found out about this party, I thought it would be nice to show all of you my workspace, which is in the process of being upgraded.   
                                                          

When I enter my space to work, I immediately feel like creating. I love the feeling of the "things" that surround me. The colours, the textures, and the idea that I have no idea what my garments will look like until I start.

And then I get lost in time and my space. Coco and Channel spend their time jumping on and off the sofa until they too enter my space and our physical reality becomes serene. When I took the picture, it was late afternoon and it had been raining on and off all day, winter looked like it had arrived, a little too early for my liking. Though winter always brings with it its own beauty, doesn't it?

I am pleased with my day's work. Talk to you soon. I hope you enjoy the picture and Thank You for allowing me to attend your party, Karen.

All the best
Judythe

Wednesday 20 June 2012

Decisions, Decisions...

Here we are back in Business…
I don’t want you to get tired of hearing the same thing over and over, but I do want you to get Education and Leverage as they are not just good ideas, they are the foundation for whether you make money or just create a living.
I am not telling you something that I don’t follow myself. Let’s go back to Urban Rags.
When I started Urban Rags I had always recycled. I owned a paper recycling business some twenty years ago – hard work – and for most people back then, a new concept… forward to Urban Rags. In the beginning, I created one-off unique garments from gently used clothing.
A number of people brought them to me, some I gave away for birthdays etc. People around me used to say, “Why don’t you sell these?” That didn’t appeal to me as retail is hard work, unpredictable and not duplicatable. I couldn’t see how I could apply education and leverage to this model.
I want to keep going with my explanation but this is a blog not a tome…Talk to you soon.
Yours in Upcycling
Judythe

Friday 15 June 2012

Education and Leverage

In my last blog I spoke briefly about Education and Leverage being important parts of business.
If we think about being in business, and let’s say for this exercise we are talking about a small to medium size business, then it is often the case that the thought of owning our own business is twofold. Firstly, we believe that owning our own business is the way to earn lots of money…could be… But it also takes lots of money to get our ideas up and running.
Secondly, we are usually only creating a job for ourselves. Why? Because we miss the components of expansion, education and leverage. We get so caught up in working IN the business that we forget to work ON the business. Why do you think multi-level marketing businesses work so well? Education and Leverage…Talk to you soon.
Yours in Upcycling
Judythe

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Parties and Fundraising

(published on website 5/24/12)...
In the last couple of weeks since our official launch, I spent quite a lot of time thinking about the new direction Urban Rags will be taking.

I have come to the conclusion that, because of the uniqueness of our clothing, the best way to showcase our pieces is to show and tell. So I am launching Urban Rags as a Party Plan Business. In addition, we will showcase Urban Rags as a way of Fundraising for clubs, events, parties, birthdays, etc.

My goal is also to duplicate my efforts by giving others the opportunity to start their own business.

Years ago I had the opportunity to work with Robert Kiyosaki. Over the years, the thing that has stuck with me most was his teaching that education and leverage are the most important things in business. If you want to be really successful you need to learn those two things – education and leverage. It took me a long time before I really understood what an impact these two areas can make in a business.

Let’s talk about this more next week. In the meantime, give it some thought on your own…

Yours in Upcycling
Judythe

Launch and The Art of Allowing

(published on website 5/9/12)...
Wow!! What a night.

I have just seen another milestone in the life of Urban Rags. Our official Launch was fun and exciting. I can’t believe it has come and gone. Loads of preparation, which was well worth it.

Good food, good company, lots of laughs and most importantly, everyone loved our garments. What was really good for me was it pinpointed another direction for the business. More change – mostly something we all dread. Not me. Change is an opportunity for not only me, but Urban Rags, to grow.

That’s exciting, if only we could learn to embrace what it is that we don’t know and don’t control by practicing “The Art of Allowing”. I love that thought. In my case, it will be thinking about the new direction of Urban Rags. Getting excited about it, taking the action necessary and then allowing my energies and the Universe to do what it does best --- Bring everything into my reality.

Sounds simple, and guess what, it is. Why don’t you play with something you want? Start small if it helps. Don’t get too serious. Just try… Talk to you next week.

Yours in Upcycling
Judythe

Getting Ready for Lift-Off

(published on website 4/30/12)...
4 Days to go until Urban Rags official launch!!

I think I can safely say that this week I will have my skates on. This Friday is the big night and as usual with these things, there is always a last minute rush. I will be glad to have had the experience and then I’m sure I will do that wonderful thing we humans do, look back in hindsight at what could have been done better, what else we could have done, etc.

I wonder what it would be like to truly Allow. You know… not worry about all the “what ifs”. Just take it all as it comes and be thankful for the experience, knowing that it was all meant to be the way it was.

If we are not specific about what it is we want, then we leave ourselves open to getting whatever. A diluted version of our hopes. We can all do better you know.

Last week I talked about safe spaces and listening to ourselves. And I did say I would show you “How” you can begin to help yourself get rid of some of the “stuff”. I want you to go to this website www.tapping.com. The young man will take you through a process. If I can give you one piece of the puzzle, this is it.

Begin with this process, then practice, practice and practice. You will be amazed at the results. Lots more to come… Talk to you next week.

Yours in Upcycling
Judythe

Workshops and a Safe Space

(published on website 4/25/12)...
We always have such fun at our workshops and last weekend was another good belly laugh. We started out with our usual meet and greet and some apprehension by our students as to how the day would progress. Well, as always happens, we ended up making new friends and our students were relaxed and happy. They went home with a garment they produced themselves and lots of ideas to implement.

I personally love watching our students growth just in the short amount of time they are with us. As we get into the day they realise that they are in a safe space and things that may have bothered them start to surface. By the end of the day, some of the burdens they had have unpacked themselves and I see a lighter, happier person.

Do you have a Safe Space? One where you can unpack your thinking, talk about what’s troubling you, find out where that worry is in your body? When things worry us, we can pick up where we are feeling the worry in our body. Take the time to find out, you will be glad you did. You can do something about it. Oh, I know your next question, “How”?

Let’s start at the beginning. Find a safe space, notice where in your body what troubles you is, and the most important thing is… What do you want to do about it? Work on that for the next few days. Talk to you soon.

Yours in Upcycling
Judythe