Follow Your Dreams (I'm Glad I Did!)

I believe that we all have secret goals and dreams.  Many times, we don't go after those goals and dreams.  Maybe we are afraid of failing.  Maybe we don't know where to begin.  Or maybe we are just too lazy to try.  How do I know?  Because I am one of those people.  For years I have had a wide range of dreams and goals for myself.  My problem?  I have been too much of a chicken to go after any of them.  I'll have an idea of something that I want to try, and then don't do anything about it.  A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking about one of my many dreams (once again) and decided to finally do something about it.

For a while, one of my many dreams has been to start my own side business selling homemade dog treats.  I know, sounds kind of silly, right?  I love animals, especially my doggies (in case you haven't noticed yet) and I enjoy things like crafting and baking.  I wanted to put together some of my passions and got the idea for making my own dog treats.  So a couple of weeks ago, I did some research, went to the store, picked up some ingredients and got to work.  I made a few batches, had Bella and Luna taste test them and logged onto Etsy.  For those of you who don't know, Etsy is a wonderful website where sellers create their own stores selling handmade products and vintage items. I created my own shop for my creations.  I named it Bella Luna Bakery and Gifts (after my pups, of course).  In my shop, I plan to sell all natural pet treats and handmade gifts.

I have to say, they turned out quite well.  Since starting my shop, I have made several varieties of treats including regular and special dog treats that are gluten free, wheat free, and soy free.  I also have dog cookies and I even make cat treats!  So far, I have gotten a couple of orders in.  But more importantly, I am having FUN!  To me, baking is relaxing. It is something I do to unwind and have a little fun. The only downside is that when I bake, I want to eat my creations. So baking dog treats is a win-win situation... I get to bake, but I'm not tempted to eat any.  Bella and Luna, however, are my official taste testers and get to enjoy sampling from all of the batches of treats that I make.



Bella with a heart shaped peanut butter treat.

Right now, my shop features mostly pet treats.  But I have a lot of supplies ready to start some new gifts for my page.  Be sure to check it out often for new products.

Luna trying to get to her treats.

So the moral of this story is to go after your dreams.  Even if they seem silly to other people.  It doesn't matter.  Go for it.  If it makes you happy, it is worth trying.  Don't let what other people say hold you back.  I'm telling you now... you can do it.  So go after your dreams today.  Don't put it off.  The sooner you start, the sooner you will reach your goals.

If you would like to check out my shop, you can visit it at Etsy.com/shop/BellaLunaGifts.  I also have a Facebook fan page that I update with new products and more info at Facebook.com/BellaLunaBakeryAndGifts.  I'm also on Instagram @BellaLunaGifts and Twitter @BellaLuna_Gifts.

 

P.S.  Once we gain more followers, we may do a giveaway!  So if you enjoy reading, click the blue "Join This Site" button on the right side of the page to follow us.  :)

Our Fur Babies: Bella and Luna

As Amy mentioned, we both recently became pet moms.  My husband and I don't have (human) kids yet, so my pups are my babies.

On November 11, 2012, Travis and I decided to bring home an adorable white American bulldog puppy.  We decided to name her Bella.  I had always loved the name Isabella and wanted to save it in case I ever had a daughter.  That is, until one day I mentioned the name and Travis said he really didn't like it.  Instead of letting a cute name go to waste, I decided to name our puppy Bella (which means "beautiful" in Italian... very fitting if I do say so myself).

 

Bella is almost 11 months old now (her birthday is September 7, 2012).  We assume that she was the runt of her litter, as she is only 40 lbs and her vet says she probably won't get any bigger (full grown American bulldogs are about double Bella's size).  She is full of energy.  She loves meeting new people (especially kids).  She loves being chased around the yard (and to chase others... in a friendly way of course).  She can often be found chasing butterflies and baby frogs.  She has a love of squeaky toys, playing fetch, and frequent trips in the car.  She has never met a dog or person that she didn't like.  Bella often gets lonely when she is left by herself, so after some thought, we decided to bring home another puppy.

On July 7th, 2013, we brought home a little Rottweiler puppy, who we named Luna (Bella luna is an Italian phrase meaning "beautiful moon."  If you haven't guessed it yet, I am part Italian).  Luna was born on May 10, 2013 (only 5 days before my birthday), and is now only 11 weeks old.  Just like human sisters, Luna and Bella are both very alike and very different.  While Bella is outgoing, Luna prefers to stay back and observe.  You can usually find her sitting at my feet, watching Bella run around like a dog on Red Bull.  When she doesn't want to do something (like go into her crate at night), Luna rolls over and sweetly begs for a belly rub.  She loves sticks.  I try my best to keep them away from her (or at least keep her from eating them), but she can often be seen carrying sticks (varying from a couple inches to about 2 feet long) around the yard.

The pups are already best friends.  They love wrestling together and playing hide and seek.  They hate beings separated.  They can be very jealous.  If someone pets one of them, the other will run to get her fair share.  They love to cuddle with each other and would gladly snuggle in bed with you if you will let them.

If you can't already tell, I LOVE my fur babies.  I would gladly tell you much more about them, but I will save that for later.  Be sure to come back for more stories about Bella and Luna, as well as other pet related info I find to share with all of you.

Do you have any pets?  If so, tell me about them!  If not, what kind of pet would you like to have?  Either way, I would love to hear from you!