What's my hourly rate?

Officially I no longer have an hourly rate, having cheerfully removed myself from the workforce. But I like to have a mental tally, so that I can reinforce that what I do each day has some value. 

So if you are an at home mother, that value is what you would be paying to have your child looked after, plus a cleaner, plus maybe the price of prepared food, that you now make at home, and so on. For me, it can reinforce that it pays for me to stay home, especially as I love it.

So today I would have been worth at least $90, because I made us some cushion covers that would have been at least $30 each on the handmade site online. I say would, because my 40 year old sewing machine started smoking after the second one, so I had to stop before I set it on fire.

So here they are.

Made from an upcycled Hawaiin shirt.

Shirt waiting to be upcycled

The cuts

The next one was made from an old blanket - great as a winter cushion, and perfect colours for our house. He'll have to wait until the sewing machine is fixed for his twin.

I have found this useful....

HOW TO SAVE YOUR OWN LIFE

by Erica Jong

1. Renounce useless guilt
2. Don't make a cult of suffering
3. Live in the now (or at least in the soon)
4. Always do the things you fear the most, courage is an acquired taste, like caviar
5. Trust all joy
6. If the evil eye fixes you in it's gaze, look elsewhere