Oh no.

I need to share something.

We had a Children's party at a local "Party in a Box" location. The intent of those places (I.E Chuck E. Cheese, Sadieydeys, Gymboree, The Jungle...) is to have you purchase a Package from them and just show up the day of your event and enjoy. Right? Today's parents want more, they want a twist...We like twists, Lime's in our Cola...Mint Leaves in the Bubble Bath. We'll give you some Lime add a few mint leaves whatever you fancy. Here is the issue though...

The party was scheduled to start at 6pm, our set up time was to be from 5:15 - 5:45: already pushing it but we we're prepared. The party prior to us did not leave my clients space until 5:50, giving us 10 minutes to decorate. Guest were arriving promptly,We remained calm (of course) but the guest didn't. While we were handling the table linens they were attacking the container of hanging decor (unbeknownst to us at the time). Five different people, just free styling the decor making a total MESS! One man followed me around asking: Now where do I put this? Where do I stick this? Me: It doesn't stick anywhere it's a center piece.

NOW, the food is arriving, we're still decorating, those tiny little bits that hold everything together are missing, Things are toppling over...The Guest of honors Mother approached me and said: your signs are falling. Me: No, your uncles signs are falling (to myself of course)... We fixed the signs. This situation prompted us to pass the torch, No Jive. I wanted to cry and fight and flip over tables...to touch the tips of my index fingers together (remember that show?) OR even better: form a circle of chairs have the guest sit down and politely blind fold and tie them to the chairs until we were done. I'm sorry these were my feelings.

The conclusion: No more of those parties UNLESS We have the first time slot (because this has happened before, three strikes and you're out, I may not survive next time) or we can't take on the project.

Thanks for listening!
XOXO,
Kyonda

O' Taste and see.

One of the most exciting parts of my blogging experience is, Coming up with the title's.

So I'd been brain storming on ways to provide the ultimate experience to my clients, I mean when I say that we want to be your "One Stop Source" for all of your event planning needs. Now of course the worl is to large for us to "have it all" but for the persons that decide to do business with us we want to set you off right; In fact, we will set you off right.

We're gonna do pastries and cookies, is what popped in my head... I began shopping for baking supplies, I purchased cookie cutters, sprinkles, shaped pans, Decorating Tips and all types of Stuff. The items sat for months. Then I hear that Ms.Julie of Torino Baking had a class coming up...OH YEAH?!?! Now if you don't know who Ms.Julie is you had better find out -> www.torinobaking.com

Im headed to class thinking; im about to put it down, I mean I create customized Center Pieces, Favors and all types of stuff...Whats it to a Cake?
Bake, wrap, refridgerate, slice, dallop, spread, smooth and decorate, all in certain, measurements, rotations, pressures and ummm NO THANK YOU! Let me tell you that this was plain white cake and plain butter cream, all pre made, nothing fancy! The Cake World does not have to worry about Kyonda's Korner trotting on it's territory.

I realized something, it's not always about what you can do because I can very well learn those techniques get my papers and sell cakes. It is more so about your passion, I was passionate about the decorating part but had very little interest in the rest of it. The Measuring and stuff, well I do that with my soap but for some reason my patience were disturbed w/doing it with that cake. So it brought me back to one of my favorite quotes "Find A job that you love doing and you'll never work a day in your life". I can tell that Ms. Julie Loves her work by the Nick Name's that she gave certain techniques like "Air Plane" A.K.A smoothing the frosting =)

So since time is only wasting I'll rid(E-Bay) myself of these baking supplies, probably save a few for my daughter (she loves the kitchen) and focus on the things that are in my heart vs. those passing through my mind.

Here is a glimpse of My Sunday morning at Torino Bakery...



Kudos to the Bakers out there!!

XOXO,
Kyonda

The Patience Virtue

Squeaky Green

Hey There!

It's A very calm Sunday here in my sanctuary called home, the calm makes me think. I laid some where in it and thought about skin. I love skin. I realized that we don't take it serious enough. I thought of the times before us, they relied on their skin to keep warm, to seduce, to tell stories and to combat harmful sun rays; okay the last one was an assumption but here is what I figured, we can purchase SPF's over the counter but what did they do before there was a counter? They ate foods, herbs, spices and relied on them to transfer their properties into their skin, thus leading...protection from harmful sun rays. Yup! Don't correct me if I'm wrong =)

I want that type of skin for my family, A skin that is healthy,resilient, smooth, fragrant and SEXY; T'is How I got into Soap Making. My understanding of Natural, Homeopathic, Organic and the like is this = Gentle Vs. Harsh. Gentle it is... Here is what happened, I was driving down a street some years ago, saw a store called "Juniper Tree" and knew I had to go inside. I'd never heard of a Juniper Tree, I had no idea what was in that store. I went in and fell in Love w/A whole New World. A World of Nature and Self. So I'm making batches of Melt and Pour, giving them to neighbors and friends (sharing is my favorite), buying books on them, selling them to people, taking classes, making and selling them in bulk as party favors and eventually selling them on Etsy.

Money was the major when it came to my products and my customers, I learned that people were just purchasing my stuff to be supportive, I would to many times find 'My Soaps' sitting in their cars for weeks, corroding in their cleaning cabinets (My Aunts) an so on...I didn't know that I had to market to A market, people who love their skin too. I do understand the Money Majors though, there are somethings that I too refuse to cash out on but my skin care stuff is not one of them... To be cont'd

Pictured above(?) is a Strawberry inspired bar. Scented w/Strawberry fragrance oil and infused w/African Shea Butter.

and

A Coffee Bar. Scented with Columbian Coffee fragrance Oil, infused with Honey and Topped with Columbian Coffee Beans.

No more tears.

Hello All,

So this post is about several things, I'll probably jump in and out of them so bare with...

I lost My Grand Mother last week, she was literally the best thing since sliced bread, if you'd the pleasure of meeting her you'd feel that to be an understatement. SO, when this happened I realized A few things; 1st, I realized that there are no Event Planners. Events happen on their own, us party people just organize their celebrations. We know that we go to school to graduate, date to marry and live to die, but we don't know when and if they'll actually happen. My Granny put in a lot of work during her stay here on earth so I'm not as saddened by her passing as expected by some, I understand life... it's just temporary. We're here in it and we are to work diligently in all of our endeavors so that when our time comes there are minimal sorrows left behind.
Secondly, I realized that life alone is reason to celebrate, reason to make happy. There is no reason to frown and be angry, disappointments come fast and leave even faster. We have all that we need to live prosperous lifestyles, sometimes its as simple as getting out of the bed. Prosperity to you could be a herd of Friends, land ownership, millions in the bank or what ever... We have the power to achieve those things,it's right in the center of us...channel in and unleash.

And 3rd, I see that you can actually put you mind over the matter and govern yourself however you want. I told myself that I would organize her home going celebration and mourn later, I did and am doing just that. Mind over matter, speak what you will over your life and watch it come to pass.

While organizing her "Funeral" I discovered something about myself... I looooove flowers! I want to see them, smell them, smile at them... I even want to smell like them and I'm not an Old Lady! Ha imagine! So I'll be spending a little time with them over the next few weeks... Books, movies and what ever else pertaining to them. They pack a powerful punch, we (Kyonda's Korner) need them on our team.

T'is all for now =)
-Kyonda

To "B" or not to "B"

Hello... Thanks for tuning in...

To Blog or not to Blog, that is the question. I was taught from a child on up to keep my thoughts opinions and ideas to myself, thus posing the fore mentioned question. Then another question, what good is your mind if you don't share it? Enough said.

I am Kyonda Monice Trass, Servant, Mother and Entrepreneur. When I look back I see Entrepreneurship all through out my childhood. In elementary School (5th grade) I had a "Nail Salon" during Lunch Recess. I would go to JJ Newberry and get my supplies, then go back to school with them and get to work, I even employed a few people as the business grew. Junior High was spent coping with bullies and finding my place in a Brand New world. 8th grade Summer at age 12 or 13, My Cousin started a Desk top Publishing company and employed me as her little assistant, my first real job. My City offers summer employment opportunities to low-income family youth... I had one every year; 1st. Cuttin up Hair Salon (Loved it) 2nd. Richmond Adult Mental Health Clinic (Loved it even more).

Im in High School Now, I work at "Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits" (We had to say all of that to the customers). Aside of Popeye's I had a mobile (feet) candy store at school. Chocolate's, Taffy's you name it. Once again, the business grew and I employed 5 of my friends. The school asked me to stop, so we started sneaking (sorry). My friends started stealing candy and complaining about their pay... I closed shop... and took it to my house. There I sold candy, chips, soda's, Icee's (frozen kool aid cup) and a few other item's. I made lot's of money there (considering my age and market). Health foods and Sit down Dinners were not common practice in my community... business was banging. I'm not to sure what happened after that... I know I was able to go to Georgia (with the candy money) w/some ladies from my Church, thought about the hassles of that business and decided to let my Aunt (Household head) Take over the business. Im now working at Target and Selling AVON (www.youravon.com/kyondayoung) #plug =)

Friends are having Babies, Im planning the showers... Sibling are getting older im planning the parties... friends are getting bored, im making the fun... and the list goes on.

Now studying Psychology at the College of Marin and Real Estate School some where in Berkeley, Finished The Training, But my morning sickness stopped me from going to my Exams for the Licensing part... Money, time and knowledge down the drain.

Full time job with the Toys "R" Us Corporation, Store Promotions Coordinator was the Title. It was very difficult and extremely demanding, even more so than parenting... Yeah, No Thanks.

Another Friend Had A Baby, I planned the shower, she got good reviews from her guest and suggested that I make A Career of Event Planning (Now why didnt I think of that). I'd been doing it all of my life just because I loooove Administration, People and Fun. I though back over the Melt and Pour books and Classes, The masses of Pictures and Stickers and Glitter and Card Stock and Balloons and Raffia and STUFF that I'd been collecting for God knows what and began to Thank him for leading me up and through a path that I didn't even know that I was on. What greater LOVE?

I Eventually made my way to the Women's Initiative for Self Employment (http://www.womensinitiative.org/) and has been working pretty diligently at getting Kyonda's Korner into the Public Eye.

Now life is still going to do it's thing and it's acting a Donkey right now... So i'm pressing the Pause button until the storm settles a bit. This is my Baby, my 3rd Daughter, I have to protect her just as I do the Human one's. So once our Duck's are alligned were going to start shooting (Marshmallows of course, no Animal cruelty over here). We'll be back to plan your parties, make your favors, take your pictures... Give to the community, stimulate the economy and empower our youth.

So it's clear that the decision has been made "To Blog". There is a message that I came across during a Women's Initiative Session "What difffers your business for the competitors is YOU" There can be another Event Planning company but only one Kyonda Trass. So WTBS, Im opening up to you all...Journey with.

XOXO,
-Kyonda