Doing Good, for Goodness Sake

No matter how small the gift is, every year I give a little season's greetings to our friends, family, clients and those who have been a special part of our lives. This year the list was heavy on four legged friends and their parents who have kind of been a parenting community for us since we adopted Dempsey, our almost two year old American Bulldog/Sharpei rescue. I found a few healthy dog treat recipes, bought a set of children's play cookie cutters from the 99 cent store and baked my day away to 14 boxes of dog treats while dancing with myself to Duran Duran, Depeche Mode and Madonna (all fantastic pet names btw). Baking is my moment of zen and a Jane Fonda workout rolled into one.

While the treats were cooling I designed, assembled and photographed my little tower of puppy love. My tester gave me paws up on the final product. Done! I posted a few photos online marked 'holiday gifts' and people loved them. They asked me where I am going to sell them, encouraged me to open an etsy shop (if I hadn't done so already), a pet store, and have I brought them to the local pet store yet. Wow! Really? I should, shouldn't I? Is it cost effective? How many treats in a box? How do I price them? As these thoughts began to take over, my zen moment vanished because if it is suggested that I can do something more then clearly I need to do that something. I wondered if it was okay that I made them just because. No etsy shop. No pet store. No next step. What is it inside me that makes me feel like I have to do something just because someone suggested it? Why do I always feel like I haven't done enough?

should I open an etsy shop?  photo by me

We missed seeing some of our friends over the holidays and it is has been so fun to give a just because gift when the recipient doesn't expect it. That anyone would think that my dog treats are some kind of wonderful makes my tail wag but sometimes we make things just because it makes someone else feel even better.

What have you made or done recently just because? Did you think about making it into something more? Do you have things that could be a business but you prefer to keep to yourself?