A Homemaker’s Diary

When I first had my international transaction with a client overseas for her wedding stuffs, the first question she asked when we discussed about the deposit payment is whether my shop accepts credit card. Well, I wish I do and secondly I really wish I have a retail outlet with the credit card machines and all…huhu!

You know, those terminals are actually so cool. Some are really equipped with state-of-the-art technology that enable complex processing demand. Most will deliver quick transaction times for multiple merchant applications and identifications. So you don’t have to let your customers wait for so long for the completed transactions.

And there is also another way for those with online store. The eCommerce solutions most of the payment solutions providers offer will process and manage credit card transactions as your customers buy the products from your online store and enter their billing details. No worries about fraud and other business risk when it comes to Internet transactions.

My friend who has a spa and beauty salon was telling me early this year how her business really perks up after she applied for merchant account and advertised that the spa accepts credit cards. I guess it is really a matter of convenient and a key factor to satisfy your clients once you let every potential clients that come into your shop to know that credit cards are accepted here.

They feel happy to indulge more and even spend more when they know you accept credit cards especially in the case whereby initially they are not planning to spend their hard earned cash at your store or retail outlet. You see, those shining plastic money makes you think that you have more than what you really earn so you wouldn’t think twice about swiping it for retail therapy…haha!

If you are running an ecommerce business like I do, having a merchant account that accept major credit cards is possible. The problem now for me is the high charges most of the solutions providers impose on every transaction done and plus for most of the overseas business deals, I have to bear a lot of charges when it comes to forex conversion to my local currency.

But I think as my business grows and the profit margin is getting bigger, there will be a point that I could absorb all the hidden costs and offer credit card as major payment method for products purchased in my online store. For now, my business website is just like a catalog for people to see what I am capable of crafting.

This might sound crazy since it comes from me..hehe! But I feel since I am still not that old, I should consider going backpacking somewhere. So after reading a blog entry about an ex-schoolmate who is studying in Sydney, I thought I should give it a try.

Not sure what hubby will think about this idea of traveling but I have done my survey on places to stay while in Sydney. If you are looking for accommodation in Sydney, this Manly Guest House might be the answer to your tight budget. It is only around AUD40 per night. And it comes with free wireless Internet access. See, I could still update my blog while backpacking in Sydney..haha!

Then for an upgraded stay in Darling harbour, I will choose this Ibis Hotel Darling Harbour among the cheap hotels in Sydney. Hopefully while I am there, I could catch the Sydney Boatshow while enjoying their eating and vibrant tourist hang outs cafes.

So, are you up for the backpacking tour with me? Don’t worry about looking for hotels in Sydney, it has been taking care of, just say yes and we can start packing now..wink!

I wish I could have this choice every day, to be able to have buffet lunch and dinner whereby I can choose all kind of salad to put in my plate.

But then if every day you were given the same array of food you might want to have something else, right? hehe..

Check out those purplish raw beet. It is full of betacyanin which is also a powerful cancer-fighting agent. It was the first time I had sliced raw beet in salad and I love them so much. But Hubby thought they tasted weird..huhu!

*This post is written for Park West Art Gallery*

If you are a fine art collector and happen to be in Southfield, Michigan, check out Park West Gallery. The gallery, founded in 1969 conducts fine art auctions throughout the United States and Canada. They also have an affiliate locations in Miami, FL.

If you are in the facility, you would be able to browse and gaze at all the art displayed in their spacious galleries. There are 23 galleries, each devoted to a particular artist or type of art. Of course each month they will also be mounting new exhibition and sale to feed the art hunger of all the buyers and collectors.

As they claimed, each year more than 50 artists visit the gallery for signings and events. So who knows while you are at the gallery, your favorite artist is there for signing.

The picture above is the Poubot -2001, a hand-embellished serigraph in color on canvas done by Arkady Ostritski. His subjects include the streets, buildings and shops of France, Italy, England, Greece and Spain.

If you happen to have a strong interest in European building, been there and would like to keep one artwork that creates poignant vignettes at home and evokes magical memories of such places, check out Park West Art Gallery sales inventory. Their sale price includes your choice of custom framing, the gallery appraisal and shipping anywhere in the continental of United States.

I was downloading the images from my T30 memory card to my PC when I noticed that there were still some pictures of my Pangkor trip.

So here it is the last one of them. Perhaps I will spend a few more days there to explore the island, this time on our own without all the schedule and beach activity like in the Team Building trip..hehe!