How do you make money doing what you love?

If I could do ANYTHING in the world (as far as working, hobbies, career, etc...) I would "retire" from nursing and be a stay-at-home mama.

I mean, just look at those faces!

But not only a SAHM (which would be enough)...I also would want to make and sell party invitations and decorations.

Nothing relaxes me more than sitting at the computer, putting together bits and pieces, trying to turn it into something beautiful.  To make a living doing that would be a dream come true.

Here lies the problem.  Making money doing what you love.  

Of all the years I've made things for people, I don't think I've ever actually made a profit on anything.  I may have been "paid", but the amount of payment usually doesn't even begin to cover my costs for materials. It's not the client's fault, it's my fault for not charging more. The client always wants "just one more thing" or I think their order needs just a little extra something.  It happens every. single. time.  But at least I am getting paid something. 

  The most complicated project I've ever done, that I literally spent at least 100 hours working on, and who knows how much money on, I never got paid a dime for.  The client gave me excuse after excuse, month after month.  Finally, I just cut that person out of my life because I couldn't take it anymore.  Lesson learned.  Never again.

Then there is the problem I have of telling people "No."  I have people ask me all the time if I could make them "just one little thing".  Of course, I can't tell them "no" when they have asked me so nice.  Now don't get me wrong, for my family and good friends, I will do ANYTHING for them, at ANYTIME and never expect anything in return.  But it's those people who I know, but yet I don't really know that well, that are the problem.  Nothing like making multiple items for someone, for free, and they don't even acknowledge they received them, much less thanked me for them.  That bothered me more than not getting paid for the large project (which also happened at the same time).

The funny thing is, the people that I am the closest to, have always paid (or attempted to pay) me for materials and my time without me even asking them...even paying me before I've started.  To those people, I say THANK YOU!

Do any of you have this problem?  Am I just a pushover?

How do you make money doing what you love?

If YOU could do anything, what would you do?