anyone started a home business?

[Magnum]

this was an interesting article ... http://smallbusiness.ninemsn.com.au/....aspx?id=82873

i must've found it because i am currently looking at options. next year junior goes off to school and my current property work only takes 1-2 days a week (some weeks nothing, some weeks every day) ... so ... i'm after something to do so that i don't go stir crazy, and i'd like to make a little extra cash on the side. (nb: not interested in selling on ebay - maybe)

i know my pm is looking for someone fulltime, but i want to work only 3 days a week and preferably in school hours so that i have enough time to follow my property path (research and overseeing developments) and so that i can do what "i want to do" during my own time instead of during family time - including lunch with girlfriends, shopping, investing, reading ss and catching up on investing and personal development information. and i'd like to be able to attend the school when something special is on.

in other words - i want it all!

now, i do have some ideas including manufacturing something at home, to eventually be sold via a website, dog walking (brrrr in winter), a recruitment business aiming at the clic of parttime, school hours workers etc.

nothing is going to happening until the new year but i'd like to hear from anyone who has taken the "work from home" path and made a success (or, at least, enjoyed themselves).

p.s. i already do volunteer work and don't really want to take on more.

p.p.s. i was offered a job, out of the blue, by my local flooring (carpet etc) shop but hubby doesn't want me to work weekends as we like to sail and he works hard and long during the week and the weekends are "family" time.