Malena Weller is clear about what she likes (rainbow colors and making money) and doesnt like (spending hours making friendship bracelets).

It was this surety that led her to make a bold decision to abandon one product for another mid-season. She was awarded a $35 grant through the Young Entrepreneurs Club from Western Oregon Waste and Wauna Federal Credit Union for successfully changing products mid-stream.

Im actually very proud of her because she changed her product because she didnt like it, said Cyndi Mudge, executive director of the Astoria Sunday Market.

You know, the most important thing about your product is enjoying it, Malena wrote in a post-season self-evaluation. Im not going to do bracelets anymore, because I have lost interest. If Im not going to enjoy doing something, I dont want to do it at all.

Malena, 9, spent 35 hours selling at the Astoria Sunday Market last season. She started out selling friendship bracelets, braided necklaces and skinny scarves at the Astoria Sunday Market.

But I didnt really like it, she said. She said her biggest challenge was trying to motivate myself to make friendship bracelets. The embroidery thread was getting boring.

So she and her mom, Regina Southworth, started brainstorming new products Malena could take to market.

Mid-season, Malena began selling handmade paper bookmarks. This year shes experimenting with making journals faced with her handmade paper.

Malena was awarded the Young Entrepreneurs Green Award this winter for her bookmarks because theyre made of repurposed, used wrapping paper.

She also sold spin art, which involves dribbling paint on a spinning piece of paper and allowing centrifugal force to draw the paint out into interesting designs. Customers can make their own spin art, leave it to dry while they walk around the market, and pick it up later.

But, by far her biggest seller last year was face painting. Everyone loves face painting, she said. One of my successes is that I bought my face paints for $5 and made over $100.

Malena said other girls are most likely to want their face painted, and they often choose her favorite designI love rainbows. Theyre really beautiful and colorfulhowever, she makes sure to offer designs that might also appeal to boys, like spiders, animals and light sabers.

There is another person who regularly offers face painting at the market and takes donations instead of a set fee, Malena said. However, she thinks kids prefer coming to her because she is a kid and is therefore less intimidating.

One thing she dislikes about having her face painted by some adults is that they have a tendency to steady the canvas by holding her chin. So, she makes sure not to do that to other kids.

I learned that I actually love to do face painting and spin art, and be crafty. I love it when little girls love their face painting and laugh out loud, Malena wrote in her self-evaluation.

Now Malena is motivated because she doesnt have to spend hours preparing for the market and she gets be immerse herself in color and to help her customers be creative, which is also a relief for Mom.

Mom ends up doing a lot of work, Regina said. It was really cool when face painting got started.

Regina has seen Malenas confidence grow as she became more comfortable talking with customers.

This year shes considering doing a customer survey to find out how people learn about her. Malena doesnt want to just wonder how people found her. She said, I want to know if people are telling their friends about me. On the other hand, I dont want to be famous.

Malena hasnt expected some of the attention shes gotten since she started her business. This year her photo appeared in the Young Entrepreneurs Club flier this year, which was handed out to her classmates at Lewis and Clark Elementary.

Still, I would encourage all kids to do this, Malena said. Its fun and I get to make money off it!