Change Ahead

stunning papercut design from Rural Pearl

If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living.

                   -Gail Sheehy
 
You guessed it, change is coming! It's been nudging me for awhile, but I've come to realize that in some ways I've outgrown bits of my shop, my process, & and my interest.  When I look back at my posts throughout the summer I can see hints of transformation...maybe it was taking a second look at How Lucky I Am or Finding Inspiration  but I'm looking to move forward.  My husband even somehow read my mind & asked whether my shop was in need of a makeover. So perhaps others have felt it too...
 
What changes am I planning? A look the resonates more with who I've become & what I create. A line of lovelies that really speak to what I am passionate about creating.  A focus on the time to develop & design & make- all aspects of the process I enjoy so much.  A reevaluation of my methods.
 
I am so excited to share this process of polishing, trimming, improving, remodeling, and growing...and look forward to all that lays ahead!

Business Bits - Holiday Gifts Sets & Packaging

Topic: Preparing for the Holidays

The holidays, they are a comin'.

Preparing my shop for the holidays has been on my mind (to-do list) since I posted about planning ahead for the holiday rush way back in July. I've made a bit of progress, but now that September is drawing to a close & Etsy has started their Holiday Boot Camp Series  it's time to really get moving!

I would love to add lots of new items & holiday themed lovelies, but that just may not be a reality for me this year. Instead, I'm thinking of how to present items I currently create into gifts sets and offer lovely packaging.

packaging:

Whether it's included in your listing or offered as an add-on service, I think making items ready for gift giving is one of those small details that will keep customers (and their gift recipients!) coming back. I've ordered so many lovely gifts from other Etsy shops & am always thrilled when my purchases arrive neatly wrapped & ready to give as a gift. Sure, I love adding my own bits of ribbon & such but nothing beats having that little box or adorable business card to include with it!

Packaging Kit from Sweet Findings

If you offer it, show it. Buyers love to see what exactly your packaging looks like...

Jewelry Gift Box from fabulous Jaros Designs

gift sets:

Presenting various cohesive items from your shop together can also make it easy on buyers - no need for them to shop around to find all the components of a gift. Instead, perhaps they can find a bracelet & necklace set, kitchen towels & pot holders, knit cap with mittens, or lotion and soap together in your shop. Presto, a complete gift in one place. Grouping similar items together can also make it simple & cost effective for buyers. Think of those shoppers needing gifts for five different teachers- a cinch when they find a listing for a group of five bar soaps, cosmetic bags, ornaments, etc. My zipper pouch set is one of my top-selling items.

Soap & Candle Gift Set from Cottage Garden Therapies

There we have it. Two quick & simple ways to increase your shop's holiday readiness!

Any tips you can share?  As a buyer, what do you hope to see this season?



Barn Quilts - Art & Design

Two things I love in this world; quilts & old barns.  Seeing them together is just pure happiness!
I'm totally amazed & moved by the barn quilt movement- folks paint quilt blocks on their barns as a gesture of community & heritage. Started by one woman....and now branches out across several states. How impressive is that? Someday I'd like to roam around & see them for myself.

Here's a few that caught my eye:

image: travelpod

image: Ohio Barns

 image: David McLane



image via whipup

image: trekearth

On another note, change is a brewin' over here...thinking about lots of newness lately (which is probably how I found myself aimlessly browsing sites & blogs today until I stumbled upon these beatuies!) ...will be writing more soon, but until then, thought I'd share these amazing bits of design & color.

One Moment Good Enough For Me - Patsy Cline

This morning, just like many other mornings, little Jack asked me to sing to him. And as usual, he requested "Walkin' After Midnight" - the song I've been singing to him since his very beginning. Partly because it's one of my favorite songs in the world, partly because I know all the words, but mostly because I have cherished memories of my grandmother, mother, & uncle dancing & laughing to Patsy Cline. Even as a child I knew they were each fighting their own difficult battles- but for a brief moment, this music filled us all with goodness.

 And so today, while holding Jack & doing my best with this song, he joyfully exclaimed, "Mama's a good singer!"

Now, if you know me at all & have ever heard me belt out country oldies, you know very well that this is in fact not true. I'm a horrible singer. I am deaf in one ear & have no idea what I really sound like except that it can't be good.


But, I took a pause & soaked it in. And oh how I wish I could bottle up that love & warmth & happiness and keep that moment forever. Because I am a good singer. To Jack. And that is more than enough for me.



Motivated to share this piece of time by Linda's series One Moment on her A la mode blog. Thank you Linda for being ever inspiring!

Schedule for Sanity

Two things my mom taught us that have gotten me through life:

1) be nice to everyone.
2) when you're sad/overwhelmed/heartbroken/upset/lonely, make a plan & stick to it.

Prompted by Cyn at River Dog Prints posting office hours to help define her time, I recalled what my mama said & and sketched out a plan this afternoon.  I'm hoping to alleviate the constant feeling of chaos & craziness- just knowing there is so much work all the time makes me feel like I'm underwater. And then, of course, a vicious cycle ensues of feeling overwhelmed & the literally walking around in circles trying to figure out where to start & then getting more overwhelmed when I catch myself walking in circles! 

I targeted a few of my concerns & issues that have cropped up- Jack's changing sleeping schedule, preschool, new classes, more wholesale accounts, and in general my inefficiency at working/cleaning/sewing/exercising. So hopefully this daily schedule, divided for office & home life, will help bring some focus by designating specific tasks for specific times of the day. And I'm betting that this schedule will benefit us all; give me some clarity, Jack some responsibility, & my husband a better idea of just what needs to be accomplished on the homefront.

So here it is, my "Schedule for Sanity." Looking forward to a hopefully more focused day tomorrow!


psst...have any tricks in your personal or family's schedule that helps keep everything efficient? If so, I'd love to hear!

Business Bits - Don't Hold Back

Just a little reminder.....

......as we:

expand our brand

grow our shops

move beyond what we know

dream new things

start over

prepare for what's to come

go through life

write a post

create

begin each day

Don't hold back.

{image credit: Nan Lawson - my new favorite shop}

do share: in what ways are you not holding back?

Fabric Color Palette

Writing this post one-handed....got a sleeping toddler in the other. Just had to share my lovely stack of fabric I purchased this weekend & the amazing palette generated at Color Palette FX.  {have you seen this site? you can create a palette from a photo...try it out & share! } Inspired by the lovely palettes I posted about yesterday from Color Collective. I'm loving the endive greens, slates, & orchids- I think I must of had Pantone's fall report in the back of my mind when I shopped! (I'd love to claim to be that on top of trends...but I'm not!)

Anyhow, I splurged on tons more- some warm cottons that look a bit like wool for winter clutches as well as some Moda toweling that just might make me glad to do dishes. We'll see.

I think I had some post-purchase guilt though because I woke up this morning & promptly started listing some gorgeous scraps & bundles in my destash shop....(pssst. you know you need more fabric ;)

Alright, this little man is getting heavy.
                                  Hope everyone had a lovely weekend!



Color Collective

Leaps of joy when I found the fantastically inspiring & gorgeous Color Collective blog from the keen eye at Good Measure.
Been thinking in palettes as I go through the day; as I poured coconut milk over shredded wheats in my orangy bowl and drove through foggy mountains with the sunrise just ahead and as I nosily browsed through my mum's eclectic make-up bag.... 

Looking through the site, I was really drawn to the images with bold colors & lots of contrast. Go take a peek....which ones spark your fancy?

 

 

                                                   
                                                 {{images courtesy Color Collective }}



More thoughts on color:

Santa Monica palettes
My life through colors- guest post over at A la Mode
Today in Color - Make your own color palette!



Eat. Pray. Love - Eight Ways I Do Nothing

I might be the last woman in the universe to read Eat.Pray.Love.

But, after recieving it for my birthday, I've jumped in wholeheartedly- stealing moments here & there to read.  I'm only on page 56 but am finding an abundance of inspiration in this memoir - the author's year long journey to three different countries to find essentially everything she's been looking for.

I am totally absorbed by her mention of "Il bel far niente" - the Italian expression, "the beauty of doing nothing." The ideal of not being just entertained or amused but simply being content in the moment...perhaps finding & holding onto a bit of peace & happiness.  

It prompted me to consider how I used to find so much enjoyment in doing "nothing" ...and would like to reclaim a bit of that:

1. Sit.  I used to drive over an hour, alone, to sit by myself along side one of my favorite Oregon rivers.  I shudder now, thinking of both my brazen riskiness & power.

2. Star Gaze.  If you knew me in high school & college you knew this about me; I loved sitting near a friend & gazing into the night sky for hours....

3. Watch My Sleeping Baby.  During his naps, late at night, or the rare times he sleeps with me holding him- I can't resist or let go of watching him sleep....the stolen moments

4. Walk.  It makes me feel free....and quite literally, grounded.

5. Sew.  Not for my shop or for an order. But delighting in the idea that I can put two pieces of fabric together...and make something.

6. Drive.  Yet another reason I've at times felt like an old lady in a young(ish!) body. As far back I can remember, I love Sunday drives.  Either alone or in the company of a friend...preferably with old time country music playing & sunshine dripping in - absorbing rows in the fields, the dance of the wheat, the bends in the road....

7. Hold my Cat.  Nothing beats his purr and the realization (that I have over & over) -this little creature loves me!

8. Think.  I love interpreting just how I fit into this world...


There it is-- my list of nothing-ness. Which really feels like something-ness. I'd love to hear how you take hold of and find beauty in the moment.

Now, off to find nothing to do......

Celebrating September - Etsy Treasury

Celebrating September with this sapphire inspired Etsy treasury. A collection of favorites...bits of love & shades of blue. Come by & say hello!

Business Bits- Creating Plan B

Topic: Creating a Plan B for Your Small Business

This week my trusty sewing machine began hiccuping. And then hissing. All in a very dramatic, threatening fashion.  For a very long and distraught five minutes as I fiddled & unscrewed & jimmied & prayed & unplugged & unwound & hoped I thought of all possible worst case scenarios for this moment. Orders that would not be completed. Money to be frantically spent. Plans to be canceled.

                                                                {image courtesy: Leefenvisual }

It reminded me of a brief little fiasco I endured right during the rush of holiday orders last year. I took my machine in for a minor repair and the shop lost it. That's right. They lost it.  They searched high & low & presented a variety of possible excuses. If not for my fussy toddler & quivering-just-about-to-lose-control lower lip I think I would've been up a creek. Noticing my despair & their obvious error they gave me a brand spankin' new machine right then & there..

But what if they hadn't?

That thought has haunted me this whole past year and has resurfaced as I begin preparing for this year's holiday rush.  Along with my other bouts of bad luck; like our computer crashing. Twice. The baby sitter canceling. Again.  I'm working on Plan B for the business.....

What will I do if ____________? {fill in the blank with any sort of crisis}

such as:
illness
computer crash
snow
injury
sick children
sick animals
machinery malfunction
etc....

Of course, we don't want to be a bunch of Nervous Nellys or Parnoid Pollys...but a Plan B is probably a good idea. And a Plan C or D is even smarter.


What types of plans & precautions are you thinking of taking in regards to your shop?

Happy Weekend

                                                             {{photo courtesy of Awakes }}


What a happy week it's been! I really appreciate all the birthday wishes & bits of wisdom. In fact, so much so, we're going to keep on celebrating this weekend with a little family getaway!

Everyone had such kind & thoughtful messages. Here's a few birthday wisdoms I especially loved:

-Everything is better with cupcakes!

-A friend from the Netherlands says life begins at 40 in Europe...Be SO European!

-Soak up as much as you can and just live in the moment, the day is yours!

-Now that I have a daughter I have learned to appreciate them [birthdays]even more because her excitement to singing happy birthday and blowing out the candles is priceless!

-My grandmother always said that you got to eat whatever you wanted on your birthday and that you didn't need to apologize to anybody!

-Spend it with people you love

 -DONT skip your cake
 
Brilliant! All these little bits made my day extra cheery & kept me from crying....like I do every year ;)
 
And for the giveaway, congrats to Carina- lucky number 19! Keep an eye out for a little message about your goodies!
 
                                                Have a lovely weekend!

Teeny Tiny Sneaky Peeky

      just a little glimpse at what's going on over here...

Home

If I Were A Bird

If I were a bird, I'd sing a song

And fly about the whole day long

And when the night comes, go to rest,

Up in my cozy little nest.

by Jackie Silberg

{{this nest was given to me by a family friend over the weekend...apparently abandoned under their porch. I was struck by the sheer skill & labor needed for this little miraculous home and that it was just that....a little home.}}

Happy Birthday To Me! Lovely Little Giveaway

Hooray! Celebrating my birthday with a fun little giveaway...

 Join the party... yummy cupcakes, happiness, & sunshine!

Leave a little message- say hello & share a bit of birthday wisdom.

I'll collect the comments on Friday morning September 10th & choose a winner by random number generator. Lucky number receives this little group of lovelies:

Clutch, Card Case, Bird Ornament

Image Credits:

Cupcake Toppers by MillaLove

Paper Bunting by This Neck of the Woods

Paper Flower by Party Poms

Dessert Plates by Vessels and Wares

Happy Weekend!

{image credit: f2images }

happy holiday weekend! I'll be back on Tuesday to celebrate my birthday & start off the week with a sparkle. Hope everyone enjoys the long weekend & the last bits of summer.....

Back to School Finds

Goodies to make, print & buy!

One of my favorites times of year....back to school! Maybe I was just a little bit of a bookworm but I always loved scouting new school supplies, organizing them neatly, and preparing for a fresh start.

Here's a little round-up of school related lovelies:

 Hand wrapped pencils from Maoiliosa. I want these & I have no reason other than my to-do lists would be so much more lovely writing with these gorgeous pencils.

Remind your little one (or big one ;) how much you love them with these charming free printable lunch box notecards from Perideau Designs

Keep the mornings going smoothly with these ingenious morning routine cards from LivingLocurto.com

Definitely the most adorable way of toting your lunch around. Love this Lunch Bag Tutorial from The Long Thread

These marshmallows with a cup of hot cocoa would make a perfect after school snack (or afternoon treat for mom ;) From my new favorite shop, Oh Yum

Cheers to a very happy school year!