Why Not More Me?

I have been asked a couple of times why I don't share much personal information about myself or have pictures up on this blog. Unfortunately it wasn't an oversight it was an intentional decisions. If you know me personally you know that I am a fairly open person and I happen to think my daughter is the greatest thing ever and I sneak her into any conversation I can. I tend to be someone that over shares and has a hard time keeping things inside.

But I decided that given the day job that I do and the possibility that sometime a client or something may happen upon this sight (hey they are everyday people too), I want to keep as much of my personal life out of the mix. Now if I had a different day job where I didn't interact with hostile people or make decisions for families that would cause people to not like me I would have my family plastered all over the place.

I like reading about people and some of my favorite small business blogs are the ones where you get a nice mix of business and personal. I hope to eventually get there...but until then there probably won't be much personal life info :(

Governor's Food Drive

I do social work for the state of Oregon. Every year in Feb. there is a state wide food drive campaign. Each office throughout the state raises money and collects food for the food drive. In my office we do various activities including, bake sales, musical chair competitions (yes that's right), paper airplane throwing competition and homemade breakfasts...all to help raise money. Our biggest event in a Silent auction with runs for about two weeks. This year I provided one of my note cards sets (winner chooses) for bidding. I believe we ended up raising approx. $1400 dollars from the auction alone which is a couple hundred up from last year. I'm not sure of the grand total of everything yet but it's pretty awesome to see the generosity around me. And CONGRATS Bridget!! (she won one of my note card sets).

I was kind of nervous to put my note cards in the running. I personally love them and I get overjoyed that other people like them enough to buy them. But most of the people I work with do not know I do this.

The anonymity of the being an online business helps to shield me from the fear of someone rejecting my work (yes I have issues to work on). So having my website and examples of my work out there for everyone at my office to see was hard. But I got really good feed back. I also decided that I need to work on producing a product catalog of some kind because people have made the comment that they would like something to actually hold and look through verses getting on the Internet. So that is in the works.

I encourage everyone to contact their local food banks to find out how to help your communities homeless and less fortunate!!

With Envy Wednesday

**Click on image to view at the most optimal level

I received tulips from my Hubby at work before Vday (i don't roses on vday). I always make comments that I never get flowers so he listened this year. Well it turns out that he had ordered an assortment bouquet that included various flowers and my favorite flower gerbera daisy. Well he didn't read the fine print that said that basically you get what we have not necessarily what you ordered so the assortment turned into all tulips.

So why is this one not about Tulips...because they aren't my favorite flower and this is my blog so I can do what I want (image be saying that with my hands on my hips stomping my feet).

These items just make me smile...is spring here yet?!?

a) Gerber Daisy Wedding Invitation Set by Cheerupcherup

b) 3 Bright Gerber Daisies on Zebra Original Painting by SharonFosterArt

c) Gerber Daisy Vase by LivingOffHope

d) Gerber Daisy Long Sleeve Shirt by rushartistry

e) Pink - 5x7 Fine Art Print by Lori411

f) gerbera . amazonite flower earrings by trystbykerry

Randoms...

This last week has been a mix of productive in the shop, overwhelming at the day job and lazy at home. I added mommy calling cards to the shop early this week. I have seen them all over Etsy but I had not really thought about trying to create some but I had a create moment (ok a very long moment) and I really like how they turned out. Not sure if they will sell well because it seems like the things that I love don't always translate into what my customers love. I also loved how the pictures came out too.

I have also been thinking about some non-paper products to add to the shop. When I originally discovered Etsy I had so many ideas of what I wanted to create (jeez just browsing gets the creative juices flowing). I thought it would be fun to make ceramic tile magnets and coasters. Well that did not really happen but I still have a box of ceramic tiles that I thought I would turn into magnets using some of my digital illustrations. Still a WIP but you all will be the first to know once I have completed them.

So for those of you who know, you know that I tend to think big and the execution doesn't always come out that ways...I bite off more than I can chew usually. I am trying to come to gripes with this and be happy with what I can accomplish. This is most evident when it comes to my munchkin. I not so secretly want to be Martha Stewart and Joan Clever rolled into one. But I often fall very short. Lets take Valentines day for example. I love Valentines day (well I loved it as a kid, hated it once the dating years came and now I'm back to loving it). I can remember waking up to homemade breakfast and some nice little trinket from my parents and I loved the valentine swap/parties at school. After school my friends and I would sort through our candy and valentines while we waited to be picked up from school. I love it!. Now that I have my little one it seems fun again. So she had a cute Vday outfit and I had big plans to make Vday (yes I got tired of typing out the actual word) treats for her class and I was going to make a yummy Vday breakfast for the fam today. Well...

I ended up having to work late on Thursday night and I stopped by the store and just bought premade sugar cookie dough and figured I would make heart shaped sugar cookies and still be happy. Well they got burnt and it was too late to buy anything else so I gave up on that. I was exhausted yesterday we had a bad night of little sleep so I was not in the mood to make breakfast so we had....Mcdonalds :( I'm a little bummed that I failed even with the littlest of things but I keep trying to remind myself and that I have a demanding day job, this lovely shop and a family so I should cut myself a little slack (easier typed than done)...

With Envy Wednesday

Sunday was an awesome Super Bowl!! I was rooting for the Saints even though I like both teams. I ended up winning $50 so it was really really good that the Saints won!!!

So in honor of the Saints victory I am featuring shops in New Orleans. Such fun unique items that popped up...I have a feeling that Etsy will be getting my $50 winnings.

a) Mother of Pearl and Silver Wire Tree Sculpture by byapryl

b) Shoulder Pleated Purse-Bloom by KaoriColor

c) Shabby Cottage French Country Signs by thebackporchshoppe

d) Pearl Ring by Galeana

e) Rosette Belt Buckle in Steel/Copper/Brass by citizenobjects

f) Time Out Stool by bobsandbits

New Kids On The Block

I added these guys to the shop this afternoon. I really like them...maybe even more than my original folded note cards :)

Now I just need to get on some fun stuff for spring...

Wrapped Up...

Thanks goodness it's the weekend! This has been a hellish week and really made it clear to me how hard it is to run a business and have a day job (especially a day job that is so stressful and time consuming). I am hoping things slow down. In the meantime my never ending dilemma...PACKAGING! I think with every order I have sent out the packaging has been different because I am not yet satisfied with the solutions I have tried so far. I have done a bow with a hang tag type label, a paper ribbon label, an insert that goes inside/bottom of the cello bag, and a circle sticker label.

I like the ease of my latest (circle sticker label) but its kind of plan and boring. I think I might add just a plain green ribbon to go around my note cards and under the label/sticker. Ugh who knows...

Stay tuned for tomorrow I will show off my two new items to the shop (that is if I can find my camera...I took it from munchkin 2 weeks ago and apparently ended up hiding it from myself)...silly

Check Me Out!

Check me out over at Not Quite Susie. Thanks for including me Shell!