Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The Mad Hatter
Well... I've started my own home based business. What!! Last weekend Aaron completed the online paper work and I'm the official owner of a limited liability company called Rocky Mountain Wacky Warmers. I think I'm crazy - but I guess that is okay. I've always enjoyed making things and growing up I always had a great idea of what I should try to make and sell. In elementary school I sold lanyard key chains and earrings at my cousins' grandparent's fruit stand, in middle school I sold hair scrunchies and assorted chocolate covered foods and in high school I made practice shorts for my HS BFF and myself. If I think back hard enough I'm sure there are other crafty items I've tried to sell and usually made enough money to at least subsidise my current craft addiction.
Five weeks ago when my mom and I were trying to come up with photo props for Autumn's one week photo shoot - I remembered these hats I made for my nieces and nephews a few years back. I cut 2 out - a red one and a pink one. I tied ribbon around them, one together and the other in pig tails and then used a safety pin to hold them together in the back. There the idea was born - the photos of Autumn in the hats were adorable. Two weekends later on our 16 hour drive to and from my one of my best friends' wedding I kept thinking about the hats, crunched some numbers and dreamt about the possibilities. Doesn't every little girls basketball team need matching basketball hats with cute little ribbons to keep their heads warm after a game? Doesn't every baby need a fun little hat to take pictures in?
So there you have it - in the last 3 weeks I've started base level branding, marketing planning, designing, supply buying, display making and hat making. This weekend I was able to set up for my first craft show. Luckily I've been blessed with a marketing/web designing/small business knowledgeable husband, a mother and mother-in-law helping to sew, a father-in-law with a fancy camera, a grandfather that can build anything and a grandma and dad with small business advice. Without all their help - I would not have been able to pull off getting ready for my first show.
I called my mother-in-law this Friday morning as we both were driving to the craft fair and proclaimed my craziness. The night before we had dinner guests and then Autumn didn't fall asleep until 2am. I got up Friday morning at 7am and got everything in the car, drilled a hole in a 4x4 for my Christmas tree topper, got Autumn fed and dressed, got myself showered and dressed, frantically searched for the price cards I had printed the day before, resent the price cards to Sam's club because I couldn't find the originals and then took off for west Loveland. I really didn't want to do this craft fair since it was so soon and I wasn't sure I'd be ready. However, it was free and I really wanted to get an idea of what people liked before my bigger show at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch. The craft fair was a bust as far as customers - I don't think more than 150 people walked in to look at the vendors. But boy did I learn a ton!! The gal and fellow next to me are basket weavers and they had valuabe knowledge about local craft fairs, small business taxes and craft ideas. I also learned about the patterns and hats I think will sell best from the few customers and the other vendor's children. Most importantly I got the feeling that I have a viable part time home business - the feed back from people was very positive. I only sold a whooping 10 hats - but now I have little bit of exposure, I learned so much and have a small network of crafty friends!
So we shall see where Rocky Mountain Wacky Warmers goes from here!!! It will be fun - and hopefully it at least helps me to afford my current addiction (-:
Five weeks ago when my mom and I were trying to come up with photo props for Autumn's one week photo shoot - I remembered these hats I made for my nieces and nephews a few years back. I cut 2 out - a red one and a pink one. I tied ribbon around them, one together and the other in pig tails and then used a safety pin to hold them together in the back. There the idea was born - the photos of Autumn in the hats were adorable. Two weekends later on our 16 hour drive to and from my one of my best friends' wedding I kept thinking about the hats, crunched some numbers and dreamt about the possibilities. Doesn't every little girls basketball team need matching basketball hats with cute little ribbons to keep their heads warm after a game? Doesn't every baby need a fun little hat to take pictures in?
So there you have it - in the last 3 weeks I've started base level branding, marketing planning, designing, supply buying, display making and hat making. This weekend I was able to set up for my first craft show. Luckily I've been blessed with a marketing/web designing/small business knowledgeable husband, a mother and mother-in-law helping to sew, a father-in-law with a fancy camera, a grandfather that can build anything and a grandma and dad with small business advice. Without all their help - I would not have been able to pull off getting ready for my first show.
I called my mother-in-law this Friday morning as we both were driving to the craft fair and proclaimed my craziness. The night before we had dinner guests and then Autumn didn't fall asleep until 2am. I got up Friday morning at 7am and got everything in the car, drilled a hole in a 4x4 for my Christmas tree topper, got Autumn fed and dressed, got myself showered and dressed, frantically searched for the price cards I had printed the day before, resent the price cards to Sam's club because I couldn't find the originals and then took off for west Loveland. I really didn't want to do this craft fair since it was so soon and I wasn't sure I'd be ready. However, it was free and I really wanted to get an idea of what people liked before my bigger show at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch. The craft fair was a bust as far as customers - I don't think more than 150 people walked in to look at the vendors. But boy did I learn a ton!! The gal and fellow next to me are basket weavers and they had valuabe knowledge about local craft fairs, small business taxes and craft ideas. I also learned about the patterns and hats I think will sell best from the few customers and the other vendor's children. Most importantly I got the feeling that I have a viable part time home business - the feed back from people was very positive. I only sold a whooping 10 hats - but now I have little bit of exposure, I learned so much and have a small network of crafty friends!
So we shall see where Rocky Mountain Wacky Warmers goes from here!!! It will be fun - and hopefully it at least helps me to afford my current addiction (-:
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
5 weeks
I can not believe that it has been 5 weeks. Part of me feels like it has been forever and the other part feels like it was yesterday. Autumn is a nearly perfect baby - her job right now is to eat, sleep, potty and grow - and she is quite good at all of them! We are truly enjoying our little girl so very much! She wakes up a little more each day giving us more eye contact and attention. She has shared a couple little awake smiles, but it is still hard to tell how intentional they are. Today she watched the mobile above her swing intently for the first time.
It has been fun to have the cousins around - my 4 and 5 year old nieces are so sweet and pretty funny as well. The other night the whole family came over and I was feeding Autumn under my cover. Both girls came over and lifted the cover and stuck their heads under to see how everything was going. It was so cute and hilarious! I'm sure some dolls may find themselves eating in a new way this week! Well, she has finally fallen asleep, so off to bed we go!
Monday, October 5, 2009
One year
My heart has been heavy this week. Sorrow lingers and the pain of loss continues. I started my blog about a year ago after a tragedy. One of my dear friends lost her infant to SIDS - gut wrenching, awful and not understandable. One year ago we celebrated the life of sweet Grace singing "In Christ Alone" and shedding painful tears at her memorial service. Tonight I am shedding tears with a slightly heightened understanding of the pain - as Autumn is sleeping on my chest. Aaron and I now have the one tangible thing in life that brings the most joy and also has the potential to bring the absolute most grief and heartache - a child. Only God can ease the brokenness and comfort the aching souls of those who have lost a child.
Over this year I journeyed through trying to figure out how to be a long-distant friend after tragedy. I still don't know how. Sometimes the best I can do is quietly cry and pray in the shower.
Another thing I have learned more about this year is graciousness. The explanation given at Grace's memorial service of what grace is was completely convicting. It is something I struggle with - I am way more apt to blame, accuse and get angry about wrong doing and I tend to assume that people's intentions were harmful instead of accidental. Grace is undeserved favor - a gift God gives us and that we are to give each other. I need more grace in my life and I continue to pray that God helps me to grant grace to those around me so that they may see a better picture of God's grace. I pray that my gut reactions are gracious, assuming the best and not the worst. It is a work in process.
This next year I look forward to being part of my friend's non-profit foundation. I'm completely honored and eager to start my roll on the Board of Directors as the Content Developer. I get to be the researcher and help write content related to prevention and education regarding SIDS and infant death.
Please continue praying for my friend, her husband and their family and friends. The road is long, ugly and hard. My biggest prayer is the name of my blog - that in the land of the living we will see God's goodness. Not all things are good and tragedy is real and most difficult - but I want to see that He will prevail.
Psalms 27:13,14 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD
Over this year I journeyed through trying to figure out how to be a long-distant friend after tragedy. I still don't know how. Sometimes the best I can do is quietly cry and pray in the shower.
Another thing I have learned more about this year is graciousness. The explanation given at Grace's memorial service of what grace is was completely convicting. It is something I struggle with - I am way more apt to blame, accuse and get angry about wrong doing and I tend to assume that people's intentions were harmful instead of accidental. Grace is undeserved favor - a gift God gives us and that we are to give each other. I need more grace in my life and I continue to pray that God helps me to grant grace to those around me so that they may see a better picture of God's grace. I pray that my gut reactions are gracious, assuming the best and not the worst. It is a work in process.
This next year I look forward to being part of my friend's non-profit foundation. I'm completely honored and eager to start my roll on the Board of Directors as the Content Developer. I get to be the researcher and help write content related to prevention and education regarding SIDS and infant death.
Please continue praying for my friend, her husband and their family and friends. The road is long, ugly and hard. My biggest prayer is the name of my blog - that in the land of the living we will see God's goodness. Not all things are good and tragedy is real and most difficult - but I want to see that He will prevail.
Psalms 27:13,14 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD
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