Hello my lovely blogger pals! I know, it's been FAR too long since I posted, but I hope you can forgive me as I at least have a little update for you today. :)
Well, last you heard I was working on my Zulily order. It was hard work, and I don't think I could have gotten it all done without the help of my amazing hubbs. After the shipment went out, I crashed and burned. Tooooo many late night and long days I thought. After a couple of weeks went by and I was still smoldering from the "crash" I started to wonder about myself. So, I did what any woman would do in that situation... I took a pregnancy test.
Yes, that's right! We're having another baby! It's a boy, and he's due in early July! We could not be happier and Aubrey is super excited about her "Bebe Bubba" coming soon. ;)
Much like my first pregnancy, this one has been difficult. I assumed it would be but thought I knew what to expect, at least. I was wrong. So here I am at about 26 weeks, still having full-on all day morning sickness, sinus issues, and pretty major weight loss. All manageable symptoms of course but still makes for difficult days, especially while chasing a toddler and keeping up with my business too. So, sadly, the ol' blog has had to take a backseat while I limp through this 9 month stretch.
In an extra fun added bonus, my lump has been acting up as well. I'm not sure if I've ever posted about this before but I have a fibroadenoma tumor in my right breast. It's been there about 5 years, and has been tested and found to be benign so normally I don't even think about it, even though it's about the size of a golf ball! However, the nature of this type of tumor causes it to react to fluctuations in hormones. This pregnancy has been so different with a boy and I guess I have more hormonal action going on, because the lump has swelled to nearly twice it's size, subsequently becoming extremely painful as well. Long story short, I've been talking with an oncological surgeon discussing my options for removal, though for obvious reasons it will have to wait until after the baby is born.
So there you have it. I SO miss blogging and I miss getting to interact with you amazing readers every week, but I just don't have it in me to keep up. I have been collecting ideas, recipes, and all the fun things I like to post about so I can jump right back in in a few months. :)
Feel free to keep the emails coming (we've had TONS of new followers, visitors, and questions from Pinterest!) and I'll keep responding to each of you personally! Also, if anyone would like to do some guest posting, let me know!
In the meantime, best wishes to you all for a wonderful spring and summer and much love from me to you!!
XOXO
Rachael
Showing posts with label about me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label about me. Show all posts
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Friday, June 10, 2011
The most UNBELIEVEABLE month of my life. {True Story}
I hate getting too personal on my blog. I know there is so much room for problems to arise when I open up myself, but I just have to share/vent with you all about the last month of insanity in my life. It's so unbelievable I don't even know how to write about it without it sounding like a bad mini-series plot. But I will do my best...
You already know we decided to move. It was one of those completely random things that just popped up, and was too, too awesome of an opportunity to pass on. That's where it all started. Because of the timing and various other factors, we had about 12 days to pack our entire house and get this done. Okay. No big deal, right? It was stressful and insane, and I had NO IDEA we had SO MUCH CRAP.
So the packing continues... all the while I'm trying to plan guest blogs, finish up my etsy shop orders, close down my shop and pack up all my "Little Birdie" paraphernalia. Somewhere in this period of 12 days, I find out about 18 of my already shipped out orders have just disappeared. {INSERT PANIC ATTACK}
I'm emailing buyers, I'm calling the post office, I'm calling Paypal, I'm doing anything I can think of while I UNPACK my shop and try to re-make all of these orders to be re-sent out. Before we move. I am beside myself... completely.
Come to find out, our mail person has been stealing/stashing/doing who-knows-what with the mail for weeks. WEEKS. I had no idea that ACTUALLY happened in real life. Thankfully, there were others in our route who had the same problems, enabling the USPS to identify the problem, arrest the mail carrier and launch an investigation in hopes of tracking down all the "lost" mail and pressing federal fraud charges against her. All of my U.S. orders go out via carrier pick up, so I knew then I was totally screwed. More emailing, more phone calls...
Finally I have to re-pack all the Little Birdie stuff, keeping aside all the unfinished business of the previous predicament so I can jump right in when we land at our new home.
At last we reach the weekend of the big move...
FRIDAY: We move. YAY! {but there was only a short celebration...} The cable company screwed up the internet installation. Then they mis-charged us for what we ordered. {insert phone battle} 3 days later, all is well.
SATURDAY: rest
SUNDAY: more rest {seriously, it was like I was in a walking coma... too much work/stress leading to the move and I just could not go anymore.}
MONDAY: Finished tying up all the loose ends from the USPS fiasco. Luckily my buyers are all incredibly understanding about it all, but I send them free gifts anyway for not kicking me to the curb. :) Whew. Then.. Oh crap, we're all supposed to go out of town tomorrow. {insert frantic packing} Of course, never mind the fact that we've never made a road trip, or any kind of long distance/long time trip for that matter with the baby. Let alone BY MYSELF for 8 hours with the baby AND the dog.
TUESDAY: Load up the car and leave, 7:30AM
Now the next several days were not so bad. Surprisingly, the drive wasn't horrible and the baby was mellow and cool as always. I should never doubt her awesomeness. Also, I got to hang with my totally awesome parents, they got some great quality time with Baby A, and I got some MUCH NEEDED R&R while Grampa and GiGi took the reins.
We head back home about a week later, another easy trip with an angel baby. Thank you, Lord.
Once we're home, the in-laws decide to bestow an incredible gift upon us. A brand new set of front-loading washer/dryers! Absolutely incredible! They're ordered and expected to arrive in under 2 weeks. We unload the old set that is seriously on it's last thread, and wait excitedly.
FRIDAY: Delivery guys arrive. With TWO washing machines and no dryer. More phone calls... no one knows what happened. Also, no one knows how to fix it.
Many, many, MANY phone calls later the problem is resolved and a new dryer on order to arrive in about 2 more weeks. Ugh. Luckily, we were able to coerce Best Buy into loaning us a dryer in the meantime, as we had already been without laundry for 2 weeks waiting on the first set, and there was NO WAY we were going to make it another 2 weeks. Let' just say this: Don't mess with a chick and her laundry.
At this point, I'm thinking: "Okay, I'm going to start moving towards reopening my shop." I start unpacking and working, and start writing some blogs again just to get back in the swing of things.
YESTERDAY: New dryer has made it to the warehouse in town and is ready for delivery. Oh wait, they ahve the wrong address somehow!! Operator lady tells me it will take 2 WEEKS to fix the paperwork and submit the address change. Seriously? Changing a delivery address takes 2 weeks? Come on!! {More phone calls...}
TODAY: Best Buy finally has their act together, and tells the delivery company to get theirs together too. Delivery scheduled for Tuesday. Almost a month later.
Oh yeah, did I mention that we are also in the middle of a HUGE drought in Texas? We are. Like, big red signs about getting-arrested-if-you're-even-seen-lighting-a-match, huge. As much as it's an inconvenience, it's not a big deal in day-to-day life. It does, however, affect the weather. It's literally too hot to rain. Instead, we get huge thunder bumping clouds, crazy lightning, and the best part... rolling black outs. When it's 100+ degrees outside. For days. Not cool... in more than one way.
Needless to say, shop opening is postponed while we figure out a way to deal with the heat, and the sporadic cutting in and out of electricity and subsequently, internet access. I'm really, REALLY starting to get down on myself because things just keep coming at us. I'm feeling like I'm never going to get my shop opened back up, my blog is all but abandoned, and the most ego-damaging part: I'm seeing my readership decline. :( I worked hours and hours a day {day and night really} to make my blog an interesting place to visit, now I feel like I'm having to start over.
Clearly we've had some issues in the past 6 weeks. Things I could have NEVER in my wildest dreams foreseen, and yet I am still optimistic. I suppose I am offering up this post as an apology. An apology for not getting it together sooner. An apology for letting life knock me down at your expense. However, this is also a promise. I'm posting it here so I am accountable. The following is my pledge to you all:
...
You already know we decided to move. It was one of those completely random things that just popped up, and was too, too awesome of an opportunity to pass on. That's where it all started. Because of the timing and various other factors, we had about 12 days to pack our entire house and get this done. Okay. No big deal, right? It was stressful and insane, and I had NO IDEA we had SO MUCH CRAP.
So the packing continues... all the while I'm trying to plan guest blogs, finish up my etsy shop orders, close down my shop and pack up all my "Little Birdie" paraphernalia. Somewhere in this period of 12 days, I find out about 18 of my already shipped out orders have just disappeared. {INSERT PANIC ATTACK}
I'm emailing buyers, I'm calling the post office, I'm calling Paypal, I'm doing anything I can think of while I UNPACK my shop and try to re-make all of these orders to be re-sent out. Before we move. I am beside myself... completely.
Come to find out, our mail person has been stealing/stashing/doing who-knows-what with the mail for weeks. WEEKS. I had no idea that ACTUALLY happened in real life. Thankfully, there were others in our route who had the same problems, enabling the USPS to identify the problem, arrest the mail carrier and launch an investigation in hopes of tracking down all the "lost" mail and pressing federal fraud charges against her. All of my U.S. orders go out via carrier pick up, so I knew then I was totally screwed. More emailing, more phone calls...
Finally I have to re-pack all the Little Birdie stuff, keeping aside all the unfinished business of the previous predicament so I can jump right in when we land at our new home.
At last we reach the weekend of the big move...
FRIDAY: We move. YAY! {but there was only a short celebration...} The cable company screwed up the internet installation. Then they mis-charged us for what we ordered. {insert phone battle} 3 days later, all is well.
SATURDAY: rest
SUNDAY: more rest {seriously, it was like I was in a walking coma... too much work/stress leading to the move and I just could not go anymore.}
MONDAY: Finished tying up all the loose ends from the USPS fiasco. Luckily my buyers are all incredibly understanding about it all, but I send them free gifts anyway for not kicking me to the curb. :) Whew. Then.. Oh crap, we're all supposed to go out of town tomorrow. {insert frantic packing} Of course, never mind the fact that we've never made a road trip, or any kind of long distance/long time trip for that matter with the baby. Let alone BY MYSELF for 8 hours with the baby AND the dog.
TUESDAY: Load up the car and leave, 7:30AM
Now the next several days were not so bad. Surprisingly, the drive wasn't horrible and the baby was mellow and cool as always. I should never doubt her awesomeness. Also, I got to hang with my totally awesome parents, they got some great quality time with Baby A, and I got some MUCH NEEDED R&R while Grampa and GiGi took the reins.
We head back home about a week later, another easy trip with an angel baby. Thank you, Lord.
Once we're home, the in-laws decide to bestow an incredible gift upon us. A brand new set of front-loading washer/dryers! Absolutely incredible! They're ordered and expected to arrive in under 2 weeks. We unload the old set that is seriously on it's last thread, and wait excitedly.
FRIDAY: Delivery guys arrive. With TWO washing machines and no dryer. More phone calls... no one knows what happened. Also, no one knows how to fix it.
Many, many, MANY phone calls later the problem is resolved and a new dryer on order to arrive in about 2 more weeks. Ugh. Luckily, we were able to coerce Best Buy into loaning us a dryer in the meantime, as we had already been without laundry for 2 weeks waiting on the first set, and there was NO WAY we were going to make it another 2 weeks. Let' just say this: Don't mess with a chick and her laundry.
At this point, I'm thinking: "Okay, I'm going to start moving towards reopening my shop." I start unpacking and working, and start writing some blogs again just to get back in the swing of things.
YESTERDAY: New dryer has made it to the warehouse in town and is ready for delivery. Oh wait, they ahve the wrong address somehow!! Operator lady tells me it will take 2 WEEKS to fix the paperwork and submit the address change. Seriously? Changing a delivery address takes 2 weeks? Come on!! {More phone calls...}
TODAY: Best Buy finally has their act together, and tells the delivery company to get theirs together too. Delivery scheduled for Tuesday. Almost a month later.
Plus, there were alot of "little" things that happened too...
Old washer leaked all over the laundry room. Ruined baseboards.
Old dryer goes on the fritz, shrinks all of hubby's work clothes.
Printer stopped working. No idea why.
Dog got fleas. Trip to vet. Treated house and yard.
Baby's first birthday. Mommy frantically trying to put together a nice party. (Success! Pics to come!)
Oh yeah, did I mention that we are also in the middle of a HUGE drought in Texas? We are. Like, big red signs about getting-arrested-if-you're-even-seen-lighting-a-match, huge. As much as it's an inconvenience, it's not a big deal in day-to-day life. It does, however, affect the weather. It's literally too hot to rain. Instead, we get huge thunder bumping clouds, crazy lightning, and the best part... rolling black outs. When it's 100+ degrees outside. For days. Not cool... in more than one way.
Needless to say, shop opening is postponed while we figure out a way to deal with the heat, and the sporadic cutting in and out of electricity and subsequently, internet access. I'm really, REALLY starting to get down on myself because things just keep coming at us. I'm feeling like I'm never going to get my shop opened back up, my blog is all but abandoned, and the most ego-damaging part: I'm seeing my readership decline. :( I worked hours and hours a day {day and night really} to make my blog an interesting place to visit, now I feel like I'm having to start over.
Clearly we've had some issues in the past 6 weeks. Things I could have NEVER in my wildest dreams foreseen, and yet I am still optimistic. I suppose I am offering up this post as an apology. An apology for not getting it together sooner. An apology for letting life knock me down at your expense. However, this is also a promise. I'm posting it here so I am accountable. The following is my pledge to you all:
I am seriously pulling my sh*t together this weekend and getting things back on track.
Simple as that. I refuse to let anything else get in the way of allowing me to get back to doing what I love: creating. It's going to be a process for sure, and I have lots of ideas of how to be better, so I hope the 213 of you that are left here will stick around to see it. I miss you all terribly... Thanks for sticking it out with me. :)
For now I will leave you with this...
The night we moved in, I dug out these elements specifically to help us get off on the right foot in our new home. Love, Happiness, and some good smellin' Scentsy. ;) It's amazing what a pretty and meaningful vignette can do for your outlook every day. Even my sweet-but-usually-oblivious-to-decor hubby took notice right away. I'll spare you the details but sweet kisses ensued as he told me how much he loved me and was so happy to be starting the next phase of our lives together in our new home.
Me too. :)
XOXO
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Tutorial Tuesday & Linky Party - Cheesy Tortellini Bake
I admit, lately my culinary escapades have fallen off...
Hubby and I were talking the other day about when we first moved in this house. We had been married about 6 months, and although we really always are, right then we were especially drippy with newlywed bliss. We were both working crappy 9-5 jobs that we could easily walk away from at the end of the day, and no real responsibilities at the time.
We cooked every night.
Cooked, listened to our favorite music, and just allowed ourselves to BE.
We are both quite fond of those memories.
Of course, life changes as it has a tendency to do and we got busier and busier as the years passed. Then came the news that I was pregnant and I pretty much stopped cooking. My pregnancy was just months and months of nausea and exhaustion. I couldn't cook- it made me sick. :( So now that Baby A is getting more independent, with a pretty standard schedule from day to day, it's nice to get back in there and be myself again.
This is one of those "cheater" type recipes that I came up with one night while looking for something different for dinner. You know the types, where nothing is actually made from scratch, but the end result would make anyone think you've been slaving in the kitchen all day. I like those kinds. :) And even better: you can make it like 900 different ways depending on what kinds of ingredients you choose. So without further adieu (or babbling...), I would like to introduce you to:
Hubby and I were talking the other day about when we first moved in this house. We had been married about 6 months, and although we really always are, right then we were especially drippy with newlywed bliss. We were both working crappy 9-5 jobs that we could easily walk away from at the end of the day, and no real responsibilities at the time.
We cooked every night.
Cooked, listened to our favorite music, and just allowed ourselves to BE.
We are both quite fond of those memories.
Of course, life changes as it has a tendency to do and we got busier and busier as the years passed. Then came the news that I was pregnant and I pretty much stopped cooking. My pregnancy was just months and months of nausea and exhaustion. I couldn't cook- it made me sick. :( So now that Baby A is getting more independent, with a pretty standard schedule from day to day, it's nice to get back in there and be myself again.
This is one of those "cheater" type recipes that I came up with one night while looking for something different for dinner. You know the types, where nothing is actually made from scratch, but the end result would make anyone think you've been slaving in the kitchen all day. I like those kinds. :) And even better: you can make it like 900 different ways depending on what kinds of ingredients you choose. So without further adieu (or babbling...), I would like to introduce you to:
The Cheesy Tortellini Bake
Here's what you need:
Pasta
{I prefer to use filled pasta for a heartier meal. Don't like tortellini? No problem! Use what you like.}
Sauce
{I buy the cheap kind because I season it myself}
Meatballs
{totally optional, but again adds to the heartiness}
Mozzarella Cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions.
{I cook mine VERY al dente so I have room for extra bake time}
Simmer meatballs in sauce until thawed and warm.
Pour pasta into baking dish, cover with sauce/meatball mix.
Cover {liberally, of course!!} with cheese.
Put in 350 degree oven to bake for 15 min, or until cheese is melty.
Pop on the broiler to toast that cheese just until it's starting to brown.
Cool & Serve.
I also like to whip up a little Texas Toast {from the freezer section} for a little added oomph!
Ta-Da! SUPER easy dinner, and no one is the wiser.
These are the dinners that hubby brings flowers for, haha! And seriously, you CANNOT mess this up. Have I used macaroni noodles when I had no filled pasta? YES.
Have I used string cheese when I had no "real" mozzarella? YOU BETCHA.
Just play with it, I'm sure you foodies out there can come up with some fun variations too!
.......
Now it's time to link up! What have you been working on lately?
{or are you like me with 30 projects in the works and 0 actually finished in time for Tute Tuesday?}
Grab a button if you like, and link up below!
Can't wait to see what you've got this week!!
 |
XOXO
Friday, April 1, 2011
Ultimate Blog Party 2011!
Hey all! For those of you looking to grow your blog, or just to meet some fellow bloggers, here's a great idea!
It's where anyone and everyone out in blogland can link up their blogs for the biggest blog hop on the web. They have special categories so you can fit yourself right in, and even a category just for Dads! I love that!
Don't publish? That's okay too! There's a spot for Facebook links and Twitter, so everyone can play. Go visit 5 Minutes For Mom for more information, and to link up. Last year
I wanted to post a little bit about The Little Birdie here, for any hoppers who don't already know what we're all about...
I am Rachael, first time mom, as well as stay-at-home/work-at-home mom to hubbs and my sweet little girl, Baby A. She rocks our socks, and we just love her to pieces! There is never a shortage of love and kisses in our house. :)
I own a little baby business based on Etsy, The Little Birdie Baby Shop, where I make unique, hand-designed tye dye and batik style onesies for babies newborn to 24 months. I also have a line of cute and colorful boutiqe burpie sets. You never know what might pop up in my shop, as my attention span lends itself to many many projects at once!
This blog, The Little Birdie, is an offshoot of my shop, but actually has very little to do with it, haha! I try to stick with a few themed days throughout the week to keep my busy schedule on track, and to make sure there's always something fun going on when you have a chance to stop by.
Merchandise Monday is dedicated to all things shop and business related. I share my ideas, tricks that have worked for me, and things that I think will help any budding business. I also review other shops, share goods I've been gifted or purchased, and host giveaways from these shops so you can share in all the fun new things I discover!
Tutorial Tuesdays are just that- all about tutorials! I feature one tutorial a week, something I've made or repurposed that anyone can do. {I'm no master crafter, people!} :) Tuesdays tutorial showcase also includes a linky party so you can link up your favorite projects, crafts, or recipes that you've been working on. I look at each and every one of them and always send comments... because I love ya!
Thankful Thursdays I do kind of for myself. It's a moment for me to step back from my busy, hectic schedule and take stock of my life. I think it's all too easy to take the blessings in our lives for granted, so I do this every single week to remind myself that there's always plenty to be thankful for!
Saturdays are dedicated to YOU! I feature all my favorites from the Tuesday linky party, and share your links with the whole gang. :)
Of course, there are other posts throughout the week depending on what's going on, but rest assured there's something for everyone!
Now that I've babbled on and on for FAR too long, I invite you all to take a moment to look around and see exactly what you've been missing! {haha! just kidding! but seriously... stay and hang out!} If you're a new follower, be sure to leave me a comment with a link to your blog, I love to meet new people!
P.S. You can also find me on Facebook & Twitter!
XOXO
It's where anyone and everyone out in blogland can link up their blogs for the biggest blog hop on the web. They have special categories so you can fit yourself right in, and even a category just for Dads! I love that!
Don't publish? That's okay too! There's a spot for Facebook links and Twitter, so everyone can play. Go visit 5 Minutes For Mom for more information, and to link up. Last year
I wanted to post a little bit about The Little Birdie here, for any hoppers who don't already know what we're all about...
...................
I am Rachael, first time mom, as well as stay-at-home/work-at-home mom to hubbs and my sweet little girl, Baby A. She rocks our socks, and we just love her to pieces! There is never a shortage of love and kisses in our house. :)
I own a little baby business based on Etsy, The Little Birdie Baby Shop, where I make unique, hand-designed tye dye and batik style onesies for babies newborn to 24 months. I also have a line of cute and colorful boutiqe burpie sets. You never know what might pop up in my shop, as my attention span lends itself to many many projects at once!
This blog, The Little Birdie, is an offshoot of my shop, but actually has very little to do with it, haha! I try to stick with a few themed days throughout the week to keep my busy schedule on track, and to make sure there's always something fun going on when you have a chance to stop by.
Merchandise Monday is dedicated to all things shop and business related. I share my ideas, tricks that have worked for me, and things that I think will help any budding business. I also review other shops, share goods I've been gifted or purchased, and host giveaways from these shops so you can share in all the fun new things I discover!
Tutorial Tuesdays are just that- all about tutorials! I feature one tutorial a week, something I've made or repurposed that anyone can do. {I'm no master crafter, people!} :) Tuesdays tutorial showcase also includes a linky party so you can link up your favorite projects, crafts, or recipes that you've been working on. I look at each and every one of them and always send comments... because I love ya!
Thankful Thursdays I do kind of for myself. It's a moment for me to step back from my busy, hectic schedule and take stock of my life. I think it's all too easy to take the blessings in our lives for granted, so I do this every single week to remind myself that there's always plenty to be thankful for!
Saturdays are dedicated to YOU! I feature all my favorites from the Tuesday linky party, and share your links with the whole gang. :)
Of course, there are other posts throughout the week depending on what's going on, but rest assured there's something for everyone!
Now that I've babbled on and on for FAR too long, I invite you all to take a moment to look around and see exactly what you've been missing! {haha! just kidding! but seriously... stay and hang out!} If you're a new follower, be sure to leave me a comment with a link to your blog, I love to meet new people!
P.S. You can also find me on Facebook & Twitter!
XOXO
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Thankful Thursday - 3/17/11
~ Family Time. ~
A beautiful day at the park...
A blessed union of two lovely friends...
{and a very tired - but surprisingly well behaved - baby!}
And a fun new toy for our adventurous little monkey!
{who loves feeling the wind in that wild hair of hers!}
It was a perfect weekend, chock full of much needed family time.
I have so much to be thankful for. :)
XOXO
Friday, January 21, 2011
What's Today???
Well it's my birthday, that's what it is!!
That's right... today I am turning the big 2-9!!
No, really.
For reals 29, not like I-started-turning-29-five-years-ago-and-I'm-still-celebrating, haha! Although, maybe you should check back with me in five years, I may very well still be 29 then!!
I wish I had more to share with you all on my very special day, but I think my readership is just not there yet. However, I am so thankful for each and every one of you here supporting me and my little quest for craftiness! My goal for next year's BIG 3-0 is to have enough participating followers to do something really fun. I'm thinking GIVEAWAYS, baby! I mean, what better way to celebrate someone else's birthday than by getting free stuff? ;)
What I CAN do is share the Birthday love by giving everyone else a gift from me! How does 25% off all orders placed today, Jan. 21st. sound?? YAY! Just use coupon code: BIRTHDAY2011, YAY again! (I needed one more YAY this morning!)
What I CAN do is share the Birthday love by giving everyone else a gift from me! How does 25% off all orders placed today, Jan. 21st. sound?? YAY! Just use coupon code: BIRTHDAY2011, YAY again! (I needed one more YAY this morning!)
Until next time, I am happy to have survived another crazy year, and am excited to find out what this year holds for me! Have a piece of cake for me, and don't skimp on the ice cream, okay? I mean, how many times do you actually turn 29??? ;)
XOXO
Monday, January 17, 2011
Merchandise Monday - Getting it Right
Last time I told you all about how I got started. Now, it's time to show you the first "failures" of my idea, haha! It sort of seems like many of the etsy shop owners have been working their magic forever, and just decided to start selling their products. I had an idea but no experience whatsoever in fabric dyeing, so I started with some research and then jumped right in.
Here are some of my first attempts...
Not so great, right? LOL! My technique needed tweaking and I needed some practice. I also had to learn the art of creative patience, because this is just not one of those projects you can rush. Finally, I had a design I was ready to share with the world...
The purple swirl heart! I cannot tell you how excited I was about this one... and it's certainly been a favorite in my shop. I had three orders for this design within the first week of opening my shop. Pretty cool.
Of course, as part of the process, things were constantly evolving. I started out with the Gerber white onesies because they were cheap and really easy to find. Unfortunately, they are not at all true to size, and they were shrinking on me like crazy so I switched to Carter's brand onesies. They're much better quality, they hold up much better throughout the dyeing process, and they come in a wider array of sizes and styles.
As part of the evolution, I also made some design changes. When I'm not happy with an end result, it just won't do no matter what. Besides, I'm putting my name on these products and not only do I want people to like them, I want them to have the best of what I can offer. These were probably the two most drastic evolutions in design (originals on the left, updates on the right).
Quite a change, yes? LOL
Working with color was also fun, and as you can see from the sun onesies, things don't always go as planned. But, you try something else, and eventually it either works out or you just have to scrap it and go on to the next thing.
I read in an Etsy Sucess newsletter that your shop should be constantly evolving. I try to adhere to that as much as possible, not only to keep things fresh for my shoppers, but also to keep things from getting stale for me. :)
Speaking of fresh, I have our little bloggy here a facelift this weekend, I hope you like it as much as I do!
XOXO
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