Some Tough Choices, and A Decision

Five years ago, an idea was born and a little business began. Over the years, time and money had to be allotted elsewhere, but the dream continued to grow and evolve and in 2008, an Etsy shop was opened. Some sales were made and there was the hint of success in the future. A son was born, a break taken, a rebranding and a re-launch. Hopes were high and so was motivation. But there was less time, less money, and while feedback was positive, sales were....mediocre. A new direction opened up - custom invitations. More work, but perhaps more money and the chance to work from home. Numbers were crunched, options were weighed and in the end instincts were trusted. Five years has brought many important lessons, so much fun, and amazing experiences. And although feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, feedback ain't paying the bills.

It is with mixed feelings that I've decided to close my Etsy shop. I can honestly say I've given it everything I am willing to give it right now. But sales are not great and in the end, this is about business, no? I cannot justify time spent away from my son, my friends, my husband, myself anymore. Too much required for too little in return. Running a business is hard work, and if you're going to do it you have to be ready to invest yourself fully and to sacrifice a lot. Now is not the time in my life to sacrifice - I have a chubby-cheeked 8 month old who needs me too much and hopefully more chubby cheeks in the near future. I was starting to lose myself. Free time was a thing of the past, so much time spent marketing, designing, blogging, printing. All fun, but not enough.

Am I sad? Absolutely. Is there a small nagging feeling that I've failed? Totally. Am I at peace with this and sure its what right for me and my family? Definitely. Its been a great ride, but its time to get off. Its time for me to draw and paint and create art for fun again and spend time doing other things that make me happy.

Thanks to everyone who supported me and my shop. I hope you're not disappointed in me - I did my best.

A New Direction?

You know how sometimes you try and steer your life in a certain direction? But the Universe or Life or whatever keeps trying to tug you away in a different one? So you have a choice - continue to press on, despite meeting resistance and that stubborn Universe tugging at your pantleg. OR you can go along for the ride and see where you end up. I think that's what is happening over here. Not a different direction, entirely, but perhaps a narrower focus? Don't mind me and my cryptic musings, I'm just pondering my business and where its going.

I tend to focus entirely on the creative component of my business - I always say I'd be making art and cards even if no one paid me. But ultimately the goal of any business is success and profit, no? And if I'm going to continue, if I'm going to create a business that allows me to stay home with my son, I need to go in the direction of success. And I think its my customers that will tell me which direction that is. I think they're already telling me. So, I'm going to listen.

In the coming weeks, I'll be adding some new visions and ideas into the shop and I'll share them all with you. I'm scared but excited, as I've given myself 6 months to make the shop profitable and successful, so I'm diving in head first. Its make or break time, folks. The pressure is on.e

Cause of the Week - Weekend to End Women's Cancers

By far one of the most popular charities people choose to donate to, breast cancer has touched many of our lives. However, there are other, just as sinister, women's cancers that need our money and attention as well such as Ovarian and Cervical. We have come so far in our fight to end breast cancer, and I think its time to include all women's cancers in that battle.

This is a cause that's weighed heavily on my mind this week. My neighbor, a fabulous, beautiful, put-together woman who is one of the friendliest people you'd ever want to meet, is in hospital right now living out her last days. Her two year-long battle with ovarian cancer is almost over, but she's fought with courage and grace and will leave a proud legacy to her kids and her granddaughter. I can't help but think, if we poured as much time and money and energy into Ovarian cancer research, maybe we could help women like her win their struggles.

So lets do that. Lets help women like her and their families. Lets take the momentum we've gained from the fight against breast cancer and use it to battle all women's cancers. This year, I'm going to walk in the Weekend to End Women's Cancers. Its happening in six Canadian cities, how 'bout you join me?

Good Deed of the Day

Today's good deed comes courtesy of hubs. I am not a mower of lawns. Never have been.Except for the year we were the superintendents of an apartment building and I had to mow that lawn - but that was a riding lawnmower and awesome and therefore doesn't count.

Not to be all "unevolved" and "old fashioned" but I have a dad and a brother, followed by landlords and now a husband - none of whom have ever asked me to mow the lawn, nor would they probably let me even if I wanted to. Men!

Anyhoo, whilst being a lazy bum and reading my book all snuggled with baby and dogs, I spied through the front window hubs doing a good deed that he always does - mowing the neighbors lawn. It was particularly touching today, as said neighbors wife is terminally ill in hospital, so his normally manicured lawn had gotten unruly. But this gesture is standard between our neighbor and my hubs - for the last 3 years whoever mows the front always mows the other person's front lawn too. Ain't it sweet? We have great neighbors. We are lucky people.

So mow your neighbors lawn today. Or, sit back, get your favorite book (I'm reading A Thousand Splendid Suns - AWESOME) and get your hubs to do it. Either way, an easy way to do something nice for someone and get some exercise too!

Cause of the Week - Right To Play

This week's installment of Cause of the Week features one of my favorite causes - Right To Play. The mission of this organization is "To improve the lives of children in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world by using the power of sport and play for development, health and peace" . Sounds good, right? So what's it all about?

Right To Play has 40 top athlete ambassadors to inspire children around the world and generate funding, and a global network of volunteers to carry out its mission on the ground. Through the development of local sports programs, they promote life skills and peace as well as healthy physical and social development. Right to Play is also active in policy research and development. Their symbol, the Red Ball, reads "Look After Yourself, Look After One Another" and I can't think of a better motto for any of us.

If you're looking for a worthy place to send your money, your time or your resources, check out Right To Play. Its a cause close to my heart and one that will hopefully become close to yours.

They like me! They really like me!

Ummmm...can I just say, Booyah!!! That right there my friends, just above this paragraph is MY card from MY shop on THE FRONT PAGE of Etsy! I got home Thursday evening to find that Facebook had put as my status that my shop was on the front page. Although delighted, I was utterly confused until I checked my account and found two message from fellow Etsy sellers telling me that my shop was picked! Thanks Tippy Toes Knits and Buy Some Love! Check out their shops, these girls are uber talented and deserve your business. Special thanks to Tippy Toes for the screenshot.

Those readers that aren't super familiar with Etsy may not realize what a big deal this is. Basically, somebody saw my card and picked it to highlight on the front page, which is seen by EVERYBODY that logs onto Etsy. Its a huge honor to have your item picked from all the wonderful treasures on that site. The views of that card skyrocketed after Thursday and I hope that increased sales will follow.

So somebody certainly did a good deed for me and made my day. Thanks dude:)

Good Deed of the Day

Well, you gotta start somewhere, right? So in the first installment of "Good Deed of the Day", I'm going to highlight an easy good deed that is almost equally inspired by complete and utter laziness.

At my local grocery store, you have to put a quarter in to get a shopping cart which is returned when you return the cart. Now, one of the many logistical nightmares of having a young baby/child is how to get baby and groceries into the car and return your cart, without baby having a tantrum and/or abandoning said baby in the care while the cart is returned.

Soooo, I've started giving my cart away and not taking a quarter from people. Borne out of laziness, partly, but it really puts a smile on people's faces. Its amazing what such a small gesture can do! Yesterday, I gave my cart to a woman and she practically exploded in a grin, wished me a wonderful day and had an extra spring in her step!

Such a little thing can make a difference in someone's day. What did you do today to make someone's day better?

Your Mom wants a card.

To go with your insightful and considerate gift, you'll need a Mother's Day card. Might I suggest?

You'll find this card in the shop now!

Yo' Mama.

Wondering what to get Mom for Mother’s Day? I know I’m always stumped- how to find something unique and personal, fitting for such an important occasion.

This year, I’m all about hand stamped jewellery. This bracelet, courtesy of Etsy seller The Vintage Pearl, sells AMAZING hand stamped jewellery perfect for Mom. Guaranteed to bring tears to her eyes, especially if she’s a still-hormonal first-time Momma like myself!

I just happened to have received a bracelet just like this with my son’s name stamped on it. Hubs can’t wait more than 24 hours after purchasing a gift to give it, hence my early-April Mother’s Day! Little does he know the real gift is that I’m not getting out of bed that day till noon, come hell or high water! Ha!

Also check out Etsy seller sTuck in the Coop for fabulous hand stamped jewellery.

For the new Momma or Momma-to-be, how about a wrap? Essential in those early days when having two free hands is a distant memory, wraps and slings allow Mom to get things done as well as enjoy snuggles with the wee babe. And if you have a colicky little darling? Let me tell you, a wrap is a must-have – my precarious sanity was saved in those first 3 months by my wrap. It was literally the ONLY thing that would shut my son up, and there is something to be said for precious silence, am I right Moms?

This wrap is courtesy of Etsy seller Snuggy Baby, who I’ve heard great things about. Also check out Lovey Duds on Etsy for wraps and slings.

Um, how cute is THIS? Its a tea bag cozy! Holding up to 4 tea bags at a time, you can throw it in your purse, diaper bag, whatever and go! And in a snazzy Amy Butler fabric to boot. This one is courtesy of Etsy seller Rubys Playground.

When you’re just not sure what to get for Mom and you want to go with an old standby, you can’t go wrong with bath products. That is, assuming she actually takes baths/likes bath products. Don’t give your Mom this stuff if she’s a quick shower kinda gal. Just don’t. Its a shame to let it go to waste.

Soaps and other goodies from You Stink are on my list for a Mother’s Day gift to myself. Uber popular with my friends, You Stink has delicious looking/smelling/sounding products in all kinds of smells and forms. Try this Watermelon Whipped Soap for a special treat. How Yummy is that!? Image courtesy of You Stink.

Where Your Money Goes - Kiva.

Since we're all about giving 'round here, each month I donate a portion of profits to a worthy cause. Since this money is really yours, I thought you might like to know where it went and what it does. So every once in awhile, I'm going to pop in here and highlight a charity or cause that you and your money is now helping to support.

This month, actually the past few months, I've been giving to Kiva. If you've never heard of it, get your buns on over to their website and check it out. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more worthy cause. I get all excited just thinking about the amazing work they do!

Kiva is all about facilitating microfinance between people like you and me and entrepreneurs in the developing world, thereby creating a global lending community. The gist is this: you go on Kiva's website and find an entrepreneur you'd like to support. You donate some money,the money is distributed by Kiva's field partners, and as they build their business they pay you back. You can then reinvest the money in another entrepreneur. Pretty cool huh? The process promotes dignity, accountability and transparency, and allows someone in the developing world to change their life. And, almost 83% of loans have been distributed to female entrepreneurs. Go ladies!

I hope you're inspired to give more to Kiva. Its a sustainable, sensible way to help and your heart can feel happy knowing that you've helped someone help themselves.

*All images courtesy of Kiva.org

A New Direction.

(image courtesy of socialearth.org)

If you read my last post, you saw that I am in the process of re-thinking this blog; its content and its purpose. In doing so, I sat down and thought about my Etsy shop and what its really about. Art and design? Sure, my cards feature my original artwork and I love design. Entrepreneurship? Definitely. Its my little foray into the world of owning one's own business. But neither of these subjects really captures what my shop is about. And while worthy topics for a blog both, neither made me feel passionate about writing.

(image courtesy of arimoore)

Giving. That's the purpose of my shop. That lights a fire in me. That makes me want to write. Taking the time to pick out a handcrafted card for someone, to fill its blank space with your own words and thoughts and well-wishes, and delivering it to that person with the purpose of brightening their day. That's why I make my cards. That's why I think, in this age of electronic impersonal communication, you should take the time to send a hand-written note. You should buy handmade. You should put real thought into the gifts you give and the notes you write. You should think about those around you, how you can help them, what you can do in your own little way to make a difference. You should think of the earth and how to play a part in saving it. You should consider those less fortunate and try to have an impact in a place far from your own comfortable spot in the world. We should all do these things. But its not always easy, is it? We often need a reminder, sometimes a point in the right direction, a kick in the seat of the pants. (Butt seemed a little too harsh, I'm trying to be eloquent here)

Which brings me to the new face of this blog. No longer will I bore you with mundane details about the daily goings on of my little business. Well, sometimes I will. But I'll talk about other stuff too:) So, I'm going to help you and me give a little bit. Little giving and big giving. To our neighbors and to those far away. On special occasions or for no reason. I'm so excited about this new direction that I feel like writing a billion posts right now. Instead I should probably brush my teeth and get my life together before the Chubblers wakes from his nap.

So I'll leave you with this, some insight into what you'll be seeing in the new blog. I can't wait:)

• Good Deed of the Day - I'm going to do one good deed a day and I'm going to make you do them too.
• Gift Guides - wondering what to get your Mom for mother's day? Or the quilter/golfer/sports nut etc in your life? Or the nurse that delivered your baby? I'm going to help you do that.
• Where Your Money Goes - I'm big on giving back and every month I give a portion of proceeds from my Etsy shop to a worthy charity. Each month I'll feature which charity I've selected for that month and explain how you can give too.
• Cause of The Week - I'll tell you where to focus your attention and your giving. And I'll ask you to give me ideas about this too!
• Etsy Finds - Etsy is all about quality, handmade, local goods and you can't go wrong shopping there for your thoughtful gifts. I'll help you find the best thats out there.

Stay tuned! I hope you're excited too.

My Blog IS Boring...

Whilst perusing Etsy the other day I came across this article, which outlines some of the biggest mistakes made by bloggers and why most blogs are boring. Uhhh....guilty! (shamefully raises hand) Sadly, I've made most of the mistakes listed in the article and I admit, I find it tough to keep up with blogging because I wonder, what am I really blogging about? Who am I blogging to? It feels directionless and sort of random.

So changes are in the air, friends. I'm forming a more cohesive theme for this blog as we speak, one that will be more appealing and interesting to you folks. If there are any of you out there, that is!

Stay tuned!

New In Shop

End of the Week Reflections

Anticipation.

My first Etsy sale really has me excited for what's to come. There's a lot of hard work ahead, and one sale does not a successful business make, but there's certainly hope! There's much anticipation in our household this week - our upcoming mini vacay in Ottawa for March Break, signing the papers for our new home, and as always waiting to see what new things The Chubblers learns to do each and every day.

This week has me hugging my loved ones a little tighter. Hearing about the tragic death of an OPP officer and the agonizing decision two young parents had to make in the life of their tiny son gives me shivers and makes me feel very lucky.

Inspiration comes from unlikely places. In my travels through an online mommy forum, I heard about this blog and came across the most lovely and tear-jerking birth story you could imagine. Beautiful. And now I'm obsessed with the blog and read it daily. If you're looking for beautiful photography and words, this is the place to get it. She's going to be on CNN next week too - her story has really caught on.

Nothing too deep this week, just some thoughts from the past few days. Likely won't be posting much until late next week as we're off to explore Ottawa for a few days. Don't forget to change your clocks this weekend folks!

First Etsy Sale

Woot! Woot! (really obnxious I know, sorry)

My new shop's first sale! A momentous occasion and a huge relief. I admit, I had worry in the back of my mind ("what if no one buys anything from me? Ever!?"). But that is now relieved and I feel even more excited and positive about the shop. So thank you, purchaser of my Flower Thank You Card, you have made my day friend.

Its sunny here and the air is crisp and cool. I think a walk with the Chubblers and the doggies are in order. Hope you have a lovely day.

Pretty Things - SPRING!

I feel like a recharged battery today. What a weekend (at least here in the GTA!) - the weather was just stunning. Sunny, seasonably warm, the promise of spring creeping in slowly and warming me to the bone. I didn't realize just how blah and grey this winter had me feeling until it got all warm and bright outside and I felt like grabbing my cutest spring dress and a pair of sandals and playing outside all day! But because I'm sensible and its really not that warm yet, I put on a heavy sweater and some runners and played outside all day instead! Yesterday especially, made me feel like spring was on its way - a delicious brunch shared with fabulous friends (who brought uncooked cookie dough and tulips as a housewarming gift - BEST housewarming gift ever thank you very much!) and then a muddy trip to the dog park which wore us all out. Fabulous.

In honor of my annoyingly chipper mood, here are some Etsy finds that make me think of spring. Happy looking!

Ava Gardens necklace by Rachel D - love the deep colors!

Cotton Candy Rose Cloche by Monkey and Me Frills - can you even deal with the cuteness?!

Lovely Gardenia by millenerium - sometimes I want to get married again so I can wear things like this!

Felt eggs and twigs nest by plytextiles - Adorable. Just adorable

Hope you're having a great day wherever you are and whatever the weather!

New In Shop

Check 'em out! The first listings in the Etsy shop!

End of the Week Reflections

Grateful. That would describe how I feel today. Its been a busy week and a tough one, filled with cutting teeth, coughing babies, tired Mommas and Etsy shop openings. But, as I sit here in my comfy house with my steaming cup of coffee, my little babe asleep is his crib, and listening to the pitter pat of my dog's feet as they run around the house, I can't help but be happy. The shop is open and I'm ecstatic - I'm really hoping that things take off and that my preparation pays off. But if it takes awhile, that's cool too. I'm just happy to be back! Other things I'm grateful for? We're about to buy our dream house, where we'll raise our kids and make our memories and we're so lucky to be able to do that. We have our health and our little guy is on the mend. As my neighbor battles cancer in the house beside me, I try to cherish my good health and remember that I'm lucky to have it. I have lots of great new friends that I've made since becoming a Momma and its opened up a whole new social world for me. And its almost spring! The days are getting longer and warmer and we've been spending more time outside - makes me feel like a new woman!

Highlights of this week:

Starting and finishing Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. You know how some books just speak to you? This one shouted at me. Loved it.

Clearly opening the Etsy shop is a highlight!

Lowlights:

The Chubblers getting bronchiolitis and sounding like an old man with emphysema and then cutting his second tooth at the end of the week. Poor kid. Pooor Momma.

The end of the Olympics. I feel like my best friend just moved away, KWIM?

Hope you've got some fun plans for the weekend. For us, its off to our last baby swimming lesson tomorrow and brunch on Sunday with some old friends and their dog, then off for a romp in the dog park! Goal for the weekend: take lots of pictures and journal! I want to remember these days. Happy weekend y'all:)

The Etsy shop is OPEN!

That's right, we're finally open! After we lost our internet literally the day before the shop was supposed to open, its finally back up and running and we're off! To kick things off I'm having a grand opening sale - 10% off your order, to be refunded via PayPal. Don't stampede each other running to the shop please! The first 3 items are listed, more to be added each day so keep checking back! I'm so excited!

End of the Week Reflections.

Here's another tentative feature I'd like to try out - looking back on the week and evaluating it in terms of my business and life in general. We'll see how she goes.

It was a busy week life-wise, but a slow one work-wise. Business cards arrived from VistaPrint (yay!) and I slowly plugged away at the computer, creating and saving card templates, printing samples and packaging inventory. I must say, this is not my favorite aspect of the business - I hate the drudgery of fiddling and editing and packaging - I just want to open that shop and get going. Alas, this is necessary drudgery - as I learned the last time, having all your ducks in a row before opening your Etsy shop makes for much less heartache in the long run.

Low point of the week: The Chubblers is sick. Is there anything sadder than a phlegmy baby cough? I think not. Snuggles are definitely in order.

High point: The social aspect of being SAHM. I got to see lots of fellow mommy (and a soon-to-be-mommy) friends and made lots of plans with others for the weeks to come. I'm faaar to busy to have a full time job- this mommy/socialite business is hard work! But in all seriousness, its one of the best parts of mommyhood and an unexpected perk, that so many great people have been brought into my life this year. I'm one lucky gal.

Looking to next week...

Business-wise, the shop will be open! Yay! I have to bust my butt this weekend to get all my samples printed and photographed and in all honesty, that likely won't happen. We have a busy weekend ahead so best case scenario I'd like to have at least 5 designs photographed and ready for posting March 1st. The rest I can do a little of each day. I can't wait for this - I'm really hopeful that my preparation this time around will pay off with more sales and faster than last time!

Life-wise, well, we're getting rid of TV. Which is probably a good thing because I'm all TV'd out after the Olympics. We're going to download whatever shows we want to watch but cable is done. I'm proud of us actually, but its going to be strange without that big loud box blaring away in the living room. We might actually have to talk to each other. Ugh. Lol:)

So that's my end of the week reflection, nothing too deep this week. Perhaps in coming weeks I'll explore issues in the news that have caught my eye and any other musings I may have done as well.

Happy Weekend y'all!

Pretty Things.

Sigh. I could spend all day looking at photography and design blogs/websites. In fact, if I didn't have a chubby little man who needs me alot of the time, I probably would spend all day looking at these sites. And don't even get me started on Etsy. My credit card starts vibrating when I type in Etsy's url. I can hear it humming away even in another room, my heart starts skipping beats and I hyperventilate while simultaneously wishing I had oodles of disposable income to spend on handmade goods.

Ideally, I'd like to start posting some regular features on this blog related to design, stationery, and well, life. Hopefully I can outsmart Mr. Procrastination and actually achieve this. My first idea is Etsy Finds. Each week I'd like to just post some things that have caught my eye on Etsy; maybe they'll have a theme and maybe they won't. Just some mindless, fun eye-candy. Remember, support local (and un-local) artists and artisans. There really is nothing like buying handmade.

This week's theme? Yellow and grey. I loooove yellow and grey. Yes, I know its trendy and yes I know I'll be sick of it next year. But for now, love.

Yellow Birds on Gray Tile by LuckyBlueBirdArt

Sadie Handbag by DancingDahlias

Grey and yellow wedding ring pillow by TheBloomingSouth

Stickers by SunshineandRavioli

Baby bib by Turtleparktots

The Bucket List.

Did you see that movie? Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman - touching and hilarious at the same time. My dad loved it. He uses the saying "never trust a fart" from that movie all. the. time. A profound commentary on aging that really spoke to the old guy I guess!

Anyway, while perusing my friend Tim's blog (check it out in the right column, its really quite a fun and interesting read) I came across his Not-a-Bucket List and it inspired me to write my own. I get all squirmy and happy when I think about this list because it makes me so excited for the future, for all the wonderful and strange and exciting things that life brings our way.

Here we go, in no particular order:

1. Re-learn French (I can understand slooowww conversations but can barely string a sentence together anymore) and at least two more languages. I taught myself conversational Russian and a few other languages when I was about 12 and I've always had a passion for language. What, like everyone doesn't learn the Cyrillic alphabet for fun over summer vacay? What a geek.

2. Learn to scuba dive. Its one of my hubs' great passions and although I'm slightly terrified of death by air bubble, I'm half mermaid and love the water so I think facing my fear will come with many great rewards.

3. Visit the teensy Romanian town in Transylvania that my mom's family is from. I don't know any of our relatives over there and I'd love to learn about my family history and language. Fun and Interesting Fact - this side of my family is the result of an affair between a Count and his maid. Hence, we have no claims to any of his land, wealth etc. Bummer. But a scandalous and interesting story I'm sure.

4. Journal. Document my life. I think its why I like blogging and reading the blogs of others - I just find life so fascinating and I want to make sure mine doesn't go by undocumented.

5. Sail around the world when we've had our kids and they're old enough to remember the experience. We learned to sail a few years ago and uncovered a huge passion for it, both of us love it, and we want to explore the world this way and homeschool our kids for a year. FYI - read the book An Embarassment of Mangoes - its what really put the idea in our heads.

6. Become a runner. I should just give this one up - I suck at running, I don't really like it all that much but I just can't give up the dream of trotting along gracefully, smile on my face and wind in my hair, running not because I have to but because I love it. It feels like it would be very freeing. My current reality involves endless procrastination to drag my arse out the door followed by me schlepping along the pavement, sweaty and blotchy, unleashing a string of expletives and vowing never to do this again. This will change. It simply must. I envision myself as a runner one day.

7. Give birth naturally. This was my plan last time. Little did I know I am not the boss. The boss decided to come two weeks late after 76 hours of labor. I would have driven spikes through my eyeballs before I endured five more minutes of pain after that. Next time though, I'm sure I'll have a more cooperative kid who'll let me cross this one off the list.

8. Become reaaally good at photography. I absolutely love this form of art but I am mediocre at best. It will be a life long journey but one that I'll relish.

9. Write a book. Writing is part of who I am and I really don't do it enough anymore. Fun Fact: I wrote a novel when I was 13. For fun. Well, sort of for fun and sort of for extra credit in English class. Its actually not bad. But I'd like to write a better book, and this time I'll type it instead of writing out 96 pages in a spiral notebook. Less tiring on the hands.

10. Spend at least a week volunteering in a hospital in a developing country. I've always planned to work overseas (I used to want to work for the U.N.) but I think I'd really like to have my home in Canada and travel to countries that need volunteer nurses. Good life lessons there for the kiddies too.

11. Drive/camp across Canada. As a general rule, Canadians don't see nearly enough of their own country. I'd like to not be part of that statistic.

12. Learn to play golf. Like a grown up. Serious golf, meaning that I actually hit some shots and don't end up drunk and with sunstroke.

13. Travel to pretty much everywhere. I know, a way too general and random item but seriously, my dad has been EVERYWHERE and I would like to go there too. Tops on that list: Paris, Costa Rica, Fiji, Hawaii (again), London (again) and South Africa. I have to stop wanting to go back to places I've already been though or I'll never get everywhere I want to go!

14. Have dinner somewhere cool with Anthony Bourdain. I enjoy his wit, his sarcasm and his great love for good food and drink. I bet he has some wild stories.

15. Swim with dolphins. They're just so darn cute.

16. Buy a potter's wheel and make my own pottery.

17. Live in another country for one year with my family. Again, great life experience for the kiddies and a good way to really learn about another culture.

18. Learn to surf. It would make me feel cool.

19. Go on a Scandinavian cruise. Just cause.

20. Do one totally selfless thing every day. Consistently. Forever.

21. Take one interesting photograph a day. At least. I'm a visual person and in addition to a written account, I want to document my life in pictures.

22. Teach. Something. To someone. I'm not picky.

23. Begin a serious, enduring Yoga practice. Two Sun Salutations while watching Breakfast Television every three weeks does not count. That's my current Yoga practice. There's room for improvement.

24. Start and run a successful stationery business. (I'm working on it! Buy my stuff, would ya?)

25. Fly first class on British Airways. I enjoy that airline and I really feel like First Class is where I belong. I doubt even I could be scared of flying in First Class. It just wouldn't be glamorous to be afraid.

26. Build our own dream house, live as off-the-grid as we can, grow most of our own food and generally life a very conscious, sustainable lifestyle. A very trendy sort of goal at the moment but I've had it for awhile so I'm actually ahead of the game, not a follower like the rest of them.

27. Become a lactation consultant. Breastfeeding was one of the greatest struggles I've ever worked through and only in the last month or so have I really felt its reward. I want to help other women get through those tough first few months as I would not have made it this far without my lactation consultants.

28. Go to the Olympics. I am super crazy in my Olympic fanatacism. I can tell you who won the 1964 Summer Olympics floor exercise (Vera Caslavska from Czechoslovakia, who trained by swinging on trees while in hiding from the Soviets) and the 1972 100m dash (Valery Borzov). I told you I'm a geek. I think I should get free tickets in exchange for proving my knowledge of Olympic trivia.

29. Be on TV for something. I don't care what, I just want my fifteen minutes like everyone else.

30. Have a booth in the One of A Kind Show. I go twice a year and pine and yearn to sell my stationery in my very own booth. For some reason it represents a level of success in my business to me.

There are at least a hundred more items on that list, I'm sure but you're probably sick of me already and I'm watching Canada slaughter Russia in Olympic hockey right now and they need me cheering.

Sneak Preview

My silence is a good sign. I'm working hard on getting my new designs edited and printed. And by working hard I mean peeling my eyeballs away from the Olympics long enough to work on about five cards a day. At this pace, the Olympics and I will be done at the same time. I hope you're enjoying watching our athletes kick butt as much as I am - what a great swell of pride I feel watching them achieve their dreams.

But back to me... here are some sneak preview pictures of what you can expect to see in the Etsy shop when it opens. March 1st, my friends, March 1st. My little Chubblers 6 month birthday. A fitting occasion, dontcha think? Enjoy!

And so it begins.

As I type this I am in the process of editing and doing layout for my newest line of cards. So exciting! Finally, finally, FINALLY all of our computer woes are resolved and its time to get going! I'm so very excited about these designs - they're fresh, funky and fun, all the things I like my cards to be. There's a lot of designs to layout and samples to print but I'm on my way and I hope to be done this part of the process by the middle of the week.

On another note, its important to me to give back. Really, really important. I've always had a strong sense of social responsibility and I feel as though if I'm going to pursue this venture which I am so fortunate to be able to do, and which brings me so much joy, I should find a way to do something good because of it. I want to donate part of my monthly profits to a worth cause, or causes. Haiti comes to mind, of course, but also Kiva , an amazing organization that facilitates micro loans to entrepreneurs in developing nations. It promotes self reliance, sustainable development, entrepreneurship, skill development, I could go on. So I think this is where my, and your, money will go. That way, when you buy a fun card from me you can feel good in your heart that you're bringing joy to two people - the recipient of your card, and the entrepreneur whose life you're helping to improve.

A win-win, no?

New Business Card design..

While I wait for my computer woes to be resolved, check out my new business card designed by Shanice at Simplee Stated! Ain't it pretty?

Those ants are still in my pants..

And the waiting continues.....

Our old computer kicked the can, so we bought a new one. New one came, Photoshop installed, all set to print cards. New computer kicks the can. ARRRGHH! So we're waiting for either a replacement or for the new computer to be fixed. My poor old laptop just cannot handle Photoshop so I wait, dreams and designs dancing in my head, tons of designs ready to be printed, photographed and listed in my shop. And yet, I can't do any of it. Sigh.

Waiting is pure agony.

I have ants in my pants. As eager as I am to get going on inventory for my Etsy shop, its all on hold while our main computer gets fixed and has Photoshop re-installed. Agony! Patience, its never been one of my virtues! This weekend should see the computer issue solved, hopefully next week will see designs revamped and samples printed and photographed. Feb 1st is my deadline for the Grand Opening!

New Banner...Woot Woot!

Check out my new banner! I'm super pumped about it! It was created by the very talented Shanice, a fellow Etsy-ian (Etsy-er?) at Simplee Stated. She's also working on an Etsy avatar, sale banner, thank you graphic and business card design for me. Her prices are excellent, she's great to work with and as you can see her work is gorgeous! Definitely send your business her way!