Keep your Head Up!

I’m very happy to be starting up our blog again.  I hope members of our team can find something here that will help them in some small way.  I know that my posts are always very similar, but I tend to write about what is on my mind. 

 

I found myself out in my garden, if you want to call it that, the other day.  I like to garden but somehow my summer got away from me and I really didn’t spend as much time there as I would have liked.  It is more like a garden of weeds.  I was walking along and was feeling discouraged about it when I saw several of the sunflowers that I had planted at the end of the "rows".  They were tiny but lovely.  My thought was that even in the midst of a failed project something beautiful still emerged.  As more time has passed even more sunflowers have popped their heads up and flourished in spite of everything.

I hope that we can look past any possible product and shop mistakes and learn and grow from them.  We can be like a sunflower and flourish in spite of the challenges.  A mistake sometimes leads to the inspiration for a new product line or shop idea.   Keep your heads up and smile!  

"Keep your face to the sunshine
and you cannot see the shadow.
It's what sunflowers do."
 Helen Keller

Crazed Momma

(Naquai)

Family Fun... Pick Your Own!

Yesterday we went as a family to go pick plump, juicy, ripe and ready Strawberries!!  This is an activity we do every year, and not only with strawberries as we also go again in July for Raspberries and in September for Apples!  It's a really fun way to do something together as a family... and it doesn't end in the field either because when you get home you get to start making yummy treats with your fresh picked produce.  Mmmm berry cobblers and smoothies...

Curious whether or not there are any Pick-Your-Own farms in your local area?  Check out http://pickyourown.org/ to find a list of farms and what they offer.  It's always a good idea to call ahead to make sure that they are indeed in picking season and ask about hours and prices.  Have fun picking!

SUMMERTIME!!

So it is finally here..SUMMER!!!  I know for me it used to be that my list of "to do" became smaller.  :)  The only real thing I had planned was summer swim lessons for the girls and we spent our time hanging out and enjoying whatever we felt like enjoying.

Now that I have four girls and they are spread out in age in seems like summer is even more busy than the school year.  I have difficulty adjusting to the "no schedule schedule" that we seem to have to adopt for these three months.  In between the camps, lessons, reunions, holidays, gardening, church, business etc.  that goes on it seems like I again lose time for just me.

Having compared schedules with the other Etsy Mommies leaders I see that we are all in the same boat.  We are all flying around trying to do this or that and despite it being "vacation" we have more going on than we thought.    This is not something that is specific to people with children either.  With the addition of technology to our lives (which I am grateful for because it allows us to have businesses) it seems that there is never a spare moment in the day.

I would encourage all of us to try and take a minute or two each day to do something for ourselves.  Whatever you like to do just for you, try to squeeze it in because it is important for your mental as well as your physical health.  I know that when I feel a little more rested I am able to accomplish more.

We all are striving to make our lives as well as our businesses a success and I believe that taking time for ourselves each day can help us achieve that goal.  Good luck and I hope you enjoy your "summer vacation."

Image courtesy of CanStockPhoto

A not planned lesson

So my last post had promises of new photos from my NEW photo box that I was going to make.

Well alas,   It never got completed. I have a cut up cardboard box sitting at my work area. I thought that since I was using this as my post I would get it done even though I don't even have the time to make new items for my shop with all the new material I have just sitting around.

So this months lesson from me is....

Dont say you are going to do something that you can't commit to. Use this lesson in whatever part of your busy mommy life you can. Next month Photo Box part two.... I promise ;)

- Jaclyn

My Two Sons By Chaya

After several months of trying unsuccessfully to have a baby, we adopted our first son.

He was nine pounds when we brought him home, and had gorgeous blue eyes. He was very clingy and would cry constantly if we did not hold him all the time. He didn't sleep through the night for the first couple of months.

I'd say that almost exactly at the time he started sleeping through the night, we found out we were expecting a baby the natural way. During a rough pregnancy, Monty (my first son) grew by leaps and bounds. He learned to do all kinds of exciting things, and we fell in love.

When my second son was born (Ethan), Monty welcomed him home with a gentle and curious touch. As the two boys (just 11 months apart) grew, they came to be great friends. Sometimes they play together, sometimes they fight a little over toys and attention, but they are very loved.

Just a note, Monty is a dog...a Weimerainer...Ethan is a human! I love my family!

Happy Mother's Day!

Before I was a Mom
I made and ate hot meals.
I had unstained clothing.
I had quiet conversations on the phone.

Before I was a Mom,
I slept as late as I wanted
And never worried about how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was Mom
I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words of lullabies.

Before I was a Mom
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom
I had never been puked on
Pooped on
Spit on
Chewed on
Peed on
Or pinched by tiny fingers

Before I was a Mom
I had complete control of:
My thoughts
My body
And my mind.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child
So that doctors could do tests
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
When I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
Could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a Mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
Could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay
I had never known the warmth
The joy
The love
The heartache
The wonder
Or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom. 
 Author Unknown

 

Definition of "Mom"

It is my privilege again to write a post for this month.  Of course one of the things on my mind is Mother's Day.  My Etsy Shop seems to revolve around holidays quite a bit.  I find it unfortunate that it seems like we have to celebrate each holiday two months in advance because for the most part Etsy is about business.  :)

With the thought of Mother's Day I automatically think of our team.  I will be always grateful to Vickie for creating the team.  It has made a huge impact in my life.  One of the things that I get concerned about though is our name.  Yes, for the most part we are a team of mothers who are in different stages of life but I would hate for our name to define who is welcome to join.  I believe that some people see "Etsy Mommies" and believe that for whatever reason they don't have children they should be excluded.  This is very much not the case.

I know the official term for mother is someone who has mothered a child whether it be naturally or through adoption but I believe mothering is more about nurturing others in any capacity.  Everyone is capable of this, even gentleman.  So I would like our team members and those considering membership to feel like we are a team of nurturers.  People who assist others in reaching their full potential and support them in their times of need.

So once again as it states in our welcome, we welcome anyone who is a mommy, loves his or her mommy or I might add wants to help "mommy" others in their journey towards success on Etsy.

Thanks for reading my rambling thoughts.  Have a great month!

Crazed Momma
(Naquai)

BNS/BNR An Insider's Perspective By Chaya

One of my main roles on the Etsy Mommies team has become being a co-curator for our team BNS and BNR. Since we have just relaunched the blog and the team BNS, I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to explain some about BNS/BNR and describe my experiences from playing them.

A BNS is a "BUY AND STAY." It is a sales promotion game on Etsy that encourages sellers to meet with, chat with, and buy from other Etsy sellers. Any Etsy seller can participate in a BNS if he/she wants to. To play in a BNS, find an open BNS treasury( can be found on team threads, from friend invites, from searching Etsy treasury for BNS). You will notice that there is a treasury featuring 16 shops. To get a round in the next version of the BNS, make a purchase from one of the shops featured in the treasury(any item not just the items featured). Each BNS has slightly different rules regarding minimum purchases and such, so check the treasury for details.

A BNR is a "BUY AND REPLACE." It is also a sales promotion game on Etsy. It is similar to the BNS in that you buy from a featured shop in a treasury. It is different from a BNS, however, because you take the spot of the featured shop immediately rather than waiting for a next round.

So which is better? Its mainly a personal preference. With a BNR, you often get a carryover if you do not sell...something you usually do not get in a BNS. Also, BNR's move very fast and it can be fun to get instant sales. On the other hand, you can get more than one sale per shop with a BNS.

Do I play? Yep! For me, they have been great. I have gotten lots of neat items from a great variety of shops. I have also made lots of friends, and I have gotten lots and lots of sales. They were very helpful in getting me views, positive feedback, and a client base when I was just starting out.

So, is it right for you? Well, you just have to play to find out!

Being Positive

Hello team members,
As the captain of our wonderful team it is my privilege to write one of the first posts as we relaunch our blog.  I have thought often of what I should write and how I can best help our members in the best way.

I know that the majority of our members are mothers or very busy career women or both and thus do not have as much time as they would like to devote to their shops and Etsy careers.  This can be frustrating and discouraging.

One or our members actually reached out and wanted to know if others felt overwhelmed and discouraged when trying to juggle all the many things that are asked of us on a daily basis.  I believe the answer was a resounding YES!

As I told her then I believe that it is a matter of giving ourselves credit for the things we are able to accomplish.  I am amazed at our team members and the beautiful things they create even in the limited amount of time they have.

I am going to try to take my own advice and learn to accept my limitations and be glad and pleased with what I CAN do.

I hope you will do the same for yourself.

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. - Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Crazed Momma

(Naquai)

Favorite Holiday Recipe!

Hello Mommies!
I thought it would be fun to share our favorite recipes for celebrating the holidays.  For those who participate and sign up for the blog or have already signed up and share a recipe you will be entered into a drawing to win a set of bobby pins from Crazed Momma Creations.  The drawing will be held on December 15th.  I look forward to your posts!  Happy Holidays!!

Crazed Momma
 (Naquai)

The Players Are:

Team Etsy Mommies wanted to kick off the second post of the team blog by introducing the Etsy Mommies leaders:

Greenperidot, Captain:
Green's real name is Vickie Fisher.  She is the captain and founder of the wonderful Team Etsy Mommies!
Vickie is from the small southwestern Alabama town of Thomasville.  She currently lives in Florida.  She has three kids, Logan 13, Cole 10, and Anna 8.  She has a lovely jewelry shop on Etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Greenperidot?ref=pr_shop_more

Vickie first started making jewelry 10 years ago after the birth of her second child to help her transition from a full time professional to a full time stay at home mom.  Vickie said, "it was difficult to make the transition from being a professional and (then) morphing into the 24/7 caregiver to a 3 year old and a colicky newborn, so making jewelry started out as therapy!"

Vickie states that her children really don't like her having an etsy shop.  They like for her 24/7 to be a mommy!  They have learned not to hinder the process, but still haven't embraced it yet.   : )

She finds inspiration for her craft in nature.  She tries to use the colors she sees everyday in her designs, for example the blues of the oceans nearby.  Her favorite part of being an Etsy mommy is being able to do something that is all hers but still be at home for her children.

Vickie's favorite superhero is Wonder Woman because she feels like she should be "wearing a cape most days."  She loves to eat snickers with diet coke and her favorite color is purple.

CrazedMommaCreations, Leader:
CrazedMomma's real name is Naquai (nuh kwi with a long i).  She is a team leader with specialization in the weekly BNS, answering team questions and helping organize the blog.  She is originally from Texas but went to college in Utah, married a local boy and has been in Utah ever since.  She has four daughters ages 17, almost 15, 8, and 3.

In her shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrazedMommaCreations  Naquai sells glass, acrylic and bottle cap magnets, bobby pin sets, and party favor bottle cap necklaces.  She has always liked crafts.  Her daughters made her some magnets and this inspired her to start her Etsy store.  Her daughters (and the digital art creators of Etsy) inspire her to try new things and she has fun testing her new products with help from her girls.  She hopes to add new items to her shop in the future.

Naquai loves the "family aspect" of being on the Etsy Mommies team.  She stated that she had previously resisted being on a team because she is generally a "to herself" kind of person, but that she has really enjoyed finding others who are "making the same journey and having some of the same struggles."

Naquai loves superheros in general, but her favorite is probably Wolverine because he is like her husband. "Gruff on the outside but a softie on the inside."  Naquai loves food, especially chocolate.  Her favorite color is purple.

LittleTadpoleDesigns, Leader:
LittleTadpole's real name is Heidi.  She is the team leader who starts the new items thread weekly and writes a biweekly focus/tips thread to help team mommies make their shops better!  She lives in a little log house in rural Eastern Ontario, Canada and has two children under 3.

Heidi makes a variety of items geared towards babies and young children.  Check out her items at www.LittleTadpoleDesigns.etsy.com

Heidi says she first got started in her craft when her first child was 6 months old.  He needed a soother clip and a blankie, so she made them for him.  She soon found that when her child had a need, she had gathered the materials and made it for him.  She started showing others the items she was proud of and Little Tadpole Designs was created!

Heidi's kids definitely help and hinder her creations.  They help her by inspiring creations with their needs. They hinder by interrupting craft projects when they need something and making Heidi have to "compartmentalize" her working time and her mommy time.

Heidi loves being an Etsy Mommies because she "loves the community."  She loves Etsy itself because it allows her to provide to customers that otherwise would never have found her.  She says participating in teams, events, and treasuries have helped her learn and grow.

Heidi's favorite superhero is Batman who is "dark, brooding, but really just a guy wanting to make things better."  She loves chewy cookies.  Her favorite colors are "earthy.. storm blues, lively greens, and rich browns."

JaclynsDesigns, Leader:
Jaclyn's real name is.....Jaclyn!  She lives in Cypress, CA, and has lived in the same neighborhood since birth.  She has a 13 month old daughter and is expecting a second child shortly.

Jaclyn has been sewing her whole life and selling her items since she was 12.  She got started with her Etsy store www.etsy.com/shop/JaclynsDesigns when she saw a car seat cover made by her sister in law and decided to sew one like it but make it more "her style."  Jaclyn also sells on Ebay.

Jaclyn says it's hard to sew with a 13 month old, but she would have never started if it had not been for her daughter.

Jaclyn loves being on Team Etsy Mommies because of the feeling of "having an online family."

Jaclyn's favorites include: "flaming hot cheetos" (whatever those are), the color green and Batman and Wolverine.

LilacGifts, Leader: 
Lilac's real name is Ewa.  She does the featured shop thread each week for Etsy Mommies.  She is originally from Poland but has lived in Ireland for nearly 12 years.

Ewa makes decorated gifts made from wood, clay, and paper and also sells her mom's crochet/knitted designs at her shop www.etsy.com/shop/LilacGifts

Ewa says she has always loved to create things.  Crafting makes her feel "relaxed and happy."  Ewa used to make cards but she really enjoys making things with the decoupage method.  She finds inspiration from what is going on around her and what mood she is in.

Ewa has two children, ages 11 and 3 months, and she enjoys making things for them to use and keepsakes to remember their childhood with.  Recently, she made them clay ornaments with their names and birth dates on them and they hang in her corridor for people to see when they first enter her home.

Ewa's favorite thing about being on Team Etsy Mommies is "feeling connected with other sellers."

Ewa does not have a favorite superhero, but she wishes she had the superpower of duplication.  She says "lately I feel as if there are not enough hours in a day to do everything I want to do.  I wish there were two of me."  Ewa loves chips and her favorite color is purple.


PearlsPlusLLC, Blog Coordinator:
Pearl's real name is Chaya (pronounced hi-ya) Udinsky.  She is the new team blog coordinator and is still trying to figure out what that means!  She lives near Savannah, GA, USA and is a stay at home mom to one young son who is 11 months old.

In her shop, http://www.etsy.com/shop/PearlsPlusLLC, Chaya features handmade pearl and gemstone jewelry for all occasions.  She was first introduced to pearl and bead stringing while working in fine jewelry and has loved doing it ever since.  Chaya loves to find pearls and gemstones in unusual shapes and colors to work with.  Her favorite color is teal.

Chaya's favorite superhero is The Hulk because she thinks it's cool that a nerdy guy can turn into a great big green monster when he gets angry!  Her favorite junk food is chocolate.

Chaya loves her son very much, but finds that he is not very supportive of the time mommy wants to devote to Etsy.  Therefore, crafting and computer time is generally limited to nap and bed times.
Chaya loves being on Team Etsy Mommies because it gives her a chance to be social and learn great tips for making her shop successful.

*Please note: All Team Etsy Mommies leaders want to thank the other leaders and the team members for helping to make such a great team!*

Well, it’s been fun introducing the crew!  Join us for the next blog post when we introduce the Team Etsy Mommies featured shop of the week!