Aunt Art = Hip Gear for Kids

Hip Tooth Fairy Pillows

2007-10-15T13:06:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to introduce you to my new line of Hip Tooth Fairy Pillows. Loosing teeth is such an exciting milestone, make it special with a limited edition handmade pillow.

Every pillow is handmade and is a limited edition, so snatch them up for the holidays while they here on AuntArt.com.

Also enjoy 20% off to all my blog list customers by using the coupon code : BLOG2007. This code is good until 12/31/2007 to make your holiday shopping a breeze.

And also enjoy free shipping on all orders over $50, one address per transaction.

Thank you for supporting a woman owned business in the USA.
Gretchen
www.AuntArt.com

Yup we're moving again!

2007-05-14T08:13:00.000-04:00

Well we're moving again. This time not as far. We found this wonderful community called Greenbelt Homes INC in Greenbelt, MD. We put a contract on a house and it was excepted. Right now is the long wait till settlement (july 16th). I'm already looking at paint swatches and drawing out diagrams of the rooms to configure the furniture. This is my favorite part of moving!
Needless to say I've been preoccupied with buying a house and now my free time is spent researching preschools in the area and tyeing up loose ends on the home sale.

I haven't touched my sewing machine in a while. I have a running list of new ideas for products but I don't have the time to actually sit down and make anything. Extremely frustrating! I'm trying to remain positive and I know that "this too shall pass" and soon enough I'll have one kid in school and the other napping perfectly during those 2 hours in the afternoon and I'll be sewing the afternoon away.
A girl can dream right?

Moms Club

2007-03-16T15:22:00.000-04:00

Since arriving in MD I’ve been trying to meet other moms. Make connections. Have playdates etc etc. I joined my local MOMs Club International chapter, Piney Orchard. I’ve been a member of this club since Logan was 6 months old…so over 3 years. Each state has chapters for the area. I’ve had wonderful experiences in the past when we lived in WA with the different chapters I joined. This chapter is completely different. Run totally different and I feel as though it’s not quite pulled together enough. Part of me wants to dive head first into making this club what I know it can be but then the other part of me is like why bother? See our lease is up in Dec and we want to buy a house after that. And considering we can’t afford to buy anything in this area (so overpriced!) I’d be leaving the club. It’s hard for me to just sit idly by but I guess that’s what I’ll have to do.

Photography

2007-02-13T18:32:00.000-05:00

I've been playing around with photography a lot recently. Something I've always been interested in. I'm not taking a class or anything...just paying very close attention to photographers' whose work I admire. The angle, the lighting etc. Since Aunt Art is run on a strict budget I can't afford to hire a photographer every time I come out with a new product. Maybe someday!

Anyway thought I'd share 2 pictures that I'm pretty proud of...I think they are cool. They have nothing to do with Aunt Art...ah well.

another blog

2007-02-13T09:11:00.000-05:00

My best friend Jessica and I have created a blog together called "Notes from the CocktailMoms". Everything from crafts to entertaining to conscious living will be discussed. So if you are looking for something different slip on over and check out my other blog.

In other news I've been sick. Just a common cold...fever, cough, runny nose etc. Nothing major. But being sick and caring for 2 kids is not fun! Possibly the hardest part of the SAHM job. I've barely been able to get to the sewing machine. Though I've been knitting up a storm. I joined a knitting group and it's sparked me to knit myself a wrap sweater. I hardly ever make anything for myself so it's nice to take a break from the everyday and surround myself in beautiful yarn every evening.

Potty Training

2007-02-01T07:40:00.000-05:00

OK the day after visiting the preschool my son, Logan, decided he was done with diapers. FABOO! So the potty training has been going great...I won't bore you with all the details. After he goes on the potty we praise him with loud "yahoo!"s and "great job!" etc...after the hands are washed we do a "high 5". So this morning I am in the bathroom and Logan is in there with me (I sometimes wonder if I'll ever pee alone again.) after he hears that I have gone he says to me "great job on the potty mommy! How bout a high-5!"
Oh three year olds...they are pretty funny characters.

Burp Cloths

2007-01-31T07:55:00.000-05:00

I just listed new burp cloths for the spring. I know in my family the spring is the season to enjoy new babies. I have a set for a boy or girl and I also included one that is neutral. But these aren't your boring baby blue, sage green, canary yellow burp cloths. They are full of color and in some really funky prints.
For the parents that expect more from their baby's first fashion statement.

Preschool mania

2007-01-17T07:26:00.000-05:00

I’d like to say we are “settled” in our new home but my sewing table is still not organized to be in production yet. The goal of the week. I am itching to get back to my trusty Viking. After many hours of putting together Ikea furniture and buying stuff to outfit the new house my time has currently been eaten up with researching preschools. I can not even believe how much time I have spent researching; calling, searching the web, looking through directories, touring etc. It’s preschool for goodness sakes! And I am shocked that people will actually spend 20 thou a year on preschool! That is just crazy to me! Oh the things I could do with that money. The boys and me are headed to hopefully the last preschool we will look at…I am praying this will be the “one”. It meets all of my requirements: 3 days a week in the afternoon, close to my house so I can drive home and actually get work done and it’s affordable. I’ll be bringing a check with me to lock in Logan’s spot for the fall. Yes all this work has been for fall entry. There were actually a few preschools that I looked into that had a year waiting list. You have got to be kidding?!?! I called one place was told about the waiting list and then the woman asked me if I wanted to register my younger child. I informed her that he isn’t even 2 yet. And she told me that if I want him to attend in the fall of 2008 that I should register him now!!! Does anyone else see how insane this is? I was expecting to go through this for college maybe high school if they chose to go private for whatever reason but preschool!!! All they do is sing songs and play and learn colors, shapes etc. Some kids don’t even go to preschool before entering kindergarten. Why has society forced us to believe that we need to do all of this?

We're in MD

2006-12-29T06:55:00.000-05:00

Well the whirlwind that are the holidays and moving is finally settling. I am now feeling as if I can come up for air. We arrived in MD and within a week traveled up to NYC to celebrate the holidays with family and friends. Now we are in our new home and still living with boxes around but all in all we are settled.
The boys have done remarkably well. I'm so impressed with how laid back they have been through this process.
Once my sewing machine is unpacked I will begin making all the new ideas I have for products for the spring. I'm so excited and anxious to get back to work.

I've been busy :)

2006-11-21T22:52:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry that I haven't posted in ...well..a really freakin' long time. But I've been busy. And I know everyone uses that as an excuse. But...I'm for real!
Participated in some craft shows to start the holidays off. All were a great success!
I have been "shopping" the Picasso Chalk Mats to stores nonstop. And so far I have 3 stores carrying them. VERY EXCITED about that. The most recent is a great shop in Wallingford.
As you all know we live in Seattle and my husband on a total whim applied for this job in MD. What were the chances?!?! Well he did a phone interview and after waiting for a while to hear back...we got the call that they want to offer him the job! More $, more vacation time, actual sick days and great benefits. How can we say no!?!?!
And it's 30 minutes from my family. A simple 4 hour drive to friends and family in NYC.
Splendid.
So we are moving :)
Like in 2 weeks.
I packed the relocation cube already and it is in transit, as I type, to Baltimore. We just accepted an offer on our house last night after only being on the market for 1 week.
Everything is falling into place.
A sign that the universe agrees that we are making the right choice.

The Danskin Triathlon Experience

2006-09-01T00:55:00.000-04:00

Well I did it! I finish my first triathlon. The whole experience was amazing and I am so thankful that my friend, Nikki, convinced me to join her on this journey. I admit I started this endeavor with the hopes of loosing the baby weight that I gained with Zane (now 1 yr. old). And since we’ve decided that 2 kids makes our family complete I was anxious to finally get back in shape and in my words. “Get my body back”. As all moms know the stretch marks are permanent and the boobs will never be as perky as they once were before breastfeeding but that aside I wanted to reclaim some of my pre-baby(s) body.

As I mentioned before I swam ½ mile then went right into biking 12 miles and finished the event with a 3 mile run.

I’ll start at the beginning.
The swim:
They have you in waves of 100 by birth date and each wave wears a different colored cap. My friend, Nikki, was a few waves before mine but we went to the swim start together. Waited in line for the port-a-potty one last time before the tri started. Luckily the port-a-potties were right near the swim start. J

It was interesting finding your wave…going up to other nervous strangers wearing red caps, “are you in wave 23?” Eventually we formed into one moving red capped, 100 women machine and we slowly waited in line to start the race. Each wave was sent out every 3 minutes. Oh and did I mention there were 5 thousand women participating?!?!

Finally it was our turn to start, we walk down the ramp into the 76 degree water and listen to Sally Edwards give a fantastic pep rally type speech that has us all giving double high fives to women closest to us and shouting “I am a great tri-athlete!!!”
I made a point while waiting in line to be on the outside of the clump. Honestly I feared what happened to the women in the middle or front. I had heard stories from past competitors of being kicked-hit-swam over etc. So I stayed firm on the outskirt of the group. Swimming began and yes it was totally crazy in the beginning, it seemed as though everyone was all pumped up and going full speed ahead. After the first buoy though things changed. I swam breaststroke the entire time. I am a very strong swimmer. Have swam competitively all of my childhood and teen years and I didn’t plan on swimming breaststroke. But it has always been my best stroke and I found it easier in the open water swim to dodge and to pass people a hell of a lot easier than freestyle. Plus it forced me to remain in control of my breathing and center myself for the rest of the race.

Transition into Bike:
I have to make a note that I was possibly in the worst section for my transition area. I was so far from all the starting points, so while other competitors walked to their bike, I jogged. I kept my transition area very simple and clean. My house can be described in exactly the same way. I had a towel to wipe my feet. And on top of the towel; my running shoes with these handy little lace toggles Nikki bought us so we wouldn’t have to spend time tying our shoes. Socks perfectly placed in my shoes so that I would just have to slip my foot in the sock/shoe and go. A bottle of water and Gatorade. A hair tie. Lip balm and a tri belt with my number attached for the run. And a tampon in a Ziploc bag (I was due to get my period that day as luck would have it. So I wanted to make sure I was prepared in case “flow” decided to appear half way thru the bike.)

The bike was pretty smooth in the beginning and then we hit this part where you have to go single file across a dirt path and then immediately make a sharp left and up a steep hill. It’s very short but very steep. And volunteers at the entrance of the dirt path are yelling, “Downshift! Granny gears!” Imagine 4 lanes of traffic merging into 1. That’s what it was like. So the person in front of me and behind me is about 2 inches from my tires. So I’m half way up the hill and the girl in front of me totally freaks and sort of falls/leans off her bike which means I have to quickly jump off my bike in order not to have a major collision which also entails 4 women behind me have to do the same thing. We all run up the hill with our bikes, make the sharp right hand turn and got started on our bike across I-90 in the closed express lane.
The view was amazing. The weather was beautiful. And while riding I reminded myself that I am doing this triathlon for myself and I took a few moments to enjoy the wonderful view. I mean when am I ever going to bike across I-90 in the closed express lane????

So the steep hill I described before meant we had to go down it on the way back. We hit a turn around point on I-90 to go back the way we came. So the steep hill was a little scarier going down when the chic in front of me is a mere inch from my front tire. And of course after the up incident, I was worried! But it all happened flawlessly and on to the bike finish zone. In order to get in the transition area you have to walk your bike and as I pass under the bike finish awning I hear screams “Go Gretchen!!!” from 2 of my friends, Corie and Wendi, who came to cheer Nikki and I on. I tell you what that simple moment fueled me in a way I cannot even express. So I rack my bike, grab my hair tie, tri belt with number attached and I hear “Go Gretchen” again from the girls making their way to the run start. I wave and jog my way into the run.

The Run: First off let me say I am not a runner. I am not built to be a runner. I have big boobs. Do I have to say more? So this was my least favorite event to train for. During the 3 mile run I jogged into speed walking. And I will say that as an ex-NY’er my speed walking skills are pretty rock on and I was actually passing people who were jogging. You NY’ers out there know what I’m talking about. J So I hit the 2-mile mark and the girl who volunteered to be this marker was so awesome! I give her such props! She shouted things like “You ladies rock! You are so awesome! You finished a triathlon! You are beautiful women!” These are exactly the things you need to hear at mile 2 in a triathlon. So I breathlessly ask, while jogging, “where is the 2 ½?” “At the corner”, she responds with a huge grin and a “you can do it” yell.
Here’s the deal…my goal was to run the last ½ mile and finish strong. So I turn the corner and as luck would have it a huge hill is in front of me. But these 3 angels were in the middle of the hill playing drums. The tribal beat they created got me up that hill. I yelled “thank you” as I passed. If it wasn’t for the beating of the drums…I may have walked. But I didn’t, I ran on. And into the home stretch, which was crowded with people clapping and yelling, “you are almost there, you can do it!”
I ran into the finish. Gave Sally Edwards a high 5! And thankfully my wonderful hubby was at the end ready to wash me in kisses and a huge hug!

I did it! I finished my first triathlon!!!

My First Triathlon

2006-08-19T22:49:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is the big day! I'll be competing in my first triathlon. It's a sprint triathlon so 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, 3 mile run. Like I don't have enough on my plate with a business and 2 kids!?!?! Haaahaaa. I needed modivation to loose the extra weight I gained with being preggo with Zane. Can you believe my baby just turned 1!!!! Time has flown by. Anyhoo...back to the tri...there are 5 thousand women competing. I feel confident that I'll finish and right now that's my only goal. :)
I am so excited and totally freaked out at the same time. This is a picture of my friend, Nikki and I (I am on the left) showing off our numbers. Wish me luck!

My PigPen

2006-08-08T01:14:00.000-04:00

As a clothing designer I spend a lot of time planning the clothes that my kids will wear to an outing, whether it's just a casual day at the park or a playgroup. I admit I spend more time than the average parent but these are perfect opportunities for me to promote my business. I hand out more business cards to moms who remark on the cute outfit my kid is wearing while I push him on the swings in the local playground than I do at craft shows or trade events. BUT...my oldest has a love for dirt. Wherever we go he will find some dirt or mulch to cover himself with. And the picture says it all....this is what I am left with. He's still pretty cute but not the best advertiser for Aunt Art clothes. Though one mom recently pointed out, "at least I know your clothes will withstand the dirtiest of kids." Maybe I should put that in my press release.

Business lessons learned at your pediatrician

2006-07-11T23:26:00.000-04:00

You can learn more about your business in one well child doctor visit than anywhere else. Well at least I did today. The best doctor I’ve ever had has decided to move to OR. Dr. Bonnie Nedrow is a midwife and a pediatrician so I saw her all through my pregnancy with Zane and then she was his doctor after he was born. We love her so much and I cried at our last visit with her. I know I can’t expect to find another Dr. Bonnie in the bunch but I do have standards. I hate going to the baby mill pediatricians. Where you have no relationship with the doctor that you see for maybe 10 minutes even though you have sat in the exam room for 45 minutes waiting for your precious visit with him/her. And I like to support the more mom and pop type places in general. So I found a pediatrician through my insurance website that was relatively close to our house, 20 minutes. And she has her own practice. The extra bonus is that she is a family doctor so we could all go to see her as our primary doc.
First off let me say that the place was immaculate. When my 1 year old dropped a cheerio and popped it in his mouth before I could get to it I didn’t cringe. It was that clean. And for people who know me this is a huge thing for me, I’m a bit of a clean freak. The place might as well be a showroom at Ikea for a doctor’s office. Nothing is wrong with that. I joke that they film the Ikea commercials at our house. Hey it’s cute and affordable and we’re not the type of people who will hold on to anything long enough to make the purchase of buying furniture that will last through years of torment. So that being said. The woman at the front desk, the receptionist is friendly enough and smiles when we come in. I tell her who we are. No one else is there…No other patient…. keep this in mind, the entire 1 ½ hours we are there. Which is mildly eerie. Well I have to ask, “Do I need to fill anything out? This is our first time here.” “Oh right! Duh! Yeah this.” As she hands me a clipboard and papers to fill out. So I get to work on the papers and then we wait to be called. The same receptionist appears in front of us and says “Zane your next”…but this time she is wearing this little nurse jacket. Now I am getting a very weird feeling. She takes us into an exam room, it’s just as clean as the waiting room, and tells me to take off Zane’s clothes down to the diaper. Standard stuff. She then holds out her arms to hold him and says, “I’m going to take him to be weighed.” I smile as politely as I can and say, “I’d prefer to be with him at all times.” Call me protective but I’m not just going to hand over my baby to someone I don’t know…nurse or no nurse. So we go down the hall to weigh him and I ask, “do you want me to take his diaper off?” “Oh no leave it on. What we do is I’ll weigh him and then we’ll go back to the room and then you can take his diaper off and I’ll then go weigh his diaper and subtract it from this total.” Puzzled I smile and say, “why don’t I just take it off right here and you don’t have to do the math of subtracting.” “Oh I don’t want him to have an accident and pee all over me and the new scale.” Hmmm. So the scale is actually top of the line baby scale but it’s in this built in cubby area so she suggests I lay him down and I tell her that it will be best if I sit him up cause otherwise if I lay him down he will be able to kick the walls and the weight won’t be accurate. She insists to lay him down so I do and Zane promptly starts kicking the walls and the number of his weight is jumping all over the place and she says “well it looks to be about 19 ½ pounds. We’ll just call it that.” My mouth hits the floor. The weight was jumping between 19-22 pounds depending on when he kicked the walls. So from there she takes me to another room to figure out how long he is. So she has this measuring thing, I’ve never actually seen anyone use one of these. Every doctor we’ve had whether it was a naturopath doctor or a pediatrician at a baby mill office does the classic lay him down on the paper exam table and marks the paper at the top of his head and then stretches his legs and marks below his feet. This is a link to an example of the device she used, so you can really get a picture in your head.
http://www.miami-med.com/images/SECA-210.jpg
Well on this device is a clear picture of how to use it. I’ve never seen one of these before and in 10 seconds I get it. Well instead of laying Zane with his head touching the top the way the baby is pictured in the link and in the picture/directions on the mat she lays him so that his feet touch the bottom and then moves the top part to measure his head and says while tapping his belly and smiling at him…and I quote!!…”14 ½ inches! You are getting so big!”
Ok I totally cannot even believe she is thinking my kid is only 14 ½ inches!!! So I say, “I’m sorry I’m not trying to tell you how to do your job but that measurement is all wrong. He was 22 inches long when he was born, that naked Ken doll that Logan has is 14 ½ inches!” So I actually move Zane and measure him myself. Shocked that this girl has this job and now worried about the doctor that would hire such a freakin’ idiot!
Side note Logan has taken to carrying around a naked Ken Barbie Doll that use to be mine. I am always surprised by how many people have a problem with this. I don’t know if it’s because the doll is naked and my son is carrying him around or that I allow my son to carry a Ken Barbie doll. The whole idea that boys can’t play with dolls I don’t get.
But I digress.
So after that we go back to the room and she wants to take his temperature, under the arm. So Zane is sitting on my lap and she is barely holding it under his arm and after about a minute she says “well it hasn’t beeped and it’s not going up so I’ll just say it’s at 94”. Once again my mouth hits the floor. She marks his chart and says the doctor will be in soon. So we wait. I’m watching the clock. Keep in mind no other patients are waiting in the waiting room and after 45 minutes the doctor comes in. I’m irritated for having to wait that long. But the doctor is actually really nice and both of the boys take a liking to her right off the bat so that puts me at ease. Though I have a ton of questions about Zane’s lack of wanting to eat any finger foods other than cheerios and she kind of skirts around the topic and wants to talk about baby proofing. I inform her that we haven’t stopped baby proofing our house since having Logan who will be 3 next month. Anyway, she brings up that Connie the quote-un-quote nurse will be in to do his immunizations and I quickly make an excuse that we don’t have the time to do that and we’ll have to come back another day. My very polite way of saying that woman is not coming anywhere near my child with a needle and we won’t ever be back here.
So what I learned from the situation through a businesswoman’s eyes was the importance of the person you are hiring to be the first face a customer sees. These people should be properly trained and dressed to represent your company.
Hopefully the next doctor we see will live up to my Dr Bonnie expectations.

15 a day

2006-07-01T19:14:00.000-04:00

I got a call from a magazine saying that they are going to feature my Picasso Chalk Mats in their December issue. I am so ecstatic and stressed out at the same time. The woman who called said to expect a minimum of 1 thousand orders. Okay sure I can do this. I figured out that I need to make 15 a day. With 2 kids constantly under foot this is a lot harder than it seems. My evenings are filled with cutting and my days are filled with diaper changing, making meals from scratch or almost, raising children who are both kind and intelligent and sewing. Naptime is the most sacred time of the day. I do not answer my phone. I do not check my email. I sit at the sewing machine for 2 hours and I create. I create Art. I create what I love and I create my dream.
Wish me luck.

My Love Affair with New York City.

2006-06-30T23:12:00.000-04:00

My love affair with New York City. When I was a child I would daydream with my cousin about moving to NYC and being fashion designers and having an apartment together. Then the dream became being an actress in NYC. And then there I was…. doing it. The actress thing didn’t quite jive with me. Beating the pavement and constantly being poor just was not for me. I wanted to be past eating Ramón noodles…those were the college days…I was an adult now, right?!?!
I lived in NYC for 5 years. Fell in love with a writer, married him. Had a beautiful baby boy and promptly left. 6 weeks after he was born. Why?
I don’t know, honestly. I had a million excuses at the time. The top one being “I don’t want to raise kids in this city”. Now after living in the ‘burbs outside of Seattle….I realize that the city life would be better in creating a well-rounded child.
We recently did a 2-week tour of the east coast visiting family and friends. And when I go to visit my parents and family in MD, right outside of DC, which is where I lived for 18 years, I never get that nostalgia feeling of “home”. The feeling where you take a deep breath and think to yourself “I’m home” and exhale with a smile on your face. Nope doesn’t happen for me in Oxon Hill. Instead the entire time I am there that song “which one of these things is not like the other” plays repeatedly in my head. I’ve never felt like I belonged. I’ve always felt like the odd (wo)man out. The black sheep of the family, so to speak. And it’s still this way even as an adult with kids. Sometimes when I’m talking to a family member I look at them and realize they are just nodding their head and acting as if they are interested in what I am talking about…maybe if I watched LOST or CSI or any popular TV program I wouldn’t have this problem. Though I doubt that.
So I’m getting to my love affair. We arrive in NYC and we’re in traffic on the BQE…the kids are so over being in the car….and I actually had that moment…the deep breath and exhale and the smile upon my face and the thought “now this is home”. I kid you not in traffic! And I’m the one driving to boot. After 3 days of bouncing around Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn I regretted ever leaving. I jive with this city. I fit in there. It’s me. I wanted to wrap my arms around NYC and give it a huge “I”VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH” hug! Everything about it, I love. The fast paced world…people walk and talk faster there than anywhere I think. I love that in Queens you can walk 1 block and buy a slice of pizza for your 3 year old, 2 iced coffees and a shirt for your hubby to replace the one the 3 year old yacked all over after being car sick. All in one block! I love that you can walk into a store and no one speaks English. After 5 minutes of being out of your apartment (or your best friend’s in my case) you can pass a black man with dreadlocks, a very old Chinese woman, a middle aged Afghan Woman wearing the full head covering where you only see eyes, a Hispanic 8 year old that promptly says “hola momi” when he passes you and a 30 something white girl walking her 2 kids in the city she loves with all of her heart. Oh yeah..that’s me.
The tricky part is I do remember why I left. It’s hard living there. It’s a constant fight to just walk down the street to get to work. I was done with New York at the time. I didn’t have the fight left in me any longer. More than anything after being pregnant in the summer in that city…I was ready to take it easy a little.
And now here I am. Thankful that we did move cross-country just so we can say we did it. And wishing to be in the place where I call “home”.

Swanky Moms Review

2006-06-16T10:13:00.000-04:00

Aunt Art Picasso Chalk Mats have been featured on the oh-so-hip SwankyMoms.com.

http://www.swankymoms.com/reviews.html

New Picasso Chalk Mat Prints

2006-05-31T18:07:00.000-04:00

I just listed 4 new fun prints for the Picasso Chalk Mat. They make great birthday presents for kids of all ages.
http://www.auntart.com/store/WsDefault.asp?Cat=PicassoChalkMat

Desires

2006-05-18T13:27:00.000-04:00

I grow tired of pleasing them. I grow tired of having to play this game…this competition with them…this masquerade. I’m speaking of my in-laws. Who I actually enjoy a lot as people. I have a lot in common with my MIL, to be quite frank. But…they don’t like the idea that we want to move from Seattle to the east coast. And it’s not like they live anywhere near us…AZ to be exact. But it’s the competition that they have created and honestly they are the only people playing. They think if we move to the east coast that my parents or my other in-laws (I’m dealing with a divorced in-law situation) would win. Win what?!?! I don’t get it? This isn’t a game…it’s life. And you know what….if you want to be in someone’s life you have to be present. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend or how many cards you send on random holidays. It’s about being here…being with the kids…making a difference in their lives…sharing moments with them. It’s about making a choice. Jon and I have made a choice. We’re east coasters…it’s honestly that simple. Seattle is great and we have made some remarkable friends but we miss the faster pace of life, the determination living and breathing in every person. I miss the tempo rhythm of conversations…the fast…clip clop…stay in the moment…don’t ask me to repeat myself…why weren’t you listening…keep up…I don’t have time to repeat….tell it like it is…life. When you have kids you think about what you want to give them…values, ideals etc. People you want to be in their lives who can influence them…make them better human beings. Jon and I have so many remarkable people in our lives and I am so thankful for each of them…but….I wish my kids knew the people that we love and hold so close to our hearts…I wish they really knew them. My sister hasn’t even met my 10 month old son…and no one is to blame here…it’s expensive to fly and she’s a single mom with 3 kids…we’re struggling to keep our heads above water financially. But we make do with the situation…and that’s fine for right now…but not forever. My best friend has been dating the same guy for almost 2 years and I have never met him. This is my best friend who I have known for 12 years (jabby don’t you feel old.. me just saying that?!?!), who was at the birth of my first son…who when my world crashes I call first. And once again no one is to blame….$ is always a factor…schedules/time off work etc all play into the equation. And when we do move to the east coast it will be a struggle to make friends and form new bonds but you know what? I’ll be happy knowing that if a crisis arises I can jump in my car, strap the kids in their car seats, fill up the tank with gas and head in whatever direction I need to go to “be there” for the people I love most.
So I’ve digressed…kinda….and I’m sure my in-laws won’t read this…but maybe you will. This isn’t about bashing you, cause honestly I love you guys and enjoy you. But us moving…ISN’T ABOUT YOU. It’s about me, Jon and our children and what we want for our children and what would make us happier and living out life to the fullest…. for us.

The Mommy Brain

2006-04-26T01:16:00.000-04:00

The mommy brain. No one ever talks about it. I don’t remember it ever being covered in my childbirth prep class. And once I was pregnant with my second child the mommy brain kicked in in full force. And the brain has yet to go back to normal. I’m doing the classic things that my mother did and I am seeing the other moms I know doing the same thing…calling the kids’ by the wrong name, even the pet’s name, forgetting what day of the week it is, forgetting important dates like the year your child was born. Yesterday I forgot my youngest child’s well doctor visit. Ugh, and I’ll be paying the 50 dollar no-show fee to prove the mommy brain. The sad thing is I have a calendar with important dates and events clearly marked hanging in a central location, so you can’t miss it. I even have the days we need to take the recycling to the curb on the calendar.
So here are the things that no one tells you about when you are having a baby that I wish someone would have spoke up and said something…
1. You will forget important things/dates…you’ll constantly feel like you can’t focus. For someone who could multi-task pre kids this will drive you totally insane. You’ll walk into a room and forget what you came for…what you were doing even though you hold the cleaning solution in your hand.
2. Bleeding. Why doesn’t anyone talk about this? I bleed for 6 weeks after the birth of both of my kids and the first time around I thought something was wrong with me physically that I debated going to the ER when the bleeding continued for the 2nd week. It’s normal and every woman goes through it regardless of whether she had a natural birth or a c-section.
3. Hemorrhoids. Please childbirth teachers of the world…talk about it!!!! I’ll be honest here…never had hemorrhoids before…then I have a baby and now I am counting the fiber in my diet. I have blatantly asked the women I know who have had c-sections (I’ve had 2 natural childbirths) and they told me that they too have the ‘roids. So this is obviously a universal thing amongst childbirth.
4. Shoe Size. Not only do I have the stretch marks on my stomach of bearing 2 ten pound babies…but I went from a 6 ½ shoe size to an 8 after the birth of my second child. Now I will admit that my best friend’s mom warned me of this while having a pedicure and being 8 months pregnant with my first son. My best friend told her and I quote “mom you don’t tell a shoe-a-holic this when she’s pregnant”.

So that’s my top 4….keep the conversations going…ask questions….be bold….find out your own answers! Would love to hear from other moms on their top 4 mommy brain picks.

Ebay Boutique Set

2006-04-21T16:35:00.000-04:00

I just listed an adorable Patriotic Set for your little guy this year. He'll make firewirks wherever he goes.

Feed ME! Bibs

2006-04-18T18:33:00.000-04:00

Introducing NEW Feed ME! Bibs on AuntArt.com. As my youngest has approached the stage of eating baby food I was inspired to create a bib that can be wiped clean after each feeding. Will lighten your laundry load. More fabric prints coming soon.

AuntArt on Cool Mom PIcks!

2006-04-12T18:52:00.000-04:00

My Picasso Chalk Mats were just featured on Cool Mom Picks!
Check it out to read the feature:
http://motherhooduncensored.typepad.com/coolmompicks/

2006-04-07T21:54:00.000-04:00

As the warm weather is approaching the pacific northwest I spent a few hours going through the rubbermaid containers of clothing that I have stored away to see if anything will fit Baby Zane. Logan kept asking "what are you doin'?" And I explained that these were his old clothes and now Baby Zane is going to wear them since they don't fit you anymore. Well Logan saw these 2 pairs of pants and is refusing to share them. He takes them out of the room and into our bedroom and then precedes to put them both on. He walks back into the room where I am sorting clothes and declares "they still fit! I try em on!" So I had to snap a picture of him and his pants that still fit. haaahaaa. The bottom pair are the Blue's Clues pants I made for his Blue's Clue's Birthday Party last year and the ones on top are Sesame Street. I guess he'll be sporting the ever so popular three quarter length pants this spring.

I must admit it warms my heart that the ones he picked as his faves were made by me. LOVE THAT!

Spring Cleaning on AuntArt.com

2006-04-05T23:01:00.000-04:00

Happy Spring Everyone! I am spring-cleaning on the site and I have decided to discontinue the chenille bibs. So every chenille bib is ON SALE! All the chenille bibs are priced to sell at $5!!! In Stock and ready to ship.

Other big news…check out the NEW Everyday Bib designs.

I’ve also added NEW burp cloths with some funky new prints.

All the best,
Gretchen
www.AuntArt.com

sick kiddos

2006-03-25T22:59:00.000-05:00

What a week! Both of my kids had a stomach virus. I have been pooped on and puked on more times than I can count. I don’t remember them covering this topic in my childbirth prep class. Thankfully it seems like they are on the mend. Let’s cross our fingers that hubby and I don’t get it. The last thing we need.
Anyhoo…once again don’t forget to enter the happily Handmade Giveaway…time is almost up!

Happily Handmade Giveaway!

2006-03-12T22:20:00.000-05:00

Time is almost up to enter the Happily Handmade Giveaway! Each basket is valued at over 200 bucks!!! Make sure to stop by http://www.AuntArt.com and sign up for my mailing list to enter the drawing. But don't stop there...visit each sponser and enter. Even more chances to win!!!

Relocating

2006-02-20T22:57:00.000-05:00

Relocating. Ugh! So we’ve made a list and we’re checking it twice and hopefully come June when we visit these cities we will be able to say where we are moving. My head hurts from all the research. I kid you not. Now I understand why people never leave where they grew up…it’s so freakin’ easy to do that! Talk about a defining character trait. Where you live and how long you have lived there defiantly says something about your personality. Adventurous people relocate or at least go away to college and then come back to the hometown. But the people that stay put….born and bred kinda thing….well…let’s just say I think they may need to push their comfort level a bit. Ok enough of a rant. Back to relocating. So we are looking into a few cities but we are limited on where we would like to live cause we’d like to be somewhere between Washington DC and NYC. Basically because of friends and family and the free babysitting. Of course jobs and school systems play a huge part and we’re totally city people so ideally we would like to be in a city environment. So if you are reading this blog and you love the city you live in…send me a shout tell me why you love your area. Sell me your city.

Should have never left the house.

2006-02-07T15:51:00.000-05:00

So I go to the dentist today to pick up my night guard cause I grind my teeth at night. I recently went for the first time at this particular dentist for a cleaning when my mom was in town so she was able to watch the kids for me. So I walk in today and the receptionist asks me “is someone coming here to meet you to watch the kids?”….I’m like “no, I was told this was a quick visit just to make sure the night guard fits”. She then tells me that the kids can’t go back with me. Of course I ask why and she tells me that there are too many things they could get into with the instruments etc. Baby Zane is still in the infant carrier/car seat so he’s not getting into anything and Logan is 2 but very shy so he’s typically right at my legs. I explain to her that Logan will sit quietly in a chair while the dentist does the fitting. That he goes with me to all my other doctor appts and is fine. Nope that won’t do. She tells me that I’ll have to reschedule! I then try to explain to her that I ALWAYS have my kids that I don’t have access to anyone to watch them, that my entire family lives on the east coast and the only way for me to come in here without them is to have my husband take off work which we can’t afford to do. She gives me that “smile of a working mom”…anyone who is a SAHM I’m sure at one point has seen this smile. The smile that says “this is why I go to work everyday” or “pay for a sitter like I do everyday”. That smile. She gives me the smile and says, “I’ll talk to the doctor and see what he says”. So she comes back and says that yes I’ll have to reschedule… at this point I am about to blow. Taking the moment to actually grit my teeth I say to her in a voice as calm as I can muster, “I would like my x-ray films and my $300 dollars back for the night guard and I am taking my business to a dentist that is more accommodating towards families.” This begins the stand off. She tells me that she can’t do that. I repeat myself and then add either I get fitted right now or I get a refund…. it’s that simple. And I give her “the smile” of an ex-NY’er that says “you aren’t Fu*kin’ with me B*tch!” She walks away and returns saying that Logan can stay in the kiddy corner and watch a show on the TV. Yes a dentist office that has a stocked kiddy corner but refuses to let the kids past the front desk. So I explain to Logan that I will be gone for 5 minutes and he will watch a show. He’s thrilled as he is only allowed an hour of TV a day so he thinks this is the greatest deal ever. So I leave… am getting fitted for the night guard with baby Zane in the car seat and I hear Logan screaming. I ask the dentist to hurry up and I rush out of there and find Logan standing in front of the TV crying because this woman…this working mom (I saw the Christmas family picture of her and her husband and kids on her desk)…puts on a soap opera! I can hardly believe it! I want to ream her out …I want to demand all of my films and never return….because now I have to explain to a screaming 2 year old that we are leaving and the show he was promised he won’t be watching. Once in the car the tantrum continues and I just sit there thinking I wish I could act like that when I get mad and frustrated. I don’t feel like I can really say anything to him or get upset because I totally understand why he is crying. He was promised something and then didn’t get it. I’d be pissed off too. So I wait for the tidal wave to cease and we head down the road. Just one of those days where I should have never left the house.
Btw…I’m finding another dentist.

2006-02-04T00:42:00.000-05:00

I am so excited about the items I have in store for the jump start of spring...here is the latest that has been added to the site.

Do you have a Picasso in your house? This is the perfect craft mat for your artist-in-residence.
Made from Oilcloth in a bright primary colored crayon print. This fabric is waterproof and protected with a clear finish. Fade, stain, and soil resistant.
Double sided with the same fabric on the reserve side.
Bright red piping that is double stitched around the mat.
Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
Perfect for all craft projects to protect your tabletop whether it’s painting, play dough or coloring.
Extra Large Size: 21 inches x 15 inches.

doubt..always ...lurking

2006-01-29T11:31:00.000-05:00

well after some time to really think about it I think my main problem right now is my site. When it comes down to it I don't like the way my pictures are etc. No one to blame but myself and I am totally learning as I go. So I have to say that I am proud of what I have accomplished considering I knew nothing before. Anyway I went to different designers sites, the big wigs, and looked at their sites and asked myself "what do I like about this site?" It all came down to pictures. So I brainstormed a bit and figured out how to incorporate my beachy look with my products in the pictures and I'm really excited to get started on that.

2006-01-04T12:52:00.000-05:00

So I have promised myself that I would write more in this blog in the New Year. I guess you could say one of my resolutions. Not that I have any other resolutions really. Yesterday I just had my own “clean sweep” of the house. I have reorganized my workspace to make it more conducive for working/getting things done. Basically I divided up the room and I have my sewing section, computer section and shipping center. So everything can get done with ease. I still haven’t found the time to get the burp cloths on the site yet which is frustrating. My to do list seems never ending. Not offering one of a kind items is a lot harder than I thought it would be. As I need to buy a lot of fabric at one time and I really have to plan what I am going to make. Before I just bought fabric that “spoke to me” and then I would let it sit on the shelf until I felt inspired to use it. I have faith that I will find a way to make it all work and a way to be inspired to do it. One of the downfalls of working for yourself is that you have to work even when you aren’t inspired. No one is there like a boss asking what you got done that day. So for me when I don’t feel like sitting at the sewing machine I try and get other things done. Whether it’s organizing my workspace (like yesterday) or editing pictures, researching fairs and markets to attend etc. I’ve also been scrap booking a lot lately during the holidays which is nice because it’s a creative outlet and working with a different textile, paper rather than fabric, is a nice change of pace. While scraping I see different ways to mix colors and it inspires me to make clothes. For example I had this heart fabric and then this other fabric that has planes, trains and the world. Now looking at the fabric you wouldn’t automatically say “oh they totally go together” but I have found a way to incorporate them. I am calling the set “love around the world”. It’s also hard to make a valentine’s set for a boy.

2005-12-18T01:07:00.000-05:00

I have added new hats to the site in both the boy and girl hat categories.
Keep in mind I am always happy to do custom orders. For example if there is a hat on the site and you wish it had a flower on it….just pop me an email and we will discuss it.
Happy Holidays to you all!

People often ask...

2005-12-01T22:32:00.000-05:00

People often ask, "how can you get all that sewing done with 2 kids." My normal answer is "it's all about time management" or "naps". But here is the truth....sometimes this is what has to happen.

Shows

2005-11-16T12:04:00.000-05:00

I have had a wonderful whirlwind of shows. I only sold bibs and burp cloths at the shows and I couldn’t keep the burp cloths in stock. I sold so many and I cannot tell you how thrilled I am about it. It’s an easy sell…new moms and moms of 2nd and 3rd and more all need them…babies spit up. And my burp cloths are much more fashionable than the typical white pre-fold cloth diaper. The bibs sold too but not as many. Though I had my sales speech down for the burp cloths cause typically people would look at them and not know what they were right away. Once I told them and said a few tag phrases they were hooked. All of a sudden you could see the wheels in their heads turning …”who do I know that’s pregnant?”. Everything I make is used on my kids first. And the newest addition to our family has reflux and he has put the burp cloths through the utmost tests. So if they work for the reflux baby who throws up everything in large quantities they will work for the little spew most babies exude.

lack of time

2005-10-25T01:47:00.000-04:00

Ah 2 glasses of wine down and I am beginning to feel tired. Oh how I remember the days of staying up to watch the sun come up in a drunken’ haze. Now hubby and I can barely pass 11 pm without worrying about the lack of sleep we will have the next day.
Anyways….with the lack of sleep my toddler has decided that he no longer needs naps..He’s only 2 for God’s sake! Don’t they nap in pre-school?!?!? Well I refuse to be apart of this madness so I still send him to his room for 2 hours every day in hopes that he will actually sleep but if he doesn’t I tell him he can read his books. Something quiet. Now the naps are totally on baby Zane’s Q’s…he starts rubbing his eyes we all head up stairs to get ready for naptime…whatever time that may be. The key for me to be able to actually get any sewing done during naps is to get Baby Zane down and asleep and Logan can sleep/read /whatever for 2 hours in his room. So far I think I am on track for my shows in November. I am concentrating on bibs and burps cloths. I want to get a print made of Zane on the burp cloth…I’ll post a picture here

So I want to get this pix blown up to about 20x30 so it catches people’s eyes when they walk by hoping that it will draw them in.
Let’s hope my theory will work.

dumb people

2005-10-19T12:02:00.000-04:00

I find it pretty funny that I posted last night about hating SPAM on my blob and then I wake up this morning and someone has already commented on my blog with spam.
So maybe I need to be more clear....

If you post a comment with a link and you are NOT a craft person...it's getting deleted.

It's that simple...I'm not going to be a billboard for every Tom, Dick and Harry's website.

back to my coffee....

SPAM SUCKS!!!

2005-10-19T01:46:00.000-04:00

SPAM SUCKS!!! So if you ever click on the comments on my blog and you see that it has been removed by me that is because it’s a SPAM. Which totally sucks! I mean come on…don’t you people have anything better to do with your time? And it’s not like my Blog is updated all that frequently…I don’t know if anyone ever reads this thing. Yet I will continue to write.
My daily TO-DO list is so long it amazes me when I’m able to cross off even 3 things. With 2 kids I never thought it would be this hard. But when people say being a SAHM is the hardest job, they aren’t lying. With being a SAHM you then feel like you should be the one who does everything that involves the house…grocery shopping, laundry, daily cleaning, writing the thank you notes for gifts, organizing play dates for your kids so they can interact with other kids and you can actually talk to someone older than the age of 2. The stuff I never knew I would have to do….the list is forever growing…and we haven’t even touched on the fact that I own my own biz and making the products I sell. Hubby and I are talking about moving back east. I’m anxious to move closer to my family but mourn the loss of the wonderful women I have met during the stages of motherhood out here on the left coast. Of course I will always remain friends with them but once we move it will be different….for one I won’t see them every week. But on the other hand I truly miss the friends we left behind on the east coast. And I worry that those relationships will never be the same since we have had kids. I mean I can’t meet up with a girlfriend at DoJo’s for steamed veggies over brown rice with carrot dressing and a cocktail in the middle of the day. Well I could but it wouldn’t be as much fun. Kids in tow at a restaurant is not the relaxing environment it once was. But yet…if it weren’t for the kids my business wouldn’t be what it is today. I started this business before having kids and once I found out I was pregnant with Logan I dove into Aunt Art head first thinking this will be perfect way to make money while staying at home. So in a way if it wasn’t for them (the kiddos) I wouldn’t have had the courage to put this company in the driver’s seat….it would have always remained this “little thing I do on the side”. Count your blessings where you have them I guess, right?

Where is the time going???

2005-10-09T23:57:00.000-04:00

I spend so much time with my ass attached to this computer chair. I have been researching online boutiques that I can submit my burp cloths and bibs to. The list grows every time I look away. I am still tweaking my site but all in all I am pleased with how it is turning out. I’ve made so many bibs in the past week. Poor baby Zane is tired of smiling for the camera. I keep telling him that this will pay for his college education but he isn’t buying it. On the home front we’ve been dealing with Zane’s reflux issues and have decided to switch to soy formula since he is able to keep it down. I think if this was my first kid I would try harder breastfeeding but you can just see how much pain the poor babe is in and it breaks your heart. Now that he is on the soy he’s a happy camper.
My first craft show is the first weekend in November and I am so stoked about it. I need to find another table to have for my display. Hopefully I’ll be able to find one like the one I already have that folds in half and is super portable. If you have a recommendation email me! I just bought these awesome display holders for my bibs from Hold Everything. They were dirt-cheap and they honestly look fantastic! I read an online article that said the selling market at a show is from the head to the waist…that is the “window” on a person’s body for selling. So all of my tables are hitting at my waist and the new bib holders stand on top of that and actually are taller than me and I’m 5’3”. Now for my burp cloth display I am thinking about talking a picture of Zane on someone’s shoulder using the burp cloth and having it blown up to a extremely large print on that sturdy poster board material and having that on an easel on top of the table and then having the burp cloths also on the table. So much thought has to be put into this so that the environment is attractive for buyers and also it has to be portable in my Chevy cavalier. And did I mention I have to set up and take down the whole thing too. Hubby will have kid duty whenever I have shows. J Lucky him! Ideally, now that I am done being a baby factory, I would like to do the summer markets here in Seattle next year. I love the environments of summer markets. I use to do them in NYC with a good friend of mine, Nikki. Looking back on those days I can hardly believe we made it work. I traveled from Brooklyn on the subway to the upper east side of Manhattan with this backpacking type backpack on and carrying a folding clothing rack…. Nikki had a shorter distance to travel so she was in charge of the table. Together we would sit and sell our hats and scarves in all kinds of weather. The other sellers we met there will always remain in fondness in my mind…the sense of community amongst the sellers was amazing. I am hoping to experience it again this summer in Seattle.

Here we go...

2005-09-29T14:46:00.000-04:00

Good Lord I am a slacker on this blog. So revamped my site and I am continuing to work on it. Trying to get more bibs made for my shows coming up in November. I need to make up a flier for the holiday shopping party I am hosting. I’d like to really get the word out. Jessica suggested handing out fliers at a market of some kind. And it’s a great idea. I’m going to try and hit the federal way farmers market if it’s still going on. And then every church in Des Moines. Along with the senior centers, masons etc. Also the local coffee shops to see if they have a board to post on.
Today marks day 1 of my Body for Life Challenge. My friend Jessica and I are doing it together so here I am eating a spinach salad with chicken and almonds and a little fat free cheese. I’m really excited about starting a new fitness routine and loosing this baby weight once and for all. Cause I am done making babies! 2 is plenty! I have no idea where I am going to fit in a workout everyday with everything else I have to do but we shall see. I’m going to really try but I’m not going to beat myself up if I miss a day or 2. I feel like as long as I continue with the eating healthy I’m taking steps in the right direction.
Here we go….

Total revamp of website

2005-09-18T15:17:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!
Well I decided to revamp my website and I am so pleased with how it is turning out.
Take a peek.
http://www.auntart.com
New features have been added. Hats are now made to order in size newborn to size 4T. So now you can order multiples of the same style hat.
Don't forget while you are there to make out a wish list for the holidays!
Stay tuned...many more changes are on the way.

SALE

2005-09-07T12:52:00.000-04:00

Ok I just put a ton of stuff on sale. Cleaning the store. 6 pages of clearance...wowsers!!!

Cleaning

2005-09-07T12:22:00.000-04:00

I think I am going to really clean up my store and offer only OOAK (One of a kind) stuff on ebay and everything in my store will be order your size type of thing. Like most stores. I know I am going to do this with the hats and bibs and burp cloths. Anyway I just feel like it needs to be cleaned up. There are items that have been sitting in my store forever and I feel like my sewing talents are on a totally different level now. I feel like I am so beyond most of that stuff.
Or maybe I am just tired of looking at it.

Whirlwind

2005-08-27T14:39:00.000-04:00

I haven’t had the time to really devote to posting to the blog since we have had a whirlwind of visitors. Haven’t been sewing much either. Thank goodness for crochet! I can always make hats while people oooh and aaaahhh over the new baby. My latest visitor is my 7-year-old niece who I have taught to knit. She has quite a knack for it..must be in the genes.
I’ve been researching the difference of wholesale and consignment and how to go about getting your things into stores. So much work has to be done. I guess owning your own biz and being a craftsperson is never “easy” work.
Tomorrow my new camera arrives. I am so excited about taking better pictures. Hubby and I have deiced to switch my sewing room and our bedroom so that I we can have the bigger space as the workspace. That way he can have his workspace there also (he’s a writer) and I can have my sewing table and also I’ll be able to create a place to take pictures of the kids indoors. Since the rainy season is about to begin this is really going to come in handy. A fellow ebayer told me how to create a great backdrop and I really admire her pictures. I haven’t tried it yet but she has told me to buy 6 yards of white vinyl and a piece of Plexiglas. Basically have the vinyl attached to the wall and run onto the floor and then place the Plexiglas on top of the vinyl so that the kid stands on that. Once the lighting has been put into place the kid will look as if he is standing on a really shiny surface.
Pretty cool.

Schedule

2005-08-09T17:55:00.000-04:00

Oh I need to get these kids on the same schedule. Currently most of my work time is during naptime. And today the kids are napping at different times. I need to figure out what I can do creatively work wise when these types of situations arise. For example right now Logan is asleep and Zane is refusing to shut his lids. He is sitting in his little infant-to-toddler rocker and I am rocking him with my foot while I type this. My FIL was very impressed with this multi-tasking skill that I have acquired. So I ask myself what can I be doing work wise instead of putzing on the Internet? There has to be something I can do sitting down and rocking with my foot….I thought maybe cutting fabric. But that involves bringing all the supplies downstairs…and then it’s turned into a production…with the cutting board, fabric, pattern, scissors and pins. Research stores and blog is all I have come up with. But I believe deep in my soul that there must be more.
I used the Paypal shipping feature today for the first time. Yesterday when at the Post Office Logan decided to throw a total temper tantrum. And of course it’s on the day that everyone and their brother is at this po-dunk PO….normally it is dead in that joint. And it wasn’t even about anything….just proving that he is indeed turning 2 in a few days.
Earlier today I attempted to make my very first long sleeved collared shirt. It’s still in the making but so far it’s looking pretty cute. The first ones of anything are always for Logan so I will take pixs and post them here so you can see my latest creation.
The 2 sets I have up on ebay right now have been sitting without any hits and only 2 watchers. I hate that feature on ebay. It’s torture really. 2 people are watching…are they going to bid…is the set going to sell…..torture I tell you, torture. Don’t tell me who’s watching…leave it as a mystery. I become too obsessed with watching the freakin’ ebay page myself. Plus when I’m on ebay and looking at stuff I add things to watch and then totally forget about them sometimes…other times I watch something and decide to bid once I know it’s exactly what I want. Which are these people who are watching my auctions?? I hope the ladder. Maybe they just haven’t made up their minds yet.
Let’s hope.
Well I hear my little prince calling from upstairs, “Hello, mommy! All done Night-night! Mommy! All done night night!”

Balance

2005-07-26T22:46:00.000-04:00

As I sit here typing this I am balancing a newborn babe on my lap. I’m starting to get use to the multi-tasking that I have to do now a days in order to be productive. I’m waiting for Logan to actually take a nap; I can still hear him up there in his room rummaging through his toys. Then oh sweet heaven…I can sit at my sewing machine and CREATE!!!
We’ve had such a flurry of guests recently…which I loved having all that help but I have missed my precious Viking.
The thing I hate about taking such a long break (a month) is when I get back to work I feel so overwhelmed. I spend so much time just looking at my fabric trying to decide what the first set will be. I tend to feel pressure that the set I make has to be outstanding. This is my own weird issue…no one has sparked it in me…..just the way I am I guess.
My husband is reading this how-to book on freelance writing and I wish someone would write a how-to book about contacting stores to sell your wares. Like a wedding etiquette book….the dos and don’ts of contacting a storeowner. Ex: never call 10 minutes before the store closes. Who knows maybe someone has already written this book. And I guess I could just post my questions on the discussion boards I frequent. Ah well…just a thought.
So…I began to write this and then went upstairs to find Logan and babe were both down for the count so I started sewing. I’m working on a set to put on ebay. I feel that I should balance ebay and my website to maintain the best exposure.
Off to sew some more…..

He has arrived!

2005-07-16T19:53:00.000-04:00

So 14 days past my due date I was induced at UW. 12 hours later Zane Jack arrived…just shy of the 4th of July. He weighed in at 9 pounds 11 ounces and 22 inches long. I was able to endure another pain med free birth…which was really important to me even though I was in the hospital. Originally the plan was to have a home birth. Ah, Zane had other things in mind. I won’t bore you with all the details….I could ooh- and ahhh about Zane for days. He’s an amazing little guy and so different from his big bro. My best friend Jessica asked me once if I believed that baby’s are born with their personalities in tact. I’m still on the fence about it. But it is quite amazing to see such a difference in 2 kids that come from the same gene pool.
I haven’t quite decided when I’ll be back in the swing of things of producing clothes. I’m still napping a lot during the day and all in all really tired. But then again it’s only been 10 days since I gave birth. I have to keep reminding myself that I am entitled to taking a break right now. It’s so hard for me to take it easy…I go a little stir crazy…not to mention I get BORED of just sitting around. Right now I’m thinking the 6-week mark. Seems like so much happens at the 6-week mark….
The bleeding stops….you can have sex….you can start a fitness program/get back in the gym….and why not add another…I’ll be back at the sewing machine at nap time.
Though I highly doubt I’ll be able to sit still that long. Like I said it’s been 10 days and I’m already looking at my stack of fall fabrics and thinking …hmmmmm…..what will this become?
3 days after Zane arrived I already had him modeling. Here are pictures of my new burp cloths and my new baby.

Still waiting....

2005-07-01T11:39:00.000-04:00

Just so you know I've been on a little hiatus because I am still waiting for this baby to arrive. I am 11 days past my due date....and hating being pregnant. I can't sit at my sewing table any longer so I've been stocking up on crochet hats. At least I can do SOMETHING!
Hopefully this weekend I'll have an annoucement to make.

new stuff

2005-07-01T11:38:00.000-04:00

Well it worked. I got some great shots of Logan in both of my new sets and launched them on ebay. Thanks to the hubby…it’s defiantly a 2 person operation. That kid is getting fast. Here are some pixs….

had a bit of a scare today for some reason my site was down for a few hours. Still don’t know why it happened but of course it begins a panic…what if I lost everything?!?!?! Every pix …every description!!!
Thankfully it all worked out.

Sneak Peak

2005-06-03T09:45:00.000-04:00

Here's a sneak peak at my rockstar set I just finished. I'm hoping to get a pix of Logan in it this weekend while I have the assistance of the hubby to wrangle him in front of the camera.

I've made up my mind

2005-05-31T10:39:00.000-04:00

Well after much thought and research I am going to focus on boys clothes. It just makes more sense…considering I am soon to have 2 boys myself. Plus I believe that my ideas of what little boys should look like will be something that many other moms will enjoy too. I even made my first button up shirt yesterday. It will be Logan’s since there are a few minor flaws….but that’s how you learn. I was pretty impressed with myself…considering I am a self-taught sewer. I even impressed the hubby with my skills.
I will still make girls clothes too…don’t worry about that. But all in all you will see more boys clothes is all. Nothing else will change…the name will still be the same…the site will look the same. Some may never even notice. We shall see.
Right now I am researching labels for clothes. I have about 10 left of the tags I have been using. I don’t like them so I want something completely different. Also I’d like them to do double duty as tags for clothes and tags that I can put on the burp cloths. So they can’t be too huge or too obvious. I’m throwing around the idea of either having just “AUNT ART” on the label or “auntART.com” Can’t decide.
Joann’s’ had a huge sale on notions so I stocked up on needles and snap tape and snaps. These things I can always use and they don’t take much room to store them.Trying to get as many burp cloths made as possible before little man arrives. After he arrives I’d like to market to some of the boutiques in Seattle. I started doing a pack of them for the alternative mom…they are pretty cool if I must say so myself. Even the dad won’t be embarrassed to have the burp cloth on his shoulder.

The wheels in my head are turnin'

2005-05-26T17:23:00.000-04:00

“What is special about your product (what are the unique features and benefits of your product) that no one else is offering?”
I found this great quote on a discussion board I frequent (www.switchboards.com). And it has started the wheels in my head turnin’. The conversation was about finding your target audience…which I was just reading about the other day in an entrepreneur magazine. I’d say my target audience is moms. But even that is too general. Since finding out that the bebe in the belly is another boy I’ve been throwing the idea around of specializing in boys clothing. Though I will say I’m hesitant because it seems as though moms with little girls are always more than willing to spend $ on their precious to look adorable. Why aren’t the moms of boys? Or are they and I’m totally missing them? I know from my own experience I tire of looking at navy blue and gray over and over again in every store or the little boys department. And when I stumble across a boy’s boutique line typically it’s either so close to being girly that I just can’t bare to put my son in it or it’s plain boring. I mean I want cute clothes for my kids. Even if I do have boys. I don’t think boys should only wear sweat pants and jeans…there are more options. And these statements are coming from the mom of a kid who loves mud puddles and getting dirty.
As you can tell I’ve been thinking about this a lot.
It’s one of those things that if I do specialize in boys clothes I want to go whole hog. I’ll always have girls clothes too though I would imagine because otherwise I know a few customers who would be upset. And they know where I live…haaahaaa. So here I am again….what is special about my product that no one else is offering?

Trial and Error

2005-05-24T09:54:00.000-04:00

Well the show didn’t go as well as we would have liked. But as I told the other venders when you’re hosting it yourself it’s trial and error to discover when a good time to have it is and what you need to do to get the word out. The next show Corie and I do will be around the holidays at my house. I’m making sure to keep notes of ideas so that we remember to set them up beforehand.
The burp cloths though were a hit among the few who came to the event. Another vender who makes and sells gift baskets mentioned that she saw burp cloths at the latest Gift Show and that my prices were better than anything she saw there.…so that’s promising.
Went to the midwives yesterday and they said after this week I can have this baby at any time. I will then be considered full term. Fingers crossed he decides to come early. I am beyond ready. They even gave me an herb to take to speed things up…hey whatever does the trick I am all for.
So during this slow period which always happens for my business this time of year. I am trying to remain positive, which is always hard when you are self-employed. These are the moments when you discover if being an entrepreneur is for you…the down periods. Anyone can be an entrepreneur when the sales are high. But the slow period is when you separate the hobbyist from the businesses, in my opinion. After saying all that…to occupy my time and thoughts I am preparing for the fall. The fall and into winter are when my sales are typically high. People are buying gifts for the holidays. I already have a weekend show in November set up, plus Corie and I will host another show and I’d like to add more venues. By that point I’ll be able to hand the kiddos off to the hubby and take off for the day.
Speaking of kiddos….I hear my angel awaking. Till next time.

The bad Blogger

2005-05-19T14:21:00.000-04:00

As my husband pointed out last night…I am a bad blogger. I promise to try and be better. But with my “free time” …the phrase makes me laugh. I can’t remember the last time I had free time. What on earth would I do if I didn’t have a gazillion balls up in the air at one time?
I started making burp cloths last night. I made some when I was preggo with my son and he is 21 months now and we’re still using them. Though now they are getting used as washcloths after he eats and has food all over himself. So I thought I should make some and try and sell them. They are really turning out nice. A lot fancier than the original ones I made for my son, Logan.
The countdown has begun on the arrival of baby #2. I am trying to get my website looking fresher before his arrival. I don’t know why I put this pressure on myself to have it done before baby arrives but hey that’s how it gets done I guess. So I have taken all of my inventory and re-taken pictures of everything in the same format. So there is a more uniformed look to the site. Also need to get on there and get rid of all the winter stuff…who’s buying crochet hats now? No one.
My friend Corie and I are hosting a party this Saturday. Looking forward to meeting new people and seeing what the response is to the new products I have going on right now. I’m hoping the burp cloths will be a hit. I know as a seasoned mom they sure do come in handy…it’s the gift that keeps on giving. I may even use the burp cloths to get into some boutique stores. That is on the list of things to do after baby arrives and I’m functioning again as a normal human being. I want to hit boutiques and get my products out there for people to see. It’s the only way my biz is going to take off. People need to see the products up close to see for themselves how fantastic they are.Well it seems as though Logan is finally asleep…I can now sneak into my work studio and get some sewing done.

Spring into Summer Party

2005-05-02T15:34:00.000-04:00

Myself and other local Seattle women business owners are getting together on May 21st to have a One Stop Shopping Party. If you're in the area please stop by. Here is a link to the invite.

http://members.sparedollar.com/auntart/springparty.jpg