Sunday, October 10, 2010

LOVE.

The title of this post is LOVE. Because that's the only word that can possibly describe everything that is taking place right now. Our fundraiser was more successful than I thought it would be, and I am SO encouraged by the generosity of everyone...my heart is so full of love for the Michael's, for all those who donated raffle prizes, and especially to all you who bought shirts and tickets!!! NONE of this would have been possible without YOU! One of the most awesome things that happened was that through everyone's promotion and advertisement through their FB statuses, someone read about the need of this family and donated a HUGE amount of money straight to their paypal. Without our fundraiser this person may have never known about this family's need. I ask that each of you continue to pray for them through their adoption journey, as it is far from over.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Fundraiser, part 2

So as most of you have read I am doing a T shirt fundraiser...well I've teamed up with a few other work-at-home-mom's and we've decided to add a raffle fundraiser also!!! Here are the details:
  • Tickets will be sold for 1 week, from Friday October 1-Friday October 8.
  • Each ticket is $5
  • There will be SEVERAL prizes and winners
  • If you are a vendor and would like to donate one of your products to the raffle please contact me @ echolmes03@gmail.com or message on FB.
  • Some of the prizes include: Monogrammed Towels from Cherry Limeade, Stationary from Promenade26, Soap from Seraphim Leigh Soaps, baked goods from MamaShania's Cookie Jar, Photography mini session from Debra Rice Photography, and lots more!
  • To purchase a ticket, check my Facebook page Friday! Also please specify if you are local to the houston area or not, I will only include local people in the photography drawing since that's obviously something you'd need to be nearby for :)
Also, the T shirt fundraiser (see previous post for details) will begin this Friday as well, and go for 1 week! I'm really excited about these!!!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Fundraiser info

OK, so here are the details of the fundraiser I will be doing for the Michael family! (see last blog if you haven't read their story yet)

I will be offering a choice of 3 designs for the fundraiser. These will all be on a white unisex T shirt, and the cost will be $15. $10 of the $15 will go directly to the Michael family. I will ONLY be accepting fundraiser orders when I reopen for orders, and I will be taking orders for the fundraiser for 1 week, so please stalk my facebook for updates on the exact date I will start this (still trying to finish all the orders I currently have first!).

I am also trying to put a raffle together, but I am trying to secure some pretty awesome prizes first, so more details on that later :)

Here are your shirt options for the fundraiser:

The first one is an ornament, in your choice of fabric, with your child's initials or name inside (will only work if they have a name with about 6 letters or less) This is a photo of one, but I have yet to make one myself so I can't take credit:

The second design is another holiday one, this one can only be done with 1 initial:

And the third, for those who don't want holiday designs, is a simple initial with a name across it. Again this isn't my photo so I'm not taking credit for this picture, but just to give you an idea of what it could look like!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Going beyond the call of duty

Last night my heart was touched by the story of an old friend, Kristin Michael. We went to church together when I was younger and through facebook I had reconnected with her family. I have such fond memories of a certain youth group ski trip in high school where I got a chance to bond with this family, even if it involved me having an accident and being taken downhill in a body bag by the ski patrol.

Kristin and her husband Jordan have been called to adopt a child from Ethiopia, but they have faced struggles trying to come up with the money. Nothing in me can express what she has in her own blog, and she has given me permission to share her link, so please just read about it for yourself, maybe it will touch you also.
http://bethechangeinethiopia.blogspot.com/(start at the bottom and read in chronological order!)

After reading Kristin's story God laid it on my heart that I can help in a huge way!!! We are his hands and feet here on earth!

I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Matthew 17:20

More updates soon to come on the details of my fundraiser for the Michael family!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

My CRAZY life!

So, even though I am absolutely SWAMPED with orders, thanks to all my fans and by God's grace, I want to take a minute to update everything here! I like the idea of being able to track my progress this way, so I can always look back and remember what an amazing time this is for me.

First of all, orders have been pouring in! I am getting at least 3-4 a day, and sometimes those orders have 3+ shirts! As fast as I make them I am getting new ones! Right now I have almost 50 shirts to make! Another issue this has brought up with me has been organization and time management! I guess before it was ok for me to be a bit on the lazy side with these things, but they are absolute NECESSITIES now!!! I have started making spreadsheets and labeling shirts and everything! My blackberry has saved me more than once when I've been in a store and either misplaced my list or forgot what shirt sizes to get!

My work schedule is usually during the day only if Peyton naps (which is not the norm anymore, sadly) and then at night I try to do 2 shirts. Thankfully, she got a last minute spot in Mother's Day Out at church and will be gone on Tues & Thurs from 9:30-2:30! She will be 2 in October so it's a great time for her to start getting more socialization and stuff! I think it will be a great transition also into preschool.

And about FACEBOOK...it is a God send!!! Really, without facebook I would have no sales, other than through my friends! It's amazing to me that people like my stuff so much that they want it just for the fact that it's cute, and not just to help me out :) I think with the bows it was just my friends ordering from me to keep me in business, so this is a nice surprise!!!

My husband is having surgery soon, and with all the orders and craziness I decided it's best for me to stop taking new orders right now and try to finish up what I have. If I get everything finished I will open up again, or open up in 2 weeks, whichever comes first! I just don't want to have a wait time that is longer than a month, I don't feel like it's fair to customers or to me!

Here are some pics of some of the work I have done:




Sunday, August 22, 2010

Open for business!!!

So I've decided to go ahead and open early! My reasons are a little silly, but 1) I am done with all my "practice" pre-orders, which I thought would take me all week to do, and 2) my friend is watching my daughter all day tomorrow for me so I am hoping someone will order soon so I have something to work on while I have the free time!

I am sooo excited to be doing something like this...really I've always wanted to just do "arts & crafts" type things for a living, but I never thought I'd have a shot at it. Well, now I am doing it! I'm so blessed to have an incredible and supportive husband, family & friends. A special shout out to Lindsay Williams, without her I would have been lost throughout this process...she's a great mentor and example to me with her business, Neverland's Cove.

Next week is the fun part...going to get my tax ID. YUCK! I hope it's not as big a pain as I think it will be!!!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Blogging my business!

This is something I've seen tons of work at home mom's do with their businesses and I always love going to my favorite Etsy shop and clicking on their blog link! Plus, I can be much more verbose here than I can on facebook, I don't want to annoy all of my fans with over-updating!

Back in May I created Sassy Bows by Clare. I spent tons of time and money birthing that and turning it from a hobby into a business! But after an endless amount of needle pokes and lighter or glue gun burns it just wasn't enough! I decided I wanted more, and after visiting a friend in Alabama and seeing her successful embroidery business, I was very intrigued!

About a month later I got REALLY lucky and my mom decided to buy me an embroidery machine! I have a Brother PE 780D and this thing is amazing! I decided to create a sister business to Sassy Bows by Clare, and this one is called Cherry Limeade Creations. I will be doing embroidery and applique on children's shirts, onesies, burp cloths, bibs, blankets and other embroidable items.

Sooo...welcome to my blog! I will try to regularly update here!