Really? February has been all about delays. We've had delays due to snow, illness, top secret projects and supply companies. I tell ya, we have been behind the eight ball all month. And just when I thought we were out of the woods I go and sprain my ankle.
Early yesterday I ran out to drop off a ton of packages at the Post Office and as I was leaving I fell off the curb wrong and fell out into the parking lot. With the help and kindness of strangers I eventually made it to my van, then slowly and carefully drove home. Did I mention that it's my right foot?
After two hours, four Advil and contestant ice it was clear that I needed an x-ray. The good news is that it's not broken or chipped, but the bad news is I have slow it down and let it heal. The doctor ordered two days off my feet and another 3-5 days with little walking. OH BROTHER, another delay? I don't have time for this.
I know I should be thankful that isn't not that bad, but I am fighting off a real pity party, today my whole body hurts. My right ankle feels a bit better but my left knee and lower back is killing me. I guess you can't fall like that and not hurt the rest of yourself.
So, here I sit with my ice, my kids and some yummy chocolate to dull the pain and entertain myself. We could all use a bit more family time.
Let me just start by saying that I have very cool friends! Last weekend my friend, Kimmy from Richmond's Globe Hopper, traveled to Atlanta to attend The Southeast Regional Barista Competition. How exciting is that? Kimmy and her sweet family are a frequent guests of our annual Halloween parties and she has been coveting a Modern June Chalk Cloth Table Runners for a while now. I love that she found such a unique use for it. How great is it that she used it in the competition? What a rock star!!!
5:00 PM: I just got a call from my informant telling me that a top-secret-high-profile client of hers would like to have 3 of my cupcake aprons sent to them, ASAP! I realize quickly it's going to be a long night, and a look at my fabric stash proves me right. I am going to need to do some shopping!
6:00 PM: While scouring the a local independent fabric dealer I get a call from my partner informing me that my informant has yet another deal going down with the same top-secret-high-profile client, obviously this client is burning the candle at both ends on this particular day. One can help but wonder, how many other deals are going down tonight?
I quickly phone my informant to get the low down, the skinny, the 411. Wow, this is defiantly going to be a VERY long night! After a long phone call and a no score at the local fabric dealer, I find myself empty handed and deep in thought. How can I pull these two deals off quickly and effectively?
7:00 I realize I am late for my meeting so I rush over the hide out and meet up with my mafia girlies to discuss legalities, an upcoming show down and our latest caper... the Spring Bada Bing.
Scanning the joint for intruders I notice an unsuspecting family with crosses upon their foreheads. Ohhhhh NNNNNooooo, its Ash Wednesday, and that can only mean one thing it's my mothers birthday. I jot myself a note--call your mommy stat!
8:00 We get through business fast, and I am off and running to the big daddy fabric dealers. On the way I call my mom and get a lecture on eating meat on Ash Wednesday and how Homeschooling the kids will only deprive them of going to the prom. Really, prom??? That's your only problem with me homechooling? Shocking.
I make it to the location, only to find squat! Diddly. Squat. Even though they have nothing I need for this project I still manage to make a $70.00 purchase. Who knows I might need some of this for the long evening ahead.
Once in the car I realize that I only have 6 minutes left, so I book it across the street to another big daddy fabric dealer. Let's hope I get lucky there, let's face it time is running out and I need polka dots and I need them now!
9:00 SCORE! They have what I need, I found both red and turquoise blue polka dot fabric! The dealer tells me I have overstayed my welcome, makes the transaction and kicks me out.
Next stop, local establishment for caffeine and a beef taco (to spite my mother, old habits die hard).
Once back at my crib I tuck the kiddos in bed and have a quick bite to eat while I send my informant a few quick pics of the fabrics I found. We trade a few emails and I am off and running. It's finally time to get to the real work.
10:00 Did I mention that I haven't made these aprons in about a year? The patterns need to be worked over. I spend sometime tweaking the design, and whip up two new patterns. Finally, time to get cutting.
11:00 I have every thing cut, so I start sewing.
12:00 I decide it's time for a little shut eye, so I head up to bed. But here's the problem, I start problem solving deal # 2! The top-secret-high-profile client is looking for "XYZ", the informant has a great idea for "XYZ" but I don't see happening for the amount of bills being discussed. So, shut eye is all I getting.
1:00 As I lay here figuring out the dets and the math, I have one of those "Aha" moments Oprah's always having. I guess sleep is out of the question. I jump from my bed grab some scrap oilcloth and start patterning a new product! Genius! I have done it, I have found a way to make us all happy.
2:00 It's time to get back to my lofty goal of making not just the three requested aprons but an additional 2 more for the top-secret-high-profile clients approval. Welcome to Crazy Town, and the vain attempts over-achieving that happen in Crazy Town.
3:00 As I continue to sew, the bad boy iron strikes again. The spiting and spewing of water leads to serious scorch mark all over one of the aprons. After taking the iron out back and showing it who's boss I cut another one and start over again.
4:00 I am now at total shut down... Around 4:15 I realize I have passed my limit and need some sleep. So it's off to bed... 4:30 I am still awake... 4:45 I find myself cracking up with laughter because I realize that I am going to have to shovel snow off my picnic table so I can take photos for the informants second deal. The absurdity of it all is just too funny.
5:00 Finally I sleep...
6:00 sleep...
7:00 sleep...
8:00 Up and at it! I start the day by emailing all my peeps, I need my posse today. For now I start sewing.
9:00 Oh yeah, there's that other job, "The Big Job". The one that includes teaching and parenting. This morning the kids become secretaries and stitchers. Lessons include taking dictation and sending emails, running out for breakfast and caffeine, and sewing class.
10:00 Sewing continues as the emails start pouring in. Then there it is, the email from heaven! My inbox now contains an email informing me that "my dream project" is one step closer to becoming a reality. I tell you it's best email ever. You know a girl has to have a few crafty tricks up her sleeve, well let me tell you what, this one is very big trick! I quill my excitement, and keep sewing.
11:00 My peeps start rolling in! I get one of my Junies cutting placemats and cupcakes while I sew. I relieve the kids from sewing class and the computer takes over the school lessons. Things are looking good, even the irons behaves.
Once things are under control I take a few minutes to attend to "my dream project" and I shoot a few emails off to my secret agents and get back to sewing.
12:00 You will never believe what I am doing, I am still sewing. I have given up on the two extra aprons but I decide to create a whole new placemat for the top-secret-high-profile clients approval. CRAZY!
1:00 As I finish up the placemat I assign the kids reading duty. Honestly the goal here is simply to keep myself awake and if learning happens so be it!
As I start photographing the new and improved cupcake aprons the phone starts to ring off the hook! Sorry, friends but I just can't answer, I am currently freaking out!
One number comes up on the caller id not once but twice so I figure it might be important. Important indeed! It's another one of my partners in crafty crime, the god father of my entire wholesale career, with dets on our next big score. I will be teaming up with him to decorate a booth for the Richmond Home and Garden Show. As I fumble with my fatigue and the camera, I just can't chat, so I pull a Scarlet O'Hara and tell him that I will have to think about that tomorrow.
2:00 I am gleefully packing up the goods so I can overnight them to the informant, so she can then overnight them to her top-secret-high-profile client! I love wrapping up pretty packages but I love mailing them off even more.
Just then, another lovely Junie arrives and I get her working of the real work, the web orders that need making. And I am off to the post office.
3:00 I am back at the crib and rolling out two brand new products for deal number two. I am cutting and the Junies is sewing. Product one is done in a flash and I am headed out to shovel snow off the patio table. Next, I shop my attic for picnic props as I chat with another Junie on the phone. I needed a pep talk!
4:00 I get the first round photos done just as my sweet Junie finishes up the brand new product number 2. For the second set of product shots I open a bottle of wine, I insist on using really great props! I then spend the next 30 minutes taste testing the wine and shooting the product.
Once I am done I sit down for the first time all day and breath. There I sit for about 10 minutes wondering why the in the hell the camera won't down load my damn pictures. Well let me a little trade secret, now don't tell anyone, ok? It helps if you plug the camera in. Hmm... maybe the wine wasn't such a great idea after all!
Twenty minutes of downloading and editing photographs I am done! I call my informant and tell her where she can find the photos. I head back to the bottle of wine and toast to my Junies and a job well dones. I couldn't go 24 hours with out my Junies! xoxoxoxo
I have a lot to do in a typical work day. Not only do I run my little business but I also homeschool my two kiddos. So, in order to have any life at all. I really need to keep on top of my work life and not let it encompass my entire life. This year I am all about working smarter, "work smarter, play harder and love more" is my 2010 motto!
Soon, I will be taking on another big project, so now is the time to up the ante on my organizational skills, time to take it to a new level. I'm going to be ubber-organized. Balancing wholesale orders and custom work, all while cranking out some new lines can be quite a challenge, as is keeping seven Junies working.
I have called on my old friend, the to-do list. But wait, this isn't just any to-do list. No, this is a wicked-cool production list of epic proportions. I have spent my Sunday creating a series of spreadsheets that will help keep track of every project. I'm talking color-coded loveliness! Now with a click of a button I know who's working on what, when it's due, and when it will ship. I have set up the production sheet to help me keep track my supplies as well. No more midnight panic attacks because I don't have enough brown trim--for some reason it's always brown trim.
Every week I get a bit closer to reaching the ultimate goal of working smart!
Every year I treat myself to a new pair of RED birthday shoes. My love of red shoes came from the movie Chocolat. If memory serves me right, that is the only color shoes that the main character, Vianne wears. What's not to love about Vianne? She's mysterious, powerful and gutsy, not to mention sexy as all get out!!! So, I figure if red shoes makes me a bit more like that, I'm all for it!
Well today, I set out for a bit of shopping with my dear friend Dawn. We started out at our local DSW, I must say it was a damn good shoe day. Not only did I get a pair of the requisite red shoes, but a pair of yellow and green flats too. I'm set for spring! Now all I have to wait for is the perfect spring day (a long wait)!
Sooooo, it's my birthday today and I see no reason why I shouldn't give one of you a present! To celebrate, I am giving away two small oilcloth party banners to a lucky winner. All you need to do is to become a Modern June Facebook Fan once you a fan come on back and wish me a Happy 29th Birthday for the 13th year running! I'll pick a winner on Sunday morning!!!
Don't forget to check out Oilcloth Addict additional birthday gifts!
It's been a long time since I added any new oilcloth prints to the shop, way too long! I figure who better to help me than you all, my loyal blog readers. Here is what I am thinking, the shop needs some more floral and fruit prints and maybe a strip or two. Take a look and let me know what you like...
I have been wanting to carry one of the mum prints for some time now, which color do you like best?
Since spring and summer are coming, I want some more fruity patterns. Which print do you like best? Well talk color later!
fruit basket
modern apples
classic oilcloth apples
oranges
teapots and fruit
doilies and fruit
I have wanted to get some strips in the shop as well, I want all of these! Which blue is better, light or dark?
Thanks for your help. I want to order soon so leave me a comment today!
I would love to take a moment to thank my sweet and very cute hubby for cleaning up my mess of a blog! Hasn't he done a great job? Last year he redesigned modernjune.com and now he has made our blogs lovely too! Please take a minute or two and check out the Oilcloth Addict Blog, I am so happy with his spin on the branding. I want to publicly swear that I will never-ever-ever go messing with the template again, I promise that I will keep my creativity to the studio!
This year Modern June turns 4 which means it is a time to set new goals. Sometimes I feel as if I have been treading water just trying to stay afloat, working constantly and often working with out a plan. But no more, this year I have goals and a plan! This year I work smart!
In order to succeed I have set up some goals for my biz, both big and small. I once heard that a small business owner should be able to wake up every morning know everything about their accounts. Well, that would be nice wouldn't it? Let me just say that I have lowered my expectations, and I am happy knowing that info on Monday morning. So I have made Sunday bookkeeping day. I don't have it all set up yet but each week I spend some time cleaning up last years mess and keeping up on this years sales, expenses and payroll.
I have to thank the Etsy Success emails for lending a hand, back in January they linked a forum thread that offered an Etsy Goal Spreadsheet. Well that is just what I needed to kick start my weekly record keeping. The first thing I did was to adjust the goal to suit my businesses "big goal", you know the the goal of increasing that grand total at the end of year. In order to know how I am doing in the middle of the week I have a daily goal set. I can really see how my goals lead to marketing and marketing leads to meeting those goals.
I am sure that an educated business person would laugh at my elementary achievements, but come on that BFA wasn't heavy on business and math classes, was it? Plus, its a DIY kind of thing, I am doing it myself and with the help of my crafty crew! We learn as we go, that's just how we roll.
How fun is this Home Page collection? A great mix is new and old, a little Modern Juneplacemat action, and ya gotta love the Faux Bois! Thanks to Nicole and April for sending me screen shots, us RVA girls have each others backs, that's for sure! Yah, Richmond Etsy Street Team!
SNOW, this winter it's snow, snow snow. I tell ya, careful what you wish for. Don't worry spring is right around the corner, right? Let's hope so! To shake off the winter blues, we are having a Weekend Snow Sale.
Today I thought it would be fun to revisit a tutorial that I did in 2008, "No Sew Pillows for Valentines Day." I was honored to do this tutorial on our local morning show, Virginia This Morning.
Fabric: Use up some of those scraps, or buy a few Fat Quarters.
Pillows: Buy a few simple pillows at any old place that sells housewares. Or, better yet, grab one you already have and dress it up. Feeling adventurous and industrious? Make your own from scratch. I suggest using a pillow with a zipper and a pillow form inside. Working flat will be much easier.
Template: Free hand hearts are really fun. You can also print out a coloring page off the internet, or use a stencil from the craft store. My cute created concentric hearts for me with Adobe Illustrator.
Step one: Iron your Heat Bond to the wrong side of the fabric and trace out your hearts. For the white pillow I will be using two different size hearts and layering them prior to applying them to the pillow.
Step Two: Using pinking shears or regular scissors cut out your iron on patches.
Step Three: Remove paper backing off the smaller heart and center it up onto the larger heart. A ruler is most helpful with placement.
Step Four: Find your center and mark with pins now use your clear ruler so center the 4 hearts with each of the 4 quarter of the pillow. You can also measure the distance away from the out side edges to ensure your hearts are centered properly.
Step Five: Once you have these sweet hearts in just the right spot, iron as directed on heat bond packaging. Check your iron on patches to insure they are secure. A little extra pressing may be in order. When all are in place simply fill your newly decorated pillow back up with its pillow form and fluff. Now comes the easy part... enjoy!
The kids and I decided dress up the house for Valentines Day, so I whipped up a tutorial for making our banners. I hope you all head over to Oilcloth Addict's blog and get crafty!
Yummy Green Apples
Pretty Green Mums
Lovely Roses are back!!!
Light Blue Hibiscus
Vibrant Orange Mums!
Perky Yellow Dots
UPDATE! Sad news, we didn't get the Roses this time. Maybe they will be blooming for summer!!!