Pretty Girl and Bub...my new venture

My banner from my Etsy Shop

So I did it...I took the leap I've been wanting to take for years and started my own business. For now it will be part time as I am still working in a very busy but rewarding job that I love. I am making purses, totes, baby toys, pet accessories, and jewelry that I will be selling online at Etsy, in person to friends and family, and eventually at craft shows. I've made a few things and have a few things stocked in my store. Here are some examples of my work...some are for sale and some were gifts. Please take a moment to check out my website, my Etsy store, and my Facebook.

A beaded Focal Centerpiece using Dutch Spiral

Turquoise earrings on copper wire

The Lucy Tote by AliFoster in a lovely black and white dot print

The Envelope Clutch by Noodlehead in a fun grey, white, and aqua print

The Diaper Bag by Craft Apple in a Marvel Super Heros Print

The Sidekick Tote by Noodlehead in a Alexander Henry Print

Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans...

So let me explain what's happened since we've talked last...actually that would take too long so let me sum up...

• My long lost sailor came home for good from Japan in May! It has been wonderful to have him home but it has also been an adjustment for both of us. Two geographically single people combining to be a couple again has been fun, interesting, and different.
• Our dog Eva had to have knee surgery in May and we had a long rough go keeping her calm and confined. She has since recovered after physical therapy. She seems to be doing good.
• My husband retired the end of September after 20 years in the Navy and we are transitioning to civilian life. It is a bigger adjustment for him but it is going well. He is in the job hunt right now and he looks forward to his next career.
• After losing three of our beloved kitties between December of last year and January of this year...we weren't sure we wanted to get another one. But we determined that our Otis kitty was lonely so we adopted a new kitten Bianca. She's crazy and sweet and we love her.
• After 5 years of it sitting not being used we have finally gotten our hot tub set up and running. It has been used twice by my hubby and once by myself. It is wonderful on a cool evening. I love it!
• Work has been insane...we have built a new addition on to the building that includes a new multipurpose room that will be used for worship services in the future. This weekend is our Grand Opening! It is exciting and stressful all in one. 
• Finally after three years of talking, planning, redesigning, renaming, and replanning I've opened my business...I'll be selling jewelry, purses, and children's items online through Etsy. My website is live but my Etsy site is not yet. Coming soon!! 

A few tv show observations...

• My husband got me addicted to Boardwalk Empire and I love it!! So far I'm not sure I like some of the story lines this season but we'll see where it goes. 
• Grey's Anatomy is reaching an end in my opinion...I love that show but I think it needs to go out in style in the next couple of seasons rather than replacing everyone like E.R. did. 
• I think Big Bang Theory is a great show and I love the humor on it.
• We are loving the new show Sleepy Hollow. I love the ties to Christianity and the Bible. I think it has great potential. And they've made Ichabod Crane kinda cute!
• I love the show Blue Bloods...it has Donnie Wahlburg, Tom Selleck, and Will Estes as the main male leads and they do a great job acting as a family. I think this one will be around for a while.

Ok so I'll be posting more soon!! And I've been hoping around to the blogs I read so I can catch up on all of you too. 

Limiting Design Skills

As a creative person I'm drawn to many different things. I like sewing accessories and beading jewelry. But I'd like to expand to PMC (Precious Metal Clay). I think it would be a fun addition to my jewelry and to my purses. I'm thinking charms for zipper pulls, etc. I also want to learn some more skills in wirework. I like learning new things.

Over the weekend though my brother and I were talking about my business and he said that I needed to narrow it to a few purse styles and a few jewelry styles. Because if you do too much you won't be good at any of it. But if you narrow it down you can be great. I listened but I admit a part of me was disheartened because I myself like variety. I have a lot of purse patterns and jewelry designs in mind. But perhaps he's right in the beginning I should limit my selection.

I admit as an artist it is easy to have many projects started but not as many finished. I am famous for that. So I guess his suggestion makes sense.

What do you think? Should artists limit themselves to a few designs, a few mediums, a few styles, etc or can we do a number of things? What about you what do you do?

Baby Steps in Business

So in my family...my brother is the math, science, and business whiz. Which is good because he works in finance and he is good at it. I on the other hand am better with the creative side of things...I hated math and loved English and Art. But he is a great resource for me. As I've mentioned before I want to start my own business selling handmade accessories. So I made up a business plan (which I've never done) and my brother read through it. He made some very good suggestions: keep it simple in the beginning, get a domain name, get business card, keep it legal, set goals, etc. He made a very good point that this is the perfect time to do this since J is gone and I have time on my hands. So I'm going to use this blog to help keep me on task...here's my current to do list (in no particular order):

• Create a business name ~ mncollins designs
• Get a domain name  ~ mncollins designs.com (not live yet)
• Get a tax certificate and a DBA (doing business as)
• Get business cards
• Make purses and jewelry
• Set-up an Etsy site
• Open a bank account
• Set goals for sales and business
• Start spreading the word

So we're on our way to having a business!!

Leaping...with support

Picture: John Collier, Purdue landscape architect
www.mensetmanus.net 

I have long wanted to be my own boss for a long time now. Mainly because the high school drama that occurs in most work places drives me nuts. My current work place has less of this because it is a small staff and frankly working in a church creates a more open environment. But we still have our issues. Also I am not a morning person...seriously. I could easily work until midnight or even 2 in the morning and then sleep late and start all over again. However, office hours run from 9 AM to 6 PM. So I get up at 7:30 AM and get ready to go to work. And I function pretty well most of the time.

I have been a bead artist since I was in my teens (well back then I'm not so sure it was art) and recently I've added sewing to my talents. I've been busy beading and sewing fun. And with my wonderful husband's encouragement I've been getting things in order to open a business selling my goodies online. Currently I've talked to the city about a business license and a DBA (doing business as). I haven't gone to get them because I'm still working on a name that covers what I currently do but also what I might create in the future. I'm a bit of an flittering artist...I start many things and then switch to something new. But currently I'm drawn to fabric and beads. So I've been working...


In the beginning I will continue to work full time and make my creations in the evenings and on weekends. But my hope is that it will expand and at some point it will become my livelihood. We have our fingers crossed. I have decided the only way to move forward is to have faith that it will succeed. And sometimes the very willingness to leap is the success. So I'm ready to leap...and build my wings on the way down.

What about you...what are you getting ready to do? What changes are coming your way?

Coming Soon...

Pictures of my creations....I've been busy working on projects both beaded and fabric. And this week I will be posting pictures.

Also I'm officially looking into the ins and outs of selling my creations. Wish me luck.

Branding Yourself

We brand ourselves in a number of ways...

We brand ourselves with clothes. By the "brands" we buy, by the style of clothes we wear, by the colors, are they ironed and clean, or wrinkled and dirty. When I worked in clothing retail for a high end store I was amazed by my fellow sales people who would overlook someone because they were in grubby clothes. Their snub was usually my gain. I think about that now when I go out...what message am I sending by my clothing. Some days I care others I don't just depends.

As bloggers we brand ourselves by what we write...and what we don't write. We brand ourselves by the blogs we follow. And we brand ourselves by the look of our blog. Our blog is our online wardrobe of sorts it sends a message of who we are.

As I get ready to start my own business my biggest stumbling block has been my branding. I labored long and hard to come up with a name for my business. Thanks to a late night brain storming session with my husband my business will be called "Labors of Love." But now to brand it...for my store front on Etsy, for my business cards, for the tags for items, for packaging, etc. So I've been looking at a multitude of sources for inspiration. It will come to me...

What about you...how do you brand yourself? How did you decide what your blog or business would look like?