When Good Ideas Turn Bad, and how to Change the World

Random title, I know.  But stay with me :)

I've been envisioning this dress for a year.  A Double Bubble, cinched Waist Dress.  I have literally been dreaming about how great it would be.

We finally made one.  Harp music is floating through my head....I LOVE it!!!

 

Now, it's time to get Finley in it.......

MASSIVE FAIL!!!  LOL!!!

I guess some dreams should NOT be turned into reality! ;)

Embrace your imperfections and learn from them :)  I try to teach that to Finley EVERY SINGLE day.  She is one of those kids whose biggest fear is the fear of failure.  So much so, that she would rather not even try sometimes.  That makes me sad, but she is a pretty special kid, and even though she'll sometimes be terrified to try something new, other times she'll surprise us with the amazingly fresh ways that she thinks.

For example.....last night we had Family Game Night.  We were playing an I Spy game (the kid is a champion).  But for some reason last night she wasn't in the lead.  She would barely pipe up when she saw a match!  And Mr. SLD and I were occasionally trying to let her get the matches before us so that she could earn the points.

Well, at one point the three of us were all staring at the cards, and there are obviously two bumblebee matches.  No one says a thing, and Finley finally points at them with her arms, saying "It's....it's....!!!" And there we are, trying to give her the chance to say it, so we're saying "Name it, and it's your win!!" and she doesn't name the match.

We ask her why and she says to us "I just wanted one of you guys to get the match.  So I just pointed at them....waiting for you to see it."  Our hearts melt.  

So I say "Finley, why did you do that?  Why didn't you call out the match so that you can win the stack?" and she replies with....

"Because I am so Kind."

WHOA.  First laughter, then the tears roll.  Who knew that raising a five year old could be so emotionally gratifying and complicated at the same time?  We want to instill in her the desire to win and try her best, and yet at the same time, she's also managed to keep her kindness at the forefront.

I am amazed at the beauty that is a five year old.  When I think about that kindness, in a world when all is not always kind, I feel at peace.

It's there, you just have to look for it.  You can change the world with Kindness.

xo,

shari

Ups and Downs......

No, it's not that dramatic, nothing major going on here!  Ups and downs usually become major though.  But these "ups and downs" are about my absolute dreaded topics....

PRICING.

There, I said it.  Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a business, and not have to think about pricing?  Yeah, only in my dreams :)

A lot of people have been advising me to raise my pricing.  I went to a workshop for artisans a few weeks ago, and the point was reiterated over and over, that artisans have to remember to pay themselves (really!?).  Then others tell me to  just go ahead and do it, and that I don't need to announce it.

I'm having a hard time doing that.  I respect each of my customers so much.  Yes, YOU. :)  I love that I know your kids names, or what you ate for dinner last week via our friendships we've formed on facebook and via email.  I love that I know if your child has sensory issues, so I ensure to use the smallest amount of Fray Check possible on your dress.  Or that your daughter is taller than most other three year old's so I can add an extra inch to your dress if you need it.  I love these friendships and relationships, and wouldn't want to just raise pricing without explaining it to you.  It just wouldn't feel right.  Nor does it feel right to not let you know that this is a bigger struggle than you can imagine for me.

Fact is, I have a small business not just to create cute, fun clothes, but to also earn a living for myself, and my employees.  I am so grateful to have Ellen working at SLD full time, and two other part time seamstresses in town who help me gear up for big projects like my upcoming Zulily event (eeeek!) or my craft fairs.  These folks need to make a living too.  And, we all happen to live in a glorious place called Jackson Hole, WY, where living doesn't come too cheap ;)

Anyhow, I'll spare you the details.  But, after a lot of deliberation and number crunching, and telling my bookeeper to leave me alone for several months because my brain could not handle the whole "cost of goods" numbers I was seeing..... I decided that the time has come....  in order to keep SLD going pricing will have to increase by small amounts. 

It's been an internal struggle, because I want to create accessible clothing for kids.  I want to make stuff that any Mum out there can just buy.  But my realization is that these pieces are not mass produced in countries with small living wages, and also the limited edition nature of SLD does not make 'production' very cost effective.

So, over the coming days and weeks you will notice prices starting to go up.  I'm hoping that you still can get on board and remember the quality and unique styling of SLD, and the individuals behind the clothing that you support. :)

Now, you wanna hear about the Down part of "Ups and Downs?"  Since Up is about my prices increasing...the Down will be about prices Decreasing!  A Black Friday sale at SLD.  Stay tuned to find out more.....

Stay tuned.....

xo,
shari

Two Years Ago.....

Two years ago I wrote this guest blog post on the Lil Blue Boo blog.  It was one of my first blog posts, and it was about how beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  More importantly, it was about recognizing our failures or shortcomings and taking them as stepping stones to paths of greatness.  One of the last lines reads: "...let’s take a moment and give a standing ovation to our failed projects. Without them, how could we appreciate all the beauty we otherwise create?"

Now, two years later, I had no idea how true that would ring.  Ashley is now battling cancer, and can't do the things she typically could in the time frames she is used to.  She needs more rest, something she is not that used to doing.  She's got a new scar and tiny skeleton hands (see her blog posts here ) and you know what?  She's as beautiful as ever.  

I think that while many people have always loved her, without even knowing her, now even MORE people love her.  They can see through her recent struggles, the greatness that lies within her.  She's not just a crafting guide to so many, she is a wife, a mother, a friend, a sister, a daughter.....  And now she has chosen to share her recent 'shortcomings' with the world in order for others to learn and grow from their own struggles.  If she helps just one person, she's helped give them the standing ovation that they need to get through a hard time.  It's more than most people can give in a lifetime.

Today, oddly enough, a local magazine is having a photo shoot at my house.   They are shooting "Art and objects in a home that inspire."  You know what I suggested to them for one of my objects?  The same bricks that I wrote about in that blog post two years ago this week.  

Funny how things come full circle.  Old houses are demolished, but we maintain a piece of it with us for the rest of our lives.  Ashley's body was practically trampled in surgery, but she maintains her high spirits.  Our failed projects, our losses, and our disadvantages, do not equal defeat.  They equal a path to greatness.  


xo,
Shari

Moments to remember.....

It's been a week full of ups and downs.  In a nut shell, I have been taught a valuable lesson just by watching the strength of my friend as she battles cancer. 

What it's taught me is the absolute most basic lesson.  Life is short.  That's it.  You just never know what's around the corner.  I didn't really need a reminder, I should already know that.  But I got the reminder loud and clear this weekend.  So after working all day Saturday I knew I had to make some changes in my life. 

I know you all are wonderful parents, and I think that I am a pretty good parent myself.  But at the same time, there are so many times I say "one minute sweetie" to Finley.  Over and over during the day because something else might be pulling my attention away from her.

So I pushed everything else aside, and made time for my family this weekend.  Forget the fact that I work three jobs.   My family needs to be number one priority amidst a long list of other items that remain on the "To Do" list.  And they need to know that.

So I had the most amazing weekend amidst the tears and fears for the life of a friend.

Saturday night we roasted s'mores in the backyard.

Sunday morning Finley and I built a fort in the living room and pretended the carpets were lava.

Sunday afternoon the family carved pumpkins outside.

We enjoyed a popscicle on an unusually warm October day.

We saw pure joy on Finley's face as she flew her first kite in the front yard.

Life is short.  Enjoy each moment to the fullest.

xo,
shari

Sun Valley Road Trip

I know, I've been a  lousy blogger.  You know, I take all these pictures with my camera planning blog posts around them and then wind up with too much on my plate and my little ol' blog suffers dramatically.  The last thing I should be doing right now is blogging.  But I prefer it to packing the car for tomorrow's art fair so I think I'll just add this teeny weeny post now so that I can postpone the packing ;)

So Sun Valley in a nutshell?  I LOVED it!  Not only is it the coolest mountain town, but the vibe, the people, and the adventures were out of this world! :) 

It all started just an hour out of Jackson on our Road Trip (Sun Valley is about 5.5 hours away).  We came across this abandoned house that I have wondered about for so many years.  About 20 minutes before approaching the gravel road that goes to it, I started telling Ellen all about it.  I was really hinting that I wanted to stop there.  As we approached the turn Ellen yelled "let's go see it!" and so we did. 

Isn't it the coolest?

 There was some graffiti on the walls, but I only saw one beer bottle in the whole place.  The hardwood floors have held up remarkably well.  I couldn't get a good shot, but there was a birds nest in the wall with teeny weeny baby birds squawking.

 You have to wonder about the people who lived here.  With this view, why would they ever leave?

After a few more hours of driving, we drove through Arco, apparently the first American city to be entirely powered by nuclear energy.  We just had to stop at the Pickle Place.  I mean, the giant green rocking chair out front was just calling our name! :)

 And any place that serves breakfast until 11:34am is my kind of pace.  Yup, that's right, 11:34am, and we made the cut off! 

I'm not sure what happened to my photo of the deep fried pickles we ordered.  It was not what Ellen nor I expected, that's for sure, but we did actually finish the plate ;)

It seemed to be the weekend of big Chairs and other items....

I felt like a pixie in this great big chair.   And apparently the people of Sun Valley also like their Bikes big :)

Then we were onto the small adventures.  Like spotting this guy walking across the street at nightfall.  There was no way Ellen was going to let this ferret get run over on our watch!  So the chase was on!  While I pulled over and stressed about the art fair starting in the morning...Ellen was chasing this guy through backstreets and utility structures!  But she caught him, and he was obviously friendly.  :)  Someone's pet for sure, and he even had a tattoo on his ear!

Having never handled a ferret before, we marveled at his long and completely strange body!  This guy had abs of steel!! :)

Ellen wasn't quite sure at first if he liked her.....

 But sure enough he came to love spending time in her lap.....

 I think he even went in for a kiss :)

After calling the police and having officer Tony come see us, he sadly told us that he is only allowed to handle dogs and that we would need to bring him to a Community Service Officer in the morning.  In the meantime, here we are in Sun Valley, renting a condo, and needing to find someplace for a ferret for the night!!  Officer Tony was kind enough to give us a small crate, which became Terry's (of course we named him!) home for the night.

If you've never had a ferret before, you will be surprised to hear that they let off some kind of musky scent.  Yeah, I just hope I get my condo cleaning deposit back ;)

The next morning was the first day of the art fair, and also our moment to find Terry's home!  We woke up bright and early to meet with a Community Service Officer, who seriously did not service his community well :(  He refused to accept Terry and sent us to the only animal Clinic in town that was open at 8am on a Friday. 

I cannot thank the St. Francis Animal Clinic of Ketchum enough!  Although they too are not supposed to accept exotic pets, the nearest shelter that would was too far away, and we had an art fair to set up!  So they happily welcomed Terry into their home and told us they would help find his owners.  I sure hope they have :)

And then, who would have known, but one of the artists at the fair, Julie Sola of Fat Crow Press, had a series of linocuts called "Possum Dreams" that so reminded Ellen and I of our adventures with Terry.  Needless to say, there is now a "Possum Dreams" piece hanging in Ellen's home :)

 This is the one I bought for Ellen:

So in a small town of 15,000, we then welcomed over 11,000 people to the art fair!  SLD flew off the racks.  In fact, I had an SLD spotting while driving down the Street on Saturday morning, right after the first day of the art fair!  I had to stop and roll down my window.  The two girls slept in their SLD :)

I had SO much fun at this last art fair.  And getting ready for the last one of the season tomorrow.  As much as I've enjoyed these adventures, I can't wait to snuggle into bed with Finley in the evening and read books to her.  I miss her so much when I am away.  She starts Kindergarten at the end of this month and I am shaking my head in disbelief.  Where does the time go??  Here she is getting her Mommy Manicure while reading an US Magazine and marveling at the dresses.....

 And here my baby is striking a pose yesterday morning for me.  When did this all happen!!?

OK, well, time for me to get packing.  Just so glad to finally get all this down to 'paper.'  :)

xo,
shari

Sustainable Thinking....

I've been thinking. And thinking. And thinking some more. Way too much thinking going on around here. ;) But I had to do this thinking to make SLD sustainable for years to come. You know I'm an open book, so here's the dilemma.

There are three things that have been super important to me for SLD. One of a kind clothing, upcycled clothing, and quirky clothing. These are the main tenants of what I am about. But the first and second items are also the two things making SLD currently unsustainable.

How? Take one of a kind (ooak) as our first example. It just dawned on me recently why I am so exhausted. Not just physically or emotionally (what mother with a job or two isn't? ;). But creatively. I mean, there's lots of creative juices always flowing, don't get me wrong. But when my dresses, pants, tees etc are all one of a kind, do you know what that means? It means that I create and design each and every single one of those pieces. Each fabric is selected, switched around, selected again, paired with something else, cut.... That's over 1,000 garments this past year. That's coming up with three new designs, every day, of every week. Phew. No breaks allowed ;)

It also means photographing each and every piece, editing the photos, and listing each one of a kind item. It takes hours of each day. I wish there were two of me. :) Maybe even three so that one can go work out since I never seem to find the time ;)

The next item is upcycled. Upcycling is really important to me. I admire upcycler's work so much, because it's always a challenge. A challenge to hunt for the 'new' treasures of upcycled fabric, then figure out how to best use it, what parts are good, or not so good... It keeps things fresh. It keeps things eco friendly. And it keeps things unique in a sea of mall clothes.

The combination of those two things make for a non sustainable business model though, when I am also primarily trying to keep the clothing affordable and accessible. Sad, I know. And trust me, I am so not trying to be a downer. SO, like I said, I've been thinking, and thinking....

And....I think I've come up with a way to maintain my one of a kind upcycles, while sustaining the business. Yipppeeee. :)

SLD will soon be offering a selection of dresses/tees and pants that are a mix of 'made to order' and at the same time 'one of a kind.' My plan is to create some garments that have predominantly all the same elements so that the same dress can be purchased in multiple sizes, yet throw in a twist of upcycled fabric that will be different in each garment. Say the flutter sleeves, or back panels of pants, or who knows what else just yet! LOL. But my point is, I plan to make it work by combining my old 'business model' (haha, as if I ever had one! ;) with a new one that will hopefully allow me more time for me to create, play, spend time with my family, and not feel too pressured to constantly be re-inventing the dress...so to speak.

I hope all this makes sense. I'll explain more as I start making these items...but I felt that since some of you have been with me right from the very start, you deserve to know what I am thinking about how to constantly improve and grow SLD. In fact, I am participating in three art fairs this summer, which means in just under four months, I need to create over 900 pieces for these shows. Eeegads. Can you see why I need to make some changes around here to make it work?

I hope you will feel free to give me your feedback. You are a huge part of SLD. I would not be here without you. And thanks for all your support by shopping handmade.

xo,
shari

Really, a year is only 365 days....

We always say, "where has the year gone," or "it's just flown by."  This year has been different for me.  Nope, I'm not talking about our calendar year, but the SLD year.  The year that's come, gone, yet I think I can remember pretty much every single day... that year. 

I started SLD nearly a year ago.  February 24th, 2010 was my first listing.  And sale.  :)  THRILLING day for me. 

This is what I sold:

 There was pretty much no way I was ever going to start a shop had my friend not urged me on.  I am so so grateful to you Ashley that you did. :) Ashley, is the brilliant mind behind the adorable clothing label Lil Blue Boo. 

Yup that's my Finley wearing some classic LBB.  Pretty stinking cute :)

And when the next day I put up another listing.  And had another sale, well, you pretty much could say I was jumping through the roof with excitement.  Really????  You're buying my stuff??  You like it??? WOW. 

Here are a few of my very favorites from that first week:

And check out how this:

 Became this:

(Well, there's one thing that hasn't changed in a year....LOL....my product photography was never very good, and look how much better it looks ON!)  I hear that ALL the time!  LOL


Well, I've been saying 'wow' pretty much everyday ever since :)  Seriously.  WOW!!!!!!  I cannot believe how far we've all come!!!  Hello, remember my unwilling model, my dear Finley, just a year ago?

And now...hello!  The changes she's gone through a year too is outstanding!!!

So, it's time to celebrate and commemorate!!  For the next six days, leading up to my one year anniversary, I'll have some exciting stuff going on....including a giveaway via Project Run and Play, some Facebook fun, and a release of my new anniversary screen print.  Sounds pretty fancy, aye?  ;) 

I'm going to be releasing a new print which will grace tees, skirts and dresses, and a HUGE amount of each sale will go toward funding a woman in a third world country, and EMPOWERING her with a micro loan to start a SEWING business!!  She is SLD in the making.  :)  Not like I'm massive hot stuff or anything, but what I am doing is living my dream!  I'm supplementing my family income, thus providing more for our family and my dear daughter.  The exact same things this woman is reaching for in her own world, under her own different circumstances.

Anyhow, here is a sneak peek:

I am so excited to share it and help get you some cute clothes and raise money for another woman just like me :)  How cool is that??!!!  Yay :)

So, stay tuned...check back here, and on my facebook page...for some fun this next six days.  And I promise some lame trivia too!!!

Thanks for seeing me through these 359 days.  You ARE awesome :)

xo,
Shari

Watermelon is a vegetable...

Did you know that? Yup. It's true. You can even google it :)

I mention this because:
a. I would love a slice of sweet yummy watermelon right now.
b. I would then like it to be instantaneously summer.
c. Most importantly, I learned something new today.

It's been my goal to keep learning in my life. I often forget to stop and jot down what I learned, even though I promised myself I would use this blog as a way to track new things I've learned.

So, sadly for you, if you are reading this, you've learned something fairly mundane this blog post. Sooorry! ;)

But, potentially, if you come back, you may learn something else that's new. Something more interesting. For example, Canadians like me say "Tobogganing" whereas Americans prefer to say sledding.

Ok, sorry, it will get better.  Promise :)


xo,
shari