Shop Talk Feature: The Vintage Byrd

As the seasons finally change I am extremely grateful that new and wonderful small businesses are budding as well (see what I did there)! A dear Instagram friend has recently opened her shop: The Vintage Byrd filled with gorgeous one of a kind clutches and bags. I'm already a sucker for a great pouch or bag that I can compartmentalize all of the toys, snacks, and other items I carry regularly - so I could not help but share this shop with you all. From the maker to the product, read all about the beginnings of this shop as well as the awesome discount on the several new items just put up! I hope you enjoy and support this wonderful maker and watch this shop take flight.

Q: Who is the maker behind The Vintage Byrd?  

A: I have been sewing and quilting for about 10ish years now. I started out teaching myself how to do most everything. When I've come across new friends who are talented and willing to teach me their ways, I soak up their teachings like a sponge. My dream has always been to open a shop of some sort and sell some of the creations that I make. Over the past few months my husband and I have gone through a devastating loss and to keep myself busy i just started sewing again-and didn't stop. I have found it's where I talk to the Lord and have found peace through this whole ordeal. I started sending pictures to my mom and sister in laws and their responses were an overwhelming unanimous 'start selling your stuff!!!' So here I am...with my passion of creating.

Q: What is your creative catalyst?

A: I like to be different. So I try to make up my own patterns and designs to make the fabric that I use more unique and fun. That's really all there is. I don't use patterns-they trip me up. So everything I make is in my head and just comes out in the form of what I'm making. I'm always dreaming up new bags or ideas of things to sew and sell, so check in with me frequently to see what's new! I'm always open to suggestions and custom orders because they open up new creative avenues to explore.

Q: What has been your biggest seller?

A: So far my best seller has been the Lil' Bre. My sister in law really wanted a clutch, but wanted a smaller version of the one I was carrying (the sideways Azzey). So I whipped one up and she's loving it!

Q: What is your advice for small business owners? (Top Three) 

A: My advice to other small business newbies: {to quote Nike} JUST DO IT. Get your support system and go. Even if it fails, you need to try.T here's no sense in living the 'what if' life---that's just a waste of the beautiful brain the Lord has blessed you with.

You can find The Vintage Byrd on etsy as well as Instagram! For you, the shop has given each reader a discount! Use code GRANDOPENING10 to receive 10% off of your order until April 17!

Shop Talk: Truly Sanctuary

The season is now upon this wonderful blog where I get to really share more and more about small businesses and their endeavors! Truly Sanctuary is a small business run by a husband and wife duo that have taken screen print shirt designs to another level. I have had the pleasure of following them through Instagram and they are hilarious. Not only do they run their business they have two beautiful girls who allow their lives outside of business to show. It's always amazing to watch how families navigate business and their own lives - they even share a bit about that too!

Currently they have an IndieGoGo Campaign going on to raise funds for their micro-boutique out in PDX! Check out their video and help them along their way. I know you won't regret it! 

Q: How is it managing family and small business? 

A: Juggling family and a business is awesome, easy, hard and weird. I love not having the additional burden of convincing my boss, switching a shift or loosing money, when something comes up and I have to take care of myself or my family members. Though sometimes it means a workday without breaks or pulling an all-niter to play catchup, having flexibility to be there for my family is huge. What gets hard is expecting your kids to get when it’s playtime and when it’s work time. It’s hard to get them on board with you getting things done that don’t include them, especially when they’re physically in the same room. It’s getting easier now that they’re in school. I have more uninterrupted time to get things done. They’re also realizing that most of their friend’s parents leave the home to work and we have some unique things to be thankful for.


Q: What has been your biggest seller?

A: As far as our most surprisingly biggest seller, I’d say “Take a Hike”. It was even featured in People magazine last year. It’s one of my favorite designs, so I didn’t assume people would hate it…it wasn’t surprising in that sense. I just sort of doodled it in like 5 minutes. I was living in florida at the time and really missing the Pacific Northwest. The Take a Hike Design was simply a reflection of what was on my heart and it came out naturally and simply. I just never imagined it meaning anything to anyone else really.

Q: What is your creative catalyst?

A: Our Creative Catalyst…Ourselves! We design things we would put on our bodies, or our children’s. Not designing for the masses is probably not going make us millionaires, but it does allow us to connect with most people who interact with our business. Finding connection with like-minded people makes this gig more fulfilling than other jobs I’ve had, for sure!

Q: What is your advice for small business owners? (Top Three) 

A: If you can see working for yourself as the payoff and not working for money as the payoff, I believe you can have a really fulfilled experience. Be self taught in as many things as you can. There is so much free information out there. Pay people whose strengths are your weaknesses, don’t pay people to do things you can do or learn to do. Oh and excellent photography sells. A beautiful high quality image will sell your stupidest product. It will get blogged, pinned and re-posted…IF…it doesn’t have a watermark. I think sometimes they look cool and I can tell a lot of care went into the creation of them. Watermarks do worse marketing wise than make you look legit or protect your work in my experience. The people you want sharing your products online find them detracting from the feel they’re creating on their blogs, Pinterest boards and Instagram feed. Unless the product your selling is the photography itself, I’d skip the watermarks/copyright.

You can connect with this shop right here!

Indiegogo Campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/trulysanctuary-microboutique/x/826473

Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/trulysanctuary

Instagram: @trulysanctuary 

Twitter: @trulysanctuary

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrulySanctuary

Shop Talk Feature: Love Like Red

It has been quite some time since we've had a nice Shop Talk feature and I'm so happy that a shop I've been following since last year has not only done a major facelift, but has truly become all that I knew this shop could be! I stumbled upon Melissa on Instagram last year and fell in love with her unique art and style, though she was just really getting her bearings for Love Like Red, I new she was going to become something phenomenal. Time has taken its course and Melissa has not only debut her new shop, but is ready to share what she has been doing as well as her gift. From how to say thank you or just because, Love Like Red has exactly the card you're looking for! Please read, check out her site, and purchase some stunning stationary (with a great discount of course!).

Q: Share a little about yourself:

A: I work out of my home studio in Victoria, BC, Canada, having moved here a little over a year ago. Inspired by life’s soft and quirky nuances, starting a line of greeting cards seemed like a very natural progression in creativity. I prefer pen to paint but love the challenge in exploring new mediums which (in my humble opinion) has led to a really beautiful collection of work.

I've always been a crafty and creative kid, it seemed inevitable that I would pursue a life of making things although I took a lot of detours before arriving here today. And right alongside making art has been my insane love of making and giving cards to friends and family. What joy to be able to bring the two together! Of course, being able to translate my artwork and illustrations into accessible forms of art for others is what drives me to keep going.

Q: How did Love Like Red get started? 

A: It really just happened so naturally. When we moved to Victoria we bought a home with an extra room specifically for a studio space for me. Once I got in there and had the time and space to create, Love Like Red just poured out of me. Technically, LLR started August 2013 but officially it just opened this past week (Sept. 8, 2014). When Carmen first approached me last year to do this interview I agreed because I was excited but it turned out I had no idea what I was doing. I couldn’t answer these questions with
any certainty. Fast forward less than a year later and I have a plan! It’s been a lot [a lot] of trial and error but I never lost the belief that I was on the right path.

Q: What do you love most about running a handmade business?

A: That I’m my own boss. I left high school early : ) mostly because I have always struggled with doing things on other peoples schedule and being told how to do it. I love that the success of my business solely depends on me and that I get to decide on how to structure my days, how to offer my work to the world and that it is a chance to share a small piece of my own world with others. I’ve never really fit in to any one thing or group or ideal so having something that is completely my own to sculpt and craft feels good and natural.

Q: What has been your greatest small business achievement thus far? 

A: I don’t know if there is one thing in particular. I am proud of myself for having the courage to do something that still seems a bit crazy. The market seems to be saturated with small creative businesses especially in paper and stationery but it is so much a part of me that I have to do it. This whole process has been challenging and I think about quitting at least 6 times a week but that would be like thinking about quitting life and we all know that is not an option. In all honesty, there hasn’t been a lot of specific achievements but I carry on believing that it will all come in time and with a heck of a lot of hard work! I’m ready for it.

Q: What is your advice for small business owners? (Top Three) 

A: You are not the only one who has no idea what you’re doing — everybody is faking it til they make it. So do that.

Love Like Red is offering all of my readers a special discount starting today until next Wednesday!

Use PROMO CODE: blueswallow14 for 15% off any purchase over $25

Thank you so much Melissa for sharing not only your shop, but who you are! I hope that you all will visit her shop and share it with others! Have an amazing handmade day friends. If you would like to feature shoot me an email!

Shop Feature: Dainty Revelations

It has been some time since we've had a Handmade Shop Feature! I've saved this one for too long, but am nonetheless excited that this feature will not disappoint. I met Jenn through my first mug swap, where she showered me with chocolate, a mug (my husband and I fight over...), and beautiful handmade gifts that I use regularly. To my pleasant surprise, Jenn shared that she had a blog and also a shop (to add to the list of hats she wears daily!!). She was more than happy to share a little bit of who she is with you and her love for what she does. I hope you are inspired and enjoy this feature, as well as check out her other daily adventures at Dainty Revelations!

My name is Jenn, and I'm a work at home mom of 3 boys under 5. It can get pretty crazy - both because, well...3 boys, and because I love to collect projects (see my list of jobs on my blog - you'll see what I mean!). We live in

WNY (near Buffalo & Niagara Falls) with my awesome husband and our two pretty kitties.

How long have you been doing this (drawing, sewing, etc)?

I've been crafting since I was a kid, sewing and paper crafting since high school, and crocheting for about 5 years. Everyone once in a while, I'll pick up a new craft-related hobby (this year's is embroidery, last year's was painting, the year before was jewelry making). I'm kind of ridiculous like that!

What is the catalyst for your shop (i.e. passion, inspiration, etc)?

For most of my life, people would say things to me like, "I can't believe you made this!" and "You could totally sell these!". The problem I had was that I could never settle into a niche. I didn't want to just make one thing, and name a shop in a way that would limit me. I am a jill of all trades lady (have you picked up on that yet? Haha!) I finally had the idea one day to just make things I love and add copies of them to Etsy, and that's how Love Forward was born. I like thinking that I'm sending a little bit of love out into the world!

 

When did you open your shop?

I started the shop in August of 2012, but didn't officially launch it until November 2012. It was fun - I learned a lot that month. Getting started in the middle of Christmas shopping season was both good and bad. I had great success right off the bat, and it was easy to find the items that people liked purchasing the most. But it also set expectations that were kind of unreasonable for the rest of the year. As I said, it was a learning experience, for sure! Maybe don't start your own shop during busy season ;)

What are you favorite supplies/items to use?

I am so addicted to yarn and fabric - their colors and patterns just speak to me! I love color. Lots of bright, ridiculous color!

What type of items do you sell/offer? Can you purchase custom items?

My most stocked and best selling items are my bow coffee cozies. I love mixing color combinations for holidays and seasons and then seeing what people love. You can ALWAYS find my bow cozies in the shop, but since I list what I love at the moment, you can also find other little things at any time - reusable handwarmers, handmade cards and jewelry, Christmas ornaments, and other little art. I've got some big plans for some fun embroidery pieces and colorful garlands coming this summer, and even more for the holidays. I'm so excited about my shop this year! And yes, unless I post a note because of a vacation or something big happening in life, I'm happy to take custom orders - especially for my bow cozies!

How can people purchase your items? (website info)

Love Forward is on Etsy, here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/loveforward and you can also follow along on Facebook and Instagram for sneak peaks, coupons, and sales!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoploveforward

Instagram: http://instagram.com/loveforward