etsy lately

As most of you know, Jared started an Etsy shop almost two and a half years ago. Jared has a seriously creative mind. In our house, he always picks out all the paint. Not only is he a good judge of color (Him: Is it more of a purple-grey or a blue-grey?  Me: Wait, what? Grey is grey! Right?), he can envision what things will look like before he ever makes the first cut for his latest project. So his Etsy shop was opened at my request so that our house wouldn't be completely cluttered by all the things he was tinkering around making in our garage.

It was a slow start. 
Which was to be expected. And which was actually a good thing. 
It took quite a while to learn the ropes of it all, especially how to tag listings so they can be found by searching customers and discovering the secret to mailing items so you don't lose your ass in shipping costs.

For a long while we were super excited to get one order a month. 
Seriously. 
And months where he got two or three, we were ecstatic about it. Last year around this time we saw huge growth in his sales as people started to shop for the Christmas season. Usually there is a pretty large drop off in sales after the holiday season is over, but for some reason this year that didn't really happen. Thanks to more learning (and lots of research on Jared's part), sales have continued to grow. 

It's been exciting - it's a little rush to know people (strangers!) love and want to buy something you're hand-making - but it is also a little overwhelming. We've both had to gradually change our mindsets. Before when getting only an order or two a month, Jared could easily complete the order before ever receiving another. His goal was to be complete before moving on to the next item. But last month, he had at least one order every single day. 
Say what??! 
We were so not prepared for that. 
And this month has proved to be more of the same.

Now it's not possible to make it down to zero pending orders. He works a full-time job after all. So there is always this "I have 12 orders to get out" mentality hanging over his head - and mine too. I'm definitely a person who never procrastinates. So knowing there are plenty of orders still needing to be completed, and then hearing the little cash register sound go off on Jared's phone signifying a new order, it kinda makes my inner organization queen cringe. 
But it's a good problem to have, as long as Jared can keep up.

Organization is key, and it proves difficult when you are running a small business out of 20 extra square feet in your garage.

Speaking of the little space Jared works out of, here are some photos I snapped the other day of him in action.

More information learned along the way: proper personal equipment is a must. Jared has been wearing the ear protection since the beginning (because he likes his tunes and NPR) but the mask was a recent purchase. Turns out he was coughing a ton from all the sawdust he was inhaling. And purchases like a new sander that is hooked up to a system that collects all the dust is a big plus too - it's annoying to have to clean an inch of dust off your bike daily. 

It's definitely a family affair. 
Truthfully Jared does probably 90% of the work involved, but I do my part in correspondence with customers during the day while he sleeps and packing up and mailing items to be shipped.
Oh, and keeping the kids out of his hair while he is working can prove to a full-time job also. 

Fairly often Graham will collect his tools and head outside to do some "workshoppin'" with his dad. The scrap pile can get pretty large so there is always some wood for him to cut, hammer, or screw.

Bailey and Avery also like to help out when they can.
Bailey actually does helpful things like learning how to apply paste wax to completed wood projects. 
Avery does things more along the lines of playing the keyboard in the basement and singing nonsensical songs loudly while we package. Very loud is her speciality.
So see? they're both helping in their own way. 

And we all have to put up with random stops for boxes, whether they fit in the vehicle or not.

If you're interested in seeing more items that Jared is currently creating, make sure to follow him on instagram @brandnewtome or check out his Etsy site.

living room re-do

Have you ever just lived with something each and every day and never even realized how much you disliked it? 

We moved into this house 3 years ago and since then we've just sort of "gotten by" when it came to our living room. We've played musical couches, getting an old one reupholstered (badly - and thankfully cheaply) through my husband's job and then inheriting one when Jared's grandpa passed away. Nothing wrong with passing down a perfectly good couch, but a beige couch didn't add much to our already beige walls and beige carpeting.

Seriously, it was neutral heaven. If we were selling our house on an episode of House Hunters, I'm sure we'd be an HGTV realtor's dream. No crazy colors to look past here! 

One day I just was walking through and it dawned on me, "Man, I hate our living room."

It's true. I have never liked those curtains. They were a cheap Ebay find and they "got us by." 

Noticing a trend here folks?

For three years. More than enough time to get by and go out and buy something else! 

Because of the slightly weird layout of the room with multiple entries, we have tiny little spaces on the wall. I feel like the room had no personality and didn't give the sense of family that I was wanting. (Besides the scattered kids' toys that practically scream Hey, a family lives here!)

So we finally went and bought a couch that we picked out and wanted. 

And it's leather. 

Because we have a dog that will randomly eat grass and puke wherever he happens to be sitting. And a son that strip down and sit on furniture completely naked. A beige fabric couch is essentially the least compatible fit for those scenarios and small children in general.

So the plain curtains are gone, replaced by a bolder color and pattern. 

Bye bye beige couch, my sincere apologies for all the times Avery peed on you.

This new couch is a napper's paradise; Jared and the new couch have already completely bonded.

Jared built two sets of shelves to custom fit the small available wall spaces in the room.

They're simple and allow for much more decorative touches to be added to our room. I love displaying photos, especially ones of my babies when they were tiny and squishy.

The drawing on the right is the first real drawing Bailey ever did: a rainbow. Truly fitting because our eldest is all about hearts, butterflies, rainbows and sunshine.

We're still finding where things look good, tweaking as we find a new photo or old item, which might be obvious as one frame appears two places. ;)

I love our updated living room. Some people might not see a huge difference, but I actually like sitting in it now. Even with those mountains of toys as far as the eye can see.

evolving

I realize that recently I haven't had a lot of quality in this online space. I used to blog pretty regularly - about kids, life, my opinions, or just random updates. I am lucky if I write something twice a month lately. 

Blogging became sort of an escape for me back in 2011. It was basically the only thing I did for me. I've always liked writing, so it was a good fit. And it stayed that way for a long time, until this past year when I moved my health and fitness from the (way, way, way) back burner up closer to the front. 

And it's not only that. My mind has been occupied with other things, and quite a lot of it is stuff that isn't truly *my* stuff. It's some deep shit that is mostly other people's deep shit, but it affects me too. They're people I love and care about, so I worry. I pray. I am a sounding board. I'm trying my best to be a solid support person. Situations like these are the ones that remind me of a country song: You Find Out Who Your Friends Are.  (Gotta love a good Tra-Law reference!) I want to be that friend. 
Call me - I'll answer. 
Need to cry/scream/vent? I'm here.
Need a hug? I love a good hug!
Not sure what you need? I can bake some cookies and we can drown your/my/our sorrows in chocolate together.

So while writing has always been a cathartic process for me (Your Honor, I submit into evidence my angst-filled pre-teen diaries), this isn't the place for all the emotions and thoughts running rampant in my mental space these days. And with those emotions and thoughts tied up, I am feeling zapped for inspiration. I hate to make this blog a periodic catch-up list of what we did each week, and that feels like what it has been lately. It used to be more than that to me, but everything changes and evolves. My efforts and time are just being put to other uses right now. So for those who check in here periodically and wonder why I seem to have slid off the grid, now you know. 

So now for the randomness I referred to earlier:

Jared's little Etsy business was a bit ridiculous in January. Last year, after a big (for us) Christmas rush, it was complete crickets for months. We expected the same this year. Surprisingly it was busy with lots of orders. Also helping traffic recently is the Etsy Lookbook for Spring 2015. Jared was contacted to submit an item for consideration back before Thanksgiving. Both of us were like, Is this a joke? Is someone just trying to get free stuff? but apparently it was for reals. He was eventually selected and notified last week. His item is featured with only 20 others in the "Kids" section. 

I have zero idea how his item got the committee's attention in the first place, especially since Jared has just a small shop with only 100+ sales, but it happened. Obviously Jared isn't trying to grow his shop exponentially, but it's nice to get noticed and hopefully gain a few more orders. 


Today is Valentine's Day.

So... Happy Heart Day!

Y'all know my opinion on Valentine's Day - it's kinda silly. 
It's great that people want to show some love and affection. But the best part of Valentine's Day is observing the boyfriends and husbands that are normally total dicks 24/7 go out and buy a dozen roses and get called the "Best Husband EVER!!" Am I right? But that is beside the point...

Anyway, now that I have kids that (sort of) care, I gotta step up my V-Day game a bit. 

We baked cookies for Avery's class party and got crazy with the pink glittery stuff. Both girls gorged on candy after their school parties this week. Today Jared and I gave them tiny Russell Stover hearts (Target for a whole buck) and a new rubber duck each for the bath tub. (Weird I know, but they've been whining since I threw their others away. I don't do moldy ducks.)

My Valentine's spirit on display:

Nail tutorial from The Small Things blog

Nails and cookies, that is as festive as I get.

Tiny nails were also painted fitting colors for today.

And this wasn't even a sugar-induced crazy face.

Speaking of that crazy face, Bailey turns 5 next week. Grandma Cathy is flying in for a few days, and we will be doing it up Elsa style at this time next Saturday. And hey, maybe if we're lucky she'll make the above face when she sees all the Elsa and Anna and Olaf crap plastered everywhere!

Oh, and it's exactly 30 days until Jared and I visit this luxurious paradise for 6 whole days. 

Are you tired of me rubbing that in your face yet? Well too bad! It's getting me through some challenging workouts, carpet pee stain cleaning sessions (toilet train yourself already, Graham!) and some freaking cold days around here.

And speaking of vacation, if anyone reading this post is a reader and has some great beach reads they'd like to recommend, please leave a comment. I'd really appreciate it! I want to be prepared with a good book or two to enjoy.

Seven thoughts

{ONE}
Fe, Beaner, and I walked in our town's annual parade to support our youngest sister Justy's massage business. We handed out magnets and worked up quite a sweat. The girls got in on the action by donning their matching t-shirts and helping throw candy.

{TWO}
As I have mentioned before, I got serious about losing weight and getting into shape back in April. 
I am happy to report that I am currently down 17+ pounds in almost 4 months. 
It's no huge jaw-dropping number, but I am happy with it. I'm also happy that I am accomplishing it without totally giving up foods I love (milk, carbs, cake) or forking out money for memberships. It's just been simple exercising and not taking in more food than I burn every day. 
And it works. 
I have lost about a pound a week. And since my goal is to achieve a weight I can actually maintain, I am fine with a slow but steady decrease on the scale. 

{THREE}
I recently posted some photos of projects Jared had completed for his Etsy site. He is apparently on a real kick because he has been churning out all kind of new things lately. I think the newest one is pretty cute.

Source: Mason jar sconce/vase on painted wood

Source: Mason jar sconce/vase on stained wood

{FOUR}
This past week my parents were in Washington D.C. for a vacation and I was garden-sitting for them. We went out to pick green beans and cucumbers and sweet corn every two or three days. I was in bean snapping mode for hours and hours this week. Fresh garden produce is at the top of my list of favorite things about summer. Jared doesn't seem to truly appreciate the wonderfulness that is fresh green beans straight from the field - more for me!

{FIVE}
Some days it is just too hot to pretend I want to sit in the backyard watching the kids run around. Even if there is shade - don't care. Inside in the air conditioning is where it's at, folks. There is plenty of fun to be had reading books and playing in tents.

{SIX}
Speaking of books, I am back in reading mode. I have been wanting to read "The Fault in Our Stars" for months, especially since I knew the movie was coming out. Now if I want to go see it with my sister and her friend, I need to be finished in the next 10 days or so. So I should probably actually start it...

To any commenters: What is a great book you finished recently?
I love a good book recommendation, and my GoodReads "to read" list can always use a few new additions.

{SEVEN}
Check out my car wash cuties hard at work. The kids have fun and the car gets clean. Win-win situation.

And don't pretend like you weren't wearing your pink tutu the last time you washed your car.

And can we talk about Crocs for a moment? I don't love them. I have never owned a pair, don't plan on it. But Crocs (or a knock-off brand found basically anywhere) for kids? Amazing. 

They require zero assistance from me. And as many times in a day that the kids go out in the backyard and come inside again five minutes later, I figure I am saving myself at least a good half hour of work per day. 

Plus they are water proof. This is a big perk seeing as Avery abandons her shoes within one minute of going outside. I can't tell you how many pairs of soaked shoes I have rescued from the backyard after a rain storm. You throw in all the dirt they acquire at Papa's farm? Yep, Crocs, I have officially given in to your charms. 


Alright, I think that is enough random for now. 
Happy Monday!

a little Etsy love

Most of you know that my husband has his own Etsy shop named Brand New To Me. He is always trolling the internet to find new ideas and inspiration and regularly raids a family member's old barn for wood. It gives him a chance to escape the house and be creative, plus he has a built-in excuse to wander around Menard's for a "deal" or two.

So with little to no shame I am going to showcase a couple of his new creations.

rustic pallet and barn wood shelf

source: Rustic/Reclaimed/Pallet Barn Wood shelf

wooden serving tray

Source: wood serving tray/ottoman tray in robin's egg blue

shabby chic beach crate shelves

source: shabby chic beach-crate wall shelf

He is mid-project on creating at least one or two other new items. After months of pretty slow business, July proved to be busy with many custom orders and more currently in the works. Soon he will start building up a supply of Christmas items, because if this holiday season is anything like last year, he will need a surplus of stocking holders. (He literally took our own personal one of the wall and sold it to someone else while he made another because he was taken by surprise with how many sold.)

And as always his shop button is on the right-hand side of my page. 
And any local Iowa peeps can hit him up for a deal; without Etsy's cut and shipping costs, he has a little more wiggle room in the price. 

off the rack

Jared's been hard at work ticking items off my wish-list this winter. 

About two weeks ago he finished our Pottery Barn-inspired cubby storage unit. But it took awhile to find the boxes we wanted to fill it with, and now we need to hang our family pictures above it. So maybe a post about that next week? 

In the meantime he used the scraps from that project to make a cute step-stool for the kids to use... and boy, do they use it! It helps them reach the extra-tall sink in our bathroom and is big enough for two to use at once. 
Heaven help us when Graham decides he needs in on the action too.

Jared's latest project:
a rolling rack for the girls' dress-up clothes.

After this past Christmas their dress collection grew immensely. Grandma Cathy sent a present that consisted of five Disney princess dresses. So along with the shoes and accessories (ie: bracelets that Tucker chews and destroys daily) they already owned, they have been in dress-up mode constantly. 

I love the... imagination?
Mismatched socks. 
Lion purse. 
Tutu with a bunched up dress.
And sensible flats to round it all out.

Anyway,
I had previously purchased an old-school suitcase at a garage sale for 25 cents and shoved all of their random items in there.
And it ended up looking like this. Constantly.

Time for something different.

There is lots of room for all their dresses. 
(And shawls. And owl purses. And feather boas. And cowboy hats.) 

The bottom of the rack is large enough to hold all the miscellaneous stuff. (And keep Tucker's favorite "chew toys" out of reach!)
Down the road I could even place containers inside it to separate or group together different items. 
Yay organization!

And the best part?
It's on wheels.
Perfect since we are storing it out of sight in the under-the-stairs closet when not in use.
Also, the wheels help the little guy feel like he is part of the action.  ;)

Five on Friday

It's the Five on Friday link-up!

1. I am loving getting the mail this month. Seeing all the sweet faces of our friends and their kids (or pets) really makes my day. I honestly thought I had been an overachiever this year. I had our cards ordered and addressed, all ready to go, and I waited to mail them because I thought it might be too early. Well we got our first three cards in the mail that day, so I decided it was safe to mail them out.

2. I am done Christmas shopping. Like done-done. And said purchases are all wrapped too.
Yeah, I'm bragging.
It is a great feeling to know we can just enjoy the rest of the month now. How people can handle the pressure of buying gifts on Christmas Eve Day is just way beyond me.

3. Jared has been a bit MIA lately, mostly working in the basement. He has had quite a few orders from his little Etsy side business. Our cousin has an old barn/corn crib that is being torn down bit by bit. Jared has been using that wood and making signs out of it. It's a win-win for everybody. Free wood for Jared and a little less of the barn for my cousin to tear down. This is his latest creation.

4. Our kids have watched a few Christmas movies this season. (Wow, I am having lots of Christmas thoughts today....) They were pretty taken with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, even if their dad can't appreciate its 1960s awesome-ness.

Graham sat still for all of two minutes.

His new birthday toys are much more interesting.

5. I have to admit that my kids have never met Santa Claus.

(I know, I know. What kind of mother am I?)

Last year I had plans to take them during the winter celebration in our town. Well turns out I had a baby that day instead. Whoops.
And this year, that same annual celebration is the same day that my younger sis graduates with her Master's degree in Education. (Go Beaner!) So we will be missing out again. And as much as I would like to take them, I just don't know that I have it in me to brave the mall on a weekend.
So... *fingers crossed*...  next year?

Thanksgiving week recap

He's walking. 
Constantly. 
He can't be stopped.
I love seeing his little legs wobbling behind me everywhere I go. And he is fast too. I swear he's close to running.
(Good thing those monthly pictures are now done.)

Last Wednesday night - the night before Thanksgiving - Jared and I went out with my sisters.

Adult beverages and keepin' it real ensued. 

A good time was had by all.

 (No-shave-November is technically over, but Jared still has the beard...

Not sure of my opinion on this yet.)

Avery is a complete klutz, but even I am not sure how she accomplished this one.
On the morning of Graham's birthday party she fell out of her booster seat at the dining room table. I was in the kitchen doing dishes, so I didn't see it happen, but she managed to cut open her forehead. There wasn't a sharp surface or toy in sight, so who knows how she did it.
An emergency doctor's visit and 3 stitches later, she was good as new.

We are officially in the Christmas spirit at the Solko residence!
We put on the official Christmas playlist, warmed up some hot chocolate, donned comfy PJ's and ridiculous Santa hats, and decorated the house.

 I ordered these new stockings online from an Etsy shop (SweetLittleThings4u).

I'm very impressed with the quality.

They weren't cheap, but I love how they turned out.

Can't wait for Santa to stuff these stockings with delicious Reese's PB trees...



Brand New To Me

Just wanted to give a shout out to my hubby for all the extra work he has been put into building things, not only for our home, but for his Etsy shop.

Jared started his Etsy shop back in May because he had been tinkering around in the garage with different woods, old windows, and rusty farm stuff. And these little projects were starting to pile up. He decided to look into selling a few things on Etsy. Since then it has been pretty unpredictable. Sometimes he will go a month or so without an order or even an inquiry, and then there are times like yesterday when he got three orders in about half an hour.

Right now he has started making a new item, one that our friend messaged him a request for.
Apparently everybody is prepping to hang their stockings with care, because he now has multiple orders for a wooden Merry Christmas stocking holder.
{Okay, one of them is an order from me, but wives count too, right?}

stocking holder in progress...

Check out his Etsy shop to see the finished product.

 



He has been relegated to the basement to do some projects since the garage isn't heated. He has a make shift area down there where his paints won't freeze and the glue might actually dry. Don't feel sorry for him, he still gets to escape quickly and "go work on that project..." when the kids get a little whiny.

 

If you are interested in seeing any of the stuff he creates and sells,

click on the Brand New To Me button on the right side of my blog page.