Our new site is:
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Savannah's Sunshine Shop has a NEW HOME!!
Why hello there my lovely friends! We've moved our blog to the new website. Be sure to check it out, comment, follow, and keep in touch!
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
And then it was mid-September...
Yep, its been a while since I've posted but I promise I have some really good excuses...kind of...
Do you ever have those days or weeks (or maybe months) that are just off? I'm talking about those little chunks of time that just wear you out...its the little interval of time that, when its finally over, you realize just how stressful and exhausting it had been. Yep...that was our summer. I'm not quite sure how to explain it, but one minute we were at a picnic at Erik's friend's house on July 4th and the next minute it was August 31st and we were finally heading on a much needed vacation from reality, from stress, from everything!
So where did our July and August go??
To make a long story short, my lovely hubby came down with a case of Shingles. It started as just a really bad, intense headache that lasted for a week...and then after more signs started to appear (like small bumps on his forehead and around his eye), it was finally diagnosed as shingles. The poor guy was out of work for over a week after he was finally diagnosed and he was exhausted and in pain for while when he went back. Its so hard to see someone you love in so much pain and not be able to do a thing.
Erik finally started to feel better but for some reason my immune system decided we weren't ready to enjoy the summer yet...I ended up with a bad cold (and due to the sick day I used and our lack of cable- this cold led to my new obsession with Downton Abbey...thank you Hulu!). One last little snag...As soon as I was feeling better, Erik had a bit of a shingles relapse. Luckily, he was feeling almost 100% by the time we left for Maui.
Needless to say...we were ready for a break from everything. We needed to relax, take a breath, enjoy some sun, enjoy each other's company, and just turn off everything. We were fortunate to be able to get away...and finally (!!!) things are getting back to normal. We are healthy, happy, and less stressed...and for a couple days, a little tan- which is a little rare in our neck of the woods...
I definitely did NOT intend to make this a whiny story about how rough our summer was up to the day we landed in Hawaii...I just feel that I owe an explanation for my silence...Here I am, trying to build my little shop, tell my story, share my craft, and create this Sunshine Shop world, chat with my friends and family and fans on my Facebook Fan Page...
and then...*crickets chirping*
I apologize my friends. I'm still here. Savannah's Sunshine Shop is still up and running and will have a new look (and new website!!) soon. So please hang in there with me...and STAY TUNED!
Do you ever have those days or weeks (or maybe months) that are just off? I'm talking about those little chunks of time that just wear you out...its the little interval of time that, when its finally over, you realize just how stressful and exhausting it had been. Yep...that was our summer. I'm not quite sure how to explain it, but one minute we were at a picnic at Erik's friend's house on July 4th and the next minute it was August 31st and we were finally heading on a much needed vacation from reality, from stress, from everything!
So where did our July and August go??
To make a long story short, my lovely hubby came down with a case of Shingles. It started as just a really bad, intense headache that lasted for a week...and then after more signs started to appear (like small bumps on his forehead and around his eye), it was finally diagnosed as shingles. The poor guy was out of work for over a week after he was finally diagnosed and he was exhausted and in pain for while when he went back. Its so hard to see someone you love in so much pain and not be able to do a thing.
Erik finally started to feel better but for some reason my immune system decided we weren't ready to enjoy the summer yet...I ended up with a bad cold (and due to the sick day I used and our lack of cable- this cold led to my new obsession with Downton Abbey...thank you Hulu!). One last little snag...As soon as I was feeling better, Erik had a bit of a shingles relapse. Luckily, he was feeling almost 100% by the time we left for Maui.
Needless to say...we were ready for a break from everything. We needed to relax, take a breath, enjoy some sun, enjoy each other's company, and just turn off everything. We were fortunate to be able to get away...and finally (!!!) things are getting back to normal. We are healthy, happy, and less stressed...and for a couple days, a little tan- which is a little rare in our neck of the woods...
I definitely did NOT intend to make this a whiny story about how rough our summer was up to the day we landed in Hawaii...I just feel that I owe an explanation for my silence...Here I am, trying to build my little shop, tell my story, share my craft, and create this Sunshine Shop world, chat with my friends and family and fans on my Facebook Fan Page...
and then...*crickets chirping*
I apologize my friends. I'm still here. Savannah's Sunshine Shop is still up and running and will have a new look (and new website!!) soon. So please hang in there with me...and STAY TUNED!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
A Patriotic Project
A special project for my lovely Aunt Terry...more pillows! She requested a patriotic color palette to go with her quilt, and she wanted one round, one square, and one rectangle pillow.
I wanted Terry to be able to get a lot of use out of these so the square and rectangle are reversible. I had originally planned to do the same with the round pillow but once I started cutting it out I decided it needed a little something extra...and this is where the idea for the pieced together, raw edged, wrapped, knotted, fabric fringe came into play!
I wanted Terry to be able to get a lot of use out of these so the square and rectangle are reversible. I had originally planned to do the same with the round pillow but once I started cutting it out I decided it needed a little something extra...and this is where the idea for the pieced together, raw edged, wrapped, knotted, fabric fringe came into play!
Friday, June 21, 2013
Photo Friday: Colorful Finds
I couldn't walk by these without taking a few photos!
A bright green building with bright leafy plants...
A bright green building with bright leafy plants...
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Handmade Business Obstacle #1:Wanting to please EVERYONE!
I know if you are reading this, you probably know me...whether your a family member, friend, old classmate...and many of you who know me well, know that I love when people love me and I fret when people don't. For some reason I've had this crazy idea that my life mission to make everyone happy. I aim to please...and this desire to be liked and make people smile started early on in my life. There are stories of my dad pushing me through the store in a grocery cart while he worked. As he finished ordering or pricing or whatever the task was, I became the unofficial customer greeter- I made sure to say hi to everyone that walked by. Maybe it goes back to my mom's "kill'em with kindness" method. Sugar-coat it, add sprinkles, and poor on the sweetness...it'll make anyone come around. Trust me, I've been perfecting this technique for years...make that decades!
By day, I'm customer service for a high end fabric showroom...I get paid to make people happy (and if they have an issue with an order- that can be waayyyyyy harder to do than it sounds!). By night, I work on building my Sunshine Shop brand by working on a new design for my blog, a new logo, new products...I dream up and plan out new items to add to my shop and work on current projects...I try to stop in and say hi to my Facebook fans, post fun photos, blogs, status updates....and why?!? So people like my brand!
I can openly and honestly admit it...I am a people pleaser. I have made some improvement- not everyone needs to like me...just almost everyone....just kidding (kinda of). I have grown though. I don't take things as personally as I used to. I'm learning that I can't take things too personally...especially if I want to have a successful handmade business. The truth is, some people will like my stuff and some will not...and much to my own surprise- I'm ok with that.
Here's an example- I had my first official 'unlike' on my Savannah's Sunshine Shop fan page...for a split second, I was a little hurt but then I remembered, it takes all kinds of people to make this big old world go 'round and not all of them are going to love colorful scarves, handwoven rag rugs, funky potholders, etc. I'm sure I've 'unliked' a page or two just because I forgot what it was! No matter what the reason, I really surprised myself by how quickly I brushed it off...Who knows who it was and really who cares...I'm ok with it!
There are so many styles, tastes, opinions out there that there is no possible way I can please everyone. I'm giving it up- at least when it comes to my Sunshine Shop. I'm never going to please everyone and I won't become successful trying. From what I've read- finding the perfect niche market is key. It almost feels like a weight off my shoulders...I'm here to follow my own creative eye and makes things that fit my personal design asthetic- and with that I'll be able to build an honest brand.
And you know what they say...if you build it, they will come.
Here's an example- I had my first official 'unlike' on my Savannah's Sunshine Shop fan page...for a split second, I was a little hurt but then I remembered, it takes all kinds of people to make this big old world go 'round and not all of them are going to love colorful scarves, handwoven rag rugs, funky potholders, etc. I'm sure I've 'unliked' a page or two just because I forgot what it was! No matter what the reason, I really surprised myself by how quickly I brushed it off...Who knows who it was and really who cares...I'm ok with it!
There are so many styles, tastes, opinions out there that there is no possible way I can please everyone. I'm giving it up- at least when it comes to my Sunshine Shop. I'm never going to please everyone and I won't become successful trying. From what I've read- finding the perfect niche market is key. It almost feels like a weight off my shoulders...I'm here to follow my own creative eye and makes things that fit my personal design asthetic- and with that I'll be able to build an honest brand.
And you know what they say...if you build it, they will come.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
Photo Friday: Hidden Treasures- South Lake
One sunny Saturday afternoon, I found myself wandering around South Lake Union
with my husband, my camera, and all the time in the world...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)