Grand Opening @ 6213 Oak - Swag Winners!

Thank you to everyone who helped celebrate our #6213oak grand opening! We truly have the most fabulous customers, and the weekend was such a party!

Not able to come by? Jen Hurst of Kansas city's Momcierge stopped by during the Friday evening preview party, and wrote just the loveliest post (view here). I plan on printing to include in the family Christmas card this year. Kidding. #butnotreally

And a huge thank you to all the vendors who contributed to our grand opening raffle! Their generous donations were the perfect cherry to the amazing weekend sundae!
aden&anais
AppleCheeks
Babee Greens
Bamboosa
Blueberry
Boba
bumGenius
chewbeads
Catbird Baby
Comfy Joey
Gen-Y
GroVia
Ju-Ju-Be
Lollaland
MB Naturals
Nuroo
Sakura Bloom
Sloomb
Smart Bottoms
SuperUndies
Thirsties
Toofeze

Below are the winners!! Congratulations!! You folks will all have a phone call coming from us shortly. xxoo

Boba 4G Carrier: Laura M.
Bamboosa Bamboo Hooded Towel & 5pk Washcloth #1: Rebecca H.
Bamboosa Bamboo Hooded Towel & 5pk Washcloth #2: Liesl
Bamboosa Bamboo Hooded Towel & 5pk Washcloth #3: Rebecca L.
Nuroo Swaddle: Emily B.
Nuroo Nursing Scarf: Brandi D.
Catbird Baby Mei Tai: Megan K.
Comfy Joey Linen Ring Sling: Darcey S.
Sakura Bloom Linen Ring Sling: Mariah S.R.
GroVia Prize Pack (2 Shells, 2 Soaker Packs, Biosoakers, Bioliners, Magic Stick): Ashley H.
Thirsties Prize Pack (One-Size Pocket, Wet Bag, Doublers): Brenda F.
Aden&Anais Pack #1 (Mini Musy Mate, Single Swaddle): Megan C.
Aden&Anais Pack #2 (Mini Musy Mate, Single Swaddle): Erin C.
Aden&Anais Pack #3 (Skincare set): Becky S.
Aden&Anais Pack #4 (Burpy Bib, Crib Sheet, Organic Swaddle Set): Lauren C.
SuperUndies Ultimate Pack (4 Daytime Trainers, 2 Nighttime Trainers, Mattress Topper, 5 Doublers): Evelyn G.
bumGenius Prize Pack (4.0 Pocket, Freetime All-in-One, Elemental All-in-One, babylegs leggings, detergent sample): Natalie B.
AppleCheeks Microterry Little Bundle: Heather F.
Smartbottoms Prize Pack (One-Size All-in-One, Wet Bag):  Alli S.
chewbeads Jane necklace: Betsey L.
Sloomb Prize Pack (Underwoolies, Training Pant, Lap Tee): Jamie G.
Lolloland Prize #1 (Dish Set & lollacup): S. H.
Lolloland Prize #2 (Dish Set & lollacup): Eryn M.
Babee Greens Natural Wool Shorties: Pip C.
Gen-Y Go Bag: Amanda B.
Jujube Better Be Diaper Bag: Copper S.
Toofeze Teether #1: Susan S.
Toofeze Teether #2: Paige D. 
Blueberry Newborn Pack (Newborn Simplex All-in-One, Newborn Capri Cover): Heather K.
Blueberry One-Size Pack (One-Size Simplex All-in-One, One-Size Capri Cover): Kjirsten S.

 

Mark's Picks: Top Ten Father's Day Gifts

People often ask what my husband prefers. So, just in time for Father's Day Mark (aka 'Mr IBB') decided to jot down those top picks. Without further delay, the 'Daddy Gift Guide' (as he so named it). 

1. Tula Carrier
Super comfy. Even for the toughest of tough guys. It's comfy for you and your little one.

2. Lifefactory Bottles
Because you build up quite a thirst stuffing those Pocket diapers and carrying those little ones.

3. Gen-Y GO Bags
With so many prints to choose from, it's easy to match your shoes and other manly accessories. 
 
4. CJ's BUTTer in Monkey Farts
Intriguingly delicious.

5. Kido Airplane and Car
Because you, er, your children, need sturdy toys to play with.

6. Aden & Anais Swaddles
Soft blankets are not just reserved for children.

7. GroVia Mighty Bubbles
Your life is hard enough. This makes stripping easy.

8. Planet Wise Food Bags
Because M&M's melt in your mouth and not in your hand. No one ever mentioned your pocket.

9. Diaper Sprayer
Easy to hook up, no trip to the hardware store and you still come out a hero.

10. Episencial Bubble Bath 
For when your kids go to bed.

Belated News: Peachy Green!

Peachy Green News!

If you've ever had a chance to flip through the blog, or been around for a while, you likely know my love of Peachy Green diapers runs deep. Really deep. Like, I'll tell anyone who will listen deep. Read more on the deep-seated love here

Well, in mid-2012 we started to have conversations about possibly acquiring Peachy Green (!!!) and by Christmas it was all figured out. To sit on the news for almost three months until the official acquisition date of March 20th was terribly hard. Just ask the ladies who work at our shop - I practically stopped talking about Peachy Green completely. I was so afraid I was going to spill the beans (promise to anyone who has told me a secret, I am an amazing secret keeper when they are others' secrets - my own - well I get a really funny guilty/fish-face/giggling-thing and it just deteriorates from there until I spill, so I just avoid the subject instead).

So it is official, Itsy Bitsy Bums now owns a diaper brand. A long-time goal realized. Having worked in sourcing, and fashion, and diapers, it really brings all my worlds together! 

What is means?

Party with US!
A few spots online you might want to check out:
Peachy Green Diapers Facebook don't miss the photo contest on now through April 25th!
The Peaches a spot to hang out with fellow Peachy Green addicts

Dawn, Original Lady Behind Peachy Green
Dawn is still living in St Louis and works on her other business, Diaper Sewing Supplies. For a long time Peachy Green and DSS existed side-by-side, so that is why you'll see some familiar prints over there. If you know (or are) a home-sewer, check out what she has to offer! She is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to these materials.

The Sewing Facility
Located in central MO (convenient, no? halfway between Dawn and IBB), will remain the same. For those who have asked if I'll be sewing the diapers, first, you are too kind. I have no domestic skills to speak of. Also of note, Dawn has been using this facility since 2008, so the brand has long roots with these sewers! We had a chance to tour the facility, and I'm so impressed with their production.

The Patterns
We are keeping all of the Peachy Green designs and adding some more! Stay tuned for what is to come. We have heard your requests and have some ideas of our own up our sleeves.

Learning Curve
At the shop, when demo'ing Peachy Green, I'd often say: 'One thing that Dawn does so well...' in reference to the trim fit, or how the leg casings are sewn, etc. And now my employees will interrupt with an 'ahem ::throat clear:: ahem Abby, what you do so well.' LOL. Still learning! These diapers are still Dawn's diaper in design, but it now has the Abby stamp on it as well.

Fabulous Retailers
Some have asked if we'll be bringing PG in house as a private brand. Nope! We have fabulous retailers all over the world (yes, the Peachy Green love is worldwide!). Once production gets up and running with the next collection, we will be accepting more wholesale accounts.

Warranty
We will be handling all warranty claims. If there are any issues, please contact us at peachygreendiapers at gmail dot com. We are working hard to make sure nothing is lost in the transition, and please bear with us through these growing pains. If you have any questions about your diaper, please contact us and we will get it figured out!

Website
Right now the Peachy Green website is still the same, if you've ever poked around over there. Over the next weeks we will be transitioning it to a new platform. Ideally these changes will be barely noticeable from your end, but if the site suddenly has gone MIA, don't worry! The diapers are still there, just floating suspended in the interwebz.

If there is anything I missed, feel free to email me at peachygreendiapers at gmail dot com. A note - this is a temporary address as we get our new website site up. Once that is done we'll have a more official means for contact.

#gettingtoknowIBB

fair warning - this post is going to get very introspective, feel free to skip over if you prefer the fluffier side of Itsy Bitsy Bums

#gettingtoknowIBB: this is the hashtag on several of my Instagram posts these days - aka - a way to get to know IBB outside of just our diapering moments. 

#fibromyalgiastinks: this is the other hashtag you will see from time to time - aka - my body is fighting itself.

#fibromyalgiastinks #gettingtoknowIBB #sbish #brookeside

 In reality, Fibromyalgia is just the tip of the iceberg. I've up to seven auto-immune issues on my list (health care professionals tend to listen to my medical history with wide eyes). To say it has been a very challenging six and a half years for me is kind of an understatement. Actually, I don't know if 'challenging' is even the appropriate word. I wish I could really list it out, without it seeming like I'm starting to write a thesaurus. An attempt? Challenging, interesting, exhausting, mind-numbing, soul-sucking, soul-searching, maddening, questioning, fulfilling, heartbreaking, core-shaking.... honestly, there aren't enough words, or even adequate words.

The quick version - October 2006 - I went from a perfectly healthy graduate student just starting my studies at the University of Kansas to a 26yo woman paralyzed in a hospital bed. Paralyzed. Just not the kind of thing you ever expect to experience in your life. (More on that here). But the paralysis was temporary, and I've since relearned to walk, talk and appear to be a normal person. Supposedly I'll still make a full recovery, the doctors say, but after almost seven years, it comes a point when you want to scream (upon initial diagnosis they said two years for a full recovery, though more recent research suggests five to ten years; come find me in 2016, I guess?).

Every single day I wake up trying to gauge what my day will be like. Good pain day? Bad pain day? How's the fatigue? If my daughter begs 'pick me up!,' can I? For every step forward, there are ten back: for every advance in my recovery, just when it seems like I'm on a roll, my body says 'haha, not so fast, sucker, take this.' And I'm left trying to figure things out all over again.

The last couple of years seemed to be on a pretty good upswing, slow and steady, slow and steady, getting better. Better to the point I felt like I could start committing to things outside of our home's four walls - I opened our storefront! I even bought a cloth diaper company - Peachy Green (yes, another blog post begging to be written!). And then my body said 'haha, hold it, lady.' And threw me the worst curveball I've had in a while. A long while.

For the last month I've returned to a point where my focus is basic care: shower (sitting on the floor because I cannot stand that long), manage the online business from bed (while my amazing team runs the physical side of things), trying to parent from the couch. I just sit here shaking my head at it. Seriously. I have to do this again? This cannot be happening, there is too much to not be able to work the usual 14-hour day.

But here's where it gets really introspective.

I'm still here. It could have been so much worse. As far as neurological issues get, GBS is kind of one the better options. I don't know how close to death I actually was, and I don't know that I really want to know, but it felt awfully close. I'm here to hold my daughter, to be with my husband, keep ticking off my goals from the very long list of what I want out of life. So the last month has kicked me in the rear. I just took twenty steps back, but I'm getting up. And I'm not going to let this hold me back. 

I've been back at my usual table at the coffee shop today, getting back to my usual 100wpm-self. It feels really, really, really good. To the point there aren't sufficient words to describe how much better today feels. Though, Wilson Phillips is belting 'Hold On' on my radio right now, and it seems to sum it up pretty well. 'Things will go your way, if you hold on for one more day.' My new anthem: keep holding on, keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep believing, and I will come out of this a stronger person.

 

 

Come Find us on Instagram!

Are you on Intsagram? Come find us @ itsybitsybums! We have a pretty good time over there.

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Some exciting changes to report! 

First, we are moving! 

The store will be moving to a larger brick and mortar space in October. A preview of the new space (replete with its previous-tenants decor - will be getting a facelift in the next two weeks) - 

Second, party time!

We will be celebrating this Facebook milestone with a 48-hour party! Details will be published at noon central time (in other words, just a few hours away). 

Thank you so much to all who have been so supportive over the last two years. We couldn't be more excited to help you along your cloth diapering journey, and look forward to serving you for years to come. 

I Love Diaper Laundry

I often hear from those considering switching to cloth that they are worried about the added laundry. Fair question, as I know sorting, washing and folding a family's worth of laundry sometimes seem to consume things. Goodness knows we've had a basket or three sit next to the couch for [I plead the fifth] days waiting for its turn to be folded.

laundry time!

So, just why do I love diaper laundry? And what makes it so different from the usual day-to-day laundry? 

1. It is already sorted! Just grab the pail or wet bag and head to the washing machine. 

2. Nothing special required. Once you establish your diaper laundry routine, that's it. No need to look for stains to pretreat, jean pockets to empty or errant crayons to retrieve. 

3. No ironing! And most days, no folding. Yup, on busy days the diaper laundry comes out of the dryer, lands in a basket, and that basket sits by the changing table. 

4. and this is my most favorite reason There is something very satisfying about doing diaper laundry. This tangible act is keeping diapers out of the landfill, chemicals off our baby's bottom, and money in our wallet. It is something so simple, but it has transformed our lives in such a huge way. 

I believe there is a reason cloth diapering parents bond so easily - the decision to use cloth, for most people, runs deeper than just changing a fabric diaper. Rather, you share similar motivations and goals, and are participating in something bigger than yourself. And I find that positively amazing. 

Time to Hunt! The Great Cloth Diaper Hunt Has Begun

The Great Cloth Diaper Hunt of August 2012 has officially begun!

I have the fondest memories of the Great Cloth Diaper Hunt. The first in which I hunted was November of 2009. My daughter was just a few months old, and perfectly content to snuggle on my chest. It was chilly outside, sometimes snowing, and staying inside snuggled together was blissful. She'd snuggle, I'd hunt - we had a grand time! As she got older my hunting moved to the evenings and naptimes, but nevertheless still incredibly enjoyable (and oh how I miss those newborn snuggles)! 

Not familiar with the GCDH? In short, it is an online scavenger hunt! Sponsors (Itsy Bitsy Bums included!) have hidden a 'found it!' icon somewhere throughout their website. And not usually a needle a haystack - retailers will  have scattered a trail of hints to lead you to the icon. Once you found, click it to register your find.

this is what you are looking for - 

Why hunt? It is so much fun to see all of the various stores out there (many varieties of WAHM businesses participate, not just diapering). In addition, some stores (IBB included!) offer an exclusive discount just for hunters. Finally, you are entered in a variety of prize drawings based on how many icons you are able to find.

Want to play along? Register here.

Looking for more details, rules, etc? Check out the information page here.

Happy Hunting!

Dear Abby, You Need a New Website. Love, IBB Shopper

Did you know? IBB never started out intending to be an online store. True story. I initially saw us (translation – me, myself and I) as a local consulting company, with the intention to host in-home parties for those ready to learn more about cloth. But it quickly became evident we needed a website – people look for an online presence to use for additional research (and late-night fluff-fulfillment!), manufacturers require evidence of a store presence, and, well, if we already had the inventory it would have been silly to just stare at it in our dining room.

Quite quickly the website grew – from five brands to ten to 20 and now we have an exciting 65 in store (soon to be 66, with the addition of Lunette menstrual cups arriving later today). We knew the website had a few hiccups and shall we say, ‘quirks,’ but we were able to work-around them. Unfortunately though, I didn’t realize just how makeshift our day-to-day invoicing and other workarounds had become until late 2011. You might know that feeling, where you don’t quite realize something is about to break until you find yourself looking around for the duct-tape and band-aids. Well that is kind of where our current website has taken us. I love her dearly, as she represents just how far we’ve come, but it is time she be put out to pasture to enjoy her last days trolling the fields for daisies.

So what’s next? In the coming weeks, we will roll out a brand new sparkly website, with several amazing bells and whistles - 

• affiliate links to reward those who love to share the IBB-love
• automated Bitsy Bucks (I can hear your cheers from here!)
• automated registries
• easy-to-peruse navigation complete with search capabilities, breadcrumbs and ‘related items’
• automatic bulk discounts
• coupon code capabilities (double hooray for brand sales and flash parties)
• email addresses specific to inquiry type
• and more (yup!)

Back on the Ranch As I build the new website, please forgive if it takes a bit longer to reply to emails (more on emails in a minute) or respond on Facebook. I’m aiming for the new site to be up late-April, but so far it seems everything takes twice as long as planned.

The store will need to close for a day or two as we transition inventory from one site to another. Once we know these dates we will shout notice from the rooftops, so hopefully any last-minute diaper needs can be ordered pre-closure.

I know what some of you are probably thinking – what about Bitsy Bucks? No, they are not going away, and there isn’t a freeze period for accrual. But there is a temporary freeze on calculations. In other words, effective immediately, all Bitsy Bucks calculation requests should be shelved on ice (exception - any requests already received and pending in my inbox will be tallied as soon as I can). Once the new website opens, and accruals will tally automatically, it will just be a matter of going back and retroactively adding outstanding BB to your customer account.  Closer to the new site release we will announce specifics on how this will all shake out. 

On Emails We learned over the last few days that several customer emails are going MIA – both emails coming in as well as replies sent. The worst part of it all, no one is receiving error messages, so we have no way of knowing what is lost en route. If you have sent me an email and have not received a reply within two business days (business days = Mon-Fri) please resend. Depending on volume sometimes we do get behind and your nudge, and patience, is appreciated. If you still do not receive a reply feel free to post on Facebook that you’ve emailed. Hopefully we can connect on that medium if email is proving unsuccessful. As I’ve always said, I answer every email I receive (sans spamming/solicitations), bar none. 

Thank you! We really appreciate all of the kind words and support our customers have offered over the last twenty-one months. Your patience with our current site's 'quirks' has been much appreciated, and we look forward to serving you at the new IBB online store in the very near future!

Be sure to stay tuned. After all, what is a new website without a party! 

xoxo -

Back to School!

I love the next couple of months -

The ridiculous heat will finally break, and give way to a new season.

J. Crew will send me my fall preview catalog, and I'll dog-ear every other page.

The trees will begin to change, and I'll yearn for the lone tree/overgrown shrub in our yard to turn that brilliantly-bright candy red you only see in movies.

 Sunflower-yellow buses will travel down our street, and I'll be so jealous of the children headed off to school. 

Target will put out school supplies, and I'll desperately try to find a reason I need 24 No.2 pencils. And a new stapler. And a couple of notebooks. And, oh, look at the pens. I probably need this 24-pack of Sharpies.

Yes, school supplies. I have a thing for them. I worked in the corporate world for three years, then returned to the Ivory Tower to pursue my Masters. And you'd better believe one of my first actions as a returning student was to buy my school supplies!

Now IBB doesn't sell school supplies, but I do believe diapering accessories and other such extra bits come a close second in terms of getting my heart to pitter-patter. So why not celebrate the coming of fall, the beginning of a school year, and some fabulous accessory items and brands?

Up first, CJ's BUTTer! Yum! Snag all of your favorite CJ's Products at 10% off (all the details can be found here, and orders will also be placed on that page; note that this sale is set up a bit differently as it is a preorder - future Back to School sales will be straight up discounts).

Sharpen your pencils, folks, and pay attention. Another special will be added each Friday!

 

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy: IBB Turns One

One year ago today Itsy Bitsy Bums opened its proverbial doors. It has been an amazing year, filled with so many fantastic, interesting and different experiences I cannot even begin to adequately describe them. But I can say it has been an absolute joy to meet so many amazing people, and I cannot imagine doing anything else. 

Please join me for a look back - 

September 2009

My wee baby is only three months old, but my love affair with researching all things cloth diapering is reaching new heights, culminating in a wondering whether I could turn this unending obsession into a realistic profession. 

December 2009

The name 'Itsy Bitsy Bums' is born during the drive northwards to visit my family for Christmas. The store's mission is outlined - Make cloth diapering easy for anyone and everyone interested, and a preliminary business model is planned. 

January - March 2010

Many, many, many versions of the spider are reviewed and edited. I think the poor guy might have had a bit of an identity crisis for a while. But in the end we found just the right diaper-wearing spider. (Yes, at one point a baby's face was also considered, and quickly abandoned.)

I continue to order samples, attempting to whittle down my initial inventory offerings (ie. AppleCheeks, pictured at the left; not to mention I still order diapers because I think they are super-cute, like the WAHM fitted on the right). Because I'm still a serious addict, I also photograph all incoming fluffy mail. 

April 2010

The small but growing website is up and running, although this fact unknown to anyone outside of a few close friends who act as advisors (you guys know who you are, and to you I say - THANK YOU! THANK YOU!). I spend most nap times writing tutorial content and planning inventory counts. 

Settle on one of my favorite photos of my newborn daughter's fluffy bum for the Newborn Rental icon. 

May - June 2010
Inventory is rolling in. Counted, inspected and stacked, hundreds of diapers begin to take over our home. 

July 22, 2010
Afternoon spent at the splashpark

Late that afternoon the graphic designer confirms she's installed the final graphic content (inside tidbit - the graphic designer and I spent three months developing the logo and aesthetic of the website; but every word, comma and misspelling is entirely my doing - almost 400 pages of content!). 


The website is ready to go live!


Itsy Bitsy Bums (shorthand - 'IBB') opens for business later that evening, offering the following brands:
AppleCheeks, BacOut, Cow Patties, Kissaluvs, Fuzzibunz, Grandma El's, OsoCozy, RLR, Rockin' Green, Rocky Mountain Diapers, Snappi, Thirsties, Tiny Tush and Wahmies. 
The Newborn Diaper Rental, Bitsy Boost and two Trial Packages (Total Economy and Economy+Convenience) are up and available to ship!

 July 24, 2010
Bitsy Buzz is up and running with the first Bitsy Buzz post! Granted, there are 'construction' messes everywhere, and it won't be another six weeks until BB looks the way you know it today. 

July 25, 2010

First Newborn Diaper Rental order is placed!
(Fun fact - to date IBB has shipped over 160 Newborn diaper rentals.)

August 2010
First WAHMlight is published
(wonder where WAHMlight has gone? Why, its on summer vacation!)


Fishnoodles joins the IBB line-up.

August 12, 2010
Publish first IBB-giveaway - free Fishnoodle when we reached 200 Facebook fans 
(took four days)




September - October 2010
The focus turns to mamas - mama cloth and deodorant now-stocked. 

November - December 2010
GroVia, Bestbottoms, Softbums and Sustainablebabyish are added. 

All-in-Two Trial Package introduced. 


IBB survives its first Black Friday, shipping out almost sixty orders in two days (inside fact - I spent twenty-four hours of Black Friday weekend in bed with the stomach flu - I didn't want to pack any orders while I was sick so everything went out a day later than intended.)

^^the aftermath of Black Friday order packing -
the tornado stands still long enough for a quite photo op


Twelve Days of Christmas relieves the post-holiday blues


January - February 2011
Amber Teething Necklaces, Fishnoodle's younger sibling - Bright Star Baby - is unveiled (IBB has the inside scoop with one of the first reviews)

Ten-day vacation proves to be a feasible undertaking (with just a few sharp and observant folks finding the golden egg)

March - April 2011
Planet Wise, Econobum, Hemp Babies, Flip and bumGenius now stocked

Rock Chalk Freebies celebrate Jayhawk wins


Abby's Favorites - Four Weeks of Product Spotlights


IBB Ships its 50th Trial Package


April 3rd, 2011
Publish 'Much Ado about Making Do,' challenging readers (and myself) to look around their lives, and minimize excess. This reflection forces me to realize we've outgrown the space our home can offer the business. Within two weeks we've scouted the new home of IBB. Three weeks after that we move all inventory into the new space, which I affectionately call 'the Showroom.'

(and this isn't even all of it - there was inventory stashed in the nursery, in the living room - essentially anything that didn't move, or didn't move fast enough to get out of the way, became a home for a box of inventory)

May 2011
itti*bitti tutto and all things wool (Woollybottoms and Tiny Tush wool and wool care items) now stocked

June 2011
Teething Bling, Babykicks and CJ's join IBB


1,000 Facebook Fan Celebration

Avalee's Birthday Celebration sale


July 2011
Milkies Milk Savers and Party In My Pants now available.
AND, introducing Chewbeads - so fashionable, so functional!

There you have it folks! I still cannot believe it only has been a year! In some ways it feels like just yesterday I published the first web page. And in other ways it feels like I've been doing this my entire life. I take both as a good sign.



Like a Peak Into a Typical Day in IBB-land (aka The Life of a WAHM)?


9:30ish breakfast (all times are -ish these days)
Avalee sings along to Yo Gabba Gabba (she's obsessed with their CD; thank goodness she doesn't know it is a TV-show!) while I skim all emails that have come in since I went to bed 6-8 hours earlier. Essential emails are answered or acted upon immediately. This could mean anything from 'I'm delivering my baby tomorrow, three weeks early, can you send the rental now?' to 'Monkey-print diapers now stocked' (which translates to - act fast, or another retailer will snag them while you are doing dishes).

10:30-12:30 Play
Dishes, read books, dance around like crazy ladies. At some point during this time she breaks away and colors, paints or covers the dog with stickers. When this happens I return to my email, answering any inquires that just take a few minutes or are easily stopped and started through the day.

12:30 lunch
Repeat of breakfast scene. Typically she'll color in her highchair while I attempt some of the longer emails. Most of these messages end up saved to my drafts folder for later.

1:30-4:00 errands and/or more play
This time used to be spent packing orders. However, now that the store is out-of-the-house typically the early afternoon is spent attempting to do day-to-day house stuff, or plotting new freebies and marketing ideas (while simultaneously reading Moo, Baa, La La La - I have mad skills and the majority of Sandra Boynton's collection memorized - anyone want to hear an impromptu Barnyard Dance?)

4pm time for the workday to begin
My husband arrives home from work, and I rush to the Showroom. The next two hours or so are quite hands-on - orders are pulled, double-checked, packaged, weighed and labeled. Newly-arrived inventory is inspected then put away. Mark and Avalee arrive at the store around 6 to grab the orders and swing them by the late-drop-off post office (it just opened a couple of months ago - I'm already deeply in love with them!). Packages make the 7pm truck.

6:30 arrive at the coffee shop and begin my 'office work'
With somewhere between 40-50 new emails received during the day, it is now time to establish the evening's game-plan - which emails are essential, which emails are important, and which emails are ones to mull-over for later? Or, did a new brand, colorway or item arrive in the mail that afternoon? The evening is then split between emails and updating the website and inventory counts.

10pm my office kicks me out
Fully caffeinated, I arrive home and set-up shop on the couch. I then resume emails, and any last website updates required for the evening. If email is caught up, I then research potential brands to grow the store and plan inventory and replenishment orders for the following weeks.

1am
Check email one last time, say 'sweet dreams' to my laptop, and head to bed.

And Repeat!