Here is a little fall goodness from our fellow team members. All of these items can be found on Etsy right now. I for one am looking forward to the changing season.
~VeryVerdant
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Sheteam Gets Organized
Here is a cute little ditty dedicated to keeping it real, keeping it fun, keeping it together and keeping it at home.
A place for our pencils
A journal for Mommy's thoughts
A chart for kiddos's chores
Now that's an aweful lot
A shelf for every book
A smart baby holder too
A snack to keep us going
School at home is what we do
Vintage Pencil Holder - Gremlina
Handmade Journal - Whimsie's Cottage
Chore Chart Kit - January's June
Distressed Turquoise Book Case - USA Creations
Baby Pouch Sling - Earth Slings
Go Green Produce Bag - Handsfull Creations
Posted by VeryVerdant
A place for our pencils
A journal for Mommy's thoughts
A chart for kiddos's chores
Now that's an aweful lot
A shelf for every book
A smart baby holder too
A snack to keep us going
School at home is what we do
Vintage Pencil Holder - Gremlina
Handmade Journal - Whimsie's Cottage
Chore Chart Kit - January's June
Distressed Turquoise Book Case - USA Creations
Baby Pouch Sling - Earth Slings
Go Green Produce Bag - Handsfull Creations
Posted by VeryVerdant
Monday, August 22, 2011
Team Member Interview - Heidi of The Blissful Stitcher
Today I would like to introduce you to Heidi of The Blissful Stitcher.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I homeschool a 13-year-old, an 11-year-old and a five-year-old. They are both the biggest frustration and the greatest joy in my life.
I'm married to the man who was the high school boy I had a crush on in jr. high. We celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary this year.
I am an RN. Until spring of this year, I worked as an IV Therapist at a hospital near my home. I have worked as a nurse in IV therapy, medical-surgical and medical-telemetry units for nearly 10 years. In nursing school, I told anyone who would listen that I would not be working in a hospital. My life is full of such irony.
I have used various art mediums. My favorites are watercolor, pen and ink, charcoal, beads, photography and embroidery. I hope to revisit watercolor in the next few months.
Custom Toddler Hoodie
How did you begin working in your craft and how did it develop into a business?
I started out making gifts. I suppose they were gifts I would like to receive. When customers began to order variations of these gifts, I was thrilled.
What is one of your favorite homeschool memories thus far?
I find it interesting that my favorite homeschool moment is tied to my least favorite. I took a few years to find the right math curriculum for my daughter. She struggled mightily with programs that had a spiral learning path. The first three programs we tried left us both hating math. Every time multiplication showed up on a lesson, she flailed, floundered, and fought against it. Since multiplication is such a foundational skill for all math, I finally found a curriculum that focused on teaching the why and how of multiplication before moving to more complex problems.
Half-way through the year, she came running to me with her math book. I was sure her news had nothing to do with the math because her face was shining. Before I could ask her why she was so happy, she burst out, "This REALLY WORKS! I can multiply sixes, and I know WHY!"
Custom Crafty Labels With Your Name
What advice would you give to other homeschool families who are also trying to run a home business?
Set a specific time for marketing and crafting. I talked over my schedule with my husband. He had excellent insight. We decided I would "go to work" during specified hours. This reduced a number of problems we were having with household duty responsibilities and reduced the number of interruptions from bored children.
Marketing is a great big mystery to me. I am soaking up information from the etsy blog and from the examples of etsians I admire. I plan to have a discussion with my husband about my marketing plan. He is a great sounding board.
Crochet Hiptser
Where do you find inspiration for your pieces?
Ideas live in my head long before they become pieces. I'll tuck something into the back of my mind and save it for a while. I have a vast collection of embroidery designs of all kinds. I keep these designs in mind while going about my day. Add to this the rush I get from figuring out the solution to a design problem. The challenge may be maddening, but when the product comes to fruition, that high can carry me for a few weeks of crafter's block.
For my business, I want to use up and sell my current stock before I purchase more.
For our school, I would like to finish up a few subjects from last year before I purchase more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Places to find Heidi
~ Facebook
~ The Blissful Stitcher Blog
~The Blissful Stitcher Etsy Shop
~ Company Casuals
~All Photos and information in the post are used by permission.
Thanks, VeryVerdant
Tell us a little about yourself.
I homeschool a 13-year-old, an 11-year-old and a five-year-old. They are both the biggest frustration and the greatest joy in my life.
I'm married to the man who was the high school boy I had a crush on in jr. high. We celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary this year.
I am an RN. Until spring of this year, I worked as an IV Therapist at a hospital near my home. I have worked as a nurse in IV therapy, medical-surgical and medical-telemetry units for nearly 10 years. In nursing school, I told anyone who would listen that I would not be working in a hospital. My life is full of such irony.
I have used various art mediums. My favorites are watercolor, pen and ink, charcoal, beads, photography and embroidery. I hope to revisit watercolor in the next few months.
Custom Toddler Hoodie
How did you begin working in your craft and how did it develop into a business?
I started out making gifts. I suppose they were gifts I would like to receive. When customers began to order variations of these gifts, I was thrilled.
What is one of your favorite homeschool memories thus far?
I find it interesting that my favorite homeschool moment is tied to my least favorite. I took a few years to find the right math curriculum for my daughter. She struggled mightily with programs that had a spiral learning path. The first three programs we tried left us both hating math. Every time multiplication showed up on a lesson, she flailed, floundered, and fought against it. Since multiplication is such a foundational skill for all math, I finally found a curriculum that focused on teaching the why and how of multiplication before moving to more complex problems.
Half-way through the year, she came running to me with her math book. I was sure her news had nothing to do with the math because her face was shining. Before I could ask her why she was so happy, she burst out, "This REALLY WORKS! I can multiply sixes, and I know WHY!"
Custom Crafty Labels With Your Name
What advice would you give to other homeschool families who are also trying to run a home business?
Set a specific time for marketing and crafting. I talked over my schedule with my husband. He had excellent insight. We decided I would "go to work" during specified hours. This reduced a number of problems we were having with household duty responsibilities and reduced the number of interruptions from bored children.
Marketing is a great big mystery to me. I am soaking up information from the etsy blog and from the examples of etsians I admire. I plan to have a discussion with my husband about my marketing plan. He is a great sounding board.
Crochet Hiptser
Where do you find inspiration for your pieces?
Ideas live in my head long before they become pieces. I'll tuck something into the back of my mind and save it for a while. I have a vast collection of embroidery designs of all kinds. I keep these designs in mind while going about my day. Add to this the rush I get from figuring out the solution to a design problem. The challenge may be maddening, but when the product comes to fruition, that high can carry me for a few weeks of crafter's block.
For my business, I want to use up and sell my current stock before I purchase more.
For our school, I would like to finish up a few subjects from last year before I purchase more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Places to find Heidi
~ The Blissful Stitcher Blog
~The Blissful Stitcher Etsy Shop
~ Company Casuals
~All Photos and information in the post are used by permission.
Thanks, VeryVerdant
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Broadening Horizons
"It is enjoying other peoples' ideas and thoughts and jokes...noticing beauty in music and pictures...enjoying country sights and sounds, birds and flowers. Children's horizons of thought need to be wider than their workbooks."
~Charlotte Mason Companion
~ Written by Karen Andreola
~ Burlap Gathering Bags from Harriet's Haven ~
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Interview With Sowers Of Hope
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
I am first a daughter of the Mighty King and a lover of my Salvation. I am a wife to my best friend and mother to three awesome and fun-loving teenagers.
2. How did you begin working in your craft and how did it develop into a business?
Our little headcovering business started after learning about headcovering and subsequently being convicted to headcover. I started making mob caps, Amish kapps, and Israeli tichels. With time, I began offering many other styles of headcoverings such as snoods, extra-wide headbands, Bethany veils, etc. We also opened a blog , where we discuss not only headcovering in general but also interview women who headcover. These interviews can be read here . Over time, we began to address the lack of modesty in today’s culture and have since pursued this issue hoping to encourage, educate, and inspire women and men to examine not only their dress but also their hearts. We have since branched out in the social media arena and can also be found on Facebook , and Twitter .
3. What is one of your favorite homeschool memories thus far?
My favorite homeschool memory would be a family trip we took to Yellowstone National Park. We saw, learned, and experienced so much more than books could ever attempt to teach us. We spent uninterrupted time together laughing, loving, and making memories that will last forever.
4. What advice would you give to other homeschool families who are also trying to run a home business?
First, knowing what your priorities are in your life is essential. Secondly, committing to spend a determined amount of time on these priorities is of equal importance. For example, a typical school day will begin with Scripture reading, devotion, and prayer. We then move on to chores, breakfast and school. Later during the day, I will work on the business. I’ve realized that if there is an imbalance in my priorities, then my spiritual life, family life, and business suffer. I would also like to mention that though there is time and effort that needs to be poured into one’s business, it is ultimately God who brings the sales. He remains our provider in all things.
5. Where do you find inspiration for your pieces?
My inspirations usually comes from the practicality and need that I see within the community of headcovering women.
6. Do you have specific goals for your business or for your homeschooling? Would you share some of those with us?
Yes, my goals for the business are two-fold. First, it would be to generate enough profit from the business to pay for some of the household and homeschooling expenses. Secondly, I would like to teach our children that creativity and initiative are some of the main ingredients for creating a source of income.
CHEMO HEADCOVERINGS
Not too long ago, I felt the LORD’s prompting to begin making headcoverings for individuals who have suffered hair loss, whether because of chemotherapy or other medical reasons. My intent is to offer them at a reasonable price so that they would be available to everyone. Medical costs are often unimaginably high, even with the help of insurance. So once again, with the prompting of our LORD, our chemo headcovers are available free of charge to individuals who otherwise could not afford one. I find that it is extremely important to live one’s life with an open hand, giving to everyone according to their need and according to what God has provided to you. Though the name of our business, Sowers of Hope, was initially the name of our first ministry, we decided to use the same name once again because of the message it brings with it. It is based on Isaiah 40:31 “ but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.“ Using this verse as the basis of our business, we wanted to remind everyone that placing their hope in the LORD is the only place that lasting restoration can be had.
Our chemo headcovers are currently available in this Etsy shop , but we plan to move them over to our main headcovering Etsy boutique very soon.
I am first a daughter of the Mighty King and a lover of my Salvation. I am a wife to my best friend and mother to three awesome and fun-loving teenagers.
2. How did you begin working in your craft and how did it develop into a business?
Our little headcovering business started after learning about headcovering and subsequently being convicted to headcover. I started making mob caps, Amish kapps, and Israeli tichels. With time, I began offering many other styles of headcoverings such as snoods, extra-wide headbands, Bethany veils, etc. We also opened a blog , where we discuss not only headcovering in general but also interview women who headcover. These interviews can be read here . Over time, we began to address the lack of modesty in today’s culture and have since pursued this issue hoping to encourage, educate, and inspire women and men to examine not only their dress but also their hearts. We have since branched out in the social media arena and can also be found on Facebook , and Twitter .
3. What is one of your favorite homeschool memories thus far?
My favorite homeschool memory would be a family trip we took to Yellowstone National Park. We saw, learned, and experienced so much more than books could ever attempt to teach us. We spent uninterrupted time together laughing, loving, and making memories that will last forever.
4. What advice would you give to other homeschool families who are also trying to run a home business?
First, knowing what your priorities are in your life is essential. Secondly, committing to spend a determined amount of time on these priorities is of equal importance. For example, a typical school day will begin with Scripture reading, devotion, and prayer. We then move on to chores, breakfast and school. Later during the day, I will work on the business. I’ve realized that if there is an imbalance in my priorities, then my spiritual life, family life, and business suffer. I would also like to mention that though there is time and effort that needs to be poured into one’s business, it is ultimately God who brings the sales. He remains our provider in all things.
5. Where do you find inspiration for your pieces?
My inspirations usually comes from the practicality and need that I see within the community of headcovering women.
6. Do you have specific goals for your business or for your homeschooling? Would you share some of those with us?
Yes, my goals for the business are two-fold. First, it would be to generate enough profit from the business to pay for some of the household and homeschooling expenses. Secondly, I would like to teach our children that creativity and initiative are some of the main ingredients for creating a source of income.
CHEMO HEADCOVERINGS
Not too long ago, I felt the LORD’s prompting to begin making headcoverings for individuals who have suffered hair loss, whether because of chemotherapy or other medical reasons. My intent is to offer them at a reasonable price so that they would be available to everyone. Medical costs are often unimaginably high, even with the help of insurance. So once again, with the prompting of our LORD, our chemo headcovers are available free of charge to individuals who otherwise could not afford one. I find that it is extremely important to live one’s life with an open hand, giving to everyone according to their need and according to what God has provided to you. Though the name of our business, Sowers of Hope, was initially the name of our first ministry, we decided to use the same name once again because of the message it brings with it. It is based on Isaiah 40:31 “ but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.“ Using this verse as the basis of our business, we wanted to remind everyone that placing their hope in the LORD is the only place that lasting restoration can be had.
Our chemo headcovers are currently available in this Etsy shop , but we plan to move them over to our main headcovering Etsy boutique very soon.
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