Hello to all! I've finally moved. I can not be found here. Just click on the blog tab at the top. The website is under construction so be patient with me. I look forward to being able to do so much more with the new platform, I'll hope you'll follow me over!
Much love!
Anne
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday, October 19, 2009
Update!
My son just turned 3 months old. It feels like forever and yesterday since that timeless morning I first held him. It feels like a lifetime of moments, thoughts and discoveries that we’ve made together. Those of you who’ve stumbled onto this blog may have noticed that I’ve had a close-out sale in my online store. I want to share what’s going on with the store and explain a bit about where it’s going and what’s happening to it. Before my son was born I thought I would try to focus even more on the sales in my store, hoping to create a stay-at-home life for us that would also allow us to live and take care of some costly repairs to our house and cars that are becoming more pressing and less comical as the months go along. My son seems to be a passionately attentive cuddle monkey, and my time to accomplish things seems destined to be focused on the occasional bathroom break and what can be done in a chair. My moving around, cutting, pattern-making and sewing time doesn’t seem to fit into our lives as I thought it might. But more than that I’ve been thinking these past months about something in particular, FOCUS.
I’d like to go into the name of this project, SOLACE AND SAVOR… Several years ago I thought about selling lotions that I made, as well as scented eco-friendly cleaning products that I used. My purpose in making these, and my purpose in selling them was my extreme desire to FIND SOLACE, and SAVOR life. In other words, to focus on the now, focus on the moment, and live completely, sensuously and powerfully in everything I did. In this sometimes stressful and busy world I think that is a key toward finding peace and happiness. My idea molded over the years as I focused on one product which was the most fun to make and share with people. But my point is that FOCUS was the reason I first conceived of this idea. It was the ability to focus on each moment that made me want these products and this project to be a part of my life. Only for now I find that continuing the project make it more difficult for me to FOCUS on the moment, find SOLACE and SAVOR LIFE. I can focus on one project besides my son, but not many, so for now this endeavor is on hold while I focus on something that needs my attention more.
However, if anyone wants a set, or has a special request for pads or products, feel free to contact me through here or etsy, as I may be able to help you out. In the meantime I have plans for this blog! We’ll see how it goes.
So – in the near future I hope to share more writing, some FREE PATTERNS!, tips and ideas that I’ve come across, so if you’d like, you can continue following the blog even as the store remains dormant.
Thank you to all and I hope the Fall leaves you with beautiful memories.
I’d like to go into the name of this project, SOLACE AND SAVOR… Several years ago I thought about selling lotions that I made, as well as scented eco-friendly cleaning products that I used. My purpose in making these, and my purpose in selling them was my extreme desire to FIND SOLACE, and SAVOR life. In other words, to focus on the now, focus on the moment, and live completely, sensuously and powerfully in everything I did. In this sometimes stressful and busy world I think that is a key toward finding peace and happiness. My idea molded over the years as I focused on one product which was the most fun to make and share with people. But my point is that FOCUS was the reason I first conceived of this idea. It was the ability to focus on each moment that made me want these products and this project to be a part of my life. Only for now I find that continuing the project make it more difficult for me to FOCUS on the moment, find SOLACE and SAVOR LIFE. I can focus on one project besides my son, but not many, so for now this endeavor is on hold while I focus on something that needs my attention more.
However, if anyone wants a set, or has a special request for pads or products, feel free to contact me through here or etsy, as I may be able to help you out. In the meantime I have plans for this blog! We’ll see how it goes.
So – in the near future I hope to share more writing, some FREE PATTERNS!, tips and ideas that I’ve come across, so if you’d like, you can continue following the blog even as the store remains dormant.
Thank you to all and I hope the Fall leaves you with beautiful memories.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Babymoon
I'm going to have a bit of a vacation from the shop and give myself a babymoon when the baby comes! For probably most of the month of July I'll have the shop on vacation, and won't be responding to convos and e-mails. When I'm back up and running I'll let you know in the shop and the blog. The baby hasn't given me an exact ETA, but if I'm missing it's probably because I'm enjoying my "baby"-moon!
In the meantime I'm going to keep the shop plenty stocked so that anything you need you can get before them. As long as the shop is active I'll be able to answer any questions you have, and if you go to the shop one day and it's not showing any listings and the "on vacation" banner is up - you know I'm getting ready for baby!
Thank you to everyone and I hope you have a lovely July 4th and midsummer!
In the meantime I'm going to keep the shop plenty stocked so that anything you need you can get before them. As long as the shop is active I'll be able to answer any questions you have, and if you go to the shop one day and it's not showing any listings and the "on vacation" banner is up - you know I'm getting ready for baby!
Thank you to everyone and I hope you have a lovely July 4th and midsummer!
TIPS: Storage and Wetbags
I’ve found many people who are curious about how other women store their cloth pads, and what kind of wetbag or travel bag they use. It’s something I think some people are shy to ask about, but SO many are curious! So here are some of the answers I’ve heard and ideas I’ve had.
For Storage:
- Basket in bathroom. I know some like to display their pretty pads! And an open basket in the bathroom seems pretty common.
- In drawers in bathroom or with clothes
- In a small covered separate container
- In a cloth bag hanging in the bathroom or on the doorknob
- Medicine cabinet or under sink in a basket or container
I’ve always thought it would be fun to use a really fun little vintage suitcase to store them, just because I think these bags are so funky and cute sometimes! (And cheap in a thrift store…)
I use a little train case made of covered wood with a handle and buckle on it. It sits on a tiny shelf right in the bathroom. For extras I use a small Rubbermaid bin that I superglued pretty fabric into to make it pretty and discreet.
For Wetbags:
- Many people buy little wetbags specifically designed for cloth pads. I make one that’s a little different from many because I found I wanted separate little wetbags inside and a bag that didn’t look like a makeup or pad bag.
- There are MANY other great bags on etsy and other sites as well.
- Some people use a make-up bag they already have. You can use a little ziplock bag inside of it to make it waterproof.
Everyone’s different, and some people like different styles, different ideas or have different needs when it comes to storage. I’m fortunate now in that I don’t everyday have to be outside of the house for 10 or more hours a day, which I know is the norm for many, so my little wetbag that I use, to be honest, mostly just sits in my purse just in case!
Let me know if you have any other fantastic ideas you’d like to add!
For Storage:
- Basket in bathroom. I know some like to display their pretty pads! And an open basket in the bathroom seems pretty common.
- In drawers in bathroom or with clothes
- In a small covered separate container
- In a cloth bag hanging in the bathroom or on the doorknob
- Medicine cabinet or under sink in a basket or container
I’ve always thought it would be fun to use a really fun little vintage suitcase to store them, just because I think these bags are so funky and cute sometimes! (And cheap in a thrift store…)
I use a little train case made of covered wood with a handle and buckle on it. It sits on a tiny shelf right in the bathroom. For extras I use a small Rubbermaid bin that I superglued pretty fabric into to make it pretty and discreet.
For Wetbags:
- Many people buy little wetbags specifically designed for cloth pads. I make one that’s a little different from many because I found I wanted separate little wetbags inside and a bag that didn’t look like a makeup or pad bag.
- There are MANY other great bags on etsy and other sites as well.
- Some people use a make-up bag they already have. You can use a little ziplock bag inside of it to make it waterproof.
Everyone’s different, and some people like different styles, different ideas or have different needs when it comes to storage. I’m fortunate now in that I don’t everyday have to be outside of the house for 10 or more hours a day, which I know is the norm for many, so my little wetbag that I use, to be honest, mostly just sits in my purse just in case!
Let me know if you have any other fantastic ideas you’d like to add!
Monday, May 11, 2009
A Special Thank You To My Customers
I opened my shop last summer, and now I’ve just opened another! I sew all the time, I think about etsy all the time, I imagine new ways of giving back or finding places to donate, I dream up great big projects I might undertake to try to make more of a difference, I search for great fabrics, I try out new patterns, I try to communicate about cloth as much as possible, and in general put a great deal of myself into this little adventure. It’s mostly because it’s so rewarding. It’s also because when you’re even a little passionate about something you naturally spend time thinking and exploring it anyway! But it’s also because this little shop is my way of connecting to a greater community and trying to get enough supplies, material and time to donate and give back as much as I can.
To be honest, with my family growing I have questioned whether I should or could continue to keep the shop open. I have a hard time stepping away from it, because with it open I feel committed to thinking and working at it. But in reality it doesn’t financially contribute to our lives, and I have been questioning whether the energy I put into it is useful for my family and house. I could certainly put the same energy into something else and financially be in a safer position. But finances don’t really have anything to do with why I opened the shop or why I keep it open. It’s a venture, an adventure, a way of creating what I hope to be a beginning. A beginning of things I don’t necessarily know or understand yet, but exploring things that I hope will lead me to my future, whatever it might be. And so to my customers, I would like to extend an enormous thank you. And to readers of this blog, if there are any of you out there, I want to say how profoundly I appreciate it. Whenever I begin to think of scaling back and closing the shop I always get an e-mail or begin contact with someone that makes me feel incredibly privileged to be able to do this, and incredibly satisfied by the energy I put into it.
Life can be a struggle. Financially life can be so difficult for so many, as I know it is right now, that it can seem to take priority. It takes over how you make your decisions, what you decide to do, what you decide to buy, choices you make for yourself and your family. It’s a reality that cannot be denied. But it also cannot take precedence over integrity or everything else that is more important to you. Some kind of authority over your own life, your own decisions has to be retained. And so in this way I suppose finances do have to do with why I first began this adventure. I think by honoring the little things in life you are giving yourself moments that are sacred, without needing the money or time to explore a far away place or vacation in a peaceful location. Instead you can begin to carry that peace inside of you. I started making my own pads because I wanted to retrieve this part of my body, my cycle and my life. I wanted to claim ownership over my health and happiness and feel creative and artistic in how I dealt with this monthly part of life. And in this way it became something sacred, beautiful and profoundly reassuring to me. Then I wanted to spread it around! I also wanted to try to give back to people who couldn’t do this same thing for themselves. Now I hope that this little shop can further help me to live my life intentionally by helping me support my family a little more, while I raise my child or children from home. There are so many aspects of living that with less money and more time can be accomplished, even if it’s not always convenient! This is how I hope to be able to raise my baby as well, appreciating the beauty and difficulty around me.
So again thank you to my customers who, without knowing it, help me to stay on this path to pursue this kind of life and be there for my family and myself. While it’s a struggle sometimes, it honors the creativity of a handmade and homemade life. And that is absolutely invaluable to me. Thank you Thank you Thank you!
To be honest, with my family growing I have questioned whether I should or could continue to keep the shop open. I have a hard time stepping away from it, because with it open I feel committed to thinking and working at it. But in reality it doesn’t financially contribute to our lives, and I have been questioning whether the energy I put into it is useful for my family and house. I could certainly put the same energy into something else and financially be in a safer position. But finances don’t really have anything to do with why I opened the shop or why I keep it open. It’s a venture, an adventure, a way of creating what I hope to be a beginning. A beginning of things I don’t necessarily know or understand yet, but exploring things that I hope will lead me to my future, whatever it might be. And so to my customers, I would like to extend an enormous thank you. And to readers of this blog, if there are any of you out there, I want to say how profoundly I appreciate it. Whenever I begin to think of scaling back and closing the shop I always get an e-mail or begin contact with someone that makes me feel incredibly privileged to be able to do this, and incredibly satisfied by the energy I put into it.
Life can be a struggle. Financially life can be so difficult for so many, as I know it is right now, that it can seem to take priority. It takes over how you make your decisions, what you decide to do, what you decide to buy, choices you make for yourself and your family. It’s a reality that cannot be denied. But it also cannot take precedence over integrity or everything else that is more important to you. Some kind of authority over your own life, your own decisions has to be retained. And so in this way I suppose finances do have to do with why I first began this adventure. I think by honoring the little things in life you are giving yourself moments that are sacred, without needing the money or time to explore a far away place or vacation in a peaceful location. Instead you can begin to carry that peace inside of you. I started making my own pads because I wanted to retrieve this part of my body, my cycle and my life. I wanted to claim ownership over my health and happiness and feel creative and artistic in how I dealt with this monthly part of life. And in this way it became something sacred, beautiful and profoundly reassuring to me. Then I wanted to spread it around! I also wanted to try to give back to people who couldn’t do this same thing for themselves. Now I hope that this little shop can further help me to live my life intentionally by helping me support my family a little more, while I raise my child or children from home. There are so many aspects of living that with less money and more time can be accomplished, even if it’s not always convenient! This is how I hope to be able to raise my baby as well, appreciating the beauty and difficulty around me.
So again thank you to my customers who, without knowing it, help me to stay on this path to pursue this kind of life and be there for my family and myself. While it’s a struggle sometimes, it honors the creativity of a handmade and homemade life. And that is absolutely invaluable to me. Thank you Thank you Thank you!
Friday, May 8, 2009
New Postings
Full Moon Set is Up!
Here's the link
And the other shop is almost stocked! Here's some peaks...
Find It Here!
Here's the link
And the other shop is almost stocked! Here's some peaks...
Find It Here!
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