small business

Support Artists & Artisans This Small Business Saturday!

Abby H.

download.jpgI am a huge supporter of artists and artisans all year, but especially on Small Business Saturday.

Below as some small businesses owned by artists that I know (and endorse). Most of these businesses are historical or nerdy (as I am both), so they may not be your cup of tea, but it’s always fun to check out new businesses, right?

Carolyn’s Geek Boutique– I love her aprons and hooded towels

September Girl Designs– Dianne makes all kinds of awesome stuff, but I really love that she makes T-shirt quilts with your old shirts. This is great if you have theatre shirts from old productions or camp shirts, or if you have a loved one who has passed and you want to make something from their old shirts.

Kit’s Designs– Kit makes THE BEST EARRINGS! Is there a book that you loved as a kid? She can make earrings or a pendant of that book. Or Christmas ornaments.

Northernridge Glassworks– Awesome handmade lampworked glass beads.

CokGuzel– Handcrafted historically inspired jewelry and fabric

Viking Krafts– Rick makes beautiful knives, wooden chests, and all sorts of other goodies. I have several of his chests in my home.

The Brackish Baroness– Angela is immensely talented. Cloisonne jewelry, hand stamped copper jewelry, and fan art prints are among some of the cool stuff in her etsy shop.

Wyng’d Lyon Creations– Decals, accessories, jewelry, Cosplay goodies, even corset making supplies. Colleen has it all!

Talk Back: If you have a small business, please feel free to leave a link in comments!

 

5 Ways to Maximize Your Routine!

Abby H.

991d001cb11fbb9af4e45d3b104865ea.jpgParents know that kids need a routine- It gives them stability and a sense of security. But, adults need a routine too. Working from home, routine is absolutely needed to keep me productive. I was talking to a lady at the gym today after yoga. She said it must be nice to work from home- all the free time! But really, today was my busiest day this week. After the gym, we had errands, then home to start dinner, school pick up, and prep for tomorrows tie-dye session while Bitty is at preschool.

Here are my 5 Tips for Maximizing your Routine:

Update your calendar: I sit down on Saturday night and go over my calendar for the next week. I take my paper calendars (Yes, I have one next to my bathroom vanity, and one on my desk), and make sure they match with the calendar on my phone. That way I’m not dependant on my phone all the time and everyone in the house can be on the same page.

Take Notes: I keep a spiral-bound notebook and pens in my purse at all times. I make notes about all kinds of stuff: Ideas for blog posts, appointments (Which I later put into my phone), shopping lists, etc. I sometimes use my phones note feature for this too, but there is something about putting pen to paper and writing.

Lay it out: Before bed, I lay out my clothes and the kids clothes for the next day. I also grind the coffee and set up the coffee maker. I put the kid’s lunch bags out of their backpacks and set them on the kitchen counter. It makes the next morning so much easier.

Look Ahead: Before you go to bed, take a look at your next day.  What kinds of activities do you have? Work, school, gym, meetings? I feel more at ease knowing what is on deck for the next day.

Give yourself Grace: You are only human. If you can’t get everything done in one day, it’s cool. Tomorrow is another day (literally). There are so few things in this world that positively need to be done on a specific day (bills and doctor’s appointments are a few things that come to mind). Push your tasks forward to the next day, and make a conscious decision to work on those items or tasks the next day as priority items.  No one is perfect (or insta-perfect).

 

Talk Back: How do you get the most out of your daily routine?

Family Event: Queen Bee Market – Spring Shopping Expo 4/26-4/27!

Abby H.

Queen Bee Market_San Diego_PRESS.jpg

 

Looking for some fun shopping this weekend? Head up to the Del Mar Fairgrounds and get ready to shop and support local, small businesses!!

Have you ever wished Etsy was a real store, filled with talented artisans and specialty crafts you could shop for in person? North County natives and sisters, Allison Gharst and Kellie Dooley, the owners behind Queen Bee Market, take that idea and turn it into reality. The two-day shopping expo takes place at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27 and will feature nearly 100 hand-selected artisans, including local and regional crafters. And, entry is only $3!

Queen Bee Market _Sketchy Notions.jpgKellie and Allison, took over operations and ownership of Queen Bee Market in 2015 after participating as vendors for several years. Both mothers themselves, they first got their start selling products on Etsy. Now, they hand-select each of the vendors that showcase at Queen Bee Market,

A few of the standouts for the April event include Bare Naked Botanicals, a line of artisanal vegan skin and body care; Momma Pots, maker of handmade and hand-painted concrete pots; Lu+Elle, a line of handmade bags; Chalk Couture, a chalk-centric line of DIY home décor; Blessed Little Bird, maker of customizable jewelry and trinkets; and more.  A full list of vendors is available at Queen Bee Market,

Queen Bee Market_Shoppers Browse Burma Boutique.jpgBut it’s more than shopping… Aside from all the spring shopping opportunities, Queen Bee Market will also offer interactive make-and-take stations and workshops where you can learn how to create your own hand-stamped jewelry, personalized chalkboard and how to blend essential oils to keep pets healthy and pest-free, among others.

Each Queen Bee Market event selects a local charity to support. This event will support the Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank with on-site donation barrels to collect non-perishable food items and a virtual food drive where people can securely donate funds before they arrive at the market. Shoppers who donate five items will receive a Queen Bee Market shopping card worth 10 percent off their purchase at the expo. Not sure what kind of food items the food bank needs? Check out my post here with a list of items that are commonly requested.