Hunting Trips

I've been on several hunting trips over the past few weeks. It's so exciting to roam through crowded aisles with walls of fabrics in every color and texture. Heaven. The little man on my back had a blast, too and has quickly picked up on mommas habit for reaching out to feel the fabric roll between my fingers. My husband says that he remembers trips to the fabric store with his mom being miserable when he was a child. I hope my munchkins never feel that way. At this point they are always begging "Momma, my baby wants a sling made of THAT fabric. It's BOOOTEEEFUL!" Ai, ai, ai. And then they turn those big brown eyes on my and I have to turn them down because, well, momma doesn't really make slings with cowboys and lassos. I see a new kids line of slings coming on. Those sweet little smiles are hard to turn down.

So, hunting has been long and tedious with lots of excitement. A few disappointments, but overall I think I've made a good catch. I'll be narrowing down the fabrics this week and posting them available in Friday morning.

In the meantime I've got several Sugar Tais and a Few Sugar Slings, in the works. All of the orders from the last week have been for my favorite fabrics, so it really is fun to work on them.

It's so nice to have 'reinforcements' now, too. I've got 2 people helping with the stuff that I'm willing to give up. That's hard to do, you know. I've turned down a few people who weren't quite up to the quality of stitchin' I expect. It's a hard thing to do, but I have to know that we're doing the best.

Alright, I hear the little guy stirring, and Selah is going to break her guitar if she keeps strumming and wailing so passionately. Jacob is such a compelling audiance, she cna't help herself. Off to do my real job of Mom...

Sigh, The Crimson Thread...

Isn't there a book with a similar title? I know I've read something like that.

I figured I'd start blogging a little more regularly about my creative exploits, just to see if anyone it paying attention. If you are, leave a comment. Just a little 'Here,here!" to satisfy my curiousity.
So after weeks of mulling over my determination to make the most gorgeous and different carrier that I can, I think I've finally done it. I've drawn out my dream carrier and I love it. So the Sugar Tai will be amazing!! Now if I could just find the crimson thread so that I could sew it all together to take pictures, well and to wear it of course. If my husband wasn't out of town tonight, I would be quite tempted to drive to walmart right now at 1:30am in the morning for my crimson thread. Alas, it will wait for tomorrow. I'm planning on unvealing photos of the Sugar Tai in all it's glory on Friday. I can't telly you what a relief it is to feel done with the design. I can't wait to share it!!

I also have come up with a way to make the Snuggle Pod work with the Sugar Tai and not just the Sugar Sling. THAT's exciting. With winter weather coming I hate the idea of our babies not being cozy enough and snuggled in. I'll get some action shots of it this week, too so that you know what I'm talking about at least.

And, last but not least, the big thing keeping me up with ideas swarming my brain? Lani and I will be making a DVD in 3 weeks that will go out with all of the Sugar Slings and Sugar Tais. I just love it when I have the opportunity to help a local momma when she orders. I don't want to just sell things. I want these carriers to change your lifestyle and give you freedom and closeness with your baby. So, I have officially decided to sacrifice my vanity and put my camera shyness aside for the good of all Momkind. I will make a DVD to show you my tricks and everything I can think of to help you get the most use out of your Sugar Sling or Sugar Tai. I'm so, so cheesy. I really should go get in bed. I'm off to it.

Where We've Been

I confess, I've been in a bit of hiding. This summer was just incredibly overwhelming with life and I honestly just couldn't help taking the time to soak in the glory of it with the kids. We had a great summer, and I'm more in love with my munchkins than ever.

Over the summer I had to take a good look at what I want for my family regarding this business. I had so many opportunities thrown at me for wholesale, retail, drop ship.... things started to get away from me as I worried if I would regret missing out on the chance at a 'real' big business. We looked at hiring people, and getting an office space even.

Then suddenly it hit me that I was charging ahead and it wasn't the way I wanted. I don't want to be a boss. I don't want to have an office which requires me to leave my children. The whole POINT of this is to bless other mommas with gorgeous baby wear, and to give me enough of a small income that I can be the mom I chose to be. And that is at home with my kids.

So I put on the brakes. I spent July through September focusing on us. I still took orders as they came and they were completely adequate. Lani, who is still hoping to work with me, is now pregnant and blessed with the lovely joys of morning sickness and fatigue. So she was perfectly happy to have everything on pause.

So, now it's October. I feel rested. I've finalized the changes I want to make to the Sugar Tai (it's going to knock your socks off!) and I've found some peace in where I'm at. I think now we are ready. I've got the horse back in front of the cart and I feel like I'm back in control of where this is going.

I do expect that we will do some wholesale accounts (if you are reading this feel free to email me about that). I have found a few talented seamstresses whou could use some extra income in their families and I am happy to be able to include them in our little crew. I have new designs that I'm holding back because I don't want to get overwhelmed again so keep looking. The adventure has just begun!

Breathing For A Moment

I love being in the country. Sometimes I think if we moved out of Atlanta we would be happier. You know, an old house with land. Space to actually set up and use my spinning wheel. Right. Like I'd get time for that! Ha, ha, ha...

Ah, so. I'm torn. I can't decide how I want the new Sugar Tai to end up. Do I want the hood detachable? Storable in a pocket or slot? Do I want it solid or patterned? Decisions, decisions...

The next month is going to be interesting. Lani and I are looking for a workspace to rent and both of us are single car families at the moment. Makes life interesting, but I'm always up for a challenge. And I've sure got a list of them at the moment. But it's all gonna be great.

Ok, must get sleep. Fun day tomorrow.

These are a few of my Favorite Things

See the problem is, I've got about 10 different designs of things I want to make. They are all sitting scribbled out waiting for me to have time to get to them. I was certain that I'd have them up by now, but I've been too busy with the actual orders. So it's all coming. I promise it is.

Coordinating Mommy Bag- Sure you want it to fit a diaper and wipes, but you're the one carrying it. MAKE IT HOT! Made to match your Sugar Sling or Sugar Tai. It's coming, I promise!

Snuggle Pods^TM- Keep that baby warm and snuggled when your sling's not enough. Works with slings, car seats, strollers and highchairs. COMING THIS FALL

Peek a Boobs- For the proud momma who breastfeeds in public with confidence...except for the fact that her belly is showing.....hmmmm DUE IN June

Excuse Me, Have You Seen My Stapler?

So, we started looking at office space yesterday. It was exciting and not nearly as discouraging as I thought it would be. I'm looking forward to having a little space outside of my house. Currently we are working out of my kitchen and living room. doesn't sound too awful, I know. But you have to keep in mind that there are 5 people living in this little 1100 square foot shoe box.

I bought Selah (4 1/2) a toy sewing machine to 'zow' at the other end of the dining room table with me. It's precious. I'll get a photo of it up here sometime. Jacob wants one now, too. But I'm not so sure about getting another. I'm a toy task master. Not enough space, so sister will share hers for now. Jacob is happy while I sew as long as he has his "Baaa" sheep in his toy sling and sunglasses on. See photo.

I sew while Lucas naps, or is on my back in his Sugar Tai. Big surprise there :) Ok, off to finish some orders.

One Foot in Front of The Other

I'd been throwing the idea around to start this business for at least a year. Babywearing, breastfeeding tops, toys, accessories... I have all these designs in my head that DESERVE to be made and blessing people everywhere. I've dreamed about it, thought about it, talked about it. I finally put one foot in front of the other and started walking it out.


I kept thinking I needed to save up so much money first, I needed to have a huge plan, I needed it all figured out.....blah, blah, blah. So this panicky feeling of overwhelm kept me back. Silly, I know, but it took me awhile to see past it.

This whole time I knew in the back of my head who I wanted to work with. Someone who was like me, but a mirror image. See, I can ghetto rig, create.. basically pull anything out of thin air if I really have to. You learn that the way I grew up. Feeding a family of 12 off of 3 cans and 2 chicken breasts can be done, and my mother is a miracle worked. Anyway, so I'm 80% visionary and 20% business. I really enjoy administrative work, weirdo that I am. What I needed was someone who was a flip flop version of me. Someone who would completely dedicate themselves to the vision and share it with me. Yet this perfect match needed to be 80% business and 20% creative visionary. And since I started daydreaming about this, I knew exactly who the perfect person would be.
Lani is all of those things and more. She has been working with me for the last 6 weeks or so and I think it's going to be even better than I thought. She's actually getting me organized and challenging me to shoot higher than I thought we would. And you know what? She's right. We can do this!!!

I love what I'm doing, except that I can't do it all. It's amazing. I projected a certain number of items I wanted to sell, and completely surpassed it. Not only that, I've found that I enjoy designing and playing with fabric even more and more. So reinforcements are in order! I am so excited to have Lani joining me as we get this business rolling.


Those are my thoughts for today. I have some orders to get out, so Id better get to stitchin'.