OK…the second installment of your questions.
*If you could eat only one snack for the rest of your life what would it be?
Serious? One snack? This is hard.
Do I get to choose cupcakes and my butt won't get big?
Because if my butt won't grow…I pick cupcakes. But knowing how my butt reacts to cupcakes I will have to say fresh fruit salad with fresh mint. I love fruit salads. I also love salads with apples, walnuts, grapes, pomegranate seeds and crumbled blue cheese. I am really hungry now. Thanks a lot.
That is just plain mean. No stealing allowed. You may borrow whatever you would like though…just please bring it back.
Just practice. I make mistakes all the time. The more I practice the better I become.
*I hated living in Colorado Springs. What is it about your area that you love?
I don't love the Springs either. We lived in Fort Collins before moving to Castle Rock. We loved Ft. Collins but moved because the commute was too hard on my husband.
I really like that we are close to the mountains, it still feels like a small town and that we are 20 minutes away from all the museums in Denver.
*What were 2-3 of the most important things you believe you did you get your creative business started in the beginning? Did you start an Etsy store first?
Honestly…just begin.
I think if it is supposed to happen then doors will open. Things happened very naturally for me. Friends wanted to buy my work, I did a craft fair, had local shops that wanted to carry things and away it went.
You have to put yourself out there.
I know this is scary…I KNOW.
I still can get so nervous at a show hoping that it goes well.
This is your heart…your passion….it is hard to be brave.
But you have to be brave to take the next step. One of my favorite things I have heard this year is from Melody Ross. Basically what she was saying is that you can be brave and be afraid at the same time.
Bravery is doing it anyways.
Doing it afraid.
I will never regret opening my Etsy shop. It is easy, inexpensive, you can close it at any time and people find you easily from around the world. Many of my retailers found me on Etsy.
I know I didn't answer this question very well…sorry.
WOW…ok….here I go. I really love Colorado. I love the weather. I love that it can be in the middle of winter and I don't need a jacket and then two days later the kids will be sledding. I love no humidity in the summer. I love looking at the mountains and hiking them even better.
I had lived in Colorado after college. When I moved to DC I met my husband and after our first child we decided to move to Fort Collins. We loved it there but as I stated earlier..the commute was too much for my husband.
I don't know when I am coming to Kansas.
Is that an invitation?
I have only been to Kansas once in my life. I came with a boyfriend that I date in college. We attended his brother's wedding at a gorgeous mansion in Kansas City.
I have three children. Jack is 9, Madolyn is 7 and Benjamin is 3.
They are only blond if we go to the pool a lot in the summer.
Yes, I like cheesecake. It would not be my first choice of dessert but I wouldn't turn it down. It has sugar you know!!
I am not sure I am quali
fied to answer this one. Start small. Don't worry about all the fancy things to make your studio/office look great. Spend money you have. Sell yourself. Be proud of what you have to offer and share it with whomever will listen. Treat other people with respect. Be honest…it does matter and it will bless you in the end. Stand behind what you make. Let your customers know how much they mean to you. Create what brings you joy.
*What is your week like with homeschooling and running a business? Do you stick to a schedule? Where you scared to open an Etsy shop? How did you get most of your customers at first?
As I shared in yesterday's post..Monday through Friday is all about school.
I will give you a taste of our schedule.
I will check my emails etc. before I get out of bed on my iphone (I seriously think I have an addiction…that is another post). We don't watch cartoons etc. on school days. We have breakfast and start school around 8:30 or 9:00. Once we start school I do not answer the phone or touch the computer. Seriously..I have no self control so I have it turned off. This really makes the morning go so much better.We do school until noon or 1:00.
We are then done for the day except for the days we have dance or piano. What is nice for us is that those extra things are in the day and our nights are free of activities and homework.
The rest of the afternoon is house stuff, bills, creating, playing with friends etc. Everyday is different. Now that my studio is on the main floor I am much more likely to just pop in for a few minutes here and there to work on things.
The majority of my creating time is in the evenings after the kids have gone to bed…but since the new fall shows are all coming back that has changed a little:-) We do stick to a schedule but we are very flexible. School comes first though.
Yes, I was scared to open an Etsy shop. The first night I was putting things in the shop I thought I was going to throw up…I am not kidding. I was so nervous and worried whether people would like what I had made.
I still get a little nervous when I have a new collection to put up. Thank goodness that I don't feel like throwing up anymore:-)
It would be weird if you weren't nervous. Anything worth it is a little nerve racking!
Most of my customers have found me through Etsy or my blog.
I started Etsy before my blog. If I were going to do it again I would have started my blog first. You instantly have a following and people that may be interested in your work.
That is it for day two.
I am having a lot of fun answering these.
I hope this is fun for you guys too!!
very fun.
and interesting.
Let’s have lunch, because we like the same food. And we can reminisce about DC and talk politics (maybe spar, depending on potential differences?). Oh, and I get to borrow that orange hoodie for said date.
Jeanne, i actually read both of your questions answered posts…i was skimming through reader yesterday and was going to come see you today for comment…what a great idea for posts…it was fun to learn more about you…thanks for sharing a little peek into your life…
Love reading your thoughtful answers, Jeanne. Oh, and I agree…cupcakes over cheesecake seven days a week and twice on Sunday. No contest. 🙂
So nice to learn more about you! Colorado and no humidity sounds so lovely — plus those beautiful mountains! I also agree – would take cupcakes over cheesecake any day!
Hope you have a great week!
Ahhh! I was just in fort collins last week and am moving to Denver (my aunt and uncle have a store in downtown fort collins!)
My fav. snack would string cheese or saltines (weird but true!)
Jeanne I have missed you, life has kept me busy but I am trying to catch up on my favorite blogs. We like the same foods and I would love to borrow some of your clothes you just live a little to far away! My friend Candace Elton was telling me what a sweety you are- she went to the Brave girls camp also.
Cupcakes do the same thing to my bottom side too- hate that!
I’m loving this too! Even though you shared you don’t like the Springs 😉 I love it but I came from Pueblo which is a huge step up. I would rather be in Castle Rock but I love to be able to hike in the mountains in 5 minutes and I live on the west side which is old and beautiful….Well, enough about me.
Thanks for sharing. I love the little insights into your “real” life and how you manage it all. Can’t wait to read tomorrow.
And thanks for checking in on me. It made my heart smile!
i like those tips on starting a good business!
You don’t like the Springs…hmmm interesting.
I love cheesecake and cupcakes, actually any cake…now you’ve done it. I am so hungry for cake I can’t stand it!!!
Your answers to the 2 questions about starting a creative business offer great thoughts for life in general. Very encouraging!!
I love your answers…and love your bravery comments ~ I believe you are true with every word:)
And now that I think about it…I think I may love cupcakes better too…but they have to be vanilla:)
More authenticity….thankyou…it gives the rest of us permission to be brave and just BE who we are.
Wow, this post has come at just the right time for me! Last week I announced I was starting a business (girls clothing) and since I posted about it I’ve sewn NOTHING and NOT SLEPT! I’m sooo scared.I have already been asked to make some specific pieces but I’ve frozen. When I was sewing for fun I just went with it. Sewed what I wanted to, got creative. Now, I spend my time worrying about colour combos and ‘saleablity’. It’s good to know that it’s ok to be scared. Tomorrow I wil make 2 skirts, without fail. Thank you!
Love all the Q&A’s!!! Thanks for taking the time to answer all of our questions. What fun!
You just make me smile…
it is definitely fun to get to know you better!!
I arrived in time to hear more about you, I am indeed a lucky Muse 🙂
Ok, first off, that picture is gorgeous!
Secondly, I think it’s pretty amazing that you accomplish all you do with three kids AND homeschooling.
Thanks for the inspiration – I think I’m going to have to try your idea of keeping the computer off except first thing in the morning and naptime. Like you, I have almost NO self control and constantly find myself checking this or looking up that. My poor kids!
Love getting to know you better my dear! can’t wait to spend some quality time! 🙂
Your answers are great, I’m enjoying learning more about you! I love the answer on starting your Etsy shop. My mom, my aunt, my cousin and I are going to start selling at flea markets this spring. We’ve been talking about it for a year and collecting and making merch and it’s so hard to get started….and scary. It doesn’t have to be our livelihood, just a passion and hobby, so I am excited that we are actually taking the first few steps to making it happen! 🙂
Love the Q& As. You have inspired me to start my own blog, and I took the plunge today. I’m very excited!
http://www.juliejohnsonblog.blogspot.com
you have such a way of writiing, that makes it fun to read!
Thank you Jeanne! I asked the question about..”what were 2-3 of the most important things ….etc… At the end of your answer you made a comment that you didn’t answer the question very well, but oh YES YOU DID..
You even made me cry! Since I became so emotional over your answer, well I know it was just my creator saying
Just Go and Do it- BE BRAVE LEE ANN..
Thank you Jeanne! You and Becky are such great examples for me to follow and I sooo appreciate your motivation and encouragement.
Thanks for taking the time to answer all of these questions for us.
Lee Ann
Thanks for being so sincere and open in answering these questions. It really shows how much you care about your blog, etsy and your followers. You have really encouraged me to try and put myself out there just as I am ;0
I just recently found you and I am so glad that I did.
Have a blessed week.