Etsy Pop-up at West Elm

Hi friends!  I really wanted to wow you today with photos of all the ties and pocket squares I've been making this week, but it's super gray here and I could barely get any pictures.  Maybe you can imagine them instead?  

I've been prepping for another Etsy Pop-up event at West Elm this Saturday and am so excited that the day is finally almost here!  The last event I did at West Elm was in November, so I took tons of scarves and felt like it was the perfect kick-off to the holiday season.  This time around, I am debuting my summer bow ties and pocket squares and am excited to help people with their outfits for all the fancy events coming up- weddings, graduations, Easter.  

I know.  I just said "summer bow ties" and you probably looked down to see yourself wearing two sweaters and wool socks.  But summer will come!  And when it does, I'll be ready.  With ties.    

One of the things that I'm most excited about with this summer collection is the fact that most of the items are limited editions.  I found some awesome fabrics and bought as much as I could, but I know I won't be able to get more, so that makes each tie or pocket square seem like a special treasure, instead of a mass-produced accessory.  Not that I'm really mass producing over here, but I did make about 40 ties this week.  

I'd love to see some of you locals at West Elm tomorrow (between 1pm and 6pm), but for everyone else- I'll take pictures!  Have a happy weekend!

Missing: one formerly consistent blogger

If anyone is still checking my blog, I'm sending you a big internet high-five right now.  I'd say I don't know where the time has gone, but in actuality, I do.  

It's been spent grocery shopping and making dinner and doing laundry.

It's been spent shopping for fabric and developing products and corresponding with clients.

It's been spent making bow ties.  Obviously.

It's been spent playing cars and reading books and snuggling with this guy as much as I can, and then trying to steal a few minutes of time with his dad every evening.  

As a chronic over-achiever, I've had to lower the bar this year.  The combination of life/business/toddler sleep problems/potty training has really thrown me for a loop and the best way, for me, to make it through is to change my definition of a "successful" day.  Lately, if Steve has clean clothes to wear to work, Arthur is not throwing a fit, I don't have any overdue orders, and we have something to eat for dinner (eggs count!), I consider the day a rousing success.  

My attitude towards everything else is very much "I'll do it when I do it" and blogging falls into this increasingly large category (along with mopping, vacuuming, phone calls, tax preparation.... you get the picture.)  I miss showing up here, but I'll still pop in now and again, and I certainly plan to pick up the blogging pace once more when we've moved out of this season of life.  I used to view my blog as a daily journal and then it changed to more of a weekly newsletter.  I'm not quite ready to call it a quarterly report, but we sure seem to be heading in that direction.  

Take heart, friends- spring is almost here!  I'm sure I'll be back as soon as I'm able with pictures of all the blooms in our yard!