July 23, 2008

Tote Me

The more I make 'em, the more I wanna keep 'em!!

Posted by WonderGirl at 1:44 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

July 21, 2008

Boho Out and About

My dear bloggy friend, Teri, bought the Inari BohoTote. Being the intuitive (and utterly adorable) person she is, she knew I'd love to see it in action, so she sent me these vacation shots.

Aren't they cute together?

Thank you, Teri. You're a doll!

Posted by WonderGirl at 11:56 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

March 7, 2008

What a Way To Make a Livin'

So here's my mannequin, sporting the Moxie sling, by BohoBaby. (oh, don't I sound all businessy?)

She's headless, armless, and babyless actually, but don't be too hard on her. She's working hard for the money. (So ya better treat her right.)

-Okay, no more drinking in the morning.-

Anyway, whatcha think? Is this photo website worthy? Would you feel confident purchasing this product based on the quality of the photo? Each sling will be photographed this way, as well as an upclose shot for the detail like this-

I'm nervous, y'all. Okay, that's putting it mildy. I'm a little bit freaking out about this whole thing. I won't go into the whys, but the closer I get to being officially open for business, the more I find myself thinking about the bliss of xanax. Or valium. Or tylenol pm.

Kidding.

I guess every venture poses the threat of failure, but you just have to hold your breath and jump in sometimes.

Right?

Um, somebody?

Posted by WonderGirl at 9:28 AM | Comments (18) | TrackBack

February 13, 2008

Stacks of Life

Morning, all.

Well. I'm sans sewing machine today, because it is off to the repair center to be serviced. I am in mourning. I really hate "losing" a day, and I know it'll be several before I get it back. But, in the meantime, I'll cut and iron, which will be nice later on when I get my machine back. I can just get right back to sewing.

Things are going well, if a bit slow. I guess there's no way around it, getting a business started is a lengthy process. Especially if you have four kids. I'm eager though, to get this thing off the ground!

I'm almost at the end of my fabric supply, which means the hunt begins anew. And I am reminded again, of how very much I LOVE fabric. If I could eat it, I'd gorge myself. There is simply not enough opportunity or time in my life to use all the gorgeous prints I'd like to. Amy Butler, Micheal Miller, Robert Kaufman, Alexander Henry, Moda... oh my! I have literally gotten tears in my eyes over some of the prints. (I realize this is not normal, thank you very much.) The only problem is finding fabric with the 3% lycra that makes for such a nice sling. I can use 100% cotton for the reversible slings, but the lycra is a staple I must have, and struggle to find in cool prints!

I think a trip to Paris is in order. I'm certain I could find what I need there. Any rich benefactors willing to step up and send me on a little excursion to the fashion capitol of the world? No? Aren't I important to you? Don't you care if I succeed? Come on, cough up a first class ticket to France. I'll even stay in a hostel.

/whine.

Another note about BohoBaby, I have recruited a seamstress! Moriah, at Please Pass the Salt, will be punching the timecard for me when things pick up. It's fun to have someone to bounce ideas off of, someone to email at 2 in the morning about french seams. You're gonna see us on Oprah one day, just watch. Hopefully, it will be that episode where she gives stuff away, cause that would be AWESOME.

I have a feeling that Oprah looks really weird in person. Don't you just get that? They're doing all kinds of creative makeup and lighting with her face for the camera, but I bet she's kinda "off" in person.

Okay, enough rambling, I really need to change a dirty diaper. I can't breathe through my mouth anymore, and you know, the longer you wait, the worse those things get. Gross.

Have a happy Wednesday, folks. Maybe I'll post again lata.

Posted by WonderGirl at 10:30 AM | Comments (12) | TrackBack

February 3, 2008

This and That

Urgh.

Man, I am so behind on stuff. I feel like a chicken with it's head cut off these days! I have so many little details of things swimming around in my head- or not, I guess, if I'm the chicken with no head.

See? I'm mixing metaphors. You know it's bad when that happens. This may be an indication of permanent drain bamage. (ha)

BohoBaby is coming along, slow and steady. I set up my light studio for taking pictures of each sling. That was pretty fun. I have never been all that interested in photography, but I can see the allure. As an aside, for those of you with photography as a hobby- do you find yourself with a mild urge to wear a beret as your working? Just wondering if that's normal at all.

Anyway.

It was fun. I have A LOT to learn about that, and really, only a limited amount of time, and cranial space, for extra stuff. So, in with photography, and out with.. um... physics. Haven't used it in ages anyway. Just taking up space. As a matter of fact, calculus can go, too.

-subject change-

We rented "Stardust" last night- I've been wanting to see it for ages. I finally recovered enough from my husband's "Lord of the Rings" taunting to risk renting another fantasy-themed movie. And, I will confide in you, dear reader, that even King Pen liked this movie. He may not speak to me after that revelation, but it's true. My man liked this movie. I know because he only made two snide, MST3K-like remarks. If you have ever watched a movie with King Pen, then you know, this is progress. As Dolly mentioned the other day on her blog, it had a "Princess Bride" flavor to it. (And it's common knowledge that you can't be a decent human being and not like PB. It's simply mandatory.) So, go and rent, and be prepared to wish you were Claire Daines again just a little bit. (She's so loverly.)

Grocery Game update-- got my first Sunday paper to clip coupons out of, and I realize, two things. Number one, this is yet another thing for me to obsess over. Yay. But, I could save gobs, so there ya have it. At least it's a productive obsession. And number two, I like to cut things. I really do. Is that weird? The thinner the paper, the better... and the fact that I have a preference is a bit worrisome. Anywho, I'll go shopping tomorrow, so I'll letcha know how it goes.

And lastly, here are a few pics I took, playing around with lighting and whatnot. I shamelessly stole the picture frame idea from Dolly (whom I seem to be stalking these days, apparently). I'm doing the whole family, and if Dolly doesn't like it, she can just... uh... send me an email. Cause I'm stealing it, and that's that. I ain't a'skerred of her. I could take her.

(Sorry, Dolly. This is a direct result of the limited neuro-processing thing I was talking about earlier.)

(By the way, Czarina BEGGED me to straighten her hair, so don't panic, Mom. The curls are still there. My little comedian dramatically wailed after I had finished, "Oh no!! My curls are gone! That's where I get all my ideas-- now I can't think of a single thing!" I don't know where she comes up with that stuff.)

Oh, and here's a picture of a sling I took in my "studio".

Fancy, huh?

Posted by WonderGirl at 7:00 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

January 30, 2008

Working at Home, Even More.

Oh, excited me!

BohoBaby Slings is almost ready for launching! I finally decided to stop dragging my feet with the website, and have instead joined the lovely people at Etsy. I am tweaking photos and whatnot of the ones I have made, and within a day or two, it's done. I actually don't have a LOT to put up, because the ones I am making, I keep selling right out to people I know or giving to people as gifts. But I'm plugging away, and it's on the horizon.

It's really satisfying to see something through like this. I seem to always have good ideas that sorta peeter out after a while. But this one is actually happening, and I think, I think, I hope, it's going to be exactly perfect for me.

Next to do: business cards, and some visits to the local baby boutiques in Alexandria. Oh, and this will require some new shoes. Heels. Shiny, new, powerful "I am woman, hear me roar, I bring home the bacon and fry it up, too" shoes.

Here's a peek at one I did- it's gorgeous. It's reversible, with this really cool, funky green and purple print on one side, and khaki on the other. (Lookie- it even has my label!) It is the very thing I'm going for with BohoBaby. Is it working? Do you like it? Would you dig it? Are you groovin' on it? (Okay, okay, I'll stop.)

So, it's out there, it's public, and it's almost go-time. No turning back now. I'll post my grand debut in a few days, and you must promise to go check it out, mkay? You don't have to buy anything, just sit in the audience and wave at me, 'cause I'm nervous. I start licking my lips when I'm nervous, and then they get chapped, and I never have chapstick, but at least they look sort of luscious, except they're KILLING me, and I can't really enjoy it---

I also tend to ramble when I'm nervous.

So I'll stop.

Night, all. See you tomorrow.

*For the record, I am not in love with these labels. But it's all my lil' ole budget could swing. When I'm out of the redzone, then new, cooler labels are a must.

Posted by WonderGirl at 11:07 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

January 24, 2008

Buckaroos

Anybody else sick to death of money?

Money, money, money.

Money.

Hate.
It.

If I didn't have to eat, wear clothes, brush my teeth, or worry about health care, then I wouldn't care if I never saw another dollar in my life.

-sigh-

Moving puts money right in front of your eyes all the time, and I'm OVER IT. Enough with the deposits, and activation fees, connection fees, blah blah blah. Not to mention what I've spent on PineSol alone this month. And restocking the fridge, and growing boys eating a TON... sheesh. I might as well be throwing bills out the window at this point, the way they're flying through my fingers.

This place is bigger, which you know I love. But it's going to cost more to heat it, and we're paying higher rent- and I'm trying not to worry, but you know how that goes.

I know that we are supposed to be here, and I know God provides, but I'm going to admit that I'm scared. I hope and pray that our budget covers everything we need. It's hard to know until the first month rolls through, and that's coming up soon.

This is not a pity party- it's really not. I just want to be able to do what we need to for our family, ya know? I keep it in perspective, I don't get all bent out of shape when the chips are low. I just want to make sure bellies are full and lights are on, and I'm doing what I need to be doing to make that happen.

We're getting settled, and that means I'm ready to focus in on my sling business, so there is some comfort in that thought. It's difficult to be the one at home, and accepting that your contribution is not monetary. Even my business can only bring in a certain amount, because I only have a certain amount of time to dedicate to it. I'm happy with the choices we've made, but being a one income family for a family of six is almost impossible in this day and age. It's discouraging! And it's not even like I'm trying to live out of a Pottery Barn catalog. I could care less about that, ya know? Nice stuff is, well, nice-- but it's just stuff. I'm talking about more immediate needs than matching pillow shams.

Anyway... just some random thoughts this afternoon. I'll hop on later with something a little less depressing! After my afternoon coffee. Life's always brighter with that extra edge of caffeine.

Posted by WonderGirl at 3:00 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

July 20, 2007

Whoopsie!

As I'm researching and preparing to start this business, I am increasingly aware of copywrite infringement. It's a tricky thing! I definitely want to be on the up and up with everything. People have worked hard on their own designs and businesses, and they deserve the rights to their efforts. I realize that early on, I made a bit of a faux paux when I said I was referencing the hotslings sizes. Yeah, can't do that. Soon after I wrote that, I changed my mind about it, because it's simpler to do S,M, L for labeling purposes. But, still, I just wanted to correct that mistake publicly so you guys would know that I DO want to respect the system.

It's complicated, I tell ya! I hope not to make any major mistakes along the way, but this is a learning process for me. I'm sure I'll have to take a few bumps before I get the hang of it.

Posted by WonderGirl at 6:35 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Is It the Wee Hours Yet?

Oh my stars.

I FINALLY have a name picked out for my sling biz. You have no idea how I have agonized over that decision. It was totally holding me back, too! You know how it gets, when you think so hard about something that you can't even SLEEP... You end up staying up till midnight like I've done the last three nights on the internet frying your brain on Google.com. Well, it's done. And I ain't telling, either. You'll just have to wait for the grand unveiling, because I am a big old meanie pie. It's okay, I know it, and you know it. I can live with it. Trust me though, it'll be worth the wait.

In the meantime, I can now order some product and sizing labels (yeah, labels! Look at me, all businessy. I'm so getting a pinstriped suit.) I am also working on a website, and figuring up my paypal/ebay accounts and all that jazz. There's A LOT more that goes into this than I thought. And type A personality that I am, I just can't half-do something. (I really wanted to type "half-a$$" there, but good sense prevailed. My swear jar is getting a little heavy these days, what with frequently broken sewing needles and ripped out hems.) Anyway- I originally had this idea just to get my couch, but now I'm thinking if I really get this thing rolling, this could be Christmas money, vacation, etc.

I've been sewing up my stock, so that I'll have maybe a dozen all ready made. After that, I can take custom orders, and I think that'll help me adjust to the pace of supply and demand. This is all new territory for me, and to be honest, part of me is freaking out a little. I mean... what if people don't like them? What if I'm wrong, and nobody wants to sling their baby? What if the sizes are off? What if they wash it and the whole thing falls apart? I know that's not going to happen, because I am being so overly thorough you wouldn't believe it, but still. You know what I'm saying. It's the risk and responsibility of providing a product for people. I really do feel like my name is on the line here, and I've never been in that position before. It's a bit daunting!

But besides that, I am soooo excited. It is very gratifying to conceptualize, construct, and COMPLETE a project like this within hours. So much of my normal day is taken up with repetitive, endless activities, like laundry. I like clean clothes, so I'm not griping. I'm just saying, they keep getting dirty over and over and over again, no matter how many times I wash the durn things. If I hated laundry, then I think this would be an excellent purgatory. But I've made my peace with it. We understand each other. That's just the way it is with housework - it never really seems to stop, and you never have much to show for it. With this though, I actually get to see finished results from my labor, and that's very satisfying! I actually smile every time I fold up a completed sling. Is that sad? Do I not get out of the house enough, or is this normal? Sometimes I worry, folks. I really do.

Anyway, I've rambled on long enough, I suppose. I know I've been talking about this an awful lot lately, do forgive. It's just occupying my brain a good bit, but that'll settle down soon, I promise.

For now, I gotta get some shut eye. I'm tuckered out. G'nite, all you night owls out there...

Posted by WonderGirl at 12:31 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

July 18, 2007

I Heart Prints

Really, won't these make fabulous slings? I can't wait till they come in!

It's possible I am becoming a Fabric Nerd. I didn't know there was such a thing, but I suspect there is after choosing that title for this post.

Posted by WonderGirl at 10:55 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

July 17, 2007

2 Slings Down....

48 to go. -sigh-

Speaking of slings, I had Chipmunk in one today as I did some housework. The Duke, who clings to his babyhood with an irongrip (not that I'm complaining), came up to me holding a towel, gesturing that he, too, would like to be "slung". Sad little fella. I do put him in one occasionally when he seems to need the extra attention, but I can't double 'em up (and I don't use towels either, by the way). My superpowers don't extend that far! Anyway... he was pitiful, but a popsicle soothed the rejection a bit. I thought it was cute that he found a piece of fabric that he thought would work, though.

*yawn* I need to go to bed.

But before, I do, let me beg for your genius, your wit, your highly sophisticated taste. I need a catchy name for my biz. Everything cool that I've thought of is taken already! So, do offer your thoughts.

K, I'm out. Nighty night, bed bugs and *yawn*...

Posted by WonderGirl at 1:11 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

July 13, 2007

WonderGirl: Super Business Power

Our couch has seen better days. It is nearing the point when it must be put out to pasture, reclining in fields of thrift stores and bachelor pads. So I've been on the hunt for a new living room set, which is a BIG deal. That's no small purchase for our budget. After deciding on what I want, (which is in a lovely shade called "paprika"), I then fainted dead away at the cost. They thought I was testing the sofa, but no. I was unconscious.

But being the innovative creature that I am, I have decided to make the money myself. I have ordered some lovely fabric, and will begin this weekend making baby slings to sell on ebay. If I have some success there, I will create my own website and do it from there. I need somewhere around $1000 for the furniture, more for additional pieces. I'm hoping by the fall to have a nice chunk of that saved.

Here are the patterns that I got. Cool, huh?

I know they are mostly floral, but I'm gonna branch out. These were on sale! Next time, I want some retro patterns. Maybe I should do some solids, too. Anyway, whatcha think? If I can make a profit of say, $20 on each one, then that's about 50 or so slings to get me to $1000. They don't take long to make, it's really just a matter of getting all my material out and keeping the kids out of it.

I'm excited though! I will keep you updated on my success/failure.

Posted by WonderGirl at 12:32 PM | Comments (13) | TrackBack

March 5, 2006

Help Wanted Signs

Oh my.

18 cover letters and resumes and work samples went out tonight in a flurry of emails-- the culmination of an entire day's labor and three pots of coffee.

And that's just Round 1.

Yowza.

Posted by WonderGirl at 9:15 PM | TrackBack

January 12, 2005

It IS the Information Desk, After All

Conversation with a Visitor:

Her: Where is room 505?

Me: That's on the fifth floor. The elevators are at the end of the that hall.

Her: What do I do when I get there?

Me: Ma'am?

Her: At the elevators.

Me: *stunned for a moment* Uh... just press the "up" arrow button...

Her: And?

Me: *mouth gaping* Just take it to the fifth floor.

Her: And how do I get there?

Me: Press the number 5. *still maintaining serious face*

Her: Thank you. It's all new to me...

Me: No problem.

I have absolutely no explanation for that little encounter!

Posted by WonderGirl at 6:26 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

January 6, 2005

From The Front Desk Files

Gotta love the old man who can play the harmonica with his nose. Then with his mouth. Then IN his mouth. Oh, and clack his false teeth to the beat of Jingle Bells. She says to herself, as she backs away slowly...

God bless us customer service people, God bless us all.

Posted by WonderGirl at 6:18 PM | Comments (2)

November 11, 2004

The Nine To Five

When you walk into the labor and delivery of the hospital I work in, you are greeted with my cheerful self. I give directions, information, and I do it with a smile, too. I have to say- I rock.

("Toot, toot!" goes my own horn.)

I actually do like my job, and I am proud to leave people with a good feeling about the staff of this hospital. It's easy when you work for a company that you really like, and this is the best hospital in the state, I'm convinced of it.

Now, I'll admit, some days my smile is a little slower and slightly less genuine, but that's okay. It happens. But generally speaking, I'm happy here. I enjoy what I do and I find it rewarding.

How lucky am I?

Posted by WonderGirl at 9:43 PM

March 1, 2004

Joining the Ranks of The Employed

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I interviewed for a job that I really wanted. I found out today, I got it! What a nice feeling that is. The job is a unit secretary position in the labor and delivery department of a hospital. It's 3p-11, and it's very close to home. I'll be doing a lot of chartwork and computer things, plus directing people/ answering phones, etc. Some people find that kind of work tedious, but I actually enjoy it. I love being organized, and I'll admit that probably makes me somewhat of a nerd. But, it also makes a job like this perfect for me.

I have mixed feelings about it. Mostly, I am very excited to be getting back to work. It's been four years since I had a "real" job, so I'm looking forward to a change. On the other hand, it's a little hard to divide myself from my kids. I've had the luxury of staying home with them this whole time, and I will miss them, and King Pen, too. The good thing though, is that with this schedule, the kids won't have to go to any kind of childcare center. If they aren't with me, they'll be with King Pen, and that will be good for all of them.

So, that's my latest news. I don't think this will affect my blogging much, but it's hard to tell at this point. We'll just have to see how things go, I guess.

All for now!

Posted by WonderGirl at 11:20 PM | Comments (5)