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Posts Tagged ‘Auntie B’s Wax’

Dobby Will Soon Be Getting A Sock

Posted in Craft Business, Events, tagged , , on July 15, 2014| 9 Comments »

So here’s the thing.  I’m having a little fit of pique these days and it’s frustrating me to no end.  I can’t seem to motivate myself to do anything more than the bare basics of survival.  You know, eating, some sleeping (not enough, of course), keeping my abode clear of dust bunnies, and earning a living.  My writing has come to a standstill, and that’s even counting e-mails to people, commenting on blogs I might have time to read, and responding to comments on my blog, much less blogging or writing for pure pleasure.  It’s a disgrace and I feel like Dobby, wanting to beat myself about the head and neck for not living up to my potential.

Dobby is not living up to his potential. Dobby must punish himself!

What can lift me up?  I know ~ this weekend I’ll be at the Cannon Falls Wine and Art Festival showing my wares.  I’m really looking forward to it, and I have a lot of candles, drink charms and magnets to show the world.  And don’t even doubt the whole world will be there.  It’s a great show with a ton of artists and a whole bunch of local wineries offering samples of their delicious wines.  I even got a haircut for the event!

Hannah’s Bend Park during the Cannon Falls Wine and Art Festival. So much fun!

I’m looking forward to hobnobbing with customers and fellow vendors, eating some good food and listening to music.  I’ll go into the weekend with a spectacular attitude that will ground me into my crafty business.  When that happens everything else seems to fall into place.  Who wouldn’t be energized by a weekend in a beautiful park by the river, meandering along a path of lovely artwork and delightful wines?  Plus, I know spending some time close up with my products and the people who enjoy them (and will hopefully buy them) will give me a boost of energy to push me out of my funk.  I’ll have more energy than I’ve had in a while and will be free once again ~ I’ll feel like Dobby, getting his sock to freedom.

 

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Springing

Posted in Craft Business, Everyday, tagged , , , , on May 12, 2014| 2 Comments »

It’s a misty evening, overcast and humid.  There was a bit of rain, and when I looked out the window I noticed the lily of the valley sprouts have shot up at least two inches since yesterday.  The hummingbirds have arrived with their shiny green and red feathers.  The snow is gone and the grass is green.  I believe spring has finally sprung.

I’m indulging in the leftovers of Mother’s Day.  I hosted a group of eight for the occasion including Charlotte (the mom of two wonderful nephews) and my mom (the mom of Charlotte, me, and Diggy) and everyone else in my immediate family.  Right now I have some champagne in my glass, a nice hostess gift from Charlotte, and a piece of red velvet cake.  Mike Oldfield and Jean Michel Jarre are on the stereo and I am just about as content as I can be.

My Etsy shop is now on vacation and the next couple of months loom before me.  They’ll be a busy couple of months, so I’m taking advantage of some down time until I need to be “on.”  Right now the craft business is secondary, family is first and foremost.  One thing I’m really looking forward to (and Husby is even more) is our upcoming getaway to Door County.  “What’s the big deal,” you may ask?  “You go to Door County at least once a year.”  This time our trip won’t include a craft show.  This is a good thing.  Husby and I are looking forward to a little R & R without one thought of Auntie B’s Wax.

After our trip to Door County we have a few events to attend, one of which is the spring festival at the Chateau St. Croix Winery.  It will be my first show of the season and we’re really looking forward to seeing the gang at the Chateau, as well as seeing returning customers and meeting new ones.

The summer is sprawled out in front of me, busy, as summertime in Minnesota usually is.  With all the activities and celebrations awaiting I look outside my window tonight and shrug my shoulders as sigh.  It’s a quiet night, one to relish in anticipation of an action-packed summer.  All is good.

And the night falls.

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There’s A Sale Going On

Posted in Etsy, tagged , , , , on May 8, 2014| 3 Comments »

OK you guys, I’m ‘fessing up here.  I haven’t paid much attention to blogging, bloggers, blogs, or anything else that starts with the prefix “blog.”  I feel ashamed and guilty.  Husby, Ruthie, Ray and I have been on two…two…dive night dates and I didn’t even write about them yet.  They were really good ones too!  Don’t worry, I’ll post them eventually.  I’ve been doing craft work too, but haven’t been blogging about it because, well, I think it’s boring to write about.  There’s plenty I could report, and yet I don’t.

The thing is, I’ve been doing stuff and quite frankly I’ve had very little time to write.  Yes, doing stuff.  Like, I have a life going on lately.  I don’t know what to blog about when I have nothing going on, and when I have a bunch of stuff going on I’m too busy to blog.  It’s a conundrum.

Candles at Auntie B’s Wax

Here’s the deal.  I’ve got a ton of stuff going on in the next couple of months and something’s got to give.  After a lot of thought I decided to put my Etsy shop on vacation for a while.  But guess what?  It’s not going on vacation until this coming Monday, May 12.  And guess what else?  Before May 12 everything is on sale!

Pulp Fiction magnets at Auntie B’s Wax

Because we’ve had a really long, hard winter, and because the buds are starting to pop on the trees, and because I feel all warm and fuzzy I’m going to offer a coupon for 30% off anything in my shop.  I know!  It’s a fabulous deal on some fabulous products.  They make great for gifts for others and are great for yourself too.  The best part about it is everything in my shop is under $20 retail, so getting 30% off is like my practically giving it to you.

Bottle Cap Drink Charms at Auntie B’s Wax

If you’d like to visit the shop and get a bunch of stuff at 30% off, click HERE and enter the coupon code spring2014. 

Help yourself to some fun stuff and great savings.  I’ll be back in the shop after things settle down a little.  Until then, I’ll be here, hopefully writing more about the life and times of Auntie B.

Support handmade at Etsy.  Especially my shop!

AUNTIE B’S WAX

COUPON CODE: spring2014

Expires May 12, 2014

 

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Fabulous Idea!

Posted in Craft Business, Crafts, tagged , , , , , , on March 13, 2014| 2 Comments »

The other day I watched one of my favorite movies, Baby Boom.  It’s a predictable chick flick made in 1987 that I can watch over and over again because it gives me a feeling of business/creative empowerment.  The story in a nutshell: heavy hitter, single business woman working for a large marketing firm inherits a baby, moves to the country, experiences many pitfalls to owning a country house on many acres of orchard, learns to make applesauce out of boredom and necessity, sells the applesauce as “gourmet baby food” and becomes a huge success in her own right.  Cool, right?  And plus the movie stars Diane Keaton, who I love.

A pivotal scene in the movie is when Diane Keaton is at her wit’s end and is contemplating burning down her money pit country house.  She ordered two dozen cans of kerosene at the store when two yuppie couples come in.  The city couples go mental when they see Diane Keaton, her baby and the homemade applesauce with its cute country packaging.  “Gourmet baby food!  Fabulous idea!”  They buy a couple dozen jars each.

Gourmet baby food! Fabulous idea!

Lately I’ve been working on some new drink charm sets and am pursuing a new way of marketing my bottle cap magnets.  I’m also testing some lovely little beeswax container candles.  New twists on things I’ve been making for years.

Not one of my new sets, but a best seller. Who can resist the characters of Oz?

I’m excited about the new charms and “twists” I’ve come up with.  When I hit the shows this summer I’ll see people look at my wares, pick them up, inspect them and tell me, “fabulous idea!”  Those are the times that make a crafter proud.

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Back In Business

Posted in Craft Business, tagged , , , on January 12, 2014| 5 Comments »

January.  It’s the month I have to think about numbers and spreadsheets and…taxes.  I spent most of Saturday playing with my very specific spreadsheets, making sure they were accurate, so I could print them out for my accountant (Husby).  I also had to make my sales tax submissions to two states, a task that makes me nervous and sweaty every single year.  It’s not that I don’t think I’m doing it correctly, but I’m always a little concerned about making the whole online submission thing work right.  Well, I got my spreadsheets turned in and my sales taxes submitted so I felt pretty good; kind of like a real, live business person.

It’s been a couple of months now since I actively worked on making product.  Lately I’ve been feeling like it just isn’t worth the trouble.  The thought of starting up production again, just the thought, made me bored.  But working with my spreadsheets and seeing the sales I made and where I made them got the fire burning again.  I like what I do, and it’s fun to make what I make.  Over a glass of wine Husby and I started brainstorming about how I can grow my business into other directions and make it more profitable.  Not only is Husby my roadie and accountant, he’s also full of great ideas and inspirations!

January usually starts out as a drudgery for me business-wise, thinking here I go again, doing the same old thing over and over and over.  But when I realize what is and what could be, my motivation and enthusiasm starts up all over again.

Take a look at my shop and let me know what you might like to see listed there.  I’m always open to new ideas.  There will be some new drink charms on the way, and maybe even some candle accessories.  I also have a different plan for marketing my bottle cap magnets.  Be sure to stay tuned, because 2014 might produce some pretty fun suff.

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