Well, we’re going through some changes around here. There have been some very unwelcome technical issues, and I am so sorry if you’ve tried to access my site and it was either down or loading very slowly. In a crazy attempt to get things running better again, I’ve been changing around some things on the homepage. Right now, I’ve mostly been removing some things, but I hope to add them back again soon!
So I ask that you please bear with me as we work through these technical issues. I do know it can be so frustrating (I have been in tears over it at times!), and I am so very appreciative of your support. Please know I’m doing all I can to get things running better again.
Because I have been making some changes to try to lessen the load on my server, I decided now is good a time as any to announce I’ll be making some more drastic changes. Since I’ve already started removing things from my side bar and footer, once the technical issues have cleared up, I will begin the transformation to my new brand – yes I’m rebranding. But no, I’m not changing my name or URL.
So alas, I will be “Under Construction.” Once the technical issues pass, this should not affect the function of my website – just the look and feel. One minute it might look one way and when you click over to something else it might be totally different!
Confused? Well, I started Pea of Sweetness as a website to showcase my craft and sewing products. They were primarily baby-centric and eco-friendly. When I then progressed into blogging, I still had a pretty big focus on things like cloth diapers and having a toddler, though I introduced homeschooling as our older two children were of school age. As our toddler grew, so did my content. I still talk a lot about eco-friendly living because it’s a huge part of our lives, but obviously there are no more cloth diapers (or toddlers).
I feel like the look of Pea of Sweetness and even the name it represents (if you read my About Us section you will see it is, indeed, based on a baby name) hasn’t grown with the content, though. It still has a very “baby” looking feel to it. As we are unable to have more children (something that sometimes is a really hard fact for me), I feel it is time to progress away from that image.
Rebranding is tough, though. It is really A LOT of work. Finding a name that fits your brand then hoping that domain is available is hard enough. Then setting up all of your content in the new domain and setting up redirects! Eek! Can it be done? Sure! In fact, I’ve seen some amazing and very successful rebrands this past year. Is it a lot of work? Oh yes! Can you hire someone to do it? Yep. Is that expensive? I would think so!
Regardless, I’m taking a different spin on it. I’m embracing what I have and putting a new spin on it to rebrand Pea of Sweetness while still being Pea of Sweetness. I’m going to be setting up a new logo and a more “sophisticated” looking theme. I’m partial to the colors, but we’ll see how it goes! I’ll also be changing my tag line. Although I surely am (and will always be) working on my journey to Proverbs 31, I want Pea of Sweetness to mean something more than a cute nickname.
Do you know what, though? I’m going to wait until it’s all set up for you to see what it is! 😉
Again, thank-you so much for your patience. I am so blessed by your support, and I can’t wait to get through this big hiccup and then reintroduce Pea of Sweetness in a whole new way!
Opening Shop – How to Save Money
I’m so excited that I finally opened my Etsy shop! I’m still building more inventory before I add ALL the products I’ll be offering! One of the hardest things about having a crafting/sewing business is just getting started! I know this because I have been “getting started” on and off for 3 years! Did you know that’s actually how “Pea of Sweetness” came to be? It was intended to be my business website, and then I started blogging, and it took a totally different path! My delays were mostly due to medical issues within my family, but once that passed I found it very challenging to purchase supplies and materials. Sewing/Crafting businesses definitely use materials, and you don’t have a business without them. So, I wanted to share some money-saving tips to help get your business started without breaking the bank!
- Make a list. Planning is so important. If you just start your business on a whim and take a guess at what materials and supplies you’ll need chances are high you will end up with a lot of things you DON’T need. Resell value of unused material and supplies isn’t nearly worth a finished product, so with proper planning you won’t overbuy. Check the “market” as well for whatever type of products you will be offering. What is popular right now? What is their selling price? How can you offer something similar with your own unique twist?
- Look for money-saving opportunities – like coupons! As coupons becomes more popular I think we’re more aware of how they can help us save! The same is true when you’re starting your sewing/crafting business! Look for coupons to great suppliers to get your starting stash of materials and supplies. Here are some great Jo-Ann Fabrics Coupons I found! Driving to the closest Jo-Ann Fabrics here isn’t worth the instant gratification of having the product now. It is over an hour away, and with high gas prices, it saves to shop online! I love that all of the coupons are redeemable on their website AND there is an opportunity to earn free shipping! It is definitely worth it to save money and just shop from home! I was able to stock up on both materials AND supplies! The material and supplies have to come before the profit, so saving money in this area is probably one of the most important parts!
- Keep your receipts. One of the things that is imperative is to keep your receipt on purchases made for your business. When tax time rolls around and you have profit to report you’ll also want to make sure you have your expenses in order to report as well. Make sure you’re keeping track of things like: internet/phone costs, gas used for anything related to your business, etc. Talk to an experienced accountant for tips on what you can claim as expenses/deductions. It won’t save you money in the short-term, but it will definitely save you money in the long-term!
- Make the most out of what you have. Don’t waste materials. Obviously, we make mistakes, and that is one thing, but throwing out something that can be used is something totally different. You will find yourself spending less on materials and supplies if you make the most out of what you have. Again, proper planning is key. If your business involves sewing make sure to use patterns in a way that saves the most material and use scraps on other projects where you can fit them in! You’ll be surprised how much material you can save with proper planning!
So, don’t be deterred by start-up costs. It may seem like a lot up front, but if you use careful planning, money-saving opportunities, and don’t overbuy you can get started without break the bank! Good luck! 🙂
That was scary!
If you happened to visit my blog around Jan 4th or 5th you may have gotten an ugly red notice from Google. If you did and now you’re back – THANK YOU for being a loyal reader! The issue has been resolved! The whole incident was scary for me! After deciding to focus more on my blog and crafting/sewing business (which will be incorporated in this website), you can imagine the uneasiness I felt when there was a possibility I’d “lose it all.” I have been working hard to make improvements to Pea of Sweetness, and I was afraid it would all be for nothing! You may noticed I have removed a few things from my sidebar, and my site may be loading a little slower than before (because I removed a Caching plug-in), but you should be assured to know I will slowly be adding these things back in and finding great ways to make my site faster! I have also added more protection to my site to ensure this won’t happen again! My husband was out of town, so I didn’t have his usual technical help which I appreciate so much, but I knew I needed to get it resolved ASAP. Plus our internet was going in and out! It was the perfect storm to have something go wrong! I am so blessed that a friend was able to fix everything without losing anything. I am SO thankful!
I did have to pay for some updates and protection for my computer as well, so I’m glad we had some Christmas money. Finances have been very tight due to a pay issue with Joey’s pay that has yet to be resolved after many months. This may be a blessing in disguise since we have been informed once his medical retirement from the Army is complete he may not get his first disability paycheck for a couple of months, so maybe all of that back pay will come then! It definitely makes things a little stressful, but I’m trusting God because he knows best! You may have noticed I added a “Donate” button in my sidebar, and if you ever feel led to donate any amount I want to assure you your generosity will be applied to maintenance of this website and homeschooling supplies for the kids. I realized I never explained that before! 🙂
I know my views have decreased since said incident, so I appreciate that you trusted it would be fixed and hung around! I’d love if you’d share my site with your friends! It would be greatly appreciated! I have some great things coming up! I have more reviews and giveaways coming to you, some great homeschool reviews and fun blog cruise posts with the Schoolhouse Review Crew, more personal content, and (finally) adding a page to showcase my sewing/craft business products! The reviews and giveaways that seem to be coming in swarms at the moment are due to not being able to post them while I had the blog issue, but I will relax back to my “normal” amount within the next few days. I appreciate you SO much, and I’m blessed by your being here!
It's Cyber Monday!
It’s Cyber Monday, which is a lot like Black Friday ONLINE! It’s my kind of shopping! 😉 I am NOT a fan of shopping in the stores even when it’s not a crazy day like Black Friday unless, of course, I am shopping without kids, but that is very rare! So sit back and enjoy some great Cyber Monday specials from right where you are!
Check out some of Amazon’s great Cyber Monday specials! Amazon is continuing Cyber Monday all week long! I love it!
While you Shop Amazon – Cyber Monday Deals Week
I’m also linking up with Win Key Solutions for a Cyber Monday linky! Do you know of or have some great Cyber Monday specials? Please share them with us! 🙂