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I’m currently taking a short break from sewing and selling and am enjoying finishing some personal projects that have long been neglected. I’m very blessed to be a part of the greatest little mother’s group on the planet. Yes that’s right! On the planet! LOL Every single one of the Mum’s in our group has just had their second child or is just about to (next month) except for moi. I’m waiting a fair bit longer so that I can continue to grow my business while I can. That and I’m already sleep deprived… I think I’ll hold off until Georgiana (my two year old) is at school! I’ve been trying very hard to hand make some gifts for all of these brand new babies who arrived within a few weeks of each other and of course, their gifts took a backseat while I was sewing and listing in my madeit store.
So this week I’m determined to finish of their special items and today I managed to finish a gift for baby Micah. A beautiful bouncing boy who has one of the coolest Mums around. I decided I wanted to have a go at what is loosely termed a “Scrappy Quilt” and make it quite funky and bright. The basic concept involves fabric off-cuts or scraps. You begin by cutting squares from the scraps that are large enough and then you piece them together. You can definitely go for your life and make it a legitimate quilt but because my limited sewing skills don’t extend quite that far, I ended up backing my finished squares with some lovely soft baby flanelette and using handmade bias binding ‘scraps’ I had left over to edge it. I then just used my machine to apply some little holding stitches in the corner of each square so that it would sit nicely against the flanelette on the back. It’s not ‘kosher’ but it’s pretty cute and it hasn’t got the heaviness of a traditional quilt so it can quite easily be used as a cot or pram blanket.
I’m really thrilled with the finished product and how the boys prints look when mixed together. I love the bright, happy colours and the cute characters you can find amongst your scraps. I have visions of little Micah searching all over the squares when he’s older to find as many interesting little characters and shapes as he can. You can find various versions of this type of Scrappy Quilt on the internet and quite a lot of them show you that in fact your fabric pieces don’t have to be square. Just type something like “Scrappy Quilt Tutorial” into google and see what you can find. Below are some images of Micah’s Scrappy Quilt.
When Daniel disappeared he was the same age as my younger brother. Daniel would be turning 21 this year and should be with his family. He should be working a nine to five and then going out on a Friday night with his friends. He should be dating a pretty girl who loves his blue eyes and dark hair. But Daniel never got to do any of those things that we take for granted. His mother never got to see him finish high school or start university. She said goodbye to him one day thinking he was going to buy his family some Christmas gifts and he never, ever came home. She never got to see him again.
Today Australia will dress in red to show their respect for Daniel’s family and to remember this boy who could have so easily been my daughter or your son. Sometimes, I worry about what someone said about me or how tired I am or how loud my daughter’s squealing is while she’s playing. Tomorrow and ever day after that, I will remember Daniel and will be thankful for the fact that my daughter is asleep, safe and sound upstairs and that she is mine.
Bruce, Denise and family – wishing you peace and strength.
I don’t know what has come over me but very recently I’ve found that I’ve just naturally been allowing myself more time to do little things for no other reason except for pleasure or because I feel like it. When I took some time off while very ill with a flu a few weeks ago, my outlook on my business shifted. It is true that I still conduct my business in the same way as before but the fact that I struggle to stay motivated and keep up with demand bothers me less now for some reason. My daughter has also changed a lot since celebrating her second birthday at the end of June and she is more independent and interactive then ever – I devote every waking moment to listening to her babbling. She is so entertaining right now and has me laughing to myself most of the day.
I have been spending my time doing the most pointless things when I feel like a break from the computer and the land of facebook. Facebook is both the greatest gift to my business and the greatest curse when it comes to my state of mind. I know when I spend a day out with my family and don’t log onto facebook that the significance of the interactions via that medium are put into perspective and one begins to realise that in the scheme of things, being a part of that “world” is of course completely unnecessary. It’s only natural that while running your business via a public page you are bound to end up having personal experiences as a result but really, as long as your customers are happy and enjoying the environment you have fostered on your business page – the rest that comes along with it is of no actual significance. So now that I have changed my perspective I use my time very poorly. I say poorly because what I’ve been doing is not constructive in the least bit.
I have two new addictions – Pinterest and Angry Birds. Pinterest is what facebook could never be. A place where you share with others but purely through the appreciation of various internet sites and images. There is no judgement, no innuendo, nothing uncalled for, nothing to embarrass or hurt. It’s purely for the love of discovery and fulfills a need to collate images and words.
Then there is ‘Angry Birds’ which is an application or game that I play on my iPhone. It is basically quite simple. I must admit to you that I think the reason I am so addicted to it is because you basically use strange little angry birds to smash through concrete and timber structures. But my favourite type of structure to decimate and destroy are the ones made from glass. The satisfying crash and shatter of the glass is therapeutic! My time waster and my stress relief 
I feel as though I’ve been set free – I allow myself the time to enjoy these two new addictions and I have lost the heavy sense of guilt I might have felt in the past. I have my moments as we all do and I do care too much and am too intent on making the wrong – right at times. But as a general rule I have felt in my heart that what I can’t control, I shouldn’t worry about. If I can’t smash through those glass, timber and cement walls with the round angry birds – that’s okay because they will still be there tomorrow grinning at me and I’ll still be motivated enough to give them a hurl. And that my friends, is all that matters. The ability and desire to keep on keeping on and to enjoy yourself along the way!
I want to write a more personal entry today. For one reason or another I have been thinking a lot about the people in my life lately. Obviously my family are my ultimate motivation and pride and joy – I live for those I love. There are other people in my life too who are not related to me but who I have met “along the way”. I found myself thinking about these people yesterday and the experiences they have brought me and all the amazing moments and memories we have shared and I wondered – if I have already met so many amazing people in 28 years, what on earth will happen to me and around me during the decades that are still to come?
I suppose it is the things these people have taught me and shown me that have stayed with me. I cherish the lessons they have either consciously or unknowingly taught me through their actions or simply their presence. It is amazing when you realise that sometimes someone only has to have recently come into your life and yet they can impact your way of thinking in such a major way. This is the case in regards to my friend Jen who owns a super successful business called Immie&Ollie. I first met Jen at Mathilda’s Market in Brisbane. I approached her because I had seen her Facebook business page and admired her work and her professionalism. Little did I know that Jen would herself be so open and warm. I have since been lucky enough to stay in touch with Jen and work with her on various occasions. Jen has taught me that warmth and openness cost you nothing and that grace and kindness in big and small acts can leave a lasting impression on those that you might least expect. I didn’t expect that you would teach me as much as you have Jen in such a short period of time. Your grace, generosity of spirit and joy radiate and I am so thankful that I have your example to follow. You delight in others achievements and are humble and giving. I will always remember the lessons I have learned from you in such a short time.
Kristy entered my life very recently also. She is half of the hugely successful AnK Bowtique team. Her and her business partner Angie are two of the most talented and stylish women I have ever met. Their taste in everything from fashion to accessories to interiors astounds me constantly and if anyone ever had ‘they eye’ for that type of thing – it’s these two. Kristy and I work together on nearly a daily basis to coordinate the Ank Bowtique and Georgie Girl Made to Match collections we each market. I always tell Kristy that she disgusts me. She truly, deeply disgusts and astounds me! She is the most orgainsed, most dedicated and most intelligent woman I’ve met. She keeps me chugging along and with clear deadlines in sight in regards to having my stock ready to match with hers and inspires and motivates me every day. Kristy I can only hope that one day I might be as hard-working and organised as you. Your day to day achievements constantly amaze me and your capability in regards to running a household, a busy cattle property, raising children AND still finding the time to run the most successful hair accessories business around floors me. Would you believe that this woman still manages to find the time to pass on the greatest recipes I’ve ever used to a confused, bumbling and disorganised person like me as well? Kristy – you’re astounding.
Cath – well she was in my life for almost a decade. She was an anxious and disorganised soul like me. We nursed together for almost ten years in the same ward. I admired that woman more than I can say. She had integrity like noone I’ve ever met. She stood up for the underdog or the hard done by. She had no shame in standing up for those who she well out-ranked and saying that the poor treatment they received was not okay. She was fair, just and generous. Her electric personality and sharp wit confused most and delighted those who understood it. She taught me that it was okay to stand up for yourself and that while silence was sometimes golden, there was a time and a place to voice your belief in something that needed to be addressed. She adored her family, worshiped her children and worked hard. At the end of the day she patted you on the back for a job well done, she walked out of the doors of the ward knowing she had done her work well and left a quiet, tidy ward behind her. In her spare time she was obssessed with auctions. One of us would pick up a newspaper every Saturday morning on the way to work at 6am and we’d scour the auction section for an hour before we started our shift. Then we’d end up at the same furniture auctions on our days off and had a fabulous time bidding away. She was my senior and would exert her authority when required but was fair and encouraging. She was good and she was irreplaceable.
She passed away at the age of 47 extremely suddenly and unexpectedly. That was just over three years ago. I remember the cold Winter’s day well when I received the call. I think of her often and very randomly and wonder if it is because when I am doing something she is looking over my shoulder and sharing her opinion. The first shift I ever worked with her she said to me “you will be good at this, you will be a great nurse”. I hope that if she was here now she would look at my business and say “you are doing well at this.” Because that is all Cath would have to say to let anyone know that they had impressed and surprised her. When I look at my daughter at times my heart aches because Cath never knew her. I would like to think that Cath would have met Georgiana and said to me “You have done a great job.”
It’s amazing the people who come into your life and the impact they have. I wonder if you can see in your mind someone who has made this type of impact on your life and if you have told them so? I believe and hope that Cath knew how much I admired and respected her. I store the memories of our friendship away and am still at the point where I try not to think about them because they upset me so. One day I will tell my daughter all about this woman named Catherine and the funny things she did. In the meantime I will try to make sure that other people in my life are aware of the admiration I hold for them.
I was talking to lovely Jen from Ainslee Fox Handmade recently when she visited Brisbane from up north. We touched on the fact that we use strange items when sewing and were laughing about what other people might think if they saw or had to use some of our ‘tools’. I was telling Jen about a horrendous cardboard template I use on every single ruffled nappy cover I make. To me it is my template, the thing I use over and over and over again. It’s the only one I’ve ever had since I started Georgie Girl which would make it just under two years old. It was cut out of the side of a box and serves it’s purpose beautifully! While telling Jen about it I realised exactly how awful my humble cardboard helper really is. It’s lost it’s rigidity and is floppy. It has lots of chalk marks on it’s edge of course but it’s also got little scribble drawings all over it. When my two year old is bored behind the sewing table I give her a pen or crayon (or even the tailor’s chalk if that’s what it takes!) so that she can doodle on it. It’s also covered in email addresses and telephone numbers that I’ve scribbled on there while talking on the phone and sewing at the same time. It’s horrible really – and if anyone were to see it they’d probably call the health department!
It got me to thinking about the other essential items I use every single time I sit down to sew. I think we take these items for granted at times and don’t realise just how much easier they make our creative lives. So I thought I’d share a few with you that I couldn’t live without and that you might find useful too.
I had been complaining to my husband about my teeny tiny thread stand recently and about the fact that I needed not just one more stand but probably another two or three! And so the other day he came in with his drill and this magnificent wall mounted creation… my new thread stand!
Another little item I just adore is the Clover Stack ‘n Store Bobbin Tower. I had searched for a long time for something that would hold my bobbins without them unravelling and falling all over the floor if I bumped the holder. This super gadget retails for around the $25.00 mark but is worth every single cent and more. If you click on the image below it will take you to an excellent Australian online store where you can purchase this brilliant holder.
Then there is the Ikea table top ironing board that I bought recently. It cost $9.99 and is worth much, much more. It is the perfect size to pop on your sewing table or kitchen bench to quickly iron items you are working on without having to drag out a huge ironing board. It really is a very smart investment and worth it’s weight in gold.
I also have two brilliant little pairs of embroidery scissors I love . I find I like a tiny pair to be able to snip threads closely and accurately. I bought these pairs from Spotlight and will never buy any others. They may look small but they are honestly the sharpest and most accurate little pairs I’ve ever used.
I hope you might find some of these items useful. Happy creating!
I am so embarrassed because while I was taking a break from my business, I hadn’t made a single blog entry. I was sure that I was going to come on here and have a good chat more often than ever before but as I’ve come to realise – when you’re on ‘holidays’ you have less to complain or think about! Life is simpler and problems are less. Now you must be thinking that I see my business as one giant problem and that I don’t enjoy or love what I do. That is definitely not the case and in fact – I’m enjoying my sewing more now than I have in a very long time. I’d say it has been at least three months since I’ve really, REALLY had that true desire to whip fabric up into something functional and lovely. What a beautiful experience and I’m so fortunate that that desire and motivation has returned. The sewjo is BACK.
While I was on my break I was sewing. I was making new stock because I thought I had better do that while I felt like it and more importantly, had the drive to do so. And I’d been sewing gifts for friends – something I haven’t done for a while and love so much. I know myself well and when I feel that drive, ambition and motivation kick in – I absolutely MUST seize the opportunity to create and to do it in big numbers.
I have been thinking a lot about some of those things I’ve just mentioned. “Drive”, “Ambition”, “Motivation” and “Big Numbers”. I am so happy to admit to you that all of those things keep me plodding along my handmade pathway with Georgie Girl. I really truly believe that when you are trying to make your living at home so that you can stay with your children, it is never a good idea to be ashamed of possessing any of those things, creating them or relying on them. If it wasn’t for the palpable drive I feel some days – I would be back in the wards nursing patients and my daughter would be in child care. When I refer to ‘big numbers’ I personally am talking about producing and selling lots of stock. I quite literally define it as how much I myself can produce. You see demand has been high for a while now for what I produce and unfortunately regardless of what anyone tells me – I have a huge desire to meet as much of that demand as possible despite the fact that handmaking everything means it’s a slow process. Because you see – you can handmake and put blood, sweat, LOVE and tears into each and every item whether you are making 1 or 100 of the same thing. And the big secret to that is handmaking those 1 or 100 items. Yes – I have a lovely young lady who does a portion of my prep work for me. But guess what…. MY own hands grasp and finish every single thing that leaves this workroom in a package with Georgie Girl stamped on the back of it. And guess who’s sore hands press the stamp to the paper?
Now, I really want to make sure that you realise that if you have one, all or none of those things that I’ve mentioned above – that is meaningless. The only time any of those four things have meaning is when you can identify that you personally have them and when you can personally define them. For example – “Big Numbers” you might define as being a large monetary turn over or 5 of the same item. Another example – in your mind “Ambition” might mean successfully having your brand introduced at David Jones or it might mean selling a good range of stock at a local market. It is what it means to you. And the most important thing to remember is never, ever to be ashamed of yourself if you feel a good sense of achievement, drive, ambition and wanting to be the very best you can be – BY YOUR OWN DEFINITION.
It doesn’t matter what others think you should be trying (or not trying!) to achieve because their definitions of those things might be very different. And most importantly of all – never, ever be so cruel as to judge other people’s ambitions and dreams. If a mother or father or any other man or woman is successful by their own definition and can support their family because of it, who are we to say that wanting to be a nationally or internationally known entity is wrong? Who are we to say that wanting to have consistent sales at a local market is wrong? And most importantly, who are we to say that what we feel and do is the right way to go about things and that the person who has immense drive and wants to produce big numbers or hardly any numbers at all is “TOO” ambitious or not ambitious enough? You see, I believe (and it is by my definition alone) that whatever makes each person happy, fulfilled and excited is the right thing and the only thing that matters. It is not our place to say whether or not ambition and drive are right or wrong and it’s certainly not our place to judge those who think ‘big’ because we are not living by other people’s standards or definitions. And if we are then that’s the first thing that needs to change.
I read this AMAZING statement by someone on the internet recently and it just flawed me:
“Mumpreneur doesn’t have to describe a woman with a huge turnover business. The whole ethos behind mumpreneurs is the fact that they do something they love that they can work around their family.” (I must apologise to the person who made this statement for not crediting them but at the time I just quickly copied and pasted this and had it on my desktop to remind me to blog about the issue of ambition.)
As many of you know, I always tell myself that if you cannot do something properly, don’t do it at all. If I am going to sew ruffled nappy covers, brand them and market them… I’m going to do my very best. And that brings me back to the point I am making above – my definition of ‘best’ may not match yours, or anyone else’s! But you know what… none of that matters. All that matters is that you and I don’t judge each other as a result but that we sew/glue and create side by side and enjoy every minute of seeing each other flourish and succeed!
Have you ‘met’ Katia from Plushka’s Craft yet? She is an amazingly creative and very talented woman who crochets, sews and has an uncanny ability to make whimsical items that you won’t see anywhere else. You can find her work here – Plushka’s Craft. She handmakes things prolifically and perfectly and is very well regarded in the handmade community. I really believe that is because of her kind-hearted and open manner and her amazing work of course. The blogs she finds are also some of the most superb I’ve ever seen! She just has that knack with visually exciting things.
Katia put a call out for guest bloggers a few weeks ago while she was planning a trip overseas. I couldn’t believe my luck! What a special opportunity – to guest blog on one of the most beautiful blogs around. Katia very kindly took me on board and asked me for an interview and a tutorial to share while she was away. The interviews she will be sharing during the next couple of weeks are in a ‘tea party’ format and she’s inviting us all to sit down ‘together’ and enjoy a cup of tea and a chat about craft and business. The first installment of the guest blog spots is scheduled for the 19th of May and you can find more details on Plushka’s Blog. See you there!
I wonder if you instantly knew who I was talking about when you read the title of this entry? As soon as I saw that quote I knew of one person it was describing perfectly. This person has had many warnings and even blunt reminders about stopping. Stopping what? This person has been told by so many in her life not to be cruel to herself because she would make herself sick and would be of no use to anyone in her life if she didn’t take a break.
It’s me of course. I am the very silly woman who has “heard” what so many family members and colleagues have said to me but I refused to actually listen and understand what they were trying to tell me. And that was be a bit kinder to yourself, you cannot do everything and you need a break to refresh yourself and enjoy sleeping for a change or you would end up very unwell and not able to do the work you are so desperately trying to get done.
They were of course right. For the last month I have been unwell on and off but nothing more than a common cold etc. Well a few days ago I saw “The Wall” and oh boy did I hit it! I have been so ill with a flu for the last few days that I now realise that on day two I probably should have been admitted to hospital. I have not been this ill for a long, long time and in fact I’m beginning to wonder if I haven’t got the dreaded Swine Flu or the like. I have not been able to care for my daughter and my poor husband has been doing EVERYTHING and caring for both of us twenty-four hours a day.
Let me cut a very long story short and just let you know exactly why I’m telling you that I’m incredibly unwell and what it means. Basically I will be taking a “holiday” from Georgie Girl for a few weeks. I have some projects that need to be finished and I will of course contact those who are waiting on items to let them know they will still receive them, albiet a few days later than I would have anticipated. I hope to stop sewing altogether for at least two to three weeks and am thinking right now I will return towards the end of the month or the first week in June.
I can hear you all thinking – what is she taking a break from? She doesn’t seem to ever sew anything! The fact is I’m constantly madly sewing behind the scenes for family, friends and trying to build up stock. The pressure to have something to sell that I know will be gone in a matter of minutes is at times exhausting. I am so thankful to be able to sell what I love making but sometimes the pressure of having enough to go around becomes too much. While this little girl of mine is still little and at home with me all day, every day, I will not be able to expand enough to meet general demand. If I were going to put Georgiana in day care I may as well return to nursing. The whole point of sewing and resigning from nursing was to stay at home with Georgie.
Having said all of that, basically I am taking a break from the business side of Facebook and will not be spending my time emailing, sewing, selling and packaging. I hope to spend countless hours doing those things I miss so much – spending more time with family, sleeping, reading, knitting and I might even throw in a bit of cookie baking!! *gasp*
I won’t be able to be contacted via email and will be back when I feel like I’m 100% healthy again and feeling truly motivated.
Thanks for your support and understanding and for your love of Georgie Girl – this woman behind the business appreciates it all so much.
I’ve just finished reading a blog entry by Nic from Buttons Dior called “Repaired”. Do you ever find yourself thinking while being ‘present’ in our world of the handmade business community on facebook that there are a few people you know and have met via that medium that are patient, quiet and understated? That are always there but are never intrusive, outspoken or offensive. They are the type of facebook business page owner that you want to be more like. Nic from Buttons Dior is one of them and so when she publishes a blog entry you know it is going to be well worth reading and that the insights into her life she gives are going to be profound and heartfelt.
In her entry she spoke a lot about her family and how her personal life keeps meeting with her ‘facebook business’ life. It got me thinking very hard about that concept and for that I thank her. I think there are a lot of people out there who struggle with the same issue. I know I certainly do. I believe for a few reasons that it becomes unavoidable to a certain degree. I think the main reason it happens is because of our children. Since having my daughter I have come to realise that the moment you meet another woman with a child you automatically have something in common that can connect you and bond you for life in the blink of an eye. I really feel there is no greater mutual understanding between human beings than that of one mother to another. And isn’t it a wonderful, wonderful thing? It’s so wonderful and so strong that you do not have to be face to face for it to spark. You can be on the other side of the country or the world for that matter and the understanding and comprehension manages to reach that far and thoroughly so. I am sure as mothers who work and run our businesses selling from home that it is going to be totally impossible to separate our personal lives from our facebook business pages. All it takes is one mother to comment on what a long day she has had and it begins – we all know how she feels and why and if that is a little bonus I personally get from chatting to my customers on my business page then I’m so thrilled about it! After all, there is no greater solace than knowing that another person really, truly understands how you feel and why.
I think what I always want to hear from other Mums who sew or create and try to manage their family and homelife while running a professional business is that it’s okay, you’re doing a good job and you are not alone. That’s exactly what I told Nic when I left a comment on her blog entry. While I was watching my daughter play this morning I thought to myself “you are not a very good mother and you should and could do a lot better.” Then I thought of something my doctor told me very early on when Georgie was only quite small. She said that you always think you are doing a worse job than what you actually are. Mothers are their own worst critics and if you multiply how well you think you are doing by ten then that is actually a lot closer to the truth. I think she’s right and I am trying to convince myself that she’s right but of course as a Mum you automatically beat yourself up because you are not perfect and there always appears to be someone else who is doing everything right and who you think has a happier child than you. If only we could wipe away the smoke screen that gives us as mothers a scewed vision of ourselves and at times other people.
And so leading up to Mother’s Day I think we should all make a pledge to be kind and generous to ourselves. This time around, don’t be harsh or judgmental when considering whether or not you have been the best mother you can be today, yesterday or this week. Just being a mother and losing sleep, quiet time and growing grey hair makes you special, selfless and generous. We must learn to give ourselves a pat on the back and also give each other a pat on the back. I have met so many extraordinary mothers via my facebook business page and this Mother’s Day I’m going to raise my glass to all of them and say “Good job, Mum!” in case they forget to say it to themselves. And don’t forget to pat your own Mum on the back, spare a thought for those who may have lost their Mum and also those who never knew a Mum. In a busy world filled with rushing from here to there, dropping off, picking up and social networking – thinking of others and caring for ourselves is still important but rarely remembered.
“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” – Tenneva Jordan
I blogged about handmade dolls not so long ago and pointed out that they really are the new ruffled nappy covers of the handmade market. While browsing around madeit.com.au I have seen many, many amazing ‘softies’. Softies is a fairly new term to me and in fact I’d never heard the word used until becoming involved in the handmade community. I suppose I just always referred to stuffed animals as ‘soft toys’. I love the use of the word ‘softie’. It just conjures images in the mind of softness obviously but also something warm, cherished and gentle. There are soooo many hugely talented softie makers around and it’s extremely difficult to make a decision when shopping for them as a gift or for your own little one.
I’ve brought together just a few of the creations that delighted me when I stumbled across them recently. Such talented people who have crafted them and when I look at each item I can see how much work, patience and attention to detail has gone into them and I’m in awe. You can click on each image below and you will be taken to the stores they can be purchased from. I’m always sure to give credit where credit is due here at ‘Miss Georgie G’s'! The beauty of clicking on just one of the images is that you can then browse the stores and find so many more amazing softies by the same designers.
