i just wrote a huge, somewhat babbling post on 24 hours in the life of me. and two things happened:
first, i found myself completely frustrated with typepad and it's "improvement" with the compose editor.
too bad i have this sucker paid up thru next april or i would be on a hunt for a new blog home. anyone else having serious issues with typepad? sheesh.
second, and more relevant to my original train of thought, i confused myself. in my long winded way of trying to get my thoughts onto the keys, i kind of didn't really know what my point was about half way through it all. too much thinking right on the spot, i suppose. that, and the fact that this typepad thing is making it really hard to even type.
my brain is full, i think this calls for bullet points.
*i am overwhelmed. after a week with two sick, feverish kids, and a total shift/absorption of all my focus, i am terribly behind in all areas of my life. my dishwasher and my dryer broke in this same week. our roof is leaking and in need of repair. laundry is piled up, mail is unopened, the house is in chaos, netflix movies have not been watched much less returned, my inbox is on the verge of exploding. (if you have written me, please accept my most sincere apology that you have most likely not heard back from me. in general, email is not my strong suit. when my inbox reaches a certain level of fullness, and all this other stuff is going on, i just kind of want to cry.)
*i have been doing a whole lot of chewing and hemming + hawing over the shop. to do it or not to do it. that is my huge question. and i am just going to be completely straight forward here, because, well… why shouldn't i be? you guys have been and continue to be amazing- lots of friends have been made here over the years and i am incredibly grateful for all the interest and support you have shown me.
but this is the deal: i am struggling. i am struggling to do a good job here, and find the kind of time that running this busy shop requires. my last blog post was on the 17th of last month, and i think that says something. i feel like i am sort of stuck and i don't know how to make sense of this. and that is in no way by choice, but completely out of time constraints and frankly, because of a total shift of my focus. i am fully immersed in motherhood- and i love it. i want to be 100% available for these little people and i don't want to feel torn between them and the computer. i am amazed that i am so lucky to have this gorgeous family who i love so much, and i can't believe that my son is 7 and in the 2nd grade, and my daughter is already FIVE months old, with teeth, rolling over, babbling and eating solid foods. i don't want to miss out on this. i don't want to regret being too busy or distracted.
*BUT. i love my little shop. in a way, it's like my 3rd child. i love finding all the great stuff and offering it up to you all. i love meeting you guys. i love having something that is mine, that i do, that i can be proud of. i guess this whole thing is a very common struggle that many working moms feel. i know i am not the first, nor will i be the last.
*here's what i've decided. i don't want to close the shop. i just have to change my approach. so this is what i've come up with, after much discussion with my poor husband who has had his ear filled with more than he'd like, i am SURE.
instead of having a shop that is always "open" and stocking it on a weekly basis, i am going to do seasonal/or twice-seasonal sales. meaning, there will be a large update to the shop, say, on the 1st of the month that will run for two weeks. the shopping window, so to speak, will be open for a two week period and after that, the sale will end. what the hell am i talking about, you might ask?
well. basically, this offers me the ability to continue to do this. it means that i can sort of hone in my focus during a two week time where i know i am committed to filling orders, exchanging emails, etc. it means that i don't have to constantly see priority mail boxes in my dining room. it means that i can jump in head first for two weeks, go, go, go, and then catch a break. take a breather, get recharged, source some new inventory and just be a mom. by the way, if you've made it this far, i am now giving you a virtual hug. ((((((( feel that? )))))))
i am fully aware that i am talking to you from crazy land, i don't even have time to go back and edit this to make more sense and i am not going to because i'd probably be inclined to just hit the delete button.
i'm keeping you in the loop, that's the way i see it.
so, to sum things up:
1. i do not love typepad
2. i love you
3. i hope you still love me
4. i love my kids and my family more than words can say
5. i realize i am a total nutball
6. i am not closing the shop
7. i am approaching the shop in a new way
8. two week long sales at a time, perhaps one every two months but that is still up in the air
9. i hope i haven't confused the daylights out of you
10. thank you, i appreciate you more than you could ever know
stay tuned for some images from that next shop update. i have great things for fall: tweeds, knits, cozy things, handmade things, stuff for kids, your house, the whole kit and kaboodle.
22 Comments
If this is crazy land, then we’re all here with you. Your struggles are shared struggles, be assured. The only reason I haven’t taken my etsy vintage shop to the next level is because I’m not sure about the time I can commit to it vs. the time I want to commit to my growing family.
I think you’ve come up with a really nice compromise that will allow you family focus as well as the time to do something of your own (very important!).
and p.s. i’m a wordpress girl and it works for me. i don’t know much about typepad.
*hugs back*
I can completely relate to feeling swamped! I think you’ve come up with a very acceptable compromise. Also, remember you can always set your shop to ‘vacation’ for a week or two to get the house together before doing any sales.
Best of luck! ^_^
Well. What in the world could be more important than your family. They won’t be kids forever, so don’t worry about the shop. Keep it up if you have time and space for that, but I’d say you made the right decistion. Time flies – sit and rest for a while.
Virtual hug back!
you are amazing. and one of the reasons i started my own blog. thank you for thinking of us and keeping your darling shop open. please know: we want nothing less than for you to have the time to roll around in that family goodness and snuggle up to it and soak it all in!
we totally get you Jenny! And a short sale shop of yours is better than no shop at all. So thank you for your creative way to keep this up! We’ll be here waiting patiently. Hats off to your devotion to your family. ** But hope you do find time here and there for new cute pix of those gorgeous babes of yours!
I’m glad to hear you’ll still be around in whatever form. I love going through your picks.
hi jenny-
you have inspired me too for the past several years, and I always hold your shop up as an example of a clean, easy-to-navigate web shop with great photos. I go back again and again.
I have a couple of suggestions if you’re interested:
1. Maybe just take some time off and be with your kids! The store will always wait.
2. Or: hire an assistant. I made the plunge this past year, and you wouldn’t believe the difference it makes. Mine works ten hours a week, and it has freed me up immeasurably.
hope this helps. take care.
**hugs back**
You know you are loved and supported. I think your 2 week solution is great one, and I know I for one will be watching.
Your note on the emails reminded me of a little little episode with the Italian postal system (which is notoriously bad). I was frustrated to no end with the mail delivery (or lack of)for the short time that I lived there. Here is the story:
At one time (and this is about 30 years ago now), the mail pile to deliver had grown so large, and the country was so far behind (as in months) that something had to be done.
In America, they might consider hiring temps or something, but being Italian, the solution they came up with was this: they burned the mountain of mail, and then claimed they were all caught up. And life moved on (I suppose the fact that the coffee is so good helps).
I figure if a civilized country can do that, we can give ourselves a little email leeway sometimes,no?
I mean, what is the hurry girl?
I hope this helps, or at least makes you smile. Take care.
AHHHH I’m so glad this has comments enabled, because I wanted to say yes yes yes we love you and I think your idea is such a great smart way to handle it, to get to still enjoy it without it taking away from the most important part of your life!
Also, man, the economy/recession/goodness-forbid-depression has pointed me and probably-hopefully many others towards towards less spending… I am totally going to look forward to your seasonal updates to pick up something fab for the transitions, but if you were updating every weekish, I’d miss so many gems if I stuck to some sort of good-for-me-smart-savings-spending-commitments for the future!
(maybe that last bit was selfish reasoning but hey!)
Hey! Do what you need to do, we all completely understand !
Thanks for keeping us updated though
dude. its all good. totally not crazy.
my shop gets hardly as many hits as you and even i took a break! and i don’t even have kids! I stopped reading the craft blogs for a while… that really helped me. The blogs were making me feel like i was a total slacker and being unproductive.
Totally just do what you gotta do. If you gotta have mommy time, do it. I bet you could get a free intern that would love to come package stuff for you.
What a wonderful and fun blog you have here. So glad I found you.
hi. Sorry for the troubles you’ve had with TypePad, so please let me know if there’s something we can do to help you love us again, too. I might have some advice that can help.
okay so i was going through a typepad meltdown when they updated a while back, but it looks like you have the typepad manager helping you now! i will say this though, updating my browser (firefox) helped with most of the frustration i was having in terms of posting.
and your shop is wonderful!
in the meantime, hang in there! your kids are gorgeous and i’m sure you’re doing an amazing job
1. i don’t use typepad – Blogger instead – easy and free!
2. i love you too
3. What’s not to love?
4. You deserve time with your kids and family
5. You are nowhere near a total nutball
6. i am glad you’re not closing the shop!
7. approaching the shop in a new way is a perfect idea
8. two week long sales sounds good to me!
9. you haven’t confused the daylights out of me
10. Thank YOU – for being so fab!
I hope you can make it work in a way that is good for you and your family – remember, you only have obligations to yourself – and we all just want you to be happy and successful – so so whatever you need to do….
Good luck!
Leah xxx
Having a four year old and a four month old, I completely understand where you are coming from. But I’m so glad you are keeping the shop! It is important to be there for your kids, but it is also important to keep a piece of yourself just for you. I think you have landed on a great solution.
even though it looks like you dont feel it, you are ahead of the game. sounds very familiar what you do but you did have enough breathing space to explain and make total sense to most of us, working from home with kids to love.
sounds like a great plan, makes it an exciting thing to look forward to (the shop update) and it might actually be inspiring to those of us.
hug you back! feel that?
Aw little miss. I was wondering what you were going to decide. And you know, this sounds like the perfect thing. Honestly, family should come first….all this other stuff is gravy. But at the same time, its important that you retain some sense of yourself (yer “freckleness”, if you will) and I think that having the shop is a big part of your identity. This two week business is awesome. I mean honestly, don’t even commit to WHEN these little two week jaunts come up. Think of it as a secret sale…like those designer sample sale dealies that just “pop up” in New York.
Just say “Hey! Want to know when the next special Frecklewonder Super Sale is happening? Sign up for an alert!” That way you have even less pressure. And you know we’ll allll be here waiting for ya!
*monster hugs and smooches*
xoxoxo
alex
you are so darn cute. i don’t even have kids, just a full time teach-er-oo job and my part time sprout gig & i can relate to the overwhelming-ness of it all. i do have to say though, i am greedily happy to know you will keep the shop up – but really, you must call the shots that do your family best…maybe even every other month? or thrice yearly?!
momma knows best. xxx.
jenny! these are exactly the feelings and decisions that i have wrestled with in these past few months that i stopped blogging. i feel like it really did come down to time on the computer or time to the little person (aka miracle) in my life… i came to the same place of balance and i feel so much better.
we’re built to do it all and free to choose what we want to do. love it.
i can’t even imagine cutting out my art cold turkey either, it’s just such a part of me. but i’ve cut a lot back on computer time and i’ve never felt better. more energized. more fulfilled in the other areas that have to give when i am online too much. it’s just a quality over quantity feeling, and i love it! freeing.
ps, did you know that women’s brains actually have these amazing multitasking compartments that don’t even exist in men?
YOu might not even see this but I think you just articulated how I’ve been feeling since June when I started my second online business. We only have one child to enjoy at the moment (fingers crossed for another) but I still feel like I’m missing out on great things when I’m spending more time working. AND when I’m spending time focused only on him, I feel like I’m not keeping up with all those other moms that can manage to do both well. Grass is greener kind of thing because I’m sure most of those ‘other moms’ don’t exist.
Anyways, thanks for sharing that this is your struggle as well. Its affirming and I think having big updates is a great idea. GREAT use of time.
SO, thanks and nice to meet you. I’m sure I’ll be back.
Rachel