Etsy Update

 

It has been a looooooong time coming, but I have finally added some new stuff to my Etsy store.  I have also made a ton of changes, so I thought a little background story was in order, to update all of my wonderful followers and inform anyone who might be just finding my blog or my shop.

I started my Etsy shop in 2009.  At this point in my life I had graduated from college, but hadn't been able to find a job.  I needed a little extra money, so I started selling calendars and planners that I had made for myself to keep me organized through college.  I also developed a Wedding Planning Notebook, with the help of a good friend who was in the event-planning industry.  I was absolutely loving the success of my Etsy shop - Obsessively Organized, and then I landed my dream job.

I got a job as a Preschool Teacher at a Community College Lab School.  I get to work with little ones and college students every day, and I am blessed to be able to take advantage of some incredible professional development opportunities.  I love my day job! Around the time that I started working full time, I was inundated with custom orders for Wedding books, which were incredibly time consuming to put together.  I had to take a break from my Etsy store to keep my sanity, and to fully devote myself to my job.

I tried to do both for a bit, but then I got engaged, and being the do-it-yourself-er that I am, I threw everything that I had into creating as much as I possibly could for my wedding.  I've had my hand in a few different things since then, but I have always said that I would get my shop going again.

This weekend I sat down to work on a Christmas gift for a friend, a super cute necklace made almost entirely out of fabric.  It went together so quickly that I made 4 more, and that was that.  I have always loved accessories, especially jewelry, but to mix my love of jewelry with my passion for fabric just seemed natural.

I've made a few changes to my shop to go along with the new content.  The shop's title is now Fabric Scraps by Obsessively Organized - I wanted to keep it linked to my username and to my blog.  Currently I have a few new necklaces available, along with some leftover wedding decorations.  You will probably see planners make an appearance again at some point, along with a lot of other items, I really don't want to tie myself to one thing. 

I will definitely continue posting to my blog, I love love love blogging, even if no one reads it.
Thanks for sticking with me through all of the changes, hopefully they will all be positive!

Awesome Saturday!

This has been such a wonderful day, I have been so productive! I'm not used to that at all. But seriously, I cranked out a ton of wedding stuff, I wish I could have more days like this, but its going to make my winter break so nice to have all of this stuff already taken care of. I finished organizing all of my centerpieces (finally - I only started working on that in August, but it is soooooo nice to not have vases all over my floor, maybe I can finally sweep now, ooooo and I wont cringe every time the dog runs in), started cutting out pieces for invitations and programs, finished all of my bridesmaid bouquets, and worked on my garland (which is no longer a giant tangle mess because I gave up on that one and threw the whole thing in the garbage, because really, sometimes that is the only option). Here are some pictures from my day

The last photo is the cover of my programs, I was inspired by papercrew, and of course mine aren't finished yet, because I don't have the inside pages ready, but I am so excited to put them together because there is absolutely no glue involved, when they're ready to go, I'll just run one edge through the sewing machine and voila!

I hope you had a wonderful day, I would love to hear what you accomplished!

Wedding Inspiration

I was completely exhausted from my hours of laundry (don't you just love unpacking after vacation? Ummm no.) so I walked out into my studio to work on something mindless, but when I saw the disaster area that is my studio right now I just wanted to cry. We're talking pieces of centerpieces, bouquets, and invitations everywhere! Yea, I turned around and when back in the house, where I made a big giant list of every thing that I have to get done in the next 8 months, and after I finished my four-page list it dawned on me that maybe I really don't have to make everything myself (gasp!). So here I am, trolling etsy for ideas, and things that I really might be willing to pay someone else to do for me.

I was originally planning on doing these myself, but when I saw how much they cost, and I thought about how much of my time they would consume, I think I'm going to order them after all. PartyPoms has a huge color availability, and her photos make me drool!

This incredible idea is from KristinaMarie. Oh I have died and gone to heaven, this is exactly what I was looking for! I want to drape these beautiful garlands over our church pews. However I think I will make my own because I have got to try this out! How easy could you get, paper circles and a sewing machine, I just got a scalloped circle punch from Martha Stewart's craft line that will be perfect for this. Granted, I'll let you know how easy it is after I try it...

Excuses Excuses

Yes, again, I have been away for a long time, but this time I have a number of very legitimate excuses (as opposed to before, when I was just being lazy).

Excuse #1: I got engaged!!! Yes after 6 years Aaron finally asked, and it was so cute too. We were finishing up some little things in my studio before I moved all of my junk in, and he was helping me stick a beautiful decal pattern on one of the walls. This should've been clue number one because he never would've offered to help me do that otherwise. anyway, here's a picture of the wall we were working on:

When we were done we stepped back to admire our work and he pulled the ring out of a drawer!

So, needless to say I have been frantically trying to secure wedding vendors, and get myself organized, luckily I had already picked out one of my wedding plan books (available on my etsy shop)and I can wait to share a few posts on specific pages in my personal book!

Excuse #2: I have been moving all of my fun crafty stuff from my parent's house, to my new studio at my fiance's. But, my gorgeous studio is now completely done and I have been spending all of my extra time in there. Of course I never imagined that it would turn into wedding planning central quite so quickly, but I am so enjoying it! Here are some pictures of the finished product:

Excuse#3: I was on vacation. Aaron and I made another trip to Ohio's Amish Country, luckily we found a much better campground this year. So after a long weekend of s'mores, fabric shopping, antiquing, and a little sprint car racing action, I didn't have a ton of time for blogging, but I do have pictures to share:

Excuse #4: Some of our very close friends just got married, and though I started a quilt for them in January, somehow I was still finishing it up just this week. But I was able to finish it in time for the wedding, and as much as I love it, I was so glad to give it to them because I have spent so much time looking at it that I would be happy if I never saw it again! And in keeping with tradition starting with the last wedding quilt that I made, I of course forgot to take a picture of the finished product.

So yes, I realize that I have a lot of excuses, but I also have a lot more to share, so I will keep you updated on wedding details (I am already planning for a post on the special invitations that I have created for the members of our bridal party!), and I will definitely continue to focus on wonderful etsy vendors, whose beautiful work makes me fight the urge to whip out my credit card!

I have new pictures!

That's right I have new pictures of my studio, which will soon be fully functional. The construction is done, now it's my turn to take over. Luckily I have a day off on Monday (I love compressed summer work weeks!!!!) so I will be moving in this weekend. Of course, when that is finished I will have some more pictures for you.

Up to this point one of my favorite activities has been collecting wonderful finds to fill up this space. The most important factor in my purchases has been the purpose of the item, and I have really focused on collecting items that are going to help me keep the space organized. Here are some of the storage solutions that I am currently drooling over (all are available on etsy!).

A gorgeous trinket box from KypresjackDesigns. Completely my style, a little pricy, but absolutely beautiful.

This is actually a drawer from a vintage sewing machine, which would be completely perfect for a crafting studio. Available from RiverBendRanchStudio

I think these little felt bins are my favorite, and I am so going to make a set of these myself, although, if I can't find the time I just may buy them from sewingmomma

A relaxing afternoon...what's that?!

After such a crazy month, there is nothing that I appreciate more than a relaxing Sunday afternoon, although I must admit that I am not totally sure what to do with myself, and I am working to restrain myself from freaking out about the projects that I really should be working on.

I know that I have things to do, that's almost an understatement. But I definitely understand the importance of taking some time out. Yesterday was extremely productive, I managed to post four new weekly planners and update photos for four of my wedding plan books (all can be found at Obsessively Organized on Etsy), but instead of showcasing the work that I was able to finish up yesterday, I think I will stick to the spirit of relaxation and show you a few incredible Etsy finds that celebrate what it means to really relax.

The first item is Dream Balm from Lilith's Apothecary . Not only is it beautifully packaged, but it is also supposed to banish stress - sounds good to me!

The second item is this gorgeous cardigan by Hackwith Designs. The best thing about this insanely gorgeous article of clothing is that it looks super comfortable, yet you could definitely dress it up to go out. I am seriously contemplating a purchase...

Finally, one of my favorite things, slipper boots! My feet are forever freezing cold, needless to say I do not walk around my house without a pair on, these are essential. This pair is by marissaann.

Now, if I can tear myself away from Etsy, I am off to curl up with Eclipse (for the fifth time) and spend the afternoon reading about someone else's drama!

Bridal Show Update!

Here is a picture of my adorable table from today's bridal show:

If you look really closely you can see my boyfriend Aaron in the background. He gets major brownie points for sitting with me at a bridal show all day - what a trooper!

I think that it was a pretty successful day, I made a couple of sales, and if nothing else I passed out a ton of business cards, which is never a bad thing.

I have been home from the show for four hours now, OK, that's not completely true, I did take a two hour break for drinks at the world's best Mexican Restaurant (El Zarape in Bowling Green OH), but anyway, I just finally finished updating my Etsy page. I had to take off a couple of things that I sold today, but I also added a lot of new items that I made specifically for today's show. For example I have this gorgeous set of note cards that I had to put away as soon as I got home so that I wouldn't use them myself:

I also have some really cute new recipe cards, a new purple notepad, and three new wedding book designs. Take a minute to hop over to Obsessively Organized on Etsy to check it all out!

Studio update - I have a floor!

Ok, well I have a sub-floor, but it's a start right?! So far, the floor has been raised and leveled, and outlets, lighting and electrical wiring has been installed. You should see all the outlets in this tiny little building, I am ecstatic! Hmm... I wonder if that's his plan to make me pay the electric bill...

Here are some new pictures, it's finally starting to look like a building, you know, as opposed to a dirty garden shed that looked like it was ready to fall down. It'll be a while before I get to the fun part, picking out flooring and counter tops, I'm trying to restrain myself from buying too much in the way of decor, but I've already stocked up on picture frames and candle holders - my weaknesses!

In addition to this craziness I am also working my butt off on new wedding plan books. I have been invited to do a bridal show in February, I'm not sure if I will or not, but I'm starting to beef up my inventory for it, at least this means I get to spend time in my very favorite place, the paper aisle at Hobby Lobby!

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend, thank goodness for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I don't think I could make it through a dreary month like January without one little break!

All these great projects...that I can't tell you about

This time of the year is so frustrating for me. I love to make Christmas gifts, and I have to start right now so that I have time to finish them, BUT I can't write anything about them, or talk about them to be sure that the recipient doesn't figure it out.

I don't know if it's harder for me to stop myself from telling others about the projects I'm working on, or to keep them from catching me working on it! So, even though I have not posted a lot recently, trust me, I am super busy, and I have the week after Christmas off, so there will be tons of time for me to update you all on what has been keeping me busy.

Right now I am preparing for Halloween, just like everyone else. Now, I don't craft or decorate for Halloween like some do, I'm not big on skeletons and ghosts, sure we'll carve pumpkins, but I enjoy the day after Halloween the most. My home is decorated in beautiful, rich, autumn colors (we moved in in the fall and I was inspired), so for the entire autumn season I am on the hunt for decorator items in those colors that don't scream "FALL". I love these colors all year round, but I don't particularly want to see pumpkins and scarecrows all year round, so I get to be very creative.

The day after Halloween is my bargain paradise. As soon as Halloween is over all of the autumn items are liquidated to make room for Christmas stuff, that's when I really go on the hunt!

I hope that you all enjoy your Halloween festivities, be safe and check in for updates on my post-Halloween bargains!

Comforting finds for cold and flu season

Cold and flu season has officially arrived, and I have spent the last three days doing anything that I can think of to ease my stuffed up head. Unfortunately I will spend a lot of time sniffling this winter, but fortunately I understand that sometimes my body just needs to rest. So that is what I'm doing tonight, just resting.

Luckily I can take time to rest, and sitting around catching up on my favorite blogs is the perfect relaxation technique. There are a few other essentials that I need when I feel like this, so I thought it would be great to feature some Etsy artists who create just what I love to have around me to make me as comfortable and relaxed as possible.

The first necessity is tissues, and a lot of them. Many tissue companies offer some really cute box designs, but if you are looking for something to match your decor, and make that necessary tissue box seem like it really belongs in the room, check out Fondue. This gorgeous (and completely un-tacky) tissue box cover can be found in their Etsy shop.

Another absolute necessity is a great coffee mug. Whether you like coffee, tea, or my favorite, spiced apple cider, a warm drink makes a sore throat feel better every time. The bigger the mug, the better. Here some sophisticated handcrafted mugs from JustWork.

Nothing beats a great blanket for curling up on the couch with my coffee, tissues, and General Hospital. I have a couple of criteria for what constitutes a great blanket. First, it has to be fleece, because fleece is always fuzzy and warm, it doesn't take on the chill in the air. Secondly, a great blanket has to be extra large in size, so that all of me, from my neck to my toes, can fit underneath the blanket. Here is a super cute blanket from katesblankets.

These three things may not actually make me feel better, but they do make me more comfortable. Now I'm off for some good old fashion R&R, let me know what you need when you're sick and I'll post it for everyone!

A new take on a familiar project

I can not believe how long it has been since I have posted. When I first started this blog I could not understand how someone could go for weeks without posting, but then again, when I first started this blog my only job was my small business and my blog was a part of my job, now it's something that I get to add to when I have time and something to share.

I had been taking some time away from Obsessively Organized to jump into my new job wholeheartedly, and to attempt to catch up on some personal projects that really needed to get started (Christmas gifts!). During this time I have barely been online at all, which is completely strange to me because I was online almost every minute of every day over the summer. However I have been spending more time with my trusty computer recently because I have been working on a custom order.

This order is important because it is for someone who is just as specific as I am about what they want in their planner. Many people will get a new planner because it looks cute, or they have every intention of getting organized, but then the novelty wears off and they forget where they put the darned thing. Custom orders are all special to me because when someone requests a certain kind of planner I know that they understand exactly what they need a planner to do for them, and I know that it will be useful for them because they are getting exactly what they want. This is why I started creating planners in the first place!

I was weary of taking on such a specific order, because I knew that I didn't have much time to work on it, but I am really thankful that I did, because it gave me the chance to remember what I love about this business - the creating. I got the opportunity to spend all day in front of my computer formatting pages, and I was given a new challenge - tab dividers for each month. This is something that I have been avoiding up until now because I couldn't seem to find a way to make them work, but for some reason it was so simple when I finally sat down to do it. I'm very excited about the tab dividers because I have a project that I would like to make for a friend for the holidays and the dividers are completely necessary (I won't say anything more, but I will be sure to let you know how it turns out).

I am so glad that I was given the chance to work on an Obsessively Organized project again. I am certainly not ready to get it back up and going at the rate that it was this summer, because I value my sleep far too much, but I will definitely be taking on a few more projects now that I know I can fit them into my schedule.

Here are a few pictures of the custom order that I just finished. I was so honored that she chose one of my original designs for the cover. How could I say no to that!

Time to rejuvenate!

Image from justnaki

I have so missed my blog! Isn't funny how the first things that we push to the side when we run out of time seem to be the little things that truly make us happy? While I have not been able to blog as much lately (a direct result of the fact that I am rarely able to make it to my computer) I have certainly been using my journal more often. I am proving to myself that writing is one of my favorite therapies (writing and coffee!).

I have been so busy getting used to my new work schedule, and now it is time for me to work on my new personal schedule. I get so easily distracted because I have so much less time to work with. I get online to check my email, and I find myself on the computer for two hours because I keep thinking of things that I really need to catch up on, none of which were on my to-do list to begin with!

I am trying to rejuvenate myself by jumping back into my favorite projects. I have some wonderful Christmas gifts that I have started for my friends (I am super excited about them, but not sure when I will find the time to finish them, I am supposed to be working on them now...) which I will certainly share pictures of after Christmas. I also have a surprise for those who have purchased from me, just a little thank you for helping me get off to a great start (yes I will post pictures of those too). Finally I am beginning to get back to my Obsessively Organized products, and I can't wait to ship out some more calendars before the new year!

Now I just have to find some time to sit down and read some of my favorite blogs, that may prove to be a true indulgence, but maybe I can make it part of my Sunday morning routine. I will keep you posted on my fun new projects and deep musings!

It's time to re-evaluate

If I was looking for a sign I got about 10. I was bound and determined to continue working on my Etsy shop at the same pace that I had been before, while starting my new full time job. I am positive that a higher power was encouraging me to slow down with the Etsy stuff, and when I didn't pay attention to the first sign, he sent me a second, and a third, and a fourth. Well I am certainly not going to stop, but I can definitely recognize when I need to take a break. I still have all of my wonderful planners and notebooks in my Etsy shop, but I am going to stop creating new inventory and taking custom orders for a couple of weeks while I re-evaluate the direction of my business.

The most important thing for me to remember is that I loved working on projects for Obsessively Organized, but during the last couple of weeks all I have been is frustrated, it seems as though nothing has gone right. I really want to get back to that place where I enjoy what I do, and I enjoy checking my email to look for a sale.

Hopefully things will slow down a little once I get adjusted to my new work schedule and I can pick up my Obsessively Organized projects again and add to my inventory before the holiday season. I will definitely keep you all posted! I so enjoy having a space to share my little dramas!

Just a quick thanks!

Hi everyone, it has been an insane day to say the least, and a bit of a downer. This is why I was so happy to check up on my blog and see some really sweet comments and new followers. Thank you all! Here's to hoping tuesday will be a better day!

I love fall!

I love autumn in Northwest Ohio. This is without a doubt my favorite time of the year. This past Saturday was especially gorgeous, it was sunny and 70 degrees, and all of the wonderful harvest colors had just started to change. I couldn't resist the incredible views, so I took some pictures:

I think I only have fall landscape pictures, the colors are so vibrant that I feel like I have to capture them, and I love to use them in my decorating projects. I can't wait to print all of these!

To completely change the subject, I start my new job tomorrow, and while I'm really excited, I'm not nervous, which is unusual for me because everything makes me anxious! I hope that this means this new job is a perfect fit. But the reason that I'm telling you all of this is because I will not have as much time to blog now that I am back to working full time. No worries, I will certainly continue sharing my stories and photos (I'm very excited to tell you all about a craft show that I might get to do later this fall, I'm sure that my preparations for that will be a learning experience!) so please keep checking, I truly appreciate everyone who reads my blog because I so enjoy writing it!

Friday nights

Goodness my Friday nights have become incredibly predictable! Tonight we went out for ice cream (my favorite peanut butter cup sundae from my favorite ice cream store ever, Mr. Freeze) and then watched Dateline. Ha, how exciting! But, at least it was relaxing. Now I am reading blogs when I know that I should either be doing something productive or heading to bed.

My plans for tomorrow include a little crafting (or maybe I'll do some of that tonight still...) and then I'm going to check out the Harrison Rally Days festival in Perrysburg Ohio. I'm excited to see a lot of crafters and artists and hopefully get some inspiration!

I hope that everyone has a great weekend!

Seasonal Treats!

I am a sucker for a pretty cookie. Yes, taste is incredibly important, but the way that it looks has to draw you in before you will take a bite. These gorgeous cookies from SomethingSweetShop fall into the "too cute to eat" category. I have no idea how they taste (I am a bit picky about my cookies) but they look incredible, and they remind me that I really need to start thinking about making my autumn sugar cookies.

The perfect cookie always needs the perfect drink, and in the Autumn there are only two choices, hot apple cider, or chai tea. Both drinks are a great complement to something sweet, and they add to the autumn atmosphere. This Vanilla Bean Chai mix is available from goodforyou.

If you need a little pick me up today I suggest you head over to the plants and edibles category on Etsy and do a quick search using the term "autumn" oh my goodness the results are all incredible, yes it might make you crave something sweet, but it is also a feat for the eyes!

On that note I am off to spend my last day before I start working doing one of my favorite things in the world; outlet shopping! Enjoy your Friday!