Small Business “start-up” and social media… AAAAAHHHH!

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I just hired my 16 year old, career-“gamer”, son to be my social media marketing manager!  Because… YIKES… trying to turn a smalltime Etsy business into an actual small business that is worthy of a highly taxable LLC (*cough* that I never should have applied for *cough* didn’t do my research *cough* *choke* *die* *cough*) is a G.I.A.N.T. undertaking.  I have spent more hours on Pinterest than I care to admit researching social media marketing DIY. Pinterest used to be fun for me.  Pinterest used to be a time-suck, where I would fantasize about all of the fabulous things that I could totally do if I had the time, you know, if I wasn’t so busy scrolling and clicking Pin.  Now, I kinda dread Pinterest.  It’s like… work and shit.  Like going from really, really, really enjoying the rare-treat of Georgetown Cupcake and then working for Georgetown Cupcake at sub-entry level where you have to lick the beaters clean and by the end of day one, when you’ve licked your 100th beater, you vomit and vow to never eat another cupcake again.  Yeah, learning how to start a business on Pinterest is just like that, I imagine.*

Dear Georgetown Cupcake,
I would totally come lick your cupcake beaters for a day and vomit in your kitchen in exchange for a free dozen.  Contact me via Pinterest if you are in need of day labor.
Sincerely,
Carol

Anywho, so learning the in’s and out’s of social media marketing is really, really, involved.  It is not as simple as “Hey, guess what I posted on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, Linkedin, YouTube, etc… etc… etc…”.  There are optimal times stamps and photoshoots and social media content and blogs and online stores and building relationships and hosts and sharing and commenting on 5+ social media venues a day and they all have to be linked together.  And, yes, there are websites/apps that can post on your behalf to multiple social media venues, but you still have to create the posts and the visual media to go with them and schedule them. So basically those apps just make sure your posts hit social media at peak times, you know, in case you are napping bc you were up until 3:00 AM researching, creating content, and scheduling.  And, also, for you cheap-bastards like me out there, you have to pay monthly for these apps to post on your behalf to anything more than Twitter and Facebook.  The other 35,000+ social media venues are still dangling clouds over your head unless you cough up $15+/month.

So, yeah, like I said, my 16 year old son, who is on multiple social media venues all day long, anyway, like it’s his business… is now actually his business, which is actually my business, so….

Yes, I can see how this can go horribly, horribly wrong.

To be continued…

*full disclosure- I don’t really think anyone or a dog, as photoed, really licks the beaters at Georgetown Cupcake.  They are truly an impeccably clean and posh bakery that has the most amazing cupcakes.  All jokes aside, go buy two- one for you, one for me.

A store of my own.

Guess what?!

I have my own domain www.evmodernbaby.com, again!

Pretty cool, huh?!

I’m wrapping up a girl’s Easter outfit (shirt & skirt set).  I made the sample for Tess and it took some math, as I had to alter the pattern, myself.  I foresee myself visiting YouTube for some pattern making tutorials in the near future to help speed up production time.  I think I pleated and repleated and marked pleats and remarked pleats about a dozen times before I finally got it to the proper waist size.

Oh, look!  There actually exists quite a few websites that have a calculator that will determine pleat sizes based on your measurements.  Should’ve just turned to the web instead of pen and paper.  Sometimes technology really is useful.

Once I’ve perfected the art I will share a tutorial complete with troubleshooting tips like the one above.  Stay tuned… There are a lot of exciting things coming soon!

We interrupt this regularly scheduled program…

for the Flu… and strep throat… and colds… and can winter just be over, already?!  Holy Moly!

Etsy sales are still happening and I’m keeping all products away from my illness plagued children, but because of the increased demand for mommy-time my Boho spring line has unfortunately come to a halt.  I plan to pick up where I left off next week and be back at production again.

In the meantime, personalized minky blankets will be up and running on Etsy soon!  If you are in need of a WELCOME HOME baby gift or a 1st Birthday gift these unique blankets are perfect.

Back to the Future

It’s been a long time coming, but my embroidery machine has been repaired and I’m back, baby!  I have a few listings back on Etsy.  I started with EVMB designs that were most inquired about while I was “on vacation”.  The Baptismal/Christening Onesies and the Drinking Buddies Onesie (St. Patrick’s Day version).  Please go check them out.  If you have an upcoming baptism or christening to attend the Baptismal/Christening Onesies would make a great gift and keepsake.

Baptismal/Christening Onesie

Drinking Buddies (St. Patrick’s Day version)

In the meantime, I’m working on my pattern making skills with a simple version of the Coachella short and I have designs in the works for some boho baby fashions using organic muslin fabrics.

Favorite EV modern baby on Etsy for shop updates like this.

Follow me on Pinterest (see sidebar) for the latest in baby/child fashion, accessories, gear, and nursery designs.

Our family is in the process of moving to a new nest, but as soon as we are settled I hope to start posting DIY blogs and videos to help you keep up with the latest trends for your little one.

Giveaway winner @ Patching Hearts and new items available on Etsy!

Congratulations to Carrie for winning the blogtastic giveaway over @ Patching Hearts!  She won a personalized “It’s Raining Love” onesie.  If you are not Carrie and were not lucky enough to win you can go over to Etsy and purchase one of your very own!  I also made this recent special order.

Message me or comment if you’d like to order.  While perfecting my hat sizes I made extras which are now on clearance.  You can click on the image to be redirected for purchasing.

This one is size 9 months – 2 years.

 

This one is size 0-3 months.

 

Go on and VOTE! Blog-tastic Giveaway!

It’s Election Day!  Yay!  And after you choose our President and vote yes or no to same sex marriage or to allow casinos in PG county (if you live in Maryland), hop on over to Patching Hearts

where you can enter to win a free onesie (boy or girl choices sizes neborn-12 months)

Giveaway Personalized Girl Onesie

Boy Giveaway Personalized Onesie

or a pair of boots (infant/baby sizes 1-6)

Giveaway Boots

made by yours truly, here at EVmodernbaby!  You can enter a maximum of 8 different ways today and then continue to enter by commenting on Patching Hearts everyday to optimize your chances of winning.  Not only is Karen and awesome mother and great friend, but she is a talented mommy blogger, so be sure to “follow” her blog whether you enter the giveaway or not!  Have fun and I hope you win!

Where I’m meant to be

Dear old free website,

Thank you for not abandoning me as I abandoned you!  I left you for someone very high-maintenance and have regretted it all along.  I am so glad that you welcomed me back with open arms and accepted all of my high-maintenance web content accept for the super cool store page and some awesome widgets and the fact that I think I see a lot of double posts that I think I’m going to have to spend a lot of time clearing up.  Booooo!  I hate love really love you free website.

Yours truly for eternity,

Carol

Pinterest is the DIYer’s dream come true

Internet surfing got a whole lot easier when Pinterest came along.

Let’s face it, though they love to use the excuse, men aren’t alone in their tendency to be “visual” creatures by nature.  We all love pictures, visual aides, and a link for directions.  Recipes, crafting tutorials, color palette inspirations, style ideas, hair braiding tutorials, funny quotes, etc…  Pinterest has it all!  My latest obsession… free patterns for children and baby clothing, of course!  So, I’ve set myself a minimalistic goal (which may still be way too ambitious, considering that baby #4 is coming out whether she wants to or not this Wednesday… that’s the day after tomorrow… I just threw up in my mouth a little) I would like to try to complete one of these Pinterest inspiring patterns a month.

And for the month of March…. dun da da dun…..

 

Adventures in Tutu Making (cont.) tutorials… free Tututorials!

I was going to name this post “Why Tutus Will Probably Never Be Sold Here or here“, or “Why You Should Just Splurge and Buy Your Tutu here“ or “Why $12 Tutus from Target Are Awesome”, but I thought that it might be much more fun to watch you writhe and wriggle trying to make your own before you ultimately come to the above conclusions anyway.

The following tutorials will explain at great length why all of the above titles are very appropriate.  Since I first decided that my daughter M-U-S-T have a pettiskirt tutu 3 years ago, (this was conveniently, just before every department store in the world decided to sell them dirt cheap), I’ve read dozens of tutorial websites and narrowed the best FREE tutu tutorials down to the following 2.

Link #1… for math lovers… http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=298574.0

The above link includes a tutorial that involves an insane amount of math.  In fact, before I waste any more of your time here are the first two steps…

1. Measure
Waist: ___________________
Length of desired skirt: ________________
All the bounce makes the finished skirt appear shorter; consider adding extra length.

2. Work out how much fabric you’ll need.

Divide length by three______________ ___ = (a)
This is the width of the yoke and tiers.  Are you adding extra seam allowance?  Add it now.
Yoke
2 rectangles of satin, (a) wide and (waist + 4 inches) long.______________ ____
1st Tier
Strip of chiffon/tulle, (a) wide and (waist x 6) long.______________ _______
2nd Tier
Strip of chiffon/tulle, (a) wide and (waist x 18) long.______________ _______
Hem Ruffle
Strip of chiffon/tulle, 5 cms/2 inches wide and (waist x 36) long.  ___________________ __

Total amount of chiffon/tulle to buy

Answer: A LOT.

Chiffon or tulle will come in widths of anywhere from 91.5cm [36 inches] to 162cm [70 inches].  How much you need will depend on that width.
E.g.    I am making a SINGLE layer, little girl’s tulle pettiskirt for a 51cm [20inch] waist. 
Adding up the length of the tiers, I need a strip of tulle 12.5cm [5 inches] wide and 1219.2cm, or 12.20 metres [480 inches] long!  The ruffle is going to be 5cm [2 inches] wide and 1828.8cm – or, 18.29 metres [720 inches] long.  That’s INSANE!
The store has 132cm [52inch] wide tulle.  How much do I need to purchase?
132cm [52 inches] divided by the largest width I need – 12.5cm [5inches]
= 10.56 (or 10.4 if you’re using inches)
That means I’ll get 10 and a bit strips out of any length of that tulle.
Take the total length of tulle needed– the tiers and the ruffle.  For me, that’s 3048cm [1200 inches].  Divide that by the number of strips I’ll get out of the fabric – 10.56.  Answer?  288.63. Round it up.
I need to purchase 289cm [2.89m, 113 inches] of 132cm [52inch] wide tulle!
If I were making a DOUBLE layer pettiskirt I’d obviously double that.

Got all that?  Go you!
Now have a little lie down.  Treat yourself to a hot chocolate and a Tim Tam or six.

I’m not sure what a “Tim Tam” is, but after I did all of the math, I’m thinking that it must be equivalent to Valium.

Link #2… Mystery Sized Tutu from Martha Stewart…http://www.marthastewart.com/264645/pettiskirts

The above link is fabulous and it includes a video tutorial (albeit short; just a small segment from the taping of the Martha Stewart Show).  There is no math involved.  Though that may seem to be a bonus, the length of the tutu is a mystery until the skirt is finished.  I was making mine for my 5 year old and thanked God, after all of that work, that I have a two year old as well because it ended up being pretty short.  The layers and layers of shirring leaves you constantly guessing on the final length.

A quick summary from someone who has made a handful of tutus:

Tutus aren’t that cheap to make.  The average cheap chiffon is around $2-3 a yard (plus shipping).  In general you will need about 6 yards of chiffon, 1/2 a yard of satin, a ton of thread, a couple of spools of elastic thread, and 1/2 yard elastic for the waist, etc…  You’re looking at an average cost of at least $20 a tutu for a 2 year old, $30 for a 4 year old, $40 for a 5 year old, and so on….

Tutus are an extreme pain in the butt to make.  You can buy the chiffon pre-cut and there is a reason why someone is actually making money selling it pre-cut… because it is a GIANT pain in the *ss.  However, pre-cut chiffon is about triple the cost of the equivalent uncut yardage.  There is A LOT of fabric to cut, piece together, shirr, and piece together again.  I found myself many a time, tangled in a long line of chiffon wishing that I wasn’t such a stubborn “Do-It-Yourself”er and just shell out the darn $65 for someone on Etsy to make it for me!  Like this Etsy store for example…

http://www.etsy.com/store/DreamSpunKids

(I swear that I am in no way affiliated with the above Etsy store.  I just think that their products are not only adorable, but reasonably priced and feel comfortable recommending them!)

Now through December 12… EVERYTHING SHIPS FREE!!!

Now through December 12, 2010 everything at evmodernbaby.com ships FREE!  (USPS standard, US lower 48 states only.  Hawaii, Alaska, and international shipping discount rate applied.  Must order by December 12th to guarantee that shipment will be received in time for Christmas).

Just enter coupon code ILIKE3FLEWIN at checkout!

Also, I’m working really hard at making the store user friendly.  If you click directly on “Store” (don’t select off of the drop down menu), you will notice a new product “Category” list.  This list makes shopping much easier.  Not only can you locate with ease the TYPE of product for which you are shopping, but I’ve also categorized things by SIZE!!!  YAY!!!

New this week: