It is hard to be.......

Everything to everyone.  As a small business owner, I find there is never enough of me to go around.  This morning I was half way to work when my husband called and needed my help.  I, of course went back home to help the situation at hand.  I posted to facebook that I would have to open the shop a bit late.  As a shop owner, that can't afford to do any different, I run my shop by myself, 7 days a week.  I cannot go on spur of the moment outings ( I probably miss that the most).  I have to plan sometimes weeks in advance to get time, and I mean hours not days, out of the store.  I have a great few friends and a mother I don't know what I would do without, that come and help when they can.  I find myself at their mercy.  If they have time and the want to fill in for me for a couple of hours.  That is not to say that I don't have many offers.  I have people (good people) all the time offer to help.  And as simple as it can be there are that many other things that can go wrong so I usually opt for staying here myself.

In saying that, I missed a customer this morning.  She sent a facebook message to ask what time I opened.  I didn't get the message until she was headed home because I was dealing with what needed to be dealt with at home.  I apologized, she accepted... she was truly very gracious about it and assured me that she would be back.

I just want to say Thank you to all of you that understand that as Small Business Owners/Operators.  We feel bad when things like this happen but we have no choice.  We do everything in our power to be here for you because our posted hours are as important to us as they are to you.  But on occasion when we cannot be there, THANK YOU for not being to upset with us, for understanding that we have lives that sometimes interfere with our businesses whether we want them to or not.  Thank you for not making us feel worse about a bad situation.  Today, this customer made me feel so much better just because I realized she was not angry or upset with me, she didn't post a bad review, or say bad words about me or the store.  She just excused me for something that was out of my control.  She was kind and polite.  It was a refreshing difference in what we sometimes see.

If this makes you think about the how you treated someone recently, or your reaction to something that happened that didn't make you happy.  Did you react with kindness?  I hope so because the person on the receiving end was probably very grateful if you did.

Kindness Matters 

Cadbury Eggs, Sunshine, Daisies... All things that make me think of Spring.

Does anyone else out there have a Cadbury Egg problem, I swear there should be a CE Anonymous group.  Today on facebook we have been having a discussion about how much I love these... I just offered free Fudge to anyone showing up with one.  I am secretly hoping for two or three.  As of yet I am at ZERO...  but hey, people do have to work and are not always checking their facebook to see what my needs are.   

I have some ideas for the shop, it will entail some Wooden Daisies of all sizes, a few silk flowers and anything that represents Sunshine.  All things that make me smile, all things that make me think of Spring.  They tell me Spring is 37 days away.  Doesn't sound like much but to a woman who feels cooped up in a store, all by herself, without alot of customers everyday.......   37 days seems like an eternity.  And I am sure that the Cadbury company could take some of the anxiety away.  

Until then, I will sit and figure my plan for some Daisies, because there isn't anyone I know that doesn't smile when they look at a bouquet of Daisies.  And if they don't make you smile... then you probably need therapy.  Happy Day my friends.  If you have a Cadbury Egg at home, eat one for me.  

Lisa @ Silkweeds

Times Change, Tastes Change and We have to learn to roll with that.

I have been doing this business for the last 11 1/2 years.  There are days that I am tired, and times that I wonder why I do this.  Then there are times like now....  When I look around this store and realize that i have reinvented myself and this store once again.  In those 11 years, I have changed.  So have trends and fads.  I remember when I could sell one Star or a hundred to one person.  They were literally hanging stars on every inch of their houses and barns, inside and out.  That was a fad.  It came and went in about 5 years, which in fairness is about 2 more years than most of those fads get.

Oh don't get me wrong, I can still sell a star to a primitive shopper but they don't fly out the door like they use to.  We are a primitive gift store and the newest trend in America seems to be AMERICAN MADE.  This is hopefully a way of life, not a fad or a trend.  We sell many handmade items from Curtains and linens, Jewelry, Two Made in Maine Candle Lines.  We have doll makers and seasonal items that are all created by hard working hands across America.  I have a Twig Wreath Maker, and 4 Furniture Makers.

 
 
 
 

We love our sign maker too.  Our Artisans work hard to create well designed, quality items that you can be proud to display in your home or to give as a gift.  We are always looking for new handcrafters to add to our forever growing inventory of hand made items.

A new ( or maybe not so new trend ) is Repurposing Flea Market Finds, We do our share of that also.  We will take Chairs like in this picture and repaint and repurpose them, We believe in showing New Love to Old Things so that this world is not just using up item after item to keep up with the generation that believes, Oh I don't want that anymore, so I will just throw it out and get something new.  We show you how you can still love your Old Items while making them New to you!


Check out the two hutches that we repurposed.  I truly should have posted before and after pictures so that you could have seen the remarkable difference. I am all about the repurposing aspect.  I am loving the change that can come from a coat of paint and some distressing.  There is of course a bit more to it but it seems to put me in my happy place.  I thought I could keep you posted on some of the fun things that I feel are up and coming so keep checking back and I will give you some insight to how I choose to decorate the store from season to season and why I chose the way I do.  Happy Day my friends!!!