Featured Mom: Santa Barbara Creation

Today’s interview is bound to inspire us all! This creative mom is running her Etsy shop at age 90! It’s never too late to get started — see what Santa Barbara Creation‘s Sheila Ehrman has to say about her crafty biz.

01. Tell us a little about yourself!
I was born in Liverpool, England in 1920 (yes, I am 90!) and loved to knit, crochet, sew and do crafts from a very young age. I have lived in California since 1950 after marrying my World War II American sweetheart in Chicago. I have two children, Judi aged 60 and Brian aged 58 and their spouses and children. My husband died in 1959 at age 45.

02. What lead you to creating your own business?
My grand-daughter, Lisa, was my inspiration to start an Etsy shop. After seeing my beading work and crocheting, she said “You should open a shop on Etsy” and I replied “What’s Etsy?” I soon found out and started Santa Barbara Creation in May, 2010 which I set up and invited a friend who loved to knit to join me. She has since opted out of the project so I am running it alone.

03. Describe a typical day in the life of YOU!
Because I am unable to drive due to age and disability, I spend a lot of time at home. After brewing a cup of tea in the morning my next action is to check my e-mail to look for an Etsy sale and messages from friends far and wide. After completing my household chores, I usually work on beading or crochet for a couple of hours. I like to work in my garden and also enjoy searching websites for the pleasure of seeing other artists’ creations. I enjoy having lunch with a group of younger friends (all between 50 – 60 years old) from my art group who call me “Momma She”!! I spend a lot of “quality time” with my daughter and she, her hasband and I share the same home. Incidentally, I crocheted the neck scarf, earrings and necklace I am wearing in the picture.

04. Your best piece of advice for others working from home?
My advice would be to keep creating so when the big break comes you will have plenty of inventory.

05. Favourite music? Book? Movie?
I enjoy Show Tunes music; biographies and nature stories: romantic and mystery movies.

06. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
It is anyone’s guess where I will be in 5 years time but I hope I will still be running Santa Barbara Creation!!!

Shop Santa Barbara Creation online!

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Desiree Fawn is a blogger/doula from Ontario where she lives with her partner & daughter.
She blogs at So Fawned.
Follow @sofawned on Twitter!

Working Smart With Simple Mom’s Tsh Oxenreider

Tsh Oxenreider is the brilliant and dedicated mind behind Simple Mom. Her blog, which was conceptualized in 2008, has since grown into a remarkable resource for home managers.

In a recent post, Tsh shares her fantastic motto for any and all work at home moms:

“Work smart, not just hard.”

Simple, yet ingenious.

From her site:

“Working smart means sitting like a sniper, aiming your efforts at a target, not barging in with a tommy gun and hoping to hit something of value.”

Applying this notion to her blogging career, which began as “a creative outlet with a possibly to fund [her] coffee habit”, she takes her readers through some incredibly useful steps which they might apply to their own situations, whether they are striking out as bloggers, or hoping to create their own success with a home business.

Click here to check out Tsh’s helpful post.

You can also find daily inspiration by following @SimpleMom on Twitter.

Image source.

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Desiree Fawn is a blogger/doula from Ontario where she lives with her partner & daughter.
She blogs at So Fawned.
Follow @sofawned on Twitter!

Featured Mom: Rattlecake Diaper Cakes

Today we’re chatting with Michelle Storms of Rattlecake Diaper Cakes!

01. Tell us a little about yourself!
I am 30 years old and have a wonderful 2 ½ year old son.  My husband and I have been married for almost 6 years.  We met in Arizona at college and decided to move to Georgia to start our careers in real estate.  I was in real estate for a little over 5 years before deciding to be a stay at home mom.  I enjoy being outside, boating, swimming, cooking and having fun with family and friends.  I am also a shopaholic!

02. What lead you to creating your own business?
I decided to start my own business after I had my son.  I was in real estate before I had him and the market started to crash when he was born and I didn’t really have much to go back to and wanted to stay home with him.  I then started thinking of what I could do and be able to have fun doing it and stay at home with my little man.  I knew that diaper cakes were a fairly new product and thought…I think I could do that??  I love doing craft projects, drawing and scrapbooking.   We decided it would be a good adventure and my husband started to design the website and I started “collecting ingredients” (SHOPPING).  Thus, Rattlecake Diaper Cakes was born.

03. Describe a typical day in the life of YOU!
Diaper Cakes…Diaper Cakes…Diaper Cakes…LOL

Well, now that the business is growing and I have tons of orders, my son has started going to a small daycare during the day. L  Being busy is good, but I still miss my little man.  We get up and get ready for work/school and ALWAYS have breakfast together.  Then, I take him to daycare and get to the design studio to work on orders and new designs for the website.  Diaper Cakes All Day Long!  I try to get home when my hubby gets there with my little man and we have playtime and then make dinner.  After that, more play time mixed with some diaper cake time until my son goes to bed and then time for hubby and more diaper cakes.  My husband and I are the only “employees” right now, so we do it ALL.  Who knew a fun little venture would turn into such a success!

04. What is your best piece of advice for fellow WAHMs?
Be prepared to grow.  I started doing this as something to do to pass the time and give me something to do during the day because being a first time mom, I THOUGHT I would have SPARE TIME.  Hahaha!  There is no “spare time” when you have a little one!  I wasn’t prepared for the success and didn’t know my “stay at home mom” business would turn into a full time job and I would have to put my son into daycare.  I did get to spend the first two years with him full time and I am thankful for it, but he loves his teacher and learns so much at school that I have to say I am impressed.  I know if he were still at home with me, I would not have much time to work with him and help him to learn the way he has at school with the business taking off.

05. The best part of being a WAHM? The worst?
I guess I am not a WAHM anymore, but the best thing was being home with my little man and the worst was realizing I was too busy with the business to give him the time/attention he deserves.

06. Favourite movie?
My favorite movie right now would have to be “Cars” since I have to watch it daily!

07. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In a successful business with several employees and more time with family.  Hopefully a couple more kids and time to stay at home with them when they are little as well.  The goal is to grow the business so that I have the opportunity to stay home with my kids and focus on them while also having a successful career and a “job” that I truly enjoy.

Check out Rattlecake website, blog & Facebook page! You can also follow @rattlecake on Twitter!

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Desiree Fawn is a blogger/doula from Ontario where she lives with her partner & daughter.
She blogs at So Fawned.
Follow @sofawned on Twitter!

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas For The WAHM

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, so I thought I’d put together a few gift ideas for all you hard working mamas! See anything that strikes your fancy?

01. Chickadee Delight Case: A super chic way to transport your lovely laptop.

02. Mother’s Knows Best Mug: What mama wouldn’t want to sip her morning jolt from this sweet little vessel?

03. Plumage Shade: I realize that a lamp shade might not seem like the best gift, but this pretty plumey delight is sure to bright up your home office to the nth degree!

04. Wine Of The Month Club Subscription: The perfect way to unwind after a productive day!

05. Cedar iPhone Dock: The perfect resting place for a busy mama’s best friend.

What’s on your WAHMother’s Day wish list?

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Desiree Fawn is a blogger/doula from Ontario where she lives with her partner & daughter.
She blogs at So Fawned.
Follow @sofawned on Twitter!

Featured Mom: Kid’s Personalized Music

This week we’re chatting with Victoria Blackney from Kid’s Personalized Music!

Tell us a little about yourself!
Hi, my name is Victoria Blackney and the women behind Kid’s Personalized Music. I am happily married to my husband of 31 years and I have 4 adult children and 6 grandchildren. In addition to running my business, I enjoy boating, gardening, reading and spending time with my grandchildren.

What lead you to creating your own business?
In the summer of 2007, I was searching for a business opportunity and coincidentally came across music that sang a child’s name in every song at a festival in South Florida. Needless to say, I was sold mentally and walked away with 6 full-length cds that mentioned my grandchildren’s names up to 98 times throughout. At that moment, I knew this is what I was looking for. Four years later, here I am providing the same inspirational, educational and positive messages for kids and adults of all ages!

What advice do you have for fellow WAHMs?
My biggest challenge is to be consistent with everyday marketing, even if it is handing out one business card, that’s one more person that knows what I offer. My easiest task is staying organized. I set my morning hours to business planning, scheduling show bookings, marketing, customer orders, correspondence and any necessary follow-up is generally done in the evening hours. Networking in any capacity is my primary form of advertising.
The one suggestion I may make if you are considering starting your own business, it is important to love what you do and be consistent. There are many times you will feel discouraged, just keep at it.

The best part of being a WAHM?
I am very blessed and very fortunate to be a work at home mom and wife as I enjoy the flexibility of my schedule.

Favourite Music? Book? Movie?
My favorite music is jazz and country. My bible is an everyday read and I can never get tired of watching “Pretty Women” and “Titanic”.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In 5 years I see myself continuing by spiritual path, enjoying great health for myself and my husband, and to remain active in my grandchildren’s lives.

Check out the Kid’s Personalized Music website & Facebook page! You can also follow @mykidsmusic on Twitter!

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Desiree Fawn is a blogger/doula from Ontario where she lives with her partner & daughter.
She blogs at So Fawned.
Follow @sofawned on Twitter!

Savvy Home Business Women: How Do They Do It?

Personal blogs are always my favourite spots to find inspiration — especially when it comes to learning about the lives and businesses of other women. This week I’d like to highlight three wonderfully savvy business women who have been kind enough to share some of the secrets to their success with their readers.

Making it Lovely‘s Nicole has always struck me as a wonderful example of a mama who’s kicking butt while running her home business. As the brains behind Pink Loves Brown, and her beautiful blog, I’m always inspired by her words. In 2010 she wrote a great post dedicated to showcasing a day in her life.

I’m taking us all the way back to 2009 for this post, because I feel that it’s incredibly useful and I’ve found myself going back to it time and time again, especially when I need a little boot of WAHM confidence! Girl’s Gone Child‘s Rebecca is full of wit and wisdom when it comes to conquering life as a work from home mama. (Now she’s doing it all with two beautiful — and two more on the way!)

Lastly, Kathleen (of Jeremy & Kathleen fame) isn’t a mama, but she is exceptionally busy with her freelance design business while managing several rental properties. Check out her wonderful post outlining the importance of keeping a to-do list, along with some valuable insight into her creative process.

Are you feeling inspired by these business savvy ladies? Do you see any tips that you might be able to work into your daily life?

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Desiree Fawn is a blogger/doula from Ontario where she lives with her partner & daughter.
She blogs at So Fawned.
Follow @sofawned on Twitter!

Featured Mom: Prospering Moms

This week we’re chatting with Gretchen Pritts from Prospering Moms! Gretchen teaches mompreneurs to “take control of their schedule so they can earn more and work less”. Like music to our ears!

Tell us a little about yourself!
I am married with 2 boys, 13 and 10.  I live in State College, PA, the home of Penn State University.  I love to spend time outside, read, cook, and garden.

What lead you to creating your own business?
I have always loved to help people.  I have a social work degree, but after about 9 years in the field, I was burned out.  I went on into Pharmaceutical sales, and really hated it.  I had a first hand experience at doing a job that was not true to who I was.  I did some research and discovered life coaching.  The rest is history.  I received my certification and began coaching in 2008.

Describe a typical day in the life of YOU!
I love my business and what I do.  My typical day consists of talking with mom business owners, and helping them create a successful business.  I typically talk with them on the phone, so I have several phone appts each day.  I also spend time at networking events, and time with other mom business owners, discussing the tricks to balancing a family and a  business.

What is your best piece of advice for fellow WAHMs?
When adding new things to your schedule whether personal or professional, be sure they fit in with your values.  When you have a schedule based on what is important to you, it doesn’t seem as overwhelming.

The best part of being a WAHM?
The passion I have for my business and the women I help.  The flexibility and ability to make my schedule work for me.

The worst?
Sometimes I can feel pretty lonely.  I have to schedule time in my day to get out of my house and see other people.

Favourite blog? Music? Book? Movie?
Blog: I love Sandi Krakowski. Music: I really love so many types of music, but most of my favorites come from the 60′s (besides BonJovi of course). Book:  Wow, that’s hard too… I have so many….Eat Pray Love, The Power of Now, and of course Twilight! Movie: Yeah, love movies too… French Kiss, Slumdog Millionaire, Sound of Music

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself doing lots of speaking at conferences for mom business owners.  I also see myself writing a book.

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Visit the Prospering Moms website, blog & Facebook page! You can also follow @prosperingmomz on Twitter!

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Desiree Fawn is a blogger/doula from Ontario where she lives with her partner & daughter.
She blogs at So Fawned.
Follow @sofawned on Twitter!

Moms In Business Unite: The Conference Series You Won’t Want To Miss!

Moms in Business Unite is all about promoting and support women and mom-owned businesses in the United States. This year they are offering five phenomenal conferences across the country to bring together business owners for a full-day educational experience! Complete with a keynote speaker, panel discusses, breakout sessions and more, this series is all about networking and taking your business to the next level!

MIBU invites you to take part in their incredible Inventor Showcase to find the best new product/service of the year! Here’s what you need to know:

Five to 10 women inventors local to each conference city (Atlanta, San Diego, Denver, Boston and Detroit) will be invited to showcase their new product or service and allow conference attendees to select the best new product or service of the year. Voting will occur at the conference, and the winner will be announced at the reception and in a post-conference press release. She will also be featured on the Moms in Business Unite website for a year.

Would you love to see a Mom Made That! mama win this competition? Amazing!

The fabulous folks at MIBU are also offering a special opportunity for business owners in San Diego and Boston with their new Mompreneur Grant!

For more info on the Inventor Showcase and Mompreneur Grant, please visit Moms in Business Unite.

How To Survive (And Thrive!) As A Work At Home Mom

Last week we chatted a bit about balance when it comes to life as a WAHM. After seeing some of your comments, I decided to stretch out my social media feelers to find out what some of my Twitter and Facebook pals had to offer in terms of advice for surviving (and thriving!) in a work from home environment.

Here’s what they had to say:

@MamaAndDoula tweeted: Set boundaries, many people assume I can drop my work to help them out, often I can but hate it being assumed, WAH is still work.

@gerlaugh offered: Set clear boundaries for work/play time, you’ll stress if you let that balance slide.

I’m sensing a trend! Boundaries (mental and physical) are certainly important to separating your mom-self and your business-self. While a mixing of the two is inevitable at some point, it’s best to keep them separate, but friendly! You don’t want your “selves” wrapped up in a struggle for attention.

@Bellabirth shared a tweet about just this: Time management! Set aside time to just do work and just do fam stuff, I got snowed when I intermingled the two.

It’s all about keeping a bit of distance between those two lives, yet doing so in a way which doesn’t create jealousy, frustration or resentment.

From Stephanie A: Have an office space with a door! And your PC should not function as a family comp. And make a to-do list each morning! These are my needs!

From Jill SK: Now that the kids are older, I have “office hours”… that means do not disturb mommy until 5:00 unless you or a sibling is on fire. Of course I am here if they need me, but they do not need to be under my feet every second of the day.

Another common theme that popped up was the idea of having an actual, physical space where you can can conduct your business, sans interruption. For example, in our house, my partner and I both share an office, and while our two year old isn’t 100% put off by a closed door, I can ofter hear her on the other side telling daddy, “Mama’s at work!”

A tip from Jill S: Have a schedule and a sense of humour….included in this schedule is when to STOP working each day – I find some nights I keep going after Charlie (daughter) goes to bed, rather than relaxing and taking time for me.

This piece of advice is so important. How many nights have you found yourself wide awake and working away into the wee hours of the morning? I know I’ve been guilty of this myself. Sometimes I feel as though I should be DOING something 24/7, and guilty if I sit down to spend time on myself  instead. If you have to, ask your partner or a friend to talk to you, or call you, every now and again to say, “Sit down, have a cup of tea, enjoy a moment of quiet, read a favourite book, watch something mindless on TV.” We all deserve moments of nothingness. It’s good for the soul, and you’d be surprised how refreshed you feel after an hour (or 20 minutes!) of R&R.

One last bit of wisdom:

Lacey M says: Go with the flow! Or you’ll stress yourself out!

Absolutely!

As moms I think we try very hard to control certain aspects of our lives so that they don’t get out of hand,but all to often it’s the tight rein we’re struggling to maintain which ends up constricting us and sucking the enjoyment out of life!

Know that you’re doing your best and be forgiving if things don’t turn out perfectly. Remember that a being happy mama is one of the best gifts we can give our children! We want to look back at these years with happiness and satisfaction — no regrets, no “if only”s!

Take care of yourself, know when to create boundaries and when all else fails, keep smiling and don’t give up!

Wishing you all a fabulously productive day!

Share your WAHM savvy tips in the comments! We’d love to hear from you!

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Desiree Fawn is a blogger/doula from Ontario where she lives with her partner & daughter.
She blogs at So Fawned.
Follow @sofawned on Twitter!

Photo via My Girl Thursday.

Featured Mom: Accessories By Maya

We’re starting a new feature here on the Mom Made That! blog! Each week we’ll be interviewing one of our lovely listers to give you an inside peek at their business, daily life & inspirations! This week we’re chatting with Maya Cooper, the brilliant mama behind Accessories By Maya.

Tell us a little about yourself!
I am a Mom of two little girls, Helena 23 months and Sienna 2 months old. My husband Joe and I have been married for 4 years. We recently moved back to MI from Los Angeles after 11 years to be closer to our families. After working in sales for over 10 years, I decided to be a stay at home Mom when my daughter Helena was born. I enjoy healthy cooking, scrapbooking, and spending quality time with my family.

What lead you to creating your own business?
I have always had a creative side and started thinking about various baby items I could make. I always loved buying hair accessories for Helena and wanted to make something that was different and unique. I decided to make hair clips using feathers and after receiving a lot of compliments, I wanted to share my styles with everyone.

Describe a typical day in the life of YOU!
I take care of my two little ones, a lot of diaper changes, feedings and play time I make hair accessories during nap time and at night.

What is your best piece of advice for fellow WAHMs?
Organization is the key!

The best part of being a WAHM?
I get to spend most of my time with my kids!

Favourite blog? Music? Book? Movie?
Music: Everything but Country, Book: Stolen Lives, Movie: A Bronx Tale

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
We are planning to move back to Los Angeles so I plan on growing my business and have my accessories in various boutiques. Maybe have baby number 3

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You can visit Maya’s website, find her on Facebook or follow @AccessoriesByMC on Twitter!

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Desiree Fawn is a blogger/doula from Ontario where she lives with her partner & daughter.
She blogs at So Fawned.
Follow @sofawned on Twitter!

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