Hard Work.

I am a Work At Home Mom.



I work HARD. Every day. All day.



I do not punch a timecard. I get no sick days. I get no vacation days. I can't leave early if I'm tired, or go in late if I've had a rough night.



My jobs are plentiful. I do the laundry. I fold tiny clothes and put them away. I make beds. I dust. I vacuum. I cook. I take out the trash. I empty the dishwasher. I clean toilets and showers. I scrub floors.



I help with homework. I organize school functions. I chauffer. I kick around soccer balls. I play catch. I fix tutus. I demonstrate cartwheels.



But I also read stories. I kiss boo boos. I tuck little ones in at night. I give hugs. I wipe away tears.





On top of all that, I run my own business. I work from the privacy and comfort of my own home. I make my own schedule. I can work in my pajamas.



But I am always available for my customers. I do not have a closing time. I respond to questions almost immediately, regardless of the day of the week or time of day.



I have worked hard for the last seven years to build my business up from the ground. I have built a client base. I have bent over backwards to make customers happy. I have lost money in some transactions, made money in others, but most of them I just break even.



At the end of the day, I can look at myself in the mirror and I am happy with who I am. My kids are happy with who I am. My husband is happy with who I am.



While I love my customers, my designer friends, and all of the people who I have befriended on this long, crazy road, my family are the ones who matter in the end.



I understand that not everyone will always appreciate my humor. I understand that sometimes people will be rubbed the wrong way. I understand that no matter what I do or say, I cannot please all people all the time. It's just not humanly possible. I don't ever set out to hurt anyone's feelings, regardless of what they set out to do to me.



I'd like to think that I'm super-human. I'd like to think that I'm invincible, and that no one can touch me or hurt me.



But that's just not true. I am just as human as all of you. I bleed, I get hurt, I cry.





This long, crazy road is still going. I will continue to follow it. I would love for you all to continue along it with me. But please recognize that I am not infallible. I am not perfect.



I am just a mom.



And that's hard work.

Is Target hiring?

So here's the thing about custom-made boutique clothing- it's 'expensive'.



Yup. I've said it. Go ahead. Start the rioting now.



Is it worth the price? Should you really pay 3 or 4 or even 5 times as much for an outfit as you would at Walmart or Target?



To help out a little, let me break it down for you.





Walmart and Target mass-produce their items. They are made in a factory somewhere in China or Vietnam or Singapore. Probably by an underage child who is getting paid half of minimum wage. It costs these retailers approximately 37 cents (27 cents in materials costs, and 10 cents in labor costs) to produce a single shirt, and the average child's shirt sells for about $8.



For argument's sake, let's say that the average Target store sells about 50 of one shirt design. There are over 4,700 Target stores currently operating in the US. That means that there are about 235,000 (give or take a few thousand) of that identical shirt sold in the US. Which means there 235,000 little boys or girls walking around wearing that shirt.



It cost Target $86,950 to produce those shirts, and they sold for $1,880,000. Subtract out the production costs, and Target makes almost 1.8 MILLION dollars JUST ON THAT SINGLE CHILD'S SHIRT!!! I'll let your mind wander about how many different shirt designs are offered in a single store, let alone the pants, skirts, dresses....



So, you could go to Walmart or Target and purchase a cute shirt and a cute skirt for about $25 total. We can subtract about $2 across the board for operating costs and employee pay, and it costs that store about $1 total to make it. That's a 730% markup you're paying. And you're supporting the economy of China or Vietnam or Singapore.

Go you.



Now let's think about a custom-made boutique-style shirt & skirt set.



First of all, they're made right here in the US. This particular boutique is located in Webster, NY.
I'm going to use an outfit I finished recently as an example for number purposes only.



The materials for that outfit cost me $26. Packaging materials and shipping costs will run me another $9. My total out-of-pocket costs are at $35 (and that does not include the gas to get to the stores to purchase the materials and to get to the post office to mail the final package).



I am selling the outfit for $85. No tax. No shipping. Just plain old $85.



Subtract my costs of $35, and that brings it down to $50.  So a $50 profit is a markup of 113%.


But wait!


It took me just over 7 hours to complete that outfit. No one else. I had no help (other than the occassional child running through the room dragging blankie on the floor and sweeping pieces away with him). Take that $50 'profit', divide it by those 7 hours, and I made about $7.14/hour.



What's minimum wage in NY?



Oh yeah, $7.25.



So I'm making LESS than minimum wage.





But when they wear the outfit I created, or any other custom-made outfit, your child will be the ONLY one wearing it. You won't send them in for school pictures, only to get the class photo back and see 2 other girls wearing the same dress. You won't wander down the street to the playground and see another child in the same outfit. It's yours, and yours alone.



Isn't that worth paying a work-at-home mom less than minimum wage?




I hope so.  Otherwise, we'll have to go get a job at Target.

Busy Bees!

One of these days, I'd like to be the kind of girl who gets on here and blogs every day.  Maybe that should be my "May Resolution". 

Except that my life is pretty mundane.  Humdrum.  Ordinary, even!

But not when I sew.  That's MY time.  My creative outlet.  My way for that tiny little part of me that's not just "MOMMY" to shine.

And I've had some SUPER CUTE upcycle designs lately!

Just look at this cute little Angry Birds dress!!!

What are those birds so angry about anyway?





I bet it's hard to be angry when you're THAT cute!








And how about this awesome Ariel dress?!

Life is just bubbly under the sea!





And full of seaweed.







But my childhood favorite tops it all for me- Rainbow Brite!

Starlight, Rainbow Brite, a little wish on the moonlight...





Sunbeams, sparkle and shine, you'll always be a friend of mine!








Aren't they so much fun?! 


Of course, I still LOVE making these boutique-style sets as well.  Like this little Easter outfit, made for egg hunting!

           Aren't those tushy ruffles just TOO MUCH!?



This elegant and sparkly Cinderella dress for a special little princess heading to Disney is a favorite!

Yup, that's my little guy in the background.




Nope, I wouldn't let him try on the dress (even though he asked nicely).







So, I have been BUSY! 

But I promise to check in more often.  At least every other month.  Pinky swear.