Name Time

Phew! I forgot how much work this is to get a new biz going. I feel like I'm starting from scratch. I have the existing business but do I keep the Mamas and Munchkins, LLC name and then add the new website as a subsidiary? Do I re-register? I really like the name Urbane but it's taken so I'm trying to come up with something that will be simple, clean, professional, UN-cheesy, not too specific so I don't out grow it, easy to remember and spell. Bella Urbane? I like that. Urbane Bella?

I've been working away on my main concept necklace - most don't have the finishings on them. I need to get the name straightened out and then order some vanity tags, I think that will give them a certain polish. Here are some pictures:

Fun with Gemstones!

I'm having so much fun beading. I'm LOVING Tuff-Cord, I just ordered some in every color. It doesn't stretch or fray and it's strong. I'm doing a lot of knotting and it's perfect for that. I received some gorgeous amethysts, turquoise, garnets and swarovski crystals/pearls today - they are absolutely beautiful.

I've decided to use my husbands theory for buying kids clothing for my new collection, he won't buy anything he wouldn't wear himself. I'm having fun with the crocheted wire as well and making lots of strands. Pictures tomorrow if the light cooperates. I need to find someone who can take pictures well because photograhy isn't my thing at ALL.

I've named my collections Bella for the tin cup style necklaces with gemstones and pearls and Grace for the crocheted strands of beaded silver. I need to get them up in the shop (www.mamasandmunchkins.com) first I suppose I need to add a jewelry category!

more tomorrow.

Jewelry!

Pictures of some of the jewelry Krista and I put together:

Turns out Krista is very talented, she can pretty much figure out anything by just looking at it!

The bottom necklace is my Bella necklace, I plan to make these for women and little girls in different sizes, varying the color of the silk and the types/styles of beads. I'm no photographer but I'll take pictures of some of those we put together when it's light again. I'm really happy with them. I'll put a few in the shop to see how they do.

Day Two

I have taught myself how to crochet and how to knit over the years. I've decided I'd like to add beadwork to that and my daughters have decided to join me. Hours were spent today at Studio Beads in Deerfield figuring out how to add clasps to the jewelry we put together the last 24 hours. Peanut is very good, Bear is working on learning how to string. I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post them. Perhaps we can put some in the shop and see what happens?

Speaking of the shop, the Munchkins corproration is working towards making me change the name of my shop, they state that mamasandmunchkins.com is a trademark violation. I wasn't aware that they sold diaper bags and such but I'm simply a SAHM who does NOT have the money to fight millions of dollars Corporate America with their paid-per-hour lawyers who are looking for companies to put under and out of their google search way. There is absolutely NO way I could have taken any business from them with my tiny shop and NO way anyone would have mistaken me for them. I have to respond to their complaint made to the World Intellectual Property Organization by the 30th and then a mediator will let me know in 14 days what will happen to my name. Fun stuff right? I'll know soon if I'll have to start over on everything my family and I have worked towards in our venture the past couple of years.

Every 10 years

Someone once told me that every ten years your life changes. After reflecting on that statement I've decided that I believe that to be true, excepting the first 5 years of life which you can't really remember anyway. From 5-15 I was in my parents world and I pretty much did what they said, for the most part. From 16-25 I was feeling out the world on my "own". I left for college when I was 17, met my first husband when I was 19, moved to Chicago after graduating and got my first real job. From 26-35 I got married, had two children and got a divorce, changing companies but not careers. From 36-44 I had the opportunity to explore the world on my own again being single, enjoying a long distance relationship, beginning a new career chapter as a global sales director traveling all over the world, got married again, had two more children and then found the strength (or was it weakness) to leave my career (but that's a very separate story I've never been ready to discuss), and I opened my online shop. Phew! That last one was a biggee. This is the beginning of my next chapter.

Where do I go and what will I do? I was thinking of that when I came up with the title of this blog. I decided at this age I better be more careful, more thoughtful and watch the decade unfurl. My eldest will be going to college in 7 months, two more are in High School and the littlest littles are still in elementary school. The economy is still in a downturn - or maybe a standstill at this point, it's so hard to tell. The concrete construction industry is in complete turmoil and no one seems to know which way is up. Let the games begin...