Lookie Boo / The House That Etsy Built

Awhile ago I was contacted by Lookie Boo about a project they were doing. They asked Etsy shops for products for their new home, and it would be featured on their website. I thought it would be a great idea to kind of get "Augie & Lola" out there, and especially the fabric that was designed for me by Ross Trimmer. 

I agreed to do it and wasn't sure what to expect. I had seen a few sneak peaks on their website and I was getting really excited. 

They had pictures done on April 1st and they should all be on their website soon! But here are a few that I got from Tiffany. 

I am really jealous of their kids room and when we move (because yes, we just found out the owners of our house want to sell, so we have to move!) I am going to decorate Augie & Lola's room really cute!

PS. I have their kids names! Jude & Ruby, SO CUTE!

And to find out who made the cute pillows, visit Lookieboo.com

Photos by: Vida Mia Photography

rotary cutter got me

I know I've really slacked on this whole blog thing.. but to be honest, I'm not a bloggy person. But I thought I'd try again....

So I've had a really busy beginning of the year. I had done very jane after very jane after very jane.. and then right as I was done with the last one, I did MooLaLa consignment boutique. AND all while doing that, I had etsy orders to fulfill. AND then, in three-ish weeks, I have The Stitch Market, and then at the end of May, the Arroyo Grande Strawberry Festival. YES I AM BUSY.
The bad thing about being busy is I forget about all the household things that need to be done.
So let's back up..
SUNDAY..aka...day from hell. I was cutting fabric with a rotary cutter, that I probably should have used scissors for... yada yada.. SLICE. I completely cut the top right portion of my left thumb nail and the tip of it. THANK GOD MATT WAS HOME! The second I did it, I grabbed my thumb with my right hand and yelled to Matt "I CUT MY THUMB...I CUT IT REALLY BAD!" I ran into the bathroom and he went to get a paper towel. I sat on the toilet just crying because I was really mad at myself, and yes, it hurt, really bad. I HEARD it cut through my nail (and later we found my nail with flesh under it on the table). Thankfully my best friend lives behind me (literally), and she's a nurse. She took me to the urgent care here in AG.. and it was closed.. even though they said they close at 5, and it was only 4:30! THANKFULLY Danielle's dad is a doctor, so we went to his house and he wrapped it all up for me.
So you think that's bad?
Next day... Danielle came over to help me change the dressing on my thumb.. but the gauze was STUCK ON MY FLESH! After thinking long and hard about what to do, she said she would pull it off if I wanted her to.. so that's what we did. I told August I was going into his room and he would probably hear me scream, but that I'm ok. So we walked in there.. I grabbed a towel and my wrist.. I told Danielle to just do it.. and seconds later she did. I thought to myself, I gave birth.. this is nothing.. I was wrong. It burnt/hurt SO bad.
We wrapped it up after the bleeding stopped, I took lots of advil and tylenol to help with the pain!
Side note - same day, I got a call from our property management company, the owner has decided to sell the house, so we have to move!!!!
Yesterday I was able to use my rotary cutter again.. scary.
Today I wore just a band aid and tape over it, I just have to be really careful not to hit the tip of my thumb.. because I did twice this morning and I just about pooped myself.
Really long story short - be careful!

So back to my point of household things .. since I haven't worked on any orders, and haven't sewn in almost 5 days, I realized how much I haven't done around the house. I don't know if it's because we are going to have to start packing and keep the house extra clean for when it is shown to potential buyers.. but I looked at each room and said.. CLEAN. So I started with the bathroom. The shower is old and gross, so it's hard to make it look clean, I clean it, but it's still stained and gross looking, but I know it's clean! I did ALL the laundry, that's a miracle. I also organized mine and Matt's room, and made sure all the toys were picked up when Matt got home.
I think when I start back up with working (tomorrow) that I need to set a schedule for house work so I don't let it get like this again. Don't think my house is a disaster, it's not, my husband wouldn't allow it! But there are times when I let the laundry pile up until there's 10 loads.. or I don't clean the shower every week, but I do vacuum almost every other day!
Anyway... this is a really long & pointless post, but I felt like writing about it!!!!

busy.

I haven't really had time to blog lately, I have been so busy. I thought that January and February would be kind of slow months, but I was so wrong. In the last 12 days, I have had 4 less orders than the whole month of December! I am also gearing up for The Spotted Whale Consignment Event (Feb. 22-24), as well as the Strawberry Festival (May 26-27) and possibly another consignment event the first part of April. Not only am I doing all that, but I am still doing Very Jane! I have only signed up for two more, I don't want to do any near the Strawberry Festival because I will be trying to get as much inventory for that as possible.

On the sewing side of things, I made Lola a pair of leggings! I also have been making more zipper pouches, and a new knotted headband.

On the fabric side of things...I am going to start carrying Amy Butler, Joel Dewberry, and soon Michael Miller! I am really excited about this!!! I started out using a lot of Michael Miller and then fell in love with Ann Kelle/Robert Kaufman, and since I have an account with them, I was ordering a lot of their fabric. But now that I will be carrying Michael Miller, things are going to get crazy!

I have to go pick up turd number 1 from school now, while turd number 2 destroys all my thread.... ah!

Have a wonderful day!

SO GOOD. SO TRUE

http://www.handsfreemama.com/2012/05/07/how-to-miss-a-childhood/

READ THIS IF YOU ARE A MOM/PARENT/GRANDPARENT....

i'm human.

The last 24 hours have been a crazy roller coaster of emotions. Yesterday afternoon I just felt really overwhelmed with so many things, business & personal. I was talking to my mom and just broke down crying. My mom lives in Colorado and it is really hard not having her here, or even some what close to me. I haven't lived in the same state as my parents in 10 years! TEN!
I think with how busy I am (which I am NOT complaining at all) and raising a really crazy 18 month old and a very stubborn almost 4 year old... things built up and got to me. I am usually strong enough to hold everything in and not let it get the best of me, but yesterday I was done.
I cried while talking to my mom, I cried again while talking to my friends. Then I came home from dinner with my friends and cried while taking to my husband. And yes, as I'm writing this, I have tears rolling down my face! I know that in a few days, everything will be back to normal. I get like this every 6 months. Every 6 months I have a few days of cry fest. This time is different though. This time, I have a business to run. So as my therapy, instead of sewing, I am working on my website.
I decided to switch servers, I guess that is what they are called. I was using goodsie.com, but now I am using shopify.com, and already I love it so much more. It is way more user friendly I think.

In other news, my fabric that I designed came! I really love it, but I don't know what I want to do with it!
Also, my dear friend Aymie has been working so hard to help me redesign my logo and what she has worked up is awesome. I love it.

Well, now I'm off to work on the website

ooops.

So my sales taxes are due tomorrow and I thought it was as simple as entering a number... yeah I was wrong, it's like entering 20 numbers...that I don't know!
There is so much more to owning/running a business than what I thought. Not only do I create, sew, package, email, list, buy... I have to deal with taxes. Thank goodness by aunt not only helps with sewing, but is a bookkeeper!
I really need to have a better system this year.

On another note, my friend Aymie has created an amazing new logo for me and I can't wait to put it on everything!

I also decided to do a consignment event.. IN 3 WEEKS.
AM I NUTS? Yes, I am.

I need to go to bed now...hopefully I can sleep with this tax stress taking over my thoughts!!!!

Giveaway!

give-A-way!

Want to win a $20 gift card to the shop? 

All you have to do is leave a comment about what new item(s) you would like to see available from Augie & Lola. Don't forget to leave your email so I can notify you if you win! 

Entry must be in by January 31st, 9:00PM/PT
Winner will be chosen on February 1st!

*gift card can not be used towards tax or shipping. open to US residents only*

who am I you ask?

Want to know a little more about me, the person behind "augie & lola"? Well even if you don't, I'm going to list ten random facts about me, that maybe you didn't know!

Here we go:

1. I ran away from home when I was 17, didn't graduate high school, but took my GED in 2010 and passed with flying colors.

Chicago Cubs/Wrigley Field/Carlos Zambrano

2. I LOVE sports. I'm a huge baseball (Cubs), football (49ers & Bears), and college basketball (Ohio State or any Big 10 team!) fan. I also love racing. My family has history in racing, my grandfather & uncle have both raced in the Indy 500!

3. I've lived in California, Arizona, and Illinois.

4. I got my first 3 tattoos when I was 17 and they are HORRIBLE. The two on my legs are covered up, and the one on my back I just pretend like it isn't there!

Matt & I, Arizona, 2003

5. I met my husband on notpopular.com and I knew I was going to marry him the second I saw his profile. We talked over the internet/phone for a year before we met in person. We started dating in 2003, got engaged in 2005 and married in 2006!

I was laugh/crying while saying our vows. It was really funny.

6. I love driving. I'm a HORRIBLE back seat driver and I know it.

7. I'm Portuguese.

8. My favorite show of all time is I Love Lucy. If I had to pick a show I watch now.. there's just too many. I really enjoy watching Survivor, Amazing Race, New Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Modern Family, PARENTHOOD!, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, So You Think You Can Dance, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Person of Interest, Criminal Minds, CSI.. yeah I like t.v!

9. I LOVE mexican food more than any other food!

10. I've never been outside the country and I have no desire to. The farthest east I have been is Pennsylvania.

AH!

So, I ordered 5 yards of my fabric, and it should be here early next week, so I am starting to list some things on etsy, including this TODDLER bib! I decided to add a size, instead of just a baby bib. I made this bib for Ross' son, and since he's not a baby, I thought a toddler bib would be best for him. Then I thought, well if I'm making him a toddler bib, I should just sell them in my shop!
I will also be listing a zipper pouch and as soon as I have the 5 yards, a BLANKET! Ah. I am excited.

Very Jane!

And today starts day 1 of my next Very Jane deal! The dreaded PACI CLIPS! The first time I did these, I got REALLY sick and it was horrible, the second time I did them, I was out of town for a week, so I'm hoping third times a charm, that I won't get sick (even though everyone around me is!) and I don't have any plans to go out of town. PLUS, one of my best friends has already started helping me! So I'm hoping this deal turns out great, and that shipping time is sooner than expected!
Almost all of the blankets from the last Very Jane deal done. Only have to pin/sew 40 more, which is really great, because they will all be out BEFORE the 4 week mark!
Here's the link to this deal:

http://veryjane.com/deal/2300/pacificer-clips--chevron-ombre-dots

And forget to check out my etsy shop!
www.etsy.com/shop/augieandlola

cha cha cha changes...

So my friend Aymie was over after Christmas and we were talking about my website and designs and stuff.. she's a graphic designer and I envy her talent.
Anyway, she helped me fix some things on my website and then told me that she's going to change my logo. This is my second logo, and although I love it, I realized putting this bright crazy logo on everything...is going to be hard. So now I'm going for a more simple but fun look. My dear friend Anni has helped me with so much of my design stuff, creating and sending me files for everything, including business cards, thank you tags, etc. I am sad that I won't be using her creations any more..but I know changing my logo yet again is something I need to do before the year is over.. I know, it is only January, but do you even know how fast time goes now?!

Aymie sent me a few designs and I really liked a few of them. I am slowly starting to make changes with everything I do. When I first opened my etsy shop, I was all about cute cheesy fabric and I didn't care who made it..then the more I started really learning about fabric, designers, what I was doing.. I cared about more things. I started to only buy nice quality fabric, designers that I can learn about. It is really weird that think that I know NOTHING about fashion, but ask me about fabric designers, and I just might know a thing or two!
Anyway.. so I was really all about baby. Baby bibs, burp cloths, shoes and blankets. Yes, I started with SHOES, but I rarely do them now.
I knew that when Lola got a little older, I was going to get sick of "baby", even though I didn't even make her too many things!
So the time has come where I make the transition from all baby, into baby & moms (aka everyone). I am starting to make wet bags, that yes, are mostly used for moms who cloth diaper, but can also be used as a make up bag for a 17 year old, or 50 year old! I want my focus to be on everyone and not just moms with babies. I'm making box pouches, that can be used for anything by anyone.
I will always carry baby items, but I want to expand, and that my friends is what I'm doing.

I am so tired. I didn't do any sew/work tonight, except list these things on etsy:

what ARE hard day, part 2. Maybe I should proof read.

So today actually wasn't hard, but I thought it was funny that I had no idea I made an error in my title on my last post.

Today, was a good day. Although August didn't eat dinner (wheat spaghetti, sauce and turkey meatballs), he didn't argue as much as he did yesterday.

My aunt & I got a lot done, my cousin came over to pick up minky for bibs, she traces them out and pins them, it's a huge help.

Before I sat down I was cutting minky for tomorrows marathon of washing it all. Probably over 75 yards. It's nuts. AND tomorrow I'm receiving 71 pounds of fabric. That's like a lot...haha.

We are half way done with Very Jane orders, thank you lord! But I will be doing two more deals in the next 4 weeks! WHAT?! I know, I'm crazy. But I have big dreams and goals this year and working with Very Jane will help those come true!

Now back to work... or bed, I don't know yet!

What are hard day.

Today, oh today. I woke up, everything was fine. Then as I got moving, my mind was overflowing with crazy. The past few weeks I have had some ideas, thoughts, dreams, goals.. but the problem is.. they are filling my mind and making me crazy. I want to attack so many things, but I already have so many things going, that I can't do them all at once and it is making me go crazy.
I want to add new things to the etsy shop, I want to update all my listings, I want to make things for the Strawberry Festival, I want to focus more on the fabric shop, I want to prepare for the next Very Jane deal even though I'm still working on the blankets! It's too much for me to think about and today I lost it.
I called my aunt to talk to her about it, I think I just needed to vent. She understands what I'm talking about because she is with me 2-3 days a week sewing, plus she sews at home for me. Yes, I don't do all this by myself, my aunt is a huge part, and my cousin has stepped in to start helping too.

Anyway, she said to just write everything down, make a dead line for things, and then do ONE at a time until I've reached a point where I can't move forward and then move onto the next item. So I made a list for today, and I feel better, even though I haven't finished one thing on the list! I will finish, I will be up late finishing!

On another note..my husband is hardly ever in a bad mood, and tonight..he was rotten! It's weird when he's rotten, because usually he just keeps to himself. He snapped on August for making annoying noises (which I would have snapped too, but I was just laughing because he hardly ever gets mad at August). Speaking of August, he's a HORRIBLE eater, so we have decided to start the "YOU EAT WHAT WE EAT FOR DINNER"... tonight was not fun, it was 8:45 and he still didn't eat. He asked for a PB&J, and I said no, not until he eats the dinner that I made him. He kept asking and I would not give in. He also was really tired, which makes him really emotional. Finally he stepped and sat with Matt on the chair and fell asleep. I hope tomorrow night goes better, I'm going to make spaghetti... I know he won't want it, but I hope after tonight he will at least TRY it!

Ok and enough. I'm ready to work, just wish I had some fake coffee aka caramel macchiato.

It's here!

Today was a crazy mail day. The mailman had 5 boxes, 2 packages and a bill. I was so confused why there was SO much. Then I realized most of it was boxes for shipping, and fabric I had ordered to finish my Very Jane deal.. but I was NOT expecting the fabric from SPOONFLOWER!
I was freaking out, ripping the package open in front of the mailman in my doorway.
I was SO excited, SO SO SO excited.

So I love it. But we are going to make a few changes. First, the background color is going to be lighter, and second, I'm going to make the print smaller. I might do a "large" print for blankets and bigger items, and then a "small" print for bibs, zippered pouches and smaller items. 

So many have asked.... did YOU design this? So here goes the long version of a short story. I know a guy, Jason, who knows a guy Ross, both are tattoo artist. Jason I know personally and he's done a few tattoos on me. I do not personally know Ross, but only his pictures through Instagram (he's from Richmond, so I have never met him). Anyway, Ross is an owner of a boston terrier, so I added him on Instagram. One day, his wife went into labor and he ordered a sheep bib from me. So I went to his etsy shop and saw he had this really cool wall art:

I was in love with it!

So flash forward to about a month/two months ago. I really started thinking about how I wanted to design fabric, but I have NO drawing/painting skills. My stick figures are even horrible. So I thought about maybe asking a few artist if they would want to work together with me. The first person I thought of was Ross, and his amazing ABC nursery art. I contacted him through Instagram, and then we had a few emails back and forth and then a phone call. I always get weird when I talk to people on the phone that I have never met before. I get nervous and can't talk right, it's really weird. 

So we discussed some ideas and he got to work. He would send me updates on the painting, and every time I saw the progress I knew it was going to be amazing. 

So about a week ago he was done, scanned it, and sent me the finished painting. I received the painting, the same day he sent me the file to upload to spoonflower. Thankfully, my friend Aymie was visiting and was able to help me! So we uploaded it, messed around with sizing, and then I submitted my order. It took about 2 weeks and now I have it!

I can't wait until we get the color and sizing correct. I think about all the things I want to make with it. 

So now we are onto planning the next design. I have a few ideas...just waiting until we get the first one finalized. 

So did I design this fabric, no I personally didn't paint it/design it. But this fabric is only to be used for Augie & Lola products. So is it my fabric, yes it is, and I'm so dang excited. 

Ships in 4 business day.

Why the title you ask? Because the fabric I ordered from spoonflower, that I had someone design for me, yes design for me because I know NOTHING about that, is going to ship in FOUR days! So hopefully by next week I will have my sweet little hands on it.

I have so many things I want to do and I feel like everyday goes by so fast that I'm running out of time to do them! But then I have to step back, and think.. I need to take it slow, enjoy what I have NOW, enjoy my kids at the crazy age they are at, screaming, running around the house, giving me a headache... ha.. I need to relax, not too much, but enough to take in the sweet things in life. I feel like I am a workaholic when I am home, yes I'm home with my kids, but it i different, and it is very hard to be a working stay at home mom.

Anyway, if you start reading this blog, you will realize that
1. I am slightly crazy
2. I talk a lot
3. I get side tracked a lot.. see above, I was talking about fabric, then I went on to talking about time and my kids!

Back to the fabric. I wanted something different, something fun, something ME! So I asked Ross Trimmer (you can find him on etsy and instagram and probably by googling his name, he's a tattoo artist in richmond) to create something. He had already made this really cool ABC print, but he changed it up a bit and made it a one of a kind for augie & lola. It is amazing. When I received the painting in the mail, I became all giddy. It is currently sitting on the bookcase below this AMAZING wood work that my friend Aymie designed (www.neighborwoodmaps.com). It is the city of Chicago, carved onto a piece of wood, so detailed and amazing. We lived in Chicago for 4 years (my husband lived in Illinois until we moved in 2007) until we moved back to where I am from, good ol' California! But I had the best 4 years in Chicago (best & worst!) so seeing it on my wall everyday brings a smile to my face, and knowing my best friend designed it, makes me even happier!

Anyway, see I'm way off subject here.
Currently I am working on my very jane deal that ended on the 27th of December. So far, my aunt and I are about 1/4 of the way done. I haven't gotten sick this deal (THANK GOD, because I have the last two deals!) and we planned a head, a little. I am planning my next deal either next week or the following week. YES, I am crazy, but the sales from the very jane deals will help with the inventory I need to build up for the STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL. I have been debating whether or not to do it, but I really really want to, and maybe I will hate it or maybe I will love it! We shall see in May!

And I'm tired, so here's to hopefully one of many late night blog posts.

3rd day of 2013

So last night I was talking to my friend Erin (her sewing blog) and telling her how I need to utilize my blog more and stop posting so much on facebook. I feel like I can get more personal on my blog and build relationships with other people. I am in NO WAY a "blogger", but more of a person that likes to share my ideas, my goals, dreams, daily life and build friendships with people I don't know!
So here is a start to something new and hopefully I last longer than 2 posts!
I will begin sharing my new etsy items, as well as ideas, Very Jane deals, coupon codes, daily life with augie & lola (and my husband, cat, and dog), and just be ME.

*August 19th, celebrating 6 years of marriage and my very first Vespa ride!*