Bijoux Designs Blog (2009-06-22)
July 09, 2009
As part of the Busy Moms Etsy Team campaign, Bijoux Designs at www.bijouxdesignsforyou.blogspot.com published an interview piece on the aspects of managing an etsy store while being a busy mom,
http://bijouxdesignsforyou.blogspot.com/2009/06/check-out-this-busy-mom-grace-hester.html
Products shown are:
The Modern French Numbers Print
The Personalized Silhouette Papercut of a Little Boy
The Ani-3 Set.
Check out this Busy Mom-Grace Hester
Be sure to stop by her shop here, she's having a great special over the next couple of days! You can tweet with Grace here and she has a lovely blog so be sure to visit.
Tell me a bit about your mommy life:
I have two girls, a 4-year-old and a 14-month-old who make me laugh constantly. I work full-time in a corporate environment in a global function so I do get to travel a little, although not so much so lately since most companies are cutting back. My husband of 8 years and I have a good daily routine going which keeps everyone sane and calm. I usually work on my etsy business after the girls have gone to bed. I live on my iphone as it is the key tool that helps me stay productive and organized.
Tell me a bit about your shop and your creations:
I have been an etsy buyer since 2008 but really only picked up on my etsy store about 2 months ago. So far, I have been focused on creating artwork and prints that feature silhouettes of children and animals. The items people have shown most interest in so far have been the “My Daddy Is . . . “ and “My Mommy Is . . . “prints, the alphabet and numbers print in different languages, and the solo prints of animals with their English and another language.
What is interesting is that offline, the silhouette papercut artwork are what people gravitate towards because visually, they are so striking and unique. However, they do not seem to do well on etsy so I am looking for feedback from anyone on how I can translate their appeal onto etsy.
Any time saving tips for juggling a business and motherhood?
Deliberate planning and prioritizing of tasks may seem like such a drag on time but it is so important to take the time to do so, so that you are not chasing the next idea or jumping into creativity mode without thinking through where to best spend your time.
I find that actually writing down your desired outcomes in very specific words and breaking down the steps to get to that outcome, really helps you allocate your time accordingly and in a focused manner. Ticking off each mini task really encourages you to work on the next step without getting distracted, and in most cases, will “force” you to only work on those tasks during non-family hours since you have already assigned them.
(This methodology is an adaptation of a very popular productivity program called the GTD (or Getting Things Done) system, look up the creator David Allen or GTD online for more information)
Fun Stuff:
Coffee, tea or hot chocolate?
Coffee in the morning
Tea for rest of the day
Chocolate when I am treating myself
I am addicted to….
My family, good design, and learning new things
If you could have one super power….
Clone myself so I can get more done
If I were to catch you grooving it would be to…
Backyardigans with my girls, R&B music on my iPhone, or just anything by that darn catchy Lady Gaga!
