Designing Prints

When I first started Bubele, I created my own print files using Photoshop and 2 simple patterns: polka dots & stripes. I taught myself how to use Photoshop by searching for tutorials online for what my needs were. When you are designing prints for clothing, you need to make sure you 1. Create a seamless pattern 2. Figure out what size you want the print to repeat. I would always start with a 5 x 5 inch square in Photoshop with a resolution of 350 pixels/inch. You need your prints to be in high resolution for the company printing your fabric! You can always save in a lower resolution after if you need it for your website.

After a couple seasons, I knew I needed a wider variety of prints so I started purchasing prints from sites like istock Photo. Some of my most popular selling prints came from here, like this Floral pattern or these Animal Prints. If you don't like the colors in the print file, you can change them in photoshop, but I suggest using Adobe Illustrator where it is easier (more on that later).

There are many sites now where you can buy stock patterns (just make sure they are seamless). I have several hundred print files saved that I have not even used yet! I wait until a stock photo site has a deal and gives away free credits and download my favorites! Tip: start organizing your prints in files now because it is easy to lose track! Most sites allow you to go into your download history if you do lose track- see below :)

Websites

This is a very expensive mistake I have seen many people make! I did not have thousands to pay someone to create a website for me so I taught myself what was needed to do it myself. Back when I started, there were not very many options for free websites and built in templates. I taught myself HTML, CSS, MySQL, and learned how to use Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Now, you can build a website for free without any knowledge how it all works, but I think it's still important to know the basics so that you can tweak your template how you want (more on that later).

When I first started, I used Zen Cart which is totally free and has free templates. This is where html and CSS came in handy because I did not like the look and feel of the free templates. There are also premium templates that you can pay for and install. 

If you only have 1 or 2 products, you may consider using Wordpress. You can create a free website easily and there are quite a few free templates to get you started. Don't worry how "simple" your site will look at first! A nice clean design will attract your customers :) One feature I do like about Wordpress is the built in SEO right out of the box. 

Domains: You can find domains super cheaper (as low as $2.99 I have found) but be warned, you pay for what you get! Many of these companies that offer those super low prices make it very difficult for you to direct your domain to where you want to host it (if you chose to host at another company). I use Dreamhost both for domain registration and hosting. It's only $8.95 a month to host as many domains as you want! I have used other companies to register a domain but did not like their hosting plans and would have to wait several weeks for them to transfer my domain so I only now use Dreamhost for my registrations and hosting. It's $11.95 a year for a domain but I find it is well worth it! Even if you don't use them for hosting, it's very simple to transfer to another host without any hassles :) 

I have become a pretty loyal customer of Dreamhost mainly because their customer service is awesome! You wouldn't believe how many times I screwed up a line of code and contacted them for help :D 

If you are ready to register your domain, I have a promo code for a Free Registration of a domain! Just enter this promo code: FREEREG14

Shopping Cart: I mentioned Zen Cart earlier which is totally free to create a website and have a shopping cart which is what you will need to sell products. I used it for a few years before I felt I needed more features and support. Like most entrepreneurs, I wear many hats and keeping up with the demands of a website that you have to keep tweaking and updating to make it work for your needs was becoming difficult. 

I researched many shopping cart, tried many free trials and ultimately ended up choosing 3dCart which has many built in templates and features that I needed. It was also the most cost efficient. I needed a cart that had the ability to easily track inventory, customers, order and the ability to have wholesale customers which is a big bulk of my business! Since switching to 3dCart, many more cool features have been added that I love. 

Payment Processing:  At first, I only accepted Paypal because it was FREE, duh!! With the basic free Paypal account you can accept paypal payments and credit cards. I eventually signed up for Paypal Payments Pro which includes their virtual terminal to process credit cards manually. I only needed the virtual terminal for wholesale transactions that were made over the phone, by email, fax or by sales reps. The cost for the Pro is $30, but they do have a cheaper plan if you just want to accept credit cards directly on your site. 

I eventually changed my credit processing over to Chase Paymentech because their fees are lower and there was not a set up fee (which most major processors charge). I even switched my business account over to Chase Bank so my payments get directly deposited into that account very quickly.

There is so much that goes into creating a website so I will be following up with additional posts :)

Trademarking

What is a trademark and do I need one? A trademark is a brand name.  A trademark or service mark 

includes any word, name, symbol, device, or any combination, used or intended to be used to identify and 

distinguish the goods/services of one seller or provider from those of others, and to indicate the source of 

the goods/services.  Although federal registration of a mark is not mandatory, it has several advantages, 

including notice to the public of the registrant's claim of ownership of the mark, legal presumption of 

ownership nationwide, and exclusive right to use the mark on or in connection with the goods/services listed 

in the registration.

Once you think of an amazing name for your company, you should trademark the name. 

Why? Because, as you grow you do not want others using the same name and confusing your customers! Don't waste money by using a service or a lawyer to do this for you! It's quite easy to do and I will walk you through the steps now:

• Before you trademark, you need to do a search for similar marks: http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=4806:jl62kr.1.1
• You will need to decide how you want your mark format.  1. Standard character format (If you are trademarking your brand name, this is the one you should choose.) 2. Stylized mark format (This is if you have a design or logo to protect but you still would trademark using standard format your brand name separately to be protected). 
• Know your classification of good you intent on (or already are) selling. 
• What is the difference between a "TM" or ® symbol? You can use "TM" without filing for trademark to make people aware you are claiming rights to that mark, although it does not give you all the rights that a federal registration mark would. A ® can be used only after the USPS actually registers your mark. You can only use the mark for the goods you registered with. 
• Ready? You can file online here for $275 (per class of goods- $50 extra if you want to add another class of goods): http://www.uspto.gov/teas/teasplus.htm

And there you have it! The online form is pretty self explanatory and very easy to do yourself :) 

DIY Business Tools

I have been in business for several years and the first thing I learned is to keep your ideas to yourself! Every entrepreneur is afraid of someone using their ideas and we tend not to be very helpful to other start ups when they have questions.  Why? Because we learned our lessons the hard way, kid so go fend for yourself! Ridiculous, right? Why not help someone if you have some insight? Well.... many of us do, at first! Then, it becomes a real issue of having enough time to help others. Many of us learn many hard lessons by being "burned" by others and start having a "dog eat dog" mentality. I am so guilty of doing this and I hope by creating these posts of DIY Business Tools, I can help others just starting out!

What makes someone want to start a business? For me, it was wanting to help support my family while able to spend time with them. I did not have the funds to hire people to do things like creating a website, sourcing productions, mock ups, graphics, etc., etc. So what does any good entrepreneur do? Do it yourself! Seriously, with the vast amounts of info online, you can teach yourself to do just about anything and for free! You heard that right... FREE! Don't pay for something you can get for free, EVER! Unless you have an endless supply of money.. then go for it ;)

Stay tuned for free tools to get your started (or to keep you going)!

Back to blogging!

A lot has changed since the last time I blogged, both in my personal life and business. I found myself saying to myself "I should blog about this" but usually would either forget or as things kept getting busier and busier, it was difficult to stay on top of everything ALL of the time! :)

Last year has been a crazy ride, I have learned so much in business and have had to make several changes to fit my life better. My youngest son was not doing well in Kindergarten (despite being told by the school he was doing fine). We had a bit of a struggle getting him evaluated at a developmental disabilities institute (the only one in the area with a long wait list).

Towards the end of the school year, we started looking for a new house in a different school district. We compared our options and settled on an area that we fell in love with with a house that had a basement to move my office back into the house- I needed way more space than what I started with (more on that later). It was a difficult decision to  take my 2 boys out of a school that I first loved but after receiving little support for my kindergartner, I saw the writing on the wall and KNEW we had to not only make a change, but make it quickly!

I am happy to say that after a full year in the new school, I am floored at the difference of support provided for kids (and parents). Both kids, now 11 and 7, have adjusted not only well to the new school but to the community and I couldn't be more relieved that we did it!

And now that summer is approaching, I will be planning on keeping the kids busy and making it a great summer for them! And, now that I have them in a school with no worries, I can focus more on growing my business in new ways :)

Cyber Monday Sale Starts Now!

I was dead 5 years ago today....

 

This was me 5 years ago when I went into the hospital to give birth to Evan.

We didn't want to hold off any longer getting pregnant with a little brother or sister for Dylan and even though the thought had crossed our minds to take a break from trying so I wouldn't deliver in May, I decided that  if I did end up giving birth close to Anthony's birthday, it would be okay. I was at peace with it. Anthony, my first son, was born on May 17 and passed away on May 18 from a rare genetic disorder, Trisomy 18.

So, when I started having contractions a couple weeks early with Evan, I was okay with it. It was May 20th. My sis came to pick up Dylan and everything was going as planned (as planned as possible anyways). My husband walked my family out and when he came back, I complained I couldn't breathe and then I was out. Of course I don't remember any of this, but Adam refused to leave my side as they called the code, started compressions, started pumping me with blood, all while delivering Evan. He was resuscitated and brought to the NICU. The continued chest compressions on me for about 45 minutes until I was stable enough for the ICU. I was in a coma.

The first night was hell for my family as they were told I most likely would probably not make it through the night and that Adam should start making funeral arrangements. Well, I survived the first night and the prognosis changed to "may not walk or talk." It turned out, that I suffered an "Amniotic Fluid Embolism." A rare condition that has a mortality rate of 80% in women who suffer from it.

The nurse would attempt to wake me everyday to see where I was at. My brain and body was just resting! I woke up almost 2 weeks later able to talk to doctors but could not remember being pregnant, or the last year for that matter. When my sister brought Dylan in to see me, I thought he was huge because to me he was a year younger! =)

After some time in physical therapy, I begged to go home.  When I finally got home, I remember feeling so lost and confused. I had this newborn and everything seemed so difficult! Talking even seemed difficult! Because of the loss of oxygen to my brain I was diagnosed with "Anoxic Brain Damage." I looked and sounded somewhat I normal I guess but my brain takes longer to process certain information. For example, I knew that a fork was used to eat with, but could not think of the simple word "FORK!"

I started to learn how to live with new little quirks and soon after returning home, I began designing things for my newborn that made life a little more easy. That is when Bubele was born!

Today is the anniversary of my new life. 5 years ago, I was dead. I like to think of it as a second chance and to remember the small, important things in life. As frustrating as my memory can be sometimes... I do have a difficult time recognizing faces which makes social situations a little awkward but it's better than the alternative!

Honestly, this last week has been an extremely difficult one for me. I'm not sure why. It could be the emotional roller-coaster ride of mourning Anthony while planning a birthday party for Evan. But today, I surprisingly feel okay and calm.... as today is the day that I do remember that I am grateful for getting the opportunity to see Dylan and Evan grow up and that I have a purpose. Whether it is do do something great with my little company or to just nurture my boys and raise them to be great men, it is a purpose that I am grateful for having!

Mix & Match Giveaway *CLOSED*

Now's your chance to win a Mix & Match set of your choice!! That's right, you choose what you want! ALL you have to do to enter is one or more of the below for one entry each. Please post each entry separately in a new post so it counts! The winner is chosen by random.org and will be announced on Saturday Aug. 14th.

Contest Ends Friday the 13th at midnight EST!!

1. Like our Facebook page

2. Post something on our facebook wall all share with your friends. You can do this by clicking "share" under your comment. Please make sure when you "share" to select "share with everyone" so we can see your post!

3. Visit bubelebaby.com and tell us what outfit you would love to have!

Don't forget to include your email so I can contact you if you win!

Progress

Summer break has been here for a couple weeks now and quite a few changes have happened!

First, Evan was re-evaluated and his speech has improved so much that he would not even be eligible for speech services! Now, we just have to keep working on it and working on the those behaviors that came along with the frustration! He is going to a summer program where the teachers are experienced in dealing with these issues and are focusing on getting him more involved in group activities. We have the option of continuing with a program like this for fall and our first reaction was to send him back to "regular preschool" but after seeing the attention he is getting, we are quickly changing our minds! How great would it be to get him completely caught up (and possibly even further along) by time he goes to kindergarten and look back at all this!!

Dylan is bored out of his mind this summer! He is not going into a summer program because we didn't like it last year so he is staying home. He entertains himself a lot and he loves our new sitter or "mommy's helper" that we just hired. Kristen started yesterday and she is so great with both the boys! Unfortunately, it was rainy and wet outside so they had to occupy themselves inside but she did a great job interacting with them! Being she is also a certified teacher helps =) She has lots of ideas to keep them busy and to get Evan eating!! She got him to eat his PB&J bite for bite with a granola bar yesterday while I was out running errands!

I might as well totally utilize this time with her and give her a list of things Dylan needs to work on for preparation for 1ST grade as well as a list of goals that Evan is working on at school!

I need help!

I am a DIY kind of gal so when it comes to running the businesses (yes, that is plural) and keeping up on housework and making time for the kids I figured I could manage it! Who the hell was I kidding! Working from home is great, or the idea of it is great. You think, well I can set my own hours and work when I want and spend whatever time I want with the kids. Then, you get busy and you start to justify, well at least I can take a break and go and see my kid anytime I want where if I worked out of the home, I would never see them.

Wrong! I would be such a better mother and have more chances at actual quality time with my kids if I did work outside the home! But this is not even an option for me due to the businesses growing, so I decided to take a step back and think....

1. what would make my life easier?
2. what would allow me to get the work I needed done in the time I needed it done?
3. what would keep my kids busy without turning on the TV more than we should this summer?

A super babysitter! Not just any babysitter, but one who will not just "watch the kids" but will keep them active this summer and one who will enjoy teaching my kids new things. Oh, and let's not forget someone who can occasionally watch them when mommy and daddy want to go out- ALONE! Yes, I am talking about dating my husband because not only are the kids being neglected, so is my marriage.

So, that's the answer to my prayers, but HOW do I find said babysitter when we live in a place where we don't know very many people and have virtually no family close by? I cam across a couple online websites that help find babysitters. At first I was a little leery about finding a sitter online but after browsing through the listings, I realized I could find someone with the qualifications I needed, interview, and do background checks.

The two sites I found were:

Sitters.com which attracted me first because it had no sign up fee and had a "pay as you go" option which allows you to pay for number of contacts (messages) you can send. It also has a money back guarantee.

I chose this one and bought the smallest amount of credits as possible and posted my job but no one responded so I contacted a ton with still no response. It looks like not a ton of people log into this site on a regular basis, so I doubt these girls are even checking their account!

So, this lead me to go back to another site: SitterCity.com that allows you to post a job for free and view candidates for free, but you can't access contact info until you pay a set up fee plus the monthly fee. So, I posted my job and had a ton of people apply! 3-4 looks very promising, so I budged and paid the sign up fee so I could contact the applicants I liked.

Keep your fingers crossed for my sanity!! Who knows, maybe I can also find someone to help with Bubele? ;)

Summer Styles are here!! Memorial Day Sale!

Finally, I have caught up on back orders and was able to do a photo shoot with a ton of local babies at a park nearby and I loved it!! It turned out great and was able to re-shoot a ton of my outfits which was much needed! The weather was beautiful and my photographer that I have been working with was awesome! It was really tough to organize all the different babies and outfits and pieces that I have available and I did not get them all, but I am really proud of myself for getting as many as I did!! I knew I was going to miss a few =)

Come by and see the summer stock (more to be up on the site soon) and enjoy 10% off your purchase and FREE shipping!! Use code: MEMDAY at checkout. Sale ends June 1st.

OH EVAN!!

This has become the new saying in the house because quite a few times a day Evan gets into something he shouldn't and even Dylan now says "OH EVAN!" Most of the time Dylan just laughs at him which as you can imagine doesn't help ;) Evan turns 3 next month and it is reminding me what a long way we have come. I've been really frustrated with myself lately for my lack of memory. I thought I was passed being pissed about what had happened in that labor room 3 years ago, but I guess I am not. It's causing more problems than I thought. Adam has to deal with the gaps of memory that sometimes does not make sense. I can sometimes remember the most random things that doesn't have any significance but can't remember an important date. I am terrible with recognizing people (even right after meeting them), can't remember names, and have to write everything down.

With all of these issues, I have to realize that I am lucky but damn it sometimes it doesn't feel that way when my 6 year old looks at me with confusion when I can't remember something he had told me. For all I know, he thinks I just don't care.

Evan continues to have some speech issues, but last week after going back to see the ENT, it was decided it was best to proceed with having ear tubes put in. This was after getting 2 ear infections within a 6 week period. They scheduled it really quickly and we had to go into surgery yesterday morning at 6:45 AM. I basically had to do what we did for the sedated ABR hearing test. I went into the room with him where we put the mask on him for gas while the anesthesiologist talked softly about taking a balloon ride and flying high in the sky which was totally appropriate since he is always talking about flying to the moon! He was out quickly, I gave him a kiss and it seemed like it took 10-15 mins and he was in recovery. Since the little bugger didn't sleep the night before, he was OUT! Daddy tickled his feet until he woke up. We had to make sure he was OK before we were discharged.

He was in a little discomfort, but we gave him some Tylenol and he has been in a pretty good mood since so it looks like everything went fine. PHEEEW! I am positive we made the right decision here.

He went back to preschool and recently had a Mother's Day brunch where he was supposed to hand me a potted flower and bring me to the table and serve me a Pb&J sandwich but as usual he did not want to participate and refused to be a part of the group. While all the parents stared on, I tried to calm him down and get him to sit at the table with me but kept screaming "NO TANKS!!" (This is because he would typically scream out "NO" so we are trying to replace that =) It was just too much for him (and me because I felt like I was going to cry if I had to sit there any longer with everyone's eyes on me) so off we went and he was happy again.

I felt a little pathetic walking out because I could not stop the flow of tears. I sucked it up quickly and decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and I should be grateful that he is at least talking more! We just have to kick these behaviors =)

Ebay Charity Auctions

I have been wanting to get involved in charity work for such a long time, and over the past couple years I have made a couple donations of clothing to be used at events, but I found Hope For God's Children which was started to help raise funds for families who have or are losing children. These funds help families with medical and funeral expenses- both being something a parent should never have to think about!

I wish I could do MUCH MUCH more for these families, but as I have been saying for awhile, my clothing and diapers are my capital so I will try and do what I can with what I have!

Currently the money being raised will go to Emily's family and the auctions I have up are:

Sage stripe tee

Blue dots tee

Bulk pack of Bubele Bums 6 AIO diapers (choose your own colors!)

If you are a designer interested in getting involved in raising funds, you can visit the Facebook Group

Thanks everyone and please share so we can get those bids up!!

Bubele Bums New AIO Cloth Diaper giveaway!

The new Bubele Bums AIO is in and while I have been criticized a little for changing designs so much, I do believe each change brings me closer to having the perfect diaper- Live and Learn!! =)

A little bit about these new diapers:

Trim fit
Less layers, more absorbent
More snaps to adjust just about every fit from newborn to potty training!

What you will win: Your choice of any color!



How to win:

1. Visit www.bubelebaby.com and leave a comment here letting me know what you love!

2. Follow this blog for another entry and leave another comment to let me know

3. Become a Facebook Bubele Fan: Bubele Fan Page and tell me about it so I give you another entry!

4. Twiiter about this contest and send me the link

5. tell your Facebook friends and send me the link

Contest Ends: March 12th at 12:00 AM

Good Luck!

Update on Evan's Hearing Test

OK, I was so nervous about this! The night before, Evan couldn't eat anything but he could have clear liquid up until 2 hours before going in for sedation. Since he slept in on the morning of, he was not able to have anything to drink and was screaming for "MILK!"

I thought we were going to the new Children's hospital in Syracuse but since they didn't move this unit yet, we went to the old Children's unit which wasn't bad at all. It was all geared for little ones with plenty of toys and cars to drive in the hallways- we were set!

Evan did get tired of riding the car and was started to get over tired and VERY cranky! The finally gave him a Tylenol mixture with some other drug to make him relax and sleep to start to prepare him to go into the OR where they would sedate him and connect the ABR machine thingy (I don't know the technical name LOL) to his head.

When we first leaned of this sedated test, I was thinking IV and him being scare out of his mind, but moms going through this too, let me tell you know- it's much worse in our crazy mama minds than it will be in reality!!

After they gave him the Tylenol mixture and he was feeling alittle loopy, we were told to keep him from walking so I played cars with him on the floor. When it was time to bring him in, I put on a gown and carried him in. He was scareimng for one of the trucks the the Dr. grabbed a truck and a bin of toys and I set him on the bed with the truck (while holding him up because he was tipsy)and I played with the truck with him and he was content. We then moved him up by the pillow while he was still playing and the Dr. help up some gentle gas (in infant mask) which looked just like the nebulizer so he continued playing until he got really sleepy so we laid him back on the pillow and I rubbed his hair until he feel asleep. He really thought he was just taking a nap!

It took more than an hour to complete the test and once they were done, they took him to recovery (still sleeping at this point) and the audiologist pulled us aside to tell us the connections between his brain and ears were fine but she did see some fluid in his right ear and it looked like those ear infections were making their way back! She suggested we go back to the pediatrician and see if they were on board with getting into see a ENT (ear-nose-throat) specialist.

So, I brought Evan back to the pediatrician and both doctors agreed to treat him for the ear infection he has again and to get him into the ENT ASAP! I am feeling good about this decision because if the fluid is not draining properly it could be causing his hearing to be muffled so at least we have a direction to travel now and see where it leaves us- hopefully we will have more good news soon! =)

Evan's Sedated Hearing Test

Tomorrow Is Evan's ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response Hearing Test).... and I could not sleep last night! It's not a major test and Adam thinks he will just be a little groggy to relax him and not be completely out. I am not sure why I am so nervous! Maybe it's the thought of possibly they won't let me be with him during testing (I'm little controlling) or maybe it's the actual results of the tests that will scare me.

If his hearing is OK, that means the delay is a DELAY... and if his hearing is not OK, then we may be looking at hearing devices, and depending on results could mean adjusting to a new therapy...

I just want to know NOW what I should be doing or could e doing to help him. It's extremely frustrating!

Here is the explanation of the exam from the Boston Children's Hospital:

What is an Auditory Brainstem Response Evaluation (ABR)?

An Auditory Brainstem Response Evaluation (ABR) is a type of test, usually performed for infants and young children, that evaluates how well sounds travel along the hearing nerve pathways from the ear to the brainstem. There are two main types of hearing loss:
Conductive hearing loss -- problems transmitting sound from the outer ear (where sound is collected) to the inner ear. This type of hearing loss can often reverse itself as children grow older.
Sensorineural hearing loss -- problems with the nerves connecting the inner ear to the brain. In the inner ear, tiny hairs on the cochlea act as a neural pathway, transmitting through the inner ear. Usually, problems with these hairs on the cochlea are responsible for sensorineural hearing loss. It is usually permanent and present at birth.
An ABR test, by evaluating the hearing nerve pathways, can identify cases of sensorineural hearing loss. It is a sleep EEG hearing test which shows the softest sounds your child's ears can detect at various pitches. The ABR compares changes in brain activity to the timing of repetitive sounds to determine whether the particular intensity of sound can be heard.

How is it performed?

There will be three or four small stickers on your child's head, connected to leads going into a computer. Sounds will be presented through an earphone to each ear separately while a computer analyzes the changes in the brain wave pattern in response to sounds.
Your child should be sleeping for the duration of the test. Young children under the age of six months are not usually sedated, and the test is performed while the infant is naturally sleeping, following a feeding. Children over the age of six months are usually sedated with chloral hydrate.

The test is not painful or uncomfortable in any way, but it is necessary for your child to be asleep in order to obtain clear recordings during the test.

You will be in the room with your child during the test, and the results will be explained immediately afterward.

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Bad, bad blogger (family update)

OK, I realize it's been over a month since I last posted but I have good reasons =) I have been busy with the 2 businesses, Evan's therapies, and all these holidays! Unfortunately, I pulled something in my back which I thought was better until the other day, and snap! It's back and worse! I called my insurance company to see if I could get approval to see a chiropractor and they said we haven't had insurance since November! So, I am treating myself through my heating pad and old muscle relaxers left over from my TMJ pain. I can stand up for about 5 minutes before it starts to pull again. Hopefully Adam will get the insurance thing worked out soon.

Luckily, the kids are still insured which is needed for Evan's hearing test coming up soon that he has to be sedated for- I would hate to see that bill!

Evan has been showing improvements in all of his therapies, so his 33% delay is now at a 25% delay which dosen't seem like a lot but we're heading in the right direction. We're hoping the hearing test will give us some answers.



Dylan is doing really well in Kindergarden and I recently had our first parent/teacher confrence and the teacher says he is a great listener, helpful, and patient! He is on holiday break now and is "sooooo bored" but I haven't been able to do much with my back so Adam took him to the movies the other night and last night he went to Grandma's house... THANKS MOM! You have single handily saved my sanity today.


As for the holidays, this year we celebrated Chanukua early with my in-laws at Thanksgiving time, so we did X-mas with my family. We decorate our "Chanukua tree" with blue and silver as usual and added our new star of david ornament we found at Disney but I didn't take pics this year because Evan pretty much would take the decorations off, even sliding his chair over to reach further! He then decided to decorate it with his Hess trucks! Really, I found a truck smack dab in the middle of the tree. Looks like it may have been flying when it crashed =)

We went to my mom's for x-mas and exchanged gifts. Every year my sister gets something noisy for my kids, so this year I thought it would be funny to get a child size drum set for her 1 1/2 year old daughter, Trista! She actually plays it! I think this one may back fire on me next year......


This year was incredibly tight financially, so we didn't spend a lot of money but still had a good time with family which is the best part anyway. Evan got a red Radio Flyer tricycle (with a very cool compartment on the back that he likes to hide thigs in) and Dylan got a really cool scooter that he was actually able to ride the other day at the park due to some strange warm weather we had.

Tonight we are looking forward to going to a family friendly New Year's party that one of Dylan's friend's parents are having so that should be fun- wonder if I can bring my heating pad??

See you all in 2010!

Vote for the Bubele Loop & Snappy on Yak About It!

Stop by at Yak About it to vote for my invention, the Bubele loop sewn into baby clothing and accessories and Snappy to attach a pacifier! Today, I am up against People Food for Dogs, and they're winning, so C'mon, help a fellow mama out and vote for me!! =)

Business coaching for momprenuers

Ever hear of business coaching? It's a person you hire to give you information/advice to improve your business. It could be improvements to your business plan, marketing, website, etc...

Over the past couple years while developing Bubele and joining tons of social networking sites to help spread the word about my new brand, as well as connect with other small business owners to share tips, I have come across tons of offers for "coaching." I always laughed at the idea of having someone coach me, thinking "what are they possibly going to tell me?" That doesn't mean I didn't think I knew all the answers or I had the perfect marketing plan but I did know that I had certain problem areas that needed improvement and that I just needed to focus more to change those things. I thought having a coach would just point out what I already knew what was wrong. I didn't want to pay for that!

Even though being very skeptical, I have been following "The Mogul Mom", Heather Allard, a business coach, on Twitter, facebook, and I have been receiving her newsletter for a year I think. I have to admit, I am one of those newsletter subscribers that just skims through a newsletter, half-reading it and then deleting it! But after a few of Heather's newsletters that are jam packed with solid advice, those emails same became my partner. I began labeling several of these emails, such as "marketing" because it just wasn't one of those emails that gives you a tid bit of info, no, her newsletters were actually useful. There are plenty of times when Heather outlines a very important tip and how to implement it.

Like all good blogs, Heather offers contests. It just so happened she was offering a free coaching package that I had won! After seeing how skeptical I am about coaches (if you've half-red this post, see above =) you may wonder why the heck would I try to win this coaching package? Well, Heather is just not any business coach, she developed her own baby product, marketed it, and sold the company. This is how she became a coach for mom entrepreneurs. She knows the business and I wanted a glimpse!

So, what did I get out of it? A kick in the ass!! Yeah, she mentioned some problem areas that I already knew about but she had instructions of what to do and how to change it! It was basically like having a partner for 2 weeks. I let her know my problems and concerns and she always had an answer! I wanted a way to get more sales, she said go here and place an ad. OK, done. She noticed I was not describing my patent pending feature, the Bubele Loop (to attach a paci) well enough on my website. I began changing pictures and descriptions on my site to better explain my features and why you can't live without my products! OK, this one is going to take awhile to finish, but at least it's a start!

Anyways, I had problems, Heather had answers! So, now what do I think of business coaching? Well, I definitely know what they are all about now that I have worked with a great coach so I can share what I have learned. A great coach, like Heather Allard, will get to know your product, website, and your market in order to give you valuable ways to improve your business. Obviously Heather is so good because she was a mom entrepreneur who knows my market, who's been there herself! Maybe this is the key to a great coach.

If you're running around in circles trying to figure out what your next step is, or if you need someone to help you acknowledge goals, or even help carry out your own goals you set for yourself, I will tell you Heather is worth every penny she charges! Forget about wondering if it would actually work or not, it will! How much money did you waste this year on trying to figure out what works? Let Heather get you focused for the new year and I guarantee you will be thanking me!

Now, if you are just starting out as a new mom entrepreneur, hire Heather now! If I would of hired her 2 years ago, it wouldn't have taken me the past 2 years to learn what I have learned.

I've contacted Heather to let her know I am going to ramble on about her services and she let me know she has this special going on right now:

I've extended the 20% off coaching special until Sunday, November 15, 2009. Just use THANKS at checkout for 20% any coaching package.

Don't overthink this one, just do this! It's not expensive and after she's done with you, you'll wonder why she dosen't charge more =)