Let me set the stage. It's 5:00 a.m. Three days before Christmas. Several days prior we emptied the "teen cave" section of our basement, so it could be painted. You see, this is going to be our starting home for our shop and studio where we will be giving classes. Let me say this again… just 1 week before Christmas we embarked on a project of ginormous proportions. Why, you may ask? Answer… because, I am not always a rational person and because Tim is an excellent enabler. So, between getting everything ready for our big Christmas Eve Polish dinner and preparing for guests, Tim and I were working well into the night totally trashing our house. Ho, ho, ho.
Okay, back to 5:00 a.m. on December 22. I wake up, look at the clock, and briefly consider staying in bed. No… must get up quietly (don't want to disturb Tim who has been working harder than me) and silently coax our 3 dogs into leaving the comfort of their beds, and ours, to join me downstairs. Probably the worst thing about this whole scenario is I now need to make my own cup of coffee. I am momentarily tempted to make a terrible racket in the kitchen so Tim will join me and take over the morning ritual of making coffee, but I resist.
After the dogs make an uncharacteristically quick surveillance of the perimeter of the yard, they come back in, each figuratively climbing back into bed, then pass out on the couch. With coffee in hand, I head down the stairs, inviting the canines to join me. Only George answers the call. Leonard lifts his head for the briefest of moments and considers my offer, only to tuck his head under a paw. Sheldon doesn't even stir.
"Hmmm. Fair weathered friends", I mumble.
So, for the next 2 1/2 hours I set to work. Let me point out, Tim and I did not paint the basement. We hired our extremely reasonable and delightfully chatty painters to spray the unfinished ceiling white, and our walls peach. (Given the fact that they were painting over dark blue, not an easy task.)
So, here's where the work for us came in, we decided to do this properly, we needed to go through a collective 60 years of gathering and hoarding, pitching and donating, to make room for the shop. Hard work and emotionally challenging. But in order to make room for the shop's stock, which is now piling up, other things have to go.
Tim has surprisingly slept in. When I hear him up and about, I come upstairs for my second cup of coffee and to call Michelle. It's 7:30. She's still a little groggy (not a morning person 🙂
Michelle: Mornin'
Me: I can't do this. I don't know what we were thinking. I don't want to have a shop, as a matter of fact, let's close down Wee Folk Art completely.
Michelle: K
Me: That's a relief. We're done.
Michelle: K
Two hours later, I get a call from Michelle.
Michelle: Hey
Me: Hey
Michelle: I just emailed the new design for the shop. Check it out.
Silence.
Me: Awesome! This is going to be so much fun!
Some variation of that conversation usually happens several times a week… initiated by either Michelle or I. Fortunately, usually a good night's sleep puts us in a better mood… or a third cup of coffee… then we are excited again. But, the truth of the matter is, we've had a very hard time defining our next step. As we look at the accumulating stock on our shelves, it becomes apparent to both of us, that we don't want to work full time. We are excited about the shop (lots more soon about its content) but we don't want to be a slave to it. Then, somewhere in the last week, it hits us…
We are Farmer's Market people. We love gathering things together once a week, heading out to the Market, then chatting, laughing and selling. We want to do the same thing online. In other words, we only want our shop open 1 day a week, sell a limited quantity of items, package things up the next day, then through the week, get things ready for the next market day.
Bottom line… we don't want to be huge. We plan to sell crafting supplies and kits that will allow you to craft along with us. Another words… we plan to sell the things that are on our crafting shelves. We have decided that we will not be selling our patterns. We still want to offer those for FREE to everyone. (We plan to eventually offer many of our patterns in a cute, user friendly format for a nominal fee, but it won't be necessary to buy them to craft with us!) We are hopeful, that since you need to buy supplies in order to make our crafts, you will consider buying directly from us, BUT, if not, you can still make our projects 🙂
We will be selling general supplies we use, along with kits for specific projects. Also, I will be selling a VERY LIMITED amount of handcrafted items… basically the prototypes and completed projects used for photos. For the first few months, consider our shop to be in its BETA mode. We will see what works and will be looking for lots of feedback. We will also announce various classes we will be offering. If you are in the area, and wish to join us, YAY!
So, if it seems to you like there just aren't as many crafting things happening here at Wee Folk Art these days, you're right! No, we haven't lost our desire to craft, and no, we are not lacking for inspiration… our journals are overflowing with ideas, and no, we haven't lost interest. We simply have been knee deep (hmmm… neck deep) in getting our shop ready, which like EVERYTHING in life, takes longer than expected.
We are HOPING to open the shop the first Monday in February… we will keep you posted. We still have much to do both in the physical world and online, but despite the mess, we are getting closer. So, please bear with us a little longer. Before long, we hope to be crafting again at break neck speeds. In the meantime, we hope you are looking forward to the opening of our little shop 🙂 Having said that… I'm grabbing my third cup of coffee and heading to the shop. There's a chance Michelle will be receiving one of my desperate phone calls later in the day 😉
BTW… It still looks like this… ugh… but it's getting close! Imagine pics on the walls, draped silks, etc… Oh, yes… and imagine all the junk put away 🙂
We are slowly unpacking boxes, and starting to get stock on the shelves. Here's a close up peek at a few things…
Send good thoughts our way as we move forward… there are times when we REALLY need them 🙂
I for one am very excited for your shop to open. BTW, I have missed your break neck speed crafting but I still have so many of your other projects I want to make that I’m keeping myself busy. Sending tons of warm thoughts your way. Try to stay sane and don’t leave us, hehe.
So excited for you girls…..Can’t waite to see the remodel! Expect and order. I do alot of felt crafts and can’t waite to see supplies!
So excited for you!
It looks wonderful. I wish you good luck and like it soooooo much:-)
It is great to see everything coming together. This is very exciting and I cant wait to see the shop when it is done. When did you begin this adventure? I tried to search for more information through your blog posts but had no luck 🙁
It looks great, even now! We re-did my “studio” space this week, so I know the feeling(s)… 😉 It really helps to stop, look around, and grin at what you’ve already accomplished… I’m already excited, looking at the goodies on your shelves! Sending you positive vibes!
Terri A.
Open one day a week sounds like a great idea. I’m anxious to see what you offer. So glad you will be still offering your patterns.
Greetings from Ukraine! (yep, it’s from the other part of the world))
I have been reading your nicest blog since autumn (was looking for a selfmade rag for gnome house and found … your blog. It was like a present!))
Weefolkart is awesome and of course you can do it with the shop.
Sending you luck wishes and a little prayer,
Natalya.
I just found your site the other day, but am excited to see your shop progress and do some crafting with y’all.
Really, though, you’re inspiring me to re-organize my craft room. I’m terrible about keeping it clean. I get so excited about starting a new project, that I make a ‘to go’ bag with a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and after the project (or when I tire of it), somehow I never get it sorted and put back away! Seeing how great your shop is looking makes me feel like a hoarder, so I guess it’s time to take on the task!
I’ve been following your blog for about a year or so, I lose count. Find so much inspiration and fun here! And love to share it with my kids. I can tell you love what you do. Thank you so very much for sharing so much with all of us! I think your shop will suit you very well and wish you the best in your endeavor. It’s fun when the really hard parts are finally behind you and it starts looking like what you’d envisioned. All the stuff in between is hard, it gets better 😉
I find with endeavors like this, it will seem like pure chaos until the very end. Then, overnight it seems, the last of the mess is stowed away, the last touches have been added, and wah lah… you are done! Not at that point yet, sigh… but I can see it… 🙂 BTW… We are so glad you enjoy the blog 🙂
Without sounding crazy.. Are you located in Brighton, mi? I found your blog a few months back and just love it .. Some of my first appliquu00E9 shapes I found on your blog! Obviously, that I used your patterns! Anyway, I live in Brighton and I am a sahm that loves to craft! Now that you are opening a shop, if you ever needed help, I would love it!
Lots of good wishes!
Dyanna