A Good Day

Thank you to everyone for all your support for my grand opening yesterday. I made a few sales, and over 900 unique people stopped by the store according to my tracker. That’s so awesome!

I did get several phone calls and emails too, and for that I’m grateful. There was one phrase that I heard over and over again, that I feel I should explain, because honestly, I have nothing else to blog about this morning. I’ve been working on a deep post for a few weeks but it’s no where near ready for publishing.

I feel the need, since so many of you have privately questioned me on this, to explain some of my business. I will not now, nor probably ever hire someone to help me sew. If I had a nickel for every time someone said that to me yesterday, I would have made more money on that than actually selling diapers.

Why? First off, I’m not setting out to be big. In fact, I don’t want to be big. I’m scared to get too big. I’ve tried to go big with other things in the past and no matter how I sliced it, it got in the way of family life. I’m determined that my family will be the priority.

Second, I didn’t invent modern cloth diapers as some of you have flattered me to suggest. I didn’t invent snaps, PUL outers, or even the shape. Those have been around for at least a decade. Several moms have come up with their own pattern, and since they can’t keep up with all the sewing, they contract out other sewers to sew from their pattern. I am one of those sewers. I’m not a pattern designer, I merely have permission to sew from some other woman’s design. I have permission. Not me and 10 other seamstresses who work for me. In fact, if I were to have other people sew for me, it would be a breach of contract with the woman who designed and owns the “La Di Da” pattern.

The same goes for the knitting license I have. I cannot have other people knit for my store…just me. That’s part of the deal. I do not have license to mass produce. Nor do I want one. I only have permission to sell my own work. If I were to come up with my own pattern for each of these some day, then maybe I would hand out licenses. The fact is, though, that I much more enjoy drafting patterns for simple things like aprons, and I don’t find drafting a diaper pattern very appealing at all! I could see myself designing knitting patterns in the future, but I just don’t have time for that right now, and I’m not about to give into the dilution that designing knit patterns is where the big money lies. First, I don’t care about the big money, and second, there is some money there, just like there’s some money in selling diapers.

I hope I don’t sound like a spoiled rotten brat for saying I don’t care about the big money. It’s not that I wouldn’t like more money. I would like a new kitchen, and maybe some furniture in my house. I’d like some new clothes, some designer shoes, not to mention a spending spree on sewing tools.

However…
I refuse to believe that money will make me happy. I’m already happy, and we’re not rich, and I know rich people, and they’re not any more happy than us…in fact many times they’re miserable. Again, don’t misunderstand. I believe that having a profitable business is responsible, and don’t intend on throwing money away, or selling things for less than they’re worth. It is not fair to my family for me to work without compensation, or throw our money away. I just won’t simply put all my hopes and dreams and passion into making money. Those things are reserved for God, and what he has in store for me and my family.

I don’t think making money is evil. In fact, I think in many cases it’s responsible. I just think that the lie that “if I could just get a little bigger” “if I could just have a little more” “if I could just have this…” I would be happy.

I’m really happy with the way things are here. I’m happy with my business being small, and I love sewing. I mean really…if I were to hire someone (which I’m not going to right now, or perhaps ever) it would be to handle the shipping, and the website, and the finances. Sewing is the fun part so I’m not sure what would possess me to hire that out first.

I think it’s the American mentality that bigger is always better, and you must always have more. I’m standing up and saying bigger is not better in many cases, and I would love for the things I make to sell, but when they run out, then I guess they’re out. I will not stress if there are not enough of my diapers to go around. I believe that I am meant to stay at home with my kids and my husband to work, because that works for us. I think selling my business for a million dollars would be the ruin of us, and the thought scares me to death.

Maybe I’m wacko, but that’s just me. Thought I should clarify all that.