I can do this. I think.

So, I'm not sure I can do this, but I guess I'm gonna try! My hubby accountant is trying to get all the tax info on hiring an employee to help my business grow. I guess tomorrow I'm going to open a business checking account and apply for a line of credit. I had no idea that starting a business (for real, not what I've done on Etsy so far) would be so expensive. I'm freaking out over all the expenses. I know, I shouldn't be... but maybe that would be scary, too, if I was calm about the whole thing.

I got in the Etsy forums, and posted there about my woes/triumphs. Read it if you want. Hopefully a fellow Etsian will help a sister out!

Yikes! This is exciting and scary!

The jury is in...

I heard from Real Simple Magazine today, and (although not guaranteed until print time), my I Spy Bags have been chosen to go in their Gift Guide hitting news stands mid-August! Holy crap, I am excited! It's my big break. I think.

They shoot the photos next month, and I had to fill out a "credits" form giving them all the pertinent information. I seriously can't believe this!!!!!! I don't know which they will choose at this point, but I sent them these to choose from:

How did I ever survive without Weebly?

Well, hold your horses, but I found a VERY useful site tonight called Weebly. I'll be spending most of tonight I think trying to get an actual website up and running using their FREE software. Did I mention that it was free? So far, very easy, although I'm still trying to figure out the whole linking with a feed reader and all that. I'm so technologically challenged. Any advice can be left in comments (hint, hint).

I'm not pregnant

A week or two ago, I came across these adorable mother/child t-shirts on Etsy. My sister-in-law has twins, and is still breastfeeding them (they'll be 1 in May), God bless her! I sent the seller a message and requested twin shirts for the boys and a shirt for her.

Funny, right? Well, not as funny as finding out a week later that I should have been sending her this shirt instead... That's right, folks, she is pregnant with #3! We are happy for her, but I gotta tell ya, I was like WHAT? How is that even possible? She is breastfeeding twins for goodness' sake! Doesn't God have some sort of natural birth control built into those milking machines? Holy cow, she and my brother-in-law are going to be SO busy. I know. I have 3 kids to prove it. At least she'll have two going through the same stages at once (hopefully) LOL. I am not envious, however. :) ---- I'll tell you what I am envious of - her super support system. I practically have NONE, okay I really have none, and she has like a whole town. I guess that's what I get for marrying a guy who gets told by the government where he has to live. Apparently, there is a government conspiracy to keep me from my family while in my child-bearing years...

I think this must be the week to announce pregnancies. Are you pregnant? Congratulations if you are, assuming you are thrilled about it, of course. Two other friends of mine just announced as well (and I don't have that many friends, so this is like a REALLY high percentage). I guess it's baby making season... I think I'll pass, on the 9 month afterglow, that is.

E, if you are reading this, don't go out and buy that maternity shirt because I'm going to buy it for you. What size do you want?

Greathouse Hardware

Things are happening here at Those Greathouse Women. We have opened a new shop on Etsy! I wouldn't exactly call it a "sister" shop - more like a very very distant cousin... We have stumbled upon this great body of work in the world known as "steampunk." What is steampunk? Well, that deserves its own post, but you can read this for now.

For those who know us in the real world, you'll understand why this is a great endeavor for us. To put it lightly, we have A LOT OF JUNK. We're talking junk in greater quantities, higher levels of coolness, and crazier than you've ever seen... and most of it is miniature. You can imagine our excitement when we realized that we might be able to profit from our junk weakness.

Check out these first few pieces of jewelry that my mom made:

I just got them in the mail today, and I was so excited about them, that I photographed them right away and got them up on our new shop site! We'll see if there are even any views - the jewelry market on Etsy is rather competitive...

Oh, and in case you are wondering -- I have not heard back from the magazine yet.

How many times could I have used these? Let me count the ways....

I have just stumbled on the greatest invention, ever. Well, maybe not EVER, but pretty cool nonetheless. Pants in a pinch. Proceeds from my next sale will definitely go toward the purchase of these, and a pair for every friend I have that has kids. Do they come in adult sizes? Hm.