Ramblin's from the Back Roads - Support the Makers, Junkers, and Small Biz Girls

Ah, lately I've been sharing a few more of my "Ramblin's from the Back Roads" on IG and FB. I work mostly from home, but I've had jobs / appointments in Tyler and Dallas lately... this country girl was happy to return safely home on the rural route. Geez Louise - I don't know how /  why y'all deal with the traffic on a daily basis. So, while I've been travelling about or delivering orders, my mind wanders and my ramblin' thoughts come out... Now several of you have been saying "write a book, I'd buy it." Say what - you really would pay for my incomplete sentences and random thoughts and pictures from the Rural Route??? Hmmm... we will have to look into that. Where do we start??? 

For one, I really am trying to get back to blogging more. I started this post this morning, but the internet has been wonky with the storms and weather today, so I'm trying again this evening. The struggle is real, y'all! 

So any who... We had our workshop / presentation at the Texas 4H Agents State Conference this week. Below are my few of ramblin's I posted afterwards - 

Y’all know I’m passionate about a few things: supporting the makers and small businesses and of course repurposing / junkin. I’m also inspired by and motivated by those who get creative, when life gets tough and keep rolling on.

As I dressed for our repurposing workshop Monday, everything I had on (except my shoes - why can’t there be cute shoes that support me on my feet all day?) came from the makers, junkers, and small biz girls!

In the spring, I shopped a big vintage / maker market type show - instead of cancelling all together, Southern Charm at the Farm show went virtual and I was able to shop from my couch in Texas and got an upcycled spoon ring from For the Love of Junk Designs. They just announced the fall show will be virtual again! Y’all, I set my alarm to shop that show and still missed out on some beautiful pottery that sold in less than 5 minutes.

Same goes for my pants - they came from Valerie’s Fashion Barn. I found them through the Houston Rodeo (now Texas Festival Vendors) Facebook group that was created when the rodeo got canceled. Both these groups that were created to support their vendors and have reported phenomenal success. If you ever saw or heard me talk about my patchwork pants, you know I’m tickled pink to find this pair. I loved them and had worn them out and have searched everywhere for something similar and this is closest I’ve found, although without the paisley patchwork. Oh, this new pair even has pockets!

Several ask about my sunflower earrings
- they came from Jo at Farm Girl Glam. I ask if any of my maker friends had sunflower earrings and she came up with them!

Leopard sunflower tee by yours truly. (Find it here.) 
Thrift store vest - I really need to add lace to it.
Rope Your Dreams leather cuff bracelet from Country Soul, way back in the day. (She’s no longer making them.)

In our workshop Monday, I heard someone say “I don’t know what normal is anymore.”
Immediately I said “just a setting on the dryer.”

You know friends, this “season” is crazy, but if we think creatively and work at it, we can overcome a lot of things and help support each other. 🌻❤

(I know for sure @farmgirlglam and @fortheloveofjunk are on Instagram and Valerie's Fashion Barn is on Facebook.) 

I'll try to get my pictures from the workshop and a recap of that up soon. 

Inspirational New Tees!

 This weekend, we released 3 new tees online! First up was the Just An All American Girl, which also happens to be the Tee of the Week on our website. If you're not familiar with our new tee of the week deal - each week, we will be featuring a different tee, for $15 on our website  (up to 45% off the regular price.)

Our booth at Kickin' K Cattle Co. in Quitman has opened back up and we had debuted the tees over there, before we got them online. Your comments and messages let me know that you really liked this tee, so we got it online and decided it would be this week's tee deal, so that it can be shipped out in time for all the summer family picnics, like Memorial Day and 4th of July. It has all those summer, patriotic, sunflower vibes going on! 

Please note the tee of the week deal is only good on our website, www.gypsyfarmgirl.shop,  and not on etsy. 

Another new tee release is this inspirational tee that says "Scatter Kindness." It's a super soft turquoise bleached tee, with dandelion seeds blowing in the wind, reminding us to scatter kindness always. 

 Grace + Grit... another motivational tee that reminds us with grit plus grace, we can do just about anything we are determined to do.

Here's a couple more pictures from our booth in Quitman - - almost all of the shirts can be found in our online shops or you can send me a message, if you would like it shipped to you. We are happy to help, however we can! In store, online / shipping, curbside, porch delivery, etc. plus our booth at the Mineola Antique Fair is planning to reopen in June.

I'd like to point out, that since we make our own tees, if you see an image you like, but want it on a different style or color tee, please send me a message! I keep baseball tees in several colors, if you don't like the bleached or short sleeve tees. I also try to keep the v neck, and several colors of short sleeve tees in stock, if you don't want the baseball tee. I'm actually getting in another big order tomorrow, so I can replenish our inventory and have more options available for you! I try to keep small-2X in stock most of the time and some styles can be special ordered in a 3X.

For example, I'm personally not a white t shirt kinda girl (we've got well water with iron and it turns white clothing dingy over time), so I made me a baseball tee with the All American Girl image. It has a heather grey body, so it's not a true white. 

At this time, everyone is talking about shopping local and small businesses and saying "when this is over" we should support out locals... That chalkboard sign has been in our booth since the very beginning, because it has long been our focus. Friends, please don't wait to support your local and / or handmade small business friends. Each show we have participated in has always had a sign thanking you for supporting our small hand made business and shopping local and truly, we couldn't do it without all of you who have thought that way, long before this spring. We are so appreciative of you, who support our shop and handmade way of life! If we don't get to tell you in person, we hope you know we thank you and your support means so much to us. 

 Many days when I get dressed, I look at my assorted jewelry and almost all of it was made by creative ladies working from their home studios. I think of each one of them, as I go about my day. This pair of crochet earrings are one of my new faves and were made by Nikki, who has a space at Kickin' K. I always get compliments on them! 

I am a Small Business

I am a small business...

No, I don't have one of those "real jobs" that come with traditional 8-5 hours, a paid lunch hour, paid vacation, sick leave, or insurance. Therefore most people believe I don't really work, I'm flexible to just go and do whatever, and work when or if I want to.

We (both my husband and I) are self employed. No work or sales equals no grocery money or funds to pay our electric bill or insurance, etc. (I've paid my own health insurance since the day after I graduated college. Every single year, the rates go up. This year was a 20% hike and I just got my notice that it'll be going up 9% in the new year and I've only used my insurance twice in 14 years.)

I have an online business and people think that's simple to run. I must be inspired to create the item, source the supplies, make it, then set up a photo shoot, edit pics, upload to my shop (title, tags, description, measurements, pictures), blog, work on SEO, share to Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Google Plus. If I don't work, share, and promote what I'm working on, it will just set in my house/online and nobody can find it. 

For custom orders, I convo / email with potential customers. Often there are 10-50+ emails back and forth, for a single order. Orders are started after payment has been received. I've had too many people inquire, promise to order, and never follow through, when I had already purchased additional supplies for the order. (I do keep lots of fabric in stock all the time, although sometimes new colors, styles, or supplies are needed.) After the flowers are handmade and assembled, I send pictures of all items, for approval, before shipping. Once approval is given, I box up and ship the order. Some days I ship from home, although if my other jobs take me away from home (or we have a substitute mail carrier), I must go by the post office. 

It's important for my mind and body to stay healthy and focused. Drama, stress, and distractions can ruin the whole process. 

Lately I've been ask "so what do you do now?" Well, whatever it takes and whatever my wonderful customers want. My "main" job is making burlap and lace wedding bouquets, I also make wreaths, home decor, repurposed clothing, and other unique items that can be found in my Etsy shop and ship world wide. 

I take on local floral events and funerals as the need arises. (I don't keep fresh flowers on hand, so I must drive 35 miles one way, to pick up flowers for any request, therefore I do set minimum order rates for this service.) I promise to share pictures from this wedding very soon! 

We have a booth at Uniques and Antiques in Mineola (about 30 miles from my house) that needs restocking on a regular basis. We share the space with Angea aka Rooster Tails. We generally go junkin' on Thursdays, looking for new items to add to our booth or to makeover. This is also the day we usually devote to updating our space and social media about what we have added. Sometime, prior to Thursday, we have to clean/makeover/paint/sew/fix, price, tag, and load our inventory to take on runs to U & A. Yes, it's a fun girls day, that involves lots of laughter and lunch out, yet it is still work. 

We also have a minimum of two hours of farm chores, on a daily basis. 

As a small business, we do a happy dance and say thank you every single time the cash register cha-chings on our phone (for online sales) and we are appreciative of everyone who refers a friend or ask us to help with local events. It means so much to us! 

Some days we don't know how we will do it all, but every single day, it all works out. We haven't had a dependable Friday paycheck in almost 3 years. (Christmas week will mark my third anniversary of being self employed on a full time basis.) It takes a lot of faith to make it and I'll admit to worrying more than I should. We don't live an extravagant life and try to be content with what we are fortunate to have. When all of you trust me to make and design items for your special occasions, it really does make me happy and we are so very thankful. 

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Your support for small businesses and especially small, handmade businesses is truly appreciated. I've got a friend who thinks we won the lottery and didn't tell anybody... that's definitely not the case. There's a lot of work / hustle going on here, to make ends meet, although some days, it really feels like I won big, knowing that I get to make a living with my creative talents and help all of you! 

As a special thank you for all of my loyal followers and friends - I have a special coupon code for 20% off all of the clothing and most home decor in my online shop. Hurry though, this coupon is only good through Monday. Use SHOWLOVESHOPSMALL for 20% off. (Most everything else is also on sale, without a coupon code needed.)