The Long Awaited . . .

Traveler has hit our Etsy shelves! I know there are some anxious fashionistas out there waiting to get their hands on this baby. There is only one in stock and we hope to stock our inventory with more. I have to admit, this one is my favorite! I LOVE big bags. (I have so many that it’s a bit shameful.) I’m the type of gal that likes to be prepared and, trust me, Traveler holds everything! Shar and I have field-tested them ourselves. 

      

  

 

That's right, it's reversible!

Athena

I need to return a library book today. I was taking out the post its from The Crafty Chica’s Guide to Artful Sewing, when I was reminded about this random passage I marked.

Crafty Chica’s suggested:

Consider naming your sewing machine your new best friend. You two want to appreciate each other and work together to create fabulous designs. Give her a name. Learn her quirks and how to make the most of them. Most important, decorate her with crystals, stickers, or rub-on letters.

The author, Kathy Cano-Murillo, decorated hers accordingly. Mine won't be as crazy (or tacky) as this one. 

I thought it was inspiring and silly, silly (and easy enough) to the point that I just had to do it. Total cheese, right?! But when I think about it, I’ve definitely called it a bitch not so nice name a couple many times over the duration of our relationship. And yes, I do talk to it, encouraging it to push through thick fabric just a little further or asking her what the hell her problem is. And it is one of the most important elements of the biz. Without her, we’d be lost. See, I’m talking about her, uh it, like she’s one of the girls already. It’s only proper that she be given a name.

My little workhorse needs something independent, unique, feminine and spirited-something that you would name your car, but maybe not your first-born. I know! In the name of fashion, I christen you . . . Athena. Why that particular name you wonder? Well, I thought it would be fitting since Athena is the Greek goddess of handicrafts, as well as wisdom (always good to have), warfare (to kick our competition’s butt), strategy (for advertising and to keep us on track with goals) and reason (to make smart decisions). Besides that, I just love the mystic and romance and of the gods. So, why not name it after one of the more prestigious ones. I’m also supposed to dress her up a bit, but she’s not ready for her glamour shot just yet. I’ll post her in all her glittered and painted glory later. I wonder if I should break a champagne bottle against the flywheel to make it official, you know, like how ships are launched. Nah, I’ll dance it out. That’ll be celebration enough.

Temporary Insecurities

Every now and then my confidence wobbles. Am I good enough? Can I really make a name for myself? Do I have the energy? Is this all just wishful thinking? It’s an everyday battle to remind myself that I can do this, that I have the opportunity of a lifetime to make something out of this little company. I stumbled upon this quote this morning. I hope it shines a little light on your own small battles. I think I’ll post it on my bulletin board.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be?"

–Marianne Williamson

And then, I rock out to Beyonce . . . she’s always a pick me up.

Happy New Year

The last few hours of 2009 are ticking away . . . This year has been good to us. S&S has come a long way from being a fanciful idea to an actual online shop.  Looking forward to the New Year, Shar and I hope to build on that momentum. What will 2010 hold for S&S? Let’s play psychic for a moment while I peer into my crystal ball, shall we? Hmmm . . . it’s a little hazy, but I see new designs . . . fresh fabric selections . . . more FB and Twitter fans . . . perhaps even another business trip (or two!). Well, whatever happens, I’m crossing my fingers that it will be amazing!

To ring in the New Year, I’ve made a few resolutions.  I won't cross my heart, hope to die, poke a needle in my eye that I’ll keep them because, as with all resolutions, one or two will inevitably fall by the wayside. BUT, I’ll try my darnest to keep up with them. I have you folks to keep me accountable. So, here goes:

♥ Learn a new sewing skill every month. Each one mastered will be a small triumph in growing the business. (By the way, snaps for me for learning how to create an inner zipper during the holiday sewing frenzy. See, I’m already ahead!)

♥ Read a new sales tip from Etsy every week and apply it to S&S.

♥ Remain dedicated in blogging and announcing interesting things going on at S&S.

♥ Keep sane hours. I mean it with this one! (This goes for Shar too. I know she has no control over her hours, but hopefully she’ll remember to take a cocoa break every now and then.) I don’t want a Christmas repeat and burn out again . . . for either of us!

Good luck with your own resolutions and may the year be kind to you. Here’s a toast to new beginnings in 2010!

Love,
STL

Peace at Christmas

This week, I’ve officially declared myself to be on Christmas vacation. I think I’m well deserving of it! I’m pretty much burnt out from sewing several handbags (Sorry, I can’t mention show them in case I ruin the surprise for the recipients. But trust me, they’re super cute!) and a few other handmade gift goodies and decorations…and prepping for a dinner party this past Sunday that have kept me up until the wee hours of the night. The lack of sleep was a small price to pay to make sure that those packages were sent in time before the PO’s shipping deadline. I put so much effort into those gifts and I’d be damned if they didn’t reach their destination in time for Christmas!

Wes would have been disappointed if I didn’t make homemade stockings. (What you thought I could just sew handbags?!) Apparently, he’s just too good for store bought ones! Looks like I was a good girl this year since mine is extra heavy for its hook!

Paper garland, one of my many mini projects. 

Now that the rush is over, I can enjoy some peace without feeling guilty. And it feels so good! The last couple of days I’ve been catching up on sleep, watching cheesy ABC family Christmas movies and reruns of Greek (my new fave show to keep me occupied until Drop Dead Diva and Glee are back) and eating all the baked treats dropped off by my neighbors. Life is good! Oh, and Wes and I are heading to Flagstaff for our Christmas getaway. We weren’t able to fly to Hawaii or Indiana this year to spend time with either of our families, so we’re starting our own tradition of snowboarding on Christmas Day.

I should be well rested and itching to get started when I return from my mini vacation. I’m excited for all the new things that S&S will be featuring. Hopefully, Shar and I can introduce The Traveler on our Etsy site soon. I know I few ladies out there who are waiting for them! We may even take a poll on what fabrics you all like best. There are just so many lovely ones out there we’re having a hard time deciding. Shar and I tried weeding them out ourselves, but we likened it to choosing which one of our children were our favorite (not that either of us have children, but it was just so dang hard to decide!). Your input would be much welcome!

For now, let’s just all enjoy the Christmas holiday . . . and survive the long stretch into the New Year. Here’s hoping that your days are merry and bright!

Cheers,

Sherryl & Shar

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Nothing could be better than the holidays! Holiday parties, snuggling under warm blankets with hot cocoa and marshmallows....stealing kisses under the mistletoe...*sigh*

WE LOVE THE CHRISTMAS SEASON!

But MOST OF ALL, we are pleased to announce that:

Sherryl & Shar is having a special online GRAND OPENING!!!!!!

Our inaugural launch features a selection of our first line of handbags, carefully handcrafted with love and packaged with you in mind. You are cordially invited to view and be the first to purchase a Sherryl & Shar handbag! You can reach our shop at www.sherrylandshar.etsy.com

or direct through our shop link on the sidebar of this blog.

As an added bonus, we are featuring FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING to anywhere within the US and Guam through the end of 2009!

Sherryl & Shar handbags make excellent gifts, but once you see one in person, we'll understand if you want to keep it for yourself!

Thank you!

From Shar . . .

Thanksgiving. There is so much to be thankful for this year. Sherryl and I put our positive vibes out into the universe and our nose to the grindstone, and voila! Sherryl & Shar took its first steps into the retail market! This company is truly our baby and ever labor pain will be worth it in the end because we know that we have the support of our friends, family, and fans. And, when I say "labor pains," believe me, starting a company has all the signs of birthing a newborn. Sweat, tears, late nights, early mornings, frequent appointments, temporary meltdowns, getting the crib ready -aka the website. It has been an exhausting yet worthy adventure. I am the luckiest person to have my best friend with me through it all. That said, I am also thankful for Beyonce's latest cd! If you are an avid reader of our blog, you will know why! :)

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥ 

From Sherryl . . . 

I am thankful for so much! So far, it has been an amazing year and it’s not over yet. The most exciting times are yet to come and it’s not just because Thanksgiving is here and Christmas and the New Year are right around the corner. Shar and I are finally seeing all of our hard work come to fruition.  I remember those days when all we did was dream and wonder what kind of business to start. At that time, I was in Indiana and Shar was in Rhode Island.  The two of us have come a long way since then.  We’ve criss crossed thousands of miles across the country, drank more than our fair share of margaritas during meetings and survived every crazy, exciting and surreal experience, all the while making S & S a reality. Though, we couldn’t have done it by ourselves. It’s still amazing to me how many people support us! I'm smiling to myself and shaking my head in wonder right now.   To each and every one of you (family, friends, FB fans, Twitterville, friends of friends and friends of friends of friends) that has sent Shar and I encouraging words, positive thoughts and good juju, I just want to say, from the tips of my magical sewing fingers, “Salamat Po . . . Grazie . . . Mahalo . . . Thank You!”  And to my BFF and PIC, “Love you, chica!”

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥ 

May your bellies be full, your home filled with laughter and your hearts overflowing with happiness this holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Love,

Sherryl and Shar

P.S.  We also hope your pockets are heavy! Teehee!