Falling......

Things seem to be falling lately......as I look around the gorgeous handmade word I love I see falls in prices, falls in market night mania and the fall in spirits of beautiful ladies. It may be just me......but have things slowed down? It's that time of year.....you know the time, I'm going through it too.....the Christmas credit cards are screaming for payment, my light bill just came and the rates instalment is due as well as the kids back to school or daycare, uniforms and books just bought, the bank account depleted and sad looking.

There are some handmaidens that ride out this time of year, I've seen many that started the same time as me, or after, that have ridden the wave of success with hard work, sweat and tears and a bit of well deserved luck. Their stores are still emptied in seconds, people struggle to get their products and wave them proudly once finally won. It's something I love to see, it's wonderful when people so lovingly support Australian handmade........but I admit it's hard to see as well. I struggle to fit in sewing time, I work full time as many of you do and have children. It's hard to not feel down at this time of year when you pour your heart into your items, staying up late into the night crafting and fussing only to have them sit in store, adored by others but un bought.

And with so many other gorgeous new stores opening with lower prices and similar items it only gets harder. I'm lucky in a way, with working my "normal" career I don't NEED Missy Bug to cover my bills although it would be nice if it helped, just ask my neglected hubby!

And so I plough on at this time of year, hoping to come up with nicer, prettier and unique items to win back people's hearts so they don't forget me. Thank you for being here with me, reading and visiting my word......I promise it is pretty here and worth seeing...

Love Cathy xx

Pink Baby Love

Gee....all these beautiful baby girls being born to some gorgeous friends this week is making me a tad clucky! Therefore I am on the hunt for some perfect baby girl gifts. During me rumaging I have found some simply stunning pieces that I just had to share with you xx

Love love love this receiving blanket from the super talented Christine at C Percy Designs

C Percy Designs

And one simply cannot go past the beautfil little friends that Jodie over at Flowers Frills Buttons And Bows makes. My girls adore their FFBB toys and Miss H hasn't let her rabbit out of her sight since the Easter Bunny brought it!

Flowers Frills Buttons & Bows

And all little girls need a nappy wallet when out and about. Laura at ZeeBee Creations makes the perfect design and is always creating new pieces that are unique and stylish. My all time favorite.

ZeeBee Creations

If had another bubba girl her room would be getting one of these canopies from Tara K Designs! There is so much love and attention to detail in these. Uber girly.

Tara K Designs

And of course you will be needing some beautiful wall candy....Heart Candy to be exact! My girls are lucky enough to not only have a set of prints in each of their rooms but also an original artwork by the lovely (and new pink bubba mum) Jessie xx

Heart Candy

Oh..... And all girls need a tricket box! I adore all things resin by Lucid Doll ~ But beware! There are also stunning clutches available for mummies. 

Lucid Doll

And some Georgie Girl ruffles xx

Georgie Girl

And last but by no means least ~ A Little Lou Lou dress!.......oh and just between you and me....this particular Little Lou Lou dress now lives at my house ;)

Little Lou Lou - Handmade Baby Boutique

So if you have a little girl to buya pressie for get browsing. There are so many talented ladies with gorgeous shops out there and this is but a taste

Please note ~ Not all items pictured in this blog are available at time of writing however they give you an idea of the products these wonderful pages produce xx

Under The Pile Of Stress......There Is Me

I've been stressing and putting off things in general for far too long and today I found myself having one of those "moments".......You know what I'm talking about....The life moments when we stop running around like a headless chicken and think "what the hell am I doing??"

This has been coming for ages but I didn't want to admit it to anyone, much less myself. I am my own worse critic and always expect much more from myself then I am, at times, capable of. We have had a lot going on here lately and it's made me pause and start to reflect on where I need to be at to keep sane. 

Having dropped my husband at work to fly out for a week or so...I think....I had arrived home with the girls upset and the house a mess. I gave them lunch, popped them in bed then sat on the floor feeling strangely empty, looking around at the mountain of work to do and knowing my custom order list was waiting, looming and a lot longer then I would like. SO I thought it may be therapeutic to blog about whats been happening here so you may understand what is happening with Missy Bug Boutique in the future. 

 For starters we are in the middle of renovating....wait.....who am I kidding? More like fully gutting and re building a little house in town that we plan to move into. When I say gutting I mean the only room that is left unchanged is the toilet. AND we are doing it all ourselves....how I wish we could hire a tribe of people.....but alas it's us on weekends while the girls play with toy tools and run around the unloved garden. I have even learnt to use a hammer drill....

The house will be lovely when we finish, but for now it is a huge stress. I am SO looking forward to my new kitchen, town water and a garbage service.

Secondly I returned to the "real" world of work a month ago. I LOVE my career and have found it's impossible to maintain the work/family/play/Miss Bug balance I had all mapped out in my head. I had visions of me standing in a wonder women outfit on a hill top with a happy toddler on my hip, joyful 4 year old and supportive husband. Not to mention the house being finished and spotless, car clean, piles of Missy Bug orders finished and dinner cooked....and maybe even the washing not heaped all over the place and the dog fed.

 The last month has been a reality check. The house is no where close to being done, the kids are feral and I have no idea where dinner is! Then with hubby off to work and me left here it has dawned on me that I cannot keep up this pace or keep thinking I am wonder women....that outfit has been decommissioned. And while I'm on the rant my toddler WILL NOT sleep....and it's been going on for months and months. I know I shouldn't complain as millions of families have bad sleepers but it's wearing thin with everything else going on. And it's crunch time for my studies I have to get done with my career. SO something has to go on the back burner for a little bit and as much as I hate to say it, it is Missy Bug. I ADORE my little handmade business but the more I think about it, the more I need it to get back to the reason I started it in the first place. As my creative outlet, my downtime......Not something that I'm stressed over and keeps me up all hours of the night crunching orders. I was just going to scale things back and hope no one would notice but I want people to know why I'm not on my page everyday like I was and why their orders have been taking longer then I would like. 

To any of you that have made it to the bottom of this long winded waffle, thank you. I needed to express that I am stressed and feeling horrid and I don't want to let anyone down by not being able to say yes to every custom request and not holding market nights every month and having a fully stocked, gorgeous store.

I'm hoping once the main part of my studies is out of the way things will get back to "normal" but I need to go easier on myself. It is my own fault I have taken on too much and please don't think I'm after sympathy, I made this bed of responsibilities and no sleep and I plan to lay/wallow in it. 

And so, for the time being Missy Bug Boutique will be closed for custom orders and the store will be on holidays till I clear my custom list. I will then get back to the creative process I love and list things as I make them as well as having the odd market night. I firmly believe that this will actually get me sewing more. When I shut up shop over Easter last year I actually did MORE sewing as I didn't feel pressure.

 I'm feeling more creative already! I also understand why sleep deprivation is used as a torture method....I think my toddler and I need to have a little chat as her torturing mummy is getting ridiculous and I hope in a few months when things have improved I'll look back on this blog and think "Gee you were a tired, cranky sod who drank too much".....

Very sorry for the long post & thank you if you took the time to read it xx  

Testing 123....Into the Land Of Blog

Ok.....so I must admit I have no idea what I'm doing, what makes a good blog, how to write a blog and if I'm truly honest with you, I don't read many blogs....not for lack of trying to find the time....

It's coming up to the 2 year anniversary of me starting my humble little Missy Bug Boutique. I never thought it would grow like it has and since starting hand making clothes as well I have been run off my feet. I adore the handmade community and watching the other businesses grow and develop, changing and flowing with the needs of customers to forge a wonderful brand and image for themselves. 

When I first started all this I had hoped to reach such heights with products sold out in seconds and people waiting for more. However, as I have fumbled along I've come to the realisation that these things aren't as important in the big picture for me personally. I've also found the less I have worried and stressed and the more I have let go and followed by own creative path, the more wonderful comments, customers and satisfaction I have gotten. I have loved the journey my craft and sewing has taken me on and it is truly my creative outlet and helps keep me level....the fact I have been able to make some sales and cover some costs is a bonus.....however my fabric collection is out of control.....I really must do something about it.....

I simply wanted to express my thanks to all my followers, both old and new, and the other wonderful, supportive and truly inspirational handmade women out there. I mainly wanted to start using this blog to share things that I love and bring a smile to my face and to point you in the direction of some of the wonderful stores I have dealt with over the past two years, some of who's owners I am now blessed to call my friends.....albeit Face Book friends xx

My wonderful friend Laura from ZeeBee Creations was one of the main reasons I entered the world of handmade....so all this is really her fault *evil laugh* For years now my girls cupboards have been full of ZeeBee pieces and Laura's fabric choices and attention to detail are truly perfect. She even made this gorgeous Memento pinnie for my youngest 1st birthday and now I have a size 2 ordered as I simply love it. Thank you for suggesting turning my hand to craft lovely lady xx

ZeeBee Creations

Another dear friend of mine is Julia from Squeeze Cuddles who is always so supportive and a down right adorable person. This is one of the first handmade orders I ever bought apart from the girls ZeeBee goodies. I'm not sure who was more upset when Hannah grew out of her gorgeous pinnie......me or her.......

Squeeze Cuddles 

I have SO many businesses I want to write about but I also don't want your head to explode with all the cuteness so I'll do them 2 per blog...if I do this again! HOWEVER I did want to leave this entry with a 2 year progress note seeing as Hannah has woken up and will be fixing to eat everything in the fridge as only a growing 2 year old can.

This is the very first hair clip I ever made....My oldest daughter Liana thought it was the BEST thing ever! She was so much easier to impress back then!

 

And the last thing I have made is one of these Postcards From Paris Jacket & Skirt sets.......Liana expects to much more then a hair clip now days! 

 

 

Thank you again for taking this journey with me and I'm looking forward to sharing more of the process and people that shaped over the next few weeks......if I should write more blogs?

Now, off to get my munchkin out of bed and have some tea and chocolate