"if this is love, then love is easy, it's the easiest thing to do"

 Greetings all,

In light of Valentine's Day last week, i'm doing a love post.  I truly believe McFly's lyrics in their Love is Easy song . . . "if this is love, then love is easy, it's the easiest thing to do" . . . love should be easy, joyful & natural.  My husband & i often come home from a night out/ trip away (without the other) & say "thank goodness we're together, & happy!!"  It's not the "i'd rather be with you than be alone" . . . last year five of my acquaintances separated from their husbands . . . it happens, they realised the love was gone.  I understand marriage, monogamy & commitment forever, isn't for everyone . . . i tell our children that some people would look at the six of us & think "OMG, imagine having 4 children" or "who'd want to be married??" . . . everyone is different & desires different things, love comes to them later in life, or tragedy strikes . . . people are together or alone for unlimited reasons.  
I love marriage, i think it's beautiful & easy.  I saw an 'Agony Uncle' style programme the other night & the question was asked "when did you know it was time to get married" & the men said "when my wife told me it was" which made me giggle.  We definitely talked about it in advance, however, it was still a surprise when my then boyfriend asked me to marry him - had asked my father . . . & minutes later my mother presented us with an engagement gift, wrapped with a card - she knew, as well as i did, i was going to marry this boy.  Then we went ring shopping.  

 If there is one thing i've learned in my 30s, it's that i don't care what other people think.  I was never a self conscious type & i don't mean this in a belligerent way . . . my love for my husband is not hurting anyone, if someone poo poos marriage, commitment or love to me, well that's their choice/ decision/ issue.  Each to their own.  Everyone strives for different goals.  That's what makes the world go round & keeps things interesting.  For me, meeting the right guy has made so many amazing things harmonious in my life, right down to wanting/ having four children & desiring a life on a farm.  I got this sorted out when i was a teenager, hit the love jackpot early & we've cruising along ever since.  Some people think it's boring if you don't fight with your partner??  Or that i'm on permanent honeymoon as my handsome soldier keeps coming home from war!!  Nothing affects the love my husband & have for each other.  In fact, we thrive on the milestones, as they are all steps to the bigger picture . . . unashamedly, life in our late 40s with four adult children & knowing it will be 'just us' again.    

My school teacher niece & her electrician boyfriend came to Canberra - to take our old Jeep Cherokee - to live in Sydney with them.  We gave it to them - we bought her cheaply years ago from friends who were moving overseas.  It was such a great feeling watching twenty somethings drive off in something which might be a big part of their future . . . marriage, maybe children.  He's joining the military soon - their story is surprisingly similar to ours, as is their love story - it's an easy one.            

A lovely quote which has stayed with me "the best thing for a father to do for his children, is love their mother" & i believe that is true.  We had our babies in our 20s, loads of energy & fun, plus they were sleepers & never ill, be breezed through it all . . . now we're at the business end, with teenagers & team parenting has never been more important.  

I just spent my 19th Valentine's Day with the love of my life & he brought home roses, that's about 5 bunches of Valentine flowers in all those years, they make him sneeze . . . they were beautiful, sweet & thoughtful, best of all, a genuine heart felt surprise & to our audience . . . our children . . . we are showing them a decent example of how easy, happy & harmonious love can be.  I can't watch shows where couples are at each other's throats, arguing constantly, yelling & not resolving anything . . . worse - manipulating & undermining their partner - that's not entertainment, it's awful, nasty & mean.  Love Posie

eleven opinions on the eleventh

Greetings all,

I've been busy getting children back to school & organising my studio - every ribbon, pin & thread sorted - so quiet on the blog front.  Inspired though . . . found a fantastic old lamp shade to restyle like these ones at Koskela in Sydney.  Even discovered a cool twenty something hipster cousin of my husband's works there = excellent excuse to go back!!

Now my eleven opinions this month are random & i couldn't agree more with myself . . . 

1. I appreciate rank, experience & hierarchy, however, why do they choose Popes when they are already so elderly??  Good on the current Pope for retiring, first one in 600 years.

2. Rihanna - still hanging around Chris Brown - my issue is: people saying "they are role models"??  How can a stranger, be a role model to you??  We only see their media projected image or when they are performing, they're family or friends.  Here's a tip to those parents screaming "my child's sports/ movie/ singing hero has let them down" . . . BE YOUR OWN CHILD'S ROLE MODEL!!  Also, take the opportunity to discuss domestic violence, what is not Ok & word your children up on toxic relationships, so they know one when they witness or experience one!!

3. Chrissie Swan, busted smoking while pregnant, oh dear.  Now i am against smoking full stop, but attacking Chrissie - while pregnant & vulnerable - she knows the damage she is doing . . . threatening & lambasting her is not going to help anyone.  How about some support, she's clearly ashamed & regretful, this is one demon she can't overcome alone, even for the health of her 3rd baby & hiding it from her partner.  

4. Retail sales assistants who ignore you until you pick something up, then swoop in & offer "would you like me to hang that up in the dressing room??"  When i'm holding ladies size 4-6 clothing, a fitting room is not going to be the first clue that size is not for me.  I actually said to the last girl (after 5 stores with the same robotic speech) . . . "i'm not flattering myself, this is for my teenage daughter!!"    

5. Whinging that "Valentine's Day is so commercial."  So don't buy a card or flowers or chocolate or gifts.  I'm not into 'festive' days to remember to tell someone you love them, however, why poo poo it - it means the world to many celebrating anniversaries & romance - why spoil it for them & find another reason to be negative about something you can easily chose to exclude from your life!!

6. Cyber friends on social media aren't real friends - i beg to differ - i've made some wonderful engaging friends via my blog & social networks - if we lived closer, i know we'd be great friends in real life.  

7. Swearing in public is offensive & rude.  Teenagers are the worst - loud, obnoxious, disrespectful & so desperate to be noticed for all the wrong reasons, they are such losers thinking they are all powerful because they can say a swear word.  RightyO, do it in front of your mother or grandmother & watch hell unleash boys!!  I tell our children that they represent our whole family when they are at school, parties, socials, sports & in public, they should be proud & respectful.  They do believe we 'bug' them & know everything.  Mwhahahahaha.

8. Don't knock it until you try it . . . i bought a Mel B fitness DVD & it's excellent!!  Think old school cross training, using tins as hand weights & just get over her accent, she's funny.  

9. Next time you feel ill or have a lazy day at home, hire a DVD & chill out, it's so relaxing.  I did that today, better yet it was $1.95 New Release special & picked up a movie i knew nothing about - Jennifer Lawrence in The House at the End of the Street.  Technically the house was next door & it was a teen movie . . . it had a twist & was a bit of a thriller.

10. I met a person last week who insisted they would NEVER drink plain water.  I honestly thought that is being difficult for being difficult sake.  They had no medical reason, just that high maintenance kind of person who is fussy beyond belief.

11. Of all the weight loss, diet & exercise programmes i've tried (since hitting 32 & gaining weight, long after babies, lost all that weight each time, this is frustrating) Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation is excellent.  Yes, it's all stuff we know, eat in portions & exercise, however, she brings it all together with enthusiasm & great recipes, balanced with the exercise that day, she holds your hand, it's brilliant & it works!!  I've just started another round & i'm excited.

Have great weeks everyone, love Posie

my Marimekko week & the school year resumes

Greetings all, 

Last Friday i finally made it into the Marimekko store in Sydney, wow, what an experience & boy did i wish it wasn't raining so so hard, as i was head down running, not able to soak up the experience - just the raindrops!!  I mean, look at these racks of print & colour, pattern & fun.  I've been collecting Marimekko fabrics for over a decade, they are sensational, coveted & beautiful to work with.  I'm going to make a glorious family patchwork quilt, two actually.

After cruising the entire store, upstairs & down, i managed to finalise my favourite 10 bolts & chose a shoulder bag in signature print Unikko, which my children can borrow too.  I certainly loved the cushions!!

I have been dreaming up what to make with my new prints, while clearing out my studio all week.  Life is always very different after 7-8 weeks of having my four children home on Summer school holidays, to them suddenly resuming school for the year.  My husband started his new job here in Canberra, a couple of weeks ago, so the house is very quiet, just the chatter of chickens & our puppy to keep me company.

My eldest daughter is now in year 9 & was very keen to get back into school, she is doing a triathlon this weekend to kick start her sports.  She has a variety of subjects, electives & non electives, with up to 10 different teachers.  

Finally, after a few days of a new 'organic' process of the children & teachers moving around the classes to discover what 'feels right' my 3 primary schoolers were advised who their classes & teachers were.  Girl 2 has the same teacher as last year, job sharing with her 4th grade teacher, whom she adored, so that is a nice mix.  These days in small schools, they are often composite classes with job sharing mothers teaching part time - we've experienced it all & while i prefer male teachers (as my husband is away so often) - the job sharing situation is often a really positive as the teachers are always fresh.  

Girl 3 has the same teacher as last year, if you could imagine Taylor Swift as a teacher . . . complete with guitar, beautiful singing voice & leg warmers, this is it, perfect for our ethereal little sprite, who feeds off a creative teacher.  So those twins are now year 6 & ruling the school, they will receive special Tshirts too & prepare themselves for high school.  

Finally that baby boy of mine is fast approaching his sisters in height, year 4, with a gorgeous young teacher & all his girlfriends from previous, he'll be just right.  While we've attended 9 different pre, primary & high schools as we've moved all over Australia with the Army, it's nice to be settled & know we just have one more new school - when our son commences to high school, as the girls go to a ladies college. 

All by myself . . . the housewife life . . . so what to do with all this new spare time . . . well i've organised 40kg of no-longer-loved fabric for our daughter's ladies college; middle daughter's piano lessons have extended as 'she's a natural'; sorted school stationery; piled up all the excess kitchen pots, pans, microwave, knives, oven mits, cups, bowls, plates, utensils from the bachelor pad for our primary school canteen; spare linen for charity; removed garbage bags of rubbish from my studio; booked hair cuts; organised lunch dates; delivered fresh lunch to my husband; animal entertaining; i resume a Michelle Bridges 12WBT on Monday so doing my fitness tests; hoisting up a new canopy over the chicken coop; housework; groceries; dinner planning & preparation . . . today i'm finally going to do some shopping, swim & run.

 We'll be back in this city next month for a family wedding.  After dining with Kim Pearson here last Friday night, it brought back all the happy memories of spending my 20th birthday at the ANA (now the Shangri-la) & it's where my husband proposed 16 years ago . . . we booked a suite . . . only this time with ajoining room for 4 children!!  That's my Valentine's Day present right there!!  Valet parking & breakfast for 6.  So excited!!  

Have gorgeous weekends, we're off to a triathlon, love Posie

debunking instagram . . . with Stephanie_Somebody

Greetings all,

I was lucky enough to attend the Instagram Debunked by Stephanie_Somebody class at The School on Saturday.  Well i say "lucky". . . i'm pretty sure my enthusiastic registration moments after the class was announced had me guaranteed a spot.  Along with many errands, an unexpected dinner with a new friend & a business meeting i tied into a whirlwind 26 hours in Sydney . . . i was here, iPhone ready, eyes wide open.  

 We were welcomed by lovely The School Principal, Megan Morton, with an informal speech about the pretty world of Instragram, then introduced to Stephanie_Somebody.  While Stephanie remains anonymous on social media, i hope she doesn't mind this little sneak picture of herself here.  She didn't say 'no photos', however, this is her first class series & perhaps didn't think request we not publish her full face.    

 

The class included Stephanie's journey to Instagram fame, with discussion on how she goes about her photography, methods & a print out listing suggested application filters.  She was honest about how her followers went from 2000 in her first year . . . to 135 000+ after being featured on the Instagram 'who to follow' page.  While gracious with her success & literally quitting her day job to make good use of her audience & pursue a career in selling beautiful images (i can imagine future contracts with big brands as she sees things very differently to the average person, in particular, corporate clients) . . . her following is for good reason - she puts a lot time, effort, skill, filters, editing & thought into her images, they are deliberate, patiently uploaded & carefully considered.  I love that she even admitted she contemplates how the image will flow with her 'grid' & never posts similar photos (colour, subject, theme) in a row.  Me too, unless i'm doing a colour/ subject/ theme series. 

 Personally i found the class was for those who want to make their Instagram feed more beautiful, with quality & considered images.  Stephanie might have won 'Instagram Idol' however, she knows her stuff & even if she was presenting the class with her original 2000 followers, i would have been impressed, paid my $180 to attend the class & soaked up her knowledge, methods & experience.  As i've only been on Instagram for 4 months & i'm also new to smart phones . . . i found this experience & Stephanie's knowledge was precisely what i was after.  There were new Instagrammers in the class, many still fumbling with filters & those who are not posting to build a brand, reputation or business profile . . . i heard some ladies saying they were now horrified about their current account (after seeing Stephanie's stunning, harmonious & balanced images) they want to delete & start again.  No doubt Stephanie has inspired them to do better, but not to delete their past - especially as you learn from experience!!  I believe that not everyone has an eye for photography, natural style or even capturing good content, like not everyone can write a blog, cook a roast, run a marathon or become a doctor - not all social media, just because it's free & available to anyone, is for everyone to do well, or at a semi/ professional level which will attract thousands of followers.  Stephanie posts about 5 times a week, extremely restrained & disciplined . . . i completely understand why, especially as she had a very demanding job in interior design, Instagram was her little hobby, instead of television.  She's equally choosey about who she follows, for her it's all about inspiration.

 The top Instagram suggestions from Stephanie, which i was already doing (thanks to being a seasoned blogger) so i'm not stealing her Intellectual Property include:

use the same profile picture/ image/ logo across all your social media

your bio should include a relevant description & include a link to your website

add a story with your photos (mini blog) & name the place/ event - for community building

use hashtags '#' so people can see others doing the same thing, but ensure they are relevant  

don't over do #, they might gain you followers, however, it's quantity not quality, possibly spam 

be active in your community, leave engaging comments

continually look at your visual style, does your feed flow harmoniously 

post frequency - try to stick to a rhythm (i post about 3 times a day, 8 hours apart)

always have your phone/ camera ready, looking for something special, unique, interesting

pureists insist it's all done with smart phones & uploaded 'insta-ntly' or tagged #latergram (i'm late to the party so the rules have already been broken, however, i do reference #NikonD70SLR if it's not a genuine iPhone photo & i rarely post images while i'm at an event, for privacy, so almost everything i post is a #latergram)

keep your smart phone software up to date

constantly hone your skills & try new styles, stay fresh

be confident to take photos in public places or practise stealth

consider symmetry, horizons, natural light, subject, blank spaces & composition

use the camera phone app first, contrast brightness, crop, edit, then upload to Instagram with filters, or save & edit more, add another filter, keep playing

really consider what your Instagram account is for - personal/ business, a suitable blend of both or have separate accounts!!

Finally some beautiful quotes from Stephanie . . .

"represent your own beauty" 

while i enjoyed Stephanie_Somebody's photos, her life is completely different to mine - eating out to cafes with her boyfriend in Melbourne, finding interesting angles to shoot & starting a new business . . . i hope her words ran deep in everyone, that we all see things differently & seek our own beauty, with a variety of skills to deliver them to the world.  Right now for me, it's country properties, shacks, flowers, baking, chickens, vignettes & my family.  Ladies at the class said i had a lovely balance on my Instagram feed, content & rate of posting, which was lovely unsolicited honest feedback.  All i know is that i'm maintaining my 1% "selfies rate" & i've always mixed up my feed so you're not bombarded with 10 of the same image in a row, i respect the time anyone takes to look at my images/ social media, hold their attention & hope to take them on a little adventure, they might even choose to follow me to discover more, against millions of others doing similar things.

"Instagram is about being lovely" 

that is precisely how i feel about it.  Light hearted snippets of loveliness.  Stephanie did say she's had a lot of spam from her 'who to follow' exposure, including negative comments, to which she responded with 'hey, i'm a real person here, you found me' . . . personally at my age & life experience, i'd just hit the delete & scrap them, they're clearly not real fans, genuine followers or people i wish to learn anything more about.  Love Posie

do you like shacks?? i took photos of stacks!!

Greetings all,

I have loved shacks, sheds, barns, machinery-lean-tos & rambling old broken down cottages, forever.  I recently took a string of photos of such visual delights up & down the Pacific Highway between Sydney & Brisbane.  I wasn't sure if they would be well received & posted them on Instagram . . . it appears many of you like #stacksofshacks too!! 

 Some are quite long barns, industrial & booming in their day.

 They have been left to the elements . . . 

 to reveal the most beautiful weathered wood & rust.

 Really loved the feedback on this image - referred to as a 'salty car window at high speed' filter.  It's not perfect & i think that makes it even more special, even with part of the car window blocking out the bottom corner.  I'm not a professional photographer & don't pretend to be either.

 The dramatic skies & lush paddocks add to the character of this cottage.

 This mossy shed was my favourite, collapsed & consumed by the landscape.

 I much prefer these open machinery sheds with light flooding through . . .

 because these dark enclosed sheds freak. me. out.  Creepy!!

 The lean on this old gutted barn is amazing.  

 You can just spy the Clarence River in the background of this image of an open shed near Grafton, so this would now be completely flooded over.  I've seen some lovely old wooden shacks lifted off their foundings & floating flooded rivers in Queensland on the news.  Crushing.

It was pretty lush & waterlogged when i took these images a month ago, the water will have nowhere to go but create a massive flood plain.  Heartbreaking for the locals.  Stay safe flood victims, love Posie

happy Australia day!!

Greetings all,

Happy Australia Day!!  

We're celebrating with banana smoothies, lamingtons & Australia-shaped watermelons - a surprisingly good taste combination.

 Looking through snaps on my phone - i found this quintessential Australian landscape shot, across Lake George, on the curve of the home stretch into Canberra.  To me, a Sydney girl, this is now very much my home, in my heart & my mind.  

 Of course, Canberra is the only inland capital city in Australia, so a trip to the beach isn't happening today, although it is scorching hot today.  Our Christmas holiday stay on the water in Yamba, North Coast NSW, is a memory, a very happy one.  We'll always have our Basil Bangs beach umbrella though, i could gaze at that fringing all day, actually i did!! 

Have a gorgeous long weekend Australians, love Posie

i make stuff, i'm a mum - should i start my own business??

Greetings all, 

"I love what you do, i make stuff too, should i start my own small business??"  

This is something i have heard countless times, especially when i was in the height of my design business 2-5 years ago.  While i am positive & encouraging, you have to seriously think about why you want to - the driving forces, positive & negative.  If you told me it was so you could be your own boss as your current one is awful, oh hells no, change jobs instead.  

Being your own boss actually means EVERY SINGLE CUSTOMER IS YOUR BOSS.  You are accountable for every detail.  

You put in long hours, it's your heart & soul, it's incredibly personal running your own business, it's a challenge to switch off.  You need to be extremely strong minded, dedicated & determined, enormously talented & highly organised.  I was in the 'children's things industry' as i had young children, it was the world i lived & breathed, i knew my demographic.  However, back in 1999 when i was a new mum, sewing as a hobby in Darwin, websites/ on line shops weren't happening.  I was honing my skills while working full time in the oil industry, making/ selling bags, soft furnishings & baby clothes to friends/ family.  

Keep your business small & make small mistakes.  Be patient for growth, then you will handle it with grace & skill.  

It wasn't until 2001 when i had twins & farewelled a salary, that i realised my potential.  By then i had experience, feedback, a growing range of products & was ready to turn it into a business.  I never took a loan, i never paid for childcare & i never got into debt.  I would sell a bag & invest that money in business cards.  I would sell a quilt & reinvest the cash in materials.  We moved to Sydney & my husband went to his second war zone, i had all night to sew & create (being a wife takes up a lot of time!!)  I started babysitting two little boys & their mothers kindly took my products to their work places to sell (in the magazine industry, hello, free follow on advertising!!) 

I let my business grow slowly & was able to maintain being a dedicated mother, housewife & babysitter - preparing my sewing during the day - then sewing at night without distractions.

When my 4th baby arrived, i took my business on line, after the near impossible search for a web designer.  I now had 6 children in my charge most days & as the orders increased - so did my efficiency.  I'm a high energy person & the children were fantastic.  I specialised in custom design with orders from samples, so i never had excess stock.  A year later my eldest daughter started primary school, twins commenced preschool & both boys i babysat moved away . . . circumstances change with small children - they grow up!!  Then we moved back to Darwin & i started attending markets.  I waited until my son was weaned at age 2, then took the readymade stock i had & paid $20 to do a stall at the local Sunday markets.  I think i made $100 in 6 hours, the feedback was encouraging & i was cross questioned as my products were new, different & exciting.  It was exhausting, however, i had fresh ideas & American fabric shops were finally shipping to Australia = my fabric range increased & i started selling fabric too.  I attended that local Sunday market each fortnight & built up to larger handmade markets - as my confidence, abilities & range increased, so did the income.    

Then we moved to Canberra - with an affluent & larger population - i invested in an EFTPOS machine.  People holding $20 worth of products would say "oh you have EFTPOS" & gather up $200 of products!!  It's not cheap to maintain the machine, however, they are essential at large markets if you want large sales.  This is where my business hit its peak, doing about 6-8 high end markets a year & stocking one select store . . . i closed the wholesale label down too.  Among all this, my husband went to Afghanistan 3 times & my 4th child started primary school . . . my interest in being a 'just a mum again' beckoned & i needed surgery on both my wrists (carpal tunnel) so i put the brakes on my business & refocussed, 18 months ago.       

 My big tips for small business, especially handmade . . . 

your friends will be nice & not tell the truth. You will know if they really love & believe in your products, as they will a) put their money where their mouth is & purchase them, & b) happily tell all their friends = flow on sales.  That makes them paying clientele, making you a real business, i.e. making money.  Listen to feedback, do your research, check out the competition - attend markets as a customer, ask a million questions (many people don't realise they are giving away all their secrets, some share happily) & be really honest with yourself - capabilities, stress levels, skill set & time you truly have to dedicate to this. 

If possible, save up before you commence your business/ start as a serious hobby while you are gainfully employed, then reinvest money from your initial sales into your business - try to avoid a loan & if you do get a business credit card, control the spending.  Avoid over ordering & getting swept up in the next new product trend - your competitors can undercut you/ advertise better/ be more popular with a great reputation, you're stuck with dead stock.  It's very difficult to break into any market now - cupcakes, dresses, candles, toys - as i'm afraid to say . . . anyone can get an Australian Business Number, create a website, order wholesale, copy your handmade products & sell on line.  There are also plenty of mums running businesses on line for the passion, joy & stimulation . . . they are very wealthy & not desperate for sales.  They are still your competition.  There are many different reasons why 'mumtrepreneurs' exist.  

Check your ego, do you want to be able to say you are a designer or actually make money??    

Business advisors will say "it's a small business when you pay yourself a weekly salary, otherwise it's just a hobby."  While i understand this, i also feel we work-from-home mummies who are creating an income while still caring for our own children, all sales make a difference as we're still doing our own child care/ washing/ cooking/ cleaning/ IT/ web maintenance/ mail/ materials purchasing & production . . . my on line side of the business has always hummed along slowly, compared to the commission work & major cash injection from quarterly markets, i could never balance 'a steady salary' as i paid for fees, fuel, food, fashion & fun.  My husband's income took care of the big expenses & investment property mortgages.  If my husband was highly paid, i'd JUST be a mother sewing for fun, however, the money i made was essential to keeping us financially afloat.  If i wanted to earn the big bucks, i would have been a pharmacologist, but imagine 4 children in care & the hours + commute & fortune i'd spend on outsourcing, it would never sit right with me. 

My handmade goods developed as a wholesale label 7 years ago (when my son started preschool) . . . selling in 50 stores around the world.  Along with my collaborations/ designs/ patterns/ ideas/ products being published in several craft books & 100s of glossy magazines, my commissions included clients like Opera Australia, BazMart, John Butler Seed group & various festivals/ events/ markets.  It all sounds amazing on paper, however, it's hard work & calls would come through my mobile while grocery shopping with 4 children.  I always had 'mother & creative director' on my business card as i refused to apologise for being a mother or having children in the background, my children always came first, i didn't factor in overhead charges to my prices, clients appreciated that 'discount'.  

If you're yelling at your children to be invisible, work-from-home is not for you.  Imagine how they feel??!!

Now i have come full circle & refer to myself as a 'semi-retired-designer' & i'm selling off my stock on line, no more markets, i'm focussing on my children (next year i'll have 3 in high school, i don't want to miss a minute) . . . that is what suits our family now.  My husband has just spent 3 years living interstate & overseas, away from us, i want to spend my evenings with him, not my sewing machine.  It would be near impossible for me to work in my actual field (Pharmacology) + i have zero plans to retrain or study again.  Being a full time mum with some random orders on the side, suits me at this stage.

An essential part of working from home & small business is communication.  Social media is free, use it!!  

People love to learn more about the person behind the business, via social media & see the full range of your products/ abilities.  I started my blog when i developed my wholesale label & started posting regularly 3 years ago to compliment the strong local following my business held.  Later i started Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest & most recently Instagram.  While my business is on hold, i have 6000 followers to interact with & maintain my passion for design & communicating my thoughts.  You must be internet savvy, even if you only do markets, i assure you - half the customers will ask "do you a have a website??"  You really must be able to say 'yes' & hand a business card/ information slip over, even if it's a blog address, Facebook site or etsy shop.  

If you have committed to being a genuine stay-at-home mother yet have the urge to make money, you really have to make it fit into your own spare time.  It's not fair on the family.  A part time job would be much easier than starting your own business.  Like my pathway - circumstances change, you have more children, then they start school, you move interstate, husband goes away to 5 war zones - my sewing & the income it derived - sparked my intellect & on top of all the savings i made (breastfeeding, cloth nappies, making all our meals from scratch, no holidays, no babysitters) . . . it's totally paid off in the long run + my children understand the value of a dollar, they are incredibly creative & REALLY appreciate their parents.

Finally, if you can't handle high pressure, your children have special demands & your husband isn't going to support you, it would be one miserable journey of work-from-home-mummy you are about to embark on.  

Never put off having sex with your husband because you have an order to fill - that's the direct path to resentment.  

You simply can't fool yourself.  Will the running costs outweigh sales if you can't give it 100%??  Possibly.  Websites, accountants, materials, shipping all add up.  I cannot stress how fierce competition is, no matter how lovely your product or unique your skill.  Tap into a niche market, you might get paid what your product (materials, labour, design, ego) is worth.  While i have excess stock i purchased wholesale, i can always give them away as gifts i'd have to pay retail for, so nothing is a loss.  All my fabrics will be used up personally, eventually.  My handmade items . . . i'm happy to sell them at a discount, i had my time as the popular one, in the limelight, i made great profits & i was top of my game, i'm now moving on.  Posie Shop sale continues.  

I hope this advice was useful, from a 12 year small business veteran.  I have so much more to write about . . . Intellectual Property . . . hunting down clients & stores who don't pay or play fair . . . my opinion on paid commissions . . . getting too personal on business social media platforms . . . falling out with colleagues . . . holding your own against the competition . . . perhaps in a different post.  Love Posie