Hi Everyone – wow, long time no post! I’ve been a busy mommy taking care of Ethan who is now 11 weeks old. We couldn’t be happier and are amazed at how fast he is growing! ๐ A lot has happened these last few months with the arrival of our son, house ‘stuff’ for a lack of a better term, etc. I won’t bore you with the nitty gritty and will get to the point regarding my announcement. With Ethan came a total shift in my priorities; It’s funny how life throws these curve balls at you. With my online store, I’m finding myself spending a lot of time packaging orders and doing store-related tasks during my free time (which I have very little of now).
To keep it short, I’ve decided to go on a temporary hiatus from my online shop, www.QuiltingInTheRain.com. Whew! It feels good getting that out! Next week I will host a promotion to give you all a generous discount code for my shop, in hopes to clear out my inventory. Whatever I don’t sell, I will most likely donate the remainder to some kind of quilting charity, I’m not sure yet which one.
I feel really good about this decision because it will free up my time to do what I love most: first and foremost is spending time with my family and then of course, crafting! My sewing machine has built up a thick layer of dust because I haven’t used it in so long. I’m not sure when I’ll open the shop again, but I’ll do it when the timing feels right.
And YES, i will continue this blog to share my latest crafting creations. I’m off to a slow start, but I’ll get back in the groove once things settle down.
Lastly, I couldn’t post this without a picture of my little Ethan who brings so much sunshine to my life. I don’t need sunshine in Seattle when I’ve got this little dude! Oh, and there’s a quilt in there too! ๐
Look at those chunky legs and that gorgeous smile!! Adorable boy you have there – no surprise you want to make more time for him. Enjoy!
what a happy baby!!! SO precious!!!! I totally feel your need to put your store on vacation, I do that sometimes with my online store (not related to quilting), just to have some time to breathe!
Good for you—shifting around priorities–I think many new moms are afraid to because they somehow think that others will think less of them. I am one of those people who actually thinks more of moms who put their children first ๐ Of course, I hope you keep quilting and blogging-I love you stuff! Sweet happy baby!
Blessings,
Carin from Margaret's Hope Chest
He is so sweet! Makes me have baby fever….oh, nope! It's gone now. Congratulations and glad that you made such a big decision to spend more time with your family.
He is precious..Enjoy your time with him. Good decision about your shop…You will never get this time back.
Very proud of you for making this tough decision! Family is first, and yes, these little men and girls will do it to ya, that giggle, that smile….it's all the worthwhile! Best wishes!
Such a cutie!
Family is most important. Ordained by GOD. Best wished to you all. Love these photos
I recommend Project Linus if you need any suggestions for a charity. I make baby quilts for them with my scraps and leftover charm packs. I ended up taking a 5 year break from quilting when my kids were born, so I completely understand! I will watch for your sale next week. Best of luck to you!
It's funny how this decision is hard and yet a relief at the same time. I felt the same way when I decided to stop teaching and stay home with my girls a few years back. It's tough but worth it, believe me.
He is beautiful!!!!! And I can't imagine a better reason for your decision. These years are so precious and go so fast. Glad we will be seeing you on the blog still ๐
Ethan is just precious and your time with him is just as precious! Enjoy every minute of it and don't regret letting go of the other stuff. It will be there later, but Ethan won't always be a cuddly fat little baby!
MGM
Good Call. Ethan is the most important part of life right now! Enjoy him, as I'm sure you've heard, it goes way way too fast…
You will never regret this. I gave up a career to stay home with my children and never regretted one day of it. Now I take care of my grandchildren everyday (13, 11, 11 & 8). I have since they were each 6 weeks old. I don't regret one day of this either. Please keep me in mind when you give away any of your fabric. I sew primarily for Sacred Heart Childrens Hospital here in Spokane WA and finance it all myself. Can use any help I can get. Visit my blog to see what I'm doing.
Dona
http://sewingmilesofsmiles.blogspot.com
ยกยกยกยกยกยก Que hermosooooooooo !!!!!! esta muy beutiful !!!!! me encanta !!! besos desde Argentina !!!
OMG what a beautiful happy baby!! You are doing the right thing, you can never go back and get these moments back. When you are tired and the baby is screaming and you are wishing you could tear your hair out without pain or run away, take a deep breath and remember this is just one moment, it will pass all too quickly. When he is grown and out on his own you will be so glad you took the time to enjoy!! Best wishes
Totally understandable and glad it's a relief! Ethan is utterly gorgeous, love those pictures! Enjoy your crafting ๐
Good for you! I know it was hard to make that decision after so much work went into your store…but one look at that baby and everything else just melts away. The store will be there when you are ready to resume, and your poor sewing machine will welcome you back as Ethan naps.
Good for you!!
What a bundle of joy he is!
Good for you! It isn't easy to make that sort of decision but when you look at that adorable little face how could you not want to drop everything else to spend time with him. Enjoy every second of it.
He is adorable!!!! You are right to prioritize & be able to spend more time with Ethan!
Oh my goodness so sweet! I don't blame you.
Great decision! When does the sale start?
So sweetly sad and joyous at the same time because I only just found you
(and made my mother a strippy pillow for mother's day thanks to your great tutorial!) I posted a picture of it on my blog page along with a link back to you.
But, your decision sounds like a well thought out and much needed family time break and I wish you the most wonderful moments both big and small ๐
Ya! when does the sale start?? Your baby is sooooo cute!!!
I know this must have been a hard decision! I came across your site a while back when I was looking for inspiration for the "Ten little things" line. Your work is such an inspiration!! Thanks so much! You have such an adorable son!! Enjoy your little one! ๐ They grow so fast!! It also gets easier as they get older and more independant. I've been home with my 5, 3.5 and 2 year olds. I know some family/friends don't agree, but do what's best for you and your family. I'll have to go back to work soon enough! Everything is just for a season. We can always go back to work, but you can't redo these precious years from your kids. Best wishes for this new season in your life!!
As I have gotten older, there are many things I regret. I made my children my first priority when they were growing up and I have never regretted that. As your sweet Ethan gets older, you will find yourself with more time and then you will be able to decide what your next step will be. I wish you blessings and joy. We'll all be here following your blog and cheering you on. Of course, we will expect photos to update us about Ethan.
what a beautiful baby ๐