Seattle Scents

Now Blogging at Lemon Lollipop LLC

2009-02-12T20:08:00.001-08:00

Find me here:http://www.LemonLollipopLLC.blogspot.com

Networking...

2009-01-04T05:33:00.000-08:00

You can find me just about everywhere as "Seattle Scents". Whoohooo!

twitter, facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Live, WordPress, Hotmail, LinkedIn, Yahoo, Flickr, Indie Beauty, Ning, MadeItMyself, utterli, big cartel, Vox, ustream, ClaimID, OpenID, Technorati, Digg, Delicious, etc! What did I miss?

I just made my first Seattle Scents video at will post it on YouTube in the next day or two.

Majorly time for a NEWSLETTER and a fun SALE!

I had SO much fun doing the 12 Days of Christmas FREE Perfume Giveaway for LemonLollipop.com! I need to do something here!

Also plan to have ONE item at 50% off each and every month. I have some neat things planned!

USPS Price Increase #1 - Jan 18th

2009-01-02T10:50:00.000-08:00

I sucked all the air out of the room this morning when I saw what Priority Flat Rate Box is going up to...$10.35!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO.

I feel sick...it has now topped up over the $10-double digit mark. A shocker for anyone who wants to order pretty much any size candle over 5 or 6oz. Maybe I should only sell LIGHTWEIGHT products!!

On the other hand...

I take a lot of things for granted and FAST delivery is no exception. I loathe using UPS because it is so slow...can take 10 days to get a package from the East Coast. But Priority Mail? 2 to 3 days.

That makes me happy. I also appreciate the free boxes to use with Priority packages.

And I am particularly EXCITED about the new Flat Rate Box SMALL size that I can use for the same price as the Flat Rate Envelope. Depending on the size...this could make it under $5 to ship any size candle that will fit in the box. And THAT is tremendously GOOD NEWS for me-AND YOU!

Oh, expect another increase this summer.

What IF?

2009-01-02T03:50:00.001-08:00

What if

I didn't do my own website?

I didn't do my own logo, business card and label design?

I hired someone to help pour candles and package orders?

that of course leads to, what if I CLEANED out my candle studio!?

what if I turned over all my receipts and let someone else count my expenses?

or how about letting someone else count my income, too?

I let someone else (like a PROFESSIONAL!!!) do my product photography?

Isn't that what "real" business owners do?

I've never really allowed myself to try this on...but I think I LIKE IT!!

One of my most favorite webbies... www.yummywebstudio.com

Trying to Find My Way

2009-01-02T00:18:00.001-08:00

I've spent the greater part of my day taking advice from the fabulous Donna Maria Coles Johnson of indiebusinessblog.com (only one of her sites)! She gives her "predictions" for 2009 which include social networking. Oh great. My favorite. I get confused on MySpace!

I've signed up for twitter, facebook, etc. I've counted 21 sites where I have staked my claim to "SeattleScents". I can't go through life being known as "SparklePuss", can I?! Though it hurts me emotionally to even contemplate "twitting" all day, at least I have an account, that's my first step!

When I named my soy candle company SparklePuss in 2005 I just did not realize what I was doing! I was thinking about the things I like...glitter, glitz and kitties. Geesh. At our first craft fair I asked my husband why the guys would pass by real close to the table but walk away chuckling. Geesh. I can be saavy sometimes and very naive other times!

So in finally deciding that my identity is going to be Seattle Scents vs makeScents LLC (until I change my mind!!) it was time to join the indie beauty sites. I'm currently a junior apprentice member of indiebeauty.com.

Then the realization. Am I good enough? Professional enough? Unique enough? PRETTY enought!?! All of a sudden I feel petrified!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I admire all these wonderful people who have launched themselves and look so good out there in the magazines, blogs and news. Will I ever be there?

Some of my heroes:
Deb at Soapylove.com
Teri at Body-Systems.net
David at TheBubbleRoome.com
Anne-Marie at Brambleberry.com
Jamila at TheECommerceDiva.com

I want to make a splash...but not the awkward cannonball gone sideways type of splash. I want a gorgeous, sleek, calculated dive from 10 feet up. I think I have it in me, but now I'm not so sure. I feel really small in their company.

indieshopping

2009-01-01T23:48:00.001-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-01T00:37:00.000-08:00

I'm consolidating in this new year!

All my products and websites can be found in ONE PLACE.

Seattle-Scents.com

Stay tuned!

Acceptance. It is a good thing.

2008-08-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

Well.

This is more of a personal post...I've come realize a few things in the past couple of days.

First-I went to check out some commercial space...the excitement of possible expansions...was dashed. I just don't want to. I thought I did. I can work hard for no money. But I've come to admit that I'm not really a "business-owner" but more of a glorified "hobbyist". And I think I like it that way. Anger. Denial. Grief. I went through all those stages (it took me about 8 hours). Now I'm OK. Really. I think I've come to grips with the fact that I like my life...just the way it is. For a long time now, I've had this DRIVE to do more, be more, dobedobebdodododoo more More MORE! And within hours (ok maybe it was over the weekend), somehow, my perspective has changed and my priorities are shifting as we speak. This leads me to

Second-A new season...people know about "empty-nesters" and it is really easy to spout off about "the seasons of life" when I no idea what it is like...but I'm totally going through one and I feel utterly unprepared, or rather, I'm sorta shocked. Both my children will be in elementary school in a matter of (gasp) 4 weeks, yes, that is less than TWENTY-EIGHT (28) DAYS! Many of my friends homeschool...this phenomena will never happen to them...so they don't understand. Only those who have this tragic-ecstasy happen to them understand. As I ponder the thought, I get a little tingly and light-headed! But then some time will pass and I find myself a little sad...cheated...surprised...tragically aware that my life truly IS passing by. No one really prepared me for this transition...oh, sure, it goes like this, "someday your kids will be in school honey, then you can (insert-go clothes shopping alone, go to the bathroom alone, sleep in, etc)" All that sounded WONDERFUL when I had bottles, diapers and goldfish crackers up to my neck. And back then, I didn't really have a braincell to even ponder it. But now...well, I'm going to miss all that. NOW WAIT A MINUTE, how does this happen!??!?! I have no regrets...I've tried to make the best of every single day of my kids' childhood...I think the thing that is just hard for me is that...I can NEVER go back. I hate not having options (!) It seems almost cruel. My mother-in-law says it all the time, "oh, just to have Johnny for a moment at the age of 4, I loved that". I kinda get it now.

Or maybe it is there's a new benchmark..."when your kids go to school"...next for me is "when they go to junior high, high school, college, leave home" and that all goes really TOO fast for my taste!

So where does all this leave me but in standing in my own puddle of teardrops?

Well, acceptance is a good thing. Today, despite my quivering lower lip, I have decided, IT IS OK. Feel the pain, feel the joy...it really is all part of life. And I want to LIVE LIFE to the fullest! So I must feel it all...pain, joy, etc. So I'm embracing these next four weeks with...well, nothing. I'm just going to BE with my kids...no grand "trying to make up for mistakes along the way" or "let's cram massive kid events into these next 28 days"...just being with them...I think I'm ok with that as I prepare for the inevitable next phase of being a mom...and THAT is a good thing!

First Blog

2008-03-29T21:19:00.001-07:00

Wow.

I've tried eBay several times. FINALLY, I'm figuring it out and really having FUN! I'm loving the customers...eBay has it's own protocol and manners! Everyone has been awesome! Quick to pay, great communication...I love running my own business and helping customers find what they need (or want)!!

Thank you to everyone for making this such a great experience!