yes, yes, yes- yesterday afternoon my tiny shop quietly passed the 1000 sales mark as a repeat (and awesome) client in Seattle placed his order. I love my job- not only because my boss (uh, that’s me) let’s me go running during work or because thrifting is PART OF MY JOB, but also because I truly love making bow ties and am still excited (4 years later) about new patterns that I find and totally rad where-did-that-come-from ideas that I can make happen (seriously- this summer- the bow tie world is about to be rocked!). And weddings! I get to be a part of that infectious excitement and pure happiness on a weekly basis and it’s invigorating! So thank you bow-tie-wearers and bow-tie-wearing-supporters of the world- you’re making my year.

And, in other news, it’s cinco de mayo tomorrow and there are new Mexico-inspired bow ties in the shop.  I want to make these cookies and sip virgin margaritas on our not-yet-built deck.

Which reminds me- Garth and I have been using the word “overwhelming” way too much lately in reference to our life/projects/house. Our list of to-do’s has not gotten any shorter and the evidence of half-finished projects is in every corner of this house. We hope to pop away from the craziness that is working/building/cleaning/planning and just chill for a while with the kids. The park maybe- or the beach- of golly just laying in the sun in the backyard on the trampoline. And ice cream. There should be ice cream in there somewhere.

ecks oh internet world,
elle

I’m sort of in love with the mini little collection of batwing bow ties. I use a more voluptuous thistle shape for the everyday bow ties in the shop- so these are so refreshing and fun for me to make. Happy. Slim. Radical.

They are in the shop now. Enjoy!

I’ve been squirreling away these fuschia and awesome ties waiting for the big love holiday. And these are HOT! Each is made from a necktie, so there’s only one available in the shop. And, in case you didn’t know, bow ties make ladies’ knees weak. It’s totally true.

We celebrated the new year the classic way- fondue (cheese for dinner and chocolate for dessert) and sparklers. That was pretty much it. The kids went to bed at the normal time and Garth and I probably would have retired early if it were any other night. Here’s a little of our front yard popper and sparkler fest.

A few days later we celebrated Garth’s 33rd by going on our first date of the year while the kids were at school. We just had lunch and went to a movie but it was so sweet and nice and it sorta felt like it did when we were dating/newly married. We were even able to drive around with the top down since Jack wasn’t in the back to complain. We were sure excited to see them later that afternoon though! Cutest. kids. Ever.

There are some crazy exciting things happening in the xoelle bow tie world right now- but nothing that can be spilled just yet- and of course, crazy awesome things happening in real life too (like a dishwasher!!!! after a year of handwashing in hotel rooms and bathroom sinks we have a dishwasher! I just got a few extra hours each week!).

I can share with you the awesomeness that is the xoelle swatchbook though- they’ve been in the works since last summers Indie Wed, when my parents skipped almost an entire night of sleep to help me assemble them. They have been fine-tuned and tweaked and are now in the shop to delight and seduce potential bow-tie-owners. I lub dem.

ecks oh.

elle

wow you guys. Ya’ll kept me working during this last weekend. THANK YOU. It took me two and a half days to pack up all the orders- and I listened to Christmas music the whole time. So big hugs and high fives to everyone who acquired some new xoelle bow ties- they are happily making their way to you- watch your maily boxes!

xoxoxo
elle

The kids started going to daycare this week and it’s breaking my heart. I wasn’t built to be a stay at home Mom. It is what I wanted for my kids, but I had no idea that it would be so….constant. I’ve been running my own business at home for longer than I’ve had kids and it has been a challenge to “balance” the two. We’re far from family and living in our first home that needs some pretty serious elbow-grease-related work so there’s a lot on my plate. I’ve been playing around with various childcare options with little success (the babysitter I hired only showed up 25% of the time) and this is the most convenient and safe (yet most expensive) option yet. I’m still calling it a trial phase. Jack cries everyday when we drop him off which makes me tear up and seriously reconsider what I’m doing. We don’t need the money that I’m making (we like it, but Garth earns enough to keep us sheltered and fed) so I constantly question if I should be doing it at all when I could have a cleaner home and more attended to children if I didn’t. I love making bow ties and love furthering a little business- it’s successes are mine alone and it’s thrilling to see the fruits of my efforts so quickly and in black and white.

But giving it up and committing to the homemaker thing for real? Golly, I don’t know if I could do it. I get so bogged down in the tedious little tasks that need to be completed daily (hourly) while little sticky children scream at each other and make messes. It wears on me in a way that 45 teenagers in an art classroom never did. It is the one thing that takes the positive attitude that I’ve always felt is a hallmark of my personality and hides it in a far away place. Garth will come home from work to me after a 12 hour shift and I can’t even give him a real smile. I wasn’t built for this. So I think that sometimes the kids should be taken care of by someone else, and I should get a few hours to clean in peace, or package bow ties bound for New Zealand, or blog about how I miss my kids.

The good news is that the options are endless. I know that there are Moms out there who say goodbye to their kids in the morning and then go to a job that they hate so that they can provide for their kids. I am blessed to have the option to work or not work, and blessed to be able to like both of them. Now I just need to figure out where that balance is. How many hours a week at daycare is too much? How much alone time to I need? How can I work smarter at the business to save time? and most importantly, how the heck do I ever clear off the kitchen counter? It reproduces clutter, I swear.

I’m listening to the Marry Poppins soundtrack on the record player and Bert just sang, “You’ve got to grind, grind, grind at that grindstone, though childhood slips like sand through a seive. And all too soon they’ve up and grown and then they’ve flown. And it’s too late for you to give”.

I think Ill be picking up these two sweethearts early today.

love ya’ll!
mama

I made up a big ol’ batch of recycled journals to ship out to the ICE Pop-Up shop and just couldn’t stop making them so I’ve put them in the shop. Most of them are made from used gameboards, but there are also art journals and adorable pocket notebooks made from playing cards and garth’s old baseball card collection. There are dozens of bow ties coming into the shop later this week too to stock up for the big sale (yay! And if ya’ll want an invite to shop the sale a day or two early sign up to be on the mailing list over at the botton of the right sidebar there where it says, “get quarterly updates” ——->)

The days are squished full for us here at the Hawker/Plouzek household. We’re preparing for the holidays and getting as many hugs from each other as we can.

Lots o’ love,
Laura. =)

So it is 5am (as you have probably already guessed) and I am leaving for the airport in 2 hours for Chicago & Indie Wed and I am just now starting to feel like I’ve accomplished something. Tonight was a marathon bow-tie-making evening with my sweet husband and generous parents pitching in until the wee hours of the morning.

I am tired, but I feel good. I’ve felt like I’ve been in quicksand lately- trying to take care of my two kiddos and keep up with the business and prepare for this show, and spend time with my family while I’m here, and sleep. I know, it’s always something with me, right? Really my only complaint is that there is not enough time in this world, and budgeting it is hard. And being a Mom requires me to be unselfish and that is hard.

By the way, we did eventually get into our house, just a few days before we headed out to the mainland and my hometown to spend 6 weeks with my family.

My family rules.

Chicago, here we come!
p.s. if you are int eh Chicago area and would like tickets to Indie Wed, let me know, I have a few to give away! Just e-mail me at elle@xoelle.com

xo,
elle

happyiest etsyversary to my little shop! Three years ago this very day I finally settled on a name and opened an etsy shop where I planned to sell lots of different things, bow ties among them. The bow tie pictured above is the very first bow tie I sold. This little shop has been an amazing blessing in my life, allowing us wiggle room in our budget (and extra travel plans!) and giving me an outlet for a little of my creativity and drive. It has been awesome and I owe you, my dear sweet bow-tie-wearers and bow-tie-wearing-supporters, for it’s success. So friends- let’s take 30% off of everything in the shop on this lovely etsyversary- you totally deserve it. Just use “happy3” in the coupon code box for your discount. The code is only going to be good as long as it is today in Hawaii.

Thanks a million my lovies! Rock those bow ties!

ps. isn’t my model adorable? Mr Garth used to try on every single bow tie that I sold to help me photograph them. It got harder and harder to do with more and more bow ties and two children, so we gave it up- but I kinda miss that goofy grin in my shop pictures!

pps. it’s amazing how far I’ve come as a business and a craftsperson- I am embarrassed by the wonkiness of this bow tie- if you are out there listening Mr. first-sale-ever shoot me an e-mail and I’ll send you an xoelle bow tie with 3 years of experience and skill built in.

xooooOOOOOxxo

elle

The work that has been going on behind the scenes here in xoelleland is out of this world. I was pretty much starting from scratch with the business again as all of my inventory, equipment, supplies, and even business cards and scissors were packed in giant crates back in Florida and I haven’t seen ‘em since. So I’ve been gathering everything that I need to run this little business (which is harder to do in a brand new place that also happens to be an island- I still haven’t been able to find the right kind of interfacing that I need on island) and hitting thrift stores like crazy plucking up awesome prints for bow ties. I’ve also been cutting and sewing like crazy and have quite a few dozen bow ties lined up in the sewing queue. I mean, there are bow tie parts all over this house. Under the sink, in boxes in the living room, hanging off of the curtain rods, and piled on my sewing desk. We are swimming in bow ties over here. It’s time for them to go out in to the world and onto awesome necks everywhere.

So this is your official notice that xoelle is back in business. Bow ties will be flying into the shop in lightening speed later this evening and there’s no telling when they’ll stop.

happy almost-friday my friends,

elle