11
And Now….For What Did Not Work in 2013
Hello everyone! Still working on my Goal Setting series from my last post and now taking a look at what didn’t work in 2012. Again, if you haven’t visited my friend Lara Casey and her amazing exercises, you are missing out. Truly, it’s so very helpful.
Sticking to a schedule: This was a bit of a challenge for me, but I had trouble sticking to a consistent schedule all year long, and when something came up (child sickness, last minute event) I felt like it would derail me and then I would have trouble getting back on track.
Friendships: This is a huge BIGGIE for me. Friendships. I’m not one of those that has a million friends. Nope. I have a small circle of friends that I cherish but this year, I could not connect. Missed phone calls, voicemails, lunches and happy hours that never happened, the list goes on. The worse part? I needed my friends. I needed to hear their voices, their problems, their updates and get out of my world.
Networking Events: I’ll admit it. I’m lazy about attending Networking events for Chic Sweets. Sometimes it’s a mixture of the “oh, I’m tired” thing, but deep inside I think there is a part of me that is still deathly shy….like, it’s my first day of school type of shyness and the thought of walking in a room, with business cards on hand makes me want to run in a different direction and come up with every excuse I can. But I seriously need to get over it. Seriously.
My Phone: Raise your hand if you go on Facebook and Twitter too much. Crap. Like when did that happen? How am I holding Preston with one arm and glancing at my Facebook feed in the other??? What the heck is wrong me? I have to admit when I’m in “mommy world” I feel like it’s an outlet for me, but I still could cut down how attached I am to the thing. Sheesh.
Client Experience: Thank You notes, timely follow ups with potential clients via email, personal connections. I’m always looking to see how I can improve my client connections. Every day this year I told myself that I would set a “power day” aside to put postage on thank you envelopes, work on personalizing my paperwork a bit more, but it never happened.
Blogging: Writing is something I used to love but from two blog post a month, cut down to one, cut down to none is not working. Also before I used to just type whatever came to mind and not worry too much about making my voice sound “perfect.” Now I find myself rereading my posts, changing sentences that I don’t think readers would understand. I’m not perfect so why does it matter so much?
Finances: On the business end, SO need to work on this. I want to spend my day playing with pretty paper and making gorgeous layouts for my clients, but the reality is that as a business owner I need to have a handle on every aspect of my business. Steve has always handled the finance end of Chic Sweets, but I’m pretty he wants me more involved and more in tune with this area. And Steve–if you happen to read this, please stop laughing.
Finances (family): Honesty coming. Four boys, financially, is not easy. Lunch money, tuition, clothes, but I’m convinced instead of worrying about it (which is what I do 24-7) we need to think of better ways to manage finances on a monthly basis. And I feel like this sounds like such a cliché….New Year Resolutions—work on finances thing, but I’m convinced if we made some real lifestyle changes, that it wouldn’t be so hard.
Taking care of ME: Last time I went to the doctor for plain ole’ physical? Exercise? Diet? Dentist? Goodness, it was bad this year. And I know I should cut myself some slack…you have a houseful of boys…maybe it’s just not in the cards for you. But, whatever. I’ve got to make some changes. Same with Steve—I’m oh, so sure he wouldn’t mind some time for himself, to do whatever he wants. Yup, got to figure all of that out.
So that is where I’m at, my real list is a bit longer but this is just a snippet.
Next up-the hard work. Goals, action steps, all the good stuff. Yippee! Next week, I’ll likely interrupt these series of blog posts for a really wonderful (and colorful) shoot I did with my friend Shay Cochrane not too long ago BUT again, go to Lara Casey’s blog for all the goal setting, what fires-you-up goodness!
Have a great weekend everyone!
9
Happy New Year Y’all! What Worked in 2012…
Hello everyone! Happy 2013!!! As a family, we have been stuck in the never-ending cycle of colds but we are finally coming out of the woods and I’m starting to feel like I can breathe again here. One of my dearest friends, Lara Casey has posted her AMAZING goal setting exercises for 2013, so I, my friends have been working, working, working on this, getting myself ready for 2013. If you have time, PLEASE check it out. I have done this for a few years already, and it really does put you in a different mindset.
On that note, the first part of my exercise: What DID work in 2012. There is a whole lot more but I thought I would share a snippet of what worked for me (professionally and personally) this year.
Transitioning to my family, full time: At first I had written “Transitioning to Chic Sweets”, but in reality, looking back, I think the decision always came down to my family. For years, I had worked 50+ hours a week, and in 2008 accepted a position that had a hour (sometimes more) commute. The work was rewarding, pay, benefits all of that really wonderful stuff, but everything around me was suffering. My family, my marriage, me. It’s like you give a small piece of yourself to everything but nothing really ever gets the full 100 percent. So in the beginning of 2012, I took a big jump and resigned from my position, staying home full time with Baby Preston.
IMAGE CREDIT: SHAY COCHRANE PHOTOGRAPHY
Chic Sweets rebrand: 2011 was all about working on a rebrand, and in 2012, was when I finally got to see my “virtual baby” born. It felt like such a breath of fresh air, and most of all, it felt like me. Simple, and chic. For years, I had collected so many gorgeous images of my work and now I had a platform to showcase all of it. We also updated all our collateral which was a biggie for me—I LOVE our business cards and collateral materials and they make me smile. Yes, I’m weird like that. We also increased our pricing in 2012, something I was somewhat nervous about but I knew it was time to really add my value to the work we provide. And you know what I found once we did the rebrand? That we were attracting the clients that valued our work, and what we could do for them. We were in synch with our clients and they, with us. There is still so much I could go on about this, but all I can say is that there is lot of work and areas that I still need work!
IMAGE CREDIT: CARRIE WILDES PHOTOGRAPHY
Confidence in my work: This year, I really felt my confidence in my work grow. Gone were the days I would sneak a peek at what my competitors were doing or looking at any newcomers with any apprehension and fear. Designing is what sets my heart on fire and once I accepted that the only thing I can control is my work and what I present to my clients, I let the rest go. And you know what? My work got better and I felt more at ease when working my clients.
Baby Preston: Just that. Everything with Baby P worked. I can’t lie. It’s can be beyond tough with the other boys, but I take deep breaths, and always remind myself how incredibly blessed we are. And we so are.
IMAGE CREDIT: SHAY COCHRANE PHOTOGRAPHY
One Day a Month Commitment: In 2012, I decided that I would give Spencer and Carson (Kindergarten and Preschool) some time each month at their school where I volunteer. Sometimes it’s reading books or helping out the teacher. This has been a blessing in disguise for me. It can be something that may not always be the most convenient, but when I’m there, I’m happy and convinced that my boys appreciate seeing their mama helping out.
Steve: Yesterday I looked at my wedding photos and sometimes that is hard to believe that is “us.” We are so different than that carefree couple smiling back at me. No worries, no stresses, just a simple love. I was pregnant with Spencer soon after. Our relationship has changed so much since those days and I’m going to make an attempt to put that into words. My relationship with Steve is one that I completely cherish. He is and will always be the first person I listen to (and trust me, I can be insanely stubborn). He challenges me when I could do better and lifts me up when I need it. Even better, sometimes he gives me a hug and doesn’t say anything. Are there fights? Arguments? Times when “he’s not my favorite person?” Yes, yes, and yes. But we always come back to each other, deeper in love and deeper connected. Steve, if you ever read my blog (and I know sometimes you do)—I love you.
IMAGE CREDIT: SHAY COCHRANE PHOTOGRAPHY
Relationship with God: I don’t read the Bible. There I said it. I don’t even remember the last time I opened one. Well…maybe at church…but I quickly closed it. But I can honestly say that not a day has gone by that I don’t think about God, talk to Him, pray to him. Even when I was little, I always remembered having conversations with God, usually in my head but that always made me feel good. It always felt right. Years later, I had children and that relationship has changed even more. Now, I look to God in smaller moments (like in my car on my way to get the kids or when I’m about to pass out on my bed), but He is always there, always in heart and it may not be the right way…I may not have Bible verses memorized or go to church as much as I would like, but I’m a firm believer that you have to do what works for you, inside, in your heart. In 2012, we talked about God a lot, to my husband, to my children. My parents never forced it on us, but it just always felt like a habit, like putting on a jacket, so I never gave it a second thought. God was part of my life and I’m constantly thinking about ways to inject that same feeling to my children, even if they are still really young.
Pediatric Cancer: Four years ago I stumbled upon a blog by Holly McKrae about her daughter Kate, undergoing chemotherapy for a very rare (but aggressive) brain tumor. She is in remission now, but her story and faith in God, always stuck with me and I told myself that I would help and not remain on the sidelines. In 2012, I told Steve that we were not going to donate to several charities with different causes, although all very important I wanted to center my focus helping families fighting these horrible (and the word “horrible” doesn’t seem strong enough) cancers. So besides donating financially (when we could), we had our children make cards during the Holidays, and we also participated in two great events—Fashion Funds for a Cure and Calendar for a Cause—both events left us profoundly affected and just wanting to do more.
Carmen: I don’t believe I’ve ever talked about Carmen on my blog, but she has been in my children’s life since they were all 8 weeks old. She is my caregiver, mommy number two and one of the best people I know. She is part of “Team Clamp” and without her, none of this works.
My Mom, Dad, Brother, (sister in law) Natasha: This may seem odd to many, but I talk to my mom every morning, my dad in the evenings, my brother every other day, and his wife, my sister-in-law at least once a week. Crazy, right? But they are my support system, my venting system and don’t get me wrong, we have moments of frustration with each other, but we never lose sight of what’s important.
Work Boundaries: In 2012, I decided to streamline my schedule and only work around a three day schedule, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. These are the days, I work, work, work. On Mondays and Fridays, I focus on Preston, but if I can, I will prep for clients or do small projects.Sometimes this fluctuates, but really, it’s been helpful most of all for me, and I get a lot more done when I know my time is limited for work productivity.
Dance Parties: In 2012, we started having random dance parties. Just turned off the lights, blare the music and we all start dancing. This should be mandatory in every household. Period.
6
Happy Day with the Southern Weddings Ladies
Happy December everyone!!! How are all of you doing?? Love December, cookies, Advent Calender, Christmas songs and just taking a deep breath before the new year begins.
Today, though, I’m feel incredibly grateful that Chic Sweets’ yummy cake pops were featured in the latest Southern Weddings 5th Anniversary issue. I would be lying if I didn’t say that I stared at the picture numerous times, bought copies and even made my mom and dad run to the nearest Barnes n Noble to get a copy…or two.
The community that Southern Weddings has created through their website, social media, and magazine is amazing. I kid you not, you feel the love pour out of each page–I mean it’s so hard to explain but the best I can say is that I have every issue and it’s one of those magazines that remain on your coffee table because they are just too darn special.
I’m also grateful that my relationship with these ladies has grown and we are not only lucky to be a Blue Ribbon Vendor but also that we can send them our red velvet cake pops every month with their trademark Southern Weddings touch.
Love you ladies!
PS–Happy Holidays everyone!!!
11
Hello July! Lookin’ Good…
Helly Everyone! Hope all of you are having a great week. I’m looking forward to this post since I checked out June’s Goals and realized that amazingly, I’m doing well for tackling some big goals I was hoping to get through. Wahoooo!
So here we go….July:
Business: Giving myself a gold star for reorganzing my workspace. Spring wedding season was craziness so it felt good to purge, organize, file, update calendars, etc. Honestly, there is so much truth that a clean, clutter-free workspace really does make a difference. Other items I still have to tackle include updating my web gallery with this year’s weddings which is completely overdue.
Another biggie for this month is evaluating our client experience from the moment we make our initial contact to how we continue to connect with them through their process with us. As I work through this, I’m looking forward to sharing some pictures and a little glimpse into how this looks for us.
Wife: I’ve lost hope on the whole vacation realities and yes, it may sound sad but with Baby P, the boys, work, life…you know…I’m pretty much okay with that. Unless we are working, we aim make the most out of every weekend and I’m perfectly okay with our weekend “stay-cations”. Maybe in the next coming months–we’ll see…it’s still a goal (sort of).
Family: We are in the midst of summertime with the boys–camps and a mix of mama’s “special field trips.” Exhausting. Um, yes. But every amazing moment makes up for any “I’m too tired” moment times infinity. Does that make sense? Our Sunday church-going days are still a challenge. Personally my faith is always changing, growing but can’t rally the family in time for Sunday mornings. Ugh! Work in progress…work in progress…
Me: I’m happy to have made some leeway since last month. Thrilled to be running again and hopefully back on track. Running has been a passion of mine for years but since this last pregnancy I’ve been completely disconnected from all of it so it feels darn good to get out. I’m starting to feel like me again and it’s been awhile since that has happened.
So there it is. Soooo long June–I have no idea where you went!
Natalie
3
Taking a Break with Baby P
Hello everyone! Well, today I decided to interrupt my planned post to share a little glimse into a 26lb bundle of joy that I have the priviledge to hang out with on a daily basis. It’s really difficult to put into words what this time with Preston has meant for me. With my other boys, life was very different. I would see my boys two times a day, before dropping them off to their (god send, amazing day nanny/mommy #2) and then at night around 6:30PM when I got home from work. It wasn’t easy and although I certainly loved the work I was doing, I felt inadequate as a wife and a mama and as the “boss man” would tell me….”you just weren’t really fun to hang out with.”
Now since my big move a few months ago, my life has shifted in such a big have-to-pinch myself way. To even just wake up in the morning and know that I’m going to see my boys more than I ever did, is still hard to swallow. And yes, with running Chic Sweets and taking care of Preston…I can feel the stress, but I’ve decided to take each day in stride and if I can accomplish a few things…I’m happy.
If not, I’m still happy.
1. Spend quiet time in the morning with Baby P. Have breakfast together.
2. Catch up on Chic Sweets. Clean out inbox. Make phonecalls. (Baby P nap time)
3. Go for a walk to the park. Swingtime.
4. More Chic Sweets work but if I can’t, computer gets shut down.
5. Spence and Carson (Between camps, I have them most of the time as well)
6. Boss man comes home…dinner…family time
7. Chic Sweets work when everyone (including the boss man) is asleep
Does any of this happen everytime? Nope, not a chance, but I’m learning to be okay with that. And really, one look at this face and I’m constantly reminded to just be in the moment and enjoy the place I’m in right now. Perfect, not perfect…but extremely blessed.
Have a wonderful and amazing 4th of July everyone! Will return with some great dessert tables SOON!
Natalie
POOL TIME!
Me and the Boss Man (I’m much more fun to hang out with–HAHAHA)
1
Hello June!
How it it June already? Seriously, June???? Wow. This week has felt slightly odd…spring wedding season wrapped up last weekend for us and I finally have a moment to breathe. Since these past few weeks have been a blur of babies, weddings, events and toddlers, I’m highly determined to get back on track…so I’m sharing a glimpse into my goals for this month:
Buisness: Goodness. Must devote energy into reorganizing my workspace. Spring wedding season hit us hard and the fact that I’m still staring at February’s calendar on my desk is not a good sign. Can’t wait to get started. Also need to start looking into the coming weeks ahead and working on schedule. Take Lara Casey’s Challenge again which is an exercise that I absolutely love to do and always puts me back on track. And finally, taking some much needed time to the website, making some changes and adding a big extension onto Chic Sweets. Details to come soon…
Family: Summertime is here! The summer is here and I have my boys the majority of the time but between a few camps they are signed up for and spending time with their favorite person (amazing caregiver, Carmen), the summer should be busy. And of course, my sidekick Baby P is with me at all times…so let’s just say life is interesting, fun and chaotic all wrapped in one. But honestly, I’m really aiming to more intentional with my time so when the Chic Sweets “hat” is off, it’s off!
Wife: Last night Steve turned to me and said, “It feels weird not to be working late at night. I feel like something is missing.” I didn’t let that statement settle in until today and I guess what’s missing is time with eachother…minus the work. And that my friends, can be hard to do. Working on it!
Me: Spring wedding season is coming to a close and I’m looking forward to coming out of hibernation and spending time with special girlfriends. Also something I’ve been avoiding for seven months now….my health and weight. Having a third child can really take a toll on your body but I can honestly say I’ve made little effort do anything about it. Can’t I just wake up and fit into all my clothes again? No??? Are you sure? Didn’t think so.
So there you have it. My June at a glance! Now for just staying on track…
Natalie
10
Taking a Moment…
So as you can see I’ve taken some time to hold off on blogging. Since I’ve always been one to maintain total honesty here, in my blog, I can just say that it’s taken me some time to adjust to my schedule, transitioning to working Chic Sweets full time from home, and also taking care of my toddler boys and Baby Preston.
My life feels so very different now and part of my avoidance in blogging has been not quite knowing how to put everything in words. It seems like just yesterday my life was quite different. I was “the working mom,” dropping boys off at their daycare by 8:00AM, an hour commute to work, home by 6:30PM (if I was lucky), hug the kids, make dinner, then bed. Most nights as I kissed my boys and tucked them in bed, I would be okay. Other days, I would drive home through my tears and into my husband’s arms, wondering how it was possible that my kids spent more time with everyone else other than their own mother. And on and on the cycle would go…good days…bad days…but when I became pregnant with Baby P, my gut was telling me that it was time for a change, that I needed the change whether I was ready for it or not.
But working from home? With Baby Preston? Could I even do that? Am I built for that?
When you’ve spent so many years, going through the same routine it honestly felt daunting at first. With my other two children, they were already going to their “special school” at 8 weeks old. Now to imagine that the same wouldn’t happen with Baby P was a little scary. When my leave was officially up and I made the decision to stay at home, I was nervous and unsure. The first few days felt a little unreal…working at my desk…turning around to see my son sleeping or playing in his swing…then going to pick up the boys from school. It’s exhausting–undoubtedly. But the constant emotion I feel is happiness. Happy because a year ago I would dream about being in this spot and today, here I am. Are some days not so great? Yup, of course and those icky feelings of self doubt creep up and take over. And as you can see from my blog-hiatus, I’m still adjusting and I’m allowing myself the time to adjust without beating myself up. I’ll get there…soon enough.
Also never to far from my thoughts are the millions of mamas still out there, still getting up at 8am…going to work…coming home…tucking in their child late at night. Those mamas are never too far from my prayers as I was there just a few months ago.
I know exactly how you feel times a thousand. Believe me, your child loves you even when you are at work, burning the midnight oil. I’m here to be the little voice and remind you that YOU are doing the BEST you can for yourself, your family and of course, your career–what YOU are passionate about.
So there you have it. A little piece of where I am today. Hoping to catch up with some blogging goodness soon, but if it takes a little longer. Well…you’ll know why!
Happy days everyone!
Natalie
6
Introducing the new Chic Sweets!
And we’re off! Welcome to my new blog, Chic Sweets’ website and new brand. To my supporters, my readers, industry friends, my clients–thank you for stopping by today!
This has been quite a journey, a labor of big love and today, I can tell you that I just feel extremely proud. All day I’ve just been smiling because *finally* I feel like “me” is staring right back at me. The patterns, colors, gorgeous collateral materials, updated logo, everything is an extension of what I love the most. The process of rebranding has been a long one, much longer than I ever thought–I was forced to dig deep into what I really wanted from Chic Sweets and more importantly, what I wanted potential clients to experience.
So with all this deep “soul searching” I needed to pull together the BEST team to be on my side (and this may start to sound like an Oscar acceptance speech so bear with me). A year ago, MTH was the catalyst in my life that opened my eyes and pushed me in the right direction. From there, I knew that BIG changes had to happen in my life, so thanks to Lara Casey, Natalie Norton, Emily Ley, Gina Zeidler and some of the most remarkable women that continue to remain in my life, today.
Now for my favorite person who I LOVE to bits and pieces: Karrie Pyke Designs. Karrie is a remarkable designer whose work amazed me to no end. From the very beginning she poured over inspiration boards, answered every question, took the time to go over proof after proof until we got it right. *Karrie: thank you for your constant encourgement and for taking this project and turning it into something that I am so proud of. You. Are. Remarkable.
Also a big shout-out, high-five to my “web-guy” Tim Brandon, from Skip Agency who brought this site to life and endured endless going back and forths and my daily “how’s it going?” emails.
One of my favorite parts of my new site are the wonderful images…so as a reader, I encourage you to take a peak at our gallery and press pages. Without a doubt, part of my success as a business is having images that convey my work in a great, amazing way and for that I have to say THANK YOU, to those photograhers that have so generously shared their work with us.
The Old Look
The New Look
And saving the best for last, Steve, who recieves TONS of awards for being my biggest supporter throughout all of this…even during the not so easy times, he is always there to challenge me and there isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not thankful for his love (and yes, it’s Valentine’s Day so I can be that mushy).
Enjoy everyone and thanks again for stopping by! Feel free to leave a comment to introduce yourself and let me know what you think!
Natalie
12
A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT FOR CHIC SWEETS
So it’s with a mixture of excitement, nervousness and deep pride that I share with all of you that starting January 18, I will be devoting my love and attention to Chic Sweets on a full time basis. I’m leaving an amazing job as the “Network Manager” for The Network of East Hillsborough Neighborhoods, a wonderful organization aimed at engaging residents in a BIG way and spreading out quality programming in several East Hillsborough communities. This decision has weighed heavy on me for some time but I can tell you that this work fills my heart in ways that make every sacrifice, both big and small, worth it x’s 1000 (maybe more).
This year I realized that in order to make things happen I had to take the plunge, set goals and most of all, take action. My work has always been a part of me, a big part of who I am….and when things grew in ways I never imagined, I found myself deeply torn between doing what I was good at, versus taking the plunge into a business that was still growing. Add the pressures of being a wife and mother, well, I can’t lie–it was more than I could handle at times. Ultimately, though, I made the decision that in order to be the best wife and mother I can be, I had to wake up in the morning doing what sets my heart of fire and that my friends, lies here in Chic Sweets.
Thanks again for all the love and encouragement I’ve felt from all of you–my friends, my supporters, my family and most of all, my husband, Steve, since the truth is, without him, I just don’t make sense.
Love you all!
PS–I swear it’s just coincidence this announcement happens to fall on my birthday! LOL! 🙂
9
Your Wedding Bands, Desserts and Photography
But before I get ahead of myself, I wanted to share a few shots of our clients’ wedding bands displayed with our candy. Going through the process of overhauling our site has been fun, but it’s also allowed me to go through a lot of our past weddings and photos. One of the shots that I love to feature are when photographers play around with our client’s wedding bands. For me, candy=fun, and when a photograher can play off the items on our table, it’s just great and most of all, something different.
And of course, special thanks to my friends over at Limelight Photography! They have also been overhauling their site & logo and everything looks fantastic. Rebecca and Michael’s determination in this business is more than inspiring, please take a moment to check them out.
P.S: say a little prayer that Baby P gives us some sleep tonight 😉
P.P.S (a little confession): Due to Baby P, waking up and keepin’ me busy this post has been written, rewritten, saved, done over…oh, about 5x’s already! LOL!
