Bundle Up Buddy

2012 brought some unexpected endevours that I am thrilled about, but NEVER saw coming!

On November 12, 2012 I opened an Etsy shop called 'BUNDLE UP BUDDY'. 

Here is a link to the shop Bundle Up Buddy...and here is the story of how and why it started:

I attribute these two darling faces to the success of the shop and a whole bunch of pins on Pinterest certainly didn't hurt:)

 

As Phil dressed Emrie for church one Sunday morning in September of 2012, he made the comment, “you know what her outfit needs? A scarf.”

Later that day I went to my sewing room, grabbed some extra fabric I had lying around and whipped up a toddler infinity scarf.

Every single time she wore that scarf she received complements and I received the standard questions, “WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?” followed by “DO YOU SELL THEM?”

My girlfriend Angie, was extremely encouraging and convinced me that if I sold them, people would actually buy them.  I made a couple scarves for her adorable daughter and people would ask her where she got them too!

My mother-in-law (who had been with me several times when the girls were complemented) was preparing for a craft show in November 2012. She asked if I would like to make a few scarves for her to sell.

The craft show didn’t exactly go ‘swimmingly’, and we were both left with lots of merchandise in hand.

After the unsuccessful craft show, I called her and asked if she would be interested in selling her fingerless gloves and I could sell my scarves on Etsy. We agreed that we were really only interested in selling what we already had made and wouldn’t be filling orders past what we had.

So, on our spur of the moment decision, I opened an Etsy shop on November 12, 2012. The name Bundle Up Buddy fit since we were doing mostly winter items and I often call my daughters Buddy (and to be totally honest, almost all of the other names I had tried were already taken).

Neither of us knew what to expect, and within a week we had both sold out of our supply. She decided that was enough for her, and the gloves came down off the site.

That left just me and my scarves. At the time I only had toddler and baby scarves listed, but I had several people ask me if I sold mother daughter sets. With the encouragement of my husband and some friends I decided that I wanted to keep going with the shop and added mother/daughter sets and adult scarves so my shop.

In the beginning of 2013 I added a 'spring collection' featuring spring patterns and colors! I am always on the lookout for new stuff to add.

One retailer has picked up my scarves as well. You can look for them at Apricot Lane Peoria this spring (and while you're there, pick out some awesome stuff for yourself!)

(Some 'spring' colors in the first big shipment headed to Apricote Lane Peoria later today)

I have truly enjoyed ‘running a shop’ and the feedback from my customers has helped me affirm that staying open was the right decision. I am extremely blessed to have such wonderful customers and a supportive family who continues to encourage me and allow me to do something I love!