I'm a wife, stay-at-home mom, crafter, and blogger living in rural New England. As seen in Martha Stewart Living, Food Network Magazine, and more!
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I'll be having a really fun feature with Allison Cole Jewelry - and a *givewaway* coming to the blog soon! You don't want to miss this one ;)
Can't wait? You can use the coupon code BIRCHLANDING to get 20% off everything at Allison Cole Jewlery
Totally in love with my new black and gold classic rope bracelet!
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I've been selling my hand-etched ornaments and other small crafts locally and from my Etsy shop for a little while now, and I've learned quite a bit during this time. In the beginning I was totally "winging it" and looking back now there are a few things that I really wished I had started right from the get-go. | This post contains affiliate links |
DISCLAIMER: Always consult a local tax and business professional for the best advice for your situation regarding finances and how to legally set up your business.
In the beginning this all started out more as a hobby than anything else, and so I never kept my receipts from supplies bought, postage, etc. I really didn't know how much I was spending vs. how much I was making or if it was really profitable. However, you need to keep track of how much you're spending for these things - this is especially important for taxes (whomp, whomp) since you can write off a lot of your expenses, but only if you have the receipts. You can use a receipt organizer to make it a little easier to file and organize everything for your records.
Knowing how much everything costs for your business (craft supplies, packaging materials, etc) as well as how much you use is important for planning ahead and having enough materials on-hand. In the beginning you can expect a learning curve where you'll run out of padded envelopes or ribbon from time-to-time. But figuring out your demand and flow of goods and materials can help make sure you always have enough supplies on-hand without having too much surplus (also not good).
Keeping a separate bank account really helps keep track of expenses as well as makes sure you're only spending what you're making and not more. Consider opening a new checking/debit account (and possibly a credit card) and use those methods of payment for all business related expenses - buying supplies at the store, shipping items, etc. When Etsy payments are deposited, or checks from wholesale orders, they should go into this checking account. By only using the money you're making to spend on expenses you won't go into debt. Also make sure to set some money aside to pay yearly or quarterly taxes if applicable (your accountant can help you figure that out).
Keeping track of expenses vs. income can be hard and it's easy to forget infrequent or small expenses that can really add up (yearly website hosting, Etsy listing fees, advertising, items sent to bloggers for collabs, etc). You'll definitely want to create or purchase a spreadsheet template to keep close tabs on all of these expenses.
Rather than try to make one myself, several months ago I purchased the Etsy Seller Spreadsheet from Paper + Spark and was really impressed! Janet from Paper + Spark is a Certified Public Accountant, so she really knows her stuff. The Etsy spreadsheet template can input all the data (sales, Etsy selling fees, listing fees, etc) right from Etsy and populates them into the spreadsheet for you so you don't miss anything. There are also sections you can customize so you can put in expenses from website hosting, office supplies, etc or income from local craft shows or wholesale accounts. It can be hard to realize how much Etsy's cut is (they charge a listing fee, a transaction fee, and a percentage of the sale), so seeing just how much their take actually is has helped me adjust my pricing better. Recording all these details was so important to finally see what my bottom line actually is - I really wish I had kept better track of everything right from the beginning!
I had purchased Paper + Spark's original spreadsheet, but Janet's since come out with more detailed spreadsheets as well as “bundles” that include documents to help you with inventory, pricing, and selling on other platforms (Shopify, Square, etc) so you can decide what spreadsheet and package is best for you and your business. And the best part? Paper + Spark’s customer service is AMAZING! Janet will continue to make available the latest version of your purchases each year. That way if Etsy or another platform tweaks anything, you’ll know that your current spreadsheet will be up to date and working properly.
Never underestimate the power of social media! Social Media is the place to see and be seen - make sure you're always posting, commenting, and connecting with other handmade buisnesses, gift shops, bigger brands, and bloggers. Always use hashtags on Instagram, but hide them in your first comment so they don't clutter up your caption. In particular, Instagram is a great place to get exposure - in fact my photos have been reposted by brands like Nuby, Kohl's, and Yankee Magazine and one was even featured in print in Martha Stewart Living Magazine! I was also contacted by Food Network Magazine to be a contributor for one of their articles.
Another great way to gain exposure and a following is to reach out to bloggers for collaborations (collabs). Usually this entails you sending your product to them, free of charge, and they will style and feature your item on their blog and across their social media accounts. You could also team up with them to host a giveaway. Some larger bloggers may also charge you a fee to collab with them, but many bloggers will feature for free if your product fits their aesthetic. This is a great way to get your name and your products out there and increase your following. And don't write-off the power of smaller bloggers either - sometimes the smaller bloggers (aka, micro influencers) have the most active and devoted followings.
DISCLAIMER: Always consult a local tax and business professional for the best advice for your situation regarding finances and how to legally set up your business.
If you're thinking of opening a brand new Etsy shop, please feel free to use my referral link HERE - and we'll both earn some free listings on Etsy :)
- I purchased Paper + Spark's products myself and was so impressed that I chose to become an affiliate. All my opinions are my own and I honestly love her product. As an affiliate, if you purchase anything from her site using my links I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you -
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Statement necklaces are big right now, and why not put that style to good use by working double-duty as a teether for your tot? Sounds like a great solution to me! Nûby was kind enough to send me two of their new Teething Trends statement necklaces to style and review - and one lucky winner will get to choose one necklace for themselves from Nûby's line!
All of the teething necklaces in Nûby's new line are both on-trend and on-hand when you need them most. By having a teether that you wear, you always have one at the ready when your little one is in need of something to teeth on - especially handy to keep them from gnawing a finger off while you're stuck in a long line at the post office.
These teething necklaces are BPA-free and made from soft silicone so they're easy on tender gums. They also feature a break-away clasp in the event of an overly-grabby toddler but please keep in mind these necklaces are meant for moms to wear, not your teething littles.
There are a variety of colors and styles available, as well as bracelets (not pictured in this review), so you can find one - or seven - that match your style and every item in your wardrobe. What I love most is these don't even look like teethers - they're stylish enough to wear to work or a girls night out.
Necklaces featured are Nûby Teething Trends Medium Oval + Pearl Necklace in Teal and Nûby Teething Trends Pearl Necklace in Grey.
This is probably one of my favorite combos and a perfect outfit for a lunch out with friends. This necklace really pops against the crisp white linen shirt and the straw fedora and aviator sunglasses add some more fun, trendy elements.
The teal teething necklace also pairs perfectly with this geometric print maxi dress, over-sized sunhat, and sunglasses. Perfect outfit for getting ice cream with the family down at the water.
This monochromatic outfit is ideal for doing errands and running around town with a grey and navy striped tunic top, dark washed jeans, and the grey pearl beaded necklace.
Just love the grey pearl beaded necklace against the grey and navy stripes!
This week we made the trek up north to check out the Lupine Festival. The flowers were in full bloom and still gorgeous despite the constant drizzle (though I wish I could have said the same thing about my hair). We dressed for breakfast out and walks around the lupine fields, and the Medium Oval + Pearl Necklace in Teal was a great pop of color against my white button-up and black quilted vest.
One winner will be chosen to receive one (1) Nûby statement teething necklace in their choice of style/color. Open to US entrants only, 18 years or older - winner will be contacted by the email address provided.
You can select how many entries you would like to complete but keep in mind an invalid entry (i.e. stating you're following on Instagram, but you are not) will result in disqualification. Thank you and good luck! :)
- I received these items for review from Nûby but all opinions expressed are my own. Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information. -
Nûby's Teething Trends Jewelry is available at Babies 'R Us and Wal-Mart.
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Ibotta isn't new, I'd heard a lot about it but was always a bit skeptical... "So I buy groceries and the things I always do and get some money back for it? Really??" Sounds too good to be true, right?
Well that's what I thought at first, until a few friends signed up for the app and converted me. The only "catch" to this program is that in exchange for earning money back on your purchases, you're providing some market research info to Ibotta.. that's it. Pretty good deal, right? | This post contains affiliate links |
Signing up for Ibotta is easy - download the app and create an account (pssst, right now they're offering a $10 bonus for new users!). Then search for the retailer (Walmart, Target, Hannaford, Kohl's, etc) you will be shopping at next and scroll through the available offers. When you see an offer for something you want to buy, click on it and view a short advertisement or answer a basic multiple choice question (i.e. "What's your favorite brand of orange juice? - A, B, C, or D"), once you complete that simple task the offer is now unlocked and is able to be redeemed.
Rebates for validated purchases are automatically deposited into Ibotta, usually within 48 hours. Once you hit a minimum of $20 (which isn't that hard), you can transfer that money to your PayPal account - it's real money.
One of my favorite parts of Ibotta is that they always have some rebates for things you buy every week but will very rarely, if ever, get coupons for. I'm talking about things like dairy products, juice, eggs, fruit, and vegetables - and these rebates are for any brand, even organic!
These "any brand" rebates can vary from week-to-week on what's offered and the exact rebate amount, but the milk, bread, eggs, and a particular type of fruit or vegetable rebates are pretty standard and seem to be offered almost every week. For example right now on Ibotta they have $0.50 back on a gallon of milk, $0.50 on eggs, $0.50 on a package of sliced bread, $0.25 on bananas, and $0.25 on tomatoes. These are items that most people buy every week, and even if you only used Ibotta for these five rebates each week you would save $104 (!) over the course of the year! (I used the current rebate amounts as an example, however keep in mind that some weeks the rebate amount on items like these may vary - but you get the point.)
Another great thing is that you can use Ibotta in conjunction with manufacturer and store coupons, store loyalty programs, sales, etc. For example - the other week I bought Glad trash bags at Walmart; they cost $8.99 - Ibotta had a $2 rebate and then the Walmart Savings Catcher App found the same trash bags cheaper at Shaw's so it credited me the $1.49 difference. So instead of $8.99, the trash bags only cost $5.50 = savings of $3.49 (40%) just on this one item!
So far I've only used Ibotta at the grocery store and Walmart, but you can use it at so many other places too - like restaurants and clothing stores! You can even "star" your favorite stores to save them on the home screen, that way it's fast and easy to look up rebates on the fly when you're in the store.
Whenever you refer a friend to Ibotta you earn $5 in your account (wahoo!) as well as add them to your Team. Ibotta always has ongoing bonuses each month to reward teams to save more - for example, right now if you redeem 10 rebates this month and your Team collectively redeems $15 of rebates, you earn an extra $1 in your account. There are several "Levels" each month, and the more you and your team use Ibotta, the more levels you achieve and the more money in your pocket. This is all easy to accomplish if you invite a lot of friends ;)
I know, I know - you want to know the bottom line. So I've been using Ibotta for almost a month and I currently have $23.75 in my account. $10 of that was my sign-on bonus, so $13.75 was earned in rebates and bonuses. That doesn't seem like a ton, but the grocery store in our town actually doesn't participate with Ibotta (it's an independent grocer), so I can only use it when I make a trip to the big chain stores. Also, because we buy a lot of organic and natural foods, $13.75 is also more than I usually can save with coupons since coupons for those items are few and far between. I've also made a point not to buy anything that I wouldn't normally buy, because I wanted to be realistic and get a sense of what I can earn back for our essential items.
My earnings may not seem like a ton, but it's money in our pocket and it certainly helps! You can also be more proactive so save even more - I have a friend who meal plans around what's available on Ibotta and saves an average of $35+ every month. You also earn a $5 referral for every friend you get to sign up (which I haven't done yet, but certainly will be doing). Overall, I've really enjoyed using Ibotta so far and will definitely continue to use it.
If you'd like to sign up for Ibotta, please use my referral link here or enter in my referral code: jkuddhs
This post was not sponsored and all opinions and experiences are my own. This post does contain my referral link to Ibotta, if you sign up using this link I will earn a small referral bonus (the same one you can earn too for referring others).
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If you're not familiar with Pampers Rewards, you can check my previous post here for all the details - but essentially it's a program to earn free gifts for buying Pampers diapers! Our little girl has been really into "helping" Daddy build things lately, so we decided to get a tool kit just for her. | This post contains affiliate links |
The tool kit is by Melissa and Doug and we were pleased with how sturdy it is. Our daughter really put it to the test, whacking the whole thing all over with the wooden hammer but it still survived.
The kit contains a wooden wrench, screw driver, hammer, bolts/screws, nuts, "nails", and some pieces of wood with holes in it that you can screw or nail together or attach to the side of the tool box.
Miss M and Daddy have really been enjoying building with this set and we've even caught her "working" on her trains with the wrench - this Reward has definitely been a big hit!
Want to see what else we got from Pampers Rewards? Check out our other posts:
Please note, items available from Pampers Rewards are subject to change.
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Last Friday we decided at the last minute to spend the weekend in Ogunquit, Maine - the weather looked great, my husband was itching to take some Milky Way photos, and it had been too long since we did a little family trip. It was also right before "the season" starts, which meant that there would be less crowds and cheaper hotel rooms (yes!). All-in-all as a family of three we spent less than $175 for the whole weekend, including the hotel room, so I would call that a huge success!
For hotel we stayed at The Beachmere Inn which is conveniently located right on the Marginal Way, a 1.25 mile scenic walkway following the edge of the ocean. Even though we were calling for reservations the day before, The Beachmere thankfully still had a few rooms available. We opted for the least expensive one ($100+tax, which was this particular room's preseason rate). It was a nice, modest room with a queen sized bed in the Victorian building of the hotel complex. This room didn't quite have the view that most rooms at the hotel have, but we didn't mind since we knew we'd be out walking most of the day and then to bed early with our little one.
The Beachmere Inn
The view from our private balcony.
To save a little extra money we packed our lunches from home for that first day. We got to the hotel around lunch time and since our room was ready they let us check in early (very nice!). We were able to enjoy our lunch on our own private balcony overlooking the great lawn of the hotel.
That afternoon was spent wandering up and down the Marginal Way and walking into town to explore some of the little shops and buy some delicious pastries at Bread & Roses Bakery. We highly recommend their Cinnamon Butter Puffs and our daughter was a big fan of the massive chocolate chip cookies bigger than her head (no surprise there).
Running along the ocean = perfection.
Mid-afternoon Daddy watched Miss M so I could get a training run in. I ran four miles along the Marginal Way and through the high-end coastal neighborhoods, and even did a short stretch of running in the sand on Ogunquit Beach. This run has to be the most fun and scenic I have done to date - why can't all runs be so pretty?
Dinner options in Ogunquit were a bit limited as it's still the "off season" (many seasonal businesses and seasonal rates start April 14th). So we opted to drive up the road a few minutes to the Moody Beach area and have dinner at Jake's Seafood where we ate our weight in delicious fried seafood. The bill for the three of us came in at $40, which was a little more than we were expecting but splurging on fried food is pretty much a must-do of any seaside trip.
The views along the Marginal Way are breathtaking.
After dinner we went back to the hotel and played outside a bit before turning in early. Adrian was planning to get up at 3AM to capture some Milky Way shots as long as the weather cooperated. Luckily for him, the clouds held off and he was able to just walk off the hotel lawn and get some amazing Milky Way and sunrise shots (you can see more of his photos on his Instagram, @adrianpelletier).
The next morning we enjoyed a nice continental breakfast at the hotel. They had coffee, tea, cereal, bagels, fruit, and yogurt as well as selection of locally made donuts. (I had yogurt with granola and a very delicious Boston creme donut, because you know, balance.)
Bread & Roses Bakery - so much deliciousness!
After breakfast we walked back into town to do some last minute poking around and pick up more pastries from Bread & Roses to bring home, between our two trips here we spent about $20. Then we went to Ogunquit Beach to let our little one run around and play in the sand a bit. It was brisk but sunny and we pretty much had the whole beach to ourselves. After that we decided to check out a little early and head home to catch Miss M's nap, but if we had stayed in Ogunquit for lunch we would have grabbed some sandwiches from The Village Market, which looked yummy and reasonably priced and had a picnic on the beach or along the Marginal Way.
Overall it was a great, affordable weekend in Ogunquit. Lots of beautiful views, good food, exploring downtown, running and photo adventures, and, most importantly, some quality family time.
Early morning walk along the Marginal Way.
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I've never been a fast runner at all, in fact I'm definitely more of a "slogger" (slow jogger) - but it doesn't matter how fast or slow you run as long as you're getting out there. I used to run pretty regularly but took a break from it for awhile after getting stress fractures training for my first half marathon years ago. After that I ran when I felt like it but never seriously and never with a big goal in mind. | This post contains affiliate links |
Since we're hoping to try for baby #2 later this year I'm working on my "Pre-Baby Bucket List", which includes finally running a Half Marathon. While I'm sure I'll be able to cover the distance, I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it in the strict timeline set for the course since I'm such a slow runner - but here's hoping! I've been following a wonderful training plan made by my sister-in-law (who has a Masters in ESS), that includes a lot of interval runs, stretches, and one long run a week to help minimize my risk of injury again.
Along with following a great plan that builds mileage slowly and includes varied runs and cross-training, I thought I'd share some of my favorite running must-haves:
Good Sneakers. I can't say how important it is to have the right kind of running shoe. Don't just go by what looks cute and feels comfortable at the store - go to a running specialty store and be properly fit for your gait and foot type. (Also, if you have any inkling that you may have something going on with your feet don't hesitate to see a podiatrist too. I was properly fit for sneakers but still hurt my foot because I had a structural issue that could only be identified with x-rays and helped with custom orthotics.)
Running Belt. These little belts are handy for carrying your phone, keys, and fuels for those long runs. I've really liked the SPIbelt because it's very streamline - the pouch stays small and stretches to fit your items so they don't bounce around.
Running App. I've found using a running app to be very helpful. It reminds me what pace I'm currently running, as well as distance and elapsed time. It's a great tool to keep on track and follow your progress. I've been using the free version of Runkeeper for years and love it but have also heard great things about the app Strava too, so I think I will give that app a try once my half marathon training is done.
Reflective Vest. If you're doing any running on the road at all it's very important to be seen. Wearing a bright reflective vest gives traffic a better opportunity to see you and keep you safe.
Road ID. Do you run with your driver's license and medical info on you? I didn't think so, which is why you really should have a Road ID. I've never needed it - and hope to never need it (knock on wood) - but it's so important to have, especially if you run solo. These totally customizable IDs are lightweight, sporty, and streamline but contain important information like your name, year of birth, emergency contact info, and medical information that paramedics may need if you had an accident (God forbid) or have passed out.
Pssst... I have a $5 Gift Card to RoadID to share with the first five people that purchase using this link. You're welcome :)
Running Stroller. If you're going to do any training with your little ones in tow, it's important to have a great stroller that you can take on those runs. We have a BOB and it's perfect for running on back roads and flat trails. These strollers can be expensive though, so don't be afraid to look for one second-hand - we got ours for only $40!
There are also a few items I haven't used yet but would love to try, including recovery sandals (which look amazing!), hydration belts and packs, and compression sleeves. Getting back into running has been fun and rewarding and I'm hoping to improve my distances and times more and more. Keep your fingers crossed for me that I can finish my half marathon in the allotted time! ;)
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To do? All the things!
Feeling really behind lately, I have a million little (good) projects going on and haven't been able to check any off the to-do list in a while. Between training for a half marathon, working on Etsy/wholesale ornament orders (I get them year-round, wahoo), and trying to work on some projects around the house I've fallen a bit behind on the blog and getting new Etsy stock out there and I apologize.
Just wanted to let you know that things will be picking up again soon with new Etsy items as well as some great collabs/giveaways with companies like Nuby and We Are Knitters.
If you haven't turned on Post Notifications on Instagram for Birch Landing Home yet, now is the time because you won't want to miss out!
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