It’s the 2nd annual Hawthorne Holiday Stroll! What is the Hawthorne Holiday Stroll you ask? Well, we’ll tell you!

On Saturday December 10th from 12-7pm (We will be open 10-9pm) Hawthorne will come alive with family activities, sales, live music, free movies etc… Many of your favorite stores will be running promotions, giving out treats and staying open late for the event. The participating businesses (like us) will be donating a percentage of their sales from the evening to Fish Emergency Services and raffling off a wreath stocked with free products, gift certificates, etc… We and many others will have sales running during the event too! All you have to do is come shop at one of the participating stores and get a raffle ticket for their wreath, then they pull a name and one lucky shopper gets a beautiful wreath and all the prizes with it! The wreaths will be displayed so you know who is participating & what their wreath has to offer. Our wreath came out wonderful & has goodies & a gift certificate for a total value of $300!!

Come shop with us December 10th for a chance to win our beautiful wreath worth $300, get 20% off all your purchases & help a great cause!! We’ll be taking your raffle tickets (free with purchase), and running our 20% off sale all the way till 9pm!!

For more info on The Hawthorne Holiday Stroll go to: The Think Hawthorne website

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This November 12th & 13th we are having our 22nd Anniversary Holiday Open House!!

Who doesn’t love a party? Especially one with prizes! Every year the second weekend of November we have our Holiday Open House & Anniversary party! We work diligently from the beginning of November right up until party time to turn our store into a holiday wonderland.

What kind of party would it be without a weekend holiday sale? On Saturday and Sunday we have select items on sale for 22% off. 22 to celebrate 22 years of being in business.

Saturday, November 12th, look for all our clothing and accessories on sale for 22% off the retail price.

Come by on Sunday, November 13th, for jewelry all on sale for 22% off

All our ornaments, holiday wrap, menorahs, boxed holiday cards, decorations & other holiday treats will be out before the big event.

We have stocked up on our unparalleled gift selection for easy holiday gift shopping. Many of our lines we will only get one order of this season, when they’re gone, they’re gone. Yet another reason to get your shopping done early, and relax while everyone else is fighting the crowds in December.

Our Open House is tons of fun! We do a prize walk several times an hour where we give out awesome prizes! We also have refreshments & free balloons for the kids!

Our Holiday Open House is November 12th & 13th from 12pm-5pm. We will be open our normal hours of 10am-7pm both days. If you can’t face the holidays till December but still want to avoid our holiday crowds, you will be happy to know starting December 1st we stay open till 9pm Mon-Sat through the 23rd. Evening & morning hours of shopping are always less crowded, and therefore more pleasant. We hope you all can make it to our party, we promise you’ll have a great time!!

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We are excited to present Luscious as this Thursday’s Thrifty Thursday special.

Each online and in-store piece is 25% off the retail price. Luscious is only available at the 25% off price for one day, September 22nd.

If you haven’t checked out out Thrifty Thursday you should! Every week we offer a new item in the store and online for 25% off the retail price. It can be broad like baby clothes or all tees or it can be specific like this week’s jewelry line created by Luscious.

We like to keep it exciting and to offer you the opportunity to find that special gift at a reduced price.

Be sure to shop on our website or step into the store Thursday the 22nd of September (today!) And pick up that beautiful handmade necklace from Luscious that you have been eyeing for the past two weeks.

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Following in the same tradition of Presents of Mind as a go-local store,  Gemini Lounge is committed to supporting local and eco-friendly options. They are committed to the continued support of local businesses and artists, and to support the growing communities and neighborhoods within Portland. Their food is purchased locally like Painted Hills Beef and Colman Farms Chicken. The taps are filled with local brews (but of course are there other brews? Sorry Portland beer pride, you know). The walls are covered with local and handmade and vintage art. Even 75% of the building materials were purchased locally.

Louie dog! Presents of Mind and Gemini Lounge's mascot! Painted by local artist Tripper Dungan

It is an adorable gem in an up-and-coming neighborhood. The flocked walls and hanging lights are inviting and warm. The layout of the bar has been designed to create conversation and community with standing tables to allow people to mingle more freely.

But it didn’t start out looking as cute as it does today.

You could say that it needed a lot of love.

It needed, oh, a couple of touch ups here and there.

Maybe a paint job or two…

And as much as the Kolls want and do support the local art community… they were thinking maybe to organize it little bit more. Not that the bathrooms didn’t look great, but they lacked, uh… flow.

Yes it was a work in progress, a diamond in the rough, basically they had a lot to do.

As is the custom of being a Portland start up family, Seasons and Richie rolled up their sleeves and got busy tearing that place up!

Through the hard work of friends and the support of the community they cleaned, scrapped, dusted, painted- they gutted the place!

These photos bring back memories of the images of Cinnamon and Seasons in Presents of Mind in the early days. As a young girl Seasons took a giant sledge hammer  to tear down a wall when Presents of Mind expanded. Things haven’t changed.

 All that hard work paid off! It looks beautiful!

You can see work from Portland artists Trish Grantham, Brenda Dunn, Emily Martin, and more (you can also find their work at Presents of Mind). It’s almost a little local art gallery watering hole where chic meets west.

EEEEts real nice!

Plus this amazing mural by Presents of Mind’s resident artist Jen Smith. It’s gorgeous and you have to see it in person to experience the detail and magnitude of this piece. By looking at it you can tell why people are rushing to ask Jen to do their murals. Girl’s gonna go places! And, we’ll be able to say we knew her when.

Look! Even the bathroom is an art gallery! That Seasons and her inner interior designer! See what we meant by flow?

Tah Dah! And there you have it the Gemini Lounge!

Come by tonight September 9th for the soft opening or look for the grand opening announcement on their website. You can try the Cinnamon Chaser named after our own momma!

They will be open Wednesday through Saturday 4:00 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday 4:00 p.m. to Midnight.

Check out their Facebook page and website for menu details, happy hours, music, and up and coming happenings like the Grand Opening.

Stop by 6526 SE Foster and say hello to a couple of nice people who will be workin’ it at the bar.

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Wonderlust is one of our newer lines and we are thrilled to be carrying this unique line of jewelry.

The process of creating this jewelry is very interesting: 1st the artists applies a photo sensitive emulsion to the metal, then arranges the plants or flowers onto the coated metal and exposes them to light. 2nd-ly, the captured shadow of the plants are etched in an acid etching machine. Lastly, she bends the metal into a bracelet or attaches the hooks for the earrings. Each piece is individually done creating a one of a kind piece every time.

The earrings and cuffs are like a mirror with frosted images of flowers, plants, and musical scores.

Each piece is absolutely unique because each piece is hand done. There will never be another one exactly like the one that you have. That makes it special and you’re special!

We are offering Wonderlust on sale for 25% off for one day only as a part of our Thrifty Thursday special. Come in and see this jewelry in person, if you can, it is really beautiful. Thrifty Thursday is also available for our website shoppers as well so be sure to check out what we have on-line.

Hope to see you this Thursday September 8th for this week’s Thrifty special featuring Jewelry by Wonderlust.

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This interview has been updated with new questions and answers, but is based off an original interview with Jen done in 2010 when she was a part of the Jewelry making duo Affixments.

When did Presents of Mind start carrying your prints?

I wanna say the store started taking my prints about a year ago, maybe around this time. Seasons (owner of Presents of Mind) and I had made a pact to get together and do an original piece once a week. That lead to coming up with quite a few pieces by the end of summer. Basically, I printed up the pieces and then presented them to the store for sale.

Is that where the whale in the nest came from?

Yes and no. A friend of mine Amelia who used to work at POM is a musician, and she had mentioned once that she wanted to do an album cover that featured the art of a whale in a bird’s nest. Even though the album never came to be I never stopped thinking about the image. The piece is called “Protection”. I guess it  speaks to the desire to try to fix our environment, and what an enormous task that is. And just the thought of being able to nestle something as large as a whale in a bird’s nest reflects the hope for that or the wish for that fix.

Protection

We just started carrying some new bezeled necklaces with your imagery. Can you tell us a little about that evolution of print to jewelry?

Richard Fox, who also works at POM and has some of his jewelry in the store, approached me with the idea of taking my original fine art pieces and then putting them into pendant form. It was fun to see these pieces tiny and in full detail. It was also fun to not be the person making the jewelry.

Why’s that?

Because I was a resin caster before, and me and my business partner put lots of imagery into casting and it took years off my life. I’m not kidding.

Can You talk a little about working with resin? About the difficulties and what is fun?

Resin is very temperature sensitive. We learned that the hard way. The cool part is that you can cast in any shape, can use any kind of imagery, from fine art to photography, to found images to natural organic objects. Skies the limit. It takes about two to three days to cast a piece from beginning to end. We’ve had to learn about organics. It’s been like a science project to learn about organics. It’s sticky, it’s messy, it’s hardcore.

You recently started doing murals- what got you started onto that type of work?

I was doing a mural for Seasons’ and Richie’s (her husband) new bar the Gemini Lounge. My buddy Mark L’Allier who is a mutual friend of ours recommended me to a bike repair cart owner, Lee Hanson who has opened a cart up on 82nd avenue in Cartlandia. I’ve always painted big but now I am able to paint really big and I’m having a blast.

So is this where your whale and the bike image came from? 

That was more fantastical whimsical. I don’t even know the word. Lee Hanson wanted me to do a faux bike repair store front and I was immediately uninspired because I enjoy doing naturalistic and even surrealistic subject matter. The faux front was too architectural and exact. I wanted to create something more imaginative and capture the spirit of Portland.

How is a whale Portland?

I don’t think it is so much “Portland”. I think that this image asks you why? And it is so big and adorable and unusual but there is still that connecting feel of Portland with Mt. Hood, and the cityscape, and the bike, and it is so surprising, and I think that is very much Portland. We’re hoping it causes a bit of a ruckus- and it already has.

What do you think about the buying local and the crafty movement?

I think it is fascinating that when you purchase locally that you are putting eighty percent directly back into your community. It really keeps the art growing. I love the fact that Portland is the design directive of the country. Many city standards across the country come out of here. It is fascinating to be a part of a place that may be setting trends across the nation, maybe the world. I know that is a bold statement, but when we go to trade shows a large percentage of the booths are from Portland.

What’s the percentage?

I would be afraid to quote that, but it is huge. Sometimes we go to check out a vendor booth and we are surprised to find they are from Portland. Portland is such a supportive community. Everything is a reaction to every one’s reactions to other’s work.

You went to Magic as a buyer, how was that experience?

Magic, yes. It was my fourth time to Magic. When I go, it makes me come home feeling innovative, and gutsy as a designer. It is an insiders look into what people are into.

Do you have a hard time balancing between your art work and working at the store?

Sometimes. I think Presents of Mind feeds my social side, and I love it, and it has been fun to watch my work go out the door, but ultimately I would one day like to be a full time artist. The balance is there, Presents of Mind accommodates me, and is very supportive, and I also have my finger on the pulse of what people are in the mood for. I work three days a week at Presents of Mind, and four days are studio time, which is very providential.

Who is your favorite artist, your inspiration?

Debra Beers, who is a local art instructor, I believe she is at Lewis and Clark, she does fantastic, authentic and amazing charcoals. And, Dustin Yellin a resin artist out of New York. Right now they are my inspiration.

You have two grown children, well adults now, and they have both become pretty adventurous.

Oh yes, my daughter is a fantastic artist and bartender in Oakland, CA, and my son works as a ranch hand in Victor, Idaho and as ski patrol in Big Sky, Montana, so he skies for work and he skies for fun, he is also a very talented woodworker. When I had my kids I packed them around with me everywhere. I raised them outside. I wasn’t standing still and ultimately they are very travel savvy and independent. No sterilizing bottles in this house.

Tell us a about little Jen.

I was a scrubby little outdoor kid that picked up everything, sticks, stones and oddities. I was drawing before I could walk. It took everything to get me indoors. I haven’t changed much since I was a child, I still talk a lot and I don’t pay much attention and I am shy (she laughs) it’s a great place to hide art.

What is in store for the future for Ms. Jen Smith?

(She giggles) Ultimately, I want to paint and draw full time. Paint, do my murals and basically build a house in the woods where a moving truck comes in every day to pick up all the painting to take to the gallery in the city and they give me a paycheck and I drink a glass of wine. Yeah! I’m not kidding.

What is your philosophy on life?

Live and play extremely hard and basically always, always have something you are passionate about everyday. Pay attention, being grateful and have gratitude.

Jen Smith grew up in Wyoming. Raised in the badlands, and mountain meadows of the Rockies, she was inspired by the drama of the landscape and its inhabitants.

She received her Associates of Arts from Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming and her Bachelor of Fine Art in Drawing and Painting from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana.

She now lives in Portland, Oregon.

We only offer Protection on our website, but if you see something you like don’t hesitate to call and we can send it to you.

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From 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hawthorne will be hosting a party for thousands of Portlanders, and out-of-towners.

There will be two stages with music for grown-ups of all ages. There will be puppets and magic shows for the kids, not to mention, the Bagdad theatre is showing Labyrinth for free and so much more!

 Presents of Mind, along with all the many great stores on Hawthorne, will be out enjoying the sunshine and offering fantastic sale items at great prices just for you.

Like:

Tee shirts for men and women

Books and Stationery

cool bags, wallets, and more.

We also will have many of our awesome dresses on sale this Sunday too so you wont want to miss that!

 On 34th ave the showcase stage will be set up, and from 11:00 to 4:00 you can check out live music ranging from Blues, Rock, Latin groove, Zydeco, and more.

If you are you are looking for something different, you can stroll up to 41st Ave to the Acoustic stage to watch singer songwriters, gospel, and folk music performers play their heart and souls out.

35th Ave is the Kids Area where the kids can enjoy the Tears of Joy puppet shows, face painting, music, and bubbles galore.

So, in between your face painted, song filled, food consumption wanderings, stop by our sidewalk right in front of Presents of Mind between 35th and 36th Ave, and peruse our sales table, and clothing rack. We know you will find something special or quirky for yourself or a loved one.

If you arrive between 11:00 and 3:00, you can find items on sale for 40% off, and if you decide to hit us up between 3:00 and 6:00 you can find something for 70% off.

So come by, say, perhaps after watching David Bowie dance around in his grey tights while singing songs with puppet goblins, and get something just for you.

Presents of Mind will be open during our regular hours 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. so be sure to step inside and see what we have going on inside.

For more details on scheduled events check out the Hawthorne Boulevard Business Association’s website here: HBBA- Hawthorne Street Fair.

Sounds like a great time you said? It will be and we’ll see you there.

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Season K Design Onesie

Thank goodness babies are not reserved for one season because where’s the fun in that? In celebration of all babies all the time (we know some of you friends of friends with kids would like babies only some of the time, but this post is not for you. Unless of course you are buying a wonderful gift for that part-time baby in your life.) we are putting all baby clothes online and in the store on sale for 25% off.

RuffleButts' pink bathing suit is too cute!

This is a Thrifty Thursday special so the offer is only good for Thursday the 4th of August.

RuffleButts polka dot in red!

We’ve got so many cute baby clothes in right now you’ll probably weep with indecision. Don’t worry we have tissues, and we can help you pick something out. Unless of course you know exactly what you want. That baby jumper you’ve been eyeing for a week is finally on sale for 25% off and you’re gonna go and grab it! Good for you!

Little Lark makes this sweet gnome tee.

All baby clothes on our website are on sale for 25% off so be sure to look through our selection. If you live in Portland and can make it in you’ll find our baby section full of new and adorable clothing.

Organic onesie by Local designer Little lark

Presents of Mind will be closing early this Thursday so be sure to make it in before 6:30. (We are closing for our annual employee summer BBQ. Yeah!)

A Crow tee for your toddler by Nikki McClure

You can purchase your baby clothes online for 25% off into the wee dark of night!

Was your baby made in Portland?

Happy BABY shopping!

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Seasons K. Designs started as an effort by Presents of Mind owner Seasons Koll (in other words me) to create what was missing from the local Portland market place. While we have carried locally designed shirts for a long time, it was hard to find shirts that really showed Portland pride. Local companies like Little Lark gave us some of our Portland loves as tees and onesies with images of  bikes, trees, birds etc… Our local product seeking Portland customers and visitors were all hoping to find more Portland in their Tees and Onesies. So, the “Made in Portland” onesie was born. With log letter script it says Portland in text and spirit. It’s still the top seller.

Due to the success of the Made in Portland onesie, a made in Oregon onesie was added & new styles of Portland Tee’s were created for Men, Women & babies, and so it grew…

Having a high volume store with a highly discerning clientele in a super cool city is a great way to find out what the public is craving. So many times it takes companies far longer to catch on to what customers are looking for in the stores.  Art nouveau, Contemporary Gothic, and Nautical are all under represented themes in the marketplace. I knew I would want to buy them anyway, I hoped customers would agree. So, I started designing a few art tees with themes such as Ravens, Octopus and Art nouveau images.

Of course I knew our Presents of Mind customers still loved Deer and Birds as much as I did so I designed some sweet pieces for women and babies.

The latest development is the use of my own photography in my art tees. Photography has been a passion of mine but I wasn’t sure how I wanted to use my images. I have loved taking photos for this blog and the Presents of Mind Facebook page. I really wanted to use them in another art form. I started looking at the photos as possible shirt designs, and it made perfect sense. This has been the most fun to work with. Photoshop is a temperamental mistress, but worth the effort.

My most recent development has been skirts, and I couldn’t be more excited. These jersey Pencil Skirts are super comfortable & look HOT! They are my new favorite piece in my own wardrobe & a perfect alternative to skinny jeans. The skirts come in some of my best selling art nouveau & photography themed graphics & are already a best seller. They have a very “body friendly” 4″ spandex waistban & hit right at the knee. They can even be worn as a tube top!

What started out as fulfilling customers requests in my store has turned into a very extensive T-Shirt line and a previously undiscovered passion for clothing design has been born out of it. I have already started sketching dress and blouse designs that will be cut and sewn with screenprint graphics. I am designing them to be flattering to a wide range of women’s bodies. Originally the Seasons K. Designs line had been exclusive to Presents of Mind. The line is now available at other stores here in Portland, a few stores scattered around the US & even a store in Canada!  You can also order tees on the Presents of Mind website, or on my Etsy page.

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Last year for mother’s day we interviewed Shannon Conrad creator and designer behind rubygirl. We decided to post this awesome question and answer for June 30th’s Thrifty Thursday special. Enjoy getting to know Shannon and be sure to check out Present of Mind this Thursday for a great deal on rubygirl jewelry.

We have been carrying Shannon’s jewelry since 2007. Her style and design is by far one of the most eclectic jewelry lines that we carry. Unless you know her work you can not always tell that you are holding a rubygirl piece in your hand because no two styles are the same. She is a mother of two, and has been working in her home studio since 2006. Hard working, and devoted to her family, and her craft, she has brought us many beautiful and charming designs. She is an active presence in the independent handmade scene, and we expect that we will see her designs in far off places.

Shannon had just completed this ring hours before meeting with us.

Shannon came by the store and we took her to coffee to chat. In her ears she wore her latest designs of lego® inspired earing posts. On her finger she wore her latest creation, a ring that she made as part of her ring a day project. “I finished this design at 10:00 p.m. last night.” She laughed. The ring a day is just one of many projects that Shannon has been involved with that are community oriented. The idea behind a process like ring a day is to be creative and to keep exploring your craft. Like Shannon says, skill is gained through repetition. But we’ll let her speak for herself:

1. How long has Rubygirl been around?

I started selling my work online in 2006.

rusted flower earrings with white coral

2. I’ve been reading your interviews and in a couple you had mentioned that your company had been downsized and that you were laid off. So many people put off their dreams because of fear. They wait, “oh I’ll wait till the kids are grown, or oh I’ll wait till I retire.” In fact for some people loosing their job can be thought of as the worst thing that could happen to them. Many find themselves unhappy, but think, at least I am safe.” So in a way you were forced to do something else, and it could have been another job outside of the home, but instead you found this. Can you look back a bit to that time before you saw this as something you would be doing with your life, to that moment when you lost your job and were looking for something new? In retrospect can you tell us what that was like?

Unfortunately, if we wait for the perfect time to do something, it will never come. Something always gets in the way, right?

Losing my job was one of the best things that ever happened to me, though it didn’t feel like it at the time! I was forced to take a hard look at my life and what I wanted to do with it. I really wanted to find a way to spend more time with my children. I was tired of working long hours and having daycare providers raise them for me. Then when I would come home, I was tired and stressed and did not have the energy (or patience) to give them the attention they deserved.

I had started taking a basic metalsmithing class in the fall of 2005. When I lost my job in January of 2006, I decided to focus my energy on building a business with these new skills. To supplement my income while I was just starting out, I took on the care of my niece and a neighbor boy. My daughter was almost 2 at the time, and I gave myself until she started kindergarten to get my business really up and running. We hit that milestone last fall.

3. You said you knew the minute you had the torch in your hand that this was what you were going to do with you life. Can you tell a little bit about what that looked like in your mind, what that felt like to you?

It was like love at first sight. I don’t know how else to describe it! I love everything about the fabrication process. I love to take a sheet of metal –  something flat and cold and shapeless – and turn it into something beautiful. There is no feeling like that of creating.

4. Are you still doing daycare or taking care of children, or are you doing jewelry full time?

Well, some weeks the jewelry is more than a full-time job! I actually have not cared for children (other than my own) for just over two years. I reached the point that I could not do both – it was just too much. The childcare was just a means to an end. My plan was always to quit as soon as my jewelry business was self-sustaining.

5. You have many groups that you work with and seem to always be surrounded by other artists, like your Make a Ring a Day group. Can you tell us how that helps with inspiration? And what groups and organizations are you a part of?

I am part of a couple Teams on Etsy. PDX Etsy is a team of Portland Etsy sellers – over 700 strong! I am also on the steering committee of I Heart Art: Portland. This is a collaboration between Etsy, PDX Etsy, PNCA and The Museum of Contemporary Craft. This group is focused on advocacy, support and education for the Portland arts community. Lastly, I am a member of Etsy Metal – a team connecting metalsmiths from all over the world.

There are many benefits to networking with other artists. You can share information about events, ask questions, learn from each other. Besides all of that, I find that for me it has been important to connect to other makers. I worked out in the world for so long. Now that I work on my own, I find that I crave the socialization that you get when you have co-workers. I have found that socialization – and formed some wonderful friendships – through these communities.

Twig Necklace with Amber bud

6. Your words of description on your Etsy page are that you are eclectic and you like to make the industrial meet organic. I am struck with the familiarity in tone of that statement to the same words of those who were a part of the art nouveau movement. Do you ever think of what you are doing as part of a movement?

I do think that there is a movement and not just in the arts and crafts community.  It is not just a bi-product of the poor economy – though that has certainly added to the momentum –  it started before that. There is a quiet revolution going on in this country. People are tired of the big corporations and the mass-produced. They are fed up with the corruption and the greed. They are ready for more than just a disposable life.  People are doing their own gardening, raising chickens in their backyards, buying local and buying (and making!) handmade. All of these things are interconnected.  People want less “stuff” and more meaning. Being able to talk to the maker and know their story gives things that meaning. Being able to speak to the person who made the product with their own two hands… how cool is that? You can’t buy that at a big chain store!

Posey Earrings

7. In a past interview you had mentioned that it is difficult to find a life balance between working and raising a family and play? Do you still find that challenging or have you found a rhythm?

There is definitely a rhythm now. I am fortunate to have the complete and utter support of my family. I could not do it without them. My kids are great about letting me work when I need to. They are very independent. And there is my husband… I cannot say enough about him! I would not be where I am today without him. He is truly my partner in all things.  He steps in and picks up the slack when it’s needed. Even if that means cooking dinner after his own long day of work. He is my best friend and my biggest fan.

8. You can say that being a mom is very much a part of rubygirl, in fact, your jewelry line was named after your daughter, and by your son. In what other ways, besides naming your business, do you find your children help you?

First and foremost, they are my motivation. My family is the most important thing in my life and I work as hard as I do to help support them.

My daughter (the “Ruby” in rubygirl), loves to help. She will do anything she can. Sweep the studio, bag wholesale orders, card earrings – she loves it all. Setting up for shows is probably her favorite. She gets caught up in the excitement. My son is 11 and less enamored with the actual jewelry business. However, he does a great job entertaining his sister when I need to work.

9. Did you always know you wanted kids? When you were little did you say, I want to be a mother or did the thought come to you later in life? What do find to be the best part of being a mom or better yet what is your favorite part? What is the most challenging part? (Granted I imagine these answers can change from day to day and year to year)

I wasn’t one of those kids that dreamed of the day that I would be a mother. I didn’t even know if I wanted kids. Sometimes, it’s a case of meeting the right person at the right time. When I met my husband I couldn’t imagine NOT having children.

The unconditional love is great, but you know what is really special? I love that not only am I proud of my kids, but they are proud of me. There is nothing like knowing that your kids are proud of who you are and what you’ve accomplished. It’s a great feeling.

My biggest challenge right now is their bickering. Seriously. Drives me insane! I am also on the verge of having a teenager. That’s a little scary!  The ongoing challenge for me is \ knowing what the right thing to do is – regardless of the situation. I worry all the time that I will do something wrong that will scar them for life. I don’t want my kids in therapy at age 30 because of something I did or said.

10. What were you like as a girl growing up?

Studious, quiet, a little shy. I’m a huge reader. My dad was always telling me to get my nose out of a book and go outside and play.

11. What do you think you took from your mother, what in yourself of her do you see? A quality that you are grateful to have, and in the same token, what would you like to pass down to your own children?

Determination. I would have to say determination. Determination and perseverance. When I set my mind on something, I make it happen. Sometimes the road isn’t an easy one, but that makes the result all the more rewarding! I try hard not to let the curve balls life throws at me to get me down. My mother has always told me that change comes out of chaos and it is my choice whether that change is for the better or the worse. I think rubygirl is proof of that!

I want my kids to have that same determination and to know that they can be whatever they want when they grow up. If you set your mind to it and work hard, you can have the things you want in life. So many people are unhappy in their jobs and I don’t want that for them. I want them to believe in themselves  and to know that they can live their dreams.

12. Lastly, rubygirl, plans for the future do you have plans to expand?

I do have goals. I would like to keep steadily growing my business. My dream would be to be able to have enough work that I could take on my sister as a full-time employee – she recently lost her job. Right now she helps me at Christmas and at shows, but I would love to be able to offer her something more steady.  I never want to not be the one designing and making my pieces, but help would be nice! If I could get to the point where rubygirl could support my family and help support another… well, I think that would be incredible.

We think that would be incredible too. Thank you so much Shannon! Stop by our store our look on our website to find some of the designs posted here, and so many more.

And to all the mom’s crafty or not, we love you, and Happy Mother’s Day

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