Becoming Homegrown

Customers, help an Etsy seller out.

January 5, 2013 by Morgan Leave a Comment

I am an Etsy shop owner. I make crocheted items including hats, coffee cozies, and photography props. It’s not much but I enjoy it and it brings in a bit of revenue during the winter months. It is during these busy months that my dear customers have a tendency to over look a little thing called time. Time that is needed to make and ship an order.

First, let me thank YOU customers. Without you actually purchasing my items there would be no Becoming Homegrown on Etsy and I would sitting here like a hoarder with yarn and hats. It’s a frighteningly realistic thought.

Now I am going to beg you:

Take a moment and glance back up to the second sentence and notice, I make. Yup, that is right, I make stuff. Made to order… from my hands to your head, baby, studio or coffee mug. This means that I rarely have any of the items on my store hanging around ready to ship. My bad, I know.

During the winter months I’m pretty busy and my hands typically take on a slightly permanent claw like shape. I don’t mind it. I enjoy happy customers, their adorable pictures and I like the revenue that comes in. However, once things slow down does this mean that I stock up on product so that I am ahead of the game during winter? Nope. It means I am sitting on the couch wishing for sales, experimenting with new patterns and eating chocolate chips.

That’s the truth. That is when I experiment with colors, try out new ideas and possibly add them to the inventory for the next year.

So with this bit of information under your belt I am now going to beg you….

PLEASE PLEASE don’t order something and demand it to be shipped by the next day. I can not guarantee our rag tag group of postal employees will be organized enough get your shipment out of our city within a week let alone 24 hours. I will do everything I can to get your order out quickly but if I don’t have it ready made there will be a slight wait time. I believe that is probably the case with many handmade Etys sellers. We want you to have it as fast as possible but sometimes that is not possible.

So help this Etsy seller out. Understand that I do have a family and as much as I want to be able to get your item out by that photography shoot (that is in less than 48 hours) it probably isn’t possible.

Thank you for understanding and thank you for your business!!

Filed Under: Becoming Homegrown, Life Tagged With: Becoming Homegrown, Life

Becoming Homegrown Giveaway

December 23, 2012 by Morgan 3 Comments

It’s that time again.

Time for the Becoming Homegrown Hat Giveaway

One lucky winner will win

1 hat of their choosing from my store valued up to 20.

Sorry the Lion Bonnet with Tushy topper and Aviator hat are not allowed to participate.

Have you seen some of the options available?

and one last peek..

Here is the link to MY STORE for more hats for you to scan

Good Luck and God Speed.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Becoming Homegrown, giveaways Tagged With: Becoming Homegrown, Crochet, Giveaways, Hats

Blogger vs WordPress. Are you ready for the jump?

August 9, 2012 by Morgan Leave a Comment

Blogger vs WordPress is a debate that bloggers know well. Many sites and bloggers discuss the benefits and disadvantages between the two and today I am going to join the ranks.

At the beginning of the week, I made the hard decision to move my blog back to blogger. I originally jumped on the WordPress band wagon when I had a bit of a falling out with a “friend” last year. I wanted Becoming Homegrown to get high ranking stats and I wanted to see my business skyrocket. Not the best reasoning behind a major blog overhaul but I did it nonetheless.

It is almost one year to the day that I made this dramatic jump and I have been questioning my leap for the last six months. Yes, my stats did rise dramatically and yes there are more visitors however at what cost? I am not a coding genius and I do not have the time nor the desire to sit down and scour the internet learning how to improve my site. It is basic and it has remained that way for a solid year.

I have been longing for the easy adaptability that Blogger boasts. I wanted to be able to just add a button or change my background with a few simple keystrokes. I wanted simple, easy, and Google Friend Connect. These dreams were quickly extinguished when I learned that not only is it nearly impossible to export a blog from WordPress to Blogger but it WAS impossible for me because I have too much history, i.e. posts. I have to stay right here and work out my issues.

Here is what I learned. These are my basic opinions. Let me stress BASIC.

WordPress:

Plus:

GREAT for stats – The hits on my site have gone up dramatically from search engines…I am also hosting through Bluehost. Just a free wordpress blog would probably not have hit the same numbers

RSS – My subscriber rates have jumped

I was able to create and publish my own logo and use it as a header.

The options to change the site are extensive through a knowledge of HTML & CSS coding. You can make your site look amazing with the right tools.

Plug-ins and widgets are great. Individuals, not wordpress, have created a variety of things that can really enhance a blog

Negative:

I am not proficient in HTML and CSS. I was confused right from the start. This is was a HUGE factor for my desire to move.

Because of my lack of knowledge my style of the blog is basic.

Suddenly, I no longer get the same amount of comments. I can see that my post are being read through Facebook likes and stats but I no longer get comments. I miss comments.

The plug-ins and widgets. Because they are made by people and not wordpress they have ability to crash your site. (I know because my site went down for 2 days from a plug-in)

Blogger:

Plus:

User FRIENDLY. Modifications are quick and simple. You can change the look of your site within seconds.

HTML is good to know but not required.

Google Friend Connect – I really liked GFC. It made me feel important and loved.

Blogs look cute and are easily navigated.

Negative:

As of last year, they gave bloggers a glimpse into their stats. Mine were constant but I never knew exactly how people found me or where my hits were coming from. I am not sure if that has changed now.

The options that are available through CSS and HTML can really make your site stand out. You don’t have as much control as you do in WordPress. BUT if this not something that interests you don’t worry about it.

Now, I just purchased WordPress for Dummies and this dummy is slowly working her way through CSS. I have finally figured out what exactly certain add ons, options and widgets are capable of handling. I am not as afraid of tinkering in the background and I am looking forward to eventually having my site look a little more professional. I will get there but it will take some learning and because I am a notorious procrastinator this will probably take some time.

Bottom line: If you are comfortable with where you are DON’T let what others say, brag or appear to have accomplished influence your decision. Stay where you have the most fun and are the most productive.

Filed Under: Becoming Homegrown Tagged With: Becoming Homegrown

Behind the scenes of newborn photography session

April 17, 2012 by Morgan 2 Comments

When you see a picture of a newborn in a hat, sling, pod, or in a strategic position the first reaction is always “AWWWW, that is adorable!”. What you don’t consider or even think about is what is actually going on behind the scenes. The pink baby is always so cute that it is almost impossible to imagine anything else.

Here is a small glimpse of the behind the scenes work:

I am hopping around on the sidelines trying to convince her to look at me while the photographer works her magic….

Yesterday we had a session with a newborn and I don’t think it could have gone better. However when you see the amazing shots (they haven’t be edited yet) you will know what it looked like to us.

Prepping for the shoot with different props

Okay, he is asleep and the light is perfect. Take the picture NOW!

Interrupting a sleeping baby is never fun especially when you have to put a hat on his head

Luckily he was a forgiving boy and went right back to sleep even after the last minute touch up.

This isn’t the final shot from the photographer but it will give you an idea

Newborn photography session are always a crap shoot. We have worked with babies that did not want to be handled or asleep and then we get the babies like this little guy, perfect and adorable. After these sessions and final photos I am reminded why I love my business.

If you would like to purchase anything you see or are curious for more items check out my STORE.

Filed Under: Becoming Homegrown, Crochet, Photography Tagged With: Babies, Becoming Homegrown, Photography, pictures, Small Business

All container gardening IS NOT created equal

March 29, 2012 by Morgan 1 Comment

In my hay days of gardening, I was pretty good. If I planted a seed it would grow. In fact I had a hard time making things not grow. I was pretty proud of myself and posted many pictures of them on Facebook. Ask anyone, I was pretty obnoxious.

Well, now I am having my organic gardening pride kicked in. I had to give up my in ground garden bed when we moved to the new house and I was determined to have a another garden but in containers. I had plan and a mission and I was going to teach YOU how it was done.

I started with seeds. I found the ‘how to’ on Pinterest and was slightly successful.

Can you see the Basil growing under the plastic wrap? I grew those from seeds indoors! I was pretty proud of myself and then I discovered that Basil is one of the easiest things on the planet to grow and then it died from separation anxiety (it could have been lack of sunshine but I am sticking with the anxiety) after we went out of town for a few days. In efforts to cheer myself up I went outside to check the seeds I had planted and nothing. The soil looked dead.

The gardeners on Pinterest are liars. Visions of pins with pictures of plants growing out of shoes, buckets, mason jars and anything else that doesn’t move came to mind and I was irritated. My plants are in pots with proper drainage and they died. Frauds. Shoes can’t grow plants and neither can that stupid tool box.

I started over. I went to the nursery spent close to 71 dollars in starting plants and came home in rush of determination to began again. This is going to work.

It’s working. Sort-of. I found what I thought would be the best place for the plants but apparently my plants are the high maintenance kind and only like partial sun. They looked wilted half the day. No amount of sweet talk and awkward umbrella shade would help them perk up.

Here is my solution.

They went from this….

All of my plants squished by the side of the house.

To this…

If those plants were people they would be spoiled. Regular water cycle and a tray with wheels in case I need to move them out of the harsh afternoon sun.

I am no longer bitter towards the gardeners from Pinterest. This has been a huge learning lesson for me, all container gardens are not created equal. If the container garden has a lush green background you can almost be assured that it is not located in the desert. Desert container gardening is very different than any other place that actually has water.

It’s a challenge. I am not going to say I will get it right this time but I will be ticked if I don’t get at least one strawberry and one bell pepper.

Filed Under: Gardening, Humor Tagged With: Becoming Homegrown, container gardening, Gardening, Humor

Why I am Becoming Homegrown

January 11, 2012 by Morgan Leave a Comment

I ran across this video on Twitter from Mike Rowe and I believe that he is speaking truth. This video sums up why I am striving to Become more Homegrown. I was not taught nor wished to learn any “labor skills” in my youth. I was determined to use my brain and not my muscles. I wanted to be the elite and look down on those who actually worked with their hands…. I believe that THAT was a poor decision. Hard working people that are skilled in a particular trade need to be celebrated and lifted up. We need to learn from them. This is a goal and a reality that I am determined to teach my children and I will continue to strive to achieve. It is possible to use not only your brain but your hands and live a life that is full of joy, accomplishment, and satisfaction.

Take a moment and watch

Filed Under: Becoming Homegrown Tagged With: Becoming Homegrown, Work

Winner of the Green Christmas Giveaway Hop!

November 18, 2011 by Morgan Leave a Comment

The winner of the giveaway hop is….

#23

Kelsie Harris!

from Naturally Healthy Parenting

Kelsie said “I liked Becoming Homegrown on Facebook.”

Congrats!!!

Thank you one and all for entering! Don’t be discouraged if you did not win today. I always hold another giveaway for hats in December as a Christmas gift!

Don’t forget my other Giveaway

Filed Under: giveaways, winner Tagged With: Becoming Homegrown, giveaway, Hats, winner

Giveaway! Christmas present for you guys!!

December 13, 2010 by Morgan 37 Comments

I am holding a giveaway!! And it is sponsored by…ME! Here is the deal, I am giving away one hat on my Becoming Homegrown Store. ANY ONE! What you need to do is leave me a comment telling me which one you want and what size you need it. The lucky winner will get the hat of their choice. Now, I am going to announce the winner on Christmas Eve! A little late but it can be a present after the holiday.

Do you want to play? Here are the rules. Starting today -

1. Leave a comment and tell me if you are a follower AND which hat you would like (don’t forget sizing)
2. If you are not a follower become one
3. Check out the Facebook page – (you don’t have to follow it but it highly encouraged)
4. Blog about the giveaway and leave a link here

Each step is considered an entry and the winner will be chosen on Random.org……Is that enough crazy info?! Good luck!
Remember the winner will be announced on Christmas Eve!

Check out the Inner Hookeron Facebook for more fun crochet tips!!

Filed Under: Christmas, Crochet, giveaways, Holiday Tagged With: Becoming Homegrown, Christmas, Etsy shop, giveaway

Photo time!

December 5, 2010 by Morgan 1 Comment

I had a photo shoot a couple of weeks ago and it just dawned on me that I never shared the results…. (I am also procrastinating from packing…I only came in here to check my email and now I am blogging)