{this is a lengthy post... wordy with streaming thoughts and gasp, no photos!  people {specifically other moms} always ask me how i "do it", the whole work-at-home routine.  so, on a random day last month, i decided to log my day.  originally i included the day and exact times everything was happening and thought, "hmm... maybe that's not so smart".. i don't want to be too trusting of the internet.}

it's a tricky thing, being a work-at-home-mom.  it's a privilege to be home with the kids, to watch every step as they grow... to get every milestone on camera or video and to be involved with their school activities.  i also have less overhead because i don't rent or own a separate space.  plus, my "trip" to work is a few steps away... i can print in between nap time, loads of laundry, or at the break of dawn if i can't sleep.  on the flip side, i don't have the luxury of having a workplace away from home... i live and breath letterpress... when things get busy, the orders, the packaging materials, etc. are everywhere.  i guess it's a big balancing act.  people always ask how i take care of 3 kids and run my little letterpress business... good question.  there's no simple answer.  instead, here's a day in my life...

51 minutes after the hour:  i just dried my hands and sat at the kitchen table to write a quick recap... i've been up since 8.  it's a late start for me today, sleeping in until 8 {that's sad that sleeping until 8 is late}.  the late start is because i slept at 3 am last night finishing up holiday orders that have to go out.  the husband has already left for work.  everyone's already had breakfast but me.  there's a whole sink full of dishes.  this is not an exaggeration.  let's be honest, sometimes the dishes don't get done.  reality at the lee house.  i just filled the dishwasher {thank goodness for the dishwasher} and washed some pots {wow, even after that, there are still some lingering things to wash!}  the two older kids are running around and the christmas radio station is on in the background.  i look at the time and already i feel like the day is half over.  a few minutes have passed and i'm still sitting here.. time's a wasting.. need to wrap up this little entry:  dishes done, house swept, counter clean, jackets hung, read a dinosaur book to my son, load of kid clothes in the wash, renewed an etsy listing that sold a few seconds ago, corresponded with a friends who's having me print her wedding invites for 2012, glanced at personal and work email accounts, scanned google reader... ahhh, the day has just begun.. welcome to my life!

13 minutes later:  time to feed the baby... going to peel an apple and banana and grind it up in the blendtec {one of my most favorite kitchen gadgets, yah!}

16 minutes later:  baby fed.  hmm.. still crying.  need to entertain her.  holiday music off.  time for some news, msnbc is my tv station of choice.  time to play with baby.

8 minutes later:  oh, baby just wants to crawl.  time to scan and sweep the floor again, don't need baby chocking on table scraps from breakfast or a lego piece.

7 minutes later:  time is ticking.. time to get the kids ready for school.. upstairs we go.

44 minutes later:  kids dressed and ready for school, micro managed kids to pick up their toys and books off the floor.  now time to prepare lunch.  the nephew just got dropped off.. now i have 3 of my own kids + 1 to watch.

2 minutes later:  but first, need to quickly respond to customer email.  quick response times make for happy customers.

6 minutes later:  heated up fried rice from last night's dinner that i was sure to make an excess amount of.

17 minutes later:  off to take kid 1 to school.  then immediately after, need to drop off another kid + nephew to school.  got to get kids in car and go.  wasting time sitting here typing this.

45 minutes later:  successfully shuffled off 3 kids to school and one sleeping baby transferred out of carseat and into bed.  eating lunch now, also eating fried rice.. staring at my bowl and realized i didn't add any fried egg.  fail.  house is silent.  nice.  time to take bowl to couch to watch msnbc and scarf down lunch.

12 minutes later: wow, i just ate a second small serving of fried rice.. must've been really hungry.  need something sweet.  nature valley granola thin to quench my sweet tooth.  wow, this little thing is 80 calories.  it's snowing.  i love snow {not exaggerating}.

2 minutes later:  wow, it literally took me a minute to polish off 80 calories.  time to take the baby video monitor into my room and start printing.. less than an hour and a half of time before i need to pick up kid 1 from school.  but first, need to put another load of laundry in.  geez i'm tired.

43 minutes later:  in between printing, i placed wholesale envelope order.  quick email check.  house still quiet.  i like it.  back to printing.

21 minutes later:  packed an order.  responded to an email.  renewed another etsy listing.  almost time to pick up kid 1 from school.  missed a call from friend, need to catch up w/ later.  can't chat on phone and package at the same time.. slows me down.

a few minutes later:  shoot.. time to pick up kid 1 from school.  need to do a quick outfit change so i don't look look like i'm wearing pajamas.  need to transfer sleeping baby to car seat.  off to pick up kid.  note to self: call friend back that i ignored phone call earlier.

34 minutes later:  back home.  stopped by starbucks and treated myself to a chai tea latte and a marble loaf for the kids.  snack time for kid.  feed baby.  quickly need to finish packaging orders that i finished last night and the one order i finished while baby was sleeping.  package, weigh, print shipping label, attach shipping label, slap priority stickers, repeat process until all orders packaged and ready to go.

34 minutes later:  check email.  respond to customer.  note to self: email customers and thank for nice etsy feedback.

an hour later:  grab unfinished chai tea latte and walk to corner to pick up 2nd kid from school.  catch up w/ friend on phone that i didn't answer earlier.

another hour later:  have been back from the bus stop for a bit.  snack time for son.  quick chat w/ my sister.  note to self:  need to start christmas shopping.

another hour later:  need to get kids back in car for post office drop off.  if i was smart and more efficient, i would have my orders ready earlier and would schedule for my postman to pick up my orders from my doorstep.  the service is free and fabulous, but i'm too sloooowww.

47 minutes later:  back from post office.  house looks like a robber has been here.  baby sleeping.  kids playing.  time to add to the mess and get dinner started.

71 minutes later:  husband is finally home.. thank goodness.  need to finish preparing dinner. 

a few hours later:  family fed.  kids bathed, teeth brushed, read to, nightly prayer, and finally tucked in bed.

it's not even 9pm.  i'm tired of keeping track of what i'm doing.  sad thing is, my night has just begun.  good thing i enjoy what i do.  going to print for a few hours... then off to bed... then back at it in the morning!

happy new year!  the month of december was a blur to me.  there were personalized orders...

return address orders...

custom christmas card orders...

my own personal printing for friends {gift tags}...

some improvements to my office {wood floors, a built in closet, and can lighting, woot! more on that later!}...

and much needed family time {cousins}....

of course there was the normal holiday rush of orders, small improvements and changes to the new website, 2012 wedding inquiries, and goal making for the new year.

2011 was a fabulous year... thank you dear customer, blog reader, and fan for all of your support.  i look forward to all that 2012 has to offer!  

as always, i have a long list of things to be thankful for.  here's just a few that top my list this year:

1.  kendall, the newest addition to our family

2.  love and support of my family

3.  cherished friendships

4.  good health

5.  and of course, all of you... readers, fans, and customers... for your loyalty, encouragement, and patronage

oh, are those too obvious for you?  here are some not so obvious things i'm also thankful for {let's keep it real!}:

1.  the internet

2.  modern medicine

3.  the close proximity of my husband's office {less than 3 miles}, my sister's house {a few houses away}, and my parents {awesome that the grandparents are only a few miles away}

4.  western luxuries {running water, heat, air conditioning}

5.  technology {my phone, laptop, and macro lens}

whatever it is you're thankful for and to whoever it is you believe in... give thanks!  cheers to you and yours this thanksgiving holiday!!!

i had a soft opening of the new online store 2 months ago and have been busy ironing out kinks, loading photos and product descriptions {and a ton of other stuff}... but finally, i'm excited to announce the official grand opening of penelope's press*!!  woohoo!!  to celebrate the lovely occasion, how about a 20% discount!?!  that's right.. a discount for you, and you, and you {that's me pointing like oprah on her favorite things show}!  use coupon code DN10J25M6 at checkout, expires 11/30 so hurry and get started on your holiday shopping today!

*there will always be updates and new products added to the site {like some holiday fun, a wedding line, and other ridiculously awesome letterpress goodness that we're cooking up here}.  be sure to connect by signing up for the newsletter and following on twitter: @penelopespress  umm.. are you a fan yet?  like us: facebook.com/penelopespress 

website building details in upcoming posts... stay tuned!

if you happen to find a typo or glitch or something funky on the website, it would be lovely of you to let me know!

a friend from college is pursuing her masters degree and asked if she could interview me for a school assignment.  i figured that the little interview would make for a good blog post.. here's part of what she emailed me:

Yes, this assignment is for school.  I've been working for corporate America for almost ten years and I realize that corporate America is not for me.  I've been doing a lot of soul searching and if I'm going to work for someone, I'd want it to be me! 

Here are my questions for you in random order:

1. When did you know that you wanted to start your own business?

2.  How was the transition from working for "the man" to working for yourself? 

3. What challenges did you face as a start up?

4.  What sacrifices did you make to pursue your goals?

5.  Any advice for a newbie looking to start their own business?

 That's all the questions I have for now...I know I will have more later if that's ok. =)

1. When did you know that you wanted to start your own business?

i'd like to say i've always had an entrepreneurial spirit.  in junior high, my friends and i started our own babysitters club; we made fliers, made mass copies, and stuffed the neighborhood mailboxes with them.  in high school, i would buy chocolate candy bars at the wholesale membership club, stuff my school bag with them, and sell them to my classmates for quadruple the amount {i would tell them that it was for a school fundraiser for my younger brother, ha!}  as i got older, i got crafty and went nuts over rubber stamps.  my friends and i would chat about how we should start our own stamp company.  i would drop hints to my sister that she should draw for me and i would do all the back end legwork and create our own stamp company.    i think the seed has always been there... i just needed a little shove and a handful of confidence.  {i talk a little more about it at a previous interview over at oh my! handmade goodness, click here to read the interview}

i think the question should be re-phased to "what challenges didn't you face as a start-up?"  there's a lot of challenges i faced when i first got started.... what should i name my business?  what tax structure should i choose?  how do i register my business?  what should my pricing be?  should i use blogger or wordpress?  etsy or big cartel?  how should i package my orders?   i had many, many questions {and still do}.  the biggest questions though, lied within myself... i was my biggest challenge.  i blogged silently to myself for many posts before i finally made my blog public... i was afraid of being "exposed", afraid of putting my products out there and not getting any bites, afraid of failing... so then i guess the answer is fear.  fear that i created for myself was my biggest challenge.  you know what?  you get over it... quickly. {well, at least i did}.  my fear was replaced with eagerness, excitement, and drive to hone my letterpress skills, to become organized and efficient, to create quality products that i was proud of...

4.  What sacrifices did you make to pursue your goals?

5.  Any advice for a newbie looking to start their own business?

well, i'm answering these questions late at night, so i'm probably a little incoherent and can't think right now, but here's a few...

--be ready to work hard.  being your own boss is a lot of work... you'll be your worst critic and your toughest boss

--do not get so wrapped up in the competition.  i used to be so consumed with what my competition was doing... what they were selling, how much they were selling, how frequently they were blogging... i got over it quickly... i became my worst competition

--grow your business slowly... at a letterpress conference i recently attended, this was echoed many times and i believe it

--if you have a family or significant other, it helps tremendously if they support you and believe in you and your business endeavor.  i wouldn't be where i am today without the support, help, and understanding of my husband, family, and good friends.

so there you have it... a little interview with me!  if you're looking to start your own business... do it!  like the great, late steve jobs put it:

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”