Hei!

again. I officially pledge there will be no more of these radio silence apology posts. For serious my friends. I'm pinky swear promising you.

So, as you might have gathered, a lot has been going on over here. Both for the business and personally. And it's all good. Really good.

But I'm not going to tell you right now. You'll have to wait until Sunday. The last pieces of a thunderpeep re-launch are coming together and on Sunday I'll start sharing it with you. Because building this blog back up is towards to the top of the To-Do list.

For now I'll bid you a happy Friday. There's tons of sunshine in the forecast here in Toronto, hopefully spring has sprung where you are too. Or, somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere (like our friend Your Hearts Haven who's currently exploring gorgeous New Zealand) Happy Fall!

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We're celebrating a wee bit over here….

My {not so} little Etsy shop is oh so close to a milestone 1000 sale and that means it's time for a little bit of celebrating.

Now, maybe I can't clink shot glasses with you BUT I can offer you something {not really} even better. For the next 24 hours the ENTIRE shop is 50% off - yes even the custom listings - just use the code: 1000AWESOMES at checkout for the deal of a lifetime {seriously I haven't had any shots yet….}

All orders using the code will get some extra love with their order - and if you're lucky #1000, well you'll be getting some serious extra love.

Thanks for hanging out on this journey with me. No matter how far or how close I've had fun with every single order!

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New adventures

OOAK Spring 2014: I never got a full finished booth shot (bad me) / The Home print from the calendar was a hit / Ferdinand the Fox and I filled up on yummy lemonade

Yesterday was my first full day of NOTHING. I slept in (waking up at 7 is still sleeping in if you went to bed at 9:30 the night before, right?) lounged and tidied up and napped and lounged and watched crappy movies.

It was really nice. Sometimes you just need nothing days, and I needed that one. So much has been happening lately, and still so much more to come. It can all be overwhelming at times. But so exciting that I can really only mellow for one day then I get itchin' to get back on the wagon and get shit done.

That's where I am today, as I work on the new To Do list, that is much more complex than I anticipated. The Midsummer Collection is starting to take shape and I'm pretty excited about it. It's going to expand into some new (well not so new - more like reborn) pieces, there's a a book all about Trolls, there's a pretty freaking awesome collaboration with my good friend Quilter Steff and I've already got Christmas back on the list. What the….??? Yep, seems June is when all your favourite card selling stores want to take a peep at the Holiday collections.

Crazy. Right?

But I figure that gives me July to kick back and plan my big trip next year. And other BIG adventures. And to figure out how the heck I'm going to fit in a big 40th shindig one week before the Holiday One of a Kind show.

Small Business never stops plotting and creating and planning and conquering. I know this because I'm just finishing up Arlene Dickenson's "All In". Highly recommend it to anyone and everyone on an entrepreneurial path, or even for those who have crazy entrepreneur friends and loved ones.

Don't forget to follow me over on Instagram (thunderpeep) for all the sneak peeks and if you want to share your card giving or card receiving adventures tag your pics with #thunderpeep and I might just share it with all my peeps! I'm all about sharing the love (and non-love ;)

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2014… this story is just getting started

I always love when you hear comments from actors or musicians who say they used to practice being interviewed when they were kids. I love these stories. The quirky things we do in our private spaces! 

Now, I've got no aspirations to be an actor or musician, but I do have one secret interview skill I have been practicing lately. You know those "Quit Your Day Job" interviews on Etsy? I totally practice what I would say if I were ever chosen, what advice would I give, what have I learned so far in my journey. What funny stories do I have to tell. One problem. I still have my day job. It's about time I stepped it up and made a plan, believed 100% in thunderpeep. Well really I already do this, but there has to be $$$ to back it up. Being able to live and run this little company without a backup paycheck is scary, and honestly not a reality at the present moment. I'm a single lady living in a rather expensive city. I don't live an extravagant lifestyle, that's one thing I have going in my favour, but those are the nuts and bolts. People love to say "there's never a right time, just do it". Those people are always have a significant other at home with a paycheck and just want to live vicariously through you. Do not listen to them. They are the little dark angel sitting on your shoulder, the one who is always coaxing you to do the wrong thing. I require some savings and a strong plan to cover the slow times. That's the reality of it. I'm making this statement of resolution today so that by the end of this year I will be ready for Etsy to come knocking about how I made the transition to sole entrepreneurship. I'm making it to all of you so that at the end of the day I have someone to answer to.

Some other Goals for thunderpeep this year…

1. All of my products are switching over to being silkscreened by the end of the year. That was the original intention when I started designing, but production was a challenge in my wee studio and the limited time I had, what with that Day Job interfering. It's still going to be a tight schedule and a bit more work, but I love it and miss getting dirty with my inks, so it's a sacrifice I'm more than happy to make. And honestly, how awesome are those Trolls going to look silkscreened.

2. Build my blog {pretty sure I say this one every year, but this year I mean it. For reals. Mean it}

3. Do 1 travelling show this year {right now it's tied between Edmonton & Chicago}

4. Notch 5 new wholesale accounts - outside of Ontario {if you have any suggestions of awesome stationery shops where you live let me know, I will reward successful tips with cards ;}

5. Have Fun.

6. Finish and print my Troll Stories books --> this one I'm aiming to launch with the Midsummer collection! So Freaking EXCITED

Some Goals for Michelle this year…

1. Have Fun

2. Don't forget your friends & make some new* ones while you're at it

3. Have Fun

4. Get past the beginner phase in my Learn to Speak Norwegian quest

5. Take more pictures

6. Plan your big adventure in celebration of turning 40!

Now, for that #5 Goal I'm starting a challenge over on Instagram {mainly because I'm addicted to it and love ogling everyone's pics} My intention is to take a pic of a moment in my day, everyday, all year. If you want to join in use the hashtag #welcometomyday Hopefully we can get loads of us doing it and a) we can all get some new followers and b) spy on people's lives. I'll try to make sure my life is spicy and interesting for you!

How about you? What are your big plans for 2014

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2013 Year in review

It's kind of overwhelming. Looking back at the past year. So. Much. Went. Down. Since I'm much for a visual person than a wordy one, I thought I'd do a bit of a montage of some of my fav moments. From massive snowfalls to Spring OOAK, to smashing Etsy shop goals to the surreal Christmas OOAK. Overcoming some personal barriers and orders from super fun peeps from all across the globe. Learning new tricks and fancy new haircuts! So many milestones, so many good times. 2013 was a bit of turning point. As with any great success, there are always fallouts. Many old relationships fizzled out but so many shiny new friendships were started this past year. I am blessed to be surrounded my some truly amazing a supportive peeps as I head into another big year. Many some resolutions for some new *friendships* too {but that one you'll just have to see if it plays out on the blog ;}

As for 2014… well there are lot's of thunderpeep goals I hope to achieve, a handful of personal goals and one HUGE resolution.

Etsy has some really fun stickers if you ever see them at an event. I was super excited to get my hands on one of these at the Toronto Etsy Street Teams Christmas Show. Now, I love stickers {who doesn't really} but they come with a certain kind of commitment. So, in order to stick with my one big resolution for 2014 I stuck this sticker right on my Big Poppy Imac. Yep, My focus this year is on building thunderpeep into my 100% money maker. There's a blog post solely on this resolution coming up, for now just enjoy the pretty sticker!

What about you… any lasting thoughts on 2013 or goals for 2014 you want to share?

Happy New Year peeps!

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life's big moments

Blog September Challenge for today: Describe a distinct moment when your life took a turn.

This one is so easy. 

boxes everywhere! all boxes were numbered, with a list of everything packed in each box:) I'm so efficient

In March of 2011 I packed up my life in Vancouver and moved my ass back to Toronto (yeah 16 years earlier I took the train across the country and settled in Vancouver ). I left a job that was pretty much my dream job (due to the fact that no one reads newspaper or magazines anymore - not just because I felt like it), a great group of friends (who will always be my friends), and those mountains. Oh.... those mountains. I won't sugar coat it. It was hard. Really hard. It still is hard. There still isn't a week that goes by that I don't miss Vancouver. Not to knock Toronto, but I'm an outdoorsy lady. I live for forest adventures. But the opportunity came up to make a change, something I knew I needed to do. And I may not have a dream job anymore, but I'm creating my own new dream job in thunderpeep. And it's all mine. It's evolved so much in the past 2 years, so much more than I could have anticipated. And I've met some amazing new friends that have helped me grow as a person and find my Toronto self. I don't have regrets... but I know I'll make it back to the beautiful West Coast eventually. Just not tomorrow.

the last days in my sunny Vancouver apartment. I had a view of those mountains. I miss that apartment...

Have you made any big changes or big moves in your life?

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Learning to listen

A couple of weeks ago I had an event that was going to have super awkward me mixing with media types. I was so nervous... Not only do I dislike small talk and even more so talking about myself, but doing the 2 at the same time on one of the hottest days of the summer. Oh Man.

It just so happens my co-worker was reading Arlene Dickenson's book Persuasion so I asked her for some advice on how to be more assertive and to sell myself to the media, in person (it's a whole lot easier when you have the time to think about what you are going to say) She just looked at me, and in a matter-of-fact voice just said "you already have it, just be you" Her message, you aren't selling yourself, you're letting people get to know you, because you are a reflection of your product.

The one thing I don't have a problem with is being myself. In all my glorious awkwardness what you see is what you get. I like to think, no matter what kind of weird things I might say, that's what people like about me and as a result, what customers like about my cards!

 Another reason I think people are drawn to me and the second lesson my co-worker taught me.... to listen to a person's whole story before you speak. Thank you. That last one is a lesson for us all. Listen. I love to listen to people's stories, but even I sometimes jump to speak before someone is done (mostly because I'll forget what I want to say - my brain tends to run 10 times faster than my mouth!) But it's important, especially nowadays with texting, etc... we are always in such a hurry but taking the time to really listen, not just to the people in front of you, but the sights and sounds of your daily life.

All this being said, it turns out the evening wasn't so bad. Most of the media just came and went. I met some really great other local makers and bloggers, and got to catch up with some of my artsy buddies. Oh yeah, and made a super cute floral crown, which will be perfect for next summer's Midsummer launch!

And.... today's motivational message was brought to you by this awesome cutey I found on etsy

Jedi Master necklace by Rapscallion on etsy

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