Jamie's Blog

All Wrapped Up in Warm Biscuit Bedding

November 16, 2012.

I got a call from my past yesterday, and I heard a voice on the other line that I had not heard for over a year.  The voice of a woman that I admired, respected and even idolized at one point in my career.  If there was one person I could attribute the early success of Jamie's Painting & Design (other than my husband) it would be her.  As soon as I heard her Texas drawl it brought me back to the fall of 2003 when we first met.

Meeting Vicki Bodwell

Our partnership with The Warm Biscuit Bedding Company started in the fall of 2003, but did not come to fruition until the catalog featuring our products dropped early in 2004.  But our story did not really start then, it started much earlier for me.  After leaving the work force to become a stay at home mom in the summer of 1999, I remember getting Warm Biscuit Bedding catalogs in the mail.  I would pour over them, wishing I could do something that could be sold in the catalog.  So, wishing I had a creative outlet, other than my current one - faux painting & re-painting my hallway while taking care of my infant son.

After starting Jamie's Painting & Design in the fall of 2002 I slowly quickly started picking up boutiques and on line stores.  By the summer of 2003 I thought I had enough experience and confidence in my product to send Vicki Bodwell, the owner of Warm Biscuit Bedding Company an email.  It took a lot of time, a lot of re-writes and a swift kick from my husband to actually send her the email.  Shocking to me she replied......the Vicki Bodwell I had been following for years.  And not only did she reply, she agreed to carry my products.

Looking back I know for a fact that this was by far one of the most important and altering decisions of my company's existence.  Her decision to take a risk on a small business owner changed the direction of  Jamie's Painting & Design forever.  The doors that her bedding company opened for me were many.  Her sales were nothing we had ever seen, nor would I ever see again in the following years.  It was, and still is probably the highlight of my career in the children's industry. I do not think I have ever been more excited by anything than the prospect of working with the Warm Biscuit Bedding Company.

2004 Changed Everything

I find it hard to explain the pride and the joy I felt when I first saw my signature name tiles wall letters in the WBB catalog.   I had spent time creating a few designs that I thought would compliment her bedding....and they did.  Not only were we in the the catalog, we had the back cover - this is the primereal estate spot if you ever get your product in a catalog.  At the time I did not realize how much of an honor (and risk) this was for Vicki and her team.  Lucky for me we were up for the task and we were able to meet all of the demands of her customers.

Over the years I was able to work with Vicki and her team, we were developing new designs and new products that complimented her bedding.  She started selling our ornaments, birth announcements, plates and name plaques.  We created exclusive designs to compliment most of her bedding.  We brain stormed (eek, how I missed doing that!) on the phone for hours at a time.  I even visited her in New York three times and she came and stayed with me to attend BlogHer together.  Our business relationship quickly turned into a realfriendship.

To say it was fun when we were on that drunken ride of success together, would be a huge understatement.  We were shipping hundreds and hundreds of products out weekly.  We had press, we had excitement and everyone that had a baby knew who we were.  It was like having a bar stool at Cheers for me.  It was an amazing time to own a business, especially a woman owned business.  We were in the eye of the Mompreneur Storm and we reveled in it.  Vicki was held up (correctly) as a huge successful Mompreneur with a very successful bedding company.  It was some good times we shared..... I like to say we'll always have Paris,  I mean those memories.

Everything Good Thing Must Come to an End

Sadly we amicably ended our partnership with The Warm Biscuit Bedding Company in 2009.  We had outgrown each other and found that it was best to go our separate ways.  First we had the crisis with lead in children's products in 2007, then the recession hit all of us in the industry hard in 2008.  Things would never be the same again, everything changed.  Money was tight, orders were smaller and both our business models were changing.  As much as I missed the sales and the brain storming sessions, I missed our friendship....I missed talking to her.  

So, yesterday (and an other call today because we had a whole year to catch up on y'all) wereminisced about the good old days.  I had my own little Glory Days moment with someone that was there in the trenches with me through the good and the bad times.  Sometimes we were on the same track, other times we were not - but we always talked about it.   Talking to Vicki reminded me how much I enjoy keeping my old friends around and why I refuse to replace them.  It was just comforting to talk to a friend in the business. So, when I half joking tell her, "I used to be somebody", at least she laughs and then agrees with me.

 

Pay It Forward

February 22, 2011.

Back in 2005 after we negotiated our lease, put a bunch of money down on our new space I realized we had no office furniture for Jamie's Painting & Design.  We  had 9 employees, me included and I was not even sure if we would have enough chairs for them (we worked in shifts in the studio).  Some of the cabinets and counters we were able to take out of my garage and utilize them in the break room and the work room.  I think we had two office chairs also, but other than that I had nothin'.

Things Happen For a Reason

As luck would have it our new rental space was located across the street from an old friend of my parents.  He was from their days of coaching my sister and I in softball (okay my sister mostly, I was just there for the snacks and gossiping).  While the rest of my family was measuring and figuring out the logistics of my office, my mother bounded across the street to say hello.  They had just sold their business, so they would not be our neighbors for very long.  However, they were willing to sell us as much of their furniture at dirt cheap.  We picked up 6 great teal colored drafting tables, industrial shelving units, and file cabinets.  We were thrilled.  I quickly made plaques for their grandchildren and sent them nice thank you cards.

As great as that was for our office - we still were short many things.  I for one had no office furniture, until I found me some Craig's List.  I had never used Craig's List, nor had I really had a use for the site.  I found myself trolling the site each morning when I woke up.  I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what I could use, what I wanted and what I could actually afford.  As luck would have it again, I found an entire office set for only $80.00.  There was a desk, a credenza, a book case and multiple side tables.  The gentleman had just bought the house and hated the built-in office furniture. 

After dismantling the furniture my very creative Father put it back together in a formation that worked within my office space.  He made a credenza out of three of the file cabinets and a single file cabinet  He built me a free standing desk, and a 2 side tables, plus a table for the entry way.  He tool the book cases and made them into one large book case.  

Do As We Did

After exhausting the office furniture sales on Craig's List I turned to FreeCycle.  It is a great site where you can find free things that that people want to get rid of.  One afternoon I found a small company that was giving away office furniture.  Desks, chairs and file cabinets.  My husband and I borrowed my father's truck and hauled ass down to San Jose to pick it up.  I thanked the guys over and over and asked what I could give them some compensation (usually in these situation I can offer up some cute baby gift, but these guys were not even 30 and had no use for my cutesy baby decor).  The owner of the company just told me if I was ever in the same situation to please give these desks away to someone that needs it.  He said, " You should know, start-up's are hard enough, let alone having to purchase thousands of dollars of office furniture.  Pay it forward."

We Are Busy Paying Everything Forward

I am not used to downsizing, or minimizing my space.  I don't think it something that I have ever had to do.  But, wow it sure is therapeutic and very calming to have to go through everything you have and figure out do I need it or not.  Or let's face it I had to admit most things I had I just wanted, and did not need.  I am helping some peeps out;

• My cousin's are both starting out and need things for their apartments.  My aunt came and collected decorations, coffee pot, microwave, frames, artwork, chairs, kichten table and the cutest little white chest you ever did see.
• One of the women that works for me took an oak filing cabinet, wood organizer and half of the built cupboards and counter for her garage.
• Two of my favorite teachers a my daughter's school took my office furniture, office supplies, organizers, tissue paper and file cabinets
• Our Art Studio at school took all of the turquoise drafting tables and a large metal cabinet for storing art.
• The Salvation Army got dressers, chairs, rugs, cabinets and anything not nailed to the wall.
• Giving away mistakes and errors are going to be on Facebook for FREE (except for shipping and handling).
• And of course we gave away all of that office furniture that was so graciously given to us.

Small is the new big, or shall I say the new smart.  I did not need all of this "stuff" nor did my employees.  I don't like what the Recession did - but I do respect it.  We have shrunk in size, but not in product.  We will survive, we will survive.

 

 

Thank You Everyone....well Almost Everyone

October 16, 2008.

I am not always a total downer and sometimes I need to prop everyone up once in awhile.  I thought I would start, or end October with some "Happy Thoughts".  I have kept this blog up through good times, through bad, through slow times, through fast times at Ridgemont High....oh wait still in a 20 year re-live the 80's high.  Um, let me start again - I want to send some props, some thanks and some bumps out to my peeps.  I sometimes am not so sure I say it enough, or give credit where credit is due.  If you are in the snarky bunch (me likey you no worries) and not into some serious reader love now.....you may want ot avert your eyes, or go over somewhere else for the day.....sorry I could not help myself:

Thankful is as Thankful Does

I started this blog three years ago, that is like small and not even a big deal in the blogosphere.  But to me - it has been ages, a long, long time - and a ton has changed.  When I first began I got some props and I would like to send the thank's back.  And just so you know this is in no particular order (yes I am looking at you London...).  I thought I would start with ten.....I am sure I could go on for days with my thanks....I will save the others for November.

1. Emily Hurley a friend from college, has read this blog from day one, she has given me advice, pat on the back and a little nudge to keep going when I was sure no one was reading.  She was the first one to comment way back in the day and I am forever grateful....even if I did not know what comment meant at the time.
2. Vicki Bodwell of Warm Biscuit Bedding, who I told she should start one (way before she did) has been a reader, not always a commenter but ALWAYS (and yes I am yelling) one of my biggest fans.  She always tells me, whether by phone or by email what I am doing right and to keep doing it - I am forever a friend to her.
3. London Edwards who sent me one of the most "blushing" complementary emails about my  blog I have ever read.  You know we have become fast friends and even exhibited together, but her first email has been a huge inspiration to me.  I now have no problem emailing other artiststs or artisans, even competitors complimenting them on their successes and their work.  Thank you London - hope to see ya before we hit 40!
4. The Ms. Divine......no not Oprah, though I should thank her just in case.....I mean Shelly Kennedy, she has been an inspiration and a support system.  I am lucky to have met her in person and I am also lucky to say we talk on the phone and in email...when I most need it.  She is always positive, often funny and so many times has a nugget of information for me that I had not realized was there.
5. Jill Asher, one of the founders of Silicon Valley Mom Blogs, who took a chance on lil' old me (yes I have used that phrase one too many times in last posts and swear this is last time) and let me contribute to her blogs.  I had no idea what an impressive group of women I would write with, nor would I have had half the opportunities without my affiliation with this group.  I am forever thankful for the opportnity to be able to write "Mommy posts" with some uh "Angry Posts" and I am never censored.  Thank you Jill!
6. Michelle Allen who I found through some random blogs... I have no idea how I found her  but I am so thankful I did.  I linked to her, she back to me - and the rest is history.  I was fortunate enough to meet her too (later post) and have to say she is one of the most honest and genuine people I have met, not to mention super creative, her sketch book puts me to shame.
7. Carrie Sommers who I met (again) through some random link, I think she may have commented on my blog first but who is keeping track?  She is an entrpreneur with so much talent and graphic design in her pinky she almost makes me vommit...but she is a cyber0-friend so no bodily functions will I spew.  She always answers my questions, is forever honest and I am so thankful for her wit and quick sense of humor.  Follow her on Twitter - it is worth it!
8. Amber Starr of Baby Fabulous, whose posts make me a better blogger.  Her knowledge of the celebrity clientelle and watching her start her business is facscinating.  She emails me when she can and she is always helpful and never holds anything back.  I am hoping on my next trip to San Diego I can meet this woman of all trades - 'cause she puts me to shame.
9. Carrie Weir of Los Politos, again I am not sure how I ended up linking to her blog.  I did happen to see her article in Working Mother years ago and recall thinking "Hey she looks talented!".  She is the publicist I wish I could be and the Marketer Extrordinaire.  Nothing I bring up has she not seen, read about, wrote about or does not have an oppinion about.  I could talk to her on the phone for hours.....a true talent.
10. Sarah Jane for her kind emails and positive attitude.  She is always so grateful and thankful to me for help - she is also very open and willing to share her own wisdom.  And, to top it off she is a fabulously talented artist who makes it look too easy to raise children and run a business.

Happy New Year Friends!

January 1, 2008.

I just wanted to totally give a quick "shout out"....oh wait like, I hate that expression...almost as much as "oh it's the bomb!"  Can you tell I was up waaay too late last night at a New Year's Eve party with adults, kids and um, even teen agers?  No, don't ask I am NOT hung over - just very, very, sleepy.

Anyway - Thank you! Thank you!  I want to thank everyone for all of their kind words - the last month has been hard, physically and emotionally exhausting.  I am very thankful for my cyber-blog-reading-never-met-you-in-person friends that have emailed me or commented on the blog.  How comforting it is for me to know all of you, I am very grateful and appreciative of each one of you.

JPD Mom....no the blog NOT the woman

Also, thank you for reading this blog - I am very, very happy it has turned into such a great forum and that people are reading it.  I love getting the comments, good and bad, mean and kind.  I like that this can be a great way to get and give advice or opinions.  I will have to figure out what that next big thing is that no one wants to talk about, but everyone wants to comment on.  I have a few "sticky" subjects up my sleeve, I am just not sure I want that drama right now,  I am in a rainbows and puppies mood over here.

Out with the Old, In with the New

I am getting an actual studio at home, once again - I am giddy with excitement.  My husband is moving his home office to another room in the house, and I get a room all to myself.  I got a fabulous new art table that someone needs to help me put together.  I will keep ya posted on the progress.  No one around her likes my idea of painting the room pink.....but oh well.

I am hoping that this set up will be better than me carting the paints and brushes and boards around when I feel the need to create or I have an exclusive design I need to work on.  I miss having my "space" to leave my art be.  I may even (shhhh do not tell anyone...) work, uh I mean paint at home a few days a week.  But, I need the dang table put together first!

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone has a wonderful 2008!

Thankful for Many Things

November 10, 2007.

Do you ever not ice that when you start to want something, or you think about it - you see it everywhere?  It's like your senses are on high alert and you can sense or feel that 'thing' you so covet.  I am not a real feely-philosophical-new agey type person, however I do see that sometimes the universe is either with your or........not so much.  I have been thinking of the things I am thankful for and noticing that everyone is doing the same, I must be in good company.

This week has been a trying week to say the least, I had to have some tests and procedures.  I don't know the results yet so I am trying not to freak out about it, (but uh, well you know I tend to over-react and all) hopefully everything will be fine.  One of my favorite quotes of all time is, "Worrying is like paying on a debt on a loan you don't have", I know it is something like that - so true.

So, with the week I had and the month it IS and the whole Thanksgiving thingie coming up I would like to list some things that I am thankful for:

1. My children, I am forever in awe of their ability to make me laugh, to inspire me and to make me so very proud, I love them more than life itself.  I am not so thankful for the fits, the crying, the naughty words spoken, the fighting and the constant whinning...but I digress I am SO thankful for them!

2. My husband, he is my biggest cheerleader, he is always there for me and I can not imagine sharing my life with anyone else.  Even if he does leave his size 13 shoes out in the middle of our room so that I might tend to trip over them on my fifth trip to the bathroom.......no not so thankful for that.

3. My extended family, I have a great support system and they help me through thick and thin - I would not be the person I am today with out them.  I am thankful for them keeping me grounded, and you know doing things like teasing me, dressing like me and making fun of me on a regular basis - yep, so thankful.

4. My friends, I love my friends - my new ones, my old ones, my business friends, my mommy friends, my single friends - all of them.  They make me laugh, they share in my successes and my not so ah........the shitty times, okay they are there then.  Who else would listen to me bitch over and over and agree with me?

5. My business - I love my business, I love what I do.  I am so thankful that I am able to do what I want to do, when I want to do it and that people buy it.  Spending my days creating, painting and making products for children - amazing.  My days are long but the years have been short.

6. My employees that I work with - I am nothing without them.  Their dedication, their commitment and their sheer will to do what has to be done is humbling to me at times.  I no longer take my frustration out on them like I used to - this grasshopper has learned well...

7. My life & health- I have a great life and I enjoy every minute of it.  My problems are minimal compared to others and for the time being we are all happy and healthy.  Not so sure what the future will bring but today I am healthy dammit!

8. My dog - I have a great dog that knows when I am upset, she does I swear.  She is happy to see me all the time, she follows me around the house and she never asks for anything in return.

9. My talent - I am thankful for it.  Don't get me wrong I have worked my ass off for it, and I continue to "work-it" but I am thankful I can draw and paint and create, I honestly do not know what I would do if I was bad at it.  Oh wait, I would just boss others around a make them create what I had in my head, ya that is probably it :(.

10. You - I am thankful for the readers of this blog.  I remember when I started it I could not find a voice, I could not think of what to write and oh hell I could not figure out the HTML thing at all.  I am so thankful for everyone that reads it now and comments on it.  I never knew that so many people cared about what I had to say , whether they agreed or disagreed.  I am thankful for the comments, the new readers, the personal emails, and the ability to help others that run their own business.  Now if someone would just send this blog to Oprah - life would be perfect! 

The Garbage Truck

October 9, 2007.

A good friend forwarded this email to me over the weekend.  I took it to heart.  I realized that not only did I let this happen to me, sometimes I brought my own "garbage" to the table.  I am sure there are other versions of this, and I hope I do the article justice. 

I have no idea if it is true or not, but I like the "thought" behind it.  And - I will not send you the email and force you to send it to ten people in ten minutes or you will not be lucky/alive/rich - whatever......you KNOW those emails I am talking about.

Please read an excerpt from the article:

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Beware of Garbage Trucks by David J. Pollay

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood?  Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day?  Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels.  However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly she can get back her focus on what is important.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson.  I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab.  Here's what happened:

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station.  We were driving in the right lane, when all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.  My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches!  The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and started yelling bad words at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy.  And I mean he was friendly.  So, I said, "Why did you just do that?  That guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"  This is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck":

Many people are like garbage trucks.  They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment.  As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it.  And if you let them, they'll dump it on you.  When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally.  You just smile, wave, wish them well and move on.  You'll be happy you did.....

The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day.  What about you?  What would happen in your life, starting today, if let more garbage trucks pass you by?

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I do like this message, it is basically telling you NOT to let others bad mood affect your mood.  And for the last two days I have actually been able to not be lulled into a persons bad mood.  However, I do have a small problem with this analogy - since uh my Garbage man comes and picks UP my garbage and takes it away.  So basically he does not dump it at I house.

I was going to actually admit I had really brought my garbage out and poured on everyone in an earlier post....okay, okay it was NUMEROUS posts!  I think for ME, it was therapeutic - I have said it before this blog is sooo helpful to me, even though I do hope it can help others. 

I got to dump my garbage out and be done with it, even if I did take a few trips the curb, but I did get rid of my garbage.

Say Thank You and Mean It!

October 29, 2006.

I have really been putting off posting here, and I apologize for the delay.  I was out of town for a week with my husband on our 10 year wedding anniversary.  What did we do you ask? Where did we go? Hmmm.....let's see we went up the coast and then to the wine country and we were gone for 6 days and five nights...WE DID NOTHING.  I mean okay, so we ate, and wine tasted, shopped, went for a walks, jacuzzi and then we ate some more oh wait we read on our balcony.

Doing nothing is EXHAUSTING!!  I had enough of doing nothing, as did my husband.  I could not wait to get home and dive back into work, um but there was hardly anything left to dive into.

Things went smooth, real smooth in fact it was super smooth at JPD while I was away.  I had nothing to do when I got back to work, well okay I had some stuff to do.  But it was amazing how well it went!  I am so proud of everyone and so relieved that I don't need to BE there to make it run smoothly.  Some might be concerned that the fearless leader is not needed, not me - plug merrily away I got other things to do!

I sent an email out thanking everyone that helped out and made sure work went off without a hitch while I was on vacation.  I then went out and bought a bunch of snacks, drinks and junk food for this week (budgets tight, but I wanted to do something).  I sent another thank you out today...

As my mom always says, "You can not say thank you enough" and I will say it again tomorrow when I see them in person, and again at the staff meeting and again next week.