trading time

I've been so busy lately, not sure where the time goes.  My hours at work were recently cut back and I've been using the free time to make up for all the things that have gotten messy at my house.  How does that much animal hair accumulate under the sofa?  The good news is the free time is nice for getting down to gardening.  I've been building new garden boxes, reviving sad little succulents, and watching my crookneck zucchini come into their own.  It may not put money in my pocket, but that peaceful feeling of working outside is a good trade off.

I'm back into my "hit the flea market every Sunday" routine and I found some fun stuff for my arrangements.  Wish I could have done more, including planting in the old first aid box but alas, not sure where the time goes.

how cool is this thing?!

Also, tomorrow is the The Old House Fair in our neighborhood.  It's a cute little street festival honoring all the historic homes in South Park, including house tours, crafts, food, etc.  It's about 2 blocks over from the farmer's market and would be the perfect day of fresh produce and historical enlightenment.  I won't be able to make it to the fair, which is sad because old homes are my calling, but there is lots to do for the BBQ we are hosting that evening.  I think after a long and unsettling week, a good beer with friends is more refreshing than a craftsman bungalow tour (maybe not by much, seriously I skip a heartbeat for old homes).

san diego succulent society

Welp, the day after the farmers market, I turned around and put my small profit towards some new babies at the San Diego Cactus and Succulent Society show and sale.  Several times a year they have a sale in beautiful Balboa Park.  It's magical to behold all the different types of succulents I've never seen before.  They all seem to exist in a coral reef on dry land, as if I'm a fish living off their bounty.  I'm quite the amateur grower, and have killed my fair share of the ever hardy succulent, so its nice to talk to experts about different types of soil and propagation techniques.  Next on my being a business woman list is learning the names and categories of most of the plants so I can sound like a pro.

  this pink of the flower is my most favorite color ever

week one

After much anticipation I successfully finished my first week at the farmers market.  It went really well!  I broke even, and even put a little extra in my pocket.  The weather was June gloom at its finest, so there wasn't a huge crowd, but that means as the summer heats up it should only get better. I was put at the very end in an awkward spot, I had expected to be put with all the gift-y type sellers in the middle, but next week I should be in a better place.  It was really fun, I got a lot of positive feedback from passersby, met some new people, and it feels good to be a part of the commerce of our local community.  Several people asked me where I buy my succulents and I couldn't help but glow when I told them I grow them myself.  

I hate to admit it, but I was a little sad when I saw some of my favorite pieces go, if I lived in a big house with a yard, I would probably be the crazy succulent lady unwilling to share, but I'm sure they went to good homes, and selling things is how a business works.  Luckily, there is always the joy of hitting the flea market and finding new favorites, which I will have to do quite often if things go well.

70 degrees

I was such a lovely day today, about 70 degrees and sunny.  Like I said, once January hits, it's spring in San Diego (give or take a few cold, rainy days).  I love San Diego, both my husband and I grew up here (in Encinitas), we went to high school together, we had our first kiss on Moonlight Beach.  We live in a 1930's cottage downtown near Balboa Park.  Our weekends are filled with taking our frenchie to the dog park and me watching my husband surf.  We've entertained options to move elsewhere, like back to the bay area where we went to college, but it doesn't compare.  I wear sandals 360 days of the year, that just doesn't fly anywhere else.  Anyways, I spent the morning in the garden putting together several new arrangements.  I suppose that's why I love succulents, they are San Diego.

just keep growing

I've crossed my t's and dotted my i's.  I received my California sellers permit and business license.  I've started submitting applications to several farmers markets around the city.  I've been gardening like crazy getting my inventory up to the task.  It's like applying for a job, trying to prove my worth to my employer (the market manager) showing him its beneficial to have my succulents in vintage arrangements and biodegradable pots at his market.  I couldn't feel more prepared or excited.  

 some new clippings from my mama plants ready to be on their own

It was a cold and rainy weekend.  No complaints, January in San Diego is practically spring, and I hope there will be snow in the mountains for our trip this weekend.  I spent Saturday block printing a stamp of my logo, mostly out of boredom, but I can see the potential in stamping canvas bags and paper sacks.

so succulent

Aside from a wonderful husband, my wedding provided me the perfect business oppurtunity, growing succulents.  These juicy little plants have always been a favorite of mine.  They are the quintessential San Diego plant and are insanely low maintenance.  After the wedding, I was left with about 20 centerpieces all that had grown from small clippings into pots brimming with plants looking for more room.  I started propagating the succulents and what was once about 100 small plants has turned into nearly a thousand, all born from my happy day.  I love to garden, I could pull weeds and dig all day, but after several sad attempts at gardening vegetables, I have found my calling in succulents.  

I have another obsession, vintage stuff.  Basically junk I find at good ol' Kobey's Swap Meet.  In particular, old household items that at one point might have served a woman good in the kitchen or laundry room (I just picked up an amazing wooden ironing board, for no good reason other than awesomeness).  I am fascinated by the history of mundane objects.  

One of my new years resolutions is to focus my hoarding and random purchases into my succulent business.  To narrow my flea market finds into "vessels" that can hold succulent arrangements.  I have to think "is this good for the company?"  I could easily buy furniture and junk all with the intentions of repainting and repurposing, but there is only so much room in our house and garage and my husband has an equally bad habit of collecting surfboards. 

 my useless collection of jam jars soon to be terrariums

these guys scream for artichoke-y succulent blooms

My goal, hopefully within a month or so, is to sell my succulents, both on their own and in my crafty arrangements, at the local farmers market (and eventually kits on Etsy).  I've got the ball rolling, so here's hoping I start off the new year as an entrepreneur!

7.16.2011

It's been almost six months since our wedding.  Things haven't settled down since then but, oh boy, life's a lot sweeter not having to fret over little details for the big day that would soon become a memory and some gorgeous pictures.  I can't say the wedding planning went well.  Despite being a crafter and design enthusiast, I didn't take too well to insane planning and constant attention from family and friends about being a bride.  That said, I crafted away, unable to delegate, until everything was to my liking and the big day was more perfect than we could have imagined.

We had a backyard ceremony at my husband's childhood home, followed by a backyard reception at a very gracious neighbor's house. We took pictures before at a trail around Batiquitos Lagoon. 

I wanted the whole wedding to have a vintage, relaxed Southern California vibe.  It was important to me that everything had a personal, handmade touch that represented both my husband and I, mainly our love of succulents.  We planted the centerpieces months before, it was so easy and low maintenance (and has now given me a new business opportunity).

I had intended to start a blog while planning the wedding to share my projects, but it was too much.  Now that the year is coming to a close I'm ready to put the wedding behind me.  I look forward to 2012 filled with cooking, crafting, gardening succulents, and being happily married.