For the Record

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Our website www.mcmasterandstorm.com was taken down on 9/27/12. We launched it in May of 2008. The last I had updated it was the fall of 2009. I launched an Etsy shop McMaster & Storm's Swan + Shears Fall of 2010 {Yup, we still have our Etsy shop!}. Our tech guy wasn't much help on our main website once he graduated from college. He was a great guy to work with, however you must hire someone that has an interest in helping you maintain it. {that's key, a big one!}

Once Vivian arrived 8/10, I was exhausted and the littles took most of my energy, in a good way! Zach & Vivi are 18 months apart! I'm tired of having inventory in our upstairs. Sure, we have an attic space plus another room, but missed having a "back room" like we had in our physical store. Plus, I needed time with my family and to enjoy the days when they are little.

As my close friend says before you know it it's the dating scenario with your teenager. HA. Really not so funny...we even discussed arranged marriages in a funny text! {told my friend she picked a good one, so I'm sure her daughter can too!}

Taking our site down made it official for me to start working on something I have wanted to try do.

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In a few weeks we head to Atlanta for the Country Living Fair. I will be cleaning and making my office a fresh new space for new endeavors. It's time.  When I was talking to our former tech guy yesterday and he said "are you sure you want me to cancel your site"? "Yes"! Should've been done awhile long ago.

It's ok to drift if you know the reasons and when you are ready to really get down to business....you will do so!
 
On the side bar on our blog, the "boutique" takes you to our Etsy shop now. 

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Q&A
Where will we get our staplers and refills?
1. On our Etsy shop; Swan + Shears! Just received an order today so all colors are currently available.

What are you working on? What are your plans?
2. To be announced! Must have some key things in place first & I've been working on them.
Everything just takes twice as long as I think it will!

What advice do you have for those of us wanting to start a business?
3. Do what you love & love what you do. I have a whole Pinterest board of inspiring thoughts!
Don't be scared, just start; one step in front of the other. There is a niche for everyone & enough room for all!

I feel I need to rethink my business path, any thoughts on this?
4. Always, always be flexible with your business! It's ok to change how & what your doing as long as you feel comfortable and confident about it. Sometimes change is the best thing!

Small business is BIG business!
If you have more questions--fire away! I will be happy to help! 
I promise to share more about shopkeeping, etc...... 

Want to read more on inspiring people? Nicole Balch is now the sole breadwinner in her family. {high-fve!} Her blog, Making it Lovely is well, lovely indeed!
Jami of Freckled Laundry wrote her creative business advice for you on Miss Mustard Seed.
xo
kara

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FOLK/BARN {SPRINGFIELD FLEA MARKET}

Bernard Storm & Fritzie 1908 {Matt's handsome Great-Grandfather}

Two days ago we decided to set up in the FOLK/BARN presented by FOLK magazine. Crazy as it seems to be doing this at the very last minute. Indeed we are in the Goat Barn, haha makes me chuckle. The main thing that pops in my head is  Maria in The Sound of Music singing "The lonely Goatherd". Who knows maybe McMaster & Storm will find a very cute vintage puppet theater for our space. {one week before, sure thing!} It is a very cute goat barn and the side windows pop open.

All I know is I won't be yodeling in the goat barn.....more like guzzling sipping coffee. Maybe I'll buy a Maria style whistle to boot!{ hmmm} Here is one of my favorite Design * Sponge's living in: the sound of music inspiration for fans!

Thanks to my friend Anne, who called me out of the blue 2 weeks ago and mentioned this event within an event. She will be close to me and if we are really nice our spaces might be right next to each other. Hoping for the latter......

Anyway, there is some vendors coming from the East Coast & the West Coast.
Check it all out here & here 
The Vintage Marketplace & Junkmarket will be going on as well.
See you soon!
 

Tomorrow the French Hen Farm sale starts! Lots of fun things going on!

See.......

 

Kara and Tacy work......kids headed to Grandma's. It's Wednesday, so Zach, Vivian and their mum look forward to"Grandma's Day".  {Now it's 5:50 and they're back}

 

Computer work and more organization today. More of our to-do list getting crossed off. My kids get their picture taken with lambs and chicks on Friday. Clothes need picked out for that as I will be busy tomorrow tagging along with Luke on his field trip.  Yes, I like sack lunches!

 I like this:

treat for your lips 

by plane, train or car....take me somewhere!

yum

Celebrating 10 Years of Retail Ventures! A Contest!

{Celebrating 10 years of Creative Endeavors}

1999-2009

Marks the time between us, we have either had stores or have helped others in their retail ventures. So many stories, faces and memories. What a grand adventure! Yes, times flies when you're having fun.

Top ones

Kara: Crossing the Oakland Bay bridge to get to the Flower Market at 3:30am. Sharp. To beat rush hour traffic to bring back fresh garlands, wreaths {at Christmas}& plants. Then run the store all day. We lived 1.5 hours from San Fran.

Darcy & I: Getting stuck in the Chicago Gift market {at an off gift show} in the stair well soon after 9/11 and it was weird. Very weird.

Kara: Opening a store in CA with very little money and being incredibly blessed that first year. {man, those economic times were different!}

Darcy: Seeing her husband pound her store sign in the ground.

Kara & Darcy: Taking the BUS instead of the taxi from La Guardia to Manhattan. We still laugh at this one. Hey, it said 20 minutes on the Internet. Try 2.5 hours. OK, really don't laugh too hard at us.

Darcy & Kara: Schlepping on the "long blocks" in NYC in the rain. We literally were drowned rats when we arrived at the Javitz Center. {When people say "oh, it's just right up the way....it could mean a looooooooooong way!}

Kara: Hauling furniture out of the bay area......I used to know how to tie trucker's knots. Now that I'm almost 35 I would be scared to death to do what I used to do. Bizarre, hauling furniture out of warehouses in Oakland and going to San Fran with a trailer. eek. Good thing I never had to back a trailer ever. I would be in trouble. Big trouble.

Darcy & Kara: Granville........lots of coffee. Fun times. Amy Butler's home & studio.

Darcy: Sliding on a stack of tissue paper that Kara had left on the floor. She was carrying an cast iron urn and caught it and the item that flew out of the urn landed back into the urn. ---Somehow Darcy missed the glass topped coffee table and caught that urn. {she's a whiz}

Kara & Darcy: Driving to Atlanta and stopping at all these fun antique stores on the way home.

No kids. Pure bliss.

Kara: Paris & Brussels 2000. Time to go back. Darcy needs to go too. Hmmmmmm. It's been way to long. Vanves flea market. Fabric stores. Crossiants. Interesting people. Meeting a vendor for lunch. People taking pictures of my prayer covering. Not kidding, I had people turn me around and snap away.

Kara & Darcy: McMaster & Storm Brick & Mortar storefront.

Kara & Darcy: The countless vendors we have done business with for 10 years, this leads to something we're giving away. It's been a favorite of ours for 10 years and it's yours if you just post! BUT, we want feedback: a comment of what you would like to see us do, a complaint {we want to know} so have at it. OK, try to be somewhat nice.

We want to keep the giveaway a surprise. Yes, it will be at the Country Living Fair! We're keeping everything under wraps until after the fair and we'll post pics. Also, a lot of the products will be available online after the fair. It's time to update our website for sure. {yes, we know everyone's emailing about this}

Some of you will be traveling from far away to the show.........have a safe trip and we'll see you there. Tent space #108, same area as last year. Next week. YIKES!

Thanks for celebrating with us!

Kara + Darcy

Swan & Shears

For quite a while we have been wanting to change our blog name. We still need to do more work on the blog, but baby steps! Swan & Shears is a name that sums us up, we like a little fuss plus in our lives there is a lot of flurry behind the scenes.

Kara headed into K mart to get a medley of baby supplies and trucked it while cuz Sara was in the car watching her kidlets. Kara can fly around stores -must be from all the gift show experience, keep moving and you'll find it! Kara checked online for those "tacky garden swans" and lo and behold 50 years later they are still manufactured in US of A--. Kara flew to the garden area and there they were perched on the top shelf {good thing she's 5'10"} grabbed the two left! {highly doubt they were top sellers} No, she didn't get plastic flowers to tuck in them!

Actually we wouldn't put these in our garden, but for display purposes "Amen"! Oh, the possibilities running around in our little heads. More on projects for those at a later date we want you to digest the thought that we just purchased these plastic swans!

Kara didn't have a cart and when the checkout girl saw her coming with those swans perched in her arms, she blinked a couple of times and we knew the thought running through her head, "you've got to be kidding me"!

Actually, you never know Anthropologie wouldn't bat an eye at using these for a visual display in their stores. You also know our affection for flamingos and a year or so ago Ralph Lauren did a flamingo display in one of their NYC stores. See we are not that wierd!

Have a little fuss and a lot of flurry this week.........

Kara + Darcy

a summer-y weekend to you

pictures from summer 2007............peeking back.............

"What Floor?"

Going shopping with the girls......"what floor, ladies".......

4th floor: bits & pieces---

3rd floor housewares: favorite white french porcelain, linens from Belgium {these last for years to come}

2nd floor baubles and bits.......oh that matches your personality to a "T".

top floor: petite department store cafe, coffee and shopping a perfect pair!

5th floor: apothecary-- french soaps the smell of spring, I need a box.

Sales clerk's tools of choice

lower level: custom fitting is needed today

7th floor: Interior design services are complimentary.

A petite department store speciality: wrapping to the hilt & then some!

1st floor: perfumerie

guest services: custom gold stamping on a few gifts.

a restroom break ---of course we need to all go in {we're gals you know} "do I have anything in my teeth?"

Outside of petite cafe: chocolate need we say more, candy is a must today!

11th floor: china and sparkly things for entertaining at home.

10th floor: home furnishings, making it lovely.

This we must try on........

"Oh, look at the lovely wrapping!"

It's almost Easter we need these yummy chocolate eggs......these you can break!

Up to the 9th floor: the paperie, a place to be inspired.

8th floor: a bevy of ribbons, trims, fabrics and other "petite" things.

"Where's your mother"!

Afternoon tea break, good to the last crumb.

6th floor: Euro style storage, a favorite.

a sweet bouquet to take home......spring is here!

Creative Space

We posted a while back we were going to show you our rooms where we are going to
create, ship, design, etc. {in other words make a mess} here's Kara's & up soon Darcy's {get busy girlie!}
Cubby holes filled with favorite finds.....

Hues of red, pink and other colors that blend into our favorites.
I haven't gotten to the "tagging" part of the craft room, just
the foundation of where things are placed. There is one wall of total shelves,
that's where the true organization will be as it will hold inventory among
other key things to running a business.

Bigger view of cubby

Sewing basket, {ikea} tied with our alphabet ribbon.

Storage piece

Our fun, practical find........ikea wooden ironing board. Looks very European
but it's new, sturdy, adjustable heights, and place to hold a iron.
They are extra wide, so makes for faster ironing. Need we say more!
The storage basket on ironing board has a simple liner made from a Cote Bastide dish towel,
cut in half, {one for each side} muslin to connect both pieces of dish towel and our colored tight weave ribbon
sewn on the sides to secure. I need to show the one I made for Darcy as well, these liners
are so easy to make!

Our "treat trays" hold envelopes, and supplies in plain sight.

Part of the shelving that holds linens & things!

Our market basket filled to the brim with paper!

Colorful thread on wooden thread organizer.
Easy to see what's on hand.

Funky light for fun....

The table from ikea, softened with a scalloped muslin tablecloth,
made by Sara. Chair also from ikea and a "K" linen over the back...would like to
tie the tight weave ribbon onto linen to actually tie the cover on chair. Chair also needs a
cute seat cushion!

I found this....sewing pad: great measuring markings/ironing pad/with pockets on front
for scissors & sewing necessities. It is a favorite find as it is out of the way
by being on the front of the table and not cluttering up the surface.
I found this at Jo Ann's in the notions aisle.

Favorite calendar that I had saved and just recently had dry mounted!