THe Story of IKE & CO - Chapter 2

I had already signed up on etsy as a customer a long time before I ever started this venture. And so one night, I took pictures of what I had left and opened a shop. On a whim. Not something I would advise others to do. But, at the time, I didn't have anyone that I knew that did this sort of thing, and no one that I could turn to for help. So I took some pretty crummy pictures, one of my best friend's helped me come up with my original name – Charmingly Adorned – and then I waited. I figured it would be months before I had my first online sale. But it wasn't, it was less than two weeks later.  (And believe you me, I jumped up and down and did some screaming.  Then I called just about everyone that I knew.)

I would like to say that my shop took off then and there. But it didn't. Not hardly.

But some really important things DID happen. I continued to make sales in real life – friends of friends were starting to ask about stopping by my house to see what I had, ladies at school asked if they could take a bag of my stuff to church with them and sell things for me. I found that I had a wonderful supportive group of women in my life.

And, one night, I was reading blogs, hopping around and I stumbled on Crystal B's blog. I knew about her from reading the Nie Nie Dialogues and Chris had actually bought one of her necklaces for me for Christmas. She had written a post about her book club and what they were reading and it happened to be a book that I loved. So I commented. And then she visited my blog and commented on mine and from there, we began emailing each other and struck up a friendship that I wouldn't trade for the world. She made the third purchase out of my etsy shop – a necklace for her daughter – and encouraged me to keep going.

So, I had sales. I had started building a following. I had a mentor.

I worked for the next few months on crafting a style of my own. Learning new techniques. Reading articles and watching how-to's on youtube.

My online sales were building and I started doing give aways and advertising.

Happy Birthday, IKE & CO!

I can hardly believe it!  IKE & CO is turning 2 today!!!  Can you believe it?  I really can't!  Thank you so much for being along for the ride with me.  For encouraging and supporting me.  For believing in me.  Words cannot express my gratitude.  Truly.  {Although a giveaway and a discount code just might.  Go here to enter!}

And in case you are unfamiliar with the beginnings of IKE & CO...here's Chapter One....

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In the Fall of 2009, I was starting to find myself in a not so good place. I had a year old son, two daughters, a husband, a new job...and I just felt ho-hum. I had gained so much weight with my pregnancy and then lost it, but still just didn't really feel like myself. I didn't like my clothes, or my hair, or my style.

It may seem crazy, I know, but I felt like I could look better than I was letting myself.

And then there was the issue of money. I knew how tight money was for us – three kids with two teachers as parents will do that to you. And I couldn't imagine spending a lot of money on accessories. But I saw soooooo many cute, cute things out there.

So I thought about it and thought about it and thought about it. Mainly because that was what I had time for. I had just finished my 3^rd degree from UGA and went right into coaching one of my daughter's cheerleading teams...which ate up all the extra time that I thought I might have that fall.

At this point, I had been reading blogs for several years and writing my own for over a year. I was so inspired by the stories that I read out there and other women's style...and even though I loved Anthro, I knew I couldn't afford to shop there. So, I continued with my thinking.

And then it happened. I decided the week of Thanksgiving that I would make a few pieces of handmade jewelry for people in my life for Christmas. I knew how to attach a clasp to wire and I already had all of the tools for beading and jewelry making. Cheerleading season was over. Grad school – where I had spent the previous two years of my life – was over and I was ready for something new. So, I went to the local craft store, stocked up on what I thought I would need, came home, organized everything that I bought into one small box and then sat on the couch with my husband after the children went to bed that night and made three necklaces. The next night I did the same thing. And the night after that. And the night after that.

By the end of the week, I had made about 30 necklaces. No kidding. I was so relaxed while I was working on them. I loved it. I loved creating the combinations of the beads, imagining who I was going to give it to and how much they would love it.

I had spent years scrapbooking and had loved it, but this...this was ten trillion times better. I could give these away. I could wear my pieces out places and feel good about myself.

After my thirty necklaces were made, I sat back in amazement. My husband kind of sat back with a look of horror on his face. “What in the world are you going to do with thirty necklaces???” I looked up at him, “Ummmmm, wear a different one everyday?”

And then we came up with a plan. I had about 10 of them that I knew were gifts for people. And about 5 or 6 of them that I absolutely couldn't live without. But the rest...maybe people would want to buy them.

And they did. The ladies at church did and the women in my family did. And before I knew it I had made enough money to cover what I had spent to begin with and it was very exciting. 

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Chapter 2 coming soon!