New Year's Resolution

So, I've done it! I have officially started the groundwork on my new store - or boutique as I am finding is the popular term. Motherhood and Apple Pie is becoming a reality. I have a business plan ing progress, I have started researching vendors, I am moving a head with a full head of steam and - I am psyched!!

I still have some issues that I need to work out. I am trying to find vendors that will drop ship so that I don't have to maintain an inventory, and I am trying to find a company to develop my website w/o breaking the bank, but other than that I am truly on my way.

I have to apply for my tax id #, but I plan on getting the paperwork together and filing ASAP! and then there is no stopping me.

I am not sure that my DH is behind me 100% on this - I think that he thought that it was a bee in my bonnet and that it would go away, but - it hasn't - two years have gone by and I am finally doing something about it.

I have met a number of women who run their own businesses, and I have tapped them for advice and reccomendations - they have been more than helpful. I have a list of products that I would like to sell and am in the process of getting the catalogs and information on retailing from the vendors.

Ahhh - so much to do, so little time, but I hope to GOD that it is going to be worth it!! Wish me luck!

Nursery Furniture

So, I've learned a few things along this journey of pregnancy into motherhood and I thought I would share a little bit that I learned about nursery furniture. Just my experiences...

When my husband and I were searching for furnishings for our daughters room we were introduced to the world of baby furniture. New baby furniture is the largest expense that you will incur while decorating a nursery.

Be very careful when choosing your baby furniture. There are safety issues that must be addressed by the manufacturer. Things like - do the drawers have safety latches so that they don't fall out on their own and potentially onto a small child. Is the piece weighted properly so that it won't fall over. Are there built in safety measures - brackets to hold pieces to the wall, etc.

There is also the fun part of choosing furniture pieces - getting your nursery to look just the way you want it to. We went with Natart furniture - and I am ecstatic over the quality. There is obviously a lot of effort that goes into making each of these pieces. We have the Theo crib and six drawer dresser set in Walnut (http://www.natartfurniture.com/en/collections_theo.asp). They are gorgeous. You can find their furniture at quality juvenile furniture stores and at
http://www.natartfurniture.com/.

Tips - while we love the furniture pieces we got from Natart - we didn't want to blow the budget so we bought an unfinished bookshelf and stained it the same color as the crib and dresser. You can't tell that it was not part of the set and we saved ourselves hundreds of dollars. We bought 6 brown wicker baskets with cloth liners and left one shelf empty for books and toys - it looks great! The baskets are great for holding all of those little things that don't have a place to go - nail clippers, bath supplies, rattles, etc.

Also - we are using the dresser as a changing table - this tip is great for those with small rooms and no extra room for a separate changing table. Just be careful that your changing pad is safely secured to the dresser!!

If you don't want to buy new furniture for the nursery - take a look at local auctions - you might be able to find a furniture store going out of business and you can get items at a highly discounted cost. Also sites like Craig's list are great for finding baby stuff, so take a look before you take the plunge on new furniture - you can always re-purpose something that has been used before!