I did something kind of big yesterday. Well, big for me. While on a daycation trip up in Breckenridge with my family, I came upon a beautiful boutique that I would swear was made just for me, except for that it wasn’t. But, I mean to declare, that if I ever were to have my own shop, this might just be what mine would look like…except for that it wouldn’t, because that would be stealing. But nevertheless, I might aspire to own a store one day with that exact amount of whimsy floating around the walls. But more on that later…

While shopping the boutique yesterday, I discovered this skirt that I decided I must present to myself as my own birthday present to me!

The boutique had been given the lovely name, Magical Scraps Boutique and Studio. Indeed, full of magical scraps!

So, here is what happened that I call “big.” Upon purchasing my flowered skirt, I went right ahead and explained my button flower hobby to the nice woman ringing me up (who happened to also be the owner) and then asked her how to  get from being a creator of button flower arrangements to a seller of them through beautiful boutiques such as her’s. You know, I did that? I most certainly did! And it’s a wonder I didn’t choke on my heart that had made it’s way up into my throat. By the way, that makes me wonder, why is it called “Wearing your heart on your sleeve,” when actually, it could also be, “Swallowing your heart back down your throat?”

Moving on. She asked me if she could take a look at my arrangements on my Etsy Shop and I was also so bold as to show her this (above) arrangement (from a photo on my phone) that I am currently finishing and explained that it wasn’t on my shop yet, but I wanted her to see it.

She was very gracious and said she understood what I was experiencing. She advised me to have a box of my arrangements with me all the time to bring into different stores to present to the owners of each. She said that was the hardest part for her starting out because it was so hard to handle rejection and be in fear of it. But then I told her, “But look at you now! You have your own store in Breckenridge!!” She is a seamstress, by the way. Here is her site if you want to see what she does! Magical Scraps

I got back into the car with Chris and the kids and exclaimed to him, “I want to have my own store like that!!!?!” It really was in a high-pitched, kind-of excited-y tone with a touch of whine…just a touch… And he simply gave me a little side-ways look out of the corner of his eye and said, “Baby Steps.”

I love my husband. He keeps me grounded. Babysteps…here’s the ones I’ve taken so far.

Babystep No. 1: Buy buttons and wire

Babystep No. 2: Make very first button flower arrangement

Babystep No. 3: Buy more buttons and wire and felt buttons…oh, and vases…

Babystep No. 4: Make more button flower arrangements

Babystep No. 5: Realize there are almost too many button flowers claiming space in my home

Babystep: No. 6: Decide to sell button flowers on Etsy.com

Babystep No. 7: Come up with business name and logo

Babystep No. 8: Frantically decide I must sell them in boutiques (Patience doesn’t come easily for me.)

Babystep No. 9: Make and order business cards (that’s today, by the way!!!)

Babystep No. 10: Yet to be determined…

Stay tuned to the continuing saga of Jen and her buttons…!!