Moms on Mondays - Laura from Little Indies

Today I am so happy to feature a mama who I've followed on IG for a long time, Laura from Little Indies.  Her shop has recently gone through some rebranding and I am so happy to be able to share her "new" shop with you!  Read her post below and then go support this awesome mama!  She sent Lemon and I matching Brave and Free shirts for the 4th of July, they were so cute and comfy!

What is the name of your shop and how can we find you?

The name of the shop is Little Indies and you can also find us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Tell us about what you make/sell in your shop. 

The shop is West Coast inspired fashion for kids and adults. Right now we sell t-shirts and hopefully in the future we can expand to hats, sweatshirts, etc. We are trying to go for designs that represent that California surfer/skater look.

How/why did you start making these products and open this shop?

It may sound silly to some, but having a children's clothing line has been a dream of mine for years and years. I've always loved fashion, and once I had kids I loved to find fun things to dress my kiddos in. We lived in Northern California for a while and completely fell in love with the culture and the scenery. There's something about Cali that just speaks to me. I always say that there's a special part of my heart that will always be there. I think that's why we wanted to have our clothing line centered around west coast designs. We really feel a connection to it. And, my husband and I are totally skater/surfer/hipster wannabes. We call it "skipster". . . it's our own style haha.  {Love it!}

How long have you been in business?

We have been in business since the beginning of June, but we have planned and dreamed about this for years.

What is your background (college/career/etc.)?  Tell us a little bit about your family. 

My husband, Will, and I (Laura) are adventurers. We love to take leaps of faith and do things out of our comfort zone. So, when we got married 6, almost 7, years ago, we decided to move from our hometown to a different state. In the 6 short years we have been together, we have had 3 kids, lived in 7 places (6 of those moves were cross country), had multiple job changes, and lots of new endeavors . . . But, we did it all because we don't just like ordinary. We love to live free . . . Each move was a move of the heart that brought us into a deeper understanding of ourselves, and how to love people better. Our goal with our lives is to live and love out loud. To run hard after dreams and goals and kick fear in the face. We have many more dreams to come, and this clothing company is one of those. Something that we've always said in regards to making clothing is, "What if??" And, we don't want to say it anymore. We are finally just doing it. We also love music. My husband is the guy with more guitars than I can count. He has 3 CDs and we also made a kids' CD together. We are about to start working on our next CD. I think our biggest passion is just doing things together and not taking life for granted.

How does this company help your family?  Or you?

I've got a big, dumb fear of failure. I know it's dumb. So, me jumping out and finally doing this was a big deal for me. There's a lot of details that go into starting a business, and each step that I take makes me more confident. This company has honestly helped me just to not be afraid. It's been really cool to see my designs actually printed! 

Did you ever think you'd be doing this?  What did you think you'd be doing instead?

Yeah! It's been a dream of mine for a long time. First and foremost, I just love my kids. We live for family. So, I just started homeschooling and I'm doing life with my 3 kiddos. And, on top of that I'm also trying to fulfill some personal dreams of mine too. 

Does anyone help you with your shop?

My husband. I truly would be lost without him ha! He is a techie guy. His full time job is a web engineer and he's really good at it. His other job is with YouTube making web development tutorials. So, he does the website for Little Indies and does the mock ups for the t-shirts. I basically just have ideas and designs and he makes them happen electronically. 

How do you find time to run your shop and create products? 

We make time. We really don't have it but if you wait to have time, you'll never live out your dreams. Currently, we just made a cross country move from California back to our hometown in St. Louis, I had a C Section a couple months after that, so I've been taking care of my new baby and my two toddlers, homeschooling, and my husband has a few businesses he does. And, on top of it all we are about to start building a house on 21 acres of land. One of the things that's been on our heart since the beginning of our relationship was to start a farm and be more dependent on our own land. So we can't wait to start that process. 

What do you love about this businesses?

I love the creative aspect. It's so fun to just come up with designs and see them come to life. We also LOVE fashion and dressing up our kiddos. Living in California gave us a new love for the culture and the surf/skater look. 

What is the most challenging part of this business?

Like I said before, finding time. We have so much going on but we just love doing this. The creative process, the time spent together, seeing designs come to life. It's all so much fun so we always make it happen. Even if it means staying up until the wee hours of the morning even though your infant will wake you up all night (whoops!). 

Where do you see your shop in the future?

I hope that the word will get our about our shop. Our end goal with this business is to have a very concise look to all of our products so people can tell it's our brand. We only have a few designs now, but have many more in the pipeline that we can't wait to share. We would love to ultimately have designs that are fun but also have positive messages. Like our 4th of July "Free" and "Brave" designs. We love to tell our kids all the time what their identity is. That they are mighty, they are brave, they are free, etc. So, many of our designs go hand in hand with that.  

Tell us your favorite product or your most favorite thing you've created?

So far I'm loving the 4th of July shirts. Like I said, the meanings are great. It not only talks about our rights as Americans but also tells of our identity as humans. Love seeing my kids wearing them!

Do you have any advice for future mom-entrepreneurs?

You'll never know unless you try. I think that's a big thing I've learned. When you're afraid of failure like I am, there's a lot of excuses to hold you back. It's the moment that you say, "Who cares if I fail!" and you charge at your dreams no matter the cost. You'll succeed no matter what. Even without a single sale, you still prove to yourself that you're capable. And, you learn a lot of lessons in the process. 

What are some of YOUR favorite shops/products, besides your own?

A great shop that I've always loved, because of their surfer vibe, is Of One Sea. They have really high quality products and they're based in Hawaii which makes it special. I just bought my husband a pair of their 4 way stretch swim trunks and he loves them! I'm also in love with Albion Fit for their feminine style and their swimsuits are to die for. I just recently bought a swimsuit from Kingdom and State and have loved all of their products as well! 

Thanks Laura, wishing you the best of luck in ALL of your adventures!  XO

Mmmm! Episode 11: A Cake for Daddy

We were SO excited to have Lemon's best girlfriend, Nora, back for this episode!  They wanted to make Ian a gluten free, banana bread, peanut butter frosting birthday cake.  These two girls are just the best together and we had SO much fun!  Subscribe to our channel and enjoy this episode, this is one you won't want to miss!

   

Moms on Mondays - Shanlen from The Ladies and Gentlemen Show

This week I am actually featuring a mama who has a YouTube channel called The Ladies and Gentlemen Show!  Her name is Shanlen and her website is The Ladies and Gentlemen Show.  We've watched their channel and it's funny, especially if you are a parent!  Make sure you check them out and subscribe to their channel!

Our YouTube channel is called The Ladies and Gentlemen Show! You can find us on all social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

We are a husband and wife show (with an occasional appearance from our little one) geared towards parenting, relationships, men and women in general and lots of fun!  We started a couple of months ago!

(All images from: https://instagram.com/theladiesandgentlemenshow/)

We started this channel to connect with others on what it’s like being new parents and to have fun! We have so much fun doing this together and want others to have just as much fun watching.

Kyle has his Bachelor’s in Health Administration and is pursuing a career as a police officer, and I am currently working on my Bachelor’s in Human Services. Right now I am not working, I am a stay-at-home mama to my little girl Teagan. Before that I was a nanny to three amazing kiddos!

One thing we LOVE is to have fun. Life is too short to stress the small things, Positivity is contagious and laughing is a constant in our household. :)

This channel has brought us even closer than we were, and it’s just another activity we can enjoy doing together. It’s personally helped me care even less what others think. It took a lot for me to put myself out there but has become second nature to be behind the camera and just be myself. :)

We never thought we would actually start a channel, but we always joked that if we had a reality show that it would be hilarious!

Kyle and I work together as a team to ensure we are on the same page about our episodes and take turns doing the editing, it’s A LOT of work but fun!

We try to utilize our time as efficiently as possible. Kyle gets two days off a week and we try and get most of our stuff done then (in between baby needs and house needs etc.).

We love that we can connect to other parents and men and women in ways where we can help or give advice! We love feedback and would love ideas for future shows!

Juggling full-time work, full-time school, a new baby and every day house chores is challenging. On top of that still trying to make time for friends and family

We would love to eventually have a shop on our website and be well-known on YouTube!

Our favorite video so far has been the baby food eating challenge. That was SO fun!

I would tell any future mom-entrepreneurs to not to be afraid to try. You will never know and always wonder what it would have been like if you don’t put yourself out there! And then if it doesn’t work, IT’S OK! Dust yourself off and try again or go a different route. 

One of our favorite YouTubers is Grav3yardgirl and Rhett and Link’s show!

Thank you Shanlen, can't wait to watch more!  :)

Lemon's 3rd Birthday Party

What a fun day filled with family and friends!  I am SO happy we hired Ariel to come, from Enchanted AZ.  She was awesome and we did the 30 minute Meet and Greet package - just enough time for a story, singing Happy Birthday and some pictures.  Lemon sat with her the whole time, loved every minute of it and while I sang I cried, such a magical day!  Thanks to everyone who came!

To see a ridiculous amount of pictures, click here.  We also uploaded a video of her opening all of her gifts to our YouTube channel:

 

Orikami Organics SS15 Brand Shoot

Orikami Organics SS15 brand shoot by Qiana K. Photography.

Tribe is Alive S15 Brand Shoot

Tribe is Alive S15 brand shoot by Qiana K. Photography.

Moms on Mondays - Tiffany from Junebug Tennessee

Today I am so happy to feature Tiffany from Junebug Tennessee!  This mama makes the cutest reversible pinafores and pinafore crop tops ever, when I saw them I just knew she had to be a part of this series!  She is just the sweetest and sent Lemon a pinafore crop top and a regular crop top too, and now they are some of my favorite tops she owns! Read her awesome post below and then go shop!

 

What is the name of your shop and how can we find you?  

Hi! My name is Tiffany and my shop is Junebug Tennessee and you can also find me on Instagram.

Tell us about what you make/sell in your shop.  

I make reversible pinafores for babies and girls. It's like two outfits in one! They are very versatile and can be worn in layers or by itself, dressed up or dressed down. They look great however they are styled.  The pinafores have a timeless classic feel about them. I'm planning on adding bloomers and a few more new items within the next few months. 

How/why did you start making these products and open this shop?

My mom passed away unexpectedly a week before my daughter was born, so sewing became a great outlet for me to help deal with everything. Because of her, I was able to buy my first sewing machine and I've been sewing pinafores for my daughters and their friends ever since. With the encouragement of my husband, and friends and family, I decided to finally open a shop.  It was a big leap for me.  I'm always so worried someone won't like what they ordered, or that an item is not up to par. It's hard to put yourself out there but the feedback from everyone has been amazing! I am so glad I opened a shop!

How long have you been in business?

Junebug Tennessee celebrated one year this month! I can't even believe it! I'm so beyond amazed at what my little shop has become!!

What is your background?

I was born in Stockton, CA but raised in a tiny, desert agricultural town in Southern California. My husband, kids and I moved back a few years ago (to said tiny, desert town) to be near family again. I graduated high school early and moved to the big city of San Diego (haha!). I took a few college courses, but life and work got in the way of finishing my degree. I was the manager of an independent music store for 5 years.  I was able to meet so many amazing people, make lifelong friends, learn about new and old music, and watch so many rad bands perform - it was a dream job. I look back fondly at my years there. During that time, I donated my kidney to my friend's mom and it is something I am very proud of, to this day.  After my husband and I had our first child, I became a stay at home mom.  I honestly couldn't ask for a better job, I am so thankful I am able to be home with my kids.  

Tell us a little bit about your family.

I'll officially be in my mid thirties this December.  My middle name is Noelle, my parents must of thought they were being so clever giving me a Christmassy middle name, seeing that I was born three days after Christmas. Music is very important to me, but I can't play anything for the life of me. I have a lot of favorite bands but I never tire of:  Ryan Adams, Girls, Depeche Mode, Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark (OMD), Jawbreaker and Bonnie "Prince". I love reading but don't get to as much as I'd like.  I love learning about birth/birthing and breastfeeding. I have had a C-Section, a natural hospital VBAC and a natural water homebirth (VBAC). I'm proud of all my births. I don't enjoy cooking very much, truth be told, or folding laundry. I have a fear of tsunamis and floods. My favorite movies are Valley Girl and Wet Hot American Summer. 

My husband, Justin, and I recently celebrated 8 years of marriage last month. He is a dreamboat who makes me laugh all the time.  We eloped to Vegas and got married in a drive thru chapel.  Yes, we got married in my car, haha, I still laugh about it to this day. He is rock and roll mixed with a little bit nerdy - I love it! He is a great musician and artist and he can play video games and talk comics like no other.  I'm pretty sure my babies have inherited his artistic/musical gene, and I couldn't be more jazzed! Our son, Sebastian, is 7. He is a long haired thinker, obsessed with Legos and Minecraft. Our older daughter, Milo, is 5 and she is a free spirited artist. Our youngest daughter, Birdie, will be 2 in August and she is a total wild child. Junebug Tennessee is named after my daughters.  Junebug is Milo's middle name and Tennessee is Birdie's middle name. 

We homeschool our kids. For us it's the perfect fit because homeschooling allows us a lot of freedom to do things on the fly, or just pick up and go explore whenever we want. We are also a plant based family, going on 7 years now. We try to grow our own veggies.  Sometimes we get a good harvest, other times, not so much. We used to live in Washington and in our hearts, it's still home. One day we will move back. 

How does this company help your family?  Or you?

Junebug Tennessee has brought many amazing things to my family. Not only does the sewing typically relax me, and give me "ME" time, the added income it brings has helped a lot. It's nice to be able to help contribute financially to the bills or getting something fixed, etc.

Did you ever think you'd be doing this?  

Honestly? I did think I would do this, I just didn't know when. I just never imagined it would grow to what it is today.  I am so grateful!!

Does anyone help you with your shop?

Technically, I'm a one woman show.  I choose the fabric, cut, sew, package and mail everything.  However, I wouldn't be able to do it if my husband wasn't a great supporter of me and my shop. He will do things with the kids so I can get uninterrupted sewing time in, surprise me with a much needed coffee, or rub my back if I've been hunched over cutting and pinning fabrics all night. 

I also have tremendous emotional support from my friends and family.  My dear friend, Michelle, whom I've known for more than half my life, has always been so supportive of my sewing, cheering me on from the very beginning. Aubrey from Bertie Lou Baby can always bring a smile to my face. Her words of encouragement mean a lot. Devon can make me laugh like no other. All of that in return helps me in my shop when I'm feeling a bit stressed or overwhelmed. 

How do you find time to run your shop and create products? 

Hahah! Oh my gosh, I'm still figuring this one out! Between homeschooling 2 kids, a toddler, normal daily tasks (laundry/meals/errands/cleaning) and sewing, you might think I have great time management skills.  Hahhaha, you'd be wrong! I do a lot of late night sewing. Late late night. Coffee is my friend. I will admit laundry stays in a pile on the couch for days until it gets folded. 

What do you love about this businesses?

I love that people like my pinafores enough to buy them for their own children.  It's an amazing feeling seeing my work on someone else.  It's awesome to see photos of kiddos in their pinafores in a normal setting and just as awesome to see my pinafores in a Christmas card or first birthday picture. Like, what!! You like my stuff enough to be part of such a special day?! It's all so amazing.  

I also really love that because of Junebug Tennessee I have been able to connect with so many other women, some shop owners, some not. The friendships alone have made it all worth it.  

What is the most challenging part of this business?

The balance between "work" and home.  I never want my kids to feel alone or neglected because I have to sew. 

Where do you see your shop in the future?

My ultimate dream goal would be for me to be making enough to support our family. Nothing outrageous, but enough so my husband doesn't have to work. I would also love for my product to be in actual brick and mortar stores. It will happen, someday.

Tell us your favorite product or your most favorite thing you've created?

One of my favorite pinafores would be our 'Persimmon' pinafore.  Not only did it have a fun bright 60's style floral pattern that I adored but it was the very first pinafore I sold when Junebug Tennessee started. It will always hold a special place in my heart.  As for a non pinafore item, I'm really proud of some blankets I made for my kids when they were younger.  I made them several double sided Yo Gabba Gabba character blankets, two characters per blanket.  My older two aren't into Gabba anymore so we have the blankets put away, but Birdie is obsessed with Gabba, I should pull out the blankets for her. 

Do you have any advice for future mom-entrepreneurs?

My only advice would be to remember how awesome you are. Don't ever forget it. There will be times when having a business is hard and stressful and sometimes overwhelming, but never ever forget how awesome you are. 

What are some of YOUR favorite shops/products, besides your own?

Oh my, this is so hard! There are so many amazing shops out there! There are way too many to list but here are some of my go-to's: Bertie Lou Baby (link above) has THE most amazing purses for girls! Aubrey's work is flawless. Plus, she is the most kind and genuine person you will ever meet.  We started out around the same time, and "met" on IG and her friendship means the world to me.  I value what she has to say and hold her opinion in high regard. But I digress, her purses are seriously amazing.  My girls own 4 of her purses so far. They will eventually go into a keepsake box.  The purses are magical and beautiful and sooo beautifully made.  

I also love Moss and Mountain. The mamas behind Moss and Mountain are so awesome and hip. Their clothing is amazing. My kids wear Moss and Mountain quite frequently. I love the vintage Urban Cowboy vibe of everything. If only I could fit into their clothes! So dreamy! 

Another shop I frequent is Sweetpea Honeybee. They have beautiful clothing for girls. Tiffany's work is flawless and her choice in fabrics is spot on.  Plus, she is a total sweetheart and we share the same first name. So how could you go wrong. I'm totally gaga for her stuff!  

A go-to for shoes is Ulla + Viggo. Pia makes the most gorgeous shoes! She is so kind and her work is beautiful. I love that Ulla + Viggo has several varieties of shoes. A shoe for every occasion! 

I love the hair accessories we have from The Prettiest Bow, Pepper and Foxx, The Gipsy and the Yarn and Raine and Monet. All 4 of those shops have totally well made items, such great quality and every single one of those ladies are totally awesome. 

I'm also huge fans of Daily Delilah (also featured here on Moms on Mondays), Pirapir, Schnarbles, Bapribap, The Striped Fig and Motherhood Menagerie.  I also really love Ocarina of Thyme for awesome jewelry and weird funky items.  

Omg, see, it's too hard to narrow down my love for other handmade shops!!! I'm missing so many! I don't want anyone to feel left out!! 

I loved this post Tiffany, thank you!  :)