Look Who Just Popped Up!

Did I literally blink and 4 months have passed since I abandoned my sane way of life to start my own business? The truth is, it has been an absolute whirlwind since February, specifically this last month and a half. That is because I have been diligently prepping to open my own little year-long Pop Up Shop back in mid-May!

"What is a Pop Up Shop?", you may ask! A Pop Up Shop is a small, concentrated venue of a company's top or newest products to be displayed and sold for a specific amount of time. Some of the hippest brick & mortar establishments started off as Pop Up Shops, and some of the trendiest corporations (Apple, etc.) host frequent Pop Up Shops to showcase their upcoming must-haves.
I decided to combine the best of all worlds, and host a brick & mortar Pop Up Shop that will last for a full year, which features not only my own home decor & style designs, but over twelve Etsy-makers, many of whom are based locally in Lancaster, Pa!  (If you were planning a drinking game around how many times I referenced "Pop Up Shop", it's about to be downhill for ya!)

Among the local Etsy-glory featured, we have sensational rustic, hand-painted signs by local favorite Honeysuckle Shop, gorgeous hand-stamped farmhouse pillows by mother-to-one-of-my-favorite-humans Laura Firestine, ambrosial hand-poured candles by Reading-based Henny Faire Co. in savory yet floral combinations like Mushroom Tuberose, stunning framed silhouettes hand-cut by grandmother-of-8 Sue Bowers, and vegan lip balm by Friendly Body Products that will leave your lips feeling silky and rejuvenated, just to name a few. If you are browsing for exclusive Designs by Serendipity Mom items, we are offering our most popular totes, pillows, mugs, prints, handmade boho decor and now...all-natural bath bombs! Not in the market for home decor this season? We hear ya...you can also find eco-friendly and affordable handmade jewelry by some of the most popular Etsy-sellers, fun & funky accessory bags and hair swag, and we even have a Joey Corner where you can peruse kid-approved gifts for your little ones.

My first craft market back in March

The concept of the Pop Up Shop came to me one day while I was dejectedly packing up all of my products after yet another unsuccessful Saturday craft market. My heart commiserated with the other talented local crafters as they sloughed their beautiful work to the cars, with little to no return from their day-long investment that began at a dismally dark 6 am. Starting out this spring season in the "Craft Market World" as an unknown newbie, I quickly absorbed the frustration of many seasoned vendors watching the same few people sell and sell their amateur products, while everyone else was sorely bypassed because it wasn't their ideal target market or they were out of town and unknown to the area. I myself left every afternoon feeling defeated and out of my element, despite the positive feedback I got from the market's browsers and fellow vendors. I knew that I needed a more permanent and specific forum to display my lovingly and originally designed wares, and vowed to include other local crafters so that their businesses could be legitimized and recognized in an actual store as well.

I didn't want it to be just another "Lancaster County Handmade" shop--I wanted it to be an experience for our guests. A calm place where they could feel safe to bring their kids while finding inspiration for their homes with one-of-a-kind pieces for a fraction of the price of the online markets, and an eco-friendly haven that supports the local economy. Being a frazzled mom myself who pines over Pinterest and bemoans the inflated Etsy shipping costs, I have constructed this enterprise with the busy mama in mind so that we wouldn't feel limited to the Target dollar bins in the front of their store (shh, Target, your dollar bins are still my happy place). We even offer healthy snack fuel for both parents and their littles to buy a few extra shopping minutes in peace.

This summer, I am excited to launch our Summer Social Series, which will include twice-a-month eco-friendly kid's craft sessions for only $5.00 (parents/caregivers craft for free), Mom's Brunch Social every Second Saturday (mimosas, pastries and kid-free shopping while mingling and networking with fellow local moms) and our big Grand Opening celebration on Saturday June 3rd from 9 to 5! Come enjoy the sweetest cupcakes and even sweeter discounts as we officially kick off my lifelong dream-come-true. And please stay tuned for upcoming posts with more details about the Summer Social Series AND our Tribe22 subscription boxes!

Thank you for your constant encouragement and support as Designs by Serendipity Mom has started it's growth spurt. I hope you all will make it out the the Pop Up Shop at some point, and please note that we are constantly updating our inventory with the upcoming season's sweetest products!

Game of "Thrones": A Young Prince Who Detests Potty Time

Here ye Here ye, I will be the first to admit that potty training is F***ING hard and I wouldn't even be that mad if my two unruly direwolves (ok...dogs) took the liberty of training Rylan to do his business on our tree out front. Unfortunately, society looks down on a feral child raised by wolves, and at some point in his life he does have to use a toilet (weddings, funerals, school days ending in Y), so we are pulling out all the stops with encouraging the little lord to ascend his porcelain throne.
This is not an isolated incident--I have on good authority that I was a bit of a wee beast to potty train as a child (who me?). My competitive spirit took over when a little girl 6 months younger than myself successfully used the potty and I was green with envy. Low and behold, a toilet trained star was born! Having a strong-willed toddler of my own (laws of the universe), I realized early on that every kiddo is different and that it's a grave injustice forcing them to take something on before they are ready (remember all those time-sensitive milestones that we have burned into our eyelids by the experts? Yea, those are pretty much crap). My little dude can recite every last Bubble Guppy in alphabetical order according to tail color, but has maintained a steadfast aversion to using his Paw Patrol potty seat for anything other than a floatation device in the bathtub.
We've tried reading books on the toilet every hour on the hour, wearing big boy underpants, fruit loop targets, letting him watch us go (we hear insurance covers therapy nowadays...), running around naked, training schedules, books about potty time, you name it. I've been vigilant to not let myself get frustrated--eventually everyone gets potty trained, right? And these are supposed to be the most fun times of our lives--I don't want it clouded by unnecessary worry. Kids do everything in their own time. The rate in which your child is potty trained is not a reflection of your parenting, good or bad.
With that being said, we wanted to make it as fun as possible for him! When we picked him up from school yesterday, we told him that we were going to the store to pick out special potty prizes for him. The look of excitement on his face when we pulled up to the Target dollar bins section was priceless! Since it's almost Valentine's Day, they had boxes with 16 little dinosaurs to be attached to Valentines for classmates which can now be 16 prizes for the basket! We found tiny superhero figurines, bouncy balls, Doc McStuffins bath stickums, cute stickers that I cut into strips, stamps and mini ink pads, light up bracelets, lollies, slinkies and more! We also found a motivational sign that says, "TODAY IS THE DAY!"

It's important to keep in mind that we only get this one lifetime with our kiddos. As parents, it's not our job to push our kids mercilessly into the harshness of the world, but to help them navigate different methods until they find the ones that work for them. Have fun with it! Giving a child the confidence and support to explore trial and error, fail a few times and then get back on the horse and try again is the best gift we can give them (although Target dollar bin trinkets are a close second). Nothing beats the look of pride on their faces when they finally master something that they've been working on for a long time! Parenting is not a race--you do not get special brownie points in mommy heaven for potty training your kid at 2 years old or getting them to eat all their veggies at every meal. A happy, healthy, loved child is our greatest contribution to this world because they will become happy, healthy, loving adults.
I hope everyone had a magical holiday weekend with your loved ones! Serendipity Mom has some amazing things in store for the New Year, including a sneak peek into the new graphics launch on my Etsy.com page, Serendipity Mom 2! Stay tuned for the next blog highlighting some of the most sought after designs for 2017!

Challenge Accepted: Have a Sparkling Home by Thanksgiving with this Free Printable Cleaning Calendar!

I have a confession to make...for those of you with pristine, immaculate houses...please, for your emotional well-being, discontinue reading and occupy yourselves with Pinteresting gourmet recipes or little GMO-free Halloween goodie bags in carefully carved mini pumpkins. (Even if your house is a pigsty, those ideas actually sound fantastic)

Dismal confession of the anti-Stepford mom: I absolutely, positively, with every ounce of my being, HATE to clean. 

Ok Ok, I know what you're thinking. For someone who has based their entire brand Serendipity Mom on their experience in the hospitality industry, that's a pretty disturbing admission. It's not the physical act of cleaning that keeps me awake, shivering in the fetal position at night...it's the grim realization that once you work up the noble motivation to tackle an entire house, the arduous list of tasks becomes entirely too overwhelming and it looks like another tornado swept through (only a few days after you spent 2 hours hunched over dried jelly smears on your baseboards). Living with a toddler and two fluffy dogs often leads me to discover dog hair tumbleweeds resembling a smaller dog under my armchair, mac & cheese embedded into my dogs' fur from a toddler plate being overturned at dinnertime, and long-forgotten sippy cups of milk excavated from a toy chest a week later. This parenting gig is not for the faint of heart, but there IS a way to keep your sanity while keeping up your house to the best of your ability.

For those of us parents who lovingly call our mess "making memories," a do-able solution does exist. I've come up with an easy-to-follow cleaning calendar for the month of November (because the holiday season just isn't stressful enough without having to clean house before a visit from the in-laws). Other cleaning calendars I've seen floating around the internet seem so overwhelming and expect you to magically find 3 hours a day after 9 hour work days, commuting, after-school activities, meal prep and homework. I will be the first to admit that by Wednesday night, I'm slouched over on the couch longingly imagining a cold beer in my hand; because the thought of having to get up and pour an actual beer from the fridge would just be too much effort for my exhausted body. 

If you can find 45 minutes a day between making amazing memories with your kiddos, you've already taken the first step to regaining your sanity. It even covers the Post-Thanksgiving home-detox after the highs of lively guests, rich food and wine have worn off. 

You will have a few days to prep for the Cleaning Calendar Challenge--I know I will be stocking up on sponges/rags, Clorox wipes, baking soda/Dawn/vinegar/peroxide (for baseboards, bathrooms and carpets), Swiffer dry & wet pads, window cleaner and laundry detergent/fabric softener. My budget will be around $50 for supplies and I will devote roughly an hour either before or after dinner to daily cleaning. At the very least, it will be a successful day if I can make the time to hang up clothes from the growing pile engulfing the rocking chair in my bedroom. Additionally, the most important task you can achieve on Sunday is to prepare for the coming week. Whether that means planning your work outfits, packing lunches, freezing dinners or making a weekly calendar--dedicate that day to the little details that often leave us frazzled in the mornings. 

I'd love to hear about your November Cleaning Calendar Challenge experiences: what worked, what didn't, what you did differently, what needed additional time/focus, what your kids were able to help out with, etc. Before and after pictures would also be amazing! Until next time!