Excited and Stoked!!

For a couple of years now, I have always viewed Sept 2013 as the time for me to truly evaluate the business I have built as well as my own life.

You see, that is when my last baby goes to school, and after 20 years of parenting babies and toddlers, I admit I am tired. I am looking forward to those 6  hours a day to schedule for ME. To look after me, to fill my needs and desires and begin a new chapter of life.

My kids' principal and I joke...along with the kindy teacher...how many days until Sept?? She once said to one of the other parents recently " Oh I know Michelle, she will be having her own time out and an afternoon "tea" with a little something....and she should!" She has been along with our family as we have traveled a devastating journey the past couple of years and I have cried many tears on her shoulder. She understands at least in part some of what I have personally borne through it and understands my eager anticipation of this next journey that arrives in a few months (even if I am going to miss the crap out of the little man).

Soooo....imagine my thoughts when I came across a post on Facebook regarding a Fabric Fest is September...in Vegas! Vegas is VERY accessible from these parts as it is a high volume destination for British Columbia and as a result is very cost efficient to fly to. I chatted to hubby in an offhanded way and he said "GO! Do something for you and tell me what week I have to book off of work." I love this man some days...well most days...well every day even if he does infuriate me beyond belief from time to time.

I mulled it over most of the day, checked out the class descriptions, made a wish list, slept on it, revised the class selections and then BOOKED IT!!!!

Yep, I am going to Vegas baby!!

I felt this was a good time and opportunity to begin the process of that "rebirth" both of me and the business. A time to learn, be inspired, and and network. A time to see (once again) what is out here in that big bad wonderful world. To see what current and anticipated trends are. Gain a few new tricks in the bag and all of those other cliche statements.

This is my present to me. To finding me. For surviving little people. For remembering I count. To re energize me so I can share that in my marriage and with my children. It is funny in a way that one silly conference can have such a great effect, but I foresee it will. I will come back a happy smiling and excited momma. I look forward to sharing all of my new knowledge and ideas with all of you as well.

If any of you are going, please be sure to let me know so that we can meet up! I have one gal I have done business with in Florida going and get to see a business associate / friend who lives in Vegas as well. I am really excited to finally meet these ladies in person after knowing them for years!

Viva Las Vegas!!

First full day of Fall.......

...this year is going FAR TOO FAST!!!

The trees are beginning to turn color, frost has killed off most flowers and the fog is thick in the mornings.

I have been busily canning. Tomatoes, peaches, pears, salsa, jam, mincemeat, relish and more! 

I desperately need ideas for Halloween! Last year the family was EPIC! I heard over and over again from people in town about the Cat in the Hat and Thing1 and Thing2!! They were MY CREATIONS :)This photo even made the Erica Ehm Yummy Mommy site!

HELP!! I need ideas on what to do to stay within the same realm!! Last year I knew, this year I have nothing....

Took the "little puppy" in for a vet check yesterday. Since I posted when we got him, I will give you the update...he is now 5 months old and 52lbs! He has changed, but he has stayed the same in all of the best ways.

Mr Bentley is learning that the house can be an ok place and some manners. He thinks anything furry and small is a personal toy so the guinea pigs moved upstairs to Izzy's room for their personal safety!

Finally, a small stocking took place on Etsy today. Look for small scrappy diapers today! This Turtle Friends one is stunning!

Find this and more at http://www.etsy.com/shop/BBButtsDiapers

The next stocking later this week will have Halloween diapers for all the little goblins.

Now I need to get back to canning and get the first of the Halloween diapers completed!

Happy Fall people!

~Michelle

Getting back into the studio

It has been some time since I have blogged and our Facebook page has even been unusually quiet the past couple of weeks. Simply put, I hit my limit and was to a point defeated (and I apologize).

Back to school brought relief, new ambitions and promises but also a very busy schedule as well.  Most of you know I worked my butt off on a new project for my daughters hot lunch program and it rolled out just this past week with great success.

I was not quite prepared for all of the activity and time I needed to settle my daughter in, get my little man settled into a new routine, the final tasks of a program upstart, maintaining a home (that threw more than a couple of big curve balls at me), getting our garden harvest preserved (did you know a zucchini can double in size overnight?), a personal family situation that was beyond emotionally devastating and on and on it goes all without my husband who was away at rehab for his injury the past 2 1/2 months. 

My little man is "busy" to say the least. He is a mostly typical 4 1/2 year old boy but he is also is 100% gogogo...literally I go to the bathroom and fear what I will return to. Today it was a chocolate cake mix he had in a bowl had added water and cracked an egg into. The water actually looked close to the 1c called for and with 2 more eggs added by me, he stirred it up and we baked it for his sister. He is so proud. He is so smart, too smart, and this makes him "busy". By time he fell asleep by 9ish, I too, was DONE! I simply have not had enough hours in the day to get to the studio and I feel horrible but it was what gave.

HOWEVER, my husband came home from rehab today!!!! He goes back to work a few hours a day for the next week then gradually adds in an hour or so. He has not worked for 15 months as of Thursday on his return. 

What does this mean, and why am I bothering to post it? Well it means that I will no longer have to deal with a flood over two stories and a crawlspace from the toilet line breaking alone, or do the yard work, or all of the baths, or stay up to holler at kids to get into bed for 2 hours, or, or, or...you get the drift. I will have HELP! I may get to have a shower of more than 45 seconds and without mortal fear. 

I WILL BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE STUDIO!!!!!

First up I have a few scrappy diapers that a few of you wanted. I will be getting to those as a first order of business this weekend (need a day or so to reunite as a family). I need to stock items...I tried a couple of times..but when I loaded my editing program on the new computer the updates changed the way I did things and I could no longer save them in a file type that Etsy would allow as an upload. I need to dig the old computer out and do some editing and should have some scrappy diapers up on Etsy within a week for you. Next sewing goal is some Halloween items. Some of these will be done as semi customs so watch the wall for posts and options along with pricing.

I just wanted to thank those that had stuck with the page. THANK YOU!!! I see the count has dropped dramatically but it is the ones (you) who are there that counts! Do you want the daily motivational / child engagement posts to continue (get going again)? Let me know what you would like to see from the page as we get into a now groove!

~Michelle

As Summer comes to a close...

I am taking the kids camping for one final week.

I truly look forward to these times. There is no technology, no phones, cells, tv nor gaming devices. We stay in a rustic log cabin that is outfitted with reclaimed camper appliances (stove and mini fridge). I boil water to do dishes and by time I am done cleaning up one meal it is nearly time to begin the next lol.

I will take the kids fishing, we will go on nature hikes and generally just hang out. The best part....the view! I LOVE to pull a chair onto the tiny deck and sit knitting while watching the kids at play.

Once I return, there will be a "Scrappy" stocking on Etsy for Sept 5th. Look for gems like this beautiful rainbow AIO to be listed.

See you on the other side of the long weekend. Enjoy this final week of the summer season!

~Michelle

Canada Day Celebrations!!

It was not a coincidence that I said I would announce the referral contest winners today. It IS Canada Day after all and needs to be celebrated! Happy 145th Birthday to Canada. It is easy for me to remember as I was born in the Centennial year.

For the celebratory part how about we give out some BB Butts Bucks shall we?

A great big HUGE welcome to all of our new fans who arrived via our referral contest!!!  Thank you to all of the ladies who promoted it and sent their friends, family and fans our way. We sure do appreciate it.

The winners are....

Of the $25 BB Butts Bucks to a new fan from the referral contest : Caycee Jopling

The Referrers win:

Cloth 4 a Cause (Ashley Breuer) 7 BB Butts Bucks
Heather Mahan 12 BB Butts Bucks
Lisa Kuhl  (The Secret Life of a SAHM) 20 BB Butts Bucks
Erin Slocum (For Him and My Family) 22 BB Butts Bucks
Ashley Suzanne 50 BB Butts Bucks (cap reached)

Bonus Prize of $25 BB Butts Bucks for referrers who send over 50 new fans: Ashley Suzanne

That is a total of $161 in BB Butts Bucks!! :)  Prizes need to be claimed by Friday July 6th. I am giving more time than usual recognizing it is both the Canadian and US holidays this week. To claim, post here on the blog, post on the Facebook wall or message me. They do NOT have to be used by Friday, they are good for as long as the program is in place and can accumulate with other BB Butts Bucks you win in other events and be used in combination. BB Butts Bucks are to be used on regular priced product only and cannot be used on sale items or for shipping. Custom orders are acceptable.

If you know you will not be using your BB Butts Bucks, please do not let them go to waste! I support a local charity called Cloth 4 a Cause. They provide cloth diapers for families in need by way of a loaner program. I have sent both my own kids used diapers, all my shop seconds and some extras to them to provide to other families. They use BB Butts Bucks to buy additional new diapers to help their program expand.

Prizes not claimed in the allotted time will be donated to Cloth 4 a Cause.

Thank you ALL for participating and being part of the BB Butts community!

~Michelle

What goes on during "closed to customs"?

Around here A LOT!!!


It has been a crazy insane two weeks...one I am glad that are coming to a close, I could really use another two more!

We have been renovating our home...extensively over the past several months. First the main floor and kitchen then more recently the exterior.

This was the before. Pretty fugly huh? Like three boxes all stacked on aside the next and the "high tower" down on the end, well it is high! The deck was a nightmare and with over 300kids at Halloween it gave me chills each year.

This is the same view now as it stands. The house was so high I was aiming to "bring it down to earth". The darker color and stone work on the far end all help to do that. There still has to be shakes added to the gable but hey are on back order until the end of the week.  The garage door was moved over and the new deck will also go on this week. The landscaping will have to be changed up but I am waiting for the contractors to finish it all up. What was once there is trampled and had suffered over the past couple of years as I had not kept us due to having many surgeries.

The back of the house looks much better as well. The shakes in the gable really break up things and once we get our gazebo back up I will spend lots of time on the deck gazing at the river! Yes, the deck will be re stained..the green will be replaced with the same color that the house is, I found a perfect match!

Meet Bentley! On day one of construction we brought him home as an almost 7 week old pup.  Yes, I am insane, and yes I am feeling the effects of it. I swear I have "mommy brain" again and DESPERATELY want just one second to myself.

He is a real joy however, beautiful temperament and smart as a whip! He is a golden retriever Shepherd cross and he had never seen the interior of a house when we brought him home.

Also during all of this, I have been trying (with the help of a few amazing souls) to get a new food program in place at our school. It is one that served farm fresh local foods as a priority with a protein, whole grain, 4-6 veggies and 3-4 fruits salad bar style at each lunch.

It is a major undertaking that is wholly volunteer parent driven. We have had to get permission from the school district to do it and are solely responsible for finding the funding for it as well.

I have been doing presentations and having meetings with local farmers,  business, service groups, our local and provincial politicians and anyone else that we can form a partnership with. I will be working on helping one of our amazing volunteers who is doing our grant writing and tomorrow I will, at the Mayor's request, be making a presentation to the Town Council then run across the street to the school Board to see how we fit into their budget approval.

This is the lunch we served on Thursday for our Community Engagement Luncheon.

Squeezed in was a few custom orders and some catching up after my snap press parts went missing. Let's not forget that there is also the referral contest going on. Looks like I am going to be giving away LOTS of free items in July!

As you can see, there is so much more to life than my duties as a WAHM. I am also mom, wife, an avid volunteer, puppy trainer, CEO of the house and lately, a general contractor making sure all these projects are getting done, that my vision is happening, and it is staying on time and within budget. It has certainly has been a ride the past couple of weeks, but one that will pay off in dividends.

I sincerely thank a few of you who have been rolling around on this journey with me, from crazy texts that do not make sense, to delayed orders due to the press, and a general lack or organization...THANK YOU for your patience.


~Michelle

Contest Time!

Even though we are closed for custom orders right now due to a very busy home life, there is still FUN to be had!

I am noticing our fan count is slowly decreasing and would like to turn that around. I need your help to bring quality (by that I mean customers potentially interested in our product lines) new fans to join our page ... and would like to reward you in doing so!

Let's do a referral promo! This is one where you can earn LOTS of store credit potentially..it is really only limited by how many successful referrals you make!

For the remaining portion of the month of June, every NEW fan you bring to BB Butts Diapers Facebook page will earn you $1 BB Butt Buck. You invite the new friend ( we have an invite your friends app on the page to make it easy) and when they join they simply make a post on the page telling me who sent them. YOU need to make a comment to this post with your name (just once) so the contest is over here on the blog. Need to keep Facebook happy ;)

 I will tally the BB Butt Bucks and award them on July 1st (pal must still be a fan of the page). Easy Peasy as my 7 year old says!! I am going to cap the award at $50 BB Butts Bucks/ person. If you get more than 50 people though, I will enter you into a random draw for $25 more BB Butts Bucks for a total of $75 BB Butts Bucks! How sweet is that??!!??

On July 1st all of the new fans will be entered via random.org to get  $25 BB Butts Bucks to get them started on their shopping!

Get those referrals happening and share a little BB Butts Love!