Monday, August 17, 2009

Hall of Fame {Perfect Sentiment}

Before I begin, I must say how much I enjoy doing these interviews. I love to see how each individual interprets my questions and answers them in their own, unique way. It's like getting to know a new friend every week. What a blessing! Thank you to each of you for making this possible.

Today, I'm so happy to introduce you to my friend, Erin, the lovely lady behind Perfect Sentiment. It all started a couple of months ago when I happened upon the Perfect Sentiment blog through the b-line. I was immediately taken in by the bright colors, articulate posts, and overall cheeriness. Naturally, I became a follower so that I could stay up-to-date. Later that day, I was contacted by Erin herself to tell me that I was her 100th follower, and she so graciously sent me some of her beautiful notecards. Now, her inspirational blog has nearly 200 followers. You wouldn't expect any less from a woman whose motto is, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." She did, indeed, lift me up when I was feeling down. Thank you, Erin!

♥ ♥ ♥

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I'm a wife to an incredible man, a mom to two awesome kiddos (6 and 2 years old), and have a loving extended family on both sides who claim me. I love my life and consider myself one blessed gal.

Where do you call home? Are you from there originally?
I'm a Texan, born and raised.

What made you decide to open up shop?
After my daughter was born, I could not wait to send out one of those Christmas cards with her picture on it. When I couldn't find what I was looking for (for a price I was willing to pay), I decided to make my own. I fiddled around on the computer for a while and came up with my first card. I honed my newly acquired craft on her birthday card and some others, I started creating birth announcements and Christmas cards for friends. There wasn't ever really a plan to turn it into a business, until a friend of a friend (or so) asked me to make a birthday invitation. I decided I might should at least set a price. A few other word of mouth orders came in before I very loosely started Perfect Sentiment. Up until about a year and a half ago, PS was very neglected. I love, love the creative side of things, but I'm not a natural business person. I just recently decided to start paying some overdue attention to it and stop waiting for the perfect timing/line/idea. While most of my business is local, the blog (and some encouraging friends) gave me the confidence to open my Etsy shop. It's still evolving and I'm definitely still learning, but I'm fully enjoying the journey. I've just recently started offering downloadable print-your-own goodies and have more in the works. I have so many ideas... I hope to expand my shop some more in the near future.
What's the significance behind the name Perfect Sentiment?
I got stuck on the letters P.S. I love how they are casually added to the end of a handwritten letter to say one last thing. It adds such a personal touch to a note. I started brainstorming words that could play off of those two letters. I came up with 'sentiment' right away. I love the way it sounds and looks written, and Merriam Webster sold me on it with the meaning: "an emotion. a refined feeling: a delicate sensibility, especially as expressed in a work of art".Then I just needed a 'P' adjective to go along with it. When I looked up 'perfect' in the dictionary and saw these two definitions I was sold: "completely suited for a particular purpose or situation" and "excellent and delightful in all respects". When you put them together you get, a delightful, emotional work of art completely suited for a particular purpose: the Perfect Sentiment!

Name your favorite thing about selling handmade.
It's definitely the company I get to keep... I am continually amazed and inspired by the shear amount of creativity out there and the people behind the crafts.

Do you have a day job or sell on Etsy full-time?
Right now being a mom to my two kiddos is primary. I love that I get to be creative through my little business. I feel fulfilled by getting to tap into that on a daily basis. Prior to kids and Perfect Sentiment, I was a teacher and an educational travel consultant.
You write a beautiful blog. Where does your inspiration come from?
Thank you so much! My blog just sort of took on a life of its own. When I was creating my website there was a space on the first page where they suggested I link to my blog. A blog? That was way outside my comfort zone, but I decided I could start one and just post things related to my business. I took a few baby steps outside the ole comfort zone, and it just sort of grew into what you see now. It's kind of a happy little spot for me. The people who leave comments are inspiring to me. Occasionally I get this strange feeling like, "Oh my goodness. I have a blog. And people read it. Why in the world would they do that for?", but I thoroughly enjoy it and and love the positive vibe that I feel from it. I think that's the inspiration: to be positive and spread that around. And I think I get it back ten-fold by the folks who share their thoughts with me.

Give us a little glimpse into what a typical day in your life looks like.
Ideally my day starts well before the kids get up. I like to have time to collect myself, have coffee with my hubby (one of my very favorite ways to spend time), and get some blog-reading time on the computer. Then the kids are up and it's mommy mode/errand running/play dates/house stuff. Nap-time is my dedicated Perfect Sentiment block of time when I create, fill orders, and the likes. Then it's back to kid focused time and dinner prep. When hubby gets home it's dinner and family time. At night, we usually each take a kid for baths, reading and bedtime. We regroup and hang out together after they're asleep. This is when I get a surge of energy and stay up way too late. I usually update my blog for the next day and work the PTA newsletter (I'm volunteer editor) after hubby goes to bed. Then it's a bit of reading before it's lights out for me.

If you had to describe yourself in a word, what would that word be?
Hmmm... That's hard. How about thoughtful? I think that works for me in two ways: I try to keep other's feelings on the forefront, and I also tend to over-think all of my decisions.

List a few of your most favorite pastimes.
reading, shopping, flea marketing, traveling (at least it was before kids!), hanging out with my girlfriends
Share with us a favorite Etsy purchase or shop.
I've been on a spending hiatus of sorts for the past 8 months, so I haven't made many purchases at all. I did breakdown and purchase this print while on hiatus and I love it! And I've been so very lucky to have won some mighty cool things from some awesome shops through a few giveaways. I've got so many items and sellers heart-ed that Christmas shopping is going to be a breeze. I'm so looking forward to making these future purchases from Etsy.

Read any good books lately?
The Last Lecture by Randy Paucsh was excellent. Right now I'm reading Bel Canto by Ann Patchett and I'm not quite ready to make a recommendation either way on it.

What is your most prized possession?
My family. That shouldn't really count as a possession, but I'm going to go with them anyway. I am just continually amazed by this little unit that we've created. It overwhelms me.

What are three of your favorite foods?
chocolate, coffee, cheeseburgers

What would you like to learn to do?
I would love to learn the art of photography. I think someday I'd like to learn how to sew as well, but I think that's a ways off for now.
What are you listening to right now?
Kings of Leon and Jack Johnson are some current faves. My daughter is really into Annie right now, so the Annie soundtrack is getting a lot of playtime. "The sun'll come out tomorrow..." has been stuck in my head for days!

Name one place you must visit in your lifetime and why.
Costa Rica. We almost went there for our honeymoon but decided we'd save it and go on our tenth wedding anniversary. At the 10 year mark, we had a newborn so it remains on the must see list. And Prague is another. We were supposed to go there while on a trip to Europe, but the rail was under water at the time. I think it would be a perfect place to just hang out. Oh, and I'd really love to go winery hopping in California. Okay, so that was more than one place, but I just couldn't narrow it down!

Thank you so much, Erin, for taking part in the interview. I enjoyed getting to know you better!

♥ ♥ ♥

Time for a Giveaway!
This week's lucky winner gets an adorable Little Bird Stationary Set, complete with 10 notecards, 10 gift tags/calling cards, and 10 stickers. Wow! The notecards are two-sided with coordinating backs and say "oh happy day" along with a wee bird on a branch.
{Click the photo to enlarge}

Since it's that time of year, to enter, simply leave a comment with your favorite back to school supply.

Be sure to include your name and email address or Etsy username!

For extra entries you can:
Tweet this giveaway: 2 additional entries
Follow my blog and/or Erin's Blog: 5 additional entries
Blog about this interview/contest: 7 additional entries
Purchase from Perfect Sentiment: 10 additional entries

(Please include this info, if applicable, with your comment for additional entries. You do not need to leave separate comments for additional entries. Important: Don't forget to include your name and contact info!)

Contest ends Sunday, August 23rd at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be chosen by traditional drawing and will be announced Monday, August 24th.

109 comments:

Jenny said...

I love the Little Bird stationary set! So cute! Erin's site and etsy shop are so cute. Her blog is one of my "must reads".
My favorite back to school supply is the backpack.

CourtneyJo said...

My favorite school supply to buy at the beginning of the year are those different colored pens (blue, green, and pink)!! my faveeeee!
thanks for the op!
xoxo
courtney
cjyager07@yahoo.com

CourtneyJo said...

1.
I tweeted about this giveaway!!

http://twitter.com/cjyager

xoxo.
courtney

CourtneyJo said...

2.
http://twitter.com/cjyager

Courtney

CourtneyJo said...

Im following your blog now too!!!
xoxo
courtney

Erin said...

I always loved getting a ruler. It was a challenge to find a really cool one.
erin_melissa@juno.com

Heather said...

Love getting fresh pencils to sharpen!

heatherdemke(at)gmail(dot)com

TopHat said...

My favorite school supply is paper clips. They come in so many varieties nowadays!

Anonymous said...

Pencils are our fave school supply because every year we have fun finding pencils with unusual designs!
Zoe0825@verizon.net

JLR Designs said...

Pencils are my favorite back-to-school supply. The freshness of a new box of pencils (colored or regular) really remind me of the fresh start you get to the year :)

jw@jlr-designs.com

Beth said...

My favorite school supply is a day planner. I like to decorate mine and make each subject that is due a specific color. Can't live without! :)
~Beth
bethanyev@gmail.com

Lindsay said...

Crayons!!! I keep them at my work desk now, sometimes its just soothing to color

Lindsay said...

blogged about it! - http://giveawaysentries.blogspot.com/2009/08/81709.html

janetfaye said...

All different kinds of pens are my favorite school supply.

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

1. I follow your blog - janetfaye

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

2. I follow your blog - janetfaye

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

3. I follow your blog - janetfaye

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

4. I follow your blog - janetfaye

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

5. I follow your blog - janetfaye

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

1. Tweet:
http://twitter.com/Janetfaye/status/3374766228

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

2. Tweet:
http://twitter.com/Janetfaye/status/3374766228

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

1. Blogged:
http://blog-giveaways.blogspot.com/2009/08/sunshine-studio-hall-of-fame-perfect.html

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

2. Blogged:
http://blog-giveaways.blogspot.com/2009/08/sunshine-studio-hall-of-fame-perfect.html

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

3. Blogged:
http://blog-giveaways.blogspot.com/2009/08/sunshine-studio-hall-of-fame-perfect.html

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

4. Blogged:
http://blog-giveaways.blogspot.com/2009/08/sunshine-studio-hall-of-fame-perfect.html

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

5. Blogged:
http://blog-giveaways.blogspot.com/2009/08/sunshine-studio-hall-of-fame-perfect.html

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

6. Blogged:
http://blog-giveaways.blogspot.com/2009/08/sunshine-studio-hall-of-fame-perfect.html

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

janetfaye said...

7. Blogged:
http://blog-giveaways.blogspot.com/2009/08/sunshine-studio-hall-of-fame-perfect.html

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

My favourite school supply is pens.
wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

I just became a follower of your blog.
wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com

Amber said...

Binders are my favorite school supply because they help me stay organized!
Thank you for the giveaway :)
hurdler4eva(at)gmail(dot)com

Chelsey said...

I can only pick one school supply? I like them all! Some of my favourites are zippered binders and pens and pencil tins. I'm especially excited about my daughter's metal lunch box that I haven't given her for grade one yet. Thanks for the giveaway. mybabyappleseed(at)yahoo(dot)ca

Anonymous said...

I love school supply shopping! It's hard to choose just one favorite...but I love choosing a plan book! There are cute ones available!

Anonymous said...

I tweeted 1
http://twitter.com/amo11314/status/3376620482

Anonymous said...

I tweeted 2
http://twitter.com/amo11314/status/3376620482

Kat C. said...

My favorite are highlighters! i have them in all colors~ makes school life less boring really :)

katch05 at gmail dot com

anninja said...

My favorite supply was the backpack itself, I didn't get a new one every year, so when I finally got to choose one, I was extremely happy

annasgarbage@yahoo.com

anninja said...

I follow your blog - #1

annasgarbage@yahoo.com

anninja said...

I follow your blog - #2

annasgarbage@yahoo.com

Jill GG said...

Fun little interview Erin! I love it!

anninja said...

I follow your blog - #3

annasgarbage@yahoo.com

anninja said...

I follow your blog - #4

annasgarbage@yahoo.com

Suburban prep said...

I just found Smencils. (they are pencils that have smells to them). My sister got them for her 6 yr old daughter to have at school for first grade this year. What a way to keep a child writing.

msgb245 at gmail dot com

Olivia said...

I loved the grade school composition books! Always loved writing in them both in AND out of school!

Olivia said...

I follow Erin's blog, Perfect Sentiment!

mary plus vince said...

i LOVE notebooks! i could buy 50 a day, hehe! by far my favorite school supply. and pens of course, so i can write in my lovely notebooks!

i also tweeted this, and am following both of your blogs! :D

mary elizabeth
maryoveson@gmail.com

Megan A. @ Megan Homemade said...

I love colored pencils!

Anonymous said...

I love the totebags and lunch boxes!

Charity said...

I love sharpened pencils!

Kelly said...

I love binders and folders. I am a follower of Erin's Blog!!
What a great conversation and a perfect way to get to know more about Erin!

christina said...

I love this interview! I'm always so inspired and uplifted through Erin's blog. And it's great to get to know her better.

Oh, an I'm a follower of Erin's blog. :)

Unknown said...

My favorite back to school supply is markers and crayons. =] I love labeling school supplies, my family always made me do it. =]

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I tweeted here:
http://twitter.com/soypea/status/3386254089

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

tweet #2

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Follower #2

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Follower #3

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Follower #4

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Follower #5

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I blogged about this giveaway:
http://soypea.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-giveaways.html

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Blog #2

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Blog #3

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Blog #4

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Blog #5

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Blog #6

soypea@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Blog #7

soypea@gmail.com

Sydney said...

My favorite back to school item was always sharpies, I'm a bit of a doodler :)

**I follow your blog**

**I follow Erin's blog**

Sydney S
sszumski @ Etsy

Marjorie said...

Spiral notebooks and highlighters

♥ meninheira ♥ said...

My favorite back-to-school supply are the new books!! They smell so good! :)

meninheira at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

My favorite school supplies are definitely folders; I need to keep everything organized.

urchiken at gmail dot com

Lyndsay said...

Lovely stuff! And what a great blog too!
I love the colors of this little birdie stationary!

My favorite back to school supplies were pencil crayons (or colored pencils to some)! I loved opening a box of freshly sharpened pencils, ready to start coloring with!

Lyndsay said...

Am tweeting this too @louloubellsews!

Debra said...

Definitely crayons! Oh I love crayons - all those colors. HeeHee

Thanks

Christina said...

oh yay, how exciting erin! i definitely agree that "thoughtful" is a word i would definitely use to describe you.

Cindy said...

My favorite school supply are color pencils!

juz_cindy0720@yahoo.com

Cindy said...

am following your blog :)

juz_cindy0720@yahoo.com

ourlittlelovenest said...

oh my goodness! You are such a sweetie, Erin! Thank you! ;)

Unknown said...

My favorite back to school supply is my planner. I love trying to find a cute planner.

agafford6@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I tweeted at http://twitter.com/amandagaff/statuses/3419646348.

agafford6@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I follow your blog and Erin's blog.

agafford6@gmail.com

Amy said...

Thanks for this contest! My favorite back to school supply was the Chandler's assignment notebook. I'm so sad they went out of business!

Aik said...

Notebooks and memo pads! I need them to remind me of the things I need to do ASAP!

aikychien at yahoo dot com

Aik said...

I tweeted about this giveaway. Here’s the link:

http://twitter.com/aikchien/status/3424416885

aikychien at yahoo dot com

Aik said...

I'm a follower. Please visit my blog and be a follower too if you like. I'm having a giveaway on my blog right now! Thanks!

http://aik-friendsnfamily.blogspot.com

aikychien at yahoo dot com

Lynne said...

I love the smell of freshly sharpened pencils.

lynne at fairpoint dot net

jaquelyn {mama thoughts} said...

I like pens and notebooks. Perfect-tipped, 0.5 pens and an adorable notebook=me being happy. =) Love the stationary! And I follow you blog, too! Yay! =)

thesweetestpetunia@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

So cute! My favorite school supply has always been a fresh, smooth, black pen.

Thanks!
Tracy
tls0118(at)hotmail.com

Melanie @ Whimsical Creations said...

My favorite back to school supply are new crayons.

=) melanie
http://melaniescrafts.blogspot.com
melanieadey at hotmail dot com

Unknown said...

Highlighters...
jswandrn @ gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hi. I followed you and tweeted you! thats 7 entries :) My fave school supply is a crisp #2 Pencil!

brockandsarahj at gmail dot com

stitch said...

My favorite school supply is binders, because they can hold a lot of papers and keep them all neat.
I'm follwing Erin's blog now.

trixx said...

I've always loved getting a new lunchbox every year. It was the one school supply that didn't have anything to do with homework!

trixpixel(at)gmail.com

trixx said...

I follow! trixpixel(at)gmail.com

trixx said...

I follow! 2 trixpixel(at)gmail.com

trixx said...

I follow! 3 trixpixel(at)gmail.com

trixx said...

I follow! 4 trixpixel(at)gmail.com

trixx said...

I follow! 5 trixpixel(at)gmail.com

balanced. said...

Anything I could doodle with... new pens, pencils, markers, crayons.

Rachel
admin@balancedcrafts.com

sabrita said...

I have a thing for spiral notebooks. They are available in so many sizes and have such cool covers these days. I love collecting them,

Peggy said...

I love all the new and different pens!
Thanks
matternu@aol.com

Peggy said...

Follow blog
matternu@aol.com

Peggy said...

tweet
http://twitter.com/velvet1116/status/3490442309
matternu@aol.com

Peggy said...

tweet #2
http://twitter.com/velvet1116/status/3490442309
matternu@aol.com

Tylerpants said...

My favorite back to school supply is the ruler. It's all about the straight lines! ;)

tylerpants(at)gmail.com

Tylerpants said...

I follow both blogs #1

Tylerpants said...

I follow both blogs #2

Tylerpants said...

I follow both blogs #3

Tylerpants said...

I follow both blogs #4

Tylerpants said...

I follow both blogs #5

Jblanton said...

love your site- very nice. I also love your little birds stationary
my favorite back to school is the backpack