Learning

There are so many things to learn about a new business, until you hit your first year mark I think a business is still very new.

I like to think that I did a good job with keeping every receipt that I ever got when it came to business stuff. I understand a lot better how to arrange them all now than when I started, which is a good thing because there are a lot of them!

Then there's marketing. Whew, marketing is something that I don't think I'll ever be anywhere close to perfect with. I have a facebook page, a tumblr, a twitter, an etsy shop, a blog (you're reading it).... I'm thinking about a Pintrest account too. Still playing with that though. It's really a lot to keep up with! Do any of you use Pintrest? What do you think of it?

Tea Balls

Also known as "tea steepers" or "infusers" this nifty little tea balls are a great way to brew loose leaf tea.

Especially when they're decorated with handmade lampwork beads! 

Cranberry Pink with Goldstone designs. Available on Etsy.

Metallic shades of gold blue and purple over a magenta base. Available soon.

Periwinkle blue swirled with grass green and encased in clear. Available soon.

Deep pink overlaid with metallic blues and purples. Available on Etsy.

Organic ivory yellow with shocks of purple and green. Available on Etsy.

Purple with mirrored silvers and golds. Available on Etsy.

Ivory and blue. Available on Etsy.

Things I've Been Doing

Here are some of the things I've been working on:

Kickstarter #2 successfully finished.

Started a Tumblr.

Working on all sorts of Etsy stuff for Dryad Tea.

Getting ready for holiday tea parties.

Lots of cleaning.

Sewing. Less than I want, but more than I was.

Finally!

I haven't been so happy to be this close to the end of a project in a very long time. Tonight I finished all of the things for the Kickstarter. Yes, that Kickstarter. The one that came to life back in April and promptly ate my soul.
Well there's the end of the tunnel. After 7 total supply orders, countless cursing and test tasting, getting opinions and running around like an insane person. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Tomorrow I finish packing the boxes.

See, I managed to get most all of it done in stages, up to the $60 rewards. But when looking at what I had left, I couldn't do it in stages. I had to put nose to the grindstone as it were... and I packed and packed and packed. I blended and prayed.

It's really exciting to be honest.

Will I do it again? Probably. I have too many ideas swimming in this brain not to. Will it be soon? Probably not. Maybe in two months? Maybe next year? Who knows. All I know, is that I have SJ Tucker songs on my brain, screaming to be brewed into tea. Oh yeah, and I have her permission. :)