The NorthWesternBelle

Turns out I skipped right over Issue 11, September 2018. So, let's start there! First of all let me say, I am so enjoying the colder weather. I mean, it's that time of year where you think it'll be okay to wear warm clothes because it's chilly af in the morning, but then the afternoon rolls around and you regret it very much, but I am grateful that it's no longer ridiculously hot and humid.  Honey B's birthday is on September 11, so we got crafty for her! Lil Boy helped me make bath bombs for her, then ruined the surprise when he talked to her on the phone a few days before her birthday. She still loved them, though. They smell AMAZING.  C made her some soap, which was his first time working with soap. It turned out incredibly, of course, because his chef skills cross over to soap making quite nicely.  Do NOT Eat. This is soap. And how freaking cute are the little berries on top?? Those are molds we've got at Craft and STEM; he a...

Hey there! What? It's August 4? Oh, well you're gonna have to excuse me for being a little late. I'm sure you understand. You're awesome, and thanks for reading! We kept plenty busy in July, with Craft and STEM opening on the 10th, exactly three months after we signed the lease for the space. Three months of construction is really not bad, though it took longer than we would have liked. But the space is up and running, functioning beautifully, and you should definitely stop by if you haven't already. We welcomed a new member of the Belnap Family on July 7! Sir Aaron <3 He's such a sweetie! We now have kiddos' birthdays on July 6, 7, 8 and 15. Still no July 4 birthday. Maybe next time. Speaking of birthdays...this lil guy turned 7 in July: aka Finn the Human We also had an early birthday party for this lil gal: Complete with custom-made Jessie shirt He's not the youngest nibling anymore, but dang is he cute! ...

I intentionally put off publishing this month's newsletter because I was hoping to share good news on about....yesterday. As is the case so far, though, there are yet more delays. So, I guess I'll just go ahead and stop teasing y'all, seeing as it has been six months since I gained financial independence (hey, thanks past-self, devising an easy way to keep track!), and we are soooooooo close to completing step 1 of our master plan. You see, we are trying to secure a lease on a building with sufficient power for our needs. We've been actively looking at properties and working with commercial realtors and electricians since January to find a place, and we've been held up by the lack of sufficient amperage in anything less than 10,000 square feet. So far we have only come across one property, in desperate need of upgrade (seriously, crumbling) in a shady part of downtown, that was already equipped with more than enough power. Everything else has been barely enough,...

Welcome to March! February was too short, but March is already looking like an exciting one. More on that later. February's recap is in video form! It's mostly video captured via IG Stories, but there's also some photos that haven't been posted yet. Enjoy. I know I teased y'all last month with hints of big things to come. Said thing are still in the works, but I'm also still reluctant to go into too much detail about it, bc I'm superstitious, I guess? Or I've just learned over the last 10 years that failure is a humbling experience. Being an entrepreneur is not an easy road, but it's one that I want to travel. I took the easy road for 12 years, and spoiler! It only looks easy. It's actually demoralizing, stressful and not the environment in which I can thrive. So, the big things to come involve creating an environment in which I want to spend all my time, surrounded by stuff and people that give me the ability to create art and useful stu...

Happy New Year! I dunno about you, but I'm so glad that 2017 is over. Good riddance to bad rubbish! That being said, let's review December 2017 real quick: I literally spent the month crocheting 12 socks (6 pairs) for a dear friend, and working at my new job (more on that in a minute). I had never made socks before, and it was a process. I used a D-hook for the first eight, and I regret it immensely. I moved up to an F-hook for the last four, and they went a bit faster. I was up until 2:30 am on Christmas Eve's Eve finishing them. The variegated pattern was unique on each one. I love that! Yarn birth: when your ball of yarn gives birth to smaller balls of yarn. Candy was by my side a lot of the time, and particularly liked this sock. Finally done. Obligatory artsy photo. I also finished the rest of the Pet Mugs, about which I will be blogging and making a video soon enough. I spent Fridays, Saturdays and some other weekdays in December at ...

Holy crap, y'all. It's December. I swear it was just June, like, yesterday. November was an exciting month, full of all the things I love to do. Not having to wake up at the asscrack of dawn is fantastic, and being my own boss is everything I've ever wanted. Being able to see my baby off to school each morning, and picking him up in the afternoon (most days) has surely perplexed the bus driver (he hasn't asked about it or anything, though, so I guess he just assumes correctly), but I love it. Having hours to focus on my own work, doing exactly whatever floats my boat; it's seriously the best thing ever. I'll never, ever give up this freedom. You're probably going to be shocked to learn that I did a LOT of pottery in November. You're not? Well, then, you know me. I finished the Pot Bellied Tea Mugs for my sister, and took on my very first pottery commission project (which, I just realized, I never actually published anything about yet; I've only ...

The NorthWesternBelle Issue 1 November 2017 Welcome to my monthly newsletter! This is the first one, obviously, so it's probably going to look different than any other ones to come. I have been planning on doing a newsletter for the last six months, but could not find the time to design what I wanted it to look like. Which brings us to the first bit of news: I am now unemployed! For the first time in my adult life, I am not employed. I worked for the same company for nearly 12 years; in fact, they let me go one day before my 12 year anniversary date. So, without 40+ hours of someone else's work to do, I have the time to focus on my own. Is it terrifying? Yes. But, it's also exhilarating and liberating! I am excited for the opportunity to truly focus on work that is fulfilling and satisfying. So, this month is going to be about pottery! When I saw my instructor in class last night, she was very supportive and encouraged me to come work at the studio ...