the button club
Hello friends! I hope you are all enjoying the beginning of the long holiday weekend, and soaking up the last bits of summer. My Saturday has been fairly quiet, with just a quick visit to the Farmers Market this morning. I know I don’t usually blog on the weekend, but I’m excited today because I have something really fun to share with you.
Over the course of the past month, I’ve been working fulltime from home on my business, restructuring and organizing some of the behind-the-scenes functions. I have big plans for Emmy Lu, my digital stationery shop, and I will soon be launching a personal site for the freelance design portion of my business. I’ve also been busy working on this blog. I have some design updates in the works, and I’ve established a routine for updating so the sidebar will be full of fun, fresh content on a regular basis. However, the biggest change I’d like to implement here on b*spoke is the addition of what I’m calling The Button Club.
I know that several of my readers are also fellow bloggers and small business owners. I’ve found that many of you have Etsy shops, personal blogs, or creative services offered to the public. I also know what it’s like to be passionate about what about you do, and yet unsure how to get the word out. The internet is a big place, and I’m always striving to find ways to make it a little smaller and more personal. That’s what The Button Club is all about.
It’s a way to connect with each other, and a way to spread the word about the small businesses, blogs or shops that each of us have big dreams for. I’d like to think that members of The Button Club could become friends, mentors, and cheerleaders for each other, and this that group, if geography permitted, would get together on Saturday mornings for coffee or tea and conversations about creativity, business ownership, and blogging.
The Button Club will have it’s online home here at b*spoke. First of all, each member will have a button on the sidebar, which can link to their shop, site or blog. Secondly, I will be sending monthly emails to Button Club members with one question for them to ponder and answer. The intention of the question is to help members discover and showcase the elements of their business/blog/shop that make them unique and marketable. Answers will be featured in a monthly Button Club post, which will introduce and highlight members to b*spoke readers. The intent of the monthly post is that readers get to know members more personally and that they learn what makes members’ businesses/blogs/shops worth visiting. I also hope to encourage members to reach out to each other in more personal ways. Asking questions and connecting with other like-minded individuals online is one of the best ways to grow your business/blog/shop! In the future, I hope to possibly schedule meet-ups for local members, and find more ways for national/international members to connect online.
Membership in The Button Club will be monthly, so you don’t have to worry about signing up for something long-term if it doesn’t work for you. To kick things off on the right foot, I’ve decided that the cost will only be $15/month, or $40 for three months. My goal is to create an affordable and effective means of marketing yourself to others, in a fun and personal way.
If you’re interested, or have questions, please email me directly at bethany(at)bspokeblog(dot)com. If you don’t have a button or the capability to design one, I will be offering button designs for $40 each. The artwork will be yours to keep, and I will send all files to you via email upon completion. I hope to launch the first month of The Button Club within the next few weeks, so please email me soon to secure your spot!
etc. {doodles, faves & fighter verses}
Hey! Happy Monday to all of you wonderful people! I’m back from a crazy, hectic weekend that has me excited and energized about some amazing opportunities ahead. I’m in the midst of collaborating with some very talented and fantastic creatives, and can’t wait to see where all of this goes. Meanwhile, here on the b*spoke, I have a few fun things to mention and point out.
Today is the first day of February, and I am so glad to finally be able to post the new blog header. Do you see it? If not, just refresh a couple times and it should show up. Now, I know it’s nothing spectacular, but I am in love with the subtle colors and textures here. I’m also excited because I finally did something I’ve been thinking about for a long, long time. I went to the store, and I purchased watercolor paper, artists ink pens and some new brushes. Then I came home and started playing. I don’t often have time to spend on this type of thing, but I realize more than ever that time has to be carved out for creativity to take place. It’s easy for me to get into a rut where all of my design and creation happens on screen, so it was entirely freeing and inspiring to pick up my paintbrush and allow myself to explore a bit. I’m not sure where I’m headed with this, but for now, I am just happy to be sharing a little bit of the doodles that are starting to fill my sketchbook. I hope you like the new header as well! I am going to try to paint and/or draw something new for it each month.
You may have noticed that the sidebar got a bit of a facelift over the past week or so. I’ve added a b*heard box that includes all the ways you can contact me. I am 100% interested in getting to know you! Send me your stories, your photos, questions… anything! It really makes my day to see your comments on posts or your emails in my inbox. I love learning more about my readers and what makes you tick.
I also have added a place for quick links to some of the most popular posts here on b*spoke. I plan to keep adding to this, but here are some of the current faves so far. Additionally, I added a place to let you all know what I’m reading these days. If you can’t tell, I am a big fan of John Piper and am in the middle of a few of his books right now. I’m going to talk more about this little section tomorrow, so stay tuned!
One of the things I am most excited to be sharing with you is this little box called “in my heart”. Here, you will find two Bible verses that I will update each week. These verses are ones that I am in the midst of memorizing, a.k.a. hiding in my heart. My church does a weekly “fighter verse”, and I have taken up the challenge this year of memorizing the sermon on the mount from Matthew 5 – 7. I am also memorizing other verses that just stand out to me. Memorizing is somethign that comes fairly easy to me, but still requires discipline. By having these verses on the sidebar, they are a constant reminder for me to be working on them. I hope that they will also offer you encouragement along the way!
I also want to point out the banners of my wonderful sponsors in the “Please Visit” section. Check out these wonderful sites for inspiration, amazing products and creative services! If you happen to have a business or blog you would like to promote, click over to our advertising page for more details on advertising here.
That’s all for today… I’ve got a full week of great posts planned, so stop by again!
merry christmas {reflections}
Merry Christmas, dear readers! I pray that you are each enjoying a blessed and beautiful day with your loved ones. I know that this can be a very difficult time of year for some, and so I pray also that those who have suffered loss of a family member, job, or home are comforted today in the knowledge of our wonderful Savior who came to this earth to offer Hope, Peace, Joy and Salvation.
I want to share a snippet of today’s entry from the devotional I have been reading over the past month, Pursing the Christ by Jennifer Kennedy Dean.
“Before the celebrations begin, let me turn my heart to You.
No gift has ever been so costly.
No gift has ever been so treasured.
No gift has ever been so precious.
No gift has ever been so perfectly suited to both my needs and desires.
Each gift that I give today only faintly reflects the part of Your nature that makes giving joyous.
Each gift that I receive today reminds me that I have received the most profound Gift that can ever be given, and I am filled with gratitude.
The joy I feel, as I am warmed by the presence of those I love, is nothing compared to the joy I have because You have fulfilled Your promise from of old and have given Your Son to be my Savior.
Today we will ooh and aah; we will hug and laugh and remember. We will enjoy each other’s presence. But You will be at the center of every thought. You will be taking pleasure in our company, as we take pleasure in Yours.
I pray this blessing over those whom You have placed into my life today: ‘Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit’ (Romans 15:13).”
I hope for all of you that those words can soak into your spirit and ring true today. Just to let you know, I will be taking next Monday off from blogging, but I will be back Tuesday to share some of the highlights and festivities from this Christmas break with my family!
*photo by EOS Boy on flickr
happy birthday {1 year!}
One year ago today, this blog was born. My, oh my, what a year it’s been!! In 12 short months, we went from reaching just a handful of readers, to being read across the globe by thousands. I am blown away by the road that this blog has taken me on. More significantly, I am so grateful and blessed by the many, many connections and friendships that have developed here. Thank you. For reading along, and for joining me on this journey.
I find myself thinking of this quote from one of my favorite films, You’ve Got Mail. “The odd thing about this form of communication is that you’re more likely to talk about nothing than something. But I just want to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings.”
A bit of reflection is always good for the soul, so today I want to share with you five of my favorite posts from the past year (not in any particular order of importance).
(1) Little Delights {Antique Postcard Collection} | I enjoy this post, not so much because of its great or profound content, but because it was one of the first times that I welcomed you into the cottage and showed you a snippet of my personal life. Additionally, I really love this collection, and to this day, it’s one of my favorite possessions.
(2) Thrifty Thursday {Book Art} | I have a strong affinity towards old books, and I tend to use them in my decorating. The best part is that they are often dirt cheap, and can really make a statement!
(3) Good to Eat {Potato Corn Chowder} | I am sharing this post mostly because I think the timing is just right. This soup is wonderful, and is really nice to have around the house when you have company during the holidays, or otherwise. It’s quick and easy to make, and is perfect for a lunch or even a light supper.
(4) Crafty Girl {Linen Pinboard} | This post (along with the Chalkboard Frame tutorial) continues to be one of the most popular blog posts here. Both feature a really simple project that has amazing results. I encourage you to check them out, and consider doing one (maybe on a smaller scale?) as a handmade Christmas gift for a friend or family member!
(5) In My Closet | I really have had a blast putting together these monthly style guides. I don’t consider myself to be very fashion-forward, but it’s been great fun to put together so many different looks (now, if only they were all really in my closet). I couldn’t narrow down my favorite, so this links to all of the style boards from the past year.
Looking ahead, I am so excited to continue on this journey with you. I am looking forward to growing as a writer, and I am actually considering taking an English or writing class as a refresher. I nearly majored in English, but changed my mind to graphic design. While I haven’t regretted it once, I find that blogging is truly a marriage of the two for me, which I love. However, I fully realize that my grammar and punctuation could use a bit of improvement. I have already given you my vision for the future of the blog in the welcome post when I launched b*spoke, so I won’t reiterate.
Instead I’d like to ask you, my readers, if today, on the 1st birthday of this blog, you would let me know what it is that keeps you reading. I know you’re a quiet group, but I truly love your input, and your comments always make my day. I’d love to hear what you enjoy, and what keeps you coming back here day after day.
Just a reminder that if you haven’t updated your blogroll, RSS feed, or links, the new blog address is http://bspokeblog.com, and the blog can now be referred to as b*spoke.
*birthday cake photo by Daisy01101978
welcome {b*spoke}
Hello! The day has finally arrived, and I am thrilled to be introducing you to the new blog, b*spoke! Thank you all for your patience as we rebuilt and rebranded the blog this past week. It was a long week, and I really missed blogging and sharing my life with you all. It made me realize how important this has become to me, and how much all of you have become a part of my life. So here we are; new blog, new name. What on earth, right?? I ‘m sure some of you felt a little lost when you clicked over today. I hope that I will be able to show you around a bit, and help make you feel at home in the new digs. Also, we have a few more tweaks to make, so keep your eyes open for additional features, and a new blog header that I will be updating regularly!
why, again, did you have to make the switch?
I got several emails from readers letting me know how much they will miss the old blog and how much they loved Emmy Lu {Pretty in the City, Lovely in the Country}. I truly loved the old blog too, and many things about it. However, with the launch of our new products, we were forced to rebuild the blog due to some technical glitches in the structural setup of the old site. During this process, we made the decision to give the blog its own identity, related to, but separate from the stationery side of the company. I wanted the blog to take on its own personality and become more mine, personally, and also to grow on its own, while still being connected to Emmy Lu. That’s the story of the switch (in a nutshell).
what is b*spoke?
The idea for the name came out of a conversation with a friend. We were bouncing names back and forth, and quite honestly my ideas were getting worse and worse (and worse). In a moment of brilliance, the word bespoke was mentioned (not by me), and instantly I grabbed hold of it. The word bespoke can be defined as made to individual order; custom-made; dealing in or producing custom-made items. Of course, this fit perfectly with the custom nature of my work, and of the business itself. Emmy Lu is a dynamic company, and defining what we do is often difficult, but the foundational element of our work is that it’s custom, made to order, suited perfectly to the desires of the individual purchasing our products. As I played with the word bespoke in my head, I began to look for ways to give the name a deeper, layered meaning. During this process, b*spoke was born as a name that ties together the custom nature of my work, my love of the spoken and written word, and my own identity as an individual (with the use of my initial, B).
what will the content be like?
It is my intention to bring you a healthy, well-balanced mix of content here on b*spoke. I will be the only author on the blog, and I will continue to bring you snippets of my life at the cottage, recipes, DIY projects, glimpses of what’s going on in the Design Studio, and personal ponderings and writings. I will also hopefully will be picking up again with some of the old features of Emmy Lu. For example, I would like to begin doing Designers Sketchbooks, Crafty Girl projects, and Thrifty Thursday tips again. If you have anything you would like to see me write about, feel free to let me know!
housekeeping
Just a reminder that if you have Emmy Lu on your blogroll, please update all inbound links!! The new blog address is http://www.bspokeblog.com. You may refer to the blog as b*spoke or b*spoke by Emmy Lu, or any variation therein.
talk to me
One of the things I want to change on the new blog, is I would really like to see more conversation happening between and among readers. If you haven’t left comments before, I really encourage you to start doing so. Not so much for my sake, but because I would love to see a community begin to develop here, brought together by common interests. I know that my audience is spread across the globe, and there are many age groups represented. I can’t help but think that we can all learn so much from each other. I am going to be making a point to stay on top of comment moderation, and chime in as frequently as I am able. I am also going to be asking more questions, in hopes of sparking conversation. If you would like to reach me directly, you may email me at bethany(at)bspokeblog(dot)com.
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