A Business Is Born

Fe++  Butterfly Creations

One of the most exciting things I've been up to for the last 3 months is creating my own little business! I have always imagined having a shop of my own where women can gather to create and inspire one another. I am so fortunate to have such talented friends who come over for mini retreats where we work on projects and share new ideas. We have so much fun and all leave so inspired. Of course, the addition of  good food and a medicinal drop of wine adds a great deal to the comradery. Perhaps we enjoy more than a mere drop of wine. Ok, it's not medicinal either. ANY HOW, I have been hesitant to take the next step to develop my love for creating and hostessing into something beyond my own home. Someday, I hope to have a "brick and mortar" shop but not quite yet. So, until that time comes, I am excited to say that I have taken the first step by finally opening a shop on Etsy! My shop is about eclectic whimsical creations that make me smile while I am creating them. They are fanciful fun creations that I have made for myself , my daughters or have given as gifts in the past. I love handmade. I love old fashioned. I love whimsy. I love good quality at an affordable price. I really love distressed, re purposed, and anything with a positive message. I have started with a few things in stock and will be adding more goodies as I go along. Come visit me at Etsy! You can click on my Etsy store badge in the upper left corner of this page to be directly transported to my shop.

You may be wondering what the heck is Fe++ Butterfly?

Here is the readers digest version of how I named my business:

Once upon a summer I decided that I would show my family just how adventuresome and physically sturdy I was by signing up for a one week backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail. 

They were so supportive but I could tell that they were a little concerned that the physical challenge would be more than I bargained for. I don't know why. I mean, really. I ride my bike when the weather is pleasant. I mow the lawn WITH a self propelled push mower. I'm just saying it isn't a riding lawn mower. I have even embraced jogging on occasion as long as it is on a downward slope. My adventure turned out to be one of the best things I ever did. It was hard at times but I powered  up those hills with my 30 pound backpack with determination and a smile. I did it! 

Maybe, somewhere deep inside, even I was a little nervous that I wouldn't be able to keep up or make it to the end. Anyway, part of the AT culture is that you receive a trail name. You really aren't supposed to name yourself. Supposedly, the Trail names you according to an experience you have while hiking. Part of the fun is anticipating what your trail name will be. One day, we were up in a mountain meadow eating lunch. We always took this opportunity to take off our packs and boots and rest a bit. While I was resting, a butterfly came and landed right on my big toe and just hung out for a while. 

My travel companions became very excited and determined that the Trail had just given me my name. "Butterfly." One of the much younger and very athletic women added, " She should be the Iron Butterfly because she is stronger than she looks!" Good grief. Do I really look that fragile? 

In the last few years my trail name has come to have significant meaning for how I view myself and other women. We are all so much stronger than we give our selves credit for. If we find the courage and the right resources, we can do so much more than we allow ourselves to believe. When I was trying to think of a name for my business, "Iron Butterfly" kept creeping into my thoughts. That experience was 3 years ago but it just kept coming back. It fit what I want to convey in my creations and mission statement. When I was researching the domain name, I found that Iron Butterfly was already in use by a band of very free spirited band members from the past who were definitely flying. I mean really flying. High flying, if you know what I mean. That wasn't exactly the direction I was planning on traveling so I began thinking of alternatives.  

Iron means strength, right? How about the periodic table symbol for iron? I liked it. Hence, 

Fe++  Butterfly Creations! 

It's going to be a fun summer! Next week I'll tell you what my theme for THIS summer will be. Some of you already know and we have ourselves so excited that we're almost embarrassingly giddy. Last year was "Lake House Summer". You can read about it in one of my older posts if you would like. Have a great week!