Puddlefoot and Me.

Hyena Cart rocks!!

2010-10-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

I have a new shop on Hyena Cart now! I am so glad I found this great site. I have been there just 4 months and have more orders than ever!! Thank you to all of my new customers!
TOP NEWS: I have new long sleeves available that are fully customizable. You pick color, size and design!! I also am doing a lot of tie dye, which I LOVE!! It is so fun for me. I am also really excited about the NEW designs coming VERY soon. . . hedgehogs, owls, sheep, mushrooms, and more!! I am expecting them in about a week or so! : ) I will keep you updated.

NEW tees at Puddlefoot!

2009-09-13T14:58:00.000-07:00

Hello,

I have been so bad about blogging . . . I need to work on this artform, dedicate more time to it, make my blog a place to inspire people. . . I know I can do it!

I have been busy with my company. My new batch of tees are complete and ready to sell.

Yes, they are!!!

Check out my new website at www.puddlefoot.com and spread the word to all your friends and familes.

Should I or shouldn't I?

2009-05-11T17:48:00.001-07:00

I am debating whether or not to get a sales rep for Puddlefoot. I think that it could be a positive thing since they go to conventions and fashion markets... I am definitely unable to do this with my small boys. I think that these shows are where people get the most exposure and I really need the exposure! This might be a good thing... I need to make a decision... soon.

Inspiration can come in all forms...

2009-04-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

You all know I am a fan of handmade crafty items... so I just wanted to let you know about a wonderful company that has inspired me with their one of a kind, handmade, hand finished furniture... great for my 1930's house. The company is Shaka Studios and they specialize in early-American, primitive furniture. I have purchased some really great items from them over the years. One item I love is this Chicken Coop, which I plan on using in my boys room for toy storage. Another piece that I would love to have someday is this red Pioneer Dry Sink. Sometimes I visualize myself owning a storefront for Puddlefoot and displaying all my tees on this kind of furniture... we can all be dreamers, right?

Trying to get Puddlefoot out THERE!

2009-03-09T22:26:00.000-07:00

It's been pretty quiet over here at Puddlefoot, but I have been working my tush off trying to market my tees! I have contacted a couple more BIG baby blogs and a few of them have already responded with positive feedback and interest in reviewing my shirts. The research has been time consuming, but very rewarding. I will just keep pushing on through this and try to keep in mind that I have only been in business for 2 months!

On another note... I have sent my tees to Tori Spelling and Rebecca Romijn and hope to see their little ones wearing them around LA very soon. Keep your eyes peeled for me! They may show up on the new season of "Tori and Dean Inn Love" on the Oxygen channel.

How fun would that be?

The Outfit in Long Beach

2009-02-25T19:13:00.000-08:00

I am very excited to be featured in another sweet boutique.

The Outfit stocks all handmade items for babies and is located

in Long Beach. They also have a website www.theoutfit.myshopify.com.

Very cute stuff!

I heart blogs!

2009-02-23T18:52:00.000-08:00

Keep your eye out for my tees on these popular baby swag blogs:

www.peekaboopicks.com

www.ecofabulous.com

Sweet Photos...

2009-02-19T21:50:00.000-08:00

My friend Rachel Fannin took some fantastic photos for my website and I would like to share some of them with you today. Thanks Rachel!

Bring on the babies!

2009-01-24T14:54:00.000-08:00

I am so excited!

Puddlefoot is having a "semi-official" photo shoot next week.

My friend Rachel is extremely talented at photographing children and producing vivid "in the moment" shots of kids (she took the photo above of her son Henry in my "Stalky" tee)... she volunteered to take some pics for my website and I can't thank her enough.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

She is such a sweet, colorful mama and I can't wait to see what she comes up with.

Cuddle of the Week

2009-01-23T12:34:00.000-08:00

I just received an email from True Cuddles, an online company that reviews baby products and features a favorite every week. They want to feature my Sweet Beet and Celery tees! I am so excited because they actually are purchasing 16 t-shirts and that means I get paid upfront for a change. Their site is very cute too, clean and colorful with quality products. My day is looking bright!

Crickets!

2009-01-22T23:44:00.000-08:00

Business has been so quiet this week... I think I can hear crickets...CHIRP! CHIRP!...CHIRP!

Meanwhile, I have been joining Yahoo! Groups to get the word out, mainly WAHM/Cloth Diapering Groups. I'll keep you posted.

Good night!

CHIRP...CHIRP, CHIRP!

My new business cards arrived!

2009-01-17T13:48:00.000-08:00

I am so excited! I got my business cards and I actually like them. I have had others in the past and have never been quite satisfied with them... so this is great. They are kind of wild, but I like them.

Cotton dreams and hemp wishes...

2009-01-13T22:59:00.000-08:00

Took a break on the biz today... been geeking out on cloth diapers by Sustainable Babyish instead. I can't wait to get them in the mail. I'm just gonna hug and squeeze them to pieces.

Back to the real world tomorrow... promotion, promotion, promotion! I think I will call Cynthia from the Ojai Farmer's Market and see what it takes to be a part of those festivities.

Weird Good/Bad Day...

2009-01-12T14:06:00.000-08:00

Today has been kind of weird.
The good news...

I heard back from a few online companies that want to put my tees on there sites. Most want to use the drop shipping method which is totally fine with me... since all I want to do is get my product out there in all forms.
Look for Puddlefoot on these sights soon:
www.shopsparrowLA.com
www.naturallytrendy.com
www.mammasbaby.com
www.90210organics.com
www.PAXbaby.com
www.newbornmom.com

The bad news... the CPSIA's new lead law.

I have been trying to inform myself for the past week on the subject and have found the whole thing to be very frustrating. I am hoping that the CPSIA will amend the new law so that small companies like me won't have to do expensive lab testing, but will be able to get certification from the ink and dye suppliers. For now, though, I am going to probably go ahead and get my tees electronically tested for lead and PVCs through the Eastern Applied Research Company with their XRF machine. I think that the law says that companies have to do "reasonable" testing... and this seems reasonable enough for me. It costs $5 per ink color and per dye color. Not expensive, but extremely annoying. Thanks Bob Moll for making me feel a little better about the whole process.

Other bad news... I hate dealing with the dye house I used... they are uneducated, unorganized, and rude. Tom Stanton is a jackass and LA Dye and Wash is incompetent! I will NEVER use them again.

Sparrow LA here I come!

2009-01-10T16:47:00.000-08:00

I got my first boutique invite from Sparrow boutique in LA! It is an adorable store and I feel lucky to have my tees there.
Check out their website: http://www.shopsparrowla.com.

Fishing...

2009-01-09T20:33:00.000-08:00

NO bites yet... boohoo. I'm so impatient...

Email, Email, Email...

2009-01-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

Today I am emailing up a storm. I am trying to contact about a zillion boutiques to try and get my tees in their stores. I attached my wholesale brochure and hope that I get some response. I hate to admit, but I love this kind of detail work:) I'm a nerd. Wish me luck!

My BIG splurge...

2009-01-05T17:16:00.000-08:00

Today I splurged BIG time!
I registered with EcoMall.com and Feminist.com... two really well-known eco-directories out there.....PHEW! Wipe the sweat from my brow... I think that it is good to take chances and to do whatever it takes to get the word out about your company. I am very curious to see if this exposure boosts my business.

Puddlefoot Grand Opening!

2009-01-05T00:40:00.001-08:00

Hello Everyone and welcome to Puddlefoot's first blog entry!

Let me tell you a bit about my company.

Puddlefoot is a mother owned and operated company based in Southern California selling originally designed, screen printed tees for tots. Every fun little character was designed by me, Suzi MacDougall- owner, artist, wife, and mama to two very young boys. My organic cotton tees are sewn and grown in the USA. I only use non-PVC, water-based inks and the dyes meet all of the Global Organic Textile Standard's qualifications. These details ensure my tees are soft and stretchy with a wonderful vintage feel.

My first collection is called the "Veggie Patch" and includes SIX adorable vegetable designs. These include a yam, beet, squash, onion, eggplant, and celery. All of my shirts come in sizes 0/6M, 6/12M, and 18/24M.

Starting a new business can be a challenge and frustrating at times, but I have found it to be very satisfying and exciting for the most part. This blog is a way for me to document Puddlefoot's journey in todays retail market and all the adventures along the way. Thanks for reading... check back soon.