I'm Baaaack . . . :-) (Georgia Vivienne Creations blog, that is)

I am pleased to announce that I have finally launched the website at www.georgiaviv.com.  Of course, it is still a work in process, but products are posted, and I invite you all to come over and browse through the living room and the kitchen.  So far you can find dolls in the living room and some fun products in the kitchen.  It's a fun, eclectic virtual home -- my dream home -- which I aspire to own someday and use as a studio to teach marketable skills to women (and some men, too, LOL).

Some changes have taken place since my last blog post.  I have started sewing primitive/Annie dolls in earnest.  These dolls are not designed to be children's playthings; however, they enjoy a good squeeze every now and then.  I call them my pretty prims.  The prims are constructed from carefully selected recycled fabrics.  I use denim and brightly colored accent fabrics and thread to jazz them up and bring out their personalities.  Their hair is also hand knotted from various types of yarn.  I invite you to come take a look at them at www.georgiaviv.com.  They are hanging out in the living room.  If you click on a doll in the living room, another screen with more information comes up.

Please sign the guest book on the blog page at www.georgiaviv.com and let me know you stopped by.  I hope you have a memorable day!  

Patience

When one starts a business these days, especially a bootstrapped microbusiness, it is easy to become discouraged with the starts and stops that are par for the course during the development stage.  In today's digital age we have become accustomed to Googling articles and how-to tutorials for just about every imaginable contingency one can imagine.  Problems that took months to solve are often resolved within a few hours or days.  Still, life happens, and some things just cannot be fixed with the benefit of Google.com.  That is precisely the situation I am encountering right now.

The interactive showroom I had envisioned in April 2010 is in its final stage before beta testing.  My web designer and I are encountering some final challenges with software.  Once the content is published, we can move on to furnishing the rest of the GVC virtual home.  I appreciate your patience during this process.  It will ultimately prove worth the wait.

Keep in mind the ultimate mission of Georgia Vivienne Creations, which is to support mompreneurs and microbusinesses in America and around the world by selling their products at the GVC site and highlighting their businesses so they may grow and attract more customers.  When the interactive showroom is complete, GVC will feature Haitian products, products from Midwestern vendors, and other vendors I have not had the privilege to meet yet.

When we finally launch the site, I invite you to come check it out and say hello in the GVC guestbook located on the blog page.  Say hello and sign the guestbook on our blog page.  I look forward to hearing from you and any suggestions regarding the site and future products.

Introducing Neoprimitive Dolls

I am pleased to introduce a new addition to Georgia Vivienne Creations, neoprimitive dolls.  While inspired by primitive dolls, mine are decidedly feminine and made from recycled fabrics instead of muslin.  It's prim with a twist.  Right now I am working on Tangerine, Tanny for short.  She is a 51-inch-tall neoprim made from duck cloth and painted with acrylic paint.  When I look at this reddish-brown-gold prim with wide eyes, triangle nose, and full lips, she reminds me that planning is wise, but a plan's execution may not end up looking like one had planned.

By not using a pattern, and instead following a largely intuitive process, I have almost completed a rather unusual-looking prim, a painted sculpture, a conversation piece.  I love her.  She is a one-of-a-kind home decor doll, and I love her spontaneity.  Her spontaneity speaks to our ability to adapt to life.
Tanny reminds me that ultimately life works out, even when it looks differently than I had planned.

Copycat Creation

In today's marketplace, we have grown accustomed to hearing about knock-off designer handbags and pirated computer software.  But a village?  Seriously?  Yes, it is true.  For years, some Chinese tourists have been taking measurements along with photographs of one of their favorite villages, Hallstatt, Austria.  According to dailymotion.com's video on youtube, plans are underway to recreate the village in China. 

The idea to replicate an entire village from another country is outlandish enough to generate worldwide press and interest.  I wonder if we, the world audience, are disturbed by this story.  While Hallstatt business owners served the Chinese tourists for years, their businesses and historical landmarks were being measured and painstakingly detailed for future use elsewhere.  In years to come, Hallstatt hospitality will have been rewarded with a decline in tourist revenue from their former Chinese tourists.

Some will say that this is an example of business as usual.  Indeed, it is a business-beware scenario, where one had better get everything patented and registered, or someone will steal his or her idea and run to the bank.  Well, it used to be idea; now it appears Austrian villages are up for grabs, too. 

At Georgia Vivienne Creations, I strive to offer home decor products from microbusinesses and mompreneurs who work hard to provide for their families and grow their businesses.  I strive to offer primarily products that are made in America, although I do have a few products that are made overseas by American entrepreneurs out of necessity for offering a competitive price.  I also sell fair-trade products from overseas which help create jobs in these communities.  I am excited about the products I currently offer and look forward to buying from even more microbusinesses and mompreneurs in the years to come.  Come check GVC out and see some of the handmade products at http://www.georgiaviv.com.

My Parents in the 1950's

When my parents were kids in the 1950s, they looked forward to Saturday evenings when their families brought eggs and cream to town and sold them to the creamery.  With the money they earned, Georgia and Vivian bought their families' weekly groceries while their husbands took care of local business and the children spent their 25 cent weekly allowances at the soda shop or on candy.  My dad remembers sitting on the hood of his family’s 1952 Chevy, listening to music through the windows.  Mom remembers the soda shop that was housed inside the drugstore.  Saturday evenings provided a regular opportunity to visit with cousins and friends from school. 

What has always struck me about my parents’ memories of Saturday nights in town is the distinct sense of community they experienced as children.  Their parents conducted business locally, and the money they spent went back into their local economy.  While the marketplace has grown exponentially since that time, I appreciate the opportunity we possess to continue on in spirit of the buying locally.  We can choose to buy from our hometowns, region, or by country. 

When I bought products for the Georgia Vivienne Creations storefront, I bought from American-owned microbusinesses and mompreneurs.  Right now Georgia Vivienne Creations is having a 25% off sale at http://www.georgiaviv.com on a lot of these items.  Think of GVC as a homey, Midwestern store.  Come on over and checkout the storefront.  I appreciate your business and look forward to hearing from you. 

Having a Sale!

When I purchased products for the Georgia Vivienne Creations storefront, I intentionally bought products from microbusinesses and mompreneurs.  GVC roots for the microbusinesses in the marketplace.  That said, I am pleased to announce that Georgia Vivienne Creations is having its first sale.  Handmade rag rugs, apple jackets/cozies, crocheted wash cloths, and mug huggers are marked down 25%.  Come check out some handmade goodness for yourself at http://www.georgiaviv.com.

Featured MicroBusiness Product for May

Have you ever gone shopping and come home to find that you have 20 grocery bags?  Sometimes these bags have holes from carrying lightweight items.  Other times bags with two or three items inside are double bagged.  I scratch my head when that happens.  It puzzles me that stores use such weak bags when a lot of their customers haul their purchases on the bus system, on bicycle rides, and up a couple flights of stairs.

Approximately one year ago, I discovered Esse Reusable Bags, a great alternative to taking chances on grocery bags from stores.   GVC sells the Esse Everyday Bag in blue, black, and green.  These bags are made from Renewtex, a material created from recycling plastic bottles.  They replace two shopping bags and can carry up to 20 pounds.  They also fold up with an attached elastic band for compact storage.  The Everyday Bag has about as many purposes as you can imagine.  It can be a gift bag, a grocery bag, or even a feather-weight purse alternative if you don't mind the top being open. 

Esse Reusable Bags is American owned and operated by two women.  Their Everyday Bags are simple, stylish, and great for saving space.  Visit the GVC storefront at http://www.georgiaviv.com and check out the Everyday bags yourself.