As the business expanded, we knew that we'd have to update our website to accommodate the greater variety of designs and styles that we expected to launch on 2010. The website address has stayed the same, but you'll see that it has a completely new look and feel. In addition, we've integrated our blog into the new website. Going forward, this will be the source for all news and updates about Gracely Girl Designs.
We want to thank our website partners, Spin-A-Web Designs and Resistor Software, for helping us start the business and grow into this new phase. Both Vickie Capes (Spin-A-Web) and Dave Lazar (Resistor) are great to work with and we'd highly recommend both of them for anyone looking to create a website presence.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
"..I know that company.."
One of my favorite parts of running Gracely Girl Designs is learning how customers find out about our business. While we've tried to make finding us via the Internet as easy as possible, it's the word-of-mouth encounters that amaze me the most.
Today I had a very interesting experience. A good friend of mine, whose kids go to school with my little Gracely Girls, was at her son's basketball game. As she climbed into the bleachers, she noticed a little girl wearing a cute t-shirt. My friend asked the mother, "Is that a Gracely Girl shirt?". The mother answered "no..", but what came next put a smile on my face. She said, "..but I know that company". She knew my company. As a new business owner, there is no better feeling than hearing those words!!
Apparently the mother had a friend who bought a couple of our shirts for her kids at one of the Raleigh craft shows around Christmas time, and they enjoyed wearing them quite a bit. She remembered our name, but was waiting until spring to check out the website. I'm not sure if I'll ever get to meet this mother, but I do hope she comes to the site for a visit or tells a few of her friends about us.
We are getting really, really close to updating the website with all the new designs. Not only will we be creating 10-15 new t-shirts (new colors, new designs), but we'll be introducing 2-3 completely new lines that we think you'll really like. And one of the ideas is going to take Gracely Girl into a new area that we think could be really fun.
- Amy
Today I had a very interesting experience. A good friend of mine, whose kids go to school with my little Gracely Girls, was at her son's basketball game. As she climbed into the bleachers, she noticed a little girl wearing a cute t-shirt. My friend asked the mother, "Is that a Gracely Girl shirt?". The mother answered "no..", but what came next put a smile on my face. She said, "..but I know that company". She knew my company. As a new business owner, there is no better feeling than hearing those words!!
Apparently the mother had a friend who bought a couple of our shirts for her kids at one of the Raleigh craft shows around Christmas time, and they enjoyed wearing them quite a bit. She remembered our name, but was waiting until spring to check out the website. I'm not sure if I'll ever get to meet this mother, but I do hope she comes to the site for a visit or tells a few of her friends about us.
We are getting really, really close to updating the website with all the new designs. Not only will we be creating 10-15 new t-shirts (new colors, new designs), but we'll be introducing 2-3 completely new lines that we think you'll really like. And one of the ideas is going to take Gracely Girl into a new area that we think could be really fun.
- Amy
Sunday, January 10, 2010
New Designs are coming soon!!
It's been a little while since we updated our website, but that doesn't mean we haven't been busy. In fact, we're in the process of deciding which of our new designs to add to the website and inventory for our spring shows. Beyond the opportunity to interact with our customers, creating the new designs is my favorite part of the business. As we update the website in the next couple weeks, you can expect to see a wide variety of new themes, including: spring holidays, animals, sports, music, and a whole new set of colors and types of clothing. I don't want to give away all our secrets, but we hope that you'll be as excited as we are to see your kids wearing these fun new designs.
Each design is hand-drawn first and then cutouts are placed on sample shirts, dresses and aprons. My kids love to get involved with this part, letting them practice their cutting skills. Next we head down to the fabric stores to find possible combinations of styles, textures and colors.
When we started Gracely Girl, our "research" was done by going right to our potential customers. Mommies and their children, who also happened to be friends and families. In 2010, we hope to open up this process to the creative ideas of our customers. You can expect to see dozens of designs on the website soon, and we hope you'll give us your feedback on which ones you like best. And if you have creative ideas for other combinations or themes, send those along too.
We'll get some early pictures posted over the next couple of weeks, so check back soon. - Amy
Each design is hand-drawn first and then cutouts are placed on sample shirts, dresses and aprons. My kids love to get involved with this part, letting them practice their cutting skills. Next we head down to the fabric stores to find possible combinations of styles, textures and colors.
When we started Gracely Girl, our "research" was done by going right to our potential customers. Mommies and their children, who also happened to be friends and families. In 2010, we hope to open up this process to the creative ideas of our customers. You can expect to see dozens of designs on the website soon, and we hope you'll give us your feedback on which ones you like best. And if you have creative ideas for other combinations or themes, send those along too.
We'll get some early pictures posted over the next couple of weeks, so check back soon. - Amy
Happy New Year! and a Look towards the Spring
New Year everybody!! 2010 is here and we are very excited about all the new things happening at Gracely Girl Designs. Before I jump into what lays ahead in 2010, I want to take a moment and thank everyone that made our first three months better than we could have every expected. Beyond our numeric goals for the business, we're most excited about the connections we've made with our customers.
At Gracely Girl, our biggest hope is that customers will appreciate the passion we put into every piece of clothing, and we were so excited to make that connection with people over and over again. It's a great feeling to know that people trust us to make their kids look great, and we love hearing stories about how their kids want to wear the shirts to school and parties. We also love that people are telling their friends and becoming part of the growing Gracely Girl community.
So thank you again for letting me turn my dream into a reality. I hope that we can continue to bring fun designs into your lives in 2010. - Amy
At Gracely Girl, our biggest hope is that customers will appreciate the passion we put into every piece of clothing, and we were so excited to make that connection with people over and over again. It's a great feeling to know that people trust us to make their kids look great, and we love hearing stories about how their kids want to wear the shirts to school and parties. We also love that people are telling their friends and becoming part of the growing Gracely Girl community.
So thank you again for letting me turn my dream into a reality. I hope that we can continue to bring fun designs into your lives in 2010. - Amy
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
For Sale!
Around the Gracely household these days, when we hear the phrase "For Sale" we are referring to a Gracely Girl Designs shirt or apron! [*exception: Holidays like today when it rains all day and cabin fever kicks in...I think I did offer my kids 'for sale' at one point during the day.]
My extremely perceptive 4 year-old decided it was her turn to have a 'sale'. She asked me on Monday night, as I was desperately trying to reconcile the inventory spreadsheet, how to spell 'For Sale". She wasn't sure if the "For" was a word with letters or a number. I gave her an answer and she walked away on a mission and I went back to reconciling the spreadsheet.
Hours later she asked me if I wanted to visit her "booth" where she was selling her "handmade Gator jewelry" (note: I am a University of FL grad and have converted her into a Gator fan!). As I turned the corner into kitchen, I couldn't help but smile!
A display of orange and blue pop beads, popped together to make bracelets, rings and an oh-so-beautiful necklace with a dainty little charm hanging from it! Yes, the jewelry was creative and fun but the handmade sign and even more, her desire to create and sell at 4-years old was what really put the smile on my face and on my heart! She held her hand out in a proud "Vanna" manner and asked, "How do you like it, Mommy?" and I gave her a big hug and said, "Not only do I like it, I LOVE IT!"
Starting Gracely Girl Designs was a journey I knew I was going to take with kids in tow, hopefully teaching them something along the way while learning a lot myself. I have learned so much already and I've been rewarded in many ways during this first month in business. This gesture by my daughter and seeing her proud face, full of confidence was a moment I will never forget! You go sweet girl! FOR SALE!
My extremely perceptive 4 year-old decided it was her turn to have a 'sale'. She asked me on Monday night, as I was desperately trying to reconcile the inventory spreadsheet, how to spell 'For Sale". She wasn't sure if the "For" was a word with letters or a number. I gave her an answer and she walked away on a mission and I went back to reconciling the spreadsheet.
A display of orange and blue pop beads, popped together to make bracelets, rings and an oh-so-beautiful necklace with a dainty little charm hanging from it! Yes, the jewelry was creative and fun but the handmade sign and even more, her desire to create and sell at 4-years old was what really put the smile on my face and on my heart! She held her hand out in a proud "Vanna" manner and asked, "How do you like it, Mommy?" and I gave her a big hug and said, "Not only do I like it, I LOVE IT!"
Starting Gracely Girl Designs was a journey I knew I was going to take with kids in tow, hopefully teaching them something along the way while learning a lot myself. I have learned so much already and I've been rewarded in many ways during this first month in business. This gesture by my daughter and seeing her proud face, full of confidence was a moment I will never forget! You go sweet girl! FOR SALE!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Stay-at-home dads GET IT!
Greetings! During our events this weekend we had a handful of stay-at-home dads (SAHD) stop by the booth, pushing strollers, portioning out goldfish and thumbing through the rack of clothing. Killing time as the shop-o-holic mommy browses other booths? Not so! These men were truly shopping and were quite vocal! One SAHD commented, "I stay home with these two all day and I KNOW that days I dress them in fun clothing, we are off to a great start in the day!" He KNEW that kids love feeling fun in their duds---he GOT IT!
Another dad met me today in front of a local coffee shop to pick up a custom order from Saturday--a cupcake t-shirt for his daughters' birthday tomorrow. He was so excited to give her this shirt so she could feel 'festive' on her birthday! He GOT IT too!
I am a daddy's girl--no doubt! It does my heart good to know that other daddy's out there are under the spell of their little girls too!
Big shout out to the SAHDs and all daddy's for that matter!
Another dad met me today in front of a local coffee shop to pick up a custom order from Saturday--a cupcake t-shirt for his daughters' birthday tomorrow. He was so excited to give her this shirt so she could feel 'festive' on her birthday! He GOT IT too!
I am a daddy's girl--no doubt! It does my heart good to know that other daddy's out there are under the spell of their little girls too!
Big shout out to the SAHDs and all daddy's for that matter!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Hollyfest 2009
Gracely Girl Designs participated in our first live sales event yesterday and we are happy to report it was a true success in many ways! Our customers and passer-byers fell in love with our designs--what more could we have asked for? The 'mod' snowman was a favorite as well as the funky two-tier Christmas tree! We also launched a new design yesterday and brought two samples to show---the cupcake! It is indeed sweet, sassy and looks good enough to eat! Take a look...yummy, huh? A fun shirt for girls to wear at their very own party or ANY party--what's a par-tay without a cupcake? Sure to be the talk at all festivities! This design will be added to our website this week with other color combos as well. Check back at www.gracelygirl.com
This Saturday, we are scheduled for a 'double-header' and excited about it! In the morning (9am-1pm) we will have a booth at the Western Wake Farmers Market Fall Craft Festival. In the evening (4-8pm) we will be participating in the Brier Creek Elementary Holiday Jamboree--an event for the entire family! In the Triangle area? Come by and see us!
Dressing kids in a fun, fashionable and comfortable way!
Cheers!
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