Birthday

Yes, I know…..I’m the worst blogger ever. I got yelled at and realized I don’t even remember the last time I posted……sorry friends!!!

So, I thought I would do something fun sitting here in my place listening to an amazing playlist……work on my dream birthday list. There is a (not as funny as I think it is) story here. My birthday is in August and every year I am horrible….I don’t make a list of ideas for myself. I hate making birthday lists, yet my family asks me months early every year and I drag my feet. Primarily because I hate asking for things and prefer to get the things I need, when I need them. So, for this year, I have compiled a few ideas for me of items I would not buy myself but would love!!! I thought I would share them here, because I know you’re all dying to know what’s on my list…

Top row, L-R

1. My serious workout routine deserves a stylish gym bag

2. I love rustic jewelry and this ring reminds me of the ocean

3. A fun case to keep my blackberry from getting scratched

4. I love the draping on this beautiful Anthropologie shirt

Bottom Row L-R

5. I have been in love with this perfume for years

6. I love this  Banana Republic cardigan to layer over summer dresses

7. Ever since I borrowed one for a road trip, I have wanted a Garmin

8. A friend introduced me to this scent, and this body wash sounds luxurious

There you go….some of my ideas for summer…I’ve had so much fun putting this list together…..I might make another ;o)

until then….Kate

We’re Moving the Blog!

Don’t worry-you can still enjoy our ramblings!!!!!

Just in a new spot! Kelly and I just worked on our new blog (ok, Kelly did all the work and then just showed me how to post bc she is a rockstar) So, from now on…..fine us here:

hope to see you around the cyber world!

Christmas party

So, this is sad: Kelly and I had our company Christmas party last night. Pathetic that it took us over 2 months to arrange our schedules, but alas we had a blast. Her husband came and we all took off to East Street restaurant for a delicious and relaxed meal full of present exchanging, delicious food, gin and tonics and a little spontaneous dancing. Yes, I will admit that we stood up in the restaurant to show her husband Micah some of our classic dance moves. So, on that train of thought, here are a few of our recent dance party favs:

New to our rotation, ‘Cake’ Short Skirt, Long Jacket:

Our old standby: ‘Telephone Remake’ truly a classic here at The Blue Toad

And Kelly and I are complete closet (not anymore) ‘Ace of Base’ fanatics, so what is better than a mash up with ‘Lady Gaga’? Here’s ‘Don’t Turn Around and Alejandro’

Let the dancing commence!

K & K

2011 pictures

Here’s a recap of 2011 for me so far….how is it February already?

Post Christmas sales yielded this super cute $4 skirt with, best of all, pockets! (yes, I know it’s the little things that make me really happy) I love owning a  business that lets me dress up or wear my converse sneaks to work 🙂

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, we decided to have a Design with Wine class about rose design. We sent Dan home and had Catrina bar tend so it was ladies’ night!!! Lots of wine and food was enjoyed and we all had a blast…

I spent a couple days in Burlington and when I say I was snowed in…I am not kidding, this is after the first round of cleaning off snow:

Finally, after the storm, we have one of the most beautiful days I have seen in a while…

Sorry for the randomness today-next post will be better!

Cheers for now!

Kate

 

 

 

Modern wedding inspiration

I love Vermont, I do. But the only way I continue to is by leaving and escaping to the city fairly regularly. You see, I love the city. Boston, New York, Washington, DC….I love them. So, here’s an inspiration board for a rooftop city wedding…..

Enjoy!

Kate

Pretty

So, after a long post earlier, I thought a little more inspiration for my (haha) upcoming wedding was in order. Images inspiring me this week:

enjoy!

Kate

Partnerships

As a business owner, I am constantly striving to build my business, learn more, do better, and provide the freshest and best products for my customers. The best way I try to do this all is by networking. I do not do a ton of aggressive advertising, rather, I spend my time aggressively networking. Now, this doesn’t mean I attack people at mixers, but rather try to make the best of my time with other professionals and be a visible, public business owner. I attend as many Chamber of Commerce events as I can, dine out in town to support my fellow business owners, am on the board of the Vermont Association of Wedding Professionals and try to stay in touch with my fellow business people. I try to find inspiration and lessons in all my interactions.

One of the most exciting developments this fall/winter has been the creation of great partnerships with fellow businesses. I am able to reach new demographics and people are able to get to know me, and by extension, my business better through these partnership opportunities.

The first and most prominent has been our ‘Design with Wine’ program in conjunction with the Purple Moon Pub in Waitsfield. I met the owner, Dan Perera, this fall at a Chamber of commerce mixer, and through a collaborative friendship, ‘Design with Wine’ was born. We found a day and time that works for us and were blown away at the positive response from our first class. People were so happy to see two local business owners working together, we have planned a whole winter/spring line-up of classes.

I met Susan Wimble, the owner of Brigid Bridal, and immediately felt a kinship with this sweet, giving woman! She has tirelessly put together Waitsfield’s only bridal salon, full of beautiful new and gently used gowns, vintage pieces, formalwear, jewelry and lingerie (yay!). We have just made plans to put together a bridal bouquet design workshop at her salon and when she goes to Bridal shows, I create arrangements to decorate her table, and she brings my business cards. Collaboration at its best.

Finally, we will soon be unveiling out new wedding co-op in the space adjacent to the Blue Toad. This will be a shared space of wedding professionals we work with and a one-stop shop for brides and grooms-to be. We are so excited to work with so many of our local wedding professionals on a more personal level with the creation of this co-op. We will also hold different types of classes in the space, such as photography, drawing, floral design and event planning classes.

There are lots more, this is just a glimpse at all of the wonderful partnerships we have been fostering and will continue to work on to just better serve you!

Cheers,

Kate

Plans

So, as you may have imagined, I am not good at doing nothing. This time post-surgery when I have had to rest, rest and rest some more has proved challenging. I always feel the need to be doing something (namely, working in some capacity) and as such am positively overflowing with new ideas! Now that I am on my feet, and doing much better (although still needing the occasional nap) I am ready to start tackling some new projects. To give you a little idea:

-our wedding co-op will finally be opening in February with a bang!

-Our Design with Wine program is taking off and now includes private party opportunities

-I am redecorating, finishing painting and organizing like crazy!

-LOTS of new merchandise on its way in

-a special personal project which is in my 2-year business plan, a possible branching of the Blue Toad into 2 businesses……

-I need to find a good pair of black ballet flats, thought I would include that….it is on my list

-Re-painting the sign and coming up with a plan for the greenhouse

-Putting together a class schedule for non-floral classes at the co-op – think photography, drawing, gardening etc.

and lots more!!!!!

Kate

 

2 years

In business school you learn a few things. Never open  a restaurant, don’t hire more employees until you are ready to kill yourself because you are so overworked, and making it to the 2 year mark is a huge accomplishment and a sign of business stability. Well, I did not open a restaurant, have decreased my staff since owning the business and as of tomorrow will have owned my business for 2 years.

I have no idea how 2 years have passed so quickly. I remember the day so vividly. Filled with anxiousness, adrenaline and terror. I signed my name more times in one hour than I had in the previous 6 months. And my lawyer just boosted me right up when I looked like I was about to faint.

Maybe I was crazy to buy a business at 24, in a recession with no real safety net. Maybe I was crazy to defer graduate school and the opportunity to travel. But I do not regret it for a minute. Every emotional, anxious, rewarding minute has been a learning experience and a gift. My brother asked me other day about what I would do if my business had to close. And I honestly replied that I would be proud of what I had accomplished. I can’t predict what will happen, all I can do is wake up every day and do the absolute best that I can do. (for a type-A, slightly OCD personality, you can only imagine how hard it is to not always know the outcome of the day)

You see, I have learned more in these past 2 years than I ever could have in an MBA program. I have learned not only about what it takes to actually run a business, but more about myself than I would have imagined: my capabilities, my strengths and my faults. I am thankful for the lessons I have learned and for the love and support I have received from my whole ‘team’. I am constantly supported, challenged and inspired by those closest to me and by all my wonderful customers. I hope to continue to grow, learn, be better and to be posting a ‘5 years’ post in 2014.

Thank you, and happy anniversary

Kate

Going to the Chapel…

So, for some reason, my friends and family seem to think I will be getting married within the next year or so. I have had 2 friends tell me it will be this year, and Kelly is convinced it will be in the next 18 months. I am just wondering who on Earth I will be marrying, but apparently we are going to meet and fall in love awfully quickly!

In honor of this idea, I thought I would share some of my own wedding inspirations. See, I plan over 50 weddings a year. I do this for a living. I love it. I am always thinking of new themes, colors, patterns, and ideas for weddings. So, one would assume that I want a big, elaborate day, right? WRONG. I want something small, intimate, relaxed, elegant and fun. I love the idea of eloping and then coming back to throw a big party, or of getting married on a beach with just family and a few close friends. And since I do this for a living, I don’t want anything to be cookie-cutter. I like the idea of my wedding flowers to be elegant and timeless but unique.

Here are some images that have been inspiring me lately…..

 

Enjoy,

Kate