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Monday, November 18, 2013

Price Comparison

Pricing has to be one of the HARDEST things when running a business. You want to offer the best supplies and work, while keeping your costs low and the end price affordable! I don't get how some of these boutiques and Etsy stores can charge $80 plus for something that cost less than $10 to make, but thats them not me. I started this business because I wanted cute stuff for my boys that weren't crazy expensive! As my neighbor says, "we need to be where adorable meets affordable!' and I totally agree!

Etsy has this formula posted on their blog ...

Materials + Labor + Expenses + Profit = Wholesale x 2 = Retail

Its the perfect simple formula! Crafty base also has this very simple calculator (for those that don't like doing all the math! haha!)

I pretty much use this formula with 2 changes ... I don't mark up my wholesale cost by 2 and I actually breakdown my fabric/supplies cost. So if your 3m sized outfit only uses 1/4 of a yard, I'm don't going to charge you for the extra 3/4!!

But still it costs to get something cute and handmade, so while that rack of simple holiday shirts that Walmart are only $5.98 remember that they are massed produced by lots of workers and that there are hundred of them on the shelf. While mine are made one at a time by just me! But each one is different and special!

While I was out shopping the other day I saw this cute turkey outfit, and my first thought is I can make that! 


And the price ... this was at our military exchange so it was only $27.99, but the MSRP with $47.99

(don't mind my very made chipping nail polish, haha!)

Now I can't make it IDENTICAL to this ... but can I make it on a ruffle shirt, YES! Can I make a cute turkey applique, YES! Can I make matching ruffle pants, YES! And what I can do that buying off the shelf can't ... I can customize it! Color, style, design, everything!!! So what would my price be??

Only $26-$31 (depending on the customizing!)

So see not all cute boutique style clothes are crazy expensive!! And if your little is only going to wear it once for a special occasion why not make it the cutest and most original as it can be!!

Ball Season ...

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned it but we are a BIG Marine Corps family! My Grandfather, Father, Mother, Uncle, and Husband are all Marines. One day I hope one or both of our boys join! That being said November isn't just about Turkeys, Mustaches, or Veterans ... its almost the Marine Corps Birthday!! Which also means its Ball Season!!

I usually stick to little kid stuff, but depending on the gown I can also do alterations! And this year I got a BUNCH of ball gown orders! Zippers, tulle, satin oh my!



Here's all my ballgowns!! SOO pretty, I wish I could have altered some of them to fit my big butt haha!

Happy 238th Birthday Marine Corps, and I hope everyone enjoys their ball!!


I'm thankful, but I'm BUSY!

It's been a world-wind time the past couple of weeks! We had family visit, and while I planned on getting work done while I had a free babysitter, that didn't work so well! HAHA! I got JUST the orders I needed to and nothing more. Now my fabric & shirt order has arrived and I have a 3 page list of orders that need to be done. Thank goodness they're a mix of Christmas and Thanksgiving, but it's still going to be a busy couple of weeks! Not to mention I need to work on stuff for not ONE fair but TWO, and they're back-to-back!


So today after doing some much need paperwork, paypal invoicing, and ticket writing I'm organized and ready!!!

Now God please let my boys play happy by themselves until Lunch time so I can get a bunch done!

Technology is my friend!

I know that most of the time this is normally NOT the case, but right now technology is on my side! I just picked up a lipstick charger and 1 TB external hard drive!



It all started this past summer and at the last even I did in October! 

While we were in the middle of moving I didn't do my true "business". But that didn't stop me from purchasing new designs and fonts for my machine! And of course with it being the big holiday season I've continued to get new stuff! Needless to say I have A LOT of appliques, embroidery designs, and fonts. So much so that my thumb drive is nearly full and there's still over a 100 on my computer to transfer over! So I made the decision to get an external hard drive. Since there's really no room on my sewing desk to have both my computer and machine there, otherwise I would just leave it all on my computer!

Than at my first event my phone died! May not seem like that big of deal but I use my phone for the Paypal app and card swipe. Not cool! I purchased one of those solar powered chargers, but that's only good if there's sun, and we're entering the rainy season.

So now I'm set for everything!! I'll probably NEVER run out of room on my hard drive and I'll hopefully never loose power to my phone/register again!! Woohoo! 

Now that I've posted this I'm sure something else will go wrong, haha! Murphy's Law!

Thursday, November 7, 2013

It's beginning to look alot like Chritmas!

Someone posted a picture the other day of the Fairy Godmother talking to Cinderella saying, "Now remember, at the stroke of midnight Halloween will be over and Christmas carols will be everywhere!" HAHA!! It's so true! 

I know the turkey gets his day but Christmas orders are already in! PJ's, shirts, tree skirts, you name it! Christmas is definitely one of my favorite holidays so I love it!

Here's a sneak peek at the PJ's I'm offering this year! PJ's have been on my list since last year!


(Pictures are stock pictures from the pattern designers ... Peek-a-boo Pattern shop and Create Kids Couture)

Find everything at The Tiny Hiney Business

A little about ME!

I've noticed that there's really not an "about me" post! So here's a post that All About Me and a mini Q & A with some of the top questions I get!

Me ...

Hi, My name is Candace and I'm the owner and creator behind Tiny Hiney Business!

I've been sewing for 4 years now, and officially opened a sewing business a little more 3 years ago. My sole reason for starting a business was my little guy. I always got a little sad feeling every time I walked into a baby store or looked online and literally 95% of the store was nothing but shades of pink and ruffles. I wanted the same cute, custom stuff for my little guy!!

I got my first machine through a selling incentive with my other home business, it seemed like fate! It was your basic simple Singer machine, but it got the job done and was a great learning machine. I think one of my biggest regrets about my business is selling that machine! Now when I'm working on multiple projects and my machine is busy embroidering I wish I had that Singer to sew on! I'd get twice as much done in theory!

A year after opening we moved from California to Florida. My husband is in the Marine Corps so moving every now and than is just a fact of life. And shortly after getting to Florida we found out we were pregnant! I'm not going to lie, not much got done during this time! Second pregnancy wasn't the kindest to me and towards the end I couldn't do much with a big'ol belly in the way! Fast ward and we brought our second boy home! Now I really needed to dig deep and find good boy patterns. But it was around this time that I also upgraded to a sewing/embroidery machine! And that opened a whole new world ... or a can of worms ... however you want to view it! 

And I guess the rest is history! My business got bigger, I acquired more patterns and applique designs, learned new skills, and simply just GREW! Throw in another 2 moves and some normal life stresses and here we are! Re-launched in Hawaii and still growing!

So now for the Q & A's  ... here's some of the top questions I get asked ...

Are you formally trained?
NOPE!!! I learned everything from youtube, my sister in law who sews, and other bloggers! I did take a basic 2 hour sit down to go over my new sewing/embroidery machine. Didn't want to do something to mess up such an expensive machine!

What machine do you use?
I started on a VERY simple and FREE singer. An within the past 1+ upgraded to a Bernina Artista 635 with embroidery attachment. In the future somewhere I would LOVE to upgrade again to a multi-needle stand alone embroidery machine! 

Do you teach?
I've never really thought about it, but recently there's been some ladies that have come into my life that really have me thinking hard about it!

Do you like running a home business?
Yes and No. Like everything else it has it's pros and cons. If I were to work outside the home it would be a 9-5, day care, and lots of missed fun. But working at home means that those 9-5 hours sort of blur. But I also get to spend time at home with my boys and if I need to take a day(s) off I can! 

Do you do more than "little kids" stuff?
YES! I've made/appliqued a few things for myself and family. And pillows, dish towels and such for around the house.

What is your favorite thing to make?
I will always love boy stuff, it simple and fun! But I also REALLY love to make girly things! Ruffle and pink and total cuteness!!! If I had to pick a specific pattern though, I think it would have to be ruffle pants! They're jut SO CUTE!!!