On Opening a 2nd Shop, and Learning from Mistakes

A few years ago, I never would have dreamed that I would open an online store.  Or any kind of store really.  It just wasn't a path I had ever considered for myself.  But life has a funny way of bringing you to where you most need to be, and for whatever reason, my path led me to Etsy.  Now, Little Hill Jewelry is fast approaching its one year Etsy-versary (April 12th), and I'm just a teeny tiny ways off from my 100th item sold.

One of my newest additions, found in my Little Hill Jewelry shop

It's been a lot of hard work, and it's been really disappointing at times, but looking back, I'm proud of what I've accomplished.  And looking forward, I'm hopeful and excited for where my path might take me next.

A few weeks ago, I decided to open a second shop.  I figured things were going fairly well with my first shop, why not give it a go.  Well, my second shop's been open for 3 days, and while I've already had my first sale, it's been a rocky start.

One of my favorite beading patterns from my new shop, LH Beading Patterns

Originally, LH Beading Patterns was going to be a collaborative effort between myself and another young woman.  We were going to share the promotion of the shop, and both add patterns, but as it got closer and closer to being time to open, it looked less and less like she would be sticking around.  Finally, the day before we were to open up shop, she decided to bail, which was a super bummer.  She said she felt so bad about leaving me in the lurch that she wanted me to have her patterns, to do with as I saw fit.  This (I thought) was so incredibly generous of her, and more than made up for her bailing at the last minute.

It turns out that was more of a curse than a blessing.  I won't go into details, mostly because it's completely humiliating, but it turns out her patterns were something less than original.  I, having no clue, posted her patterns for sale in my shop.  Imagine my utter embarrassment when I got that message.  I was in tears when I realized what was going on, and very, very close to just scrapping the new shop all together.

Thankfully, the wonderfully kind Etsians who pointed out the problem were unbelievably gracious and understanding.  So, while I just wanted the earth the swallow me whole, some little voice inside me thought "Maybe I can still do this."  It took me awhile, but I sat down and deleted everything that I could remember her creating.  I have no idea if there were actual originals in the stack of patterns I chucked, but all things considered, I guess I don't much care.

This whole experience has taught me (probably in the hardest way possible) that good friends don't necessarily make good business partners, and that there is so much validity to the advice my Mother gave me all those years ago: "Trust, but verify."  This lapse in judgement is something that I'll be kicking myself over for a long time to come.  I can't seem to keep my mind away from thoughts like "If I had just..." or "What if I had..."

Another of my favorites, this pattern's design evokes a sense of calmness and serenity for me.

So now that I've shared one of my most embarrassing business errors, maybe you're wondering; what's the point?  Why tell even more people about this humiliating experience?  Well, the truth is, I wasn't going to.  I was all set to just sweep it under the rug, and push it to the back of my mind, and to just move on.  But I was thinking today that it's important to acknowledge our mistakes.  Not to embarrass ourselves further, but to own them, accept them, and to learn from them. 

The point is that we all screw up.  It's not something you hear a lot about really, unless it was some kind of epic catastrophe.  Maybe it doesn't happen often, and maybe not in big ways, but I think that if you're in business long enough, mistakes are going to happen, things are going to go awry, and the thought of just sacking the whole venture will inevitably cross every business person's mind.  But our mistakes aren't what define our businesses, or our lives.  How we repair the damage does. How we react and respond does. How we move forward does. 

Moving forward, I'll know to be wary of mixing business and friendship, and I'll be more careful to make sure I don't end up with a face full of mud.  I'll also always remember how kind, patient, and understanding complete strangers were to me, and how that ounce of compassion gave me the courage I needed to move on down my path.

And I just want to say, if you mess up, it doesn't have to be the end of the world.  Sometimes things go wrong, which is practically the story of my life, but those wrong turns can sometimes lead you to the right place, to the place you were meant to be all along.  

Feel free to stop by my new shop, LH Beading Patterns, and have a look around.  Now through April 12th, you can enter coupon code WELCOME during checkout and save $2 off any one pattern.

Come check out the new shop, and save $2 off any 1 pattern now through April 12th, 2013

Happy beading, and have a great week!

Springtime and Cheesecake

 Cheesecake?  Yes, cheesecake, because not every entry can be about jewelry =P

A quick update...Things are going pretty well for Little Hill Jewelry.  I'm still terrible at remembering to update this blog, so I'm sure there are tons of things that have gone on that I should mention, like my gifting a few celebrities, and revamping my website. I'm also working on some new items for spring/summer, but you can see those sneak peeks over on my Facebook page.

It's snowing here in Vermont, which is cool and everything, but the first day of spring is like, a day away, and we've got 8 inches of icy, wet snow on the ground.  Thank goodness for the internet, and my awesome Promotional Frenzy team members over on Etsy--check out some of their spring themed artwork!

This is a stunning photo of Cherry Blossoms in Snow from HausofAriella 

A wonderful print of a blossom against blue sky from NewCreatioNZ

A pretty floral headband from NewEnglandQuilter

And a beautiful brass flower pendant from KapKaDesign

So I thought I'd change things up a little this post, and share my new and ridicilously fantabulous recipe for cheesecake.  Yes, I said cheesecake.  I'm obsessed with cheesecake, but don't eat it often, because desserts aren't generally the healthiest thing on the planet.  Now, don't get me wrong, this cheesecake probably shouldn't take up residence in your daily food pyramid, but it's just perfect for a special treat that won't weigh you down.

I wish I'd thought of it while I was cooking and snapped a few photos, but food-blogger I'm not, so it didn't occur to me.  I know reading a recipe with no pictures is endlessly boring, but believe you me, it's totally worth it!  I know, I know, enough babbling on...here's the recipe!

Totally Awesome and Almost Fat/Sugar Free Lemon Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the crust:         1³/₄ C Nilla Waffer Cookies, crushed fine

                              ¼ C unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:      (3) 8oz packages of fat free cream cheese

                              1C fat free sour cream

                              2C Splenda (or other preferred sugar substitute)

                              3 large eggs

                              2t lemon zest

                              2T lemon juice

For the Topping:   1¹/₂t lemon zest

                              6T lemon juice

                              1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

                              ¹/₂C Splenda (or preferred sugar substitute)

                              2T unsalted butter, cut into small bits

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325^o
2. Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter until crumbs are evenly coated.  Press crumbs evenly into the bottom of a prepared 9” springform pan. 
• Don’t have one?  No big deal, you can really use any pan you like so long as it’s comparable in size.  I like the springform pan because the sides pop off, which makes removing the cheesecake a breeze.  If you’re going to use just a regular 9x9” square pan, I suggest lining it with parchment paper, just to save yourself headaches down the line.
3. Bake crust in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes (I left mine in for 12)
4. Remove pan from oven and let cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling
5. Using a hand or stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sour cream. 
• This is way easier to do if the cream cheese has been hanging out on the counter for a bit.  I took mine out about an hour before I got started, and it was the perfect consistency.
6. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just blended.  Then gradually add the Splenda, mixing well.  Finally, add the lemon zest and juice.
7. Pour filling into the crust and smooth.  Now you’re ready to bake it!
• Okay, so here’s the thing.  Even full fat/sugar cheesecakes can crack on the top while their baking.  It’s just what cheesecakes do.  By changing the chemistry of the cheesecake (fat free and sugar substitutes), this is actually way more likely to happen.  Fear not, there is a trick to help prevent this!   
• When you put your cheesecake in the oven to bake, add a small pan of water on another rack.  I bake my cheesecake on the middle rack, with a Pyrex dish with about 1 ½ cups of water on the rack above it.  This creates a moist heat environment, which helps keep the top of your cheesecake from getting all dry and cracked.  But, ya know, even if it does crack, it’s not like it effects how yummy this cheesecake is :)
8. Bake cheesecake.  How long is really going to depend on your oven, and your environment, and how the food gods are feeling that day.  Generally speaking, it’s going to take between 1 hour 25 minutes and 1 hour 45 minutes.   
• Normally with cheesecakes, you take it out when the tops starts to get that lovely cream and brown glow to it.  Since we’re using Spelnda, that’s not going to happen (Splenda doesn’t caramelize like sugar), so you have to keep a really close eye on it.   
• The cheesecake is done when the top looks dry and the center is only slightly jiggle-y when you gently shake the pan.  It’s part science, but mostly magic and instinct.  The cheesecake is going to continue to set up after you take it out of the oven, so a little jiggle is a good thing.
9. Once the cheesecake is done, take it out and let it hang out on a wire rack while you make the topping.
10. The topping is basically lemon curd.  It’s tart, sweet, and lemon-y, and it’s not strictly necessary to make this cheesecake, but it is a great finishing touch.
11. Set up a double boiler.   
• If you don’t have one, you can improvise like I do and just set a heat safe bowl over a pan of simmering water.  Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and that steam can escape, and you’re all set.
12. Add the zest, juice, Splenda, egg, and egg yolk to the bowl and set over simmering water.  Whisk until the mixture is hot and frothy, about 5 minutes.  You really have to whisk constantly to keep the eggs from curdling. 
13. Once the mixture is hot and frothy, gradually add the butter bits, whisking until each addition melts.  Once all the butter is added, whisk constantly for about 7 minutes until the mixture is smooth, glossy and coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat and cool for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
14. Remove the cheesecake from its pan to a serving plate.  If using a springform pan, run a thin knife around the edge to loosen, and then just pop off the sides, then gently slide the cheesecake onto a flat plate.
15. Top the cheesecake with the lemon curd.   
• Be sure to do a little taste test of the topping before slathering the cheesecake with it.  It is lemon curd after all, and can be a little tart.  I only ended up using about ²/₃rds of the topping spread thinly along the top.
16. Let the topped cheesecake hang out at room temperature for another 30-45 minutes, and then place in the fridge for several hours, or overnight.
17. I totally didn’t wait several hours.  More like—barely an hour.  You just want to chill the cheesecake and make sure everything is nice and set before you cut into it.  Try and hold off as long as you can.
18. Top with fresh raspberries for a fresh burst of color and dig in!  The only fat is from the butter in the crust and topping, and the only sugar is from the cookie crumbs in the crust, making this almost fat and sugar free, and totally, deliciously, diet friendly.

And that’s all there is to it.  Try it out, and let me know in the comments what you think!

Ta ta for now :)