Thank you, Chalk in Hand, for sponsoring this post, part of the 2017 Shop Small Spring series. I was selected for this opportunity by Chalk in Hand; the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Oh spring. It was here, and now it is gone again. This week we have had frigid temperatures and snow. I know we are not alone. However, with this spring series of Shop Small, I am so grateful for the hints of spring around my home like this beautiful sign from Chalk in Hand. I don't know about you, but this girl loves herself some wooden signs. There is one basically in every room of my house. I cannot get enough of them and there are some darn good designers out there that makes them.
What started out as a hobby, Alec of Chalk in Hand has grown such an exciting career! She originally started out hand writing chalkboards, hence the name Chalk in Hand. With her talents, she would create layouts and hand write each and every board!! Thankfully, now that her business has grown, she does not have to hand write each sign anymore. Her designs range from seasonal to timeless and are so affordable, and she still makes wedding signs as well! In my family and group of friends, we have tons of birthdays in the spring (on top of all of the other great holidays) and I know that there are a few gals in my circle that would love a special wooden sign for their special day. Good news too! Use the code "THANKS01" will get you 20% off any purchase! How awesome is that?
Just like in my Christmas Shop Small series, I will interview the owners of the shops over the next few weeks so you can meet them personally. Behind each product, there is a owner, a family, a community. Just as much as I love supporting small shops, I also love hearing their stories.
Here is a little bit more about Alec, the owner of Chalk in Hand:
How did you get your shop started?
When I started my shop in September 2015, I was 5 months pregnant with my second baby. I originally had started with wedding chalkboards, and every board was handwritten. Eventually, I was able to buy a stencil cutter which led me home decor and wood signs.
What is the hardest part of owning a shop?
The hardest part about owning a shop is definitely balancing work and family. It was fun to find myself in hobby that was able to earn income but the busier I got, the more my family was placed on the back burner, which basically negated the purpose of staying home with my girls.
What is one thing unique about you?
One thing unique about me would be my name, Alec. I used to not like my name growing up and wanted something more feminine but now I love how I have never met another woman who shares the same name.
What is the best part of owning a shop?
The best part of owning my own shop is reading the reviews customers leave. It's so heartwarming to hear how happy they are when they receive their signs and the pictures they send of their signs displayed just makes my day!
How did you get your shop name?
I got the name Chalk in Hand because like I mentioned, I used to hand write every single sign. As fun as it was, it was very time consuming and hard to make each sign identical. Thankfully, the stencil cutter helps my work become efficient and much quicker.
What is one way that you keep organized?
The best way I have been able to keep organized was sitting down and writing a weekly work schedule. I decided the days I didn't want to work and the days I wanted to devoted to only housework and laundry. I've had to make changes along the way, but eventually, I was able to find something that worked with my family's schedule.
How do you balance family life and work life?
I have been able to balance work and family life by hiring 3-4 employees. I'm so grateful that I have been able to train others and teach them a new skill and by doing so has enabled me to spend more time with my husband and girls!
