200 Sales!

A great milestone for me - I just had my 200th sale yesterday, & am ecstatic at the success of my small little business. It is also a big event, as my shop turned 1 year old just last week!

I look back to last August when I decided on my business name, signed on to etsy & started timidly listing items. I have to say that I laugh a little at myself at my ineptitude at the beginning. I knew very little about running a business, making up for that with many late nights reading business models, blogs & attending every Newbie Chat in the Etsy Virtual Labs I could. I owe many thanks to Danielle at etsy for her expertise & patience with me, as I think I asked the most questions in her labs for several weeks & I'm sure she was relieved when I felt confident enough to stand on my own two feet. Bless her!

I still remember the unbelievable rush when I made my first sale - a Ham Sandwich Lunch set to a wonderful customer, who still buys from me. Funny, but I remember thinking "wow, someone really likes something that I made enough to buy it?" I still smile to myself & call my husband each time I make a sale - he is sweet enough to be as excited as I am. I don't know what I would do without my "Idea Man" & my best supporter. I thank all of my customers who give me these excited smiles with my husband each time.

Well, a year & 200 sales later, I am more excited at the prospect of the coming year. I have many new designs in the works, much more business experience & am a much more streamlined & confident seamstress. Though my business is growing, I still remember the reasons why I started in the first place - to rid children's toyboxes of mass-produced, toxic, junk-plastic toys in favor of toys that educate & encourage imaginative play. I love the thought of over 200 children around the world playing with a toy that is made with all the love that seams can hold.

Breakfast Buffet

With a busy summer season of Farmer's Markets, craft shows & kids fairs, I have been creating new items like mad & am excited to add 2 of my favorite breakfast items to the Bug Bites kitchens - Cinnamon Rolls & French Toast. Just seeing these makes me want to bust out my flour, eggs & cinnamon & get baking! I have always been a breakfast-person & love making my own culinary loves come to life in felt.

I have a spectacular recipe for Cinnamon Rolls that I thought I would share so you can make your own real versions of these breakfast favorites!

Quick Cinnamon Buns
Filling:
3/4 C. packed Brown Sugar
1/4 C. Granulated Sugar
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Cloves
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 Tb. Unsalted Butter, melted

Dough:
2 1/2 C. all-purpose Flour, plus extra for the counter
2 Tb. Sugar
1 1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 1 /4 C. Buttermilk
6 Tb. Unsalted Butter, melted

Glaze:
3 Tb. Cream Cheese, softened
2 Tb. Buttermilk
1 1/2 C. Confectioner's Sugar

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Coat both a 9" nonstick round cake pan & a wire cooling rack with vegetable oil spray.
2. For the Filling: Combine filling ingredients in a bowl until mixture resembles wet sand.
3. For the Dough: Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk buttermilk & 2 Tb. of melted butter together. Stir buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until absorbed (dough looks shaggy), about 30 seconds. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured counter & knead until smooth, 1 minute.
4. Press dough into a 9x12 inch rectangle using your hands. Brush dough with 2 Tb. of remaining melted butter. Sprinkle dough evenly with filling, leaving a 1/2 inch border, then press firmly into the dough.
5. Loosen dough from counter with a scraper & starting at a long side, roll the dough, pressing lightly to form a tight log. Pinch the seam to seal. Slice the dough into 8 pieces & place in the pan. Brush with the remaining 2 Tb. melted butter. Bake until edges are golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
6. Use a knife to loosen buns, flip onto wire rack then turn upright & cool for 5 min before glazing.

Courtesy of America's Test Kitchens