Giving away a dress today to a sweet baby girl!

Sun dresses and Little Girls remind me of a time very long ago.  My little girl is now 23 years old.  There was a time, when she would throw open her closet and pull down a handful of dresses.  I allowed it. I allowed her to wear every dress throughout the day.  Summer time is a fun time for cute little dresses.  What is in your little girl’s closet?  What is she throwing all over the floor begging to wear?

Today, this little dress is what I would be putting on Emily if she were little all over again.  Now, I will just buy for my customers and hold one back to give as a gift. Now a days, those little girls that once played with Emily are having their own babies.  And today, Jessica P. I would love to give one to you and your little girl. Why?  You, being one of those little girls that grew up coming into my home, bouncing around the jungle gym, sleep overs and dolls.  Now a mama to your own precious girl.  Blessings to you sweet mama and I know this sun dress will look darling on your little girl.

Here is the reality of this Funky Fun & Fabulous piece of furniture for a Kids Room. I did not paint this.  As a matter of fact, if I had painted it, it might have never made it to this post.  With the decline in the quality of furniture I find myself searching garage sales, estate sales and thrift stores for old tossed furniture.  The compromise in quality comes with making furniture fast, cheap and easy.  I do not have the confidence I once had in selling furniture that once carried solid craftsmanship.  Selling solid wood pieces, glides that could withstand the torment of a child.  Instead I will often find a timeless solid piece and will paint it, restore it and sell it. 

This Funky Fun was painted by two high school girls named Julie & Rachel.  I hired these two girl to help around the warehouse with projects like this.  Giving them the resources to take this old drab piece of white furniture and have some fun with it.  As you can see they had a lot of fun.  I have to admit, I had to look the other way when the paint started flying.

I have since hung onto this piece.  I am thinking I might want to design a room for a show home around this funky fun dresser. My husband would prefer it leave  now.  Perhaps… in the next few months. Until now, I get to write, post pictures and share the fun of these high school girls.  Take a moment to watch these girls having fun in video. You can now see why they would have so much fun painting Funky Fun & Fabulous Kids Room Furniture.

Who’s Watching Who?

It’s owl season in these parts and the question remains, who’s watching who?  I have received many emails around the lack of OWL options I have on this website.  Who is asking?  The kids are asking, and the parents then deliver the message of the kids.  Every good buyer must listen to the youngest of customers.  The answer is my customer’s are watching and wanting to see a bigger OWL presence. 

A year ago I brought in these home made pictures of OWL on a canvas. Mixing fabrics, paint, and designs around matching bedding.  I was already, over a year ago, thinking about OWLS.    Check out these master pieces. 

Are you still with me?  Or are you feeling like you are being watched by these wise lovely OWLS?  I have had the opportunity to make up a few of these in custom colors for those who wanted the colors to match their child’s room.  The question that would often follow,  in addition to ordering the picture, “do you have any stuffed owls?”  I am going to start sewing some this spring to also match bedding. 

I lack in owls because I find that the ones I have found, and even the ones I have made have big eyes.  There is this part of me, perhaps a bit kid-like, that feels as if I am being watched.  My kids, all five, are not fans of OWLS.  I have raised kids who do not like stuffed toys with the ability to watch. I wonder if given the nature of an OWL, we feel a bit imposed upon, as if they really do know who’s who?

I gave my six year old an OWL key chain to put on his backpack. Modeled exactly like the cute fellow at the start of this post.  His words, “mama I don’t like this OWL, I feel like he’s looking at me.”  A small key chain. Very funny and very much my thoughts as well.  Do you like OWLS?  They sure are still going strong in kids room design.  Guess what I am watching you Mr. OWL. I am on the look out for more cute OWLS.  Great day to all of my OWL fans.  Elizabeth Traub

What exactly does this mean for Hung Out To Buy?  Loved Before is listed in our

Purchase Policy and reads as follows…..

‘Hung Out To Buy has a pricing structure for some of our items that are  called “loved before.” Loved before items will always be introduced as loved before.  Duvet Covers, Shams, and Throw Pillows, along with some accessories will be shown as loved before items. Items that have all been loved before by a little girl or boy who grew up.  You get the look and feel of quality custom bedding at our loved before  pricing. Most of our design accents and bedding are brand new, unless otherwise noted loved  before.  We’ve created a crisp, fresh look for your  room at loved before pricing.  A look that will easily transition from toddler to teen.”

I have always been a designer selling and designing from a brand new perspective.  It’s been in this last year that I have taken my personal style into my designing.  You see, I have said for almost twenty years, “I am not my own customer.”  I love designing beautiful rooms with all the bells and whistles.  My clients, are not creative on many levels and admit it, thus the need to enlist my help.  I am creative and overly resourceful. It comes with being a designer and I personally love the search and hunt of a great find.  I have no problem buying shoes and a handbag for hundreds of dollars, but I also find great pleasure in wandering a second-hand store and finding a beautiful purse for under $5.00.

This entire collection is Loved Before
Dresser, Headboard & Bedding

Taking my personal style and now bringing my customer’s the fun of choosing Loved Before or brand new. It’s not always easy to find that look in second-hand stores. It takes a lot of hunting and finding designs that still have a lot of life and design in them.  In the next few weeks you will get to see our website grow as we take more time to share those Loved Before items with you.  Here is a fun look at just what I am talking about.  The images through out this post share some of our Loved Before looks mixed with the new.  Let the designing and fun begin with Kids Rooms & our Loved Before Products.

Cupcake Night Light $18.50

Click here to BUY

I have been in this business long enough to know that very few spend their disposable income on Kids Room  Shopping, so why talk about Night Lights? It is no fun for a little person to open a package with a beautiful sham, a fancy pillow,  or a peg rack for the wall.  Unless you have permission to use that peg rack for heavy artillery, which my ten year old did once, it’s just not fun.  Rather than write on the features and products sold here on my website pages I want to temp you with only one product.  Night Lights.  Every year I order Night Lights by the dozens.  Even before I had all the Night Lights priced and put away in my showroom in Portland, they were selling right out of the box.  Why?  Why Night Lights?  Why not a cute stuffed toy, or darling key-chain, or a sock monkey?

Rocket Night Light $18.50

Click HERE to BUY

There is a shopper out there that is practical and price savvy.  Parent, Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents and Gunkals who want something to give that will outlive the next trend.   Night Lights are a darling way to accent a room.  They are very practical, and a price point that is under $20.00 allowing one stop shopping for all the kids in your life.  I was excited over the rocket night light. My ten year old saw that and he asked for it for Christmas.  Always brightens my buying heart when my own kids want the products I invest in.  I am a seasoned buyer and know just the designs and styles that will work in most kid’s rooms.  If this sounds like a sales pitch, guess what it is.  I would love to light up the night for that special little person in your life.  If you are not able to make into the home of that little person I can even wrap as a gift and ship to the front door, ready to be placed under a tree.  Night Lights, indeed for Kids’ Room Shopping.  Here is the link to the page, if you’d like to consider purchasing. http://hungouttobuy.com/room-decor/lamps/night-lights/

“Such a fun night! Truly so blessed to have divorced parents who can still do fun things together as a family. I will never take that for granted. I’m so thankful.. thanks mom and dad “

I know the girl who wrote this. I know her heart on many levels.  A high school girl whose heart has hurt over the stuff high school girls face today.  I know her love and compassion for her parents.  How many high-school girls make this kind of acknowledgement to their parents publicly? On Facebook?  Even those coming from families still in tact to do not boldly express this kind of appreciation and love very often.  Yet this girl, who knows the struggles in life can embrace what is in front of her. Her parents.  Reading further down was this from her mom:

“Nothing is more important to us then you and —- (name of her brother I blocked)! We also know and appreciate that only we together could have created the two wonderful people that you and —- are. We both adore you and love you. Holidays, birthdays and special occasions and fun times will ALWAYS be shared together because we will ALWAYS be family and divorce doesn’t change that. Thank you for appreciating our togetherness sweetheart. Dad and I love you both so very much.

Those of us who have been divorced know how messy things get with kids. It is not to say that messy hasn’t happened with this family too.  Yet, even with the messy these two parents are committed to being a family for those important moments in their kid’s lives.  What a real life example of two adults putting aside the adult issues and raising the esteem and value of their children.   The children are more important than the fact they could not function as a married couple.  This is beautiful.  A small public exchange between a mother and a daughter.  On a side note, I met this family over a year ago and quickly fell in love with them.  It was later that we realized that they had purchased their kids furniture from my store, over 15 years ago. How fun is that?

My daughter loves like this too.  She is very public about her affections towards me as her mother.   It has been difficult for her that her dad and I could never be a “family” during those important moments in her life.  Once we had her dad over for her 16th birthday and she said it was one of her best days because both her parents were there.  Sadly that was the last event shared. I have a lot of admiration for this couple who recognize the kids and their need for both parents regardless of divorce.

I am just encouraging parents to set aside some “family” time.  It means the world to our kids.  Read over again what this mama is saying to her daughter.  I know I did not do this part of my divorce well.   Beautiful words from a daughter who loves to her mama who loves.

It’s easy to change or spruce up your kids room with fun pillows. I had a mama in my showroom last week doing just that.  She had invested in some lovely bedding, and as most of us do, she got bored with the look. She did not want to start over, as the entire room was designed around  her bedding.  I have learned, through many years of experience, that “bored” often equates to needing just a few more design elements, not yet thought of.

I asked her what colors she had in her room, the colors and print in her bedspread and why she might be bored with it.  “Dull” was her answer.  Dull is not what you want after investing in colors you live in and around your room.  A small investment in a few pillows turns “Dull” into fashionable and fun.  Here are some examples.

This is a darling bed, darling colorful bedding set for a boy’s room.  You can choose your theme, or mix and match themes for transitioning your child’s interests.  Alone without the accents of pillows it looks okay. In my fashion and fun designer style it looks dull.  Now add in some fun pillows and you add a theme to build around, more colors allowing a green accent lamp to work, and fun pillows for your child to toss around.  Accent pillows help bring in colors, that may not be in the bedding, expanding choices for future accents.

Nice but a little dull

Pillows Bring Fun & Color

This next bed has a lot going for it.  It has lots of color, pretty amazing headboard, and then one flat, stand-alone pillowcase. Sure we can go over the top in having a custom make ruffled, and piped sham.  However, in this case there is no time for that. Company is coming and you want to take this “dull” look to quick fabulous designer fun.  By adding three different pieces, a print with texture, a solid with texture and a cute little blanket, you’ve had some fun for the same price as a custom sham and in record time. Sometimes, our dull is not really dull it just lacks the finishing touches.

Nice Perhaps a bit plain.

Pops of Pillow Color

This darling set, actually has a cute ruffled pillowcase. Alone it is very cute.  Sometimes for no reason we get that bug to do more .  Pop some of the colors by simple adding a bright pillow.  Stuffed friends, in the same color scheme, and a custom-made pillow take this from cute and darling to fabulous and fun.  Dull never has to be the only excuse for sprucing.  It’s just fun to decorate and your groove on.

Darling But Dull? You Decide.

Mixing and Matching lots of fun.

These pictures were all taken from my showroom in Portland, OR. If you live in the area stop by and say hi. I would love to help  you spruce up some of your dull. As you can see, it’s quite easy to change or spruce up your kids room with pillows.Happy Decorating from your kids room designer,

Your Kids Room Designer, Elizabeth Traub

I met Stephen Dimmick through twitter.  Checked out his websiteand began to feel that this man, make up expert to celebrities, understood the deeper parts of a women’s heart and the feelings behind true beauty.   His work featured in the highest level of fashion magazines. I watched him. Truth be known I stalked him.  Watching his video’s on the application of applying make up, and understanding more how he poured his gifts and experience into the heart of beauty.

Stephen Wiping The Tears

As our friendship grew, I trusted him with some of the deepest parts of my heart.  I stepped into his business of “Bold You Beautiful You”.  You see I had the bold down.  I have never once in my life thought I was beautiful.  That little girl was still very ugly.  Kids believe what they hear, and as much success and confidence I have in both my personal life and business life I was still very much that ugly girl who learned just how to be cute.  Can a girl just grow up and be beautiful.  At the age of 46 I grew up.  September 9th I grew into that beautiful women.

Here is my story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=najIN8H5qf4

That wonderful man Stephen Dimmick, took what he knows through years of touching the most beautiful faces and taught me how to believe that you don’t have to have an airbrushed face to be beautiful.  Listen to the words from his heart and experience:

http://dailydimmick.com/2012/09/14/3001/

Photo Credits To Susan Cross
http://www.susancampbellcross.com/

To family and friends, you start sharing the excitement of what is going on in your life concerning the new business. You share your ideas, your plans, the details of your business, how you are organizing it all.  When starting something new it’s easy to become that broken record of excitement and then the casual rolling of the eyes, from your friends and family,  “…she’s talking about it again..” Never take offense, in most cases our family and friends mean well. Now add in Social Media and you absolutely can not get away from the excitement, joys, and daily updates of the new business.  The reality is that those of us on the side of starting the business are like that of a pregnant lady, or the planning of a wedding, or okay the planning of a business whoopee!!!!  We talk about it  ALOT!  In a sense our family and friends become our board of directors to which we bounce all the ideas off of.

Slowly, friends and family  begin to tire of the updates, the conversations, and slowly  begin to step back and away.  Our family and friends begin to talk, and there are the questions of success or failure.  Questioning why you would do this?  Why would you  invest your time or money. “Why” questions often result in a side ways way of saying your are crazy for starting a business.  “Why” questions, often  result in a side ways way of saying, “you are not going to make it in this economy. You don’t know what you are doing. You are going to fail, and it’s painful to watch. Why would you be doing this?   Questions like this come often from family and friends.  Am I right?  Have you experienced this?

I had a young gal in my home last week. She is starting off in her business, and she asked me how I keep plunging forward with confidence.  I had to be honest with her. I said I stopped listening to the comments of family and friends–>DISCLAIMER MOMENT: Not all family and friends. Okay, so if you are about to blow a gasket over how much you love and support me and I don’t see it, this is not about you darlings.  This is about those who are nay-sayers, boo-hooers, and the such.

This precious gal shared how her parents think she is crazy, and why would she even consider such a thing.  Why?  Why do we consider such a thing as starting a business?  It’s our passion. It’s our desire. I’s our dream.  It’s often our God-given gifts playing out in real-time through the business’ we step into.  Guess what, don’t tell anyone, but we just might fail at it.  And there the  nay-Sayers stand, saying, “I told you so.”  They take great pride in being right. Yet the only sign we see ahead is this one.

And then when we do well at it, those same people say things like, “well they just got lucky.”   A stroke of luck, really?  What most do not see is the long hours, the hard work and the planning.  What would happen if family and friends showed up with balloons.   The cheering squad.  Encouraging words and a helping hand?  What would happen if failure set in, those same family and friends came along to help pick up the pieces of failure, and offered more words of encouragement?

Over the years, as a consultant, helping business’s get started I have had to break this news to many discouraged clients who came away from a family gathering feeling defeated and discouraged.  “The reality is, your friends and family will not be your biggest fans.  They will often be the ones to discourage you, question what you are doing, and only if you have success will they show up as your best friends. You have to be your biggest cheerleader.”

Back to my original question. Why are we so afraid to encourage the success of another?

1.  Perhaps there is personal accountability and responsibility required if we encourage success and it fails.
2.  Perhaps we struggle with internal jealousy that “they” are doing what they love and you are stuck doing a job you hate.
3.  Perhaps you feel that they are not worthy of success because of the judgments you have placed on them.
4.  Perhaps you have mismanaged your life that does not allow you to live out your own dreams and passions therefore if you can’t be happy certainly you can not pour some happiness onto another.
5.  Perhaps you think their idea stinks and it will never succeed, so why get excited and support the idea that you do not understand or believe in.
6.  Perhaps you are not a risk taker, and therefore encouraging another in their risk taking puts you at risk to experiences emotions you are not familiar with.
7.  Perhaps, there is a rule book you play by, and when seeing another play by a different set of  rules, you are not able to step into their excitement and joy because it breaks your rules.

Sober estimating of our own hearts is a hard process. So much easier to evaluate and gage the heart of another. There is no accountability or work in that.  Do you have a plan, a risk taking plan?  An idea you feel burning on your insides?  Do you have the resources to begin to live in that plan, that idea, that new business start-up?  I have to say that risk taking is not something you do that puts your family,  your economics, your home, and  your ability to live at risk.  Careful planning goes into the best of risk taking.  It simply means I am stepping out into the unknowns  and going after my dreams, and my passions.  In my case running into a  kids furniture and accessory store.  Success is best defined by this image:  It’s that desire we have and move into.

To those who come around me and bless my socks off.  I love your cheers, your encouragements, your prayers when I tell you it’s hard.  To my husband, who pops his head into my office, my eyes bleary, offers his encouraging words of love and support. A man who hangs from a ladder to see that my store sign is up on opening day.  To new friends in the business community I love how you have come around.  This post is not about you.  It’s a generalization, said to protect the innocent, of a typical cycle of lack of support.  How many can raise their hand in knowing that quiet pain of the not having those important influences cheering us on? Come, we are all born with beating hearts.  It’s human nature to desire that encouragement and support.

Embrace your confidence in the plan you have. Embrace the orchestrations of your plan, that confirm you are going in the right direction.  Listen to sound wisdom and be able to discern a nay-sayer from sound wisdom.  When I was 25 years old, a man with many years of business experience told me I would never succeed in business.  He discouraged me from moving forward. Over 10 million dollars later, and a business I loved, I did not listen to that wisdom. It came from rules, and judgments of my lack of experience at the age of 25, and my lack of education. Yet my heart pressed forward into the unknowns and a career of over 20 years was born.  I do not harbor ill-will in that wisdom It was my dad.  He too, a very successful businessman wanted his daughter to do well, and education in “business” would help me.    What I have learned is to listen to my instincts, trust God is directing and be sure to have a team praying you through the process.

I can’t say my confidences in business ever came from family and friends. It came from God placing on my heart, desires that burned in me, and then seeing His orchestrations unfold in ways that did not make sense.  Maybe you are reading this and don’t believe in God.  Somehow, you have been wired with amazing gifts and skills, whatever meaning you give to that, you move forward in that and you see the blessings that come from your hard work.  I believe that is God pursuing your heart in the way in which he wired you. (wink-wink)

I encourage each person reading this to begin to encourage others in the places they choose to put their time and energy.  It’s not you, it’s not your dream, it’s nothing you would ever do, but that does not mean you have to stand on the sidelines waving a finger.  As you see success in another take shape, begin to see the value that person has in how they are serving others with those gifts and pursuits.  Ask yourself how you are adding value in what you do.  You may not be a risk taker, a business starter, but your words can add value in all you say and do.

Encouragement is such a precious gift we give to another.  Pushing each of us to be better no matter what we are doing.  Blessings friends and family, Elizabeth

Anyone who knows me IRT would laugh at a statement like that.  Why? I don’t have time in front of a TV during the day. My kids have no TV or electronics during the school week.  I am not a big fan of TV until after 10pm, when I turn it on as I tuck into bed to catch some news.  The real question is simple.  What message am I communicating in Social Media that would give this impression? What messages about yourself are you communicating?  Why might we be different in SM than we are in real-time?

For me, my first response to the question might be depth of who I am.  In real face to face time I tend to be light-hearted, wit mixed with some charm and fun with those whom I do not know so well. I can imagine that, that might be an impression I give to others in SM.  Does a person who lacks depth in written word also communicate something less or more?  I don’t divulge the intimacies or the depths of who I am at first tweet, or first like, or even first response.  I don’t do that until I am assured of a great authentic friendship to begin, and let’s face it that is not so easy  IRT or SM. Friendships take time.

My next answer might be the inability to read body language.
This journal reads:
BusinessWeek By Carmine Gallo | Wed, Feb 14, 2007
“Only a small percentage of communication involves actual words: 7%, to be exact. In fact, 55% of communication is visual (body language, eye contact) and 38% is vocal (pitch, speed, volume, tone of voice). The world’s best business communicators have strong body language: a commanding presence that reflects confidence, competence, and charisma.”

Being a designer, I am very visual and statistics show that over half of communication is visual.  Therefore I know that I am very chatty in SM. To tell my story requires painting a picture with limited words.  How then do I communicate Elizabeth with only a 7% attempt of communication?  I must not be doing it so well if I am leaving an impression of being a daytime TV watcher.  Not that there is anything wrong with that, but that is the furthest thing from me.

I think I actually have more confidence with my 7% communication on Social Media.  When I walk into SM wearing a new hat and tweet about it, there are no eyes looking at me, with faces that I may misunderstand, and then toss the hat in my handbag due to my own insecurities. No, I just tweet or post the picture.  There is a natural editing process that happens with written communication.  My comments are direct and intentional. Not just that, “oops did I really just say that embarrassing moment”.  Which happened at the meet-up.  The guys were talking beer flavors. I blurted out, “wow, that beer Randy had last time burned my asparagus.” No, editing or taking that back.  Everyone bust up laughing. I meant to say esophagus. Seconds early I had ordered the asparagus to go with me dinner, and it was still lingering on the end of my tongue.

Is Social Media a confidence building platform for misfits?  Let me give you my definition of a misfit: A person who feels awkward in certain social settings.  Let’s say you truly are painfully shy, or IRT words are not easy to come by. You now have time to process your thoughts with no eyes of impatience.  Or in my case being the fashion misfit that I am, I am very quick to look around a room and wonder how on earth do these people know how to dress themselves. There is never that question or misfit feeling in SM.  We all have various levels where we lack confidences and clearly fashion is mine.

I believe that SM is confidence building.  Allowing the geeky gal, who did not realize leopard leggings, brown suede clogs, and a shiny black polka dot shirt, were not fashion pieces to mix and match. Dear Lord God in Heaven, you gave me an eye for the designing of others both in interiors and fashion, but not for me. I wore that combination once to a dinner party.  I was very blessed to have a close friend tell me too never where that combination again, ever.  I am building confidence in testing out my discomforts of being that fashion misfit on SM.  I love hats, but for some reason feel very insecure in them.  Through SM I decided to try out two different hats this month. Two hats in one month. I have not worn hats in years. Thanks SM.

The manner in which you walk into a room, and see all eyes on you could easily produce some insecurity, especially if you knock your hip on a corner table, spilling the pitcher of water.  In SM all eyes are reading, or looking at the photo in past tense.  I no longer feel the insecurities of removing the hat before I walk out my front door.  Do you feel more confident and bolder through your written language?  Are you the same IRT as you are in SM?

Please tell me you are not another person who took me for a daytime TV watcher.  So who am I?

Just read my twitter handle @elizonthego.  That name alone pretty much sums it up. I have the energy of four people. I have been told this my entire life. I am not medicated for anything. I come by this energy from a good solid night of sleep. I run my own business, and have for over 20 years. This allows me to be very present and involved in all five of my kid’s lives.  Not exactly a sit in front a TV kind of gal.

I truly, both IRT and SM, love to connect with people. However I also get if I am viewed as a bit shallow. That does not ever offend me.  IRT I am always cautious in bringing people into my circles.  When that does happen, you can bet that you have a friend for life. SM relationships are no different. I will say I love you, when my heart feels it and means it.  And guess what. It’s late and I am going to tuck in and turn on my TV, giving credence to Randy, only he got it mixed up, I am not a day time TV kind of gal, but a late night TV kind of gal. It’s okay; he was only basing his observations on 7% of communication.

I would sure love to know how are you different in written time (Social Media-SM) vs. face time (In Real Time-IRT)?