I started Sew Petit last fall in order to fulfill a desire. The desire was (and still is) multifaceted. I wanted to be a business woman running my own company. I wanted an outlet for my sporadic creativity. I wanted to be able to create nice things for people. I wanted to be able to link up with a charity or some other organization where I could donate some of my wares or earnings. And all of these things I still desire.
However, my desire for a more stable and God-centered household for this next year are trumping my business yearnings. We plan to move again in a year and the process of getting a business set up in Alabama is no small thing, nor is it cheap. So, as of now and for the next year Sew Petit will be on hiatus. I have a Sew Petit blog over at Blogger, which I set up when I was changing site hosts, and I hope to make that active. This way people can stay informed as to what I’m doing by way of brainstorming and sewing.
I’m taking this one year opportunity to hopefully relax a little more, spend quality time with family, homeschool without distractions (yeah, right) and sew for myself and my girls. I do hope to still fulfill friends’ orders, but I’m not sure how to do that when I’m not a legitimate, license-holding, tax-paying business. When I was researching starting a business last summer I had originally wanted to be an online boutique only (like on a blog, website or Etsy). After talking with an attorney I realized that even in selling only online, I should technically and legally still get licensed within the state I was living. So, does anyone have ideas how I can legally still sell to friends (you know I only want to take their money when I’m taking a break, haha) while not being a business?
I’ll post the address of the Sew Petit blog as soon as I have it ready. Thanks to all the support I have received over the last year!
Not So SAHM 
I understand the need to take a break! But I haven’t gotten to order anything for Jack yet! Uh-oh! Shame on me for waiting ’til the last minute…. I’m so good at procrastinating.
Congrats!! Or maybe I should offer sympathy to the girls? A huge distraction will be gone and with it many opportunities for them to uuummm.. exercise their creativity?? Your products are very nice and probably in a lot of demand-it must have been hard to recognize you can’t do everything and let it go until your plate has more room on it!
Why not barter with friends? trade goods/services instead of greenbacks.
I think there is a $$ amount you can make each year without having to claim it on your taxes. $800 maybe? (but don’t quote me on that).
You’re like me . . . everything has to be legal and legit – LOL! That’s why I’m not doing Root & Sprout as just a regular blog format, becuase it is so much more than that. And I also intend for it to grow. But thinking about and acting on all the legal stuff – whew! If only people knew!
Take a breather. Do what’s most important to you right now. 🙂
(you do have some really cute things, though!)
I suppose it depends what state you are in. Here in Pennsylvania I have a resale number, which means I have to collect sales tax on what I sell in state and turn it in. But other than that I am not “registered” per se. But I did go into business for myself 20 years ago, so things might have, probably did, change. Also, in Pa, you can collect $600 before you pay taxes.
Do what makes you happy. Working at home, while it sounds great, can be extremely stressful. It is hard to juggle both life and business, especially when they are located in the same place.
I am lucky that both my kids are older and entertain themselves. But, even with most time free for me to work, it still gets stressful when I am busy.
* I’m having a CONTEST! Have you entered yet? *
Thank GOD I’m a friend. Right???? What will I do for all my gift-giving needs???