2016 Modern Coup Year In Review
2016 was a good year. Work and family is pretty much my life. Running a micro-business, being the house manager and taking care of 3 boys (yes, my husband included) has put me at capacity. I must say though that this year has been really good all around.
Starting with the business… I didn’t expect that making custom bags would be such a big part of my business. This year, I had many requests to do something different almost half the time it seems. It’s interesting when customers tell me what they need their bags for, what they need to put in there and other details . I like making customs bags when I think that the bag will turn out well. The above bag is one example of a bag I made for a customer with a very specific custom bag in mind.
What I found about this year is that the customers were buying the bags as gifts (for girlfriends and wives), many were buying them for their upcoming travels and expecting customers were buying my bags to use as a modern diaper bag. That’s pretty great.
I also introduced the Commuter Bag this Spring in 3 colours. It’s one of my favourites as a mid-size and very portable bag. I’m happy that customers like it.
On a more personal level, I saw my 1st born start school and that was pretty exciting. He was getting bored of coming with me to the studio, so school came at just the right time. I believe that kids can’t be idle or bored, especially when they get older. They have all this energy and it has to be channeled to something that interests them.
5 years just flew by. It’s crazy because there’s this new baby that just came into your life and you’re happy, but at the same time you feel overwhelmed. Then all of a sudden he goes to school. In between sometimes feels like a blur, especially when our 2nd little man arrived. You always hear parents say it, “They grow up so fast.” It’s so true.
Now this little guy is accompanying me to the studio. He turned 2 this year. Now he’s going to the post office with me, like his brother used to. Blending work and child care is not without it’s challenges, but I feel lucky that I’m able to do this. Of course, my mom helps me a lot with that, too.
2 is an age where I find it’s gets a lot better. They’re getting out of their baby phase, they sleep a lot better, play more, talk a lot more and it’s fun. They have their moments (daily) and it’s a lot of work being a parent, but it’s not like the survival mode you’re on in the first couple of years (especially the first).
Another highlight of this year was going back to Montreal. My husband I just love this city. It’s in Canada, but feels like Europe (French/English speaking city). It’s a 5 hour flight, we don’t have to worry about customs or currency exchange to go there. It is really our go to spot to relax.
It was our 1st trip without the kids. They had fun staying with my parents, so it made the trip much more enjoyable. People ask us what we do there. We like to go to the movies, do a lot of walking, see the old buildings, drink coffee and have meals out. This may sound like ordinary stuff to most people, but when you’re parents you savour quiet time, unscheduled activities, sleeping, and being lazy. Montreal is our place to do that.
This is Old Montreal. A really beautiful part of the city by the port. The buildings are just beautiful. We don’t have this kind of stone and brick masonry in Vancouver, being a pretty new city. I’m already ready to go back.
HAPPY 2017. MAY YOUR NEW YEAR BE BRIGHT AND FULFILLING.
