So our area is still pretty much on lockdown to keep the World safe, but  we're making it work!
Still making stuff, still taking photos, still listing items for sale!
We're working on ways to still make the merchandise cute, yet safe, with fresh packaging to keep the monsters as germ-free as possible.
We're listing goods as fast as we can in our Etsy shop, and showing them off on facebook, instagram, Twitter, and more.
We're finding creative ways to get your favorite items to you!

Tonight I'll be on a "Facebook Live" Crafty show with some friends.
Tomorrow, teaching some local Girl Scout Volunteers at a Virtual Conference how to make some fun & crafty items at home!
And best of all, just found out that one of our favorite INDOOR craft shows will be giving it a go with a modified system in late September! (We'll post when we have a flier.)
AND...Craftapalooza is also coming back in November! All outside as usual, with more social distance and some other safety measures in place.

Things are moviig forward toward almost normal!
But in the meantime, we'll keep listing and making new goods for you to buy and ship through Etsy!
We miss you all!
​

So the World is on a "time-out". 
Time to stay home.
Time to clean.
Time to catch up on every TV show, movie, you missed.
Time to catch up with family.
Time to catch up on the latest technology (i.e. HOW TO ZOOM)
Time to do those fix-its around the house you've been neglecting.
Time to pay a game, do a puzzle, bake, cook, try something new.

While we're home, time to NOT view this time of social distancing as time trapped in a  cage, but perhaps as nature's way of forcing some much-needed "down time."
Not the REASON we want. Not the WAY we want it.
Not the financial disaster we want.
But the attitude we need to get through this.

My heart goes out to all my family and friends who are now out of a job, about to lose their homes and their businesses. I have to believe we'll make it through to something new. 

Stay safe. Stay healthy. And wash your hands!

UPDATE: Please note that this store closed after Christmas in 2019. We had fun, loved seeing so many customers all day long, but it was a temporary thing- sort of a "pop-up shop". We hope that sometime in the future we can explore having a brick and mortar store of our own! In the meantime, find us on Etsy and Facebook.

And here's what happened in Fall 2019:

​OMG...we're exicted! And nervous. And happy. And nervous. And freaked out, but happy. And nervous. Did I mention we're nervous?

It's FINALLY HAPPENED, whether it's for a long time to come, or for a glorious Holiday Season!
Due to a really weird set of circumstances including a contest, a disappointment, helping a friend through a rough patch, and suddenly a big change, WE'RE IN A STORE!
We've partnered up with our friend Kristie at 1904 Apothecary Lane to create a unique boutique of 100% handmade goods!!! You'll find us in Parkway Plaza Mall in El Cajon, halfway between Macy's and JCPenny, right across from Justice and the Caramel Corn guy, open ever single hour the mall is open NOW through the Holidays.
We're just getting on our feet, and testing the waters to see how mall life goes, and we need your help to keep the dream alive! WE NEED EVERYONE WE KNOW TO COME SUPPORT OUR SHOP!
Malls aren't quite the social hub they were in my high school and college days, but at least we know there won't be a Demogorgon attacking (like in Stranger Things, thank goodness), and it a relief to have a maker space 24-7 AND to not have to rely on dragging every last bit of furniture and merchandise from show to show every weekend! The mall STILL has tons of great stores, food (come on, you KNOW you want a Hot Dog on a Stick lemonade and a quick See's run!), movies, and well...ME! Our mall even has really nice seating areas, and the air conditioning is a dream on all these crazy hot days lately.
Yeah, yeah, Amazon has free shipping.  But the mall is a LOT closer than you remember!
AND WE NEED YOU to come visit! Tell your friends! Stop by and try on a hat, smell some AMAZING sugar scrubs (Pineapple is my favorite!), smell some candles (Blueberry Cobbler scent, anyone?), and take home a little handmade something made by us! Without your support, we won't be able to continue for the coming year.
Yes, we're still doing a limited number of local shows. But we'd love to keep a storefront where we can offer workshops, private shopping events, and a place where you can ALWAYS come hang out and buy some amazing locally-made products! Come see me at my sewing machine and Kristie whipping up some sugar-scrubs in the store! Relax and enjoy the deliciously scented air! And SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS!
We'd love to see you!!!

Find us at 1904 Apothecary Lane in Parkway Plaza NOW through December (and hopefully beyond!)
​

This story was originally published in 2013. Thought it was time to share again, with a few important updates!

So people who've recently met us often wonder WHY we frequently refer to Girl Scouts in conversation, on our Facebook Page,
etc. etc. etc.
Well, simply put, Girl Scouts STARTED this business!

Girl Scouting is far more than cookies, crafts, and camping! It's about
Leadership, Business, and finding yourself. Since 1999, our household has been firmly connected to the Girl Scout world.
1 Girl Scout, 1 Leader, 1 Registered Girl Scout Dad,
and 1 brother who reluctantly got dragged to lots and lots of
camps & activities, always surrounded by more Girl Scouts.
Yes, there were Cookie Sales.
Yes, there were LOTS of crafts...glue, beads, string, fabric, art
supplies EVERYWHERE!
And yes, of course, there was plenty of CAMPING!
 But Girl Scouts is a great program to develop leadership and business skills too!!!

 In 2011, our Girl Scout 
Ambassador Troop of High School Juniors &  Seniors were required to work on a program called a "Journey". For those who've done "Journeys", bear with us a minute while we explain.
For those with puzzled expression, a "Journey" is a program that guides Girl Scouts through the process of
Discovering subjects they are passionate about,
Connecting to the world and the people around them, and
TAKING ACTION to actually DO SOMETHING to make the
world a better place in relation to that passion they found in the "Discovery" phase.
This particular Journey called "BLISS: Live it/Give it" required the
girls to "adopt a dreamer". 

Yeah, it sounds  a little corny, and the girls really had to rack their brains to figure out who this "dreamer" should be, what that person's DREAM was, and how in the world GIRLS could help this person achieve their dream. No small task (especially for a bunch of 16-17-year-olds!) And the girls really didn't want to waste their time doing the steps simply because a book told them to. They wanted it to be personal, meaningful, and REAL.

 Brains buzzed, heads turned, and fingers pointed.
At ME, their humble Troop leader of 12 years.

 They decided that after devoting my time to THEM for so many years, it was time for ME to get "ME" back.

Remembering some super-cool furry hats I had recently made for them to use at a Japanese POP culture event they'd hosted, they hit on a plan, a theme, and new LOOK! Monsters...about to be all the rage!

Together, they came up with a name for the new venture.
One girl researched what was needed to start a business. 
One girl created a LOGO.
One girl set up an Etsy account. 

And so on. Until "Mostly Monsters" was born. But when they went to
create the FACEBOOK page, they discovered that "Mostly Monsters" was already taken  by another crafter far away in New Zealand.
So Plan B...where we were from? CHULA VISTA!
Best "small town" in a Big City!
New name: "Mostly Monsters Chula Vista"
(or "Mostly Monsters CV" for short)

 And so with a lot of help from the girls in the first few months, we
brainstormed hot new trends, colors that pop, ways to revamp popular old favorites with a new monster twist. At first, the Girl Scouts helped with simple gluing, photography, and of course price tagging. 
SO MUCH TAGGING! Their help with the piddly details left me free to create. And Taylor  (also a member of the troop) got dragged in too, once it was discovered that SHE had the youth, talent and the artistic eye to keep things young & fresh (as well as the added incentive of contributing to HER college fund!)

 And so without Girl Scout Troop 5007, "Mostly Monsters Chula Vista"
would never have been hatched!

 The girls- now ALL High School graduates {many have now graduated from college too!}- continue to support our business with word of mouth,  sharing on the internet, and of course,
modeling our wares in the real world!

 So we like to pay it back AND pay it forward by donating what we can to local Girl Scout events, helping other girls to reach THEIR goals, and teaching projects to both girls AND their leaders!


THANK YOU, Girl Scouts Troop 5007 for helping us achieve our
  "BLISS"!!!

Update: Taylor graduated college in December, 2015, walking (and receiving her diploma in May 2016.) We are proud to say that she graduated DEBT FREE thanks to the monsters!!!
AND...we are both Girl Scout Leaders, as are several of the girls who started us on this business path!

It's been FOREVER since we posted, but that's because we've been SOOOOOO busy! We're just about to start the 2017 San Diego International FRINGE Festival, and we've made SO MUCH MERCHANDISE, inspired by and  our friend Ron Logan's amazing original LOGO "Fringelo".
This will be our 4th year with FRINGE, and we are so excited to be their not-actually-official creator of their Custom Merchandise for sale in the box office!
This year, we've got the usual Hairbows and Bowties featuring Ron's art in cotton or satin, of course we've brought back the ever-popular SLEEP MASKS and Zombie Baby dolls, FRINGEE Beans, and a handful of HATS featuring the Fringe logo inside. 
We've also added a variety of BAGS...credit card coin purses, cell phone holders, wristlets, messenger bags, and even a couple of totes...all featuring FRINGELO on custom-printed fabric!

And for the second year in a row, we've collaborated with a couple of our favorite artists to make goodies to promote THEIR Performances!

We've got a handful of cool zombie goods to commemorate "Into the Walker Woods" by our friends at Turning Tydes Theater Company (come on, a mash-up of "Into the Woods" to tell the story of "The Walking Dead"??? HOW COOL IS THAT!!!) And we KNOW you'll want to take home one of our "Lucille" hairbows!

And we've worked with our friend Jacob at Ellipsoid Players to make some spooky-cute items to go along with "THE BANZA", from cuddly monsters and barrettes to Wooden Brooches and earrings! CANNOT WAIT to see this show!

So if you're in San Diego anytime from June 22nd through July 2nd, come buy a Fringe tag to support the arts (only $5), then come see some shows at only $10 each!!! And stop by to see US over on First each evening during the shows to pick up some merchandise!

Oh, and did we forget to mention FAMILY FRINGE DAY???
Bring the kids to the City Heights Performance Annex (on Fairmont) on June 25th from Noon to 5:00, enjoy some FREE Entertainment, and you can make a FREE CRAFT PROJECT with MOSTLY MONSTERS TOO!!!
Find out more about Family Fringe Day at:
 ​http://sdfringe.org/family-fringe/

It's been a busy Holiday Craft Season for us, and we've hardly had a moment to breathe, but we hope you have a great tme with those you love!
​We've been making sooooo many new things this year, that most never got posted to the Etsy site, but we'll be working on that as soon as Christmas is over...so you can go buy the things that Santa FORGOT to bring you! 

This blog entry was first published August 8, 2013.

As Girl Scout Leaders (and as "Mom" is Trainer for the Girl Scout Council), we like to repost this story from time to time, in hopes that it may someday inspire other Girl Scouts to follow their bliss!

So people who've recently met us often wonder WHY we frequently refer to Girl Scouts in conversation, on our Facebook Page,
etc. etc. etc.
Well, simply put, Girl Scouts STARTED this business!

Girl Scouting is far more than cookies, crafts, and camping! It's about
Leadership, Business, and finding yourself. Since 1999, our household has been firmly connected to the Girl Scout world.
1 Girl Scout, 1 Leader, 1 Registered Girl Scout Dad,
and 1 brother who reluctantly got dragged to lots and lots of
camps & activities, always surrounded by more Girl Scouts.
Yes, there were Cookie Sales.
Yes, there were LOTS of crafts...glue, beads, string, fabric, art
supplies EVERYWHERE!
And yes, of course, there was plenty of CAMPING!
 But Girl Scouts is a great program to develop leadership and business skills too!!!

 In 2011, our Girl Scout 
Ambassador Troop of High School Juniors &  Seniors were required to work on a program called a "Journey". For those who've done "Journeys", bear with us a minute while we explain.
For those with puzzled expression, a "Journey" is a program that guides Girl Scouts through the process of
Discovering subjects they are passionate about,
Connecting to the world and the people around them, and
TAKING ACTION to actually DO SOMETHING to make the
world a better place in relation to that passion they found in the "Discovery" phase.
This particular Journey called "BLISS: Live it/Give it" required the
girls to "adopt a dreamer". 

Yeah, it sounds  a little corny, and the girls really had to rack their brains to figure out who this "dreamer" should be, what that person's DREAM was, and how in the world GIRLS could help this person achieve their dream. No small task (especially for a bunch of 16-17-year-olds!) And the girls really didn't want to waste their time doing the steps simply because a book told them to. They wanted it to be personal, meaningful, and REAL.

 Brains buzzed, heads turned, and fingers pointed.
At ME, their humble Troop leader of 12 years.

 They decided that after devoting my time to THEM for so many years, it was time for ME to get "ME" back.

Remembering some super-cool furry hats I had recently made for them to use at a Japanese POP culture event they'd hosted, they hit on a plan, a theme, and new LOOK! Monsters...about to be all the rage!

Together, they came up with a name for the new venture.
One girl researched what was needed to start a business. 
One girl created a LOGO.
One girl set up an Etsy account. 

And so on. Until "Mostly Monsters" was born. But when they went to
create the FACEBOOK page, they discovered that "Mostly Monsters" was already taken  by another crafter far away in New Zealand.
So Plan B...where we were from? CHULA VISTA!
Best "small town" in a Big City!
New name: "Mostly Monsters Chula Vista"
(or "Mostly Monsters CV" for short)

 And so with a lot of help from the girls in the first few months, we
brainstormed hot new trends, colors that pop, ways to revamp popular old favorites with a new monster twist. At first, the Girl Scouts helped with simple gluing, photography, and of course price tagging. \
SO MUCH TAGGING! Their help with the piddly details left me free to create. And Taylor  (also a member of the troop) got dragged in too, once it was discovered that SHE had the youth, talent and the artistic eye to keep things young & fresh (as well as the added incentive of contributing to HER college fund!)

 And so without Girl Scout Troop 5007, "Mostly Monsters Chula Vista"
would never have been hatched!

 The girls- now ALL High School graduates- continue to support our business with word of mouth,  sharing on the internet, and of course,
modeling our wares in the real world!

 So we like to pay it back AND pay it forward by donating what we can to local Girl Scout events, helping other girls to reach THEIR goals, and teaching projects to both girls AND their leaders!
This past weekend, we had the privilege of teaching over 90 women and men how to make a series of AMAZING craft projects using recycled goods that tie in to current Girl Scout programs at the
"Girl Scouts San Diego Council's Volunteer Celebration and Conference". We had a wonderful time, and really enjoyed giving back to the community that helped us get started just a short year and a half ago!

THANK YOU, Girl Scouts Troop 5007 for helping us achieve our
  "BLISS"!!!