The New Normal 6/27/20


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We have been doing our best to not leave the house unless we need something; and we have been paying for our physical health and well being with our parental sanity. Our two eldest children, 6 & 7, are far too close in age (and both girls) to be in such close proximity for indeterminate amounts of time. Our Youngest at 18 months (a sweet little maniac boy) is thrilled that everyone is home to play with him all day long. 
Whenever anyone leaves we have masks. We wash hands and sanitize. We social distance. A trip for one of us to Michael's for DMC thread or other odds and ends used to be a nice little family outing designed to inspire the craftiness in our girls and replenish our supplies. Now we order online or pickup curbside - often without attaining the required materials and almost never accomplishing the day-saving side quest of a craft project for our children. 
For a small family operation this pandemic has given us quite a challenge. Thankfully home schooling is temporarily convened - but with the state of the world as it is, who knows what will happen with school in the future. What used to be our time working together from home is now combined with naps and fights over tv show choices - missing dolls and stolen markers. 
What does a family business do when the time allotted to work is postponed for familial duties? We continue on until the wee hours of the next morning and hope everyone sleeps in long enough to not wake before 7. 
This strange new world of face masks and quarantines is fast becoming a vision into the future and the new normal of American society. Honestly if that DOES NOT happen, I feel the country will be far worse for wear and much sicker. BUT, as generations before ours maintained their livelihoods through far greater threats, ours will prevail and design a new reality in which each small family business must adapt to the world around it. 

 

The Kanken No. 2 is an absolute dream to work with.. This design was a request from a customer who saw the design online and wanted us to create it for her. The monochromatic feel is complimented by the classy black and leather. The best part of creating on the No. 2 though is the material. Fjallraven's patented G-1000 material is soft and wonderful to embroider. The normally waxier Vinylon F and Polyester on the Classic and Classic Mini Kankens is much more difficult. These embroider like working with delicate fabric on an embroidery hoop!

James Hanway of After August Co 

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