GIVEAWAY! A handmade sign from Here With Us!

I always love doing giveaways, but this one is special to me because I get to give you something from someone who has been creating beauty for me for a couple years now. She 100% has my seal of approval and I have no problem telling you what a joy she is to work with because I’ve had such great experiences with her.

I’ve got a great interview with her below, but if you’re in a rush, here’s how to enter the giveaway for a handmade sign: Comment below with your favorite sign from the options at the bottom of the post. For a second entry, go “like” the Here With Us Facebook page and tell Traci that I sent you. Now back to the story.

I first found out about Here With Us through a Facebook post from a friend. I loved the idea of helping support someone’s adoption by buying something I genuinely liked. I thought her work was beautiful and had something specific in mind that I wanted someone to help me create. When I contacted Traci she was great to work with– open to my idea, checked with me about possible colors, fonts, etc., and then ran with it when she had a rough idea of what we were looking for. I could not have been more pleased with the finished product and two years later, it still hangs above our bed. It was an anniversary gift I gave to my husband that’s a quote from a Dr. Who episode that summed up a needed attitude adjustment in our marriage:

So when I recently put out the call for anyone who wanted to partner with me for some giveaways, I was thrilled when Traci responded. Once again, she created something beautiful for our family that was exactly what I was hoping for. It’s a quote from one of our favorite movies (“Meet the Robinsons”) combined with a Scripture reference:

I love that by working with Here With Us I’m able to create a home environment that embodies what I want to communicate to my kids and my spouse, not just what was available at the store when I went looking for home decor. Got favorite song lyrics that have meaning to you and your husband? Or is it the lullaby you sang over your kids? Want some personal affirmations to hang in your bathroom when you’re feeling down about yourself? Got a favorite quote from your Grandma that you’d like to hang in your kitchen? Traci is your go-to girl. And she’s happy to collaborate with you on colors and sizes that work in your space. And if you want something beautiful that’s ready to hang, she’s got lovely pieces that are ready to go.

If you want to know more about where Traci finds inspiration, what she plans to do after their adoption is complete, or how she finds time to create while parenting her active kids, keep reading!

When did you start Here With Us? We started Here With Us in December of 2014 as a way to raise money for our adoption. Within a few months, this little hobby quickly became a business. Our adoption story has taken a few unexpected turns and as we wait on God’s timing, I discovered that I really love creating wood signs. My husband and I didn’t expect Here With Us to grow like it has and we have decided that we will likely continue Here With Us after our adoption has been finalized.

How long does it take you to create a piece? I am always working on more than one sign at a time and there are many steps involved in creating each piece. Often we will start preparing a board, but the sign will not be complete for several weeks or even months! My husband usually starts the process by cutting, sanding, and staining the board. I design, paint, and seal the signs. Then he finishes by adding a frame. In addition, we sand in between each step. It is difficult to say, but probably at least a couple hours per sign depending on the size and complexity of the design.

Where do you get your inspiration? Everywhere! I am constantly looking for motivating quotes, something that I personally would want in my home, or a saying I know my customers will love. We strive to keep things simple, ensuring our signs will fit beautifully with any decorating style.

How do you find time to run your business while also parenting? As our business has grown, we have really improved in this area. At first it was hard to balance everything, but now I have a set day every week where our three year old spends the day with Grandma and I spend all day painting. I’m a night owl, so after the boys are in bed, I can usually be found painting in my workshop. During the summer though, I do paint when the boys are around. I love setting up outside by their treehouse and working as the boys play. As much as possible, we include the boys in our business. Our youngest helps me shop for supplies during the school day. Our six year old helps by sanding or wiping down boards. They both take tremendous pride in helping as we work to fund our adoption. It has been a very tangible way in which they can help bring their sibling home, and they both appreciate that greatly.

What advice do you have for a woman who wants to turn her hobby into a business? Find something that you enjoy and be prepared to work hard. It has been extremely helpful for our family to sit down every few months and discuss goals. Having a business is so rewarding, but it also takes up a big chunk of my time. I am thankful to have the support of my husband. I could not run a successful business without his help and encouragement.

Would you like to have your own special sign from Here With Us? Want something special to give your mom, sister, daughter or friend for Mother’s Day? Check out your choices:

14×14

14×14

14×14

11×14 (customizable- available in numbers 1-9)

12×12