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I want to introduce you to my friend Cassie - a wife, mom, and business owner who is our very first guest in our Moms Who Inspire series. I first met Cassie when she and her business partner asked me to sell my jewelry at their vintage barn sale. What I love most about Cassie is her love for life - you can see it in her eyes and her smile. She is a fellow creative soul and can turn the most weathered thrift sale finds into gorgeous modern accessories for her home. Be sure to stop by her blog for a tour of her beautiful home!
Tell us a bit about what you do?
I own a vintage barn sale in Frederick, MD, called Sweet Clover. Our vision is all about creating a home that is uniquely yours, filled with things that speak to your soul. I also own cassiebustamante.com, where I share my home design, DIYs, a little homesteading as we garden and recently got chickens, a little about my shop, and other life nonsense.
Who inspired you to start your own business?
My parents instilled in me a belief that anything was possible with a little ambition, creativity, and perseverance. I owe most of my character strengths to them! (My character flaws are all my own!). I also grew up knowing that owning your own business was a real possibility; my grandfather started his own hardware company from the ground up, and I recall spending days as a child helping to "clean" the office to make some money, and there were also days I got to play in the warehouse. Not surprisingly, I was always infatuated with the various knobs and handles. He was the original entrepreneur in my life! Sadly, he passed away when I was 9 from cancer, but I like to think that some of my desire to own my own business comes from him.
What’s your best tip for juggling your mama and business responsibilities?
Keep a schedule. Many who juggle keep a very firm schedule and assign certain days for certain activities. I am a little more "free-spirited" so I make a general plan for the week on Sunday or Monday, and when the kids get off the bus, I put my work aside. However, when they are doing homework, or reading before bed, I do often squeeze in some computer work. My 9 year old daughter is actually really interested in blogging, so if her homework is done, and I have something to write, or photos to edit, I will do it with her at my side, teaching as I go.
Tell us one special thing you do together as a family - whether it’s a weekly celebration or an annual tradition?
When the evenings are right for it, we grill and eat on our porch. As we sit around the table, we love to play a little Q&A, or what we call "The Animal Game," which is essentially 20 questions only all animals. Evenings like those often end around the fire pit, making smores and tossing a frisbee. We obviously don't get to do that year round, but I think it's our entire family's favorite way to spend time together.
What do you do to take care of you so that you’re the healthiest mama you can be?
I get up early every single day and run or walk before the kids are up. That means at 4:50 am my alarm is going off and I am out the door at 5:15. Having this time to exercise gives me energy to be at my best during the day, as well as some "me" time before the hustle and bustle. I tend to stress out when exercise doesn't happen first and I am immediately thrown into the day's activities; getting up early allows me to be a happy and healthy mama. On the flip side of that, I do not stay up late. During the school year I go to bed about an hour after the kids, between 9:30 and 10:00 to make sure that I get enough sleep.
What inspires you to keep doing what you do every single day?
My family and friends, for starters. Everything that I do is aimed at creating a better and happier life for my family. And secondly, a quest for continued creativity.
We are quote lovers around here and would love to know what your favorite quote is?
I love so many quotes!!! I am a big fan of Thoreau, so we'll go with one of his that speaks to me.
"What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when you bring what is within out into the world, miracles happen."
And finally, Cassie's Top 10!
1-Favorite food: Ice cream, especially black raspberry!
2-Favorite color- Pretty much all shades of blue, which is pretty evident in my house.
3- Coolest place you’ve traveled: Costa Rica
4-Favorite book: Just one? I am an avid reader! How about two of my favorites? The Lovely Bones & The Winter People
5-Household chore you hate to do: Laundry. (My husband took it over years ago; he's a keeper!)
6-Favorite place to shop: Sweet Clover, of course! ;) Aside from that, I love to shop in downtown Frederick; I prefer smaller local shops. And when I am not doing that, I am a big Amazon Prime customer. So convenient!
7-Place you’d most like to visit: Australia
8-Favorite room in your house: Kitchen
9- Favorite movie: Love, Actually
10-Your guilty pleasure: Country music
Where you can find Cassie
Blog: http://www.cassiebustamante.com/
Sweet Clover Barn: http://www.sweetcloverbarn.com/