I haven’t shared much from the DIG + CO. land with you all lately. I’ve been a busy elf. Imagine fabric scraps flying through the air like confetti as I snip and stitch and occasionally seam rip my way from idea to post office.
This time is year always feels crazy in the best ways: both my kids’ birthdays, my busiest time of year for work, the holidays. It’s in the fullest days that I am most invigorated, inspired and creative. I always wish I had big ideas in September when the day’s ease allows for time to muscle out new concepts. But, alas, those ideas come when I don’t have that time. My muse arrives at the last minute and begs me to get up at 4 in the cold, black night and get to work. So I do.
I started GEO by dig this chick a little over ten years ago. I was still working full time at the Missoula Art Museum. Margot came to work with me often and a while later, Ruby swam around in my belly. When Ruby was born, I quit the museum to lean into making and writing. Well, and mothering! It was all always for the mothering of my two loves.
The industry and market and advent of social media have pushed it all around to where we are now. I often feel like I’m lost in the shuffle, or more accurate: running behind the shuffle sometimes feeling like I want to catch up but mostly just getting groovy with the view from here. It’s moving fast and I’ve never thought bigger is better. I bristle when confronted with the realities of online game-playing. So I just keep thinking: I can just do it my way. What is my way?
I want to put things into the world that are beautiful and made well (by humans, not machines). I support local industry, inspiring businesses and I pay my employees well. I want to support my family with my work but not at the expense of being with my family and *that* informs how my business grows and what my business sells. And I want my business’s reach to improve this world: we are very mindful about our impact on the environment, we speak up in support of human rights for all humans, we give as generously as we can, we sell things that will last a long, long time.
left: set of 2 tea towels / youth hoodie
It all started when I thrifted a few bodysuits while pregnant with Margot and sourcing baby things secondhand. I stitched over a few stains on some clothes: an ant, a bird and a Montana. (I found this ancient post with tiny old school blogger photos to proove it! Ha.) People liked them and asked me to make more and a few years later, I had a sustainable business. Well, it felt that way to me anyway! It was definitely risky leaving my salary and benefits but it felt right in my guts.
our new kangaroo pillow! made from the leftover Camp Blanket scraps
Shifting to DIG + CO. is my favorite development in the last decade. A few years ago, I was feeling bored with my work and decided to branch out and work with others. CO. = Community, Collaboration, Cooperative, Company. I felt like the world of makers — online, at craft fairs and so on — was becoming competitive and cut throat and copy cat in an icky way. But looking back I think I was giving it all too much attention. We all have our own brains and hearts and there is plenty of creative room for every human. Any which way, my angst pushed me to create DIG + CO. as a response to the noise. A space to support and celebrate artfully made things for your homestead and adventures.
day trip knife + board set by Piper Handcraft / beeswaxy reusable food wrap by Beeswrap
hand forged pizza cutter by Pequea Valley Forge
utility apron printed by our friends Frontline Design
Anyway, thank you so much for your involvement in our family business over the years! From reading here, to purchasing things from us to just generally being awesome. Who knows what I’ll be writing about and making in ten more years? Andy and I will likely be empty nesters and might be completely unplugged and living in the woods…I’ll have long witchy hair and giant vats of kombucha and goats…and maybe a llama.
My GEO stuff remains the foundation of it all so today – where it all started – and I am offering up a little sale! 20% off all GEO goods. Use code GEOLOVE. Sale ends 11/29/17.
And how about a good ol’ giveaway? Yes. Leave a comment here on this post for a chance to win $50 store credit at DIG + CO.
Winner: Angelika
