Inside Etsy Interviews Memento!

I have tried to blog every week and so far so good. I did miss Memento's Tuesday Treasury yesterday but I wanted to share with everyone a great blog that showcases Etsy Shops, Inside Etsy. Today I was the shop that was featured. You can see Inside Etsy article here. Melinda is a wonderful lady and I enjoyed answering her questions and reflecting on how far my business has grown in 3 years.

Some of the new and exciting things in the works for Memento are PRIVATE LABEL aprons! I am so excited it has been in the works for a while and it is finally happening. It will still be a few more weeks before I have them. Yesterday two sample aprons came with my logo and website label and my slogan Monograms Make it Personal. They also have my new logo which you can see in Memento's Etsy Shop and in the button on my blog. My website and my blog are going to be updated soon. The website I had paid a designer and we had it half finished and half paid.... but then no more answers to my emails. That was frustrating and disappointing. Thankfully we had it built on a different domain so my current website was still working. I cannot wait for the new website to be finished. I have just found and started with a new designer. My husband is actually doing all the back and forth since I am the creator girl. If it was left to me it would never make it off my list. I am glad that I have a consistent flow of orders but that keeps me hopping! I am excited to have my logo, silhouette mom in her snazzy apron with her little girl and boy...did you realize it was made for me and it is me and my 2 children? I just love it and can’t wait for all my online hot spots to match! I am an organized gal and it really bothers me. That is the what is happening update that is long overdue. Thanks for all your interest in Memento and for all the great word of mouth advertising that my customer's bring me.

Tare Care!

Memento Week of PR, Giveaways and More

I just sent this new “to be named gift set”, combining 2 of my post popular items, to a certain lady who you all may know and recognize...

Market Tote Basket with Spa Wrap Gift Set

How did Oprah get the tote? Did she order it? Did Oprah herself call me? Did her BFF Gayle order it? How in the world did I get my creation to Lady O. I don’t know if anyone else calls her that or if I have even heard that before but it sounds like a fit. I had the opportunity to send one of my products to the Oprah show and O magazine. As many of you may now Oprah has her famous favorite things shows and O magazine has holiday gift ideas and gift features in the magazine.

So what do I send, and why do I think my product is worthy of such gift industry high praise? Who is the hardest person to buy for? We all have them the person who has everything and doesn’t need anything. This is why I put the spa wrap and market tote together. It’s a gift set for every women and that ever women needs.

It Starts with the “Market Tote”…

Market Tote Basket with Fancy Script

I used one of my favorite and most popular designs for the personalization, Fancy Script Initial and Name design. Why does every woman needs a market tote and a spa wrap? Did I have one…not at first. I embroidered lots for customers but thought why do I need a market tote? When I go to the grocery store I need a cart. We buy too many items and I have a 2 and 4 year old so I need the buggy, or whatever you call the shopping cart in your part of the country! So I finally made myself a market tote and I love them. I have 5 or 6 at the moment with my monogram, name and initial and last name. One is my pool market tote that I keep the pool key, dive sticks, fish, swim diaper, and sun screen. When we go to the pool it is so quick and easy all I need to grab are the towels. I have a Joanne’s, Hobby Lobby, & Michael’s one. When I go to these stores I am usually trying to match a thread, fabric or ribbon so I bring my market tote with whatever it is I am currently working on. I have my take to the post office tote that stays empty and in my studio until I need to fill it up. I have a fall pumpkin tote that I use for putting Halloween candy in. The market tote basket has so many uses. Scrapbookers use them for taking to a crop till you drop night. Moms with kids in sports can use them to keep extra shoes or a change of clothes in the back of their SUV or minivan. There are great for picnics, taking a meal to a friend. See I told you they had tons of uses. No matter who you are you need a market tote and can never have too many.

Next, I added a plush, cozy “Spa Wrap”…

Spa Wrap with Fancy Script Initial and Name

Did I need one of these…nope. I was not a bridesmaid or bride, and I don’t travel lots. Why do I need one? Let me tell you how I discovered I needed a spa wrap. When I get out of the shower I put a bath towel around me and tuck it into the towel under my armpit. I start to blow dry my hair or do my makeup up. Then the fun starts. The towel slips and I am now staring at a pair of boobs that have breast feed two children. I pick the towel up and try again. After the third time it happens I just leave it on the floor of the bathroom and resolve to the fact that I am getting ready naked again. Then in walks my son and daughter and I am just sure they are thinking there is naked mommy doing her hair again! After a few times of this song and dance I always would say to myself Terri make a spa wrap for yourself. Then once all clothed and busy doing other things I forget the spa wrap need. I told my husband about the towel bathroom shower naked mommy dance I do. He said “It would be wrong to go get a non monogrammed one from your studio to use right now though, right?” OF COURSE! That is the long story of why every women needs a spa wrap.

Market Tote Basket with Spa Wrap Gift Set

I sent a spa wrap and market tote gift set for Oprah and for Gayle. Oprah’s favorite color is green and I love the combo of these two greens they are earthy and so pretty together. Gayle has a very warm and sunny personality so it is only fitting that her favorite color is yellow. I hope they enjoy them and find a bit of humor in why every women needs a spa wrap. I am not sure what will come of this and if Oprah and Gayle will actually see or use the items but it was fun creating them and had I not thought of what would be different and ideal for a holiday gift item I may have not thought of pairing these two items together. So thank you the Oprah Show and O magazine for helping me come up with a great gift for Memento.

Spa Wrap with Fancy Script Initial and Name

Stay tuned this week for something fun and rewarding. Remember how I introduced this was my new “to be named gift set”? I am going to be soliciting your help to give this gift set a name, give you plenty of incentive to help out, and ask you to join me in celebrating a special milestone with me. All of that, and so much more will be revealed later this week…

On Monday August 16 2010 Memento will be the featured company and will be offering a discount AND giveaway  on My Giveaway Today. Please check them out here on Monday and make sure to enter. There are some fabulous companies that are featured on My Giveaway Today be sure to follow them, bookmark their site or follow on Facebook to stay up to date with the amazing giveaways. Plus there will be a giveaway on Memento's Blog later in the week and a LARGE US CITY will be showcasing one of Memento's products on their local news broadcast! Things are buzz'n around here.

Twitter, Facebook, Blog ~ How do other WAHM'S do it all?

I have recently recreated my facebook account. So currently I have twitter, facebook and my facebook business fan page, my blog, my business which consists of my website sales and my etsy shop and all of my wonderful customers. In a whole different direction is my amazing family and my role as a wife and mom. I have not completely figured out the balance yet on all these things. I wonder what other small business owners, wahms and etsy artisans think and do? If you are one of these and if you use twitter, facebook or your blog please add some comments on what works for you and maybe we can all help each other. I do see how you can connect all 3 together but you still need to give time and attention to all 3 separately. I have thought of giving a time of the day each day and setting a timer for 30 minutes and that is my social media promo time and try to give a little love to twitter, facebook and my blog. As you can see it has been almost 2 months since I posted to my blog. Rediscovering facebook and the fan page was not so helpful to my poor blog!

Can't wait to see what some of you facebook, twitter and blog moms have to say.

Introducing Memento's Blog!

Please join me on my adventure into the blogosphere.

~About Memento~

Memento was launched by Terri Johnson in 2007, with a desire to build a business that combined her creative vision and entrepreneurial talents; to produce personalized and made-to-order products.

Terri's vision was to offer products that represent a person's legacy, individual taste, or, makes a unique statement about an individual's spirit and character. It's a timeless reminder of a special moment, person, place or time. It's a gift that's fun and creates smiles and laughter. It also represents a special sentiment or reminder that conjures up memories or tears. Most importantly, we want to offer products that make gift giving easy. We believe that our selection of products, with your personalized touch, offer your friends and loved ones a gift that is as unique and special as they are. From all of this, Memento was launched.

About Me

Thanks for checking out shopmemento's blog.


My name is Terri and I am a WAHM with a 4 year old son Maverick and a 6 year old daughter Liberty. I have been married for 16 years to Ron, my best friend & the greatest husband and father. I am very blessed to have such an amazing partner for this journey called life, marriage and parenting. He is very supportive of me and my business; which is my third child, Memento, who just happened to come along while I was pregnant with my son. Memento is the personalized gifts & embroidery business I created. Talk about a crazy time to start a business but I have heard from many other fellow moms it’s what us mompreneurs do!

Memento was launched in 2007 and started in my basement with just me and one commercial embroidery machine. I wore all the hats, convo girl, shipper, sewing ribbon, cutting fabric, ironing, applique cutting, embroidery, listing products. At holidays I would go to bed at 2 or 3 AM back in the early days. I had a desire to build a business that combined my creative vision and entrepreneurial talents; to produce personalized and made-to-order products. My vision was to offer products that represent a person's legacy, individual taste, or, makes a unique statement about an individual's spirit and character.


In April of 2012 I took the next step of getting a commercial space! It was exciting and a little overwhelming at the same time. I had 2 full time employees and a part time employee at the time and the thought of rent each month was a bit daunting. We have lots of space for shipping, embroidery machines, sewing table, packaging and all of the laptops needed to manage a growing Etsy shop!

Memento creates a timeless reminder of a special moment, person, place or time. It's a gift that's fun and creates smiles and laughter. It also represents a special sentiment or reminder that conjures up memories or tears. Most importantly, I want to offer products that make gift giving easy. I believe that our selection of products, with your personalized touch, offer your friends and loved ones a gift that is as unique and special as they are. From all of this, Memento was launched.
If you love our products, the greatest compliment you can pay us is to tell all of your friends, family and co-workers about Memento!