(I know. We totally need a new updated family photo. The girls don’t even look like that anymore and Mark and I probably have a few more gray hairs)

What camera do you use?
I take photos with a Canon T1i and a 50mm f1.4 lens. I also sometimes use the kit lens that came with the camera (an 18-55mm lens), but I need to save up for more lenses. Yes folks, getting into the world of digital SLR cameras can be an expensive hobby.

All photos prior to May 2009, as well as the majority of our product shots, were taken with the Canon G7, a terrific little point and shoot with manual capabilities.

Can I post your photos on my blog?
Sure, if you credit properly and post a link back to this site, but please do not use my photos without permission.

Do you take photos professionally?
No, I’m not a professional photographer.

Does Whimsy & Spice have a physical store?
No. Maybe one day. We’re in no rush though.

Do you bake out of your home?
No, we rent space from a restaurant kitchen in our neighborhood called Bussaco, but we operate the rest of the business from our home.

How long have you been in business?
Since April 2008. You can read about the whole process starting from the very first post here.

I’m starting a baking business – can I ask you a few questions?
Yes, but if you’re asking about licensing and stuff, each state has different requirements, so I can’t really help you there. And no, I won’t tell you *everything*, but I will try and answer your questions as best I can.

How come you’re never at the Flea Markets?
Somebody has to watch the kids at home!

Is this a full time thing for you guys?
It’s Mark’s full time job. I work on marketing, design, photography and most customer service stuff. I’m also the one tweeting on twitter. W&S takes up maybe 35% of my work day, except twitter which take up…uh, more (it’s marketing, I tell ya!). The other time is spent on my freelance design work.

Can I hire you to design my website? What kind of design do you do and where can I see your stuff?
Sure, just email me. I mostly design for the web these days – anything from the DailyCandy email redesign to large scale websites for museums like the Smithsonian and the NYS Historical Association. You can see stuff here.

Your girls are really cute. What is their ethnicity?
1/2 Korean, 1/4 Russian, 1/8 Norwegian and 1/8 Italian.

Do you really cut your girls’ hair?
Yes, and they need a trim every 7 weeks or so or else it starts getting shaggy. This can get mighty expensive with 2 girls so it’s primarily to save money. I also cut Mark’s hair too for the same reason. I have also cut my own hair from time to time and I always do coloring at home, usually with whatever box of dye is on sale at the drug store. We are the ultimate DIY family.

Where do you shop for the girls’ clothes?
Lots of sample and clearance sales. I’ll often stock up at end of the season sales, even if some items are a size too big and just save it till the girls grow into the items. I rarely ever buy anything full-price (there’s some great sales out there). We also get a bunch of hand-me-downs and generous samples from designer friends like Ismodern and Golden New York. I also like Lucky Wang (again, great sales at their Broadway store), Crewcuts (outlet or final sales) Imoga, Tea collection, Little Ella Moss, Imps & Elfs, Splendid and Neige, all usually bought at sample sales around the city and sales online. And yes, the Gap, Old Navy and Target are all added to the mix.

How can you blog so often? Aren’t you busy, you know, conducting business and taking care of the kids?
I usually blog late at night, often between 12-2am and it helps me reflect on the day. I take so many photos and need somewhere to put them, plus I guess I have a lot to say. This surprises even me.

You used to post more recipes. What happened?
Life happens. We’d love to post more, but it takes a lot of time to cook, document, photograph and style a meal. Ironically, Mark was making more elaborate dinners when he was working as a chef. Now that he owns his own business, he has less time to cook “fancy” meals or anything “worth” posting. Plus, sometimes you just want to eat.

Do you really cook every meal at home
Pretty much. We go out maybe once or twice a month if we’re feeling crazy and order take out even less often, only once every couple of months. We’ve cut our food budget down to a science. We’d love to eat out more, but it’s financially necessary to keep a strict budget on food so we cook every meal.

And you don’t do any of the cooking. Really?
That’s right. Mark takes care of all meals. Why? It happened like this.

Can we do a link exchange?
No, I don’t really do link exchanges. If I read your blog regularly, I’ll post it in my blogroll.

If I see you on the street or at the Flea, should I say hello?
Yes! And don’t preface it by saying that “I hope you don’t think I am stalking you are anything…” I love meeting the people who read this blog.

If I email you will you write back?
Yes, absolutely.

Do you ever sleep?
I have chronic insomnia, but yes, sometimes.