Yeah, I know. We totally need a new updated family photo. The girls don’t even look like that anymore and Mark and I have a lot more gray hairs. But I’m keeping it up here because I kind of like how far we’ve come since the beginning of this blog.

What camera gear do you use?
I have a Canon 5D Mark II and my primary lens is the 50mm f1.4. Prior to that I took photos with a Canon T1i. I also have a 24-105mm L zoom lens. I occasionally use a flash when I have to and the Canon Speedlite 580EX is a great flash.

All photos prior to May 2009, as well as the majority of our original Whimsy & Spice product shots (which since have been replaced) were taken with the Canon G series, a terrific little point and shoot with manual capabilities.

Can I post your photos on my blog?
Only if you credit properly and post a link back to this site, but please do not use my photos without permission. (I mean it. Especially photos of the girls. But you know it’s creepy to post pictures of other people’s kids without permission, right? )

Do you take photos professionally?
No, I’m not a professional photographer. I make a living as a designer, but a few of my photographs have been published.

Do you get paid for blogging?
For 4 years I was pretty adamant about not selling ads on the blog. This was basically a reaction to how advertising was infiltrating every corner of our lives and I wanted my space to be an ad free space, particularly since I ran an ad supported blog prior to Sweet Fine Day. I have now become a bit open to advertising and I’ve started using affiliate links in some content which means I make a small commission on any products that are purchased through the link. While the blog will not become a product blog and the content will not change, I will sometimes link to products. Why the change in opinion about earning money from my blog after 4 years? You can read the whole explanation here.

Does Whimsy & Spice have a physical store?
No. We’re currently thinking about it.

Do you bake out of your home?
No, Mark bakes at a commercial kitchen in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

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

What kitchen tools do you use at home?
For ice cream, we have the older version of this Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker which has held up really well over the years and is also really good for small batch flavor tests. We’d also recommend this Breville Juicer, though they have many different models at different price points. After our blender broke, we decided to forgo buying a new one and bought a Cuisinart Hand Blender instead, mostly to save counter space, but we were surprised at how it filled most of our blender needs and we haven’t missed having one for years now. For baking, we find our KitchenAid Mixer indispensable, and of course we can’t do without a rice cooker! We have an older model from Panasonic that is pretty no frills, but it’s done the job for 14 years and counting.
 

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 I can’t tell you everything mostly because a lot of it was experimentation and trial and error, 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, plus I am pretty awful at selling our stuff in person.

Is this a full time thing for you guys?
It’s Mark’s full time job, but I still work as a designer and an art director, mostly with design agencies. For the business, I work on marketing, design, photography and most customer service stuff. I’m also the one tweeting on twitter. W&S takes up maybe 25% 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 designer are you?
If I’m not on a project I may be able to on occasion, but I mostly design for agencies and companies – anything from the DailyCandy email redesign to large scale websites for museums like the Smithsonian and the NYS Historical Association. You can see my (badly outdated) portfolio here.

What are the girls’ 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 (Mia has since grown out her hair from the Louise Brooks bob, however, I think we’ll keep Claudine’s hair short). 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.

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 (who has sadly closed her business). 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.

I’m visiting/moving to NY. Where should we go eat?
Honestly? I’m the worst person to ask. We don’t eat out very often. I have no idea what the hot new restaurants are.

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.

Do you ever sleep?
Sometimes.

*Full disclosure: some links to products linked here on the FAQ page and on some posts may be affiliate links. Read more about my decision to start using affiliate links.