what i believe

Terri St. Cloud

it's the little things that count, they say. and around here, it seems business is full of really good little things. it never occurred to me to talk about them – i just do them. but when i realized that i would want to know about these from a company i did business with, i decided to fill you guys in!

when bone sigh arts was founded, i made a promise to always follow my heart and to do what felt right. and it's those very heart nudgings that lead the way.

if we can help someone remember their inner flame and remember to honor themselves, what an incredible gift. to hold that gift, we need to be as mindful as possible.

every product we offer is american made/sweatshop free. and while that may seem like a no-brainer and easy to do, it can get complicated at times! what if you find out that the company you were purchasing your apparel from used unhealthy images of women in their advertising? and blocked their workers Bone Sigh Shirtfrom joining unions? sigh. just because it's 'made in america' doesn't mean it's a company bone sigh arts wants to support. leaving that company was discouraging. and yet, it brought us to a fantastic small business that felt the same way as we did and were just as delighted to work with us. how cool is that?!

the tee shirt itself was designed after talking with a young woman who was going down a very dark road. i felt so helpless talking to her and was moved to reach out and remind people everywhere to honor themselves. and that's how we got the tee shirts we carry now!

To-do list

the large print 'to do list' was also born after that conversation. it was designed for dorm rooms or counseling lounges – places where young people might see it.

the books were designed to be small and inexpensive so that younger people could purchase them and toss them in a locker or a purse to have with them. young or old, Bookseveryone is included. with that in mind, making the bone sighs inexpensive and affordable has always been important - no one should be excluded because they can't afford one. if someone comes thru whose budget is too tight, we work with them.

Shops

bone sigh products are carried in shops around the country. whenever a sale comes thru the website where the customer has found bone sighs thru one of these shops, the sale is shared with that shop! including repeat orders for life. even if that person will never pass by that shop again. networking and support matter.

networking is a big theme here. there's the 'you guys' section in the newsletter where we try to share you guys with each other. there's the holiday swap where we match you guys up with a partner to share some holiday cheer thru the mail.

Holding Light

there's the 'holding light' stickers we offer for free for you to have or to give to someone you know as a reminder that we aren't alone, that we are indeed candles in each others darkness.

shipping even comes into it all. we want shipping to be reasonable. there are times the shipping fee doesn't cover the actual shipping cost, but we want it to feel good to you, so wekeep it at that price. in some rare cases someone will come thru ordering something that costs less than the shipping. always wanting you to feel good about your order, something extra gets slipped in your package to make you smile and let you know the shipping was noticed and it matters.

every package leaves here wrapped in love. i intentionally hold each customer in my heart as i pack the order. extra goodies are slipped in continually. sometimes it's a postcard with an uplifting message, sometimes a handwritten note, sometimes a gift. always, always love.

i live with this every day, and for me, it's just a way of business. but you may not have known about these things, and i want you to know. because where you put your money matters. you're not just buying a print or a greeting card or a book or a tee shirt – you are supporting a belief, an offering, a statement to the world – we matter, growing our inner light matters, and we're all in this together.

Honor Yourself