FREE SHIPPING - Orange Tiger and Flower Purse - Limited Design - http://ping.fm/2j7K0

Free Shipping on all of my Handmade items on my ETSY pages. This will not last for long, check it out - http://ping.fm/VqHje

Free Shipping on all of my Handmade items on my ETSY pages. This will not last for long, check it out - http://ping.fm/dSKvV

Getting Ready for my FIRST ever Craft Fair!

So just a couple weeks away from my first ever craft fair and already I'm feeling the crunch. Long lists of what I still have to make (in bulk). But presently I am planning my booth layout. What works best. I haven't really put forth much effort in researching it, and potentially that will be my downfall. But really we live in a commercial world and are bombarded by displays, layouts, signage, etc on a daily basis. I do my research every day I go shopping. Place items at eye level, have the purpose of an item clearly identified, have prices clearly labeled, have a professional setup - clean and neat, and make sure you display does not over power your crafts to be sold.

I’m pretty excited about getting some actual feedback from people face to face on my wares while showing off my abilities.
The biggest issue that faces me presently is how to gauge how much time it will take to do packaging and signage.  Like always, I am sure I will underestimate the time needed to preparing this step.
Any seasoned craft show people out there that can offer me a word or two of advice, it would be appreciated.

Helpful ETSY ideas for New Sellers

So being a new ETSY seller myself and after spending many, many, many hours pouring through the forums and resources on the ETSY website, I decided to go straight to some successful sellers and ask them what there best advice if for new members.
Jack-pot – What a gold mine of great information – all of which I happy share with you!  This forum can be read at http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6288809 or you can just read below and continue to check back under the “ETSY help and Support” Category.
skybluedesigns2 gave some fantastic information about having GREAT photos, to really capture the viewer.   The viewer assumes if you have great photos you MUST have great stuff.  Make sure you use all 5 slots, front, back, inside, outside, bottom, top.  I know with me I always have way more photos then slots for.  skybluedesigns2 also indicated that you must give your location, as people like to know where they are buying from.  I know that when I look for items to purchase, I always go through the items in my home region first, as I like to support the local community.    skybluedesigns2 also suggests to use all 14 tags.  I know this can sometimes be hard.  If I cannot think of more tags for my items I’ll usually search for something similar on ETSY to see what tags they used.
Athenianaire says to get business cards.  I personally just ordered some from VistaPrint, as they are always running promotions for free cards.  All you have to pay is shipping and handling, assuming you do not want to upload your own logo or get too fancy.  But they have a great selection.  And carry them on you at all times.  The other day I was at the fabric store and the lady next to me started chatting with me about making blankets.  Little did she know just how many I make!  I offered my advice as best I could and helped her with fabric selection but kicked myself that I did not have a business card on me to give to her.  That’s the last time I’ve been without them.
AnnaArtiste gives the advice to re-list a few items daily, a couple in the morning and a couple in the evening.  I had no idea about re-listing until just recently and now I see that everyone does it.  How can anyone get along with out it.
More to come…
But if you have ideas about helping new sellers on ETSY, please comments below or hit the thread at the above given link.

My Favorite ETSY shop for the week

I love pottery and sculpture, and although I love to create art, those mediums have never been my strong point, which leave me even more in awe of those who can create master it.  

As I go through the ETSY shops this week, I am blown away by this beautiful frog - http://ping.fm/r4lQp sell for $60. This little guy would look awesome hiding by a water feature in your backyard. Truly gorgeous work. Or check out this beautiful pitcher - http://ping.fm/XJUeT for just $30! I love the glaze on it.

Here in Norman, OK we have a incredible gallery of bronze work at The Crucible (Foundary and Gallery). A long dream of an artist that showcases some truly incredible work for the city. Artistry such as this is made to inspire, to push us creative souls beyond our comfort level, to demand and challenge us.  I have been inspired today, and I hope you have too!

My New Clutch

I hate to toot my own horn, but I am so in love with this new clutch: http://ping.fm/kEeb0

This bag is created with lovely elegant red and gold fabric with a luscious red lining.

Bag is handmade but is created with the simple stylistic elegance of a vintage clutch.

This clutch features a traditional metal clasp frame and flat bottom triangular design. This clutch is the perfect size to tote all essentials for an evening out.

This was so much fun to create and pick fabric for, I cannot wait to do another one.

Great Etsy Tips for Increasing your Traffic

I am absolutely obsessed with promoting my shop. I have pages on facebook, twitter, blogger... I'm using twitterfeed, google base, youtube.... style, fashion, handmade, networks... and this is just tip of the iceberg. I am being patience and praying that some of my handwork will pay off. As you can see - http://ping.fm/hVuib - I haven't really been successful. But this is just the beginning.

Anyway I found some great resources along the way that I wanted to share to to other who may be looking to promote their site too:

http://ping.fm/5m9Cu -- this resource is AWESOME! This give the shop hopeful some unconventional tips and sites that will allow you to build your online community.

http://ping.fm/nu7dR - This is actually the blog of person who sells an online marketing package for Etsy. However their blog is wealth of information and it is now a daily stop on my road to increasing my view/hearts/sales.

http://ping.fm/ICrsq - Indiepublic is an independent art and design community. This is a fantastic resource to get feedback, tips, ideas, etc. on your site and/or your products. I have just been a member for a couple days now, but I already love it.

I will continue to post good resources on this blog as I find them. comment or email me if you have any other great ideas on how to promote your Etsy site!

Yeah - now using Ping.fm!!!!!

Why is it so Hard to find Oganic Fabrics??

That’s a mighty fine question.  What’s more, when I decided that I would open a new Etsy shop  ( http://www.x2useittwice.etsy.com) which is devoted to reducing waste, using organic materials, and upcylcing, I started calling the local fabric stores to ask them about their organic fabric supply.  I was shock to hear their response, “What do you mean.”  What do you mean??  Wow!  The local Quilting shop was very helpful.  She explained to me that the Organic supply of fabrics is presently very low and are created on a very small scale.  Because of this many of the prints do not have a clarity of the larger printing shops.  This is something that I have not noticed but I am not a fabric supplier and do not look at several hundred fabric swatches a week.

To get a good selection, I’ve had to hit the online shops.  Here a couple good ones that I have found:

http://www.organiccottonplus.com/ <- large selection, reasonable priced, good reputation.
http://www.pmorganics.com/index.htm <- great selection of bright prints, limited selection
http://www.nearseanaturals.com/index.php <- great selection, more expensive, premium fabrics

To Rip or Cut?

During the process of making blankets, which are generally square, the repetitive action of cutting little squares over and over becomes tedious.  There’s got to be a better way.  Consider the rip!  Although many talented quilters would probably cringe at the idea of ripping fabrics, as they love the careful precision of neat little triangles and squares.  I think my life better parallels the quick and dirt rip method.  Grab that piece of satin and rip to your heart content.  I work with satins quite a lot and they tear wonderfully!  Good cottons will keep their line too.   So embrace the rip!

The rebirth

In 7th grade Mrs. April called me super woman for threading my sewing machine needle backwards at my first ever attempt. There was nothing super about it, just a 12 year old over thinking the process. I loved that home economics class. I don’t even know if present day Jr. High and High schools still have the same sort of classes. Always geared toward girls, sewing (certainly my favorite aspect of the class) should be a pre requisite for all boys and girls alike (that’ll be another post).

Mrs. April gave us the creative license to generate whatever sewing projects we wanted. Some girls took on clothes, pillows, quilts… But I was very fond of designing my own patterns and producing adorable stuff animals.

Years later schooling, a professional career, usurped any creative energy that I had years previous. Desperate to regain that bug, I started sewing again, but what to sew? I came back to my creative roots and started generating homemade patterns of adorable animals. Having young children of my own, I catered those projects to my little ones.
The purpose of this blog is to showcase those items while creating a resource/inspiration for other to again go through their own rebirth, or try something new.