Forethought... not my forté

This is how I work on new designs that I haven't really dummied out prior to starting: taking inspiration from somewhere (in this case, my coupon envelope, one of those accordion deals), I'll start cutting material without measuring. Then I'll start sewing it, without a plan or consistent use of seam allowances. Inevitably, I hit a brick wall about 80% of the way through the project and either 'set it aside' to finish later (aka, put it into a very full bag I've got under the table, full of similar projects that will eventually be taken apart to reuse the material), or I'll look at the incomplete project with a critical mind and try to figure out if I can finish it.

This particular design for a travel sewing kit that I plan on selling at the two craft sales I'm in this fall can and will be finished, thanks to my mom's serger. And liberal use of either bias tape or binding, neither of which I like nor can do well. Of course, I didn't actually ask my mom if I could use her serger - a Christmas present from my dad 4 or 5 years ago that she only started using seriously when making receiving blankets for Maddy - until I'd made half a dozen of these. And I haven't told her she's putting on the bias/binding tape...mwahahahahahah. Ha.

It's shaping up to be a busy week, but not because I have a lot of work to do. Keith's been at Clear Lake since early yesterday, so it's just Maddy and I at home... so far, it's been pretty good. She's can play by herself no problem, but if no one checks on her every so often, she'll try climbing the dresser in her room or eating whatever she finds on the floor (lately, it's been a lot of thread... yay, me). Tomorrow is the first of two baking days for me so I picked up a new colouring book and crayons for her, so that should help keep her busy. And there's always the Sesame Street 40th Anniversary DVD if she gets restless. I'm not a fan of using technology to babysit my kid, but Sesame Street will at least teach her something. And she loves Bert & Ernie. LOVES them.

In between the baking and taking care of Maddy, there's always work to be done to get ready for the craft sale on Sept 11. Displays, posters, signage, business cards... so much work to do and I'll probably still be working on something right up to the start of the sale, if not during. I'm using this blog post from Mermaid's Closet as a guideline for prepping/running my table, although I have a feeling that at the first sale, I may be the youngest vendor there.

This is not the week to try structuring a work schedule that includes spending time reading blogs or checking websites for inspiration, but I've got plans to set up a specific time each week to do that, as well as a series of posts on a somewhat unrelated topic here. In due time, though.. in due time.

Three ahead, two back

On the plus side, if I don't sell a single pin cushion, I'll have gifts for many years to come.

It seems like every time I make a plan, especially one that involves me working for more than 10 minutes at a time, something - or someone - pops up to derail me and whatever I've been working on.

Don't get me wrong, I like my family - and Keith's too - and I like hanging out with my friends, but people, come on. One day... 8 hours, at most. That's all I should need to catch up on a growing list of projects I need to get finished. Hopefully.

I'm stepping away from sewing for the day to catch up on some design work I need to do (ie. business cards) and come up with a couple of patterns for some custom pieces I've been asked to do. But those will have to take a backseat to having coffee with a friend this afternoon and visiting a farmer's market with my mom. Again, I like being out with people and seeing my family, but my work is not going to get done if I'm not doing it.

Breathe in... breathe out.

I've booked a table for a craft sale in December, but still haven't heard if I made it into the one next month. I'm hoping they let us know soon, because if I can stop making pin cushions by the dozen, I'll gladly do it and get back to my other work.

I'm also working on opening up my shop *officially* at Cargoh, a new online marketplace that's not only awesomely cool, but juried, as well. I applied last week with some samples from my current Etsy shop and really didn't expect to make the cut. Imagine my surprise last weekend when I was... and then a brief flood of terror that came with it. The terror came from realizing I actually have to put things into the shop to sell. I've got a few pieces I'm planning on listing this weekend (here's the link to my shop - nisseworks), but need to do the photos for them first.

Things are looking up a bit for this business... some custom orders, a few sales, acceptance into a juried site... maybe this whole thing wasn't a crapshoot after all :)

Aim high, hit low

I had hoped that by this point in August, I'd be working just on pieces for my shop (or shops, more on that later), but no. As a procrastinator - as well as someone who isn't quite in the best of health - I should have known better. I've needed more sleep this month than any other in the last year, which usually means I'm dead asleep by 9pm most nights. My energy levels are pretty flat right now, so I've been sticking to doing less intensive work, like embroidery. And to top it all off, I get easily distracted.

So this weekend, I'm hoping to get a lot of work done, in amongst visiting with friends and family and taking care of Maddy. My to-do list is already done and ready to be ignored used to help me keep on track and get ready for what promises to be a busy fall.

Branching out

I'm trying to find new things to work on to try to keep from getting bored with what I do. This pencil pouch is the first design I've come up with, all on my own. I will admit to doing some research on the easiest way to put the zipper in without having raw edges on the inside of the pouch.

But this is my first original design. I haven't seen any others like it, but there is a chance someone - somewhere - has created a pouch just like this. But for now, let's just say it's mine, ok?

I like how it turned out. I spent an hour yesterday trying to figure out the zipper/raw edges issue, but couldn't come up with a way to do it without a complicated series of turns and flips of material. To figure things out, I'll often try to break them down in my head and piece them back together, like a puzzle. Sometimes, I think I've figured out a way to solve a problem, sit down to apply my thoughts and quickly realize that I'd forgotten to take something important into account, like a seam or placement of a snap.

This piece, though... well, this is actually the second piece of this design. The first one was the test piece, the one I sewed up a hundred times and ripped the stitches out a hundred times, too. I had an idea last night how to finish the piece and let that idea stew through the night and this morning. When I sat down to finish it this afternoon, it seemed bloody obvious and I felt slightly foolish for not having realized it in the first place, but at least I came to a conclusion. I didn't give up or take extra steps that would have landed me in the same place.

I've got four more waiting to be sewn up so I can list them in my shop. I'm probably going to charge $9 for them, so be sure to keep an eye on my shop to pick one up for yourself or any student you may know!

Awkwardly attempting augustness

I consider my desk to be 'clean' when I don't have to take anything off the keyboard or hunt for the mouse. 
And yes, that's a red Swingline stapler in the top right.

August.

What a depressing month.

No, no terrible personal events or tragedies (that I can remember...), I've always just found August to be the least pleasant month of the year. It might have something to do with still associating August with the beginning of school, but I think it has more to do with knowing that the year is way more than half over and winter is closer to starting than it is to being over.

If that makes sense... it does to me.

August also means that my birthday is a month away. At this point in life, birthdays don't mean that much. And now that my driver's license doesn't get renewed until January, I don't even have that to look forward to.

But enough slagging on August.

This month is looking pretty busy already. I did up a to-do list for the month so I had something to torture myself with midway through the month when I have nothing done. 

No, I really did a to-do list so I could get organized now rather than later. I've applied to be in my very first craft sale next month (Sept 11, to be exact) and need product to sell. Right now, I have none, and I don't want to sell what I've got listed in my shop, so I've got to come up with new - and different - product to sell.

My plan at this point is to make:

• pincushions, in a couple of different styles and sizes;
• needlebooks, mainly because I need one and if I need one, other people do too;
• sewing pouches, like the pouches I sell already, but with a few pockets on the inside for scissors or something;
• large sewing totes, which would be like this tote, but, again, with pockets on the inside.

So that's my plan for the craft sale.

I'm also starting to look at doing some graphic design stuff to try to catch some Christmas/holiday-specific sales this fall. I tried doing some things last fall, but didn't get them ready in time and wasn't really happy with the work I had been doing. I had a few different styles of gift tags and cards, and I may keep some of the elements but probably redesign the majority of them.

This is almost the perfect month to get a lot of work done, too... Keith has quite a few days off leading up to the 8 days he's away at a golf tournament, and my mom's already said she'll take Maddy for a night while he's gone.  Maddy's able to play by herself a lot more and doesn't need to be right with me all the time, so I can do a lot of embroidery while she's playing. I'm still going to make time to get outside and relax in the yard before the snow flies, and we're probably going to head out to my parent's next weekend and maybe to Winnipeg this month.

 It's all about using the time we have available appropriately. And I can't work all the time. As much as I try (re: want) to.

The clothes made the kid

Maddy's at my mom's for her first sleepover and I'm taking advantage of being child-free to declutter her room.

This means going through all of her outgrown clothes and sorting them. So far I've taken them all out of the various boxes and plastic tubs they've been stored in...and I'm in awe at how much there is. Even though I bought probably half of those clothes, it didn't really sink in until I had them all in front of me how many clothes my almost-19 month old has gone through.

And seeing them all in one place makes me even more determined to make more clothes for Maddy. I've made a few dresses and tops this summer for her, from fairly simple patterns. I'm leery about trying things like pants and shirts with yokes - two things I never quite got in high school home ec. - but if it means saving some money, I'll try it.

I grew up with a mom - and grandmother and aunt - who made a lot of our clothes and have never really been a brand seeker. Sure, I had my favourite brands, but most of those came along once I started buying my own clothes. I'm not saying that how I grew up was better than anyone else, but learning about the quality of garments - especially when you have to pay for them out of your own pocket - is something a lot more people, especially teenagers these days, need to do.

Half that pile in the photo just slid off the couch onto the floor. If I want to have Maddy's room completely cleared out before I sit down and relax with a DVD for the evening, I should probably do something about that. Hrm.

Busy, busy, busy... I think

Pleats! I'm trying pleats! My method isn't exactly traditional, I'm sure, but it works for me. So far.

It's been a busy week so far. But I can't actually remember much of it, beyond Keith having to fix the plumbing in the kitchen after the drain pipe fell apart in his hands. And a nap yesterday that ruined my day. But ask me what we did on Monday and I couldn't tell you a blessed thing.

I do know that I spent some time on Tuesday doing some work...not much, but some. I'm in the process of winding down my shop's Christmas in July sale and starting to get ready for the craft sale season. I've already got a preliminary booking for some custom work from a friend of mine for her family's Christmas gifts, something I didn't expect at all. I haven't really been pushing the custom work option for my work, but maybe it's something I could/should do for friends and family. I mean, it's easier to showcase my work and available fabrics to people I know than ones I don't, at least at this stage, right?

The next couple of months should be pretty busy, with craft sales and just trying to keep on top of opportunities for sales. I'm still thinking of branching out to do some more graphic design work (calendars and gift tags, specifically), but finding time to do that would mean taking time away from the work I already do. Decisions, decisions...

Today is going to *hopefully* be a very busy day, getting half a dozen - if not more - pieces done. First though, I need to clean up my sewing table... I can't keep working under the threat of a fabric avalanche every time I sew a seam. I think it may be time to start seriously looking at a proper organization system... this 'pile it somewhere, I'll find it later' system just doesn't work anymore.

Taking it in stride

This mountain of fabric is hopefully going to be turned into pin cushions/keepers, needle books, lanyards and key fobs soon. When I find time... I hope.

I had plans to use July as the month where I was only going to make pieces for the craft shows I was entering this fall. It's the 12th and I've got nothing done. Procrastination is no longer the problem, it's everything else that is.

In amongst my need to get organized and keep to a schedule is a few health issues that are not making things easy. It's not anything dire, I just need to find a good way to work within my means. Sleep is something I seem to need a lot of lately - I've been asleep by 9pm most nights lately, but not sleeping for more than a couple of hours at a time, until 6 or 7am when Maddy gets up. It's a struggle and there's a feeling of guilt that's starting to grow because of it.

But enough about that... if things go according to plan this week - and I've learned they never do, but let's say they might this time - I'll be working all day Wednesday on my craft sale pieces, as well as putting some finishing touches on my Christmas in July sale in my Etsy shop. Be sure to keep an eye out for some great deals, not only in my shop, but in many of the shops on Etsy.

I need to make a grocery list for our day of shopping and visiting and playing, so I'm going to step away from the computer and have a massive cup of coffee. Or two. Depends on how interested Maddy is in climbing all over me this morning.

Have a good week!

Time is not on my side

Summer months are the optimal time to start planning for and getting your shop ready for the holiday season. Etsy's holiday season picks up from October through December. Harvest and Halloween seasons pick up as early as August, so start stocking up on and listing your holiday offerings now in preparation for the seasonal rush ahead
     • Media Tip: Press outlets begin finalizing their holiday issues and series in the summer. Have your holiday items listed, tagged, and available now for buyers and PR reps looking to pull items for holiday gift guides.

-From Etsy's Merchandising Desk: July Heats Up

Oh, holy crap.

I am not expecting to have anything from my shop catch the eye of any media folk and wind up in some magazine in time for the holiday season. I may be talented, but I'm not that talented.

Yet.

No, this just reminds me that the first craft sale that I want to be part of is in 3 months. Three months. Ninety days. Again, oh, holy crap.

I'm not sure what I'm going to sell at that sale, but I don't have enough stock for a sale. And trying to sell the same things I have in my Etsy shop is not going to happen, either (mainly because if I tried to do that, it would be just my luck to have everything in my shop sell online at the same time people are buying them off of me at a sale).

There's a small list in my notebook for ideas of what to make/sell at the sale (this is only the first; I'm aiming for two more, and I know there's at least one more for sure), but haven't actually started any of it. I've decided that I'm going to try to get as much product done and ready to list in my shop by the end of June so July will be when I come up with new products. What those products are is another question.

I've been debating about opening another shop, either on Etsy or one of the other online handmade sites (like Artfire or Zibbet), to see if I can sell my efforts elsewhere. But how much more time can I devote to doing things that may or may not sell? Already, it's what I think about the majority of the time; it's what I spend my 'spare' time doing; and it's an even more difficult financial commitment for someone who doesn't have an income. So, yeah... do I keep all my eggs in one basket or start spreading them out, even though it could be a waste, which is what I'm doing now is turning into.

*sigh*

Sometimes I wonder if things would have just been easier to keep working rather than putting all this effort into something that's not exactly succeeding (which is no one/thing's fault but my own)... at least by working at home, I get to spend time with Maddy and drown my sorrows in cartoons and reruns all day.

Poking the bear

I don't remember the last time we - as a family - had a chance to actually sit back and relax. I don't know if it's because we just believe we don't have any time now that Maddy's getting older or if my work is taking away what free time I used to have, but it would be nice if we - Keith, Maddy and me - could just stop all the fussing and rushing and go-go-go for a few days.

But, then again, if we did stop and relax, I think I'd have a breakdown because I wasn't doing something. I used to slack off with the best of them, but in the last few years - especially since Maddy was born - nothing drives me more nuts than doing nothing. Idle hands, devil's playground... well, not really. It's more of a 'I know I can be productive - let's see how' thing. Gets frustrating sometimes... tiring, too.

With three months of an open shop under my belt, there are many, MANY areas of this business that I need to focus on and learn more about. Promotions and marketing, for one; time organization for another. It's not enough to just produce pieces, you have to sell them to people, too... and putting pretty pictures of them online doesn't mean a damn thing. People can't see you if you don't show them where you are.

There's been a debate - for lack of a better term - in the Etsy forums for the last few months about why sales and views have been down. If you told me that without any back story (or accusations), I would think that a lack of sales would be because:

• the economy still sucks. The government and banks and economists can all say it's getting better, but all those people who were unlucky enough to lose their jobs 18 months ago are not going to be spending money on luxuries; they're going to be paying off bills or putting away some extra money just in case this happens again.
• the handmade fad is starting to wane a bit. A couple of years ago, when the economy started to nosedive, lots of people turned back to homemade/grown/produced products to save money. Lots of those people sold their products, too... and now everyone and their dog makes something to sell. Add in a flooded market and you've got the perfect storm as to why no one is buying anything.
• there's a lot of crap out their and people don't have time (or the desire) to sift through it all. I went to the big local craft show last fall and wasn't impressed at all. There was a lot of amateur "crafters" who really should have just kept their work in their garages or basements to save themselves the hassle. I'm not saying what I do is the best in the world and that everyone loves it, but there's a reason Regretsy exists. 
• people got lazy and expected Etsy to do everything for them, including promotions and marketing. And solve their problems. Surprised some didn't expect Etsy to also tie their shoes and brush their hair.

I'm in the 'I don't blame Etsy' camp, mainly because I see Etsy as no different than the facility hosting a craft sale. It's my job as a show owner to make people see that I exist. I am in charge of promoting my shop and making people want to stay in my shop to make a purchase. Sure, it's nice when people find me through Etsy, but based on what Google Analytics is telling me, very few people do. I get more visitors from Twitter, this blog and other blogs I comment on than through Etsy.

Does that bother me? Nope.

Why not? Because the internet is a big place, and I count myself as lucky everytime someone finds me through Google or Craftgawker or some other method. I refuse to blame others for my failings, unless it's completely justified and provable. If I want people to see my work and buy my work, I have to do the work to get them, their eyes and their wallets to my shop. It's as simple as that.

And the internet is ever-evolving. People need to realize that. Things change, and usually it's for the better. What's the harm in letting people do their jobs and accepting that sometimes, "fixes" can take a little longer than expected because, well, they just do.

I know it's quite possible I'm going to end up slammed for what I have said and I really don't care. It's what I honestly believe and would have loved to say it in the forums, but anytime someone tries to say something like this (ie. it's not necessarily Etsy's fault you have no sales), they get ripped apart by the complainers. I'm willing to learn my lessons and try new things to get people's attention; I refuse to let other people force me to stand idly by and wait for "fixes" that I shouldn't need to operate a successful business.

So, yes... marketing and promotion. Need to work on that. And tweaking my photos, as well as gearing up for fall craft sales. I may be trying to come up with some new products soon and hope to post about them as they come along... although, based on my posting history thus far, there's no guarantee. Perhaps there's someone I could blame for that...

(the marigold pictured above is one of many that I picked up today at the best garden centre in the area - The Green Spot. I hate marigolds as a rule - something that dates back to when I was 5 or so and ate some of the seeds... pointy damn things going down... but these marigolds are going to be used in my battle against mosquitoes and aphids. Wish me luck:) )

Hop up, jump in...

My daughter LOVES Handy Manny (warning, there's an audio clip that starts when you click on the link). She will dance to the theme song, she recognizes the voices of the characters and gets really upset when I change the channel on her in the middle of an episode. I've tried to find Handy Manny toys for her age - she's almost 17 months - but haven't had any luck. Can't even find a t-shirt for her.

She's a very hands-on kid - she likes to examine things and try to take them apart. She also likes to do things that we do... quite typical for a toddler, I imagine. She's seen us use tools around the house and I don't know if she connects the tools to Handy Manny or not, but she likes to be right there beside us when we have to use any of our tools.

Yesterday, she was using one of her toys as a hammer. It wasn't a small toy or a soft one, it was a fairly large, heavy plastic toy that could do some pretty serious damage if she connected with the window properly. I decided then and there that I was going to make her some tools of her own.

Sure, we could have gone and picked up the plastic tool set from the store today, but that would defeat the purpose... we don't want her trying to hammer the windows or hitting herself in the head.  We also don't want to be stepping on more of her toys and yelping in pain while she's sleeping (we have a lot of plastic building bricks... a lot). So I decided to make her a soft tool set out of scraps of fabric and felt I had.

We have a massive roll of newsprint, thanks to Keith's job at the local daily (if you want some of this paper, check at your local paper... some places sell them for $10, but you can get a heck of a lot of paper for that), that we've been chipping away at for Maddy's colouring experiments, and it also makes for terrific pattern paper. I drew rough sketches of the tools I wanted to make - a saw, hammer, screwdriver, wrench and pliers - with chalk and cut them out. I didn't follow the lines to perfection, but added anywhere between 1/4-1/2" extra for a seam allowance.

I picked out the materials I was going to use on each tool and cut them out. The felt I used isn't the best quality, but it's decent, and paired with a strong thread, it shouldn't tear easily. Keep in mind, these are toys for a toddler; I'm pretty sure I'll be remaking at least one of these toys by summer. For the rest of the material, I had scraps of mostly 100% cotton to use, with the exception of the tartan, which is a poly/cotton blend.

I decided that rather than sew up the pieces with the right sides together and then turn them out and fill the with the fiberfill, I was going to just to a top-stitch. Sure, it's not as clean looking, but for simplicity, nothing can beat it. The biggest downside to that plan is that if you have an older machine, like I do, threads can go wonky and look really, really bad. But, these are toys for a toddler, presumably your own; if they object to playing with toys with a few flaws... well, I'm not one to judge, but Maddy didn't care. Neither did I. If I were to make these to sell to the general public, though, I'd be much more careful, and likely use my mom's much newer machine.

So I filled all the pieces with plain fiberfill - nothing fancy, nothing special. I have 2 bags of this stuff and even with this project, it doesn't look like I'll ever be getting rid of it. I don't use any special tools to tuck the fill into corners or tight spots, either... just a knitting needle and my fingers. I don't see the need to buy fancy tools for things you can either find in your home already... I was pushing out corners in my wallets and purses for the longest time using the handles of our butter knives. Perfect 90˚ angle, so why not?

I managed to get all the tools put together without doing any hand stitching, except the hammer - I had to do a quick whip stitch to attach the head to the handle. While they aren't the most sturdy tools, they are fairly firm - the firmness of any filled item will depend on how much fill you put into it. And the strength of your fabric and thread, too... you can't expect something like lightweight cotton to hold a lot of fill, nor can you expect a lightweight thread to hold material together to keep all that fill inside. I used medium to heavyweight cottons for the most part, with the exception - as I mentioned before - of the poly/cotton tartan. I am not going to lie and say there were no problems with the tartan... that handle of the screwdriver was by far the most difficult thing to sew and keep together once I filled it (the thread count is very low so there's no dense tension that helps keep things in place). I also used upholstery thread (347, to be exact) as my thread... as a nylon thread, it is more durable and has more strength. I also ran out of thread and didn't get to do the nails and screws I had wanted to do as well.

I like the tools I made. There are definite improvements I would have to make before I would even think of selling these to the public, but it took me just over 2 hours from drawing to giving them to Maddy to complete this project. Compared to my other work, 2 hours is nothing; it takes me 4-5 hours to make a purse and 2-3 hours to make a wallet. I'm going to show my work to my mom (my best sewing-educated judge) and see what she thinks. Maybe, just maybe, I'll have sets of these on my table at one of the craft shows this fall.

Next up for non-Etsy projects is sewing up the summer tops and dresses for Maddy. I'm hoping to get started on them next week and I will definitely post photos and give updates as to how the process is going. These will be the first pieces of clothing I've sewn from scratch in 20 years, so it should be interesting. Terrifying, but interesting.

Stepping back

I've had a sketch for this wallet in my notebook for a while now. In my head, it seemed really simple - a classy exterior panel, and three interior pocketed panels - two for cards, one for change/receipts/cash. I actually made a pattern for this project and measured everything really, really, REALLY carefully, taking seam allowances into consideration - for a change. I cut my chosen material, pinned it all, and ironed it to the specifications I needed. I put different weights of interfacing inside for stability (but not weight) and sat down to put it together.

If you look really closely at the centre panel - the gorgeous floral print on the cream field - you can see where I've had to rip out stitches. Twice. You'll also notice the botton is larger than the top - they're 2 different pieces because I apparently measured incorrectly, not taking a seam allowance into consideration for that piece. Don't get me started on how badly I cut the exterior panel...

I've put this project aside for now, for fears of destroying it completely. I like the concept and I know I can finish it, but just not now. Instead, I'm going to go back to what I know - small pouches and card wallets, with a few shoulder bags thrown in.

I'd love to expand my repertoire but time isn't allowing it. I'm working on retooling my banners/avatars/backgrounds for everything, again... no one has told me that they need to be, but I'm a graphic designer. I need to design something besides wallets. I've got a couple of ideas I want to get working on, but there's a pile of material that's constantly calling my name to get sewn up, too.

*sigh*

For the time being, I'll stick with what I've been doing. As I mentioned before, I'm planning on incorporating embroidery into more of my work - something that should make what I do more unique and put it into it's own niche, because according to some, that's what you need to sell anything on Etsy. Mostly, I like to do it and think it looks cute. If people like it, great; I know some people won't, but they probably weren't going to buy anything in the first place.

But that's a post for another day.

A stitch in time...

I've been trying to figure out ways to incorporate embroidery into my work, and beyond this piece, I haven't had much solid success. In my pile of work that I've messed up (aka 'stuff that I'll eventually give to Maddy to play with'), I've got a few pieces that I tried to include some embroidered elements. It took a while for me to realize that although I knew I had the skills (self-taught, too... which surprises me more than you'd expect), I had no idea how to use them... PROPERLY.

I tend to rush my work. This isn't a shock to anyone who knows me - I'm that type of worker who will charge ahead, full speed, to get my work done as fast as possible so I can spend more time slacking off. Years of being a designer/editor and having to make small, stupid change after small, stupid change should have taught me that slowing down and checking things over before I think I'm done would be beneficial, but no.

So my need to slack - apparently, still - has firmly embedded itself into my new work life. Only in the last couple of weeks have I started to consciously take my time and make sure each step is complete before I move onto the next. Slowing down and being patient with my work has had one massive positive result: ZIPPERS. I like working with zippers so much (so far) that everything I've made in the last 2 weeks has a zipper. Now that I've conquered the zipper challenge, I'm totally ready to start working embroidery back into my pieces.

Such as the piece in the photo at the top of this post. Eventually - possibly Thursday - this will become the outer shell of a wallet I'm going to sell. I don't have any other embroidered pieces ready to go, but I'm purposely waiting until I've finished this wallet to see how using something like this works.

I like embroidery. I find it soothing. Maddy does not and makes it really difficult to do any work during the day, but I'm determined to get her to accept that this is what I'm going to do while she's playing. And because I do all my work freehand, there's no pressure of having to follow lines or a pattern... I do 'draw' an outline in chalk, but more often than not, I'll use it only as a general guide so I don't end up losing track of the space I can use.

I'm also working on a butterfly for Maddy's room. It's not perfectly symmetrical, but I think it'll be cute. I've been trying to work with Maddy in choosing the colours that will be worked into the piece, and when it's done, I'll frame it and hang it up. If all goes well, maybe it's another potentially sell-able product. Or maybe it'll just be one of those things I do for friends and family only.

Things are starting to pick up with my shop and my work... I'm trying new things, searching for new ways to promote what I do, and it looks like I'm getting more first-time viewers into my shop. No sales yet (!!!!!!), but they'll come. I figure if I keep working on what I'm doing and improving the product, it's only a matter of time until I get my first sale, and then my second and then it's an avalanche I can't keep up with. Yep, that's exactly how it's going to be... when it finally happens :)

Adding pieces to the puzzle

We live in a small house - maybe 700 sq ft - so finding space to do anything is a problem. It's even more of a problem when you need a large flat surface to cut material on. I could use the kitchen table, but it's usually occupied with my sewing machine, piles of cut material for projects, and whatever else we can squeeze on there. I was working on getting a bunch of material cut last week for future pieces and had to resort to using the top of our dryer in the laundry room (which is bigger than our bathroom and just a smidge smaller than Maddy's room) to cut. Not particularly easy when there's a rack full of not-quite-dry clothes to the immediate right, piles of neatly folded material on the washing machine on the left, and plastic storage tubs right behind. Small houses, while cozy and cheap, suck.

I was telling my mom about the issues I was having cutting material and she offered to get me a cutting board. I already had a self-healing cutting board that I thought I'd never use (it's turned into one of those things I can't imagine being without), but it's fairly small and virtually useless for the larger pieces of material I need to cut for the bags I've started making.

So on Saturday, my mom bought me a 36"x60" cutting board (not that brand, though... we got a Unique one). She had one when I was growing up that she stored in the kitchen with her sewing machine, and used it a lot because there were no self-healing cutting boards back then. Over time, it got lost or wrecked so she couldn't pass it on to me, so I got a brand new one.

(An aside - H.A. Kidd and Company is my favourite notions/supplies company... and not just because they're Canadian, but because they make damn good products.)

Another wonderful addition to my sewing life has been this:

A tackle box.

I had thought about getting a tool box to help keep all the bits and bobs I have in order, but none of the ones at the store seemed to fit my needs. And they were more expensive than the tackle box I did end up getting, which is also made of recycled plastic, so two birds, one stone and all that. I'm still working on a way to keep all the zippers in order (a safety pin through them all didn't work) but I like how everything has a place and I can see what I have without having to dig everything else out to find it.

I've got a pile of pieces I need to finish up before I can list them, but I'm aiming to have at least one piece in my shop every day. Whether or not that actually happens is another question, but it's nice to have something to aim for.

Finding the path

See that pouch there? The one with the super-soft faux suede exterior and cute tartan interior? The one that should be appearing in my shop later this week?

It's part of the creative epiphany I had yesterday. It's also the first thing I've ever put a zipper into, but that's not important right now (well, it is, but it isn't).

Yesterday was Star Wars Day, and as a fairly big Star Wars fan (eps. 4-6 more than 1-3), I decided to make Yoda's 'Do or do not. There is no try.' line from Empire Strikes Back my personal mantra. (If someone feels really generous *ahem, Denise*, I'd love this shirt for my birthday :).) No more piles of things I'm going to try or waste time thinking about trying; I waste enough time as it is, I need to spend what useful time I do have being productive.

And then Etsy sent out their latest Success email - making mistakes is okay, learning from them is even better - something I've needed to hear from someone besides Keith (who's encouragement I always appreciate, no matter what) and my family. I have a massive pile of mistakes I've made, but I can probably look at every piece and find something that I can take from each one and use it in the future. Kind of ties into the whole Yoda, thing, too... in a slightly indirect way.

And I finally found some patterns and designs that are just for me. I think the biggest problem I've had up until now with most of my work is that I've been trying to outdo myself at every turn. My skill level isn't much above intermediate beginner, but I was setting myself up for a guaranteed fail on almost everything I was working on by choosing designs that were geared towards experienced seamstress/seamsters. So now I've finally found things that don't frighten me by point two of the instructions and I think I can actually produce some pretty damn decent pieces at a quicker rate than I was before.

I was working on a new purse design for almost a week before I had my epiphany... I had spent four or five hours trying to figure out how to put a decorative band around the top of the bag. FOUR OR FIVE HOURS... that's just ridiculous by anyone's standards. So I've set it aside and I will return to it, just not any time soon. And that's perfectly fine with me.

Now that I've turned that corner, I can start looking at other parts of my business and figure out how to straighten them out. Like the complete lack of organization that just seems to run rampant throughout my life... I keep meaning to do something about it, but haven't found the time (or desire) to do so. With what I'm hoping will be more useful time available to me, there should be no excuse. Or, one hopes.

A week ago, I was ready to throw in the towel, I'm feeling good about where this is headed now. The only thing that can hold me back is me. Funny that it took this long to figure that out, but at least I realized it before I did just stop and turn my back on it completely.

Getting there

Check out my Photoblog for more picks like this one.

It's been a week. That's the best way to describe it - gathering with family to celebrate my uncle's life, finding out that student loans really do haunt you years after you're finished with school, trying to keep up with Maddy, figuring out what we're doing with the yard this year... and it's only Thursday.

I've gained a lot of energy this week, though, likely due to the amount of time we're spending outside with the weather being so nice. Even a half hour or so a day seems to be doing wonders, not only for me, but for Keith and Maddy, too. Maddy looooooves our backyard, especially the slight hill we've got coming up to the house. I can hardly wait until we get the fence in next month and she can run freely rather than us chasing her to the edges of the property.

And even though we've been snow-free for a month now, I'm not even going to attempt to plant anything for a few more weeks. The forecast for early next week is calling for snow and a high of only 4C (39F) on day, so there's no point in gearing up the garden only to have it freeze and die. But that doesn't mean I can't plan what I'm putting in (and taking out this year - 3 annuals and a rose bush... hopefully to other gardens) before we get it rototilled and prepped for the actual planting.

But today I've got work to do. Lots of work. Tonnes of work. Will I get it all done? Heck, no, but I figure it's better to have a list to work with than try to do it without any sort of organization at all.

What I need to do:

• finish the new bag design I started on Tuesday. To do this, I need to get to the store to pick up a pack of fasteners. Once I've got them, though, it shouldn't take me long to complete it... if I don't screw it up. I've learned to take my time and that the iron is really a good tool, so if I can keep from going at this all willy-nilly, it should turn out well. *fingers crossed* 
• finish the embroidery work on a couple of pieces. It's not really embroidery work, per se, but it's work with an embroidery needle and floss. I'm trying to add a bit of uniqueness to some of my pieces by finishing them by hand. Not sewing machine, but hand, as the lovely calouses on my thumbs and right middle finger can confirm.
• keep tweaking my branding. I'm still working at getting everything I have my name on (like cards, Etsy and Twitter, so far) to have a similar look. For the most part, almost everything uses the same fonts, but doesn't necessarily look the same. I've got an idea of what I want to do with the banner here, but can't actually do anything until the battery for my camera is charged. Then there's the question of redesigning this particular blog, especially when I own nisseworks.com. Decisions, decisions.
• marketing, promoting and networking. I feel like I've plastered my business everywhere, but I know there's still a lot of work to do and that it's never ending. Yay.

And I've got my month-end to do tomorrow, as well as catch up on all the rest of the paperwork I've been slacking off on for the last month, too... necessary evil and all that. Once that's all done, I imagine there'll be some changes I have to make to my shop and decisions that will be made about opening a second shop somewhere else for the other crafts/arts that I've been thinking about doing. But for now, I'll stick to doing the creative stuff... it's what I'm relatively decent at... I think.

Goodies!

I was out at my parents a couple of days ago for an appointment and to get Maddy out of our (tiny) house for a bit. My mom had mentioned that she had some things to give me, which kind of surprised me as she'd just given me two bags of extra material, lining and polyfill last weekend.

I walked away with that massive glass jar and paper bag pictured above, filled with well over 35 spools of thread, half a dozen zippers, button elastic (soooo excited about this!) and other bits and bobs.

Out of those spools, only three are my own - white, black and red. I'd bet that all this thread would cost $100 easily - at least in today's prices.. there were quite a few spools that had '5 for $1' on the stickers, or 50¢ each. But the selection of colours... oh, the colours. I've been fairly thrifty (actually, broke) so I've stuck with the standards in terms of colours, for the most part. But this very generous gift from my mom has such a wide variety of colours that I can use in my projects. Aqua, teal, wine, violet, blush, emerald, pumpkin... oh, the fun I will have.

Along with the thread, I brought home a lot of notions. Elastics, zippers, buttons, hem tape, snaps... all things I've been putting of buying. And I know my mom didn't just run out and pick this stuff up so I wouldn't have to - those 'Klikit' snaps? Original sticker price of 39¢ is still on it, from a store that hasn't existed here for at least 30 years.

The snaps were probably the most interesting find of the day, not only for the price. I've been using standard silver snaps for some of my pieces, but these snaps are just... different. They have the exclusive 'floating ring', which I'm guessing was pretty technologically advanced for whenever these were on store shelves (I'm guessing 1950s, based on the graphics alone), and they were guaranteed by Good Housekeeping.

I'm looking forward to using everything I got from my mom, as well as finding the perfect fishing tackle box to hold it all.

And it's only Wednesday

Oh, what a week.

I'm battling a chest cold that came on very suddenly on Sunday, but it seems to be getting worse, yet better at the same time - it hasn't moved into my head yet, but it feels like my throat is lined with tiny little needles, so I try to avoid swallowing as much as possible. It's been a blast.

And then there's the computer issues. My iMac died a slow, painful death earlier this week... I tried to fix it or at least get it to the point where I could at least pretend I knew what I was doing.

When it spit out the installation disk Tuesday morning and started flashing the folder with a question mark, I knew there was only one solution to my problem.

A new iMac. So Keith, Maddy and I made a in-and-out trip to Winnipeg yesterday afternoon to pick up a new computer so I could keep trying to sell my products online and not lose touch with the outside world without an internet-accessable computer. I do have an iPod touch, but the easiest way to charge it is with a computer and well, ours was dead.

So, yes... a new computer. And a new determination to get the marketing of my products into a higher gear. I've done some easy stuff - Twitter, comments on blogs and in the Etsy forums - but nothing really adventurous. I'm not saying that I plan on hiring a skywriter or anything, but I need to start drumming up business outside of the crafting community.

Part of that plan is coming up with some unique and in-demand pieces, like iPad cases and more summer-friendly bags. I know that a lot of people use the slow time of the spring and summer to start compiling their Christmas stock, so there's that to figure out and hope that what I think I could sell actually sells. And the craft sales this fall...

It's going to be a busy, busy, busy couple of months coming up. Besides the Etsy store (which is probably only going to be one of 3-4 stores), I'm going to be making all of Maddy's summer clothes and doing some custom work for a friend of my mom's. And gardening and doing all the usual family summer stuff, which this year includes putting up a fence with Keith's dad (and Keith).

It's been a learning experience, this first month of having an online store. I can't say whether or not it's been a failure or success yet, obviously, but there are definitely things I can do (or not do) to improve my standing so that the next month is the first step on the way to feeling like a contributing member of society again.

Tomorrow's a new day and I've got yet another to-do list to tackle. One day, the only thing on my to-do list will be 'sleep all day'... one can dream, right?

Mmmm....

Ah.

New iMac.

Now I can get to work. Hopefully, I'll have a post up later about the new products I'm working on, the new computer we've got and an update on the photo fixing adventures at my Etsy store.

Woot. Woot.

:)

Taking missteps

Things are... progressing. Slowly, but surely... I'm having issues finishing anything I've started, usually because I get lost halfway through. This week, I've learned the benefits of reading - and following - instructions, SLOWLY, as well as trying to keep myself from becoming too overwhelmed. Of course, both of those lessons went in one ear (eye?) and right out the other. Yee. Haw.

I've started half a dozen projects this week and I think I could theoretically put on in my store. That's not only a lot of wasted time, but a lot of wasted material. I figure that within the last week, I spent close to 20 hours working just on these projects - that's just the cutting and sewing, keep that in mind. And I've got one semi-reasonable piece to put in my store. Yikes. At this rate, I'm going to have a lot - A LOT - of 'flawed' pieces to give away to family and friends.

But I'm trying to stay positive by looking at different designs and procedures that might make my job - or my attempt at it - a bit easier. I'm not a professional seamstress by any stretch - I'm a recreational one, if anything. But I know my limits and don't want to start thinking I can do things that are well beyond my abilities (which usually results in... that's right, wasted time and materials). There's also that risk of boredom if I stick with doing one thing, over and over again.

Which is why I was quite happy to find two books in Chapters' online store that I could finally use the $30 gift card I got for Christmas on.

Bags of Inspriation and Carry Me were the two books I ended up choosing. There were hundreds of others I may have liked, but these two seemed to be the ones that would (a) help me come up with some new ideas and (b) teach me some new techniques in the easiest and simplest ways possible.

 A few of the projects in Carry Me.

I haven't had much of a chance to really go through either of them, but from the brief glimpses I've had, these books are going to help me a lot. There are some things that I'm just not interested in in both books, but for the most part, they both are definitely worth the price (and Carry Me includes the pattern pieces for each project in the back... big, BIG help).

For the time being, I'm going to keep plugging away at what I've started to branch out into this week - wallets (not just for carrying cards anymore!), laptop sleeves and brush/pen rolls. I wish that I had more time - or at least more consecutive time - to do my work. The start-stop work pattern that exists for me is very, very challenging and I'm finding that my to-do list is just getting pushed back every day. It's a daily battle - work on projects or attempt to get some business stuff done?

Sigh... maybe sleep is overrated...