jump up and down

anticipation...a shop update

The summers are just lovely here - just the right amount of warmth, just the right amount of rain, just the right amount of sun - and I have spent many an afternoon outside with a blanket and a book while the boys play around me.  But, I must admit, I am ready for a bit of crispness in the air, colorful leaves, and warm sweaters.  And I know it's just not me.  I've been reading your longings for fall and even Halloween on your blogs.  I put together a few banners this year to help me get ready for fall and even Halloween...you can find all of them in the shop.

 

your thoughts please: ArtFire

Have you heard of ArtFire?  I discovered it through an ad on one of my most visited websites, Craftcult, where you can put in your Etsy user name and easily see who has hearted your shop or items.  A very useful tool indeed...but, back to our main topic...

If you don't know anything about ArtFire, from what I have gathered in the few months I have been familiar with it, it is a website, similar to Etsy, where artisans and other sellers can sell their handmade items, supplies, and vintage items.  The big difference that I see, is that ArtFire has a flat rate monthly fee ($7 if you get in as one of the first 5,000 members, $20 if you join after that - as of today there were about 850 spots left) and Etsy charges a per listing price to list and a small percentage of each sale.   There is also a free membership, but I think that at this level you are limited to listing four items. I won't go into it much more than that - I really want to hear what other people think about it.

I joined with the intention of trying to sell my collection of vintage patterns (which has really outgrown the space I have for them in the past few months), thinking that I could do a whole lot more listing for $7 a month than if I were paying for each item.  Of course, with school and such I haven't done much with the shop, but I did list a few patterns last week.  You can see my shop here.  I haven't had many views (I also haven't listed much yet), but I'm trying to decide if I should even try with ArtFire.  What do you think?  Is there really room for another Etsy, especially with the current state of the economy?  Are the advantages of ArtFire really worth it?  I'd especially love to hear from anyone who has already joined ArtFire or has seriously thought about it.  The truth is I keep going back and forth - ask Ryan.  About a week ago I said to him, "I think I'm just going to cancel my subscription," and two days later I got on the stick, took some pictures and got a few things listed. 

And if you do decide to join because I my post (I think it's obvious I'm not trying to convince anyone one way or the other here), please use this referral link or the link on the image at the top.  If ten people join at the $7 level because of me, then my membership is free and I won't have to make a decision about whether to stay or not!

shop note

While I've been busy thinking about and planning out my pillows, I've also had a major urge to sew and the shop was out of banners and low on aprons so in the past couple of weeks I have been a busy gal.  There are several new aprons and banners that are now in the shop.  I used several of the fabrics from my latest thrift find for the banners.  And thanks to my mom who helped me put together some purses this weekend, there will also be a few new purse listings just as soon as I get them photographed. 

red letter day

I spent yesterday cleaning up after Ned - he couldn't keep anything down.  But he seems to be doing better today.  In between all of the laundry and wiping up (he is still too young to make it to the bathroom apparently), I found it nice to look at this banner that I had hanging on the wall from taking pictures.
 
This is why I love custom orders - such great ideas!  I'd been wanting to come up with a banner that was more of a general celebration banner, but could not think of a good saying.  And then this one gave me the perfect opportunity to use a lot of great red and blue vintage fabrics that I have collected.  I loved it so much, I made an extra for the shop here.  Now I just need to find some less floral-y fabrics to make our male dominated family one.

shop talk and politics

UPDATE:  Katie let me know that there has been a 1 year stay of execution on this law - hooray!  Read details here.  Now it's even more important to write to your lawmakers and let them know what you think!!

I am obviously late in the game in blogging about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act or CPSIA, so I won't say much except that this is an important issue that especially affects those of us who love handmade.  I do however, want to share a few resources that I found helpful.  First the Handmade Toy Alliance is a great resource for finding out how this issue affects you, getting updates on what is happening, and finding out how to help.  They even have a sample letter that you can use to e-mail your Congress representative or Senator (and links on where to find out who your representatives are).  This law takes effect on February 10, not too many days from now.  There's not much we can do about the actual law right now, but hopefully our views will help lawmakers make some changes so that we can still buy and sell handmade goods without prohibitive testing costs.

I don't sell many children's items, but this is affecting me in a direct way as I did buy a few girls t-shirts a while ago (like over a year ago) with intentions of putting an applique on them and selling them in my shop.  In true Jess formi, I couldn't decide exactly what to put on them and so I procrastinated...until last week, still not realizing that I wouldn't be able to sell them after February 10.  When I realized it, I rushed to get them finished and listed them on Saturday.  The appliques are from some great early Amy Butler fabrics that Sandi brought me from the last quilt market.  If they don't sell, I'll have a stash of presents for nieces and friends - at least I will still be able to gift handmade that I've made.

UPDATE:  Katie let me know that there has been a 1 year stay of execution on this law - hooray!  Read details here.  Now it's even more important to write to your lawmakers and let them know what you think!!

shop note

I'm just dropping in here quickly to say that I decided to celebrate my
BiRthDaYmonth (am I looking forward to 32? I'm not sure yet, but I'm trying to embrace it.) by putting everything in my shop on sale!

BTW - The pillows and some other projects for the living room are coming along nicely, I should be back soon with updates!

seeing red and green

I was thankful to have several stocking orders this year and even more thankful that my Mom offered to help me sew them up while we were visiting for Thanksgiving.  We whipped out seven stockings and then got really ambitious and finally made some for my own family (I'll share those later - I love, love, love how they turned out and I'm so glad to have them).  I really do have such a generous and helpful Mom.  And the the boys love her too!  Tonight when I was tucking Peter in bed, I told him that he needed to get right to sleep because he has his big pre-school day tomorrow.  He just replied, "No thanks, I want to go to Grandma's!"  Poor boy - at least we are headed back soon for Christmas!

Thank you to all of you who are still reading, even though the posts have been super spotty of late.  I'm working on adjusting some of my commitments so I have more time for family, crafting, and thus have more blogging fodder.  The last few weeks have been crazy busy with school, all of Peter's things, and the holidays and I'm looking forward to the end of the semester here in two weeks or so and a little break for a few weeks. 

I wish you all the best in getting ready for the holidays and hope especially that you may feel the peace of the season!

one more week...

So, the sewing room is not totally clean yet, but it's time to come back and get back in the swing of things.  Cleaning is number one on the to do list this week, so hopefully I'll come back with those before and after pics that a few of you requested.  I did take the befores and if I post them, you have to promise not to judge - mess doesn't really describe the state of the room, disaster would be more like it.

I've had a lovely little break full of a couple of jaunts away, some fun sewing, a few days where we didn't get dressed until noon, and lots of summer enjoyment.  Peter will be going to a new pre-school starting next week with a new morning time and it's four days a week.  No more lounging around or sleeping in.  Time to get with the program, so we are enjoying now!

And I'll be starting something new too - I'm going to be a taking a couple of night classes at our local university.  This is something that I've been thinking and praying about for a long time and the time is right.  I got the wrong degree when I went to college the first time and I knew it about a year before I finished, but I was so close to finishing and a change seemed like a rash move at the time so I didn't do it and I've spent the last eight and especially the last five years regretting it.  I have a biology degree and I even worked in the field for over five years, possibly just to prove to myself that I really do need to go back to school.  I loved getting my biology degree and found all that I learned fascinating, but I came to realize that most of the jobs in this field are lacking in one thing that I really need and want in a job - people interaction.  So, I'm going to start working towards a nursing degree - just on the pre-reqs right now and nursing school in a year or two.  I'm very excited, a little nervous, but mostly just so glad to have all the support I am receiving, especially from Ryan, to do this.

I'm not sure what this will mean for the blog, but I do hope to keep it going and I will definitely still be sewing and crafting at least a little bit and with the kids, so I'm sure there will be plenty of blog fodder.  It will just have to be something that I'm going to have to figure out as it goes.  As for the shop, that's also something that I hope to keep going, although I do know I won't be able to keep it up at current productivity levels.  The money I make from the shop pays for Peter's speech therapy co-pays and for me to get my hair done (I started going gray at 18 and after two kids, I am probably about 50% gray on top - it's so not fair, but that's how it is), both things that need to keep happening, so I hope I can keep it up.  Also, if you had any thoughts of having me make something to put under your Christmas tree or a stocking for your mantel, you will probably want to e-mail me ASAP and get your order in as finals are a week and a half before Christmas.

And for the rest of this week, I have a few pics of what I did while I was gone: a few projects, a couple of finds, and some summer fun!

more little ladies

 

I started this post with good intentions, but I'm so tired right now that I'm just going to post these in a very minimal style. I've been up late way too much in the last week, I ran 8 miles on Saturday, and it's just worn me out. 

Here's the lowdown - three new dolls, one already with a home to be loved by my friend's daughter who is turning one this week, and two new outfits for the doll for the very special one year old.  The two others should be in the shop shortly.  And if you already have a little lady doll and would like more outfits, contact me.  Hope you all had a great weekend! 

And for those of you who are interested, Logan, my friend's little guy is doing so well!  He came home from the hospital on Friday and his recovery is coming along at a truly miraculous rate.  Thank you so much for your prayers and positive thoughts!

update

 

 
I stayed up late last night and left all sorts of windows open on my browser that were one click away from listing my item in Etsy. Then this morning, I got up and clicked away and voila, it's all in my shop now! The verdict is still out on whether I like this way or the one or two item at a time update. I'll let you know!