July Art Walk

Well, the July Art Walk was definitely fun and I'm so glad I did it with a friend.  I think it takes a lot of the nervousness out of doing something new because you can encourage each other.  And we definitely learned a lot about selling our crafts as well as hosting a physical space.  We took notes and have already started discussing what we'll improve on for next month's event.

One of the best things I learn from hosting a physical space, is seeing what others touch and what they say about my items.  I've had suggestions for wine cozies due to a woman's cooing over Longies and a washcloth mitten from a soap saver.  


I always try to note what people purchase and what colors.  I haven't been able to really find a pattern yet to predict what will sell, but at least I know what to make more of.  This time: one yellow/white soap saver, one set of blue/green hot mits, and one grey and brown thick crocheted hat.

I sold the bottom-right grey/brown hat.

I've also learned what items' inventory I need to bulk up.  Namely: hot mits, baby socks, coaster sets, and now No Scratch baby mittens (a new obsession thanks to Field Wonderful).

Coaster sets in a hanging fruit basket.
I think setting up a physical space increases my creativity in how to display my items and what goes with what.  I did get a couple compliments on my clothesline which I thought was appropriate for things that might be hung on a line.  :)

My half of the tent.  I joined up with Thistle & Bees.
Crochet braceletes

I also offered a free bracelete to anyone who mentioned seeing my posts on Facebook but I didn't have any takers.  I did get one on Instagram, though!  My cousin from Georgia will be getting a few in the mail in a few days.  :)

So that what July's Art Walk.  A fun time with good friends.  We had many friends & family members stop out and support us which was GREATLY appreciated!

First Towel Set!


It's finally here!  A kitchen towel set in the shop!


I've made many sets, but never had the time or motivation to make a set "just because" (even if it is for the shop).  It seems like I needed more motivation and a little extra inspiration for a specific someone to push me through the marathon of knitting a whole towel set versus a fun sprint of dishcloth-ing. ....


I'm especially in love with this color palette.  Yay for cool spring colors!  :]


It's One of Those Days

The ones that are too-few coming in 2012 but have hit me like an Energizer-Bunny tonight :]

The beautiful productivity of constant-motivation (still going strong for over 4 hours!!).  Almost seems like one of those new 5-hour-energy commercials.  Anyway, check out all the progress!

I have photographed & drafted 6+ listings today; including a new cowl with my cousin modeling!



I will be staggering the dishcloth listings over the weekend, but you can enjoy the new cowls tonight!

My Autumn earwarmer was featured in a treasury today!

See it?  Bottom-right corner.

Did I blow up your Newsfeed today?  I apologize; some sort of creative bug grabbed hold of me this afternoon and I couldn't help feeling the need to share those stories with my followers.  Did you find any inspiration?  Or should I stop sharing others' posts/pictures and keep it to just Etsy shop-related stories?

I have more to share but I guess I ought to save some for another post and that energy is finally starting to slow (after 6+ hours!).  Anyone else excited for the new year?

First Hot Mits in the Shop


These have been a while in the making.


I love the final product of my hot mits but they are tedious (to me) to sew the insulating denim, so they take a while to make (or for me to work up the motivation, hehe).


Thus, I'm very excited to introduce the first set for sale.  I've given many as housewarming gifts to friends & I've even made up entire towel sets (matching finger towel, dish cloths & hot mits) for some of my friends when they have moved away.


Wouldn't these make great gifts?  I promise to have many more color options in the shop soon!

Finished!: Blue & Purple Dishcloth Set

Another one to cross off the list! Yay! See what happens when I'm gone for a while? It's like production just cranks up 10 notches to make up for lost time, hehe.


This set is for a mother I babysit who just moved into her new apartment (with her son & husband) this past June. The funny part was that went away to Brazil (her husband's native country) for all of July. The plan was to have these done as a "house-warming" present for when they returned in August.


I had most of them completed, except I ran out of purple to finish the one hotmit. So that slowed the process; and then I moved out of my apartment into boxed-living for a month (which is a whole 'nother story). But then I dug them back out a few weeks ago & I couldn't believe how quickly they whipped up!

I'm excited to present them to her later this week :)

Finished!: Black & White Dishcloth Set


It feels so good to get to scratch things off my list. :)


These are a gift I promised to my fiancé's boss's wife last Christmas.... Yes, I can be THAT bad at procrastinating sometimes. Luckily we never set a date... :-S


I think my biggest worry with this set (after waiting forever to find grey cotton yarn and never finding it in the brand I use) was that they would come out looking like zebra stripes.


Luckily, I don't think they did.

Dishcloth Set

Continuing with my "old pictures" theme, I thought I'd share the first dishcloth set I've made.  It lives at a family's house whom I occasionally babysit for.  They just re-did their kitchen and, ironically, the colors match *perfectly*!

handtowel

hotmits

one of the four dishcloths