Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!

So I have no idea if anyone is interested in my New Year's Resolutions, but they go a little something like this:

1. Make at least 10 new items per month for Etsy.
2. Exercise at LEAST 15 mins every day until my birthday (Feb. 24th)
3. No candy for the entire month of January.
4. Buy more things that are handmade and less sweatshop items.
5. Re-apply to grad school.

I think that's pretty much it. I am not good at keeping resolutions for very long, so I figured a month or two and if I want to go longer, great, if not, Jan or Feb is not a daunting completion date. =)

So far the candy thing has worked out really well...except I forgot and ate a cadbury cream egg. eeps! So I will go through Feb. 1st to make up for it. lol.

As for 10 new items each month? I've made two so far and will list them tomorrow but hope to make at least one more tonight.

And the buying more things that are handmade? That isn't hard. Etsy is full of amazing, gorgeous, fun things. I just bought two more hair accessories from VieModerne

Want to see? I am SO excited!


I had been eyeing the one above for a while now, but VieModerne went on vacation, so the minute I got the alert saying she was back from vacation mode, I knew I had to snag it!

And of course, combined shipping is a GREAT reason to buy than one item from a shop, so I bought this one as well:



It takes VieModerne about a week to make items, as they are all made to order, so I hope to get them in two weeks. I am thrilled!

My handmade penpal Nadine sent me this awesome headband a la CoCoBoudoir that I continuously get compliments on:


(Click the above photo for a better photo of the headband)

People at work constantly ask me who made it and where they can get one. Last Friday, MoMA had 22,000 visitors to the Museum. Talk about great advertising! I wish sellers would send me business cards!

There are two guys at work who make fun of me for the "Waldorf orchid" pictured above, One is bald and the other has a very close shave. I told them they are jealous, they've nicknamed me "flower girl". =) Not so bad!

I'm off to sew more!

<3 Always,
--Taina

Le sigh...

I have not blogged in a few weeks! eeps! I have a blog coming up about Operation Santa, I sponsored 6 letters, 8 kids in total. I still have to scan in a couple of the letters for the entry, so it will have to wait.

I bought a few things on Etsy this week. First, two half yards of fabric from CatyLouQuilts:


Turquoise Quilt Pirates


Sky Blue Cupcakes

I think they will make super cute make-up bags/pencil cases and maybe even a pair of shoes.

I also have had my eye on this ring for quite some time and finally bought it:


I can't wait until it arrives!

Christmas was gooood. I made my mother a drawing of her as a little girl letting a dove fly free. My dad got a refurbed GPS from me and I gave my brother clothes. I'd wanted it to be more of a handmade x-mas but my shop's sales picked up a bit, work picked up a ton between union work and my job, and I just had no real time to sit down and make things for my family. The handknit striped tie on size 1 knitting needles for my dad may NEVER get finished! Maybe I will give it to him for my birthday.

My dad got really into "Hobbit Birthday"'s. When a hobbit has a birthday, he celebrates by giving gifts to others. I like the idea of that, and it gives me two more months to finish his tie!

I missed the Bust Craftacular here in NYC, which I was very disappointed by. I was super sick and depressed because of being sick so I skipped it. The good news? My roommates went and bought me blue fabric with turtles on it that will make some super cute baby shoes. I hope to make a pair tonight!

Also, I'm really into this whole burlesque idea. I've been pondering it for quite some time, years, really. I think it would be fun to do the silly performances, not the really serious ones. I also think it would be great for boosting confidence levels.

I haven't been feeling so great about myself recently. I stopped working out, I'm eating tons of junk...and because of it, I'm feeling sluggish. So starting tomorrow? No candy for a month! and starting tonight? exercising every day for at least 15 mins until my birthday, on Feb. 24th. Yesh. That's the plan. And maybe burlesque classes... =) How awesome would it be if all of my burlesque type stuff was handmade? I think it would be pretty sweeeet.

Time to go cut some fabric and sew! Later Gators!

<3 Always,
--Taina

Sales still thrill me...

Yesterday I made a pair of baby shoes out of this really great green fabric with a leaf print on it:



I sold 3 pairs of shoes in the last 24 hours! You would think after selling more than 200 items, I wouldn't be happy but not thrilled. I am THRILLED by each and every sale. It's such a great feeling to make an item by hand and actually have someone be so interested in it that they are willing to pay for it.

I'm hunting for some gender neutral and "boy" fabric, as I'm continuously being asked for shoes for baby boys. So stay tuned!

<3 Always,
--Taina

Too many beautiful and fun things...

...on Etsy!

I am eyeing VieModerne's flower hairclips with serious lust! I really really really like this one:



If I can get my order in within the next two days, I can have it by x-mas!

I think something weird is going on inside me. I was never really a "tom boy", but I've never been super feminine either. Over the last 12 months I've bought sundresses and headbands and necklaces and retro party dresses...it's really quite odd and out of character for me. But I LOVE it. The girlier, the better! =) In the last month, I even bought lots of different eyeshadows and eyeliners. Sooooo girly.

I want to always have a flower in my hair, cute flats on my feet and a smile on my face. I secretly want every single hair item that VieModerne sells. =)

<3 Always,
--Taina

New baby shoes!

Hooray! I sold a pair of dragonfly baby shoes and made another pair. I also just listed these really fun and colorful yellow shoes:


(Click photo for more info)

I cut the fabric for 3 more pairs of shoes and another pillow last night. I plan on sewing another pair of shoes tonight and the pillow tomorrow morning. I have a Showcase date on Etsy starting at midnight EST tonight. I hope it generates some good views and maybe even a few sales!

<3 Always,
--Taina