Too busy!

I've been super busy with work and haven't actually had time to finish my first apron. I was hoping to finish it before I left to meet with some friends, but it isn't happening. So hopefully tonight and I will list it tomorrow.

In other news, I've sold 5 items so far this month. This means sales are picking up! I'm super excited about this! I just need to keep the momentum going.

I need to pre-wash all the fabric I received recently from FabricWorm so I can get cracking on some super adorable and very girly things.



I also was asked to custom make a dress for my boss's niece's 2 year birthday in May. We picked out the fabric (see above) and I sketched out a design I think would be super cute and my boss agreed.

I want to make it with a cute empire waist sash. I think it will be adorable and cant' wait for the fabric to get to me!

Okay, gotta get ready to head out. Later, bloggers!

<3 Always,
--Taina

Getting ready for cold, cold Michigan!

I will be leaving Saturday for the United Auto Workers Health & Safety Conference in Onaway, Michigan. It is going to be COLD! I will be there for my bday, so I bought myself a few birthday presents on Etsy last week.

Currently, I am wearing my letter "T" typewriter ring from Keysandmemories.etsy.com and LOVE IT! I've been wearing it every day since I purchased it!

I also bought this fabulous vegan raspberry creme lip balm from RightAsRainCreations.etsy.com:


It's exfoliating, tastes and smells great, and really moisturizes! I will definitely be back for more!

I also went back to Berkeley Illustration and purchased two more 5x7" prints, including the Billy Goat, which I think is awesome! He's eating his own tie!



I also just found out a coworker's wife is pregnant with a baby girl, and he wants me to make the outfit they bring her home in. That's so much pressure! I bought this fabric:



I was thinking a sundress, bloomers and baby shoes. We'll see. I expect to be making quite a few things for them. I can't wait until the fabric gets here!

Okay, off to work at the day job, lunch is almost over!

<3 Always,
--Taina

More hobbit birthday purchases!

I have been looking for something special for my mom to give to her on my birthday. She gave birth to me, I thought I could give her something relaxing. I'm trying to purchase all of my Hobbit birthday presents to distribute on my birthday on Etsy.

Today I went to the front page of Etsy and stumbled upon the featured seller: SweetPetula. She makes bath and body items from scratch! Perfect! My mother loves to take baths and hardly ever does. I want her to pamper herself more, as she owes it to herself. I purchased bath fizzies in three different scents:



I purchased "Mediterranean Mint", "Provence" and "Sweet P." I think it's the perfect gift for my mom!

Okay, I have to sew the remaining of my January 10 items and list them by tomorrow. Time to get cracking!

♥ ♥ ♥
I am having a Twitter/Blog sale this weekend! Free shipping on all purchases, enter "twitter" or "blog" in the notes to seller box at check out, and I will send a revised invoice! Click here to check out my shop!

<3 always,
--Taina

February's Coming!

Do you know what that means? Valentine's Day! My Birthday! My trip to the United Auto Workers Health & Safety Conference!

So many things to be excited about! I didn't used to be a Valentine's Day kind of gal, but now that I have two penpals and a number of single friends, I thought it would be fun to purchase/make cards.

I bought a couple from CreativeApples, but can only show one of them because my Etsy penpal reads my blog:



Also, I really love the idea of a Hobbit Birthday. Hobbits give gifts to others on their birthday, and I think that's an awesome idea. So I've been buying little things on Etsy to give my friends. I bought a few things from VieModerne, including one hairclip for myself:



I think I need to check her shop again for something perfect for my birthday. Although, I also wonder how the reaction would be if I wore something super girly in my hair at a United Auto Workers conference! lol.

<3 Always,
--Taina

P.S. There's a sale going on in my shop right now! All pillows are on sale, $18 marked down from $22!

Oh...so...DIY!

About a month ago, one of my friends made two of our co-workers terrariums as "thank you" gifts and a week later, Etsy.com featured a seller who makes and sells moss terrariums in really great small jars.

Now those of you who know me know that I am terrible at keeping plants alive. I've successfully kept two hearty cherry tomato plants, three bamboo plants and one aloe plant from dying. Everything else? Has had a terribly short life.

I love greenery, I volunteer at my local community garden, enjoy nature and live by the only primordial forest in all of Manhattan. I would love to be able to have some well-kept plants in my apartment, things that do not need to be tended to frequently.

I looked up books on terrariums on Amazon and found one that comes out on my birthday! I thought it was a sign.

I was originally supposed to go to a "Bon Voyage Bush!" party tonight but my kidneys are acting up again, giving me some pain in my lower back, so I decided to go to The Plant Shed and pick up some soil, gravel, charcoal and small plants. I already have a few empty jars at home.

So I'm off to start my afternoon project! I will take photos and give detailed instructions in the next blog entry!

<3 Always,
--Taina

January 2/10 complete!

Hello Blog! I felt like giving you a little love today.

A couple posts ago, I posted two fabrics I'd ordered from CatyLouQuilts. Well, I made two new makeup bags from the fabrics a couple days ago and finally had a chance to photograph and list them in my shop! Here are the photos:





(As always, click photos for more info!)

I really love the "Quilt Pirates" fabric, it's so fun! The button eyes, stitched nose and mouth and scissor "crossbones"! The aqua color is pretty, too.

I'm off to try to make 3/10 now.

<3 Always,
--Taina

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

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

Finally catching up...

I've been SUCH a slacker with making new items for my Etsy shop. I finally listed a new pair of shoes today:


(Click photo for more info)

My hope is to make something new every day to list. I'm going to make a pair of heart shoes next.

I find I'm much more productive in the mornings than the evenings. I think it may be because of the instant gratification of being able to photograph and list the item immediately instead of making an item at night and waiting until morning to list it.

In other news? I just bought a notecard and postcard from Charliemotel.etsy.com and fell in love w/ one of her illustrations:



If I sell at least one item this week, I will buy it. Here's to hoping!

<3 Always,
--Taina

The problem w/ money in my paypal account...

I sold a handful of items in the last 8 days and am feeling quite good. The problem? I am in the middle of switching banks, so I don't want to transfer my money in my paypal acct. to my bank account before closing and opening a new savings account.

So I've got a little bit of money in Paypal and I keep seeing things on Etsy that I want to purchase. Not things I need, just...well...VERY impulsive items.

Dorian (one of my roommates) and I have talked about taking a burlesque class for months now. I have never thought of myself as sexy. I think maybe I had one instance where I felt powerful and female and ::gasp!:: almost sexy. I think a burlesque class might do wonders for my self-esteem. Dorian and I talked about it again today while she read my current issue of "Bust" magazine (it's a feminist mag, not porn!)

Well, I'm browsing Etsy and came across these:


If you click the image, you will see the first photo of the model, and she looks H-O-T. I am not posting that photo so that my blog continues to be work-safe.

If I were a burlesque dancer, I'd definitely want a pair of handmade sequined heart pasties that are "easy for twirling". Seeing as though I have money in Paypal, I almost bought them. What would I do with sequin heart pasties without a Burlesque class? I'm not even currently seeing anyone! lol.

So I think this is the plan: Continue to exercise and do 30 mins of Pilates daily, find a Burlesque class once the holidays are over, and support the handmade revolution by purchasing sequined heart pasties from Etsy.

I already know the song I'd want to do a Burlesque skit to: Blondie's "Rip Her To Shreds"

<3 Always,
--Taina

Crafting for me...

This week was a good week as far as Etsy goes. I sold 2 pillows and a makeup bag, shipped them out yesterday. I made a few things as well.

I like turning my sales around and purchasing things off Etsy. I most recently found a pattern for an Amy Butler tanktop in CatyLouQuilts that I have been eyeing. I finally purchased it yesterday:



I looked through fabric in FabricStash's Shop and picked out one of my favorite prints, the VW Sole in the blue colorway:



I have yet to find 1" buttons and I still have to purchase the interfacing, but I am so excited about this project! I've never sewn any adult clothing before and have definitely not sewn anything for myself. I used to knit things for myself on occasion, but sewing? nope. I'm SO excited about this project. I will definitely post photos once the pattern and interfacing arrive, as I have a feeling this project will take a few more weeks. =)

So that is not where my Etsy shopping spree ended. I bought a few postcards from EricHou but can't show you which ones as my Etsy penpal reads my blog on occasion. (I'm such a tease!)

And I finally FINALLY purchased two buttons from ButtonEmpire. I've been eyeing Button Empire's buttons for quite some time. Can you guess which ones I purchased? Fine, I'll show you. =)





I am SO excited about the "The Revolution Is Being Handmade". It'll be more exciting once I make myself a tote bag.

I'm currently sporting a not-so-handmade but eco-friendly bag from MoMA. I just realized it isn't for sale on the website. That's too bad, it's a great design. I will try to describe it. It's a black flat tote bag made of spun fibers from recycled plastic bottles. It's got a great graphic white image of four different types of plastic bottles on one side. Just bright white silouhettes, I've gotten lots of compliments already and I only purchased it a week ago.

Today I am meeting with a friend in SoHo for some shopping. I'm looking for a bathing suit, a pair of shorts and a gift for a friend. I hope to find some cool postcards or notecards for my Etsy Penpal, and maybe some fabulous prints for inspiration so I can come home and make more things for my shop.

I should probably shower and figure out what to wear. I'm meeting her early afternoon.

<3 Always,
--Taina

Custom Orders - I HEART them!

I was contacted last weekend asking if it was possible to make four tattoo pillows like this one:



I was THRILLED. I figured I'd head over to cheapthreads.etsy.com and purchase the fabric from her. She's super friendly and reliable and packages from her come in 2-3 days.

So I contact her and she says she's completely out of the tattoo fabric in black! eek! What am I to do? So I searched Etsy and contacted another fabric seller. I explained that I was willing to pay Priority Shipping and apologized for the last minute order. She was super friendly and hopefully I will have my fabric today.

So if anyone is interested, my two favorite etsy fabric sellers are:
Liz @ Cheapthreads
Tiffany @ LuckyKaeruFabric

Now I'm debating whether I should go out to NYU's ArtMart or stay home and wait for the postal carrier to deliver my fabric. Decisions Decisions!


<3 Always,
--Taina