Tuesday, March 31, 2009

March Madness!

...but not in the basketball sense...in my handmade life!

I've sold 9 items in the last week, 7 in 24 hrs, and 2 last night. I'm THRILLED that sales have picked up, and can only hope to keep the momentum going.



A coworker in another dept. in the Museum saw my shop on my Facebook profile and bought a couple items from me for his sister's 25th birthday. He's from Texas and mentioned that they both have a thing for sugar skulls. After selling him the two things he was interested in, I went home and checked out how much fabric I had left in the two sugar skull colorways I use and made more things for my shop. It felt like the minute I listed them, they sold! Such a great feeling! So I made more and listed them!


(click photos for more info!)

A few years ago, I started the tradition of making a birthday gift by hand for my Aunt Gailey. She's my knitting and sewing aunt, and we have a really great relationship. Her birthday was 03/08, and I knew what I wanted to make her.

My grandmother Esther (father's mother) passed away from Emphysema many many years ago. I was a wee child, the age of 7 when she died. Esther was a depression-era lady. She took buttons off of shirts that were too worn to wear so she could put them on other things. She canned, she sewed, she darned socks. She was a crafty lady, in all sense of the word.

When my grandfather Steve died in 2000, all of the grandparents' items were divided up over the 5 children and their grandchildren. I asked for this poster that used to be in Grandma Esther's little room that said "Sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits." I absolutely love it because it's so odd but so great!

Well, I thought how perfect it would be to cross-stitch my own version of this poster for my Aunt Gailey's birthday this year. So I did! I hadn't embroidered anything in soooo long. It took me weeks, but this was the final product, framed:



Well, in the time it took to write this post, I sold my 300th item!!! Yayyy! I did a happy dance to Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out" and now it's time to get back to work!

<3 Always,
--Taina

Monday, March 23, 2009

How good it feels...

...to be making things again!

After almost a month hiatus from making anything new for my shop, I finally sat down and created these adorable baby shoes:


(Click photo for more info)

I also cut out the fabric for another pair I hope to finish tomorrow morning before work.

Wow, I'd almost forgotten how great it feels to make things for Etsy!

<3 Always,
--Taina

Friday, March 20, 2009

Happy Spring!

Last weekend I went to the New York Botanical Gardens w/ my aunt and dad and saw the Orchid Show. I'm not a huge fan of orchids, although I understand how precious and delicate they are. The show was still incredible. Lots of photos taken with my Diana F+, so hopefully in a week I will have prints to scan and share!

I have been super lame and haven't updated my shop w/ anything new in a few weeks. For this, I apologize. Life's been super hectic with Grad School applications, bookkeeping, taxes, work, and union things.

However, the GOOD NEWS? Tomorrow I have all day to make things! Yay!!!

Also, starting today (03-20) through Sunday (03-22) I am having a "Hooray it's Spring" Sale!

20% off everything in my shop. Just purchase, enter "Blog20" upon checkout and I will refund 20% to you via paypal. OR...you can checkout but not pay and I will adjust a paypal invoice for you, reflecting the 20% off.

And for those of you worried that UNICEF won't receive the full 15% of the original price, fear not! I will still be donating 15% of the original price to UNICEF of each item sold this weekend!

Happy buying!

<3 Always,
--Taina

Friday, March 13, 2009

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

Monday, March 9, 2009

Retro-style aprons!

I have started making aprons for my shop and can't wait to photograph these domestic little numbers!

The first one I am finishing tonight is made from this Alexander Henry apple and pear fabric:



I can't wait to photograph and list it! It will most likely be posted on Wednesday, since I work super early tomorrow and can't take good photos until the sun comes up.

Be on the lookout! This is just the beginning!

<3 Always,
--Taina