Birthday Sale at Creative Creations!!!

Today, in honor of my 33rd birthday, I'm having a sale in my Etsy shop. EVERYTHING is 33% off!

Stop on by, pick out gifts for your Valentine! Pick out a little something for yourself!

http://www.jerz.etsy.com

In Honor of Julio

First, I want to say thank you to the peeps who left the kind words for me. I am far from throwing in the towel, but sometimes you have to get things off your chest, ya know? I have been looking in to other forms of free promoting (i.e., press release with our local paper and am going to sit down to type one up and send it in). But, I wanted to thank everyone for the support and love they sent; I did feel it across the electronic lines. Really, I did!

Today, I wanted to blog about my step-father. Today is two years to the day that he passed away at the tender age of 70. My mother, my step-sister, my kids and I all met at Borders and then had lunch together to remember him and to kind of celebrate my and my step-sister's birthdays (mine's tomorrow and her's is Thursday). It is a very bittersweet day.

Julio (spoken with a hard "J"; always would correct you if you said "H"ulio) always loved books. He was a big history buff and the bookshelves in our house were filled to the rim with old National Geographics, war books, fiction...you name it, we had it. He had always loved going to Borders and always enjoyed the food at Chili's so this is why we go there in his memory.

When I still lived at my parents' house, he and I would stay up for hours at a time, many nights stretched into the mornings, just talking. Talking about nothing. Talking about everything. We'd make coffee and just talk. And talk. And talk. I miss that. When he passed, my mother gave me one of his coffee mugs and I can tell you that every time that I use it, I think of our time together.

I have listened to music my whole life. I grew up on stage, while performing ballets. I could honestly say that at the age of 10, I enjoyed classical music. In seventh grade, my music teacher introduced me to jazz via Louis Armstrong. As a sophomore, Julio introduced me to show tunes and more jazz greats. I can still see him and my mother dancing in their living room to Rod Stewart and Frank Sinatra. They were so happy together.

This man was as much as my father as my natural father was. I lost my natural father not long after moving to New Jersey. I was 16. I lost Julio when I was 31. I've been lucky to have two wonderful fathers in my lifetime. I miss them both equally.

My daughter still sees Julio from time to time. I think she knew when it was his time. When we were leaving my parents' home shortly before his passing, Princess made a comment that she saw angels. They must have been waiting for him. When he passed, we told her that Grandpop was with the angels that she saw and that now he helps them put the sun up each day. She was only just about two and a half when he left us and she stills remembers that to this day; she will still wake up in the morning and tell me that PopPop put the sun up or PopPop said we need rain so he made it rain.

I can still feel him around me every now and then. Not here, in my home, but watching from wherever he may be now. When I speak of the theatre, I remember when he took my mom and me to see Les Miserables in Boston and NYC. Just the other day, I was talking with someone about Rocky Horror and recounted the time when he and my mom took me and my step-sister to see it for the first time when I was 16 and she was 15; how his face lit up with the fun we had that night.

I miss him. I miss this man who snuck into my heart and became my father. I wasn't prepared to let him in. I certainly wasn't prepared to let him leave. I miss you, Julio.

Oh, and I saw the coffee mug in the cloud on my way home from lunch today. Thank you.

Invisible

I've been feeling invisible the last couple of days. I keep posting on Etsy, trying to promote, promote, promote and I don't feel it's doing any good. I don't think my prices are too high. I think I'm offering unique items. I'm getting very depressed in the process.

I'm not getting any other work done, either. It's like, if I don't post in the forums, then no one knows I'm there. There's no views of my shop. But, people give me advice like, Take brighter pictures! List more items! But, how do you do that when you also have to spend your time promoting? Where's the happy medium?

I work part-time outside the home. I have the home to run while I'm here. I have two children. And, I'm trying to get Creative Creations off the ground.

I know that it's not an easy process. Any new business needs the hell promoted out of it. But where do you find the balance of working and promoting? All my efforts seem to be moot in the promoting department. I don't know why I bother?

There's a promotions thread in Etsy. If you don't participate in a BNR (buy and replace), it seems you can't get any exposure. And, the thread moves so quickly that you constantly have to keep posting. Well, what do I have to do? Stay up 24 hours a day? I practically do already! I mean, trying to promote, I don't even pee during the day!

I don't mean to be all, oh pity me, but come on! Where are the buyers? Am I barking up the wrong tree with this? My friends seem very interested in my products. Are people not looking for unique?

As far as listing new items, well, supplies cost a lot of money. Money which I don't really have right now. How do I justify spending the money on supplies when my stuff isn't selling? Hubby wants to know stuff like that. I can't justify spending money on items that are just going to sit and collect dust.

I have poured my heart into this, and now I feel as though I'm losing hope. I made one sale in a month and a half. Maybe I should take my chances again on eBay. Maybe if I don't list the manufacturer of the shirts I use, I'll escape the radar. It cost more to list and sell on eBay, but at least I was selling. Hadn't yet turned a profit, but at least I was breaking even. On Etsy, the one sale hasn't even covered the supplies that I had used on the listings that I have.

Sorry that this post turned into a rant. I really like the Etsy community, but I'm really doubting if it's worth trying to sell anything...

Deelind Studios

Time for the third installment of feature entries. The shop I'm featuring tonight snuck in a little if something happens... comment, so I just had to feature them. So, I present to you...


Deelind Studios
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5298017

Deelind Studios make these wonderful little plushies, or "stuffies" as they're called in her shop. They're made with super soft materials and are oh so cute!

Deelind Studios calls Boston her home. Being from the area, I can't think of a more creative place! According to her profile, she woke up one morning and made the decision to start making stuffed animals. She created her own patterns, dug out her grandmother's 1940 sewing machine and went to town. Soon after the stuffies babies were born!

With creativity that seems to be oozing, it should come as no surprise that Deelind has another shop. Babalu shows off Deelind's talent as an artist (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5373741). For the 20 years leading up to sewing stuffies, Deelind was a fine art painter and a muralist. Her talent really shines through in her Babalu shop!



I have to say that this guy is my personal favorite from Deelind's shop. As the title calls him, "Butt Ugly Bunny with Free Love," I think he's so ugly that he's cute. This little dude has a body of fleece and ears of velvet.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8967799

Now, because Deelind is lucky for this feature to turn into a 2 for 1, I couldn't neglect her Babalu shop. I think that this oil painting shows off the incredible talent the flows through her fingers. This oil is called Provance and it's painted on gallery wrapped canvas.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8718258

So now that you've learned a bit about this multi-talented artist, please stop by and browse her shops to show some free love!

Forever "Flower" Bouquet

In honor of Valentine's Day, I have listed my beaded Bouquet Brooches.

I really think that these are so neat. I can tell you that they're really fun to make. I even get to use DH's specialty tools to make them (he's got a pair of pliers that are made just for twisting wire). And picking out the various beads to put together is fun. I love digging through my stash of beads to find just the right ones. Making holiday specific ones are even more fun.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8944298

So, visit my shop (http://www.jerz.etsy.com) and check them out!

Oh, I'll also be adding some more rings probably tomorrow, so stay tuned for those!

Lani Bug Designs

All right...time for the second feature on my list. Even though the shop that I'm featuring today doesn't have many items in her shop, I want to feature her just the same. Her work is beautiful and it deserves equal attention!

Lani Bug Designs

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5256027

From what I can see by eyeballing her shop, she's another recycler. The adorable little dresses she has listed were constructed from fabric that she had left over. Rather than just throw it in the garbage, she decided to create these dresses. They are absolutely perfect for your little princess for the holidays (all right, I know, the holidays are over; but, there's always the holidays for 2008).

Christmas Top in the Pillowcase Dress Style

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8177333

Holiday top in the Pillowcase Dress Style

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8317919

Please stop by and Give Lani Bug Designs a look-see. You won't be sorry that you did!

Reconstructed Snake Bite

Well, I finished it...my little cropped hoodie. This one was started from scratch; I had no previous pattern to start with. I am so completely proud of it! I really think that I married the biker image to girly top very well.

I had a white Harley shirt with a snake wrapped around a dagger. I was going to make it into a halter, but it's winter and I already have three halters that aren't selling. Then one day, I was wearing a cropped hoodie and decided that that style would be PERFECT. I even found snake skin patterned cotton fabric to use for the hood lining.


The hoodie started to take shape as I took measurements and used myself as a dressmaking model (don't worry, I didn't pin myself). I cut, tried on, cut and tried on until it was perfect. As I looked at the almost finished product, it seemed that it was missing something. I found some 3/4" lace in my notions stash. As I laid the hoodie out on my work table, I laid the lace down over the hem. It clicked. That's what it needed! It needed that little girly touch!

So, it's now in my Etsy shop (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8911882). I'm promoting the heck out of it. I even entered it in a Creative Challenge (not quite positive what's entailed in the Challenge, but it was fun making it).







Now I'm busy creating a sexy new halter top. That's this week's challenge: to create an original pattern and sew a new top by next Sunday. And feature two more Etsy shops. And do laundry. And start physical therapy for my back. And...and...and...

Green Space Goods

Well, I have decided to start featuring fellow Etsians in my blog. I want to be able to foster a good community sense among everyone with this new venture I have begun. So, before further ado, let's give my first featured shop a great round of applause...

Green Space Goods (...and the crowd goes wild!)

http://www.greenspacegoods.etsy.com/

I happened across this shop while posting for a new blog entry. I had opened the thread up in the forum for other shops to request for a link on my blog page. Green Space Goods jumped at the chance for any added publicity (as any of us like). When it came time to ask people if I could feature them, Green Space Goods was the first to reply. So, because they were first to reply, they are the first in a long line of features.

Green Space Goods consists of partners Michael and Lani. They both graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta; Michael is an Interactive Media Developer and Lani is a Graphic Artist. They started creating their pieces of art together in 2002 and have been developing various mediums since then such as web applications, recycled art, fine art illustrations and even have been commissioned for mural work! According to their Etsy profile, every piece they create is a joint effort with one starting the artwork and then passing it to the other and so forth, each adding to the drawing until they come to their final work.

Example of their fantastic artwork is their inkblot illustration
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7382995

Green Space Goods features items made mostly of found objects. They try to recycle materials as much as they can. They have used game pieces; a great example being their "T Gamepiece Earrings" (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7057391, see photo below). Another great example of found object jewelry is their "Recycle Star Bottle Cap Pendant" (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8784231, see photo below).

They have many original pieces in their shop that are incredibly reasonably priced. I welcome all who have taken the time to get to know Green Space Goods by reading this entry will stop by and show some love. Browse around, shop a little, leave your heart behind.

Warning ~ Sappy Post

Ok. So anyone that follows this blog has by now seen that I have joined the Etsy community. I must admit that I am thoroughly addicted to the forums. It has awakened my creativity, though, and have even designed my own sweatshirt. There is one thing about Etsy that I wasn't expecting to find:

Friends.

Today is a great example. I am currently having a problem with a bill from the hospital for a procedure I had done that I don't feel I should have to pay. I was quite worked up about it; was even in tears while on the pone with my insurance company.

I decided to post a little rant thread on one of the forums. See, Etsy has an Etc. forum to post anything that doesn't have anything to do with their other forums. I wasn't expecting any responses; I just wanted to get the frustration out.

To my surprise, the thread went to a second page. People were posting their support and advice. This started another round of tears. But this time, I was crying because I was frustrated, I was crying because people I didn't know were giving me support.

So, in this entry, I don't have anything to promote of my own; I'm just promoting the great people I have met through Etsy.

Thanks, guys!

New Listing!

Just running a quick entry; another may be entered later tonight...

The hoodie that I talked about yesterday is up and for sale in my Etsy shop! Here's the direct link: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8759889. Check it out!

I'm really loving how it turned out. When it sells, I'm going to have a really hard time letting it go! But, I've got to remember that's why I'm selling what I make; it's nice to see something that I produce is being enjoyed by others.

I've already started on my next hoodie. Still not telling what style, but I will tell you that it involves a snake, white and snake-skin cotton.

Have a good night (morning?) all!

Finished Projects!

Well, I finally finished two projects in my little sewing corner! I'm so very proud of myself. I also took pics of the Princess's dress as promised before.

First, I'll post the pics for Princess's dress. She even wanted me to add a crown to it made of iron-on rhinestones to show off her royalty.

Next, we have her new bathrobe. Story behind this is...when I got out of the shower one day, I put my bathrobe on. She thought is was SO pretty (even though it's about 10 years old and a lot of the terry has pulled out making it look ratty. But it's comfortable and warm!), that she HAD to have me make her one. Then, of course, it had to be pink. Since I had leftover material from her dress, I made it with the same material. Here's that...

Finally, we have my next Etsy listing. This is a hoodie made from a T-shirt. I cut and fit the shirt to create the back of the hoodie. Added some black fleece for warmth. And found Alexander Henry's "Skulls on Fire" in orange to coordinate with the fire on the back of the hoodie. I think it came out pretty cool!

The next project I'm working on will be a white hoodie. For that, white fleece and black and white snake skin cotton is involved. That's all I'm revealing for now. Hopefully will have that done by the middle of the week.

Ta ta for now!

Charlie

I'd like to introduce you all to Charlie. Charlie is the model that my DH made for me. He models the hoodies that I make.

This version of Charlie came about after I tried to make a pathetic one with 10 gauge copper wire and a couple of 2x4's. That one worked, but DH said he could make me a better one. That's when I took a trip to the local home improvement store to get some PVC pipe and fittings. After about an hour, this Charlie was born.

Charlie is great. He's not as moody as a human model. He never talks back to me. And he stays where I put him. Poor thing, though, he's been outside and it's been a bit chilly here. I've moved him into the garage to get him out of the weather now. Once I'm done with the hoodie I'm working on, I'll move him once again; this time inside where it's nice and cozy. But, Charlie never complains. In fact, he's the perfect man! LOL!

Here he is modeling the hoodie I made DH for Christmas...I used an old Harley T-shirt we had found on eBay and some Alexander Henry fabric (that's the red skulls) as well as fleece.

And here he is modeling the hoodie I made for my 2-year-old son (Curly in this blog, named for his beautiful curly hair). His hoodie was made from the back of DH's shirt, blue flame fabric and a mottled fleece that is actually inside-out because I liked the "wrong" side of the fabric better than the "right".

When Princess's (my 4-year-old daughter) dress is out of the wash, I'll show that Charlie can model girl's clothes, too (he's a bit of a cross-dresser, but he doesn't seem to mind). I made Princess a really pretty dress and jacket from pink flannel and pink fur.

Well, now that you've all met Charlie, it's time for me to go to bed. 'Nite all!

Etsy

I stumbled across this wonderful new website a couple of weeks ago. It was mentioned on Rachael Ray's talk show and I decided to check it out. It's www.etsy.com. So, I figured ~ hey, I make things, why don't I look and see what this site's all about.

Well, I checked out what kind of stuff is on there. It's like a huge craft fair on the Internet! Everything on there is made by the individuals that have shops listed with them. I joined ~for free~ so I could post on the forums. I asked if what I have to sell is OK to sell on Etsy. I explained that eBay kicked my listings off because I use certain shirts to take apart and reconstruct. I was told I could.

Next step was to check out listing fees and the like. It only costs 20 cents to list something for sale; and the listing is valid for 4 months! Once it sells, I think they charge 3% or something like that. I can use PayPal for payment or accept other forms of payment. It's pretty much the same as eBay except that everything is listed as a buy-it-now -- no auction format. I even get my own storefront free of charge!

So, I listed the three corset halters that I had left in my inventory. So far, people have only been looking at my halters. But, everyone who has stopped by has told me that they're really cool. I'm told that the first sale is usually pretty slow in coming. So, I hang out in the forums promoting my wares. My husband has been listing bike parts on eBay, so I added a link to the storefront in his listings. Hey, anyway that I can promote, I will!

So, while you're checking out my shop, check out the others on there, too. There are tons of really talented people selling things!

http://www.jerz.etsy.com