Keeping Things Current

One cannot stay unplugged for long at this time of year (see previous post).

Something that I have started doing with my Etsy shop lately is updating photos for popular items. I'm sure every shop has a handful of items that are good sellers, thus bought and relisted over and over.

It occurred to me yesterday as I was making my ~ umpteenth ~ Simon Owl (not that I'm complaining!) that he had kind of progressed over the last year and had some upgrades from my original Simon; and yet, I was still using the original photos. It actually got me to thinking that ~ just out of curiosity, plus good marketing ~ I wish I had kept close track of which animals sold the most. Which ones have I relisted time and time again. (Note to self: that is something to start in the new year. I'm sure if I check, Etsy can help me track things like that. I love all the tools provided!)

But I digress (it is early and as I wake up I am thinking out loud). I think Simon Owl was the very first Wee One I designed. So to still be using the original photos for him was outdated ~ and somewhat inaccurate ~ information. Plus he's just cuter now ~ the new and improved Simon! I made sure to digitally document the latest incarnation of Simon and replaced the photos in my Etsy listing.

Just something that occurred to me on this holiday season morning ~ it is important to keep online information accurate and up-to-date. It may even result in more sales! :)

And The BC Awareness Beat Goes On!

I love to gather ideas - ideas and inspiration from people, places, experiences... I am basically a shy person and many years behind a camera lens taught me the power of observation.

The idea I am writing about today was inspired by Stephanie, the owner of Stoopher & Boots in New York City. In late August I asked Stephanie if she would be interested in carrying a few of my little BC Buddies (a variety of pink BC Awareness inspired Wee Ones) ~ with 10% of each sale going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure ~ she enthusiastically said, "Yes! How soon can you send them?"

In the past I had only run my BC Awareness Campaign during the month of October. The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in New York City took place in early September so I extended my campaign to two months. At the end of October I asked Stephanie if she would like to pull the BC Buddies from the shelf until next year. She responded,"I'd like to keep them ~it is always a good time to support such a good cause!"

So thank you, Stephanie! You inspired me to keep the BC Buddies in my Etsy shop year 'round. Because I totally agree ~ it is always a good time to support a good cause! Thinking about it, I realized women (and men!) don't just get breast cancer in September or October. It is estimated that in 2010 about 207,090 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women* ~ and that's just women. That is day after day after day after day...

And proof positive of that ~ I have sold three BC Buddies in the last two days. I am thinking they will make dandy Hanukkah and Christmas pressies...

Yay!

*American Cancer Society

Hello New York!!!!

You just never know what The Universe is going to send your way, so more than ever I am keeping my eyes open and practicing saying "yes." There's a lot to be gained and very little to lose by nodding your head and taking a chance.

The timing of my latest nod couldn't have been more perfect. In the last month I (as "freckles") have decided to develop a line of my own original "friends." The Wee Ones are now original concepts and designs ~ and let me tell ya' ~ the ideas never stop. (Especially when my friends start chiming in! ha!) The six developed so far you see here ~ Esmeralda the Cat, Randy Dawg, Honey Bear, Georgette the Monkey, Simon Owl and Pipin the Bunny.

At about the same time these guys were being created, I came to know wonderful Stephanie of Stoopher & Boots. Stephanie is opening a gift shop in New York City on May 1 and has invited a few of my Wee Ones (as well as some photographs but that is a story for another blog *wink*) to join her shop! I'm so excited and extremely grateful for the opportunity!

This week will be a busy one, running final designs and thoughts past Stephanie and getting them all ready to ship off to the Big Apple!

Thinking back a few months to the beginning of the year, I had an undeniable feeling - a very strong feeling - that 2010 was going to be a very, very good year. I'm here to say ~ trust your intuition!!!

Coming Soon...

to an exciting, awesome, crazy cool new shop - a real live brick 'n mortar store...

Simon Owl, E (Esmeralda) and Randy Dawg! Along with a couple of their friends.

That's all I'm sayin'. :) Stay tuned because this is pretty exciting!

Listen to the Universe. Be an Original.

The Universe has been tapping me on the shoulder a lot lately. Whispering in my ear. Now it has begun to throw bricks at my head (not real ones, the soft foam ones). I do believe it is trying to get my attention.

Because by some miracle - whether it be luck or hard word - my friends and I are beginning to gain more exposure out there in the real world (you know, beyond the four walls of my studio and the pages of Etsy). A couple of my bunnies auditioned for a television commercial in Hollywood a few weeks ago. Now I'm working on a consignment contract for a shop opening on the Upper West side of Manhattan in a few weeks.

The message I am getting is to be original. When my friends venture out into that big wide world, I want them to be truly of my creation ~ not a tweaked version of someone else's. So I have begun to design my own patterns and make my own very original Wee Ones.

I am specializing in Wee Ones for a couple of reasons:

• Smaller seems more manageable and easier to work with for now. I'll work up to larger guys later. Maybe. Or not.


• I can make good use of the endless supply of remnant fabric I have ~ thus saving the environment (by not tossing out these small pieces of fabric to end up forever in a landfill); and saving myself some cash (by using every bit of the fabric I buy); and saving my customers money (because if I save money, I can keep my prices reasonable). Win-win!


• Wee Ones can find a home anywhere ~ from babies who can hold them in their tiny hands to an office worker who can keep one on their desk and make them smile thru a boring day in cubicle-land. (I've been there and I know whereof I speak.)


• I just think they're cuter! :)

Now that I'm paying atention, I find inspiration at every turn - movies, cartoons, books, magazines, online, catalogs (for some reason I really dig catalogs...). It is so rewarding to sit down with a piece of paper and a pencil and start sketching. I look around my studio for things to help me trace perfect circles and ovals and squares. It is a challenge, but oh when I see it start coming together ~ it's just too much fun.

Simon Owl came to life yesterday. He started as a pencil drawing and 2.5 hours later became what you see pictured here. Be looking for his compadres in all sorts of variations ~ I see dogs and cats and mice and bunnies and all sorts of Wee round ones appearing soon. Keep an eye on the shop and see who's new in town! :)