Getting ready for 2010

I'm reorganizing my office/shop this week.  Man, do I have a lot of junk and way too much filed paper.  I started going paperless in my record keeping at work earlier this year.  I'm still working on that, but I'm going to try to do more and add that to my home  and to Andy's Treasures records, too.  That's going to be a real job!

So far, though, I can see the tops of my furniture now... big improvement.  Once I get some shelving put up, I'll have a lot more room, too.

Hope everyone has a Happy and Save New Years.

December 27, 2009

I sold 3 items on Christmas Eve!  Yippee!  One of them was my first flat frame Opera Clutch.  Another, Yippee!    Just in time to for me to post my 3 new ones.  My craft business seems be picking up.

I really like making those flat frame clutches.  I've used up my supply of frames, tho, for now.  Have to order some more from Dan at 3DPatternPaper.

We had a really good day yestrerday.  My brother, Bob, and sis in law, Stephanie, came for a long visit.  Everything went very well.  It seemed like old times.  We used to do so much together.  Mom, I think, played possum the entire day.  I can't believe that she was dosing all of that time.  She's mad at Bob for not coming or calling more.  Maybe after yesterday, she'll not be so mad.

Hope all out there are doing well and enjoying this holiday season.

Merry Christmas to everyone.

It's Christmas Eve. I've worked all day and finally quit.  Now, I'm off until the Monday after New Years!  Yippee!

Gary got home from working in Tennessee day before yesterday.  Mom's been in a good mood and talking today.  We're all where we should be.  Bob and Stephanie will be coming for a visit on Saturday.
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So, I'm on the net checking my various sites.  Have sold 2 more purses on my Etsy shop!  Yea!  I also have 3 more about ready to post.  So, I'll be 1 ahead when I do. :D

I still have to finish Mom's comforter.  It's almost done. And, Bob's gift still needs work.  Gary went to the grocery store for me, thank the lord!  So, I don't have much to do, just finish those 2 gifts and get Christmas dinner put together.

So, it's time to relax.

I hope everyone out there in the netherlands has a very safe and merry Christmas.

We have snow!

It's the Saturday before Christmas.  We woke up to around 5 inches of beautiful fluffy snow.  Now, it's almost midnight and it's still snowing.  Cool.

I spent the day weaving and working on finishing steps for 3 new Opera Clutches.  Then, something in my sewing machine broke!  So, until I can figure out how to fix it, my products will really be hand made!  Ha!

I don't want to wait to finish these next clutches.  They're going to be really pretty.  So, I'll be hand-stitching!

Tomorrow, I'm going to finish decorating the house for Christmas.  This is my favorite part of the season.  Our new artificial tree is much smaller than the one we've had for the past few years. I got the bright idea to sell it last summer and buy a new one this year with LED lights.  We've gone from a 9' really full tree that took forever to put up and take down to a 7 1/2' tree that's slimmer than the old one, that's really easy to put up and has LED lights.  It's just not as pretty as the old one.

For those reading this, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.  Merry Christmas!

When I started up my Etsy shop, I set a goal to have an inventory of 20 posted bags at all times. I'm still working on getting there, but I'm almost there.  As of today, I have 15, but I have 4 more bags started.

So, now that I have nearly reached that goal, I'm starting to think about what next to weave. I've always wanted to try to weave a paisley boarder on something.  I can't seem to find any designs out there for paisley, tho.  I'm sure that I can pixelize a photo to use, but I'd really like to see a diagram.  If anyone is reading this who can suggest where I can find this, I'd really appreciate it.

I've been focusing on simple weave structures for so many months lately, that I really want now to do more complex weaves.  Can't wait to get to 20 bags.  Then, I'll just be replenishing my inventory of bags instead of building it.



Wouldn't that be a fun project! Ha!  Especially since my most complicated loom is an 8 harness table loom!

New Sales

I have 3 new sales today!  After a rather dry spell.  I got the bright idea to move all of my bags from the Bags and Purses area to Everything Else.  I thought that might get me more views.  WRONG!  Fewer.  I also spent alot of cash setting up Showcases with the same idea.  Again, WRONG!

So, after perusing the forum on Etsy, I found a chain of comments discussing the values between buying a Showcase at $7-15 each to relisting your products at $0.20 each!  So, I tried it.  Woohoo!  Lots more views on all of my products!  And, 3 sales!  YeeHaw!

One of the folks on that chain even went to far as to say he relisted some of his products multiple times each day over a weekend in order to get some sales.  He said that it worked, too.

So far this week, I've relisted a sampling once and then all of my products yesterday.  I definitely will do this again.

Guest Book

I just added a comment section/Guest Book to  my blog.  I'd love to get your comments and  reactions to it when you stop by.

An inside view of my new clutch

This thing holds easily 8 cards, lots of bills and a coin pouch full of coins.  And it closes!

A side view of my newest Clutch

My first try at a Flat Frame Opera Clutch

.  I got the bright idea months ago to buy the frame to make those cute flat wallets you see for sale everywhere.  I wanted to fancy it up with handmade and more usable insides and a handwoven outside.  It's taken me forever to figure out what I wanted to do on the inside and several failed tries.  I wanted room for more credit cards, etc. and the ability to actually put coins in the coin pouch and be able to close the purse!  Then, once I figured out the inside, I tackled the challenge of how to attach the inside and outside to the frame!  My first try with that destroyed some beautiful teal warp-faced twill.  I still have the pieces.  I'm going to try to find some small something to add them in.  (Can't throw away any of my weaving easily!)  My second try worked great, except for the glue.  I used too much.  It took me hours yesterday to get the glue off.  But, finally, I have a completed Handwoven Flat Frame Opera Clutch.  Haven't posted on Etsy yet.  Will probably do that later tonight.  But, here it is.  If anyone reads this, I would really love to get some feedback on the clutch.  Thanks in advance.

TheFind.com

While searching for ways to promote my Etsy shop, I found TheFind.com, a new search engine for independent merchants.  

I've signed up with them, but can't seem to get verified. Can't figure out what I need to do differently than I am.  I can see my product listing there, but apparently won't get the full benefit of their service until I can verify.   Hmm.  Need to understand programming better for these sites.

We had snow when we woke up yesterday.  Pretty and unusual for this early.  It's mostly gone, now.  Punkin had a ball playing in it.

I spent most of yesterday working on 2 different Etsy projects.  I wove and hand stitched together all the pieces needed for another large Coco bag, really pretty.  Now, I need to fix the lining and interfacing.  I also glued the handwoven cover to my first flat frame handwoven opera clutch.  Unfortunately, I used too much glue.  So, now, I'm cleaning off glue to finish the purse.  It's going to be really pretty.  I used a piece of blue, green, and taupe plaid for the covers.  It turned out really good.  I'm hoping that this new purse will be a big hit.  I haven't seen any like it.  I also have plans to use the same frame to make more box-like clutches.  Gary is going to make me some fiberglass boxes for the sides.  I've seen several like that on ebags and other sites for over $100.  I won't be asking that much for mine.

Time to take Punkin out for a walk.  Have a happy Sunday, all.

It's December!

I signed up for Google Merchants today.  Can't wait to see how that helps bring more traffic to my shop, www.Andy0514.etsy.com.

Also, while looking to see if any of my items had posted anywhere, I found another site, TheFind.com, that is a search engine focused on independant merchants, like me.  I signed up with them, too, and am already out there on their site.  All you need to search for is Handwoven handmade bag or purse and there I am!  Yippee!  And is costs nothing!

I posted 2 more new purses yesterday.  Both very pretty.  One is in Burgundy and the other is Olive green and Pink.  Very nice.  I'm also almost ready to post my first Flat Frame Fancy Opera Clutch covered in Handwoven fabric.  I just need to add the clue and the fabric to the frame and it's done.  Very cute.