Friday, April 19, 2013

Sold Out

I featured a deal yesterday through Very Jane. Very Jane is a site that features boutiques/vendors who sell adorable items at great prices. My other shop (co-owned with my business partner), Mid + West Boutique, has featured items through their site several times. I have featured a couple of individual items, and yesterday was my first time featuring a handmade item. I had been contemplating doing a handmade item for quite a while, but was intimidated by the fact that I could get a whole slew of orders and how would I every finish them. I finally bit the bullet and took the plunge. I sent in my application for my pacifier clips. I had seen other vendors sell their pacifier clips but they all had snap closures, meaning they were only compatible with certain pacifiers. Mine are compatible with all brands, so I thought that mine would be a welcome feature. I was a little apprehensive though on how well mine would sell. Past features only garnered a few sales, and I didn't want to fail. But, I decided I would never know unless I tried, so I put on my big girl undies and took a chance. I scheduled my feature a month out, hoping to pre-make some items so if I did get a lot of sales, I wouldn't be overwhelmed by the sheer volume. I also put certain quantities on the prints I was featuring. If they did do well, I didn't want to have to make a gazillion and then make the people who ordered made because their kids would be weened of the paci before I got their order out to them. I decided 50 per print (8 prints being featured) was a good number. That was 400 total. I got distracted and other sales came in during that month, so I didn't get as many made as I liked. I also ran out of metal suspender clips...Anyways, so my feature date was approaching and I had a few made. I really didn't think I would sell a lot. I was hoping for around 100, that was my goal and I would be happy with that sale number. I get the reminder email from Very Jane, reminding my of my sale date and to look over my sale proof. Everything looked great and I was getting excited! I slept in a little late the day my sale started. As I laid in bed and checked my emails (as I do every morning - I'm lazy and it takes me a few minutes for me to realize I'm alive), I remembered that my deal had started. Excited to see if anyone liked my clips enough to purchase them, I went to the Very Jane site and checked my listing. Expecting to see maybe 10-15 clips sold, I had to rub the sleep out of my eyes and zoom in on my iPhone screen. 357. THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN. 357 SOLD. I couldn't believe it! Several of my designs were already sold out. I sold the rest in the next two hours. I had completely SOLD OUT of my clips. And there were people super disappointed they had missed the sale. After my shock and excitement wore off, reality set in. I now have to sew 400 clips. I am excited, flattered, and a little nervous. You will find me in my craft room sewing. Buried under 400 pacifier clips. Call for help if I don't emerge after 12 hours. I have have sewn myself to the machine. This will be an awesome challenge, one that I am looking forward to. They sold so well, that I immediately contacted Very Jane and set up another feature mid May. This will allow me to finish the orders from this deal and mentally prepare myself for another round. I do have to say that is really helps us out because we're in the process of purchasing a house. So. Long story short, I need to get sewing. Thanks for all your support!

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Fabric Hoarding

I think I have a fabric hoarding problem. Do they have a fabricholics anonymous group? If so, I think I need to go. Stat. But, I use it. So, there's that. And here is a peek of some of my new creations!

Rainbow Dots

Retro Cars

Barrel of Monkeys

Love these little guys!

Tiny Turtles

Purple and Pink Diamonds

Purple and Pink Diamonds w/ Matching Owl Feltie

Blue and Grey Diamonds

Pink, Green, and White Chevron

Add a Matching Feltie!

Pacifier Clip and Hair Clip Matching Set!

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Cawfee. Cahfee. Coffee.

Ah Sunday morning. Ah Sunday morning while snow is falling outside my window. Yes, I said SNOW. In the middle of April. But should I be surprised? I live in Minnesota. The weather here is erratic and unpredictable. But it can still surprise me every once in a while. Looking at the forecast for next week, it's supposed to be reaching the 50's again (yes, it has already reached 50+ this "spring" but decided it felt like throwing Minnesotans for a loop) so hopefully this snow will melt. All five inches of it.

So while it was snowing, I was busy creating. If there is one thing I love about my job is the abundance of creativity I get to flex. One of my favorite (and most deadly) is shopping for new fabric prints. Designers are always releasing new lines and I am always scouring my favorite fabric shops to see if there are any I MUST have, which happens, a lot. Much to the chagrine of my business account. And of course, because I shop for fabric so often, I get a discount on yardage. More yardage = bigger discount. You can see where I get in trouble. But, it's a good thing that I need specific types of print, otherwise my business would not be a business, but a sinkhole with all of my money being poured in to it.

And my other favorite thing to do when I receive my new fabric (after it has been washed and dried) is to cut in to it. I know what I do with fabric isn't vast but what I create can still be adorable. I also love that my customers like my item so much, they want to purchase it. It's the best compliment in the whole world. So thank you!

And here's a peek at some new items. I made a couple of badge reels and pacifier clips, both with new fabrics I recently purchased. Enjoy your wintery or relaxing Sunday!