Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

For many reasons, some obvious, I have decided to close my Etsy shops. The obvious reasons have to do with the turmoil and drama that seems to swirl over there and has been fairly public. But there's more...I'm supposed to be retired! I had a 33 year career as a teacher and now is 'supposed' to be my time of choice....I can choose what I want to do, when I want to do it. I love creating and have learned that in order to create AND sell, vast amounts of time must be put in promoting and marketing. Three online shops, actually 4, is just too much for me. It's not what I choose to do so much.

The sidebar Etsy link here has been removed.
I have new business cards with only my Zibbet address. 
I have removed the Etsy decal from my car which really was indispensable when trying to find my common car in a parking lot!
The stores are still open as I am allowing everything time to expire and
I am offering a 10% refund when you write "Blog" in notes to seller for anything that is still in AllAboutTheButtons or AllAboutTheFiber .

I leave with a bit of sadness as Etsy opened the doors for me to sell my work. I am grateful for that but we've both grown and changed and no longer need each other.
As evidence of growth, even though this pin was very pretty, look at how crappy the photo is...one of my first online sales in October 2006. Yes, I've grown and changed!

In less than one day, over 149 views and 8 hearts on Etsy and who knows how many views on Zibbet and no sale? I'm befuddled! Someimes I think I understand NOTHING about on-line selling but I do love making stuff!

Phew!

I cannot believe it is the 15th day of 2010. It is flying by and by the way, is it twenty-ten or two thousand ten? Do I care?
Not really. Just hoping and trying to make this year better than last.
I had a special order for an ill customer in California. She has not responded to e-mails or to the posted items in over a week. Here's a glitch in this cyber world...how do I contact her other than e-mail or through her shops? I do not care about the order but am concerned about her health. I have tried to find a phone number but haven't had success. I think I will send a note to her husband (don't even know his first name!) and try to find out if she's okay. I'm sad to think she's spending the first 15 days of 2010 ill. They're not flying for her, that's for sure.
Feel better, Jenn and my (((hugs))) go out to you. ♥

The Sales Curse

A few months after I started on Etsy, I decided to post a shadow box I had made which had been hanging in my bedroom. I actually put a fairly high price on it, not being well versed in the art yet. Literally 15 minutes later it sold. Hmmmmmmmm.... I went out, bought the materials for 2-3 more, made them, posted them and there they sat.
Last year I saw something in a catalog I thought I could reproduce better. I did. It enabled me to use the vast majority of mini chairs that I had collected. The finished product elicited raves from family and friends so I posted them. Have you guessed yet? They sat.
I have made dozens of magnetic bookmarks which sell in real life 10 to 1 as opposed to online. Why?
Today I posted a pair of handwarmers made from an upcycled sweater with crochet trim...an experiment for me. One hour later they sold. So the questions begs...do I make more? Or do I not press my luck?!

Stash Scarf

The other day one of my yarn bins flipped over and spilled the neatly placed contents...ugh! A tangled mess. I decided to grab a few balls and see what type of scarf to create. I had the beginnings of a pattern but really winged it by just picking out the largest balls in 4 coordinating colors. It's knit lengthwise so it was about 150 stitches on large needles but only 10 rows so it didn't take all that long. It came in measuring almost 6 feet. Very soft!

Oh, and yes, I still have the crud...cannot shake it. Any suggestions other than shooting myself will be gratefully considered!

No Flowery Words...just flowers!

Moving!

I know in my last post I was a little down and closed my ArtFire shop. So what did I go and do? Opened a new Etsy shop....! Etsy is still the leader among the handmade buying and selling venues and I do have some loyalty to the site. My own shop, All About The Buttons, has been a positive experience but I felt the shop was becoming a bit too eclectic. Everything was tied together by buttons but clocks and knitted items were beginning to clash. My new shop is All About The Fiber and while things will have buttons, this will only include things made with fiber...yarn and ribbons specifically.
Many thanks to MoxieRings for my banner. I am slowly moving things over to the new shop...what a tedious process! For awhile there will be crossover items but by the end of July I hope to have it completed. Please visit!

Where have I been?

Apparently there has been an issue with Blogspot and the followers widget that was on the side. It was preventing me from entering my own blog for over a week...arghhh!
I had to remove it in order to log in so followers...sorry!
Anyway, many of you know I have 2 'perfect' grandsons and the crazy time we had when they stayed with us for a week...see post 2 or 3 down. What you don't know is that they don't call me Grandma or Nana or Meemaw....totally my name alone, they call me Baba. It was my son's way of being fresh when he was little and knowing if he said "Barbra" to me his life would be shortened! Anyway, I love having a special meaningful name for them. Imagine my joy upon seeing this on etsy:

Besides my being a purse-aholic, I also LOVE coffee and my kitchen has a coffee theme so combining all those loves in one bag? Priceless! Here's the other side:

This was made by Sasaki Creations by the talented and wonderful etsy seller, Barbara Sasaki. We had great communication about the bag and it arrived in record time. It is so beautiful with a great lining and a multitude of pockets. You will not be disappointed with a purchase from Barb. I feel like I bought it from a friend....go visit
Sasaki Creations.

Free Business Cards...

Check out the business card giveaway post here.
It is for 500 business cards for FREE!!! Great offer from 10oneworld.

I'd love to win since I'm tired of my cards. I went to Moo and even with a 1/2 off on the 2nd 100 mini cards I was reluctant to spend $37....am I getting cheap in my old age? Cautious? In fact I made this collage in Picasa thinking I'd use it on a card.




I'd rather spread $37 around on etsy!

Seven Days

It is gorgeous outside today and DH and I went for a ride to a part of town we never knew existed...live and learn. We had lunch out and now I'm ready to nap. It's been a busy couple of weeks with holidays and company and appointments. Now we must rest up for next week's invasion! We are having the boys for a whole week, SEVEN DAYS, but who's counting? They are so well behaved alone and such terrors together we will need all the energy we can muster. With school and Little League and soccer and gymnastics we will really have an action packed SEVEN DAYS, but who's counting?! When your children are grown and out of the house your pace is altered dramatically....easygoing, relaxed and spur of the moment or not. With kids, well...you know! We've only had them for 2 days straight so this will be interesting. I've tried to get ahead on etsy stuff and promos so I can devote all my waking hours to them for all SEVEN DAYS! The little one loves my yarn and takes all the balls out of the nearest basket to 'wrap' the house. The buttons tend to get a bit scattered. The big one is better at entertaining himself and is actually quite helpful but SEVEN DAYS can be a long time. And of course I am worried a bit about the adults as they will be out of the country and don't speak the language. And as you may have guessed, they will be gone for SEVEN DAYS.
So you may not hear from me for awhile as I may be tied up (by the little one and the yarn) and just a bit busy for.....7 days!

More Paper

My fingers are starting to stick together but as long as there's nothing to watch on TV at night, into the studio I go and glue and paste and stick and adhere!
I thought these would be good thank you cards after a sale. Please, card makers, I pose no threat! This is just a paper fling for me. Off to knit now!

Paper

I realized awhile back that I have an issue with paper that takes many forms. I'm a newspaper-aholic, reading local papers when I'm out of town (I don't even know these people!). I also read the accumulated newspapers when we return home. I love printed, colorful napkins and paper towels. Love the smell of the pages in a new book, just opened. Always loved stationary when writing letters wasn't a lost art. But with computers, I love to print using unusual papers as well.
Once scrapbooking became so huge it was unusual for me not to take up the craft and I didn't but....oh, the papers! I had to find some way to use the glorious,fanciful,whimsical and even serious papers out there. One way is with my bookmarks. They're magnetic and the outside is covered with a lamination film so they last. LOVE paper!!!

Seasons for Selling

If you read my last post you know I was in NY for the snowstorm on March 2nd. When we came back we had 4-5 days of above average temps, one day it was 85. Glorious-short sleeves and sandals! Now it's cold again-40s for us is cold! Spring is just a week away and I hope the temps settle down or up as it may be.
I've been a bit at a loss as to what to knit or crochet and just finished a lightweight but wintery scarf. Wrong season now for the Northern Hemisphere but approaching the right season for our Southern Hemisphere friends. I can't decide if I should list it on etsy or hold off. I am pleased with the outcome, especially since I combined 2 different patterns. What do you think? To list or not to list????

Home Again

We're back! It was quite something to be up north during their biggest storm of the year. It was even better to come home to 75degrees! But apparently here they had 6" which is huge for South Carolina.
During the 1700 miles round trip, I did complete 6 bottle cozies and one, very long cotton blend scarf. I drive about 1/3 of the trip although one day it was over 3 hours during my turn. I always seem to get the leg with traffic or construction or both.



And what is it with cats and yarn? That's the scarf thread he's enjoying!

Stuck

We had to come to New York for a funeral and right now THE biggest snowstorm of the year has just begun.....Hope to be back soon!

One World, One Heart

After over 200 posts/requests, Sandi from The Victorian Gypsy is the winner of my donation during the One Heart,One World giveaway. The irony is that she's from Iowa, where my daughter-in-law is from and with their winters, I'm sure she will put the gloves to good use. Enjoy, Sandi.

NOT GUILTY!!!!

Over 2 years ago I knit myself.....are you ready?.....a coat! Now why would I even think of that living in South Carolina, you ask? Well, it does get cold here (now about 32) but really, a coat?! Never wore it,never. I finally decided to rip it out, ball up the yarn and knit myself a button up vest. I started it in August (2008) but never finished, primarily because I was knitting for etsy and other places I sell. Flash forward to Saturday and I realized that etsy and the other sites were pretty full, the store had enough merchandise and I had NOTHING to knit. Ahhhh, the vest. Well, I finished it yesterday and felt guilty for taking time to make something for myself. After a serious smack upside my head, I got over it! I'm not feeling guilty. I am pretty pleased with the results and especially love the handmade ceramic buttons. The picture isn't the greatest but I wanted to share.
I don't feel guilty.
I don't feel guilty.
I don't!

Tagged!

I was tagged by the very special lady from BitsyCreations and BitsysGreetings . We've been cyber friends ever since I made one of my first etsy purchases from her and it still hangs on my bedroom wall.(framed mini note cards) Almost 3 years later, I still love it! Go visit!

Anyway, here are the rules for gettin' tagged:

~ Link to the person who tagged you
~ Post the rules on your blog
~ Write six random things about yourself
~ Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them
~ Let each person know they've been tagged


Here goes about me:
1-I have naturally VERY curly hair and if you're lucky you'll never see it that way.
2-I am a native New Yorker but have LOVED living in South Carolina for the past 6+ years.
3-I love awards shows like the Golden Globes the other night. Don't know why....just do!
4-Teaching was a terrific career but I don't miss it at all.
5-A perfect diet would consist of bagels-warm, not toasted, banana ice cream and lobster-not altogether! Ohhhhh, the carbs!
6-I was an art major in college but hated getting dirty (clay,paint,etc.) so changed my major in the middle of my junior year. Buttons are clean!

I tag these bloggers to learn more about them and hopefully don't annoy them.♥:
calabashcreations
wendiwinn

curlyfrysc
cinnamonandhoney
pamwardenart

Oh and of course, my latest!

New and Different...for me!

I have an overwhelming collection of bears (and a few dozen rabbits) from 1/2" high to 3'....too many! I also have collected small chairs. Accidently a chair/bear and chair/rabbit vignette came about and here's the more refined results. The vintage sewing supplies are from haileysbobbins, a wonderful etsy seller.
What do you think?

2009?

It seems like yesterday everyone was fluttering about stashing water, hoarding cash and waiting for the earth shaking events of the century that would mark the turning from 1999 to 2000. It wasn't yesterday? No? Oh, nine years ago! Phew. So much has happened since then personally and worldly, it's hard to absorb. But anyway, we had an exhausting weekend with the 3 and 6 year olds and I didn't catch up yet so off to bed early. Truly wanted to shout out a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year to all. Are you sure it was 9 years ago?????????


Oh, in case you think I'm slacking off, I have been preparing for Valentine's Day in the selling world. Here are some on etsy or soon to be.