My tutus were always big sellers at the craft fairs, but never on ETSY. Maybe that's because of the large amount of competition on ETSY. It's ok with me, I actually don't like mindless manufacturing. I love doing new things. I love coming up with a new design and watching it become a real product. I also love turning a picture of someone's loved one into something new, like the Candid Memory Paintings, or the portrait tote. I like the personal nature and the creative aspect. Unfortunately that leaves me with a bunch of tutus that have no purpose. For some reason Laurel decided to put on the Woodland Fairy tutu before we went on a walk last night. She ran outside with her long hair flowing, her tutu rustling...and went straight for the dandelions. She began to blow the seeds all over the place. They danced through the air and came to rest in her hair and all over the tutu. It was enchanting. She is enchanting, my wild wild girl.
I also redid my pig basket design slightly. It's not a permanent change or anything, just another option. I think a like it better, though I'm not sure. The earlier design is more subtle and folksy whereas this one makes more of a statement. It was a request for a boy's basket, and I wanted to make sure it looked more gender neutral. It's a pig...it's gender neutral by nature. But the previous one had pink polka dots on the lining material. So I changed it to bright apple green with white polka dots instead. Anyway...I like it...what do you guys think?
I worked most of the night filling orders. I love making new designs. Not that making old designs is bad, sometimes the brainlessness of knowing exactly what to do already is soothing. But I love the design process. Deciding how to make it work, and seeing it all come together. I had a custom request for a ducky easter basket. I had a vision in my head what it should look like, but the vision in my head, and even the sketch on the paper often proves difficult to produce exactly as shown. In my head the duck had feet and a tail.
In the final product simplicity of just the beak and eyes proved better I think. I made the feet, and they're adorable, but I couldn't make them fit right on the duck. 
It ended up being awkward. I want these too be used, and played with. I make the body parts on these fun so that kids actually like messing around with them. The pigs tail is stretchy, the ducks beak is flappy, ears are floppy, etc etc. I want kids to have fun with these. But somehow the feet were too much, so here they are...lonely lonely feet. They'll have to go into the drawer for another day. (Actually it won't be too long until they have a home) I cut the pattern for a new bag. Actually it's a back pack...nay...a quack pack. (or duck sack if you prefer the term ruck sack). I'm working on the rigging system. It will involve grommets, and the straps will retract when the bag is opened and cinches when the bag is put on your back. The bottom of the straps will be the duck legs...and on the bottom...the lonely feet. Lonely no longer. Alas though, the Quack Pack must wait. I have many orders to fill and can't sew him yet. If only I had entire days to sew instead of a few hours after I put the kids to bed or before they wake up. (And if only I was better at putting them to bed on time!)
2) I was contacted by an online/catalog company for a couple of my products. We've agreed upon wholesale pricing, and now I have to send in my products to be photographed. I see no reason why this partnership won't go through, but I'm still reserving any big hopes. I have no idea whether the extra exposure will get me zero additional sales or a million. Zero of course isn't good, but neither is a million. I'm not ready for a million!!
