Brittain Road Designs

Today is a great day for shopping! Spring is finally here and many of you are probably looking for cute items to trade for your winter wardrobe - especially if you have kids. Fortunately, you don't have to look any farther than your computer where you can find Brittain Road, the online children's clothing store owned by stay-at-home-mom Kate. Brittain Road carries a variety of appliquéd apparel from t-shirts to sweatshirts to cardigans to blankets. Regardless of whether you are shopping for a boy or girl, Brittain Road is sure to have exactly what you need, including custom designs.

Kate began designing these adorable creations for her rambunctious daughter when she was very small. "I couldn't find things in stores for babies that had much personality, mostly just frills and pastels. So, I made them myself." How ingenious! I cannot say that I would be so inclined to design and create, by hand, a shirt because I could not find exactly what I was looking for within Macy's or Saks. The end result would be...well disastrous! Not to mention the finished product would be something I would neither wear nor pay someone else to wear. Fortunately, there are creative designers like Kate.

Kate finds herself inspired by countless things. She cites her daughters books and toys, cartoons, and things read when travelling to name a few. "Sometimes I find a great piece of fabric and know right away what I want to do with it." When asked, "How long have you been creating," Kate recites a recurring theme... "all my life". She was always involved in art clubs and spent a great deal of her childhood painting, drawing, and making collages. I was surprised to discover that Kate even studied Fine Arts in college and has a degree in Interior Design. "My favorite part of my design career was always the drawing. I started making appliquéd things about a year and a half ago, and really love it. It had never occurred to me to put artwork on clothing before!"

With all of this talent I could not help but ask the proprietor of Brittain Road, if designing and selling on Etsy is a full time job or hobby? With a toddler at home, I was amazed to hear that Brittain Road "...is more of a part time job I squeeze in around taking care of my daughter. I try to figure out new designs during the day, and do the sewing while she is napping or after she's gone to bed. I hope to have it become my full time job when she's old enough for school."

Every handmade seller on Etsy has a unique story to tell. This is why I ask every shop owner I interview, "What word of advice would you give to fellow Etsyians or crafters?" To this Kate responded, "Talk to other people about what your doing. Ask questions, lots of questions from anyone whom you think might offer good advice. Try to stay as organized as possible, it will help you have more time to be creative. The most important thing, I think, is to stay positive, enjoy what your doing and don't lose your motivation when the business aspect of it isn't exactly what you dreamed."

What great advice! Thanks Kate, I look forward to your continued success!

Etsy In Forbes Magazine

I was really excited to see an article in Forbes online magazine about Etsy. The writer talked in detail about the growth of handmade products being sold online. Even though other online venues were mentioned throughout the article, it appeared the focus was on the unique concept called Etsy.

Of course I was proud before, but the article made my chest swell. I am really proud to be a part of the Etsy family. TabiHats may be fairly new to Etsy; however my love for things handmade had increased throughout the years. Etsy just provided an retail outlet to share my handmade knit accessories with others. This article just proves the impact that buying handmade can have.

Please take the time to read the article in its entirety. I have provided the link here: http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/08/online-craft-fair-tech-personal-cz_ccm_0408craft.html.
Then return and share your feed back. If you are an Etsy seller or buyer, did you feel the writer accurately represented who and what Etsy is?

If you are not an Etsy buyer or seller, has the article encouraged you to do so? I look forward to your thoughts and opinions.

Happy Birthday!

Today is my birthday! I am very excited to be celebrating a new year. I have accomplished a lot this year and am thankful for much. Today, I would just like to take the time to remember...

1. I am thankful for my husband and family.
2. Thankful for my friends.
3. Thankful for lasting another year as a full time caregiver.
4. Maintained my caregiver blog: http://dementia-thoughts.blogspot.com/
5. Opened my Etsy shop: http://tabihats.etsy.com/
6. Created my new blog: http://tabihats.blogspot.com/
7. Started school to obtain my MBA
8. Designed humorous breakup t-shirts: http://cafepress.com/thoughtsexactly
9. Started a new blog: http://myexactthoughts.blogspot.com/
10. Started another new blog: http://teaescapade.wordpress.com/

I know, I am a little blog heavy. I cannot wait to see what this new year has in store for me!

Okay, here is the shameless plug... Any purchases made in my Etsy Shop, TabiHats, from April 15 through April 22, 2008 will receive a 20% discount off the entire purchase.

Happy Birthday!

Aishii Designs

This evening, I would like to bring to you another great Etsy Shop - Aishii Design. Simply follow the link to this shop and you will find beautiful handcrafted handbags, clutches, totes, and jewelry for women. To bring you this feature, I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Clarissa, one-half of the designing duo for Aishii Designs. Marcela was unavailable at the time of the interview.

The pair have been best friends since High School. Both shared a passion for design and wanted to pursue careers in design. What kindred spirits! Clarissa and Marcela are currently full time students at UNSW (Sydney, Australia) - pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Media & Communications. I am sure you are wondering, as was I, how these two young entrepreneurs got started. "I was influenced by the fabric/silk bag trends at the time - back in 2006 (I think) and decided to give it a go and make my own. I was more of a beginner sewer at the time - but surprisingly I did a pretty good job with the silk bag and had comments on it from my friends. So in 2007 - I collaborated with Marcela after we graduated from High School and had more time during our first year at UNSW to give making bags a go." March 2008 marks their first year anniversary and they have sold over 160 bags! Quite an achievement for these young ladies who are excitedly anticipating hitting the big 200 mark soon. Beaming, Clarissa says, "I recall Marcela saying, 'the best feeling is to be appreciated by others for what you design/make - it makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside!'" As a fellow designer, I second that emotion!

The duo began selling their creative handbags on Soompi, an entertainment, fashion/beauty discussion forum for teen girls and young adults. A great idea as this age group was their initial target market and they continue to see positive sales results today. It was not until the beginning of this year that they began selling on Etsy, thus expanding their target audience. But these two are still on the move... you can also purchase handbags designed by the future Vera Wang and Donatella Versaci from their website: http://aishii-designs.net/ .

Clarissa and Marcela love working with fun yet elegant/chic patterns - mostly inspired by Japanese bags and the prints. "We love pleats! It simply adds an elegant touch to the bags. Not a lot of people dare to wear floral prints, but we try to appeal these prints to them through our designs. It's amazing how you can make a not-so-appealing fabric beautiful!" Making ugly, beautiful...now that is an inspiring thought. When asked, "What inspires you?" Clarissa responded, "Fun, chic looking, Japanese bags and the "East meets West" fusion thing."

Currently, the designers behind Aishii Designs are full time students. Their student status only allows the pursuit of fashion passion on a part time basis. "If Aishii Designs is successful in the future and can become a business - that would be great!" Clarissa also maintains a blog - visit to learn more about what these college students are up to these days... http://clarzzy.aishii-designs.net/.

I will leave you with a word of advice from the creators of Aishii Designs, "Everyone can be creative. They just need to take the time and experiment, hence practice makes perfect. With a positive mindset - you can almost achieve anything." Additionally, Clarissa left a special note for her fellow Etsyians..."We believe presentation is important, as it is the first point that captures the audience's attention, people love eye candy! Oh, and make friends with other Etsyians! Having contacts will make your time at Etsy more enjoyable and worthwhile!"

Kaleidoscope Style Promotion

Check out the feature below on Kaleidoscope Style. If you decide to purchase an item from this great Etsy shop make sure you reference "TABIHATS" to receive a 10% discount off the cost of your order. Additionally, to sweeten the pot, If you purchase from TabiHats and reference "KALEIDOSCOPE" you will receive a 10% discount off the cost of your order.

This is how it works:

1. When visiting Kaleidoscope Style, just put in 'TABIHATS' in the message to seller.
2. When visiting TabiHats, just put in "KALEIDOSCOPE" in the message to seller.
3. The shop owner will send a revised invoice!

Happy Shopping!!!

Welcome to Kaleidoscope Style

In this week's feature I would like to direct your attention to Kaleidoscope Style. This great Etsy shop features fun, colorful felt accessories designed by two sisters from Germany - Katrin and Ina. Katrin moved to the US about 10 years ago, however, last year after a visit from Ina, the duo started their felt accessory line. Both sisters take credit for the designs found in their Etsy shop Kaleidoscope Style. "Now that she [Ina] is back in Germany, she sends me care packages with the pieces she creates there. I then use her designs to finish them into pendants, bracelets, necklaces…all kind of things." Many siblings have trouble spending the day together without aggravating one another, but not these two. Katrin wistfully looks forward to the day that Ina will be able to return to the US to resume their working relationship.

When asked to describe their craft style Katrin responded, "We like to have some fun with our designs! So we are happy with anything we create that puts a smile on our faces. We also love to work with lots of colors and patterns." When visiting their Etsy shop, the wonderful colors evoke happy feelings within me. I'm sure you would feel the same.

Katrin has been creating for longer than she can remember. Even though she has "meddled" in various types of crafts throughout the years, her first love is jewelry and accessories. Both Katrin and Ina find creative inspiration in everything they come in contact with. "We can be inspired by the movies we watch, our childhood or even by the materials we buy. Often I also think about possible designs while sitting in the dark holding my baby girl until she falls asleep. And my sister loves to design in front of the TV."

As a fellow crafter, I can certainly relate. I have been inspired in the middle of the night while sleeping, while in the shower, or in the midst of other creative people. Isn't it funny how creative people can be inspired by what seems to be mundane?

Presently, Katrin is a fulltime stay-at-home mom. This affords her the opportunity to spend a lot of time engaged in creative exploits. While Katrin would not classify her crafting status as a hobby it is not quite a fulltime job...yet. "For my sister, it is still a hobby, but I’m the one keeping up the shop and doing all the promoting." You can learn more about Katrin and Ina as well as their adventures in creativity by visiting "Cuteacious". Or simply visit Kaleidoscope Style the next time you are in the mood for a little accessory shopping.

I will leave you with one word of advice from the creators of Kaleidoscope Style ..."Just keep on doing your thing! You really have to stay on top of it and invest a lot of time promoting your shop. The customers won’t be able to come to you if you don’t put yourself out there to find."

Recycled Materials

I know I have been talking about utilizing recycled materials. Well, I finished several change purses, one of which is now listed in my Etsy shop.

So I thought, what the heck, I'll post here on my blog and share at least one of my favorites with you. This little change purse is made from 100% recycled wool.

The design is a beautiful red, green, and cream floral pattern. The same color scheme were used to create the checkerboard trim around the top of this cute little purse. Additionally, I have lined the change purse and added a snap to hold in all of the goodies.

Introducing Tats n' Knits

Have you ever been simply amazed by the work produced by extremely talented individuals? So amazed that you could not be satisfied until you had a better understanding of their work?

I experienced this recently when I saw the beautiful tatted pieces created by Pamela Quevedo. For at least 30 minutes, or so it seemed, I clicked on page after page, picture after picture, of the tatted pieces for sale in Pamela's Etsy shop - Tats n' Knits. Until that moment I had never been exposed to the art of tatting that dates back to the 19th century. After a quick Google search, I learned that tatting is a technique for handcrafting a particularly durable lace constructed by a series of knots and loops (Wikipedia). Quite interestingly, tatting can be used to make lace edging as well as doilies, collars, and other decorative pieces. The lace is formed by a pattern of rings and chains formed from a series of lark's head (or half-hitch) knots, called double stitches (ds), over a core thread (Wikipedia).

Thankfully tatting was not a mystery to Pamela whose designs, elegantly showcased in Tats n' Knits, are often inspired by other artist's metal worked jewelry. "...mostly my designs come from vintage patterns reworked in 'my' style." A stay-at-home mom to two little girls, Pamela has a passion for edgy, modern, Gothic and vintage all rolled into one. "I've been crafting since early childhood, knitting, crochet, sewing and drawing. Tatting is simply the most recent craft I've taken up."

Looking at Pamela's designs, I was surprised by the fact that she has only been tatting for a few years. Tats n' Knits is bursting with necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other intricate pieces. "My children are my full time job, luckily they allow me time to tat every day." Honestly, I don't know how she does it all!

Whenever I feature amazing artists, I always ask, "What advice would you give to fellow crafters and Etsyians?" To this Pamela responded, "I don't know if I'm the best person to give advice, but the one thing I know is, if you make what you love making, then it doesn't matter how much or little you sell. I enjoy what I do and I've been lucky enough to find customers all over the world who do too!

The Camera Difference

Let's just say...words cannot express my excitement! A few months ago, my digital camera went on the fritz. I was panicked about how I would be able to take pictures of my new hats and other children's accessories for my Etsy shop - TabiHats. Not to mention, I was worried about getting great shots for my blog.

Since the demise of my camera, I began purchasing and using, to my chagrin, disposable cameras. Let me just say...All cameras are NOT made equal! Even though they both proclaim to be 35 mm cameras. There were times when I would borrow a friend's camera to take pictures as well, but not as often as I would have liked - you know, it comes to a point when you feel guilty about borrowing something over and over and over again. Therefore, I would breakdown and purchase yet another disposable camera.

A few times, I used the kids digital camera. Definitely an improvement over the disposable, but I still was unable to capture the type of shot I desired.

Not any more! Last weekend, I purchased a Canon 580 digital camera and I am officially in love. There are so many gadgets that I am still learning how to use the camera. (Sure reading the instructions would be helpful, but I am a little too impatient.) I accidentally deleted pictures off last night - but that's alright - I have a new camera! It has been difficult to contain myself! At random times, I just whip out the camera to take random shots. Yes, I sound like a little kid - well I feel like one.

Now, getting back to "business." Let me just show you the difference... The picture at the beginning of the post was taken using a disposable 35 mm camera. The picture in the middle of the post was taken using one of the kid's cameras. The picture to the left was taken with my new Canon 580. Amazing difference!

• The colors are vibrant.
• The picture is clear.
• The image is sharp.

Just wait until I figure out how to use all of the gadgets. My pictures will soon be unbelievable!

Meet Jennifer Ladd

Needlework is a broad term for the handicrafts of decorative sewing and textile arts (Wikipedia). This definition immediately puts me in mind of Jennifer Ladd who makes handmade bags, purses, and baby items in the online shop that bears her namesake - "Jennifer Ladd".

A former French teacher turned stay-at-home-mom Jennifer opened her Etsy shop in December 2007. When asked about selling online, Jennifer cheerfully stated, "I am LOVING the experience!" Her handmade bags, purses, and baby items carry a common theme - bright colors and funky patterns. "I strive to pay attention to all the details of my pieces, such as adding cool linings or surprise ribbon accents to the inside pockets." Yet Jennifer admits, "I also love simplicity, sleek lines, and modern design." When asked, "What inspires you?" It was no surprise when Jennifer responded, "pretty colors and pretty patterns." This is evident in the various completed projects - baby booties, purses, bibs, etc. I could not help but laugh when Jennifer went on to say, "when I see beautiful color combinations, my brain does a happy dance."

I learned that Jennifer has been sewing for longer than even she can remember. "My mom says I started when I was 3 - I think she's exaggerating!" Amazingly, Jennifer learned to sew by watching her grandmother and then replicating what she did to make clothes for her dolls. Let's just say, I attempted to learn to sew in my 7th grade Home Economics class and have yet to produce anything close to the beauty and perfection of the items found in Jennifer's shop. Speaking from personal experience, Jennifer possesses a natural talent.

"My dream job was to run my own business and sell my handmade items." Now that Jennifer is a stay-at-home mom she will have the opportunity to turn a former hobby into a successful business. Although, Jennifer's first love will always be her daughter whom she and her husband adopted last summer from Vietnam. Visit her personal Flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/vietnamladd/ to see this proud mom's bundle of joy.

You can admire and purchase Jennifer Ladd designs online at http://jeniferladd.etsy.com/ or if you live in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area at:

• The Paper Boat Boutique
• Milwaukee Fasten Collective
• Milwaukee MoCo Market

Jennifer's advice to fellow crafters and Etsy Sellers... "Have fun with what you are doing. Don't get so caught up in the sales and the hearts and the money that you stop having fun. We have the best job on earth! Enjoy creating!"

Meet Peacoxcreations!

I am pleased to present to you "peacoxcreations" - baskets, babies, and beyond. A quaint Etsy shop founded by Patti Cox-Charles. When talking to Patti, I was interested in the origins of the name of this Etsy shop where you can find handmade christening gowns, handwoven baskets, hats and scarf sets, and more. A brief inquiry revealed, "The name "peacoxcreations" comes from P. Cox, [Patti's] first initial and last name before she remarried"

Patti, the "P" in "peacoxcreations" describes her style as eclectic. The lover of many crafts, this fiber artist always has several projects going on at one time. "I've loved crocheting and knitting for many years, but I consider pine needle basketry my favorite art form." Patti is inspired by the beautiful things she finds around her - a claim not everyone can make.

I asked Patti if she creates full time or if her passion is a hobby. Her reply... "It's a hobby. Since some of my crochet projects, such as the christening gowns, and many of the baskets take me up to (and above) 40 hours to make, I could never do this for a living." All I can say is... amazing! Patti began crafting almost 60 year ago - longer than most of my blog readers have been around. Including myself! She caught the crafting bug from her mother and admits to an insatiable desire to create things.

You can learn more about Patti on her blog at http://patti-peacox.blogspot.com/. A must read - Patti's blog contains tidbits about family, friends, and crafting (not necessarily in that order). Oh, yes... It's also about writing her book!

When asked, "what advice would you give fellow crafters?" Patti eloquently responded, "Love what you do; life is too short to do otherwise." Visit this fantastic Etsy shop - you'll love it!

TabiHats Boutique

Tabihats will begin officially selling products from its new site...TabiHats Boutique. Now, you will be able to purchase TabiHats unique, handmade knit hats, hair accessories, mittens and more from both my Etsy shop and the site - Tabihats Boutique.

As you can tell this site has undergone some construction. Hope you like the new look. Nevertheless, this site will continue to be dedicated to arts and crafts, with a heavy focus on needlework. Not to mention anything of interest to handmade artist - from promotions, to new shops, to new products. In addition, if you would like to be a guest author for TabiHats the blog, feel free to contact me via email at tabihats@yahoo.com.

Meet Etsy Artist... Meg Finn of Vintage Scraps

Recently while surfing Etsy, I met a wonderful new Etsy artist...Meg Finn. Meg is the proprietor of Vintage Scraps, a shop dedicated to taking original antique graphics and creating functional, usable art, while showing them off to their best advantage. I found myself inexplicably drawn to the beautiful works created by the newly dubbed collage artist. You will find a variety of cards - single and gift sets, journals, clipboards, even wedding albums in her shop.

When speaking to Meg, I learned that she has been hand crafting journals etc., using antique graphics only since September 2007. Amazing! "Way back in the day, I chose Education over graphic design as my major, and after 6 years of teaching then 15 years doing student ministry, I have rediscovered art, and am continually inspired by antiques, the people who appreciate them, and by the Master Creator (God)." I was impressed to learn that Vintage Scraps donates more than 30% of its profits to charities and ministries.

At this time Vintage Scraps is not a fulltime job; however, "I am hoping this will continue to grow into a (not quite) fulltime job, so I don't have to get a "real" job when my firstborn goes to college in the fall." Don't worry Meg...I am confident that you will be able to fulfill your dream. Your work speaks for itself as reflected in the pictures above.

When asked what advice she would give fellow Etsyians and crafters, Meg expounds..."it's never too late to start something radically different, and get paid for creating stuff while drinking coffee in your pajamas, so do it if you aren't already!"

Good luck to you Meg! I wish Vintage Scraps much success.

Springtime Knitting

As we prepare for the changing of seasons, the transition from Winter to Spring, I am searching for new ideas, as a knitter to include in my Etsy shop.

Of course there is the transition from wool yarns to cotton yarns for knit hats, but is it really time to pack away my fun mittens, scarves/scarflettes, wrist cuffs, etc. This spring I plan to add cotton hats and increase my hair accessories, but what else fun?

What do you think?

This is a call to my fellow knitters and felters what types of items will you offer for the Spring?

Here are a few cool things I found on Etsy (click on the picture to access the shop where sold)...

Retail Outlets for Artists

Many artists (I include artists of all kinds - painters, sculpters, knitters, jewelry makers, etc.) at some point in their lives look for an outlet to sell their creations.

I was knitting and crocheting for almost 2 years before I began seriously investing the time to aggressively sell my hats and other knit products. Initially, I had a basket full of hats that I routinely gave away to the kids, friends, relatives, or simply wore myself. One day I participated in a craft fair at work and the interest was overwhelming to me. I had 20 custom orders from a 2 hour craft fair - when previously the only custom orders I received were from the kids.

For other artists/crafters like myself there are various options where we can peddle our wares. Some I've recently heard about and others yet to be discovered. In the interest of sharing business tips and ideas, I have included below the link to a great US News & World Report article from the Money and Business Section. This article talks briefly about selling on eBay as well as eBay alternatives. Enjoy...

******************************

Boycotting eBay? Here Are Three Alternatives
Users protesting fee changes need not stop selling altogether
By Kimberly Palmer
Posted February 11, 2008

After eBay announced pricing changes that translate into higher fees for items that sell but lower fees for those that don't, heavy users of the site quickly expressed their frustration.

Click here for the rest of the story...

Project Updates - New and Old

• The good news is...my new hat project has a name! Orange Sherbert was the winning choice - thanks to all of my friends on and off Etsy.
• Additionally TabiHats snagged a few more Treasurys on Etsy. A treasury is where other Etsy members select 12 of their favorite items from other Etsy shops and present in a "showcase." It is really exciting to see one of your items listed. Recently "Lavender Dreams" and "Pink and Cream" were chosen for treasurys. See the pictures above.
• My recycled projects are underway. Unfortunately I am a terrible photographer so my pictures were horrendous (blurry, dark, etc.)! I plan to try AGAIN within the next few days.

Recycled Materials

I have been busy at work creating new things. I continue to remain enamored with felting and look for new opportunities to sharpen my craft.

My newest project is working with with recycled materials to make felted items. I cannot wait to display my latest works of art. So far, I have created a hat and about 5 change purses. My husband, keeps looking at me quite oddly, but has yet to comment. Whenever he sees the finished product, I think he likes it, yet he questions the concept of "recycled" materials.

If you use recycled materials let me know and send pictures. I would love to post them.

Pink Felted Purse

Felting has become my new second love. Here is another one of my felted creations, made from 100% wool yarn. As before, I hand knit the purse, then felt it. Once dry I added what I believe to be the cutest little buttons in orange, pink, and purple.

My favorite aspect of this Pink Felted Purse is the handle. A double handle that resembles a vine, captures my heart every time I look at it. It's the perfect size for a little girl - with not much to carry around.

Let me know what you think!

More EtsyBaby Favorites

For more information or to order one of the adorable baby items listed above, click on the picture to be directed to the Etsy shop. Sometimes I forget that ALL of these items are handmade, which alone makes them unique.

Etsy is a wonderful place for talented people to share their gift with the world.

Changes!

Tabi Hats is making some changes...for the better! The next time you visit my Etsy Shop at http://www.tabihats.etsy.com/, check out the new banner. I received help from one of my sister Etsy members... My Little Giggles. Check out her Etsy shop at http://www.littlegiggles.etsy.com/! They carry the most adorable pacifier clips in an assortment of colors and patterns. Not to mention infant hair bows and personalized bracelets. Check out the pictures to see for yourself.

Stay tuned for changes here as well. First, in the menu bar on the right, you will notice new functionality. Gift certificates can be purchased online for use in my Tabi Hats Etsy Shop. All gift certificates are purchased through PayPal, the safest, most acceptable payment method on the Internet. Additionally, within the next few days a new banner will be available on this Blog as well.

All banners were created with the assistance of My Little Giggles using: http://www.freedigitalscrapbooking.com/ and/or http://www.shabbyprincess.com/

Happy Shopping!