Reopening the Etsy shop for a limited time

I've temporarily opened my Etsy shop and have added a variety of items, mostly related to crafting. Here are just a few items:



I've also added some button stitch markers and twine dispensers. All purchases of knitting-related items come with a free stitch marker. Thanks for looking!

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Squee!

This kind of made my day yesterday. I was going about my normal day, when I got an email (actually a forwarded PM) from someone who found my Leia hat project on a knitting site and wanted to let me know that the picture of the hat was currently on the front page of CNN. What!? I was kind of useless for the rest of the day.

The pic isn't on the home page now (I did get a screenshot (below - click to make bigger)), but the article is up (hat pic is in the slide show) and it's a really great article about Katie and all the support she's received. Totally worth a read.

The pic was also used on the Cake Wrecks blog in one of the funniest entries ever, Star Wars: The Next Generation. (Imagine trying to work out the plot of the Star Wars saga based only on how cakes were decorated.)

Today is "Wear Star Wars, Share Star Wars" day. Details on the Facebook page.

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Care Tags

Quick Lunchtime Post.
I made these care tags a couple of weeks ago to attach to hand-knit gifts, and thought I'd share. They're still a work in progress - I want to add a "for:" line in the next set - but I'm pretty happy with them.

The images were snagged from a nice PDF of  care instructions. Since PDFs can be resized, I set the magnification very high, then used a screen capture program to grab each image. In Photoshop, I switched them from black to white, and made them transparent.

I've been printing them out (6 to a sheet) onto cardstock, then punching a small hole in each and using some of the baker's twine (that I'm never going to run out of) and a tiny safety pin to attach the tag to the knitted item.

PS. I'm not sure I'm back to posting regularly, but I do have a few topics, so I'll be around for awhile.

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More Showing Off

After my little run-in with a not so pleasant client, I backed off from making myself available to do ads for Ravelry (and elsewhere). I'm still working with existing clients, and taking new ones on a referral basis.

Nestucca Bay Yarns & Fibers (www.nbyarns.com) was an early client and has kept me busy throughout the last year plus. It's kind of become my LYS (local yarn store), even though it's not remotely local (Oregon). They recently launched a new site that's even easier to navigate (and is connected to their in-store sales, so the quantities available are pretty accurate).

This little baby on the left is something I whipped up for them, although I can't take credit for the artistic elements (except the picture of the yarn (that's my own Malabrigo)): just the composition is mine. This one is in the current knitscene magazine (fall09), and will be in an upcoming Interweave Knits. It's my third such ad, and every time, I get pretty excited and have to show off. (I can't wait to see the Facebook ad pop up!)

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The Pens Cost More Than the Planner

By request/suggestion:
Last fall, I needed a planner.I don't know why I didn't have one for the calendar year already, but I didn't. I picked up a spiral number at an office supply store, relieved that they had some that started in September. I popped it into a (slightly beat up) planner cover that I'd been saving for some reason, and went on my merry way.

What I didn't realize is that it only had pages through the end of June (and the first few days of July, to finish the week). Well, crap. (It wasn't a traditional studen planner -- no homework schedules, etc.) I tried muddling through with printouts from my work scheduling program, but I needed something more solid, something that I could carry around with me and, you know, plan stuff with. Ordering one now would a) land me in a similar predicament next year, and b) would require an expenditure I didn't want to make. I decided to make my own.

I consulted a co-worker, who sent me several online possibilites, including the Hipster PDA (index cards & a binder clip). I finally settled on my interpretation of the DIY Planner.

This would have been SO easy in InDesign, but for reasons I can't go into, I had to create it in Publisher (ick). Still, I'm pretty proud of how it turned out.

I used some scrap paper to make a "mechanical" so I could get the pages laid out correctly (they needed to line up right when printed on both sides and folded together). The first few pages are month calendars, followed by some notes pages, then each 2-page spread has a weekly calendar one one side and a to-do list on the other. At the very back are some more notes/ideas pages. I stuck 2 sheets of slightly thicker paper together with adhesive, and used that as the outer cover (to slide into the cover's sleeve) and stapled the center several times with a long-reach stapler.

To make a six-month calendar, I used 18 sheets of paper, printed on both sides I might be short 2 weeks, since I started it on 13 July, so a full calendar would be 20 pages. If copying costs were 10¢ each, that's about $4. Half that if you get a deal and can print for 5¢ a side. Because I'm also using this for work, I printed it on a duplex machine here. So... free. (If you want a PDF of this calendar, leave a comment with your email address.)

The only thing that bums me out is that I started filling in the dates with an orange Flair pen, which started to give up the ghost. So I picked up a package of metallic gel pens to continue the job. Now it doesn't match! If I decide to make a planner for 2010, it might have the dates pre-printed and will probably be spiral-bound (cut in half instead of folded).

What I love about doing it myself is the fact that I can have the pages the way I use them. I don't have a lot of appointments, but I do have a lot of things to do! (I do have an appointment tonight: meeting John & my friend Jdub at the movie theater to see Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince.)

*A "mechanical" is a way to confirm page placements when you're doing things manually. In an application like InDesign, you do your pages in the order you want to see them, and a plug-in will - ziiip - put them in the right order.

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Introducing: Urban Legends Yarn

Squee! I renamed my Etsy shop (same user name, though (edited to fix link -- thanks, Sarah)) and have been added to Ravelry as a "yarnie," in preparation for the launch of my new endeavor: hand-dyed yarns! Over the weekend, I plan do do some more dyeing, and some sewing, to get some stock into the shop.

When the dyeing bug bit, I knew that I'd eventually have to come up with a theme for my colorways, even if I didn't sell them; it's kind of a tradition, but it also just sounded fun. Urban Legends was born out of my love for horror movies and supernatural TV shows. When a skein of yarn I dyed for John turned out nothing like I expected, I put it in time-out for awhile, then decided that I liked it. I thought it looked like a field of wheat, and named it Crop Circles. The Urban Legends line was born.

I've since done Swamp Thing, Bloody Mary, Bathtub Kidney (by request) and Area 51. (If you can't get to Ravelry, you can see some colorways under my "urban legends" Flickr tag.) Colorway names will fall under the categories of urban legends, monsters, conspiracy theories, lore and phenomena (maybe some phobias, too).

Also coming to the shop are some sewn items: project bags similar to the one shown in the previous post (less complicated bags mean lower prices), some skull pillow shams similar to ones I made a few years ago*, and more! I hope to do an update by sometime on Sunday.

I have a couple of goals. Mainly, to make enough money to buy more yarn to keep dyeing more (and learning more); also, to make some "mad-money" so I can buy doo-dads without worrying about making ends meet. Just because I'm working full-time and bringing home a paycheck (monthly, eeew), doesn't mean I haven't forgotten what it's like to be broke and wondering if I could make my insulin last until I got benefits (I did!).

*I'm thinking about picking one pillow size (say, the travel pillows you can find everywhere) and making just the shams to save on shipping costs for my customers.

Mystery Solved
I don't believe I shared here that I solved the mystery of the Crop Circles yarn (that was supposed to be Mossy Green). Weeeel. It's kind of embarrassing, but I'm sharing anyway. When you work with acid dyes, you need a mordant, something that helps set the dyes. A very commonly used mordant is your basic white vinegar, but it turns out that the smell of vinegar (spread by the steam from the boiling water) makes John nuts. No problem -- another one that's fairly easy to get is citric acid. I had just been given a bag of it, but remembered having some with my bath-salt making supplies, so I figured I'd use that up first. Guess what? It wasn't citric acid. At least not entirely -- I must have mixed some salts that were just waiting for scent to be added and forgot. Tossed the whole container in the trash and haven't had a problem since!

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Phatfiber & me

After hearing people rave about these sampler boxes available from Phatfiber, I decided to do a little self-promotion and contribute some samples to an upcoming box. I'm confirmed for May (left). (It's a long picture, but imagine if I was further down in the list!)

I sent 50 of my stitch marker capsules/party favors, each in a tiny zip bag with a folded label stapled to the top.

When someone clicks on the little ad, they'll be taken to a page just for my shop with some more images and a link to my shop (top image). Pretty nifty, huh?

Other news
I just found out today that a certain yarn store in the east is going to have the capsules at the check-out. Great impulse buy! Once everything is 100% certain, I'll happily share a ilnk.

By request
Apparently, there are some patterns that have different directions, depending on if you're on the right or left side of an item. One example is at least one sock in Cookie A's new book, Sock Innovation. I got a request for Left & Right stitch markers. Just one set is in the shop now, to see if there is an interest.

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Presenting: Strawberry Whine

Finally sat down with the giant skeins (too big for my swift to manage*) that I dyed last week and carefully wound them into little cakes. Now that it's wound, I can see the subtle changes in the reds, which is just what I wanted. Yay!

*Never doing that again, at least not until we can build a bigger swift! (Have found some directions online for building a vertical one on a stand with PVC.)

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If I only had a gumball machine

It started with this:



I picked up what turned out to be close to 300 of these little gumball capsules while thrifting. Each contained a very cheap toe ring - most of them identical - and I got a pretty ugly blister on my right index finger prying them open. I quit just past the halfway point, because of the blister, but also because I hadn't quite worked out how to do what I wanted. (I knew what I wanted to do: they would have to contain stitch markers, of course.)

The challenge was going to be tagging the stitch markers! I was patient, while my finger healed, and continued to make markers for the shop while I pondered the situation. This morning, I took a peek inside my punch drawer and spotted the little acorn, and set about tagging a set of markers while I tried to catch up on Ghost Whisperer. (Thank goodness for torrents, because CBS doesn't have anything on their site except clips, promos and webisodes!)

Anyway, without further ado:





I love it when a plan comes together! These will make great knit night gifts or party favors, don't you think?

I'll also be selling batches of the gumball capsules the way they came, with the cheap toe rings, if anyone is interested.

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My Ad is Up

Yay!! I was so impatient, waiting for it to get approved.

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Coolest Padded Envelopes, Ever (IMHO)

Until my ad on Ravelry is approved, I have no idea how it will impact my sales. On the off chance that it does result in some orders, I figured I'd better be prepared with some shipping solutions. I'm trying to keep shipping costs down, and one way I'm doing that is to make my own padded envelopes (above). It took me just under an hour to make the nine shown here.

These will keep shipping charges down and are cost-effective as long as I have the stuff laying around. Once I have to go start buying materials, I'll need to take another look at the practicality of it. For now, though, I can pass the savings on to my customers and keep my shipping charges down to (hopefully) as close to actual postage costs as possible. (I'm guessing at the costs right now.)

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Materials (cost)
12x12" scrapbooking paper (nothing*)
Rubber cement (nothing**)
Bubble wrap (nothing -- reused from another package)

*Real cost, anywhere from 10¢ - 25¢ per sheet if bought individually. I bought 2 pads of ~100 sheets over 2 years ago, and have used them for absolutely tons of projects and packaging (I should do a collage!). I'm trying to avoid using the very obvious Christmas patterns until I have no choice.

**Reg. $2.99 a jar. I had this jar left over from doing my moving announcements. Spray adhesive would be even better, but only if it made sense financially.

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I have most of the pics needed to do a tutorial, if there is any interest.

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Drive-by: Shop Update

For a long time now, I've wanted to donate a little something to Ravelry, but am watching my money carefully and that kind of thing isn't really do-able right now. But then - ah-ha! - I had an idea: what if I bought some advertising space? If I sold a few items, that would pay for the ad, and I'd still be contributing in a way. Plus, maybe, I'd sell a few things. Sounds like a plan. So, I have an ad pending, that I will post once it's approved, to go into 3 or 4 groups that I participate in that are large enough for an ad to make sense.

Note: advertising on Ravelry can be very reasonable, cost-wise. It depends on the ads you place. Some ads, like the kind I'm going with, are charged based on the number of page views (by the thousand) and you can enter a budget, so you don't spend more than you want.

Then I spent the afternoon photographing and posting. The only thing left for me to do is to make up some Seek 'n Find "kits" (small baggie full of toys - you add your own bottle and some rice). But everything else I had ready is up: crazycatladymel's shop.

Hope everyone is doing well! I'm hanging in there. Have had a few interviews, and hope to hear some good news soon.

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Bright Spots in a Couple of Dreary Days

It probably goes without saying that the last few days have been tough for me. I'm a worrier, and I worry most about money. So the thought of being without a job soon... worrisome! I've been working on my portfolio the last couple of days, getting it up-to-date, and posting my resume. I got very, very down last night, but felt better after some uplifting words from some email buddies and a good night's sleep.

After several hugs, John told me that I'd actually gotten some mail. What a wonderful treat from such a talented person. Jennifer, aka The Felt Mouse, sends out little New Years suprises to a small group of people, and this is the second year I've counted myself among that lucky few! I totally want to steal the idea... not what she sends, but the fact that she has this fun mailing every year. Maybe I could start small and manage holiday cards of some sort?

This is such a fun calendar! It's totally sassy and really just adorable. (I think August is my favorite: "Look Dewy and Avoid Stinking.") Check out her blog post about the calendars -- she links to where she had them printed, and there is a link to some other ideas.

This morning, I got a nice surprise in my email. I did an ad for one of my freelance clients and it appeared in a magazine (Interweave Knits) this winter. My subscription ran out after the fall issue (which included another ad).

First of all, in the middle of all that's going on, I completely forgot about the ad. Second, if I had remembered, I wasn't up to paying for the magazine just to get a copy of an advertisement! Last night, when I started working on an electronic portfolio, I remembered the ad and posted a begging email to the group I referred to up at the top there. Koren corrected the issue (I thought it was Winter 09 for some reason) and provided the page number, and Andrea scanned the whole page for me and loaded it to our group album! I scanned the ad (shown in miniature here - click to see it bigger) and popped it straight into my portfolio.

But wait, it's not over yet! Getting Jennifer's calendar in the mail reminded me that I'm a terrible correspondent. I owe letters to so many people! I haven't sent out Christmas cards since my mom died eleven years ago (maybe once?). I was feeling kind of headache-y, and thought some time on the couch with a Miss Marple DVD and a glass of cherry Kool-Aid would do the trick, and figured I'd get all of my address books combined and updated. (They are in a scary state, believe me!)

Somewhere around the letter T, I thought, "you know, I really need to do something about new address announcements. I really do." (We sent out emails to many folks, but have to have missed many, plus we don't have addys for everyone.) One of the reasons for the delay has been a kind of designer's block: I want them to be kind of cool. But, considering all that's going on, they can't cost too much either.

This afternoon, I knew exactly how I would do them (mostly): Moo Mini Cards, with a cool image on the front and our new address on the back, attached somehow to a regular folded note. A flash of inspiration: Google Earth. I put a little pin at the old house, and a pin in the new house, and took a screen shot. When I went to Moo to order the cards,* I was shocked to see one of my own pictures on the Moo home page, and again when that link was clicked. It's like a chain. That last link leads to this page, which, down at the bottom of the page, leads to my button tie tutorial. This is the kind of little thing that can just add some extra sparkle to the day. I'm thinking about including it somehow in my portfolio. The question is... it will eventually lead back to my blog, if someone tries hard enough. So, I'm still considering it.

Speaking of mailing: If you think I should have your mailing address, feel free to send it to the email account linked to this profile. SIL C: if you're reading this, I need to compare notes on family addresses.

Finally - Should we be connected on LinkedIn? Drop me a note!

*I got half of the cards with the Google Earth image, and half with this picture of Neo that John took over Christmas.

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Moo Ideas

Happy Friday! I want to be blogging more, but I'm so tired and work is so hectic! (Not complaining. I still have a job, and we are hectic on purpose. My boss volunteers us for stuff all the time so we can keep our visibility up and look even more essential.)



A quickie: One of my pics on Flickr was tapped to be included in a Moo Ideas page, Creative Gift Tags and Wrapping, which went live recently (I received an email this AM).

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Showoff: Ad in Interweave Knits

This ad is on page (I think) 93 of the fall issue of Interweave Knits, and it's my design (the ad, not the hat). I'm glad it was in this issue, as it's my last one before my subscription runs out!

There wasn't a lot of flexibility, considering all the info. I was asked to include, but I like how it turned out. The reduced creative freedom didn't bother me one lick: I get a lot of flexibility in the online ads, and when things need to be included, they need to be included. I do all of NBY's ads on Ravelry and - I think - Knitty. I do occasional work for some other yarn stores in the US and Canada, but NBY is my mainstay. I get paid in yarn, which, you know, rocks.

If I wasn't getting paid in yarn, I'd totally order from Cheryl. She packages everything up so nicely and ships things out really quickly. I would very much like to visit (perhaps during her beach retreat in October), but I don't travel much and will be moving soon, so no Oregon Coast for me.


(Image size reduced to fit page.)

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