Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Treasury Wednesday 2: Knifty Knits

This week's treasury feature was inspired by a few fabulous knitting-related items I stumbled upon recently.  I just finished a lovely knitted scarf/wrap, and have been in a really knitty-mood all week as a result.  So sit back and enjoy, even if you aren't a knitter yourself!

Knifty Knits Treasury on Etsy


Metric Green Key Ring Gauge Man by Make & Krake
Because what die-hard knitter doesn't need a needle gauge everywhere they go?!




Ball of Knitters Yarn Sterling Silver Charm with a Silver Chain by AgHalo
This one started the treasury.  It's the type of object that would always been getting compliments and the non-crafter's obligatory awe-filled question "Do you knit?  It seems so hard!"



Cable Knit Ceramic Tall Cup by reshapestudio
What can I possibly say about a cup that looks and feels like knitted cables?  Drinking my morning cup of coffee from this every morning would be heaven underneath my fingers.



Knitted Handbag - Beige Bag Nr-0110 (15% off!) by NzLbags
I love knitted cables, they're easily manipulated to any project.  This bag looks so soft and pliable, and the deep orange ribbon adds an elegant statement against the beige bag.  Gorgeous.


So what do you think about these items?  Any other knitting-related items you'd like to share?  I'm all ears!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Treasury Monday 1: Soft Tones

As promised! 

A day late, but better late than never, I say!  Every Monday here on Stitches & Stuffing I will be posting a new treasury that I have compiled on Etsy.  Today my treasury theme is Soft Tones.  The past few days here in Arizona have been chilly, cloudy, and at times even foggy, which has put me in a relaxed mood.  Here is where you will find the actual treasury, and below I'll give you some sneak peeks!

Classic Brass Accent Lamp Set by AMRadio
I am a nut for Mid-Century pieces, and these lamps are right up my alley!  If I could afford them, I wouldn't be showing them off here, I'd be enjoying them in my new living room!

 N'est-Ce Pas French Stamped Eco-Friendly and Recycled by I RECKON.
I love it when people use every day materials in such fun and creative ways, and I love that it even more when people do it with things destined for the trash heap!  And a little bit of Down South decor never hurt nobody!

 Autumn Bee and Tortoise Short Shawl Pin by GardenOfWeedinGirl
I am crazy for shawls and stoles.  I adore wearing them, I love making them, and I really love buying pins for them!  So an entire shop dedicated to pins I can use for my shawl is heaven!



I'd also like to say that I finally got a few new items up yesterday in my shop, so head on over and let me know what you think!  I am making it my goal to make and list a new item every other day, and hopefully I will succeed!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Been Away Too Long!

I find it so hard to keep blogs updated!  Between caring for my Little D (currently 15 months old and always in to everything!), working part time at my family's flower shop, and trying to make items for my Etsy store, life has been hectic lately!

I am pleased to say that since Black Friday, I have had 4 items purchased from my shop, and one custom order.  :D  I am very excited that everything seems to be going so well, especially since I have only had my shop open for 2 weeks.  It gives me great hope for future success.  Right now my shop seems a little bare, but I have two items that are ready to be photographed, one in production, and a few sitting in the back of my head ready to come to life.  So until I have something new to show you, I'll just add a pic of my first completed hat pattern, the wool beret.


I am hoping that, in addition to updating when I list new items or have discovered some fabulous new yarn (more on that to come soon!), I will be able to make an Etsy Treasury to share with you every Sunday.  That is the only day that both my husband and I do not work, so hopefully it will mean I can sneak away for an hour or so to talk with you all!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Getting On, Going On....

Day 3 is here, and I am still feeling the euphoria of new Etsy shop-ownershipness.  I've been listing new items each day, and this weekend hopefully I will have a few more to add for the weekend browsers.  :)

I am the type of person that always wants to try new things, new patterns, new ideas.  And from the moment I decided to open this shop, I realized that this would probably be my biggest obstacle to being successful.  When someone browses your shop on Etsy, they don't want to see 80 completely unrelated items all crammed together (unless you sell supplies, perhaps!).  So at first, I was going to totally limit myself to making my stuffies (what I always call my little amigurumi animals).  But I really love making wearable crochet and knit.  There is something different about making items that a person will wear, hopefully so often and for so long that they wear it out.  It becomes a part of their days, of their lives, and I think that there is something powerful and touching about that.  

After thinking hard, and long, and going back and forth over the pro's and con's, I have decided that it is OK to sell stuffies and wearables in the same shop, as long as I don't get crazy with different wearables.  Stuffies can only be worked in season themes so many different ways before you end up with items just like everyone else.  For fall and winter, people need gloves, stoles, scarves, wraps, cowls, and all sorts of warm items that I adore making but have no use for in Arizona.  And in spring in summer, we ladies love little cardigans over our tank tops, and delicate lacework scarves and little wraps.

So, there are my plans laid out for you.  Below I'll stick in a couple of pictures of my Tiny Amigurumi's.  :)
stitchesandstuffing.etsy.com





Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Day 1!

Hello Blogland! 

This is (obviously) my first post, and I am very excited about it!  Today I opened up shop at Etsy, and this blog will chronicle my ups and downs trying to run a business in such a competitive market.  Here I will keep you up-to-date on my newest listings, patterns I am developing, and hopefully some tutorials on how to do what I do.  :)  For now, I will keep this short and sweet, as I need to go and photograph a few more items that I have made for sale in my shop.  Please take a look at stitchesandstuffing.etsy.com, and let me know what you think! I'll add some photos to entice you in to coming over..... ;)