Hip Hip Hooray!

Things are looking brighter for our kitty, Boston! The specialist had positive things to say today... It must've been all the love & kindness people sent his way. xoxo


{{Image Credit: Creative Thursday}}

grazie

{{image credit: english cookies }}

thank you, thank you. a million thank yous to all the lovelies who voted for & supported my crazy competitive mission during the etsy valentine's naughty v. nice challenge. i am thrilled that my little pillow made the top five (and got the front page feature) but even more rewarding than that was reading about & hearing all the peeps cheering me on...even glitz glitter who was in the competition herself!

so, yeah- i guess i'm a little mushy. seems like there are waves in life: either you're saying thank you or you're being thanked. know what i mean? i'm ridin' the thankful wave. for awhile now, i've had a lot of thank yous for a lot of people. but today i think i'll hop on the other wave & see how i can return the favor.......

xoxo

Love is the Best Medicine - Quiltish Pillow in Etsy Finds!

Well, what do you know? This little heartsy pillow of mine is featured in Etsy Finds: Naughty or Nice - I'm in the Nicey section of course!

It's also included in the Etsy Voter - so go check it out- tons o' lovely valentine items & vote for your favorite!


"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Drumroll Please.....

....the winner of my Zipper Pouch giveaway is......

lucky number 37: Pili !

Congrats & thanks to everyone for entering!

More exciting bits over at the talented wonder, The Rik Rak Studio, with her fantastically fabulous & clever Handmade Olympics! Nominate favorite & inspiring shops, items, blogs & crafty folk in 8 different events....loads of fun & terrific prizes to be won.
Oh, what a wonderfully crafty little world!

To Sir...

...with love.

Did flips over these charming printable (and free!) labels from Giver's Log.

Don't just stop after printing out these labels though, check out the whole blog- it's amazing + lovely + chock full of wonderful ideas. love, love, love.

On another note- I really appreciate all the thoughtful words of support & understanding for our little Boston Kitty. As it stands now, his surgery has been postponed as we wait to meet with a specialist- his condition is a bit more severe than first thought. Due to his other health issues, he may not be a good candidate for an intensive surgery so we'll have a better idea after next week where to go from there.... But by all indications he's still happy & not in pain... it's just me with the wrenching heart.

Meet Boston

So, like any mom that doesn't keep her children's photos in her wallet, I feel guilty that I haven't posted any photos of my first 'baby,' Boston Kitty on my blog...


I don't know why I haven't....he's often sitting right next to me (like now) while I'm at the computer. I know people read blogs for mostly happiness but I must say my heart has been heavy lately over our little kitty.

Boston has two chronic ailments that have plagued him his whole life. We've almost lost him on three occasions- at least to the point where the vets have told me to prepare to lose him. He's had a tough battle to fight but is the most loving & smart kitty around. Unfortunately, we're at another health crossroads with him as he needs surgery again this month. I could go on forever with the things we've done to save him; from finding a specialist in Boston willing to treat him for a very small fee, to 'smuggling' homeopathics over from Canada (shhh!) to taking him to the pet emergency room while 6 months pregnant at 3am to calling in sick from work to lay with him while he healed (again, shhh!).

I know some people think I'm crazy- loving a cat this much & spending the money & energy to keep him well- but Boston brings such happiness to our whole family....

soon after bringing him home in july 2005 - his first night at home...

our summer in portland...he's a very sick little guy right here...

a bath. scrawny.

I took these photos right after a vet told me we would probably need to put him down. i wanted to capture moments of he & i together....

he still sleeps like this every night

soon after meeting jack. boston has been a wonderful big brother :)


xoxo

Craft Hope

I have been so inspired by the wonderfully amazing ways folks have contributed to the disaster relief in Haiti. One guy here in Portland donated $20,000 to the relief fund (half of his life savings!). Well, I don't have $20K laying around..... or stashed away for that matter- but I do have a sewing machine... so- many thanks to Stephanie for suggesting Craft Hope as a way to contribute!

At the Craft Hope for Haiti Etsy shop I donated a zipper pouch (which sold within 2 minutes! people are loving this concept of buying/donating!) & all the proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders.

Cinchy & made me feel good :)

Goodness me.

Happy Friday everyone! Even though I regrettably stayed up too late watching trashy tv (what was I thinking?....) I have a feeling this is going to be a fabulous day! Or at least, I'm going to work hard to make it a good one ;)

Delighted to see my Valentine Pillow included in The Long Thread's always lovely Friday Finds this morning. That & my steaming cup of coffee is really something to wake up to! Thank you, xoxo.


Have you entered my little giveaway yet? If not, take a look & say hello!

{{ Image Credit: The Long Thread }}

My Heart is with Haiti

Image Credit Believing is Art

Heart crushing.


speechless. everything I poise to write seems a bit silly & small compared to this tremendous tragedy.

my prayers are for Haiti & I will be donating a portion of my proceeds to relief funds.

God speed.

In Living Color - Photography Tip

I love sharing photography tips and this one is a very, very easy adjustment that can make a world of difference. The "vivid color" setting on your camera....have you tried it? It takes photos from dull & drab to vibrant & 'shiny' (hmmm, sounds a bit like a shampoo commercial....) Anyhow, it's so simple & easy but when I discovered it last year I just couldn't believe how I'd survived without it.

{{If you already know this trick scroll down for links to other photography tips & check out my giveaway from yesterday!}}

With Vivid Color

Without Vivid Color

The results are dramatic aren't they? These photos were taken on the same day, same spot, only seconds apart. The other settings remained the same (manual mode, white balance, zoom, etc.) If we looked only at the second photo we might say it's fine- interesting angle, sharp, not over saturated. But when compared to the first one we can see how much better it can get! Here's an example of where the difference could very well translate into being included in an Etsy treasury, a blog feature, a gift guide......

Where to find this handy little gem of a setting? When in "Manual Mode" (indicated by the big M on most cameras) look for it on the screen with the other manual settings to adjust. The image below shows a similar screen to the one on my humble camera (Canon Power Shot) and the vivid color setting is the letter "V" on the left hand side, 3 symbols down.

Image Credit MK Digital Direct

If you try this out, I'd love to see your results- do share!

More (easy & clear) photography tips:

Digital Photography School - Fabulous site with gobs of well explained details

My Previous Blog Post on Photography Tips

Canon Site for Tips & Techniques - Very cool site, everything from how to photograph holiday lights to photographing youth sports (i'm sure each camera brand also has a tips section)

Digital Camera Review - This specific link has more before & after photos showing how different modes can make a difference...just scroll down a bit. The "white balance" portion is a particularly good example.

HP - Digital Photography:Getting Creative Short, clear run through of some settings

A Giveaway....

thankful [thangk-fuhl]

–adjective feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative.

that's precisely how I feel. thankful. appreciative. much obliged.

I'd love to express my thanks to all my readers, supporters, buyers & friends by offering a little giveaway- this new zipper pouch from my shop....

...how to enter? Simply enter a comment below. Nothing tricky or complicated. Say whatever you'd like. Make it long or short. Either way, just pop in to say hello & you're entered :)

winner will be drawn thursday, january 21st at 8pm (pst) by random.org.

10 from 09

As part of my New Year's reflection, I looked back on '09 and considered what went well for my little Etsy shop (hours of cutting fabric allows for loads of deep thought...
Anyhow, the list seemed like an important exercise, to help guide where Quiltish will go...and hopefully can be useful to others on this journey!

Image Credit Letter C Design

{{ click here for the first 5 in Thursday's post }}

6. Bread & Butter Plus the Jelly- I suppose it's not really a profound concept really- but it definitely has paid off for me. Including "bread & butter" items in my inventory that is....Now, I'm not totally sure of the MBA definition, but I've determined there are items that can be considered to be the good 'ol standby in my shop. Items I can be counted on to make. Items that can be seen again & again in my shop. They are the ones customers return to order.... as certain as well, bread & butter. From a businessy stand point - they are safe, they have a higher profit margin because I know how to make them in my sleep. For me these are the zipper pouches & baby sets.

And then you've got the jelly- this of course, is the extras. The ruffles, the glam, the shine, the experiments, the novel ideas. These are the items that might get my shop noticed, make me stand out a bit. The jelly is what might attract a new customer or be an add-on for those buying the bread :)

You can see the jelly in my shop with the ruffle clutches, the new tote bag, the holiday pillows.

Coming to see my inventory in this way helped shape how & what & when I decided to craft items.....it also proved helpful when going through a few sales slumps (I could count on people buying the baby sets & pouches...this helped me- financially- make it through to the holiday season where my Christmas Tree pillow & ornaments were flying off my virtual shelves!)

7. Connect the Dots- Making connections proved to be one of the most beneficial and rewarding steps I've taken to strengthen my business. Admittedly, I was timid to put myself out there, partly because I didn't have confidence in my shop. That changed though when my photos improved & the ball started rolling. (would it have have rolled sooner, faster had I hopped on the social connection boat without good photos? not sure...think my photos were a necessary factor in this equation....)

Connecting with other crafters, moms, & entrepreneurs has become a vital aspect of my business....a quirky mix of professional & personal support. My blog allows me to share a more personal side to my creations & celebrate exciting milestones- and getting to know my readers has given me mounds of confidence & happiness. By using twitter, I'm able to learn more about fabrics, techniques, & website/Etsy/blog maintenance but can also share aspects of shop, find support from my twitter group ( I still cringe at the word "follow") , and have seen exposure to my shop increase dramatically. Additionally, I'm branching out & hoping to contribute to articles, my local community & other crafting networks.

Initially, I had to get over the idea of the number of followers- I saw countless mentions of 'how to get more followers' in the Etsy forums....but I've seen people with thousands of followers & that didn't seem to translate into success for them (# of sales, strong image, loyal support...). So, instead, I've concentrated on the quality (common interest, valuable input, sincere posts) of people I look to make connections with. I mean, no offense, but I'd much rather have one loyal & fabulous crafter follow me on twitter than five guys named dave trying to sell me their gizmos.....

8. You just never know.... I've tried to make this my business mantra. Because, it just seems to be true! There have been so many happy surprises & bits of luck, I never imagined could be happen....but they did! From features on Etsy to the Dooce Baby Gift Guide to my sets being sold at the best children's stores in Portland, to an exciting (secret!) opportunity coming up. It's easier to think "no, not me" - but, you just never know!

9. Figure It Out- It's a pain. But in the end it's worth it. Kind of like going to the gym I guess. But putting in the time, effort, & research to get a handle on all things technical has had major payoffs for me. For one thing, reading my camera manual is one instance I can attribute to nearly overnight transformation. Knowing what all those little buttons do is actual power....

This also includes understanding postage, Blogger, Google Analytics, and the ins & outs of Etsy.

I've come to embrace this aspect and I can say that one of my favorite magazines is "Inc." - a very technical & businessy mag, full of ideas & inspiration & tips! who would've ever guessed?!

10. Wide Open - One of the most amazing experiences I had this year was opening our house & sharing my items with friends & family for a pre-holiday selling event. (you can read about the whole thing here) Not only did I invite my close friends & family members but also neighbors & people I hoped to know better. One of my main goals was really just sharing what I do with others. I remember how great it felt when, as a teacher, I had people visit my classroom- it was like, "Hi, welcome to my little section of this world." And that's how I felt again. I really appreciate people who came & showed interest in what I've carved out. Many of my guests purchased Christmas gifts & items for themselves but it was more of a chance to just share myself. And since most of my work is done at 4am- people don't often get to see what it's all about. (plus, the neighbors probably had their questions answered about, just what exactly is going on so early at this house....)

Additionally, I was able to show & teach about Etsy & my blog- something I can take for granted...it's easy to be in a happy Etsy/Quiltish/Twitter bubble & forget that these fabulous little places aren't common to everyone.

It was so rewarding & successful, I'm already thinking ahead for next year (or perhaps a mini-event for mother's day?)

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Anyhow, there it is! There's my list of things that had great rewards for me & my shop. I hope they're useful to other sellers too. Do share any bits that you've found successful!

Now.....Cheers to Twenty Ten!

Bit O' Happiness

Image Credit Naiad Soaps

Sometimes you just need to make your own happiness.

That's what I had to do this weekend- after feeling a little down & out lately (ps. thanks for all the happy wishes!!). On friday's list of things to do that make me happy:

- wear orangy necklace (twice!)
- yoga class (if you count the improvised session ;)
- delicious dinner (yum, yum whole foods)

We can check off each of those & we can add this scrumptious sugar scrub to the list. A gift from my sweet husband- this scrub from Naiad Soaps has one of the most amazing scents & is an instant pick-me-up :)

{{ i'll be back on track tomorrow....i can just feel it!}}

More Orangy Happiness

Image credit MusetteMade

I must admit, I think I've got a case of the post-holiday blues. Even though Christmas was joyous & the new year has started off with a bang (that being my son's 2nd birthday!) I'm a little weepy & sluggish. I've raided the chocolate stash more than once. On a few occasions my husband has caught me sort of walking around the house in circles with a far away look about me. So, I suppose it's time to call in the reinforcements-- like hopefully going to yoga this weekend, treating ourselves to a delicious dinner and wearing this gorgeous necklace of pure happiness!

This pretty thing was a Christmas gift from my husband- he had first chosen a ring but we decided on this instead & it's just lovely. It's from the gorgeous & friendly shop, Musette Made. I wore it the first day it arrived - it's like a little bit of sunshine around my neck...

And that is just what I need right about now.

{{p.s. I had started a post yesterday about 10 things I learned in '09. Unfortunately, the second installment will have to wait so as to not be filled with gloominess - I'll finish it soon though! }}

10 from 09

So it's been 2010 for a week now. I think it's off to a good start- my little boy turned two, I realized there was $18 left on an old Starbucks gift card, and I won a book from the Purl Bee.

Wish Upon A Star
Image Credit LuluBugJewelry

It is, of course, a time for fresh starts. For me, this always means a bit of reflection first...how do I know where I want to go unless I can make sense of where I've been? In my personal life I've probably got a whole novel waiting there but as for my business, I'm slowly crafting (ugh, crafting, get it?) where I'd like Quiltish to go.

So here is where I've been & 10 things that I think contributed to my success so far....

1. Loyal Lassies- Over the summer, when I was in a bit of a creative slump, I began receiving orders primarily from return buyers...or people who had received Quiltish items as gifts. At first, this gave me some much needed confidence but then I realized that this is exactly what business is about. People find a product. Want it. Buy it. Love it. Share it. and then....come back for more. And since I haven't invented the new i-gizmo (yet!) most of what I can offer my buyers is an experience in buying - from the 'tidiness' of my shop (e.g. clear titles, grammatically correct descriptions, etc) to acknowledging their order & completing it with as much care as I would for a friend.

Many of my buyers have been my best promoters as well. One buyer in particular has not only purchased items for gifts and herself but has so generously 'spread the word,' -telling co-workers & friends about my shop. I can not tell you how happy this makes me when I get an order that says "Ruby Sue told me about your site. She just loves everything about it!" That is more valuable to me on a personal & business level than anything I could ever sign-up for or purchase.

2. The Best Marketing Tool- Photos. In my (very humble) opinion, photographs are absolutely the most important tool I have in promoting my products. They ARE my products. I love the items I make and just can't settle for less than great photos....because that's doing the items I make a disservice. The rewards I've reaped from improving my photos are limitless (gift guides, blog features mentions, etc.) I try to think of it this way- every single time I list on Etsy, upload on my blog, link from Twitter, I am saying 'hey, look at this! Here's something lovely I just made!" it's my own little 10 second commercial spot. If the photos are dark, boring, blurry- people just change the channel.....
*For photography tips: see my post here

3. Reputation, it's important- not just in high school - When I joined Etsy I was a brand new mom. Jack was a few months old. I was staying home from teaching & just wanted to make some extra money selling things I made as a hobby. I was excited to find forums & places to share ideas. My husband created this blog for me. What I soon began to realize (maybe later than some, because I used to actually say, "I hate technology.") is that folks have a very clear online presence- a reputation. As a business owner looking to create a profitable entity I learned quite quickly (luckily not the hard way) that everything I post, link, & share creates & molds my reputation as a business- and many people may choose to buy- or NOT buy, based on this image.

I don't have tons of money. Given the choice, I'm going to spend it on the shop that has a thoughtful & genuine owner rather than that who seems arrogant & complains a lot. Same thing for blogs & twitterers I follow- I don't always want hear how amazing people are or how they hate the lady at the post office.

4. Mind Games- Last Spring I had to make the switch. I don't just make things & kind of sell them in my "spare" time. No, I own a business. I make lovely items & try to make a profit that my family can benefit from. This IS my job.

For too long, when asked by other moms what I do, I would quietly say, "I stay home with Jack. Oh, and as a sort of extra thingy I make stuff."

Really. Get some confidence girl! I've had to learn to be firm & train how I think....

One of my fave all time quotes is from Ghandi and while it's a little deep I think it really applies: Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.

If I think I am a profitable business owner then I will talk like one. Talking like one leads me to act like one. Ultimately, I am one.


5. "Make It Work" - I wish I could carry Tim Gunn in my pocket. I had to let go of all the wishy washiness. Failure is not an option. As long as I keep my core values true (family, love, friends) then I am willing get up at 3am if that's what it takes.....

{{You can read the last 5 here}}

Whew, thanks for reading this far! Let's do the last five tomorrow....off to enjoy the rest of the day :)

Wanted....

REWARD!
Do you know the whereabouts of the elusive fabric shown above? Have you, or anyone you know, seen this fabric? Perhaps hiding in your stash...tucked away in a friend's craft closet? Or, even brashly displaying itself on a website?

If you have any information leading to the capture of this fabric, please contact me & arrange to receive your reward!

Alexander Henry Mod Dots in Yellow/Natural

DE#P6826-D


I will gladly purchase this new fabric for $8 per yard plus shipping costs. Fabric scraps negotiable. Willing to trade.

Reward (in the form of a Quiltish zipper pouch) given to folks who can either provide this fabric or locate a place in which it can be purchased!

Hello, Valentine

I'm not usually one to have a running head start on things...especially Valentine's Day, but I guess with it being a whole new decade & all, I thought I'd set out on a very planned & proactive approach. So here's a few lovelies to celebrate that smoochy of a holiday!

Little felt hearts & embroidery floss. Hmmm, still in the works...

Hand-embroidered heart pouch - available in my shop!

Two Little Love Birds (inspired from my Christmas Birds....)

Mmm. delish.

Felt Heart Pillow - NOW -available in my shop. Inspired by the notion of "heart strings"

Patchwork Heart. I dreamed of this. Now, not sure what to do with it...pillow maybe?

Proof of Planning.... some notes & sketches I made.


Have some valentine's lovelies? Do share!

Merci

Many thanks to my friend over at One In Every Color who sent this charming little pin cushion made from fabric selvages! It's gorgeous & gives a bit of cheer every time I glance at it.

I'm so thankful for the relationships I've developed via this blog & my shop- what fun to share life & craftiness!

xoxo!

Let Me Count The Ways.....

I'm all sorts of emotional. My baby turned two this week & just this weekend he counted to three by himself! You know, I never ever could've imagined how amazing three little words could be, but I do believe it's cause for celebration!

Here's a few lovely number bits I found browsing through Etsy:

Letter Press Nursery Art from Sweet Beets

Felt Counting Cookies from Smollerup


Custom Personalized Counting Sheep Book Plate from Fall Into Pink


Felt Magnets from MiChiMa

Printable Number Flash Cards from Neskita


I'd love to hear of any other little reasons to celebrate this week, do share!

{{All image credits to their respective sites }}

Love you more than......

......all the birthday candles in the world.

Happy 2nd Birthday Little Man Jack!

Smoochy, smoochy,
Mama