Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Ice and Snow Storm!

What a day! First rain turned to ice and now it's snowing. I think I've shoveled more snow this month than all of last winter.

I'm working on a new pattern with 4 tatting patterns in it. Instead of publishing all of my tatting designs in book form I decided to do them as patterns like my doll ones. Easier to keep the price down since I use so many color photos.

Been feeling lazy, no sewing, only doing a lot of reading and tatting. I've made about 4 dozen snowflakes to include in packages I send out to customers. So if you order from me I'll probably include a snowflake at least until March. If you don't get one, sorry I may have forgotten.

Got a "booth" opened at http://www.bonanzle.com . Just search for creativestitches. When I get more than 2 things up I'll put a link here to it. We're all hoping this is the site to do as well or better than ebay. No auctions, it's set up like etsy but calls the stores boothes. Have a look you may find something you want!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

New Blog Links & More

I decided it was time to add some blog links. The newest are from friends at my ebay group SEHA.

I'm having a 10% off Christmas items at my ebay store! It will last until the end of the month and then I'll remove all Christmas things until Nov. In case you're wondering I don't put the Halloween items on sale. Just sold 3 of my Halloween dolls. The green witch and cat, the mardi gras/pierot cat, and one of the half cat doll witches. YEA! Thanks so much Jennifer!

Still planning on closing the store for Feb. so I can do a lot of updating. I love the brown and blue but the colors always look awful with my holiday doll listings. I'm planning on doing it over in black and white like my etsy store. Same with my web site. I'm finally tired of the blue, lace and pearl buttons so I just need to take the time to work on new graphics for everything.

Have been leaving many of the groups I belong to at yahoo and ebay. I just don't feel like spending the time it takes to check in all the time. I wish I could find a group at ebay for my folk art and art dolls but I just haven't found one that I want to join that's taking new members. Plan on leaving my mini bear group at the end of the month. Seems stupid to pay a membership fee when I don't participate in the group.

Great News------ I was contacted by Doll Crafter & Costuming magazine!!!!!!!!!!!!
They are interested in printing one of my designs. I actually submitted it by email last year and didn't hear back from them but I've found this is normal for the magazine industry. I've even had magazines pay me for a design and then never get around to using it! It's much harder to sell designs now than when I first started in the late 80's, not as many doll magazines.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

It's a New Year and I'm still Sick!


Wow! It's been so long since I last posted. I lost a filling before Thanksgiving, got the stomach flu at the beginning of Dec, a week later went to get the cap on my tooth I needed and ended up getting a cold from the dental assistant. The regular flu arrived a few days after Christams to add to the cold. I'm still fighting the cold, one day I'll feel like it's going away and then the next day I'm back to coughing and blowing my nose.

I did get a few things finished in Dec. like this angel and the other dolls I posted here, but I never did finish 3 santa elves, a snowman and a candy witch. I've just packed them away with the 2 halloween dolls I didn't finish to get to in the summer or fall.

I thought about closing my ebay store for 2 months but I was so sick on Dec. 31 I never got to it so I decded to keep it open this month and close it next for a month so I can make some changes. I also thought about closing my Patternmart account as not much sells there but after going over my sales I decided to stick it out so I could keep the links to the download PDF files on my site. I've been doing a bit of work at the esty store. I'm adding the pdf patterns that are too large for patternmart.

Found a new place to sell, http://www.bonanazle.com/ . I'll be putting more things there as I end listings at ebay. I'm creativestitches there as I thought it best to stay with the same name as ebay and etsy.