The Sketchbook Project: On its way to Brooklyn, The Mothership!

My sketchbook contribution for The Sketchbook Project is complete! This has to be the most gratifying project I have ever endured. I have to admit, it was tough for me. There were days when I had to force myself to work on it even when I didn't want to. Filling eighty pages required a drawing stamina that I almost didn't believe I had. But I am proud to say that I finished it!

Studio Bits: Vision Board 2011 and Swatches

Hello Friends! Is everyone getting ready for 2011? I know I am! To help me ease into the new year, I updated my vision board. I'm still very new to this concept and had a few attempts at it but failed miserably. I don't feel like I completely committed myself to it or the idea. I don't want to give up on it yet (even after many failed attempts) because I still think its a great idea. After reading other people's blogs of how these ideas manifested themselves into real things, I'm convinced that it works! I am determined to make it work for me!

This is what my studio wall currently looks like:


I'm using this particular vision board to help me develop new items and accessories for my Etsy shop. I have a vague idea of the direction I want to take this but didn't want my decisions to be so controlled. I figured that I should trust my instincts and picked images that made me go "Oooh!" and "Ahh!".

Now I am about to give you a closer look at my vision board and dissect its parts to explain why I picked these images.

Yummy New Colors!

I did some fabric shopping over the weekend. To my surprise there was a sale going on at the Fabric Warehouse: 40% off ALL fabrics! How lucky! I'm not sure if you are familiar with what a Fabric Warehouse looks like, but it is appropriately named. At least the fabric warehouses that I know of... they really look like warehouses! There are a few of them in my area. Sometimes I have to walk down a scary alley behind a parking lot or walk down a mysterious dark staircase! I always get an unwelcome feeling. A prickly feeling that I'm-not-supposed-to-be-here-because-there-are-bad-guys-waiting-in-the-bushes feeling! But once inside, I feel safe because there are always other customers. Most of them look like humble grandmas. If the warehouse is safe enough for grandma, than its safe enough for me! *Whew* this is an adventure in itself!

You Surprise Me! This is Why I Love What I Do!

Hello Friends! Happy Daylight Savings Day! Did all of you enjoy that extra hour of sleep when we turned back the clocks? As much as the next person, I would've preferred to be asleep while time traveling. I somehow woke up super early (7:30am which is really 6:30am) on a Sunday morning! But you know what? The sun is up and its a beautiful day! I'm going to make the most of it.

Last month I had some unusual requests on my Etsy. One of my customers purchased a rice doll and I was confused at first because they also sent in extra money. Too much extra money! It turns out that this person needed the rice doll sent via Express Mail. Whoa! Never in my life had I had a reason to send something via Express Mail. To me its a fancy, forbidden luxury like the candy in the mini-fridge of a hotel. I have been using the U.S. Postal service ever since I was 11-years-old. My usage was limited to first class mail. The letters to my grandma and my first penpal arrived at their destination cheap yet effectively. Express Mail?! The day had finally come! I'm rollin' with the big dogs now! I waited in line, nervously filled out the form, and off it went somewhere in the sky! The packaged arrived the next day. Whew! Mission accomplished!

My customer gave me enough money to cover the cost of shipping but there was so much extra. It wouldn't be right to keep it so I sent extra money back. A few days later when I had to mail another package I found a letter in my mailbox. It seemed familiar somehow but I didn't recognize the handwriting. It turns out that my Express Mail customer sent me a hand-written thank you note!! Oh my gosh! How sweet! <3 What a lovely way to receive feedback! I was totally shocked!

Also in October, an Etsy cutie sent me a message asking if I do custom orders. I love the idea of having something especially made for someone. So I try my best to do custom orders if I can. She liked my Fox Pouch a lot but wanted to carry it around like a purse and I came up with this:



Eee! I'm really happy with the way it came out! And even happier that my customer loves it. She recently sent me feedback saying that the strap was the perfect size. I was so relieved because I didn't have exact measurements. She did mention that she was "very short" and I am very short as well! So I adjusted the strap to my height and then compared the length to some purses that I owned. I guess me and my customer are the same size lol.

You guys are so kind! I have been working on my Etsy shop for almost a year and every step of the way I have been embraced and supported by the crafting community. Sewing makes me happy and I am so incredibly happy and grateful that you enjoy what I do. Thank you everyone!