What I’ve (not so much) been doing…

May 21st, 2008

Hello lovelies! Just a quick note to check in…I’ve been meaning to sit down & write a blog for a few days now. Sadly all I’ve really been doing is the sitting part. Exhaustion all the time. I was looking forward to the second trimester & the boost of energy I hear so much of. According to the internets & other mothers, now is the time I am supposed to be feeling back up to par, feeling my mental & physical spirits lift, & experiencing the twinkles of a home freshly cleaned, brought on by my instantaneous bouts of nesting. This last part is what I looked forward to the most. I think I’ve always been a nester of sorts…I’ve always preferred staying in & making things cozy…crafting & creating. I was hoping that washing-the-walls bit would kick in. My home probably wishes this, too. I’ve come to realize that perhaps the reason my second trimester has not brought a huge relief is because my first trimester was not all that bad. I had evening sickness, queasiness, but not once did I actually get sick enough to expel anything. I didn’t really (& haven’t as of yet) experienced any aversions to food or smells. Tiredness was pretty much my worst company. And so she has decided to prolong her stay, it seems. I think I should prepare myself to be tired from here on out. I shared this consciousness with a friend the other day, a fresh new mother of one year, & she replied, in a rather positive tone, “Yes, but there will be times when you won’t feel as tired.” I think this is the honest-to-goodness truth.
Although my nesting efforts have been a bit sparse, I did manage to squeak out a tiny dress last week. I used this pattern & cut it to fit a 1 to 3 month old.

Yes, I taped it to the wall. I need to buy some of those teeny tiny hangers for infant threads. I think they excite me more than they should. I can’t wait to acquire several teeny tiny accessories.
Anyhow, the dress turned out very cute, I think. I was pleased with my ability to sew an actual wearable garment. I’ve only sewn one shirt for myself as an adult, & it was very simple. I remember my sewing ambitions sprouting during my pre-teen summers. My mom would take my sister & I to the fabric store & let us pick out a pattern for a simple top or pajama pants…we were supposed to find something we liked enough to hold our interest & encourage us to sew up ourselves. Without fail, I’d feel all gung-ho about it, then as soon as I hit a snag, my mother would find herself seated at the sewing machine to finish (& pretty much start) things off.
I find myself quite intimidated by patterns. I just don’t understand them for some reason. I see one & I shut down. This tiny dress did not make me work from that dreaded brown tissue. Nice simple directions & an easy to follow diagram…that’s my kind of model. I have plans for several more dresses, some jumpers, & pinafores. And I want to make them reversible! Oh the ambition. Hopefully I can muster the energy.

In other news, more businessy-like, we set our first record for Seek Connect Love! We sold 5 shirts last week! Five in one week! That’s a lot for us at this point, as we’ve been making about a sale every 2 or 3 weeks. It was very inspiring & we’re set to list our new line of baby apparel very soon. I will update as soon as we can muster a date. I think part of our sales are attributed to this:
The treasury was aptly titled “Men in Trees.”

We were in a treasury & apparently it made the front page of Etsy! I missed the spectacle, but excitement abounds regardless. We’re so grateful to our customers…it’s an amazing feeling to make something with your own hands, especially to create it with someone you love who genuinely shares your interest, & have a positive response from people around the world.
Speaking of around the world, we are thinking of launching a group on Flickr dedicated to those buyers who’d like to sport their new apparel for others to see. Sort of a ‘happy customers’ spot. And we’re also working to get together a mailing list for interested peeps.

Things are a bit stand-still on the Kismet doll-making front. I’ve taken an overly extended break from them, pretty inappropriate & very sad in my opinion. Not for lack of interest in them, I just haven’t had much of that e-word & when I do, I find myself focusing on other things. I’m set to get back to sewing them up now, & I hope to have an update on those soon as well. Their shop debut is long overdue.

I suppose that is all for now…my quick note turned into quite an entry. Have a wonderful day, & please send me some positive vibes so I can start getting things accomplished again!

I thought this was a party...LET’S DANCE!

We’re Sprung!

March 20th, 2008

It’s the first day of Spring!! As I pulled into the parking lot at work this morning I noticed a tree that I’d been neglecting for so long throughout winter. I hadn’t realized I’d been ignoring it, it must have been a subconscious avoidance since its branches had turned to empty twigs. But this morning it is alive. Bright, flashy green leaves stretching out & up to the sun…so nice. It inspired me, made me want to turn around & go home to my dollies even more. I told myself it was finally time, in honor of Spring if nothing else, to sit down & catch up with this space. I can’t believe I haven’t updated since our First Fridays venture. I can believe it, actually, & that is sad. I really want to be better about this. Anyway, I’d written a bit about the experience back when the feelings were fresh, although the excitement of the evening is still with me:
We headed out to downtown Phoenix Friday afternoon for our first official first-hand selling experience. We’ve had our shop for some time now, but this is completely different. It was amazing. So much fun! We set up on 3rd Street, just south of Roosevelt. When we pulled up to the area at 4:30 the streets were already lined with vendors & the spot I’d hoped for was still vacant, so we promptly threw our table down & set up shoppe.

It was so nice to receive direct, immediate feedback on our tees. Now I can’t believe we haven’t given ourselves more of those experiences. We’ll be setting up again in April, but sadly that will probably be it as the galleries along the Art Walk are upset by all the vendors & traffic they’ve brought to the scene. Starting in May, officials will start handing out citations & fines, so I think we’ll be far away by that point.

So April, we are looking forward to your arrival. New tees are in the works & we’re planning on introducing a few items from our baby line as well. Those pieces really tickle my fancy. I love tiny onesies! So we’re in for some very busy evenings over the next two weeks.
In other news, I am working my fingers to nubs trying to crank out new dollies. This is the first time I’ve found a pattern that I want to stick with for a while. I’ve realized I like pattern-making almost as much, if not equally, to actually constructing the dolls. I love to see how I can change the pieces to make something new. This time, though, I must’ve hit on a keeper because I haven’t strayed for weeks. I have plans for a male counterpart, but all I want to do is make the little girls. Here’s a peek.

I am really going to try to be better about logging my thoughts & crafty progress. I’ve been a bit preoccupied lately with another little project Anthony & I have been brewing up, but things should be getting back to semi-normal soon. More on that later. Enjoy your first day of Spring…be sure you go out & bask in the warmth for at least just a minute or two today.

I thought this was a party...LET’S DANCE!