Preparing for a Craft Fair

I decided to participate in a fundraiser for my son's school. They are having a craft fair so I decided to bring my stuffed goodies. I already have a good amount of inventory and things I need for display which makes me less stressed out considering it's the weekend after Thanksgiving.

I am hoping that having the stuffed goos in person will help spread the word and make a sale or too. Right now, people are favoriting items and my shop but not buying much. It's actually ok with me though, I am enjoying making things and I can certainly give things away if it gets to the point where I am just storing them!

Maybe I will put some items on sale. Christmas time is coming around as well so maybe a few items will sell. We will see. In the meantime I will continue to crank stuff out!

Powering Through

I've not been around for awhile. I have been immersed in sewing for a while. I got some bad news that a very good friend of mine has cancer. She has to children 1 and 5. I am still trying to wrap my head around the news of this. Still trying to figure out where I can be a support for her and her family without being a constant reminder of what she's living right now.

So, I have kind of thrown myself into sewing a lot more. I also decided to participate in the holiday craft fair that my son's school is putting on. I figure it's a good way to have something to really create for and to get myself out there locally and not just on the internet. I am trying to streamline my process instead of trying to work on several different things at a time. I am pretty confident I will have enough inventory to bring so I won't be stressing at the last minute trying to prepare for that.

I sold my first baby crinkle toy/monster combo today, it went all the way to Georgia. So today I have been focusing on just making the crinkle toys.

I still need to make some monsters to go with them, but I am pretty happy with them. I am also pretty happy that I am using recycled materials for all of this stuff and only buying new if I absolutely need to. 

I am finding the a handful of new ideas show up at times as I go along which feels pretty good, keeps me from me from feeling stuck.

Baby Shower Gifts

So I decided to try a baby gift "bundle". I am making a baby crinkle toy and a stuffed monster to match as kind of a set. Good for a baby shower gift, or even for someone with a baby that's a few months old. My mom suggested that the monsters may be a bit too out there for a baby, that they are not so cute but more weird. I am working on some other ideas to make them cuter in that respect.

My kid is off this week which has made it a challenge to keep making things. I am working to include him in the design and sewing process and have him make a monster. I am slo working on a monster for a friend that has been battling cancer for a long time. So it will be nice to send her something.

Forging Ahead with Creative Endeavors

After a long productive family weekend it's time to continue creating. I've had some up and downs about where this is all going. When I decided to start up this little business again, I really thought first and foremost it was just to be creative again, to make something tangible and get off of the computer. Now that I have some inventory in the shop, some days I am disappointed that I have not sold anything. It brings me to ponder about what I really want to be doing.

I was laid off from my full-time-working-from-home job in mid-July. It was a cush gig that allowed me to be with my son more and have more time for non-worky things. Now that I no longer have this job and I am having a baby boy in February, my partner and I came to an agreement that would allow me to not have to get a job. My job was computer/web related and I haven't been doing much in that arena since the lay off. So questions come up about what I want to do now. I've never really had a career in mind, I always got jobs from word of mouth or they just kind of showed up. I feel like work is a means to allow me to do other things.

I digress. I do get satisfaction from creating these stuffed monsters, it's fun. I do think about other things I could create outside of those as well. I don't need to be selling these, so I guess if I enjoy making them and I happen to sell, cool.

So, speaking of which I added two more in the shop on Saturday. Check them out!

You Never Know What People Will Like

Last week I made a smaller monster of which I posted a photo of. After I finished it, I wasn't that excited about it. I was just kind of ho-hum about it. I posted it on the Facebook page to see what people thought. Funny enough many loved it. This is one of the things I struggle with sometimes in making these guys. "will people like this one?" "I don't like it, I doubt others will either." You just never know and I end up wanting to create so many different kinds of stuffed monsters that it can take SO much time. Maybe that's ok? I seem to have the time to create things that customize, so I might as well, because I may be appealing to an audience that I am not aware of.

I do like when people find my creations fun and want to see more, even if they are not in the market to buy. Maybe they share it with a friend who knows. I just want to make fun things for people. Adults should have stuffed buddies as much as kids I mean why not right?

Sewing Up a Storm

I have sold one monster magnet so far, but I am continuing to plug away at making the guys. I have posted a few more for sale in the shop. New items conveniently appear to the right of this page for easy access!

I've still been brainstorming about other creative fun stuff that I can add to the shop. Especially for the holiday season. Maybe plush monster ornaments? Small stuff monsters for stocking stuffers? The magnets would be a fun gift for a stocking stuffer as well.

Here are a few guys not yet added to the shop, but will soon.

More Monster Friends!

It's getting fun creating new stuffed monster friends. I went to a local fabric/craft store looking for more belt buckles. This store is really great, everything there has been donated and all of the proceeds go to the senior center in town. Fabric is $1 a pound. I walked out of there spending about $20 for things I would have paid like $50 at Joann's. Feels nice to reclaim things people don't want and create something. In the process I get to contribute to a good cause.

Next up to be added to the shop.

He needs a good name and story. Any ideas?