Woolies Featured

on the Front Page of Etsy! What a thrill to open a global website and see one of your items there.

Branding Your Business

Years ago, when I first opened Woolies, I had an idea of what I wanted my banner and avatar to look like. I wanted a little girl knitting. I had a wonderful designer create my banner. Here it is:

This has been my banner since 2007. I love the happy knitting girl!
Your banner is the first thing a potential customer sees when they visit your shop. It defines you, don't you think?

But are the bright colors conveying what my shop is all about? What is my shop all about? Old fashioned toys, all natural, heirloom quality. The bright colors convey happiness, but what about a vintage feel? What about Waldorf-inspired?

A friend on Etsy created this banner for me:



And I'm in the process of working with another designer - this is what she has come up with, so far:

We're tweaking the font, and think will switch the dark bunny for a lighter one.

What do you think??

Woolies in the Window!

Peeking out at you - can you see?

Monkey Business

I knitted a monkey for a dear friend who recently turned 3 years old.

Her Mommy recorded the most adorable video! You can see it HERE.

And then more monkey adorableness.......

I love to knit monkeys, there is something so special about their faces. :)

Creating an ad

What do you think? Should I change the color of my shop name? Should I make my name bigger? Do you like the layout of 4 pictures? Should I use different pictures? Of course, the ad will link to my shop Woolies. I need a collaborator.

Thanks!

Busy Busy!

It's that time of year - the weather FINALLY isn't in the 90's! Craft Fairs galore! Last weekend did a 3 day fair that benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters - check out the link! (On the site, there's even a link to my shops). So much fun!

My big news is that I was invited to be a vendor at the Tucson Museum of Art's Holiday Craft Market next weekend, another 3 day fair. Watching the news on TV last night and there was a TV ad for the fair!! Wow! And I'm scared to death that I don't have enough Woolies inventory!

So just wanted to say hi, I'm sorry I've been incognito! Here's some pics of recent work:!

Have a great weekend!

WIP

Work in Progress:

1 pink sheep

1 blue sheep

1 gigantic woolies bunny twice the size of my usual woolies bunnies

1 little gnome that I can never seem to get finished

And, yet to be on knitting needles

1 smaller woolies bunny identical to the gigantic woolies bunny

1 white sheepie with a black face

1 zebra, organic cotton, with red sweater.

Plus, gigantic 3 day craft fair in 3 weeks. Smaller craft fair this weekend. New shop in town that wants to carry my Woolies on consignment. Pending wholesale order (keeping fingers crossed).

SOOOO took off from my day job this week so I can work my Other Job. I might never get off the couch. knitknitknitknitknitknitknitknit

Want to come hang out with me??

Original

I have 2 shops on Etsy.com.

Woolies Knitted stuffed animals and toys

and

Buster and boo Typewriter key jewelry

I love to knit and sew and not that long ago taught myself how to make jewelry.

I want to talk about originality, for just a moment.

If you ever dare to meander into the forums on etsy, you may read about copycats. And more copycats. And she stole my design. And her stuff looks just like mine. And a lot of times, it does.

And if you wander into some shops, you may find declarations like - I am the first one to make this. The original, whatever. Who knows who came up with the idea first?

The truth is, in the world of arts and crafts, I think it's hard to design a true original. I also think that lots of times, you may think you have the 'first of it's kind'. And then one day you'll be surfing through etsy, and omigosh that looks just like mine! Because we influence each other. And we are inspired by each other. Of course, there is the random outright theft of an idea. Upsetting, yes. Copycat, yes. Wish we could all copyright our own designs. But that costs money. And when you put yourself out there, on the internet, you expose yourself to the rest of the world. Which can be great, and maybe, at times, not so great.

At Woolies, I use lots of patterns by other designers. I credit those designers. I have permission to use those designs in my shop. I thank those designers. And still I strive to make it my own. To change it up, some. Or to be inspired by their designs to make something similar, but still different. And occasionally, I make my own. I even offer 2 patterns of my own designs, for sale in my shop.

And occasionally, I come up with something that is really one-of-a-kind. I didn't write the pattern down for the bear, as I knitted him, just made him up as I went along. Can't imagine I'll ever be able to duplicate him. And I hope nobody else does either.

At Buster and boo, my shop has evolved into jewelry made from typewriter keys. There are other designers that make the same thing. They might even use similar settings, or bails, or necklaces. We compete with each other - this is OK with me. This is e-commerce. It's fine. It is not my original idea.

However,

I think....

at Buster and boo we offer one truly unique product.

Oftentimes, during my gathering of vintage typewriter keys, I find that some keys in a set are unusuable. The letter under the glass is faded, or cracked, or just too darn old to make look better. So, had an idea.

Replace the image with another.

Or,

Or,

Beautiful, vintage-y images, under the glass of a genuine vintage typewriter key.

Cool?

Now, I'd be willing to bet, that just because I've never seen this done before, doesn't mean it hasn't been. But I've never seen it done before. So maybe, just maybe, it's an original.

Monsters Monsters

Who doesn't love a good 'ol monster? This guy was a custom order for a wonderful customer - he was made to look like a picture she sent me, I think he came out ok! He was a lot of fun to make, I might be making more monsters!

He was knitted, then felted. He came out BIG! And a bit grumpy.

:)

Earth Day Celebration!

I'm old, I admit it. I remember the very first Earth Day, 40 years ago. I grew up in Philadelphia, and there was a big festival on Belmont Plateau - lots of bands, vendors - hippies everywhere. I was still a young teenager, and was just in awe of everything. Heard some great music that day! I rode my bike to school that day - and school was quite a few miles away.

So - Earth Day is coming up, and the Natural Kids are having a celebration. 55 shops are offering all kinds of wonderful discounts and gifts with purchases.

Also - hidden in many Natural Kids shops is a picture of a little gnome.

Find the gnome, and tell the shop owner, and you will receive as a GIFT - a beautiful PDF file of wonderful crafts, recipes and games that you can play with your children, in honor of Earth Day.

Visit the Natural Kids , and find some amazing eco-friendly, organic, good for you - your children - and the earth.

Visit Woolies, for more stuffed animals for earth day!

Acorn Pixies!

Quite a few years ago, I used to make Pixies out of bendable wire and felt, and wooden beads for their heads. There are quite a few wonderful shops on Etsy that make these adorable dolls. Including my teammates from the Natural Kids!

Anyway, I decided to try something a little different.

I have had a stash of wooden doll bodies for FOREVER. Finally, recently, I started playing with them. I'm not sure that I've perfected them yet, but I'm really having fun with them.

I have a wooden dollhouse, that sits up on a shelf in our living room. I am sure it is quite dusty. But these are the perfect dolls for that dollhouse.

Just wanted to share some of them with you - they are available in my Woolies shop!

I hope you like them!!

Lots of Woolies

Goaties, Snow Bunnies, Lots of Apples and Girls. For your viewing pleasure....

Woolies

Wanted to share some Woolies with you --- these will NOT be available in my Etsy shop, but on another really fabulous online store that I'll share with you shortly.

What do you think??

This is Goatie, made from organic hemp/cotton corduroy, organic sherpa, and organic cotton. Stuffed with wool. Droopy goatie ears.

Some girls.

Snow bunny.

Apple. Which one do you like better - the one with green arms and legs (like a little apple tree), or the one with contrasting orance and aqua arms & legs? I can't decide...

I have to make a LOT of them, so will be very busy the next couple of weeks.....

Help!

So...........I was knitting this bunny. But then I decided to turn her into a bear. But...then she got a pink nose. And her bear ears are kind of big. But...she doesn't have a tail.

My friend called her a hamster.

Is she a mouse?

What do YOU think???? I could use some help here.....

You can read more about her in my Woolies shop! I'd appreciate your thoughts! If she needs a tail, I can certainly give her a tail!

HELP!

UPDATE: She SOLD today. I asked my lovely buyer if she would prefer a mousie tail, and she said no, she liked her as a very unusual bear.

Thanks to all who who posted their suggestions!!!!

Organic Cotton

Did you hear about the CPSIA situation? No toys with lead (DUH!) are allowed to be sold. Testing was going to be required. Then there was a stay of execution. And natural materials are exempt.





HUGH SIGH OF RELIEF!





I've always used all natural materials in my Woolies. But now even more so - and luckily, the natural fibers are becoming more readily available (although still kinda pricey).


So, with a new design and organic cottons - check out Beatrice!

She's available in my Woolies shop. I hope she finds somebody to love her!

New Rag Dolls in my shop!

I had made these for the last craft fair - which was amazing! It was off of 4th avenue, which is to Tucson what South Street is to Philadelphia - which is probably Greek to many, but anyway....


there are 3 that did not sell, so they are now in my Woolies shop - I know it's after the holidays, but I'm hoping somebody will find them and love them. Especially if they have to be taken down after the new CPSA regulations go into effect in February....


Here they are:

this is Tawny....

And here is Perry....

And this is Patches, who is wild.

Hope you love them!

Natural Pod Toy Store

I love making animals and dolls, WAY more than my day-job (uh oh, don't tell anybody). I've been fortunate enough to discover some new outlets for wholesale-ing my Woolies.



Here's a new one I'd like to tell you about - it's called Natural Pod. I love their website, it is clean and simple and uncluttered.

They sell the kinds of toys and children's things that I love - wonderful for open-ended play and discovery.

I've made some teddies - just for them. And some horses too - cause who doesn't love horses???



Well, don't look at my crummy - too-dark pics - go visit Natural Pod!!!

Decisions..............

So, if you are an Etsy aficionado, then you know that there are about 80 bazillion scrabble tile pendant shops. My shop, Buster and boo, has been offering them since about February. I've sold over 170 of them. I also have some around the US on consignment, and wholesale.

Etsy is getting more and more crowded. It is more and more difficult to get your work seen. So, I am debating.

My other shop, Woolies, is my true love. I also have some Woolies wholesale accounts. Woolies take much longer to make than pendants. It's a MUCH bigger investment of time.

So, I'm in a dilemma. I am considering slowly closing my pendant shop, and just concentrating on Woolies.

I'll probably leave Buster and boo open through the holidays, and see what happens. The good news is that my pendants were accepted at LollipopShops, which will be opening in December.

And Woolies was accepted at HandmadeFusion.

Because Etsy is a bit of a train-wreck.

What would you do? I love both, but Woolies is my true love. Is it worth it to continue making pendants? Do a search for 'scrabble tile pendants', on Etsy's search. There's over 10,000 of them!

So ----

Apple? (that's the newest dolly)

or

Pendant?

Poll over on the right - please go let me know what you think!!!!

Thanks!!

Horses!

I have been a horse fanatic since I was two. Where our backyard fence ended, a stable began. If my Mom couldn't find me, she knew I'd be standing with my face pressed up to the fence, watching the horses. I love everything about these awesome animals.

I have two real horses, Dozer and Belle.

And I've recently listed two horsey stuffed animals in my Woolies shop.

In case there is anybody in your family who loves horses too.

:0)

Learning new skills

Making scrabble tile pendants is fun, but now I've found that I am always searching for unique supplies on Etsy, to make different kinds of jewelry.

This is a beautiful hand-made lampwork bead (purchased from JanesBeads) that I "made" into a necklace.

I've always loved charms, so now I'm starting a line of necklaces with charms. I'm such a total beginner......

I have lots of really unique charms...they'll be making their appearance soon. Perhaps not quite the right thing for Etsy....let me know what you think. I'm only using the best quality that I can find - mostly sterling silver.

Can I tell you how many jump rings I crushed while making this? I'm thinking that jump rings may not be the way to go, so will be going to the bead store this week to buy wire.

I also have some really unique beads for earrings.

Considering the insane amount of jewelry on Etsy, I'll be amazed if anything sells. However, I'm doing a few craft fairs this fall, so will keep fingers and toes crossed! Keep an eye on my Buster and boo shop!

I also have another fabric Woolies for sale in my Woolies shop. Her name is Polly (I have a cousin named Polly), what do you think??