Monday, February 20, 2012

The Return of Vera


The Return of Vera Neumann
Okay, so I get sooo many random spam emails from companies that I bought from once or from catalogs that I have signed up for. I usually just send them all straight to the trash bin, but one caught my eye this morning. I am a huge Vera Neumann fan. I own two of her scarves and if I had the funds would probably have 20, plus a sheet set. Her graphic designs and colors are gorgeous. A few months ago I bought a Vera feather scarf from The Lucky Fish and I LOVE it. It is long and skinny in bright magenta and indigo with a white feather. It is to short and skinny for a scarf so I tie it in a bow as a belt around cardigans and such.
Back on track here.... I got an email this morning from Crate and Barrel that is announcing that they are now carrying a new line of Vera Neumann linens for your kitchen. Dish towels and such. I am so excited! I don't exactly have a kitchen to put dish towels in but they may be a new "present" for my mom because I totally have to have them.

Best,
Julie

Sunday, February 19, 2012

San Francisco Girl by the Bay


Sfgirlbythebay is one of my favorite blogs. She has great fashion, interior, crafts, decor, etc.. basically everything I love in a blog.
The photo above is from a Paris post she did. I subscribe to her via email so it gets sent right to my inbox which is fantastic.

San Francisco Girl by the Bay


-Julie

Spring Sale-FREE SHIPPING



This week only I am offering Free Shipping in Dawn Will Break on all U.S. purchases. I have never offered free shipping as a sale before so this is new!
Sale ends this coming Wednesday.
Use code "FREESHIP" at checkout to receive the discount.


Happy Sunday,
Julie

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Featured Seller-Reverse Clothing


L. Corina La Due of Reverse Clothing
I discovered this shop when I was looking for inspiration for outfits for my 1940s presentation in my Interior Design Studio Class. I came across her shop and was hooked. I have always thought that I would fit nicely into the 1940s, much better than the present, so when I found her designs I fell in love!

1)What did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a kid I wanted to be a lot of things, actress, singer, ballerina (I actually took modern dance for a year) but realistically I thought I would end up a journalist. I had always been told by teachers that I wrote well and I really enjoyed writing stories. Still do when I get the time

2) If you went to college where did you go and what was your major?
I went to a few semesters of community college but it really wasn't for me. I kind of resented the fact that I had to take all these classes and study all these things that had little to do with what I was interested in order to get a degree. Although I did pretty well there, I was just really bored. My major would have been Asian Studies. I am fascinated by different languages and at the time I was studying Japanese on my own. The experience of learning in a formal setting while learning on my own taught me that I do much better on my own. Since then I have studied Mandarin, German and Italian. I'm not fluent in any yet but I've recently picked up Italian again and my test scores suggest that I am at an intermediate level. I plan to revisit German next year.

3) What are your favorite materials?
I love fabric of course. I used to call myself a fabric junkie. If you take a look around my sewing room I still am. Most recently I've become fond of vintage floral prints. I can't get enough. Whenever I come across them I have to restrain myself from buying the bolt because I am running out of room! I often pick up fabric with no special purpose in mind I just have to have it. I guess you could call that an addiction...

4)If you could have any other profession what would it be?
If I could have any other profession...I don't know. Truthfully ever since I began sewing I never wanted to do anything else. Ever. I have taken breaks from the selling part over the years, but I was always sewing anyway. If I had to pick one though I might be an interpreter. I'd get to travel, spend my time studying languages and get paid for it. That sounds like a dream to me.

5) How did you discover Etsy and what made you want to sell on it?
I discovered Etsy through a friend who sold on ebay. I've lost contact with her but we "met" both selling on ebay. We had similar tastes at the time. We were also both on livejournal and were friends there. She opened an Etsy account and raved about it. When I checked it out I saw that it was for artists only and I really loved the feel of the place. I was also pretty sick of ebay by then for many many reasons. I made the switch a few years ago. I started with a shop called Girl Is Poison but after a year I took one of my breaks from it as I had a baby and was moving. A lot of things happened at once in my life. When I decided to try my hand at selling again I realized that the "Girl Is Poison" esthetic wasn't really me anymore so I started Reverse Clothing and it has been even more successful than I had hoped.


6)If you could go back in time and tell yourself one thing about Etsy what would it be?
That is a tough question. I guess I would say to myself, "Do your research." Learn more about the business end of things. I focus on the sewing aspect because that to me is the most important but truth be told, the marketing and promoting part is just as important. You can have the best product in the world but if the right consumers don't know about it, it won’t go anywhere. Even though that part isn't as fun it's crucial. On Etsy, photos, tags, descriptions (mine need work), and networking through teams are super important. Since I began Reverse Clothing I've put more effort toward these things and have seen measurable benefits because of it

See her shop here.
Facebook page
Like Reverse Clothing on Facebook because when she gets to 200 likes she will be giving away a free blouse!
Best,
Julie

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Etsy is rolling out Direct Checkout!


Thank the Lord, the day has come!!!! Etsy is FINALLY rolling out direct checkout to all of their shops. I cannot wait for this! For those of you that haven't seen the video, you will now finally be able to pay directly with a credit card on Etsy instead of going through PayPal. This is so exciting, I feel like I have been waiting forever for this because you always have the confused buyer who doesn't understand that PayPal isn't necessary. It's sad because you could lose that sale because people sometimes have the misconception that they cannot use Etsy.
Unfortunately it may take a month or two for them to reach it out to everyone but I will let you know as soon as my shops are updated with it.

This girl is singing Hallelujah !


Best,
Julie

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Featured Seller- Which Goose





1.)What did you wanna be when you grew up?
I always answered that question when I was little as "a mommy." As a college student I wanted to be a writer, and now, I want to transition into a professional photographer.

2.)If you went to college where di you go ad what was your major?
Salisbury University on the Eastern Shore of Maryland ... I was a creative writing/ English major.

3.)What are your favorite materials to work with?
I love anything natural ... or old (as in vintage). I think the combination of the two is stunning.

4.) If you could have any other profession what would it be?
Something with fashion/photography would be so fun ... jet-setting to Paris and Milan.

5.) How to you discover Etsy and what made you decide you wanted to sell handmade?
A friend sent me a link and I was hooked! I've always made stuff for fun in my spare time, so this was a natural progression.

6.) If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice what would it be?

Hang in there!

Shop Now


Best wishes,
Julie

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Featured Seller - Handmade Colectibles


Say Hello to the lovely Cole Franke of HandmadeColectibles!

1. What did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was younger I wanted to be a dentist, teacher, ice skater and a mom. One of those ambitions came true.

2. If you went to college where did you go and what was your major?
I went to a community college and was studying to be an elementary teacher. During that process I married the man of dreams, became a mom and as I entered into that new season my plans and hopes changed.

3. What are your favorite materials to work with?
Wool felt. I love the texture and color variety.


4. If you could have any other profession what would it be?
My husband and I have dreams of moving overseas for missionary work someday. Until that day comes I am so blessed to be creating beautiful keepsakes for people all over the world. There really is nothing else I would want to be doing right now.


5. How did you discover Etsy and what made you decide to sell on it?
I stumbled upon Etsy about 5 years ago and was immediately obsessed. At the time I couldn't even imagine opening my own Etsy shop. It was one of my 30 things to do before 30. A few years later when I made the decision to give handmade colectibles a go, Etsy was my first choice.

6. If you could go back in time and tell yourself one thing about selling on Etsy what would it be?
Don't get discouraged when certain ideas don't turn out as you'd hoped. Everything is a learning process. Keep on. Work hard. Do what works for you.

You can see the rest of her shop here.


Best wishes,
Julie