One of a Kind Online Shop

Hi all!

The One of a Kind Show just launched their online shop yesterday and I'm so excited to announce that I'm a part of it!

You can find my profile and shop here.

www.oneofakindonlineshop.com

I've only ever sold online with Etsy so this is a fab opportunity to reach a new audience! It's also been a heck of a learning curve figuring out a totally new interface. Always a good idea to step out of your comfort zone. ;)

Let me know what you think!

BIG Shop Update 1/2

Hello!

It's been a long time since I've posted...even longer since I've updated the shop! But that just means I'm due for a massive update. And here it is in two parts.

www.owlswakeup.etsy.com

Part 1 includes sequins and a new style of leather accented pouches among others. Thanks for looking!

Small Blue Tapestry Pouch

Small Vine-Patterned Pouch

Small Nautical Denim Pouch

Matte Blue Sequin Clutch

Rose Gold Sequin Clutch

Big batch coming soon!

What's Happening?

As predicted, with OOAK around the corner (42 days ahhhh) the poor blog gets neglected because I've been too busy getting all my ducks in a row. I'm very glad I took a week in January to just think about it.

What will my display look like? What's my budget? What about packaging? How much should I make? What should I make? Should I use a new sign? Should I get new business cards? (Yes and yes.) What do I do about bringing my own seating? Who can I enlist to help me out?

You get the idea. A lot of thinking.

Once I got my inventory plan sorted and initial supplies purchased (round two happening this weekend!) then I really got to work. My goal was to leave weekends free for friends, supply shopping, business card designing etc. The reason for this is that I am notorious for wasting weeknights and now is the time to change. I will totally go home, change into pjs and just eat and watch TV all night. Especially in the winter because when I come home it's dark and I'm tired so there. But with OOAK looming I knew I had to get my act together so my plan became: only sew on weeknights. And it's working! I am making my weekly goals no problem by dedicating a couple hours a night to sewing. It's been tiring still, yes, but it's really working out so far.

Week 1: complete.

Week 2: cutting day.

Week 3: a mishmash of stuff.

I am in the middle of week 3 of my 8 weeks of sewing (leaving the last week of for moving in, grocery shopping, etc) and so far I don't feel stressed at all (knock on wood)! I went to an information session for OOAK back in October before I applied and people asked how much inventory to bring. Of course there is no set number. The organizers just said "make as much as you can" and that's exactly what I'm doing. That's all I can do!

So with my business cards ordered, a display plan in place, my inventory well on its way, I am feeling pretty great about the whole thing.

More updates to come!

Supply Shopping - Getting Started

Last weekend I spent a full day travelling around the city hunting down sewing supplies for One of a Kind. It was a ton of fun!! Then, however, I turned my sewing plans into weekly goals and officially freaked myself out. There is lots to do in the next two months! Anyways--this is the first of several picture posts!

Waiting at the cash while the ladies sort through my zippers...

Seems like enough, right? Haha no.

Guhhhhh.

As soon as I bought this I knew I would have to go back for more.

Got a great deal on this gorgeous floral tapestry!

My first big leather purchase and I couldn't be more excited!

Toronto Indie Arts Market

Hello! This Saturday is my first craft show of the Season. (Can I capitalize that like British ladies? Let's go with it.) It's the Toronto Indie Arts Market taking place at the Gladstone Hotel.

I'd like to say I'm ready. And I probably am. But honestly I have no idea. I've only done the one show and since I am introducing a ton of new goodies, I have no idea what will be more popular than others! But luckily I'll have a couple weeks between this show and full out craft-show blitz to get my act together!

I do foresee myself buying more sequins though. Because.

Tiny Workspaces

I love my apartment. It is the first place I've lived that is truly mine. I love the neighbourhood, the view, the green space, the proximity to the subway… I could go on!

However, since starting my Etsy store last year, I'll admit I am sometimes (constantly) longing for a second bedroom as my "dining table" has taken on the role of the sewing studio. I think I've finally gotten a layout that I can easily work with but I am the sort of person who likes to see all my stuff at once. Open shelves of fabric, peg boards for tools, white boards, fabric swatches on the walls etc. I'd love to be able to spread out someday.

So...clean.

It has been an exciting challenge figuring out the ways to best make use of such a small workspace. All in all the changes I've made have been unobtrusive (except on particularly enthusiastic sewing days…that's when no visitors are welcome), but any crafter would agree that having a space dedicated to your creative endeavours is living the dream! Also, if I had a bigger space I would consider making bigger items haha.

I have used this table for eating less than 5 times. Ah well.

It stayed this clean for about ten seconds.

So organized!

While lusting after craft rooms, I turn to staring at my pinboard.

Psst!

Here's a sneak peek at some of the new things I've been working on--all available at upcoming craft shows!

Change purses!

Sequins!

Leather!

See you there?

Shop Update: Ikat

It's certainly been a while since I've added things to my shop. I had an explosion of inspiration lately so I can assure you that this round is just the beginning!

Click here to check out the new goodies!

Here are some of my favs:

Hope you like them! More to come in a couple weeks ;)

Welcome Back!

Well, hello again! I am officially back in business after my Summer Hiatus. Sometimes it is so necessary to give yourself some time off, to recharge, relax, to step back and take perspective. Also, my apartment doesn't have air-conditioning so sewing was just not an appealing activity for a while. Anyhow, the time has come to get to get back into it!

I've bought tons of new fabric, I have many new ideas for the store, the blog...and maybe even something else entirely. You'll have to check back and see!

For now, here's a peek at what I've been up to.

Hanging out with Feathers of Gold at her craft show last month.

I got a glue gun so I promptly glued things to other things.

I recently moved into a new office at work and so decorating was in order!
More on that later, I promise!

Getting inspired to try some new packaging ideas...

Sneak peek at one of my lovely new fabrics!

See you soon!

Summer Hiatus

We all get restless. Myself in particular. Like one morning I decided 10 years was long enough to have stretched ears. Or the time I threw out my coffeemaker and switched over to tea. It's become quite clear that I am giving owlswakeup a break for the summer, and that's totally okay. I can't pressure myself into thinking that I should keep going when I am genuinely not in the mood to do so. So a vacation it is.

However, a recent fabric shopping trip got my head filled with all sorts of new ideas. SO. My new plan is not to try to be as productive as I was in the spring and feel sad when I fail to do so, but to get ready to get back into it in the fall. My plan for now is to plan.

Until then.

Christmas in July Sale!

Hey everyone! Listen up!

I am participating in Etsy's Christmas in July sale. So from now until July 21st at midnight, if you go to my shop and use the coupon code CIJ15 at checkout you can get 15% off your purchase!

Check it out!

Sequins in the Shop

Well, it only took me several weeks longer than I had intended, but the sequinned clutches are in the shop finally! I hope to get some more fabrics and add to the collection but seriously, this month has gotten away from me. It's July next week! JULY!!! Toronto has been hit with a heat wave so it at least feels like summer finally!

Anyhoo, new pretties in the shop so check them out!

First Craft Show: All Done!

Yesterday was the TEST Springtime Marketplace. Also referred to (by me) as First Craft Show OMG! As indicated by the theme of my recent blog posts, preparations consumed me. To be honest I feel kinda empty now that it's over! What do I doooo? But overall, it was a fabulous day. So many people came out for the show and I had a blast! My dear friend Jessica (feathersofgold) helped me out for the day and she was absolutely invaluable! We sold some stuffs, met some peeps, and all around had a lovely time.

Here are some photos from the day!

Gotta be honest, most of this was food.

Jessica stuffing makeup bags!

My table display!

Overhead table shot; this pic stolen from Jessica's Instagram!

Close-up of one of my baskets.

Our snack-filled view from behind the table.

I'll share more pictures as I obtain them. I'd like to post one of my sign but for some reason I took all my pics before we even put it up.

I am so excited at the prospect of doing another craft show! Especially since all the big stuff is already done. Since this was my first show I had to design business cards, make various signage, collect items for display, make a million price tags, sign up with Square etc but those are all one-time things! Preparing for the next one will be a breeze, right? ;)

So what's next? I've got a few new clutches ready for a shop update as well as some clothes that desperately need summer alterations! Lots to keep me busy :)

Thanks for reading!

Sequins and Signs

When I first set out with my Etsy venture, I wanted to make things with sequins. Who doesn't love sequins? But I held off because $$$ and lack of patience. But this craft show is the perfect excuse to do a little bit of splurging. And since I'm so ahead of the inventory game, I can take the time to do battle with the rebellious nature of the sequins. And damn, is it ever worth it.

My three new babies.

Mad love.

***

As stated in this post, I wanted to burn a wooden owlswakeup sign. It didn't happen. And I think that's for the best hahaha. I had a small amount of a certain tapestry fabric leftover in—whaddya know—a perfectly sized rectangle. Oh and there's still the matching vinyl left? Score. I wanted my sign to be relevant to my shop and, well, to cost me nothing. I laughed when I found this piece of fabric because it couldn't have been more perfect.

As for the DIY itself, I kept it simple. I printed off the text in the size I wanted, cut out the letters to act as stencils, traced them onto the vinyl and then cut them out again. Finicky, but not as time consuming as I had expected. I then trimmed and hemmed the fabric and glued the letters. Simple yet effective!

Multitasking: my table was totally in craft-show-test-run mode.

Ready to glue!

I'd say I'm almost ready for the show. My main concern is finding one more display item. I must consider a plan B if I can't find anything suitable. Thank goodness for Pinterest! It's actually been saving my butt when it comes to display ideas! Check out my craft show board for inspiration!

Happy long weekend!