Here I Sew Again On My Own

My First Etsy Critique - Pass the Parcel

2009-11-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

Ok, so here it is, my first Etsy store review. Before I start I just want to say that what I’m writing is just my opinion. You may love what I hate or hate what I love. That is your opinion and hey if it bothers you that much get your own frikkin blog.

Teri at Pass the Parcel was very brave and has become my first victim, erm I mean subject. So for starters I like the store design. Both avatar and banner are simple and pretty. The shop announcement is no nonsense which I also like because honestly I’m not a big fan of having to scroll past paragraphs of gumph before I even get to the products. A bit of advice I would give is with regard to tagging. Searches include title and tags, therefore, if it says earrings in the title it is a waste of tag to use it again. For these products specifically I would include the words indy, indie (UK and US spell this differently), girly and possibly boho and hippy. Now on to photos. These are bright and make the products look lovely. The only doubt I had was with the product itself. I genuinely couldn’t decide whether I liked them or not. It isn’t the sort of thing that I would purchase for myself and initially I just could not get past the idea that these earrings reminded me of a blanket my grandma once had. Woolly earrings I thought. No, it just doesn’t work. But then I looked again and again and there is something appealing about them that I can’t quite put my finger on. I particularly like these gold and twist earrings, probably more than the others because they steer away from that blanket squares look. I love that the beading used has been upcycled from other jewellery and that Teri makes gift boxes by hand to send your earrings in for free. The more and more I looked at these earrings the more and more I liked them.

Personally I’d like to see Teri add more of the twist designs and expand away from just earrings. I’d also like to encourage her to try different media for her jewellery and have even presumptuously added a link to a book on crocheting wire jewellery at the bottom of this entry. On the whole though I would have to give this store a thumbs up and encourage you to have a look yourselves. I personally love crochet and this gal is proving that it isn’t just about dodgy granny blankets and boring babies hats. Price wise I’m inclined to say that they are a little on the high side based on how long I imagine they take and cost to make and this is really the only down side for me. Although a nice and original product I could also say that about many other pairs of earrings on Etsy that are half the price. I know that this is always a bone of contention with Etsy sellers and people selling craft on the whole but I think there is a tendency sometimes to over price. In the Uk these would be roughly £12 and that would just be more than I, personally, would be willing to pay. As a seller I would rather sell regularly at a slightly lower price than rarely at an inflated price but that’s just me.

I’d like to thank Teri soooo much for letting me critique her store. If you fancy having your store put under the microscope by moi then drop me a line at cherry_pie_punk@yahoo.co.uk. Now go check out http://www.passtheparcel.etsy.com/ for yourself.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crocheted-Wire-Jewelry-Innovative-Projects/dp/1600594816/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c

This time maybe????

2009-11-24T02:47:00.000-08:00

Well it has been 5 months since my last blog but I doubt you're surprised. Afterall I'm not generally that great at blogging am I?? The thing is I really like blogging. Or rather I really like waffling on about complete nonsense and quite enjoy the idea that perhaps someone is actually listening. I so desperately want to promise you that I will blog regularly but I feel it would probably be as genuine as my little girls promises every night at bed time that she will tidy her room the next day. Sure at the time she means it, but then she comes in from school and iCarly or SpongeBob Squarepants is on and it all goes out the window.

Anyway, perhaps this time I will stick to it because my plan is to do some Crimbo gift reviews of Etsy stores. Who knows, maybe Erin will even get in tonight and tidy her room!!!

Things You Neeeeed - Vintage

2009-06-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

Soooo, I promised regular blog entries and true to my word here I am with a brand new blog merely days after my last one!!! This is part of my "Things You Need" series. This week I'm focusing on some of the frikkin awesome vintage finds to be had on Etsy. I have tried to cover a range of styles and price ranges but basically its just a bunch of stuff that I think is pretty super.

If you haven't heard of Shrinkle then where the hell have you been?? This pink waist cincher she has for sale is perfect for all you barbie gals out there.

I love all things with a nautical edge and this pin up dress is classic and totally fabulous. BillieGoatVintage has some really amazes pieces. If you love vintage you should definately check out this store.

This next piece is from the gorgeous Zwzzy. Her Etsy store is full of the sweetest, girliest vintage finds you've ever seen. Get ready for summer with this super cute pink swimsuit (yes I am quite a fan of all things pink).

This final item is absolutely stunning. If you have some cash to splash then I can't think of anything better to splash out on than this dress.

Well thats it for now but I shall be back soon with more ways for you to fritter away your hard earned spondoolies!!!

The state of things to come (hopefully)

2009-06-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, so perhaps you follow my blog or perhaps you're just a beard loving ebay hater who stumbled across it randomly. Either way you may have noticed that I have been somewhat inconsistent with my entries. This, however, is not really my fault. I have a problem you see. An illness if you will. I am a sufferer of H.I.D, or Haphazord Inconsistency Disorder!! "Wait one minute" I hear the medically trained out there cry. "That isn't a real disorder". And at this point I must hold my hands up and confess. H.I.D isn't a real illness, but it is something I have suffered from my whole life. Oh, and before the judgemental of you out there go getting on my case and saying I'm just lazy let me explain a bit more about what I mean.

I am far from lazy. I have a hundred different ideas a day and a hundred different things to do. The problem is that I lack the order and discipline to commit to one thing at a time and get it finished. It isn't so much that I have a short attention span it is just that I want to get each and every one of those hundred things all done at once. But over the last couple of months I have been making a conscious effort to remedy this. I have been self employed for over two years now but I feel that my lack of focus and discipline is holding my business back. I am nowhere near reaching my potential. Step one was to order my life changing organisation book. I hopped on over to Etsy and using the Alchemy tool I requested that someone make me said book. One woman rose to the challenge spectacularly http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6205625. I don't think she actually lists journals in this shop at the minute but if it sounds like something you might need (I swear I take mine everywhere and couldn't live without it) then message her for sure!!! Personalised for my needs this book has helped me make a start on setting realistic goals each day rather than making a ridiculously long to do list and feeling deflated when I barely managed to cross any of the things off it.

Step two has been to organise my work space. I am not a tidy person by nature. Again, moving from one task to another often leaves rooms looking like they have been visited by a tasmanian devil (the Warner Brothers kind!!!). I'm currently working on this but as it stands the floor in my work room is extremely visible, hurrah!!!

Step three is to start actioning all the things that I have been "meaning to do" for, in some cases over a year. These include:
- starting a store making Blythe clothes
- selling wholesale make up
- getting my drivers license
-getting more tattoos (my sleeve seriously needs finishing)
-expanding my jewellery line
-start my English Literature degree
AND maintaining my blog, twitter and flickr sites regularly and effectively.

Unlike some people I don't have these sites purely for the purposes of promotion. I enjoy maintaining them and lets be honest, if done correctly and wih the right content then they can be a great promotion tool. Sooooo, with that in mind my new and improved regularly updated blog should be winging your way soon to include such gems as Ladies night (a make up tutorial and recommended cocktail), Things You Need (fairly self explanatory) and Antics (just me waffling on about things I've been doing). Oh and every so often I might just throw in something about sewing, ahem!!!!

God Damn Ebay

2009-05-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

Are you a diyer?? Do you remember the good old days of selling on Ebay??? Back when you could actually sell something and not feel like you were being anally violated. Ok, firstly, I know there are those of you out there thinking "ewww Clare do you have to be so graphic" and secondly I know there are those of you out there thinking "well actually Clare if I enjoyed the Ebay experience as much as a good anal violation then I'd be a happy camper" but basically my point here is that Ebay used to be a generally good experience and now it can only be described as a big pile of crap!!!

I'm not sure anyone actually reads this but I do love a good vent and, hell, I need to vent. Ebay have suspended my account for four weeks pending a review. If after this four week period my selling statistics have improved then I may have my selling privileges reinstated. Of course, how the frikkin heck I'm supposed to improve my selling statistics when I'm unable to sell is a mystery as yet unsolved. Sure I have a few outstanding transactions but is it beyond the realms of possibility that those buyers wont leave feedback??? Err NO!!!

Well, perhaps I deserve it you might say. Well let us review the system that led to my suspension in the first place. The ever so awesome star rating system. If any of your ratings fall below a 4.1 then whammo, bye bye selling rights. However, I sell alot of things overseas. Soooo, say for example you buy something from me and I post it within a couple of days (and can I just say here that I do mention in my listings that item will be sent out within 7 days of payment being made). The postal service then take two weeks to deliver said item overseas because sometimes they don't like to rush themselves. You receive the item and on doing so go in to leave me feedback. Now when it comes to delivery time you see the stars and 5 stars equals very quickly. You know I am overseas but nonetheless have waited two weeks so instead of leaving 5 stars you opt for 4 stars which equals quickly. Not very quickly, but quickly just the same. Inadvertantly, thanks to Ebay you have now potentially damaged my business, taken away my rights to sell on Ebay. If I can't sell things I can't pay the rent. I can't buy food for myself and my little girl. Do you see what you've done?!? We're on the streets damn it. We're starving. What the hell were you thinking you horrible mean bastard?!? Why would you do this to me. You've ruined my life!!!!

Ok, so it seems extreme, but nowhere do ebay write as you go to innocently leave feedback which you think is fair and most likely accurate that anything less than five stars is essentially making you say that you don't think this seller is fit to be selling or making a living!!! Oh and lets just focus on the buyer for a second shall we. If you are a buyer who doesn't bother to pay or leaves unfair feedback what can the seller do? What course of action can they take? Is there a buyer star system? NO THERE BLOODY WELL ISN'T. Ebay have taken away even that small seller right.

All I can say is thank heavens for Etsy. I've been a big fan of Etsy for several years now. It is my main selling forum and, sure, I get the odd awkward customer. Things still occasionally get lost in the post but Etsy don't crucify me for it . Thank you Etsy (incidentally if you look to your right there is a convenient link to my etsy store). I will also be selling my make up on bigcartel www.cherrypiepunk.bigcartel.com. Screw you Ebay!!!!

Hairy men are the way forward!!!

2009-05-06T04:41:00.000-07:00

Look I'm blogging again and it hasn't even been three months, woot!!! Anyway, todays blog, as you may have deduced from the title, is devoted to men with much hair protruding from their faces. This is a new obsession of mine but I think I may have the cause for said obsession. I am 31, and no, this does not mean that I myself have started growing a beard. However, through no conscious effort on my part I always seem to date men (or perhaps boys would be a better description) younger than me. My current beau is 24 and the previous fling was with a 20 year old (eek it looks worse written down!!!). They are fun and have yet to develop bald patches or paunches but sometimes when you are dancing away to a tune and you realise that you brought it on vinyl when it was originally released whilst their favourite tune at the time no doubt involved farm animals it can make you cringe. I can only imagine that the new obsession stems from a deep rooted desire to converse with a man capable of growing a full beard if he so wished. I also blame the series Men in Trees. James Tupper (pictured above for your viewing pleasure) is hawt!!!!

Facial hair, it seems, can give a man appeal, where perhaps otherwise there would be none. Hugh Jackman, on a normal Hugh Jackman day holds no interest for me AT ALL!!! However, give that man some wicked sideburns ala Wolverine (making him workout and putting him in a tight vest probably doesn't hurt either) and hey presto he becomes a frikkin 10!!!! With this in mind I have produced some pretty awesome Wolverine undies as pictured below (oh yeah there's a product plug).

It turns out that I'm not the only one giving some love to Wolverine either. I have chosen a few select kick ass pieces from fellow sellers on Etsy including some more traditional Wolverine images. Click on the pictures to go check em out. They are all products that you should sink your claws into. Ha ha sorry but I do love a cheesy pun!!!!

Consistency is not my strong point!!!

2009-04-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

Well more than three months since my last blog. I kinda suck huh!!! 2009 has been packed with drama so I probably should have been blogging away to my hearts content. There has been bitching and fights and family feuds and drinking and gigs and eating of pie. The mini adventures I'd promised myself didn't get very far and my 365 days of craft didn't work out too well either. I'm gonna hold my hands in the air and say I've been crap but with the first third of the year drawing to a close maybe I can pull something exciting out of the bag.

Oooh, I have been slightly productive in one area of my life and have lost nearly a stone and begun exercising regularly. Today I've slipped a little by eating a whole trifle but generally I've kicked ass. Cross training to Pink is the way to go ladies. In glorious parallel to this my ex boyfriends new girlfriend who I frankly do not like even a teensy bit has been piling weight on like a Christmas turkey. This fills me with joy and whilst the admission of this may may you think less of me I challenge any gal out there to hand on heart say she wouldn't feel the same. Besides in addition to being a big ol fatty ugly pants she isn't a very nice person either so there (oh the maturity)!!!

I swear there is nothing like a good ol bitch to chirp you up no end. I'm off to do a bit of sewing now. I've been revamping an eighties bridal corset today and hope to get it listed on Etsy later. Heck, who knows I may even blog again before July and post some pictures too!!!

Misadventures

2009-01-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

My plan to have a mini adventure every day in 2009 is proving harder than you might think!!! For day three of my mini adventure escapade I decided to make some bath cookies. I made them pink and fragranced them with candy floss oil and they smelt great and didn't look too scary.

However, what I'd actually made wasn't bath cookies at all. Turns out I'd made bath floaters!!! The little buggers just bobbed around in the bath without dissolving at all. If anyone out there has a tried and tested fool proof recipe then please get in touch.

Me and my friend Lou also decided that the world needs toilet paper with the picture of your choice on it. Several internet searches have failed to produce details of anyone providing such a service but seriously, maybe we are just bitter, but what could be better than a picture of that person that drives you insane all ready to wipe your ass on!!! Come on admit it. Wouldn't getting over that ex boyfriend have seemed just a little more bearable if you could have smeared his face in poo (for all you slightly unhinged types out there I mean on the toilet paper and not in real life!!!).

Oh yeah and I've been sewing too!!! All new underwear is now available in my etsy store. I'm particularly fond of the "So What I'm Still a Rockstar" thong. This is for anyone entering 2009 with a broken heart or a bruised ego. Wear these babies poking out of the top of your jeans and declare your awesome status to the world!!!

Clare x

Time to Reflect

2008-12-31T02:29:00.000-08:00

Well if ever there is a good time to reflect on the year its today!!! I expect this entry will be a little more serious than what you're used to but I'll be back to silly in 2009 I promise.

Honestly, I think that maybe 2008 was the worst year I've ever spent on this planet. I lost ALOT of people I loved for one reason or another and thats sucky above everything else. The most significant of these was my Aunt Sarah. She'd struggled with cancer for 10 months but we all honestly thought she was going to get better but in June they gave her just another 4 weeks. It was about the only thing the hospital got right sadly enough. I miss her every day.

The other people I lost are strictly speaking still alive but I like to think of them a bit like zombies. They look just like the people I loved but they're not those people, they are rotten and horrible and caused me pain. They walk about on the planet but as far as I'm concerned they're dead (see how good the zombie analogy is!). I admit that it sounds a tad melodramatic but I also promise that it is fully deserved. On the whole I'm a super friendly forgiving kind of gal and it takes a lot for me to be this upset with anyone.

Not wanting to be completely negative I couldn't write this entry without mentioning how amazing and supportive all my true friends have been. Putting up with my tears and outbursts at all times day and night. Without them I don't know how I would have made it. I love you guys.

I have big plans for 2009 though. I'm gonna make this year work for me. I'm gonna be the person I want to be. I have set myself little projects and targets which go beyond making a new years resolution to eat less chocolate, yes indeedy!!! From tomorrow I begin two new albums on my flickr account http://www.flickr.com/photos/cherrypiepunk/. 365 days of Stuff I Made and 365 days of Mini Adventures. The stuff I made one is fairly self explanatory, the mini adventures basically involves me going out of my way every single day to do something that isn't part of my standard routine. Even if it is something small I'm gonna photograph it and share. Its really quite exciting. I also intend to take my business to dizzy new heights, be glamorous all the frikkin time and get shit loads more tattoos. Wahooooooo

Feel Inspired

2008-11-12T03:45:00.000-08:00

Sometimes inspiration comes easy and other times you just can't seem to drag anything out of yourself. Today I found inspiration in a picture from Flickr, who knew!!! I have a craft fair all weekend and I'll be honest, I'm fairly pessimistic about the whole thing because my home town is, well, grey and not particularly craftsy!! But, that said nothing ventured, nothing gained soooooo I have a panties and hairclips itinery. I have six feet under on because somehow I seemed to miss the whole phenomenon and I'm glad I found it because I'm enjoying it. I just have to mind that i don't get more swept up in the tv than the crafting. I wish I was a working robot. I should be more like the lovely Jinx at MTCoffinz, I bet she never gets distracted by TV. I bet she just does the job in hand. Pah, I guess we are who we are. Anyway, here is the piccie that gave me my inspiration today, maybe it could inspire you.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kittypinkstars/3021579359/

Little Bit About Me

2008-11-05T08:01:00.000-08:00

Well, its a historic day. The first black President of the United States. I tried to explain this to my little girl Erin (she's six) but I think the enormity of it was lost on her and trying to explain exactly why it was such an important thing just made it more confusing.

Anyway, thats not what todays blog is about so if its a hearty political debate you are after then you might want to scoot over to a different blog that is less pink and fluffy. Today my blog is a little bit about getting to know me. So here are ten things about me:

1 - I have a phobia of clowns.
2 - I am a cat rather than a dog person (I have three kitties).
3 - My alcoholic drink of choice (if you ever see me at the bar) is Jack Daniels and Diet Coke.
4 - The reason it is diet coke is because I have a caffeine allergy.
5 - My first musical love was Aerosmith.
6 - I'm useless at almost all computer games apart from Guitar Hero.
7 - I love love love cake and cheese.
8 - I prefer bubbly baths over showers.
9 - I'm addicted to Greys Anatomy.
10 - I can't swim.

Sooooo, there you go. A bit more about the gal behind the blog. I shall be back with pictures and some actual sewing news in the very very near future. xx

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T09:46:00.000-07:00

This year Erin and I decided to avoid the usual mess we get in when trying to carve out a pumpkin head and opted instead for stick in facial features ala Mr Potato Head.

I am particularly fond of Frankenstein!!!!

Wooooo Hooooo

2008-10-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

I finished a crochet project at last.

Oh dear, not a very good start

2008-10-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

Well, slapped wrists for me. I've been a slack blog keeper. In fact I haven't been a very good crafter either. I haven't finished those half completed projects yet. I did make a corset and two new pairs of pants though.

These barbie pants are sold already. Selling things before you blog about them is probably a little bit backwards. Still the other pants I made haven't gone anywhere yet. I guess the panty buying public aren't as fond of Dexter as I am.

Surely this Frankensteins Monster corset won't stick around for long though. i cunningly made it in a size slightly too big for me so that I wouldn't be tempted to steal it.

I feel like I'm getting a cold but there is no time for being poorly sick sick. I'm getting a new tattoo on Friday and will be away for the weekend so I need to make some serious casharoo. I have stocked up on energy sweets. It's going to be a long night.

I wish I was a "doer"

2008-10-16T02:52:00.000-07:00

Sooooooo I spent all of yesterday making some custom pieces including this red leopard shirt with a big ol fold over collar. It made me say many swear words but luckily it turned out pretty good in the end and the customer is pleased with it. Thank God!!!!

In my quest to become more organised I am trying to finish off all my half done projects. I'm sure I can't be the only one with a pile of things that I started in a frenzy of excitement and then discarded when something didn't go exactly to plan or I discovered that I didn't have all the materials I needed. These things need either to be finished or thrown out. See how I am becoming more efficient before your very eyes!!! Sooooo, there are two necklaces and a crochet scarf that I am giving myself to the end of the week to get finalised and listed on Etsy. If you don't see pictures in the next four days feel free to hurl abuse at me (really I need a kick in the ass!!!).

My problem is I spend way too much time making "to do" lists and not nearly enough time completing the things on them. I wish I was a "doer". You know, one of those people that just gets up (probably at 6 am) and does everything they need to do in the day. I bet "doers" don't press the refresh button on their inbox every five minutes "just in case" or decide that watching Greys Anatomy on dvd will inspire them to be creative!! My target for the day was to complete and list two corsets and two pairs of pants, go to the post office and do some serious work towards finishing those half done projects. Hmmmm lets see how that works out for me. Time to stop blogging and start doing me thinks.

New beginnings

2008-10-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

Life is complicated. It never works out the way that you want and it is very rarely fair. In the last six months there have been lots of occasions when I could quite easily have reverted back to being five years old and jumped up and down and screamed and shouted at the horrible injustice of it all or simply cried for my mum. The problem is that when you're thirty this behaviour is pretty much frowned upon!!!

I'm not going to start this blog by talking about all the reasons why I am now trying to pick up the pieces of my life and make a big ol change for the better. All you need to do is come with me on the journey and be around to listen to the occasional temper tantrum.

This blog is mainly about sewing. It is mainly about my shop Cherry Pie Punk. I'm gonna show you the new things I've been making and what I've been doing to promote the hell out of what I do but it's also gonna be a little bit about me too. About how (hopefully) a person can make things better by doing something they love!!!