*new* Jacquard iDye!!!

So we just got this new product in at work & I am so excited!! We just got the iDyes by Jacquard in and they look like they have alot of potential! As you all know I'm a huge fan of dying my wool with Kool-Aid. It's way non-toxic & easy & not that messy. But am seriously limited to the colors available (I guess kids only like to drink Bright & Fruity flavors instead of ones like "olive" or "gun metal"). I've also played with the WashFast Dyes by Procion, but there are way too many chemicals to help set the dye & it can be quite a production to dye a batch.

But Now....

There is Jacquard's iDye!!!!






















I was so excited because these dyes come in so many Yummy colors! Plus they are really easy to use. They are the kind of dyes that you are supposed to just drop in the washing machine and just add some Vinegar, but they do include instructions for stove-top dying. I just cut the pack open and added a little of the powder to my pot & dyed away!! I tested the dye on this little turtle (sorry for the bad picts) I made for my niece's birthday next week! With just a tiny bit of the powder, the color was super bright!! I think once I get a little money in the bank from my Movie Job, I will have to invest in all the colors!!
















These are definitely worth a look at if you like to dye your own wool. I will be trying on my next big piece this week (mini-Angler) and will post picts of the outcome!!

Available at your local Dick Blick Art Supplies Store ;)

*Had to add this in cause that's where I work!!!
**They also make a iPoly Dye. The original iDye is for natural fibers, but the iPoly is for synthetics!!
















Picts of the new Display at work!!

mmm... iDye...

...

Back To Business: Week 1

So I thought maybe if I tried to add some more weekly Features on my Blog, it might help me organize my thoughts & keep me writing. So I decided to started writing a Monday Feature called:

Back To Business!!

Your weekend is over... it's Monday Morning... so... Back To Business!!! I figured this would be a great day to bring up interesting business topics that I thought maybe everyone can think about, Buyers & Sellers!


Week 1 Topic: Free Shipping!?!?!?!


So I've been thinking about this for a while now because, personally as a buyer, I'm a sucker for Free Shipping!! I love finding a product that I kinda-sorta need & am totally swayed in the purchasing direction if the shipping is super cheap or free. I hate when you find something that you absolutely need, then see that the shipping cost is as much as the price of the item. I definitely DON'T buy things with high shipping.

While reading my blog feed I came across this interesting Post from the Etsy Forums:

uniqueartpendants says:

...
This is the most important tip I have. Ready?
drumroll...
Offer free shipping. It DOES make a difference. Huge. My sales soared as soon as I offered free shipping. It's a marketing strategy that works. One woman contacted me and told me how she had a vase for $20 plus $10 shipping and it sat in her shop forever. She changed the price to $30 with "free shipping" and it sold in two days. It's a change of marketing and the buyer ended up paying the same in the end. You pay a little more in fees with the shipping included in the price - but it's worth it for the sales.
The key is to write "free shipping" in your title. If you look in my shop you will see that all of my titles have "free shipping" in them - not just in the tags. That way when buyers do a search for "free shipping" the listings with "free shipping" in the TITLES come up before the listings that have just "free shipping" tags.
...

This excerpt came from a post that uniqueartpendants started about how she made 2000+ sales. I tend to take tips from a power seller like this seriously.

I also think that the investment in Free Shipping might not be so bad when I noticed that there is a place to "deduct shipping fees" while trying to start my taxes. So technically (I think) I could probably write-off the shipping costs from my taxable income.

So...

Question of the Week:

What are your thoughts on FREE SHIPPING? As both a buyer & seller? I know it seems like a lot of money not charge a customer during an online transaction, but will that investment lead to more sales? Maybe just for domestic shipping (international can get pricey) or for BOTH?

.

Cooking on a Budget...

So yesterday was the first (of many I'm sure) Job Hunting Days. Yep, being poor sucks, and with movie production in Los Angeles down like 20% in the last year, my prospects of landing a great paying Union Gig are next to nothing. I'm okay with that I guess, it's been 10 years of hard work and ups & downs, but I think it's time for a new stage in my life... We'll call it the "FeltedChicken Era". But since my little felting business can't support me right now, I've been learning to shop on a budget & need to find a day-job to help pay the bills.

So I'm willing to share some of my secret tips to cooking on a budget (which you probably already know, but I'm slowly learning).....

• Even though it's pretty gross, roasting a chicken at home is pretty cheap & delicious!! We used to buy the store roasted chickens, but for the same price I can get twice as much chicken! I was surprised to have to pull the guts out of the chicken, but it's well worth saving the few dollars.

• Stock up on FROZEN VEGGIES!!! This is my favorite cause I can beef up any meal by just adding a couple cups of mixed frozen veggies to anything. I add them to tacos, chili, pasta, roasted meat, etc. And they might not have quite as many nutrients as the fresh ones (slightly) you can get pounds of them for a couple bucks!

• Make Tofu your friend. Tofu is a great protein substitute that is comparatively cheap. I use Tofu in my taco & lasagna. It's a great filler coupled with some frozen veggies, that costs only a couple bucks.

• Shop the "Bulk / Discount " stores. We don't have a membership to Costco or anything, but we have a local bulk grocery store called "Smart & Final", some places have "Sack 'n Save", "Food for Less", etc. They don't have the widest selection, but you can get meat cheap, buy gallons of Soy Sauce (which runs like water in my house), and one of the best things I've gotten there, a giant box of Mashed Potato Packs. I got like 12 for $8 & they are super fast & easy to make in the microwave. OH, also got like 2 pounds of whole-wheat pasta for like $5.

So those are a few of my cheap eat'n tricks. If you live, or have ever visited California you know that the "cost of living" is slightly above average here. Gotta watch those grocery ads & learn how to cook. I personally HATE to cook, but am slowly learning cause it's the best way to eat healthy & watch your wallet. If my boyfriend had it his way, we would order Take Out (preferably steak) every day. At $50 a meal, that's really why I'm kinda in control of the house-hold finances!!!

*Went to Home Depot yesterday & am going to start building the mechanical parts for the Koi & Frog today!!! I'm no carpenter, but I can use a circular saw & screw gun, so it shouldn't be that difficult!!!

** Totally just jinxed myself....

*** OOHHH!!! And I don't care to hear what your Political views are, or tell you mine, but remember to watch the "State of the Union" speech tonight. It's everyone's responsibility to be informed on what's going on in our nation. The more we all know, the stronger we will be. I never miss it, been watching it for like 10 years, it's kinda like my SuperBowl!!

.

Just a Late Night Reminder...

1 WEEK TO GO!!
If you are in the Los Angeles Area, don't forget to come & visit me at the UNIQUE LOS ANGELES show!

December 5 & 6 - California Market Center - 11am-6pm - $10

**** PLUS **** Shepard Fairey's Studio No.1 has partnered with UNIQUE LA (omg)! Every attendee will get a free cotton tote bag featuring artwork exclusive to UNIQUE LA. That makes it a collectible. Soooo cool...

I am a Victim....

Yes... I too am a victim of the "Black Friday" Craze. I got up extra early (which was insane cause I usually get up at 6am, but today I got up at like 5:15 AM) and I headed out to get the "Early Bird... Door Buster" specials. Actually I just went to Jo-Ann's cause I had a coupon for 20% off your purchase. So I think I pretty much got almost everything I need to the final push!!

1 WEEK TO GO...
7 DAYS LEFT...

OH MY...

Had a great Thanksgiving. We had an awesome time at Lance's cousin's house. They have a 1 month old baby, so that was fun to see the littlest baby ever! SO CUTE! Like a little doll that just kinda looks around and wiggles.

Got alot to finish around here, but things are all 3/4 the way done, so it should start to go fast now. I have some new SUSHI GIFT SETS that I'm listing in my shop right now!!

NEW DESIGN, NEW LOWER PRICE!

Sushi Gift Set w/ Plastic Container & Wood Chopsticks - $15.00!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I always loved this little picture, it makes me smile. I've never been a real big Thanksgiving person. Usually I don't have family to spend it with, so end up with friends or at home with take-out. But this year we are going to Lance's cousin's house, so should be fun. I can't stay all day (still got lots to do)!!!!!

Etsy sent out one of their newsletters it was titled

"Getting Ready for Cyber Monday"

OMG... Black Friday... Cyber Monday...

It's just too much for me now. Well, I can get some new items photographed this weekend in prep for the BIG DAY!! But I still have so much to do for the show. Only 9 days till I set up, I'm never going to get everything done! I like how I never do anything half-way, so of course I had to get the 10' x 10' booth to sell at, instead of a (cheaper) table. But I figured that If I was going to jump in, I might as well try & make a giant splash.




Speaking of Black Friday, I just got my After-Thanksgiving Ad from Jo-Ann Fabrics. Just to tell you that they have a pretty good sale going on for the weekend. I'm excited cause I've been putting off getting more felt fabric, and lucky me, it's on sale for $1.99 a yard!! Usually it's $4.99 a yard, so now I have a reason to head out with all the crazies at the "A$$ Crack of Dawn" on Friday morning. That in theory should be about my last push for stuff to buy.

Well, I wish you all a HAPPY, RESTFUL, FUN THANKSGIVING!
I will try too!

I feel like a slug...

So I usually try and start the day off really motivated... but... by like lunch time, I've lost my groove. But I do have a couple of things here that should get me moving. I've almost finished a new sculpture!

I also went to the HardWare store this weekend and just walked around looking for odds & ends that might inspire something. It's great fun & I totally recommend it if you have a free hour or so. It was my local HardWare store, very small, but I need to try it at Home Depot or something. You can find the craziest stuff just walking the aisles. I've started some ideas with a "Metal vs. Felt" type idea. Trying to incorporate big moving metal things into my felted sculptures. Kinda fun, different.





I also got a huge shipment on electronic parts that I ordered last week!!!! I'm excited cause now I have a basic electronics kit going (except I forgot to order resistors, so need to go to RadioShack today). So hopefully I get to play with helping get my sculptures moving!!! Yea!!! So in theory I have some stuff to light those flames under my butt, yet again.





I will post pictures of my newest felted sculpture (hopefully tomorrow)!