Pondering Etsy

Hi goodlooking, I have a question... about etsy! Do you think people would be interested in buying second hand, self made clothing? They're secondhand because I've worn them maybe 10 times (or some I've worn 2 times) and self made because... I made them!

Life as a Mama has very few dilemmas (if you look at the glass half full way of looking - or in my case - glass very full while some would see it empty!) and one dilemma is my quantity of frocks that I still can't wear due to breastfeeding or I'm just not that 'into' the style anymore because my life has evolved a bit.

So, I'm pondering listing some frocks on etsy that are in very good condition, nicely made by me, and often from recycled fabrics (the above is the bedsheet I dyed and then made into a darling frock for Sew Weekly) ... and just wanted to gauge your thoughts! I haven't used etsy for a while, and maybe you have? Let me know your thoughts babes!

Anyways, we're back from holidays and have lots of errands to run around the house... so hopefully I'll have some clearer photos for you (but you didn't mind the iphone photos did you?) and some nice stories to tell. NICE STORIES!? Oh I make myself laugh!

xoxo

Bad Promo Queen

oh HAI!

Hope your Monday is nice! We've just entertained on a Monday evening, SOCIAL! I didn't have to google 'finger food easy' tonight. I just made potato pizza (with rosemary and mozzarella/feta) for us and chatted away into the night, and before I go to bed, I remembered that I run an esty store.

Stretchy Floral Vintage Skirt: by Veronica Darling

I had sold a dress a little while back, and sent it off, and just checked the store today. ALL THE ITEMS HAD EXPIRED. EEP, I'm a bad store keeper! So I just renewed 2 items, and the skirt above being one of them. CUTE (if you like cute things of course).

So I can't recall if I've promo-ed my etsy store recently, but if you're a newcomer: Hai, I'm Veronica Darling, I make stuff and I'm a bad promo queen, in that I make the stuff, put it in the etsy store and forget about it. I also work a terribly busy day job (that's nothing to do with sewing) that I'll tell you about one day. In summary, my life is: Phew!

I'm working all this week, but then I'll be away for almost 3 weeks with work. How should I document this time away, I wonder? I thought I could take a photo of my outfit each day, as most of it will be made by me. Then I thought I could make something 'on the road' as you can take knitting needles on planes now, right? I wonder what kind of travel diary I should do. I AM OPENING THE FLOOR. You can think of me like Tony Jones from Q & A. Would you like to suggest topics and I'll write up 3 weeks worth of drivel (exciting Veronica Darling drivel darlings)? Leave a comment below, or email me direct veronicadarling@gmail.com

Dining out for lunch on a hot date...

... with my dog.

She's big enough now for a bit of out and about learning without getting in a tiz! She's 9 months old now!

I tried to load a photo here but the free internetz is just a little slow, but we're out at a lovely cafe, she with water bowl, me with cuppa tea. And SHE JUST SAT DOWN, she's always excited about stuff, so for her to be sitting and chilling just a bit (she's checking out some goths from the goth shop across the road) is really amazing.

Anyways, I'm updating my etsy, slowly and just wanted to share this site:

More Cloth - a easy and colour way to shop for fabric on etsy! I'm thinking of sending this out when I do custom orders for custies, as it could be a good way to know what exact colour to make for people.

I found it via the Dust Team Forums... do you know there's a "street team" for most countries and if you sell on etsy you can sign up and be a member of the Down Under Street Team (aka DUST)? I'm not a serial pest there, as I have no extra time in my day, but if I did sewing full time I'd spend more time there, as heaps of people discuss what they're making and how they make it and how to do business better etc... so it's really very helpful if you're thinking of doing creating full time (not just sewing mind you) cause it's a little community for you to engage with.

I might bust a move now, the connection here is just way too slow (aren't I all lardy dah with my speedy access at home now?) and I want to investigate the op shops down the road. I have a "special project" in mind, and it involves a red dress. It might take me a few experiments to get it right, and it's for something pretty big. I want to make something very original too, so once I sketch it out (in my mind) I might report back.

WHOA secret squirrel til then.

x

Just loaded this photo back home:



x

Pausing and Reflecting

Some snap shots of things that I'm chucking up into my Veronica Darling etsy store! It's a day of pausing and reflecting for me. You know when you hear yourself repeat little tags or pep talk things, to "Pause and Reflect" is one of my sayings at work. It comes out every now and again in busy times. Or what about "Creating a conversation"? I think I used that one today in an email. Why didn't I just write "let's talk"? It has to be jargonised and 'creating' sounds like I'm being bright and creative.

EEP!

A few things I paused and reflected on today:

Why everyone at work was asking me about Wordpress and what I thought about blogging. Does this mean I should change my junky page? Should I start over at wordpress?

All the clock noises through hack today. It was about your biological clock and all the ticking made me Pause and Reflect on when to have a baby. I'm 31 now. I'm very short. I think I'm 22. I would look weird having a baby. Like a 12 year old who is pregnant. I still have baby teeth, how can I have a baby?

How my Husbie has nice relatives and how I accidently called them when I set up skype on my new computer and they were really sweet.

I can't believe I can love a dog so much. She is just so cute and friendly and funny and soft and cute and pretty and little and sleepy (at the moment) and crazy (earlier).




Hope Tuesday was darling for you, best wishes to you if you need a little weekend already. xoxo

It's my birthday and you get ALL the presents!

Yep, I'm sure it's not a new thing, but I had another gorgeous birthday and have altered a few etsy items so YOU get lovely discounts on my darling handmade unique items.

There's NOTHING over $20 (American dollar darlings) and it's all totally a one of a kind garment and totally and I chopped off 20 bucks of every item. Grand Sale Grand Sale Grand Sale.

Woo!

*phew!*

I'm going to actually start sewing again, (o RLY?), and I totally need to update my etsy with all the latest things I've made, so hence the big Birthday Sale!

Thanks to you lovely gals who said happy bday via facebook! You're a treasure! And btw, you can totes become my friend on facey if you wish, I'll totally love it! Search for Veronica Darling, or click on the left hand column below (somewhere there, you'll see a facebook box).

Night peeps!

WWW - Watcha Wearing Wednesday #12

Hey there guys!!

Almost Giveaway Day! I'm drawing your prize on Thursday so fingers crossed it's you!

Today, being Wednesday is once again WWW - Watcha Wearing Wednesday, and quite simply it's a YAY DAY, because Franca over at Oranges And Apples sent me a darling little present! (Please don't laugh at my funny face, I'd only just woken up from my little nanna nap in the afternoon!)


The darling little brooch! She's also listed some on etsy I see too, which reminded me to favourite her store. Cuteness! If you haven't been to her blog before, Franca posts at least once a day, and her outfits and creations are so bright and colourful. So good for me to look at, during our winter, but would be perfect for springtime/summer!

We just got back from the Johnny Depp film, it was good and the fashions were ACE, so it's quite late for me.

I'm still on a little holiday from the sewing room, but promise, more things soon!

Yay! Made a sale on etsy!

Hooray! Hard at work (above) in the sewing room, making up Day Five's Outfit - a green skirt, and yay! I made a sale via my etsy store! The parcel (a little pink skirt you may remember) will be off to Canada.

But, speaking of etsy, I'd love to give a big couple of thumbs up to Julien Jaborska! They were featured on etsy's front page a while ago, and I knew my darling husbie would love one:


A belt made from old bicycle tires! YIKES! I love a good old refash, and especially from something that isn't used anymore, like a punctured tire. How wonderful!

Thank you Julien! My husbie loves the belt, it fits perfect and hope your shop does really well! You should totally go and check the belts and his artwork out! However I just went and checked his etsy, and all the belts are on reserve! So you'd better put an order in soon, he may have to collect up a lot more bike tyres!

xoxo Veronica

Outfit #62 is perfect for the Northern Hemisphere!

As you know, if you check in here regularly, I'm aiming for 100 Outfits all made by me. I started last year, and have comfortably crept into the 60s, with this gorgeous floral dress. It's perfect for spring and summer time peeps!





It's very "swingy" along the sleeves and along the hem line. It's a little like this one but heaps more normal.

I just realised that I've made over 30 outfits since I got my new brother machine, and a bunch more since I got my overlocker. It certainly makes you motivated when you've got good tools!

This dress is on my etsy site now, and pretty cute if you're around a size 12!

My MIL arrives in a few minnies, so I better rush off... here's something that I'll start when she leaves and when I get back from working interstate. Some sort of wiggle dress with these materials:



And I tried a bib, it looks ok, just tricky working with different materials, as I've got a soft under bit, and the silk bias binding is a bit slippery. I've been meaning to try baby things for AGES, and this is pretty easy since it only takes up about a foot of fabric...



I'll post from time to time, but happy rest of May if I don't! I *may* be attempting this kinda thing while I'm away!

Etsy-ness for today

Doing a little hanging out on etsy today...


And updated my store with another dress, one from AGES ago that I was fiddling around with the photoshop to get right... I decided that I'd ditch mucking about and just leave the background in, as for a while I thought the white background made it focus more on the garment... but it doesn't matter I guess.

Plus our front porch is perfect for photos, it gets some sun, but not too much, and as I said yesterday, when Husbie's home the photos are always brilliant. But thank you, Little Red Hen, I agree, save more time for the sewing than the photoshop mucking.

Can't type too much, my darling Doggie is asleep on my lap. Kisses!

Outfit #61 for etsy!

Just finished this one off before my Husbie got home, so he got to take the shots for etsy! Yay.




Outfit 61! Available on Veronica Darling Etsy, go there now!

I decided that I spend WAY too much time prepping my images for etsy, so I'm going to post these photos and see what they look online. My husbie always takes good pics, and it shows the garment in natural light, so that's always good for etsy.

This dress is a little vintage inspired, as I got a bunch of 60s bridesmaid patterns the other day, yet I've tweaked this somewhat to make it a little more modern and lovely. Yay!

Phew, all my work is done (maybe)!

Phew! I'm back!

I have a busy job. And have been away for close to 2 weeks because of the hectic-ness. Phew. I love sewing because it's the complete opposite of what I do for a living... it's reflective, calm, meditative and logical. Yep, I enjoy logical because my job is slightly absurd at times. Sorry I didn't post, I could hardly even check personal emails! Eep!

But, the best news on earth... This will be our puppy as of Friday this week:



She's a staffy and gorgeous!

So I've been shopping for our new addition!!! A few months back I checked out Annie's Sweatshop on etsy (quite randomly I think!) and she makes eco-friendly dog things, from re-purposed fabrics and I'm in love. I bought another collar from my parent's pooch too. Yay!



Photo care of Annie's blog!

So I promise we won't get too carried away with pictures of Doggie... although I may be making a few doggie coats and jackets for the rain!!! I'm adamant to keep my blog about crafty adventures, so please point out if I get too lovey dovey about Doggie!

My shop's items and my faves!

I had a sale (yippee!) the other week, so made me think how little I do to advertise or promo my clothes on etsy!



But don't forget the recent faves from etsy!



I'm making a green tofu curry at the moment, and recovering from a big party weekend, very very slowly. I've got my sights this weekend on a very comfy session in my sewing room... of shirts for lovely ladies, trousers for lovely Husbie and perhaps a few more wiggle dresses for my new fans!

A little guerilla post

Since I posted the Guerilla Knitting Post, I'm really really really curious about the spelling of guerrilla!!!

A google reveals both are correct! WEIRD!

This word, meaning 'fighter', is easy to misspell. Remember the u and the double r and double l. Guerilla is an alternative spelling.

a person who engages in irregular warfare especially as a member of an independent unit carrying out harassment and sabotage

And when I google both spellings, the same pages come up! WEIRD AGAIN!

Anyways, as I'm updating my store again today, here's where I'm at with my streetart piece. STRIPES:



It's just over a metre long, and I shall totally keep doing a little bit more tonight. Unfortunately I finished the first season of West Wing, and waiting for my friend to drop off the second season. But it was a major cliffhanger! Think I'll watch Neighbours instead.

Awww a few new listings

Here's the proof!



A new shirt and a new dress. I think the photos turned out ok, I took them inside around 10am - 11am when the sun was coming into the loungeroom, but we have light white blinds. My Husbie (the former cinematographer) says its the best 'true' light. PROFESSIONAL! I did notice that it did get a little darker toward 12noon, when I packed things up. But I like to have true images, without any photoshopping (only cropping) the colour etc.

Yay!

Well, I've got to take a shower and straighten my hair (it's totally frizzy from the heat) and go out to the pub. Husbie's been working (on a Saturday :( !!) so we're all going on a family outing with a friend from Melbs and other 'young couples'.

I kinda wish I could stay at home and finish off Outfit Number 49, but I bet I can do that tomorrow!

I'm actually updating my Etsy Store. OMG

It's been a while, I've been making stuff, but not having a morning free to take photos!

ONLINE SOON:



That's the back detail of a pretty denim-like dress, I'll stick up later. And I'm just uploading some other things now.

I feel sad for you peeps in Melbourne and Victoria. My folks are in Gippsland and poor mum's garden isn't too good appazza... Fried vegies, fried flowers. Hopefully today is a bit better and cooler for you!

Anyways, just a quick one! Back to the uploading!

Surviving another wintertime in one week

I don't oft harp on about the weather, but I liked Sydney's warmer climes to Melbsie Welbsie, but it's just gone to the total dogs this week.

After a weekend of sunshine smothered in suncream, the week turned into the nastiest display of forgotten wintertimes! I was freezing. Freezing during the day, freezing at night, freezing at work! My Melbs Friend looked at me on Wednesday, and said 'Gosh you are cold' as my teeth chattered!!!!!!

I AM OFFICIALLY FROM SYDNEY! I have acclimatised and now get cold with any dash of a breeze. I can never visit Melbs in wintertime ever again, for I will die!

The best thing is that we've woken this weekend to another gorgeous blue sky day in my backyard!



So in crafty news, I've stocked my stock so I have NINE item in it. (I sold something last night, so now 9 things) And thus here's a mini etsy:



And I'll have to take some piccies because last weekend I made 2 dresses, both a quite swish. And one even got a red carpet screening... more news soon.

YAY!

New home and some new listings on etsy

Hey pals,

I've moved and I've taken some little pics of some newly listed dresses!

It feels great to be in the house, and we're settling slowly into the place! Unfortunately as it's still winter, the house is a little cold, but we'll prob get a heater for next year!

Here's a pic I took in the backyard!



So I'll soon set up the sewing room, and whizzing up a storm! YAY!

Heaps of projects on the go

I'm a little busy juggling craft projects at the mo', we got our dates mixed up with the markets at Rozelle, but it's kinda good because there's more time to stock up!

Crafty projects:

Famillion little purses (it's a pun on the puntastic band from Sweden Familjen)

Altering this dress for my little Carmelinda

Making a white collared and cuffed black dress for myself (if it fits - so far so good)

Knitting a cutie flecked pink scarf (one row purl, one row knit) for the markets that I'll attend one day


So for this post, here is my virtual shopping experience for today:



Some of my fave online/handmade things on etsy at the moment!

xoxo

My Obi Won Sashes

I love starwars, I like Obi Wan Kenobi when he was a young man and an old man. Luckily I found some great floral material otherwise these sashes would be fawn fawn fawn!

Check them out!!!!

I'm so mintd

I was hanging out reading this blog and learnt about mintd, an Australian etsy! Yippee, I signed up straight away and listed my obi won sashes - check it here:

Creamy Obi Won Sash - but I accidently listeed it as man's product! Oops! Surely you can see that it's for girls right?

Anyways, I'm just getting some more stuff online at etsy and then to take some piccies of this little girls dress I made! Cute!