YESSSSS!

Yes, yes, yes!

I have five different people who have "hearted" my items or added me to their list of favorites.  Yessss!

Okay, so no one has actually purchased anything.  But I think they will!  It's certainly a step in the right direction, don't you think?

On a less happy note, I'm wondering if I need to get a better camera.  I feel like my pictures are a bit too blurry.  Problem being I cannot afford a better camera until this crap starts selling.  Sigh.  Who knew running their own business could be so challenging (lots of people, probably, actually).

I figured I would swoop in, stitch a few little things together, and call it good.  Not so.  There is a lot out there, and my items aren't quite standing out yet.  So.  New strategy.  Better photos.  More frequent listings.  And tag the crap out of my items.  We'll see, I guess....

Nail Biter

Well, it's done.  

The business is off!  Designed by Anna Otto is officially open, and I have 8 items listed for sale.  Judging by my competitors, I need more.  Quite a few people have looked at my items, but no one has purchased any yet.  I'm sensing I need more range, more funkiness to my designs.  Can do!  Keep looking people!  I see other people who have joined and sold like 200 things in 3 months...I want to be that girl!

Off for more sewing....

Ugh!

So I have been a busy little bee, sewing my heart out and trying to get ready to open my "shop." I have a good inventory started, I had my name chosen...things were going well!

EXCEPT THAT SOMEONE STOLE MY NAME. Well, they already had it, so I guess it's not technically STEALING, but....

I am livid. And stumped. Back to the drawing board....

A Rose By Any Other Name...

So, according to the Etsy website, your shop name is REALLY important.  So what to choose?  My husband looked at me like I'd grown a third head when I asked him, so I'll ask you folks instead...what do you think?

Designed by AEO?

AnnaOttoShop?

Or, my personal favorite, dpdesigns

Why dpdesigns (which I think I will probably go with)?  Well, here's another little secret for you...I LOVE my name.  Marrying Russ not only allowed me to marry my best friend (clearly the highlight of said marriage), but it also gave me the rarely found "double palindrome" status.  That's right, friends.  Forward or backward, my first and last name are BOTH the same.  We double palindromes are very rare.  Plus, I like the look of it in type...

dp designs

Thoughts?

My Dirty Little Secret...

So, today begins an adventure for yours truly.  I am going to start my own Etsy shop, and, since I quite enjoy putting my random thoughts out into cyberspace, I am going to chronicle the ups and downs of my Etsy adventure.

What brought this all on?  Well, I'm an Event Coordinator by day, wife and mother by night.  In my profession, you find yourself doing some really weird things from time to time (example: last Friday I asked the following three questions in the space of 45 mts--a) Would you happen to have a Manzanita tree?  b) Can you help me load 100 pounds of play sand into my trunk?  and c) Where do you stock the camouflage print fabrics?).  It's great though.  I get to plan parties, I get to be creative, and for the most part I deal with people as they plan the exciting, enjoyable parts of their lives and jobs.  So I can't complain when the odd task scuttles across my desk.

Two weeks ago I helped plan a small table for a fundraiser.  We went with a garden theme, and it actually turned out quite cute, considering our budget was shoestring (I'm being generous here).

(I'm on the right)

But, to help make the table look more "finished,"  we edged it with about 50 "yo-yo" flowers.

Did I know how to make a yo-yo flower before this event?  Absolutely not.  But if you refuse to increase your skill set, you're a pretty crap event coordinator, I think, so I found an on-line tutorial and we were off to the races.  

My assistant made the off hand comment while pinning them to the table that if she were ten, she'd love to put one of these on a headband or hair clip.  I about fell out of my heels.  Why the hell not?  So, after the event was over, I carted my bag of yo-yos back to the office and jumped on to etsy.  Sure enough, they're everywhere, selling from $7 to $25, depending on the size, materials, etc.  So I figured what have I got to loose?  I invested $20 in headbands and got to work.  Lord knows I'm handy with a hot glue gun, and I can pair colors and patterns pretty well...so....

Here we go!  Who knows?  This may crash and burn.  I may not sell a damn thing.  Or I may start turning and burning floral accessories across the united states (my fabric flowers are not limited to the yo-yo category).  And all the while I am going to blog about it, although secretly.  No use letting the world know that I'm chronicling this until it's a success.  I can lick my wounds quietly with you, my readers, should this all be for naught.  (you are out there, aren't you?)

And now?  Off to begin creating an inventory!