12 Friday Aug 2011
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The theme for today is “close-up”.
This is a photo of my first crochet project – a granny square cushion. The green square in the centre is the very first thing I crocheted, with the help of Youtube no less! I’ll never get rid of this cushion as it’s a daily reminder of the (wonky but exciting) first step I took on my crochet journey.
12 Friday Aug 2011
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By a brilliant stroke of good luck, I came across Sherry’s Oh So Lovely blog this morning. Currently she is running a 30 Day Photo challenge which started in August, so they are up to day 11 already. I think it’s a lovely idea, so I’m going to take part (albeit 11 days late) and post one photo each day that fits into the theme of that day.
Day 11 is “something fun” – what could be more fun than deciding what crochet hexagon should go where, when arranging them for a scarf?! (Uhhm… I guess this photo would also qualify for Day 15.) Anyhoo, it was fun, so here it is:
Have a happy Friday everyone!
Natasja
10 Wednesday Aug 2011
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I’ve listed these thirteen flower brooches in my Etsy shop over the last two days. (These are the brooches that I took with me to the market on Sunday). Don’t they just scream Summer?!
It’s such fun making them because the yarn changes colour as I crochet and it’s really exciting to see what colour comes next.
They are 10cm diameter each so they really make an impact when you attach them to a coat, cardigan, or even just onto a t-shirt. I love wearing the brightest one I can find on a black, grey or navy outfit. When I need an extra dose of self-confidence I wear two – no-one can ignore you with two of these babies on your shoulder!
Now, for the best part! Once I get 50 subscribers to this blog, I will post a 20% discount code for brooches, to be used in my Etsy shop. That means these babies will go for £4 in stead of £5! If you haven’t already signed up to receive this blog by email, you can do so on the right hand side. The moment I get 50 subscribers, I’ll post the code, so tell your friends and other bloggers!
I’m so looking forward to posting these bright brooches all over the world!
Natasja
08 Monday Aug 2011
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Thursday 4 August was a very big day for me. I was merrily typing away at work when I got a message asking me whether I want to be a seller on a brand spanking new website aimed at “parents who do not wish to wholly compromise on style in order to accommodate the needs and wants of their children”, called Dorothy & Theodore.
Sally and Emma (the directors of Dorothy & Theodore) found my clocks on Etsy and invited me to get in on the action. They found ME! They INVITED me!
This is just another example of the Universe playing its part in my life in such a wonderful way. You see, last week I had the idea that I want to start making baby blankets to match my clocks. The clock – and – blanky combo would look so lovely in a nursery, so my obvious target market are moms with nurseries to decorate. Lo and behold, Dorothy & Thoedore knocks on my door! How crazy and wonderful is that?! But wait, there’s more (as the man in the JML ads would say). The launch of Dorthy & Theodore will be at the Baby Show Earls Court which attracts roughly 25,000 visitors!!!! Little ‘ole me would never be able to reach so many people on my own! I haven’t even started making the blankets – they’re just an idea in my head – but yet, the perfect venue for selling them, finds me. Amazing!
I’ll be telling you more about Dortothy and Theodore in the coming weeks. The website is not live yet, and therefore my little corner of the website also not up and running, but don’t you worry I’ll be making an announcement as soon as it is!
For now, the plan of action is to make a few clocks and blankets (new idea, new design possibilities!) for Sally and Emma to display at the Baby Show in October. Now that I know what I know about children loving the bright colours of my clocks (see yesterday’s post) I just know that the blankets and clocks will be a huge hit on Dorthy & Theodore. Can you imagine how pretty a nursery would look with a clock above the crib and a matching blanket in the crib?! I can!
Oooh, I’ve just written myself into a crochet craving. What a pity I’m sitting at work – I’ll just have to rush home tonight with even more gusto than usual.
Happy hooking everyone!
Natasja
07 Sunday Aug 2011
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For the first time in my life, I attended a market not as a buyer, but as a seller. I was a casual trader at South London’s Merton Abbey Mills. Hubby and I were really excited and looked forward to meeting people and making loads of sales. Unfortunately the weather was yucky and we realised that the market crowd was not the kind of crowd that appreciates hand made goods. Toddlers and children were drawn to the bright colours of my clocks like moths to a flame, but unfortunately their parents were not.
I’m taking today as a learning experience. I learned that:
I really love what I do, and I know the clocks are liked (if I look at the Favourites and responses I get from Etsy), so I’m not disheartened. In fact, I feel really motivated to create even more “mad” (as one women described the clocks) designs and colours. I basically just need to find the right market where the right kind of person wanders around.
In the words of Tupac
You can spend minutes hours days weeks or even months over analyzing a situation trying to fit the pieces together, justifying what would’ve or should’ve happend. Or you could leave the pieces on the floor and move the **** on.
Have you had a similar experience with market stalls? Wrong market, wrong time? If so, leave me a comment.
05 Friday Aug 2011
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A few weeks ago Kathryn Vercillo, a fantastic blogger from San Francisco, saw my clocks on Sarah London’s blog and asked whether she could do an interview with me. Needless to say, I immediately said yes (and felt like a mini celebrity). It was fun answering the questions as it really got me thinking about what I do.
You can read the interview here. Do yourself a favour and start following Kathryn’s blog. She posts very regularly and her posts are always extremely well written and informative. Well worth the read.
04 Thursday Aug 2011
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Welcome, welcome, welcome to my piece of the blogosphere. Here I will be sharing my love, passion and, lets be honest, my obsession with crochet with you.
If you read my “About” page, you’ll see that I started to crochet in August 2009. It’s now two years later and I have since opened an Etsy store where I sell crochet wall clocks (and soon to come, baby blankets as well). Go have a look on the “My Etsy shop” tab – you’ll see what I mean.
I have big plans and hopes for this blog, my Etsy shop and my business. One day I will look back on August 2011 and say “Geez, look how far I’ve come since that very first Welcome blog entry!”.
In the words of Ralph Walco Emerson:
Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.
That’s the plan Ralph, that’s the plan!
crochetime 