Back in Stock

After my Etsy shop reopening announcement last week I decided to relisted two popular bracelets in my etsy, With Eyes Lifted.

Cobalt Bracelet

Verde Bracelet

And here is a sneak preview of my current project, a crochet necklace.

Make sure to visit a Shimmering Star and With Eyes Lifted for updates and new listings!

Etsy Shop Updates

Before the holidays I started the process of reopening my Etsy shops, Silverblayze Supplies and Vintage and With Eyes Lifted. My shops have been closed for about a year because of the wedding, the new house, and the time I needed to recharge.

Now that I am focused again I am getting reacquainted with the changes to Etsy's site. I have created About pages for each shop (About Silverblayze and About With Eyes Lifted), and I am refreshing item descriptions and pictures to sell old stock.

Here are a couple of handmade listings from With Eyes Lifted...

 Rose Skinny Scarf

 Opalite Bracelet

...and curated items from Silverblayze Supplies and Vintage.

Plaid Ribbon

 Blank Cassette Tapes

In the spring I will release a new collection. You can follow my blog for listing updates and the official Grand (Re)Opening.

A Sneak Peek

Putting my computer in the studio was a smart move. Once I am in my studio I feel inspired to make. When Matt visited the room this afternoon and said "It is very peaceful in here." And that is exactly what I need to create.

Here is a sneak peek of what I am working on:

Hint: It goes around the neck. And it will be listed in With Eyes Lifted soon.

Purrfect Lazy Sunday

It has been a while since Misty graced my blog. Matt, Misty and I spent a lazy Sunday together today. It felt good to not feel rushed. I worked on new products for With Eyes Lifted; I hope to reopen my shop soon.

As the sun started setting, Misty found the perfect opportunity to pose. She looks forward to her future features on a Shimmering Star.

Dimondale Holiday Craft Show 2010

Last year, as you may recall, I participated in the Dimondale Holiday Craft Show with potter CraftedClay. This year we once more ventured into the realm of craft shows. 

Although the show took place over two days, I only sold two items at the very last minute. My sales were effected by three factors: setting, economy and market.


Setting
Overall, we had less foot traffic that last year. Two factors played into the setting: location and timing. 


Dimondale is a small village close to Lansing, MI. The show was held at a series of houses. We were not located within the main cluster of houses and the map showed our house between two roads, so it was easy for people to miss us. 


Also, a nearby town, Holt, held their holiday show the same weekend, which may have effected turnout. Also, the Silver Bells in the City Parade was Friday night and Michigan State University played Purdue in East Lansing on Saturday. 


Economy
I do not need to reiterate the current economic situation. People are trying to be thrifty, to conserve their money for items they need rather than want. Most people who walked through the house did not purchase anything.


Market
My shop, With Eyes Lifted, is marketed to the twenty- to forty-something indie or bohemian; that is, a shopper seeking unique accessories, jewelry and décor for her modern lifestyle. I use recycled materials when I can, so many of my items are limited quantity. Similarly, CraftedClay focuses on quirky, one-of-a-kind pottery.


We had several women walk through the house only to apologize that she "didn't have anything jump out" at her. The women were not interested in our style. We may do better in a focused market.

The lack of sales was somewhat discouraging, but it was still relaxing. I chatted about crafting, drank amazing (non-alcoholic) wassail and played with some cool cats. 

We decided to not participate next year. Setting up an in-house craft show takes time and effort, and it is a bit too much. That said, I will cherish the friendship, memories and experience I have gained from the show.

Grateful for Home Treasury

My crochet star garland is featured in the Grateful for Home Treasury created by FARStudios through Wednesday, December 9th at approximately 11:30 a.m.. The stars are a new product in my etsy, With Eyes Lifted. I recently blogged about the crocheted star garlands here.

With Eyes Lifted, Crochet Star Garlands in Gold and Silver $32

New product: Crocheted Star Garland

Behold! With Eyes Lifted has a new product line: Crocheted Star Garlands.

Meant to be displayed over a mantle or doorway, the garlands are approximately 6 feet long and are available in two colors: silver and gold. They are hand-crocheted in cotton with an original pattern.

Silver Star Garland :: Gold Star Garland $32

Dimondale Holiday Craft Show 2009

I participated in my first craft show with CraftedClay on November 20th and 21st in Dimondale, Michigan.

The first day was damp, overcast and generally nasty. I spent much of the day in front of the fireplace sipping wassail (spiced hot cider) which my host's husband made over the stove. It was delicious and the perfect beverage for such a day.

We saw more foot traffic on Saturday. The weather cleared and everyone agreed it was a beautiful fall day, especially for Michigan.

I went with no expectations, but the experience was exciting and I cannot wait to repeat it! Although I did not have the massive sales all crafters dream of, I did manage to sell several items. I passed out business cards, and hopefully this will help word-of-mouth advertising.

With Eyes Lifted :: Silverblayze Supplies and Vintage

Unexpected Validation

Validation of the handmade comes at unexpected times. Last week, I was having black cloud morning. Every customer seemed to be in a foul mood and every cashier overly needy. After six years of mundane, often meaningless routine, sometimes I get bombarded with feelings of worthlessness and despair I will never move on.

After lunch, I went to talk to the scheduler because earlier that morning I realized I had 19 hours of vacation to take before September on top of the 40 hours I had already planned for August. She helped me work it out, and even more, helped lift my mood high above the black clouds for the day.

About a year ago, she had bought a bracelet from me for her special needs daughter. I had nearly forgotten about this since I have not sold much to my coworkers. The scheduler's daughter, I learned, has a problem with giving things away. She gave away a $300 necklace and $80 cash among other things without seeing anything wrong with it. The scheduler told me a girl at daycare tried to convince her daughter the bracelet I had made (and she wore every day) wasn't hers but the other girl's. She refused to give the girl the bracelet, telling her "no! My mom bought this for me from a girl at work."

When I heard this story, my heart melted. Here was a girl who gave away jewelry worth so much more, but she protected the valued, handmade bracelet--a bracelet I had made--without a second thought. I get little validation through my job--retail demands much from workers with the only return being a check every two weeks. With this bracelet I made over a year ago the return was more than the few dollars I charged for material and services.

As I work for release from retail, this story will remain with me, and I will remember this unexpected validation for years to come.

Sea Opal Bracelet, With Eyes Lifted $12.48

Trials in Photoshop

Here are a couple of recent works of intuitive photoshopping:

A banner for Wondra (Wondra's World UK , Witchybelle4u2) of Kronish Kraftwerks

A watercolor flyer I edited in Photoshop for my etsy, With Eyes Lifted:

Nothing spectacular, but I think I did well enough with room to improve next time. :)

Orange smoke Treasury

I'm a little late with this one since it expires this afternoon, but my Autumn bracelet from my etsy, With Eyes Lifted, was featured in the Orange smoke Treasury created by happyment.

Thank you happyment for using my bracelet.

an invitation to dream treasury

I put together my first treasury on etsy, an invitation to dream. Be sure to check it out and leave a comment by Saturday!

Many thanks to sweetlittle, pacokeco, ALark, savor, extremespinning, Sassydoggs, thesorceress770, fancyfeast, mrscaleb, pinkmilkvintage, westergard11, mcfarlanddesigns, ecologicalarts, beadoutlet, seraart, and reyaveltman for their inspiring items. 

"Steepia" Treasury

My one-of-a-kind vintage find grandfather sweater was featured in UnusualFelineObjects's treasury, Steepia. Thank you UnusualFelineObjects!

Be sure to watch my etsy, With Eyes Lifted, for more vintage clothing as well as handcrafted jewelry, accessories and more!

1/2 OFF SALE

I am reducing the price of the craft books on my etsy, With Eyes Lifted by half through December 15th. Be sure to check out some of the vintage books--great resources for the serious crafter and beginner alike.

Reductions have already been taken; the books are priced as marked.

"on tippy toes" Treasury

One of my "something blue" toe rings was featured in Lolleys thoughtful treasury, "on tippy toes" on Etsy. Thank you Lolleys!

My "something blue" toe ring line is previously mentioned in this post.

Featured Item: Plarn

Courtney Watson of CourtneyWatson.net has featured my plarn (plastic bag yarn) in her blog post about eco friendly fibers: Etsy Favs: Eco-friendly Fibers. Thank you Courtney!

Plarn SALE $10.48 1 , 2 

Etsy Listing: Guide to Modern Clothing

I am quite excited to announce I have listed an amazing vintage resource in my etsy, With Eyes Lifted.

Any fashion designer or casual sewer would benefit with the "Guide to Modern Clothing" in their collection. Originally published in 1962, the 1968 second edition was used for home economics in Bellevue, Michigan.

Published: Vintage; 1968 2nd edition

Co-authors: Mary Mark Strum; Edwina Hefley Grieser

Publisher: Webster McGraw-Hill

Condition: Very Good, slight damage on top

Guide to Modern Clothing , $10.48

Skinny Scarf Tutorial

Scarves are versatile accessories. Super skinny scarves look great with a tank and jeans. Simply wrap around your neck several times and you are glamorous. And skinny scarves are amazingly simple to create.

You don't have to bust the bank to use scraps of yarn or buy a single skein.  Achieving different styles is as easy as varying the stitches and yarn.

Materials:

Scrap balls of yarn or on skein

Crochet hook or knitting needle

Piece of cardboard to size (optional)

Skill: Beginner to intermediate

Time: An evening watching tv or a movie

Crochet: Ch desired width of scarf (varies with hook/yarn ply). Ch 2 and turn. DC (British TC) in each hole until reach end of row. Ch 2, turn, and continue until yarn is depleted or desired length is met. Weave in ends. 

Knit: Cast on desired width. Knit rows until yarn is depleted or desired length is met. Knit/Purl stitches can be alternated to add texture. Cast off. Weave in ends.

Suggestions: Dig into your stash to create a unique bohemian look. Add stripes by alternating yarns. Or simply grab a handful of yarns and knit or crochet them together. Add tassels for fun and flair.

Find more ideas and patterns at Knitty,  Ravelry, AntiCraft, and Craftster.

"Something Blue" Toe Ring Line

I am happy to announce a new line of toe rings listed in my etsy, With Eyes Lifted.

As the old adage goes, brides should wear:

Something old,
something new,
something borrowed,
something blue.

The past. The future. Good fortune. Fidelity. Each item is a symbol. With my something blue toe rings, blue beads are strung on memory wire for a delicate and fun "something blue" for your special day. And it is also something new. ;)

Or you can complete your beach ensemble or accentuate your pedicure with a toe ring. Perfect with sandals and flip flops.

Adjustable. One size fits most. 

Something Blue Toe Ring, 1, 3, 2  $4.42

Thoughts on Etsy Showcase

As I previously posted, I bought an Etsy Showcase to display my items for twenty-four hours.

With Eyes Lifted is not a supply shop per se. My shop mostly has jewelry and accessories at the moment, but I do carry supplies. I felt my supplies had a nice selection, the best pictures and a decent price range. Therefore, I chose to showcase my supplies. 

I did not have a single sale. One person favorited an item, but no one favorited my shop. It did generate some traffic, but only minimal. But I would, and will, do it again. It did not do much this time, but I believe combine showcasing with other avenues of advertisement will help With Eyes Lifted become a success. I can try buying space on other blogs such as IndieFixx (and perhaps sell space on my own), buy ad space in magazines such as VenusZine, Bust and Craft/Make and utilize flickr.  I think I may try showcasing each month in a different category as funds allow. Perhaps even every other month.  

So yes, I believe showcasing is worth the time and money; I just need to work hard and believe my shop is worth it.