Flea Market Success!

Surrounded by old books, clothes out of a womans closet and kitchen supplies, I set up my first booth (table from target with a table cloth), at the Alamo Square Flea Market yesterday. This was my first attemt at selling the Wunzees outside of my Etsy shop, and I'll tell you it was WAY more enjoyable. Seeing people touch your stuff, and comment on how cute it was felt amazing. I handed out way more cards than sold items, but seriously, I consider that to be a success too!


Mick came out with me at 7:30 to start and set up, and by 8:30 the streets were already hopping. The early bird gets the deal I guess when it comes to flea markets. They are a way for people to sell shit you never knew you needed, and then there is a lone booth selling baby clothes. It actually couldn't have worked out better, because I think it was just unexpected. My table was a little breath of fresh air, and for all those people who knew that they had a baby to shop for, it was a perfect opportunity.

I went with my whole inventory. The weeks prior I had made some Wunzees that never made it into my Etsy shop, so I sold some of those, in addition to ones that had been in my shop for a while! All in all, I sold 4 bibs, a bib and Wunzee set, and 22 individual Wunzees! I did sell them for a discounted rate, (I took down the sign pretty early on) due to it being a flea market and my first time out in public, but I think I can get away with charging my normal prices at the craft fairs. I can't wait to go to my next one.


I think Mick had fun too, and it helped that the day turned out to be perfect weather. It also helped that at 9:00 am, he went strolling for goodies, and came back with a working Darth Vader mask. I mean..the voice box says stuff, and he can mic his own voice to sound just like him. Its pretty funny. He was selling Wunzees like that for a while.


At one point a few weeks ago, Mick even made his first Wunzee. He created the \m/ metal hands design, and it was one of the first ones sold! So far he is 1 for 1, with 100% of all his Wunzees sold!


Now it looks like the job I have ahead of me is alot more sewing so I have a solid inventory next time I go out. I have new bibs to work on, and even bought little beanies this time that I'm going to affix ears to. New fun stuff for my budding fair career. :) Hope I can find the time in the day....

Craft fair in my future?

I'll tell you what. I'm pretty excited about the possiblility of entering a craft fair. Im a little nervous, but I already have 50+ items in my shop so far, made three new ones last night, and have a few ideas of how to expand it to make it more craft fair friendly. More variety, yet more the same. Through my blog browsing, I came across a list of fairs that existed in the bay area, and Feria Urbana is happening in my hood on September 13! And I haven't missed the deadline!


For $100 I can apply and cross my fingers (they don't deposit the check till I get accepted). This one seems less intimidating to me then Renegade, but still exciting! What do I get my booth to look like? So many things to do!

I haven't even gotten in yet and the ideas are flowing! Do I sell cupcakes too? Does food get people to the booth, and then the Wunzees do the talking? Is that even legal? :P I gotta figure out all the rules and such, and come up with a cute display. Marketing materials, tags for the items, etc! So much to think about. It makes me happy to have to plan.

Running list of things to do:
1. Apply!
2. Figure out display details.
3. Determine which designs to reproduce for the show.
4. Sew, sew, sew!
5. Buy "The Little Goat" tags for the items.
6. Recruit help.
7. Figure out credit card logistics.
8. Think of things I'm missing.

I'm sure this list needs to expand, but I'm so pumped to start planning! Will you come?

Location
PIZZAIOLO
5008 Telegraph, Oakland

I'm going to send the application today. Cross your fingers for me!

lil gentleman

So random story. My friend in Austin tells me that her friend from HS has posted pictures of her baby and she thinks he is wearing one of my onesies. "Did you buy it for him?" She said no, and that she doesn't know where it came from. So I do some sleuthing, and figure out that we have a mutual friend in the Bay Area who DID in fact buy the onesie from me. The friend from HS currently resides in SF, so it makes sense. BUT....weird right?

The Facebook "friends in common" has led me to some other weird connections too. Love it. I love seeing my onesies on their owners. It makes me smile. Im going to find more of the photos that have been sent to me and upload them as well. At any rate, adorableness below.

Giraffes!!

I just added two new, similar onesies to my shop. Trying to gain focus, and thought that this lil guy was super cute! Let me know what you think...

Branching out!

I made my first baby blanket to add to my Wunzees Etsy shop. I finally busted out the sewing machine that Mick bought me, and put it to work with some of my fabric that has just been siting around, waiting to be used. I can see that this is a learning curve but I liked my first attempt so much that I am selling it.

Expect to see more blankets from me. It was fun, a challenge, and while many may be laughing at how I'm making a big deal out of something so simple....I've been doing nothing but hand-stitching till now. The Brother sewing machine may become my new best friend (if I can find my misplaced instruction manual) :)


What do you think??

floral inspiration

I got a commission yesterday that I jumped at the chance to make. A lily for a little girl named Lilly. To be honest, I had to look at images of lilies to see how to best portray one on a wunzee, but to be quite honest, I think I nailed it. :)

I know its already sold, and it was a custom job, but I had to show it off...i am proud of it.

I love doing the commissions. Sometimes its difficult for me to come up with an original idea that would sell...so this way, I know its an automatic sale, and I get to be creative, catering to what the customer wants. (hint hint...give me more to make!) You can contact me through here, or feel free to check out the Etsy site.

Some more images of lovely lilies for you to gander at. They are a lovely flower.

Thursday Showcase!

I've got another showcase today! This time its a Kid's and Toys showcase, and you can get to it from the banner on the first page of Etsy! Hopefully people notice my stuff today....go check it out!

Stretch McNecklesins

Just wanted to share the latest addition to my shop. I was inspired by my Etsy Tag Monday.

the shower of Lady Bugs

I just got back from Emily's baby shower. Though it was a 2 hour drive each way, it was totally worth it, and great to see my friend in her very pregnant state. I was really impressed with the shower overall. Trina, the host, was very clever in keeping the ladybug theme, and it actually spread to the guests and their gifts as well. The crafty nature of Emily's family and friends was impressive. Some highlights:



Trina's friend Janelle made these adorable cupcakes. White frosting with red sprinkles and strawberries, where the other ones had green frosting with lady bugs on top.





Emily's sister in law made this cute diaper cake. It was a three tier cake (not edible of course), surrounded with cute accessories like pacifiers, the lady bug sandals on top, and combs.




With the already chosen name Sophia, the obvious nickname is Sophie, so Emily received this cute hand painted pillow. I guess the baby lays on it in the parent's lap. Adorable and functional!




This was the most amazing quilt I had seen in a long time. Emily's mother had quilted this Hungry Little Caterpillar themed quilt, and you could tell a lot of talent and love were put into it. I would hope for something like this as well. I thought it cute, especially with the recent onesie I had made in the same theme.




Emily has already decided that the theme of Sophia's room will be Red, Black and White, so how appropriate that Trina painted these letters for her room. A nice splay of color, both solid and patterned, and a treasure for any child's room. Something that can grow old with her as well.





Last, but certainly not least, how can I leave out the picture of Emily with the onesie I made for her. I cant wait to see the photo of baby Sophia rockin the outfit!

Another showcase

I almost forgot I got another spotlight section on Etsy today. Its a little ironic, seeing as my inventory is currently somewhat low...but I guess the point is to just get it lower right? Buy Buy Buy! Sell Sell Sell! So here is a screenshot. Be sure to visit it in the Children's Showcase section.

It's the little things

I get excited when I make a sale. What can I say...I have a day job, these aren't paying the rent, but I get excited. I love the idea of putting together what someone wants for them and finishing a commission like I did last night. I also love the added bonus of realizing that they bought additional wunzees that I already had in the shop! Bonus. I let many more people in my life know that I'm doing this.

I sent out a mass email, dragged all my product to LA for the weekend...and guess what!

I sold 4 in LA, got a commission for here, and other people interested in the shop! Yay! Looks like I have to start bulking up my in-store inventory again, and figuring other ways to intrigue the masses.

Here are a few I made for the commission that included "The Starving Larve". Cute right?

Tuesday Showcase

I have a showcase today on Etsy! You can find some of my listings in the Childrens showcase today for 24 hours. Yayay! Check it out.

Commissions, commissions, commissions

Im not complaining!  In the past 2 days, I've gotten 6 orders for custom wunzees.  I find that this is how most of my purchases are happening now, and I'm game for it. It allows me to challenge myself, and get creative, and figure out how to get the customer what they want.  One of my orders was for The Hungry Caterpillar.  You know..the book by Eric Carle? Check out my version. I'm super proud of it. You do what you can with the fabric, and I think I did pretty well!

new etsy banner!

So...in my re-branding process, the next logical step was to make my etsy banner of wunzees the same as my blog, and the business cards I ordered yesterday. Thats right...I ordered cards!! Cant wait.

Anyway, I wanted to write a quick note to let you all know that its now "The Little Goat.com's Wunzees" Etsy doesnt let you change your username and webpage, so I had to make it all flow together. Mick designed it, and I want to share it. Let me know what you think!

I have also bought some hosting space for thelittlegoat.com, so the redirect will soon be finalized, and all things my blog can be found there! Hooray for it finally coming together!

The latest: Goin Retro

Yah, Yah, I know I said I was going to be sticking with things with tails, but I woke up yesterday morning, after having some sort of crazy dream, and all I could think of was Pacman.  So...I did it.  

I may stray.  But wasn't it worth it? :)

 

-For the gamer in all of us....start em out young.

animals with tails

To date, I've been all over the map. From onesies that resemble karate wear, to sailboats, to cows, my designs have been more of a spur of the moment, what should I make kind of stuff. Some of them have been commissions, which I of course am OK with, and will continue to be, but I need more focus for the shop. More focus for "The Little Goat."

So...with the new name of "The Little Goat", I figure animals with tails...i can get creative within paramaters of a tail. (Maybe sneak a walrus or two in there)

So far...I have Sock Monkeys, Cows, Foxes, Dogs, Cats, etc...

I posted a query about animals with tails...got responses like lemurs, skunks, squirrels and teenagers! What do you think??? I think that these will be my next ones, but want the public opinion.

a turtle named Monkey

It seems that all of my friends are pregnant, or with child. This may be where the inspiration came for me to start with the Wunzees, but who knows. I went to a old friend's wedding this past January, and it was a smaller affair, with a few of my good friends in attendance. There were about 8 ladies that I knew at this wedding, and two had their children with them, two guests were pregnant, and the bride was too! Still is in fact. That is where the inspiration for my latest creation came from.

Cindy had a turtle back in college. The turtle's name was Monkey. (As a side, we have a dog friend named Monkey as well. Apparently its a popular animal to name another animal) When Monkey got too big for his tank, and Cindy's apartment got too small for a Monkey, so she had to find him a new home. With Cindy having baby in the next few months, a baby gift will likely be necessary, and seeing as though baby gifts are my game now, I thought she could have a new little turtle who poops less, doesn't require daily feedings, and has a different name.

Don't get me wrong. This lil guy is totally for sale. However, if when the time comes for a baby gift to be given, if its still unsold in my shop...decision made. Remember too, that if you are reading my blog, or visiting my site, and you like one of the designs I have, but it's not being sold in the right size, just let me know and I can make another one!

If you have ever visited my Etsy site, you know that there is some clever wordsmithing involved that describes the items I put up for sale. Courtesy of my funny boyfriend Mick. (Check out his own blog WTF is Mick Drinking?) With that, this cutie patootie turtle is named

Padurdle the Turtle.

Padurdle is Mertyl the Turtle's Lertle Bertle. (Little brother)

He isn't quite as smart as Mertyl, but OOOH BOY...hes a LADIES' man....

That's when he comes out of his shell...

He is a little flirt, but he means well and has a hurtle gurdle. (heart of gold)

Don't be slow on the draw, and get your lil friend this Wunzee today!

This fits size:

0-3 months
19"-23"
8-11 lbs

Welcome!

So in an attempt to expand and rebrand, I have decided to start a blog that is craft oriented. To this point, I've been writing a WordPress blog Too Salty for my Taste, but I decided that I want to be more focused, and in the process try Blogger.

Why "The Little Goat" you ask?

Maybe I'm nesting, maybe I just like little things, but making onesies makes me happy. I have been designing onesies for my Etsy.com site, Wunzees. When deciding to rebrand, to possibly make more stuff other than just onesies, The Little Goat was born. Seriously, goats are pretty darn cute, and if you actually think about it, a little goat is a.....kid. Perfect.

I have been as successful as I can be, with my friends being my biggest supporters. I work another job 8:30-5:30, in a field completely unrelated. I prefer the sewing. I would love to find a way to do something creative for a living and have other people buy my stuff, other than people I already know. But in the mean time, I'm small potatoes. Its therapeutic through the whole design process.

This blog is a late attempt at me writing about my process, showing my designs, and sharing other peoples designs that I find to be awesome as well.

This process isn't all mine though. I may do the cutting, sewing, stitching, etc...buy my boyfriend Mick is the creative wordsmith that describes all the items. His words are half the fun. He also designed the banner and is helping me brand myself. This is phase one. When I started my Etsy site, we declared it "Wunzees". Now "The Little Goat" is the future. Its evolution.