It's been a long time coming - hardware earrings

Many times, I've been asked when I was going to add earrings to match the necklaces in the Hardware Collection.  It wasn't that I hadn't thought about it or tried.  One of the major criteria for adding any item to my collections is whether or not I would wear the particular item.  I've tried a variety of designs that didn't quite work for me: too heavy, too light, too complicated looking, too obvious, etc.  I've finally come up with several designs I love.

The first that I've made available is the Trio ($16.00).  It is a modern twist to the chandelier style earring.  I love that it is lightweight and easy to wear; noticeable but not over the top.  Industrial but not obviously hardware.  What do you think?

I have at least 3 more styles coming soon.  Follow me on Twitter or check out my Facebook fan page for up to the minute additions!

New year, NEW a la mode website

I am so excited to launch my new website - a more streamlined and user friendly site.  The transition began at the most inopportune time...December, right in the middle of the busy holiday season.  But, I believe that taking action whenever motivated results in all things positive.

So, if you have a moment, please take a look around the site.  If you see anything that makes you raise an eyebrow, shoot me an email (or tweet, or fb comment, etc.).  I will be adding products (both new and old favorites) daily.  

I know many of you have exciting changes in store for 2011.  What are they?  I'd love to hear about them.

Using online products for your small buisness

i love my computer, originally uploaded by thuydung_143.

As my small indie business has grown, I've learned to integrate much of what I do with various online resources. Thank goodness, because I can use all the help I can get! There are lots of products on the Internet for small businesses, many of which integrate with each other and offer free start-up accounts.

I'm writing a paper on all of these various products and how using them can make our indie craft businesses (or really any small business) easier to manage. So, here's where I could use your help:

What online products do you use for your business (Constant Contact, Etsy, Facebook, Flickr, etc.)?

Where do you need help most? Is it bookkeeping, managing your contacts, web help, etc.?

Do you love a particular product?

I want to hear from you!

In the spirit of all things green today

It isn't St. Patrick's Day to me without seeing the Chicago River dyed green. Every year, 40 gallons of vegetable dye is put in the river in celebration of St. Patrick's day and Irish traditions (don't ask...it's a Chicago tradition).




Coincidentally, yesterday while I wallowed in my sickness, I made this "green" shoulder tote bag. It truly embodies the spirit of green with its eco friendly statement and upcycled seat belt handles. It is also the first bag I've made with the large grommets...fun! You can find it on my website here.

Spring/summer line ready for action

I found some vinyl in beautiful muted pastels that are be great for spring and summer! I've just listed them here and am feverishly trying to get my website back in order with its own shopping cart (a monstrous task to do alone)! These bags are particularly great because they can take the sand, sun, and ice cream spills that summer has to offer.

Also new are these bright and bold big dot necklaces. Since I'm a basic black, jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, anything fun, modern, and bright is a quick fix for my boring outfits. These are very lightweight and comfortable to wear.

HUGE Handbag Giveaway

My Carried Away Etsy Bag Team (CAB Team) is having a huge treasure hunt giveaway. Check out the details on our blog here.

Work in Progress - woven messenger bag

It was so beautiful out yesterday here in RI. A much needed reprieve from the cold and gloom. I began a custom order for a woven seat belt messenger bag before I set off on a long walk to the beach with my 7 year old.


I'm making several extras along with this one to try to keep up with demand. It's much easier to cut many out at once. Hopefully, by the end of the week, I'll have an extra messenger and tote bag on hand.

Great eco friendly, urban chic work/travel bags

Here are two new bags I made this week. Both are fashionable work horses. The first one is a custom order and the other can be purchased in my Etsy shop.

The lightweight neoprene (think scuba fabric) is highly durable yet urban chic. Blue faux suede peeking through the grommets add a punch of color and contrast. The neoprene and seat belts are both first quality factory overruns slated for the landfill. So, this bag is also environmentally friendly!

On a personal note, I have used one similar to the one below for several years. It has been to many places and is my favorite travel bag - both fashionable and functional!

Addition to post 3/06/09, 3:40 PM - Be sure to check out my inaugural post on www.scoutiegirl.com/. On Fridays, I'll be featuring designers and artists in different areas of the US and including upcoming art shows and festivals in those areas. See the Scoutie Girl image in the column on the right. --------------------------->

The best marketing is free marketing!

It's great to wake up in the morning to find that you've been featured in promotions by design websites! Somehow, I was chosen for two this week.

what + designers

WeFew

Both sites are terrific and absolutely worth adding to your list of great resources and reads. To be chosen by sites that I admire is a real compliment. Thank you!

While I've not paid for these promotions, they were not free per se. I've spent countless hours promoting myself online and making connections. This is hard for me to do because, in reality, I hate to promote myself. But it is necessary in business, especially online where there are millions competing for the same audience. So, for those of you who promote yourselves, keep it up. For those of you who watch others promote themselves, don't hold it against us!

Week of Humor while studio is closed

My studio will be closed for the week as I take a much needed family vacation to sunny California. I don't want to leave you hanging, so I've scheduled a week (excluding Sundays) of funny photos and quotes that I've found.

Enjoy and I'll catch up with you when I return on the 23rd.

A week in review - no taxes but great new bag!!

Okay, I still have today to start working on my taxes. So, I didn't accomplish what I had intended this week. However, I did make this awesome new bag (a design I've been working on for some time)!! Week not wasted!

the cut-out clutch - blue dot matrix