Wedding: Taffeta Bridal Shrug

After looking at bridal shops trying to find some sort of "cover-up" to wear with my wedding dress, I came to the conclusion that I was not going to find what I wanted at a chain store. I wanted something unique but still elegant and flattering. I searched Etsy for something and I came across this beautiful Dorethea Shrug made by Countessa. I fell in love with every single one of her items but I knew this one would best match my dress' style.


I was a little concerned about ordering something like this over the internet but Countessa was a pleasure to work with. I made a special request for white taffeta so it would be the same fabric as my dress and she promptly sent me a swatch to make sure it met my approval. Then she took my measurement via email and created this wonderful custom piece. I was thrilled to receive it in the mail yesterday... everything about it is perfect... the sleeve length, the back, the ruffles. I love it!

On a side note, I'm generally comfortable with myself, chubb and all, but one thing that I have always had issues with is the dreaded back fat. I hate, hate, HATE seeing pictures of myself where I have that little roll bulging out over the top of a tight tank or tube top. Call me weird but it bugs me to death so I love the fact that the shrug hides that without hiding everything else.

Anywho, I'm just really excited about getting the dress and shrug together. My dress should come in a few weeks and I can't wait to pair the two together to see the final look. Now I I just need to get my under garments, shoes, and a veil. Oh the decisions!

Selling on Etsy

I love Etsy. I can spend hours browsing the beautiful art work and kitschy creations. I've bought a fair share of things from some very talented people. Most of my purchases are things that I can't make on my own or it's something that just amused me to death.

But now I'm trying to venture into becoming a seller, not just a shopper. The competition is fierce. Some sellers have turned their Etsy shop into a full time gig. They advertise online through blogs, Facebook, Twitter... you name it. They devote hours upon hours to their artwork and crafts. I want to be one of them. I just have this whole 40+ hour a week job thing I have to deal with.

I tried once before about a year ago. I make greeting cards for coworkers birthdays and everyone has always really liked them. I started getting special requests and before you know it, I was turning out orders for 100+ wedding invitations. I had a boost of confidence in my talents and decided to sell my wares on Etsy. I listed about 50 cards and managed to sell two of them. It wasn't a successful venture to say the least.

After looking at the tons and tons of the paper crafts I was in competition with, it's obvious that the card market is a wee bit over-saturated on Etsy. I've noticed that the successful sellers were full time wedding invitation producers or they work with antique and custom letterpress. Neither of which I have the time or resources for.

I've decided to give it a second go but instead of selling exclusively cards, I thought it would be a good idea to "branch out" so to speak. I've picked up jewelry making (which I LURVE!!) and I'm starting to dabble in fabric and sewing some. I also figure that it would be a good way to liquidate a bunch of the jewelry and flowers piling up around my bedroom. My re-vamped shop now contains items from all of my crafting obsessions.

I really hope to have better luck selling this time around and so far things are looking positive. I've already had a request for a custom order and I've only have my new items listed for a few days. Definitely a good sign!

Etsy Find: Pup Cup

Anyone that has ever had a five minute conversation with me knows that I have a little dog named Bella that is the center of my world. I'm that annoying "mom" who talk incessantly about their kid and all their little accomplishments except my kid is a 16 and 1/2 pound Jack-Chi. I get a lot of eye rolls. With that being said, look at this cup!

Love You Pup Cup by TheLab
This is the cutest thing ever and although it's a lab on the front, my Bella looked very lab-like when she still had her puppy fat. She all legs these days; I think she gets that from her father because it certainly wasn't me! :oP

Obligatory Doggie Pic