I’m on a roll! (So much stuff!)

A big hello to everyone out there! I’ve been working hard to bring you a larger line of products! It can be difficult, I’ll admit, to find the right materials to make stuff and still keep my prices reasonable. But thankfully I have my supplier ninjas scattered around finding me new items to alter! Although these new items are very similar to what I already carry (i.e. baby/toddler/kids clothes), they are different. How? Colors! Styles! Sizes! And of course new designs! Let’s take a look at some!

Ah! The onesie! This one is white-colored material but new design! I have had this design on clothing for only a short time but it proves to be popular! You may recognize Duckie actually. I wrote a post about him only a short time ago.

I should mention that most designs are on several different types of items. So, if you like a design on a onesie but want maybe a toddler shirt, I probably have that too! Just ask me!

This design on a white onesie shows an odd creature. The creature’s name is Pinwort! He’s one of my characters and I had written and illustrated a short zine once with him and his faithful sidekick, Chilibean!

Yay! Pink onesies! I know many of you have been asking me about colored onesies and I am proud to say they are finally here! I also have some (very few) blue onesies. For some reason blue is harder to find. BUT! I do have a bunch of blue baby T-shirts as well as some tank-tops in various colors!

There is one more type of onesie we must discuss. How do you feel about a black and white image on a floral print?

I think it looks great! (It may not be for everyone but I quite like it!) I chose a black and white image on the print because it keeps it a little less muddled. And I didn’t want the print to show through as much as it would with a watercolor image. (Recognize Dapper Crow from a previous post? Hehe!)

Anywho, I also have other items such as aprons, tote bags, necklaces, and stuffed monsters! Come find me at Deering Oaks Park in Portland, Maine on Saturday mornings!

Had a GREAT First Friday!

Hey everyone! Hope you all had as good a First Friday as I did!

For those in and around Portland, Maine, I’m sure you know what First Friday is! But I’ll explain it a bit for those outside the area and for those who have yet to try it out!

The full name of the event is “First Friday Art Walk.” It’s held the first Friday of each month in the Arts District of downtown Portland, Maine. From 5pm to whenever people decide to go home, all of the art galleries are open and offering free snacks and wine. The artists of the works are usually there in the galleries as well. So you get to talk to the person behind the art!

There are also vendors lining the streets (when it’s not freezing or raining) selling their art and handmade things. Sometimes there are people dancing, fire juggling, or playing music. And especially during the warmer months, there are tons of people out participating in this event!

The city really comes alive!

What was I doing during this event? I was selling my merchandise in the lobby of my school!

I got a lot of great feedback for my work, met a lot of cool people, sold some stuff, and had a great time! Thank you so much to all of you who came to my table! And thank you to Jamie Hogan who took this nice photo!

I realize I have to make more clothes because of my decrease in supply from sales. (This is a good thing!) So, I’ll be working on some new designs over the next few weeks and putting them on the clothing. Look for them in the coming weeks! It’s almost time for the Farmers Market!

 

Trying Something New- Necklaces!

I have made a few necklaces to sell! This is a new product that I’m working on perfecting but I think it is coming along nicely. I may just do black and white illustrated necklaces from now on because colors are hard to reproduce with the technique I use to make them.

It’s pretty easy to make a lot of them too! Want to know how?

I’ll tell you anyway even if you don’t want to know…shrink film is the key (think “Shrinky Dinks”) that are ink jet printable. I just have to print out my illustrations on a piece of the special paper, cut them out, punch a hole in it, and then bake them for a few minutes. It takes some time to get the colors and contrast right and I have to waste a sheet to make it perfect but the end result is worth it!

Keep in mind this special paper is expensive so I can’t just GIVE these things away. I’m thinking I can sell them for 8 to 10 dollars. Does that sound reasonable? I hope so!

The part that goes around your neck is just nice lanyard. Nylon, I think. I hope you know what kind of string I am talking about because I can’t, for the life of me, remember what it is actually called.

Here’s what one looks like on me so you can see the scale. They aren’t too big nor too small. They’re just the right size!

And here are two of the illustrations I used for the necklaces. These are drawings I did over winter break. They are quite fun!

I’ll have these necklaces at my table in the MECA lobby next First Friday! I will also have them available at the Deering Oaks Park Farmers Market in the spring!

Come on by and have a look!

(And maybe buy one too! )  😉

 

 

Makin’ More Monsters

So, I’ve been sewing some more monsters and now I have two different types! The round ones I call “Dwaddles” and the ones with the long eyes I call “Goolashes.” I’m trying to make quite a few for the farmers market which starts the end of April (I think!). They are going to be a tad more expensive than most of my other stuff. Maybe $20 each but it’s a good price for a handmade work that you won’t find anywhere else!

And I hear people have been searching for information about farmers markets. Well, I can’t speak for every farmers market but I thought it might be nice to talk about my experience at the one I go to which is in Deering Oaks Park in Portland, Maine.

First of all, it’s wonderful!

Especially when the weather gets warm, the Portland Farmers Market is the place to be on a sunny Saturday morning! The park is beautiful and really comes alive when all the farm stalls set up their tents. Of course there are also the art vendors and we just add another layer to the fun!

But that’s not all that happens at this farmers market!

Musicians come and share their music. The park resonates with the sounds of instruments and voices singing alongside all the commotion of  patrons. The children too have a good time playing and laughing. They especially love the fellows who come and create gigantic bubbles! (Bubbles three times the size of their heads!) They’ve made a game out of it, who can pop the bubble first.

There is also a woman who sells handmade hula-hoops and it seems everyone tries to hula-hoop at least once while they are at the market. It can be very entertaining!

Don’t forget the fire-jugglers who seem to be able to juggle even when standing on a rope a few feet off the ground.

One more note, if you’re there early, try a croissant from the vendor near the end of the park (I forgot the name of this one…) but I’m sure if you asked someone they could point you in the right direction.

Look for me there as well! I’m the girl with the kid’s clothes among other things!

And if you have something to sell (it has to be made by you) think about setting up a spot at the market. It’s free for art vendors (although there are rules) and it’s loads of fun! You have to provide your own table though.

604 Thrift

    Hello, everyone! I’m excited because some of my T-Shirts and Snap Suits are now in a store! The store is called 604 Thrift and it’s right on Congress Street in Downtown Portland.

Here are some photos of the set-up for my stuff!

I’m in the front(ish) of the store next to the cash register!

It’s like I have my own corner of a store!

Close-up!

Snap Suits and T-Shirts are lookin’ good here!

Check out my stuff at 604 Thrift! It’s an awesome store!

More Stuff!

Last night, I wrote about garments that I have been ironing designs onto. Today, I think I will write about the other non-garment things that I sell.

Last week at the Farmer’s Market, the very first thing I sold was a set of Worry Dolls. And so I decided to make more of them for this coming Farmer’s Market. There are 5 dolls in a set and they come with a cute pouch!

They are fun to make and I think they will be quite the popular item. People also bought a few of my fiber jewelry items last week. They’re light-weight, colorful, and really cheery! I make them out of embroidery floss. I have rings, bracelets, anklets and earrings (no picture) for sale.

These are some pictures of one ring that I made. I have several different designs.

What jewelry seller wouldn’t sell bracelets? My bracelets fasten with a button so that it is easier to take on and off by yourself.

Yay for buttons!

I think anklets should be more popular. I make them because I like them and think they’re cool. I jazzed this one up with shell beads!

Looks good!

And what kind of illustration student would I be if I didn’t make magnets with adorable drawings on them?

 

Look for me and my stuff at the Farmer’s Market! See you there!

Selling Stuff at Farmer’s Market and at Festivals

I’m getting into making items of clothing (especially for kids and babies). I then sell them at the Farmer’s Market as well as at Festivals like First Fridays and the upcoming Old Port Festival! It is so much fun to make something that someone can wear or use in some way. It can also be a bit strange to think that people out there that I don’t really know have items made by me but it is exhilarating too! I have just started to sell things and I have been testing the waters so far. But I think I’m learning what people desire so I am trying to expand and make the stuff that people like (but while still being true to myself, of course!).

Last week I had a few T-Shirts but people were asking for kids sizes. (I didn’t have any! Oh!) But! This week I will have plenty of kids sizes for sale! There is also a new design!

In addition to the T-Shirts, I will have new garments for sale such as this snap suit (I only have a few for this week!). Isn’t it adorable?

Baby Pajamas are also a new item. 4 designs, 4 colors available. They are long sleeved and they are (as are all my items) 100% cotton. These pajamas are good for a cooler night or maybe can be put away until Fall rolls around. They are very, very soft!

Anyway, I hope to see lots and lots of people at my table on Saturday! I have a lot of other non-garment things as well!