For the L-O-V-E of wool

Happy hand-made Valentine's Day

 

Etsy.com  is seriously an intense business venture. I was happily enjoying my New Year's bliss when I began to notice that EVERY OTHER SELLER out there had already tagged their items appropriately for Valentine’s Day! That’s seriously calling the Early bird...early. Anyway, all of this got me inspired to re-do all of my photos and make my items look and feel like those candy hearts that say “I love you," “sweetheart,” and "Darling up-cycled handmade wOOly things!!"

I have three items to address in this addition of all things wOOly:

1.        All who love the wOOly owl need to go to FB (like the wOOly Owl first) and add Boutique Challenge Group http://www.facebook.com/BoutiqueChallengeGroup?ref=ts#!/BoutiqueChallengeGroup, then find my blue NB Wool Diaper cover and VOTE ON IT in the Baby Boy Challenge!!

1. 2)  Trial Moms: I have one mom testing my Organic Alula Sling Shawl and will have her input within the next week or so!!! Stay tuned for a hopeful addition to all things wooly; my other mom will be testing my wool diaper inserts and a wool Diaper cover!

1. 3)      Lastly, I will be submitting two wOOly sOakers to be reviewed by Crazy 4 Fluff http://www.facebook.com/BoutiqueChallengeGroup?ref=ts#!/pages/Crazy-4-Fluff/173843015973046 a mom who is eager to promote all things eco and good! I look forward to a good review! You should check her blog out: http://crazy4fluff.blogspot.com/

So The New Year has begun and I am already swamped in heaps of hOOter heaters and Nesting Blankets. I have to say however, I am thoroughly excited about my new wOOly addition:

wOOly diaper covers:

wool soaker and diaper cover

Wool Diaper Cover - Up-cycled wOOly soaker and cover - Eco alternative

Up-cycled wOOly diaper covers for cloth diapering are naturally water resistant and therefore prefect as an eco alternative to plastic covers. Wool also regulates the temperature of baby's urine, making it ideal for night time use so that baby (and parents) sleep through the night. Easy on and off with Velcro tabs that have a Velcro safe option while washing.) It has been said that babies who are cloth diapered are more likely to potty train sooner than those who go disposable!

wOOly diaper covers are hand-crafted from available 100% up-cycled wool and are two-sided for maximum absorbency and use. It is so important to ensure that the closest things to these gentle bodies are natural and made with love.

Get this...When the natural lanolin in wool comes into contact with urine it creates a chemical reaction.

Urine + Lanolin = lanolin-soap
(This has an antibacterial effect, making the wool self-cleaning!)


The unique thing about up-cycling is that once the reclaimed wool is made into something, it is almost impossible to recreate the exact same item! Adorable in style, yet strong in their design, each and every wOOly cover is one-of-a-kind.
From my hands to yours.

Covers have been soaked in a lanolin bath to restore the natural moisture, stain, odour, wrinkle and comfort characteristics of wOOl

up-cycled wool diaper cover

Last Item to recognize:

I am also submitting my application for the Gravenhurst Summer Farmer’s Market, I even plan on having an on-the-side cloth diaper workshop available in booth. I am so excited; this will be my big break!  

up-cycled wool fitted diaper cover

From my hands to yours,

{o,o}  The wOOly Owl

                                                             |)__)

                                                             -”-”-

OOpsy Owl wOOly bibs

Prevention of those nasty snack trails from sabotaging your baby's sense of style.........

OOpsy Owl wOOly bibs are hand-crafted from available 100% up-cycled wool and replicate the silhouette of an owl’s wise face (turned upside-down!) A personalized and unique little owl is sewn into the left-hand corner and adds a simple, yet whimsical detail of hand-made charm. Velcro tabs on the back are sew-in strong and are very convenient during mealtimes. One-of-a-kind, your OOpsy Owl wOOly bib was created from available up-cycled 100% wool. The unique thing about up-cycling is that once the reclaimed wool is made into something, it is almost impossible to recreate the exact same item!

OOpsy Owl wOOly bibs have been pre-soaked in a lanolin bath to restore the natural properties in wool such as stain, moisture and wrinkle resistance.

Visit my Etsy shop to see all of my OOpsy Owl wOOly bib collection!!

From my hands to yours.

{o,o}  The wOOly Owl

|)__)

-”-”-

Broken Heel = Better success!

What happens when you fall off of a 6 foot high reinforcement wall? You break you heel.

Yes it can be done, your heel can break and I have to warn you it is not a very pleasant feeling.

I remember catching my foot on the edge of the flower box and falling to my heel bone’s demise. I have been off work for a month now and just starting to get back to my sewing table. With Christmas coming I was so disappointed to have had to miss my greatly anticipated Craft fair on the 13^th of November. Days leading up to the event, I tried to accommodate my foot by keeping it above my machine and sewing in an awkward position, yet the disadvantage was that I could not move to and fro and I do in my creative state going from one room to the other to create patterns and fetch buttons, or to find my missing sewing needles. I also have not been able to scavenge the second hand stores for my wOOly gold nor find hidden treasures of reclaimed lace or silks. But from all of the forced relaxation and seemingly house arrest, I have found the pleasure of impractical perfection........

Breaking my heel has forced me to slow down and look at the finer details in my life. Do I really need to clean the house spotless every day? NO, Things can get a bit dusty if it means I rest and elevate my foot for the required 8 months. Do I have need to stress about craft fairs and the ever approaching holidays? NO. To be frank, I am actually thankful that I had to miss the Russel Craft Fair.  

For the last four weeks I have taken this opportunity to start up my new wOOly Owl Etsy shop.   http://www.etsy.com/people/thewOOlyOwl I love it. At first I avoided the whole Etsy community, thinking that everyone sold their things on Etsy, I tried to be the renegade and forgo the online opportunity to reach more potential customers. Then in my haze of stay home injury fever, I sign up and have been loving it ever since. I have even joined a team, Ohcanadateam, which encourages and promotes Canadian-based venders to better sell their items to customers looking for more local products. I have to say that there are so many talented individuals out there doing an amazing job selling their things. If you have the chance, check out a few of my favourites:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/bumbleebuck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ForStrangeWomen?ref=pr_faveshops

 and http://www.etsy.com/shop/paintedturtlewt

I love how each shop embodies the character of the owner and how even the photography of their items becomes almost more desirable then the items themselves. Brilliant. The hours I have been able to venture into these cyber shops has left me with the knowledge and inspiration on how to make my wOOly things that much more beautiful. Thanks to my broken heel, I now have creatively tagged my wOOly things with a unique little owl, Have packaged them in a fitting wrapper and tied them with the best and most ideal bow I could find......... Bring on the Holidays baby, The wOOly Owl is coming to town!

Craft Affairs

I never realized how hunting for the perfect craft fair was like searching for the perfect partner...

Among sewing up a storm, scheduling to meet with moms for sizing and product trials, fixing broken needles and the regulars of life, I decided it was time to enlist my products into a Winter Craft Fair. I had spent many hours online searching for the right location, a fair that would encompass all that is me and my wOOly things. It was like an online dating service, sifting through the potentials, discarding some because they were too big or too small, some that seemed a bit strange and others too pretentious.

Large Venues: Throughout my searching I began feeling completely overwhelmed with all of the potential opportunities that are out there for artisans such as myself. I landed on the One-of-a-Kind website http://www.oneofakindshow.com/xmas10/index.php. The cost alone to have a booth was startling and a quick decision was made that I will participate in that event next year (probably the spring show?) seeing as that would be an investment too large to invest in at this time......and the sheer size of the whole arrangement was startling.  It was mentioned that over 7000 people pass your booth in JUST ONE DAY!!! The level of inventory needed to supply such a large group of people seriously gave me an ulcer. At the same time however, I see the excitement and possibilities in such a huge event and look forward to the day when I am prepared to take on such a large venue. Like the bad boy of fairs.......exciting, but maybe not yet appropriate.

Closed Venues: So just as I set my eyes on the prize candidate, The Muskoka 2010 Arts and Crafts Christmas show and sale http://www.muskokaartsandcrafts.com/Christmas_Show/christmas_show.htm  (Saturday, November 27, 2010 10am-5pm and Sunday, November 28, 2010 11am-4pm), I was informed that those who were interested had already been selected and JURIED. Juried!! (The stand-up)

Side note: I commend those who have had their prized pieces of craft rejected from any Craft show and continue to work and better their products, because I have to say, that would require major dedication and determination for one’s true passion and craft.  (Rejection)

Closed Venues Part Two: So then, here I am faced with disappointment, the one I wanted was unavailable...It’s like after a bad break-up and you think you will never love again and then you get your hair cut and you meet the perfect man ......

Raymond:  That is what I felt about Raymond. November 13. Craft Sale at the Raymond Community Hall 9:00a.m. - 2:00p.m. November 13^th Expect Jams, jellies, baking, honey, sewing, jewellery, folk art and much, much more. (And YES the wOOly Owl)

I knew when I set eyes on the advert that it was the right one for me. I called and the sweetest lady answered the phone with a warming "hello" and a comfortable how do "you do?" She offered me a booth for a reasonable amount along with tips and advice for my first (ever) craft fair and then together we set the date.

Side note #2 (I now live happily with my fiancé John (Husband for short), best friend and best ever hairstylist)

Good Goals: My intention for entering into a fair is to inspire me to create more and to be directed into the arms of handmade fanfare; to keep the stakes high and to encourage new and innovative ideas. I have downsized all of my glorious ideas into seven amazing products of which I will pour my heart and soul into each and every piece. I even tailored my organic supplier into two potential sources (a serious accomplishment).  This week I have focused on creating my logo and designing a sense of who I am and what the wOOly Owl stands for. Likened to the reflection of your choice of partner in life, so is the choice of Christmas craft fairs.....and I think I found the perfect date:  Raymond. 

Until our next chat,

{o,o}  The wOOly Owl

|)__)

-”-”-