Longing for spring...

Winter seems to be back in full force over here with freezing-my-toes-off temps of -5°C (23F) with a wind chill factor of -15°C. The spring fashion catalogues that have been steadily filling up my postbox entice with fresh new colours, floaty dresses and open-toed shoes. On blogs there are many signs of spring in the form of beautiful photos of daffodils, bellis and tulips. Our local gift shop has been stocking Easter decorations already!
Seems a bit unfair that I'm stuck wearing a thick fleecy jacket on top of a turtle neck together with wool pants and two pairs of socks!

Lately I've been feeling a bit guilty for neglecting my bags in so long, especially since I was approached by a local businessman the other day who is interested in stocking them in his brick-and-mortar shop. I've been reflecting on my goals yet again, and just realized that I have too many projects going on at the same time. Therefore the first lesson of the De-clutter your biz program couldn't have come at a better time (today!) to get me back on track. This program allows one week to accomplish the assignment before moving on to the next lesson. Perfect for training self-discipline and follow-through.
I received some good news concerning buying fabrics wholesale. The company approved me! My next concern is how to budget for tax on imported items (the fabrics are from USA). There is this complicated system called TARIC devised by the European Commission in Brussels (who else?!) that categorizes fabric by their fiber content. I need to go through this huge database to find the corresponding number which I will then need to submit to customs. Oh, what fun. NOT.

Meanwhile I'm working to fulfill a sleepwear order - which to me has top priority - and longing for a sign of spring...

For all sun-deprived people out there here's a gorgeous Etsy treasury called 'Spring is coming' by talented Etsy seller Yvette-Michelle of Verona Collections. If you can spot my item you will have an indication of what the prize will be in my upcoming giveaway!

Off to get my hot-water bottle...

Everything Etsy :)

So I figured out what was wrong with my FB widget, as judging by the comments to my previous post it only affected me. Turns out that it only works when I'm logged in as my profile - as soon as I log in as my page the widget goes blank. Whatever.

Etsy is being really, really good to me. What can I say? Ich liebe Etsy - that's I love Etsy in German. An assortment of my products have been included in five more treasuries - I'm not going to list all of them here - just my favourite one by MySuperSweetBoutique.

My French Knickers are in the second row, far left. Also, I listed some sleepmasks, including this lovely Vintage inspired birdy one - and it's the last one! Hurry, if you want it. Remember - I reduced international shipping to only USD 6,- on small items.

Up next - A giveaway! Stay tuned to find out more soon...

cheers,

Random thoughts

Hi all!

hope you enjoyed your Valentine's Day. It's not as big a celebration over here as it is in the US or perhaps UK, but we do commemorate the day with a special meal and a little gift. It's basically a quiet affair.

Moving along...any blogger who has a Facebook Business Page will have noticed that the widget on their blog is blank, due to the changes made by Facebook to streamline the look of both business and profile pages. I can't say I'm pleased that all my tabs have gone and my shops are now tiny icons located in the left column. I doubt new 'likers' will even click on them. The row of random photos from my album across the top of the page is annoying, and why are the posts not in consecutive order? Hmpf.

So, while I'm trying to figure out how to get my widget back in working order I have put up a simple facebook button on the right side of my blog if anyone cares to visit my page...

At the weekend I found out that my favourite café has closed! This is where I used to meet my friends and invite clients to. I shed a couple of tears when I heard about it. No more Belgian waffles with cherries :(

In shop news I have been approached by a lady who is interested in bulk ordering my sleepwear line. Since I'm new to this wholesale business I consulted Etsy shop owner, blogger and friend Erika who gave me sound and valuable advice. Thank you Erika!

And last but not least I have been awarded the Stylish Blogger Award by lovely Denesa, working mom of two cute little boys. She writes about motherhood while maintaining a full-time career. Her blog is filled with parental advice and her personal insights on raising kids! I'm very honoured to be receiving this award. Thank you so much!

Thank you for stopping by today. Have a wonderful day!

More rain.

The rain has been bucketing down for days and it is starting to get at my normally cheerful disposition. I think I might just snuggle down on the big bed with a nice cup of tea and good book today. And Sammy to keep me company!

Hope your weekend isn't as wet as ours. Take care,

Looking for a last-minute Valentine's gift?

With Valentine's Day rapidly approaching this aptly named treasury created by Monika includes some lovely, romantic items that would make perfect gifts for the loved ones in your life. Check it out!

A big thank you to Monika a.k.a. Drachenfrau for including my Darla Rose Cosmetic Pouch.

What have I been up to lately?

Hi everyone!

It's been pretty quiet here on the blog front, but that's only because lots of things have been going on behind the scenes. I've been working longer than usual; honing my shop, attending to the biz side of things and, of course, sewing in every spare moment! There's a pile of stuff I want to take pictures of, but with the weather as chaotic as it is right now I will have to be patient. I made this special gift set for Valentine's Day, and I would have listed that in my shop two weeks ago, but for one tiny embellishment, that I ordered (through Etsy) that never arrived. No point to list it for Valentine's now, since shipping seems to be sluggish both locally and internationally. If it does eventually arrive I might list it as a Mother's Day gift ;-)
I have added a new tab to my Facebook Fan Page that will take all my lovely fans directly to my sleepwear shop. Here's a collage of what's on offer so far...

Ever popular sleepmasks, flirty French knickers (pajama shorts), cropped pants, tops, lingerie bags...

Many of my items are embellished with French lace, and only today I've received a package with sundry ribbons and satin roses. Hope to be using these soon too! I've also been working on a nightdress pattern. Here are photos of the prototype, front and back. Sorry, the lighting is not optimal.

I based this dress on my original pajama top pattern, lengthened it so that the hem hits just above the knee, added a ruffle and two halterneck straps. There is a soft elastic that goes all the way round underneath the bodice to the back, which helps to shape the dress. The skirt is full and flared. You can't see properly in this photo, but the fabric is a lovely chambray in soft blue with pink roses. This would also make a nice sundress!
*sigh* I hope the sun will make an appearance this weekend...

hope everyone's having a great one!