Website Changes!

Hi there and I am happy to see that you have decided to visit my blog!  So, go ahead and bookmark this puppy for later because it will be a fabulous source of all things Twisted Cow and if you look over to the bottom right all my favorite handmade related sites can be found there.  Handmade is a great way to "bring the pain" to those who try to "do one better" than you when it comes to gift giving.

I digress, the reason for this particular post is to tell you a bit about the changes that are coming up.  I have been looking at the current set up of my site so I will start there.  I will start with the most important change...pricing.

Pricing - Just to give you an idea of what goes in to pricing each item, pricing of my items include the raw materials (shipping or pick up costs are included), preparation of the materials (measuring, cutting, ironing, etc.), assembly (design placement and sewing), and packaging (logo engraving, tags, care hang tags, bags, loops, etc.), labor (time it takes me to create an item from beginning to end), graphic designs (picture creation, graphics cleanup, website postings, etc...).  An collar can take between 30 minutes to 10 hours to create depending on the design.  The more intricate Swarovski collars are done in 1 inch increments and have been known to take 10 - 12 hours to complete.
 
The prices of my raw materials has risen between 15 - 25% over the past two years and I have been absorbing the price increases in raw materials for the past two years.  I know it sounds a bit unwise in the realm of business, but trust me...I am not the only business owner that has chosen to operate this way.  The past few years have been terrible for the work force and business owners, but I truly believe that there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel for 2011 and beyond and it is time to make some price adjustments.

The price increase will be across the board but mainly it will be noticeable in the higher end items such as the Swarovski and rhinestone products.  Swarovski and Czech cut rhinestones cost have increased significantly over the past five (5) years and my prices are on lower end of the spectrum although my construction, materials, quality, detail, sizing qualifies for the higher end of the pricing spectrum.  There will be a 20 - 25% increase in pricing for those items. 

The standard collars and leashes with no embellishments...there will be a $1 - $5 increase in pricing.  Limited Edition section will see some decreases in starting prices but an increase in length pricing; however the overall price may end up being lower than it is currently priced. 

The home and office items such as mouse pads, coasters, key fobs, lanyards, etc...there will be a $1 - $3 increase per item; this will put me where I need to be with other high quality makers of these products.

As I said earlier, there will be some price increases across the board but I am just keeping up with price increases in materials and transportation.  I do apologize for the inconvenience.

Main Menu - I am going to try to rearrange and combine links to de-clutter the outward appearance of the site.  I think that a site that is too busy will cause some confusion thereby loss of sales, so the consolidation and clear product titles will assist you with finding what you want quicker.

Wholesale Program - As of now the Wholesale program has been suspended while I decide whether to revamp it or just get rid of it all together.  A decision will be made by the end of January 2011.

Subtractions - I will no longer be offering Swarovski encrusted Cigarette Cases, Mirrors, Business Card Cases, or Koozies.  The remaining blanks will be embellished and sold under the Discontinued Section of my website.

Additions - Well, since I  have been known to do the occasional necktie, bow tie, and such I have decided to offer them here as well.  They, like everything else, is handmade by me and the details are being worked out.

I am in the process of designing my own line of fabrics and ribbons.  This will be done for a variety of reasons, but mainly to offer some customization for my clientele.  There will be some price differences between my exclusive customizable fabrics and the mass produced ones.  Be on the look out for my designs in Feb 2011.

Misc - I am still threatening to make those belts!

The website is undergoing some changes as usual and once everything is done, the background will change signaling the completion of all updates.

thanks everyone and happy new year!

It is starting...2011 the year of Challenge n' Change

I told myself that 2011 will be the year of change and challenge and part of that change and challenge will be pushing myself to let go of my hang ups and try new things.  I know that every year we ALL make up these ridiculous resolutions and they last about a week or at least until I find a carrot cake that calls my name.  So, this year I am identifying the things that I want to change and where I want to challenge myself.  Here is a list of my changes and challenges.

Challenges n' Changes:

1. My horrible eating habits.  OMG I eat horribly, but oddly enough I do eat things in moderation.  I am a HUGE fan of carbs and sweets.  So anything that combines carb and sweet is a serious weakness for me, actually weakness is an understatement more like crippling.  My nemesis:  CARROT CAKE!!   It is the perfect storm of horribleness for me.  It is carb and it is sweet, but I can justify eating a slice (or two) because it has carrots in it....yep I am laughing at this too!  So, rather than call it a diet, I am going to dub this habit change as a lifestyle change.  I so desperately want to watch what I eat, but there are too many cakes out there and life is too short.  My new mantra: Everything in Moderation...ooohhhmmm...Everything in Moderation...ooohhhmmm...
2. Try new things; this goes in conjunction with #1.  I have such a limited food vocabulary; meaning that the things that I eat are so limited that it helps contribute to my terrible eating habits.  I visited my newly opened neighborhood Wegman's.  This place is like a mecca for the chef and the food connoisseur and I found this:  

The Romanesco; this gorgeous and mind boggling veggie stopped me in my tracks and I told myself that I simply must have this work of natural art adorn my counter top...wait...this is a veggie and will eventually go bad...okay lets modify that last statement...it must adorn my counter top until I cook it and eat it! 
Well, if you have never seen one of these puppies let me tell you what I learned about it.  According to Epicurious this the Romanesca cauliflower (pronounced roh-mah-NEHS-kah (koh)), though classified as (and also called) a summer cauliflower , this vegetable's appearance is so uniquely striking that it deserves its own listing. Like regular cauliflower, Romanesca has a tightly compact head of florets attached by clusters of stalks — but there the similarity in appearance ends. Romanesca, which hails from northern Italy, is a beautiful pale lime green color; its florets, rather than being rounded, rise in a pyramid of pointed, spiraling cones. Its flavor is somewhat more delicate than that of regular cauliflower. Romanesca is available only briefly — from September through November. Choose a firm head with crisp leaves. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Romanesca can be cooked in any fashion suitable for regular cauliflower. It makes beautiful CRUDITÉS, and is stunning cooked whole. 
I plan on cooking mine this week using a recipe that I found online...pasta, Romanesca, EVOO, garlic, and a little spicy pepper!  No, I will not be sharing, but I will be patting myself on the back for trying something new!
3. Curb my impulse buying.  Yeah, I run a business, but I just have these moments that I just go out and purchase stuff with no plans to use them or designs that require the use of particular supplies.  I am buying because they are on sale or they are so pretty that I have to have them in my arsenal for later.  I know that the contest is still in affect, "she who dies with the most fabric wins", but dayum!  I know that I am not the only one, but I think that it is just time to curb my enthusiasm for all things crafty and just because it is on sale I don't have to have it.  My father in law has this saying...I am going to go broke saving money!!!  Don't tell him I said this, but he is really a wise and funny man!
4. Learning my limits.  I am a craft skill collector, meaning that I collecting crafting skills like people collect Beanie Babies!  Once I learn a new craft, or I think I want to learn a new craft I go out and buy all the crap that comes with it and it just sits or I make a bunch of the widgets and don't sell them or can't sell them.  So, I am stuck with supplies and product...I know that I am not the only crafter out there that does this.  My enthusiasm needs a overhaul and the challenge is to think before I craft.
5. Refocus. I have always had a penchant for crafting; whether it be crocheting, beading, or sewing my hands and mind are always busy.  I started out crocheting years ago and gave it up AFTER buying hundreds of dollars in yarn (I still have it all by the way!), then dog treats, then jewelry, then bandannas, and now I make collars and leashes with a sprinkle of quilting and other fabric related works.  I have decided to sit back, take a deep breath, and start making my way back to my passion with a vengeance...COLLARS AND LEASHES BABY!  I love making collars and leashes, but I often find myself distracted by other crafting projectsthat has nothing to do with collars and leashes.  So, the change is refocus myself and the challenge is to determine what crafts I want to do and stick to them.  I do plan (and the key word is plan) on making quilts because I just love quilting, but it the planning of quilts will be a carefully planned out decision as I refocus myself and my website to create the things that I am passionate about while keeping my crafting addiction under control.

There are so many things that I want to change and challenge myself on and as the new year approaches, this list will get longer, and the challenge will be to do something about it.

Answering the age old question: How did you first get started in your craft/art?

Well...there I was naked, cold, and hungry...okay maybe not naked...or cold...or hungry.  It made for a great intro though!  How did I get started in my craft/art...hhhmmm...I will focus mainly on my dog collars and leashes. 

About five years ago I stepped foot into my first dog show, but a bit before that I met this girl named Christie Miller.  She is and will always be my worst influence and I LURVE HER for it.  Christie breeds and shows Chow-Chows and if you have ever seen one with all that hair, fur, or blow-out (which ever floats your boat) you will have to wonder who in their right mind would bother to put any fancy collar on a Chow-Chow?  Well, you can stop wondering because Christie would (and proud to say...so would I!).  I like most folks had never seen a collar that was wider than 1 in (25mm for my folks outside of the US) let alone one that was lavished with imported ribbons and lined with a rich and luxurious velvet...it makes the collar sound like a good night out.

The collars that were in the well kept secret of the dog show realm were stunning and they came with the price tag to match.  Now, I am not one to complain about pricing in my current state, but when you are a non-crafter I just about swallowed my tongue when I picked a collar and noticed a $60.00 price tag on a 1"(25mm) collar.  I was just getting out of my baking phase and I was contemplating taking some formal sewing lessons but opted to borrow Jody's sewing machine for some "self lessons" (oh did I mention that Jody was Christie's baby sister?!).  I managed to figure out how to make a bandana without sewing my hands to the fabric in addition to learning some of the basics to sewing.  So while at the dog show that I mentioned earlier, Christie, who is always looking out for herself (she is my idol!) suggested that I learn to make dog collars and sell them.  Hell why not...it can't be that damn hard....right?! WRONG!

In the beginning I was using my home machine with a zigzag stitch (and just assaulting my machine), buying the hardware from off the internet using mainly e-bay to get the hardware that was the cheapest (I am so embarassed to say that), and I found a great set of direction on how to make a collar.  My collars were okay, I priced them okay, and my sales were...okay.  Time taught me some valuable lessons and presentation, product construction, and supplier lists, but that is for another post.

I have long since abandoned that economy hardware for research, a great hardware supplier here in the US, a better sewing machine, new techniques, and just better construction.  So, I charge a bit-o-money for my collars, but they are worth it.

But to answer the question directly as to how I got started in my craft...it all started with a dog show, a evil buddy, and two fluffy pooches named George and Chester.

See how my other CREST teammates started in their crafts:
raine studios
Birch Tree Jewelry
CT² Designs
Sandi Volpe
Sew Artsy Amy
Plant Geek Chronicles
JenniferLynnProductions
Turquoise Angels

Regretsy

I have no idea how this came about, but this is the funniest thing that I have ever had the pleasure of discovering.

I heard about regretsy from a forum on etsy and of course my nosiness caused me to clickety-click-click and the first thing I saw was this bear with a vah-jay-jay.  I almost fell out of my seat laughing.  I literally laughed for about 10 minutes straight and I could not breath!  I had to leave my desk because I would just constantly click on it and restart the laughter.

Is regretsy a good thing or bad thing...I am not sure.  It does highlight some items that probably would not get the exposure otherwise, some of the items gain some rock star status, and the shops get hearts and sometimes sales.  The downside is that folks get to really say what they feel about an item.  I will be the first to admit that some of the stuff on etsy makes me raise an eyebrow, but not everything I see is my taste so I am not that particular seller's target market.  And then there is the stuff that causes me to question if the creator was under the influence of "something" when they made "it" and listed "it".  Don't get me wrong, I am not a fine artist or trained critic for that matter, but there are just some things that would cause my 6 year old niece to question the sanity behind it. 

Regretsy also does a lot of good.  Here is a bit from their site: The Regretsy Alchemy Fund hires Etsy artists to create handmade products for various charities. In some instances, the fund is able to provide relief directly to artists in need.  Projects are funded through sales of Regretsy merchandise on Zazzle or Ebay, direct donations, donated book royalties and donated ad revenue.  There are a number of projects that regretsy has been publically involved in and they are currently running a donation campaign to raise money for a kid with cancer to help pay for his treatment...cute kid too!  According to regretsy.com, they have rasied over over $25,000.00 for all charitable projects.  That is impressive! 

Anyway, stop by regretsy and see what all the huh-la-ba-loo is about and make your own judgement.  I recommend that you read the FAQs first (start there with your laugh) and then make your way to the Gallery to see the folks that have purchased things because of regretsy, and finally see the stuff that made it to regretsy by clicking on the Home page.

Best of luck! 

Well I did it...again!

Okay, I am not Britney Spears afterall, I forgot to say Oops.  I have made the plunge and applied for the DC Craft Mafia in hopes of widening my craft circle of friends (still love ya'll at CREST!) and I joined the NOVA Modern Quilt Guild and the DC Modern Quilt Guild.

I am very excited and I am hoping to be helpful to all groups. 

that is all...for now...

Choices Choices Choices

In February of 2010 I wrote this excerpt in my blog:

When I first started tweeting, it seemed like fun. The going back and forth, the following people's tweets, the hope that someone famous would discover your product and rocket you off to fame, fortune, and Oprah. But alas, some of us are realist and have to juggle time, sleeping, eating, working, tweeting, Facebook, dog shows, craft shows, husbands, households (did I mention THREE households?), friends, family, website design, product updates, product designs, taxes, inventory, and clients. So, with those factors in mind...I think that I am going to have to let Twitter go by the way of the Hammer Pants.

Today...here is an update.  I am thinking of getting rid of my FaceBook account too.  I really have no intention of updating my FB account and Twitter is just too time consuming.  I am really trying to figure out how people do it?  I love my iPhone, but I am not that thrilled about using it to Tweet or update my status..."I am in the bathroom trying to figure out why Chester is watching me do my business?!".  To be honest, it is only fair as I watch him do his.  But, back to all this social networking...I simply can't do it, well can't is not the word, but won't do it.  I would rather spend my time blogging and creating.

Oh and Hammer Pants are back...ugh!

Radiance...my new baby!

After sitting down and researching construction, materials, and design, I finally figured it out.  I am introducing a new rhinestone collar called Radiance.

Exactly what is  a Radiance?  Well, much like my traditional construction of satin encased webbing, beefy hardware, and double and triple stitching...Radiance is wrapped in satin, lined with Swiss velvet, AND bejeweled with multiple rows of Czech cut rhinestones.

Radiance is...it is...well...just look at it!

and look at this one...

Oh and check out the video of all the sparkles....

I cannot wait to show you guys what I am working on for my limited edition section...heh heh heh!!

Your First Cat / Dog Show

I have been thinking long and hard about this.  I know most of you love to do your local craft show that involves your local church, school, market, or fundraiser of some sort, but how many of you venture out into your local dog or cat show as an untapped venue?

I will be doing a series for y'all to give you some insight into doing these types of shows.

I plan to start the first of my 2 multi-part series September 11-12, 2010 the weekend of the The National Capital Cat Show at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA.

I will be posting the series under Show Stories & Bad Advice

Guess what I got?!

I am just giddie with glee and happiness!  I was browsing the net and I ran across these beauties...

          

Aren't they just fabulous?! So, as I am just speeding along in with my web Ferrari (my wireless mouse) these things were SCREAMING my name and I just had to add them to my fabric and accessory hoard stash.  My husband is going to call that show, Buried Alive - Hoarding, on me one of these days when my fabric just eats me and I am screaming for help.

These gorgeous rhinestone flowers were an overflow from a fantastic accessory and button designer who made them originally for a clothing designer.  The designers had developed several of these rhinestone buttons for a client who wanted a version of the classic Cartier diamond flower.  The buttons are either cast in a silver plate or an Italian gold finish and has prong set Czech rhinestones for durability (very important with pooches!!!). 

Anyway, back to my new darlings...my newest design (strangely enough has already been named!) Anja (pronounced Ahn-Jah) will be based on these rhinestone buttons.  All I can say is...Duponi and sparkle.

Anja wil be on the site around the first of October with the new set up of my site.  Well gotta get busy drumming up some interest and followers!!!

New Stuff!!!

As I wrote earlier, I will be taking more pictures of my creations. So, below is my newest creation...Haute Rox! The hardest thing about this collar design was to name it. First, I had to name it something that was unisex in nature because no man wants to order the collar Roxanne for his boy! So, the name Rox was born. Actually, Rox is the name of the shiny part (red) without the band of sequin (Rox is some awesome shiny stuff fabric and is available in a few colors!). Haute Rox is a combination of Rox, sequin band, and an aluminum buckle.

Thanks to my buddy Julie for cleaning up my images...check her out at click here for her portfolio...she is amazing!!!

Here is what you are not going to like about this collar...you can only get it in 1-1/2in (38mm) and 2in (50mm)...bollocks! I am hoping to find a more narrow sequin band for our smaller luv muffins...that is dog's bollocks. Can you tell that I have been watching way too much BBC and I am a huge Dr. Who fan!

Rox and Haute Rox will come in Shocking Pink, Red, White (it is literally wipe clean white!), Lime, and Black.  I am working on getting more colors of the sequin banding from India so that we can really shake things up!!!

New stuff and new ideas...well not that new...

I have been creating dog collars and leashes for about five years now and it has been a blast. I have created some hits and some misses, but the most important lesson that I have learned is: no one will know either if I don't show it.

Here is what I mean...I have made some gorgeous designs that incorporate woven bead designs, Swarovski CRYSTALLIZED(tm) components, trims, bobbles, jewelry chunks, and feathers. My mea culpa is failing to take pictures of my work to showcase for later reference and design ideas for my clients (dangblasted!). So, when I surf the net and see folks using their noodle by actually creating gorgeous collars and taking pictures of their art...I just want to kick myself!

I do follow trends, I keep a list of collar designer whom I just LURVE their work, and I do my best to design collars and leashes that fit dog personalities and style.

So, with my new found sense of placement I will be doing some serious designing and serious picture taking. I think it is high time that folks know me and what I can do with a little fabric, trim, and a kick ass sewing machine!

I ran across this the other day while browsing the web:

If I Didn’t Have Dogs…
I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety.My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated.All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of hair.When the doorbell rings, it wouldn’t sound like a kennel.I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I wanted, without taking into consideration how much space several fur bodies would need to get comfortable.I would not have strange presents under my Christmas tree — dog bones, stuffed animals, toys, treats nor would I have to explain to people why I wrap them.I would have money …. and no guilt to go on a real vacation.I would not be on a first-name basis with 4 veterinarians, as I put their yet unborn grand kids through college.The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, sit, down, come, no, stay, and leave him/her/it ALONE.My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates or barriers.My house would not look like a day care center, toys everywhere.My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats and an extra leash.I would no longer have to Spell the words B-A-L-L-, F-R-I-S-B-E- E, W-A-L-K, T-R-E-A-T, B-I-K-E OR C-A-R.I would not have as many leaves INSIDE my house as outside.I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE dog/cat ties them down too much.I’d look forward to spring and the rainy season instead of dreading “mud” season.I would not have to answer the question “Why do you have so many animals?” from people who do not have the joy in their lives of knowing they areloved unconditionally by someone as close to an angel as they will ever get.If I didn’t have dogs…………….How empty my life would be.
-author unknown-

This makes me really compare my life before and after Chester (and my beloved late George), I absolutely enjoy my life as a dog owner...besides Chester does not complain about my cooking so he is well worth the sacrifice!

Neglected

I must apologize to my Blog. I have not been keeping up with it lately and I really need to do so.

I have so much on my mind and I am stressing out at usual (for no real reason) about an upcoming show.

So, for now I am acknowledging my failure to love and nurture my blog, but I do pledge (again) to try to write on a regular basis.

I will be back!

What to do?...What to do?

Lately I have been trying to revamp my website and try to limit my obsession with creating things that simply don't sustain or bring in as much attention as I really want (or hoped for). So, if school has taught me one thing it is to do extensive research and give the masses something fresh and new and PERSONALIZED.

There is this renewed sense of "mine", not the Linda Jean selfishness "mine" but more along the lines of "identifying what is mine from yours". I love that we are going back to having your initials on your shirts and your names on your undies (anything besides the days of the week...especially when you seem to be operating out of sequence...wearing Monday on Thursday!). Since I am in the business of dogs, cats, and their owners, we are huge on identifying ourselves and our passions. With that being said...I am cooking up my next designs and looking to clear out some shelves (BIG TIME!) to make room for a more streamlined Twisted Cow with a whole new look and feel to it.

I can only hope that I can take the next few months to clean house, inventory, and design so that when I do my next show...I am ready and able to present fresh and new or a new spin on some oldies but goodies.

The launch of the new products will begin the first week of March  ummm...no try October 2010. That gives me time to design, take pictures, and post to the site for everyone to view. The funny thing is that I have been doing some of this stuff for a while, but trying to design it to fit on a dog or cat can be a bit challenging because they have no idea what careful really means. Okay, I will take that partially back...they have no idea what being careful with jewelry like items means.

Pets can be gentle. I know this because I have a Chow (Chester) who can be quite the a-hole when he wants to be, but he can be very gentle with people and small children. But jewelry is another thing. So when you design piece for pets, the factors include:

1. Should this piece be freestanding. Meaning should it resemble a simple human necklace? This poses a problem for the crazy moving pet. You know the one...it can also be known as puppy or kitten. These elusive creatures have no sense of safety or stillness...they can be quiet and oh-so-cute when they are sleeping, but when you wake the little beast...wwwwwoooohhhhooooo! I just love them at that stage, but I also just llllluuuuvvv them as adults when they have matured and they fit into their breed behaviors. I just love the Chow-Chow for that reason.

2. Should this piece be attached to a collar. That would allow them to be a bit rougher without causing too much premature damage to the piece itself.

3. Can the design be used for other things too? Can it be worn for Christmas as well as Easter? I am not a fan of the holiday stuff, but I see myself offering some holiday specific designs in the near future.  I am hoping to find more elegant and fun holiday prints. 

4. The all important Price Point. Can I justify the price for the piece and can my client justify spending that much money on a piece? I have a lot of ideas in my head and on paper, but will it sell? Some of the things that I have dreamed up are going to be awfully expensive because they will require a butt-ton of time and the best materials to make it worth while and have an extended life of usage. This is one of the main reasons why I just have a sample made and not a bunch on hand because of the cost and the custom nature of my high end products. My best example is the Swarovski Crystallized(tm) items. I could make a bunch to have on hand for sale, but since they are made from scratch and not mass produced nor just "glued" to raw webbing, this could be an expensive endeavor that my not be sold to the right neck size.

There is so much that has to be factored in before making a design a reality. Those were just a few things that go through my head.

I love what I do and I would not want any other part-time job with full time dreams!

Goodbye Twitter and Hello Blog!

I will be deleting my Twitter account! Now, this may seem like a terrible move, but I decided that it may be best to focus on a blog and Facebook rather than tweeting.

Tweeting is great if you have time to sit in front of a computer all day and just send 120...140... what the heck is the character limit? who cares? What was I talking about?! Oh yeah, tweeting...it would be wonderful if I could do the tweeting, but honestly, I simply don't have the time or really the interest. I am sure that it is enjoyable for someone and beneficial in so many ways, but for me the cost does not equal the benefit.

When I first started tweeting, it seemed like fun. The going back and forth, the following people's tweets, the hope that someone famous would discover your product and rocket you off to fame, fortune, and Oprah. But alas, some of us are realist and have to juggle time, sleeping, eating, working, tweeting, Facebook, dog shows, craft shows, husbands, households (did I mention THREE households?), friends, family, website design, product updates, product designs, taxes, inventory, and clients. So, with those factors in mind...I think that I am going to have to let Twitter go by the way of the Hammer Pants.

I do aspire to be discovered by someone famous (mainly the chics on the View...LUV Whoopi and Elizabeth!) and oh yeah...Oooooppprrrrahhhh. I can say with all of my heart, I am just as happy with my clients who are my superstars everyday all day!

Wow...what happened to me and my blog?

If you look, my last blog posting was back in August. I have made my move to urbanized Maryland...Upper Marlboro to be exact and I am looking to find new friends, undertake new adventures, and push myself a bit to be a bit less of an introvert. Most of my friends would disagree with my "introvertness" but it is really more of an urban introvertness.

I was spoiled living in beautiful (but cold as hell) Rutland, Ma so I enjoyed the comforts and safety of a tiny small community...well not anymore. So, I am trying to work out my urban introvertness and get out there and enjoy life.

I do plan on reviving this thing and staying current with Facebook and Twitter (I may close this account because I really am not enjoying Tweeting).

Anyway, I will update more later this week.