A Sad Day for Etsy, My Etsy Friends and I

I found out today that a really wonderful person, a great friend I had met through Etsy has passed away. Uleen Ann Toovey aka ChromaSmear died in a white water river accident yesterday in British Columbia, she was 34. Apparently she and members from her work (her boyfriend may or may not have been there I am not sure) went rafting and two of the rafts overturned and they were not able to revive her. I am in a state of shock and disbelief. I had a brief online conversation with her mother who informed us all. As you can guess many people are skeptical, but because I know enough about her family and her character I do believe this information to be true. I am deeply saddened and will miss her greatly. I love you Uleen. I hope to meet you again someday in another time.

Nicole

Shop update 7/10/09

So I keep telling myself I need to use this more often. I recently changed prices in my shop and figure I could use this to explain why. Many people do not know the cost of fabric, especially designer fabric. I just had to raise the price on my new wipeable changing pad because once I sat down and figured out the actual cost of materials it was more than what I had listed it for and that wasn't even including the time it took to make. Then there is my competition. I just lowered all of the prices of my receiving blankets because my competition is wiping me out. I don't know if it will help or not. I have been playing with prices since I started selling at the end of December. I just thought an explanation was due to those who have been buying from me since the beginning and those who may have viewed the change pad and wondered why the sudden price increase. I hope everyone understands. I'm not getting a lot of business so there may still be more changes to come. I'm trying to price fairly and be competitive but sometimes being competitve isn't practical, since I don't know what price they are getting their materials for. I had originally based my changing pad on the price of other changing pads, but then I discovered I was seriously under charging and adjusted the price. I am the only one on etsy who is making them like this at the moment (though I'm sure others will eventually) so I feel if someone really likes it and values the quality they will be willing to pay the price for it. I see blankets that are smaller going for more.

As for my products there will be a lot more to come in the next month. My mother is here to visit for a month and will be spending a lot of time with my son so that opens up time for me to start making a lot of items. So be on the lookout for all kinds of new items in the next month!

Team EtsyBABY virtual shower this Saturday and new product!

I am proud to annouce that Cootie Pants will be providing a prize for the Team EtsyBABY virtual baby shower! The prize is one of the new products soon to be stocked in my shop. This particular blanket/burp cloth set features a Sandi Henderson Farmer's Market Spring Petal Party print with an Organic Bamboo Velour back. It is very soft, lightweight and fashionable. It is a little smaller than the flannel blankets, but is still big enough to swaddle an infant. I will be offering these new sets soon and will possibly be offering some with dyed OBV to match the print colors. This is just one of the new products coming in the near future. Here is a preview of the new set being given as a prize:

Be on the lookout for these new sets in my shop soon!

Sale is going great!

The sale is going great! 7 receiving blankets have already been whisked away. Some of the most popular prints are going fast. The red with pink apples print is gone. It will only reappear in burp cloths and a special double flannel with embroidery blanket I have planned. I still have the print in blue with green apples but that is very limited as well. I cut a bunch of fabric today and will be making and listing new blankets over the weekend at the sale price. Be sure to keep an eye out for the new prints!

Cootie Pants Mega Sale!

In celebration of my 3rd Wedding Anniversary I have put everything in my shop on sale! Sale runs from April 23rd to May 9th. Now is the time to stock up for your new bundle of joy! Hurry!

1000 Markets and where I stand right now

I recently found out about a new site to buy and sell handmade items. It is called 1000 Markets and I have decided to try it out. So far I really like it. It is so much easier to list products than on Etsy and there is just one page where you can add everything instead of several. It looks great and the search works well, unlike Artfire. I am just not having a lot of luck on Etsy, as much as I love it. If I start doing well on 1000 Markets I may move most of my stuff there. I plan to keep my shop open on Etsy regardless and I plan to start stocking my Hyena Cart with Cloth Diapering products by June. This means I will have shops in several places so I hope to get my own website to link to all of my shops in the future. I have so many new products I am working on that are not listed in my shop. I just don't have a lot of time to make things. I just got in a lot of designer fabric, organic bamboo velour and benartex minkee so I will be offering super soft and luxurious items soon. Not that my current stuff is not, this is just more top of the line! Anyhow please take a look at my 1000 Markets shop. It has the same items as Etsy but I just love the look of the 1k Markets site.

http://www.1000markets.com/users/cootiepants

Blanket Booty for your Baby, plus new pictures!

Need some booty for that pirate baby? Look no further! A soft and snuggly Pirate receiving blanket made from one yard of flannel is the best booty around.

New pictures on all listings including customer appreciation photos. Three of my customers have sent me pictures of their babies using my blankets and have given me permission to use them in my shop. Please check my shop for all of the new photos.