What a great Day at the Market!!!

So, I have been doing Markets all summer. I love, love, love Farmers Markets. You are done by 3pm (at the latest), and you still have your Saturday. One of the boutiques I wholesale to, JuJu, in the Third Ward of Milwaukee gave me her spot this Saturday at the Milwaukee Public Market Urban Market. She likes to vend there some days, and on others, she has her local artists represent her store. It was AWESOME!!! I had the coolest neighbors and met some great customers. It doesn't hurt that I was wildly successful, and some dear friends stopped by.

I must tell you, so many people rely solely on the internet for their business. But, when you are passionate about what you do, you are the best person to sell your goodies. What amazes me is the people who sit and read, and don't even look up when customers come by. Or, how about the person who sits with that scowl on their face when people who stop by to look, don't actually buy anything. Get over yourselves people, get out there and talk to people, and be friendly.

The funniest thing that one of my neighbors at a market noticed, is that I always compliment people. I didn't even notice. I am a shoe-aholic. So, the compliment is often on shoes. I covet great dresses (as I imagine what cute things I can make of the fabulous fabric). And, I'm a real sucker for a great pair of earrings. I have always been a friendly girl, and I am not shy, so this is a great way for me to sell my goods. But crafters, let me tell you, I sometimes make, in a day at a market, what I make in a whole month, online!

Live in Milwaukee, and want to come see me, in person? Check out my website for a schedule of events!

Go Shopping!!!

Hi Friends! It has been ages since I posted. But, I have been very busy working with some new Wholesale accounts. Because I'm a girl who is all about supporting local business, if you live near any of these shops/boutiques/etc..., stop in there, give my stuff a peek. Check out some of the other great Artists and Crafters that create the goodies sold there. Here is an ever-growing list:

Persimmons
314 N 8th St
Manitowoc, WI 54220-4008
(920) 684-3006

JuJu Gifts
222 E Erie St
Milwaukee, WI 53202-6036
(414) 221-9580

Bliss (Sorry, no website. You will have to go in there. It will be worth it! TRUST ME!!!)

1643 Pearl St
Boulder, CO 80302-5410

(303) 443-0355‎

Coming soon.......
Harvest Home (Sorry, no website. Again, check it out in person, amazing shop!)
505 Capitol Dr
Pewaukee, WI 53072-2532
(262) 691-4663

And the winners are......

Chloe's Creatures and Julie, comments number 7 & 8 won the free card cases. Please e-mail me at Kelley@shopgraciedesigns.com and let me know which fabric you would like, along with your address. I'm guessing you both would like them without the snap ;)

Thank You all for your opinions!!!

Awwwww Snap!

Giveaway, yes!!!! You know those store-bought business card holders are sooooo ugly, boring, and no fun at all. Wanna smile when you give out your business card holders?? Just get one of mine!
I need your help. I have been making them forever, without the snap. Well, I have started getting a lot of interest in the ones with the snap. So, what I want to know is:

Snap? <----click to link to the snap case

No Snap?<---click to link to the non-snap case

Take a peek at my Etsy site .

Leave a comment for me at the end of this post (include your e-mail when leaving comment), "snap" or "no snap".

I will pick two names next Sunday, May 17th, 2009. I will announce the winners right here on the blog!!!

I will send two winners one of their choice. I even have a flickr page where you can pick out your fabric, and whether or not it has a snap. I have some great dark corduroy colors for guys too!!!

Unfortunately, this contest is only open to residents of the United States of America. I would still love comments from all of my international friends!!!

Packaging...really realizing it's importance

I know, I know, I need to be better at posting. I just love creating so much that I get lost at the sewing machine and don't find my way back to the Blogosphere. I have been using Twitter as a quick way to update my fans. So, on to today's topic.

I love a cute package, it makes opening things so much more fun. I also love pretty paper, ribbons and all things used to package. More than that, I hate to waste, and love to use things that are reusable. So, when I started my business, I decided to use paper bags, and used ribbon to tie them up. The nice thing about my products and lunch bags, is that they are perfect for flat items, but they have some room to widen. I was cutting a ton of headbands for one of my big accounts and realized that I had these perfect length scraps of fabric, and I tried using them, instead of ribbon, for my packaging. It looked sooooo cute, so that is where I have stayed. This has been my method of packaging for about 2 years, and I get a ton of compliments from my buyers. Check out my feedback on Etsy! Aside from that, I am not wasting fabric, and you, as my buyer, can reuse the bag. I love those small victories. That little bit of love goes a long way!

I did forget to mention, I always tuck in a business card, and the invoice with a hand written note on a cute shaped post-it note.

So Many Sites, So Little Time... Step 2

So, I redid all of my photos. TWICE!! It was not fun. I did not enjoy it. It was a necessary evil. I am a crafter, and not a great photographer. So, with me, it is about doing a great job letting the work speak for itself without trying to get too fancy with the photos. I think it worked out pretty well.

I have been slowly building my Artfire and 1000 Markets Shops. I just love Etsy. I'm not afraid to admit it. It is like an old pair of sweats. An old pair of sweats that makes you money, that is! It it my most successful venue. The more time I spend on it, the better I do. I have found that a quick post on Twitter or Facebook is fine, but I can't get so tied up on that. That is not why I'm in the business. I get far more traffic from other people, with great blogs and websites finding me and featuring me.

My next hurdle is to do a better job balancing the "business necessities" with crafting. I love to design and make, and I have spent the last hour listing, marketing and getting ready for shipping. So, I'm firing up the iron, turning on my machine and getting out my rotary cutter and I'm going to be a crafter this morning. I'm going to love every stinkin' minute of it.

Of course, that is while the 15 week old, adorable, baby girl naps!

Gave myself a high five!!!

So, I was featured in Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine's January 2009 edition. I was a part of the 'cravings' section. I am tickled pink. The Editor-In-Chief, Lacey, carries one of my card cases in her purse, and loves it! This is my first time being featured in a magazine, so, it is a really big deal to me. I did do the happy dance, wouldn't you have? Here is a pic. You can see melissahappystuff's feature in here as well. Other Artists featured were sanctuary, littlelily, Henry and Zoe, and Melissa Vest Designs. I will let the picture speak for itself!