o what a conundrum!

all i really want to do is curl up with a movie, a quilt, my knitting, and knit knit knit my brains out! as soon as winter weather rolls into town i just have an urge to hear the clack of needles and feel the yarn running through my fingers. i did start this simple dishcloth last night which i think i will pair with a solid blue and a solid ivory one for my other shop, purls and lace. the poor little shop gets so much more attention from me once the mercury drops!

i do have a bigger dilemma than just not having enough time to knit though and i wanted to get as many of your opinions on it as possible. you see, when i first started on etsy the shop name that i preferred (i.e. The Story of Kat) was already taken. I was SO bummed but also very eager to get started so i went ahead and just registered with a the german translation of that name (i.e. Geschichten von Kat). Well it's a mouthful and i feel like it's a roadblock for me now so a while back i randomly checked on the name and whoever had it must have closed up shop because it was available! da da DA!

now i face the question of whether to switch over or not...? i know i'd be much happier with the english version because it's so much easier for people to pronounce, spell, and find again on etsy. it would be a fresh start around the new year BUT i would lose all my shop hearts, favorites, convos, and all the work that i've put into making GVK recognizable and profitable. I've just passed 200 sales in September and i do not relish going back to 1 or 2 sales a month as i build an identity all over again.

i actually did just panic and register the name so now it's mine (eeks!). the question just remains...how do i make the switch? when? am i going to lose everything i've worked so hard for if i completely switch over? what to do what to do??! any constructive and honest feedback from you lovely folks would be so very much appreciated!

p.s. i found this great resource for analyzing the content of your blog and think i am going to try it. thought it would be a great morsel to share with you all!

tea and progress.

my favorite tea cup and work in progress...

i'm pleased to announce that i'm working on my first wholesale order! the only thing is that i've got to finish it...and hopefully the quilt for my niece...before i leave on wednesday for a trip to michigan for my college reunion! yeah, i'm feeling a wee bit overwhelmed at the moment. i'm actually close to being done with the wholesale order as that was my first priority of course but i'm worried about being able to get the quilt done now. i'm just going to hunker down over the next couple days with my tea cup and thimble and get as much done as i possibly can.

despite the mad rush, i am excited to finally be getting my work into a brick and mortar store with this wholesale order. it's a big first for any etsy seller and i definitely feel a bit more professional with this experience under my wings. it was just the confidence boost i needed too after getting a little sad about losing some blog readers and facebook fans. i know it sounds silly but i take my work and my blog writing so personally and have to wonder...what did i do wrong? don't they like me anymore?! i've got to smile at myself thinking these thoughts of course and realize that it's just business. i suppose it'd do me good to grow a thicker skin and put my worry to work on new items instead!

p.s. don't miss the chance to enter maureen cracknell's awesome sewing and knitting giveaways!

a good news day!

i am just a few days shy of the time when, about two years ago, i started posting items to my etsy shop geschichtenvonkat. and as of last night, i just broke 200 sales! not too shabby, eh?!

i remember one summer night two years ago when my husband and i, then boyfriend, were at martin's tavern in georgetown (one of our favorite places to eat in dc and, incidentally, where jack proposed to jackie). it was that night that i first started talking about the possibility of opening up an etsy shop and i remember being so excited by the idea and coming home to start filling up a notebook with ideas and designs. hey, it may not be world peace or anything like that, but i'm feeling proud of myself for coming this far and sticking with it through the slow times and everything because it's been a wonderful outlet for me, has taught me a lot and, well, the income it brings in has certainly helped out in this past year of unemployment and general hard times.

and that's where the other good news comes in: when you go to see a show in Boston now, you'll be holding a playbill designed by none other than my husband! he just got hired today and will finally be working full-time again! what's more, i think he's really going to be fulfilled by this job which puts my heart at ease. god may not always answer prayers on our timelines but he sure as hell does answer them on his for which i am very very grateful, haha :D

i'd like to extend the good news to you as well so i'll busy myself coming up with a giveaway to have here on the blog in the very near future! any requests?

some (good) changes.

lately, i find much of my time to be wrapped up in wedding projects and planning, but a part of me can't wait for this planning to be over so that i can focus on fixing up the shop! i feel pulled in so many directions at once and have so many projects and new items waiting in the wings. i find myself glancing at the piles of fabric yearningly; there's something about uncut fabric that just leaves me chomping at the bit!

the first big thing on my project to do list will be a few new aprons...new fabrics, wider ties, and some pleats i think! the second big project will be making more linen and flour sack dishtowels using the linoblocks pictured above, among others, which i carved after my own drawings. I just need to have an entire day to print a whole series of apron pockets and towels, in addition to the polka dot ones i currently make. then i can embellish these printed designs with a bit of embroidery to accent the handprinted shapes or compliment the fabric patterns used.

i can't wait to share the finished items with you...in the meantime, it seems i'm going to be a very busy little bee!