Read All About It!

We were featured in the Herald Journal in Logan as part of a story on Etsy. Hooray for us! Check out the text from the story which appeared on page A8 of Sunday's edition.

Made for Cache

Local Etsy sellers team up to swap ideas, market their handmade items online

By Manette Newbold

features writer

When Jen Giddens of Logan began sewing bags three years ago, she had no idea she would end up shipping them all over the world to online customers.

Giddens sells her bags and patterns on etsy.com  , a four-year-old online hub where artists can sell handmade crafts and art supplies ranging from jewelry and quilts to clothes and woodworked items. For a 20 cent listing fee on every item and a 3.5 percent commission charge on everything sold, anyone can start their own Etsy shop, and more than 350,000 people have.

Giddens, a student at Utah State University, is one of at least 60 local sellers on Etsy and one of 11 who are part of the local Esty team, Made for Cache. She says the team was created in the summer as a way to share marketing strategies with other sellers since one of the most difficult aspects of selling on Esty is getting attention to individual shops.

Made for Cache began this summer when Blaire Nelson of Logan decided she wanted to form a local Etsy team that could discuss ideas and projects with each other. So, she did a search on Etsy for local artisans and contacted everyone she could. From there, the group formed and created a blog, madeforcache. com. Ages on the team vary from early 20s to late 50s, Nelson says, and they all bring something unique to the group. The items they sell vary from custom-made cards by graphic designer Hilary Frisby to crocheted scarves, hats, baby clothes and bags made by Taralee Duffin of North Logan. Nelson says she makes clothes and hooded towels and wash mitts shaped like bunnies, ducks and frogs.

Nelson says the group picks a theme each month and everyone is assigned to make and bring an item related to that theme, the latest one being Christmas ornaments, which they attempted to sell on their blog to earn money for the Cache Community Food Pantry.

Nelson says members of the team rotate hosting each meeting and discuss specific ideas to help each person market their Etsy shop. Jenny Johnson, who sells fabric on Etsy and earned a degree in photography at Utah State University, says she talked to the team about using social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to promote products. In another meeting Johnson discussed how to take photos of their items. Bonnie Merck said photography is a very important aspect of selling crafts on Etsy; if the items don’t look good in the pictures, no one is going to buy them.

Giddens says she had a friend who is a photographer take her pictures and she tries to make everything look as professional as possible. Through the Made for Cache Etsy group, she met Frisby who designed her logo. Duffin says trading skills as Giddens and Frisby have is another nice aspect of being a member of the Etsy team.

Over the last two years Giddens says she’s made nearly 250 sales on the site and has sent items to several states and countries. She’s also taken on the venture of designing her own patterns for bags and purses and currently has six of them available for purchase in her Etsy shop.

“I have patterns available in PDF format and the PDF format is really easy to send to people anywhere. So I’ve had people in Brazil, New Zealand, Austrailia, Germany, all over,” Giddens said. “I’ve sent bags all over too. I sent bags to Paris, Peru, all of these crazy places. It’s really exciting. I’m like, ‘You want to pay for something I made?’ That’s flattering!’”

Duffin says she would like to try making patterns for her crocheted crafts like Giddens because then she wouldn’t have to spend as much time making individual items over and over. She currently crochets at least an hour a day.

Merck says Made for Cache team members inform each other about upcoming craft shows and have shared booths at the Cache County Fair and the Box Elder County Fair. That cuts the cost of the booth and team members can take turns managing it throughout the day or weekend.

Merck, of Logan, began selling vintage cards on Etsy about a year ago. All of the photos she uses are of relatives and she finds quotes for the inside of the cards from books. More recently she has began selling jewelry with her friend Carole Whitcome on another separate Esty site. Though Merck doesn’t make a ton of money selling her items, like several other members of Made for Cache, she still feels successful.

“I can’t support my family on it, but I can support my habit,” she says, “All of the things that I do, I get a certain amount of satisfaction and joy in doing them. I sell them so I can continue to do them.”

Happy Holidays!!!

Happy and Merry to everyone out there this holiday season. We'll be taking the rest of the year off, but check back in January for new posts, tweets and craft ideas!

Also thanks to everyone who made and purchased ornaments as part of our fundraiser - We appreciate you!

Can you eat an ornament?

The answer is no. But you can help feed the people of Cache Valley by purchasing these ornaments which are hand made by the members of Made for Cache. Just click on the "Buy it Now" button next to the picture of the ornament you would like. Each ornament is unique and availability is limited to quantities shown.

100% of funds raised will be donated to the Cache Community Food Pantry to help bring a good meal to people who need it. Your ornaments will be shipped USPS the next business day up through Dec 14 which is the last day to purchase.


$12



Set of 6 Peppermint Candy Ornaments made by Taralee. Hand crocheted out of yarn, these ornaments are super kid friendly if you have curious little ones or pets who like to un-decorate the tree.




To purchase this set, click the button below and you will be transfered to PayPal to complete your order.




$8

This is a single, 3" ribbon quilted ball ornament in the colors of winter by Blaire. White satin ribbon as well as blue and silver snowflake patterned ribbon capture the essence of this time of year.

To purchase, just click the button below to complete the order through Paypal.




$10

This is a set of 4 paper maiche and glitter ornaments by Hilary. The damask print is a great print for those of you who like to make your Christmas tree a little on the funky side. They are also accented with black glitter for great sparkle.








To purchase, just click on the button below and complete your order for this ornament set through Paypal.







$10 - SOLD
This another quilted ball ornament, this time in a 4" size which is about as big as a grapefruit. It is done in a gold and sage green scheme and as an added bonus, comes with two different sides.

Side one is more dominant in the gold color . . .





. . . while side two is more dominant in the green color.

To purchase this ornament for your tree, please click the button below and complete your order through PayPal.

Wednesday Chuckle: Regretsy

I just stumbled upon this little treasure called Regretsy.

This is both an informative and hilarious place to learn what NOT to do on Etsy. Like, don't spray paint jeans or make them looks like corsets, or both. Apparently you really can make just about anything and (try to) sell it on Etsy! The "Dead Things" section is particularly funny to me.

Oh, but watch out for inappropriate language and images...

Community Service Project

Lately I've been thinking about what we could do as a group to help out our fellow Cache Valleans while making use of our individual talents and working together as a team.

I thought it would be fun for team members to make holiday ornaments using their individual expertise and we could offer them for sale here on the blog. The money will be donated to a local charity - we've narrowed the list to 2. I'll post which one when the ornaments go up :)

Team Members: If you want to participate, please send a message at madeforcache@gmail.com. Ornaments are due to me by Friday November 20 so I can post them on the 21st. Please include shipping in the price for your item.

If you are interested in purchasing these ornaments, please check back Nov 21st to see what our creative members have come up with for your tree. The last day these will be available is Monday Dec 14 and we will mail them to your home no later than Dec 15 so you'll still have time to enjoy them on your tree or around your home.

Check back soon and help us help an organization that makes a difference in our Community!

November Meetin'

Hey Made for Cache-ers! Our Last meeting of the year will be this Wednesday, Nov 11th at 7:30pm. We'll be meeting at Taralee's in Providence. If you need the address and didn't get the reminder email, send a message to madeforcache@gmail.com and I'll get that to you.

Don't forget to bring your challenge item for the theme of Winter. If it's possible, please send me a picture of your item so I can get it posted to the blog.

Hope to see you there!

Logan Gift Show

This Friday and Saturday is the first Logan Gift Show and Taralee and I will be participating! It will be held in the new Riverwoods Conference Center which is on Main Street where the new Marriott Hotel went in. It'll be 10am to 7pm both days and there will be 60 vendors with all sorts of fun stuff for the upcoming holidays.

There is an admission fee of $2, but if you got a Valpak in the mail, there should be a coupon for 2 for 1 admission.

So come see us at the show!!

Booth Opportunity

Hey ya'll. I just got an email from Jenny of Cheeky and Swank about a craft & gift fair one of her friends is organizing. The fair will run every Saturday morning in Club New York (approx 4th North and 50 West behind Washington Savings on Main St) through November and December until Christmas.

You have to set up your own booth but space is only $15 a week, and you can get discounts for reserving multiple days. If you want to get more info on the fair or what is entailed, please send a message to madeforcache@gmail.com and I'll get you the contact info for the organizers.

RECYCLE, UPCYCLE, REPURPOSE, REUSE

Recently I started a new line of original items for sell on etsy. I feel a need to recycle and repurpose quality used, but discarded items. Old wool sweaters, belts, hand bags etc. have been my inspiration. I am creating beautiful hand bags. I've learned the art of hand felting and needle felting, and have used these techniques on several bags. Two such bags are listed on etsy, and can be seen here with my jewelry designs.

Other bags I am making are primarily of cotton blends, they are for shopping in style. Take these with you and save a plastic tree:). Or they can be used as children's book bags. They are cute and durable. Most of these bags are reversible.

Have a great day

Charlene

October Meetin'

Just a quick reminder, our team meeting for October is the 14th - Wednesday at Charlene's house. If you didn't get the directions, send a message to madeforcache@gmail.com and I'll get them to you.

Don't forget to bring your challenge item for the theme of autumn/harvest and to send me a pic for show and tell.

Hope to see you there!!

Bright Ideas for Holiday Treats

I saw an ad online today for a fun website sponsored by Mars candy company - the makers of M & M's, Twix and all those other favorite candies. The site is fun because it has lots of great ideas for cookies and other treats for Halloween as well as other holidays coming up.

These treats look great for parties and are fairly simple and fun for kids to help with.

Check it out, it's www.brightideas.com

Message Luminaries

I found another great craft from the Queen of Craftiness - Martha Stewart.

These message luminaries are great for upcoming fall or Halloween parties. You could have them say any message from the "I'd turn back if i were you" to "the Party is this way" or anything else. You could also just use shapes like fall leaves, pumpkins, or anything else that would fit your party theme.

Materials:

• Brown-paper bags (two for each lantern)
• Votive or pillar candles in a glass
• Stencils- either from the craft store, or make your own on the computer
• Craft knife
• Scrap cardboard
• Glue stick

Step One:
Stencil letters, words, or designs onto one bag. Experiment with different bag sizes and typefaces; inspiration for script styles can be found in the art section of your local bookstore or library.Slide a piece of cardboard inside bag for a cutting surface, and cut out letters or shapes with the utility knife. Do not discard center cutouts from letters with closed shapes, such as A, D, and O.

Step Two:
Fold the top edge of the second bag over twice. Trim top of stenciled bag so it is slightly shorter than the bag with the folded edge. Run glue stick around edges of letters inside stenciled bag. Place bag with folded edge inside stenciled bag, tucking stenciled bag's top edge under inner bag's folded top edge. Press bags together at stenciled area; hold until glue sets.

Step Three:
Gather center cutouts saved from letters with closed shapes. For each one, glue the cutout onto inner bag exactly behind the corresponding letter on outer bag, creating the illusion of a printed letter. With lights shining inside bags, an O, for instance, should look a ring instead of a big round hole.

Now set up your display and light candles. Hold candle in its glass, halfway down in bag. Light wick with a lighter, and lower it carefully into bag. You can also use battery-powered or flameless candles if you choose.


For more great ideas from Martha Stewart, check out this craft and others here.

Use Old Stuff in New Ways

I was surfing the web today and saw this cool article on ways to use stuff you probably already have to make things around the house a little less messy or easier. I found myself nodding and thinking, wow that IS a great idea :)

With 50 different tips, there's bound to be something you can use. So take a look and see what will work for you!

Search Engine Optimization Helps

So, SEO is super important to get your stuff noticed on the web and Etsy has been working hard to help shop owners make the most of it.

They've just compiled a guide with the help of some SEO gurus and have made it available on their site here.

So download it, read it and use it and I'll bet you a dollar that you'll see an improvement in the traffic on your site. To see the increase in traffic, make sure you've installed Google Analytics and you'll be able to track your progress.

Get optimizing and have a super day!!

Fun Fall Wreath Craft

I was looking around for an east autumn project to do when i found this great one from Martha Stewart - gotta love her!

It looks pretty easy and the materials are inexpensive as well.

All you need is:

A roll of brown craft paper - Dollar tree has it for $1 a roll

A few sheets of metallic paper in fall colors

Coordinating wide ribbon for the bow

A 20" double ring wire wreath form - but get a smaller one if you want to cut out fewer leaves

A staple gun or glue gun

Scissors


Paper Wreath How-To
1. Cut several long, 1 1/2-inch-wide strips of kraft paper. Wrap around a wreath form (ours was 20 inches in diameter) to cover; staple.

2. Cut several 5-by-10-inch rectangles from kraft paper; fold accordion-style. Cut out multiple leaves.

3. Cut more 2 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch rectangles from metallic papers; fold on the diagonal, at a slight curve.

4. Cut out single leaves; gently pinch to create a curved shape. Staple all leaves to wreath form, overlapping. Embellish with a brown satin bow.

If you want to see the craft in it's natural environment, go here

September Show and Tell

This month we focused on two things: Halloween and Fall. The team members came up with some great stuff for both.


Taraduff - Taralee

This hand crocheted hat is for children 2 years and older. Made from 100% cotton yarn, it is machine washable and dry-able. The main part of the had is done in orange yarn with the stem, leaf and curlique in green.

Doesn't her daughter make a super cute model!

Elliette Baby - Blaire

This is a hand appliqued onesie sized 3-6 months with hand embroidery that says "Mommy's Little Monster." I appliqued a frankenstein head complete with a scar on the cheek.

This item is great for boys or girls.

I also have a bunch of new fall dresses in great fall colors, so check them out at my shop (Link on left of site).

Kinder Keepsakes - Aly

Made by our newest member is a super cute and small bracelet for baby for Halloween. It has orange and black beads with silver spacers and is extendable so you can get the size just right.

Char's Impressions - Charlene

Although this cellphone sack was knitted by Taralee, the felted flower was done by Charlene who recently discovered the joys of felting when she won a starter kit at the fair. Super cute and a great imbellishment for things that don't end up in the washing machine :)

Hilfriz - Hilary

Our resident designer came up with these cool Halloween Party invites. This invite says BOO! with spider webs, slime and a cool color pallate of green, orange and black. If you're planning to host a party, I'm sure she can customize them for your event.

So that's everything. Next month we'll have great Thanksgiving/ Harvest themed items to show you. So check back here and our shops for new items!

Doggy Cards

If you know me at all, you know I love doggies. And thanks to your requests, I've listed 4 new doggy greeting cards in my shop! I've got a Westie, a Yorkie, a Portuguese Water Dog, and of course an Airedale :) These simple illustrations are really fun, so if you know anyone who loves their doggy, send them my way! I can do more of these for more breeds.

Blank inside. $15 for a set of 10.

Come See Us at the Fair

If you missed seeing us at the Cache County Fair, you've got another chance because we've got a booth at the Box Elder County Fair this week - Aug 26 to 29th over in Tremonton, Utah.

Our booth space is a lot bigger this time, so we'll have even more great stuff to show you. Plus, who doesn't love fair food and funnel cakes!

For more info on the Box Elder Fair, check out their site for the info on how to get there, the entertainment and other fun activities. Hope to see you there!

August Round-Up

Wow, August has been quite the month and it's not over yet!

Show and Tell
For inspiration this month, we used "Back to School" as our theme.




Bonnie of Days Gone By Inc. made this super cool altered composition book. She used super cute papers in blues and brown and it ties shut with a brown shoelace.







Taralee of TaraDuff made this super cute beanie to show support for our Utah State Aggies (USU is in Logan- where we are). This one is made of cotton thread so you head will stay toasty during those fall football games.




For September, the Challenge theme is Halloween/Fall. Whether you're into pumpkins and ghosts or just love the autumn leaves, this should inspire to get you ready for the fun fall season ahead. I know September to Nov 15 is my favorite time of the year.

This month we also learned about Search Engine Optimization for our Etsy shops. It's amazing what a few minues can do to increase your shop's presence on the web! If you want to check out the article we discussed and get to work, check it out here.

We also have the Box Elder Fair coming up next week, August 26- 29 in Tremonton, Utah. Our booth will be even bigger and we look forward to showing our stuff to even more people! If you're in the neighborhood, drop by. We'll be in booth #54.

And the Winners Are . . . .

Here are the winners for our super prize drawing! Thanks for all the comments left on the blog and for everyone who came by our fair booth.

Cherry Earrings by Cave Creations : Sam & Livi - thanks for the comment

Cards by Days Gone By Inc : dskabe - thanks for the comment

Necklace by Char's Impressions : Matrina Kurray

All Occasion Cards by Hilfriz : Jan -thanks for your comment

Pink & Black Scrubbie by Taraduff : Cindy Budge

Bunny Washmitt by Elliette Baby : Hailey - thanks for your comment

Pleated Clutch Pattern by Sparrow Originals : Emily Kent

If you're a winner, please email madeforcache@gmail.com to claim your prize! Thanks again to everyone who participated.

Meetin' To-Nite!

Tonight's the night, we're drawing our winners for the Giveaway - YAY!!! So hurry up and enter the drawing!! Jen added a Sparrow Originals Pleated Clutch pattern to the pot, so there are even more reasons to enter!

The meeting is Today(12th) at 7pm at Hilary's house, so if you need the address or the directions, just drop a line to madeforcache@ gmail and I'll get you the info. Also, a little bird told me there would be treats, so be sure to come!

The challenge theme was Back to School so we'll also have a show and tell.

Thanks to everyone who came by our booth at the Fair, it was fun and got us ready to do the Box Elder fair at the end of August!

Come See Us At The Fair!!!

Tomorrow is our very first fair! We'll have a booth at the Cache County Fair August 6-8 and you should totally come by and see us if you're in the neighborhood. Our booth is C-9 and is located next to the 4-H building.

We'll have handbags and patterns from Sparrow Originals, jewelry from Cave Creations, journals and cards from Days Gone By Inc, crotcheted items from Taraduff, art and jewelry from Char's Impressions, and baby towels and clothes from Elliette Baby.

So come see us and while you're at it, get a funnel cake and a corn dog!

Also, Don't forget to enter the drawing, there's only a week left to enter!!!

Giveaway = Free Stuff For You!!

Since Made for Cache is soooo awesome, we wanted to give you the chance to get a piece of the awesomeness for FREE. All it will take is a minute of your time and you too can own your very own super spiffy piece of hand-crafted coolness :)

The Rules:

To enter, just take a look at any of the team members etsy shops and comment about one of their items. Then leave a comment on this blog post about the item you looked at. Simple as that! The shops are linked to in the right side-bar via our names listed under "Sellers" or you can search etsy using "Made for Cache" in the search bar.

The giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada. This is not prejudice against people living in other countries, we just want to keep shipping costs under control :)

The winners will be drawn at out next team meeting, August 12th and winners will be announced the following day. If you see you're a winner, please send an email to madeforcache@gmail.com with your address and we'll send you your prize.

You don't have to buy anything to enter the giveaway, but the karma might help you win!

The Prizes:

From Cave Creations comes this "Cherry" Pair of Earrings. Sterling silver and Czech glass and pressed glass beads. Length of "cherry stem" may vary. Earrings hang is 1" to 1.5" from ear.

From Days Gone By, Inc is a set of 4 cards with envelopes. These are enclosed in cellophane bags and will be tied with a pretty ribbon. The four I'll include are:

Genie with Roses: inside reads: "Can there be too much love in the world? I think not."
Aunt Bess - inside reads: "My friends have made the story of my life."
Something Silly(Pictured Left) - inside reads: "Take time everyday to do something silly."
Best Friends(Pictured Right)- inside reads: "My very best friends are those who know without ever being told."

From Char's Impressions comes this beautiful necklace made with a Jasper stone and lots of crystals. It has a rectangle silver accent, tipped on end to give the piece a dramatic flair. A small crystal is wire wrapped on the end. A beautiful dressy necklace. It measures approx 18 inches, the Jasper stone adds about 2 more inches.

Designed just in time for the giveaway, Hilary Frisby Design is throwing in a coordinating set of 4 greeting cards–one for every occasion! Included are "Happy Birthday", "...missing you...", "Thank you," and "Congratulations". These come with envelopes and are blank inside.

From Taraduff is a crocheted potscrubber. It measures 4 1/2 inches in diameter. The pink side is 100% cotton and the black side is 100% nylon. It's fabulous for cleaning, and lasts forever, pretty much.

From EllietteBaby is a Scrub-a-Dub Washmitt. Made from soft cotton terrycloth, this washmitt makes bathtime fun! Gentle on babies, but tough on dirt, washmitts are machine washable and all seams are professionally serged.

So, tell your friends and may the gods of randomly drawn winners smile upon you!

"Homegrown" Tomato Pincushions

I got this in my e-mail today from Martha Stewart (you didn't know we were friends?) and I thought it was adorable. We've seen these before, but she's got a how-to for making them for yourself. Especially you sewers. And HOW CUTE would this be, if we had a cute little basket with tomatoes and other veggie pincushions (since you are all so creative) as a display or for sale or as a giveaway item. So basically I'm nominating the rest of you to make these. Haha.

Thanks, Martha!

Handmade Wedding Cake

My friend and old college roommate Jessica got married a week ago and I made her a special gift. This:A 4 tiered, vanilla buttercream covered, chocolate and white marbled wedding cake. The medallions you see are gum paste with an intricate piping pattern on them. Those took me 3 days to do and are coated with luster dust for a pretty pearlescent sheen. I suffered quite a bout of "frosting bag claw" but it was worth it.

Here's a close up of their cute topper and you kind sorta see the piping on one of the medallions. All the flowers on their cake came from the farmers market too.

Just remember, if you need a cake for a special event - call someone else :)

See You at the Cache County Fair!

Yes, it is official. Made for Cache is going to have a booth at the Cache County Fair which is coming up on August 6, 7, & 8th!

Those exhibiting are Elliette Baby (Blaire), Sparrow Originals (Jen), TaraDuff (Taralee), Cave Creations (Suzie), Days Gone By Inc (Bonnie) and Char's Impressions(Charlene).

We'll be next to the 4-H building, so come and see us and help support Handmade!!

Finally, the details of July's Meeting

Wow, things were totally crazy last week, so it's taken me a while to get things updated.

Our last meeting on July 8th went well. We were a little short on numbers, but July is the month of vacations, family reunions and so on. Despite that we forged ahead and made some new plans for the months ahead.

As you can see, we've set up a twitter account for the group as well as a forum. Both can and should be used to tell the team and the world about new developments in your shops, new items, articles you found useful and so on. If everyone on the team twitters once a week and/or posts to the forum once a week then there should be plenty to talk about! :)

We also decided August would be a great month for a giveaway. I'll send the team members a note with the details, but it should be loads of fun! We can draw the winners at our next team meeting, which is August 12th at Hilary's place. It'll be a great opportunity to get our team noticed and spread the love of handmade to a bigger audience. Also we'll be discussing Search Engine Optimization and how it can drive more traffic to our shops!

Another thing we accomplished was to set the schedule for our inspiration themes for the rest of the year. Taralee made a good point that the inspirations should be in the month ahead so you can make the sales ahead of the holiday/season they represent. The schedule goes as follows:

August - Back to School
September - Halloween/Fall
October - Harvest
November - Winter/ Holiday
December - Favorite Thing from the past year
Also, there won't be a meeting in Dec due to all the holiday craziness :)

Show and Tell
Taralee was the winner for show and tell as she was the only person to send me a photo of her item.

Albeit a little warm in most parts of the country for the 4th of July, this little hat is my ode to our independence day! I crocheted this hat from 100% cotton worsted weight yarn. It has diagonal stripes of navy blue and white with a navy band on the bottom and red crochet pom pom trim at the top. The red chain pom pom looks like a firecracker exploding! The hat pictured is sized for a toddler, however the hat is available in all sizes.

So have a great month and we'll see you in August!!!

New Forum

We now have a forum set up where we can discuss anything you want to! At the last meeting Taralee brought up a good point that sometimes there are things you want to talk about with other group members before the next meeting. The forum is a great way to do that. We can dicuss upcoming events, questions and a variety of other things.

I sent out invitations today, if you didn't get one and would like to be included, send me a message at madeforcache@gmail.com and I'll get you added to the group.

The address for the group is http://groups.google.com/group/made4cache so get posting!!

Tag it Up!!!

Hey everyone, at our last meeting (more on that later) we thought it would be a great idea to add the tag "Made for Cache" to all our shop items. That way if people want to make a tresury of our team items, or want to support team shops, or as part of a giveaway, it would make all these things easier.

So when you have a sec, be sure to add Made for Cache as one of your item tags and make it easier for people to find stuff!!

Made for Cache is now on Twitter!

http://twitter.com/madeforcache

We can now use Twitter to update one another on our shop items, upcoming events, new topics for discussion...whatever you want! You'll all be getting an e-mail soon with the password for our Twitter account so that we can all keep it updated. If you already have a Twitter account, this is a great way to keep in touch with the group.

July Meetin'

Hope you had a great 4th of July! Our meeting for this month is going to be this Wednesday the 8th at 7 pm at Bonnie's House. If you didn't get my email with her address, just send an email to madeforcache@gmail.com and I'll get it to you.

The Show and Tell for this month is patriotic, so I can't wait to see what everyone has come up with. Be thinking of themes for the coming months so we can plan out the rest of the year (August - December).

At the meeting we're going to talk about etsy tagging and forums. Maybe share the experiences you've had with either and what's worked for you. If you haven't used either of these before, maybe you'll get some new ideas on how to use these tools to promote your items.

Hope to see you all there!

Help Elliette Baby Win

I'm part of a virtual craft show on a fun site called Cafe Handmade. If you have some time, take a look at all the "booths", there are a lot of fun things available without all the walking around :)

They also have voting available for their "Best in Show" category and you can help me be #1! Just go to the voting page and click on Elliette Baby in the listing of shops A-L.

Right now I'm tied with another shop, so it's up to you to tip the scales in my favor :)

Also, I've seen traffic increase to my Etsy shop because of my "booth" on this site. The rates are really inexpensive and you get exposure to a whole new audience. Plus the process is really easy and you can see the results fairly quickly. If you're looking to try some advertising and not spend a ton of money, this might be a good option for you.

UPDATE: I Won!! Thanks for your support!

June Meetin', Plus Show & Tell

For June we met at Suzie's home and had a fun class on Photography by our own Jenny of Cheeky and Swank. She went over the basics of lighting and backgrounds and especially helped all our jewelry artisans figure out how to overcome issues particular to their materials and details of their items.

We also got to know our newest team member, Tara. She does a lot of crocheting and has bags, scarves, and clothing for kids and adults. We look forward to getting to know her better and learning form her experiences.

We also had really yummy treats provided by Liz - Thanks for the goodies!!

The Show and tell inspiration for June was Summer Time, and here are a few of the things we came up with.

Tara - taraduff

This cardigan will fit a size 12 - 18 months. It is hand crocheted by me in 100% cotton. The colors are chocolate brown and sky blue with basketball buttons down the front of the cardigan and one on the hat for trim.

There will be no mistaking your BOY in this rugged looking cardigan with the great boy colors and the basketball buttons! Make your cutie stand out in this cardigan set. It's nice and warm for those cool summer nights and cool fall days in the months to come.

Bonnie - Days Gone By Inc

Bonnie said the summer to her meant travel. This lovely handbound journal is covered in an Old World style map paper. The spine is covered in Italian bookcloth in a rich rust color. It can be used as a travel diary or just to jot down any thoughts. This journal measures 5 x 6 3/4" and has 144 unlined pages in a creamy ivory color.

Blaire - Elliettebaby

Each onesie comes with two hand sewn, interchangable blossoms in coordinating colors that attach to the onesie by velcro with the "hook" side on the flower and the "loop" side sewn to the onesie.

The flowers come on and off easily so they can be a toy during a diaper change, attach to your baby's hair or headband, and are kept looking new by not having to go through the spin cycle in the washing machine.

Liz brought a yellow felted purse, Jan brought a new design for a copper leaf necklace, and Charlene had lots of pretty wire wrapped necklaces.

The new challenge theme for July is Patriotic. That can be the colors red, white and Blue, BBQ's, fireworks, whatever makes think of our great nation.

Also, the next meeting is set for July 8th at 7 pm and Bonnie has offered her home as our meeting place. The agenda is TBA, so I'll post an update when that's figured out. I'm open to suggestions, so leave a comment or email madeforcache@gmail.com with suggestions.

Sparrow Bags at Beadles

Hi, Guys!


I wasn't able to make it to the last couple of meetings because I've had to work. But it sounds like some interesting and exciting things have been going on -- can I see some of your summer challenge items??


Just thought I'd post to let everyone know that my bags are now available at Beadles Originals Beads here in Logan. I'm sure some of you jewelry folk already know about that shop, but they have some great beads! They are just starting to expand to include gift items, so I'm excited to be a part of that and have some of my bags displayed.



Has everyone checked out the Cache Valley Gardeners' Market yet? Fresh arugula, spinach, red potatoes, cheese, grass fed beef.... yum! Not to mention the artisan booths there -- people are creating some really cool things in our area, it's worth it to get out there and support them! (And come say hi to me and some others in our group who sell there, too!)

--- Jen from Sparrow Originals

It's that time again . . .

Wow, may went by in a FLASH. I can't believe June is here and with it the true start of Summer- yay!

Just wanted to give ya'll a quick heads up about our meeting this wednesday (June 10th). We'll be having a demo/class on taking photos so we can all improve our etsy shops. The info will be given by our own Jenny of Cheeky and Swank and I can't wait! Since shop photos are what generates interest, this info should be invaluable for getting your items noticed.

Also the challenge for June was " Summertime" so don't forget to bring your item so we can all show and tell. Also, send me a picture and a brief description and I'll get those posted to our blog.

Speaking of blog, we need to get some more content here! If you have any item - at all that even remotely deals with our team, your shop, your items or whatever, PLEASE post so we can keep things interesting.

This moonth's meeting will be at Suzie's home, and I've emailed the address to everyone. If you didn't get it, send a message to madeforcache and I'll get it over to you.

One last thing to remember, lat time we talked briefly about carpooling to Salt Lake City for their farmers market so we can check it out and see if anyone wants to get a booth near the market in coming weeks. Be thinking if you want to go and if you're available to drive and we'll work out how to get everyone who wants to go down there.

Have a great night and I hope to see you there!
Blaire

The Deets on the Meets for May

So last night was our May meeting at Jan's house, which was really pretty by the way :)

Mostly we talked about how some of the members did at the Farmer's Market which just had it's opening week last Saturday. Suzy and Liz did pretty good and they said it's lots of fun. So even if you don't want to sell at the market, you can stop by and say Hi - Jen sells there too.


So coming up for June we'll be meeting at Suzie's house on June 10th at 7pm. Once again, I'll send out an email and directions ahead of time, hopefully the Monday before. We're going to have a photography class presented by one of our group members, that part isn't nailed down quite yet, but I'll let you know as soon as I'm sure.


Last month's challenge was a hard one! I didn't come up with any ideas until the last minute and then i didn't have time to make it. A couple of group members came through for us though.

This is Hilary's. She was inspired by the farms in Cache Valley, so she came up with this card that says "thoinks" instad of "thanks." She also had an idea for one that says, "Thank Moo" which is also really cute.

Liz brought these - woolen mittens that have knitted cuffs and are felted on the outside. They were super warm and soft and the wool even smelled good. Don't ask me why i smelled them, i just did ok?

Charlene brought a really pretty necklace that was inspired by Cache Valley rocks - maybe like the mountains? Anyway she did a really great wire wrapping job on it, too bad I don't have a picture :(


The new challenge for June should be a lot easier - it's SUMMERTIME. You could be inspired by the warmth of the season, i always thing of watermelon and BBQ's, but the sky is really the limit.

Also if you're intersted in doing the show i posted about earlier, here's a link to all the details, you can even apply online. You can even share booths with other team members, or whoever you want, so if you want to go feel free to see if anyone else wants to share in the days or carpool :)

One last thing, speaking of carpools, the opening day for the SLC Art Market it June 13, so we can set up a car pool for everyone who wants to go down and check it out. We can also visit Jan at her regular booth and you can decide if it's worth it to head down and sell there yourself.

It's Not Too Late

Don't forget, our next meeting is May 13 and we're doing a show and tell of items inspired by Cache Valley. You still have a week to come up with something unique. Once your item is done, send me a pic and a short description and I'll combine them into one post like we did last time.

Good luck!

Show opportunity

I was contacted today by someone who is doing a couple of shows in June and August and they were wondering if any of our team members would be interested in participating. You can check out their info here and i've asked for more details like times of day, entry fees, and what equipment each vendor is responsible to bring.

Take a look at the info and think about it, I'll post more details as I get them.

DIY Screen Printing

So today I made this tote using a "screen printing" technique I saw on a fun blog called Homemade By Jill. I've adapted it for my own purposes which is, of course, self promotion :)

If you want to see how it's done, check out the tutorial on my blog and you too can add a little flair to your own projects.

PS, if you're willing to tote my advertisement around town or anywhere else you go, just comment and I'll make you one in time for the next MFC meeting. Yay for free stuff :)

interlocking chair, anyone? (AKA I am a slacker)

I'm officially the worst guest blogger in the world. I should have known better than to volunteer to post just as my projects start piling up at school!

Well, hey, at least I have something to show for it. I know this isn't related to Made for Cache directly, or to my handmade bag business, but I thought I'd show it just for fun. After all, it is related to being creative :)

I designed this chair for one of my interior design classes using 3D modeling software. Then I had the kind folks from Country Lazer (out in Beaver Dam, Utah) cut the 29 interlocking pieces for me out of wood. The result is a completely interlocking chair that has no fasteners, hardware, or glue. After I made it in wood, I wish I had done it in clear acrylic. Oh well! (PS, the chair is model sized, just about right for a Barbie to sit in). I'll post more photos shortly on my blog in case you're interested.

Anyone have a suggestion for a name for the chair?

Hope you all are hard at work on the next team challenge -- creating something related to Cache Valley. My brain is still stuck on cheese, but I think something geared towards the mountains will be emerging soon as an applique or a stitched design on one of my bags. Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

Bags by Sparrow Originals

At our last meeting, I was thinking about how cool it would be to post little studio tours on our blog. Well, that was before I actually thought about how uninteresting my studio tour would be. Anyone have an aching desire to see a folding table and plastic bins in my basement? Didn't think so!

In lieu of my failed studio tour idea, today I'll post a variety of my bag designs. Sort of a shameless plug, show and tell type post. Of course, they can also be found on my Etsy shop, Sparrow Originals.

[Shirt Bag made with vintage men's dress shirt and vintage leather belts for handles.]

[Pleated Bag in apple green suede.]

[Pleated Clutch in red linen w/ removable strap.]

[Tucked Tote in mustard linen.]

[Clutch in pods print and antique brass frame.]

I'd love to know which are your favorites! I promise, I'll have a more exciting post for next time :) Meanwhile, I have all sorts of lovely posts happening on my personal blog.

-Jen