Good things are coming soon...

Until then take a look at some Etsy banners from the early days.

These were lovingly made by my husband with tons of cute sayings. The banner has come a long way since then but I still adore these.
Which one is your favorite?

Until next time, 

Froggy

Just a quickie....

Is that how you even spell quickie? 

So, I don't have any pictures to go with this post at the moment but I felt I needed to write something. I think it is because I am so enamored of the new layout I keep checking back to the blog just to look. Silly me.

Mostly, I am sort of doing informal brainstorming ideas for my little fiber world. Things in the bigger world may have just taken a turn for bad again, but nothing that can't be handled. We will definitely manage. So, I turn to my fiber world for a little bit and it both calms me and makes me scared and nervous and excitable. Hard emotions to have all at once. Since my job should slow down some (basically go from 40 hr/wk store set up to 15-20 hr/wk store's open) I really want to create a bit of a schedule for Froggy Fibers.
So here is my current thought. I will try to make and create yarns and fibers between working and attempt to list every other week. I once tried every week and that wasn't good for me. Naturally I can work out listing new things about once a month but that isn't good for business. So let's try the in between.
Only time will tell they say.

Surprise!

I'm having a surprise sale starting NOW everything is 25% off. Money refunded via PayPal after payment clears. Tell me you saw it on my blog. (disc. does not  include shipping, can not be combined, etc)
Good through May 2, 2010

Shop Froggy Fibers 
 

Store update and Policy Change

Just wanted to let you know that lots of new things have been added to the store throughout the week. More fiber and more yarn for you at Froggy Fibers.

I also wanted to send a quick note for those who are not signed up for the Froggy Fibers Newsletter that there is a new policy going into effect on May1st regarding renewing items in the store. After this date no yarn or fiber product will be renewed so if you want something in the store it is best to go ahead and purchase it.

Thank you for viewing and purchasing from my store.

Customer Creation - Mountain Eagle Crafters Hat

I always love to see what becomes of the things I make and sell. In this case, I sold a single skein of handspun yarn to a lovely repeat customer who has an Etsy shop. As it turns out, this customer was in town visiting when she made the purchase so in order to save on shipping we agreed to meet at a predetermined location.


After I handed her the yarn we talked in the parking lot for 30 minutes in the somewhat (no actually really, really) cold weather. The skein of yarn she purchased was only 102 yards but she still made this lovely adult sized hat. A great example of what you can make with a single skein of handspun. (Bulky yarn requires even less yardage.) So please, pop on over to Mountain Eagle Crafter's etsy shop today.
Thanks for sharing!

finito!

I am in love with this yarn. I almost hate to say that because it really is such a standard monotone yarn. I call it Ray of Sunshine. It just feels warm and inviting. Plus the sun has so many different levels of intensity that it just makes sense. This is one of three yarns that I spun for a customer. I enjoyed all the color combination's and it gave me an idea for the Wesleyan Market and the online store. Now just time and patience will tell where this gets me. Today was also a bit nice because I got some really nice photos of the yarns, both together and individually. They were almost artsy in nature. I have about ten yards of this left and so I'm going to make a little stockinette stitch swatch to see how it knits up.

Friends of Froggy

Just realized that I twittered all about this but didn't add this to the blog. I started a group on Ravelry called Friends of Froggy. If your on Ravelry.com I would love for you to stop by and chat with us. Drop by and tell us what your spinning, knitting, crocheting or felting. Let me know what you would like to see for the group as well.
Thanks! Froggy

PS - Check out my modem guard purchased from StaceyRebecca!

Customer Creations - Easy123

The other day I received the best type of message on Etsy that a seller could hope for. Michele from Easy123 had purchased some yarn called "Parakeet" from which she made a beautiful scarf.
Just look at it!










Michele has lots of great items in her store so be sure to check them out!

Twitter-tasticness! April 26th - May 2nd

Okay, highly doubt that is a real word but I'm rolling with it.

Starting today I will be offering a Twitter Item of the Day from my shop until May 2nd. The specials only apply to the item listed on Twitter and only for the day listed. I got a late start today so Sunday's Twitter Special will run through 9 am EST on Monday. The remainder the specials will run until 11:59 pm the day listed.

So you heard it here first... if you like fibers, follow FroggyFibers on Twitter for special deals this week. As Kermit would say "YAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!" (*waves arms madly in the air*)

Keep it or let it go...

So I totally bailed on posting everyday this month. It really is hard enough to get in a habit of spinning everyday without having to write about the yarn (or portion thereof) that I spun. So, lets just keep the posting true to being about the interesting things.

One new thing is the shop has been updated recently. Recently being within the last 3-4 days. I also plan to finish listing items that have been photographed today. I got a little off track around my birthday and didn't log time spent working. I decided to pick up again today. It's not easy though... I have a 9 yr old distraction.

The spinning everyday thing is going pretty well. I went pro on my Flickr account so that I can add multiple photos. I can now also add more sets (which I have) to organize things a little. I even uploaded photos specifically to put in groups. I always limited myself a little when I knew there was only 200 photos available to view. One of the new fiber photos I put up is on the right.

I originally dyed this with the knowledge that I would spin it up. I wanted it to be something of a semi-striping roving. However, because of the limited amount of counter space, when the roving was dried and braided the colors were virtually solid blocks. It photos so well, looks so good that I am sorely tempted to list it for sell. That's doesnt mean that it would sell but at least it does look good.

Outside of adventures in fiber dying... I have completed two more yarns due to the spinning challenge. I haven't set the twist on either yet. One is part of a de-stash one of the ladies in the spinning group did. She gave a way a ton of pretty fibers including this variagated blues. I'm not sure what brand it is, reminds me of Lornas Lace fiber and it spun extremely soft. The other yarn is merino/silk that I carded when I had the Strauch Petite. It was pulled (by hand) into roving and I could never get it to spin quite right. I picked up a portion of it that was pulled into pencil thin roving and when that was successful I found the remaining roving and spun it up. I guess some things just take time. Speaking of which, I have been working on my "long term project" and I honestly think I lost my determination for it yesterday. I actually lost my yarn multiple times in a five minute setting and finally just had to stop. I'll probably try to find something nice and easy to spin tonight. Maybe coils, a few people have been doing coils and its been a while. Guess we will just have to see.

It's my Birthday and so.....

My Gift to You!

April 1oth is my 29th birthday and so I am having a 1 -day sale. 10% off purchases of $29 dollars or more.

Write "Almost30" in the Notes to Seller Box and I will send a revised invoice.

Total must be before shipping, can not be combined with any other discount. Valid only April 10th from 12 am EST - 11:59 pm EST

non-spinning yarn stuff

Just a little update on what I have been doing the last few days... that's not spinning yarn.

Saturday night we had a guest over in the form of my 11 yr old nephew. This is a good and a bad thing. Good because it keeps the 9 yr old son busy, bad because I am convinced that boys can't play together without getting on each others nerves. So, my kid went to bed about 10:30 which is late for him but not so early that he misses time with his cousin. The 11 yr old went to bed an hour later. So from about 9:30 till 12:30 I did some dying.
This is the result. I am trying to stay away from to many pastel like colors and get more saturation but I didn't have any luck that day.

I have discovered that so far, my new baby blue dye is breaking funny. Its really annoying because it creates spotting on the yarn/roving. I purchased two packets so I may need to open the other and see if I get the same effect. Also, instead of hand painting I may need to opt with a soak in a pot. Just in case the dye is not mixing well. I'm not sure why it would since all my other dyes used while hand painting mix up fine.

I also got some carding done. I don't have a really good picture since I wasn't planning to take any. However, my husband was playing around with the camera and got several fiber pics (after he took my spinning pictures.) So in case you can see through the clear plastic enough, thats my new batt set. Its pink and black with sari silk and bamboo and glitz and some regular silk as well. That's pretty hard to see but I will be sure to upload more pictures in the future.


In the store, I went through and remeasured the yarn that had been dyed in block coloring such as "Parakeet." Surprisingly that yarn was listed at 114 yards and it was actually 132 yards. However, most of them were roughly the same yardage as listing. The only difference is that instead of using the word "approx" the measurements are more exact.

So, on a final note I wanted to mention that I got some samples sent in for the April PhatFiber box. I didn't mention it earlier because I had some restraints that made me unsure if I was going to be able to make it. (Now, lets just hope the PO doesn't have issues.) I hope to contribute on a regular basis or at least bi-monthly. Since it was my first time I only sent in a few but next time I will be more experienced in what I need to do to get more samples made. If you happen to make it here after getting a box, be sure to leave a comment. I'd love feedback!

Quitting the Multiple Venue Gig

For now....

I have a fascination with all things new and sparkly. Truth be told, I just have a fascination with sparkly things... forget the new. So, last November I came across this site called ArtFire. Since I had been on Etsy (darn near three years at that point) I remembered always hearing people say, don't put your eggs in one basket... don't put your eggs in one basket. I thought, "oooohhh... Shiny, ooohhhh Neat... ooohhhhh... I wanna touch."

And touch I did (not in a bad way). I talked to my husband and convinced him that this was the next big handmade site. This is the first site I had heard about and thought "They've got lots of potential and aren't just your runofthemill overnight coat-tail grabbers." I dove straight in and got my $7 verified for life. My husband said... "Give it 3 months." I said, "Ok," knowing all the time that I would have an excuse to keep the renewal going.

Lo and behold on the third month, I was laid off from my job. Sucks to be me you think. Nope, more reason to keep the ArtFire store open. I would have two places to sell my wares and more time to do it in. Yay me! I didn't even have to think. Well, until I did.

I started trying to keep a spreadsheet of all my sales and expenses and this is what I found out. $7 isn't alot, but its alot to someone with no daytime job, no investment money and a small leash. I don't have $84 dollars to see where they go in a year, I didn't have $28 to begin with, I just liked to think I did.

So yea, I'm keeping my eggs in one basket at the moment. It makes the best business sense for me and for my scale of business at this time. Besides, why not... the grocery store keeps my eggs in the same styrofoam carton and it's rare that they ALL break.

I'm keeping my eyes open though......

A lot of love and a little mingling

I have always thought that my family was perfectly suited to me. Sure I gripe and grumble and yes I nag at TheBoy and TheMister to do this and do that. Really that's just part of what being a mom/wife calls for sometimes. Fortunate for me its days like today that remind me that they really know me, love me, and want the best for me.
Growing up, Valentines Day wasn't all about celebrating the "love" of your life (i.e. significant other, sex partner etc..) but just showing that you cared. When we hit high school my mom bought us little Valentine's Day to showed she cared. Also, high school is when kids are at their worst and I wasnt getting any cards or candy because I just wasn't popular enough. Sometimes being an adult is not much different unless you have a great family and a great bond. Sure some adults don't feel the need to spend money to show they love someone, and thats perfectly alright. My family just gifted me with the sweetest surprise gift yesterday.

To start is this:



On the left is a brand new enamel dyepot so that I can work on dying more than one batch of fiber at a time. More effective for the store and less time consuming. Jay said he really wanted to encourage me to keep up with the progress and level of productivity I've gotten since losing my job. YAY hubby! Oh, and there is more....


Inside the pot was a special selection of goods just for me. The "U-R GR8" heart, frog stickers and a teddy bear card from my baby boy, Dyl. I also got another (personal =P) card from hubby, a tub of jelly hearts and everything else you see in the picture above. The small scissors are to complete my scissor trifecta so now I have 8-inch Ginghers, Fiskars pinking shears and small embroidery/detail scissors. I also got a mini (1.5 inch) sticker maker with a refill adhesive cartridge.
I'm so happy with my little gifts I could squeal! I won't but I could. As I've gotten older I realize that family is very special to me and I couldn't have married a better fellow or had a better son!


On another quick note, here is what I was working on yesterday that I hope to add to the Mix and Mingle section of the store soon.

It's handspun mill ends in the same color set as Faded Forestry. I noticed in Etsy chat people would like the colors but they were not spinners. Hopefully this will add some options for those who really like the combination and are able to knit or crochet. Unfortunately since these are spun from millends, I can't guarantee that the yarn will felt or not felt. There is also some variation in color in certain areas because of the varying wool composition .

Shop News - Shipping Rate adjustments!

Just a quick note:

Effective immediately the Shipping has been updated for Froggy Fibers merchandise at both Etsy and ArtFire. The main difference is the return of First Class shipping for the US.

Also shipping times are currently being posted on a 1-2 business day turnaround due to recent changes in my availability.

Thanks!

*****

As a side note: I have created a mailing list for future Froggy Fibers Newsletters. Sign ups are in the left column of the blog.

Labels and looking professional

One of the first things I did when I found out I lost my job was make this blog three columns. That was a great since of accomplishment and something that was easy to do at the beginning. I also want to get my website renovated to become the portal to Froggy Fibers on the web. It would include links to my blog, my Etsy, my ArtFire, my Flickr etc... etc... etc. I, however, and not a web designer, graphic designer or similarly knowledgeable design type person. I am just a budding fiber artist.

What I have done recently is an effort to look more professional on my meager budget. So by using the banner from the blog, some cotton stationary, and a 9 inch paper trimmer I was able to create wrap around labels for my listed goods. Prior to this, I attached a business card and a cute little info card via hole punch and yarn. While I am not saying that using a business card isnt useful, there really are so many other things that they can be used for.


In order to avoid the commitment of Etsy vs ArtFire, I chose to commit to using my own website address. That's why its even more important that I can utilize that space appropriately as a portal to the world of Froggy Fibers. I'm sure there is more progress to come so stay tuned!

Froggy's Funky Fun Scarf

Hello all my bloggerinos!

I recently spent some time knitting a scarf from my very first novelty yarn. I love it and its so colorful. I started out making it into a crocheted hat. Unfortunately that was one of those UFO's that never got finished. I guess in the long run that's just not what it wanted to be. On my trip to Sheepish I picked a pair of jumbo needles. Jumbo you say... yes... size 19 in fact. Its weird though, its like I knew that I was waiting on these needles and the minute I got home the yarn just hop, skipped and jumped on to them. (I encourage hopping when every I can =D )



Here is the humble beginnings of my scarf. I started out thinking I would do ten stitches but it seemed to small at first so I added five. Then I knit 1 row, purl 1 row to create the stockinette pattern. Once I was finished I bound off and lightly blocked it. I'm actually a fan of the curl from the stockinette stitch but thats probably because it adds to the scarf's novelty look. Plus, since I used stockinette instead of a simple garter stitch there is a lot of play in the scarf. It will be nice and stretchy and can be draped across the back or around the neck. Total length is 41 inches and width is 6 inches across. I added it to my Etsy shop yesterday and is my first finished item on Etsy! (i.e. not a supply which can be made into another finished product.)


I really enjoyed making this scarf. I'm even all riled up to make another scarf to add to the store in the next week or so. Will have to see how everything works out first. Comments are always welcomed!

Writers block...

I wanted to write about the sales to shipping process. I have a post all ready to publish but to be honest, I don't think its good enough. So I will not publish my post but will work on something more interesting.

Speaking of, I have added three new listings to my Etsy store recently and a couple to my Artfire. I plan to add more and do more in the coming months. I have a little extra time between "looking" for a job so I hope to fill out both stores.

Please leave a comment if there is something you would like to see in the store!

Thanks for your patience during my sudden "life change."

Sincerely, Froggy

Blankets, Cookies and Cards

Whew! That baby blanket was one UFO that was quickly becoming a PITA. (uhh, use your imagination.) Now that I have finished that little project I can go back to working on other things, like blog posts. Unfortunately, part two of the war of acronyms will have to continue some time this weekend. Only because the rest of the night and tomorrow is preparing for our son's birthday party on Saturday. Preparing really means unpacking the boxes that stayed in the corner for the last three months because they should have never made it to the house. Plus we have to buy all the party goods tomorrow when I get off from work. Fun Fun Fun!

So on to more fiber related news. Here is the blanket all wet down and blocked to rectangular. I'm a little afraid it will be too small for a baby.


Here's hoping the baby is not ginormous. When I crochet blankets that is usually about how big they turn out. Its probably just nervousness over the size of the knit project.

Now, in non-fiber related news:
I denied my sweet tooth 24 hours of the best peanut butter cookies I have had in a while. I did it all so that I could take pictures for this post. See, just about two weeks ago I got a taste for peanut butter cookies. The only problem is that it couldn't be just any old peanut butter cookie, it had to be that peanut butter cookie. I wanted a cookie with peanuts and big chunks of peanut butter morsels. I wasnt looking for macadamia nuts or those tiny tollhouse morsels and I certainly wasnt looking to bake for myself. (It's been a long time and we have a heater for a stove at the moment.)
Imagine my surprise when I meet Just Bakin' in the Etsy chat room. In the past I never seriously considered buying food from Etsy sellers. Nothing against the sellers but getting my food in the mail was not appealing. The only other item that tempted me was a caramel apple cheesecake but it was local pickup only and I don't live in Alabama.
So I started up a conversation in the chat room asking all the questions. What do you know, this seller can make cookies to custom. Better yet, she made them to my specifications and that makes me extremely happy. I was so happy that even though my husband and I were about to head out to rum errands Wednesday, when the mailman showed up I had to wait. I saw him scanning the package and I didnt want my cookies sitting in no leaky mailbox. Well it turns out he was taking it to the front door. (Now mind you, he watched us come out the door but on his way back out he says... "Oh, y'all live here?" Idiot.)
The presentation on the package was outstanding and she even threw in a sample of chocolate chip cookies. I like the cookies best when they are heated for about 10 seconds but they were definitely good either way.

Last but not least in my guilty indulgences. Really guilty indulgences. Since I don't have money to spend on Etsy it is amazing for me to make two purchases in one weeks time. My second purchase was from hdawnparratt.
This was totally another chat inspired purchase which may only prove to my husband that I am wasting time AND money in the chat rooms. The sea otter card was too adorable and the frog card was the icing on the handmade card cake. The inside is blank but I have no intention of mailing these. I want to find a complementary frame or matboard and hang it on the wall.

So, that's it for the night. I finished the blanket, I bought some goods that I loved and I have a birthday party to prep for this weekend. (Which is scary since it will be the first time my parents and my husbands parents have meet in a nonformal setting. In fact, his mom was the only one at the wedding so it will be the first time his dad has meet either of my parents. Yea, this is getting scary....)

*AD* Froggy Fibers is having a sale

Moving Sale at Froggy's!

I've mentioned on a couple occasions that we are moving into a new place with the lease starting August 1st. In honor of the occasion (and because the less I have to pack/unpack the better) I'm having a sale at the store!

July 6th - August 2nd (11:59 EST) take 20% off total purchases of $10.00 or more (prior to shipping.) Use the code: LeapFrog (in notes to seller) and wait for an adjustment invoice.