Donkee House

Upcycled Burlap Shoe Bag

In my continuing quest to fulfill the Donkee Do List of 2010, I spent this beautiful Sunday afternoon making prototypes of an Upcycled Burlap Shoe Bag.  You’re looking at prototype #2, #1 was an utterly laughable failure and I am too embarrassed to even look at it and touch it myself without blushing with a deep sense of craft bankruptcy and doom.

Ahem…in any case, I’ve had three of my burlap coffee bags washed and ready for a few weeks now.  Needless to say, I’ve been just a tad too busy as of late between the regular job and my Etsy shop.  But the craft fairy was kind to me this afternoon and sprinkled me with some of her crafty fairy dust – giving me enough time and energy to put down some much needed time at the sewing machine.

An hour or so later, along with a broken needle and one failed bag, I came up with this shoe bag.  For those of you who have a regular and somewhat long commute on the subway, you should already know all about Subway Shoes.  If you do indeed need to wear non-subway shoes in the office, then you need something to carry your pretty office shoes in.  I’ve seen women who just dump and squeeze their shoes inside their purse or bag without even so much as a grocery bag for the shoes and I must admit, it disgusts me.  All that shit on the street you walk on (literal shit, gum, dirt, grime, glass, you name it) and you’re putting it your bag unprotected along with your wallet, lip balm, keys, etc.!  Yuck!

I’ve always used the shoe bags that come along with some of the shoes, but when they get dirty and grimy, you have to chuck them because they usually can’t be washed.  When you’re out, you’re out.

So I thought to make myself a burlap shoe bag.  Burlap breathes and is resistant to moisture.  Also washable, so can be used over and over again.  I paired the rustic and rough burlap with a bright yellow velvet trim as the drawstring to create a bit of contrast in texture and feel.  Maybe I’ll use some nubby linen as the drawstring next time for an all out natural and rustic shoe bag.

I think it turned out pretty good and I can’t wait to make the next one.  It now hangs easily on the shoe closet doorknob waiting to be used!

Sunning…on the Long Island Rail Road

photo credit: Emma Rose Photos

Yesterday, I began #5 on the Donkee Do list – visit the folks more in Long Island.  This weekend is one of those longed for long weekends, so I decided to hop on the train and head east.

I must admit that the trip on the Long Island Rail Road was really pleasant yesterday.  It calmed me rather than agitate me – like it normally does.  For three reasons, mainly:

1.  I went to the Forest Hills station rather than the Jamaica station.  The Forest Hills station is about a 10 minute walk for me (I’m slow) and made for a fantastic stroll in the beautiful sun and warmer weather we had yesterday.  A relaxing 10 minute stroll versus the brief 3 stop subway ride on the E, then scrambling up to the Jamaica LIRR platform and wait in line to buy a LIRR ticket with usually just one machine working and the line 15 people deep…I’ll take the sunny and leisurely stroll anytime.

2.  I gave myself plenty of time.  Once I got to the train station, I purchased my LIRR ticket (no line AND the machine was working!), I settled down in a sunny spot and waited.  A little windy, but I like a bit of a chill, so it was refreshingly, to say the least.  During my 15 minute wait, it was so invigorating to look out onto Station Square with the brick roads and historical buildings rather than the perpetually grey Jamaica station steel…

Here is Station Square:

Here is Jamaica LIRR station:

You see what I’m talking about?  Not that Jamaica station is bad in any way…it’s actually one of the best taken care and best looking stations (big, airy, clean, etc.), but compared with a quaint village-like square with the sun shining and birds chirping….

3.  Got on the train and sat in one of the window seats.  The sun was shining bright in my face.  I didn’t have sunglasses and if I had looked out the window toward the sun, my retinas would have evaporated.  So I just closed my eyes or closed them most of the way and enjoyed the sun’s blast.  My head was getting all warm and I was getting all relaxed..I started to think that this MUST be why cats and dogs love to just lie around in any sunny spot and chill or pass out.  Your head is warm and cozy, your face is warm and cozy, you’re slouched or splayed out any which way that is comfortable and just watching the world go by.  You’re the warm and relaxed observer of all else crazy and chaotic.  I LIKED my train ride A LOT.

Then, of course, I got off the train and met up with the folks and the crazy and chaos ensued fifty six fold…FAMILY FUN!

Donkee House Shop is Open at Etsy!

Here begins #6 (“Work more for myself”) on the Donkee Do List.  I’ve opened up the Donkee House shop on Etsy a few days ago.  It was a lot of preparation, but it was also a lot more fun than I thought it would be.  What possibly could be fun in all this besides all the sourcing and buying?  Hmmm…I found that I really do like to:

1. Style and take pictures.  It proved to be more difficult than I had anticipated, but I realized in the end, it was all about experimentation.  I moved the subjects around a lot and when that didn’t work, I moved myself around a lot.  I took at least twice as many photos as there are showing in the shop.  The most frustrating part about this step?  The weather.  Seriously, I needed good natural sunlight, but it was grey and dreary for days and days, it seemed.  It was a long waiting game.

2. Determine pricing.  I tried to be really fair in pricing.  I took to studying the items in detail (besides, “oh, it’s so pretty!”) and researched online.  This part can take a good while, but it’s doing necessary homework.  Not only do I want to give as much information as I can to the potential buyers, but it also helps ME tremendously in getting to know my current product and for future sourcing.

3.  Determine packaging.  To be honest, packaging is still percolating in my head.  I got the ultimate push, though, when I had my first sale just a few hours after the shop went live.  So unexpectedly crazy, right?  I didn’t think I was going to sell anything for weeks!  Seriously – I’m selling along with really seasoned and expert folks on Etsy and somebody picked MY stuff?  What?  High with freshman joy, I panicked a little because I didn’t have any packaging that I liked around.  After a bit of WTF am I gonna do because zip lock bags ain’t gonna cut it, I looked to my bag of vintage scrap fabrics and ribbons and voila!

4. Create assortment sheet.  An assortment sheet is basically a list and recap of inventory.  In this list, I have pictures of the items, description, cost, retail, quantity I have, quantity I’ve sold, quantity left over, source, dimensions, weight, whether the item is vintage or new.  This is definitely a get to know your goods better exercise.

Of course, along with the good and fun, there are also some boring tasks associated with all this.  I really DON’T like to:

1. Determine shipping.  All the USPS, UPS, Fedex, First Class, Priority, International, Parcel, Flat Rate stuff confuse the heck out of me.  Also, I don’t understand how some sellers can do free shipping or extremely cheap shipping and be above water.  Some shipping prices are outrageously high (I think) and I want to offer the most economical and reliable options.  The husband is in charge here – he’s the logistics guy.  Yay!

2. Promote.  I know, this is a bad one.  It’s so necessary, but I so dread it.  I’ve never been a self-promoter or salesperson.  A good sort, anyway.  It’s all so uncomfortable.  Ugh…well, at least the little Etsy Mini is up on the side bar.  Doesn’t that count as something?

This is all just the initial impression so far on this Etsy shop experience.  As I grow into it, I’m sure there will be more ups and downs, pros and cons.  Meanwhile, I have so much more to do.  I have a good number of stuff almost ready to be listed (waiting for shipping options) and a lot of pics waiting for finishing touches.  Oh, I can’t even THINK about the fabric just yet!

But I really need to know what you guys think about the Etsy Mini on the side bar.  Is it distracting?  It’s so colorful against the black and white theme – does it look out of place?  Is it me?  Arghhh….

Donkee Do List – 2010

photo credit: schillergarcia

I know I’m a little late to the party, but still…I’ve never really been one for New Year’s resolutions.  To me, they are or will become unnecessary pockets of burden and guilt sooner or later.  Well…giving our fragile humanity the benefit of the doubt, I will say…usually, not always.

Resolutions are like promises and promises are made to be broken.  Maybe I’m being a bit negative and faithless here with a bit of humbug, but I hate setting myself up for failure.  It could all be a matter of meaningless semantics in the end, but I’d rather continue to not make any resolutions this new year and definitely no promises.

Instead, I’ll just have a list of things that I really, really, really NEED to do this year.  Or better yet, to psych myself up, there are a list of things that I really, really, really WANT to do this year.  WANT is much better and easier psychologically and kind of tricks the brain into thinking that if you WANT to do something, then it must be FUN.  FUN like putting a tiny dab of clear glue on each of the keys on the keyboard of an unsuspecting co-worker.  FUN like smearing a thin layer of vaseline on the toilet seat.  FUN like covering (and I mean COVERING) your VP’s floor to ceiling windows with multi-colored post-its.  FUN like gooey mac and cheese.  FUN like talking smack to someone who can smack talk back.

So…what FUN things do I WANT to do this year?

1. Make things – nothing fancy here.  I just want to make things.  I’ve made a bunch of zipper bags and a few pins for Christmas presents and they were a hit.  I love to make and create and want to continue doing so this year.

2. Spend less – aside from medical and other necessary expenses, I want to spend less on things that don’t give me a good enough ROI (return on investment).  A new dress for $300 that I will most likely wear two times in a year, then forget about will not yield a great return.  On the other hand, the $4500-$5000 sofa we will be getting this year that I will most likely live on for the next 10 years will yield an awesome return.

3. Max out both of our IRAs – because we will need to retire…someday.

4. Max out my 401k – see above.

5. Visit the folks more in Long Island – really, the folks aren’t that far away.  It takes the same amount of time to go to LI as it does for me to get to work.  I just have this misconception that since Long Island is not a borough, then it’s “too far”.  Shame on me!

6. Work more for myself – I have an entrepreneurial spirit and it needs to DO something.  Feed the beast!

7. Volunteer - no matter how small a job, I want to help a bit.  Library?  Swap meet?

This list is achievable, I think.  I certainly WANT to do all of the above and none seems like a drag that make New Year’s resolutions so historically hard to keep.  I’m thinking of keeping track of each of these seven to-dos and see which of these will actually be achieved and in some cases, how often.  Worthwhile, you think?

What is on your to-do list this brand spanking new year (decade) and how are you psyching yourself up for it all?