etsy

So it’s been a different week so far! My dear boyfriend is out of town for who knows how long…maybe another week, I’m not even sure.

Anyway, no matter. I have been focusing on three things this week so far: working out, Skyrim, and Leatherings. Have been doing cardio so far this week and as always (always) it’s making me feel better. I’ve been playing a bunch of Skyrim too, but that’s normal. Mostly, I’ve been working on leather projects. I made and listed a bunch of small items over the last few days, and my shop is looking fantastic if I do say so myself! I don’t expect all you who read this blog to check my Etsy shop regularly (hell, I can’t afford most of the purses that I make and list) — so here’s a screen shot.

Pretty!!! 😀

I’ve already sold one of the wallets (the oak leaf one on the top – and made the one that’s up now yesterday). This morning I got a message from someone asking if she could buy some of these wallets in bulk, so that’s a good thing too. (I told her it would depend on how many she wanted and how quickly she needed them…I am completely out of snaps right now….) I also have two custom orders that I’m making…waiting on some hardware (buckles and stuff) to deliver before I can finish them. Really ought to get everything all prepped for them tonight, though, so I can get them out of here as soon as I do get the hardware……

Anyway – totally gratifying, and I’m glad I took everyone’s advice and finally opened an Etsy shop.

Another’n

(Image links to Etsy listing)

Made this one over the weekend, after the Renaissance Fair on Saturday. It was a good weekend, but I’m awfully tired this morning. I need to go grocery shopping today for cake ingredients, but instead of doing that over my lunch break I think I’m just going to go home and take a nap. Sounds so awfully lovely.

Would write more, but…trying to conserve my energy for work, I guess.

Had a good weekend. We hung around the house (Stephen’s) on Saturday; made these two items to replenish my shop which was down to 3 listings, and sat around listening to Mahler’s 3rd and 5th symphonies, and Bach’s cello suites played by Edgar Meyer on bass. Stephen made chili, I made a chocolate meringue pie, and we had fish tacos for lunch — it was a good day. Yesterday we went to a concert put on by the composer’s group that Stephen’s a member of, then had a couple of drinks at Jackson’s and went back to Stephen’s to watch the Oscars. Which were pretty entertaining. Lady Gaga is apparently an extremely talented and versatile performer — her Sound of Music medley was amazing.

Anyway, it was a good weekend, and even though today is Monday again, I’m at least glad that the sun is out (mostly) and the roads aren’t icy, and I’m making money on Etsy. All good things. 🙂

lunch today: scrambled egg carbanara and samoas

accidentally microwaved my leftover pasta too long, which turned the sauce into scrambled eggs. damn. so I’m eating the top, and finishing off this blasted sleeve of Samoas that I couldn’t resist buying the other day. left them at work; otherwise they would have been gone the day I bought them.

I utilized my lunch break to run to the post office, where I mailed THREEEE orders off!! two should have been mailed before today but because of all the ice, I didn’t actually get out of the house until yesterday. I should have mailed them yesterday…but, uh, that didn’t happen, so, you know. oh well. have I mentioned just how gratifying it is to be making money on these things??! I mean, it’s great!! I actually bought a case of bubble mailers and some tape today, because I keep needing them!! whoo hoo.

so Saturday is going to be the 2 year anniversary of Matt’s death, which feels weird to say. I had a dream about him last night, which hasn’t happened in a looong time – I can’t remember when I dreamt about him last. these last 4 years have been so odd, and disjointed. this last year has been full of recovery and living. year before that I was covered in grief. year before that I was equal parts hopeful and frightened. year before that I was apprehensive and starting to be frightened. it’s been very strange, and ten years ago I would have never been able to guess what was in store for me.

well, lost my train of thought thanks to blogging at work. oops. but I brought it up because I’m trying to decide what I want to do on Saturday. maybe I’ll buy a bottle of mead in honor of Matt. we’re supposed to get more snow on Friday so I don’t know about hiking — but if it’s warm enough and not raining/snowing, I might. I wonder how he would have wanted me to spend these February 21’s. I know that he would be happy with my life as it is right now, and proud of me. so it’s kind of a moot point, I guess. maybe I should see what Ryan’s doing.

anyway.

this is turning into self-promotion central

though, really, isn’t that what this blog has always been?

I have listed 3 new pieces in the last 2 days, and one of them sold after being up for about 2 hours. It was a Skyrim apothecary’s satchel that I’d made a few months ago and then rejected in disgust as it was rather off-center. See figure 1.

fig. 1

Anyway, I listed it for $20, which is apparently far too cheap for even an askew-apothecary’s satchel.

Other two items listed were oak leaf purses. One of them is significantly less expensive than the other, because I almost rejected it in disgust as well, after mucking up the dyeing job (fig. 2). Gah. I loved this purse and then had to go try to dye it. I had added oil to my leather dye because it was turning solid (BAD IDEA — will add alcohol if anything in the future) and it basically went on all splotchy, because of that and also because I didn’t apply with a wet rag. Oh well, live and learn. I made another similar bag last night, out of a thick veg tan that has a soft, suede-like surface (fig. 3). Very pretty. I sort of want to keep it. Might make myself one that’s larger and will hold a couple of books.

(fig 2.) (fig. 3)

Anyway, so yeah, there you have it.

It’s been a tolerably good week so far, though I am awfully glad that it’s Friday. We’re going to see the Grand Budapest Hotel at the Belcourt tonight – I’m pretty sure that it might be the first Wes Anderson movie I’ve actually seen in a theater. (Unless — Anna Laura/Carla, did we see Darjeeling Limited together? or am I thinking of the Terminal?) Not sure what else will happen this weekend, other than sleeping in. It’s supposed to be partly cloudy/partly sunny all weekend, and cold, so possibly a hike…or possibly reading…or…..we’ll see.

camera bag

Just finished this camera bag. Kinda want to keep it.

black ‘un

In lieu of sharing each new item on FB (although maybe it’s getting to be time to start a Facebook page for Leatherings), I’m posting here. On the suggestion of someone from Reddit, I made a satchel (well, they’re really more like pouches) from black leather and just put it up. Included a drawstring in this one, which I think looks great!

New item!

Just finished a large apothecary’s satchel and listed it. Because I’m supposed to shamelessly self-promote, I’m posting a link here. Will maybe even open a FB page for myself once I have more inventory. This last piece took longer to make than the first piece because of all the extra design on the strap. (Picture links to Etsy listing.)

Also, for good measure, here’s a snapshot of the satchel from the game.

Does anyone know how to get your etsy items to pull up in Google? When you google “skyrim apothecary satchel,” it pulls up two of my pictures – but neither are the Etsy item. When you add “etsy” to the search criteria, it pulls up something with the same item description but a completely different (and WAAAAAY uglier) item. So. Maybe it just needs to be more popular before Google will recognize it, I don’t know.

SO, I decided to go ahead and open up a shop. I have one little item listed right now — but there will be more, trust me. At the moment, I would like nothing more than to be able to spend all my time making leather things, but since that’s not an option I’m instead going to try to figure out how to get my listing to show up in Google.

Here’s the link – if you’re on Etsy, you should totally like my shop. It would make me happy.

I’m uploading pictures here because I think it’s just so cute!!