The Crafty Princess Diaries

Tammy Powley’s Crafty Weblog

September 30, 2018
by Tammy
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Make More Doll Videos

I originally started seriously making videos on my YouTube channel a number of years ago because I had been contacted by a company who asked me if I was interested in teaching a craft class online via videos, which I would have to create myself. I had to decline because I realized a few things: (a) I knew zero about how to make a video all by myself (no techy person to help me); (b) I was super duper uncomfortable being in front of the camera.

So I put my big girl panties on and decided to suck it up and learn to make them and not be such a baby about being filmed. My first videos were very raw. I didn’t have a good camera or the right lighting; heck, I still struggle with both of those issues, but there is a huge difference between my first few attempts and my more recently published videos.

I started out thinking that I was going to do maybe a craft podcast, and I still do those occasionally, but it wasn’t until I started merging my doll collecting into my YouTube channel that I found an audience, small though it may be. I even get “recognized” in a Facebook now and then when I’m chatting in a thread and another member of the group will say something like “Oh, I watch your doll videos.” Really? {blush!}

Now, I really enjoy making videos, both about crafts and dolls, and it’s even better when I can put them together. I even have a Facebook group of my own where I encourage doll collectors to share their videos or videos that they just like, even if they aren’t their own. I polled my little group and asked what their favorite type of doll videos were, and a lot of them said they like dolly dress up videos.

As it happens, a lot of my dolls are in need of a new outfit, so I am filming the process. Again, a learning experience because I have to position the camera in a weird spot and reach around to show the doll. Here’s one of the first in a series I’m working on filming and publishing:

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September 23, 2018
by Tammy
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More Etsy Changes

I opened up my Kawaii Doll Shop on Etsy not that long ago. I had another shop on Etsy where I sold jewelry and jewelry supplies (on and off, though mostly off) for years, and while I did rename the old shop, dusted it off a little, and added a few listings, I have decided to concentrate on my doll shop because that brings me the most joy right now. Plus, I can still make doll jewelry and doll themed jewelry over there, so I can satisfy my jewelry enjoyment too.

A good chunk of my summer was spent prepping for the doll shop. I was still teaching at my “real” job, but summers are always slower at school. I had fewer classes and not as many additional teacher-related commitments.

That, of course, all changed when fall semester started. I have an extra heavy class-load, meetings to attend, and school projects to complete. It leaves me a very small amount of time for the doll shop, but I was managing.

Then Etsy decided to come out recently with a big update related to the guide they publish online. It’s sort of a “best practices” manual for Etsy sellers. I’m still catching up on what all the new changes mean, but one crystal clear change is that they are really pushing for sellers to offer free shipping.

I’ve been using the calculated shipping for my listings, and I like that it provides a discounted rate. Except for non-domestic rates, shipping for most of my items has been under three dollars. But free shipping? Is that something I can even do?

Since my shop is basically a big experiment at this point, I decided today to go ahead and give it a shot and ended up setting all my listings (and there are only around 20 right now) to offer free domestic shipping. I’m curious if it will make a difference or not.  What’s the worse that could happen? What’s the best that could happen?

I don’t know how long I’m going to run the free domestic shipping experiment, but unless it turns into an amazing selling tool, I’m think I will try this out for a few weeks. Obviously, if I end up selling doll clothes and sundries like hot cakes, then it will be here to stay.

We shall see.

I’ll keep you posted.

September 23, 2018
by Tammy
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Jewelry Goes Beyond

Jewelry is pretty much a staple accessory for most of us these days, but jewelry can go beyond working as an accent to an outfit. Jewelry pieces can have personal meanings, connect to past times we enjoy, or even remind us of a trip we’ve taken. These links are from blog makers who have made connections with their jewelry designs.

Tappingflamingo has found a niche when it comes to cruisers who enjoy participating in gift exchanges. While she primarily is focused on making boho and cruise wear jewelry, the gift exchanges or key chains and ornaments have become popular items in her shop.

Beading Arts has found a brilliant way to take seed beaded Russian leaves to the next level. Notoriously floppy after you make them, she has a solution for helping them stay sold so you can use them for all kinds of wonderful jewelry designs.

Andrew is an avid reader, and he enjoys finding ways to combine his thoughts on what he’s read with his jewelry designing. His most recent read is Dark Matter. He fabricated a pendant that he felt might look similar to the time travel device the characters in the book use. He even tagged the author of the novel who replied back and was super impressed with Andrew’s design.

Words also inspire Bead Love’s blogger, and she used a collection of favorite beads and components, which included a special pendant with a saying stamped on it, to create a necklace that she loves wearing. It’s a good example of how we can collect items just because we love the, and then find a way to combine them into one dynamic piece.

Allegory Gallery’s recent blog post about artwork and narratives behind it can be a way to inspire all of use to create amazing jewelry because of the colors but also the thoughts that went into creating the final artwork.

 

September 19, 2018
by Tammy
6 Comments

Jewelry for Doll Collectors

One part of collecting fashion dolls, such as Blythes and Pullips, is that you end up collecting more than just the dolls. There are the clothes, shoes, and accessories, including jewelry, hats, stockings, and oh, the list can become endless. Blythe dolls, especially, lend themselves to this additional form of collecting because they are much sturdier than Pullip dolls and, therefore, easier to travel with and take photos of or use in dioramas. They are kind of like Barbie dolls, just with smaller bodies and bigger heads.

Collections that go with dolls can get to the point that many doll collectors will spend more money on clothes and accessories for their dolls than they do on themselves. Crazy, right? Anyway, all of this got me to thinking that it would be nice to make something dolly related that doll collectors could wear themselves, and of course, given my past, that meant jewelry.

This brought me to creating doll jewelry, not for dolls to wear but for doll collectors to wear. I have designed jewelry pieces that speak to those of us who have fallen for these dolls with the big heads and unique personalities. I have enjoyed wearing the pieces that I set aside for myself. They are subtle, with a little Victorian style to them.

While I’ve posted about my new jewelry line on various social media like Instagram, I’m not sure if my followers actually “get it” yet, that these jewelry pieces aren’t for dolls but actually for those of us who collect dolls to wear.

I love this look, and fingers crossed, the small number of pieces I’ve made and listed on my Kawaii Doll Shop will find an audience so that I can make more designs like these.

September 18, 2018
by Tammy
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Blog Makers

Blogging isn’t what it used to be, but it’s still around, and there are still some great makers out on the Web who blog as well as podcast, create videos, and cover other areas of social media. I’m sharing some recent blog posts from some blog maker friends of mine in this post, and hey, shout out to any other blog makers out there who might want to join us sometime in doing a weekly blog round up. Reply in a comment to this post, and I can fill you in on the 411.

The guys over at Allegory Gallery are blogging and even have started podcasting lately. I enjoy listening to podcasts and watching video podcasts while I craft, so it’s wonderful to see these gallery owners stretching out into the audio-sphere.

Color and cats….two favorites with creative types (pointing at myself now) are the topic of a recent post over at the Bead Love blog. That necklace is so cute. And, clearly, it will go with everything.

You will find more pops of color on Tappingflamingo’s blog because she’s in the red, as in creating red woven fiber bracelets to bring awareness to a medical issue that is very close too home for her.

Finally, this blog round up includes more about color because Andrew’s blog is all about color, especially the color trend report. He reminds us about the Patone color reports and how important they are to anyone who creates.

September 12, 2018
by Tammy
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Humans that Yarn

Streetknits.org shared this video on Facebook, and I had to share it both over there and here too. As someone who works with a student run craft club, one of the reasons I enjoy it so much is the diversity of our members. I mean – who doesn’t like to be creative? While our club has done all kinds of crafts, we most often crochet because it is an easy and inexpensive activity to teach to others, and you can get some decent results in relatively short period of time. I love this video, and there are more over at the Craft Yarn Council’s site.

September 10, 2018
by Tammy
1 Comment

Halloween Blythe Doll Dress

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because I always enjoyed dressing up for it when I was a kid. Now, I have been making Halloween doll dresses. Though I only had a few to post on my Etsy shop, they have been pretty popular, and I’m hoping to squeeze out some time this weekend so I can make a few more.

One of my custom Blythe dolls, who I call Tudy because she looks like she’s got a major attitude going on, has been my Halloween model. Her read mohair hair looks great with these Halloween colors!

September 10, 2018
by Tammy
0 comments

Craft Blog Sharing

I’m doing some craft blog sharing today. You don’t see as many crafters blogging these days, but we are still out her in Internet land.

First up is an amazing statement necklace designed by Ann at the Bead Love blog. Seriously, love the colors in this!

Bead Love Blog Elephant Necklace

Her inspiration began because of the brass stamping elephant pendant. This encouraged her to break out her stash of African trade bead. Definitely recommend stopping by her blog and seeing the entire finished piece. (Yes, I’m just showing a teaser photo.)

Interestingly enough, the other blogger I’m talking about today has a recycled bracelet project on her blog, and the finished bracelet would look perfect with the above elephant necklace.

Terry at the Tappingflamingo blog has loads of broken jewelry, and she’s challenging herself to work through them and recreate new jewelry pieces with them, starting with this bangle bracelet.

September 6, 2018
by Tammy
2 Comments

Making Double Sided Tote Bag

I’m working away on my Kawaii Doll Shop on Etsy, and no big surprise, I have zero sales as yet. However, I did get a request from someone to make one of my tote bags. I had posted a few of these for sale on Instagram and sold one that way before I decided to actually start up an Etsy shop.

Granted, these don’t seem like something you would find in a doll shop, but one of the fabrics of one of the totes had little mermaids on it. Takara, the maker of Blythe dolls, and more recently Groove, the maker of Pullip dolls, have had mermaid releases lately, and some of the fabric I had purchased to make tote bags reminded me of mermaid dolls. So, I’m justifying totes with doll type fabric as being okay for the doll shop.

When I showed the mermaid fabric on social media, it was an instant favorite with everyone. One person asked about it and also mentioned she like flamingos, so now I’m working on a tote bag that will have mermaid fabric on one side and flamingo fabric on the other. Then I’ll post it in my Etsy shop so that she can buy it from me through there, and voila, I will actually have a sale. I know sale history is an important element when people are shopping. But it can be tough when you have a totally new shop. Obviously, if you are new, you won’t have sales.

Fabric for Next Tote Bag

Hopefully, the sale of this mermaid doll slash flamingo related tote will break the ice in my very quiet shop.