Getting the hang of vendor events ....

It's October and as always, the smell of the air;  semi-crisp, turning-leaf-deliciousness,  introduces yet another autumn to the lower Hudson Valley.  With it continues the assortment of craft fairs, flea markets and pop up shops hoping to take advantage of the cooler climes and potential shoppers getting a jump on holiday gift giving .  I've learned since joining the deluge of craft vendors back in 2011 with my Lollypups Petwear offerings, that my best customer is the devoted dog lover/pet parent and they can be found, en masse, at pet events with names like Puptoberfest, Petpalooza, Hounds on the Sound, Mystic Krew of Barkus, Bark in the Park. NY Pet Fashion Week, of which I was a participant over the years.  It did take a period of trial and error, kind of a sledgehammer to the head realization, to conclude that non-pet events were a waste of time and to exclude them going forward. The pet events are always for a good cause too, and those attending like the idea that part of my proceeds is going toward pet adoptions, or running a no kill shelter. However, that being said,

My summer 2016 vendor experience was a bust because: 
a) torrential rain is not conducive to foot traffic
b) potential shower forecast is not conducive to foot traffic
c) farmer's markets aren't craft fairs
d) some craft fairs don't allow dogs

....hence, my aforementioned conclusion.

So starting fresh in the fall has produced 3 events for dogs, about dogs, FILLED with dogs, and attended by like minded dog lovers who truly appreciate what I create for their fur babies. I look forward to seeing all the pets sashay and strut with their proud mamas and papas and am happy to hear their stories, especially when they say their pets are rescues.  Sales soar at these events.   A customer can try a harness vest or sweater on their pet rather than just guess if it will fit, and that, more times than not, generates a sale.  I do have photographs of various dogs hanging in funky frames around the booth,that can be referred to for breed,  weight, size etc. which works often too.

Although, in the past, my concentration was on smaller dogs up to 20 pounds, I decided this year to start supplementing my handmade offerings, , with a small assortment of items for bigger dogs as well. Through the NY Now gift show this summer, I was able to add a few leashes, collars, toys, pet themed totes and charms and spa products, purchased at low minimums, to try out. So far, its proven to be a good move.

So having a small business is a continuous, ongoing learning process and sometimes, it takes several tries to recognize what works and what doesn't.  I still love what I do, the process, the designing, the people and dogs I meet. I don't know how long I'll be able to do this vendor part of the business, but while I have the determination and energy to make it work, I'm still loving the ride. Happy Fall!!

Boomer Musings

            I've given a lot of thought to this whole semi-retirement thing (I don't think an artist can ever really RETIRE...just maybe be a bit more selective as to how to spend each day.)  I've noticed a pattern in my routine lately and chalk it up to the fact that I no longer have to catch a train and be at an office so like an insolent and defiant teenager, I refuse to rise early and follow any customary schedule. And yet, here I am doing the same things each morning.

             7AM rolls around and because JL is an early riser, and I am no longer one,  he's up and brewing the coffee, jolting me awake with slamming cabinet doors, banging pots and general clattering around in the kitchen below.   He then dutifully brings up my coffee, setting it on the nightstand, and goes back down into his office to start writing.  If he's used the ceramic mug with a lid I had purchased in Chinatown some 25 years ago, then its contents will stay relatively warm while I start my first task of the day. Otherwise, it inevitably cools off as I get sidetracked , forcing me to get out of bed and nuke it in the microwave. 

              Today, the proper mug has been employed.   I'll reach for my ipad and through half closed eyes,  begin checking and deleting emails.  It's astounding the money I save by not opening messages from J.Crew, Kohls, Wayfair, Snapfish, Babies R Us,  Rue La La, Overstock.com, Michaels, Jo-Ann,
Walmart, Kmart and Petsmart.    However, I do draw the line at Anthropologie and stop to explore their current eye candy offerings.  Sidetrack #1, fifteen minutes of what to love but  NOT to buy. 

             Next up, Pinterest.  I'm amazed at the number of beautiful and interesting things I've pinned. 2.3K pins on 64 boards to be exact,  yet they have no purpose and I rarely ever return to look at what I so carefully and obsessively catalogued.  But I happily view these digital delights each morning and pin, like, follow and repin new ones..... on the off chance I actually WILL make that pearl statement necklace, or those embellished baby booties, or take inspiration from the dozens of watercolor sketches and actually start painting again.  Sidetrack #2,  fifteen minutes of mentally filing techniques to try....wet on wet, drybrush, pencil sketch, pen sketch, no sketch, direct watercolor sketch....

In all fairness (to myself) I do utilize  some pins for my textile design projects or Lollypups harness development.  However, I continue my old school mentality of visual stimulation being the best stimulation, and create actual physical boards that are in my face at all times, sometimes printing out an inspirational color combination or patterns from my pinterest boards. Sidetrack #3 time to get up and reheat that cold coffee.
                It's now 8AM, time for checking out the news which I return to bed, with newly heated coffee, to do. Ginger and I have become simpatico when it comes to lazy morning routines. She moves from her basket/bed on the floor and jumps up beside me. Never one to paw on the bed at dawn and beg for breakfast or to be taken out for a walk, bless her little canine heart,  she resumes her snoring and I resume tapping my ipad. Pop ups on the side of my news feed entice me to watch any videos that pertain to dogs.  Sidetrack #4, fifteen minutes of tearjerker rescues, reunited military and their dogs, Cesar Millan's latest success or failure, and segments of Animal Planet episodes.
                My newest scheduled practice thanks to Emily, the queen of organizing, is my personalized planner, a colorful, trendy and updated kind of filofax (for those who remember) with corny inspirational quotes at the top of each new month. Like "Aspire not to have more, but to BE more", or "Dream it, Wish it, Do it".  I've lived a life of 68 years and find this uninspiring and pretty useless, truth be told.    But in any case,  with pencil and cutesy stickers in hand (www.etsy.com/shop/3lbstudio) I prep the week with sticker reminders, notes, deadlines,  things to do, things to try to do, things to do that I didn’t do yesterday.  Obviously, I’m still attempting to get the hang of this so continue to rely first and foremost, on my good old iphone calendar.  

                8:30AM, I move from bed to kitchen table for breakfast, feeling that the day is off to a good start,  my head spinning with what productivity is ahead, as Ginger moves to the living room window, lays down on a sunny spot on the couch and resumes snoring.  

To Be Continued.......

Winter has wisked by and here we are in Spring.......NOT

So November being my last post does NOT mean I've been sitting around eating gelato, taking in a theater performance now and then, visiting museums, having regular spa days or, in short....living the luxurious life of a semi-retiree.  Though they are things I'd love to do, I have instead, been filling my days with an overabundance of:

1. Major dieting and gym workouts, resulting in 23 pounds less of me! My knees are rejoicing as is my husband.

2. Holiday lunacy that occurs annually through January with our extended mixed bag of Jewish, Atheist, Christian, Wiccan, Pagan family members....or as we encapsulate the season, Merry Melvin to one and all. 

3. Snow shoveling a path for Ginger's "constitutionals" since walking her has been out of the question and she doesn't want to anyway. The frozen ice around the windows began its annual dripping invasion onto our living room floor.  (No need for my complaining here, EVERYONE had these winter thorns to contend with)

Some good came out of it though. 1) I had enough pots to catch the drips and,  2) I was forced to stay inside and design and make more items for my etsy shop and the upcoming craft show venues. AND Lollypups sweater sales were brisk!! 

4. Trips to NYC for fabric shows, trim shopping, seminars and meeting with potential vendors...all very fruitful I'm happy to add in spite of the tumultuous weather on those days.

5. A little flurry of freelance textile work, always welcome no matter how busy I am. (so nice to get paid for my efforts now and then)

5a.....  Of course, an added monkey wrench tossed into February's activities was my clumsy left foot causing my hard working computer tower to topple over. The screen that displayed my Photoshop textile repeat turned to a pixilated jumble similar to a 1960's psychedelic light show at the Fillmore West. I frantically tried to back up folder after folder, all the while listening to it moan, and groan and crackle until its final death knell......black screen and silence!   So what's the best thing to do in a situation like this..........?

6. Abandon ship and head to FLORIDA for a much needed 16 day respite from the harsh winter climes, with Ginger in tow and surrounded by orchids, koi, palm trees and a jacuzzi!!!

7. March brought more snow but with it came a fabulous birthday weekend with family visits, big noisy Italian dinner, and ample commotion from above mentioned mixed bag  AND my delicious grand babies allowing me my fill of juicy jubbly kisses....well, not my fill but lots!!

8.  Mad weekend over and bed rest called for........SO ready for that gelato.

November already??

Much time has passed and things have certainly been lively here in Lollypups Land since my last post.  First and foremost, new grand baby Evelyn Pearl came into the world on September 26 two weeks early and Ginger and I were there to witness her birth.  Well, not exactly witness, since I used the excuse of a potty break to whisk her out of the house just as my daughter's contractions got truly intense and I began demanding drugs for her.   My job, though I admittedly was against the whole home birth thing from the get go, was to ......yep, boil water!!! Just like in the cowboy movies!!  Seems there’s a portable 4 foot deep inflatable birthing tub used in a home birth, and by the time we all realized that my daughter’s labor was not Braxton-Hicks but real true labor, the hot water heater gave out only halfway through filling it.  So there I was, rushing into the sun porch with giant pots of steaming water, sweat pouring down my armpits, my skin the pasty white pallor of a mother watching her little girl in pain and all I could do was pour water into a tub.  How do you explain this to a martian? Job done, Ginger and I abandoned ship (yes, I just couldn't bear watching what was going on) and while walking outside for a mere 2 minutes.... out slid this little bitty pinkness into that very tub.  Got a cell phone call from daughter #1 to come back in and meet my grand daughter so back I ran with wings on my feet, dragging poor Ginger, mid-pee, behind me.  Ah motherhood!

The Berkshire Botanical Gardens Oktoberfest turned out to be a success even though dogs weren’t allowed on the premises (except of course, Ginger)  It was a glorious weekend, after a bit of rain on Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday were perfect. Wanting to experience a New England Autumn at peak foliage, our friends Frank and Julie decided to join JL and I, and ended being a tremendous help!  As was Ginger!!! Sales were brisk and I happily found two beautiful bolts of wool plaid for a mere $4.00 each!! Love those tag sales.
 
Next up, a Holiday Market on the first weekend of December in Stanhope, New Jersey so I've been working on new harnesses and trying to make as much product with a holiday theme as possible.  I also want to do a couple of  black velvet confections for those who fancy some kind of party ensemble for their pup .  Two weeks should turn up something.
I finally got to use the green fringed wool I purchased 2 years ago in Nyack and wanted to add a new Winter Mittens style but ran out of the felt mittens from Tinsel Trading.  Instead, I decided to applique mittens and add little gingerbread men buttons, to kind of update the look.
I'm also able to make it a tad cheaper, so we'll see how that plays out. Our first ever "Pupperwear Party" will take place on Sunday Dec. 14th at my friend Frank's Chelsea high rise apartment,  over populated by multiple varieties of small dogs.  If this works out, I'll look into doing more in other buildings in and around Manhattan.  More on that later. 

All I can say is .......whoa what a ride!!!

The last couple of weeks as a deaf invalid were definitely NOT the high points I imagined for July's end. My viral infection cleared up ok thanks to antibiotics but my ears have not.  (question: which is worse, not being able to speak or not being able to hear?.....)  However,  I had no problem hearing myself bark like an old woman....Heh???.....what???....WHAT??? How truly annoying absolute silence is!  I remember when I relished my "quiet time" only to realize, now, that it was never TRULY quiet. Next step, steroids for 6 days. ENT doc says that should do the trick and I have no choice but to believe the end is at hand,  lest my head explode in silent frustration.  Happily I did attend an outdoor jazz concert at Lyndhurst with friends this past thursday. My first night out in two weeks!   I'm told the band was so bad deafness would have been a blessing to all who attended.  I count myself lucky on that one.

I've been getting as many harnesses and leashes finished as I can in preparation for the upcoming vendor events in September and October,   but am having a hell of a time with the male pattern for the Halloween concept.  Notched collars are way more complicated than I figured on.  I'll get there I'm sure, it's just another minor frustration to add to my deafness, my inability to adopt a dog, and our missed opportunity to spend a weekend with my daughter, son-in-law and grandbaby at a beautiful lake house.  

I've been working on some more creative concepts for the vendor booth too. I feel with these two coming up, I'd like a snazzy set up to attract more customers.  One is a pet event so that's a captive audience anyway,  but the other is a big, high end crafts event at the Berkshire Botanical Gardens ....classy but no dogs allowed.  I think the more attractive the display, the more chance I have at being noticed.  So I made flags to drape in the front and cut out funky frames for the dog portraits. (two more to go)   Ofcourse the sweaters hanging on the grids at the front always attract attention but I want people to meander inside too.  I found a great idea that I'd like to try for hanging light weight shelves made of foam core board and hung from the ceiling with cord.  That way the harnesses will be displayed at different levels rather than crowded on a table and I also have that great chartreuse hat rack I bought some years ago to hang scarves, or leashes . note to self: remember to pack the mirror this time :(

Wish I had a funky chandelier too  but who knows, maybe something will turn up. 
So very glad to be back on track!!

It's July already and travel has kept me more than busy. There was a trip to California, and free 

Rece, doing what she does best

Maple Street shopping

accomodations at an apartment on the beach. Lovely.  My only chore and price to pay,  feeding the fattest cat in Santa Monica, Rece, with the most demanding "meow" I've ever encountered. Never had to clean out a litter box either so that was a new experience for this non-cat person. There were old friends to see, movie screening and appearances for Jeff, and an unexpected tour of Tippi Hedren's Shambala Preserve.  What an interesting and gracious woman she is, talk about a cat person!! and still beautiful at 84 years old!!! 

Beautiful as always.  My hero!

The other chore... relaxing....yes, it does seem to be a chore for my kinetic brain and body. ADHD for sure.I did shop the downtown garment district. 
I hadn't been there since my Carole Little days in the '90's, but was unable to find anything worth while for Lollypups. We did find two $7.00 thick covers for our new iphone 5s phones (cost: $35.00 in the apple store) so we left downtown mildly happy.

Tippi gives Zeus a neck rub

Liebo lives!!! 

I did the Hudson Valley Etsy Team craft fair in Fishkill, NY on the first of June and the day was sublime. Warm, dry, just a hint of a breeze to cool things off. Jeff asks me each time I do these things, "you DO like doing this right?" While I have the energy to continue creating and making new designs and new products, and setting up an eye catching booth to display them in, the answer is an easy YES. This time around, I discovered some tall, white metal shelving laying in our storage room, dusted in cobwebs. Perfect to set upright against the poles of the tent and to hang the garments on (thanks to the craft fair pin boards on Pinterest) It worked like a charm and looked great.  Made a good number of sales too, considering it wasn't a pet event and I made some new canine friends as well.   Even had a paid customer return 5 minutes later to buy a sweater! So, I'm looking into doing at least two shows in the summer, if possible and have already signed on to do the Harvest Festival at the Berkshire Botanical Gardens again this October 11-12.  
In the meanwhile, materials and new fabric are starting to trickle in so I'm busy deciding which to use for which styles in the new collection,  and playing with the pattern drop function in Illustrator, which makes the task so easy peasy.  (I love this part!!)  Still trying to find a resource for a heavier weight 5/8" polypropylene webbing for the leashes, at a reasonable price. What I bought previously, was OK but lacked the heft that I prefer.  There's a D&G expo coming up again in August which could prove helpful, so for now, I'll concentrate on making the new styles for the harness collection and leave the leashes for later on.   
And last, but truly not least.....I made a visit to the shelter after months of staying away and didn't cry.  
Big accomplishment for this blithering bag of emotion I'd say.  Still not ready to adopt, but I'm thinking more and more about fostering a senior (partial to those as always).  We'll see.  Meanwhile, it's back to business and a joyous life filled with babies ( new one due in October), beaches, and best buds sharing our annual 4th of July picnic on the Hudson. Weather permitting of course and still missing Lacy.  Happy Birthday America!! 

September ....filled with activity for me.......while Lacy sleeps

Over a month has passed since my last post and this time I can actually say I KNOW where the month went.  Preparations for Emily's wedding, fittings, bridal shower (cancelled and rescheduled due to hurricane), creating Katuba art, soothing ruffled bridal feathers and serious dieting (5 pounds so far and counting).  In between, babysitting for an amazingly mellow 10 week old baby grandson has a soothing effect on this MOB and the birth of yet another boy into the family (nephew Daniel's first) fills our lives with happiness.... times twenty! All the joy of 2011 overshadows the sadness of 2009 for the Lieberman clan and each day is cherished and never taken for granted.

Business has been slow and I've slashed prices on the website to see what will work and what people will want to spend, but with the chilly weather upon us and holiday season approaching, my mass mailings are being stepped up.  Postcards came in and my mailing list prep is ongoing so all is ready.  So far Artsydog.com hasn't done much but the promised ad campaign is almost upon us (magazine ads in October issues of pet magazines) so we'll see how that works out.  Another Toronto based pet website

contacted me to carry the line but I'll hold off on any more Internet stores for the time being.

The biggest issue is still cash flow so I'm not doing any ads for a while but twitter often and have offered a free sweater give away for the month of October to those who write in. It's nice to see how much people love their pets. All the harness vest and leash designs for 2012 re complete though I'll continue to update and add to the collection as ideas pop into my head. The new strategy for selling wholesale is to show existing samples and present CAD images and swatches of the new styles so I'm working on that as well,  then maybe cut to sales. The raincoat is still an issue but I think I have found the best, simplest and least expensive way to do it.  Unless there's an angel out there that wants to invest in this struggling company (in this struggling economy) I'm still content doing it all but would gladly relinquish a couple of hats from time to time. 

Meanwhile, Jeff and I have planned our 40th wedding anniversary present to each other.....a trip to Italy......Milan, Sardinia and Florence to be exact!  After all the above activities are complete, it will be awesome to just think about us for a change, kick back after the wedding and have fun, which we always manage to do when we travel.  We'll be staying with a friend for part of the time (villa in Sardinia...whoo-ha) were we will forget our diets and stuff ourselves with seafood and pasta, walk on the beach which I'm told is beautiful (but have yet to google earth it) and while Jeff and Manlio drink grappa, smoke pot and talk film, I will paint the landscapes, visit flea markets and smile a lot.:::does anticipatory dance::::