Silver Belles, Soon it will be Christmas Day

Take A Look, Click Here

This fun and funky Christmas ensemble is just a blast!
It's being offered on Ebay this week from the very talented
Belle*Elysse, Don't pass it up, it's got low bids & it's way too cute!

This just in from Allegro Fabrics

The Heather Ross Mendocino (mermaid in Italian) fabrics have arrived!

These whimsical prints were inspired by Heather's experiences on the Northern California Coastline. They're whimsical and sooo cute!

Also in is Pop!Garden and Bijoux from Heather Bailey they're a pretty mix of florals and small prints that coordinate well together.

While exploring the Allegro Fabric site, Designer Y stumbled across a very cool trim that I wanted to share with our readers, it's called "Ruffle Rac" and there are 6 different colors available. It's the cutest trim, I think I need to get some! It measures 3/4" wide and is made by Michael Miller. Designer Y loves finding new things!

To visit Allegro Fabrics to see all of the new fabrics that have just hit the shelves
Click HERE

Ruffle Rac in red w/white pin dots

Dear Designer Y,

A Reader Gives Us her Two Cents

Dear Designer Y,

Can you please speak to your readers about this?

It is annoying when sellers of re-sells use group search terms in their titles. They aren't in that group, they shouldn't use the terms! Some don't even use the phrase "re-sell" in the titles!
You have to open the listing to see who is selling it and then to find out it's not the original designer and it's a re-sell stinks!!

I also find it troublesome when sellers use the word re-sell in their titles when they are selling their own samples or boutique clothing. If it wasn't sold once, it's NOT a re-sell!

Anonymous

Whoa,
tell us how you really feel. anonymous!
LOL!

25% Off but HURRY!

Boutique Boosi

is offering 25% off to newsletter subscribers
during the month of July,
sign up and get the code!

That's a hefty discount if you ask Designer Y!

She's designing some VERY sweet things too!

(25% off DOES NOT APPLY to ETSY purchases. Min. $100 purchase)

Ask for Mrs Blueberry

www.groovyblueberry.com

Why Not?

Why Not Give Etsy a try?

Click the banner to open an etsy account, to sell or buy!

Know someone who loves one-of-a-kind items?
(You perhaps?)
They will love it there! With over 1.7 million handmade and vintage goods available on Etsy, they are sure to find that special something. Plus, shopping on Etsy means you are buying directly from independent artists and designers. There is a person and a story behind every item, and each is made with the care and attention that you just can't find in mass-produced goods.

Know someone who makes things?
(Designer Y knows a few.......)
You're invited to join the creative community on Etsy. It's free to become a member and free to open your own online shop. We charge just 20 cents per four-month listing and a 3.5% commission on each sale. We offer a tremendous amount of resources, advice and support to help artists with their creative businesses. With over 12 million visitors each month, having your creations on Etsy offers you and your work a great deal of exposure.

Share The Love Contest: Round 2

August Share the Love Contest

How to play:

• Pony up and grab a Designing Minds Blog Banner on the left Sidebar
• Put it on your blog, site, or me page.
• Come back to this article and post a link to where you pasted it
• This contest is open for the next 2 weeks, until August 15th.
• On August 15th at exactly the stroke of midnight~ok, ok, Designer Y is exaggerating now (LOL) all entrants will be entered into a random drawing for a $25 Gift Card for Starbucks!
• Then DON'T FORGET to check back on August 15th and see if you won.
• If you are the winner, You must leave a comment on the post that says you are the winner, that's the only way to claim your prize
• Designers X & Y willl contact you and get your mailing info so we can send it out!

Good Luck!

I'm digging this

Designer Y spies with her little eye this DIY Indie tote bag with my fave childhood super hero gracing the front! Ah...the memories it evokes!

I'm completely digging this, and the bonus?
I'll be all envy of *ALL* my friends, ya gotta love honest listings!

I love school

Mylittlefairytales is loving school and who wouldn't in this happenin' set?


It's got a little bit of everything Designer Y loves, wide wale corduroy, applique, funky Japanese inspired prints, jumbo ric rac.
It's sooo yummy!

Super Cute M!nnie Dot Set

Designer Y Spies with her little eye



Looks like a talented up & comer.....

Christmas in July

The designer of this set makes a great point in her auction........
with Christmas in July you have time to think
Isn't that the truth?!

The Chore Challenge

Designer Y is a mom with young children, just like you. She's a designer and a WAHM, just like you too. She's always looking for ways to simplify life around the Y Ranch with the lil' cowpokes, just like you!

Here is a great idea gleaned from author and mom mentor, Trish Berg

"You want to raise kids with character, compassion and courage. Not a simple task in this world of chaos! An easy way to get started is to set up a Family Chore Auction for your school-aged children... These simple tools will help your children understand what you expect of them, and help you reward positive attitudes and behavior. You’ll keep your sanity and the whole family will have fun in the process!"





How to Hold A Family Chore Auction, Click Here

I'm going to do this TODAY with my children. Let us know if you tried it and what the results were!

At It's Finest

This is custom boutique at it's finest in Designer Y's opinion.
Great dress and it looks very well made!




My classrooms weren't ever THAT cute!

The funnest launch!

a few months ago Bijou and Company asked me to do this launch with them, I love a challenge and said YES!! Well I went on the road and time slipped away from us and here we are already Launch time!! This was so much fun! If you are checking out launches, this one is well worth the while. I was very impressed at all of the skillful designers, and the choice of fabrics and design they used. It was a pleasure to draw these cute kids!!

Click here!

How much information is too much?

What information do you include in your ebay or etsy listings about what you're selling?
Some sellers include just the basics, others seem to include a lot more than necessary.

How much is too much? and what is just right?

As a buyer, what would you expect to see in a listing?

What do sellers leave out too often?

Have you seen any auctions/shop listings that require too much reading?




"This one is just right!" she said

Big Sale On Etsy

Help her reach her goal!

Once again, the boutique community rallies around another great cause!
Add it to your watched item list to help this seller

Only 10 left to sell!

From the Cha-Ching! Files

A Reader sent this one in,

WOW!



CHA-CHING in a big way!

Hmm...What's the Dish?

What's the dish?

No.....Not THAT kind of dish....

Designer Y needs the boutique dish!

While administrating at the Designing-Minds headquarters today, Designer Y, took a look at our Designing-Minds "Shop By Boutique Group"link list; and it seems to be a little out of date.

When I search some of the groups, nothing shows up (? Hmmm)

Which groups are still around and active?
Which groups have disbanded?
Who abandonded ebay and went to etsy?
Which groups are on hiatus for the summer?
which groups are just chat groups and not launching anymore?
There seems to be a lot of new groups springing up that we don't have either.



Help Designer Y update the groups list and gimme the dish!

First Ever

Ivylane is offering it's first ever true mix & match mini-launch
Search Boutique Ivylane to find all the pieces. Here's one now:

Euro Twirl Gnome Set!

This one is just in from Tie*Dye*Diva*Designs and it gets Designer Y's vote for CUTE!



I love those gnomes!

Asian Holiday

MamaPatrice is offering buyers a holiday with Asian influence!
Click on the pictures to see her gorgeous designs in association with mydeepbluec




6 beautiful pieces to choose from.

Let's Get to Know....

Let's Get to know the very talented and warm, Amy Shearer, designer and owner of
Journal Modiste!



How long has journal modiste been in business?
We started in August of 2005 so almost 4 years ago! Has it really been that long? Wow.

How did it begin? Can you tell us some history?
I had just started my sewing business on ebay, Peantbutter & Ellie and noticed a lot of questions on a forum about designers, sewing, etc. The same questions were asked over and over and I thought, 'what if we had a website that answered all those questions?'. I told my husband and within 1 week Journal Modiste was up. We featured a few auctions, had a designer list and 1 article that I wrote. It kept growing and growing! We're still here thanks to my brilliant and patient computer programmer husband who makes all my dreams and ideas for JM happen.

What has been the single most important thing you have learned about the boutique community since starting journal modiste?
Oh my, that's a tough one. Well, it's a tight knit group. Nothing is secret for long, :) The boutique community is very generous and loyal and I love to see us rally around designers & buyers who need help in some way. One more thing is buyers will reward creativity and uniqueness.

Can you tell us who your readership consists of?
Is it primarily designers? or buyers? or a mix? or others?
We do have a lot of designers reading but I've found that they are great customers. I know I buy from lots of designers even though I can make outfits myself, lol. I checked my stats and we have readers from all over the world, even some Iraq, Malaysia and Uzbekistan.

How much does it cost to join?
Membership is $24 a year which includes a profile page in our searchable Designer Directory with links to all the place the designer sells, a free Marketplace banner, ability to login to the Boutique Life to manage their account as well as read how to articles, find resources such as labels, fabric, supplies. We also give them a chance to have their blog featured on the front page of the site and soon to be Designer of the Week.

How much time do you put into the site each week?
My husband and I put in about 4 hours a week during the summer (the slow time) and up to 12 hours in the winter, spring and fall.

What types of things do you do to maintain the site?
It's a big job to make sure everything is running right so we update the software and find better ways of using our database. I'm always asking Brian to add this feature or that feature so he's got quite the list.

How do you promote or advertise journal modiste?
(I think I remember seeing that you do some national advertising in magazines a while back, is that right?)
We did do some print advertising in magazines but it didn't seem very effective. Word of mouth (or word of websites?) through links is our best promotion.

If you could give a new designer/seller one piece of advice about "custom boutique" businesses, what would it be?
First, don't expect to get loads of $$$ overnight. The designers who get that much have put in their time and have made a great name for themselves with quality, originality and creativity. Make sure that what you create isn't being done over and over. Put a new unique spin on it and you will get noticed.

Do you have any other sister/affiliated sites?
Umm, only a couple, lol. We have http://www.theBoutiqueLife.com which is for the designers of JM. Then we created http://www.myfittingroom.com where you can store all of your child's measurements. So far over 2000 people have signed up and are using it. Also http://www.mylaunches.com to keep track of all the group launches. As a designer, you could even enter in all the launches that you are participating in and the website will send you reminders to get creating! I think that's all....for now.

We'd like to thank Amy for allowing us to interview her, and get to know a little more about Journal Modiste! Best of luck to you, Amy! (and that very helpful dh too!) :)

A Reader Asks...

"I wonder what THIS pricey fabric will be made into???

Designing Minds Want To Know!"



Zoinks!!

The Envelope Please....

The Winner of the "Share The Love" contest is. . .

LoreenJane!!

She's won a $25.00 Starbucks Gift Card!



Congratulations!

Would you like to donate an item to be given away on the Designing-Minds Blog?
If so, Contact Designer Y via email:
designery@live.com

You'll receive a write up on the blog and lots of love!

Designer Y Spies with her little Etsy Eye

Designer Y spies with her little eye

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade designery.etsy.com

Are You Indie?

Are you an "Indie" designer?
Think not?
Read On...

In the ebay custom boutique world, many times, designers not affiliated with a design group, call themselves "Indie designers", however, all of us, WAHM/SAHM Moms/Dads who sell our handmade items online or at street/craft fairs are REALLY considered Indie designers in the big scheme of things.



Here's what wiki says about being an indie:
The indie design movement is made up of independent designers, artists and craftspeople who design and make a wide array of products without being part of large, industrialized businesses.

They are supported by a growing number of indie shoppers who are seeking niche and often handmade products as opposed to those mass-produced by corporations. Such products may include clothing, jewelery and other accessories, ceramics, glass, metalwork, furniture, cosmetics, art and much more.

Indie designers often sell their items directly to buyers by way of craft fairs, street markets


and a variety of online marketplaces, such as Dawanda, Etsy, Ebay, Mintd and Lov.li. However, they may also engage in consignment and/or wholesale relationships with retail outlets, both online and offline.

The indie design movement can be seen as being an aspect of the general indie movement and DIY (Do It Yourself) modern craft culture.

Embrace your indie roots, declare yourself an indie today!

I'll start:
Hi, My name is Designer Y and I'm proud to be an Indie Designer

Someone's in the kitchen with Designer Y

It's been lonely around here while Designer X has been on the road. When I'm lonely, I reach for comfort food so I found it only fitting to join the Cook It! Blog It! Blog Roll until my trusted companion returns from her gypsy summer (ROTFLMBO)

What a cool idea!
If you haven't heard about it,
Click on the chili pepper to check it out! If you're a cooking mama,
sign up or check back while Designer Y dons her (handmade) apron and gets cooking!

Why Buy Handmade?

Some reasons to buy handmade items rather than mass produced clothing and other items.

Buying Handmade makes for better gift-giving.

The giver of a handmade gift has avoided the parking lots and long lines of the big chain stores in favor of something more meaningful. If the giver has purchased the gift, s/he feels the satisfaction of supporting an artist or crafter directly. The recipient of the handmade gift receives something that is one-of-a-kind, and made with care and attention that can
be seen and touched. It is the result of skill and craftsmanship that is absent in the world of large-scale manufacturing.


Buying handmade is better for people.

The ascendancy of chain store culture and global manufacturing has left us dressing, furnishing, and decorating alike. We are encouraged to be consumers, not producers, of our own culture. Our ties to the local and human sources of our goods have been lost. Buying handmade helps us reconnect.



Buying handmade is better for the environment.

The accumulating environmental effects of mass production are a major cause of global warming and the poisoning of our air, water and soil. Every item you make or purchase from a small-scale independent artist or crafter strikes a small blow to the forces of mass production.

What more info? Want to pledge your support for handmade indie craft designers?

Take the Handmade Pledge Here

and then proudly display the handmade pledge badge on your blog or website!

Creating from the heart

Designer Y happened to be shopping online, and I came across this sweet handmade puzzle. It's completely handmade: cut with a scroll saw, each piece is sanded and painted by hand. The designer says it takes them 2-3 hours for each puzzle! That is a lot of work and love to put into something, that's inpsiring to me~That is really someone who is creating from the heart, in my opinion.

Wouldn't it make a nice gift for a little someone you know?

Just in from ABS

Seach ABSD on Ebay!

Great Resell for Fall

Bellabebeco is offering this Oilily Cord Resell for auction on ebay this week.
It is perfect for fall!

Sweet Tweets

This is from Kandy*Kisses and this is what she has to say about this adorable ensemble...(and Designer Y couldn't have said it any better)

"For my last Summer 08 design I wanted to create something fresh, eyecatching and sweet. I fell in love with the crisp colors of this fabric combo... and really...what is sweeter than the faint tweet of a summer bird through a breezy open window.
This little 3 piece set just defines summer. The little top features alternate rows of shirring on the front, sweet buttons and bows, straps that cross and button at the back, and a full girly ruffle at the bottom. The unique little capris have a side zipper closure and slight elasticizing at the back. The legs are split at the hem and accented with a sweet bow and button.

With this auction you WILL ALSO receive the wooden M2M tote.

I had alot of fun painting and creating this little tote and it matches PERFECTLY with this little ensemble.This little set is finished and ready to ship."

She's a swappin mouse mama!

If you're a fabric addict like many designers, you may want to check out this great idea from Sarah Gilbert (she's the awesome designer behind the Marvellous Mouse label)!

Click on the pic to get more info or sign up!

Designer x checks in

hey all! I am home for 2 days and then back on the road. Summerfest in Milwaukee was fun, and pretty good. if you are not familiar with it 11 days 700 bands.. We were on a couple of the news stations there. From there we went to Moondance Jam

(Sebastian Bach is so Tall)

one of the largest Classic rock festivals in the nation. We had tornado warnings and all that fun stuff but still had a great time sold some purses....One of the guys with us had to dance naked for free firewood..

My vending neighbors... they had too good of a time... when the security told us 60 mph winds coming they went swimming...
I am on the road again Wednesday
hope designer Y has been keeping you entertained!!
Later!!

Secret Buyer Society?

Is there *really* a secret society of custom boutique buyers out there?

Do they really discuss sellers workmanship and selling practices in private?

Do they really buy sets together and share them to help a designer's reputation and drive up the price?



Are you a whistle blower?

Are you part of a secret society and want to blow the lid off this sham?

What have you heard out there about the rumored secret buying societies?

Talk to us...tell us the scoop...

Designing Minds Want to Know!

Who's Bringing The Funk?

Designer Y couldn't help but spy THIS one with her little eye!
It's from Daysnumbrd and if you click on the picture,
you will see why I'm smitten!




It's ending today so don't lollygag!

Apples for the Teacher

This one just in from Monkey*Doodle. Fuji Bear has apples for the teacher on this cute BTS set.
It's made with Japanese import fabrics and is very wearable & versatile!




This 4pc. set has appliqued ruffle jeans, top, apron, skirt and head scarf!
(great price too)

Designer Y loves it!

lilyplum resell!

What a great set! It was made by Angie of That Funky Boutique, Lilyplum member~and it's reselling, very very affordably with FREE shipping!

Very Cool

Designer Y spied this one with her little eye ...
this WOW set from Boutique-Jolie-B!
I love the polkadot elephant, see if you can find it!

BTS Bling!

Teddy Bear BTS Backpack Bling from Creme de la gems!

We're off to see the wizard

Gumdrop*Shop has this adorable BTS custom set listed this week
It's got a Wizard of Oz theme & she'll make it in sizes 1-6




Off to see the wizard