crafty business update

May 1, 2009 @ 1:28 pm · Filed under My Craft Business

Wow, it’s May already! I’ve been officially self-employed for 4 months now, so I thought it was time for an update on how the first third of 2009 went.

It’s funny how things work out: I’ve been so busy with other projects that I really haven’t had a chance to try to build my business at all! January to March was basically filled with writing my upcoming book, Paper Chains & Garlands, and most of April was taken up with preparation for the Creativ Festival.

In between all that, I’ve only managed to publish a handful of new crochet patterns:

2009 planetjune designs
L-R: African Violets, Mop Top Mascots, Basic Rose, Alpaca, PocketAmi Easter

But now it’s May, and I have nothing on the horizon, so I finally have time to come up with lots of new designs – yay! Not that I’m short of ideas, but if you have any requests or suggestions, please let me know…

Other business news: I’ve just invested in a DSLR camera (a Sony A200) to help improve my product photography. My old camera had issues with grainy noise in low light situations, so in the past I’ve had to spend a lot of time cleaning up my photos before they are good enough to publish. I’m hoping the new camera will let me get clear, sharp shots without much post-processing, which (once I’ve learnt how to use the camera!) will free up more time for other things.

And I’ve also just made a new homepage that fits in better with the style of PlanetJune. I’d love to freshen up my entire website with a new style, but that’ll have to be a longer-term project!

Old: oops, total disconnect with the rest of my site…

new homepage
New and improved: matches my blog, and bonus orang pic!

Oh, and one more thing: I was interviewed about amigurumi and romanticism for the latest issue of Yareah magazine. Check out my article online.

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10 Comments »

Lynn said

June 13, 2009 @ 7:15 pm

Your things are so adorable!!! I am really enjoying your blog!

sabrina said

May 10, 2009 @ 10:42 am

Love the new home page, and finally had two minutes to sit down and read your article on Yareah mag, since it was blocked as “pr0n” at work. I was right, Yarn Pr0n, maybe and that’s not the same thing.

Excellent article. And I loved that the baby orang got more publicity. The way you sculpted his face make his little black eyes look so sad. He’s perfect.

June said

May 7, 2009 @ 11:02 am

Izzy, have you checked out my Fuzzy Yarn Tips? I’d recommend in this case:
1) try a bigger hook
2) hold the yarn together with a strand of lightweight (sport/DK) yarn of the same shade – you should be able to see this strand of yarn, so it’ll give you a guide as to where to insert your hook

If that’s still no good and you need to use the yarn for something else, try a really big hook and an open stitch pattern and make yourself a lovely fluffy scarf!

Izzy said

May 4, 2009 @ 1:37 am

oh, and if it ends up that i just cant do it, do you have any ideas of what to use it for instead?

Izzy said

May 4, 2009 @ 1:36 am

congrats! aready a third of the year gone……

oh, and i am in desparate need for help! someone has requested that i crochet an amigurumi figure out of Sensations Beautiful Yarn. have you ever used it? well, it is the softest yarn i have ever felt. it is almost just fuzz. i cant see the core at all! it is wonderful, but i cant figure out how to crochet with it. do you have any tips? it has been a nightmare. i cant even go past the 6 single crochets in the second chain (i think its unessesary to use the magic ring for this type of yarn) but it is being impossible. do you think i need to use oversized hooks? should i use a certain stitch? i dont know, but its driving me nuts. plz help!

Izzy

Craft Passion said

May 3, 2009 @ 10:59 pm

Congratulation on your 4-month mark and personally I think that you are doing very well. Keep it up!!!
Time flies and wish that we have 48 hour a day or may be grown another 2 more hands LOL!
I am looking into investing a good DSLR too and the shop assistance recemmended me Sony A200 too since it is economy and good for macro photography in low light condition. What makes you choose to buy A200 instead or other model or brand?