Grandmas Alter Ego

Trying to think ahead

2010-06-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

Ok I know its summer time... How can I forget it?! I'm sittin here and it 90 degrees outside!
But this year I promised myself I would think ahead! Often times I don't start making seasonal items until the season is HERE and I find myself racing to get a few things out there. Because crocheting can be very time consuming I decided that this year I would start early with the fall and winter items. But I really want to keep things fresh and not do the same exact thing this year that I did last year. I'm trying to get my creative juices flowing. With that being said, does anyone have any ideas of that they think would be a hit for the fall and winter months? If so definitely post below! Right now I'm working on some funky scarves... But then what? Lol I need to come harder this time around :-)

A little photo session

2010-06-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

So as always I've been busy creating, creating, and more creating lol. A couple weeks ago I finally got around to getting some things on a model for some pics. A couple of the things were already in the shop but sometimes putting something on a model and something on a mannequin just ain't the same lol. Thanks to miss Sade for being my model for the day. This won't be the last time you all will see her face so make sure you go on over and follow her on twitter
I have been making more of an effort to get some dresses done so that will probably reflected in the shop in the following weeks, now that I have a little more time on my hands and a little more space (i've moved).
Oh yea and one more thing I officially launched my monthly newsletter to keep you all up to date on what's going on. So make sure ya sign up to receive it. It's only sent out once a month so there's no spamming going on over here so no worries lol. I will likely use it to promote other indie artist on occasion as well as send out coupons from time to time. Here is a peek at the last one I sent out: http://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=94ec7e84cfde4541e8ee6b110&id=56fcc80ab5
Well that's all the updates for now.... I suck at keeping up with this blog lol I've just learned to come to terms with that. So no more promises about being more consistent with it because I always fail miserably at that .... so until next time ya'll!

Wild Child Dzigns has a new....

2010-05-25T01:05:00.000-07:00

Back on the grind.

2010-05-15T00:37:00.000-07:00

So now that the semester is fiiiiiinally over, I am really excited to get back to doing what I love doing.... CREATING!
I have so many new ideas that have been just itching to get out of my head and into concreteness lol. This summer I am going to try to push the envelope a little bit and do somethings that are fun, crazy and fashionable but I have to be careful to make sure they are still wearable otherwise they will just sit with me and collect dust and I definitely don't want that! So I plan on taking this week to start doing some concepting and coming with things that I think will be fun while remaining true to myself. I will also still be adding things to the chain reaction collection because as you can see, I still have a few ideas for that. But if you have any suggestions on what you would like to see int he shop, by all means hit me up or post a comment :-). I hope all is well with you and yours !

What's next?!

2010-04-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

I am soooo ready for the semester to wrap up! I have big plans for this season! For starters, I plan on participating in a few markets to get my products to the public! I love selling online primarily because it is what is most convenient for me at the moment... BUT I also realize that it's necessary to step outside my box sometimes . As a shopper I like to be able to feel, see, and try things on in person and no matter how good your photos and descriptions are there's nothing like the physical! So this summer I plan to branch out a little. I FINALLY got a new car so transportation won't be an issue for me anymore.... I must say that that has been one of the biggest things holding me back in the past so I am fortunate to be over the hurdle! Now it's time to step my game up. I have some new items I've been gradually introducing... one being the crocheted dookie chain necklaces ...
I will be offering these necklaces in a variety of colors and sizes. The small being 4 links. The medium being 8 links and I haven't decided how many links the large will have but it will have the chain pattern all the way around :-). I also got some extra chunky yarn today that I am going to try this out on... I have a feeling they are gonna be huge though lol... but I think I'll still like it... so we will see!

If you like vintage :-)

2010-03-12T15:58:00.000-08:00

Ok so as I told you all before, I have launched a new website vintagevixenboutique.com . At first I was going to combine the vintage with the handmade but I began to see that it was over taking my handmade website, so I split the two up in order to maintain some sort of uniformity and consistancy. I have also decided to take the same step with my blog. So with that being said, if you would like to stay up to date on what happening with vintage vixen (including the addition of new pieces, occassional coupon codes etc) then be sure to follow http://vintagevixenboutique.blogspot.com/ . I plan on puttin together a lookbook for that blog so that should definitely be fun!!!! If you are Richmond VA and would like to participate in that then definitely hit me up!

A quick update!

2010-03-12T15:47:00.000-08:00

Hey ya'll! I hope all is well with everyone! I just wanted to come let you all know what's been going on! First off I wanted to let you all know that I have been working on some new spring items for Wild Child Dzigns but as you probably already realize, when it starts getting warm out I hace to do a complete 360 on what I offer because clearly, what's appropriate for fall and winter is not what's appropriate for winter. So I will be focusing on bags, halter, crochet necklacess, and earrings (among other things) for the spring and summer. Of course there will be a few skirts and halters as well :-) . So stay tuned!

So what's new!?

2010-03-07T14:49:00.000-08:00

I am happy to announce that you can now find pieces from WCD at Debra Rae's Ladies Boutique located at 1343 W. Broad Street here in Richmond VA! So if you are in the area, make sure you stop by :-) ....
mmmm let's see what else is new.....I don't think there is much else going on at the moment lol sorry I couldn't be more entertaining today :-) .... but as I announced earlier in the week, I have launched a new site offering all vintage finds... generally from the 70's -80's and some a little older, so be sure to check it out :-)

2010-02-26T16:57:00.000-08:00

So you can now purchase some vintage items from my brand new shop www.vintagevixenboutique.com ! I am soooo excited to offer new options to you all!!! Things are selling like hot cakes before I even get them on the site! But I managed to get a few things up for you guys today! So be sure to check it out :-) I will be adding more periodically so make sure you check back often :-) . And in case you were wondering, yes! I will still continue to operate my other site www.wildchild-dzigns.com so no worries!

I'm going Vintage!!!!

2010-02-24T22:18:00.001-08:00

Sooooo I have thought long and hard about including vintage pieces on the site , and I have decided to go on and give it a try :-) .
I have really been wanting to offer more of a variety of things. I hate when things seem to get stagnant. So doing this way is just my little way of branching out a little. Depending on how well it is received, I will be adding funky vintage finds from the 70-80's and sometimes somethings a bit older. I just wanted to give you all a heads up on what's to come. Check out the video below to get a sneak peak! You will be the first to know when the vintage items are up for grabs! I hope ya'll like!

Going in a new direction....

2010-02-18T01:07:00.000-08:00

Model: Sade

So as always, it has taken me some time to get around to making a new blog post. School is definitely kicking my butt! Unfortunately, I have not had much time to do anything outside of school, and going to work :-( . But I only have about 2 more months to focus hard core , then I can finally relax for a bit (summer vacation) :-)!!!! And then I will only have one more class to take in order to graduate!!!!
But in the mean time, I have been sneaking in a little time here and there whenever possible to work on new pieces for the spring.
I have managed to finish about 5 new pieces so far... but I haven't gotten them up yet for two reasons.

1) Lack of time to even take decent photographs.... which definitely take time and patience!

2) I kind of want to wait until I have a decent sized collection of items to present them all at once! I think it's more exciting that way lol.

Over the winter, I mostly focused on accessories... scarves, earrings, bags etc. (just as I said I would do).

But Now I have so many fresh ideas for larger pieces (dresses, tops, shorts etc) so that is what I have been focusing my little bit of free time on. I will continue to add accessories as well because those seem to be the best sellers. But I will also remain true to myself by adding clothing as well.

Last but not least, I have started a monthly newsletter that will keep you up to date on what to expect next, occasional coupon codes, upcoming events and much more!
If you would like to be added to the mailing list, simple CLICK HERE

As always, I hope everyone is having a great week!

New items and photos!

2010-01-15T13:07:00.000-08:00

Hey ya'll!
So lately iv'e been working on improving my product photos and I am getting better with time. The other day I had the opportunity to work with a local model (Sade). She really did my items some justice. She has such a warm spirit, and as you can see, home girl can work the camera lol. Here are some of the pictures we took!

New accessories

2010-01-10T14:22:00.000-08:00

So while I was away on winter break the creativity kept flowing, but I did not have my camera with me so I could not show them off until today! Plenty of new earrings in soooo many different colors! Check out the slide show below :-)

SO I'M BACK!

2010-01-08T15:37:00.000-08:00

lol. I always take a crazy long hiatus from this blog for some reason. But I always come back lol. Lately I have just been brain storming on things I would like to offer for spring and summer... I know I will definitely have a few dresses available but aside from that, it will have to be a surprise lol.
I have been keeping myself busy making tons of Youtube videos these past few weeks.
I used to have a youtube channel not to long ago but I closed it, and recently I decided to start a new one.
My most recent video is about consignment...so check them out below:

I've been a busy bee!

2009-12-15T23:40:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't update in a while but that is because I have been kind of busy finishing up the semester and trying to keep those grades on point! But now it is the holiday break and I have more time to do what I love to do!
during my hiatus from the blog, I also made a looooot of new things and have posted them in my shop. So feel free to check them out :-).
I've even been posting a bunch of new videos to YouTube! I already had a Youtube account but I only recently started updating it on a more frequent basis and it has been a lot of fun! I entered a cash prize video contest the other day which I had a ball doing! (Hope I win) lol. But even if I don't it was worth it :-) .

The Wild Child Dzigns Orange tag event!

2009-11-18T18:10:00.000-08:00

Heeeey everyone been a little while since I've posted anything. But I've been busy trying to stock my shop up for the holidays! I am hoping to sell some things over the holiday season, and to get the ball rolling, I am having an orange tag event. This means that everything in my online shop that has an orange "sale" tag attached has been marked down by at least 15%. This deal will last until Christmas day! I will continue adding things to the shop, so look forward to seeing some new things! Recently, I have added some funky new skirts and leather flap clutches many of which are apart of the Orange tag event. So take a look around :-) I hope you see something you like.

Shop at: WWW.WILDCHILD-DZIGNS.COM

Just as promised!

2009-11-11T04:13:00.000-08:00

I am back with some pictures!!! My friend Tonya and I went to the park the other day so I could take some product photo's and they came out really good! We had a good time... she was a bit camera shy at first but she loosened up after a while. We even had a few vistors lol. I forgot that Saunday is the feed the less fortunate day in the park. So we had people approaching us. One man was determined to get in a few pictures lol ( seen below). I think I might upload them to flicker later and just make a slide show because blogger decreases the quality of the pictures a lot!!!!
But enough of my rambling. Here are some pics!

Randomosity

2009-11-08T00:19:00.000-08:00

Today it was sooooo nice out! And even though I really wanted to come home and go to sleep when I got off work at 3, I forced myself to get out and enjoy the weather. I had only gotten 3 hours of sleep the night before so I was reaaaally tired. But the sunshine was calling my name lol. I even put my cute boots on today (and I'm a flats type of girl for the most part lol) .

I stopped by House of Lukaya Today ( a shop that carries some of my pieces and has some fabulous finds from local Artisans). I didn't take any new pieces there today though because I didn't really have anything that I was interested in putting there this month :-( . But next month I am hoping to take so cute new pieces just intime for the (fingers crossed) holiday rush lol.

Maybe some of the pieces I am making tonight will make the cut for next month :0).
In other news, Me and my friend Tonya are planning on going to the park on campus tomorrow afternoon to retake some of the pictures of stuff. I want to see how the response is using live models more often so we'll see how that goes. of course you all will be the first to see the pictures :-)
Until next time Peace!

OOOOOOO Leather so soft! You know that song right? lol

2009-11-06T01:35:00.000-08:00

So thanks to the piece of leather Nikki of Decadent Designs threw in the shipment of fabrics she found for me, last time, I came up with a funky idea to make funky clutches with leather flaps! Now I can't get enough lol! I ordered some leather today in purple and in lime green... the colors are sooooooooo on point.. I can't wait to get them, I hope they are everything I expect! I am going to bang out a few more leather flap bags because I love them so much lol. I got a good response on the ones I already have... although neither one has sold yet lol. But people have really been expressing interest in them so that's always a good sign and the more options the better right?!
Well anywho , you know ya'll will be the first to know when I have some new bags ready!
I current;y have two available for $30 each but unfortunately those will probably be the only leather flap bags you'll see from me at that price :-/. The leather I got today was MAAAAAAAD expensive... I had to convince myself I needed it lol. You know how you see something you want and you sit there for an hour trying to justify the purchase and come up with bogus reasons why you absolutely have to have it lol lol? Well yea.... that was me today lol.
Thanks Nikki for the chunk of leather you sent the first time around.... it sparked an idea that I don't think I would have thought of had you not sent it! P.S. I have not forgotten about your hat!

Randomness

2009-11-03T13:36:00.001-08:00

Seeking inspiration

2009-11-01T22:27:00.001-08:00

The question of the day was "have you stopped crocheting?" Lol. And my answer was ....... "Of course not!". I figured I should put that out there sense that is the 2nd person to ask me this recently. I am simply trying to learn new things (ie: sewing). Therefore I haven't been crocheting as much lately.....and to be honest, my hands are thanking me for it lo!!!! However, I will definitely be kicking out more funky crochet skirts and I may even kick out a pair of pants or two before the winter is over. However, let's not forget that I promised myself I wouldn't over do it this winter because my inventory is starting to clutter my space lol. Luckily I've been fortunate enough to make a couple sales this week so my fashionable clutter is starting to dwindle. But I don't want to start going crazy with crocheting more pieces until I get rid of some more stuff. In the mean time I have been seeking inspiration for some things I would like to work on once things get in order. I've even been sketching a bit!!! Lol I neeeever sketch anything.... But for a few ideas I had to because I was scared I would forget. They look like crap lol but good enough to jog my memory when its time to get down to business and that's all that matters in the end right?! I really want to push the envelope and make some reeeeaaall funky stuff ... I can't wait to get to work and unveil new stuff!

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Just not enough time in a day!

2009-11-01T21:20:00.001-08:00

Lately I have been trying sooo hard to get some new things out for the holidays. I know the time leading up to Christmas is supposed to be the busiest shopping time so I feel it is important that I stock my shops up with goodies... But I just can't seem to find the time! I also wanted to take more items than I usually take to House of Lukaya (a store my items are sold in). I was going to do this because I figured the shop would possibly have more customers than it usually has because the holidays are approaching. But I am getting so annoyed with myself because I always plan to do aaaaaall this stuff and then nothing gets done. I really need to focus and control the things I can control. I know I still won't be able to do everything I want to do because I am focused on school right now and becuase I have a job. But the other half of my time is sometimes spent daydreaming and just doing absolutely nothing! I really need to work on my time management skills so I can get more accomplished! So that is my goal for the up coming weeks as we used to say in middle school when we were about to get into a fight "don't talk about it be about it" lol. Different situation but it applies here lol. Night night.

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Expanding my horizons!

2009-10-31T03:22:00.000-07:00

As you probably already know. I am currently selling my items on Etsy as well as Artfire. At first I thought two venues is more than enough. But today, I changed my mind about that lol. I have signed up for yet another online venue. Yes it may be a bit much, but I am just testing the waters right now to see which venues prove to be the best for me and eventually I will probably cut out one of the venues.
I joined 1000 markets today because I just felt that I wanted to put my eggs in more baskets and give myself more visibility and a better chance at selling. On top of that I reeeeeally like the look of 1000 markets! It looks very clean and polish opposed to Artfire. I am sure that is primarily because it is a juried website. Meaning your application has to be approved before you are allowed to sell there. As with any venue, it has it's down sides. 1 being it only accepts amazon payments which is very limiting for potential customers, aaaaand they do no do international business... meaning I can not sell my things to customers outside of the US there :-/ . But it was free to join and there aren't any listing fees or monthly bills as with Artfire and Etsy, but of course they take out a small comission when you sell something. But that's still very good because there is no upfront cost involved... so i feel I have nothing to lose by trying it out. But don't worry.... I am keeping my artfire for sure! Because I need to be able to accept multiple methods of payment and I need to be able to sell internationally... so having 1000 markets as my main venue is just out of the question right now. But I just wanted to share the news with you all. I am a firm believer in putting yourself out there as much as you can as long as you aren't spreading yourself to thin!!!
As far as the new shop, it is the saaaaaame stuff on all of my sites so no one is missing out on anything by buying from one shop oppossed to another.
But if you would like to take a peak at it visit: wildchilddzigns.1000markets.com

It's offficial! I'm offering gift certificates!!!

2009-10-27T03:42:00.000-07:00

Gift certificates

lol lol hehehe

2009-10-24T23:52:00.000-07:00

Soooo I did this video for a class that I'm in, but I figured it was blog worthy so I am sharing it with you all.

New stuff on the way!

2009-10-24T23:31:00.000-07:00

I have been soooo busy with school lately and haven't had much time to make new stuff. But I have been able to sneak in a few things here and there. I am hoping to find time to make a looooooot of new things over my christmas break which is over a month and some change away.... but I'm planning ahead and buying new fabric and yarn and coming up with ideas for thing's I want to work on! The other exciting thing is that I will fiiiiiinally be getting a new car during the holidays (hopefully, my fingers are crossed)! I have been without a cr for a little over a year now, and It's been driving me crazy!!!!! lol. But as soon as I get it, I plan to start doing some craft shows and things so I can really try to get my stuff out there to people. The main thing that has been hindering me has been my lack of transportation. So hopefully if all goes according to plan, I won't have that obstacle any longer.

hmmm lets seeee what else can I blab about?.............

Oh! As you may already know, I am still super new to sewing, but I am getting better day by day. Today I made another bag that I absolutely loooove. Aaaaaaand I started working on a ruffle waisted skirt that I think is gonna be hot!!!! (sneak peaks below). Well I think that's all for now! As always I love reading your comments, so keep em coming :-) .

Here is a bag I made last week:

Get it here

Here is my newest bag:

Get it here

Here is the skirt in progress:

Latest additions

2009-10-16T21:31:00.000-07:00

Getting started with some new stuff!

2009-10-15T00:26:00.000-07:00

I have been experimenting with a lot of sewing lately, and I'm loving it! I have started making a bunch of clutches (many not completed yet) , and they have been coming out nicely! I plan to list a bunch of them in my shop in the coming weeks! They are large clutches with crocheted flap closures! I have been looking around for some fun fabrics to make them. I hope these will turn out to be a best seller :-) ... Most likely, these bags will range from 20 something to 30 something dollars ... depending on the cost of my materials :-) ... I found a fly print that I'm going to use to make a sample for myself.... I like testing my stuff out sometimes to see how it holds up in everyday use... (let me not fake) aaaaand because I just want one lol.
I took the bag with the pink flap to House of Lukaya today (a local shop I do business with). If it sells quickly, I will be taking more. I want to see what the response is like before I go dumping a bunch of bags into the store that wont sell.
The black and green clutch is my favorite so far... but it's not done yet. I'll probably finish it sometime this weekend.

Rambling on cam!

2009-10-12T15:38:00.000-07:00

Feeling like a proud mama because.....

2009-10-10T20:03:00.001-07:00

I just birthed my very first sewn project!!!!! (machine sewn that is). I have done a few pieces in the past the incorporated sewing (but I did it by hand)... which was a pain, and not as professional looking. Today an idea for a skirt popped into my head.... I ran with it and it turned out great for my first time!!!
I ended up with exactly what I envisioned.... a calf length jersey skirt with a fabulous batik print fabric accenting the waist with pleated ruffles!!! I feel so proud because I did it all on my own through a bit of trial and error. Of course it's not 100% perfect but I didn't expect it to be. I definitely will be producing many more of these skirts with different print options.... i can't wait to get started on them! I am happy that I jumped head first to teach myself to sew.... I am learning slowly but surely and I know I will get better over time.

As much as I love to crochet, it is sometimes MURDER on my hands. Sewing is a welcome change and does not strain my hands. I definitely will continue to crochet but I feel sewing is a great option that will allow me to make cute pieces at a lower price point for potential customers. Many people complain that my crochet pieces are too expensive.
I can understand in times like these. However, sometimes people fail to understand the time, money, and energy that goes into crocheting, or ANY craft for that matter. As much as I would like to appeal to the potential customer, I still need to benefit in the end.
With that being said, sewing some things is not AS time consuming as crochet so I think people will be relieved to see some items from me at a somewhat lower price point. I look forward to presenting new projects, so be on the look out!

The duffle bags are here!!!

2009-10-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

I finally completed my first duffle bag, I think it came out great! I am actually going to make a couple for myslelf to lol. I Don't have to much to say about it but I just wanted to show you all the end result. Keep an eye out for more of these! I'll be making some in a larger size as well. So make sure you keep your eyes open for that!

The new plan!

2009-09-29T15:20:00.000-07:00

I think I will most likely be focusing my attention on smaller, less intense items for the fall and winter. For example, I think I will be making a bunch of bags/ clutches, earrings, scarfs and things of that sort. Don't get me wrong I will definitely continue to bang out some larger pieces... maybe a couple pairs of pants and stuff like that. But I have been finding those things harder to sell. And because things are continuing to take up so much space in my room, I figure it is in my best interest to keep things to a minimum right now.
I am wondering how good I will be at sticking to this plan lol. I know how I get sometimes. I say something like this, then I get all inspire and make a dress lol. But I am really going to try to stick to this for the most part... with a few exceptions. However, I will definitely still continue to take your orders for larger pieces.. (because at least I know that won't be sitting around on my garment rack) lol. But look forward to some nice fall and winter accessories from me :-) .

Oh yea and here is the latest addition. Yet another scarf. I love this one.... oh so soft.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT THIS :-)

The dreaded claaaaassss

2009-09-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

Lol ok this post really has nothing to do with nothing lol. I'm on my way to class right now and just figured I'd post cuz I can :-) . I'm having one of those days where I don't wanna do anything but watch tv and chill
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Sneak peak at whats new!

2009-09-28T15:18:00.001-07:00

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

Testing out a new blackberry app :-)

2009-09-28T03:27:00.001-07:00

Uploaded by www.cellspin.net

Falling into autumn!

2009-09-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

I made a new scarf last night and I loooove it so I had to show you all. I loved it so much I decided to keep it for myself lol. But I made another one that is up for grabs! Its sooo long and soft. It is one big loop and has no ending. It can be worn many ways! Take a looksy!

Bus ride bloggin :-)Duffle bags comin' !

2009-09-26T15:38:00.000-07:00

Ooooo I am so excited to introduce my new duffle bags. The sewn ones still need a little work before I am confident enough to sell them but once I perfect it I will be offering them. Unfortunately I'm not home at the moment to take a picture of the one I made for myself. But I promise my next post will have a picture. The one I sewed up gave me the idea to make some crocheted duffle bags as well ( fully lined of course). I have a feeling they are gonna be hot! Can't wait! Stay tune.
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SALE SALE SALE help me clean house!

2009-09-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

Everybody loves sales! How could ya not? lol . This time around, my clutter problem is your gain :-) . I stay in a dorm here on campus so I have VEEEEERY limited space for my craft. Lately, things have just been piling up and I really don't even have room to make anything else until i get rid of some of the things I already have. I had to get a garment rack to accommodate all the stuff I have ( you can kinda see it in the picture) . On top of that. I just got my very first sewing machine and a serger and I am reeeeaaaally ready to bang out some hot stuff for the fall but I definitely need to clean house first.

So long story short. All of the hats in my shop are 25% off until Sept 30th . to get the discount, you need to enter the coupon code: HATSALE during checkout .

Secondly, I just added a "clearance rack" section to the shop as well to try to clear some of this stuff out. Most of the pieces in the clearance section are summery pieces. I am ready to get moving on some pants, shawls, and long dresses. so it's time for the halter top to go lol.
Everything in the "Clearance Rack" sectio is 35% off when you use the coupon code: CLEARANCERACK during checkout to sweten the pot, it is FREE shipping on anything you purchase from this section. (shipping only free if you live in the U.S).
The clearance rack dicount code is ongoing so you can come back and buy things again and again with that code!
Well I think that's it for now. If I feel like blabbing some more I'll be back.

SHOP HERE!

Do da damn thaaaaang lol

2009-09-23T04:43:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken this summer and I just never got a chance to share them with you all. But I definitely feel like it's worth sharing lol. My friend Aaron and I go to the park on in the middle of campus every now and then and just have some fun with my camera. As you can see, the boy is fierce! lol. It was a pretty fun playing the model role with him for a bit.... i'm not much of a camera person, but Aaron is always camera ready lol.

Been gone for a while but I'm back!!

2009-09-22T23:43:00.000-07:00

I have been away from this blog for a while now, but I am re-inspired to start posting to it again, so stay tuned for new updates!

Although I have been MIA, I have been busy doing what I love to do! Making clothes! Here is a sneak peak of my latest creations. And as always, the pieces you see here are available online. Just click the "shop now" button to your right :-) or simply click on the link below each item "I want it!" :-) . I hope ya'll are feelin' the new stuff and I can't wait to read your comments :-)

These earrings are my absolute favorites at the moment! They are not listed yet but if you are certain you want them, I will create a reserved listing especially for you :-) . I made a nearly I identical pair of these earrings for Queen Sheba and she looooved them. She is one of the flyest spoken word artist around and I just know she's doing them justice.

I want it!

Blackberry chronicles

2009-06-21T05:40:00.000-07:00

Well its another day at work and I decided I'd make some good use of my new phone! I got kind of tired of not being to do all the things I need to do when I'm out and about.Now don't get me wrong, I loved my trusty old sidekick lx... Its been dropped on concrete, toilets and even caught in a couple of sever thunderstorms and yet , it survived. I swear that thing took a lickin and kept on tickin ! Still, it was no longer satisfying my needs. I found myself missing a million tweets a day on twitter because it was just too much of a hassle to tweet from the internet using my phone. I was responding to emails late etc.
I used these reasons as an excuse to get a new phone lol. I decided on a blackberry curve 8900 and so far - love it! I am able to sit here at work and discretely post this blog lol, respond to my tweets quickly, post bullitains easier on myspace and all of my emails come to one location which ish is great because - have four email accounts that I use regularly. And I can fiiiinally watch videos from my phone (I knoooow I was a bit behind the curve) lol. But - guess its safe to say that I love my new phone and hopefully I will get back to posting on my blog more often now that I don't have to be in front of a computer to do so !!

What's been going on

2009-06-13T11:05:00.001-07:00

Sooooo as usual, I have been MIA for a while but I've just been trying to make moves..and things have been going quite well so far. Since is th summer tim I have been making stuff like crazy now that I have a little more time.
I'm also veeeery happy to announce that my items can now be found at "house of Lukaya" which is a local boutique here in Richmond. If you are in the area you should check it out! It is at 1717 e. Main street in richmond VA

Photos from Art is life

2009-06-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

Join the "Art is LIFE movement"! A night to remember!

2009-05-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I know I have been kind of neglecting this blog. One reason is because I now have a blog directly on my website
http://www.wildchild-dzigns.com/blog.html. But, I wanted to take this time to invite everyone to come put on May 31,2009 6:00pm to the "Art is LIFE movement" :

"Join Fuqwon Promotions as we embark on a journey of artistic expression. An evening of fashion, live music, and live art exhibits. Featuring Backfire Band LIVE, the hottest urban models out of North Carolina, New York, and the DMV, LIVE body art, and the best up and coming couture and urban wear designers. Doors open at 6p. Advance tickets available. Contact Renada 202-315-7060 art_is_life09@ymail.com.
This is a show you dont wanna miss!"

The event will take place 2327 18th Street NW in Washington D.C.
Some of my pieces will be shown along with the work of other talented designers and much more.
Join the facebook event here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=98979049895&ref=ts

Feeling so violated

2009-03-30T23:27:00.000-07:00

Sooooo......someone who shall remain nameless (for now), decided she wanted to duplicate one of my creations ....almost to the T. I am talking about same color, style and everything, has crossed me one too many times. I know she duplicated my piece because she had the audacity to follow this blog, and got caught! I confronted her on the issue, and she clearly got a bit of a tude. But I let it pass and went on my merry way. But today, something told me to visit her website, and low and behold she has also copied my intro word for word....so today I wrote her the following message:

Ok before, I was giving you the benefit of the doubt about the whole shirt thing. But something told me to go to your website! (and I did today) And low and behold you have copied my intro from my website word for word! "Provides unique hand crocheted fashions to represent your own personal style. By offering a variety of vibrant urban fashion. Enjoy the convience of shopping at home and having one of a kind creations at your fingertips!" COME ON!!!!!!!!
All I have to say is that if you truly plan on being a professional and truly want to be "naturally unique", you need to be more original. I do not appreciate you coming to my blogs and my website stealing my ideas. To be honest, it is really pissing me off, and I would appreciate if you would stop. It is disrespectful, annoying, and violating. I am more than happy to offer my assistance should you ever need it, but not if you intend on going about things the way you have been thus far. You will never make it in business, OR life if you can not be original and true.
In addition, I do not appreciate your rude response from the first message.... especially now that I see I was right! I do not expect you to respond, but you SHOULD think about what I have said. It is not only important to me, but should be important to you as well, that you you be original. When your customers find out that there is absolutely no integrity in your work, they will not respect you TRUST ME. A real woman, a real professional, and a real entrepreneur has class, originality and respect for others, and right now you are lacking all of those. Please do not cross me again. Other wise I will report you should you have or attempt to gain any type of business license. There is nothing wrong with a little friendly competition, but there is a way to go about it.

I was sooooo angry!!! You guys just do not understand!!!! What is everyones take on this?

Trying to find time

2009-02-15T15:42:00.000-08:00

OMG it is a shame how much I have neglected my blogs! To be honest it has been sooooo hard for me to find time write blogs, make videos, or make any new items!!! Life just gets in the way!!!! Between school and work, it's a wonder I can even sneak in a minute to write this post lol! I can't remember the last time I made anything :-( . I really have to manage my time better so I can have more available to do the things I love to do ya know? I am really shocked that I have made any sales at all (although very few). But considering my lack of promotion, a few is better than none lol. I keep trying to amp myself up to get down to business lol....but I'm sure I will get my mojo back in due time. When I do get around to making some new stuff, it will likely be a bunch of spring and summer appropriate stuff....ie: some cotton bikini tops (more suitable for water :-) .......maybe some beach bags and whatever else I can think of. If you have any ideas feel free to post them here. Until next time.....I hope all is well with everyone! :-D

I am just all over the place lol (blog talk radio)

2009-01-10T20:13:00.000-08:00

I know I have not updated my blog in a while, but life gets hectic sometimes. I have 2 others that I have been neglecting as well
:-( ...but I am trying to get back on my high horse! I am just writing this post to let you all know that I have registered on blog talk radio. For those of you who do not know what BTR is, it is basically a site where amatures such as myself can host their own radio talk show via the internet. People can even call in via a telephone or via a mic directly from their computer LIVE! I am not quite sure when I will do my first show! Hell, I am not even sure what my first show is going to be about, but I will definitely keep you all posted!

I already have 3 blogs, and I am debating creating another that will be completely dedicated to the show and other randomness. I guess I am thinking about doing this because this blog here is supposed to be primarily promotional for my accessories and clothing mixed with a little bit of fun. I'm just not sure if it would be appropriate to have everything associated with one blog. Especially because some of the shows are likely going to have some adult topics, and language (especially knowing my mouth). But it is already enough work trying to maintain the blogs I have so I really don't know what to do. Iv'e had some people say to keep it all in one place, but things I am into are soooo unrelated, I think it may start to look like one big random blob lol! But just let me know your opinion on this..keep it together, or split it up? Just interested in seeing what my readers think.
oh by the way, the link to the show is:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Cocoa-Bean

Wanna try something new!

2008-12-24T16:40:00.000-08:00

As much as I loooooove to crochet, I just need to try something different to keep the excitement! With that being said, this week, I plan to go to the thrift store to see what I can find. I intend to find some tight stuff to "upcycle". For those of you who are saying to yourself "what is upcycle?"; basically you take something old (or new), and make it into something else (or something different), by putting your own creative spin on it!
Most likely, whatever I decide to use, will heavily incorporate crocheting cuz I'm not that tight at sewing yet lol. I have a couple dresses, sweaters, and jeans here at home already that I intend to use. I also wanna find some fly blazers and what not for the fellaz and maybe put my crazy little touch on them (I dunno, we'll see). I have soooooo many ideas right now, I just need to calm down and take it one step at a time lol. But I will surely show you all what I get, and I will DEFINITELY show you the finished products! Wish me luck!!!!

I COULDA STAYED HOME ON MYSPACE FOR THIS!!!

2008-12-20T01:05:00.000-08:00

Random ramblings as usual :-D

2008-12-15T22:06:00.000-08:00

To give tutorials or not to give tutorials...that is the question!

2008-12-14T19:26:00.000-08:00

I am considering doing a few video tutorials on the basics of crocheting for my readers. I am still not sure if I am going to do this or not. Right now it is just a thought. I just thought it would be something nice to include for those who would like to learn. Please leave your comments and let me know what you think about this.

1 down a bunch to go!

2008-12-14T19:11:00.000-08:00

As spoken about in my last post, I have been trying to come up with ways to attract a male clientele. So lately I have been up items that may appeal to "fashionably bold men", so far, this tie is one of the things I have come up with! I have gotten pretty positive feedback on this item. So with that being said, I will be making a few more in various color combinations to see how they sell.
In addition, I am working on some sort of vest or sweater (not sure what it's gonna be yet) for a man. I hope it comes out well.
As always, I will show you all the end result when I'm done.

Oh, and as always, any ideas are more than welcome.

Thinking outside MY box!

2008-12-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

I think I may have created a box and stuffed myself right in it! So now, I am trying to get out of it. I have noticed that almost all of my items with the exception of a few hats , all cater to women. I have increasingly been having men inquire about my items. Many have expressed that the wish i'd make something for men.
I guess I have been making things for women because I AM a woman, and I feel more comfortable going that route because I'd like to think I know what women like.
But now it is time for me to push myself and see if I can come up with some nice things for the fellazzz!!!!!!!! I do not want to limit myself any longer.

I'd love feed back from some men letting me know what kind of things I should make that would likely appeal to men (hats I already know), so try to come with something else (unless you are thinking of a specific style of hats).
Check back soon, I hope to have a few things for men up very shortly! Wish me luck in my experimentation lol! :-D

Measuring success: Yet another random thought.

2008-12-11T07:11:00.000-08:00

I get so annoyed when people measure success by how much money someone has. Yes money is a great thing to have, and I mean hell, who doesn't want to be able to provide for themselves and their family? I'm sure nobody WANTS to live pay check to paycheck. Yet and still, that is the reality of many people, and I would by lying if I said money doesn't matter!
However, I have been increasingly disturbed by how many people seem to think that having money makes you successful! Successful by whose standards? In my opinion, money does not equal success, (especially if you are not doing something you love to do).
I for one, know a good amount of people who have bookoo money but are MISERABLE! What is the point of having money if you don't even have the time to enjoy it? What is the point of putting your children in the "best" school money can buy, if you don't even know what is going on in their day to day lives? Although I am in college myself, I get soooo sick of people always throwing their college degrees in the faces of people who lack one. Your degree makes you better than who? NO ONE!
Too often, people use economic status, professional position, or past accomplishments etc. to define success.
These things are no doubt great achievements, but they are not the end all be all. I have even heard some of my personal associates put their nose down to my other friends because they have not achieved what society equates to success.
What I want to know is who the hell died and made YOU president? Sometimes we are so busy living up to standards others set for us, that we forget what is really important.... happiness, and living life to it's fullest!
Success is in the eye of the beholder. Set your own standard for success and let NO ONE dictate how YOUR life should be.

Just a thought for the day.

WOW

2008-12-10T21:19:00.000-08:00

So my friend got 1 of her pictures back from her photo shoot and I love it! She has many more that she hasn't gotten back yet, but I think this one is hot. I stressed over making that suit but I suppose it was well worth it!!! I can't wait to see the rest of them! For this to be her first photo shoot, I think she did an OUTSTANDING JOB!!! It's making me want to get a bunch of models and go get some pictures taken!!! (not of me of course lol)

My first attempt at a brim hat!!!!

2008-12-06T23:49:00.000-08:00

So iv'e been wanting to make a brim hat for the loooooooongest time, But I just wasn't sure how to approach it! So tonight I set down and figured it out! I wanted to share the results with you all! I think I did a pretty good job considering this was my first stab at it!
The hat you see still needs a few finishing touches, but I am sure you get the point! You will certainly will be seeing a lot of these hats from me soon. Everytime I learn something new, I beat it like a dead horse lol!

I have finally gone international!

2008-12-06T13:14:00.000-08:00

Since first listing items in my online shop I'd decided that I would only ship my items within the boundaries of the US, just because I had heard so many horror stories about offering international shipping. Frankly, I just did not want the headache! However, recently I have had a change of heart. Or should I say my pockets have had a change of heart lol.
While I have made a decent amount of sales through word of mouth, my shop online is not getting the business I feel it is capable of. I know this is partly my own fault for not promoting it as much as I should. But hell, things get hectic (especially around finals time) and it's sometimes hard to squeeze it in. I wish the shop were doing as well as my word of mouth sales. But I am in it for the long haul and I'm willing to stick it out!
I am now offering international shipping because I came to the realization that I was cheating myself by NOT offering it. I had quite a few people outside of the US ask me about my items lately (via the internet), and I turned them away because I didn't do international shipping. I now see that was silly on my part. Missing out on money and customers is NOT a good look. So hopefully things pick up online now that I have made this major adjustment! Wish me luck :-)

Kanye --Heartless (favorite song of the moment)

2008-12-04T11:18:00.000-08:00

I don't really know why but I like this song a lot. which is a lot coming from someone who is not really a Kanye West fan (mostly due to his conceit), and partly just because I honestly don't think he is that tight. But I must admit he got me with this song. I especially like the animation...just wish there was more of an actual visual story line to better compliment the song.

$2.00 Secret Santa? lol are you serious? lol

2008-12-03T21:39:00.000-08:00

So tonight I had a scheduling meeting for my job. In the mist of picking shifts we want to work for the upcoming weeks,one of my coworkers suggested that we all do secret santa this year. Initially, I thought it was a great idea seeing as though I haven't participated in something like that since I was much younger, but when I heard that the limit was going to be $2 I had to struggle to hold in my laugh. All I could think is "are you serious?!". My honest opinion is we might as well not even do it. I think that is a major insult. $2.00 what am I gonna get someone for $2.00? A cheeseburger and a fry?! I'd love to see how this turns out lol. I think I am gonna try to take some pictures at the exchange so I can let you all see what everyone came up with lol (we will see). They might surprise me. It will be interesting to see. $2.00 though ? lol I still can't get past that. These are grown people I am talking about here, not children. I mean I know times are rough right now but damn not that rough! I am cracking up right now just typing this.

Finally got my new camera.

2008-12-03T17:43:00.000-08:00

I ordered a new camera a few weeks ago (a canon powershot SD890 Is). I already have a camera ( A kodak easy share v1003). I like my kodak ok, but it just doesn't get the shots I need it to get when it is most important. I personally hate playing the "maybe it will and maybe it won't game" when I really need a good picture. The main issues occur when I am trying to take pictures of my pieces...the colors are always off, or they blur horribly (among other problems).I just got tired of it. I got the canon because I had been hearing a lot good things about it. I am still not sold on it yet (but I still have a lot to learn about it so maybe things will look up), hopefully very soon especially considering that I paid about $270 for the camera (on a sale price). This camera was $400 in best buy so I expect it to work exceptionally well! So far I do not think the image stabilization works all that well because the pictures still blur.....more than I believe they should. But like I said, I will have to see. I have found a few settings in the camera that have made the pictures come out a better...so hopefully there is more to that. I have to read the manual.

My first feature!

2008-12-02T22:04:00.000-08:00

I have been going twitter crazy lately and in the process I have met some great people one of those people is (screen name) FashionCitizen . I have only been utilizing twitter for the past week or so, and it is soooooo addictive lol. Long story short, Fashion Citizen featured me on his fashion blog blog! I was so honored. Check it out!:fashionwithasideoflife.blogspot.com

I guess we all make mistakes sometime!!! But dag!! Why did it have to be today!? LOL

2008-11-29T23:15:00.000-08:00

sooooo I was commissioned to create a bathing suit for a friend. She is having her very first professional photo shoot tomorrow afternoon.She finally came over to try the bathing suit on today. And guess what!!!!! The thing did not fit right!!!
The bottoms were too big!! Not including a few other issues that I'm sitting here trying to correct at 2 in the morning :-( I had to damn near demolish the thing . But I am trying to keep a smile on my face right now although I really want to scream! But what can I say ISH happens. all I can do is try my best to correct my mistakes. I will show you all the finished product once it is done. But the picture above is the result of a whooooooole lot of unraveling that is not yet complete :-( . In the state it was in, I wouldn't even want my name attached to such a creation...the thing was just sooo damn baggy!It is just somewhat discouraging because I have created basically the same suit on two other occasions with no problem (Example: The black suit). What in the world happened this time :-( ?!!!!
That has never ever happened before. But there is a first time for everything I guess. All I can do is learn from it and try to be the best at what I do slowly but surely. I try to give myself some credit...considering that I haven't been crocheting for very long.

UPDATE!!!!!!

So after hours of unraveling and re-crocheting the ooooh so many things that went wrong with the suit the first time around, SUCCESS AT LAST!!!! The suit looked great in the end, and my friend left very happy with the end result, as was I! I was so worried that when she came to try it on again this morning there would still be issues. Had there still been problems with the suit I would have felt like crap because there was literally noooooo time left to fix anything! So I am happy things turned out the way they did. I felt so much pressure to make sure I followed through because this was her ONLY outfit for the photoshoot, and I did not want to disappoint. But all in all, I am happy with the way it turned out.

when the wife doesnt listen

2008-11-28T21:20:00.001-08:00

Haaaaa I saw this on someone else's blog and it brought tears to my eyes it was so funny. Lol as a matter of fact I am still laughing right now! This was a mean joke but yet hilarious! I am assuming the gun she had was not loaded (at least I hope not lol) or there may have been a waaaay different outcome!

What the hell is stopping you? Go for it!!!!

2008-11-28T17:59:00.000-08:00

Just another random thought. I was sitting here thinking about how so often we don't follow our hearts, or don't follow through on things we have claimed we are "gonna" do "when the time is right" etc. Usually this hits home for me when I find out that someone has passed away. ESPECIALLY someone very young. It makes me think of all the dreams they must have had and didn't get a chance to fulfill. All of the things they said they were "gonna" do. Every time something so tragic happens all of a sudden, I am EXTRA motivated to do all of the things that make me happy, and work towards all of the things I want to accomplish.
When I come to the cold hard realization that I won't be here forever, suddenly I get an overwhelming feeling to GO FOR IT! Whatever it is (doesn't matter) personally or professionally. But then when such harsh thought leave my mind, I am back to my old ways. But the truth of the matter is, it should not take someone dying, or something negative happening for us to follow our dreams.
So often, the thinking is : well, if you DON'T die tomorrow, you will have to live with the consequences of choices you made today. Yes, this is most definitely true! I am in no way suggesting that we go doing crazy things that could really hurt us or someone else in the future. BUT I am saying that people need to stop being so concerned with all the WHAT IFs, and just live life to the fullest. We sit around waiting for the right time and sometimes "the right time never comes". Always waiting for a sign or something drastic to happen before we make our move toward happiness and success. If we take it upon ourselves to declare "the right time" then it is THE RIGHT TIME. So I say the right time is NOW......

BLACK FRIDAY SALE!

2008-11-27T23:40:00.001-08:00

wildchilddzigns.etsy.com
I am intending on making a lot of new things soon, but first I need to get rid of all this stuff I already have lol. I feel like this stuff is in here about to eat me alive!! Everytime I go in the closet, something falls on my head. Soooooooo, with that being said, I have decided to have a sale on my entire shop for black friday. Everything will be 20% off until midnight Friday! Maybe a tad longer because I might be too lazy to go back and change the prices back :-) . So my gross laziness may actually benefit someone for once lol! Pathetic. But hey what can I say? I'm a slacker sometimes and damn proud of it!!!!DON'T JUDGE ME :-)

I got my tags!!!!! WOOOOOOOOHOOOO

2008-11-27T19:34:00.000-08:00

lol I know tags aren't normally something to get excited about. But despite the lack of normalcy, I AM EXCITED! I custom ordered my first set of hang tags the other day and I finally got them in the mail today! They are great! Exactly what I hoped for. I ordered the tags because (if all goes accordingly) I am planning to have a few of my items sold in a local store in Richmond called RUMORS. I haven't taken any of my items back to the store because I didn't have tags :-(. I figured it
it wouldn't be wise to have my things sold in a store with absolutely nooooooo tags identifying myself nor my online shop site (Where more items can be found) So, with that being said, I decided to get some fly tags with my shop address on them! I can't wait to use them. What do ya'll think of em?

COMING SOON!!!!

2008-10-26T05:46:00.000-07:00

Sense I have just opened up this page, I don't have a contest/ Giveaway prepared at the moment, but some will be coming VERY soon! Click the "follow this blog" link to the right so you can be the first to know when I post!