Tips and Tricks for getting Cheap Fabric or Clothing Labels!

Olo! :D

So, my last post was a million years ago, but that`s not important. What`s important is my fabric clothing labels have finally arrived!!

Here are some pictures that I took crappily wif mon iphone :):):):)

Here it are, all arrived-like :D :D

Woot!!! It comes in a box marked "1200 pieces" (more on that in a bit) in Chinese and for those curious cats out there, it also has Chinese characters I`ve made out to be "苑 思" written on the box. Or perhaps "花 恩". Or possibly a bajillion endless combinations and tonal significancesnessisms that mean anything from "Court Thinking" to "Flowers Grace" according to trusty 'ol Google Translate.  However, a true Chinese literate type says that`s probably just the name of the product.

Movin' on! Check oot the real, live stamps! These labels come from Hong Kong.

Lookit dem stamps! You don`t get these on posted packages no more. I much prefer 'em to those boring print out postal sticker labels you get these days.

And here they be up close! :):) Single colour, printed on satin ribbon with neat little folded edges on both ends. Great quality as well, might I add.

OK!!!! So here are my Cheap Tips and Tricks bit!

1.) Find Great Range and Good Prices - After loads of searching, I found these guys - FANCYWEAVERS. They have loads of choices to suit most budgets and tastes; reply to email queries super fast; accept Paypal payments; then send you a sample design within the next working day for you to approve. All very efficient, they are.

I cannae confirm this 'o course, but from my quest to find cheap or at least reasonably priced labels that do not require me to order in super bulk (some companies had minimum orders of 5000, ack! In fact, the FancyWeavers minimum order starts at only 100 labels I believe), I found them to be cheapest! Here`s why: read on.


2.) Compare Prices - IF you do your homework and look around, you will find that they have three major online presences. And one should always be prudent and look around because...

Here `s the same listing I bought that they have advertised on E-bay for USD$60.

Now, here it is again on Etsy for a cool USD$52 at a saving of 8 big ones!

And finally, if you are a genius or just a *kiasu cheapskate, you shall find the same listing once again on their own website for no more than USD$50!!!

That`s two bucks cheaper than Etsy and ten whole dollars less than E-bay, which amounts to a good three coffees or two Happy Meals WITH toy. True Story.

Because online marketplaces tend to vary in terms of fees charged to sellers, it does always pay to compare a company`s product on different venues seeing as savings and maintenance costs generally get passed on to the customer.

Of course where you ultimately decide to buy depends on if you feel like maybe getting a lucky, better deal on their auction site, or having the power to leave feedback via purchasing from Etsy, or just getting it directly from them for an immediate saving.


3.) Take Shipping Costs Into Account - Oh yah, and shipping is included in the price in all three cases, so what you see is what you get, which is always a nice bonus! It is always good practice to add on shipping costs to retail price when doing price comparisons.


4.) Take Free Stuff Into Account - You may have noticed that the listing I bought was charged at $50 for 1000 pieces. However, after noticing the writing on the box stating "1200 pieces", I did a quick count and can ascertain that they did in fact give me 200 extra labels free! That`s $10 worth of free labels, and everyone loves a freebie :)

They did not, in fact, state anywhere (as far as I`ve noticed) that there would be any free labels given with purchase, so this was a pleasant surprise - one which will have me coming back for further purchases. Nod nod.


4.) Economizing Space - Ok, so this is interesting! The listing I purchased had two style options to choose from - "Loop Fold" and "Heat Cut & End Fold". I chose the latter for the purpose of sewing on the back of our kaftans, butterfly tops and beach dresses.

HOWEVER, I would also like to stitch on labels on the edge of our scarves, shawls and sarongs. On a little silk scarf, one of my newly acquired clothing labels would almost certainly be too big and bulky and obvious and awkward looking.

If you specifically would like smaller labels or really want more bang for your buck, here`s something genius you can do that my super genius of a father exasperatedly pointed out to me when I was going to purchase a second, smaller sized lot: order a "Loop Fold" at maximum size (this style is usually ordered if you want to fold the fabric label in half, lengthwise, and put your logo on one side and care instructions on the other). But if you design it so your store logo goes "Head to Head" towards the middle of the length, then cut them in half when they arrive, like so:

Here is a hideous hand drawn rendition by yours truly.

You can stitch 'em on your handmade fabric products by folding down the top, cut, edge a tiny bit and sewing across it so you have a nice, smooth and straight hemmed styled line without having to seal off the cut edge.

Then, tada! Perfect fabric label at half the price of the original even! That`s 2.5 cents each (1000 ÷ $50 = 5¢ ÷ 2 = 2.5¢ each), not to mention a free 400 labels if you score the complimentary 200 strips :):)

Even cheaper than making clothing labels yourself! Surely, even the smallest handmade clothing store can afford to get their shop name and logo out now! Hoopla!

Ok, time to go get married, quite literally. See y'all in a bit bit.

-J

 *"Kiasu" definition lives here.

Uncas The NewFoundland!

OLA eerebody!! :D :D

Today I shall be introducing you to the cutest miawmiaw in the world!! Check him out!

Say hello to Uncas!! :D <3

Uncas is my kitty! He used to belong to the Princess, but now he`s mine coz he`s cute.

Sometimes he is a stinkaroo, then he`s not mine. But when he`s cute like this:

Hello Cat! :D

Or clean and delicious smelling like this:

Holy poop, lookit those muscular beaver calves! 0_o

Then we are most certainly, best of buds :D

Some fun facts about Newfoundlands:


- They have webbed feet!! Who would`ve thunk it!

- They have water resistant coats!

- They are basically giant ducks.

- However, they are very brave and fantastical giant ducks, because they are also water rescue dogs with loads of strength and even more heart! Hairyman was a brave Newfoundland with a terrible name, who single pawfootedly saved163 Irish immigrants from the wreck of the Brig Dispatch in 1828!!

- Super gentle and well natured, Newfies are famous for being great with kids and other miawmiaws while ferociously protective of those they protect when they sense a threat!

- The English poet Lord Byron pretty much encompasses all their great qualities in his poem:

BEAUTY WITHOUT VANITY,
STRENGTH WITHOUT ISOLENCE,
COURAGE WITHOUT FEROCITY,
AND ALL THE VIRTUES OF MAN WITHOUT HIS VICES
 

And Now!!!! A movie starring Uncas, my little baby kittykat!!! (Who is currently suffering from a bit of a fever so send some love his way! :D) He is terribly brave and awfully obedient and only breaks the rules by pawing in the door and running upstairs when he hears us screaming our heads off at each other. When he realizes it was just us yelling at the playstation, he calms down and let`s us continue playing. AWWWW! :D

Beach Destination Wedding Dresses

The sun, the sand, the surf! Sounds delicious right about this time o' year!

Along with Valentine`s Day coming up around the corner, it`s no wonder the two ideas have melded into this:

 

Hand painted satin silk sundresses! 

Satin silk at the beach? Well, that`s a bit on the decadent side. Who would wear one?

Everyone! Well, maybe not most men or mushrooms, but let`s think Destination Wedding Caribbean Style!

Hot and sweaty - Cool silk, check.

Tan lines - Strapless, check.

Lots of sea - Silk dries in no time! Check.

Loads of sand - Hemmed just above the ankles, check.

And, the best bit is, you can wear it all summer, anywhere for years to come!

Are you going to be a destination wedding beach bride? Wear this on day two of your holiday wedding! Obviously, day one is going to be lots of fluff and tulle, as it should be!

Need to find something affordable and cute for your bridesmaids that can double as a great gift as well as a dress they`ll WANT to wear again? Tada!

Going as a guest and need to stand out above the crowd? Look no further!

The English made high quality rubber thread for the bust means it won`t lose it`s stretch and the alluring Sea Splash and Seaweed designs really get into the spirit of the beach!

But, oh! "Where can I find this gorgeous dress I never knew existed but now know I cannot live without", you cry? 

Here! Or, Here!

And now I really must go as the nice repair men are asking me for potatoes so they can use them to fix my shower. Go figure. 

See you guys next week!

Toodlepipski,

-J

Ghillie Suits and Deer!

Harro tout le monde! :D

So, I was searching for Small Cat yesterday in the store room and came across Princess' Ghillie Suit that I made him. That may sound a little like I made him a Halloween costume, heck it totally looks like I made him one, but that`s a post for another day!

For you non rough and tumble adventurers out there, a ghillie suit is basically a giant monstrosity made out of camouflage and burlap sack and twigs and leaves and bits and pieces of things that are green and brown or whatever the color of the landscape is.

After you make it, you put it on and turn into Swamp Thing before going out into the wilderness to be trampled over by wildebeest... or other beasts. Or something equally dangerous and completely out of line with my "Safety First" rule of always putting first, your safety, I say.

Some wildlife photographers use them and snipers use them and hardcore paintballers use them. Each activity dangerouser than the other!

Anyhoo, that`s not the point today.

The point is, I single handedly stiched and sewed and tied and dyed and glued that bastard together for two weeks until my hands turned into The Claw, and here is the end result! :D




As close as five feet away from the giant, scary miawmiaws with giant scary horns! According to The Princess, it was totally worth the full body rashes and bites.

This was back in the fall when the deer were rutting of course but looking back at my handiwork yesterday, I do feel rather proud of it!

Perhaps next week`s blog should be a ghillie suit tutorial! :D

Or not!

Later days!

-J

Paper Roses for the First Wedding Anniversary?

So, lately I have been delving back into my vast collection of specialty paper and crafting random little things again.

Once in a while, I often go back just to admire all my different colorful and textured bits and pieces of paper and I get distracted and start playing around with some until I end up with a scrunch ball or usually, an origami rock. <--- Double You, Tee, Wha?!!! (And also, I doubt you can make a magical real rock out of that stupid boulder. Oh hew hew! A little Warcraft nerdiness for you MORPGers out there. ME, on the other hand would never, EVER forget to pick my parents up from the airport because I was busy running a text based dragon lair... *sorry guys i gots distrakted!* x_X But I digress.)

 SO! I need some REAL honest comments about my little paper roses I have produced!

They take a good 45ish minutes to get one carefully sculpted and curled up properly and I think could be quite a cute gift embellishment! Especially if you`re celebrating your paper wedding anniversary, i.e. your 1st one!

whadya think whadya think?!! This one has embossed gold pretty polka dots all over it! 

As you can see, the pink one has extra pleats for a more complicated looking petal.

Made of thick, leathery, fabricky, pink paper! In fact, I`m not even really sure it`s paper...

Of course, note I said EMBELLISHMENT! Which reads as, "Don`t be a cheapskate and try to get away with giving your girl a paper rose and pass that off as cute and sweet when you KNOW she wanted that Prada handbag!"

You Welcome Ladies :D

So, would you buy one of these in place of a gift bow or ribbon? Would you spray it with acrylic and turn it into a permanent head piece? Would you make a tiny one and turn it into earrings or scrap booking bits and pieces? Would you just look at it and say, "It`s nice but why on earth would I want a dumb paper rose much less pay for it?"?

To all you genius handmade makers out there, please share with moi, your thoughts :D

Later Days!

-J

Free Gift With Every Hand Painted Silk Scarf Purchase! :D

Tada! :D

So I have returned from the old country, as some of you will know and things were a-happening, indeedy they were!

First off, I got a bunch of hand painted silk fabrics made and then instead of hemming them around the edges to make scarfs, I had them made into, get this: dresses! Hand painted silk maxi dresses as far as the eye can see! (K, more like two of 'em) Pretty genius though eh? Yep yep! Another great idea from the people that brought you Small Cat Sausage Rolls!

So, the photo shoot for that happens today, and then I get to try them out in Etsyland and Artfire! Time to suck it in and pretend to be MagdaMagda -_-;

Other exciting (I'm an old lady, it IS exciting!) news is exactementliness what the title up yonder says! FREE GIFT with any purchase from either of my online shops!

Normally, I like to give away these handmade beaded bracelets (not handmade by me, sorry, am a talentless bum :D)

Purdyness inna bucket!!!

But I only gots three left of them.

And then, I found a cute purple fan that I wanted to send to The Spritely Deer, and thought they would also make great gifts to go with the hand dyed silk batik stuff in my shops! Because, look, look! They`re batik too! I'm pretty proud of me! That`s two genius ideas all in one go :D

Partially, handmade, but again not by me!

So`s, I got a few to take back with me to France and I shall be giving those out Freeeeeeeee!! Huzzah! :D While stocks last, and all that stuff.

Welp, that`s my once inna blue moon blog bit done! See you guys next week!

Photographs courtesy of Wildnis Photography Stories <--- Etsy Shop, and they can also be found HERE! <--- Swanky Professional Website.

It took them all of two seconds to take the pictures AND they got me to stop meddling with their expensive camera equipment :D Wins all round today I`d say!

The Etsy Scams!

The E-Bay Scams, The Money Order Scam, The PayPal Chargeback Scam, The Nigerian Scam, The Other Nigerian Scam, The Scammy Scams!

So many scams!

Today, I wanted to pose this question in blog form and invite readers (if any :D) to share their experiences with online shopping scams, or lack thereof.

Have you ever been hit by a scam? How did you deal with it?

Random scammy looking picture I pulled off Google images.

Judging by the information available on that web which is world wide, it seems like there is very little protection, if any, to protect sellers from the scamminess of today`s online shopping world.

The handmade sellers shopping sites (try saying that three times fast!) when hit is even more so depressing because these are people who love what they do, and price their items down to the ground so maybe, just maybe, someone else can love it too, at a cool $1.50 an hour for labour. 

I wanted to learn more, especially about the PayPal Chargeback Scam. It seems like this is the bugger putting people off E-Bay and other large e-commerce sites, and Etsy for a while now as that continues to grows in popularity.

This particular scam works like this:

- Scammer buys item.

- Scammer receives item.

- Months later, scammer applies for a chargeback with PayPal stating either non-delivery or misrepresentation of item. 

- PayPal sides with scammer. Always always.

From all the examples I've read on forums from the poor people who got scammed off of their items AND moolah, only one ended up having PayPal side with her, and this was after months of trying to prove that she had signature confirmation and all the emails from the buyer stating that the items were great and received, and a post office receipt. It was only through a stroke of luck that one of her millions of calls to PayPal admin was monitored by a higher-up admin who called her AND the buyer personally, and found out that the buyer first claimed non-receipt, but also stupidly claimed misrepresentation as well after the seller proved confirmation of delivery.

What's amazing is that the process takes months of hardheaded, incessant, pedantic poking at PayPal to get it noticed, and then after that, it takes a great deal of luck for the buyer to slip up like the above case, so she can be proven a liar on grounds of logic. 

On top of that, the kicker is that after you can prove delivery, the buyer just needs to state misrepresentation so she can get her money back. And again, you have to be very lucky that a real, live person would catch that paradox, else, as in the example, PayPal just refunds them happily and stupidly.

Is this super real and super rampant? Is it just a lot of fear mongering? I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments or suggestions as to how to avoid the more difficult scam situations such as the PayPal Chargeback one.

Perhaps the next blog post should be about international alternatives to PayPal? :D

THE SMALL CAT SAUSAGE ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Delicious and nutritious, tastes just like chicken :D