The “Share the Love” sale begins tomorrow and will extend until February 14th. Etsy shoppers receive 30% off their total purchase when they buy one item for themselves, and another for someone else.
Just enter the code “sharethelove” during checkout to see the discount reflected off the total price.
Enjoy!!!
Being a lover of hearts, red, and…well….love, I always find joy in this time of year when everything erupts in these themes. I’ll be the first to tell you that I don’t condone consumerism or gluttonous chocolate binging – but there is something to celebrating the people and things for which you have affections.
So in the spirit of the season I bestow you with a Pierogi Picnic valentine!
When first starting my Etsy shop creating product photos was thee most difficult task in my quest to bring my handmade clothes to the masses. Having received my Bachelors in Film Production I knew a thing or two about lighting and set design but little about practical retail photography. So the experimentation commenced and years later I am more than content with the results – I am downright beaming with pride. Using the most minimal resources I have found a way to take a striking pic that captures the viewers attention while flattering the garments. Here are the tid bits that I have learned over the years.
Now…I’m not going to deny the heavy handed use of Photoshop throughout my Etsy shop and beyond. But there is such a thing as going too far and Elle Magazine has done just that.
By whitewashing the stunning Indian beauty Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the publication has stooped to an all-time low by forcing its homogeneous ideals on Bachchan and readers alike.
Above is Elle‘s Cover with a photoshopped inset that I created with Aishwarya’s more natural skin hue.
As mentioned, I’m not one for finger pointing, but this latest development has really stricken me with grief as it’s clear that our color-blindness continues in international media. There’s nothing more breath-taking then representing beauty of all races, ethnicities, sizes, and shapes – and Elle, along with many other mainstream magazines continues to evade this ideal by reinforcing ‘white is right’ stereotypes.
If this burns you up as much as it does me – take a moment to sign the following petition asking for Elle to fix and republish the issue with a formal apology:
http://www.change.org/petitions/view/elle_magazine_apologize_for_trying_to_whiten_indian_skin
The key to making any indie business flourish is to have 4 Awesome Ps: Product, Presentation, Passion and a Plan. Without any of these you’ll find yourself stuck upside a wall and wondering why on earth your super cool crafted owl/octopus/fox screenprinted t-shirts aren’t selling. And since we’re still in the midst of celebrating the New Year – there’s no better time than the present to thing about P number 4: Plan.
I’ve been giving considerable thought to my New Year’s resolutions for Pierogi Picnic. Last year I came up with one specific goal and a flurry of hopes that I had considered early on. Some of those included scoring a wholesale account, building the PP website, getting more press, and hitting 300 sales on Etsy. While I have yet to get that account I was hoping for – I did make my other dreams come true. So now it’s time for me to ponder what is going to make 2011 stand out for my small biz. Will it be more craft fair participation, higher sales volumes, new creative endeavors, or getting into brick and mortars.
Before I sit down to pen these things out I have a list of questions that help guide my thought process: Continue reading
Last week I made a sweeping change to my daily makeup routine and ditched all of the harsh chemically products that were in my rather large stash.
I tossed about five pounds of designer and el cheapo eyeliners, blush, shadows, lip sticks, glosses, primers, and more! It was part of my yearly pre-New Years purge. Websites like the Cosmetics Safety Database convinced me that no look is worth the mercury infused mascara or phthalate laced cheek glow.
With this in mind, I wanted to share how us super eco-divas can still rock an edgy look using natural, safe, and earth friendly products. Some of my favorite items include a hemp based line of staining lip balms by Colorganics that can be purchased at most Whole Foods, the entire line of cosmetics by Greek skincare company Korres, and the ever cute and increasingly natural brand Tarte.
The following tutorial uses a mix of the above brands to create a vintage-inspired party look for New Year’s Eve. I hope it gives you some food for thought for 2011 and beyond. Continue reading
I discovered Soaphappy! this past November when selling my Pierogi Picnic goodies in a local craft show. Desperate for a stick of natural lip balm, I promptly snatched up a stick of their ultra hydrating Vanilla blend. This one product made me an instant convert.
Shiny Happy*People 
