Tag: indie

Sleepless in Seattle: Lil’ Vacation

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Katy in her rad outfit.

The title of this post is not meant to be entirely tongue n cheek.

My closest friends and I embarked on a reunion this past week with Seattle as our stomping grounds. We had the joy and privilege to stay on a super rustic house boat that left me rockin’ till today – literally. I find myself with a mean case of vertigo and dark undereye circles…surely signs that I had a great trip!

Seattle took my breath away. The cozy neighborhoods, combined with the ever-flowing supplies of locally roasted coffee, gave me a fuzzy buzz worth gushing over. The slanted streets were filled with plaid-adorned citizenry, vintage boutiques, thrift shops, organic grocers, vegetarian restaurants and more!

Here’s a sneak peak at my favorite finds and the gals behind the times on my Flickr!

Everyday Beauty: Photo Contest

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I’m giving away a $75 gift certificate to my Pierogi Picnic Etsy shop to the winner of our “Everyday Beauty Contest.”

Submit a photo to the Pierogi Picnic Facebook of what “everyday beauty” means to you for a chance to win! The contest began on February 20th and runs until March 6th. The winner will be determined by who has the most ‘likes’  on their photo.

No purchase necessary – just a snapshot of what you find beautiful in day to day life. It can be the first plant of Spring, your favorite wrinkle or the latte that gets you to your feet in the morning.

Let’s celebrate the beauty in the details of each day!

Product Photos: Let There Be Light!

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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.

Continue reading →

Planning 2011: Goals, dreams, and putting things to paper

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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 →

Sugar & Spice: Soaphappy! rocks Chicago

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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.
I now covet my stick not letting even my beloved husband snag a use.
Hanah and Nellie are the dynamic duo behind this local soap racket. Their delicious and down-to-earth products blend natural vegan ingredients with exotic spice combinations that will jazz up even the weariest Chicagoan’s winter morning ritual. With soaps like Jazz+Beet boasting ingredients like ginger, rose, beets and jasmine – it’s no wonder this fiesty pair is stirring up trouble at local craft fairs like the DIY Trunk Show.
To spice up your chilly holiday week Sprout Chicago brings you an exclusive interview with these two soap divas: