Dinner, Dusty, and Pearl

First, a little update on The Boy and my anniversary dinner.  We went to The Carillon (as I mentioned in my last entry), and it was more lovely than our last visit.  We were seated and had a different server than our first visit, but the server we had for Valentine's recognized us and visited our table to say hello and wish us a happy anniversary! He was informed by one of his other customers, who happen to be our good friends. Thanks Christina and Harry. :)

We started our dinner with a complimentary glass of champagne (so nice!) and olive bread and butter. We ordered two entrees each. First I had the Crisp Pork Belly and The Boy had the Prince Edward Island Mussels. We both agreed my Pork Belly won that round. Second appetizers came around and I had the Duck Confit Ravioli and he had the Lobster Risotto. Lobster won that round. All four appetizers were amazing but definitely two were in the lead. I forgot which wines I had paired with each appetizer, though I asked for sweeter wines. They were all great and by the time our entrees were coming, I was already feeling the effects of the wine. :)

For the entree, I ordered the Olive Oil Poached Prime Beef Tenderloin and he had the Texas Coffee Rubbed Dry Aged New York Strip.  I think it was a tie. Although I really do like the flavor of coffee with steak. It added a great smokey flavor. Both steaks were cooked to perfection and wonderfully juicy and full of flavor.

We were completely full by this point but these wee little wine glasses were placed on our table (and I couldn't help but let out a little squeak at their cuteness). Mine was filled with a deliciously sweet Muscat and for him a Port. Then, the best part of the night. Our server (and our Vday server!) come to our table with a generous slice of Goat Cheese Cheesecake with huckleberry compote , topped with salted caramel with "Happy Anniversary" piped on the edge of the plate! You can see a picture of it here (after we took a bite out of it). One of the chefs came by to wish us, too!  It was a wonderful surprise and great to be treated so well by all of the staff.

The Carillon is officially our new date-night spot because always leave wanting more of their wonderful service and food! I'm excited for our next visit to try some new items! You can see their current dinner menu and see that the young Executive Chef can incorporate every fruit, vegetable, and meat existing into what seems like a pretty short menu. Everything we've tried was delicious and the product of a true genius, indeed.

Now I wish I could be a food writer or food photographer so I could have experiences like this ALL the time!

Ok ok, time for the shop updates.

I've got two new leathers in the shop: Dusty Green and Pearl. I was so excited to make a big bag with the Pearl which would showcase its shimmery beauty with the pleats and ruching. Gorgeous. One of my favorite leathers so far!

You can request a custom listing of any bag in these two leathers!





Happy Weekend!

p.s. I wore that outfit for our anniversary dinner. Except replaced the sequin top with a sleeveless pink top because it coordinated with The Boy's bright colors better. :)

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One Year Anniversary

Today is The Boy and my one year anniversary. We're heading to The Carillon to celebrate.  It also happens to be Austin Restaurant Week, so we're thinking things will be extra tastey (and probably a bit more crowded)! The Boy and I went here for Valentine's and their special consisted of 2 5-course spreads made for sharing. All 10 courses were the most delectable things I've ever eaten! Filet of Black Angus with a pretty spread of winter veggies and roasted foie gras sauce? That was my entree.  Amazing. We're so excited to return for our anniversary!

I already know what I'm getting. Crisp Pork Belly appetizer, Olive Oil Poached Prime Beef Tenderloin for my entree, and Goat Cheese Cheesecake for dessert. The Boy called dibs on the Cardamom Creme Brulee (yum!!). Plus, wanted to get different items to try.  But in reality, I'll finish the entire cheesecake by myself - I'm much more of a steak and cheese cake kinda girl.

Well, I've been searching around for something to wear, and haven't found it yet. But I did put together this little outfit to photograph with some of my bags. I've been needing some image upgrades in the shop, and since I have this entire wall free from my apartment rearranging, I might as well take advantage!

And look who decided to visit the set as I was taking pictures! :)

Oh yeah, I'm also having a GIVEAWAY. Enter here!

Metropark dress, Vintage Dingo boots, Clutch, Baby Ruche and Traveler in Red

Find more pictures and info on my Chictopia!

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Spring Preview

Just finished some new items for the Spring line. It's coming along very very slowly because I still have a lot of made to order bags to make and I sneak a new item in every now and then when I am making a big batch of bags (like this Baby Ruche in the batch of Ruched Bags that shipped out this morning!).

There's a new upgrade available for the Hip Pocket. You can add a wristlet attachment to the bag! You can see more details in the listing.  Add this upgrade to any of the Hip Pockets!

The new leather color featured today is TEAL! You can get any of the bags from the shop in this new leather! Just message me for a custom listing. :)

Baby Ruche Bag in Blush Pink

Hip Pocket in Russet Brown

Hip Pocket in Teal

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Head to Toe: Dress, Boots & Bag

I must say, I'm a boots girl.  Flats are OK. Heels are nice. But boots! I just love boots. It may be the Texan in me, because I have many (many many many) pairs of boots (mainly the cowboy kind). I try to match my clothing around my boots so I can wear them at every opportunity --summer, spring, and fall (we don't have much of a winter here in Austin). :)

Spring is coming, and I can't help but browse Etsy for some pretty little dresses and boots.  As I was window shopping, I thought of an idea; how about I share my shopping experience with you?

Introducing the new series, "Head to Toe" featuring some of my favorite fashion finds paired with a bag from the shop. :)






Vintage PAPERGIRL Black White Shirt Dress, BrownBagVintage
Vintage Black Steampunk Ankle Boots, GenerationGap
Baby Ruche Bag in Black Leather




Vintage 1960s MUSTARD Babydoll Dress, SmallEarthVintage
All Leather White Mexican Cowboy Boots, blissvintage
Hip Pocket in Summer Squash w/ Blossom





Romantic Shades of Grey Lace Dress, lamixx
Vintage Slouchy Suede and Leather Ankle Boots, stephaniebracciano
Clutch in Stone Leather w/ Adjustable Strap (ONLY ONE)   

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New! In the Shop!

Ready to Ship! Just in time for Valentine's Day. ;)

Traveler in Blush Pink Leather

Clutch in Russet Brown Leather




Baby Ruche in Dark Plum leather

I found more of this beautiful dark plum leather! Not to be confused with the plum leather for the Clutches (SOLD OUT). This leather does not have the "spots" of light plum, though it is pretty dark. This is a uniform-colored leather with visible grains yet a smooth hand. It's really beautiful.

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Ready to Ship

Ships within 24 hours of cleared payment. If you're in the US, get it in 1-3 days, 6-11 days for outside the US.

Baby Ruche in Red Leather with Adjustable Strap
Antique Brass Hardware
Black Microbrushed Cotton Twill Lining

It's quite a beauty.

Oh, and by the way, my turnaround time is now 3-5 business days from cleared payment!! My clip board where I print out all my orders is finally empty a WEEK EARLY! Amazing. Pays to work on the weekends, huh?

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Red Wine and Custom Design

I had a custom order request for a bag to match the wine color in a wedding dress that was being made by an Etsy seller!

I eagerly searched through my stacks of upholstery leather and I found this really small piece among the pile of beautiful upholstery remnants and this matched perfectly! It is a super soft and squishy leather that feels amazing, not to mention it has a great leather smell (which I've been told my entire room smells of). I had just enough of this lovely color to make her custom order bag, and one more! So I've listed that last one available in this leather as a Made to Order --you can customize the lining and hardware!

Woohoo!

And while I'm on the topic of Custom Orders, I thought I would discuss this option a bit more for those who haven't quite found that perfect Fall/Winter bag yet.

What does a custom order entail?

1. You like a design in the shop, but want it in a different color or fabric type.
2. You like a design but want the dimensions tweaked a little.
3. You like a fabric type in the shop and want a custom-designed bag.
4. You're a personal shopper for a celebrity client and need a bag from a fresh new designer.
5. You're Apple, Inc. and need a hip'n'trendy Traveler for your iProducts (I do wholesale).

I have lots of ideas on new bags to make for my shop, but haven't found the time (because I'm always sewing Made to Order items) to create them. I take opportunities from those who want to try something that is not offered in the shop to make an item so that I can photograph it and then off it goes into the loving arms of its owner, and then I can use those photographs to offer more options in the shop! Quite efficient, yes?

Custom Orders start with a Down Payment.

For leather items, a $10 down payment is required to add your order to the queue; $5 for non-leather items. This ensures that I have some sort of commitment when starting on your unique item! If after I design the bag and you change your mind...well, I haven't decided on this because ever since I have stated this requirement, I haven't had a single customer change their mind [knock on wood].

And of course, I require this because of past experiences. In the past, I have made HIGHLY customized items and for some reason, the customer never purchased it or changed their mind.

Remember: Every piece that ships out of my shop has been designed to excruciating detail of dimensions that are crafted to ensure minimal waste and scraps, cut with titanium-coated shears, shaped-pinned-clipped to meticulous detail, carefully stitched with a professional sewing machine, photographed in multiple angles in natural lighting, modeled, marketed, lovingly wrapped, packaged and shipped by me with a handwritten personal thank you note tied onto each bag with a pretty little ribbon.

This is a one-woman business, and this 23-year old does all the work --from engineering and design to marketing and selling. My time is very limited and I work 80+ hours a week (and still manage to feed lunch and dinner to three boys --The Boy, The Bro, and The Bear --which is my dog, Hubert, whom I often call "Hu-bear" to sound French, and it just became "Bear") to ensure that each customer loves their bag.

When you receive a bag from me, you know that you're getting a one-of-a-kind item that has been made with lots of love, care, and attention.

So, how fast will I receive my bag?

The turnaround time has remained at 7-10 business days from cleared payment for some time now. I ideally try to give myself the weekends off, but I end up working them anyway, so you receive your bag faster than the estimated time line, but I like to keep it at this time line to account for any emergencies (like me getting sick, family things come up, I run out of supplies, my sewing machine breaks...).

For custom orders, after the down payment is received, the bag enters the queue, and upon completion, you receive a link to your listing which contains images of your bag. Then it's ready for your purchase. Done!

Interested in having your own personalized custom bag? Convo me!

I recently finished a Made to Order Baby Ruche Bag in Black Leather and rephotographed it with the face of the bag towards the sunlight. Now you can see all the details! Yay!

Psssttt. The holidays are just around the corner, so keep an eye out for another entry with details for deadlines to order your Custom/Made to Order bags so you can receive them for Christmas!

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Gorgeous Etsy Treasury

I discovered this Etsy artist, SweptFromTheSea, when I found one of my bags on an Etsy Front Page in July. I recently had the honor of being featured in one of her most recent treasuries featuring Red and Black (which I feel is VERY Front Page worthy!). Check out my Baby Ruche Bag in Red Leather featured among all this bold and beautiful finds!

[Click the image to see more details from these wonderful sellers!]

This treasury has been so tastefully assembled --so romantic! I'm really lovin' that Paper Flower Kit. I would buy the entire contents of this collection if I could afford it! :)

p.s. And speaking of red, I have a total weakness for leather, fringe, and red. I've been eying these boots for a while and finally caved. I swear, I will stop buying shoes TODAY! Starting next month. ;)

p.p.s. I have this love-hate relationship with Etsy. I sell lot of bags with the site, but spend it right back there.

Reminds me of when I used to work at Banana Republic when I was 16. I finally quit when I was 18 and think all of my paychecks went right back to that store. I worked 20 hours/week, so you can imagine how much clothing I accumulated over the years. I got lots of retail and sales experience though! And two closets full of Banana clothes to show for it. Good thing I can still wear it all...

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Tips for Success: Photo Retakes

Selling online is difficult, especially if you're selling expensive items, like a leather bag. There's so much in a purse. The feel, the weight, the shape. We love to try things on, so slinging a big leather bag over our shoulders and taking a quick glance in the mirror is the way that we usually shop.

How can we online sellers provide that similar experience to a potential client?

Photographs. Lots of them.

Here are some easy tips taking great photos:

1. Use natural light. No light we can afford can match the brightness of the sun. Find a spot outside or in your studio with lots of natural light flooding through and stage your product photography there. In my old studio, I didn't have a lot of windows, so I used 3 really bright flood lights and it still required LOTS of photo editing to get the colors just right, and I still ended up getting some feedback about the color not matching the product description images. This situation has not come up at all since I moved to my new place which has a big window next to my work bench. It's great! Very minimal (if ANY) photo editing needed before the pictures make it to the shop.

2. Model your product. I buy a lot of jewelry online, and as much as I love numbers to show the dimensions of the item, the thing I look for most is a model of the product, whether it's on a human ear, mannequin ear, or on the edge of a coffee mug. Photographing a product on a well-known source for dimensions allows a potential customer see the actual proportion of the product.

3. Sell the stage. Set the mood. You walk into IKEA and what do you see? A simple couch on sale. But it's not just a couch in the middle of a blank room, it's a couch in the middle of a beautifully (and strategically decorated) living room. Handbags sell the same way. And so do lots of accessories. Model your product in an outfit that matches the product, because afterall, you're not just selling the product, you're selling the whole package.

Here's an example of how I changed my photography setting and had this bag go from no hearts, no treasuries, and very few views to 100+ hearts, 3200+ views, and 4 Front Pages!



Now if only this bag would sell... ;)

Have any other ideas that I missed? Got a success story about one of your products?? Share them in the comments! We're all always trying to find ways to improve our sales, so please feel free to provide lots of feedback. :)

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Avocado and Summer Squash

All bags now available in Avocado and Summer Squash Leather! The avocado leather is an upholstery weight leather, very smooth hand and holds its shape quite nicely! The summer squash leather has a lot more drape; it has a very weighty shiney feel to it --almost feels like a vintage patent leather. It's very smooth and soft, you'll just love it!

I love these two colors. The perfect colors to add to the summer collection. Mama and Baby Ruche are ready to ship and I'll be adding them to the shop very soon! Feel free to contact me for a custom order of any of the other design styles!

You can see more pictures on my flickr.

Enjoy!

p.s. Swatches are available for all my leathers and fabrics. Just convo me to order some swatches to see if you'll like the leather before you purchase!

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Hello, Antique Rose.

Please welcome Antique Rose leather to the shop! Get this baby ruche, or ask for a mama ruche, briefcase, or hip pocket.

Custom orders always welcome!

Go ahead, treat yourself.

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More Margot Bianca Batiks!

Totes and slings and other things (to come in the next few months).

FREE SHIPPING until Friday, April 10th.
Take advantage of this limited time offer!

SHOP NOW

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Baby Ruche Tote

Deep Purple Cherry Blossom Batik hankie linen fabric by Margot Bianca.

Pair it with your favorite linen suit and you're ready to paint the town! Or take it beachside; it's completely machine washable!

SHOP NOW

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