Holiday Shopping Ideas For Those Of Us Who Are Broke

If you're like me you probably have more people on your shopping list than dollars in your pocket. The last thing you want is to look like a cheapskate when someone gives you a great present and all you have for them is a calendar - or worse, you have nothing for them in return. Below are some ideas that will help you get through the holidays and keep you looking sharp and thoughtful.

OLD BOOKS
The key to giving a good gift is not in the price, it's in the thoughtfulness. Old books are great for thoughtfulness points. Many libraries have small bookstores in them and the prices usually range from 25 cents to $1.00. The key to pulling this off is that the book has to be vintage and not just an old paperback from the 90's. Just last week I found a huge stack of comic books from the 50's - 60's. They were in great shape, and the whole stack (about 100 comics) was only $5.00. For all I know they're worth $1,000. I'm not into comics and don't know anyone who is so I left them.

THRIFT STORE FINDS
Generally speaking I think thrift store's are kind of crusty. Most of what you'll find is pretty gross, but every once in a while there is a treasure to be found - especially if you're crafty. The key to giving a thrift store gift is to say you got it at an antique shop. The idea of perusing the cluttered shelves of a quaint little shop on a cute street is the total antithesis of the pail neon lights and filth of a thrift store. My best friend found an old lamp from the 20's for $3.00. She cleaned it and instantly had an antique lamp for her dad's office. When she gives it to him all she has to do is come up with a quick story about her search through the antique district and how lucky she was to find it and she's set. This principle works for yard sale finds too.

COMBINED GIFTS
Do you know couples? I have lots of friends and young relatives that are couples. Why not kill two birds with one stone and get them a combined gift. Anything from quirky his & hers towels to a bottle of wine. The idea is to find something that will apply to both of them and run with it. Last year I got my brother and his new wife a Blue-Ray player. I know it sounds expensive, but instead of me AND my boyfriend each getting them individual present we combined our funds for one big one and saved a few bucks in the process.

THE OTHER COMBINED GIFT
Go in with someone else on a present. Siblings can go in together on mom & dad's present. Co-workers or friends can go in together. The idea here is that you double your shopping power. This year everyone in my house is thinking about pitching in to get my parents tickets to Argentina. Since I have a big family we only have to contribute a few bucks each instead of $50 a piece for mom and $50 for dad.

GRAB BAG GIFT
This is a good one!! Last year my brother got my boyfriend a huge bag full of all kinds of candy and my boyfriend loved it. They stuck in a little of everything.in the bag and it was great. You can apply the same concept to anything. Do you know someone who is obsessed with a band or movie? Fill a small stylish bag with stickers, buttons, patches, and a CD. Stick in a Burt's Bees chapstick and you're set.

DO YOU BAKE?
If you're good, and I mean really good, you can give cookies, cakes, or just about anything homemade and be the star of the gift exchange. The key to success here is presentation. You'll have to spring for a cute plate or container and maybe some festive sprinkles, but it will be worth it. Remember to make lots of it so there's enough to go around. Everyone loves baked stuff so everyone will love what you give them.

HANDMADE, LIMITED, AND ONE OF A KIND
Just because it's handmade or one of a kind doesn't mean it's expensive. There's a local semi-famous artist here in Orlando who will paint a light switch cover with his trademark art for $10.00. We also have a do it yourself pottery workshop in town. For $20.00 you can make and fire your own pottery piece. There are pros on hand so you're sure to get good results.

As for limited, check out the indie record label websites for colored vinyl releases for the music buff on your list. Colored vinyl is always a rarity and it's not usually much more than standard black.

Local flea markets and farmer's markets are also great places for finding rare gifts. I found locally made art, homemade pasta, home brewed iced tea, and other locally produced things that come in clever packaging. All of these things make great gifts not only because they are inexpensive, but also because these are things people rarely buy for themselves.

Getting ready for Atomic Holiday Bazaar

This year I'll be setting up a table at the Atomic Holiday Bazaar in Sarasota, FL. Generally, I wouldn't do a large show or convention this close to the holidays, but I've been planning for this one. Planning is the make or break factor in running a (really) small business.

Too many people play it by ear and cross each bridge when they come to it, but they don't plan for the next bridge. I usually try to look waaaay into the future when it comes to events.

Here's what I've done this year to get ready for the show: several months ago, when I was invited I immediately came up with a plan, even before I submitted my application - think about it, there's no use applying if you're just going to throw something together at the last minute. My plan was to start saving remnant fabrics and begin using them to make limited and one of a kind pieces for the show. Normally I use solids that I buy in large rolls and combine with style lines. But for the show I thought I'd go the recycled route. I've been collecting pieces of fabric for months now. I began making samples about two months ago.

Since I'd be selling pieces made from recycled fabric I then started putting some remnant and recycled items on Etsy to help get myself out there with the kind of people I might find at the show. In a sense I have building brand recognition.

The show is now less than two weeks away and I have a huge batch of stuff to bring. Lots of it is made from the same fabrics as items currently posted in my etsy shop. This way, when people walk by my table there's a chance they'll recognize something they see - at least part of it.

Here are a few pics of the items I've recently made. These are pretty much all made from 100% remnant fabrics.

20% anything in my Etsy shop TODAY ONLY Nov 30th

It's cyber-Monday, the biggest online shopping day of the year. It looks like everyone is in discount giving mood so here's 20% off at http:evilneedles.etsy.com

There are two ways to get 20% off:
It doesn't get any easier than this. make a purchase, checkout, and add a note to seller that says "CYBER MONDAY" and I'll refund 20% of the item purchase price.

OR you can do it another way

• First add an item(s) from my shop to your cart and start the check out process.
• Enter the code "CYBER MONDAY" in the 'notes to seller' and the email address where the revised invoice should be sent.
• Complete the order but do NOT go to Paypal to pay.
• You will receive a revised invoice, and a link to complete payment, via email reflecting the discount.'

One day road trip with friends

Sunday was my birthday and we decided to go on a one day vacation. It ended up being the best birthday I've had in a long time and the whole day only cost about $50.00. You can't buy much with $50.00 any more. Maybe the next time you're on a tight budget and your boyfriend's birthday comes around you can do something like this. Trust me, the memories of a really fun day are worth so much more than a video game, a shirt, or cologne.

We (my boyfriend and I) and our friends John and Amy, and their German Shepherd pup Elaine went down to Ona, FL to check out Solomon's Castle. On the way down we passed through lots of small rural towns.













Much of the landscape on the drive was sprinkled with old FL cracker homes. Here's one such home with horses grazing in the front yard.

We stopped by a small Spanish flea market, but I didn't get any pics because I forgot the camera in the car.

Solomon's Castle is a very unique place. I took millions of pics but the castle is made of recycled aluminum printing plates so I couldn't get a shot without tons of glare. Click on the pics so you can read about the castle and some of the art within.














Here's a pic of John and Elaine with Solomon. Solomon was at work in his workshop and we were the only ones who took the time to stop by and say hello. He was really sweet. All of the tools had my boyfriend and John drooling. Notice Solomon's shirt, it say's "Do I look like a freakin' people person?" I'll bet that would fetch a pretty penny at a Brooklyn vintage shop.


















This hand built miniature replica of the Alamo is just a facade placed over the side wall of a corrugated aluminum garage. Even the door and cannon are scratch built by Solomon.













I'm not much of a nature photographer but this place has 90 acres of nature trails to roam. Out of all the pics I took these berries are the only ones that came out nice enough to post - I love the color, maybe I'll get inspired to make something.












When it came time to leave we decided to take old HWY 27 home. It follows the Orange Blossom Special railway from Chicago down to FL. Check out those ominous clouds and palm trees. This scene is very FL.












It was at this crossroads that we spotted a local guy selling used bikes. If you're a regular reader you know that I really like old bikes, so we had to stop in and meet this artisan.












Here's a pic showing my boyfriend with the bike builder. His name is B.V. and he's the big fella in the white shirt. You might recognize my boyfriend from my Facebook profile pic. For the record the pic on Facebook was taken several years ago and he's wearing the EXACT same clothes in both pics. Why are guys such slobs?

Here's a good shot of all the bikes and part he had for sale in his front yard.












We actually hung out with B.V. for quite a while. The guys all got along and talked about wheel bearings and tools. By the time they got done talking it was dark.

Our next stop was Spook Hill. Spook Hill is a haunted hill in Lake Wales, FL where ghosts push your car up hill - no joke. There's even a wiki-page, and a Roadside America article. Check out the sign below. We tried it and I can tell you that we started at the bottom of a hill and we ended up at the top.












Spook Hill is right next to Spook Hill Elementary School. They've got a funny sign out front. Most schools have a lion or a bear as a mascot, not these folks.












After our spooky, gravity defying ride we were pretty tired so we stopped into a local shop and bought some fresh squeezed O.J.. We then got a bite to eat and headed back home.

I know it's never as exciting to look at pics and read about a trip as it is to actually do it for yourself. I'm hoping that this post will help motivate you to get up and do something. For about the same price as pizza, beer, and reruns you could be out doing something that you'll remember forever.

Vintage Hot Rod Fabric Handbags

What's up with those handbags?

Click here to get it.

I've been trying to use and re-use as much remnant fabric as I possibly can. I always save large cuts of fabric for later use, but it was starting to pile up. I had no choice: it was time to clear out my studio.

The fabric used to make this rockabilly rat rod tote bag is not your average scrap. Years ago, while antique shopping in South FL I found this bolt of mustard hot rod fabric that was left over from the early 60s. It was the coolest fabric I had ever seen, however, the color and hard texture made it very difficult to use as apparel fabric. I thought about making curtains, but never got around to it.

I did some poking around to see what I could find out about this golden fabric.

About four years ago I put a few yards up for auction and it went for about $50.00 PER YARD, WOW!!! People were writing, begging for more.

After selling some of it I tried to sit down and make those drapes, but couldn't think of how to make them work in my place. So I posted a couple more yards and I actually got hate mail from one of the people who bought the first cuts. She wrote, "WTF! why didn't you post this together? You didn't tell me you had more!!" - just one of the reasons I hate eBay.

I held on to a couple yards and that's what I found hidden in my stacks, and used to make these three bags.

I think I finally found what this fabric was made for. The size of the print, bright color, and tough texture are perfect for tote bags. I'm really proud of these and I think they could be the perfect accessory for the right person.

Etsy Product Descriptions: Do You Read Them?

This is not seller advice. This is just another one of my Etsy observations meant for entertainment only.

How important are your item descriptions when listing on Etsy? A little bit of personal research shows that how much and what you say about your items isn't really that important.

I try to give my Etsy item descriptions a little bit of flair. Sometimes I say a little about the item, sometimes I just sort of ramble on. I like the stuff I post on Etsy, and I like to write about it. So for me 50 - 100 words is no big deal. Besides, Etsy says it's a good idea to write full descriptions.

The following quote is taken directly from a link on http://www.etsy.com/storque:

"Many people don't realize that, in addition to the facts, a brief story about your handmade object can create a dramatic impression on your viewer. Let the shopper know how you picture the item being used, or tell them a story of what inspired you to create the piece. Many people who appreciate handmade items also enjoy the story behind how it was made, who created it and where the idea came from.

Of course, it's also important to inform the buyer of all the facts. Color, size, dimensions, textures, materials used, washing and care instructions, fabrication process, and allergy alerts are essential. You may also want to consider if your item is for a certain age group or suggest it as the perfect gift for a special occasion."

I read this a while ago and it's pretty good advice. However, I know that lots of people are not good writers, or if you are a good writer, maybe you don't like to write or you don't have time to write tons of detailed descriptions.

I began looking at some of the more successful clothing sellers and found that many of them keep their descriptions under 20 words. They pretty much tell you the size and materials and that's it.

But I think this says a lot more about buyers than sellers. I think serious buyers are generally interested in pictures first, then want only to know the size and price. The rest is fluff to them that they just have to skim through - if they even bother.

To test this, about 18 months ago I listed one of my best selling tops (black & gray butterfly) in four different formats. First I listed it as a "Made To Order Custom Size." In this listing buyers had to read all of my flair PLUS they had to read the vital info PLUS they had to read how to request their size.












As a result I didn't sell a single one in four weeks.

I then posted three more black & gray butterfly tops. This time I listed a small, a medium, and a large. I used the same pictures and same tags. But I slimmed the description down to the bare essentials.

Guess what!!! I started selling them right away!!

Of course this wasn't very scientific so a year ago I tried another little test. I listed two black and gray butterfly tops in the same size with the same 65 word descriptions, EXCEPT I put the line "convo me with the word 'discount' and get fifty percent off of this item." I continued to renew the two identical tops each time they sold for one entire month. I sold the top with the discount line in it twice and neither buyer convo-ed me. So it was obvious that - at least those two - buyers didn't read my description.

To summarize: if people can't be bothered enough to read a 65 word description close enough to catch a 50% discount there's a good chance they don't care what color stockings you think that shirt will go with. I've decided to cut my descriptions short and put a little more time into making clothing, taking pics, and conducting silly experiments. If you're a good reader prove it by posting a comment on this blog.

I Got Ripped Off, Read This So It Doesn't Happen To You

If you've been on my mailing list for some time you know that I'm always on the lookout for scams. I found one that was so obvious and out in the open that they even scammed me. I'm not the type to fall for the old "Nigerian prince has left you a million bucks" scheme. I'm actually pretty savvy when it comes to that sort of thing. But, I have to admit, I didn't see this one coming.

I have a checking account, a savings account, and an account for my business; all with the same bank. I've been with this same bank since 2004 and have had no problems. Aside from an overdraft or two during the holidays I run a tight ship. On the 20th of each month I go through all of my bank statements to make sure everything is in order for all my finances.

This month when I went through everything I found nearly $50.00 in NEW maintenance fees on my accounts.

They slipped in $15.00 charges at the end of August and September on my business account and then hit me with $8.95 in fees for each month on my personal accounts. I somehow missed the charges last month, despite going over my statements.

That's $47.90 out the window. Well, actually it's $47.90 towards some big-wig corporate's multi-million dollar executive bonus. I just couldn't let this go.

I'm not saying you should do things like me, but here's how I handled it.

The first thing I did was call in my boyfriend to examine my statements to make sure I wasn't reading things wrong or that I didn't miss anything - two brains are better than one.

Once we both agreed that there were $47.90 in new maintenance fees on what I had always understood to be FREE accounts I pulled out the paperwork from when I opened the accounts. I don't expect everyone to have this sort of documentation on file (my two best friends are lawyers so I've learned to hold on to ALL contracts). I read through all of the paperwork to make sure I wasn't signed up for some kind of promotion that had expired, that I had to keep a minimum balance, or that I was required to wear green on every Thursday to avoid fees. Nope, I was clear.

I then printed out copies of my statements from the past year to show that A) I had never been charged before: and B) show that my account balance was still current.

IMPORTANT: I took the time to write notes on my statements. I highlighted the charges in question. I noted when I opened my account. I made note of questions to ask the bank rep. I did all of this because these things are hard to think of when you're face to face. And this sort of thing pays off when a cocky bank employee tells you, "oh, well, you got charged because you were signed up for a special promotion that expired." You can then reply with, "Really? I have documentation that says the account was free for life."

The next day I went to the bank. I had to keep telling myself that the person at the bank is not the one who took the money out of my account. It's hard to keep your cool in situations like this, but the minute you get loud or aggressive you've lost the argument.

I pulled out my statements and showed the bank rep the charges. I explained the situation in as few words as possible, keeping in mind that the guy was probably not even listening.

He argued by saying that I was signed up for a promotion that expired (see I told you to be ready). So I pulled out the papers from when I opened the account. He was stunned. He then said I got charged for not using my debit card. So I pulled out my statements with HUNDREDS of debit card purchases. He said nothing, just began clicking his mouse. A moment later he said, "Hm, I don't know why you were charged."

I was calm and polite, and said, "You mean 'charged REPEATEDLY' on FREE accounts. This bank just took $50.00 from me for no reason, I can't just let that go without some kind of explanation."

I know it wasn't very nice of me to put him on the spot, but it wasn't very nice of him to hit me with those two lame excuses for being charged.

"I really don't know why you were charged" he says.

"Can you refund those charges?" I ask

"Oh, sure, we'll definitely refund you for those." He says, with an edgy politeness.

THIS IS IMPORTANT!! "Can you go ahead and do that while I'm here so we don't run into this same problem next month." You always want to watch them refund your money, because if you don't make sure it gets done there's a good chance it won't get done ever.

So I kept my cool through the whole thing and got my money back. I wish I could have done more, but at least I got this story out of it. Keep an eye on your bank accounts. These people are ruthless criminals. They WILL rip you off - it's not a question of IF they'll do it, it's WHEN.