News and Announcements regarding EuroTrash
Hello Friends! I trust the holidays treated you all well. Our holiday was low key but nice <3 we are enjoying our home and getting settled in. I continue to knit and sew and make EuroTrash happen in the middle of it all.
Thank you for all your support and encouragement over the last update and ebay auction! As always, everything I do is really out of joy and love for what I do.
Thank you also for being patient as I too learn how to best clarify the ‘rules of the shop’… >.< my last update I did not clarify so well that it was 1 item period be it cape or dress…oi! Of course its not always easy to have contingency plans…well, live and learn 
So onward and upward! I’m going to update tomorrow morning, so that is Tuesday Morning. I have ready for the update a set of petticoats. 2 petrol/turquoise, 3 pink marshmallow fluff and 3 lavender fluff ones. Then I have 4 dresses each unique and featuring different trims and finishings.A few of them of vintage fabric, one from Liberty of London fabric. This time I will clarify that its ok to purchase a dress AND a petti in the same order. but not 2 of each,blah,blah..again just leave a question if you are not sure. We are all learning together and of course with the internet its DIFFICULT to always make ourselves clear. I’m also working on some Lati helmets tonight but I’m not sure if I’ll get them ready or not.
So without further ado I leave you with the photo of what is up and coming and eagerly await the morning when I will be sitting with a cup of coffee spending it with YOU!
I figured it was time for a morning update since lately they all had fallen on the evening time…
Alright, after a long time considering making some policy changes to the shop…I have finally come to some conclusions, and not without all of your input and help! Thank you so much for everyone who took the time to let me know how they felt,what they would prefer. It makes me alot more confident in instilling these policy changes.
So, the shop policy is as follows:
For every update, the purchase limits are the same as it has been in the shows/conventions. 1 of each item type per customer. For example: if an update contains Blythe Helmets, Lati Helmets, Dresses the max purchase limit is 1 Blythe Helmet,1 Dress, 1 Lati helmet. etc. (please leave a comment if you have any questions and I will be happy to answer them as best I can)
How this will be enforced is quite simple. I have a ‘decline transaction’ option inside my shop software which simply sends a mail to the buyer that the transaction has been declined and it puts the item back into the shop for sale automatically. You will not be billed for any of the items returned to my shop. This process will happen rapidly as I supervise the updates.
There are going to be some new shipping options available now that I am in the USA. Please bear with me as I learn the methods available and their perks/benefits. For now I’m trying to offer the best services possible but will continue to offer free shipping worldwide on every listing. This shipping option is NOT trackable and nor can I be liable for lost packages but I still want to give people an economical option on shipping as the prices for tracking internationally are quite intimidating/exorbitant.
I hope this is clear and a good change for everyone!
Thank you so much for all your input.
<3
Ruth
Hello Friends! Time to catch up on everything. Blythcon UK was fantastic. We had perfect weather and many people turned out to the great venue we had in London. It was a bit hectic at first but overall the event went of really well, of course the helmets sold out and I saw many new faces and alot of first time buyers which is really a treat for me. I don’t have words really to express how much I enjoy seeing the faces of people who are buying things from me, getting to have the luxury of time and presence to say, “Thank You!” and see the looks on faces as people choose what they are buying. For someone who largely sells online this is such a huge treat for me. Now and then I had to put people back in order and in line but its to be expected. If you were a person who were at the receiving ends of my orders to move…I’m sorry! My bark is worse than my bite and I just had to try and make some sense of the line as it was unravelling a couple times and I had people coming at me from all sides.
I hope those who came to the sewing workshop learned something useful, or came away with some inspiration. I sort of ran it off the cuff but did have a partially completed garment with me to step through the attaching of collars and sleeves. I really hope it helped people who had any doubts. More than anything I just wanted to say, LOVE what you do! Don’t be so critical, step away sometimes, take a photo, get some distance and understand you don’t have to be a machine or a robot to make lovely things. Make the best of what you have and not feel like you need ‘special tools’ or special fabrics to get the job done! Be bold, be brave and SEW!
For any of you who offered an encouraging word, comment throughout the day…you are so appreciated. Thank you. It was just a great event overall!
Just quickly I’d like to mention that this lovely set that is discussed here: Rainy Autumn Days with its lovely angora helmet,plaid dress and lace bloomers is back on E-bay. I had a non paying bidder last time so its back up for grabs. Its truly beautiful and just ask anyone who saw it at BCUK..even better in person! Here is the link for the auction now: Rainy Autumn Days 5pc. Set on E-Bay
and just a quick photo to remind you all how sweet it is:
Thank you again for all your support. You can see in the text on the right about midway down, thanks to your support EuroTrash has been able to make some great charitable donations to some really great causes.
Also in other news I am shortly relocating back to the USA. My sewing is going to slow down. I am finishing up some last things I had started but after that it will take a pause as I will have to pack and prepare for the move. I will however carry on with the helmets as much as it allows since the deco for it only requires one small box of supplies. Stay tuned, Stay in touch and I hope to be back sewing in full force as soon as possible! I will keep people informed of my situation as I know more solidly how plans progress. Big changes ahead but I’m very excited to be returning ‘home’.
Thank you again for all your support,encouragement and sharing your dolls and lives with me as well.
As Gaia’s info post reminded me, I’d promised to post prices and information as well regarding the rules of my table etc.
I really enjoy the opportunity to sell my items face to face and get a chance to speak with each person who buys from me. Its a rare,rare,rare opportunity for those of us who sell online and I like to take advantage of any chance I get to say “Thank You.” So as per usual I expect people to queue nicely, I’m really ok with 2 people at the table at a time as long as there are no grabby hands! It gives the first person there a chance to do the transaction in peace while the 2nd person is looking and making their selection. I tried this at BC in Portland and it worked so nicely. So please no more than 2 at a time at the table, no grabby hands.
Limitations are in place as I’d love for as many people as possible to have a chance to buy something so 1 hat and 1 dress are the maximum per person. For clarification..1+1=2 items max, not 2 hats, not 2 dresses…clear as mud, right?
Vendors and Personal Shoppers! Vendors never get a chance to buy so if you have a personal shopper, just have them tell me who they are representing. I have no problem letting a buyer purchase on your behalf. Just let me know who you are buying for if you are acting as a personal shopper.
Prices:
I will accept euro and british pound but please attempt to have some change/correct amounts on hand for your purchases. I will come prepared with change to the best of my ability.
Helmets
38 pound or 44 euro
Fancier dresses
38 pound or 44 euro
Babydoll dresses (short sleeved and the countess style)
35 pound or 40 euro
A-line dresses
30 pound or 35 euro
Prices will be marked on each package in euro and pound.
That being said, See you there!! <3
I’ve come to the conclusion that whenever I have cafe shifts early in the week the chances of updating my blog/website in a timely manner (as I’d like to do it every monday…) is really impossible. Alas, such is life. Time is flying fast but I have no complaints. Just last weekend we had a huge ‘yard’ sale in my courtyard with all the residents selling and there was even food and entertainment. Loads of people came and it was the perfect opportunity to get rid of some of our extra furniture and such in preparation for our move. Our flat still is way too full of stuff but slowly and surely we are reducing and making our way..I hope!
Sewing continues as does the knitting. We’ve had really autumnal weather lately and I’m really in denial about the end of summer. It seems to be happening whether I permit it or not. The autumnal weather really inspires me to curl up on the sofa and KNIT. This is good though as my production of helmets has been steady, and thats a great thing. I’ve seen lots of new great materials for deco and embellishment and have been going through my supplies more and more to see what I’ve got and am getting lots of great new ideas.
As I sort through my supplies I’ve also come across great trims, laces etc and I often set them aside with a new idea on how to use them. Its inspiring
So…don’t forget to take a look at this week’s drawing…I have a beautiful vintage silk and antique lace dress that is just darling. I’ll say it again as I say every time…I just LOVE being able to use such beautiful materials….
Or through the looking glass? time is evaporating it seems. I have no idea where my weekend evaporated to….or rather I have a vague idea….
Spent one day completely tidying up the flat, doing some deep cleaning and sorting through things I need to part with in order to move to a new continent, and then Sunday was rather pleasantly spent entirely in the company of dolly people. It was great fun to get together with some of the girls here in Finland. Old and new faces. It was really great. Lots of fantastic customizing talent to be found here as well as other talented seamstresses and interesting people alike.
This week is the first week I’ve been late with my blog update and I was a bit disappointed with myself, but I’ve had 2 fairly long and hectic shifts at the cafe starting out…SO its put me behind with my weekly schedule and sorting out/planning for the drawing. In fact I won’t post about a drawing until I get it sorted out. This week and next I have slightly more work at the cafe as a bunch of our staff head out of country for the Nordic Barista Cup. Helsinki has come out of holidays like gangbusters. We’ve been busier than ever at our cafe and just really having to run ourselves ragged during our shifts. I’ve come home just exhausted with very little on my mind other than my knitting needles and the sofa…on a good note, I’ve been getting knitting done for commissions and for Blythecon UK!
Keep your eyes out tomorrow or the next day..as the night grows late here and I have to run to bed, but I’m still planning on some drawing for this week/weekend. Stay tuned and thanks for checking in as always,listening to me ramble about life,eurotrash and beyond. Far from exciting but its nice to keep in touch even when I’m not so much online lately due to all the moving plans/need to make inventory for BCUK etc.
Cheers everyone!!
Good morning friends. Its a rainy cool morning today in Helsinki,and all my dishes were done when I woke up. The house is quiet so I took the chance to felt a batch of helmets. I had more than I thought, which is great, it means I’ve been sticking to my goals of more regular knitting. Its pretty impressive that so far this year I think we’re close to 150 helmets. Thats alot!! knowing how many hours go into them…not to mention the Lati helmet numbers have reached over 50 as well. I do have help with the Lati helmets but they all require time and energy to finish,get them packaged and out to you all. I can’t complain though, its truly something that I love to do.
Since I’ve been back from the USA, I was able to bring back with me some wonderful soap made by a good friend of mine. She’s been making soap for a while now and it just keeps getting better and better. Her soaps are pure,organic and vegan and 100% handmade. Once while felting I had ran out of my usual felting soap so I grabbed the leftovers of one of my bars from her, and finished felting my hats with it. I could not believe the amazing result. So, this time while I was home, she let me visit her workshop and take away some of her seconds to do felting with. I can’t say how much I enjoy using her soap. I also bought some from her for my shower too. You can find Fern & Berry on Artfire and if you live in Olympia,WA at the co-op there and possibly a few markets too.
As usual, the helmets always look so cheerful on cloudy mornings. Don’t forget to take a look at this week’s drawing if you are interested. Its been such a pleasure to see things go out to new people,or people who’ve not had a chance to get anything from the shop. Thank you for all the wonderful responses, and I hope that as time goes on I can get a page for trading set up here! I’m listening and truly appreciate all the feedback from you all.
Have a great week y’all!!
So, I knew this would happen. July would fly by and suddenly here we are in August. The summer is just racing. Racing like mad and the weeks melt away. I’m excited and at the same time just wish everything would slow down!! Lots of changes going on in this coming year for me, and alot have happened already. I’ve been enjoying the weekly draws, and some of the more unorthodox ways of getting stuff out there to customers. Patchwork has been on my mind, so that is going to be this week’s draw. I have three goodies ready for that. Then as ever there are helmets. I’m trying very hard to fit knitting time in daily and…I’d say its still about ohhh 60% success. I guess its still better than before. I keep having a growing stack of helmets to decorate and that keeps me happy. I know the time is flying until Blythecon UK…Plans need to be made and I’m super excited about all the people I’ll get to see and spend time with while I’m there. There is more I’d like to do on the website. Revamp a few of the pages, add a FAQ question and also a trade page for those of you looking and those of you looking to offload ET merch. I really have enjoyed this last month of regular blogging with you guys. I’ve enjoyed the feedback and interaction. I’d been wanting a way to get more in touch with you in the community and have a more interactive site and its meant alot to me to see people in a more personal environment, get a couple dresses out to people who have not had luck with the site updates and so on. I guess the dialogue is also good because it gives me a place to put out my ideas so that I remember them when I have time to work on them. I can reference the blog, and see what I was thinking..because now and then I have great plans and totally forget! So I guess, for this week…this is it! I hope Everyone is enjoying the summer. I’ve been cycling to and from my job at the Cafe when I have shifts, and have been ‘enjoying’ our sweltering temperatures behind the espresso machine, and simply doing my best to enjoy the summer that Helsinki is offering me as my last summer here. This week we’re going to switch it up with the draw. I’ve got three dresses ready to go to homes, and I think we’ll draw to see who gets to buy them. Changin’ it up! <3
Thanks for all your input, all the interaction. The commends, the feedback…it keeps me tickin’ and helps me give you all what you want I hope!
R
*btw, I wanted to add that I tend to update also on the facebook page group for ET with regularity, and I can be found on Google+ now as well!
There is a link for the facebook group just on the sidebar to the right where it shows ‘ET on the web’
July is winding down to a close and it seems that already as summer seems to have just taken of for me, its already winding down. The time goes by so quickly and already I’m planning for October. Blythecon UK is coming up in October and I know that before I’m ready it will be upon us! I’m going to host a sewing workshop there, first time ever doing something like that…and I’m not sure where to start. I’m trying to think of ideas and asking input over on the flickr group…With any luck the input there will help. What kind of stuff do people want to know? How can I help? There is so much involved, but I suppose there are some key things that I find very important to garment construction that I’d like to hit on, and some focus points for sewing small…I suppose either way it won’t be a waste. So here is to new things. I’ve really been enjoying the weekly drawings. This week I’m not going to run it because I’m not sure about my time obligations so I’m having to step back and just see how this week develops for me. So I can’t make any promises regarding commission drawings on the dresses this week. But I hope it just gives me more fodder for next week’s plans. Helsinki is quiet for the summer season and I’m trying to enjoy the time we’ve got left this side of the ocean. For so much of this year I’ve been in a whirlwind of activity and its certainly nice to step the pace a little bit down..and have time to smell the roses.
Thanks for tuning in and listening! I know this is not so exciting but I’m doing my best to keep the blog updated at least weekly..and I’m determined!
<3
R
You have an idea of what you want to blog about and completely forget!? I should get into the habit of creating a draft,or just putting down the idea and leaving it during the week.
I think I am finally recovering from the terrible flu I brought back from the USA with me. This week its back to a couple shifts at the cafe and getting back into real life. Now that its summer and the sun shines now and then I can see that my windows cry for washing, and the debris in my windowsills are well over due for cleaning. Its a cluttered mess in here.
One highlight last week was the launching of Google+. If any of you are on some social network sites, like Facebook etc, I truly can recommend Google+. No more game status updates to filter though..much easier organization of contacts, in fact its so simple just to send a message privately when you select who can see what you are posting, that its really simplified alot of things. In fact I’m tempted to can twitter altogether and move operations entirely over to G+. I also like that it hosts photos in a pretty decent viewing format and you don’t have to worry about what you post. you can talk about your shop, what you are working on, without Flickr police breathing down your neck. I guess now some people probably need invites, so if you are curious about giving Google+ a whirl, let me know. Hit me with an address to invite and I’m happy to do so. I find that organizing my contacts is just so much easier. Now that I share my life with another person I am having to find that happy medium about what I can share with family, friends,customers etc. And still enable my partner to have some privacy in their lives. I like how…G+ covers alot of areas and effectively saves me time while I’m online. This is really important to me!
I think this week I’m going to do another batch of babydolls, so I’ll leave the names up and open the post up for comments again if you’d like a chance at a babydoll. Again I’ll leave it for 24 hours and then hit Random.org for the results. Granted, last week’s winner will sit out if their number comes up again!
