Picllows

Pillctures?   Eh?

See below.

This collage depicts nine of the ten completed pillows because a ten picture collage was not an option. 

This morning, well it's 2:26pm, so today! was dedicated to photographing, listing, pricing, identifying shop policies, thinking about how I maybe got offered a job as a music teacher on the eve of the opening, planning, sorting, and just generally throwing pillows around my living room.  I also tried to come up with clever things to say about each pillow, the material used, the hypoallergenic fiberfil, and the 'about me' section for the shop, which I made awkward, naturally.

I've listed the pillows at what I consider considerable costs;  but for goodness sakes, I've spent 87.69 hours on the things, not including 10 hours promoting the opening here, other random blogs, and social media.  I have also done a (at times humorous) price comparison of other handmade, embroidered pillows on Etsy, as well as the non-handmade pillows at Pier 1 and Pottery Barn.  It's a competitive market!  If only I'd had this idea instead: OMG and YES, PLEASE.

I have learned a lot of what not to do during this marathon process.  Next, I will: 1) stitch the pillows closed with different thread; 2) consider learning how to sew zippers into pillow cases, and just sell the cases (for frames?!); 3) buy higher quality, but pricier polyfil; 3) work on taking better photographs; 4) sell patterns and the material scraps to DIY the pillows instead; 5) I'm slowly just deconstructing the process into, "Here's some leftover scraps I'm selling in a Ziplock!  Good luck!"

Under serious consideration: buying an embroidery machine.

Being immersed in this process is getting dangerous.  The repo guy came to our house to take the previous owner's car last night.  "Did you at least offer him a pillow?"  The husband said he didn't even think of it.

And finally, I will take a break from this process for a few hours.  I left these pillows in this position while I listed them on Etsy earlier, and was really tempted to leap into their midst.  Considering there are only 10 ranging from 11"x11" to 18.5"x17", I'm glad I didn't do it.  Yes, 18.5"x17".

Alright.  I'm off to put my house in order.  And eat crackers.

Love,
Jo