So about every six months or so, I start itchin' to come out with something new. Usually it's like... a thing or two. This time...
OH MY STARS I'M OUT OF CONTROL.
Mind you, all these changes will take some time. I'm in the middle of preparing for my next
Very Jane feature, which will be this weekend. Which means making 225 clutches on top of regular orders. EEP! But once all of that is behind me, I'm going to start cranking out some new and exciting things.
1. Collections
I've never made a cohesive collection of products before, but that's about to change. I already have the fabrics picked out for two collections that I will be selling exclusively on
rachelelise.com via
Big Cartel. I'm still trying to figure out Big Cartel/redesign my website to accommodate it, but I'm working on it.
Here's my inspiration board for the "Forgotten Summer" Collection:
Soft, vintage, nautical, summer. With some stripes. And lots of seafoam. Lots and lots of seafoam. Also, there will be bows.
My other collection is still nameless. It was going to be "The Denton Collection", but then ended up not being very Dentonie once I picked my fabrics. I may have to leave the naming up to the
Facebook world once I get the collection designed. Regardless, here's the inspiration board:
Lots of mustard, brown, and rich rich neutrals. With teeny pops of color. And a little bit of stripe action. And a Moroccan pattern that I will create with cutouts. And an amazing bird print linen. You're welcome.
2. Out with accessories, in with bagccessories.
When I first started doing craft shows, I made little bracelets and headbands to supplement my bag sales at these events. Accessories were a HUGE part of my show income for a long time (and how I got my start in wholesale), but they never did too well on Etsy. And now, almost all of my income at craft shows comes from bags. And the accessories still aren't doing too hot on Etsy.
But a smart business woman always has a range of prices, especially at craft shows. So accessories are going out (except for the luggage tags.. because they actually do well and are bag-related), and I'm going to experiment with coin purses big and small to be my new "low end" item.
I'm hoping to sell them individually, as sets of a large and small bag that are in different fabrics but coordinate, and sets of multiples for bridesmaid gifts. I've never made a purse frame/kisslock bag before, so we'll have to see how that goes. But I'm excited.
Here are some kisslock purses I admire:
Noms. Also, note that the bird print from my mystery-name collection is very similar to the one on that last bag. Yeah. I know. I told you it was awesome.
3. Cohesiveness in the line.
Last time I got the change-everything-and-redesign bug, I
redesigned most of my existing bags and retired a few styles. I also left the
Bunch Bag as it was and brought back the
Date Purse, but I felt like these two never fit in with the new designs of the other bags. So, those little guys are getting mini makeovers as well. Actually, the Bunch Bag may morph into something else entirely, but we'll see what happens. I'll have to play the pattern-making game for a while, but I have little happy and perfect pictures in my brain. Hopefully it translates.
Aren't you excited now? You should be excited now.
Loves and Hugs,
Rachel Elise
