Oh eBay... You are so Addicting... And Esty is Awesome, too!

I have been buying and selling all sorts of things on eBay lately. My true addiction started last year about this time when I really started building our CD stash. I found tons of diapers in EUC and things just grew from there. I really need to cut down on my spending, though. Lately I've been selling things around the house that we never use and using that money to buy new things. I feel much less guilty about that because it's like I'm just trading things in. I've sold a few outfits that Lexi never got to wear (or I just didn't like them, so I never put them on her!), a couple diapers that I ended up not liking, and a couple Christmas gifts that I never used. Right now I have some tea towels up for auction and am waiting for some Robeez shoes to arrive in the mail! Fun fun!

Baby shoes are my current obsession. We switched Lexi from her infant car seat to the convertibles a few weeks ago. Since she isn't bundled up in a blanket when we go outside any more, I wanted something to put on her feet to keep them warm. I made some felt booties for her, and they are working for now, but they seem to be wearing out quickly. I've been looking into Robeez shoes and really like them, just not the price. (I have a hard time spending $25 on shoes for myself, let alone something she'll only wear for a few months!) I of coarse turned to eBay. I found some good ones in 12-18m size for her to wear this summer, but didn't find any in the right condition / price combo I was looking for. I actually ended up finding some on Esty.

I don't do a lot of Esty shopping because some things on there seem over priced, and other things I could just make myself. I found some Robeez style shoes from a shop called Ebooba for $10 bran new! Yes, please!! $5 shipping, but considering they're coming from Ukraine, I feel like that's a good price. The guy who runs this shop started out making leather shoes for his daughter and grew his business from there. He has all kinds of colors and sizes he can make. I actually saw on his FB page a color combination from a while ago that I liked better than what he currently has available. I messaged him and he said he would make it up special for me! Awesome! They are light purple shoes with a little gray elephant on them. I'm still waiting on them to arrive in the mail, but again, it's going to take a little longer than normal considering they're coming from half way around the world... Literally. I can't wait to get these on Lexi's little feet!

Speaking of Esty, once my SAHM dream is fulfilled, I'm planning on setting up a little shop of my own. I'm currently thinking up products and making prototypes to test. So far, tea wallets, headbands, and soft baby books have made the cut. I started making tea wallets a few years ago and made them up for all the ladies in my family for Christmas one year. They're simple, but hold up great. I've been making headbands for Lexi all a long and she always gets compliments when we go out. They hold up decently, fit a wide range of head sizes, and look adorable.

I made a soft baby book for Lexi a few weeks ago, and it's still in one piece! Lol. She loves, loves taggies, so I incorporated a bunch into the book.

She yanks and sucks on them and they hold up! One thing that did not make the cut were the felt booties. My prototype didn't turn out how I envisioned it and they got pilly really quickly. My stitch on them wasn't great, and I chose to put a ribbon tie on them which Lexi loves to untie. I might try a different design later, but for now, they're out of the running.

I'm also currently working on a onesie design. I have some embroidery to finish up and then we'll test it out.

(For those of you at home, that says "You are my sunshine" not "You ate my sunshine" haha!) I think if I make the sun a little smaller the words will fit better.

I've been reading up on cost vs retail pricing and how to promote a small start up business. Interesting stuff! I think and really hope that this turns out well for me. The number one thing I hate about my job is how unfulfilling it is. I like to be creative and make things. I feel like all I'm doing at work is wasting my time. I really think that once I'm doing something I actually enjoy, life will be better. And a little extra money to take Lexi on outings would be nice.

Ok enough rambling!

Lots if Love,
KJsbabe