Sketchbook doodles

Reg — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:17:27 +0000

Thought I’d give you a peek at my sketchbook. I draw a lot of random stuff.

Anyone on Tumblr? I don’t know how long I can keep this up as I have too many online accounts, but I have a sketch blog/dump on Tumblr. Follow me!

Notebooks, Etc.’s first bazaar

Reg — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:42:13 +0000

Last Easter Sunday, our little business venture, Notebooks, Etc., had its first bazaar (sort of like a craft show for you folks abroad) at our local parish church’s fiesta. It was a small bazaar– we were one of sixteen or so concessionaires (maybe even less) and it was the first time our parish was holding something of that sort, so there were less people than we had hoped. Nevertheless, my boyfriend Don and I made a decent amount selling our paper goods despite only staying for half a day.

We got quite a lot of positive comments on our products which appealed mostly to kids, teens, and moms/grandmothers who were buying them for their children and grandchildren. We had notebooks, memo pads, button pins, and stickers.

Two surprise bestsellers though were these two items we didn’t make enough of because we thought they wouldn’t sell– our recycled cover notebooks (borne out of my love for cereal… which I sometimes eat at all times of the day) and these mini notes I call Thumb Prints.

I like the Thumb Prints most especially– they’re made from strips of paper I was left with after cutting paper for our 5 x 7 notebooks and from leftover scrap notebook coils that would otherwise end up in the trash. The covers are laminated DCWV patterned scrapbooking paper (which is very expensive here in the Philippines) that I got for a song from an Etsy seller a year ago (she has since discontinued her shop). Not bad, huh? Now I know to make more of these next time!

Some observations and notes:
- We should have a bigger sign that says HANDMADE and that everything is designed/illustrated by me
- I should come up with a better way to display my items– I would’ve liked to prop up my notebooks but I didn’t have time to make a stand or something
- Do away with the ghetto hand-drawn signage! LOL!

As it was post-holy week, all the shops were closed and I didn’t get to have a tarpaulin printed. I had to make do with some cartolina and magic markers. Oh well, next time!

All in all I would say our first bazaar was a nice little success. We are thinking of selling to local buyers as well since some have expressed their interest to buy from us. We currently sell only on Etsy at this time but that might change soon (not promising anything, though!). I will still have to figure out a way to strike a nice balance for our local prices though; the prices we had at the bazaar were a bit too low for something handmade, so lucky are the ones who were able to buy from us ;)

‘Til our next bazaar! In the meantime, for overseas buyers, you can check out our online shop at http://NotebooksEtc.etsy.com.

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Sketchbook doodles

Notebooks, Etc.’s first bazaar