My 2011 Handmade Christmas Pledge

It has been a blast to be a part of the handmade community for almost two years now. Last Christmas, I was away right up until the day, so I was unable to do my present shopping online, or to support the handmade community.

This year, however, I am in Brisbane until the 23rd, so I am making the pledge to choose handmade this Christmas!

Source: www.madeit.com.au

I will be buying most gifts, but will be making small and edible gifts for friends and family. I already have lots of ideas, and have sourced inspiration from Martha Stewart and Better Homes & Gardens Christmas/December issues.

I have a few ideas in mind, but have already bought some adorable Christmas stationary on Madeit.

 

All photos from www.madeit.com.au/onecrafteemumma

I am so excited to support the handmade community, and I hope others will do the same, too.

New earrings in store.

Yesterday I listed some new earrings into the madeit store. I've never worked with glass cabs before, let alone vintage glass cabs, but it was certainly a treat.

These sweet little gems sold up a storm at the Suitcase Rummage (despite the wind blowing multiple pairs around the place.) Fastened on surgical steel posts, these earrings are available to buy here!

Remember to enter our giveaway here. What has been your favourite birthday cake?

Birthday Giveaway!

My extra-awesome sewing machine birthday cake.

I celebrated a birthday at the end of September, and decided that it's time to give back to you all. (Plus, give one lucky winner the chance to score the new ruby&lo lace pouch and coin purse range, and new earring colours!

Up for grabs is....

You can win:

- Floral and lace standard pouch. Size 20x14cm.

- 3 pairs floral stud earrings in peach, mint green and dark peach (Spring colours!). Surgical steel posts and backs.

- Polka dot and lace coin purse. 13x10cm.

All you need to do is:

-Leave a comment below describing your favourite birthday cake. (Please leave a way for me to contact you if you win!)

For extra entries:

-'Like' the ruby&lo Facebook page (1 extra entry, if you have already liked the page you have another automatic entry!)
-Follow the ruby&lo blog (1 extra entry)

-Tweet about this giveaway (Up to 5 times, 1 extra entry per tweet)

-Blog about this giveaway (10 extra entries)

-Buy an item from the ruby&lo madeit store (15 extra entries per item you buy, between 03/10/11 and 17/10/11)

Entries close on Monday 17th October at 8pm AEST. Good luck!

EDIT: This giveaway has been extended until Wednesday 19/10/11 at 9pm AEST. Get your entries in!

What I have been up to.

Long time no blog! But this time the ruby&lo is here to stay, treating you to daily doses of all things handmade.

It's been a crazy past few months, with ruby&lo in attendance to the Mathildas Markets, Suitcase Rummages and Bleeding Heart markets. I have been living life with the mentality of 'head down & keep sewing'.

I'm starting to restock the madeit shop, and am in the process of setting up an etsy shop! We will also be stocked in the Bleeding Heart store in Brisbane city, just in time for the Christmas shopping to begin.

Also, keep your eyes peeled for a special birthday giveaway and discount code in the coming weeks.

Bleeding Heart Market

Mathildas Market

Bleeding Heart Makr

Pretty new fabrics

Button earrings

Suitcase Rummage

Long time no Blog!

I am the slackest girl around. Really. The last time I updated this blog was in March, after my first market. Apologies!

I'm going to try and get back into the swing of things. We're gearing up for the Mathilda's Market on August 6th in Brisbane, and I'm incredibly excited about that! I think it's the biggest (and most expensive) market I've ever done. I really will be attached to my sewing machine for the next 2 weeks.

So this was just a little update to say hi! ruby&lo are still very much in action, and you can find us at various markets around Brisbane and online here.

I'll leave you with my favourite photo from the Suitcase Rummage on July 3rd - button earrings! These aren't available online as of yet, but they are extremely popular at the markets.

Stockist: Bloomsville Florist

It was an honour when Marcello of Bloomsville Florist emailed me and wanted to stock ruby&lo pouches in his store. As this was my first wholesale order it was definately a learning curve but I could not be happier with how things have turned out! Here are some pictures that Marcello has sent to me of the ruby&lo pouches in action.

Doesn't it all look great!? I am so thrilled to have my pouches in an interstate store, and it would be great if all of you Victorians (or people visiting) could check it out!

Bloomsville Florist

7/70 Doncaster Road

Balwyn North

VIC, 3104

Australia

Our First Market!

Hi all, sorry I have been so slack at blogging. Work has been kicking my butt and I was sewing frantically for the Suitcase Rummage that was held three weeks ago (I know, SO SLACK!). I bought along some friends to help me out and the day went off without a hitch - I made my first sale before we'd even finished setting up!

I was so nervous but obviously there was no reason to be! I had an absolute ball, and made lots of new friends. It was great to meet so many new people: especially Danielle of Once I Was and my friendly neighbour Sarah of Love and Two Guns!

APRIL MARKETS

Our next market is the Suitcase Rummage on Sunday April 3rd and the Marky Markets on Sunday April 17th.

Also, if you want to win a whole heap of awesome stuff, check out the My Girl Thursday March Giveaway, where you have the opportunity to win a ruby&lo Babushka pouch and Floral coffee cuff!

Mailing List

I have been thinking about starting a mailing list for months now, and today I have spent tweaking the benefits and bonus' that subscribers will benefit from!

- The email newsletter will only be sent out once a month (no spam!)
- A monthly special or discount for subscribers only.
- First looks at new ruby&lo products - before they even hit the stores.
- Tutorials!
- Interviews
- And my favourite - each subscriber will receive a ruby&lo product within the month of their birthday!

Come on, free stuff!? That should be enough incentive to sign up to the mailing list. Add your details in the box below.

Click here to sign up for our free newsletter!

(Drawn) February Giveaway

Using a random number generator (random.org) the two winners of our February giveaway have been drawn!

In first place.....comment number 21 - Zoe from A Giraffe In A Scarf!

In second place....comment number 42 - Michelle from Michelle Art and Photography!

Congratulations to the both of you. If you could please send me an email to rubyandlo@gmail.com and we can go from there!

Thank you to all 47 of you who entered - stay tuned for my March giveaway!

The Three People I Owe My Life To (My business life, that is)

When I first started ruby&lo, I had no idea what to do. I was selling from an eBay store (rip off much!?!) and was managing to do everything with my business while completing year 12. I went head first into everything, and while it seemed okay at the time, I really wish I had done things differently. But it was with the help of three lovely ladies that I managed to stay on my feet and run my business!


1. Jessica Van Den

Jess runs a bunch of successful stores, has her own zine, and has too many awesome websites to name! It was Jess' free Crafting a Business series that really helped me get things moving & to do it all properly. My favourite (and most helpful!) post from Jess was her amazing wrap up on how to keep your crafty business organized. Jess is also speaking at the BrisStyle Social Media event this April, and I am SO excited to learn so many new things. Every post on her website is helpful and inspiring - I encourage everyone to check out this talented lady!


Follow Jess Van Den on Twitter! 

2. Dannielle Cresp

This lady is my savior. Every single time I have a problem or rant on Twitter, Dannielle is there to answer my questions, pat my back and tell me to get on with things! Dannielle has posted a number of great reviews on a number of great books that help with starting a crafty business. You can view these posts here, here and here! It is with these posts that I have vowed to invest more time into reading into how I can grow my business, and not just from the internet! Dannielle features indie businesses on her blog every Thursday (and secretly it's my goal in life to get in there one day!) Dannielle never fails to post 5 days a week on her blog, and you are sure in for a good read!

Follow Dannielle Cresp on Twitter!

3.Tricia McKellar of Wonder Thinking

Tricia is the only person out of the three that I have never spoken to. Her website Wonder Thinking was great for me when I decided to take the plunge and grow my business further. Her post on writing a business plan has helped me to really sit down and write goals and dreams for my business. The all important time management is written to perfection in this article that really inspired me not to procrastinate and waste so much time. Every article Tricia writes makes you really think about what you are doing with your shop; from finding your niche, or learning the secrets to etsy, she has it all. A very worthwhile blog to check out!

Thank you to the three women who have helped me grow my business so much. Three lovely ladies, three very valuable people.

(source)

Wordless Wednesday

xxH

February Giveaway!

I think this is the most excited I have been about a giveaway in a long time. Mainly because there is going to be TWO WINNERS of this giveaway!

Up for grabs is....

The first place winner will chose one of the new ruby&lo Valentine's Day necklaces, and their choice of one of  the pouches. (Included in the first prize place will be 2 x Fat Quarters of my favourite fabric, and 2 x vintage button bobbypins.) The runner up will then receive the pouch and necklace left over. Yay - two winners!

So how can you win?

1. Follow the ruby&lo blog (If you already follow, skip to step 2).
2. Visit the ruby&lo madeit store and choose your favourite item.
3. Comment here and tell me which ruby&lo item is your favourite!

For bonus entries:

- Tweeting about this post (write a separate comment with a link to your tweet).

- Blog about this post (write a separate comment with a link to your blog).

- Like our page on Facebook (write a separate comment telling us this).

This giveaway will be drawn on Tuesday 15th Feb 2011 & the winner announced soon after.

'Organized Home' Challege 2011

The need to organize my home came to me in a flurry: trying to find a pair of earrings a customer had bought. To cut a long story short, I never did find those earrings (and the customer was unhappy). Point being, the earrings were lost in the wrath of my craft room, and I never want anything like that to happen again. I have taken the 'Organized Home' Challenege for 2011, inspired by mousehouse's orgiginal post. I am so excited to finally have a clutter-free house by the end of 2011, one draw at a time! My craft room will be done later in the year, as I am currently moving it out to the bungalow. No pictures until it is complete!

Project 1 - Linen Cupboard 

Amanda Keeys Giveaway!

I have just stumbled upon this amazing giveaway over at the Amanda Keeys Photography Blog! Amanda has featured Grace Designs in her work and together they are having a giveaway valued at over $100! Including: a $50 Grace Designs voucher and a brand new copy of 'Handmade Living'!. I have been lusting over this book for months. So head over to the blog and get your entries in.

xx H

Crayon Roll-Ups

Hello all! It has been a hectic past few days, and I finally have a moment to blog about my newest creation: crayon roll-ups. I made two of these earlier this week for my cousins' sons 2nd & 4th birthdays (they are brothers born on the same day, two years apart). Paired with a colouring book, this was an inexpensive gift that was a hit with everyone!

And it was a great excuse to use my favourite 'Baby Safari' fabric!

I've got some custom orders for these - so watch out for more of these beauties in the coming weeks!