While I packed up an order today, I decided to take a couple of snaps of what my packaging looks like. This pair of socks is on its way for someone's son-in-law.

Socks are folded and wrapped with a branded band. The band is made from cotton paper, printed with my shop name, slogan, fiber content and origin, care instructions, size, misc. manufacturing details (can you call them 'manufacturing' details when they're handmade??), and my website.

Then the banded socks are slid into a sock bag. I make these bags from 100% recycled, heavy duty, kraft paper. Pictured is mauve colored. After I cut and fold the bag, I sew it on my sewing machine, trim out a flap, and it's ready to be used! 

I close the bag with a strand or two of yarn in whatever coordinating color that happens to be in my scrap bag and slide my cards (a thank you card, a coupon card, and my business card) into the little loop.

All of this goes into a recyclable tyvec mailer and into the mailbox!

So there you have it: simple, clean, handmade. :) 

Also posted to my 1000markets blog.

When I first started my online journey, I invested in a domain name that matches my branding, twiddletoes.com. I opened up my first shop on etsy and quickly added 1000markets as a second shop, when I realized that I had a bit of a packaging dilemma.

The question became 'do I put both shops on the same packaging or create different packaging for each shop?' That may not seem like a big question, but I'm easily confused and struggle with decisions like that. :) Someone advised buying a domain and having both linked on it, and I had a sudden 'd'oh!' moment.

So I thought about it. And thought about it some more. And then I promptly forgot about it.

A week ago, someone asked me for a business card with my web address, and I only had cards printed with my phone number. I scratched my shop addresses onto the back of the card and came home with a mission -- must. buy. cards.

I got most of the card laid out in my graphics editor, and was really struggling with how both my 1000markets and etsy addresses looked on my card. I decided I'd just go for it, ditched them both, and put my .com on the card.

Talk about motivation to get my website put together! For the past three days, that's been my task. I decided to go with weebly.com, rather than wrestle with my darling's server and pick out a CMS, and was really pleased with the ease of set up, all of the options for templates, pre coded elements, etc.

As flash currently doesn't rock with my OS, twiddletoes.com looks a little barren, but it's there and will do the job until I can get some kinks worked out. Check it out and let me know what you think! :)

Originally posted in my 1000markets blog.

One of the things I love most about crafting is being able to share my creations. Knowing that the creations I sell end up in homes where individuals love and treasure handmade is something that brings me great joy. An even greater joy is being able to knit for my family and loved ones, especially when they're experiencing trials in their lives.

My recent project was a pair of traditional toed socks for a dear friend of mine who'll be going in for her second brain surgery over the next few weeks. It might seem strange to be gifting someone a thick, cushy pair of woolen socks in the middle of June, but hospitals are always so cold and those socks they provide are horrible and rough.

Handmade socks, to me, are hugs for your feet. When you slide on a pair of hand knit socks, there's a warmth there that storebought socks don't have. I hope, after my friend wakes up, she'll be able to look down at her feet, rub them together a little, and smile, knowing that I've been thinking of her and sending her all of the healthy, healing energies I can.

Meet Jane's socks. :)

I'm in the process of setting up twiddletoes.com, but I thought now was as good a time as any to start my new blog!

twiddletoes was born several years ago, when I begin knitting tabi for my family and friends. I used to spend most of my time at shows and fairs, but I'm now taking on the great interwebs!

I currently have storefronts set up on etsy and 1000markets

I will, hopefully, be adding a shopping cart to this website, sometime in the near future. Stay tuned for new developments as I learn my way around!