Sunday, June 7, 2009

Wanted- Frank Feedback!

Many of my family and friends will recall how fond I am of the movie "The Sound of Music". There is a line that I've tried to use in down moments to give me perspective and it is the one "When God closes a door somewhere he opens a window." Adoptive families often meet closed doors in their process and many once walked through get closed by the adoption! I'm the type that usually tries to batter the closed doors down rather than look for an opened window but sometimes I luck out! One of the difficult decisions many families with children adopted from Guatemala have is whether or not to search for the first family. There are huge emotional issues on the both the pro and the con side of the decision. Last year at this time we held our breath and decided to initiate a search for Mari's birth family. We got lucky and that window opened! Not only were they found alive and well but they verified the information we received about the reasons for the adoption plan. After much consultation with the searcher and others knowledgeable about cultural mores in Guatemala we developed a plan to supply the family with monthly baskets of food staples. An NGO working in the hometown was found to supervise the safe transfer of funds and to supervise the actual delivery of the food. Well, actually Mari's birth mother goes to the tiendita to pick it up every month. Many months we get only a factual e-mail confirming the date upon which the birth mother arrived to claim the food basket. Some months we get a short note passing along a message from the family that usually has to do with offering us blessings for this simple gift but imagine my surprise when this 'floated in the open window'... The birth mother brought this picture of her and her husband taken shortly after Mari's birth and asked that it be forwarded to Mari!!! It is kind of like the shutter of the opening window smacking me in my hard head. You see I've been raising the funds for these food baskets by sewing and selling clothes on eBay. The problem is that now, just as I need to up the cash flow for possibly adding Julia's birth family, the economy has people tightening their belts! I'm sincerely asking my readers who shop on eBay to check out the listings I currently have on eBay (under my seller name drsilk1) and give me some frank advise on how to improve the listings!!! Things are selling but by the time I account for material costs and eBay fees there's not enough left to justify the time spent in the salt mine. Lately I've been bummed thinking that I may have to give up these emotionally satisfying outfits for a more lucrative medium which is less pleasurable. Just to show how much fun I've been having, here are two of my latest creations.......
I love this little sundress pattern I found! That and the a-line were fun to play around with but now I need to get more serious about filling the food basket coffers!!! Am I pricing them right? What do you expect to see in a listing to catch your interest? Is there another niche were you think the action can be found? Be frank, REALLY I mean it in all sincerity. There is no point in recreating the same mistake over and over and often one cannot see what is in front of their eyes! Have at it!

4 comments:

  1. OK thanks for reminding me to send this $$ for my whale outfit for ABby!!!!

    YOu are a talent dont change!

    Love this pic Of your daughters Bfamily!! GORGEOUS!

    Love,leslie

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  2. Girly get that itsy store going or another blog advertising what you're sewing for and I know you'll do great and save the fees too!! I know I don't do much ebay shopping right now because we're tightening the belt to possibly get another house while the market is still decent! My wonderful husband (insert eye rolling here) bid on a house today!! I am completely freaked out right about now!
    The yard sale didn't go as well as last time and Mrs. Gloria's church also said the same so I think the economy is kicking everyone's butt right now!

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  3. Oh please don't stop making those adorable outfits. I do think the economy has everyone trying to tighten the belt strings. I do think though getting another site (etsy) or blog site to list the items would be a wonderful idea and then it also saves you the the ebay fees.

    I think that is so incredible and so wonderful that you were able to connect with Mari's birth family. The picture is truly priceless.

    Hang in there and get the "etsy" shop open though I'm no help in that area!

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  4. Hey, I hope things are going well for you and your family. I have a couple ideas and questions for you. Could you e-mail me? I dont have your e-mail address. Kaynig @ Yahoo. com
    Thanks
    Marlene

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