I Can't Believe Its Summer!

Well its supposed to be anyway! You never know the sun may come out at some point for longer than a day...

 Anyway it has taken me 6 months but i am back to updating my blog at long last! I do feel that i have a very good reason for my absence though and in my defense she is very cute and distracting (and time consuming but we all knew that would happen!) I am now the proud mummy of two beautiful 'Alternatots' and it is proving alot more challenging getting back into the swing of it now the new one is here but i am getting there and i do have some lovely new items available on the website and also lots of new ones waiting for me to add.

If you aren't aware yet there will be no more childrens Iron Fist as they seem to have discontinued it so what i have is all there is left so grab it whilst you can, lots of the old things are now half price at the moment and selling quickly. The summer dresses are beautiful so it will be a shame when they go...

                                      

Fruity Fresh Iron Fist Dress available on my website for ages 2-3y, 4-5 y, 6-7y and 8-9years £29.99

Peacock dress made by Alternatots to order from £20

I have a few more discontinued items in the SALE album on my website so well worth a look to grab a bargain.

I am currently waiting on a brand new shipment of Six Bunnies which i am looking forward to receiving, i will be restocking the old favourites and slipping in a few new things onto the website.

                                        

New baby hoodie in pink with tattoo print (prices soon)

                                       

A firm favourite is the 'Kiss' Six Bunnies baby vest (t-shirt style also on its way!)

Also a new idea i have been trialling with my army of testers are some funky re-usable wipes which i will be adding as i go along, so far they have had a good response so i am looking forward to adding them properley.

A selection of boys pirate wipes with a minky backing and the girly selection from £8 for a set of medium wipes.

Finally an example of one of the limited edition moustache print boys set available now!

Ok i think i have thrown enough random images at you for now, i am off on holiday next week so when i get back i will be ready to bombard you all with everything new!

Thank you so much for being so patient with me (especially one very special lady, you know who you are!) the last six months has whizzed past and i cant believe my new baby is already half a year old, time really does go too fast so enjoy your babies!

Baby and Childrens Christmas Market

Well it is almost upon us already and after spending last year setting up my website this year we thought we would try out a Christmas market and come out and show you all how lovely our goodies are!

We will be at the Rivermead Leisure Centre in Reading on Saturday 5th of Novemeber for a dedicated baby and children Christmas gift fair from 10am to 4pm and admission is only £1 (children free), please remember to bring cash with you though as there wont be any nearby cashpoints.

Please come along and see us as i would love to meet you all, i will be the one with the massive baby bump!

We might even have sweets on our table as well so if the rest doesn't tempt you....

Its almost HALLOWEEN and the monsters are here!

I have been so busy having delivery after delivery recently that i almost forgot to introduce you properley to my newest addition, so everybody please meet my MUTANT MONSTERS!

I have lots of different sizes so there is a monster to suit everyones budget, i have the largest monsters which are £15 like this lovely lilac flowery monster with big pink lips (above), the largest monsters come boxed and they are all different so if you like one then get him fast!

The next size down is the medium size Mutant Monster with moveable arms and legs and they are £10 each. They come with a removeable suction cup so you have the option of sticking them to your window if thats what takes your fancy!

If you would like something a little bit smaller and hand sized then i have the small Mutant Monsters and at £5 they make a perfect little present, they also can be stuck to the window or you can just cuddle them!

My little Cutie Gang keyrings are perfect for stocking fillers at £4 each.

Or if you would prefer to wear your monster out and about then i have these cute little bags with monsters on the front, £8 each.

All my Mutant Monsters are up on my facebook fan page at the moment so if you want to reserve one then just pop a comment underneath and i will list the rest on my website soon.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alternatots-Childrens-Clothing.

I have already sold quite a few (and a few may have to stay with me as they are soooo cute!)

but there are still plenty to choose from .

Sneak Peak of more NEW Brands coming to Alternatots!

For any of you who took the time to read my last blog you will already know that i am expecting my second 'Alternatot' baby at the end of the year and so instead of slowing down i like to make things more complicated for myself by adding more and more to my website!

Most of my 'Alternatot' items are currently made to order so instead of taking products away when i am unable to spend as much time sewing i am trying to offer you more variety in the way of ready made and ready to send so i have been busy sourcing new brands to add to my website with the final goal of having a 'One Stop Shop for Your Alternatot to Rock!'

After a busy day of shopping at the trade show i made my first order with 'Six Bunnies' which offer tattoo print baby grows, hoodies and t-shirts, so here are a few sneak peaks, i hope to have them all up on the website as soon as possible!

All over tattoo romper available in sizes newborn, 6 months and 12 months.

Red tattoo hoodie available in sizes 2 years, 4 years and 6 years.

'Kiss' bunnies (one of my favourites) available in newborn, 6 months and 12 months.

I also have an order of little girls 'IRON FIST' flat shoes available in sizes 6- 10 and some more clothing on its way.

This a sneak peak of the 'Demon Donkey' style due to reach me in the next couple of days, limited availablity as i will be trying them out first so if you like them get them quickly, not many people sell the childrens versions either so i wouldn't hang around as they aren't even available on the 'IRON FIST' website yet!

Other items due to me include something a little different which i am very excited about as it is not clothing but will be PERFECT for Christmas presents for your little 'ALTERNATOT'!

Watch this space as they should be with me by the end of the week......

We are also hoping to attend some Christmas markets this year so if you want to come along and see the products and meet us then i will let you know where we will be when it is all confirmed.

Whats coming up for Alternatots..

As usual i have left too long between blog updates, so long infact it takes me a while to figure out how to update it in the first place....hmm.


So where to start?


First of all i think i will just to a quick reminder about what i am aiming to achieve with Alternatots, firstly to remind myself and secondly to let you know what to expect.

I started Alternatots with the idea of making clothing that i considered a little bit more interesting than what is available in the shops etc, the usual sick of blue and pink and all the other 'alternative' clothing brands just producing a load of slogan t-shirts and expecting you to be happy with that. My main aim is to provide you with something well made and unusual, i spend alot of time sourcing different fabrics which is hard work as they always seem to be so far away, i also try and keep my pricing reasonable but please remember that i do not work for free and this is a business for me, i am not your Grandma sewing up something for free!

I have started to add a few blankets to my collection and nursing pillows which i am very pleased with, i make the cushion itself from scratch with a removeable cover.

This picture shows the skull and roses nursing pillow with a red minky dot fabric on the back (soo soft) and the pillow inside is black! I aim to add to the collection as soon as i can and i am able offer matching blankets as well.

Getting Ready For Christmas!

At the moment i am making items to order as i go along, this may have to change slightly after September as i would like to aim to have more ready to go stock, i am currently sourcing different brands to add to my website to go along side what i already sell so if there is anything you would like to see more of or you can tell me what sizes etc you would like me to expand into then please let me know!

My main reason for slowing down the made to order process is that i am expecting my second 'Alternatot' due in December so anyone who has had a baby will know this is a tiring process and most of the time i just want to go to sleep, i am hoping to take the pressure off and still be offering items for sale but mostly done at my own pace. (it is also very distracting having someone line dancing in my stomach as i sew!).

So get your orders in quick!

If there is anything special you would like me to make for you then the best idea would be to get your order in quickly so there is plenty of time for me to sort it out before the big day.

I am really looking forward to sourcing my winter stock now and i have plenty of ideas for making as well, sometimes i wish i had more sewing time to complete everything in my head!

Thanks for reading and please keep up with my facebook page for new items coming in stock. x

NEW Brands Available at Alternatots!

I know i am doing this a bit late as i have had them on my website a while but now the rush has slowed i can start to catch up on everything again.

I have added two new clothing brands on my website recently so if you haven't already seen them now is the time to take a look!

My new shipment of IRON FIST clothing has arrived and as they are fairly new at doing childrenswear you will see many of these things for the first time and i have to say i love the quality and i am looking forward to getting my daughter in a few of their pieces, most of the clothes are just mini versions of the adult clothes so you really can have the mini me thing going on (if thats what you like!) I do have some more on order including boyswear and girls shoes so please keep an eye out for their arrival!

The other new brand i have added is MICRO ME and they are all the way from the USA. I have started off with a few of their closeouts pieces so i wont be able to reorder these items so if you like it get it quick! I am always being asked for more boys things so they seemed a perfect addition and my favourite is definately the boys rockers shorts as they are adorable!

The girls denim skirt with rose embroidery is also super cute as they have a hidden pair of leopard print shorts sewn into them.

I have had a new order of SOURPUSS through so please take a look at the studded belts as they are perfect for finishing off a mini rocker outfit and although they are only available in sizes 0-6m, 6-12m, 12-18m and 18-24m please check out the measurements as they do fit my 3 1/2 year old daughter just fine so don't dismiss them until you have measured your child!

I also have a few pirate feeding sets which are worth a look as they will be discontinuing this line soon which is a shame.

Please watch my facebook page for general updates and new items.

www.alternatots.com

Why i make my clothes to order

Today has been a long day with me sewing non stop to try and keep everyone happy and waiting times shorter and sometimes i do wonder whether i should stop doing things this way and only put items up as i make them so they can be dispatched straight away so i thought i would try and explain why i do things this way in the first place, also it gives me a break from the seven little dresses waiting for me to complete....!
As i am a fairly small business at the moment it isn't worth me sitting and making a bunch of different sizes all at once because as experience tells me the sizes i make will never be the correct ones, someone will always want something different! I only hold a small amount of each fabric at a time and if i make to order then i know each piece of fabric will be used and there will be no waste.

It also gives people more choice, i can offer all my different items at the same time and you can choose what you would like rather than wait for me to make it and put it up for sale.

My only problem it seems is that people are unaware this is how i operate and although i spent alot of time outlining this on each ebay listing and on my carefully laid out information on my website people still seem to assume that the item should be with them within a day of purchasing it and i have to say i am getting very tired of answering the same questions about 'where is my item' ....which leads me back to the idea of stopping what i am doing and only offering made to order through facebook and my website and all ebay listings can be ready mades.

Other than that i am very pleased with how things are going and i am very excited about some of the new items i have purchased to sell through my website (which will be made and ready to send for those who like things quickly!). I have some brand new 'Iron Fist' childrens clothing coming very soon and i have ordered some gorgeous new things from 'Sourpuss' and some super new boys clothing for all of those waiting!

Here we go...

So...its February already and i have managed to avoided updating this for almost 2 months but now i think its time for me to bring everyone up to speed.
Last time i wrote on my blog it was to announce that my website was up and running just in time for Christmas so i guess everyone would like to know how it is all going? Well the answer is very well, for most people January starts off slow but for me it just kept getting busier and busier, so busy infact i have taken on a lady to help me sew, this infact highlights to me just how fussy i am about every single piece of clothing i send out and also how quick i can actually make things myself! It is going to be a slow process bringing her up to speed with all the items i make but hopefully in the long run it will make things quicker.
I cant express how happy i am with all my repeat customers, i have the most wonderful ladies coming back to me again and again which means i must be doing something right but unfortunately i had one an unhappy customer today...although he never said he wasn't happy with his item...he was unhappy with the dispatch time, funnily enough he didn't take into account the two emails from me requesting what size he wanted his item in and also i guess it slipped his mind that on the listing it says give me at least 14 working days and although i sent it out only 2 days after his email telling me what size this wasn't quick enough for him! Oh well you cant please them all (or help them read).
Anyway im not here to moan but i would like to say that i do infact make everything myself from buying the fabric to cutting the item out and right through to the end finish and at the moment i have over 30 items needing my attention and so when i do say please give me time to make your item i guess i should mention that i only have two dedicated working days a week to do it in as well! Thats probably why i am up till midnight most nights....but i love what i do and i wouldn't have it any other way (apart from maybe a bit more time to get these new ideas out of my head before i burst!!).

Its Almost Time!

I have been adding items non stop, ive been sewing new items, i have been a recluse for the last few months and ignored family and friends (and the gym) and i have even had to shut down my ebay shop for a short time just to get enough time to finish it but i believe the time is getting closer when i finally get to show you my BRAND NEW shiny website!

I have been saving up lots of new items especially for it and i hope you will like them all as much i do! I have been amazed at how much i really do have and after listing a couple of hundred items i kind of wish i hadn't done so much.... I really have been on a sewing mission and there are still some new things i want to do.....

So tonight i will unveil it! I bet my daughter wont go to sleep now i have written this...last night i told her that she had to go to sleep quickly otherwise Father Christmas wont be able to deliver her advent drawers...so when she was still awake at 9pm i realised my mistake, especially when she finally fell asleep hidden under her covers, she was scared of him coming in her bedroom! I have learnt my lesson now so i told her i would meet Father Christmas in the living room tonight and bring her new drawer up so he doesn't disturb her.

Anyway so if you are one of the people who actually reads what i write on my listings etc you will know that each item is made to order, ie i don't make it until it has been bought and paid for, so this means it can take anything from 3 days to usually 14 working days depending on my work load, on my website due to the amount on there i have written 21 working days, please don't let this put you off it is just to cover me incase i have to order things in specially or if i have a lot of orders, most items can be dispatched within 2 weeks and if you need it for Christmas then it is still possible, i recommend ordering as soon as you can though just incase!

Some items on there are however ready for dispatch and i will try and post these within three working days.

So there you have it i will continue to add bits for the rest of today and launch tonight (maybe about 9pm?) and hopefully you will be ready and waiting??!

xxx

So close i can almost feel it....

Once again i have left it a while since my last post but this time lots of things have happened so i will set down my cup of tea and get you up to date with it all.

After a long journey trying to get my website up and running i have had to cut my losses and start afresh, the lady the who was supposed to be doing my website was un responsive and had no interest in helping me finish it to a decent standard and so the day she disappeared off the radar was the day i decided to start again. When someone makes excuses every step of the way and plays the card that they didn't get your emails/text messages/ phone calls is definately a sign that they were a bad choice, there are only so many lies you can take so lets just say i wont be singing her praises any time soon.

So anyway i realised unless i got shot of her and got on with it the website would never happen so i took a close friends advice and contacted the lady that did her website. The difference was amazing, she was always on hand to talk, always emailing me updates on what she was doing, she gave me that extra push without hassling me and trust me when you have as many things to do as me then you need a little extra shove! A new logo has been designed and now i am finally on the edge of launching my brand new shiny website and i have loads of new products to show you and i am super excited!

Please keep your eyes peeled as i will be opening up for business in the next few days (got a few more products to add to the site yet) and let me know what you think!

Also if you like my website design then all credit goes to http://www.managemywebsite.co.uk/.

They have also designed my friends website http://www.deadlyisthefemale.com/ and my brothers new business venture http://www.yourexecutivecar.co.uk/.

xxx

A few of my favourite dresses..

To keep myself active on here instead of leaving my blog to fester over another year i thought i would put up a few pictures every other day or so and also use it to post some of my new items as i make them.

So here are a some pictures of my favourite dresses, some of them are child versions of adult ones i make under a different name so i will put those up as well...

The first one i have to show is this black and white striped nautical inspired dress with red anchor buttons, i made this after making an adult dress and i thought it would look adorable as a childs version, so here it is:

And the adult one i was inspired by:

The second one is my sailor dress, i made an adut version first and i loved it so much i decided it had to be made as a childs version, the first picture is me in Las Vegas wearing my sailor dress:

And here is my toddler version:

The red cheeky skull dress is one of the very first dresses i have made for Alternatots and i have some lovely pictures of my daughter modelling it for me:

She loved wearing it and had already put things in the pockets before i finished the pictures so i decided that she could have that one to keep!

All of these dresses are available to buy in my ebay shop at the moment:

http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/Alternatots-Childrens-Clothing

If that works!

That is all for the moment i will put up some of my brand new ones next! (or maybe some more of my old ones..)

My progress so far...

So it is official i am rubbish at blogging!

Loads of time has passed since i last blogged and i guess things have picked up quite a bit, unfortunately the website is still not finished but i would like it up and running by the end of April '10 so i can use fee-bay a bit less and stop the feeling that i am giving half the money i make straight back to them....i know it is useful and without it its harder to get your name out there but i cant stand their fees!

I have opened and etsy store as well so if you fancy a look then go to:

www.etsy.com/shop/alternatots

I am still adding things slowly so keep an eye out for new things.

I have a facebook fan page as well so please look up 'Alternatots Childrens Clothing' under brand/company then you should be able to find it.

I have built up quite a range of products now and have plenty of ideas for new things and i would love to be able to offer all the items in larger sizes as well so that will be something to work on when the website is up and running.

Instead of rambling on about what i want to do i will talk about some of my favourite things that i have made already and give myself some practise putting pictures in...

My corset print bodysuit is one of my favourite vinyl prints, it looks like you have laced up your baby, so far i have done white on black and pink on white, it can also be put on a t-shirt as well.

I will add some more pictures up later....

So im trying to sort out my website (and the rest of my life!)

I have been trying to get my website up and running for a while now and there always seems to be something to get in the way, it doesn't help that i only have one designated work day when i deposit by baby with the childminder and then work non stop till i pick her up again, so as you can imagine with that and working in the evenings i am going pretty much non stop!
I now have another distraction, i have booked a trip to Vegas to go to the Magic trade show and i am on a mission to get enough money together to pay for it, so once again all that sitting at my pc and sorting out the website has been put on hold for me to be a whore to my sewing machine and knock up dresses and everything else i can think of to sell on awful ebay!
I sometimes feel like i am doing two full time jobs and its exhausting!
So hopefully i will get back to it and sort it all out soon, i don't know about other crafty people but i sometimes find i have so many new ideas and things to do that i have no idea where to start....the website will be worth looking forward to i can guarantee it.

Starting a journey on the road to alternative childrens clothes

I have decided its time to start a blog as i thought it would be interesting to look back on the progress i make as i set up my business.
I am in the process of building up 'Alternatots' which is aimed at all the goth, punk, rockabilly and emo babies and children out there.
Since becoming a mum to my gorgeous daughter Alicia who is now 20 months old i did what most other mums do and thought 'i want to try making children's clothes!' Although unlike most people this wasn't a huge step away from what i did before i had her. Since graduating from the London College of Fashion i had a couple of jobs both designing punk, goth and rockabilly clothes for adults, first working for 'Living Dead Souls' and then 'Hell Bunny' and 'Mercy'. As well as designing and making my own 50's Rockabilly dresses and other bits and pieces.
When i was expecting Alicia i was on the look out for cool clothes i would want to put her in and funnily enough i couldn't find any! (Well the odd thing here and there, i do like Sourpuss!) so i decided that that would be my next venture, i found that most of the alternative children's clothes were just slogan t-shirts or plain bodysuits with a print on them so thats why i am embarking on 'Alternatots!'.