My Latest Treasury

Green Treasury

This year, one of my goals is to create one treasury per month. I did last month's in pink, but this month I was feeling the green:

My First Treasury for 2012!

Changes to etsy!

I was so excited with I logged into my etsy accounts this week! The features I have been longing for are finally there....

My first desire with this site were that the item listing page was only one page... I can't tell you how many times I'd made it through the item description, item tags, and pricing pages to have my internet reset, my computer reset, my dog interupt me, etc, etc... and *poof* nothing is left. My second desire was to have a "save as draft" function. I'd thought this function would remain a pipe dream for as long as I was on etsy :)

More with the ammonites

So I mentioned lots of ammonites before. Marilyn (Handcraftusa on etsy) bought one and has created this beautiful pendant delicately crocheted in black cotton. I've often admired her crocheting with wire:

But, my most favorite would be these little zipper rings:

Updating Shop Banners

I finally got off my lazy but and updated my banners in my etsy and artfire accounts... that whole branding thing :)

Now my banners match my business cards. I've had a similar design on my blog and back on 1000Markets when that was still around, but never got it properly resized for artfire and etsy.

eBay

Much to some of my etsy friend's dismay, I've been an active user of eBay for awhile (since 2005 actually) but today something happened that almost made me cancel my account.

I've thought eBay is a good place to sell supplies I do not want, sell scratch and dent pieces, and sell my stale items at material cost just to turn over inventory.

But today, I came home to an e-mail that had me waiting on the line for customer service at eBay. (I hung up before I got anyone and then attempted to use the "contact us" link - a totally worthless circular loop that takes you to the options of "chat with us" or "call us" - click the chat link and it says they are too busy, close the window, and click the e-mail us link found under "contact us.")

So what was this problem you wonder... here's the e-mail but my screen shot is way too small.... I couldn't believe it. Someone who just joins eBay, bids on an item about 1/2 hour before this e-mail and eBay sends them my personal cell phone number? I couldn't believe my eyes. No contact via the eBay messaging system? Straight to my personal cell phone number?

I'm going to sleep on it, but I might be ending my long standing account with eBay tomorrow.

Neglect

So, I've been neglecting all online portions of my business lately. This blog, my shops on etsy, 1000Markets, and Artfire...

I was aghast last week when I openned up my etsy shop and it said 4 items! What? Everything had expired? Had it really been that long? I had to finally admit to myself that I was neglecting it (and stop doing the "I don't see it - so it's not really there" routine. This miniscule picture shows how it looks today and it only says "6" items because immediately after seeing "4" last week, I renewed one and yesterday I was able to add another.

but I promise the world, I was not spending my days staring into space and doing nothing!

I've been making stuff like my new sea shell flower necklace idea:

and I've tried a more "random" wire wrapping method to make these sea glass earrings.

Now I just need to write some descriptions so I can get them in my shop soon :)

My first ever treasury

So I finally got around to reading all of my e-mails and created my first ever treasury - which was pretty easy with the new always open/always on concept. I centered it on the NCTriangle Etsy Team. Blue Row: AzureChina, IndigoArts, BrooksBoutique, KirksSilver
Green Row: KarensSoaps, ShamsandCoverups, ChristieTriplett, FlyTrap
Yellow/Orange Row: OrangeCatArt, SarahHolsapple, MegRNC, EllesBeads
Red Row: PurpleFuzzyFeet, JennGee, LindaSFabricStash, Smutopia

Now, to be getting on to other stuff I should be doing... like sleep!

This week's favorite... a concrete finale!

And no collection from me would ever be complete without a sampling of jewely :) And can you believe these creative people make jewelry with concrete?

First up, the Oak Tree Necklace in Silver and Concrete by Lulu Bug Jewelry: Next, we have the Concrete Teardrop Charm from Green Couch Design:

Last, but not least, is the Lucky Concrete Clover from Dr Craze:

This week's favorite... even more concrete!

And a little bit of what I would consider more traditional concrete decor:

This concrete and wood candle holder is from Formd: And concrete oil lamps from The Ceremonial Home:

Finally, a Hibiscus Concrete Flower Impression from Concrete Garden:

If I wasn't already married, I think I'd be using concrete candle holders for my centerpieces and putting placecards on concrete shell impressions for a reception.

This week's favorite... Concrete continued...

Concrete furniture is more beautiful than I would have imagined.

First up is the coffee table from Timeless Modern: Next is a very soft looking end table from Joe Jaech:

And finally, here's the displacement stool from Concrete Encounter:

This week's favorite... Concrete!

So this week begins my long awaited construction projects around the home, beginning with digging out the end of the driveway to lay concrete...

What seems like such ugly destructive work, I wonder if etsy has any concrete beauty?

Oh, never fails... the creative minds out there can create beauty out of drab grey!

Our first featured item is a fat white concrete vase/bowl from Impure Vessels: Next on the list are these indoor/outdoor planters from Tortoise Loves Donkey:

And finally, a medium concrete bowl/pot/planter from Concrete Crone:

Come back tomorrow for the next installment of concrete on etsy!

The Letter S... Etsy Product Review #11

Recently I ordered some letter "S"s so that I could make some workout journals. I got them from Tweet Memories on etsy and am impressed with the price and quality.My neighbor is the one who actually found Tweet Memories and has ordered 3 banners this year for various parties. I saw a puppy banner, a cupcake banner and the twilight banner... and was impressed, so figured she was the right one to help me make my journals.

The price was great and shipping very reasonable. Tweet Memories papercrafts are put together great - all items are punched/cut perfectly with no flaws that I can find. Everything is glued perfectly center and there is no extra glue or bubbles in the paper from too watery a glue. All papercrafts should be such high quality!


I haven't had time to even look at my journals yet, but when I do, I'll make sure to post follow-up pictures.

Yippee! A Treasury!

Such soft and calm colors in this treasury from Mystic Wynd:

This week's favorite...hot/cold therapy pillow

I have had a headache for what seems like days now... Even etsy has a cure for that!

I should invest in one of these hot/cold therapy pillows from Little Monkey Pouches: This cute pouch is filled with rice and oil of lavender and can be warmed or frozen depending on your needs.

The cutest dog gift tags...

So earlier this morning, I was reading Four Dog Day and the post ended right next to these gift tags: Aren't they just the cutest? And they're on clearance!

Invoice

So, I've been selling stuff online since 2005... and in all those years I never once created a personalized invoice for my business. How lazy was I that I just printed off the standard invoice from eBay or etsy or PayPal?

Well, just recently, I made my very first sale in my shop on 1000 Markets (yes, I will be doing the happy dance for the next two weeks). I couldn't find the easy, quick print invoice button on 1000 Markets (don't worry it was probably just user error). That inconvenience finally made me get off my butt and make my own invoice.

So here is the masterpiece that I will be sending out with all future purchases no matter what the venue - in a style I'm labeling "artistically professional:" I water marked one of my sea shell wall hangings and made it so it prints in 6x9 size so it will fit flat in my packages (most of my mailings are in 8 1/2 by 11 envelopes).

My pendant in another listing...

I was a bit miffed today when I was browsing jewelry on etsy looking for a gift... Like normal, supplies are tagged as jewelry first (and I was searching handmade only, not both) - but since I'm a shell person and the crazy names people come up with for shells amuse me, I went ahead and openned it up...My little surprise... my hawkwing conch pendant is the last shell pictured. I know people would say it was meant as a form of flattery, but for me it seemed like she was saying the last two pictures were hers (and I do wonder who the other artist is because that pendant is impressive). I would have been happy if I had come across it and it said something like: "The last two pictures are my favorite shell pendants from other sellers on etsy and hopefully give you inspiration to play with these shells." I would have been fine without any credit.

Well, it is off my chest now, so I will go about my normal business... I got a new bead catalog in the mail today, so I'm sure all 565 pages will keep my mind occupied :)

This week's favorite... Bangle Bracelets

I love large bracelets... actually I probably own way too many, but I sure would love to add these favorites to my personal collection.

This beauty, named Silver Spiral Cuff, is from The Silver Swan: And here's some more silver spirals in a piece called Warrior Queen by New Byzantium Designs:

Since no collection from me would ever be complete without dipping our toes in the ocean, here's the Tide Pool from Handmade Jewelry by Pamela Jean Lacasse: And here's Sea Treasure from Fanceethat:
Last but not least (and because I have way too much brown clothing) here's the Brown Fresh Water Pearl Bangle from Infinity Jewelry Club:

Now, I just need to work on getting my husband to believe I really do need all of these bracelets!