Monday, November 30, 2009

MINI MONDAY: "Magdalene Jewels"





Magdalene Jewels is today's Mini Monday featured Etsy Blogger Artisan

Pam, the person behind "MagdaleneJewels”, is also known as Mags, MJ or Magdalene. Otherwise known as Pam, she has been single for many years, and raised 3 children, Kelly, Keith and Ryan; and as of last month became a grandmother for the first time!



She seems to have always had a creative nature within, starting with embroidering, crocheting, knitting, and quilting. Mags began designing jewelry about three years ago, and joined Etsy a little over 2 years ago. Her jewelry shop: http://www.MagdaleneJewels.etsy.com contains necklaces, bracelets and earrings mainly using Swarovski Crystals in her own creative designs. As she says, “I love the various reflections the crystals give off when gleaming in the sun”.


Besides selling on Etsy, Pam also does a lot of custom orders and craft shows - and just recently opened up a new shop on Etsy: http://www.MagdaleneKnits.etsy.com. Her new shop is a combination of knitted and crocheted items such as adorable baby booties and sweaters, scarfs, and neckwarmers.


Besides crafting, MJ’s main passion is her writing. She has always loved to write, and is very passionate about what she does write about. You can read some of her blogs at http://www.MagdaleneJewelspjk.blogspot.com and http://www.MagdaleneJewelsblogs.blogspot.com.

A little word of wisdom from Magdalene, which is so much of her personality: “the smile you send out, always returns”.





Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: A Keeper's Jackpot

See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com

Got a blog? Love Etsy? Check us out!

Friday, November 27, 2009

Internet Artisan Interview - Dawn Correspondence

I had loads of fun, looking through DawnCorrespondence. I'm a lover of paper, like Amanda is, and am partial to exploring stationary stores. One thing that attracted me to her shops are all the classic motifs used in her papercrafts. I don't know anyone who's getting married, but if your looking for wedding invitations, DawnCorrespondence is a must stop. Amanda has custom ordering, in addition to her unique stationary and gift tags. Here are a few things she had to say:

What's the name of your business/shop?

My shop is DawnCorrespondence. I can be found on Etsy and Art Fire

Do you have a registered domain name and/or a blog?
I have a blog, and am working on getting a website of my own right now! My blog can be found at http://www.dawncorrespondence.blogspot.com

What type of handmade products do you sell?
I am passionate about paper, so I create customized stationery wedding invitations, announcements...basically, all things paper! I also create handmade envelopes, and have recently started selling boxed stationery that is personalized for gifts!

Show us a piece you recently finished
I've been listing my holiday line recently, and this is one of my favorites of the season:


What are you working on right now? Any sketches?
Right now I am working on getting all my holiday items listed! I've also started gathering ideas for my Valentine's Day cards. I don't have any sketches - I typically keep an ongoing list of ideas (a notebook that goes with me EVERYWHERE!) and I work straight from the computer! I'll be listing holiday items for the next couple of weeks, though, so stay tuned!


If you have a website or blog, what do you use for advertising? What do your avatars look like?
I do all my advertising through word of mouth and social networking. I've found them to be really powerful resources and tools. My avatar is ever-changing. I use a photo of something I am currently working on, and it changes every couple of months or so.

If you have a website or blog, tell us about your favorite widget.
I really enjoy the Facebook widget. It's a great way to get the basic Facebook info on a website. It also makes it super easy for people to fan me if they like my blog!


Which online selling vendors do you use? What do you like best about each one?
I use Etsy and Art Fire. I think they are both great in their own ways. Etsy admin work really hard to promote Etsy as a whole and get Etsy at the top of searches through strategic SEO. Art Fire, on the other hand, provides a variety of tools for sellers to market themselves - the Facebook kiosk, coupon codes, and ability to add widgets to your shop are all great tools.

Are you involved in social networking? What's your favorite and why? If you're not involved, you must have a good reason!
I LOVE social networking. Number one: It's FREE! How can you not like that?! Number two: It's more personal than other forms of advertising. Number three: It's like the crabgrass theory - if someone sees me post a new listing on Facebook, they may give it a "thumbs up" or leave a comment, and that disperses to THEIR group of friends. I don't necessarily have a favorite, because I think all social networking tools work together to help create my "brand", and each help to promote me in different ways.


All of us can use a helpful business hint once a week. What's yours?

The most important tip I can give, that I absolutely live by, is to have STELLAR customer service. Communicate with your customers throughout the buying and shipping process. No matter how busy you are, or how many customers you have at any given time, it shows that customer that you are giving them one-on-one attention. And it only takes a minute to send them a quick progress update!


We'd love to see your little corner of the world, where you create.
Oh, no! No judging please!

Do you have a "modus operandi" for computing the price of a handmade object? Tell us your formula?
That's something I have been working on lately. I calculate the cost to create one item (or one package of stationery) and I add a percentage to it. That percentage covers my time put into creating the item, and other various expenses (percentage of office space rent, tools, etc.)

Where do you see your artwork in one year? Any plans in the works?
In one year, I'd like to be creating full-time. I am getting closer and closer each day, and that is certainly my ultimate goal!

It's the storybeader's turn to pick a favorite!
This pineapple thank you card says it all. It's beautiful and sweet - what more could you want?



Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: storybeader
See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com
Got a blog? Love Etsy? Check us out!

EtsyBloggers HOLIDAY S*A*L*E* -- Black Friday thru Cyber Monday 2009!








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H a p p y H o l i d a y s ! !
The EtsyBloggers HOLIDAY S*A*L*E* is going on from Black Friday thru Cyber Monday!!
That's Friday 11/27/09 thru Monday 11/30/09!!
Shop by Category -- see below list for the participating shops offering HOLIDAY savings!!
H a p p y S h o p p i n g ! !

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Accessories
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Visart
http://visart.etsy.com
Holiday sale - 20% off all product orders over $50.00 before shipping (not includes custom orders)
Hand made polymer clay accessories, beads and buttons.

Wild Goose Chase
http://www.WildGooseChase.etsy.com
15% off all items! Refund will be issued through PayPal after payment is received. Enter "Etsy Bloggers Sale" in the message to seller at checkout to receive cash back.
Low priced stocking stuffers including One-Of-A-Kind awesome mirrors.


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Art
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tapestry316
http://www.tapestry316.etsy.com
Huge sale featuring my watercolor paintings, drawings, ACEOs, altered art book pages, and prints! Check out the SALE SECTION in my shop for great buys - some up to half off!


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Bags and Purses
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Tilt creations
http://tiltcreations.etsy.com
FREE Worldwide Shipping. Mention "Etsybloggers" when checking out and shipping costs will be refunded through Paypal after payment is received.
Handmade handbags and accessories


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Bath and Beauty
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Spotted Cow Soaps
http://spottedcowsoaps.etsy.com
20% off all product orders over $50.00 (before shipping & excludes Special Buys Section)
Special Buys throughout the Sale
We offer handcrafted soaps and toiletries all lovingly made with our own hands.

SweetSallysSoaps
http://sweetsallyssoaps.etsy.com
FREE SHIPPING on anything in my shop!
Fine Handcrafted Soaps and Bath Accessories

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Books and Zines
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UberArt
http://uberart.etsy.com
Many items will be discounted in my SALE section of my shop. All other items (excluding custom orders) will be 10% off. Write "etsybloggers" in the comment box at checkout and I will send your refund via PayPal.
Unique journals and guest books. Great for the holidays -- gifts for teacher, secret santa, hostess gifts, or holiday party guest books!


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Children
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Joey & Aleethea
http://joeyandaleethea.etsy.com
20% OFF EVERYTHING!!! :D
Super cool custom-made Monster Shirts, Monster Jeans, Monster Onesies, Monster Dresses, Ankle Biters Lounge Pants and more awesome goodness!! Joey & Aleethea™ is a super cutesie boutique for baby boys, baby girls and their peeps! Just say "EtsyBloggers" upon checkout, and I'll send your refund via Paypal!

Splendid Little Stars
http://SplendidLittleStars.etsy.com
30% off short sleeve T shirts (children and adults) in the HOLIDAY SALE section of my shop! This includes custom orders for all "traditional style" tie dye short sleeve T shirts. Some surprises may pop up in this section as well! 10% off all silk scarves! Prices already marked down!
Unique hand dyed and hand painted (with dye) clothing for children--T shirts, dresses, baby outfits, knotted hats. Some adult items as well! beautiful silk scarves!


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Crochet
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Beautiful Bridget Designs
http://www.etsy.com/shop/beautifulbridget
FREE Worldwide Shipping PLUS and additional 10% off of orders of $100 or more (10% refund to be given through Paypal at end of transaction).
Indie handmade knit, crochet & fabric scarves, cowls, hats, fingerless gloves, fashion accessories, jewelry, bags & purses.

DipYourToes
http://dipyourtoes.etsy.com
15% OFF Everything In Stock. Refund given through Paypal after payment is received.
Awesomely cute and practical gifts and accessories. Handbags, Hair Accessories, Keyfobs, Laptop/Ipod Sleeves, Spa Items, Mug Cozies, Ornaments..etc!
Dolls and Miniatures


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Everything Else
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Simply Digital Designs
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimplyBannersnAds
10% off EVERYTHING in my shop (refund by paypal)

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Geekery
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AthenaWorkman
Miss Millificent's World
http://www.athenaworkman.etsy.com
15% off all items! Refund will be issued through PayPal after payment is received.
Polymer clay miniature "bakery sweets", discarded dollie charms, 1:12 dollhouse miniatures, photography and associated jewelry.

Lostmitten
http://lostmitten.etsy.com
10% off everything! Just write "etsy bloggers" in comments box at checkout and I will send you a refund back via Paypal for 10% off all handmade goodies!


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Housewares
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Peacoxcreations
http://peacoxcreations.etsy.com
15% off every shop item
Exquisite original design pine needle baskets, each OOAK. Tons of scrubbies perfect for stocking stuffers.


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Jewelry
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A Keepers Jackpot
http://akeepersjackpot.etsy.com
*Handmade Pendant Sale: BOGO! Buy one full priced pendant, get another for HALF OFF!*
See "Handmade Pendants" section
Discount applied to the lesser priced items, you MAY mix and match, you will receive a complimentary ball chain with each pendant unless specified otherwise. Limit to three half off pendants per customer. Your refund will be sent via PayPal after payment is received.

Charitable Creations Jewelry
http://charitablecreations.etsy.com
15% off everything in my shop!!! Refund given after payment received.
Personalized Hand Stamped and Sterling Silver Hand Made Jewelry - 10% donated to charity of your choice!! Gifts for Everyone!

Fabulous Chic Designs
http://www.fabulouschic.etsy.com
Up to 30% off select items- see shop Sale section for great deals.
Stylish handcrafted jewelry!

Faerie Garden Fancies
http://bunnykissd.etsy.com
10% OFF EVERYTHING! Discount already applied...
Magical polymer clay jewelry and figurines, fanciful art, and more!

Jack & Ella Designs
http://jackandella.etsy.com
Handcrafted Jewelry and Custom Designs
ALL TWILIGHT AND TRUE BLOOD MERCHANDISE WILL BE ON SALE - SEE SHOP'S SALE SECTION FOR DISCOUNTED ITEMS

Linda B's Beaded Jewelry
http://www.etsy.com/shop/lindab142
Free shipping to US & Canada - please put EtsyBlog in Notes to Seller and I'll refund your money via PayPal or Convo me prior to payment.

Made By Melissa
http://www.etsy.com/shop/madebymelissa
FREE GIFT with every purchase
Beaded jewelry and crochet toys and accessories

MagdaleneJewels
http://www.etsy.com/shop/magdalenejewels
Necklaces, Bracelets, Earrings all made with Swarovski Crystals - 15% off + free shipping during our Holiday Sale. Please convo me if you are interested in any item, so that I can adjust the price and Reserve it for you!

Mama's Magic Studio
http://mamasmagicstudio.etsy.com
Free shipping, free gift wrap for jewelry items (on request), and for orders over $50 buyer chooses a free gift! Mention "Etsybloggers" when checking out and shipping costs will be refunded to Paypal. See shop announcement for more details.
Unique jewelry, handcrafted knitting needles (as seen in Interweave Knits!), baubles, and bird's nest pendants customized for the Mama in your life.

Mystic Wynd
http://etsy.com/shop/mysticwynd
Up to 50% off selected items - see shop sale section for great buys! Pricing will be marked down, so no waiting for a Refund!
Great Jewelry and accessories - something for everyone!
Free standard shipping World wide too!

Punky Jane Jewelry
http://PunkyJane.etsy.com
FREE WORLDWIDE STANDARD SHIPPING on everything in my shop! Use 'EtsyBlogger' in the message to seller box and shipping will be refunded via PayPal.
Handcrafted and personalized jewelry perfect for everyone on your list!

Sparkly Park
http://SparklyPark.etsy.com
20% off all jewelry! Free shipping in USA for all shop orders over $50 (after discount)! Refund given after payment received.
Lovely hand crafted sterling silver and beaded jewelry makes great gifts and stocking stuffers! Paper products, too--cards, tags, die cuts.

storybeader
http://storybeader.etsy.com
15% off all necklaces and sets in the shop, refund sent after payment received.
Ethnic jewelry with a personal haiku!

Sumikoshop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Sumikoshop
FREE SHIPPING WORLWIDE
on all items in my shop,
Shipping has been adjusted to zero already!
Handmade Jewelry and Accessories !!

SunshineDaydreamz
http://SunshineDaydreamz.etsy.com
Buy one get one of equal or lesser value 50% off! Your savings will be refunded via PayPal, or contact me before checking out for a revised invoice.
One of a kind hand crafted jewelry for men and women, with a California touch. Plus vintage and supplies. Store wide holiday sale!


Sykin's One Stop Twilight Shop
http://sykin.etsy.com
2 FREE 4x6 photos from La Push or Forks, Washington with every purchase!
Twilight inspired jewelry & fanfare

The Grand Design
http://www.etsy.com/shop/cjgrand
10% off all regular price items plus check out the Sale section for 20% off a variety of items.
Steampunk, Healing Stones and other unique handcrafted jewelry by CJGrand.

Tokyo Vogue Designs
http://tokyovogue.etsy.com
15% Off ALL ITEMS (refund by paypal)
Pretty Handmade Resin Items & Genuine Gemstone Jewelry

Tulips Treasure Box
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TulipsTreasureBox
$100 off everything over $300, fast refund through paypal after payment received. No prices have been raised to make this "sale".
Beautiful artisan designed and created jewelry, most one-of-a-kind.


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Knitting
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DizzyDragonflies
http://DizzyDragonflies.etsy.com
Hand Dyed Yarns
Free shipping! Refund will be sent via PayPal after payment is received.

foxygknits
http://foxygknits.etsy.com
10% off all items in shop (excluding shipping) including those items that are currently on sale. Refund will be sent via PayPal after payment is received.
Hand knit scarves, shawls and wraps for today's women

Miesmama
http://miesmama.etsy.com
Free Shipping to anywhere in the World!
Felted bags, bowls, garlands and goodies!

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Paper Goods
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CHRISTINA STUDIO DESIGNS
http://chrissywatson.etsy.com
Everything in my shop is 10% off. Just write "etsy blogger" in comments box at checkout and I will send you a refund back via Paypal for 10% off all handmade goodies. PLUS : Order two of any card set and get FREE matching return address labels, Just send me the address you want on them in the convo.

CREATEaTHOUGHT
http://createathought.etsy.com
20% off!
Journals, Rings, Magnets, Things!

Memories for Life Scrapbooks
http://memoriesforlifesb.etsy.com
20% off everything in my S*A*L*E* section...prices will already be marked down...no need to wait for a revised invoice
Memories for Life Scrapbooks...Scrapbooks and More

OUR SCRAPBOOK MEMORIES
http://ourscrapbookmemories.etsy.com
20% off All Paper Piecings-Singles or Sets!
Paper Piecings, Mini Albums, Premade Pages & Cards


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Patterns
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A Vision to Remember
http://avisiontoremember.etsy.com
bogo sale on all patterns Buy 1 Get 1 Free nov 25-30


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Pets
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NanjoDogz
http://nanjodogz.etsy.com
10% off all items in shop excluding shipping. Mention Etsy Bloggers Sale in the Notes to Seller and the refund will be sent after payment is received.
Polymer Clay Dog Collectibles including ornaments, sculpture, beads and more.


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Vintage
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Indulge Your Shelf
http://indulgeyourshelf.etsy.com
25% OFF EVERYTHING EXCEPT BUTTONS! Write "ETSY BLOGGERS SALE" in the Notes to Seller and discount refund will be refunded to your PayPal account.
Fabulous and Funky Vintage and Antique Finds -- Decor, Linens, Artwork


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Weddings
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Patch First Shop
http://patchfirstshop.etsy.com
10% OFF IN EVERY ITEMS + FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING via Registered Airmail
Please mark "EtsyBloggers Holiday Sale" with order comment, discount refund will be turned to your PayPal account.
Bridal Custom Jewelry and Handmade Swarovski Jewelry




The EtsyBloggers are the official Etsy team for those who love to blog about their craft, the creative process, and other Etsians!

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Got a blog?
Love Etsy?
Check us out! http://etsybloggers.com
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EtsyBloggers ROCK!!



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H a p p y H o l i d a y s ! !

H a p p y S h o p p i n g ! !

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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Happy Birthday to a wonderful group of Etsybloggers!

We have a number of birthdays to celebrate this week! Be sure to pop over and sing to our wonderful group of Etsyblogger members!!



glassali's birthday was the 23rd - happy belated :D





roseworksjewelry's birthday is the 25th of November - Have a great day!




uniquecommodities' birthday is the 27th of November - Hope you left some room for birthday cake after your Thanksgiving dinner!




lhconfections' birthday is the 29th of November - hope you don't have to make your own cake!





Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: Handmade By Sandi

See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com

Got a blog? Love Etsy? Check us out!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Fabulous "Exposed" Treasury!

The wonderful Vicki Diane of http://vickidianedesigns.etsy.com has done us the honor of featuring 12 members of our team in one of her "Exposed" Treasuries. She has done more than 100 of these and they are always extremely popular and usually result in sales of either the items shown or other items in the participants' shops.

Even though she is very good at this, it does take a great deal of time to do each one, and we owe her a terrific "Thank You"!

Why not take a moment to visit her "funique" shop and perhaps choose an original for yourself or as a gift or promote her on your blog?





Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by peacoxcreations
See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com

Got a blog? Love Etsy? Check us out!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

November 23 Blog Carnival is Now Available for Your Viewing Pleasure!

It was my pleasure to host this Blog Carnival and I want to thank everyone who participated! The turnout was great and I'm really enjoying reading through all of the blog posts about your Thanksgiving traditions and Christmas favorites and all of the fun you're having during this hectic and fun-filled holiday season.

Please stop by my blog and check out the carnival here... I'd love to hear from you, so please leave a comment and if you've not yet become a follower of any of these great blogs, be sure to join the fun!

Happy Holidays!

Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: Mystic Wynd

See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com

Got a blog? Love Etsy? Check us out!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Friday Feature -- The Fab Miss B

This week's featured Etsy artist at Mama's Magic Studio, cross-posted here for your enjoyment, is the fabulous Becky! She has two lovely shops: The Fab Miss B for for Vintage and One of a Kind Finds and BeckyKazana for her original Chenille Pipette Dolls and artwork. She's also the featured Etsyblogger of the month for November. Congrats, Becky!

I just love the wide variety of stuff you'll find in these two shops. Isn't this card too sweet?

And Monique would be darling atop a tree! When he saw her, my son asked, "Is that an angel?"

And I couldn't resist sharing this pic of Becky herself, modeling a beautiful vintage apron!
Enjoy the interview!



1. Please tell us about the items in your Etsy shop. What do you make? How did you learn your craft? What is involved in your creative process?

My Pipettes are my favorite thing to make! They were inspired by vintage ornaments I've collected for ages. They are made with humble chenille pipe cleaners, but I add lots of luxe embellishments like silk ribbons, antique lace, mother of pearl buttons, feathers, sequins and vintage costume jewelery. Their heads are all carefully hand painted too.



2. To which Etsy Teams do you belong?

I'm a proud member of The Etsy Bloggers Team, Crafting in Color and Sellers Assisting Sellers. (The last is a great resource for sellers new or old!)



3. How did you get involved with Etsy?

I discovered Etsy through some of my favorite bloggers over three years ago. It was love at first sight!



4. What inspires your creations?

I find inspiration everywhere- through travel, old movies, and fashion magazines. And of course, I love prowling Blogs & Etsy to see what other talented artists and designers are up to!



5. What is your biggest challenge related to your Etsy shop?

I think getting good photos is an ongoing challenge! I've had breakthroughs, but there is always more to learn. I'm also doing a lot of research on SEO lately, and I'm quite sure that will be helpful.



6. What is your favorite item in your shop (currently for sale or previously sold)? Why is it your favorite? (Please provide a link)

I'm madly in love with Daschshunds- someday I'd love to have a pair of them. But for now Daisy is as close as I can get!

7. What advice do you have for other folks selling or buying on Etsy?

The community on Etsy is your greatest resource! There are lots of talented and experienced artists and many of them are happy to share advice. And Etsy admin is constantly filling the Storque with tips and tricks. Sign up for the Seller Success e-mail if you haven't already. You'll definitely learn something new to improve your shop.



8. Tell us two (or more) other interesting things about you.

My husband and I love to travel and are lucky to have lived all over the world- Kenya, Uganda, China, Chicago, Las Vegas, and now we're trying out life on an island- The Big Island of Hawaii!

We adopted our funny last name- Kazana- while traveling in Africa just after getting married. It's a Swahili word that means "To make a home" and it reminds us that our home is where the other is.



9. Where else can we find out more about you and/or your creations?

I blog about the inspiration I find around me every day on The Fab Miss B and you'll find links to all my other internet portals in the sidebar right there! Swing by and say hello! I love to hear from you.



10. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about your shop or your work?

The only thing I like better than making art is discovering that other people enjoy it! I do hope you'll swing by and say hello!










Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: Mama's Magic Studio

See EtsyBloggers team membership requirements here: etsybloggers.com

Got a blog? Love Etsy? Check us out!

Internet Artisan Interview - Cheryl's Purple Cow

I met Cheryl on a new Etsy group I joined called Facebook Fans on Etsy (FFEST). She is a very active member, and on the internet as a whole. When I saw her purple cow, I knew it would fun to get acquainted. Cheryl is supporting November's Epilepsy Awareness Month, and donating 15% of the sales of any purple item to Family Ties of Nevada to help families affected by epilepsy. So go by her shop this month, and look for her purple items!

What's the name of your business/shop?

Cheryl's Purple Cow


Do you have a registered domain name and/or a blog?
http://cherylspurplecow.etsy.com
http://cherylspurplecow.blogspot.com


What type of handmade products do you sell?
Jewelry. I make a lot of Awareness Jewelry. I have Epilepsy and November is Epilepsy Awareness Month so there will be a lot of purple Awareness Jewelry. I also have some hematite and metal-free jewelry. I am going to be adding my “Reflections”. Reflections are a candle arrangement that I make as a special order item.


Show us a piece you recently finished

Which online selling vendors do you use? What do you like best about each one?
I just started selling online in May and I have my shop on Etsy. It is difficult to sell jewelry because there are so many jewelry shops. I am looking into other sites but haven’t made a decision yet.


What are you working on right now? Any sketches?

I don’t make sketches. Most of my designs are trial and error. I am most creative when I don’t have a plan. When I started making my Swarovski Snowflake Earrings, I attached them to the Earwire with a figure 8 loop. Then I noticed that I could change them and attach them with an Awareness Ribbon Most of my designs happen that way. I usually make something about 3 to 4 times before I get the design that I want.




If you have a website or blog, what do you use for advertising?








I am using an avatar that my Brother and niece designed for me.


If you have a website or blog, tell us about your favorite widget.
I love widgets and I have a lot of them. I have 2 penguin widgets on my blog right now. I thought 3 would be overkill. But my favorite is the “Things to Ponder”. “Why isn't there mouse flavored cat food?” I think that is a question that needs to be answered.


We'd love to see your little corner of the world, where you create.

That would take about a week of cleaning.


Are you involved in social networking? What's your favorite and why? If you're not involved, you must have a good reason!




Facebook. I can stay up to date with family and friends there. I have also re-connected with friends from way back. A friend that lived next door to me as a child found me. Her family moved away around 1973.




http://facebook.com/Cheryls.Purple.Cow
http://www.twitter.com/cherylpurplecow

All of us can use a helpful business hint once a week. What's yours?
I am a very impatient person and I try to remind myself every day. Rome was not built in a day. Don’t get discouraged.

Do you have a "modus operandi" for computing the price of a handmade object? Tell us your formula?
I wish I could find one that worked for every item. But there are some items that just don’t fit into a mold.

Where do you see your artwork in one year? Any plans in the works?
I really want to make and promote my "Reflections.”




It's time for the storybeader to pick a favorite!


I really like these earrings, that look like little candies. They're so realistic, and cute!







Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: storybeader
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Thursday, November 19, 2009

Happy Birthday to a new member!

It is so neat to wish a member of Etsybloggers a Happy Birthday, especially when she's a new member!!

Have you met Nina? She has 2 shops, today is her birthday - please pop on over to one of her shops and send Happy Birthday Greetings!!





Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: Handmade By Sandi

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

A belated Happy Birthday to HomeMadeOriginals

Please send a belated Happy Birthday wish to HomeMadeOriginals - her birthday was Sunday, the 15th of November!





Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: Handmade By Sandi

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Monday, November 16, 2009

Celebrating a birthday today

Today we are celebrating the birthday of MagdaleneJewels! Help make her special day more so, by sending special wishes to her at her blog http://www.MagdaleneJewelsblogs.blogspot.com or convo her at either of her 2 shops!





Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: Handmade By Sandi

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Sunday, November 15, 2009

MINI MONDAY: "A KEEPER'SJACKPOT

"AKeepersJackpot" EtsyBlogger Mini Monday Featured Artisan



Before I start my first MiniMonday Blog, I would like to say a special thanks to "Cozy" and "TulipsTreasureBox" for doing such a great job creating these blogs every Monday for the past few years.


For my first MiniMonday Blog, I choose to feature Jackie from "AKeepersJackpot", who will also be my co-Mini Blogger!
Jackie has been selling jewelry for over two years now. When she first started her work consisted mainly of beaded jewelry, but recently has begun making handmade pendants as well. She recently has been experimenting with wire wrapping and wire crochet also. According to Jackie, her favorite things to make are necklaces with large pendants that really stand out, but she also says that "earrings are fun to make too". In her shop, http://www.AKeepersJackpot.etsy.com, Jackie has a special section of "discounted" items as well as doing custom orders from Alchemy.




Something new to keep an eye out for in her shop will be fishing lanyards. "I made one for a friend of mine, and thought it would be something cool to appeal to my outdoorsy followers that I like to hike and be outside as much as I do!" Sounds like a great gift idea for those husband who like to fish as a special Holiday gift. Speaking of Holiday gifts, Jackie has some adorable Christmas items in her shop, such as these "peppermint earrings".




When Jackie is not busy working on her jewelry for her shop, or writing on her blog, http://www.AKeepersJackpot.blogspot.com, or hiking (which is her other passion), she works full time as a Clinical Laboratory Technologist in a hospital lab. She has been married to her husband for over four years, but they have been together for almost twelve. They share a home with their two cats, Rocky and Twosie, in Upstate New York.




Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: MagdaleneJewels

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Friday, November 13, 2009

Internet Artisan Interview - The Beaded Lily

Sarah, owner and operator of thebeadedlily, uses a variety of techniques in her jewelry design. Many of her current pieces are complicated and minimalist at the same time. I started following Sarah's work in the Etsy Beadweavers challenges, about a year ago. If your love beadweaving like I do, the Etsy Beadweavers are something to see. After watching Sarah's shop on Etsy, I noticed her at other selling venues, many the same I belong to. There's lots of opportunity to see her work; I suggest taking a look at her blog first, and go from there.

What's the name of your business/shop?

thebeadedlily

Do you have a registered domain name and/or a blog?
http://thebeadedlily.blogspot.com/
What type of handmade products do you sell?
Pieces by thebeadedlily generally fall into three categories.

Stringing: bold, colorful, texture laden designs, often influenced by the artists and artisans who create the beads I work with.

Wirework: simple, clean, and highly primitive. I use ancient wire-working techniques and aim for what the earliest jewelry must have looked like, to create something timeless, like what you'd find in a museum's antiquities exhibit.

Beadwork: totally unique and original one of a kind art pieces.

Show us a piece you recently finished

What are you working on right now? Any sketches?
A collection of pieces inspired by the colors of Alphonse Mucha, my favorite artist. I don't sketch too much and I didn't sketch these at all-- but I am beading with my Mucha calendar right next to me!



If you have a website or blog, what do you use for advertising? What do your avatars look like?
The graphics are my current ads and the face shot is my current avatar for most of my accounts.

If you have a website or blog, tell us about your favorite widget.
I'm not too into them. I make sure that my Etsy mini, ArtFire kiosk and 1000Market shopfront are up and running! I worry that too many cool widgets will get distracting.


Which online selling vendors do you use? What do you like best about each one?
Love
Etsy's built in traffic!
ArtFire has some cool cutting edge features and is so reasonably priced!
1000Markets has such a gorgeous look and really upscale professional feel.

Are you involved in social networking? What's your favorite and why? If you're not involved, you must have a good reason!
Does Flickr count? If not, facebook! I just like knowing what everyone is up to. I'm not very skilled at leveraging social contacts.
Keep up with me:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/thebeadedlily/70612550008?ref=ts

http://twitter.com/thebeadedlily

All of us can use a helpful business hint once a week. What's yours?
Grab yourbusinessname.com and hold on to it!

Do you have a "modus operandi" for computing the price of a handmade object? Tell us your formula?
It depends on the item. For earrings and wirework I'm mainly concerned with what the market will bear. For beadweaving the key factor is how long the piece takes to create. With my strung pieces the biggest factor is the price of the materials that go into the piece.

We'd love to see your little corner of the world, where you create.
Two shots -- the fairly organized wall and absolutely unorganized table!










Where do you see your artwork in one year? Any plans in the works?
That's something I've been contemplating myself for a week or so as I've been thinking about tightening up some things. I really haven't decided on a firm direction.

OK, it's the storybeader's turn to pick one piece by thebeadedlily.
I just adore beadweaving, but guess I don't have the patience, or stamina, to stay with it. Maybe some day, when I have more time! Sarah's beaded cuffs are amazing; her "Hands Against Time" is one of my favorites:

Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: storybeader
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Sunday, November 8, 2009

The November 9 Blog Carnival is Up!

I'm happy to say that the November 9 Blog Carnival is up on my blog and you can find it by clicking here!

I'm exceedingly happy to be the one to hostess this time. Please be sure to comment when you visit and I look forward to meeting everyone!

- Laurie





Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: Indulge Your Shelf

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Saturday, November 7, 2009

EtsyBloggers Weekend News

Good morning! Here is some EtsyBloggers weekend news for everyone to enjoy. As you read, take a moment to click around, and check out all the wonderful new items for Autumn and Winter in the below listed shops in this post.


Along with the Fall season, our team has also undergone some changes lately. With last week's saying goodbye to some wonderful long-standing teammates Cozy and Stormy, this week brings new additions to our team in the way of team event coordinators, blog authors, and volunteer listmakers.

Take a look at this inspiring artist feature done by our wonderful and always helpful Deb of http://storybeader.etsy.com which is posted here on our team blog -- a great read: http://etsybloggers.blogspot.com/2009/11/internet-artisan-interview-photographic.html

Take a moment to welcome our new BirthdayMini Coordinator, Sandi of http://HandmadeBySandi.etsy.com -- she has written the belated bday wishes post for the second half of October Birthdays and a November bday too: http://etsybloggers.blogspot.com

If you haven't yet read last week's edition of the EtsyBloggers Blog Carnival, you can read about it here. Do check that out because the new edition of the Blog Carnival event will be posted sometime between now and Monday morning. You can always find the current edition right here on our team blog every other Monday. Thank you to http://IndulgeYourshelf.etsy.com for hosting!

Now handling the EtsyBloggers MiniMondays for our team will be our adventurous Jackie of http://AKeepersJackpot.etsy.com along with another lovely volunteer http://MagdaleneJewels.etsy.com For any not in the know, the EtsyBloggers MiniMondays event is held weekly. Please see the FAQ's and sign-up thread for that event is here.

There some new volunteers who have made helped with listmaking/updating this past week. Updates will be seen on our team blog/team shop this weekend. The October volunteers' avatars will be located over there on the right-hand column. Thank you again to all these volunteers, you are appreciated!

http://NICOdesigns.etsy.com
http://peacoxcreations.etsy.com
http://mamasmagicstudio.etsy.com
http://MadeByMelissa.etsy.com
http://sykin.etsy.com

http://foxygknits.etsy.com
http://sassalynne.etsy.com



If you too would like to volunteer for November, please let me know. And if I missed you from this list (ack, sorry!) please also do let me know so I may correct my thank-you list. :)  


As for our wonderful bi-weekly EtsyBloggers Blog Carnival, I am now handling this team event. If you have any questions, please convo me via my Etsy shop.

Last but certainly not least!! The November ROLL CALL and Featured EtsyBlogger for November will be sent to all EtsyBloggers teammates this weekend via eMail. Have a lovely day!!



Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by your Admin & Team Leader, Joey & Aleethea
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Friday, November 6, 2009

Internet Artisan Interview - The Photographic Aspect

OK, you're in for a treat today! Mark has to be my all-time favorite photographer, and I'm so honored he took time to respond to this interview. He has a unique way of capturing motion and color that is absolutely breathtaking. All day long, I'm surrounded by black and white images at work, in "my" archives. To come home and read Mark's blog is a real treat. If you are interested in photography yourself, you need to follow his blog and see the techniques he uses for capturing beautiful images. He has an Etsy account, but doesn't have a large stock there. You can always go by his online studio.

What's the name of your business/shop?
I came up with the name Aspect Studio about 20 years ago when I decided to start my own graphic design business. I thought it worked nicely for both design work and photography, so I have been using that ever since for both.

Do you have a registered domain name and/or a blog (urls, if available)?
My website is www.AspectStudioPhotography.net, with portfolio galleries and purchase info, and I have been writing a blog, "The Photographic Aspect" at aspectstudiophoto.blogspot.com for nearly a year. That has been a great project, because it allows me to examine my own motivations and thought processes, while at the same time getting feedback from a wide variety of viewers.

What type of handmade products do you sell?
Fine art photographic prints.


Show us a piece you recently finished

This image is from my most recent excursion (back in July) to Arizona. I already posted it on my blog recently, but maybe the readership here is a bit different than over at my place and I think it's one of my best from that trip. I haven't printed it full size yet, but it will probably be the first from that group to be printed and framed for sale as soon as I can get to it, in the next few weeks.

What are you working on right now? Any sketches?
Photography is really a multi-step process: traveling and shooting, followed by processing and ultimately, printing. I like to go back to shots I made months or even years ago and rework ones that I wasn't quite happy with, and often find new interest in ones that I completely passed over first time around. So I'm constantly working on something, even if it's just researching and planning a future trip, or something like printing greeting cards on scraps of photo paper.

If you have a website or blog, what do you use for advertising? What do your avatars look like?
Well, marketing my website was the original motivation to start up a blog, but then that in turn needs to be promoted, doesn't it? Fortunately there are quite a few tools for that and one of the most important is just visiting other people's sites and leaving your "footprint" in as many places as possible. I'm certainly not as good at it as many others, being limited in both time and energy while trying to run a business. Among all the blog directories out there, my favorite by far is BlogCatalog.. it's very useful for finding and communicating with other bloggers and being able to see who is visiting your site. I have been with EntreCard since I started the blog also.. I think quite a few readers have found me through that site and I like the proactive concept of it, but there are some things recently, especially with the paid ads and changes to the credit system that I don't like about it, too. I haven't been spending much time over there recently.

If you have a website or blog, tell us about your favorite widget.
I think the networking widgets like Friend Connect and BlogCatalog are very useful.. you can see who's been visiting and reading. I try not to go overboard with too much of that stuff in my layout; I don't like clutter and they really start to slow the site down when you get too many. I have actually stopped visiting a few blogs just because they take forever to load, with all the ad links, widgets and animations.


Which online selling vendors do you use? What do you like best about each one?
I do have a spot on Etsy, because with them you produce and ship your own work and they just facilitate the sale... but I haven't put much effort into promoting my presence there. The flood of art marketing websites and millions of artists promoting their work is making it very hard for anyone to stand out in the online environment, isn't it? Getting actual prints in front of people's eyes, in person, where they can see and feel the quality is the only thing that really works for me. I don't like sites like ImageKind or Red Bubble that just use your artwork to sell their products. If anyone is selling well under that type of system, I am happy for them, but that's just not my goal right now. I prefer to produce my own prints, and sell them directly.

Are you involved in social networking? What's your favorite and why? If you're not involved, you must have a good reason!
No, I've signed up for Twitter, and I think I even have a few followers, but I don't do anything with it. I already spend nine or ten hours per day working at a computer and that is enough for me. I haven't utilized Facebook or Myspace yet either.. I suppose I'll have to get into them eventually, though.

All of us can use a helpful business hint once a week. What's yours?
Try to work at something you enjoy, so that it really isn't work at all.

Do you have a "modus operandi" for computing the price of a handmade object? Tell us your formula?
Mostly I look at what other work that I feel equivalent to mine is selling for in local galleries or on the web... and try to stay in that range. Of course, there are a lot of variables with photography... size, matting, framing and all that, so I have quite a wide price range depending on the presentation.

We'd love to see your little corner of the world, where you create.
The answer to that is to look at my photos! It's much different than being a studio artist or designer... When I'm out shooting, I get to experience some of the most amazing, beautiful and isolated locations anyone could imagine. It's one of the true benefits of landscape photography that I need to make that effort to get out and find places that I would never otherwise see, if I wasn't so compelled to photograph them. Of course I have a work space where I do mounting/matting/framing and store my framed pieces... I guess I could show you a picture of my desk and computer, but neither would be very interesting.

Where do you see your artwork in one year? Any plans in the works?
Of course I'm constantly trying to add to my body of work and expand my audience. I plan to eventually run my own gallery, selling my work along with some complementary work by other artists/crafters; probably in the little mountain village of Idyllwild, CA where my wife and I have a home that we built back around 2000/2001. It's a very "arts-friendly" location, with lots of creative people and we plan to live there full time in the near future. In this current economic climate though, I'm very happy just to be making a living from doing commercial work, which allows me to pursue my photographic art at a comfortable pace and not have to worry every day if I sold something or not.

OK, it’s the storybeader’s turn to pick a favorite. This is very hard for me, because I love so many of them. Here’s one of the first images I saw that Mark had taken. Titled “Fall Saplings” from Utah , 2007.


Posted for the EtsyBloggers team by: storybeader.etsy.com

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