Gifts, Etc. and Skincandy

BIG NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-07-26T12:47:00.003-04:00

Well, ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, I finally have a date set for the relaunch of Gifts, Etc. On August 1, I will reopen my shop with a ton of new cards, gift tags, and more goodies!! To celebrate the reopening, I will be having a week-long sale! Also, each day I will be having a fun giveaway!! More details about the sale and giveaway will be available closer to Saturday. Be sure to add me on Twitter for even more savings next week!!

http://Twitter.com/ellaofthecinder

My son...a dancing fool!!

2009-04-08T09:46:00.008-04:00

This past weekend, my cousin, Gabe, (finally!) married his girlfriend of 5 years, Jenn. It was such a beautiful wedding, it was outside and the weather was perfect. The reception hall was amazing and the food was delicious! It was also my 2 year old son's first wedding!! And he was fantastic!! After dinner, there was no one on the dance floor so Evan decided to go out there and start dancing...by himself! It was hilarious!! Obviously, everyone started dancing after that and Evan stayed out on the dance floor for 2 hours!! I got a video of him dancing and had to share it with everyone. I can't wait to take him to his next wedding!! Enjoy the video!

BnR Madness...revisited

2009-03-29T11:08:00.002-04:00

Lately, I have a few people as me, "What is a BnR?" Well, I think it's time I revisit a piece I wrote for my blog about 9 months ago. It's called "BnR Madness". I've reworked the piece a little bit to make it a little more current, but all the basics are still in there. I hope this will give new Etsy sellers some answers to their questions about BnRs.
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Have you browsed through the Promotions Forum lately? If you have, then the term BnR has surely been integrated into your Etsy vocabulary. Many people are not sure what this simple, 3 letter term means. As an Etsy seller, a BnR is a fabulous way to get some sales, make new friends, and have a ton of fun! To cut to the chase, BnR stands for “Buy and Replace”. Basically, you make a purchase from any of the shops on the BnR list, and your shop replaces their shop. Once you are on the list, someone can make a purchase from you. It’s that simple. Usually there is just one listmaster who updates the list when a purchase is made.

Now, you may be asking yourself, “Why should I make a purchase just to get one?” That’s what I was asking myself when I first joined Etsy. I just didn’t see the point. Well, one day I decided to see what the hoopla was all about. I made a small purchase from a wonderful little shop I’d never seen before and within a day, someone had made a purchase from me! My “heart views” had also gone up quite a bit and I had more people “heart” my store. I realized that not only did I get a sale, I got traffic to my shop, which in turn leads to more sales.

There are many benefits to participating in BnRs. The most obvious is that you can get some sales. And who doesn’t like getting a sale? J Another one is that you are introduced to many shops you probably wouldn’t have seen had it not been for the BnR. That is especially true in my case. For example, I found a shop in my BnR that sold the cutest little purses. I had to have one…and then another…and then another! I have made 5 purchases from her total and her work is amazing!! .

Another benefit is the chance to interact and connect with such amazingly, talented people. I have made so many Etsy friends in the past few months. I look forward to getting online everyday to talk to all my Etsy pals. We talk about our everyday lives, our newest creations, and even give suggestions to each other for new items.

Of course, as with everything in life, there are a couple of cons with BnRs. Sometimes, you don’t get bought from right away and may be on the list for a while before someone will buy from you. It can be frustrating waiting for a sale, but in the meantime you can chat with the other shops on the list. Another thing is that sometimes the listmaster will be discouraged by lack of sales that they’ll just abandon the list altogether. This is why it is so important that if you buy onto a list that you help promote it. By participating in the thread, you are also getting your shop out there for potential buyers to see.

Something fun that most BnRs do is get a Treasury or Treasury West. Not only do you get the benefit of being in the forum thread, but you also get exposure with a treasury. This also brings in more sales for the BnR. My latest treasury for my BnR actually generated 3 sales in less than 30 minutes!

Speaking of my BnR, I am actually the listmaster for the Rockin’ BnR. I started the BnR on January 1, 2008. Today, the BnR is still going very strong with almost 1000 sales. There are quite a handful of amazing shops that get online everyday to chat in our thread. Some days we are more talkative than others. We have all sorts of fun too. We’ve had special “Happy Hour” promotions, “Guess the Shop” game, and even a scavenger hunt.

Being the listmaster can be hard work (keeping all those shops in line, lol) but I have found it to be truly rewarding. It is just remarkable to see how many sales we’ve had in 14 months. Our total sales average out to be 70 sales a month!! I am soo proud of all the work my fellow Etsians have put into this BnR, making it such a success.

So, if you are a newbie or in need of a few sales, why not take a moment to stop by a BnR. There’s a plethora of them in the Promotions Forum right now. Take a chance with a BnR. You’ll be amazed with what you find. And remember, we would always love to have you come chat with us in the Rockin’ BnR. We totally rock! And you can too! If you'd like to participate in my Rockin' BnR, here is the link! We look forward to "meeting" your shop!

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6097296

WICKED!!!!!!

2009-03-13T02:54:00.004-04:00

Today is THE DAY!!! I will be seeing "Wicked" live on stage in approximately 17 hours!!! I was in college as a theatre major when "Wicked" debuted on Broadway, so obviously we all went nuts over it. I've read the book and it is amazing!! I have every lyric to every song memorized and I know several people who have seen it live in New York. Now, it is on tour and is playing for 3 weeks just 45 minutes north of me. My mom surprised me with 2 tickets for Christmas so I'm taking my little sister with me and we're going to see it. I'm sooo excited...I feel like a kid in a candy shop!! All week, my CD player has been playing nothing but "Wicked". I'm soo crazy about it that I even changed my blog layout and added the soundtrack, so I hope you enjoy listening to it. :-) Anyways, I'd better be headed to bed...I'll post details and pics this weekend!!

"Something has changed within me

Something is not the same

I'm through with playing by the rules

Of someone else's game

Too late for second-guessing

Too late to go back to sleep

It's time to trust my instincts

Close my eyes: and leap!

It's time to try Defying gravity

I think I'll try Defying gravity

And you can't pull me down!"

Top 16...Clock Items!!

2009-03-08T19:35:00.003-04:00

It's been a while since I've done a "Top 16..." list, so I figured it was about time to do one. With the time change occurring today, I thought a "Top 16...Clock Items" would be totally appropriate.

To get to each item, just click the link below.

1st row:

Tick Tock - 8 x 10 Fine Art Photographic Print

The Blue Stripe 13 Inch Clock

Honeycomb Modern Wall clock

Scrabble Tile Art Pendant - BIG BEN CLOCK

2nd row:

Melting Wall Clock

Martini Time

TIME IS MONEY. . . or is that . . . MONEY IS TIME

Desk Clock dependable and accurate

3rd row:

Hearts Delight

What Time is It Pendant

HAND PAINTED MODERN ABSTRACT CHERRY CORDIAL WALL CLOCK

Dump Truck

4th row:

Recycled Retro Clock Colorful Design

Hand Made COLORFUL clock

Burnt Sienna Cabinet Clock

Time to Unwind - A STEAMPUNK TEA PARTY RING

Destash, destash...and more destash!

2009-03-05T22:48:00.002-05:00

That's right, I've got a TON of destash listed right now. In Gifts, Etc., I have some stickers listed that I either overbought or just changed my mind about. I've also deactivated all the listings in my Gifts, Etc. shop for the time being while I am getting ready for my grand re-launch. More details coming soon!

In Skincandy, I've listed almost all my jewelry supplies. I'm closing up this shop, so I've got a lot to sell. There's still plenty I need to photograph and list, so keep on checking back.

Here are the links to my shops. Happy shopping!

http://GiftsEtc.etsy.com

http://Skincandy.etsy.com

It's almost March!??!?!

2009-02-22T19:34:00.005-05:00

I cannot believe how fast February has flown by!! This has been one heck of a month for me. lol I'm in the process of completing reorganizing my craft area and plan on making new items for Gifts, Etc. in the next couple weeks. I've also been photographing my jewelry destash to list starting next month in my Skincandy shop. I'm sad to see it go for now, but I just don't have the time and energy to run 2 shops at the moment.

As far as my personal life goes, can we say woah?? lol Long story short, my boyfriend, Ryan, and I met January 6 and officially got together on January 22. Today is actually our 1 month anniversary! Yippee!! Problem is, he lives in Canada and is going back up there next week. He's asked me and my son to move up there with him and I'm all conflicted now. Should I follow my heart and move to a totally new country where I only know a few people...to a place that has something called seasons and snow...to a place where I can't drive 20 minutes and end up at my sister's house? Or should I stay here and not disappoint my parents by moving their only grandchild far away from them? Somedays I just wish I could wake up 5 years from now so I know what the answers I need today are. I have so much going on in my head that I can't sleep at night. I pray to God that somehow He will give me the answer I need...what do I do?

Anyways, while I rack my brain and stare at the clock counting down the minutes till work is over, I hope you enjoy these pictures. The first is Ryan and me on Valentine's Day and the others are my son, Evan's, 2nd birthday pictures. Enjoy!

A New Year...A New Beginning

2009-02-08T19:22:00.002-05:00

There comes a point in everyone's life where nothing seems to go right. Your whole world seems as if it is crumbling down right around you and there is nothing you can do to stop it. That is what happened to me the past couple months. It wasn't just one thing, it was a whole lotta things. I'm not going to bore you with the details (they are also personal things I'd rather not discuss through my blog) but I will tell you what I have learned.

I ended 2008 on a somewhat sore note. I knew things were crappy in my life and knew I needed to change things and fast. My New Year's Resolution to myself...to be happy. In general, I am a happy person, yes, but with myself, no. I had decided that 2009 was going to be my year. I was finally going to budget my money, feel good about myself and the way I look and stop worrying about finding the perfect man. I told myself to "Let go, let God" because only He knows what will happen. The obstacles He gave me at the end of last year have made me stronger and helped me to believe in myself. I entered 2009 with a smile on my face and a sigh of relief that I will let my past be the past and move forward. And have I moved forward :-)

On January 6, I met him. His name is Ryan and I know I have found the one for me. It is hard to explain, but when you know, you know...you know what I mean? Every day so far this year has been better than I have expected and I never thought I'd start off the year finding the perfect guy for me. We have spent everyday together (except for the 2 last week when I had a nasty stomach virus). We even took my son to Disney World for his 2 year old birthday. Oh yea, my son also turned 2 a couple weeks ago!!

Things are definitely starting to look up for me. From here on out, I will face each day with my head held high and thank God for the challenges I faced last year. Without them, I wouldn't be able to appreciate the gifts I now have.

Another thing I will be improving on this year are my two Etsy shops. I have a whole slew of new items I will be introducing in March. Gifts, Etc. will be undergoing a complete re-haul later this month. However, I have decided to temporarily close my Skincandy store. I just don't have the time and energy for 2 shops right now. I will be selling a whole lotta destash starting in the next few weeks, so be sure to keep an eye out on some great deals. If ever you are interested in a jewelry piece I have in the store now, feel free to email me and I can do a custom order now or in the future.

I am highly looking forward to what God has planned out for me this year. If its anything like the year I've been having so far...then I can't wait. :-)

The Craziest November in History!!

2008-11-28T18:51:00.002-05:00

Hello to everyone! I apologize for not updating at all this month. You know how they say things come in 3s? Well, this month, things seem to come in the 100s for me. lol I have had a lot of things to deal with this month - personal and emotional. I would rather not get into detail about everything, but God has not made November a very easy month for me. With everything that has been going on, I also haven't been able to devote as much time as needed to my 2 Etsy shops - and I apologize to those who waited a little longer than usual for their orders to arrive. Sometimes things just happen that complicate your life that make the normal everyday things hard to do. One thing is for sure, I am coming out of this month a stronger person. I have shed way too many tears this month and now I need to move past all that has brought me down these past few weeks.

At the moment, I have both my shops on "Vacation Mode". The plan was to have them revamped and ready to reopen today, Black Friday. However, I was not able to finish all I needed to do on time. Therefore, my grand reopening of both shops will take place on Cyber Monday. I will be having a special "Grand Reopening/Cyber Monday Sale" all week!! I'll be posting more details about the sale this weekend.

Once again, I am truly sorry for my lack of blog posts this month. Please, all I ask is that you say a simple prayer that my life gets back on track. I'm hoping that the rest of the year turns out ok.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Black Friday!!

Top 16...Local Artists!!

2008-11-09T16:02:00.002-05:00

This week's Top 16 is all about celebrating local artists. There is soo much talent living right here in the same city as me that I just had to dedicate this Top 16 to them. I was initially inspired by Beccamari's Etsy shop. Her husband is a local photographer who introduced me to her shop. Her shop is a little girl's fantasy land - beautiful paper roses, fun top hats, and whimsical prints.

I hope this Top 16 also inspires you to take a peek at your local artists. You'll be surprised just how much talent lives in your area.

To get to each item, just click the link below.

1st row:

Top Hat Mini

Naples Pier

Leave Only Footprints

Ice Princess High Heel Shoe Sculpture

2nd row:

Dollhouse Miniature Patio Pot with Red Geraniums

Adorable Boutique Tutu Dress fit for a Princess

Lemon Verbena Handmade Soap

Christmas Marshmallow Pops

3rd row:

Fun and Funky Half Apron

Lampwork foil heart and flat drop pendants

Yellow and Blue Flower Bowl

Merisol Earring

4th row:

Captian Jack Sparrow

Nightshades Multi Strand bracelet with Glass Beads and Indian Head Nickel

August Zipper Pouch

Sushi Roll Magnet

Halloween!!

2008-11-01T17:49:00.004-04:00

Happy (belated) Halloween everyone!! Yesterday was just too crazy a day to get online and blog. It seemed like I was doing something the whole day! Let's see...

8 am - Woke up, had breakfast, got Evan in costume
9:30 am - Halloween costume parade at my Mom's preschool
10:30 am - Took Evan to my job to show him off in his costume
11:30 am - Back to the preschool for the Halloween party
12:45 pm - Took Evan to my old job to show him off there
1:30 pm - Went to get Evan's Halloween photos taken
3:00 pm - Evan's nap!! Course, I had a bunch to do, so no nap for me.
6:30 pm - Had to actually wake Evan up from his nap!
7:00 pm - Trick or treating!!
10:00 pm - Went to a club with friends for dancing and drinks
4:00 am - Bedtime!!

Trick or treating was soo much fun with Evan. We went around our neighborhood for about 2 hours. Evan was such a trooper, walking the whole way with his basket full of candy. After we got home and my mom got him ready for bed, I went to do some trick or treating of my own. lol I went out to a club with some friends. I don't really ever go to this particular club and I know why now. The cover was $20!! Grrr....Oh, and the music was terrible. The DJ tried to a do a remix of "Thriller" (a staple Halloween song) and he totally messed it up. I think I'll stick to the club I go to every weekend.

Oh, I ended up changing my costume. I was going to be Minnie Mouse to match Evan's Mickey Mouse costume, but when I changed his to a mechanic (he didn't like the MM costume), I decided to go as a Moulin Rouge dancer. No lie, I looked hott!! lol I'll post pics of me later this weekend when I get them from my friend. In the meantime, enjoy these pics of Evan. Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Pumpkin Patch Festival

2008-10-26T09:50:00.006-04:00

Yesterday, my mom, my sister, and I took Evan to a Pumpkin Patch Festival. We had such a great time! They had little shopping carts for the kids to put their pumpkins in. Evan carefully "examined" all the pumpkins and finally settled on a medium sized pumpkin as well as a teeny tiny one. They also had pony rides, so of course I wanted Evan to take a ride. Course, when I saw the ponies, I joked that I wanted to ride one too. Well, next thing you know, the lady was walking a full size horse my way and asked, "You still want to ride?" lol So, Evan and I took our horse/pony ride together and the pictures came out soo cute!! Evan didn't want to get off the horse, so they let him ride again. After the pumpkin patch, we went and got lunch and then it was time for me to go to work. :-( This afternoon, my sister and boyfriend are coming over to the house and we're going to carve the pumpkin. That should make for some interesting pictures...lol The pic at the bottom is from last year when we carved pumpkins. Enjoy!!

ABCs

2008-10-19T17:25:00.006-04:00

My rant for the week

2008-10-12T00:24:00.003-04:00

I have to vent about something that is driving me crazy!! Have any of you seen the commercials for Busch Garden's "Howl-O-Scream"? Well, if you have, then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. These commercials are showing intense, greusome scenes that make your skin crawl. One of them depicts a man doing the urban legend, Bloody Mary and another features the "Raven Twins". My problem with these commercials are that they are NOT appropriate for children's eyes. The other night while my parents, my 20 month old son, and I were watching a family program on TV around 6:30 pm, one of their commercials came on. Having seen it before and knowing it would spook my son, I quickly changed it. The thing is, that shouldn't happen. My mom is a preschool teacher and she told me one of her student's mother told her that her daughter watched the commercial and cried for almost 20 minutes. If you go to their website, there is actually a disclaimer for the images on their website only! Why can't they do the same thing with their commercials? Or better yet, tame the commercials down? I find it completely irresponsible of the Busch Gardens company to be putting such frightful images on TV before 8 pm, when most children are still watching. I'm soo pissed off about this whole thing, that I don't think I will ever step foot in a Busch Gardens theme park again. Grrrrr....

End of the Year Resolutions

2008-10-11T17:27:00.000-04:00

Like millions of people, I always make New Year's Resolution...which only last about a week. I always have the same resolutions: 1) Lose weight and finally have a positive body image, 2) Get control of my money, 3) Stop being soo lazy!! I get soo frustrated though because I can never keep any of the resolutions. Proof is, I've been making the same three resolutions since I was in high school. This year, I'm doing something different. Instead of making them at the beginning of the year, I'm making them at the end of the year. I want to start off 2009 with a bang!! I want to go into the new year knowing that my resolutions are well under way. I want to finally be confident in my own skin. And who knows? Maybe I won't be single by the end of 2009. lol One can only hope.

To help me with the resolutions, I've purchased the most adorable custom journal from a fabulous Etsy seller, My Sweet Creations 4 You. Inside, I have a checklist of everything I want to accomplish that day. I also have set daily goals for myself. So far, I'm a week into my new resolutions, and I've accomplished everything I set out for myself. I feel so accomplished and I think having a journal to write it all in is really helping. By seeing my goals completed, I can take pride that I am finally doing things to better myself.

1) Lose weight and finally feel better about myself.
I've always been very critical of my weight. My younger sister was always the skinny one in the family. Growing up, she always had the boys clinging to her. She has beautiful long hair, an amazing body, and a fierce personality. Well, I've got her beat on the eyes and smile. :-) But now, I want to be the one with the body...and I'm going to be!! My determination is that I want to walk into her closet and wear her clothes (she's got some amazing clothes!!) I joined a gym back in mid-September. I've put myself on a tough schedule. I'm going 5-6 times a week, doing 1 hour of cardio each time. Also, 3 of those days, I go to a 1 hour cardio/weight training class in addition to my 1 hour of cardio. When I started at the gym, I weighed 154 and now I'm down to 144!! My clothes are already starting to feel lose on me and I've gone from a size 12 to a size 9!! My ultimate goal is a size 5, weighing 130 pounds. I'm also trying to eat healthier and am adding a lot more fiber into my diet. I'm starting to feel soo much better about myself already! I love hearing compliments from my friends that I look skinner. Just wait till they see me in a couple months!!

2) Get control of my money.
I admit it...I have a shopping addiction. lol I just loove shopping!! Well, I'm a single parent paying a bunch of bills, so I've got to stop with the shopping. I make just under $1000 a month, with more than half of it going to student loan bills, car payment and insurance (not to mention gas), diapers, food, etc. etc. To help curb my spending, I've set myself up on a strict budget - $50 a week. I put up a dry erase board calendar and every day, I'm writing what I spent that day. By the end of the month, I want to cross off all the unnecessary purchases so that I can see just how much money I'm wasting each month. Hopefully, this will help me to start saving money so that I can get my own place in the next couple years.

3) Stop being so lazy.
This one is pretty self explanatory. lol Basically, I just really want to help out more in the house. I'm living with my parents right now because I can't afford to move out. I want to pitch in more with the cooking and cleaning. I've decided to make Wednesdays "Cleaning House Day" and Thursdays "Laundry Day". And, I'm doing the dishes every day now.

Wow, that was one crazy long post!! lol Thank you for listening to me go on and on about the changes I need in my life. I know with the support of my friends and family, I can finally accomplish my resolutions. And who knows, maybe this will start a new trend....

What are your End of the Year Resolutions?? Start now and ring in 2009 with a bang!!

Featured Etsian - Lyn Lloyd Designs

2008-10-05T00:19:00.012-04:00

There's nothing like a great banner to really set the mood for your Etsy shop. And that's exactly what you'll get when you take a peek at Lyn Lloyd Designs Etsy shop. Her shop is full of customized banner and matching avatar sets. All of her banners are one of a kind! Here is my interview with Lyn Lloyd Designs.

Who are you?

I'm Carolyn, my nickname is 'Lyn' and the name 'Lloyd' comes from my grandmother. It's her maiden name. I'm a graphic designer, painter, artist, computer lover, tea lover, yoga enthusiast and book lover.

What is your Etsy Shop Name?

Lyn Lloyd Designs

What do you specialize in?

Graphic Design

What do you like best about Etsy?

I get to work from home! :D

Where do you find inspiration for your products?

Sometimes advertisements on tv and around the web, also just from my own art background, and from the shop I'm working for.

What is your favorite item in your shop? Someone else's shop?

I love all of my work, it all just reminds me how far I've come! I also love everything from the shop 'fringe' http://www.fringe.etsy.com/

Best advice you can give to other sellers?

Forums, forums, forums, then blog, blog, blog as well as always be nice to your customers no matter what! Don't argue or post anything about sales or arguments on the forum! Always have good business ethics!

Anything else you'd like to add?

I love what I do and I want to encourage others to, instead of sitting at home dreaming, to get out there and start doing something you love, even if it's small!

Thanks for the great interview Lyn!! Be sure to check out Lyn's shop. With the holidays right around the corner, now is the time to spruce up your shop with a fun holiday banner. :-)

HAPPY CARD MAKING DAY!!

2008-10-04T14:53:00.008-04:00

Today is World Card Making Day. What is this, you may ask? Well, read on...

(Excerpted from worldcardmakingday.com)

WHAT
World Card Making Day is a holiday especially for card makers around the world to:
- Celebrate the creativity of handmade cards and the personal connection that they create between friends and family
- Kick off (and get a head start on) the holiday card-making season

WHEN
The first Saturday of each October, kicking off the holiday card-making season, the most popular time for creating and sharing handmade greetings.

WHO
The card-making community worldwide, including hobbyists, beginning card makers, manufacturers of card-making products, retail sellers of products, educators, and press are invited to come together to celebrate this holiday and creative passion.

WHY
It is a day to connect with fellow card makers both near and far, to applaud the creativity that powers the craft, and to provide an opportunity for card makers to connect and find resources that will empower, inspire, and encourage them in their card making.

So, there you have it!! The pictures are some of my favorites on Etsy. To get to each item, just click the picture. And don't forget to check out my selection of cards as well. :-) In honor of World Card Making Day, EVERY CARD in my shop will have FREE SHIPPING today!! Yippee!! Just wait for a revised invoice before paying.

To find out even more about World Card Making Day, be sure to visit http://worldcardmakingday.com/

Just 3 months left!!

2008-09-25T10:02:00.004-04:00

That's right!! Today is exactly 3 months until Christmas morning! Where the heck did this year go? It seems like I was just planning my son's 1st birthday party (his b-day is January 24) and now I'm already stocking up his Christmas pile and planning his 2nd b-day party!! This year, I'm going to try not to go as overboard as I did last year for Evan's 1st Christmas. He got sooo many toys from me, his Grandparents, and his 6 aunts and 7 uncles. I've already got a bunch of clothes and books for Evan, and a couple Mickey Mouse movies. For myself, I'm asking Santa for an IPod, new clothes, some scrapbooking supplies, and some books.

I'm also planning on doing alot of my Christmas shopping on Etsy this year. I've got quite a few things in my "favorites" that are perfect for Evan, my brother and sister, and my parents. If you are planning on shopping mostly on Etsy this year, may I make a few suggestions? :-) I'm planning on adding a whole bunch of new items to both my shops in the coming weeks.

http://giftsetc.etsy.com/
http://skincandy.etsy.com/

In Gifts, Etc., you can find all sorts of Christmas cards and gift tags. Don't see something you want? Feel free to send me a convo or leave me a message here about a custom order. While you're there, be sure to pick up some Thank you card sets (coming soon!!).

In Skincandy, you will find an array of beautiful handmade jewelry using everything from Swarovski Crystals to semi-precious stones. I also love taking custom orders in this shop as well. Also available, fun and festive Christmas jewelry!!

Be sure to stop by both shops every Saturday. I will be running a SNS, or Saturday Night Special, every Saturday from 5pm till midnight. Pick up some great deals on Saturdays!!

Another great place to shop, is from the Rockin' BnR list!! Right now, we have 29 fabulous shops on the list!! These shops sell some amazing items that would make great Christmas presents. And from now until Sunday, we are running this special:

*****ROCKIN' BnR!!*****
September 21 - September 28

Want to make more than 1 sale from this list? Here's how!!

* Make a purchase of $10 or more in any of the shops and get x2 by your name. You'll get 2 sales before getting kicked off.
* Make a purchase of $20 or more in any of the shops and get x3 by your name. You'll get 3 sales before getting kicked off.

To get to the Rockin' BnR, click follow this link...

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5818291&page=38

Wherever you choose to shop this year, just remember to have fun and try not to stress out too much. After all, Christmas is all about giving and family. And let's not forget the real meaning of Christmas...CHRISTmas. Remember to say Happy Birthday to Jesus this Christmas.

Happy Shopping!!

Finger Painting

2008-09-21T14:41:00.009-04:00

I was going through my old emails today because I had waaay too many and I came across an email my mom sent me almost a year ago. Yes, I'm a pack rat, even when it comes to my email. lol Anyways, I had forgotten abbout this email and was totally surprised when I looked at it today. The pictures are soo amazing!! I just had to share them with all of you. I'm not sure of the artist's name, but in the email it said that it takes him about 4 hours to do each hand!! Wowsers!!

Rants from this week

2008-09-20T18:19:00.007-04:00

I'm not sure why, but alot of little things just ticked me off this week. And of course, I thought I'd share them all with you. lol

1) Snowbirds. I live where it is 90 degrees year round. During the summer months, when it it hottest, all the "Snowbirds" go back up north where its cooler. They then come back down during the "winter" to escape the northern cold. They generally don't begin to show up until October and the way you can tell is when traffic begins to get heavy. Well, traffic got quite heavy this week!! And they always drive sooo slow in the left lane. This was definitely an unwelcome surprise this week. Made me late to work almost everyday! lol

2) Rude Customers. I was at Jo-Ann Fabrics the other day getting some supplies when this lady in front of me just rubbed me the wrong way. First of all, I have worked in retail for almost 10 years!! (I'm currently in my first non-retail job!! Yippee!!) I know what a pain a long line can be and how frustrating it can be. Trust me, I've dealt with all sorts of customer throughout the years. I could tell you horror stories!! Anyways, back to the other day. There was one cashier and 3 people in line, including myself. It really wasn't a long line, but the cashier called for backup anyways...which didn't come right away. While the cashier was ringing up a customer, she answered the store phone. Well, the lady in front of me got all pissed off saying, "Oh, now she's on the phone?? Doesn't she this looong line?" And then she went on to loudly bitch about the cashier. I just wanted to tell that lady, "She is doing her job just fine! She is supposed to answer the phone as well as ring up customers." But, I chickened out and didn't say anything. The thing that really got me, is right as that lady was walking up to the counter, SHE got a phone call on her cell and answered it!! If there is one thing that pisses us cashiers off, its a customer talking on the cell phone while trying to ring them up. Grrr...

3) Sports Bras. It's called a BRA for a reason. You wear it underneath your clothes. Just because it has Sports in front of it doesn't mean it's ok to wear just that and a pair of shorts to the gym. Seriously. Please coverup. It's distracting. (Can you tell what bugged me at the gym today? lol)

End Rant. Thank you for listening.

:-)

Halloween Costumes Already!?!?

2008-09-15T23:52:00.005-04:00

Yes, it's that time of year already. Halloween is right around the corner and I'm soo excited!! My 19 month old son, Evan, is going to be Mickey Mouse for Halloween and I want to go as Minnie Mouse to match him. Problem is, I can't decide which costume I like better. lol Take a peek at both costumes and then vote in my poll in the right column which one is your favorite. Thanks soo much everyone!!

The first one....

The second one...

Breast Cancer Boob Challenge for Charity

2008-09-13T15:46:00.004-04:00

I am participating in a wonderful Challenge for Charity this month on Etsy. It is the Breast Cancer Boob Challenge for Charity. Any shop on Etsy can be a part of it and its soo simple. Just make something new that has anything to do with boobs, pink ribbons, breast cancer, etc. and have it listed by 5pm, September 20. You can have as many items for this challenge as you'd like. For each of those items you sell, all the proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research. Also, you can choose one of those items for a fun little contest! From September 20 through September 28, there will be a thread going on Etsy where everyone can take a peek at all the items and vote for their favorite one! And there's even a prize for the winner!

I encourage everyone to check out this thread. Breast cancer is something that has affected everyone in some way. I don't have any family members with breast cancer, but my father has battled prostate cancer and my grandfather lost his battle with tongue cancer. You don't even have to make an item(s) to participate. Buying any of the items up for this challenge helps out. Every little penny helps. Together, we can make a difference and put an end to Breast Cancer.

To get to the thread on Etsy, just click the pink ribbon above.

Top 16...Fake Food Items!!

2008-09-11T17:17:00.004-04:00

For my latest installment of "Top 16...", I was inspired by Beatblack's Lollipop Necklace. It is just soo cute and looks yummy too. I decided to go with the "Top 16...Fake Food Items". And let me tell you, there sure are a ton of delicious-looking fake food on Etsy. My stomach was growling when I was done putting this together.

To get to each item, click on the link below.

1st row:

Lollilop Necklace

Boutique Polymer Clay Beads (3) FUN SPRINKLE SUMMER ICE CREAM CONES

Gummi Bear Glycerin Soaps

Key Lime Green with Multi Colored Sprinkles Glass Cupcake Necklace

2nd row:

YUMMY LIME POPSICLES Green Stud Post Earrings

Scented Twinkie Charm

Strawberry Cheesecake Bakery Candle

Realistic Fake Cappuccino Faux Coffee For Display

3rd row:

Retro Faux Cupcake Chocolate With White Icing Fake Cupcake

8 Chocolate Chips Cookies

Smores Charm/Pendant Polymer Clay OOAK

Ice Cream Sundae Necklace

4th row:

Chocolate Double Layer Cake, Dollhouse Miniature

donut with chocolate icing and sprinkles hair clip

Macaroons

Faux Fake Food Cheesecake Dripping in Dark Chocolate Syrup

Hurricane Humor

2008-09-09T22:29:00.006-04:00

I've lived in Southwest Florida since I was born. I have been through every hurricane here since 1983. I remember Hurricane Andrew like it was yesterday. I was in the third grade and we missed the first few days of school which, at that age, we loved. Of course, my brother, sister and I were too young to really understand the magnitude of such a huge storm. I'm like a walking reference guide on what you should do to prepare for a hurricane. Thankfully, Hurricane Ike has decided to leave us alone, although we've been getting the outer bands all day. I'm sure we'll get some tomorrow as well. Either way, with all this "hurricane talk", I decided the mood needed to be lightened a little bit. So, I present to you, some hurricane humor. Enjoy!!

Top 10 Reasons Hurricane Season Is Like Christmas:

10. Decorating the house (boarding up windows)

9. Dragging out boxes that haven't been used since last season (camping gear, flashlights)

8. Last minute shopping in crowded stores

7. Regular TV shows pre-empted for "specials"

6. Family coming to stay with you

5. Family and friends from out-of-state calling

4. Buying food you don't normally buy ... and in large quantities

3. Days off from work

2. Candles

And... the number one reason Hurricane Season is like Christmas ...

1. At some point you know you're going to have a tree in your house!

You know you’re from Florida when….

1. You have FEMA’s number on your speed dialer.
2. You have more than 300 ‘C’ and ‘D’ batteries in your kitchen drawer.
3. Your pantry contains more than 20 cans of Spaghetti O’s.
4. You are thinking of repainting your house to match the plywood covering your windows.
5. When describing your gutted house to a prospective buyer, you say it has three bedrooms, two baths and an open air feel to it.
6. Your SSN isn’t a secret, it’s written in Sharpie on your arms.
7. You are on a first-name basis with the cashier at Home Depot.
8. You are delighted to pay $3 for a gallon of regular unleaded.
9. The road leading to your house has been declared a No-Wake Zone.
10. You decide that your patio furniture looks better on the bottom of the pool.
11. You own more than three large coolers.
12. You can wish that other people get hit by a hurricane and not feel the least bit guilty about it.
13. You rationalize helping a friend board up by thinking It’ll only take a gallon of gas to get there and back
14. You have 2-liter coke bottles and milk jugs filled with water in your freezer.*
15. Three months ago you couldn’t hang a shower curtain; today you can assemble a portable generator by candlelight.
16. You catch a 13-pound red fish - in your house.
17. You can recite from memory whole portions of your homeowner’s insurance policy.
18. You consider a vacation to stunning Tupelo, Mississippi.
19. At cocktail parties, women are attracted to the guy with the biggest chainsaw.
20. You have had tuna fish more than 5 days in a row.
21. There is a roll of tar paper in your garage.
22. You can rattle off the names of three or more meteorologists who work at the Weather Channel.
23. Someone comes to your door to tell you they found your roof.
24. Ice is a valid topic of conversation.
25. Your drive-thru meal consists of MRE’s and bottled water.
26. Relocating to South Dakota does not seem like such a crazy idea.
27. You spend more time on your roof then in your living room.
28. You’ve been laughed at over the phone by a roofer, fence builder or a tree worker.
29. A battery powered TV is considered a home entertainment center.
30. You don’t worry about relatives wanting to visit during the summer.
31. Your child’s first words are hunker down and you didn’t go to Ole Miss!
32. Having a tree in your living room does not necessarily mean it’s Christmas.
33. Toilet Paper is elevated to coin of the realm at the shelters.
34. You know the difference between thegood side of a storm and the bad side.
35. Your kids start school in August and finish in July.
36. You go to work early and stay late just to enjoy the air conditioning.*
37. Your garage smells like gasoline.
38. Your more concerned about someone stealing your generator then your car.
39. You get excited when you see a FPL truck in your neighborhood.
40. You get really excited when you see the cable guy.
41. You can create memorable meals with a can of SPAM and one gas burner.
42. You are prepared to wait in line at Starbucks for 2 hours to get a cup of coffee. 43. You flinch when you are introduced to a person named Charley, Frances, Ivan or Jeanne.

My first Blog Award!!

2008-09-05T10:44:00.009-04:00

I am soo excited to say that I have been nominated for my very first Blog Award!! Yippee!! Thank you sooo much to Art for Hair for the nomination. I am beyond delighted to be nominated for the Brilliante Weblog Premio 2008 Award!

As recipient of this award, I get to nominate seven blogs that I think are deserving of it. And here they are!!

1 - Holy Craft

2 - Nature Manipulated
3 - Art 2 the Extreme

4 - Tags and Buttons
5 - Fringies
6 - Pink Roses Glass
7 - Nothing Like It

These are the rules for these winners...

1. The award may be displayed on a winner’s blog.

2. Add a link to the person who you received the award from.

3. Nominate up to seven other blogs.

4. Then add their links to your blog.

5. Add a message to each person that you have passed the award on to in the comments section of their blog.

♥♥♥WIN A PAIR OF SWAROVSKI EARRINGS!!♥♥♥

2008-08-31T19:03:00.002-04:00

Here are the details for my latest contest...

WIN THESE EARRINGS!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7705054

IT'S SIMPLE! HERE'S HOW TO GET YOUR NAME IN THE CONTEST:

1) Make a purchase from either of my shops...

http://Skincandy.etsy.com or
http://GiftsEtc.etsy.com

The total of your purchase is the number of tickets you'll get. (i.e., a $10 purchase will give you 10 chances to win) Purchase from BOTH my shops and your number of tickets will be doubled!

2) Make a purchase from any of the shops on the Rockin' BnR list and get 1 ticket per transaction.

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5786047&page=1

CONTEST RUNS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14th. GOOD LUCK!!

Top 16...Poop Items!!

2008-08-24T00:17:00.013-04:00

To make a long story short, I've had a sort of a "poopy" night. Things didn't go as planned tonight and I ended up home before 11pm!! Oh well. With my poopy mood, I felt inspired to bring you my top 16 "Poop" items on Etsy. To get to each item, just click on the picture. Enjoy!!

New feature!! Top 16...Purses!!

2008-08-20T19:32:00.003-04:00

I've decided to start a new feature in my blog. I want to promote some of my fellow Etsians, but there are sooo many items that I love!! So, I'm going to make a "Top 16..." list once, twice, or more each week!! If you have any ideas for a "Top 16..." list, feel free to comment about it here in my blog.

For my first feature, I've decided to go with my weakness...purses. These are some of my favorites that I've found on Etsy. To get to each purse, click on the link below.

1st row:
Summer striped purse
Meredith - Small Tote with Wood Handles
Padded LAPTOP TOTE BAG in Mod Dots Spa
A-Line Bling - Mint

2nd row:
Go Directly to Jail (large)
Woven Duct Tape Handbag with Pink Flower
Rose Handbag
Peacock Feather Bag

3rd row:
Kleo Slouch Bag
Amy Butlers Morning glories
Pink Cocoa Blossom Tote Bag
The ICKY Bag DUO

4th row:
Marbled green silk-lined clutch bag
the LUCY bag in ginger blossom water lilly green
Beautiful green and pink flowered clutch
GINGER BLOSSOM PURSE

My Apologies...

2008-08-20T18:12:00.003-04:00

I have to apologize for not keeping up with my daily Olympics posts. You see, a lovely lady decided to visit my hometown by the name of Fay. Yes, I'm talking about Tropical Storm Fay. The bitch (pardon my language) decided to land right smack in between my city and the one just north of us. Between getting my house and my work (I work at a tennis club with 38 tennis courts, so we had to take down the nets, etc.) I just didn't have enough time to watch as many events and blog about them as I would have liked. I did, however, make sure I watched Michael Phelps make history with his perfect 8 for 8 gold medals!! Way to go Michael!!

Anyways, Fay came through and we really didn't have all that much damage. One tree in our front yard was knocked over (it was a smallish tree) and we were able to stand it back up and hold it up with wooden posts. We lost power for about 15 hours. My 2 year old did not like it one bit. Every morning, I let him watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, his favorite show...and the only one I let him watch. When he woke up yesterday and he couldn't watch it, oh the puppy lip that boy made. lol Our generator also decided to take the day off, so we had no power until about 8 pm, right as I was putting Evan to sleep.

Things are back to normal today, although it is blistering hot outside today. But, at least we finally got some rain!!

2008 Beijing Olympics - Day Three

2008-08-12T17:31:00.007-04:00

Another day, a whole lot more medals. Here is my take on what I watched.

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Women's Preliminary Beach Volleyball - Walsh/May-Treanor (United States) vs Fernandez Grasset/Larrea Peraza (Cuba)

This beach volleyball game ended almost as soon as it started. The Americans crushed the Cubans in a mere 36 minutes!! Walsh/May-Treanor are always a fun team to watch. They dive for the ball with such determination and some of the plays are totally thrilling. These ladies are also unstoppable, having now one 103 games in a row! Completely unheard of in beach volleyball. I definitely see this team clenching the gold medal, thus defending their title.

Men's Team Final - Gymnastics

After both Paul and Morgan Hamm had to drop out of the Olympics due to injuries, many people didn't think the Americans stood a chance in medaling. Well, that's all these boys needed to fuel their fire. The Americans blew everyone away with such spectacular and clean performances that they managed to take home the bronze medal. This was a very deserved medal for the guys who, led by Jonathan Horton, kept the Chinese men on their toes all night. At one point, about halfway during the rotations, the Americans were actually leading. I loved watching the guys celebrate after winning the bronze medal. They didn't look upset at all about not getting the gold, but they sure did party like they did. Congrats boys!!

Men's 200m Freestyle Final - Michael Phelps, gold medal

What would a day be like where Michael Phelps didn't win a gold medal? Or set a new world record? Well, so far he has done just that every day of these Olympics. This time, he won it in the same event that he took home bronze while in Athens. This time he takes the gold and a new world record. Winning this event, Michael is now tied with some of the greats - Carl Lewis, Larysa Latynina, Mark Spitz - for the most gold medals. His biggest goal right now is to continue winning gold medals (8 in total) to take down the record set by Mark Spitz in the 1972 Munich Games (7 gold medals). Michael has 2 races tonight, the 200 butterfly and the 800 free relay, in which he is the heavy favorite to win in both. Best of luck Michael!

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Ta-Ta for now folks! Be sure to keep checking back everyday for my take on the Olympics.

Go TEAM USA!!

2008 Beijing Olympics - Day Two

2008-08-11T22:25:00.012-04:00

Day Two of the Olympics and what a day it was!! Lots of excitement! Here's my take on the events I watched today.

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Men's Preliminary Basketball - United States vs China

I've never been a huge fan of basketball until this past season's finals, with the Lakers and the Celtics. My boyfriend, Robert, got me totally hooked on the sport, so when I saw that this game was on, I couldn't miss it! Nor could I miss the 7 ft, 6 in tall Yao Ming. Damn! That is one tall man! The game was quickly claimed by the Americans,with a final score of 101 to 70. The game was a huge loss for China, who have been buzzing about this game ever since Beijing was announced the host country.

Women's Qualification Gymnastics

Women's Gymnastics is one of my favorite events to watch. The tumbling, the flying through the air, all the hair glitter, I just love every aspect of it. This year's team is being led by 16 year old, Shawn Johnson. An unfortunate ankle injury kept one of their gymnasts on the sidelines, but the girls still did a fabulous job representing Team USA. A couple little mistakes on the floor exercise and uneven bars, but all in all, very strong performances from all the girl.

Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay Final - America, Gold Medal

Oh. My. God. This was literally, the most incredible race I have ever seen. That most people have seen, I think. Before the start of the race, the French team, who were favored to win this race, talked some smack about the American team, saying, "We are going to smash the Americans. That's what we came here for". During the race, especially after the last turn, I thought America was going to take the silver medal. But in the last 30 or so meters, Jason Lezak got an extra burst of energy and "smashed" the French. Michael Phelps' and Garret Weber-Gale's reaction to the win was just priceless!! Yelling and jumping into the air like 2 wild beasts. A well deserved and amazing win for the Americans. Michael Phelps continues his quest of getting 8 Gold Medals.

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That's all from me today!! Sweet dreams everyone...until tomorrow...

Go TEAM USA!!

2008 Beijing Olympics - Day One

2008-08-10T23:07:00.008-04:00

The 2008 Beijing Olympics started of with a bang!! I have been watching as many events as I can and everyday, I'll make a post about the events I watched that day, starting with Day One, August 9.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Women's Preliminary Volleyball - Japan vs United States

The first event I watched was the first game for the US Women's volleyball team. It was a close game, but the US team took the win. They won 3 sets to Japan's 1 set, with an end result of 95 to 85. Very exciting game that my son enjoyed while eating french toast and eggs for breakfast. :-)

Women's Individual Sabre - JACOBSON Sada (USA) vs ZAGUNIS Mariel (USA)

Yes, that does say USA vs USA. This was the Gold Medal Match and it came down to 2 Americans. I don't really understand this sport much, but it was interesting to watch. Mariel Zagunis was able to defend her Gold Medal from Athens by winning this match.

Women's Preliminary Beach Volleyball - Walsh/May-Treanor (United States) vs Teru Saiki/Kusuhara (Japan)

During the Athens Olympics, this dynamic duo was unstoppable!! Since then, they have gone on to win 101 games in a row!! And, like those other games, these girls won this one as well!! They played on, despite the light rain and humid conditions. I look forward to these ladies winning gold again.

Men's 400m Individual Medley Final - Michael Phelps, Gold Medal

Michael Phelps is off to a good start, winning his first of (hopefully) 8 gold medals. During this race, he also set a new world record, 4:03:84. This was one of Michael's hardest races and he made it seem like a piece of cake. I can't wait for Michael's 7 other races and watching him win gold in all of them!!

Men's Qualifying Gymnastics

I didn't get to watch much of this event (unfortunately) because I was driving home from work when they started. From what I did see, the US Men's Gymnastics team is off to a great start! Always an exhilarating sport to watch, this year's US team is made up of all Olympic-newbies, but they all seemed like old pros.

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Well, that's all I watched on Saturday. A fantastic start to what will be a phenomenal Summer Olympics! Keep checking back every evening for a new blog post about that day's event.

Go TEAM USA!!

Olympic Sale!!

2008-08-09T23:49:00.002-04:00

In honor of the Olympics, why not have a sale? I'm currently running a sale in both my Etsy shops, August 8 - August 24. Click the links below to go directly to my "Olympic Sale" sections to find some great deals on everything from jewelry to greeting cards. I have a lot of new items I am working on right now and will start to list them next week. So, I need to start clearing out some merchandise. If you make a purchase from both of my shops, I will adjust the shipping and refund you the difference. Happy shopping!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5590465&section_id=5572009 (GiftsEtc)

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5376487&section_id=5566322 (Skincandy)

2008 Beijing Olympics - Opening Ceremonies

2008-08-09T23:00:00.008-04:00

The world of sports is buzzing with excitement. 08-08-08 was the beginning of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. I am not a huge fan of sports, but whenever the Olympics come around, you'd think otherwise. From the start of the opening ceremonies, to the conclusion of the 17 day event, I am glued to the TV, watching every moment of every competition that I can watch. This year is no different. My son, although just 18 months old, watched some of the opening ceremonies with me Friday night...and was late going to bed by an hour. lol It was amazing to share the excitement with him. He doesn't realize what's going on, but his eyes just lit up when the fireworks lit up the night sky in Beijing.

The opening ceremonies this time were just spectacular!! The 2008 drummers in the beginning (my son's favorite part) were mind boggling. And the 2008 (noticed how they used 2008 performers for each segment?) martial arts masters were completely in sync with each other, making for a breathtaking show. Another part I really enjoyed was watching the performers use their bodies to "paint" on a scroll!! What a sight!! The highlight, as it always is, was watching the lighting of the torch. Li Ning, a former Chinese Gymnastics star, was lifted in the air and "ran" sideways around a screen at going around the top of the North Stadium.

Another highlight for me during this opening ceremony was when the Chinese team walked in. Yao Ming, a star basketball player, lead the Chinese team into the stadium and beside him was the cutest little boy. At first, I assumed it was his son, but while listening to the commentary, I found out he was actually a survivor of the horrific earthquake that happened back in May. He is "nine-year-old Lin Hao, a pupil from the area of China's Sichuan province hit by an earthquake who helped to rescue his classmates from the rubble of their school." (http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/aug2008/2008-08-09-01.asp) This little boy was soo adorable and such an inspiration!!

The opening ceremonies have come and gone, but the compeitions are well under way. I'm currently watching the women's 4 x 4 relay and the Americans just took second place. I'll be watching evey night...with many more Olympic blog posts to come. :-)

Go TEAM USA!!!

Disney Vacation!!

2008-07-30T19:27:00.016-04:00

Well, I think it's about time I update my blog. Been almost 2 weeks since I got home from Disney World. So here goes...
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My mom, my 17 month old son Evan, and I drove up to Orlando to visit my brother and sister. We stayed 4 days and had a great time! We stayed at my brother's new house with his roommate, Quinn. The house was amazing!! A typical bachelor pad, but the neighborhood looked like a really nice family neighborhood, the kind of place where you'd want to raise a family. On Monday, we went to Downtown Disney. We spent a couple of hours going through all the shops and then had dinner back at my sister and her boyfriend's apartment. Poor Evan spent his second night in a row staying up waay past his bedtime. On Tuesday, we had planned on being at Disney at 9 am when it opened, but we woke up late and didn't get there till 11 am. It was hot and crowd, but we're old Disney pros, so we knew how to handle it. lol I expected Evan to be just crazy - running around, grabbing onto everything, just getting into any kind of trouble that he could. Well, to my shock and surprise, he was a perfect angel!! He never once complained about being in his stroller and even took a nap!! Course, he fell asleep while waiting in line for "It's a Small World" and then slept through the whole thing! My sister, Mom and I had to endure the ride for the bazillionth time in our life. lol Evan loved Cinderella's Carousal and the Pooh Bear ride. And when he saw Mickey Mouse, he smiled the biggest smile I've ever seen on him! Ok, I'm a Pooh Bear fan myself and I even have his room decorated in all Pooh. Well, the first time he saw Mickey on TV, that was it. He was hooked! It's been everything Mickey since then. Seeing Evan's face light up when he saw Mickey and Minnie standing there waiting for him definitely made my day. It was the highlight of the entire trip. Course, after that it decided to rain, so we left early. We actually decided to go to dinner at Bongo's in Downtown Disney. All I'm going to say is that it wasn't the best place to eat in the world. I'm a Cuban and I didn't enjoy their version of Cuban food at all. Ok, enough dissing. lol My brother and his gf, my sister and her bf, and I all went back to the Magic Kingdom after dinner to watch the fireworks (which were amazing!!) and go on some of the rides. We watched the Spectro Magic Parade and Cinderella waved to me!! (I'm the biggest Cinderella freak ever!! lol) And then the Prince blew me a kiss!! I thought I had died and gone to heaven. lol Anyways, the next day we spent 6 1/2 hours at Ikea. Evan was a little cranky that did, but at least he took a nap in the shopping cart! And the next day we drove home. :-( All in all, we had a great time and were exhausted by the time we got home.

SUPER DUPER 2 DAY SALE!!!

2008-07-10T12:49:00.002-04:00

If you couldn't already tell by my countdown, I'm taking my son, Evan, 17 months old, to Disney World on Tuesday - his first time to see the Mouse!! And yes, my son is quite the Mouse freak. lol To help offset the cost of gas, which is just crazy high right now, I've decided to have a 2 day Super Duper Sale in both my shops:

http://giftsetc.etsy.com/

http://skincandy.etsy.com/

Here is the sale:

*****SUPER SPECIAL 2 DAY SALE!! ENDS FRIDAY!!*****

YOU CHOOSE THE SALE THAT YOU WANT!! PLEASE MENTION WHICH SALE YOU'D LIKE IN MESSAGE TO SELLER AND WAIT FOR REVISED INVOICE BEFORE PAYING.

SALE #1 - FREE SHIPPING ON ENTIRE ORDER

SALE #2 - BUY ONE AT FULL PRICE, GET ONE 50%

SALE #3 - 20% OFF TOTAL PURCHASE

Happy Shopping!!

My brand new treasury!!

2008-07-06T19:08:00.003-04:00

I got a treasury today that I really loove!! It features all sorts of items using the same fabric. Kleo, by Alexander Henry. I was first introduced to this fabric by my friend, Barb, who runs 2 shops on Etsy. I purchased the cutest little purse from her that used this fabric. When she started making grocery bag dispensers, I knew I had to have one in the same fabric as well.

I hope you enjoy this treasury as much as I loved making it. Feel free to leave a comment on the treasury by clicking on the image below. Enjoy!!

And the winner is...

2008-07-06T18:18:00.006-04:00

Thank you to all who participated in my very first blog contest! The results from the poll are as follows:

"Which Disney Princess is your favorite?"

Belle - 5 votes (25%)

Ariel - 5 votes (25%)

Cinderella - 4 votes (20%)

Jasmine - 3 votes (15%)

Sleeping Beauty - 2 votes (10%)

Snow White - 1 vote (5%)

Mulan - 0 votes (0%)

The contest was alot of fun, seeing who all everyone chose and why. To choose the winner, I used a website that automatically selects one name from all those who entered. And the winner is...drum roll please...

Lara from http://lara514.etsy.com/ !!!

Congratulations Lara! You have won a $10 gift certificate to either of my shops, your choice!

http://skincandy.etsy.com/

http://giftsetc.etsy.com/

Thank you to all who participated!! Keep checking back for more contests!! Or sign up for my mailing list (in the left column) and find out first when I'm having contests, sales and new items listed.

Don't forget, there's a princess in all of us!! May we all have our happily ever after!!

TREASURY TIME!!

2008-06-29T09:36:00.006-04:00

I'm currently in 2 treasury wests! Yippee! They are both for the Rockin' BnR, which you can get to by clicking here.

The first treasury is by PinkRosesGlass. She featured items from both my shops. Thanks Judy!!

Click on treasury image to go directly to treasury.

The other treasury I created. :-) Here it is. Click on treasury image to go directly to treasury.

New Poll! New Contest!!

2008-06-27T00:36:00.003-04:00

I've decided to start having a little bit of fun with the polls on my blog. If you vote in my poll, comment here that you did, what your vote was, and a way for me to contact you. When the voting closes, I will randomly select one of the voters and they will receive a $10 Gift Certificate to either of my shops!! Winner's choice!! So, what have you got to lose? :-)

http://GiftsEtc.etsy.com
http://Skincandy.etsy.com

This week's poll is "Which Disney Princess is your favorite?" I'm in super Disney mode right now because I'm taking my 17 month old to Disney World for the first time in a couple weeks. I must be crazy taking a toddler to Disney in the middle of July. lol

Featured Etsian - Art for Hair

2008-06-25T12:16:00.008-04:00

I never know what to do with my hair. I usually just pull it back into a ponytail but I recently came across this wonderful little shop, Art for Hair. Their shop has the prettiest hair sticks and hair forks. They even sell some really nice earrings! The craftsmanship on these hair sticks is just remarkable. I can't wait to get some funds so I can try them out for myself. :-) Here is my "interview" with Art for Hair.

Who are you?

Jon and Lindsey Wedemeyer - a husband and wife team from central Florida.

What is your Etsy shop name?

http://Artforhair.etsy.com

What do you specialize in?

We make hand-carved wooden hair sticks, decorated with glass beads, Swarovski crystals, semi-precious stones and pearls. We also hand-carve hair forks, and make coordinating earrings.

What do you like best about Etsy?

How you can find almost anything you could think of hand-crafted rather than mass-produced! Also the stunning art, friendships from the forums and ability to shop locally. It's so inspiring to see how people are setting up their own businesses and producing wonderful art.

Where do you find inspiration for your products?

Colors in nature and from ancient Japanese hair jewelry.

What is your favorite item in your shop? Someone else's shop?

From our shop, it would have to be our Amethyst Glass Hair Sticks http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12046228

From someone else's shop, this print by bndesigns:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11103965
It's really hard though, there are so many beautiful items in other people's shops! One could easily spend all day looking at other people's wonderful shops :)

Best advice you can give to other sellers?

Keep promoting your shop, have a website outside Etsy, try to list every day, have a blog, and most importantly, don't get discouraged when it's slow!

Anything else you'd like to add?

We have an opening special right now - free pair of earrings with any hair stick or fork purchase before the end of the month! Don't worry if you haven't used hairsticks/forks before, they all come with instructions, as long as your hair is shoulder-length or longer you'll be able to use them!

Thanks for the fabulous interview, Art for Hair! Check out their shop here http://Artforhair.etsy.com and their blog here http://artforhair.blogspot.com

New listings in my shop!!

2008-06-24T22:17:00.006-04:00

Just got finished listing 9 new items in my shop, including the debut of my Scrabble Tile Magnets!! My son decided to take a 3 hour nap today so I was able to finish alot of new items. I've also got some other projects in the works which will be posted soon. Here are my new items. For more information on any item or to purchase an item, just click on the picture and it will take you directly to that item in my shop.

4th of July Patriotic Hat Gift Tags

Set of 5 Flower Power Business Card Envelopes

Flip-Flop Mini Gift Tags

Boy's Toys Mini Gift Tags

Sports Themed Mini Gift Tag s

Pretty Flower Mini Gift Tags

Glittery Flower Mini Gift Tags

Initial Scrabble Tile Magnets

Set of 3 Blue Bejeweled Scrabble Tile Magnets

Featured Etsian - StudioJ Cards

2008-06-22T18:04:00.005-04:00

To show my love and support of fellow Etsians, I've decided to start featuring some of my favorite shops in my blog. The first shop I am featuring is a shop I've always admired, StudioJ Cards. Her wonderful cards and mini thank you cards are so unique and beautifully hand crafted. Her mini thank you cards would be great to send out with your orders. She also makes fun pins, pendants, and magnets. Here is a little "interview" I had with StudioJ Cards.

Who are you?

Julie Pierce

What is your Etsy Shop Name?

StudioJCards.etsy.com

What do you specialize in?

Greeting Cards and Note Cards

What do you like best about Etsy?

I love the forums and all the friends I have made! The ability to find almost anything Handmade, not mass produced in a 3rd world country.

Where do you find inspiration for your products?

Color, Life, Dreams!

What is your favorite item in your shop? Someone else's shop?

From my shop, hmm my favorite item that is currently for sale... Probably this card http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7865794.
From some one else's shop, that's hard, I have a lot of hearts given out... As I browse my hearts I would have to say this: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12594648 and SolSisters shop owner lives in the same city as I do and we have met, she is a great handbag artisan!

Best advice you can give to other sellers?

PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE any way you can!

Anything else you'd like to add?

Anyone who reads this and follows it to my shop, and buys- gets 20% off your order (refunded if paid thru paypal or invoiced to show discount thru RME) Use Promo Code: GiftsEtc Thanks for visiting!

Thanks for a great interview StudioJ Cards!! Check out her shop here
http://studiojcards.etsy.com/ and her blog here http://studiojcards.blogspot.com/

Brand Spankin' New Listings!!

2008-06-21T18:53:00.007-04:00

Phew, I was busy tonight! Listed a total of 9 new cards in my shop, GiftsEtc. I have a lot of other new items, including gift tags and mini gift tags, still to photograph and list. Those will be up by the end of the week. Besides all that, I'm also working on a bunch of things for my upcoming, "Christmas in July" sale. That's right, I said it CHRISTMAS!! Can you believe its just 6 months away?? More information will be coming up about that sale in about a week. On to tonight's listings!! Click on title to be taken directly to my shop where you can purchase these cards. :-)

Pink and Brown Stripe Gratitude Card

Pretty Pink and glittery flower Card

Pretty Flower and Crystal Card

Gratitude Flower Card

Shimmery Butterfly Card

Butterfly Card with sparkly crystals

Purple Striped Card with Yellow and White Flower

Butterfly Gratitude Card

My son...the next Rocky Balboa

2008-06-20T23:10:00.007-04:00

I know boys are supposed to be rough and tough, and let me tell you, my little boy definitely is rough and tough. He's almost 17 months old but he can run, walk, climb and fall down like he was 5 years old. Today he took quite a spill that I must tell everyone about. Evan loves his balls. No, not those balls. lol Beach balls, basketballs, bouncy balls...those kinds of balls. Anyways, he was laying on his beach ball like he always does, when it slipped out from underneath him and he hit the corner of his eye on a wood chest.
Poor kid cried for a few minutes but was ok when he saw Mommy break out the container of Italian Ice. lol Always makes him feel better. It bled a little bit this morning and by the time I put him to bed, it looked sooo purple!! It'll definitely make a cute scrapbook page! :-)

THE PRESIDENT WAS IN MY HOMETOWN TODAY!!!

2008-06-20T22:56:00.001-04:00

No joke, President George Bush was in Naples, Florida today where I live!! His helicopter landed in the football field of the middle school across the street of my mom's preschool...and we were there when it happened! Well, my mom was, I was on my way there. I just saw the helicopter. lol But my mom and some of the other teachers at her school saw him in the limo when he drove by!!

Here's the news link about it...

http://www.winknews.com/news/local/20605099.html

I'm a guest writer!!

2008-06-19T19:38:00.001-04:00

Yippee! NatureManipulated posted my BnR entry in her blog! Take a look!!

The Craft of Giving (by Guest Writer, Christy)

2008-06-19T12:12:00.002-04:00

This piece was written by Christy, an Etsy seller with a passion for helping other people. I must say, reading this definitely opened my eyes up. She introduces a side to Etsy I'm not sure most people are aware of.

Be sure to stop by her shop, Sticks and Stamps, your "one stop shop for paper crafts, hand knits and anything else I decide to create on a whim". Christy has some beautiful cards, adorable booties for babies, and very clever card organizers. Check out her shop! http://craftyconservative.etsy.com

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The Craft of Giving

For hundreds of years women have been using craft as a means to help raise money and awareness for charity. From quilt raffles to bake sales, countless lives have been touched by homemade goods. All it takes is a resourceful person to turn something made with love into resources for a deserving charity.

My interest in the craft of giving has increased even more since I have found a cause that I feel passionate about. It has raised my awareness of all the many ways that crafters are making a difference. If I'm looking for a gift, I prefer to purchase something that I love that supports a cause that I love.

Etsy users have banded together to use the site to raise money for a variety of charities. EtsyForCharity is a store devoted to raising money for different charities. This month all proceeds benefit UNICEF.

Most of the stores that are using their items for charity use specific tags for the searches. Feel passionate about breast cancer? You might find something like this pendant. Are you like me and support autism related charities? Check out this bracelet. Proceeds from this item go to a charity that funds teachers salaries in Zambia. How about some yarn for HIV awareness? What have you found?

Sometimes your craft can be your donation. Project Linus, Afghans for Afghans, and Warm Up America are just a few of those charities that accept handmade items. Most of these charities have specific guidelines for donations so if you are interested in contributing, please check before sending items that they will not be able to use.

For me, personally, being able to raise money for Autism Speaks and other autism related charities has given me some peace of mind in knowing that while I may not be able to control the autism, I can control what I do about it.

Next time you shop, try shopping with a cause and support the craft of giving.

BnR Madness!!!

2008-06-19T11:59:00.008-04:00

I wrote this piece for another blog, http://naturemanipulated.blogspot.com/ but thought I'd also post it in mine as well. Be sure to stop by her shop! She has beautiful portraits and jewelry - http://naturemanipulated.etsy.com/

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Have you browsed through the Promotions Forum lately? If you have, then the term BnR has surely been integrated into your Etsy vocabulary. Many people are not sure what this simple, 3 letter term means. As an Etsy seller, a BnR is a fabulous way to get some sales, make new friends, and have a ton of fun!
To cut to the chase, BnR stands for “Buy and Replace”. Basically, you make a purchase from any of the shops on the BnR list, and your shop replaces their shop. Once you are on the list, someone can make a purchase from you. It’s that simple. Usually there is just one listmaster who updates the list when a purchase is made.

Now, you may be asking yourself, “Why should I make a purchase just to get one?” That’s what I was asking myself when I first joined Etsy. I just didn’t see the point. Well, one day I decided to see what the hoopla was all about. I made a small purchase from a wonderful little shop I’d never seen before and within a day, someone had made a purchase from me! My “heart views” had also gone up quite a bit and I had more people “heart” my store. I realized that not only did I get a sale, I got traffic to my shop, which in turn leads to more sales.

There are many benefits to participating in BnRs. The most obvious is that you can get some sales. And who doesn’t like getting a sale? J Another one is that you are introduced to many shops you probably wouldn’t have seen had it not been for the BnR. That is especially true in my case. For example, I found a shop in my BnR (which I will discuss later) that sold the cutest little purses. I had to have one…and then another…and then another! I have made 5 purchases from her total and her work is amazing!! .

Another benefit is the chance to interact and connect with such amazingly, talented people. I have made so many Etsy friends in the past few months. I look forward to getting online everyday to talk to all my Etsy pals. We talk about our everyday lives, our newest creations, and even give suggestions to each other for new items. One Etsy friend of mine encouraged me to open up my second shop this past February, and I have had over 130 sales in just that shop!!

Of course, as with everything in life, there are a couple of cons with BnRs. Sometimes, you don’t get bought from right away and may be on the list for a while before someone will buy from you. It can be frustrating waiting for a sale, but in the meantime you can chat with the other shops on the list. Another thing is that sometimes the listmaster will be discouraged by lack of sales that they’ll just abandon the list altogether. This is why it is so important that if you buy onto a list that you help promote it. By participating in the thread, you are also getting your shop out there for potential buyers to see.

Something fun that most BnRs do is get a Treasury or Treasury West. Not only do you get the benefit of being in the forum thread, but you also get exposure with a treasury. This also brings in more sales for the BnR. My latest treasury for my BnR actually generated 3 sales in less than 30 minutes!

Speaking of my BnR, I am actually the listmaster for the Rockin’ BnR. I started the BnR on January 1, 2008. Today, the BnR is still going very strong with over 550 sales and 2 treasuries currently. There are quite a handful of amazing shops that get online everyday to chat in our thread. Some days we are more talkative than others. We have all sorts of fun too. We’ve had special “Happy Hour” promotions, “Guess the Shop” game, and even a scavenger hunt.

Being the listmaster can be hard work (keeping all those shops in line, lol) but I have found it to be truly rewarding. It is just remarkable to see how many sales we’ve had in 6 months. Our total sales average out to be 100 sales a month!! I am soo proud of all the work my fellow Etsians have put into this BnR, making it such a success.

So, if you are a newbie or in need of a few sales, why not take a moment to stop by a BnR. There’s a plethora of them in the Promotions Forum right now. Take a chance with a BnR. You’ll be amazed with what you find. And remember, we would always love to have you come chat with us in the Rockin’ BnR. We totally rock! And you can too!

If you'd like to participate in my Rockin' BnR, here is the link! We look forward to "meeting" your shop!

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5687758&page=11

Want to be featured in this blog??

2008-06-16T19:28:00.001-04:00

I'd love to start featuring some Etsy sellers on my blog. There are 2 ways I'm going to do this -

1) Each week, I will have 1 seller that I "interview" and feature in my blog. I will also promote this seller in my BnR for the whole week!

2) I will also feature 1 or 2 articles written by my fellow Etsians in my blog. The subject matter is up to you, as long as it is Etsy-related.

Leave a comment here if you are interested in either or both. If I choose your shop, I will send you a convo via Etsy. Thanks and best of luck!

Time to Yart!!

2008-06-13T22:08:00.007-04:00

I know this is a couple days late, but my Yart Sale has officially begun! Huge discounts on some super cute items!! I'm having the sale in both of my shops, so check them out!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5590465&section_id=5475462
(Gifts, Etc.)

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5376487&section_id=5483870
(Skincandy)

For a looong list of Yart Sale Shops, click on this link. They're categorized too!! If you are having a Yart Sale in your Etsy shop and would like to be added to this list, please leave a comment or convo me with your shop name and category or categories you'd like to be added to.

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5664976

YART Sale!!

2008-06-08T18:38:00.003-04:00

This year on Etsy starts the First Annual Kickoff to Summer YART Sale!! The sale begins Wednesday, June 11 and runs through Friday, June 20. During this time, many shops, including mine, will have items with super discounts!! I will be starting to post my YART sale items later this evening. To take a look at my sale, click this link...
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5590465&section_id=5475462

For more information about the YART Sale, or to have your shop participate in it, click this link...
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5653370&page=14

Welcome!

2008-06-08T17:17:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my blog! I'm still new to the whole "blogging" thing, so please bare with me. I'm hoping to use this blog to promote my shop as well as some of the other fabulous sellers on Etsy.

In my shop, I sell handmade greeting cards, gift tags, matchbook notebooks, business card envelopes, and more in the works! I also sell diecuts and punchouts that can be used in scrapbooks and your own handmade creations. Along with the paper crafts, you will also find some of my photography. These photographs have been taken right in my front yard!!

Thank you for taking the time to look at my blog. To get to my shop, just click this link.

http://GiftsEtc.etsy.com