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

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!!

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

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!!!!!!

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!!

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!

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!??!?!

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

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!!

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!!

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!!

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

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

I was really bored at work today and thought it would be fun to see if I could find each letter of the alphabet in items for sale on Etsy. And guess what...I did!! I hope you enjoy this alphabet montage as much as I enjoyed creating it!!
























A – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16193955
B – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16293183
C – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15718114
D – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15849475
E – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16366274
F – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14702149
G – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8664806
H – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16347486
I – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14806088
J – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15069353
K – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10900190
L – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16283116
M – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16035751
N – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16019395
O – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7016722
P – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15143681
Q – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15093866
R – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15084816
S – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16014346
T – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9373154
U – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15074396
V – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12665373
W – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15828222
X – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6162367
Y – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11162394
Z – http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16343700

My rant for the week

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

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

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!!

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!!

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

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

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.

:-)