Antique Button Pendant Giveaway!!!

I am holding a Give-away contest featuring this Antique Button Pendant (value $31.00). The pendant consists of a dyed and carved antique mother of pearl button from the 1800's paired with an antique dyed plain mother of pearl button. As an accent, a cultured pearl has been worked into the design. The pendant looks great on any type of necklace (chain, fiber, cording, etc) and goes with just about anything...from elegant to casual jeans. The buttons were wired together, so rest assured, no harm has been done to the buttons. This way, they retain thier value :] The pendant measures a 1 3/4" long and 1" wide.

Now, here's what you have to do. You don't have to do any extra clicking to my Etsy shop (unless you want to so that you can see more pendants). All I want you to do is post a comment telling me briefly something that made you smile yesterday, yesterday being the day before you stumbled on this page. Be sure to leave your email address in the post so that I can contact you if you win. That's it. Simple. When the giveaway ends, I will feed the number of posts into random.org to generate the winner. Winner will be posted here on Sunday, March 1, 2009 and I will email them.

Giveaway Ends Saturday, February 28, 2009 at 12 midnight Pacific Time!!

Good luck!

Stop Pulling Your Hair Out......Feature Software

I will admit...one of the hardest things in creating jewelry to sell on Etsy is the paperwork, inventory and pricing. I have found this great software to help you with all these daunting tasks!


This fantastic program, available at BEAD MANAGER PRO, eases the tasks required so that you have more time to design and create. This software allows you to input all your bead inventory...all the way down to wire, thread and clasps. When you design and create a piece, input the materials you used, set your labor cost, and this software automatically comes up with three suggested prices for that particular piece (wholesale, direct and suggested retail). This is so fantastic because pricing pieces has to be one of the hardest parts of running your business. What are my creations worth? With this software, you will not have a shadow of a doubt. Not only that, but you can insert a picture of the finished piece for permanent record, as well as a tab to include your assembly instructions. Now you will never forget how you created that awesome piece! Now, you can be sure you offer fair prices and at the same time, be sure you charge what the piece is actually worth...no more underselling. The above picture shows a sample of the inventory screen where you input your supplies as you purchase them. I will admit that it took a couple weeks for me to get my existing inventory in the program, but as long as you enter them as you get them from there, it is quite managable!


Taking care of paperwork is another daunting task that Bead Manager Pro simplifies. With this software, you can keep customer lists, create invoices, create labels and catalogs of your pieces, and even keep track of pieces you have out on consignment.

The price is quite reasonable and well worth it....and the best part is that if you are a legal business, this software is a tax write-off! No need to wait for a CD to install, this program is an instant download so you can get to work right away inputting your inventory! With your download, you also get several free e-books to help your business.

Click ***HERE**** for more information about this great software. How lucky us beaders' are that someone took the time to develop this amazing software! I have sworn by it for the last year...it's one of the best investments I've made for my business!

Are You Ready for a Craft Show?

If you are a crafter, and you craft to sell, eventually this will be one question that will cross your mind. There are several things you may want to tick off your list before you can honestly answer that question:

1) Do you have enough product?
There is only one thing worse than selling out of everything you have before the weekend is even close to being over. That is having people pass right by your booth because you have hardly anything there. I have seen it happen...as well as the look of despair on the crafter as they watch everyone just walk on by. If you are renting a 10 x 10 space, you will need alot of things to fill it up. Before you can honestly make that decision, draw out a 10 x 10 space on your driveway or garage floor. Set up your tables and set out your stuff. Take a step back and honestly ask yourself..."Would I stop here?" If you can do this without raiding your Etsy stash, you can tick this one off.
***Note on this***
Some crafters swear by the "hold back approach" meaning that you don't put everything you have to sell on the table all at once. I totally support that and do engage in this approach. You simply keep them in a box/container under the table and restock your table as it sells out. The point I was trying to make is that you don't want to have so little product that you cannot sustain your sales for a whole weekend. You want to be sure to have enough to sell, even if you don't put it all on the table at the same time (which may be damaging by making your book appear cluttered and messy). Keep design in mind, here :]

2) When is the application deadline?
Most juried shows have an application deadline of the end of January. Most non-juried shows need the application and rental fee about a month or two before the show. Be sure to plan ahead.

3) Can I afford the application fee?
Juried shows are considerably more expensive to rent space than a non-juried craft show. Juried shows typically cost me about $250 for the weekend, more if I need electricity (lights, credit card machine/cash register, etc). Please remember that juried shows need the money WITH the application, not the day of the show or after the show. If you are considering going to a juried show to sell, go to the show the year before to see what kind of traffic the show has. You don't want to spend $250 to sell five things :[ Alternately, non-juried shows are very cheap ($25 for the day), but sales are also typically lousy for these shows, too. You can think of it as "you get what you pay for".

4) Do I have stuff for my space?
You will need tables, plain and simple. You may need walls, a tent or other props to put your stuff up. All these things cost money. If you are business, they are all write-offs, but still, money is money. You also want to invest in nice tablecloths for your tables. I have tried plastic tablecloths (cheesy) and colored cotton sheets (even cheesier). Don't skimp on your presentation. In craft shows, presentation is everything. You want to draw people to your booth or space.

As you can see, there are many things to consider before doing shows. I have done juried and non-juried shows (prefering the juried shows), and you will think of many more things to consider as you go along. If you are ready, take notes and pictures of your space as you go along, learn lessons as they present your self, and remember...craft shows will be around for a long time. You don't need to rush into them. Listen to your gut...your instinct. You will know when you are ready to take the plunge!

Th-ilent Thursday

10,000 Free EntreCard Credits? Very Cool....

Yes, you heard me right. Waynejohn is holding a contest from Monday, February 9, 2009 until Monday, February 16, 2009 in which he will be giving away 10,000 EntreCard credits....For Free!

Imagine the advertising that could get you!

All you have to do is a few (or less) simple things. In a nutshell, add your blog link to Link Listings, write a post about this contest on your blog, then contact Waynejohn via comment on the CONTEST PAGE. He will then verify that you did the above and then you will be elligible for the credits. Easy.

To find out more or to participate, click the highlighted links above.

My link on Link Listings will appear on THIS PAGE (to give you an example of what they are).

Now, off you go...click on the contest page link above and get busy!

Hmmmmm....10,000 ec credits.....where to spend them first......

Into the Treasure Trove......

First, I want to start out by thanking Blogger for fixing the picture upload problem yesterday...I'm very sad that I got bumped off my blogging schedule...yesterday's post was going to be sweet!

Second...I am featured in several treasuries right now on Etsy.

Randomcreative selected my piece for this "Spring Bracelet" treasury... is the green bracelet located at the bottom left corner. This treasury can be viewed real time HERE!

And be sure to check out RandomCreative to see her beautiful needle-woven bead bracelets :]

The second treasury was chosen by.....

Stillettogirl (oh, vintage bliss!).
The treasury can be viewed real time by clicking

HERE!

and includes (as you can see) an excellent mix of eclectic pleasures! My piece is displayed on the top left corner...it is a hand-tatted necklace featuring antique pearl buttons.

Be sure to visit Stilletogirl's shop to get your fix of vintage goodness!

Thanx to both RandomCreative and StillettoGirl....

Trouble Update...

It appears that I am not the only one having problems with picture uploads in Blogger today. In the forums, I have found several other people with the same problem.

My pictures are uploading to Picasso, but not showing up on my page when creating posts. Well, I'm glad it's a blogger problem and not my computer :] However, that means no blog post today, kiddies...(darn, and it was a cute one, too!)

I can certainly try again later....or maybe just wait until tomorrow :(

Working on a post, folks...

But I can't seem to get the pictures to upload today...and what is a blogpost without pictures?!

Stay tuned as I discuss my super-cold day and how I plan to warm it up!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, Happy Bloggers!

(sorry it too so long today to get this post up...had some errands to run this morning! :]

I have been chosen for my very first blog award! Oh, I'm so flattered! Thank you to Nora at Merry's Mix for giving me this award!

So...as I understand, I have to write about 7 things that I love. In addition, I get to award this award to 7 bloggers that I admire! Here goes:

I love my family...for their patience and support of my business venture! After they realized just how happy Alterity Art makes me, they realized that they are happier, too!

I love sleeping in to at least 8am, which only happens on Saturday :[

I love the smell of rain, when the rain gets the ground wet and infuses the air with that rich, earthy goodness. Thunder and lightening are a plus!

I love escaping in books. Good books. With substance.

I love being able to communicate with anyone, anytime, anywhere with the use of the wonderful world wide web.

I love peppermint tea. Just plain old, scalding hot peppermint tea (I go through at least a box a week!)

I love knowing that I have been forgiven of all my sins, knowing that I will be with Jesus in Heaven someday, and knowing that he has my back here on this earth as long as I remain in Him :]

Now....I am awarding this blog award to my favorite bloggers:

http://merrysmix.blogspot.com/ my dear friend Nora :]
http://mysnugville.blogspot.com/ my dear friend Amy :]
http://tinteee.blogspot.com/ one of my most faithful EntreCard droppers :]
http://mrsfatface.blogspot.com/ one of my favorite blogs, and she is oh, so cute!
http://beevintagehoney.blogspot.com/ cutests hats on th face of the planet!
http://awesomechicksofetsy.blogspot.com/ because they are awesome chicks!
http://kreatedbykelly.blogspot.com/ she is just so cool!

The Talent Tree...

My mother is very creative. She quilted for many years, has sewn clothes for me, knitted sweaters and crocheted baby blankets. She has embroidered, tatted and even dabbled in jewelry-making, paper-making and decorative painting. Thankfully, I got my talents from her.

However, I am learning that the talents have been passed down yet again. My 14 year old daughter has been begging to paw through my studio over and over again. Out of fear of messes and lost supplies, I never let her do it. She always hints to me how bored she is, insinuating that she wants to be free in the splendour of the studio. The other day, I decided to throw caution to the wind, let her go and see what she can do. I figured the worst that would happen is that I'm out a little string or wire, but I can always recoup the beads from her terrible disaster. I sat her down to write a "Rules of the Studio" list we can post on the wall.

Rule#1 - Respect the studio and clean up your mess.

Rule #2 - Respect the tools. Any questions, ask Mom.

Rule #3 - Anything is fair game. Any questions, ask Mom. Except sterling silver and crystal supplies.

Rule #4 - NO WASTE ALLOWED!!

Rule #5 - Don't leave creativity at the door.

And...turn off all lights when done.

Now, anyone owning a studio will understand the possessiveness of it, and the fear that someone else will ruin it! This is a big deal to allow someone fair game in your haven of solitude! I gave her a box of junky glass beads intended for de-stashing on Etsy that are not high enough quality to work into my designs and cautiously closed the door behind me. After about half an hour, she emerged from the abyss of the sacred studio...and this is what she had:

It is a bracelet made from glass beads (some of them shaped like hearts) that she made for her best friend for Valentine's Day. After inspecting the piece (color choices are pleasing, spaces are even, wire-work is smooth), I praised her while she begged to go back in and make something for another friend. Feeling a little more relaxed about the situation, I let her go. Another half an hour later, she comes out with this:

Oooo...again, great color choices, tight string, glued tails...very nice! It is a glass candy cane bead and pebble bead bracelet with a glass dragonfly charm - toggle closure. Okay, Tayelor, I'm officially impressed. Great work for your first time doing it alone and not just watching me! I don't know who was prouder...her or me! I told her that she can go in the studio any time she wants as long as she adheres to he rules AND has her homework done. As you can see, she is very pleased about all this:

So...yesterday she comes home from school, runs to the kitchen table...spends a hour carefully toiling through algebra and biology (who are you and what did you do with my daughter!?) and disappears into the abyss of the studio. Two hours later, she comes down with more:

All Valentine's Day presents for her friends (the wood bracelet is for a male friend of hers...I did the wire hook for her, though. I have to get her a spool of junky wire to play with!).

Wow...did she surprise me! I am so glad I swallowed my fear and let her go. I really encourage anyone to do this with your kids (age appropriate, please!) because you just don't know what they are capable of doing! It's funny. Last night's conversation: "Mom, when I get better, can I open an Etsy shop?"

Wednesday Featured Etsy Seller....

CindyLouWho2

Get a load of those pearls! CindyLouWho2 of Peacock Jewellery specializes in beautiful jewelry designed around peacock pearls, paua shell and other natural materials, including lava. She designs everything from earrings to neckwear. The picture alone attests to the striking beauty of her work. CindyLouWho2 is also working on her PhD, so we know how she looks forward to hitting her studio to design her stress away! The result? Beautiful peices for you. Be sure to visit her shop at Peacock Jewellelry to see all her beautiful designs!

Thank you to CindyLouWho2, who allowed me to feature her on my blog!

It's Stimulus Time...

Here's the bottom line...The economy is bad right now. It's no secret. Sales are slow, credit is hard to get...money is just not circulating.

President Obama addressed the nation last night in regards to his proposed solution (read article and see video here if you missed it) to this crisis. While watching this myself, the one thing that truly stood out to me was his remark about the lack of money in circulation. If people are losing jobs and have no money to spend, there is no money circulating. Bam...recession. If people are being very choosy on what to spend money on, there is no money circulating. Bam...hard economic times. The point is, we need to get this money moving. If money doesn't move, businesses suffer and thus, more money doesn't move. It's a Catch-22. A double-edged sword, if you will. Like other's in this country, I have been very choosy on what I spend my money on, but I am trying to spend what I can and still pay my bills...it may just be a little less spending. Sound familiar?

Last week, I launched a Stimulus Sale in my Alterity Art shop on Etsy. Most items have been reduced to 50% off. This sale is for a limited time only. The point of this sale is to encourage the re-circulation of money and allowing those who are being very careful with thier spending to enjoy the not-so-forgotten feeling of purchasing something for themselves or others without the guilt of spending too much.




Here is a sampling of what you will find in my shop. Got a birthday coming up? Get in on the sale! Got a bonus at work? Get in on the sale!

Now...off you go...off you go...

Take Time Out for YOU :]

As many of you know, running a business, taking care of a family, keeping a house and trying to keep the husband happy (as well as the kids...the more the merrier) can be a major feat. However, your determination dictates your success. Now, as can be attested on Etsy, there are many dedicated and determined artisans who are very successful...even with the above responsibilities. The key? Mental Health days.

For myself, I spend all week long working on and off from 8am until 10pm, working family responsibilities into my work schedule. When you own your own business, you are responsible for the production, bookkeeping, managing, mailing, promoting and marketing...all of which can take time (especially the marketing!) However, you will find you can achieve more in your business if you schedule regular mental health days. That's the beauty of running your own business...you dictate what days you have off :]

Now, I am not saying to work for one day and fluff off for the next three. I prefer to work 5 days and then give myself a day off where I do absolutely no work at all. Trust me, it is hard, but it is essential to keep your creativity, brain and stamina sharp.

Sunday is my mental health day. I observe Sunday for religious reasons. I refuse to do anything related to work on this day. So, seeing as though I am one of those people who cannot sit still for anything, what is one to do on that day off? Well, if you can't just veg-out and catch up on movies, why don't you try something selfish? Make something for yourself. Yes, yourself. You spend all week long creating wonderful things for your customers, don't forget about you!!!

In January, I decided to make a laptop bag for myself to keep all my work essentials in one spot - accounting book, cd's, daytimer, scratch pad, pattern book of self-designed patterns, pencils, sharpie marker, camera upload cord, all the things you need to keep business running smoothly. But seeing as though my fingers and hands must always be on the go, just simply making a laptop bag wasn't enough for me. I thought of making a quilted panel, but decided against it as after the hand quilting is done, the thrill will be over. So I decided to create a crazy quilt panel with hand embroidery. Below is the panel (13" x 9") that will be framed by a strip-quilted frame and will serve as the front of my laptop bag. The bag will zip all the way open with pockets on the inside as well as the back. I have only been working on this on Sundays (except this past weekend, I got selfish and worked exclusively on it Saturday and Sunday). The seam embroidery is just about completed and I am adding an embroidered pansy to the center panel. Next, I will be adding a spiderweb, probably a water lilly scene, my initials in victorian lettering, some random scattered embroidery and silk ribbon embroidery, then the final touches of beads and antique buttons. I am anxious for the panel to be completed so I can put this bag together and stop having to hunt for my supplies!

Lower right hand corner of panel...


Upper right hand corner of panel showing the section where the pansy is being embroidered.

Lower left hand of panel showing pansy again...

Upper left hand of panel....

After taking one day a week to do something for me, I feel so refreshed and energized for Monday morning, which I believe, increases my productivity! So...after working so hard making things for others all week long, be sure to take some time out to make something for yourself. Aren't you worth it?