Friday Finds

Today I am starting a new series called "Friday Finds".  I will be featuring 3 to 5 great etsy shops that I really like.  I haven't decided if I always want to have a central theme but for today's picks I do.  I am very drawn to things with tree themes whether it be photographs, paintings, or jewelry.  So I thought what a great way to start this series.  Enjoy all these beautiful items and be sure to look around their shops.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38143727

 

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8402904

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39266241

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39565580

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38495973

One World One Heart Giveaway

 One Heart One World is an International blogging event I am participating in for the first time.  The event was started by The Whimsical Bohemian in 2007 as a giveaway to bring bloggers around the globe together.  So here is how the event works, I am hosting a giveaway and so are all the other bloggers participating in the event.  Click on the above event logo to see the list and enter all the giveaways.   All winners will be announced on February 15th.  


The overall theme of this years event is riding the Magic Carpet, so I thought for my giveaway I would offer one of my 9 Half Bar Sampler Sets giving the winner a wonderful selection of handmade soaps to try as they ride the Magic Carpet around the World.  The set includes 9 half bars of Sweet Sally's Soaps.  The soaps included are Lavender Swirl, Jasmine and Shea, Patchouli Vanilla, I Love Coffee, Carrot, Lemon Poppyseed, Green Tea,  Patchouli Orange, and Dead Sea Mud.  For detailed information about each soap see listings in my etsy shop.   Sweet Sally's Soaps

To enter my giveaway please leave a comment at this post before Midnight EDT February 14th  and make sure to leave contact information so if you win I can contact you.  The winner will be announced February 15th.  Good luck to everyone and have fun on your Magic Carpet ride around the blogging World!

First Blog Carinval 2010

The topics for the Etsybloggers  Blog Carnival this month are:

1) Now that 2009 has come to a close, what will you remember most about last year?

2) Now that 2010 is here, what do you have planned/look forward to/hope to accomplish this year?

I have already addressed most of this in a previous post but I would like to add a list of  concrete goals I have regarding my #1 goal for the year.  As I mentioned before my biggest most important goal for this year is to increase my online sales.  I n the last couple of weeks since Christmas I have seriously contemplated this issue.  So here is my list of things to do to help me achieve my goal.

1.  Organize work area so each task has it's specific area for example shipping, billing, supplies needed etc. 

2.  Redo existing website to make it more user friendly for me. (which also includes new banner and avatar for etsy, artfire, and blog)

3.  Blog on a more regular basis.

4.  Do some advertising off of etsy.

5.  Improve etsy and website SEO. 

6.  Always make the best product possible!

7.  Add new products regularly.

8.  Stop worrying about what other people are doing (if someone is selling total junk and making tons of money it doesn't matter) and focus on what I'm doing.  This one is going to use some work! 

9.  Focus, FOCUS, FOCUS!!!

10.  Enjoy what I do because I really do love what I do.  

Featured Etsy Blogger NicoDesigns

The first Etsyblogger to be featured in this brand new year is Nico Designs.  She sews up a lovely assortment of handbags, accessories, and the most adorable baby shoes you have ever seen.  She also has a blog with some very interesting tutorials.  http://designsbynico.blogspot.com/ 




Don't forget to visit her etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/NicoDesigns

Where Does Our Food Come From?

Have you ever wondered where the food you are eating comes from.  Recently I watched the documentary "Food Inc."  It is an eye-opening account of the food industry in present day America. This film documents how factory farms, fast food chains, use of pesticides, and genetically engineered food  have led us, as a nation, down the road to an unsafe food system causing sickness, obesity, and horrible working conditions.

I personally think this is a very important issue.  I am a big supporter of Buy Fresh Buy Local programs.  I know this time of year for those of us who live in cold climate it is hard to buy locally grown produce but I think we all should make an effort to buy as much locally produced food as possible. 



Here is a link to Food Inc. website.  There is a petition you can sign to help the cause.
http://www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-film.php

Plans for the NewYear

As the Christmas rush comes to an end and New Year's Eve rapidly approaches I find myself pondering the coming New Year.  It's time to think about things that worked well this year and things that need improvement.  Two things that immediately pop in my head in the improvement category are TIME MANAGEMENT and ORGANIZATION!  These are both skills (according to my husband) that I dearly need to work on.  Time management is partially a problem because of things like an old computer, that I use to print my labels, moves at the speed of a sickly slug.  I will solve this problem with a new desktop publishing program for my new computer.  Organization is only a problem when I get busy, but as my husband would say you are always busy.  So, I guess this area needs a little work.

Summarizing 2009  I did 25 craft shows, 5 of which I would say were great, 9 of which were good, 6 were OK, and 5 which were terrible.  Through the summer I did 2 to 3 farmer's markets a week depending if I had a show on the weekend.   My best market was in Eagles Mere where I consistently did good week to week.  I sold my work on 4 online venues, Etsy bringing the best results, my own website offered consistent sales, and Artfire and 1000 Markets which both lagged way behind. 

This coming year I plan to do less shows mainly because we will be moving sometime in the summer.  This means a lot of organization and planning because we live in a very old house that has been in our family for over 30 years.  Various family members have lived in and owned the house over this time period and they have all left stuff here, so guess who has a massive sorting job on their hands? 

My number one goal for this year is to increase my online sales.  I am even planning on opening a second Etsy shop with a line of specialty soaps that I am not going to reveal just yet.  My other hope is to spend some time on my photography.  I do miss photographing and being in the darkroom.  Maybe I will have an Etsy shop for my photographs.  So much to plan and think about.  I wish everyone a wonderful New Year and good luck with all of your projects and plans!
 

 

Merry Christmas