Social Networking Karma!

Check out this week's Giveaway featuring Mama's Little Monkeys!

Celtic Camo Bead Woven Bracelet

What is Social Networking Karma? Why am I talking about it? First let's back up and examine the idea of Karma...

Karma, the Golden Rule, "What goes around comes around," - whatever you call it, it's a concept that has been around for for a long time. When you do nice things for other's, it often comes back to you in wonderful and unexpected ways. Right? 

Now let me ask you a question. Do you ever get tired of promoting yourself? I know I do! There have definitely been times when I get tired of tooting my own horn and where I feel like I'm just blabbing to the universe with no feedback. The various social networking sites were starting to feel pointless. That's when I started thinking about Social Networking Karma. 

Green Kabbalah Jasper Pendant

Now, I don't want you to think I came upon this idea on my own, this has been a long process and I know that there have been a lot of different artists who've given me individual ideas that I eventually pulled together into a whole!

How it works: 

Social Networking Karma happens when you promote artists (authors, bloggers, etc), other than yourself. You can do this in a lot of ways! See something you like? Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Plurk, or your blog! Then, and this is key, tell that person where you've shared it and send them a link. You'll be amazed at the results! 

Since I've started practicing this habit the results have blown me away. I've had people e-mail me and tell me that I've made their day because they had a horrible day and having someone do something nice just totally floored them. I've had people tell me that they were considering shutting down their shop, then I promoted them, and it made them think that maybe there is some value to their work. I've also had a lot of people return the favor and promote me in one way or another.

There's no feeling like it! When they return the promotion, it's great, but it's the people who's day's I make, or who I end up building a relationship with them as a result, that I love :) 

Damask Pin Cushion by Destash City

One of our featured giveaway artist's shops!

I'm going to be talking about some different approaches to practice Social Networking Karma over the next few weeks. Specifically we'll be talking about Twitter, Facebook, and Blogging. I may add to that list as I continue to explore the topic! 

Meri Greenleaf's Giveaway Winner!

First of all I just have to say - a huge Thank You!!! to everyone who entered this week's contest! We had a record number of entries and that tells me that our new promotions idea is working! Which is very exciting for all the future featured giveaway artists! Now to the fun stuff...

Did you see that? 54 entries! Oh my goodness!

Now who was number 23?

Ooo...another winner that I don't know! So I dived into my e-mail and found their e-mail address :) Unfortunately they don't have a web-site I can point you all too (that I can find easily), so I'll be getting in touch with them and letting them know they won! If they do have a website I can send you too I'll post about it later! 

Check back on Monday for our new contest! Also, I have a lot of fun posts coming up: 1. A post to introduce you to my muses; 2. Discussing the differences between Artfire and Etsy, and .... 3. Lots more about promotions! Talk to you soon :D

Getting Stuff Done!

I've been really sick with a bad cold, and it hasn't gone completely away, but it's finally better enough that I can function as long as I have some cold meds! Woohoo! So what does that mean? I've been working like crazy tonight! Check it out:

First of all - just go check out my etsy shop. 

I've spent all night renewing anything that has a good picture!

That's a LOT of items ladies and gentlemen :)

Tomorrow - I start taking new pictures of old items that need it!

As for Artfire...I finally added something again!

Blue and Yellow Millifiori Necklace

This beauty is only $15 with free shipping! 

Ok - I've worked on a bunch of stuff since I last posted...

But I'm to tired to take any more pictures. 

So look for this tomorrow :D 

I'm Back!

Smile - It's a Jewelry Set

Last time I blogged it was to say that I was taking a break for awhile from blogging and my jewelry business. The good news is . . . I'm back! I was gone for longer than I thought I was going to be, but sometimes life hits you that way. I'm not even sure at this point I could go back and trace the nitty gritty details of the last few months, but that's ok, because life is moving on, and that's what matters right? 

I'm back to working on things, but no promises about how consistent I'll be in the near future. I'm anticipating it's going to take some time to get back into my routine and really get things back to where I want them to be. But I'm still back :) 

I am really excited about connecting with everyone again! One of the best part about being a jewelry artist on the internet has been that I've met some wonderful people through Etsy, Artfire, and blogging. I can hardly wait to see what you all have been up to and be a part of your lives again! 

Decision Made

I mentioned recently that I was trying to decide what to do with my Artfire account, should I stay pro or go basic? I may have only mentioned this only recently, but it's honestly been something that I've been struggling to decide for awhile now. I don't have stellar sales in either my etsy or artfire shops, but etsy is costing me less, and it only costs me if I make a sale or I chose to list. I like that.

I've also discovered that splitting my focus really doesn't work. I mean, I'd like to be able to equally promote both shops, but it usually ends up I'm focusing on one or the other. Which sometimes works, and other times just drives me nuts as I wish for more hours in the day where I can promote, create, and take care of the rest of life!

There are many things I dislike about Etsy, many things I like about Artfire, but it comes down to money in the end. And, to be honest, connections. I've made a lot more friends on Etsy, and if I'm going to focus on one shop, I'd rather focus on the one where I've made those friendships.

So I'm taking my Artfire account basic. I am going to keep it, and I'll work on it occasionally when I'm happy with where I'm on Etsy, but I honestly have a LOT of things I want to work on with my Etsy shop and the decision to just focus on that is a major relief! Especially when you consider I also have one consignment shop, would still like to find more of those, and I'm going to be doing the Saturday Markets this summer...

Pro and Cons

Whenever you have a big decision to make it's a good idea to look at the Pro's vs the Con's. Right now, my big decision is what I'm going to do with my Artfire account. Will I keep my pro account? Or will I go basic?

The reason I'm even asking this question is that I haven't made very many sales on Artfire. It's been great when I have a commission from a friend, but other than that, there have been very few sales. Here are my thoughts...

Pros: (for staying Pro)

- No additional costs for listing or check out fees

- I'm locked in at a certain monthly fee. That won't change as long as I'm pro.

- I can issue gift certs and coupons

- I have studio categories

- My work is in more than one on-line venue

- Teams (I'll write more about that later)

- No extraneous advertising

Cons: (for staying Pro)

- A monthly fee that I'm often not earning enough to cover (from this site at least) IE - the site isn't really paying for itself as of right now.

Pros: (for going Basic)

- I'll still have no additional costs for listing or check out fees

- No monthly fee to worry about paying

- I'll still have my work in more than one online venue

Cons: (for going Basic)

- If I ever want to go Pro again I'll have to pay more per month

- No gift certs or coupons available

- No studio categories

- No teams (negligible)

- Advertising in my shop that I didn't place there.

Can you see why I'm having a hard time deciding what I want to do? There are some pretty important factors on each Pros list and each Cons list! My biggest concern is the monthly fee. Since I've signed up there have been some months I've more than covered the monthly fee with my sales, but there have been many more where the monthly fee is coming out of my sales from other locations.

However - I'm headed into the busy season with a full summer of Saturday Markets (I'm signed up for 12 weeks), so I can probably afford to keep paying the fee for awhile to give me more time to work on the shop.

I'm also concerned about losing the studio categories if I go basic. I know as a shopper I like being able to click on a category to narrow my search and I'd hate to take that away from my shop. I also don't know how I feel about them placing advertising in my shop if it's a basic account. If you have a basic Artfire account I'd love to know how that part of it is working out for you!

Teams...I listed it on the pros and cons but it's not a very big factor. I really don't like the way Artfire has the communication set up for teams and there's only one team I'd really miss....and I think I'd manage to still be a part of them any way if I wanted to :P

Right now I'm leaning towards staying Pro - but if sales don't pick up in that store soon (by the end of summer maybe?) I'll go Basic.

Thoughts?

Friday's Featured Artist - Aquariann

I don't remember when I first stumbled across Aquariann's shop - but I instantly fell in love! Not only does she do fantasty work, but she uses bright colors that are to die for :) Now to let you get to know her a little bit for yourself...

1. What type of art work do you do?

My style is very inspired by comic books and animation, so I use Pigma Microns by Sakura to line my work and Prismacolor pencils to color it in. Almost every thing I draw has pointy ears or wings or both, so I'm comfortable using the term "fantasy art."

2. How did you get started doing art work?

I've wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember, and art just came along for the ride and kind of borrowed the wheel. In elementary school, my friends and I used to make up hordes of characters to write into a young adult series. However, I spent way more time drawing the characters and their situations than actually writing about them - a realization that occurred to me much later. It wasn't until college that it dawned on

me to seriously try drawing - thanks to a new addiction to anime and comic books, the discovery of modern fantasy artists such as Amy Brown and Jessica Galbreth, and many art history classes where I got to drool over the beauty of 10,000 years of work.

3. Do you do any other crafts?

I can knit a mean rectangle. Someday I may try to advance my skills past the basic stitch, but right now I'm happy knitting scarves, cozies and arm cuffs. It gives me a reason to continue to buy mounds of pretty yarn I don't need. Plus, it helps me feel more productive instead of simply watching tv.

4. Is there a story behind your shop name?

Aquariann is a combination of my sun sign and middle name. It's become my sexier, more exciting alter ego.

5. What's your favorite piece in your shop right now?

That would have to be Mimi Lu, my most recent drawing! (http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&op=listing&product_id=417457) Who couldn't adore her sweet toy poodle face? My friend occasionally brings her over to play at work and I couldn't resist pulling out my wand and turning her into a fairy as a gift. It's the first time I've done a pet portrait, and I hope to do many more - starting with my miniature schnauzer Coca Monsta, as she's already very jealous.

6. Where do you sell your work?

I starting selling online back in 2006, thanks to the wonder that is Etsy. That shop is still open at http://aquariann.etsy.com, but I am currently only listing my most popular items there. All the items I have in stock are now listed in my ArtFire shop at http://aquariann.artfire.com.

7. Do you blog?

Very poorly, at http://aquariann-art.blogspot.com. I have so many ideas for entries, but rarely ever actually sit down to write them. By the time I make it home from my day job as a graphic artist for a newspaper, my brain is zombie mush.

8. Are you on any social networks you'd like to share?

Yes! I mostly frequent squidoo (http://squidoo.com/aquariann), facebook (http://facebook.com/aquariannArt) and twitter (http://twitter.com/aquariann), but occasionally can still be found on deviantart (http://aquariann.deviantart.com), flickr (http://flickr.com/photos/aquariann), livejournal (http://aquariann.livejournal.com) and myspace (http://myspace.com/aquariann)

9. Do you watch or listen to anything while you work? If so, what?

Ever since I discovered the FUNimation channel, I've been tuning in constantly. It's a 24-hour anime network. How brilliant is that?!

10. Tell us one random fact about your self *wink*

I have naturally long nails and can bend all the joints in my fingers so it looks like I have witch hands. Freaks my boyfriend out, but it comes in handy during Halloween, my favorite holiday. Yay!

Artfire New Coupon Code System

I received a newsletter from ArtFire and would like to share with you on how Artfire has progressed by introducing innovative selling tools. Read the newsletter below:

ArtFire is proud to announce the release of our new Coupon Code system. This innovative system gives verified members the ability to create customized coupon codes with dozens of configurations and distribute via multiple channels with just the click of a mouse. The new system allows you to create coupons with incentives like percentage off, dollar amount off, free shipping and or free gifts. You can choose to apply these incentives over the entire range of your offerings, from your entire studio right down to the individual item level.

No more refunding your buyers after checkout when running a sale, with the new ArtFire Coupon Codes offering a sale is quick and easy! Along with the new coupon codes we also added the ability to offer Gift Certificates. You can now create gift certificates for exclusive use in your shop and email them right to the recipient. This means you can also list and sell gift certificates during the holiday season and beyond.



The coupon code launch comes right on the heels of the new ArtFire Facebook Kiosk. This new application allows verified sellers on ArtFire to add your customized fusion studio as a tab on your personal Profile and business Fan page(s). Sellers can now easily pair some of the best features at ArtFire.com. For example you might offer a "Facebook exclusive coupon" that can be used during a no account required checkout through your ArtFire Kiosk, to create leading edge promotion and exposure opportunities.

In the First week of rolling out the new Facebook Kiosk there have been over 3,000 Kiosks put up and reports of member sales increasing! We hope to see similar results with the Coupon Codes and will say that of all the features we have released none have been in higher demand than Coupon Codes. With unique new features we continue to grow the ArtFire community and our member's sales continue to grow as well. In August we saw record site traffic of over 1.7 million unique visitors and major advancements in SEO indexing on search engines!
At ArtFire we believe that innovation is the key to long term success. We strive everyday to keep our sellers on the cutting edge of what is possible in the age of e-commerce.
ArtFire’s focus on innovation and powerful management tools allows you to focus more of your time on running your business and building your brand. Thank you for allowing us to work with you, we look forward to many more successes with you.

48 for Larry, CIJS, and New stuff :)

48 for Larry

It seems like my Monday posts are getting to be quite the smorgasboard! I want to start off by reminding you about 48 for Larry - the radioathon and silent auction coming up July 24th -26th. Check out the all the info on the Block Head Radio Page, and you can start viewing the auction items now!

CIJS

I'm not going to change up my weekly special this week - so check it out on the right hand side - you have another week to get the sale price! I do want to remind you about my Christmas in July Sales though :) Everything is 20% at Kindred Spirit Treasures and Rose Works on Artfire. And I have a sale section at Rose Works on Etsy!

Promoting...Me!

I've continued to be a busy little beaver. I think my new planner that I created for myself is really helping me to stay focused on getting a certain number of things done each day. Which means I'm getting lots of listing done! Check out these 9 new or relisted items, tell me which is your favorite, and get an extra entry into my Top Commentators Contest!

My First Artfire Sale!!!!

I'm so excited!!! I'm doing my first ever sale in my Artfire shop! Let me say I just LOVE how artfire has it set up so you just type in the percentage you want to give off - and they change all your listings for you! Sooo much easier than the way Etsy is set up!

So that's right - 15% off my entire Artfire shop! Make sure you check it out - most of the inventory (with the exception of my high priced items) is different from what you've seen in my etsy shop!

On a different note... I have a lot in the works for both my shops! Life has been really busy with apartment hunting so I haven't had the energy to take pictures this week, but I have a bunch of new inventory to put up as soon as I do!

I also picked up a book at the library that I've been waiting for - it's all about beading with cabochons and I'm so excited! I've been doing some research on-line and one of the sites recommended this book. So I ordered it at the library, had to wait TWO MONTHS, and it's finally here! I read the intro and first chapter last night and my fingers are itching to play!

I'm also planning on expanding my hemp line in the near future. I've sold quite a bit lately - for me at least - so I plan on having a hemp section in my Artfire shop soon and more inventory over all for both stores!

UPDATE:

I just found out that this necklace is in a treasury! Thanks Peacox Creations!

Just Looking at the Numbers

A week or so ago one of my blogging friends put up a post she titled "By the Numbers." She looked at her numbers for her shops, blogs, and all that fun stuff. Since I'm too tired to be creative this afternoon, I thought it would be fun to look at my numbers! So here they are:

Rose Works Jewelry on Etsy

Total Page Views: 17902

Items Listed: 105

Sales: 73

Shop Hearts: 354

On-line since: May 24th, 2008

Rose Works Jewelry on Artfire

Total item Views: 2507

Total Studio Views: 738

Items Listed: 48

Sales: 2

On-line since: April 9th, 2009

Kindred Spirit Treasures (on etsy)

Total Page Views: 1176

Items Listed: 22

Sales: 7

Shop Hearts: 28

On-line since: December 26th, 2008

I'm going to stop there and not look up all my blog numbers and such - but I found looking at these pretty interesting! I hope you did too!

Just a reminder - right now in Kindred Spirit Treasures were having our first sale! 15% off any item in the store - including custom orders!

Showing Off

There's a lot going on in my life lately, which some times leaves me a little brain dead when it comes to posting! But then you guys make it easy for me by giving me awards! How special is that? This one, the Premio Meme Award, comes from my dear friend Kayla over at The Eclectic Element.

Kayla was such a sweet heart - this is what she said about me: "Ruthie over at Rose Works Jewelry-Ruthie is one amazing person and I think we connected because we have a similar plight. Just like most of the other 'challenged' people I know(I used challenged because it seems so much better then 'sick'), she overcomes her problems and works past them =]"

Now I'm supposed to share 7 facts about myself and pass this on to 7 people so...

1. I have Crafty AdHD - I can't stick to just one thing!

2. I used to be a swing dancer, and I really miss it!

3. I own over 300 books.

4. I was born a full month after my due date - and Mom says I've been stubborn ever since!

5. Purple is my FAVORITE color! In case you hadn't guessed...

6. I'm only 26...but I've lost half an inch in height - crazy huh?

7. My life time goal is to grow up to be one of those eccentric old ladies that everybody loves!

Now for my 7 people...

1. Splendid Little Stars - because even through life's tough times she smiles and encourages others!

2. Beaded Tail - Because she simply rocks my world!

3. Memories for Life - I bet we'd hang out all the time if we leaved anywhere near each other :P

4. Nothing Like It - because her sense of humor is incredible!

5. My Art and the Mom in Me - Because she's so sweet.

6. Spirit Essence Art - I love the challenge she's set herself!

7. Little Studio Photography and Jewelry - because her comments always make me smile ;)

So what's been going on with me? Well, it's finally come to the time where we've decided I need to apply for disability. Let's just say it's a ton of paperwork and a very emotional process.

I'm also hard at work filling my Artfire shop! I just listed these earrings tonight :)

And just so this post isn't ALL about me - don't you just love this piece by my friend Huck? Her name is Bitty.

Having Fun!

Black Hemp Bracelet with Blue/Green Beads

I had a great post planned for today, but I'm tired so it's getting put off! Don't worry, I'm sure you'll live :P Why am I tired? Well, I actually got to have some girl time this weekend! My Evil Twin hosts a movie night once a month, and I actually made it last night! We had Whiskey Burgers, watched Taken, and laughed a ton. Then today, my "sister" Gypsy came over and we watched Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest. It was a lot of fun!

Of course, being the crafty addict that I am, my hands were flying the whole time! Last night I made about 98% of another St. Petersburg Chain bracelet (hope to have it listed by Monday). I finished that today during Pirates, stitched up the rip in our couch blanket (hubby naps on the couch a LOT), did the last 2/3 of the work on a pair of dangly earrings, and knitted about two inches on my scarf I'm making! Woohoo!

And then I crashed. Any wonder? Seriously though, it wasn't from the crafty stuff, all though I'm sure that helped. After the last month or so I've got very little stamina, and hanging out and laughing wears me out incredibly fast. Not to mention I was having mild asthma attacks through both events... But hey! I finally got me some girl time, and that did wonders for my spirit!

Quick reminder - tomorrow is the last day of my YART sale! So don't forget to head over to my Etsy Shop and check it out!

And don't forget my Top Commentator Contest! Leave me comments and win jewelry! How cool is that? Current stats are:

Top Commentator: 16 comments

41 total Commentators

Oh and you better believe the runner ups are in close pursuit of the leader!

Have a great weekend friends :)

Introducing Arrrt!

So I missed doing my Friday Feature yesterday - because I really wasn't feeling good enough to be able to think enough to put this together! So I put it off for today so that I could do a good job with it - because this is an awesome store!

1. What type of art work do you do?

I make Journals mostly. I also make stuff IN journals (aka journal art), dabble in softies & card holders.

2. How did you get started doing art work?

As a kid I remember making stuff out of 3x5 cards and regular printer paper - mostly armies of origami jumping frogs, furniture & armadas of paper airplanes.

3. Do you do any other crafts?

Yes! I sew, paint with watercolors & acrylics, draw, collage, sculpt (with polymer clay),

4. What's your favorite piece in your shop right now?

I really like my book necklaces - all of them.

5. Where did you come up with the idea for your book necklaces?

One day I saw a beautiful accordion book that you could slide into a metal frame & hang it around your neck... I fell in love & instantly thought of ways to incorporate that idea into my own bookbinding.

Since I like using polymer clay for book covers - it's sturdy and you can do just about anything with it - I decided to try and make my own using a coptic stitch. The first few came out so well I made ten & five sold the next week. Figured I had something there so I made a bunch more!

It helps that I have a soft spot for tiny cute things...

5. Where do you sell your work? Etsy (arrrt.etsy.com) & Artfire (arrrt.artfire)
6. Do you blog? Of course! In several places... http://imakearrrt.com/blog, http://thelaternatingcurrent.com

7. Are you on any social networks you'd like to share? Twitter (@emberlexi), Flickr (http://flickr.com/photos/emberlexi) and Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=733330851

I love Artfire!

I've seen a lot of things that I really like about Artfire since I joined, and I've been super excited this week! First they brought live the new studios. Which means we get to do a lot of customizing. So now my studio is purple themed, and I have two promo buttons on the sides for different groups/teams I support. I need to get one up for my blog next... Anyway, go check out my shops new look! 

NOW they brought back the Free Ride program! Which means that every verefied account that signs up using my link gets me credit towards not having to pay a monthly fee! So if you've been thinking about signing up, or upgrading to a paid (verefied) account, and you LOVE me, please use my linkage! You can click below - and I'll also be sticking a widget on my left side bar :) 

Thanks and I hope your having a great day! 

Register on ArtFire.com

Tuesday's Tips #5

Can you guess what today's tips are about? That's right - joining teams and guilds! I chose banners from two of my favorite teams to start out this post today. The Etsy Bloggers and the The Stalkers. I'm on several other teams (more on that later) but these two hold special places in my heart! The bloggers because they are the team I have been a part of the longest, they have some awesome people, and they feel like family :) I'm still pretty new to the Stalkers over on Artfire, but I love the mission of promoting others, without telling them what we're doing! 

Ok, enough about me, WHY am I bringing up teams and guilds? Because I think that they are a very important part of the selling experience. 

If you remember last weeks tips I talked about making connections through your blog. Well, another important place to make connections is in the communities that you sell in. Forums can be great tools as well, but I think that teams and guilds provide the core of the support you need.

Simply put, most teams exist for a purpose. It might be to promote a particular type of art or craft, it might be a unified passion, it might even be a common location, but whatever it is you are likely to be surrounded by a community of people who have similar interests. If you have a question or need support, these are the best people to turn to! I've learned a lot from my various team mates and I consider it to have been invaluable experience. 

I also know that MANY of my sales have been either direct sales too or trades with team mates. Now how great is that?

Before I say anything more I should say that I don't know as much about other selling venues. I'm on etsy and artfire - but look around whatever other sites your on and see if they have teams or guilds or something similar! 

So how do you find the team/guild that's right for you?

1. Location based is always a great way to start. It's the best way to find out about local events and resources.

2. Does your shop specialize in something? Like jewelry, paintings, cards, or knitting? Well there's probably a team all about YOUR medium! Which can be great for personal growth in your artwork :)

3. Do you have a passion like blogging, being a Mom, or living green? That's right, there's teams for that too.

Things to look at when choosing teams to join:

1. What are their requirements? Do you meet them?

2. What do they require of active members? Is it going to put to much on your plate?

3. Is it an active team? Or is it just kinda sitting there doing nothing? A team that's really active might be too much for you if your schedule is full, but on the flip side there's really not much point in joining a team that's completely stagnated.

Now since I'm talking about teams and guilds I want to give a shout out to my teams and guilds! Before I do...just be aware that I'm a stay at home disabled woman ... therefore I have more time on my hands than most of you!

On Etsy:

 ~ The Etsy Bloggers - because we love to blog and we love each other! Search "etsybloggers team" to find our stuff :)

~ Team Big Damn Crafters - geeks who love the show Firefly and love to create new items inspired by the show! Search "teambdc" to find our stuff :)

~ The Etsy Bead Weavers - because we love to work with tiny little beads to create beautiful creations :) Search "ebwc" to see our monthly challenge item and follow our blog to vote in the challenge each month! Search "ebw" to see the rest of the teams incredible work :)

On Artfire: Still getting to know these guys - but having fun!

~ The Stalkers - Not as scary as it sounds! Each week our fearless leader picks a different shop - and we all go out to promote it! I love doing this :) 

~ Pacific Northwest - There's that local connection I was talking about!

~ Blogfire - Um, did I mention that I love to blog? I missed the last carnival and I was sooo sad :(

~ Artfire Beadweavers Guild - Haven't really had a chance to get to know these guys yet, but I love to weave beads so there I am!

So what teams are YOU on? 

Happy Memorial Day!

Wow! I've had a buuuusy day :) But it's been fun :) No, I didn't go out and do anything, my asthma has been so bad lately that planning anything was pretty much out. The good news is - I've been breathing clear all day! Which means I've gotten a lot done - and lots that I want to share!

First, I did a treasury blog in honor of our Troops, and I put a simple tribute on my Jedi blog.

I've also done a bunch of listing on Artfire - pieces that you've already seen on my etsy - but I'm excited about putting them on Artfire! Plus they put the studio fusions live to day on Artfire. Basically, we have a lot of customizability now! I really like it :) Go check out my shop to see how it looks and see the new listings! 

I made myself a new bracelet this weekend - and I promised some people I'd show it off - so here it is! And yes, I said, it's actually for ME :P I don't do that often enough >_>

I also started a new project this weekend that is a big stretch for me! Here's what I started with...

Don't you just love the snazzy super-girl pajama pants? My evil twin made them for me :)

Ok, so I'm making a free form peyote bracelet. I've seen a lot of these out there in various forms, and one of my Etsy Bead Weaver team mates encouraged me to try it. I've been wanting to try one but not sure where I wanted to start or what I wanted to do. Then over at Thursday Sweet Treats this week the challenge is for butterfly's. That's when I knew! The center does have a pattern, a butterfly, but the rest is just as the spirit hits me ;)

What you see here is 3 days of work so far. Which is...incredible for me these days. Usually three days and I'm done with a project. Unless I don't really work on it, but I have been working on this! It's not that I haven't been working on it, it's that I can't work on it for very long stretches at a time. My friend who encouraged me to try one said it could be very "zen-like," not for me! Not having a pattern is actually really challenging for me. I'm not sure why. 

I'm enjoying the challenge though. I don't think it'll be done in time to submit it to Thursday Sweet Treats, but the important part to me is the journey and the growth as an artisan :) I'm not sure if I'll do any more like this once this is done, but I do know it'll be awhile before I'm ready to try another one! 

Just a quick reminder - I'm having a sale in my Etsy shop for my Etsy-versary! 

Have a wonderful rest of your Memorial Day :)

Random Tip

My Blood Type is Coffee

Random Tip - Make sure your coffee and beady project are far enough apart that the one does NOT get dipped in the other! 

Fortunately I realized what I had done quickly, and after drying it off, there is no damage to the project! Oh I would have been sooo mad at myself after all the hours invested...

Update on Craftiness

Ok! I've started a blog post, I'm going to keep it in drafts, and update as the day goes along! 

Update #1 ~ Relisted two bracelets on etsy that were about to expire (Bracelet 1, Bracelet 2)

Update #2 ~ I got the next segment in my on-going story "Aria's Quest" written up! Ahead of time for once... 

Update #3 ~ I picked up some new agate/rock chip strands yesterday. I love working with these! I usually make extremely simple bracelets out of them, but they've sold extremely well. So I just whipped together 2 bracelets to take with me when I restock my consignment shop on Monday.

Update #4 ~ So I've decided my "hour on one thing, hour on the next" isn't quite practical because some projects take less than that...but I am alternating between one thing and the next!

Update #5 ~ Listed a pair of fun earrings on Artfire! 

Update #6 ~ Took a break from craftiness to go to the store with the hubby :)

Update #7 ~ Came home to find the earrings had sold! It's my first Artfire Sale baby! Thanks Dede!

Update #8 ~ Bloggy time! Star Wars Geeking and a Book Review :) 

Update #9 ~ WOW I've gotten a lot done...lunch time!

Update#10 Lunch was good - and I did some beading while I ate! I picked up the beads I need yesterday so I can work on the next Necklace in my Elements series. The picture above is the only one currently unsold - Wind Dancer. The one I'm working on now is going to be called Earth Walker. I started it last night and I finished up the foundation a little bit after lunch. I'm really excited! I've had a ton of fun with this series :)

Update#11 ~ DeDe's earrings are in the mail!

Update#12 ~ Blue Loving Necklace listed on Artfire.

Update#13 ~ Did some "work" writing. Write up two book reviews! More fun writing later probably :)

Update#14 ~ Picked up my knitting for the first time in weeks! Feels good :)

Update#15 ~ Decided I'm officially NOT going to be taking any photos today - back is waaaay to sore! *sigh*

*Sunday Morning*

I ended up crashing not long after the last update I wrote. My back decided it wanted to spasm, spasm, and spasm some more! So I used a heating pad and took a nap to try and let my back relax. It never really worked. We went over to my in-laws around 5 for a graduation dinner for my brother-in-law. Food was great! I love my hubby's family :) 

After we got back I couldn't keep my eyes open (might have been from the muscle relaxant) so I went to bed...and never got back up! I think I slept for around 12 hours last night >_> My back is still sore today, but much better. I'm not breathing too well though so we're home for the day instead of heading to church.

I still have a million things I want to work on but I'm pretty out of it so some of them are out of the question. I probably won't get any writing done today unless I perk up, but I spent about an hour knitting this morning and I'm going to start working on my Elements necklace again as soon as I post this :) 

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday! I'll talk to you soon :)

Product update!

Here's my most recent relisted or newly listed items in my shops!