Giving Thanks

It's been weighing on my heart for quite some time to start sharing some of the blessings I've been given. Every month proves more successful than the last with my handmade business. Up until this point I've been hesitant to celebrate my success, not wanting to get my hopes up, and trying to be cautious in how I use this income. I've shared in previous posts about spending less time working my "real" jobs, and I'm very grateful to have been able to stop working Wednesdays. I think having that extra day is helping me be more efficient in my Etsy shop as well.

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There are many things that have miraculously come together over the last month. For one, I finally took the leap and started shipping items from home. This is saving me quite a bit of money both in the price of actual shipping, as well as the time and money it takes to make it to the post office. No more leaving the kids at daycare or making them "stand" in line with me at the post office. I kid you not, it took me 30 minutes a few weeks ago to mail 3 international first class packages at the post office. I'd been doing domestic first class from home but couldn't find a site to do international. Shortly after this incident I decided to try Etsy shipping and discovered I can do international first class from home, too! God is in the small stuff.

Yet another miracle was a wonderful, kind person's (we won't name without permission) discovery of online auctions. I know many of you are thinking, how on earth did this help you? Well, without knowing I needed one, she purchased a color laser printer and offered it to my husband Paul. I had been debating and stressing about buying one of these for months, and she up and gave it to us, randomly. I've tried it a few times already and it's super amazing. I'd really like to use it to add more recipe cards and art prints to my shop. I've also been having trouble printing on bags and sticker labels with my inkjet and I think the laser will be perfect for that. What do all these items have in common? They don't require any paper punching. I've been praying that God would provide a way for me to be successful in my shop without killing my hands and wrists. 

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I'd like to acknowledge that I see every single sale as a miracle, too. 

And so, I pledge that for every sale I make during the month of November I will donate one dollar to a charitable organization. I am still debating which charity to support. In light of the recent events on the east coast I'm thinking about support an organization such as City Harvest. I checked out their website and it looks like one of my employers matches donations. 

Last month I had 63 orders. My goal for November with the Christmas holiday coming is 75 sales. If I can get that match, that will mean $150 dollars going towards a wonderful cause. That just makes my heart happy.

There's this song that has been playing over and over in my head recently, possibly because the fish (radio) has just about killed it. There's a line in it that sings, "Show me how to love like you have loved me. Break my heart for what breaks yours." Between that and watching my little Sparkies at church giving all their pennies to our missionaries, I just know God is working in me.

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I realize that many of you who read this will be friends and family. If you are wondering how you can help, please share this blog post on your facebook pages. I'd be delighted if you would post an item from my Etsy shop to your Pinterest accounts, too. Anything you can do to get the word out would be greatly appreciated.

Click here to go to my Etsy shop

To share this post on facebook click on the "f" just below this post.

Thank you as always for your love and support. I Hope you have a lovely start to the holiday season.

A Post Worth Reading (And I Don't Mean My Own)

I love Etsy emails, don't you?

Did you catch this one?

5 Quick Tips from Fellow Sellers

Here's why it got me excited.

#1 "Front Page" feature for Stacie of Gingiber (former giveaway sponsor). Congrats Stacie!

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#2 They said what I've been thinking all along: Giveaways are awesome!

Speaking of which, I have a few giveaways in the works, be patient with me :)

P.S. I'm looking for a few more sponsors. Let me know if you are interested!

Meet the Artist and Giveaway: Winnie from Chickydoddle

I finally feel like I'm getting to know you.

One thing I know for sure, ya'll are crafty!

Which is why I know you are going to love this giveaway from Chickydoddle!

Winnie has graciously agreed to give one lucky winner:

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the Matchbox Stamp Set of their choice

AND 

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a Roll of the Washi Tape of their choice from Chickydoddle!

Yeah, so, I'm a little addicted to washi tape, and Winnie totally fed my addiction! She sent me 14 rolls of washi tape AND an envelope template. Of course, I immediately put them to work! 

First, I made a set of three washi tape "bunting" cards:

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Some of you may remember awhile back I put up a mini envelope tutorial.

I made my own pattern, printed it on to cardstock and cut it out.

Well guess what, I've used those templates so much they've changed shape!

Winnie could not have sent the envelope template at a better time!

SOOOO much easier, check this out:

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There is SO much more to see in Winnie's shop. Let's have a look whilst getting to know her :)

Q: Tell us a little about yourself

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A:  My name is Winnie.  I'm a mother of 2 little kids ages 6 and 9.  I'm an expat from Hong Kong and my husband is an expat from Canada.  I was in the Information Technology field for over 10 years.  I became a stay at home mom after my first child was born. Now that the kids are a bit older, I decided to pursue a job that I can work from home and help supplement my family's income. I make jewelry as a hobby and I love unique stationery and craft supplies. 

Q: How did you get started on Etsy?

A:  I started on Etsy after I've accidentally came across the site while searching for supplies to make jewelry.  My first shop on Etsy is called "The MaKuCollection" where I sell my jewelry creations. 

I started my "Chickydoddle" shop earlier this year to bring craft supplies from Asia to the USA so we'll have a broader variety of products to choose from for our arts and crafts creations. 

Q: What do you think sets you apart from other suppliers on Etsy?

A:  I think what sets my business apart from other suppliers is that I donate a portion of my profit to public schools and non profit organizations. I've helped some local public schools to get books, overhead projectors, technology based learning equipment, etc.  I've also run fundraisers for my local YMCA.

Q: I've noticed you sell a few handmade magnets in your shop. Any other

hidden talents?

A:  I love to create!  Other than my Domino magnets and jewelry, I also create wooden photo cubes which I mount photos on hand stained 6x6 or 8x8 wooden cubes that can be used as wall hangings or self standing

decor. 

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Q: What is your favorite item in your shop?

A:  I love everything I sell.  To pick one particular group, I think the Japanese Washi Tapes would be my favorite.  I'm addicted to them.  You can do so many things with this beautiful tape.

Q: Any new items in the works?

A: I have made some new Domino magnets that I'll list very soon and I'm going to sell full rolls and sets of the Japanese Washi tapes later on next month.

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Q: What is the best compliment your shop has received?

A: My customers have been wonderful!  Their feedback always puts a smile on my face.  They love my products and the great customer service I provide.  Here is customer comment: "Now here's a dedicated

seller who goes the extra mile to give top notch customer service. And her inventory is simply smashing!"

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Q: Just for fun, where do you like to shop on Etsy?

A: Some of my personal favorites are imeondesign, beadandribbon, and NzLbags.

Are you ready to win some fabulous crafting supplies? Alrighty then, get to work...okay not literally, it's SO easy:

How to Enter the Giveaway:

1. Follow this blog (Mandatory)

and leave a comment here saying you did.

2. Heart Chickydoddle or an item from their shop

and leave a separate comment here about your favorite item(s).

It's that easy!

Oh yeah, and so are all my giveaways, so check them out!

Good luck :)

Fine Print:

Only 2 entries per household please
1 winner will be chosen October 10th at midnight PST
Winner will be chosen by random.org
Entries will be validated
Winner will be announced here
Winner will have 3 days to contact me, 

after which a new winner will be chosen

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter 

Meet the Artists and Giveaway: Melissa and JW from Little Friends of Printmaking

I feel like I'm on a giveaway freenze, not that I'm complaining. 

In fact, I couldn't be more excited about the opportunity to offer

one lucky reader the print of their choice 

from my new favorite Etsy shop,

Little Friends of Printmaking!

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Melissa let me pick out a print, and I think it took me over an hour to devour every amazing image on their website. Still, I knew EXACTLY which one I was going to pick because I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. The funtastic Flight of the Conchords print is a must have! Check out the amazing detail.

I don't always talk about the great customer service I get from my sponsors, and I've had some pretty good experiences, but this one is just over-the-top outstanding. Melissa sent me a print and unfortunately the post office crushed it (a rare occasion for lfop). I sheepishly reported it to Melissa and she immediately offered to resend it. That just didn't seem fair! Reluctantly I asked if she could send one to my newly married sister-in-law, a screen printer as well as Flight of the Conchords fan (perfect wedding gift, right?) Without hesitation Melissa sent it. You won't believe what happened next. I gave her the wrong address! It hadn't arrived after a few weeks and she offered to send ANOTHER! I simply couldn't take advantage. Well, it ended coming back to lfop, and Melissa resent it with the correct address! BEST customer service EVER. 

And I don't have to tell you how amazing the art is, you can see for yourself! Don't get lost on their website, make sure you come back when you're done shopping! Get to know the talented creators of these unique creations:

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.

A: We're The Little Friends of Printmaking (or LFOP), a husband-and-wife team of illustrator/designers living in Milwaukee. We're known primarily for designing concert posters, which is how we got our start, but it's become a sort of ill-fitting definition—These days, we mostly do editorial illustration, graphic design work, and make and sell art prints.

Q: How did LFOP come to be?

A: We met in art school and were collaborating on everything, back when that could more accurately be called "cheating." But, in printmaking, you need a buddy and so people mostly looked the other way. Working together was so natural, and as a team we could accomplish so much more, that it was almost like waking up with super-powers. We had all this energy. Eventually, we were hired by a concert promoter to make some posters, and we were blown away by the genuine thrill of making something that people would see and talk about and have an opinion on (and we were getting paid, no less). Up to then, art for us existed in the classroom or the gallery, and the only people who saw it were other artists. That experience transformed us, it recalibrated our ambitions.

Q: I could spend hours looking at your prints! Tell us a little about the creative process behind the art.

A: Thanks! There are prints of ours that we're assigned to make by a client (or a gallery), and I say assigned, because it's not unlike an assignment in school—We're looking for the most novel, most apt solution that fulfils their needs. The assignment is like a puzzle that need solving. And, to be sure, there's an element of creative expression, the application of our own visual style, but our approach is to come up with a killer concept that we know will work before we ever put pen to paper (or cursor to artboard, as it were).

Then, there are other prints that are self-initiated, and with those, the process is to just make something we'd like to see. Our art prints, more than anything, are our opportunity to try things out and advance our aesthetic. Clients and art directors see our art prints and use them as a point of reference for new design work. Those prints are more likely to start from a sketch or a doodle, to evolve visually.

Q: What design has received the most attention?

A: Maybe "Tastee Treats" or "Pacific Jammzzz," which are art prints that have sold hundreds (or thousands) of copies. The Flight of the Conchords poster we sent you just won a design award, so maybe it sort of qualifies? [Definitely!]

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Q: What piece holds the most personal meaning?

A: Probably our "Rescue Pets Will Love You Better" poster, because we love our cats.

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Q: What are you currently working on?

A: We've been doing a series of posters for Columbia Records artists; Over the summer, we designed a cheese label (cross that one off the ol' Designers' Bucket List); We're heading out to Maine soon to do an artists' residency thing; We're designing the promo stuff for our great hometown hipster craft fair, Art vs. Craft; We're doing some super-secret prints for one of our very favorite TV shows (hopefully those turn out well); And we're making a bunch of new art prints for the holidays, so be sure to check into the shop.

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Q: Where do you promote your shop?

A: Nowhere! Really, we should be better about that. While it's not an advisable business strategy, in our experience, good work leads to more opportunities to make good work, which leads to attention and more people discovering our work (and so on and so forth). Frankly, it's a minor miracle that people end up in our webstore or our Etsy shop at all, but the internet works in mysterious ways.

Q: Just for fun, what are your favorite Etsy stores to window shop?

A: Our favorites are somethingshidinghere, whimsyandspice, thesmallobject, and yokoo. 

Alright, now go ahead, go get lost in their amazing work! Then head on back over here and enter win your pick of the litter :)

How to Enter the Giveaway:

1. Follow this blog (Mandatory)

and leave a comment here saying you did.

2. Visit lfop on Etsy or their website

and leave a separate comment here 

about your favorite print(s).

3. "Tweet" about the lfop giveaway

and leave a separate comment here saying you did.

Fine Print:

Only 3 entries per household please
1 winner will be chosen October 3rd at midnight PST
Winner will be chosen by random.org
Entries will be validated
Winner will be announced here
Winner will have 3 days to contact me, 

after which a new winner will be chosen

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter 

Meet the Artist and Giveaway: Beth from sweetnaturedesigns

Are you sitting down? I've got some REALLY great news!

Beth from sweetnaturedesigns was kind enough to offer to send

one lucky winner a towel of their choice 

from sweetnaturedesigns!

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Beth sent me the towel pictured here. I think I looked twice at every item in her shop before deciding which one I wanted. I love them all! And it is even more gorgeous in real life than in the picture :) These items come wrapped adorably making them perfect for gifting....if you can bear to give them away! You'll see a few as we get to know Beth, but you are going to want to be sure and go check out sweetnaturedesigns to see the full collection!

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: My name is Beth Tobey and I LOVE whimsical and quirky fabrics and house wares! I started out painting colorful and eclectic paintings, which I still try to find time for, but once I figured out how to make my fun tea towels and pillow covers, I decided to go for it. I work at home (yeah!) while my kids are at school but Mom-mode turns on at 3:00pm. My husband is awesome and has always been supportive of my artistic adventures.

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Q: Your designs are smile-inducing, just my style! How would you describe YOUR style?
A: Do I have a style?? I love swirls, color, whimsical, and eclectic furnishings. I think a fun pillow cover or colorful kitchen towel can really brighten up a room and I don’t think you need expensive items to have a unique look in your home. Sometimes all it takes is a small pop of color. I like the little reminders on some of my items. Everyone should remember to SMILE at some point in their day!



Q: How did you get started on Etsy?
A: Once my youngest child started first grade, I decided to see if I could find a way to use my artistic skills while still being available at home. Etsy has been the greatest avenue for this adventure! I started out slowly, with paintings and cards, but I soon found my way into screen printing and textile design and now I can’t imagine doing anything else.


Q: Tell us a little about your process? How do the lovely items in your shop come to life?
A: All of my designs start from a drawing…no digital work from me! I prefer the hand-drawn look and I think it’s part of my signature style. Once I have the design the way I have imagined it, I turn it into a screen in which I can use over and over on all sorts of fabric. Luckily my Mom taught me to sew when I was little, so I am able to cut and sew all of the items in my shop. I started out buying pre-made towels and bags, but I decided to make it a point to create all of my products from scratch. I cut, sew, and hand screen print every single one of my items and I haven’t gotten bored yet. The sewing and ironing part of my job is actually pretty therapeutic. I will tell you, though, I have a huge pile of my family’s clothes that need to be ironed and mended laying in my work-room!

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Q: I understand you take custom and wholesale orders. Busy lady! How do you balance this with home/family life?

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A: My family is awesome! I am blessed to be able to work from home in order to keep an eye on everything that goes on throughout the days, especially during the summer time. Since I have so many
different colors of ink and fabric choices I am happy to customize for those customers who have special requests. The wholesale business has really taken off, and it can be busy while I have to make 30 towels in just a few days. I have learned to plan my time wisely in order to stay on task. As a matter of fact, today I just decided I need to make a weekly schedule that includes housework as well as business work. The house and laundry won’t get clean by themselves and accounting isn’t my favorite part of the job, but all have to be a part of my daily plan.



Q: I am super jealous of your fabulous color matching skills. Your color combinations are so modern and refreshing. What is your secret?
A: I don’t really put much thought into it…for some reason I am just drawn to unusual combinations of color. I think having a background in painting helps, because you learn to see objects as various blocks of many different colors. A sky, for example, isn’t just blue…look closely…it’s filled with gray, yellow, purple, sometimes pink. I look to nature for ideas on how colors work with each other. Then other times I just use the closest tube of ink on hand!

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Q: What are your future plans for your shop?
A: Well I have big plans to work on my website, my facebook page, and other networking sites, but I never seem to make the time! Maybe this is where my kids can help me? I have also joined other online stores, and now I just have to add my products. I found some fabulous blue and white striped fabric so I’m planning on making more pillow covers and aprons, too. I have too many ideas and not enough time! But I think that’s probably the case with everyone…

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Q: Any advice for new Etsians?
A: Find YOUR style and be confident! It can be daunting and scary to put yourself out there, but having the confidence in your product makes a huge difference. Try to learn from others, but don’t compare yourself to them. BE YOURSELF!


Inspiring! Okay readers, are you ready to get your giveaway on? Here you go!

How to Enter the Giveaway:

1. Follow this blog

and leave a comment here saying you did.


2. "Heart" sweetnaturedesigns or an item from their Etsy shop
and leave a separate comment here saying you did.

Don't forget to visit the Giveaway Page for other great giveaways :)

Fine Print:

Only 2 entries per household please
1 winner will be chosen September 30th at midnight PST
Winner will be chosen by random.org
Entries will be validated
Winner will be announced here
Winner will have 3 days to contact me, 
after which a new winner will be chosen
Must be 18 years of age or older to enter 

Meet the Artist and Giveaway: Stephanie from Weird Woolly Designs

One thing I LOVE about Etsy is that every once in awhile I find something really unique.

This was the case when I encountered Stephanie from Weird Woolly Designs.

Stephanie has graciously agreed to giveaway

a $35 gift certificate to Weird Woolly Designs!

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Have you noticed a trend in embroidery in your Etsy feed?

The hoop is like the new canvas! Well, Stephanie was in on it long before the crowd!

I think Stephanie is an artist to keep your eye on when it comes to trend setting.

I was pleasantly surprised by a lovely package in the mail from Stephanie the other day.

She sent me this fun little work of art:

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I just had to take a close-up to show you the fine detail and craftmanship 

that Stephanie puts into her work:

I love the fibrous texture and really enjoy the colors Stephanie has chosen to make this one of a kind treasure. Let's get to know the artist while having a look at some of her other masterpieces.

Q: Tell us a little about yourself.

A:  I’m a craftepreneur, a blogger, and an animal lover.  In my craft-making endeavors I’m primarily an embroiderer and surface designer.  Recently I’ve been getting into a lot of graphic, digital and fabric design.  I live in the great city of Louisville, KY with my husband and my cat Beans.

Q: If you were stuck on a desert island, what 3 things would you want with you?

A:  Embroidery floss, a needle and pie -my favorite food.  (I’ve watched enough Man vs. Wild to know how to find fresh water and items that can be used as an embroidery hoop and fabric J).

Q: When did you learn to embroider?

A:  I learned how to crochet when I was about 8 or 9.  Soon after that I taught myself how to embroider.

Q: Do you have any other hidden talents?
A:  I’m an eggplant farmer and a French horn player

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Q: Use 3 words to describe yourself/your style.

A:  Detailed, Retro-modern, Pop art

Q: What inspires you?

A: I love wonderful fabrics, lots of color and polka dots.  I also get inspiration from gardening and baking.

Q: What do you think makes your work unique?

A:  My style is unique in that it’s kind of a modern, graphic design version of embroidery.  Also, the way that I incorporate paint and embroidery into my work, along with using various types of threads in a single design, make it unusual. 

Q: Why Etsy? Do you sell your work outside of Etsy?

A:  I’ve always loved Etsy for how they promote crafters and the handmade industry.  I like the fact that Etsy isn’t just a website for selling products but it’s also a community.  In the past I’ve sold my work in local boutiques.  Currently I’m selling mainly on Etsy but I’m looking into some on-demand manufacturing sites as well (like Fine Art America, Spoonflower, etc).

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Q: What do you find most challenging about Etsy?

A:  Getting my products seen among such a large pool of items.

Q: Where do you promote your shop?

A:  I write about all of my crafty adventures on my blog Weird and Woolly: Crafting a Life.  I also have a Facebook fan page and I’m on Twitter.

Q: Are you on any Etsy teams?

A: I’m on about 10 teams including Etsy Friends, Etsy Needle Arts Team and Louisville on Etsy.

Q: What are your future plans for your work?

A:  I’ve recently started designing DIY embroidery patterns and I plan to create many more of those.  I’ll also keep making my embroidered wall hangings as well as turning my designs into fabric, stationery, linens, and fine art prints.  I guess the sky’s the limit!

Ready to win a gift certificate to Weird Woolly Designs? I thought so. It's easy, here's how it goes:

How to Enter the Giveaway:

1. Follow this blog

and leave a comment here saying you did.

2. "Heart" WeirdWoolyDesigns on Etsy

and leave a separate comment here saying you did.


3. "Like" Weird Woolly Designs on Facebook and let them know I sent you
and leave a separate comment here saying you did.


4. "Tweet" about the Weird Woolly Designs Giveaway
and leave a separate comment here saying you did.

Don't forget to visit the Giveaway Page for other great giveaways :)

Fine Print:
Only 4 entries per household please
1 winner will be chosen September 29th at midnight PST
Winner will be chosen by random.org
Entries will be validated
Winner will be announced here
Winner will have 3 days to contact me, 

after which a new winner will be chosen

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter