Etsy Bloggers Sale Time!

The official announcement is up! It's time for the Etsy Bloggers 1st Anniversary Sale!

Visit these EtsyBloggers shops from Wednesday 8/13 thru Sunday 8/17 and celebrate our team's 1st Anniversary with us!!

http://www.abracapocus.etsy.com
Digital Illustrations, Photography and Note Cards
Free Shipping on all items

http://AKeepersJackpot.etsy.com
All items except custom orders:
Spend $10-19.99 save 10% on your order
Spend $20-29.99 save 20% on your order
Spend $30 or more save 30% on your order
Free domestic shipping (US) on all orders over $50
*If paying with PayPal, I will refund your savings after purchase.

http://ametista.etsy.com
20% off everything!
Specializing in Custom Photo/Art Magnets and Pendants

http://aprettyrock.etsy.com
Handcrafted Limited Edition Jewelry
But One, Get One 1/2 half off (of equal or lesser value - no custom items, please)

http://aromaticbodyoils.etsy.com
Soaps, Lotions, Skincare, The Works
20% off any order

http://beadedtail.etsy.com
Jewelry for animal lovers!
10% off all items (excluding shipping) with code "Bloggers sale!"

http://bfbeads.etsy.com
Breastfeeding jewelry, necklaces & bracelets
Free priority mail shipping on orders over $25

http://calkat.etsy.com
20% off everything!
Unique Artisan Jewelry

http://CandyStickLane.etsy.com
See sale section for specials.
Free shipping on all orders

http://www.chicycreations.etsy.com
A free gift with all orders over $10.00 (before shipping)

http://colorfuldayz.etsy.com
25% Most Items
Pillows, Cases, Cards and other Fabric Goodies

http://cozy.etsy.com
I will refund 20% of purchase price to all sales from August 13th to August 17th.
(excluding shipping which is flat rate fee by Priority Mail no matter how large the order)

http://CraftyChefGraphics.etsy.com
250 free business cards with a pre-made or custom design package.

http://createathought.etsy.com
All buttons $1.00 a piece and lowered shipping prices!

http://dizzydragonflies.etsy.com
Free shipping and an extra 10% refunded if you mention that you heard about the sale from etsy bloggers!!

http://donnapool.etsy.com
All Pocket Mirrors and Puzzle Ball Toys & Christmas Ornaments
50% off

http://www.dorsethillbeads.etsy.com
Unique handmade lampwork beads
FREE SHIPPING on all purchase...
Special SALE section with already Reduced Priced items

http://FaerieRebecca.etsy.com
Natural dolls and playthings
10% off items in sale section

http://FaerieWaldorf.etsy.com
Inspiration and supplies for the homeschooling family
Free shipping on all items

http://goldtonedesigns.etsy.com
Accessories, Luxury Lounge Travel Wraps
10% off all items with code Bloggers10%

http://homemadeoriginals.etsy.com
See special sale section in my shop

http://impawsibletoresist.etsy.com
See Sale section in my shop

http://joeyandaleethea.etsy.com
Super cool baby and children's clothing...monster onesies, monster jeans, Ankle Biters...
FREE SHIPPING plus 10% OFF everything in our shop!!

http://julieantinucci.etsy.com
"Handmade Items for Everyday Use."
See My Special Sale Section.

http://LazyTcrochet.Etsy.com
Many items on SALE now, plus get FREE SHIPPING on orders of $40.00 or more.
(Custom orders not included.)

http://www.lieblingdesigns.etsy.com
jewelry
25% off in SALE section, free shipping on orders of $50 or more using promo code EB08 in notes to seller!

http://macaroniandglue.etsy.com
Take $2.00 off any boxed blank note or thank you card set!
See SALE sections in my shop for all the designs to choose from

http://madebymelissa.etsy.com
Jewelry, Vintage, Supplies, Crochet
Buy any 2, get the 3rd half off

http://mamasmagicstudio.etsy.com
"Fraternal earrings" and dragonfly suncatchers
Free priority mail shipping on orders over $25

http://memoriesforlifesb.etsy.com
Buy one Custom Name/Word Album, get $5 a second album.
Buy two Custom Name/Word Albums, get $15 off a third album.

http://miesmama.etsy.com
10% off everything in my shop, to be refunded through paypal.

http://myaphrodite.etsy.com
Passionate Jewelry
free shipping

http://www.pinetreedesigns.etsy.com
Hand Stitched Paper Art for You and Your Home
Free Shipping!

http://www.rockababyclothingco.etsy.com
Vintage inspired clothing for children and their dollies
Free Shipping (Sale items included)

http://rockstash.etsy.com
Gemstones, beads and more!
Free Shipping on orders over $20

http://roseworksjewelry.etsy.com
Free Shipping and 10% off - jewelry.

http://scottieacres.etsy.com
10% off on all orders.
Discount will be refunded or you can convo to have price adjusted prior to checkout.

http://shellmitchell.etsy.com
cute fingerless gloves
free shipping!

http://spottedcowsoaps.etsy.com
Handcrafted soaps & toiletries, Crochet Bath Accessories, Soy Candles & More
Check out our sale section for reduced price items.

http://storybeader.etsy.com
Special EtsyBloggers 1st Anniversary Sale
Great jewelry and beaded items, ½ off regular price
Look in Section: Anniversary Sale

http://stormydesigns.etsy.com
FREE shipping on orders of $10 or more.
Your choice of a FREE pair of earrings with order of $20 or more.

http://sugarlovehoney.etsy.com
baby shower items, wedding items, tutus, pillowcase dresses, tote bags
10% Off All Items in my shop!

http://thefabmissb.etsy.com
Find Your One of a Kind!
Free shipping on all vintage and original greeting cards for the Etsy Bloggers Team Sale!

http://thejumpoff.etsy.com
See sale section for specials
Free shipping on all orders

http://theophany.etsy.com
Original art, photography, hand painted bags, and more..
Free shipping during sale!

http://ToteNTots.etsy.com
Free domestic and international (Australia, Canada, Europe) shipping on orders $40.00 and more.

http://TulipsTreasureBox.etsy.com
See my EtsyBloggers 1st Anniversary Sale Section
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5508373§ion_id=5417430

http://twozanyzebras.etsy.com
Free shipping on all items
Specializing in all things zany for babies including: blankets, bibs, stuffies and clothes.

http://weeoneslittlethings.etsy.com
Boutique Baby Essentials, Blankets and Baby Carriers
Buy one item, get the 2nd of equal or lesser value for 50% off!!!!

http://wylesstyle.etsy.com
See special sale section in my shop
I have an assortment of items on sale, including purses, totes, wristlets and clutches.

♥ The above shops are participating in the SALE. But you can always find the beautiful items from our team members, at any other time, by going to Etsy and searching for "etsybloggers team":
http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=tag_title&search_query=etsybloggers+team

We also have a "Buy N Replace" TREASURY open to everyone - so come join the fun! http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=21722


We've got all kinds of Etsy sellers on this team so take your time checking out each of the shops listed there.

As for me...well, I've got all my Pocket Mirrors and Puzzle Balls (toys and Christmas Ornaments) on sale 50% off. The sale starts tomorrow, 8/13 and goes through Sunday, 8/17, so get 'em at that price while you can!

Two Treasuries!

It's always nice to know somebody appreciates what you do! A couple of items from my Etsy shop are currently featured in Etsy Treasuries. Here they are:

This one is a Treasury of items from members of the Etsy Bloggers Street Team. We're having a team-wide sale this week, August 13-17, so keep your eyes open for some good deals on those days! (I'll say more about this later.)


http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=1261





http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=439

Spotlight on "Spotlight"

I just found out something I made has been featured in another blog:

http://cinnamonspicecrafts.blogspot.com/2008/07/spotlight-on-eco-friendly-etsians.html

The writer of this blog has an Etsy shop herself and here's a link to it:

http://www.cinnamonspice.etsy.com

I love her vintage photo notecards! You'll want to stop by and take a look around her shop.

Here's the item I made that she featured...2 1/4 inch button magnets made from a recycled magazine:

CafeMom and "The Storque"

Etsy has been doing a series of articles on their blog, "The Storque" called "Handmade Kids". As part of that special emphasis, I was contacted about submitting an article on the CafeMom Etsy Moms Street Team because I'm one of the leaders of that team. So, I compared notes with the founder of our group, rockerchic and we thought about who we are and why we are and what we do and then put it all in an article we submitted. Our article became part of the Etsy article and you can read it for yourself, here:

Handmade Kids: An Insider's Review of CafeMom.com

If you want to take a closer look at the CafeMom Etsy Moms, check out our CafeMom profile or our CafeMom Etsy Moms blog. You can also check my sidebar for a scrolling list of CafeMom Etsy Mom's blogs. And if you'd like to see what all these talented moms do, just go to Etsy.com and search "Cafemom team".

Taking Pictures Part 2: Reflections

I've written before about my creative solution to taking pictures of small products, like the buttons and small crafts I sell from my Etsy shop. I know a lot of Etsy sellers use a light tent for this, like this home made one. But anything I do has to fit in my tiny townhouse so setting up a light tent and finding a place to keep the equipment when not in use didn't seem to be a viable option for me.

Instead, I use a couple of foamboards, scored and folded and set up as both backdrop and reflector. When not in use, these are folded flat and stored behind a bookshelf, conveniently out of the way. I made another makeshift reflector out of half of a large can, too, which works very well for small objects.

It's all about the light...where it's coming from...and where you want to put it.

One challenge for me was controlling reflections, since the buttons I make have a shiny surface. A little maneuvering, a slight change of angle and a healthy dose of trial and error can make all the difference.

But pocket mirrors were a particular challenge not only because of the shiny surface of the button, but also because of the image reflected by the mirror. After all, you want to show the mirror, not what the mirror sees. In this photo the reflection of my reflector (a foil-covered piece of foamboard) can clearly be seen:



That's not a photo I'd want to post in my Etsy shop, even after cropping out the edge of my background and the reflector set up on the left side.

Sometimes the best solution is the simplest. Here's what I did to fix that:



By tilting the angle of the folded piece of foamboard that was serving as my background, I made sure that the only thing reflected in my pocket mirror was the white surface of the foamboard.

Since I'm using window light, which can vary according to the time of day or weather, I usually tweak the brightness and contrast of these product shots with graphics software. (I use an old version of Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop Elements to do this, although free programs like Gimp or Picasa are favored by many Etsy crafters.)

Here's the final result:



By the way, the pocket mirror I've used in this example isn't available in my Etsy shop. It's a personal project for some friends of mine. But you can check out the Imaginary Bitches website and a very funny new web series written by Andrew Miller and starring Eden Riegel, Elizabeth Hendrickson and some other familiar faces from TV. It's getting some great attention from the press., including raves from People Magazine and TV Guide. Better yet, go to their YouTube channel and watch all the webisodes for yourself and if you enjoy it as much as I do, subscribe and share it with your friends.

A Keeper's Jackpot

Each month the Etsy Bloggers Street Team gives special attention to one member. Take a look at my sidebar and you'll see the graphic for this there...the name will change each month and clicking on it will always take you to that members blog.

This month, if you click on that link you'll get a beautifully illustrated travelog of the Adirondack Mountains. What wonderful pictures and a first hand report of a hike up Blue Mountain, a place I'll probably never see for myself. But I'm very glad this blogger wanted to share it with us.

Tying into the topic of that blog entry is this item from A Keeper's Jackpot's Etsy Shop...a Custom Beaded Hiker's Safety Whistle. This is an item that springs from the maker's personal experience, according to the description. Sounds like it would be an excellent addition to any hiker's gear.

I also took notice of these items in the same shop...lanyards for ID badges. What a wonderful thing to do to make something ordinary a lot more fun. I recall when my daughter was young and we were frequently in and out of the doctor's office, I loved seeing the nurses who had somehow personalized their name badges and wore scrubs made of fun colors and patterns. If you wear name badges, consider jazzing your up with one of these.

Favorite New Creation

I've been prompted (by the Etsy Bloggers Street Team) to write about my "favorite creation" but after giving it some thought I realized that my favorite is always changing. Almost every time I make a new puzzle ball or teddy bear, it becomes my favorite. (I say "almost" because there have been times that I finished one and regretted my choice of fabric or color...but those are ones I don't share!)

Actually, I don't even have to wait until I finish a teddy bear...I make the head first and as soon as I have it sewed and stuffed the bear takes on it's own personality. Then I prop up the head where I can see it while I finish sewing and stuffing the rest of him...or her....



So I shifted my focus to take a wider view of what I create and I offer you this...a slideshow I created for my church's Vacation Bible School. I love running around all week long, shifting back into my old freelance photographer mode, taking pictures of the kids every morning for a week. Then I take one of the songs they've been learning and use it to put together a musical slideshow that tells the story of the whole experience. We show it during the presentation to the parents on Friday night. This time I was in a real time crunch getting it finished...I still wish I'd done a few more quick cuts near the end, but I also realize that parents like the group shots to stay on the screen long enough for them to find their kid in the picture...and besides, I was finishing it up about ten minutes before I was supposed to leave the house to go show it at the church! At any rate...here it is...my most recent favorite creation: