Trade and Stay Event!

Have you ever thought about trying a trade but just weren't sure? The Tradeaholics are having an awesome event that runs until just before midnight tonight called a Trade and Stay. You don't have to be a team member to participate so stop by and check it out. I can't wait to tell you about all my new goodies!

Etsy Front Page Tags #12

What a busy week it has been! My hubbie and I have both been on holidays and had a great week taking our little guy on adventures and celebrating his 2nd birthday. My how time flies! I did manage to gather some tags/themes that appeared on Etsy's front page this week and noticed that the trend is shifting to different colour pallette's geared towards fall and the introduction of neutral and colour mixes. What did you notice this week? Here are the theme's and their tags that I observed:

• Cool and Fresh (green, mint, watermelon, lampshade, coral, kiwi fruit, fresh, summer, relaxing)
• Rusty with a Touch of Blue Turquoise
• A Grey Day
• The Grass is Greener (green, grass, sky, blue)
• Summer for the Etsy Gentleman
• Woven (woven, tan, brown, necklace, basket, purse)
• She likes 'em with a mustache
• Softly (soft, pastel, quiet, white, cream, brown, blue, green, light, neutral)
• Gone Fishing
• A Quiet Lunch in the Orchard (lunch, orchard, picnic, basket, relaxation, food, summer, spring)
• Daydream Believer (heart, ceramics, blue, aqua, rose, print, clutch, earrings, pin, ring, notecard)
• Afternoon Tea (soft, delicate, white, afternoon, tea, cute)
• Sun Dried (inspired by tones of orange and brown)
• Chocolate (chocolate, mocha, brown, cupcake, warm)
• Beige and Soft Red

Treasury Search On Etsy has finally arrived!

FINALLY...the ability to search the new Treasury East on Etsy and I couldn't be happier! I was thrilled to find these amazing treasuries that I have been featured in

• Cut That Out
• Calm
• Sweet Dreams
• Runs With Scissors

Thanks so much to all those who have included something from Kawartha Beads! PS. If anyone can tell me how to get one of those awesome screen shots I always see on other blogs that would be awesome!

Etsy Front Page Tags #11

I was pleased to notice several front pages this week that featured Undiscovered Shops, giving new sellers an extra boost and I'm sure leaving many of them jumping for joy in front of their computer screens. So what other tags/themes made it to the front page this week....

• Fox and Hare (fox, hare, forest, woods, tree)
• Life on the Farm (farm, farmhouse, ranch, country, western, sheep, jam, cowboy, red, yellow, white, blue, midwest, barn, eggs, dress, horses)
• Geometrics
• Crush on Teacher (teacher, school, crush, hearts, apples, chairs, pencils, chalkboard)
• Nautical Sailor (nautical, sailor, sea, red, white, blue, stripe, anchor, deep, compass, port, ocean, fish, sail away, summer, sailing, travel, trip)
• Undiscovered Shops
• Thinking in Pastel
• Words
• Peek into the Powder Room
• Cranberry and Sage
• Red and Black
• Haiku in Aqua and Red
• Extravagence in Violet
• Road Trip
• Leather and Lace
• Olive and Mint
• Peridot
• Aw Sugar....Honey Honey (golden, honey, bees, yellow, sun, gold, beeswax, mustard)

New Goodies at Kawartha Beads

I can't believe how quickly July is going! I am already turning my thoughts to my holiday creations and mom and I have started stocking new goodies in our supplies shop for the holiday season. Here are some new additions to Kawartha Beads this week including Puzzle Punches, Music Lovers Charm Necklace, Summer Splash Necklace and Beautiful Blue Tags. What are you doing to prepare for the upcoming hoilday rush?

Whimsical Treasures from Yee Von

Last week was my birthday and I was thrilled to learn that I had won a darling mini notecard from talented Etsy artistan Yee Von. To enter her giveaway I had to suggest a new woodland creature for her creations. I suggested a turkey as I thought it would be a perfect addition for the upcoming holiday season.

A little about the artist:

"Yee Von is an illustrator which her artworks are mostly inspired by nature. Every piece of her work is like her journal, carrying her thoughts and emotions from time to time and growing with her :) She is always looking for inspiration to create new artworks"

 

Be sure to check out Yee Von's fantastic sale going on through the end of July: *CHRISTMAS IN JULY SALE 11 July - 31 July*

- Buy 2 prints and get the 3rd FREE! (equal or less value)! FLAT RATE SHIPPING Anywhere!

Do you have wild turkeys where you live? What woodland creature would you have suggested?

My Almost Birthday Special!

Well tomorrow is my birthday and I will be turning 29....again (it's actually 31 but who's counting). I recently bought my first stamp and I have to admit I'm completely addicted. I made these adorable cupcake gift tags and was so thrilled with how they turned out, so simple yet scrumptious! In celebration of my birthday I am offering a set of these tags (8) for the special price of just $2 in my Etsy, Zibbet or Artfire shops until Sunday June 18th! The best part is these yummy cupcakes are calorie free!

Christmas In July on Zibbet!

Christmas in July has arrived on Zibbet and there are many great specials to be found from free shipping to % off discounts! Just click here to find all the great goodies and get a jump on your holiday shopping.

In my Kawartha Beads shop I am offering Free Shipping on all my necklaces, earrings and bookmarks. Looking to stock up on supplies? My mom and I are offering a 10% off sale EXCLUSIVELY in our supplies shop on Zibbet!

I Won a Giveaway!

With the temperature on the rise and everyone trying to stay cool I was thrilled to find a giveaway over at Gypsey Ridgley for some FABULOUS paper straws and we won! My little guy is really enjoying having picnics with mama and he was SO excited to receive his prize. Aren't they just the cutest thing, I almost don't want to use them. In case you want some of your very own you can also find them for sale in her Etsy shop.

Etsy Front Page Tags #10

Hope that those who have also been experiencing this crazy heatwave are trying to stay cool! Time again to review this past week's themes and tags that made it to Etsy's front page. Also, August's Merchandising Desk article is now posted in the Storque so be sure to take the time to give it a read and find out where trends are heading for fall. I am excited for the forcasted colours (punches of turquoise, cranberry, mustard, camel and grey) as they are some of my personal fav's. Has anyone noticed the focus on foxes lately, could they be the new owl? Enjoy this week's theme recap:

• Mad 4 Plaid
• Toasted Treats (shades of caramel, toasted coconuts, roasted almonds)
• Good Housekeeping
• Minimalism
• Pastel Colours
• Geek Chic
• Rustic Country House
• Travelling Circus
• Bonjour
• Thrilling Summer Brights
• Raw linen
• Country Wedding
• BBQ
• Lemon & Grey
• Country Kitchen
• Dukes of Hazzard
• Turquoise and Tangerine
• No Place Like Home
• Let's Go For a Hike
• Bees and Tea
• Whimsical in red, white and blue
• Red & Aqua
• French Garden in White
• Afternoon Romance (tags included romantic, picnic, country, countryside, love affair, cottage, feminine, rural)
• Honey Almond
• The Birds and the Bees
• Rustic
• Hello Goodbye
• Carnival Days
• Foxes
• The lightbulb
• Triangle

The Travelling Jewellery Party!

A little while ago I told you about my "Independent Sales Reps". If you missed the original posting you can catch up here. My gals are doing a fabulous job with their travelling "buckets" of jewellery, essentially being able to have a jewellery party wherever they go! Such a simple concept and yet I never would have gone down this path if one of them hadn't offered to try and introduce some of my products to her friends/coworkers.  I wanted to show off the "buckets" which I picked up on sale (shhhhhh) and I love how they have handles and lock. Each one has a different pattern and I am surprised how the girls have staked a claim on their particular "bucket".  A keepsake box or colourful tupperware container would also work just as well. What do you think?

My Experiences as a Giveaway Participant!

I had heard that doing a giveaway can bring you lots of exposure but I have also read horror stories in the forums about reviews/giveaways and so have been cautious of actually doing one myself. This spring when I saw the call for submissions for Simply Stacie's Spring Bling Jewellery Event I figured I would at least contact her. I was already a follower of her blog and enjoyed her postings, reviews and giveaways AND she has a great following. My concern was that my shop wasn't "big" enough and still too new to play with the big guns. She emailed me back and said she would be thrilled to have me join so I figured I would give it a shot.

 I excitedly packaged up a pair of my Lavender and Lace Pearl Earrings and sent them away to review. As my review/giveaway date approached it was like waiting for your report card to see what the teacher said! You can read my review here. The review was not only a great confindence booster but I also saw a great increase in traffic to my shop. I gained several new blog followers (welcome!) and reading the 270 comments also helped me to learn what products people like the most in my shop.

I definately think that reviews/giveaways have the potential to be great exposure for your business but be sure to do your research and choose wisely! What are your giveaway experiences? Do you tend to approach blogs or wait for them to approach you? Any words of advice?

Front Page Etsy Tags #9

***Every Friday I recap the item tags and themes that have made it to the front page of Etsy. It is important to not mis-tag your shop items but keeping track of current trends and looking at different tags can help a shop owner to get seen!***

Here are this week's tags/themes:

• cream dream
• bowling
• Fresh (mint green with a dash of aqua)
• cubed
• blues and browns
•  girly
• earth
• my cappucino
• salad
• Adventures of a Traveling Fashionista
• mellow yellow
• summer blues
• graphic traffic
• It's a bright orange kind of day
• semiotics
• on the farm
• foxy red
• for the foxes
• Bright & Sunshiny Day (aqua+yellow)
• Soft Shades of Green