February Round Up

Despite it being a leap year this year February flew by! In case you missed it here is a link to my January round up so you can see how my 2012 year began! Here's a recap of my February endeavours!

This month I was thrilled to get out and meet some new crafty gals through the Kawartha Lakes Artisans, Vintage&Collectibles group.  It is always nice to meet fellow artisans in the community and I'm excited to work with these talented individuals to grow not only our own small businesses but the handmade scene in our community.
My goal for the month was to get to 160 listings in my Etsy shop (that was my own personal "magic number") and I made it! Since some items are one of a kind (and sold...woo-hoo) it also encouraged me to keep making new items. I'm hoping to maintain that number throughout the month of March and add a couple of new products every week. I had noticed last year that once I maintained approx. 120 items in my shop sales were much steadier. Whether I appear more frequently in search results, have a wider variety of items for shoppers to choose from, or a combination of those factors (and others I'm sure) it is always nice to see that "Congratulations you have a sale" notification more and more frequently. Let's hope that every month continues to show such a good growth over the previous year!


I am proud to say that not only did I see an increase over last years sales numbers for the month I also saw an increase in sales over January of this year. Since some of my Reserved Listings were for multiple items the numbers below are conservative.

Total number of sales for February 2012:  15

Total number of sales for February 2011: 13

January also saw me place my first order for bulk supplies and I am now able to offer both miniature bookmarks and keyrings as wholesale items or bulk buys (such as wedding or shower favours). I also have a massive stockpile of envelopes on hand and am ready to tackle the year and continue to expand.

Looking ahead to March....
Goals for March include maintaining my 160 shop listings, prepare for some off line events in April (including the Mom to Mom sale, revival of my travelling jewellery party and a home party for a ladies book club). I am reloading my Artfire studio as well which is in desperate need of some attention. Last but not least....finishing off 2011's paperwork for the taxman. Ugh, how I wish the paperwork fairy would come while I am beading and do it for me!!!

What do you have planned for the month ahead?

My Artfire Collection is Featured in Today's Artfire Email!

Be sure to stop by and check out all these wonderful handmade artisans and their Sensational Sages!

Sensational Sages!

Curated By: kawarthabeads

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Taking a Break...

Taking a quick break to work on new products, my new blog Kawartha Bargains and of course to enjoy the holidays with my family. Join me December 26th for a post holiday sale and plenty of new goodies to come in the new year. Thanks for a great year!

Holiday Shipping Deadlines

Can you believe that it is the middle of November already! It won't be long before Christmas morning is upon us! For those of you who are doing your holiday shopping online this year and avoiding all of those crazy crowds at the mall the shipping deadlines for Kawartha Beads are as follows

• International: November 22nd
• USA: December 8th
• Canada: December 12th

I will be offering local delivery (within Lindsay) for no extra charge right up until December 23rd. I will even gift wrap it for you and attach a tag so all you have to do is write a holiday message. Please note that my online shop will be going into vacation mode beginning December 13th until the New Year to allow me to enjoy the holidays with my family, work on some new products and maybe even take a day to relax!

Are you ready for Christmas?

A little early?

Curated By: budanArt

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

New Products Coming for Holiday Season!

Now that we are finally settled in to the new house and (somewhat) organized I've got my creative cap on and am ready to bring you some new beauties just in time for the holiday season. Since each new product will be limited in quantity I am giving readers a first crack at the items (along with a special readers discount) before listing them in my Etsy and Artfire shops. Today's new product features a small silver filagree leaf topped with a sparkling capri blue fire polished crystal (I am happy to change the crystal colour if you prefer a different one). They dangle approx. 2" in total length. Get yours for the sneak peek price of only $5 plus shipping (free local delivery available). Offer valid until October 28th. Just send me a message via one of my shops and I will be happy to set up a special listing just for you. Hurry, only 10 pairs available!

New Artfire Collection: Cranberries and Cream

Cranberries and C...

Curated By: kawarthabeads

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Chosen for Artfire's Collection of the Day!!!

Oatmeal....Not Ju...

Curated By: kawarthabeads

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Artfire Top Sellers List as of July 16/11

The Artfire Top Sellers List is by no means an official list, it is merely put together by yours truly through browsing the wonderful shops of Artfire and with some starter help from the AF forums. I will try and update it once a week and would love to eventually have the top sellers for each handmade category. If you would like to have your Artfire shop added please contact me through my Artfire Studio. You may have your name removed from the list at any time if you so wish, just let me know.
HANDMADE:

1) soapsmith (2356)
2) mysticknotwork (2032)
3) mayleesgarden (2008)
4) spoiledbratzwear (1174)
5) thyme2dream (677)
6) normasbathandbody (628)
7) libertydoll (541)
8) bakidagain (325)
9) paperstreet (304)
10) kibbles (287)
11) jscjewelry (289)
12) katsallthat (254)
13) kawarthabeads (185)
14) sandrahealy (179)
15) canadianrockiesart (175)
16) LAjewelrydesigns (117)

SUPPLIES:
1) lululalaland (15749)
2) susansscrapbookshack (6210)
3) miabellacollection (6182)
4) cupcakesocial (4587)
5) royalmetals (2203)
6) bobbi beads (1657)
7) bopper (1264)
8) tantalizingstitches (1318)
9) beadcomber (839)
10) rougeriverbeads (815)
11) susansheehan (591)
12) bakidagain2 (441)
13) silvermoongalleria (381)
14) beadsbytlc (231)
15) greatgraphics (156)

Are you on the Artfire Top Sellers list? I would love to interview you and share your journey. Contact me through my Artfire studio if you are interested.

I'm BAAAACK!!!

Wow what a busy month it has been! My Heartsy deal went fabulously well and I want to thank all those who took advantage of the opportunity and bought a voucher. Unfortunately with the Canada Post lockout many parcels are still sitting here waiting to make their way to their new owners but everyone has been extremely patient and understanding. I have my fingers crossed that we will all be sending and receiving mail early next week. If you missed the Heartsy deal you can currently stop by my Etsy shop to receive 30% off your order by entering coupon code THANKYOU30 at checkout. New products to come in the next week or so include more giraffe charm necklaces in both silver and brass, sewing charm necklaces, baking charm necklaces, fabulous fire polished earrings, and some more additions to the bargain bin.

My Heartsy Experience

If you haven't had the chance be sure to stop by Heartsy for your chance to snatch up some fabulous daily deals on handmade items. My feature day was June 11th, with my deal available to VIP's on June 10th. I used my Artfire Studio which has its own pro's and con's which I will list later. Here is the number breakdown for those of you who are contemplating submitting to Heartsy for your own shop:

DEAL: $9 for $22 worth of store credit, VIP's got $32 credit

Studio Views pre-Heartsy: 6,352
Studio Views as of Today: 12,376
Item Views pre-Heartsy: 11,274
Item Views as of Today: 12,649
Sales pre-Heartsy: 26
Sales as of Today:166

Vouchers sold: 66 total
                        49 VIP
                        17  REGULAR
Redeemed to date: 36
Non Heartsy Sales during June: 3

Many people redeemed their vouchers immediately and one of the pro's to using my Artfire Studio was that I was able to list quantities and didn't have to worry about relisting (in case I decided to grab a couple hours sleep!) Buyers, however, are less familiar with Artfire and not as comfortable shopping there so I wonder if I would have sold more vouchers had I used my Etsy shop.  I hope that I brought some extra exposure to Artfire since there are so many talented artisans there as well. I love both Etsy and Artfire and each site has its pro's and con's. Each artisan needs to decide for themselves if a venue like Heartsy is right for their business. For me it gave me some immediate cash flow to reinvest into new supplies, brought extra exposure to my studio that I may not have been able to generate on my own (at least so quickly) and it gave me a feel for what items people were interested in. My #1 seller The Owl Charm Necklace. Would I do it again? Absolutely! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me. I would be happy to help!

Saturday is my Heartsy feature day!

I am thrilled to announce that I will be offering a deal on Heartsy on Saturday June 11th! If you haven't already signed up please feel free to use my referral link here:
http://heartsy.me/users/78615/referral?c=plink
If you sign up using this link we both get $5 to spend!!!

My Deal:
When you purchase a Heartsy voucher for Kawartha Beads you will be paying $9 but receive a $22 store credit, or $32 store credit if you are a VIP member. If you are a VIP you will also have access to this amazing deal on Friday. You will have 6 months to redeem your voucher and you don't have to spend it all in one shot (you can pick up a treat for yourself for summer and then come back later and stock up on goodies for Christmas). Your voucher will be good only in my Artfire Studio.

I'm thrilled not only to be able to offer a fabulous deal to existing customers but this is an amazing opportunity to gain some extra exposure that I may not have otherwise been able to acheive on my own. Additionally, I think it is a great way to introduce new buyers to Artfire and its wonderful marketplace. I hope you will stop by and take a peek and don't forget to sign up using the link above to get $5 to spend at Heartsy!

Since I'll be busy preparing for this weekend I'll be taking a blogging break. I'll share the whirlwind with you next week when I can breathe again!

Artfire Top Sellers List Update

 The Artfire Top Sellers List is by no means an official list, it is merely put together by yours truly through browsing the wonderful shops of Artfire and with some starter help from the AF forums. I will try and update it once a week and would love to eventually have the top sellers for each handmade category. If you would like to have your Artfire shop added please contact me through my Artfire Studio. You may have your name removed from the list at any time if you so wish, just let me know.

HANDMADE:
1) mayleesgarden (1929)
2) mysticknotwork (1639)
3)soapsmith (1430)
4) spoiledbratzwear (1165)
5) thyme2dream (648)
6) normasbathandbody (582)
7) libertydoll (551)
8) bakidagain (321)
9) paperstreet (304)
10) kibbles (279)
11) jscjewelry (266)
12) katsallthat (242)
13) canadianrockiesart (167)
14) sandrahealy (163)
15) LAjewelrydesigns (110)

SUPPLIES:
1) lululalaland (16186)
2) susansscrapbookshack (6392)
3) miabellacollection (6159)
4) cupcakesocial (4592)
5) royalmetals (1985)
6) bobbi beads (1546)
7) bopper (1274)
8) tantalizingstitches (1248)
9) rougeriverbeads (871)
10) beadcomber (834)
11) susansheehan (606)
12) bakidagain2 (438)
13) silvermoongalleria (354)
14) beadsbytlc (245)

Are you on the Artfire Top Sellers list? I would love to interview you and share your journey. Contact me through my Artfire studio if you are interested.

Teal and Lemon Yellow- New Artfire Collection

Teal and Lemon Ye...

Curated By: kawarthabeads

ArtFire.com

Handmade Jewelry

Artfire Front Page Themes for this Week

Yay for the arrival of nice weather. It's nice to see a hint of colour both out my window and appearing in the front page Collections. Here's a sneak peek at some of the themes that have graced the pages of Artfire this week:

• Beautiful Baby Ballerina
• Neutral Territory
• Kambaba Jasper
• Start the Day with Oatmeal
• Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head
• A Touch of Glass
• Sweet Treats
• Lime with a Touch of Blue
• I Can't Believe its Clay
• Girls in their Summer Dresses
• Do You See What I See?
• VERDIGRIS and WENGE -the wonderful world of color"
• Stormy Seas Ahead
• Royal Blue and Gold
• Gifts for Men -- Handmade Leather Indulgences -- Collection 2"
• Who Doesn't Love Rainbows?
• Everything is Coming up Roses

Afternoon Tea- A New Artfire Collection

Afternoon Tea

Curated By: kawarthabeads

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Paintings

New Artfire Collection: Farmhouse Inspired

Farmhouse Inspired

Curated By: kawarthabeads

ArtFire.com

Handmade Jewelry

Artfire Top Sellers List

Well I was definately curious to see how shops have been growing over the past month and many shops seem to have had a good number of sales. I have noticed traffic in my own shop growing steadily even with being closed for a couple of weeks to welcome new baby. Now that we are settled at home I am reenergized to kick things into high gear. I thought it might be interesting to see how many pages of listings the handmade sellers have and if that plays a role in sales. Of course there are some with only a couple of pages and some with oodles. The average number of pages that the handmade sellers have listed is 14.6! I currently have 7 pages listed in my own shop so I am going to try and hit the 10 page mark by the end of the month. The Artfire Top Sellers List  is by no means an official list, it is merely put together by yours truly through browsing the wonderful shops of Artfire and with some starter help from the AF forums. I will try and update it once a week and would love to eventually have the top sellers for each handmade category. If you would like to have your Artfire shop added please contact me through my Artfire Studio. You may have your name removed from the list at any time if you so wish, just let me know.


HANDMADE:
1) mayleesgarden (1885)
2) mysticknotwork (1410)
3)soapsmith (1346)
4) spoiledbratzwear (1115)
5) thyme2dream (618)
6) libertydoll (550)
7) normasbathandbody (550)
8) bakidagain (320)
9) paperstreet (295)
10) kibbles (270)
11) jscjewelry (248)

12) katsallthat (230)
13) canadianrockiesart (160)
14) sandrahealy (148)
15) LAjewelrydesigns (106)

SUPPLIES:
1) lululalaland (15821)
2) susansscrapbookshack (6109)
3) miabellacollection (6083)
4) cupcakesocial (4592)
5) royalmetals (1795)
6) bobbi beads (1460)
7) tantalizingstitches (1242)
8) bopper (1216)
9) rougeriverbeads (864)
10) beadcomber (786)
11) susansheehan (589)
12) bakidagain2 (446)
13) beadsbytlc (244)

Are you on the Artfire Top Sellers list? I would love to interview you and share your journey. Contact me through my Artfire studio if you are interested.

Artfire Front Page Themes This Week

Have you signed up for the Artfire Collection of the Day emails? Don't forget to sign up and you could win a $100 shopping spree at a Pro Artfire Studio! As a shop owner I also love the extra exposure that it gives to shops and I've found plenty of new fav's myself. Here is a sampling of some of the themes to grace the front page of Artfire over the past few days:

• Earth Day
• Ou La La Paris
• The Wonderful World of Color- Fallow
• Bring on the Birds
• Crazy Copper 2
• Zensational Zigzags
• Here Comes Peter Cottontail
• CheckHolic
• Urban Chic
• Color the Sky Blue
• Fine Art Drawings
• For Mom
• Lilac Easter Color
• Mint
• Dusty Rose
• Hydrangea
• Take a Break
• Capturing Time
• Ivory and Ebony
• Cerulean Blues
• Golden Gems

♥Baby Break♥

Our new addition (baby #2) is scheduled to arrive via csection on April 14th so I will be taking the next few days "off" to get some extra things done before heading to the hospital. My shops will remain open until tomorrow and then will also be put into vacation mode so be sure to grab those Easter and Mother's Day gifts. Thank you to everyone for your wonderful wishes and thoughts and I will be back to blogging and selling my handmade goodies as soon as we are settled in at home. Have a great couple of weeks!

Introducing Delmar Creations!

Looking for a fabulous gift for Easter, Mother's Day or just a treat for yourself? Be sure to stop by Delmar Creations for unique handmade creations for you and your home. Here's a little more about the wonderful artist behind this shop:

What would you like people to know about you as a person?\

-I'm honest and won't take people for granted.

Tell me a bit about your art and your products? What inspires you?

-I love crocheting. I try to make things that are simple and quick and hence reasonably priced for my customers. I'm inspired by going to craft shows and surfing wonderful crafting sites like ArtFire and Etsy.

How do you share your creations? Where can we find you?

-I've just opened my online studio on ArtFire - http://www.delmarcreations.artfire.com/ with April's encouragement so I'm hoping to share my creations with customers through that forum and I also love doing craft shows, especially at Christmas time, in and around the Toronto area.

What is your most important lesson since starting your craft/ business?

-Listen to what customers and other artisans have to say as I learn from them.

Some fun tidbits:

-Coffee, tea or hot chocolate? - coffee

-Your favourite candy? - KitKat

-Your favourite colour? - anything pink

-If I were to catch you grooving it would be to this song…. - "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves - an oldie but a goodie