Etsy Finds

geometric triangle necklace

elephant ipad case

moss necklace

silver initial ring

lavender sachet

I hope you guys enjoy these! Let me know what you think in the comments box.


-Grace

why i love etsy

okay, so before reading this, i'll give you a little background info. my name is gracie beal and i'm a earring designer. i'm selling at 3 boutiques, on my website, and on etsy! so, i don't really know what people think of etsy, but i do know what i think of it. i was skeptical when i first heard about it because it seemed so great. i googled it....some people think it's a scam. NO WAY JOSE! i love etsy dearly! think of it as your own personal shopping center....where everything is either handmade or vintage. i just love the feel of etsy. you can find the most beautiful stuff here and be sure no one else has it because it's handmade/vintage! you also get to support small businesses. you can even set your search to specify local businesses...how cool is that? supporting local businesses while getting a totally unique product for a good price. and this is why i love etsy. since i'm a seller, i experience things buyers don't usually get to. for example, i deal alot with other sellers when we all share tips or chat in the forums and just have a good time! oh, another one of my favorite things? customer service. you're dealing with an individual, not a computer! hooray! etsy is seriously awesome. all of the little pictures you see over there on my side bar in the inspiration slideshow are from etsy. if you like what, check it out! and let me just say-if you're skeptical, give it a go! it's free to become a member and only costs 20 cents to list an item. i love etsy
*this is in no way a promotional for etsy, just me speaking my feelings!*

april artist

first off, can i just say that i'm really, REALLY happy to have this month's artist on my blog? if you take a peek at my inspiration slideshow on the right-hand bar, many of my items were hers. like i had to cut back to give others a chance to be in that little photo montage. i totally don't remember how i found her shop, but i do know that i love everything in it. EVERYTHING! which is almost impossible...i'm quite a picky girl!(: so, here's the one, the only, barberryandlace ...

1.)Tell us a little bit about yourself! (name, location,pets, family, etc.)My name is Leigh and I live in Loveland, Colorado. I live with my boyfriend, Mike (who also works from home), our pup Sadie and our two kitties, Molly and Bert. Needless to say, our two bedroom condo is quite busy!

2.)How did you become to be an artist?
I've always loved to create things. I made greeting cards for a while and loved doing it. I kind of fell into jewelry and it's such a great fit for me! I love seeing things come together and ordering supplies that I think will make a great piece. It's all very exciting!

3.)What inspires you?
Lots of things. I really love vintage things, pastels, the "shabby chic" look... I like that my studio has a window so I can see nature. I love watching the seasons change.

4.)What is your creative proccess like?Usually I'll find something that I absolutely love and try to make it into something someone else might love. I just love the creating process... finding things that inspire great pieces.

5.)What do you do in your free time?(besides creating)
Free time... what's that? :) I have a part time job as a waitress/bartender that takes up my weekends. I usually work about 25 hours in those three days to afford myself the time to create and sell jewelry the rest of the week. I'm also getting geared up for my first craft fair in May, so getting my booth design put together and making the jewelry for that is also very time consuming... but I love it.

6.)What would give as advice to someone just starting out on Etsy?
Don't give up and MARKET. I was fortunate to have built my blog up before I started my shop, so I already had free ears to listen. I think my biggest success has come from word of mouth... friends blogging about the shop and sponsoring giveaways. I always remind myself: you have to spend money to make money and marketing is the best money spent.

7.)How do you promote your work?
My blog, others' blogs, giveaways, email marketing, handing out business cards like it's nobody's business, twitter, etc. Social media networks are AMAZING... as is word of mouth.

8.)In ten years, where would you like to be?
Goodness... that's tough. I can tell you that THIS year, I'd like to move my shop into another location. Possibly a store front, or maybe just my garage. I just need to have room to expand!

9.)What handmade possesion is closest to your heart?
My grandma made me a cookbook of all our old Amish family recipes and I think it's awesome. I'm not a great cook, but having it all in one place and made by my grandma is really special to me.

10.)What would you like to see more of on Etsy? Less of?
Oh my gosh... I'm obsessed with the little knit animal hats for babies. I think they're DARLING! Less of? Can I say jewelry? I'd like to corner that market! ;)

visit her on facebook here and on etsy here .

can i just say that when i linked to her etsy i spent like 20 minutes looking at her site when i was supposed to only test the link for correct-ed-ness? yeah....i've got the b.a.l. fever!

How to Shop For The Holidays

If you're one of those people who believes that it's way too early to begin shopping for the holidays, let me tell you; it's not. I've shopped for many, many gifts over the years, and it's CERTAINLY never too early to start shopping for the holidays! Here are a few tips to keep you organized (and money-concious!) during this year's shopping frenzy:

-It's never too early to begin your holiday shopping. I've been known to collect little tidbits even in months such as July!

-Meaningful gifts are a lot more fun than ones that are just bought for the sake of showing up with something- if you're going to spend your money, make it count!

-For those people who you really can't afford to dish out another gift to, a nice batch of homemade cookies or your favorite brownies is always a great idea

-Making a list of what gift you want to buy for which person keeps you organized and doesn't allow you to forget any little thing

-Stick to your list, for the most part. No, I really doubt that Grandma will appreciate that cute rubber ducky that's on clearance....

And there you have it! Some nice little tips to cut out and put in your wallet...enjoy yourselves!