Supply and Demand

One of the aspects of starting a business that you may not think about when reconciling your out-of-pocket expenses is the cost of packaging.  You shop very carefully to ensure that you have the highest quality of beads, chains, fabrics, threads, etc. at the lowest of prices in order to be competitive in an already saturated market.  You sit down and calculate your costs and come up with a fair price that benefits everyone and then you realize, um, what about packaging? 

I'll be honest, each time I embarked on a new creation that stepped outside of what I have already created and finalized, it is daunting to create a unique way of packaging items in such a way that it tells a story and relates your hard work and passions. 

However, when you discover the particular combination that embodies everything you were working towards, it is a beautiful song.

I know that I have mentioned it before, but it still amazes me the community atmosphere that Etsy embodies.  I did a Google search and discovered that the best pricing for the packaging I wanted came from a fellow Etsian and was well below what I budgeted allowing me to reduce my prices to be even more competitive.

Mrs. Jahns Treasures offers a wide variety of packaging and mailing options that can keep your overhead low and your prices competitive.

If that isn't enough, she also offers a wide variety of other jewelry supplies that with some imagination, you can create into beautiful one-of-a-kind creations to set your shop aside from anyone else's.

Visit one of her 3 shops today at:

http://www.jwlrysupply.etsy.com/
http://mrsjahns.etsy.com/
http://www.dianasilvervillage.etsy.com/

Have questions, e-mail the owner Diana, she is prompt and ready to assist with any of your questions and will even offer suggestions to help you out.

Enjoy!!!

Spin a Fibrous Tale!

I have embarked on a new creative venture and have indulged in the expertise of http://www.extremespinning.etsy.com/ for assistance.

I recently entered a contest and needed a creative idea for using a particular fabric in an accessory and decided on wet felting my own hat and incorporating that required fabric in the felting process.

Enter Extreme Spinning...

An expert in wet felting, the owner, CJ was ready and willing to offer advice and provided organic wool blend fibers in order for me to begin the process.  If the low price of the fibers themselves wasn't enough, the shipping was only $2.95 and was out the door so quickly, it is now allowing me to pursue my project even sooner than anticipated.

Look at the fiber I chose to coordinate with my project, I think it is so beautiful!!!

I am in awe of her skills for spinning and may try my hand at it one day...or not...yeah, not sounds about right.

Now I need to come up with some project ideas for some of her other options!!!

Here is my favorite one, the color is GORGEOUS!!!

Thank you CJ for providing such amazing products and inspirational words.

A Futile Quest

Hmm, what to blog about? I was stumped at first until it hit me, what element are you most passionate about when it comes to your style? Mine, not unlike many others, would have to be handbags. Every size, shape, color and texture, is so exhilarating. I believe that all these elements are what impede my search for the perfect handbag. If fate allows me to succeed then I will not regret the journey but instead, will relish all the great finds along the way.



I urge you to embark on this quest and accompany me to a shop that offers a great selection of bags. The location: www.etsy.com/tippythai. Explore the different techniques and materials used that contribute to some of the most adorable handbags.

Thank you Tippy Thai for contributing to our passionate journey.

Mmmm...Smells Like Fashion Passion

Although I still love making hats, I have found that my passion has expanded into other areas of creativity to include jewelry making, sewing clothing and sharing in my sisters desire of making handbags not to mention my ongoing obsession with scrapbooking.  I have found that this new "Fashion Passion" has driven me so far as to look into going back to school for a degree in fashion design; an investment of 4 years and $70K.

If I have already graduated from college for a COMPLETELY different career, how long are my college credits good for?  Will they transfer from one state to another?

Granted, I am really not looking forward to spending my days, nights, weekends, holidays and vacations working but it is a small sacrifice and a means to an end.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can increase my sewing, pattern making, and draping skills in the meantime?  I have taken some sewing classes and found that they are completely worthless and took nothing away from them that I didn't already know.

If this life-altering mindset isn't enough, I find that while I sit at work I can only think about my projects at home and wish I had my hands on some fabric and a sewing machine.  Ah the trials of life!!!

Jewelry: Every Woman NEEDS It!!!

Jewelry is an essential component to every womans wardrobe whether it be fine jewelry or costume jewelry.  Lately I have been losing my confidence in my millinery skills so I have taken a short break to work on making jewelry, another crafty subject that I am passionate about.

I needed some inspiration so I went on Etsy and started perusing the thousands of pages of jewelry from very skilled artisans and came across a necklace that I LOVE!

I loved it so much it prompted me to see what else she had to offer and Hand Head Heart did not disappoint because I found another favorite.

It's amazing, simply looking at her amazing work makes you feel like a beautiful woman.  Please, Please, Please, go and check out Hand Head Heart and compliment her on her AMAZING work.

Hmmm...wonder what I could do to get my husband to buy one for me????  Any ideas?

Thank you Hand Head Heart for being an inspiration to me.  Your beautiful work and craftsmanship give me a goal to aspire to.

Our eyes! Probably one of our most notable features and daily we highlight and paint in our quest to keep them enhanced and noticeable. It has been said that the eyes are the window to the soul. A fellow Etsian, KristynsKreations, has adorned these vital windows with some distinctive eye masks. What better way to tuck in our peepers than with one of these beautiful masks. Check them out at www.kristynskreations.etsy.com. Be good to your mind and body by getting your nightly rest but don’t forget the portal to your innermost being.

Paper, Paper, and Even MORE Paper

 That's right this post is all about gorgeous wonderful and beautiful paper.  While reading through the Etsy newsletter, a fellow Etsian was highlighted for her ability to capture the story of her products by taking amazing photos.  Currently, one of our big focuses is to find a way to capture the true story of our products through photography, a difficult and challenging task.

Before I continue, let me point something out...my sister and I, as well as a good handful of our friends, are avid scrapbooker's and my personal biggest weakness is the amazing paper you can find.  I find it more important than even the embellishments because it is the foundation of each and every page; it sets the tone and can easily convey the story of the photo on your page without speaking over it.

So this paper weakness is carried even further to include a passion, yes passion, for amazing stationary.  Thus ushers in our fellow Etsian with the amazing photography and even more amazing paper, Paperama.  Take a look, by going to http://paperama.etsy.com and perusing her amazing products and delve into a world of paper.

It is a difficult choice, but one of my favorites is this memo pocket to organize cards, paper and other miscellaneous items of the like.  It's beautiful, it's unique and best of all it’s handmade.  She has a myriad of other products that range from note cards to DIY book binding kits...which, as a book lover, I MUST have.  Aren't they adorable?

Plus, take a look at her photography skills!  The close-ups, the simplicity, it all tells a story and conveys her passion for paper and the organization of paper that I find infectious.

Take a moment to peruse through Etsy to find Paperama and many other artists who sell items they created with their hands and their hearts.