Shout-Out

We would like to give a shout-out to the woman who purchased one of our "peace" hats.  We are certain you will love our hat and we stand behind our work, 100%.  The material is recycled, thoroughly cleaned and made with precision and care.  We always welcome feedback on our products on our Etsy page and/or our blog.  Thank you for your patronage.

This is a Callout For Your Help!!!

It has been a bit disheartening that all of our wonderful products have not sold on Etsy as of yet.  I know how hard it can be to trust something you purchase online when you don't have the option to touch and examine it.  I also know purchasing handmade items can be a bit daunting especially when you are unsure of their skills and the quality of work they produce.

Therefore, Andie, Mom and I have been working really hard to continue morphing our shop to include new and different items to entice that first customer to brave a purchase.  I have faith that once those first few sales are made, people will gain confidence in our quality and craftsmanship and our shop will gain momentum and take-off like a rocket.

However, we are very much on the inside looking out and as hard as we try, we will never be able to get a full picture without help from someone who is standing on the outside looking in.  So, that means we need your help.

Let us know what you think the drawbacks are to the products we have listed.  Is there not enough description?  Are the pictures poor quality?  Please let us know what you think, good or bad so that we can make corrections to ensure that everything we provide is of high quality and relates our commitment to the end user...you!

I also know we have been teasing it for quite awhile but our new logo is on the horizon and I cannot wait to unveil it.  We have been working really hard on it and have even sought out professional help so that you can see our branding and have confidence when you purchase an item containing it.

Thank you in advance for any help you are able to give us, we really do appreciate it.

To My Friend Jill..."Damn French Fry"

There are times when I come to this blog that I honestly don't know what to write about.  I am sure that this is not a novice issue but rather one that likely is a concern for anyone involved with a blog.

Well...this happens to be one of those times.  So much is going on that I don't even know what to talk about.  I wonder if sometimes the things I post are really only interesting to me because I am living them.  Be that as it may, here it goes for my blog this week.

Well I am on the mend and doing much better, starting to eat solid food and my body is not very happy with it.  Odd when it is telling me that it is quite hungry.

Because of my previous post letting the world in on personal business (why did I do that again?) a very dear friend of mine from high school, my closest and best friend all through high school, read it and sent me the sweetest e-mail giving me her love and blessings.  Although we have been out of contact for a number of years and we live in different states, we were able to reach out to each other and reconnect through FaceBook and rekindle that friendship that helped me survive the horrors of high school.  Those inside jokes that only she and I share and can truly appreciate because they don't translate into a valid explanation (thus the title of this blog) you simply had to be there gives me a warm and inviting feeling.

Though I have been slow writing back to everyone who has sent me well wishes, that e-mail especially has not gone unnoticed.

So for her strength and the ability she had to push me through school without even realizing it, helping me to strive for more and aim higher...this blog is for Jill.

I love and respect you very much and thank you from the bottom of my heart that you are my friend!!!

The Curve Ball

Well, well, well, life certainly can throw you a curve ball that hits you right on the side of the head.


I am an adult woman of the ripe age of...well let's not worry about the actual number let's just say that I am an adult woman and leave it at that. I recently learned that I had to have a surgery that many have as a child and for good reason. I went in on a Wednesday and learned that I needed to have my tonsils removed on the following Tuesday. I was warned by many that it is very difficult for an adult to recover from a tonsillectomy whereas children practically bounce right back. Not that having any kind of surgery is a day, week or month of fun but I am really over all of this. I am a healthy person who eats healthy, takes all of my vitamins and exercises regularly, it seems that it should be enough but this one counts as my 8th surgery and frankly I am quite fed up with all of it.

I would rather not go into too much detail on all the others but I have had many common and a few uncommon surgeries and at this point I should weigh practically nothing with all of the extraneous organs having been removed. Too bad it doesn't really work that way.

Have I paid my dues? Am I working off some negative karma that I am unaware of? Whatever the answer may be I am sending out a heartfelt apology to the universe with a plea that my healing time be hastened and that these types of events cease for both me and my family and friends altogether.

Any healing thoughts and prayers I gladly welcome and return them to you 3 fold. Is there something else I should be doing? You healthy people out there, I implore you, please give me any of your advice to live even healthier I am obviously forgetting to do something.

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.