Catching my breath

The day's are just flying by, I feel like I have been crazy busy ad I don't really know why!

So first off, let me ask...anyone having any success with Christmas in July? I sure haven't. I have put almost all my items at about 1/2 price. I have renewed something at least twice a day.......nothinggggggg! Oh well it was worth a shot. Hope someone out there has had better luck.

This brings me to something else. July 18th was my one year anniversary on Zibbet. Have never had a sale in that shop. I will admit I don't put anywhere near the same amount of work into it but is it worth hanging on or just stay concentrated on my Etsy shop?

I am truly thinking I will be wiser to close it and just chanel that time and work into Etsy. Course there is so much controversial stuff going on in the Etsy forums that has me a bit concerned but I don't get involved in that so maybe it's best to ignore and continue to cultivate my little corner ;o)

Well I have some really good new's to share, I have talked to you about my cousin Amy. Her time in Iraq has ended for now and she returned to American soil 2 day's ago. This of course is truly wonderful for my family.

The downfall being, she was to be there 12 months and they for whatever reason finished early so the possibility that she could yet be attached to another unit and go back to Iraq for a third

tour is very possible. We can only wait and see.

My sister got home yesterday for a visit yesterday. She and her husband live in Dubai, UAE, or as she calls it "the land of sand" Can't wait to see her, she's only here for a week and it will still be a few years before she can move home.

Just about the time she leaves, my brother who lives in California will be home for the yearly visit. Hmmmmm I guess I do have a few reason's to be busy right now, so I am going to leave you with this "Happy,happy weekend everyone!

Just a quick catch up

Just thought I would stop in very quickly to see how everyone is doing! I posted a picture of Prince Alex on top just because I think he is the cutest thing , I may a bit partial though.
I have spent this past week, any time I can get on line just editing Etsy listings with my sale prices for the Christmas in July sale. I have my fingers crossed that this sale brings me some visits ;o) The high heat and humidity has not let up. I don't think I have ever used my air conditioning as much as I have the last few weeks but I am trying not to complain, before you know it Fall will be here and our winter is soooo very long. I am hoping to post some pictures of new work here very soon. In the mean time, happy Friday, hope your looking forward to a great weekend.

Almost Back!

I am happy, I just got the computer my brother offered me and as soon as my daughter has some time off she will get me hooked up! Then maybe things can get back to normal here ;o)

In the meantime, how many of you are participating in the Christmas in July sale on Etsy? I have had an Etsy shop since October 2007 but so far have not done the CIJ sale. As an added way of working on my new mission I decided that I will try it this year. Add that to the fact that there are alot of peices that I would like to move out of the shop so over the next few day's I will be editing and pricing just about everything in the shop. Most items will be up to 50% off.
I don't know if most people feel this way but when I list an item and it sit's and sit's through several renewal's I am happy to put it on sale and give it a home. I guess I just don't like work to "sit" for a long time even though it is never been used, worn, played with since I made it.
I used to be the same way when I did craft show's, if I took the same necklace to every show for a year I felt like it was old and either sale priced it, gave it a way or took it apart to reuse the beads for something else.

Hope everyone is enjoying life , I am staying in the house with the AC on because the heat has been killer for the last week. Have a great day and I will see you on a more regular basis soon.
D

Got Bugs?

Yes I do! More accurately, my computer has a baad virus which is why I haven't posted anything in several weeks. I do apologize and I hope not to be missing too much longer but whatever I got into my computer is a tough little bug and is giving us quite a time. My brother just offered me a computer, say's it's old and slow as heck but if it let's me keep an eye on things while mine is hospitalized I'll take it. Bear with me and I will be back soon.
Deb

Educate me Please

I am on a mission and I have spent my entire day thinking how to approach things and plan it out and all that good stuff. Then I decided to tell you about it here and maybe get some feedback that will help . My sister and I want to move my parents. My dad is an amputee, very poor health with very little motivation to do much for himself. This leaves it up to my mom to wait on him hand and foot. My mom who is an amazing person is having a large amount of problems with her own health and it is getting harder and harder for her to do everything she needs to do on her own. I am the only child living right here in the same city as my parents. My siblings are spread far and wide. The problem is, even though we are in the same city, I am not allowed to drive, don't have any one I can count on for a ride and I just get really frustrated knowing that my mom needs help, even if it to help her clean house once a week and I have a problem getting to her.
Okay, now that we have the idea, get them into town near me so that I can be available when needed but this costs money. I have to figure out a way to help and you all know the situation I live with , coming up with money for something like this is just a bit funny. But I am determined to do my best. I have decided all sales from my online stores, and my daughter is throwing in all the profit's from her Etsy shop, will go towards my mission.

Here is the problem, it has alway's been the thing that held me back from doing well in sales. I cannot market myself. I do not know how to use the words that draw customers. I do facebook and twitter but well, facebook is mostly staying in touch with family and friends, I do have many "friends" and regularly post my new listings but I feel like 95% of my friends list are other Etsy shops and we are in non stop competition. I guess I feel the same way about twitter, we are all there for the same reason. I only post listing's a few times a week and don't really push myself onto people. If I come up with a good advertising statement I look at it and think, OMG aren't I a bit full of myself, or I feel like I'm begging for people to come see me.

I have a feeling alot of other online sellers have this same problem. So tell me, how do you advertise yourself? How do you find the right words that work up interest without seeming to brag about yourself? I am needing some ideas.

What I am going to do......I am going to post something in promotions. I am going to be diligent in having a different "Tonights Special" that changes every night and I will keep posting the sale in the promotion thread to keep having it appear, at least once every night ;o)
I will stay on top of it.

If you know people who like beadweaving or hand sewn sequined ornaments will you share out addresses? http://www.debsparkles.etsy.com
http://www.heathersparkles.etsy.com


Okay, let me have it...I need your thoughts, advice,ideas and know how!
Thanks, Debbie




http://www.heathersparkles.etsy.com

Something Strange is Going on!

I don't know how long I can stay on so let me explain and then we will see how long this works. I don't post alot of new blogs because I am basically a very quite person and really don't have a whole lot to say. But I do log into blogger everyday because I truly enjoy reading everyone else's blog. That said this past week I am having a real problem. I log in, go to the list of new blog posts and just as I begin reading I get kicked off. I am curious if it happens while writing my own post. It is truly annoying because I have missed out on alot of stuff I want to read. GRRRRR. That said, I am still here. Why? I just want to read your new posts!!!

I have been trying to get work done this week. I am on a mission to start filling both my shops and have at least 3 Ebay auctions a month up. My daughter made it through her oral surgery and is putting everything else on hold til summer is over. She went back to bartending (which she is great at) and this is the time of year (June through Labor day) when she brings home big money in tips. After she made the decision to do that , it was a natural next decision that my summer will be revolving around babysitting my grandkids. It is the only way to do this, she works all night so must be able to sleep during the day so hiring a babysitter would get us no where. So I really have to find the way to get my sales up so I can start having the money to take care of my own stuff. I did list this bag in Ebay yesterday, yes I am still on the white and grey kick but this was the last one ;o)

So now blogger has let me stay on to post this so I am going back to my dashboard to see if it will let me read anything.

Staying focused

That's what I have been doing this week. Staying focused on producing work. I find that often, when I am working with a certain color bead I like to make up several items before I put that color away and switch over. This necklace and bracelet are not a set. But I had out my favorite pearly white seedbeads and I had made several of the polymer clay cabs. That's the extent of the similarity in the items but they are two majorly time consuming items.

Have also been working on alot of little items. I am going to take part in the Christmas in July sale on Etsy. The weather has been wonderful so I have spent many hours a day on the front porch enjoying the air, watching the world go by and making keyrings, bracelets, bookmarks and keyring lariets for the summer sale.

Hope you are doing well today, have a happy weekend.