Sneak Peek

Tomorrow is the big day. Six new pieces from the
Vibrant Hardware Collection
(the winning name from the vote last week) will be listed on Etsy.

Here are a couple of pieces to give you a taste of what's coming over the next month.

Thanks to everyone who voted, and helped with the naming of this collection. Don't forget, when you place an order over the next week, put vote in the comments sections and receive a free pair of earrings with your purchase. (Offer ends March 8, 2009)

Remember to stop by my Etsy Shop Sunday and check out all 6 of the new styles, and then again each day as I add new items. They will all have free shipping until March 8, 2009.

Check this out!

Check out this necklace in a cool treasury.

Purple Passion among the Blues

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=42145

Working on Right Now - Part 4 Color Samples

Well March 1 will be here soon and the first pieces of the new collection will be posted first in my Esty shop and then in my 1000 Markets shop.

It has been a journey to get here, a lot of mistakes, and challenges. I am glad I have found ideas that have worked and can bring you new color options on my jewelry and accessories just in time for spring.

Here are samples of some test pieces.

Be the first to see my new pieces, shop my Etsy shop on Sunday March 1 and receive free shipping on all my new color pieces. Place your vote to name my new collection (vote on the right) and when you buy any item in my shop, and put vote in the comments section you will receive a free pair of earrings with your purchase. (offer ends 3/8/09)

Business Tip Tuesday

Today's tip is an easy one that just requires some of your time.

Join a local group and network

Try a business group, an art guild, or a parents group, join a group that you will enjoy and want to be member.

Being a part of a group is not all about getting sales, but about gaining knowledge to make your life and your business easier, meeting new people that could help you, and if they become customers along the way thats a plus.

I have been part of a few groups for years and this year I have made a commitment to myself to really participate in a couple of groups that I think could help me and my business grow. Since I spend a lot of my time by myself working at home it will also be a great way for me to meet new people to network with. I have joined committees and I'm trying to do my part. I don't expect to necessarily gain customers, but all my new contact could benefit me in the future.

Don't look at joining groups as a quick fix to making your business grow fast. Think of it in terms of exposure for your business, making new friends, gaining knowledge, and having some fun.

Name my Collection

I have been working hard over the last two months to come up with a new collection of hardware jewelry. Read about my process in Working on right now Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3, and don't forget to check out Part 4 coming on Wednesday of this week. With a lot of trial and error my new collection is almost ready for its unveiling on March 1.

One of the more challenging things I have had to do for this collection is come up with a great name. I have enlisted my teenage daughter to help and the three final choices are listed in the poll on the right.

Please take a moment and cast your vote for which name you like best, the winning name will be revealed on March 1 with the new collection.

All the new items listed on March 1 will have free shipping, and if you cast a vote and purchase any item in my Etsy shop put the word vote in the comments section you will receive a FREE pair of earrings with your purchase. (offer ends 3/8/09)

Thank you for participating in my poll!

Accessory Style

Accessory Tip #4

When in doubt

Wear red

Bill Blass

Enhance your Creativity

I recently read a newsletter about how change enhances creativity, here are a couple of sections from it that I want to share with you. An important message for all creative people.

With so much uncertainty in the world now, you may be assessing how you can maintain your current existence. But clinging to old ways won't help you thrive in a changing world. If you look at the most successful people, they've not only accepted change, they've initiated it. Consider how rapidly our world has changed and how people who have initiated development are more at ease with change.


Why is change important for creative people? Change:
1. Stimulates creativity
2. Pulls you out of a rut
3. Asks that you develop new skills
4. Requires that you see yourself in a new light
5. Forces you out of your comfort zone
6. Demands that you think differently
7. Nudges you to meet new people
8. Helps you evolve personally and professionally
9. Keeps life interesting
10. Inspires you to assess what's important

Copyright 2009 Cynthia Morris. Cynthia coaches creative people to confidence and completion and inspires life as a creative adventure. Visit http://www.originalimpulse.com/ to get an infusion of inspiration for your art, writing and life.
Check out Cynthia's Orginal Impulse Blog
Receive your own copy of her newsletter - subscribe here

Thurdsay's Thoughts

"Only as high as I can reach I grow,

only as far as I seek I go,

only as deep as I look can I see,

Only as much as I dream can I be."

Karen Ravn

Working on Right Now - Part 3 color supplies

My new collection coming out on March 1 is moving along, and my color experiments are going well. I think I have found the medium I will be using to add color and interesting designs. My goal is to find products that will not be too time consuming to apply, so I can keep my prices reasonable. Currently I am trying out different finishes, to make the color pop and will withstand a lot of wear and tear.

Still trying to come up with a name for my new collection. That seems to be a challenge, but I have enlisted my teenage daughter to help me out. I will post our top three choices soon for you to vote on, so check back to place your vote.

Business Tip Tuesday

Today's tip is not so much a tip, but a suggestion.

Buy Handmade

*Lets support our fellow artists when ever possible

*Buy American made products

*Let's help each other grow our businesses

And when you can...

Shop Local

*Lets keep our local businesses open, everyone will benefit in the future

Take the Handmade Pledge and commit to shopping handmade

Fashionable Spring

This has been a long cold winter for us here in the Midwest, and for the first time in a long time I can’t wait for spring. So I have been reading fashion magazines, articles, and web sites about spring fashions in anticipation for the warm spring air.

This spring accessories in bright colors are on the top of everyone’s list as the way to update your wardrobe.

Spring styles are trending toward seasonless pieces that can be worn all year long and classic in styling. In these economic times the emphasis is on value and versatility.

That’s why accessories are in the forefront of fashion and why bright colors are on everyone’s short list. People want a more individualized look and the easiest most affordable way to do that is with accessories.

Create an individualized look by choosing accessories in fun bright colors, try things like scarves, colorful handbags, and of course a variety of jewelry that makes a statement. Go to your closet pull out all your old favorites and start shopping Etsy and 1000 Markets for accessories to update and expand your spring wardrobe.

Thursday's Thought's

Today I had one of those days where I worked, but wasn't into it. I know I have to promote everyday and do something for my business, but I just didn't have it in me today. So I have spent some time trying to find a quote about motivation that would mean something to me and hopefully you.

One important aspect of motivation is the willingness to stop and look at things that no one else has bothered to look at. This simple process of focusing on things normally taken for granted is a powerful source of creativity.

Edward de Bono

Tomorrow I am going to sit back and check things out and find a new creative focus.

What are you going to do to let your creativity flow?

Working on Right Now Part 2 - Color

Spring gives us a sense of freshness and new beginnings and I want to add that feeling to my new jewelry collection, that I will be debuting on March 1.

Bright colors are on the top ten list for must haves this spring. In my research for this collection I have been reading info about trends and checking out color reports. One of the best color reports I have found is from Pantone, a leader in color forecasting. Get your free report here.

Check out the colors they are forecasting for spring, each one is bright and fresh and I am going to incorporate several of them into my new collection, but you will have to wait till March 1 to see which colors I choose.

What are your favorite colors for spring?

Blog Feature

Last week on Business Tip Tuesday I wrote a post about reading and commenting on blogs. Well this week I was lucky enough to be featured on Try Handmade. A blog I read regularly and really enjoy.

Erika Jurney the authour of the blog sent me an e-mail letting me know she wrote a post about my jewelry and that she found me through a comment I left on her blog. It was a great feature check it out here http://tryhandmade.com/aisles-and-aisles-of-tiny-boxes/.

Write a comment, tell me what you think. As I am learning, everything we do online can market our business.

Business Tip Tuesday

Online marketing is making my head spin. With marketing resources like Facebook, social networking, and forums to name a few, where do you start, how much time do you invest?

I have been trying to figure out what is the most effective marketing resource for my business, and in this process I found Twitter.

Today's Tip
Join Twitter

I use Twitter everyday. It has become a great way to get people to my shops and my blog. Twitter has gotten me into treasuries through people I have talked too, more views to my Etsy shop and 1000 Markets shop, and information about running my business, special deals, as well as interesting blogs to read.

It is easy to get started and there is a lot of information about twitter online. Here is a list of a few places to check out to get you started. And if you are already using Twitter the last item listed is a great resource to enhance your Twitter experience.

A Artist Guide to Twitter

Branding your business in 140 characters at a time

http://www.squidoo.com/handmade-twitter

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5949481

5 Tip for finding interesting people to follow in Twitter

Make a Twitter Landing Page

List of 140+ Twitter Tools

Accessory Style

Accessory Tip #3

One big piece of jewelry can make a stronger impact then a lot of little pieces

Check out these must haves for some of my favorite Etsy shops.

Working on Now

Coming on 3/1/09 a brand new Additions Collection for spring.

Name coming soon (vote for your favorite next week)

Right now, I have several pieces with beads which is a nice pop of color next to the silver washers. I have found some wonderful recycled black washers, which I have been adding slowly to my collection that give a nice industrial flair. Both of these are great for bringing in color, but I want the new collection to be bright, fun, and go with your spring fashions.

I thought it was going to be easy, add some color and be done, but it has been more challenging then I thought. I can add color, but I have been working on how to make it stay. Making my pieces so you can wear them everyday is important, so having the color stay is a big part of the process.

As I work through my process, I will keep you posted on how the collection is coming. So check back soon and mark your calendars for the roll out of the new collection March 1, 2009.

Thursday's Thoughts

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep"

Scott Adams

Blog Feature

Tricia, from Handmade Whimzy and Pink Pear Design did a really nice feature about my work on her blog. Check it out at http://handmadewhimzy.blogspot.com/

Business Tip Tuesday

Today's tip is easy. It's something you might already do all the time, it just needs to be done on a regular basis, and should be part of your marketing plan.

Visit Blogs

Find Blogs you like

• Blog Catalog


• Blog Rush


• Blogarama
  

Read post's that interest you

• to learn something new


• Get a glimpse of the person writing the blog


• Meet new people
  

Post a comment

• Let the writer know you enjoyed what they wrote


• Make a suggestion related to the post for everyone to read
  
• Make sure people are able to click on your name to get to blog or website or put the info into your signature

The more you comment and participate on blogs the more people will get to know you and visit your blog or site. This is an easy way to grow your business and learn something along the way.

Over the next month I am going to try to find 3 blogs a day to read and comment on, I will keep you posted on how this tip is working for me.

My 5 minutes of fame on Etsy's front page February 1, 2009

FREE SHIPPING

Now until February 10th my Etsy shop will have free shipping worldwide!

Stop by check thing out, order as much as you want. Items usually ship in 2-3 days, so everything should arrive before Valentines Day.

Don't forget to check out the collection of jewelry and accessories for men.

Front Page

An exciting day, I made the front page of Etsy for the first time!

This necklace made the front page!