Trying Something New

When I started working with the washers I was very inspired. I loved the way they looked, and the fact that they were a geometric shape. I have really pushed myself to try to come up with new and interesting things I can do to the washers, by adding texture, color, and changing the shape.

Well I have come up with another new idea, and I want to hear your feedback, If you like the idea or not. Feedback is important when designing to help you can create the best possible product.

Leave me a comment tell me what you think.

If you have a product you would like feedback on, let me know. We can all learn from each other, and that's why I value your opinion, and will share mine if you would like.

Both pieces are available in my Etsy Shop.

This Week

One of my favorite pieces is featured on My Shopping Connection - Cutting Edge Fall Fashion from New and Indie Designers Feature. Stop by check it out, there are some cool designers and pieces featured.

Fall Accessories

Fall is coming, my favorite time of the year.

Here are some of my favorite Etsy accessories for jazzing up your fall wardrobe.




Being stylish and unique is easy when you buy handmade!

200 Posts

Wow, I can't believe it, this is my 200 post.

When I started I did not know how I was going to be able to write something everyday, or if anyone cared about what I had to say. I started it anyway, and have kept it going since the beginning of the year. I thank all my followers, knowing people check out my blog makes it easier for me to put more into it everyday.

Sometimes it is difficult to come up with ideas to write about, but for the most part I have had a good time coming up with ideas, and writing my posts. Since I started I have read more books and magazines, as well as the newspaper, then I have in the last several years combined. It helps with content for my posts and for sharing information when I am networking or hanging with friends.

As I have been sharing lately, my blog is going to go through some changes. The look, the content, and the overall feel, will be changing in the next couple of weeks. I hope you will enjoy what's to come next and participate often.

Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. I want you to get as much out of reading my blog as I do writing my posts. Feel free to e-mail me anytime at additionsstyle@sbcglobal.net.

I am looking forward to working on another 200 posts, so stop back often.

Thursday Thoughts

The creative impulse suddenly springs to life, like a flame, passes through the hand on to the canvas, where it spreads farther until, like the spark that closes on electric circuit, it returns to the source: the eye and the the mind.

Paul Klee

Back-to-School Renewal

Summer really flew by this year, I can't believe that school started today. Now that my teenager is back in school, it will be nice and quite in the house again, and I am looking forward to getting some work done without being disturbed.

With fall coming I do have some plans for my blog and my business. The blog will be under going major changes in the next couple of weeks. I plan to add more content to inspire creativity, resources for art and business, and projects for self discovery.

I am working on my business slowly, trying to come up with new ideas and do more advertising.

Now that school is in session this is a great time for renewal, for starting fresh. It is time to move on to the next level and I am ready for change.

Are you making any big changes this time of the year?

Business Tip Tuesday - Teach a class

The thought of teaching a class can be a little scary.

When I was first asked to teach a class I said no. But a friend of mine would not stop asking, so I gave in and said yes. I have taught classes and workshops to kids, teens, and adults. I always have so much fun, and I learn something along with my students.

The hardest part about teaching is taking the first step, figuring out what you want to teach and where to do it.

There are several places with opportunities to teach classes and do workshops:

Art centers

After school programs

Community education programs

The library

Community college non credit programs

Out of your studio

At other peoples homes

Start with small programs or conduct your own. This is a great way to get your feet wet for a larger venue. Concentrate on what you know well. It will make it easier to teach and you will be an expert.

Don't forget to consider classes for kids, teens and adults. I also get requests from senior centers for fun projects they can do. Some of my best classes were kids classes, and teens are always a lot of fun.

This is a great way to add extra income to you business. Make sure to do some research to find out what other people are charging so you are getting paid what you are worth.

Teaching does require some planning and organization. If anyone wants more detail about teaching workshops leave me a comment and I will do a couple more posts about what is involved in planning and preparing for a workshop.

Have you ever had an opportunity to teach?

Don't Miss Out

Check out what's happening in my Etsy Shop

It's the last week for FREE SHIPPING worldwide

&

Selected items at 15% off

New items will be added all week.

Best Week Ever

This past week, I had my best week ever in my Etsy shop.

1055 visits

40 hearts

15 sales (for everyone who made a purchase this week THANK YOU!)

21 pieces sold

Not even during the holidays last year did I ever have a week like that.

Want to know how all that happened... I was lucky enough to be featured on the blog How About Orange.

Of course this all happened when my family and I were on vacation (glad we stayed close to home). I worked when I could sneak in some time, in between our daily adventures around town (check out my Vacation and A Quick Peek post to read about our vacation). I did have my sister check my e-mail and keep me posted via text messages.

I will have all my orders mailed out by Monday, and then I have to get back to work making new items to post and pieces for the holidays. Now that the wave has died down I will also have to get back to my daily marketing Twitter, Facebook, and forums.

It was a great wave and I hope to ride it again one day very soon!

Fall 2009 all about Plaid

Plaid is all the rage this season on anything and everything. You can find plaid shoes, bags, scarves, and even jewelry.

Check out these other ideas from some Etsy artists.

Hip Women - Tartan Plaid Headband with bow by TheHipGalBoutique

iPhone, iPod Case by blytheking

Tartan Tandem by subrosa123

Spice up the wardrobe you already own this fall by adding some hot plaid accessories.

Want more info on how to wear plaid this fall check out this post How To Wear Plaid from Diva Village.

Thursday Thoughts

"The most visible joy can only reveal itself to us when we've transformed it, within."

Rainer Maria Rilke

A Quick Peek

I am on vacation this week with my family, but when you have a vacation at home it's hard not to work, at least a little.

So far we were lucky enough to go to a friend's lake house for a couple of days and relax. We read, relaxed, hung out outside, watched movies and ate good food, it was very nice.

This is the house

A section of the garden

The view of the sunrise from our bedroom door

A family of swans that lives close to the dock

We also saw a family of white squirrels, but I could not get a picture of them they were too fast. I can't forget to mention all the wonderful birds.

This is a wonderful place and we were very lucky to be able to take a couple of days and enjoy its beauty.

I wish I could live there year round.

I am Happily Feeling Orange Today

Yesterday I was featured on a great blog called How About Orange... it is the creation of Jessica Jones who designs very cool fabric and accessories and sells them in her Etsy shop.

Stop by, take a look, leave a comment, let me know what you think.

I am thrilled to be on her blog.

Business Tip Tuesday - Take a Class

Keeping with the theme of Back-to-School, today's tip is about finding classes to help run your business or advance your craft.

We can all benefit from learning something new it makes us better artists and business people. With fall approaching opportunities for finding classes is easy.

Community Colleges are a great place to start especially for classes to expand your business skills. Most offer non credit courses that are short term or even one time workshops. They are relatively inexpensive, and taught by other professionals in your area. Class sizes are small and you can get most of your questions answered while learning a new skill.

My community college is offering workshops on network marketing and using YouTube, which I am going to take this fall.

Your local library may also have some offerings for business classes and if not they are always a good resource for finding class opportunities.

Local art centers offer classes in a variety of mediums. This is a great time to learn a new technique and introduce your new products during the holidays. You can also find classes at stores such as Michales and JoAnn's.

Don't forget about all the online opportunities. There are many websites that offer online classes, workshops, e-zines, podcast, and more.

Check out:

IndieBizChicks.com

Handmadeology.com

Small Business Administration

These are just a few to get you started, do a google search and I am sure you will find more specific opportunities to meet your needs.

This is the time of year to find class opportunities, see what you can find to expand your skills.

Creativity Boost

This week I am on vacation, but I wanted to share some of my past Creativity Boost posts to get your creative juices flowing.

Creative Environment

Work with a creative partner

Take time to loosen up & laugh more

Plan a creative day

They are all short quick reads, and I hope you find something that will inspire you.

Vacation

My family and I are going on vacation for a week starting tomorrow, well not really a vacation but a staycation.

Since my husband did not find out until recently when he could go on vacation, it was very challenging to make any travel plans, so we deiced to stay close to home and do all those things we talk about doing but never have time to do.

Friends of ours are letting us use their lake house for a couple of days, and we are going to have two days of laying around reading and relaxing. We are going to the Aquamarine in Chicago which we have never done, and we have lived here for 12 years. We are going to two museum's and having a day filled with art, and lunch by Lake Michigan. It will be a week filled with new adventures in our own home state.

I am looking forward to hanging out with the family and spending time relaxing and enjoying time with each other.

Anyone else having a staycation this year?

I will still be posting all week, so stop by everyday to check out something new. I will take lots of pictures and post them in a post close to the end of the week.

Have a great week everyone!

Fall Accessory Trends

Its that time of year again when all the fashion magazines turn into books of fall styles and trends. There are some interesting trends out there this season, like ripped up jeans and tights, all those crazy 80's styles (been there done that), and of course the bohemian look which seems to come back every year.

Well, if you budget is tight like mine, then invest in a great collection of accessories. Over the next couple of weeks I will share some of the accessory trends I have been reading about, and by the time it is cold outside again you will be ready to break out the clothes you already have and updated them with the latest accessories.

One hot trend for this fall seasons is chains.

Check out these budget friendly chain styles in my shop this season, you can check them all out in my Esty shop.

Don't let a tight budget hold you back from showing off your stylish side this fall season.

Thursday Thoughts

"Every day remind yourself of your own ability, of your good mind and affirm that you can make something really good out of your life."

Norman Vincent Peale

Business Tip Tuesday - Studying

I am still on that Back- to-School kick, so today's tip is about using this time before the holidays to study.

If you had a shop last year it is a great time to review and make a plan for this year.

How were your sales? - Review last year and set new goals for this holiday.

What worked and what could have worked better? - Review any marketing that you did last year and want to try again. If you did none this is the time to look for venues that will work for your target market this year.

Is your packaging ready? - I have been preparing my packaging now, cutting all my ribbon, putting stickers on my envelopes, my wrap is cut to the size of the box, so it will be a quick and easy process during the holidays.

Like your packaging put things in place to make processing you sales and updating your shop easier. - I have a measurement conversion list in inches and centimeters to easily add measurements to my descriptions (if you ship internationally you should be adding centimeters to your measurements), also a list of descriptive words I can use in descriptions, and a list of blog ideas so I can keep posting on regularly when it gets busy.

Read - This is the time to read up on current trends, study color trends, find new marketing ideas, so you can be prepared for the busy season ahead.

I did not open my shop until late September last year so I spent all my time trying to figure it all out as I go. I hope that some of these ideas can help you be a little more prepared for your holiday season. Even if you did not have a shop last year, you can still use these ideas to get yourself and your shop ready for the busy season ahead.

Do you have some ideas to share so we can be prepared for the holiday season?

Only one more day for my poll, please take a minute and answer the question. Thanks!

Unexpected Inspiration

This past Saturday my family and I had an opportunity to go see the amazing show called Cavalia. Cavalia is a show that explores the relationship between man and horse and combines acrobatic and equestrian disciplines.

It was very beautiful.

I was so inspired watching this show, the background was a wonderful mix of photography, fabric, and wooden cutout. The artists were doing things with their bodies I could never imagine, and the horses did tricks I have never seen before. Not to mention the music, I was so enchanted, and totally engrossed in the scene. It was and all around amazing experience.

When I left I felt very creative, I had just experienced art that I could see, feel, and smell. It pulled me in at all levels and leaving me with that desire to share the experience with everyone.

If you ever have the opportunity to see a show like Cavalia, it is worth every cent.

Surprise! Surprise!

Don't you love it when you get surprises. Well I got two today, and I am very excited.

First while looking at my Google Analytics report this morning, I noticed a lot of views from Jewelry Making Craft Gossip. So I went to check it out and found out one of my bracelets is featured. What a nice surprise, they found me from one of the groups on Flickr.

Also while checking Heartomatic, and I found out I was featured in the Weekend Deals: Discount Sale Etsy Gift Guide.

If you have never been to 1000 Markets stop by today and take a look today. It is a beautiful site, with wonderful artists.

Don't forget I am having a sale in my Etsy shop 15% off selected items, and free shipping on everything all month.

I hope you get a few surprises today!

Only a couple of days left on my poll, please take a moment and answer. Thanks!

Want more information for adding Google Analytics to you shop and blog check out these Etsy Forum topics for more info.

Thursday Thought's

"The universe is the mirror in which we can contemplate only what we have learned to know in ourselves."

Mr. Palomar by Italo Calvino

The Colors of Fall

It is finally warm here in the Midwest, and I am enjoying the wonderful warm weather. But as we know fall will be here soon enough. The colors of fall are going to be hot so why not wear them now.

According to InStyle magazine TEAL, PAPAYA, & AMETHYST are the hot colors for fall. Check out this great collection for some wonderful Etsy artists.

TEAL is great paired with warm neutrals and will work with most skin types.

Hand Painted Silk Crepe Small Shawl by JOSSIANI by artinsilk

Dark Blue and Teal Leather Flower Belt by BrokenEnglishLeather

PAPAYA is a warm orange that can be worn bold, such as in a sweater, or conservative by adding just a simple accessory.

Handmade asymmetrical mosaic couture tangerine cashmere sweater by movieboyproductions

Acorn Tangelo - Tangerine Luxurious Leather Hobo Handbag by zhenunleathers

AMETHYST is a easy color to carry off even in large doses and universally flattering.

The Glamorous Side of Her an original sculptural scrolled sterling pendant by bellajewelsII

Small Purple Beaded Clutch Purse by HeidiCreations

Enjoy these colors of fall, enjoy them now, and enjoy them later. I Love the color Amethyst and I plan to indulge in a variety of new clothes and accessories.

Want more color information check out this seasons Pantone Fashion Color Report, for all the hot new colors of the season.

Business Tip Tuesday - School Supplies

I love Back-to-School. There is something about this time of year that gives me the sense of renewal.

It is also a great time of year to get organized.

This is the best time to buy

~colorful office supplies

~desks and lamps

~storage bins

~desk accessories

You can purchase things in bright fun colors, unique styles, and you can get most of these items on sale. Also, use your creative skills and make some new office accessories or refurbish some old ones, either way everything will fell new again.

Use this month to reorganize your office and studio workspace, add some color, move things around, and make you working environment someplace you want to spend your day.

Fall is a busy time of year and with the holidays just around the corner, August is a great month to get things in place for your busy season.

Don't forget to take a moment to answer this weeks poll question on the sidebar. Thanks!

New Blog Poll

Thanks to everyone who took my poll last week. The poll is done and here the results:

Do you click on links in blog posts?
all the time - 7%
Sometimes - 85%
rarely - 7%

This weeks poll is about participation.

When a blog post suggests a project, exercise, or asks for comments or feedback do you participate?

This week I am also asking for comments on this question:
What would it take for you to want to participate or try a project?

Please leave your thoughts and suggestions.