AMIdesigns

Happy New Year!

2011-12-30T14:52:00.004Z

Can't believe it's been a month since I last blogged. Well I can really! November and December were completely manic with my new bling range selling like hot cakes. Then came the Christmas break, when I haven't lifted a pair of pliers for a couple of weeks. To top it all off I got featured in the Etsy Finds email a couple of days before Christmas, which was fantastic but which would be been ever more fantastic a couple of weeks earlier before the last Christmas shipping dates.

Anyway, just wanted to wish everyone a healthy, successful and peaceful New Year.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday Sale

2011-11-25T08:33:00.006Z

I've decided that for this years Black Friday, Cyber Monday sales I'm just going to have a sale section

With up to 50% off it's time to catch a bargain :)

Honey and Amber Cluster Bracelet Was $28, Now $14

Kelly Green Memory Wire Bracelet Was $19, Now $14

Denim Blue and Black Cluster Earrings Were $18, Now $12

Weekly Round Up

2011-11-11T10:55:00.005Z

This past week or 2 I've been adding to my bling range of pearl bracelets I had the idea that most people like a bit of sparkle and glitter to wear over the christmas festivities and they've been selling well, so I think I was right!

I've added a few colours and there's a few more to come.

Turquoise Bling Pearl Bracelet

Pale Pink Bling Pearl Bracelet

Ivory Bling Pearl Bracelet

And the winner is....

2011-11-02T11:59:00.002Z

Thank you all for entering my giveaway/liking my FB/following my blog

I used the random number generator to pick the winner.

And the bracelet is going to K Mayers!

Thanks again everyone :)

1000 Sales and a Giveaway

2011-10-30T18:03:00.005Z

Today I reached the amazing goal of 1000 sales in my Etsy shop. I have been hoping to reach it before the end of the year, so I'm delighted that I achieved that goal :)

To celebrate, I've decided to have a giveaway of one of my pearl cluster bracelets.

In order to win this maroon bracelet

simply either -
1. become a blog follower
or
2. have a look in my Etsy shop and tell me which item you like best
or
3. like my facebook page

Just leave your contact details and a comment here and I'll pick a winner on Wednesday at 12 noon.

Good luck!

I've Been Featured

2011-10-19T16:19:00.003+01:00

I've become pretty obsessed with the new shop stats on Etsy and yesterday found that I'd been featured in Halogentv's fabulous fall etsy finds

It was this Aubergine Pearl Cluster Bracelet which sold overnight.

Pretty exciting!

Wedding Jewellery

2011-10-10T19:27:00.004+01:00

One of the best things about making jewellery is when you see it being worn by someone else. I've never stopped getting a thrill out of every sale and when someone choses my designs for their 'Big Day' it is even better.

Today I got a convo from Lindsay, for whom I had made her bridesmaids jewellery. So I thought I would share as the photos were so gorgeous! I made necklaces, bracelets and earrings to match her 5 bridesmaids, all in different colours and am so delighted with the results :)

Weekly Round Up

2011-10-07T08:03:00.004+01:00

This past week I've been adding a new 'bling' range to my shop, in hopes that when peeps start to think about Christmas parties and winter weddings they'll have an eye towards sparklies!

Here's some bracelets in the range -
Sparkling Black Pearl Bracelet

Sparkling Teal Pearl Bracelet

Sparkling Deep Red Pearl Bracelet

Half Price Sale

2011-10-06T16:33:00.004+01:00

I've decided to have a half price sale of some of the older items in my shop, so check it out here if you want a bargain :)

Fuchsia Pink Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Blue and Gray Sparkling Memory Wire Bracelet

Black and White Pearl Cluster Bracelet

October Already?

2011-10-03T18:49:00.007+01:00

Wow, I knew that my blogging had fallen by the wayside but I'm amazed my last posting was in August! I see then that my sales had stalled and I was on 899 sales. Well, I'm now on 951 so that goes some way to explain why my blogging has been few and far between. September has been my best month to date on Etsy and with Christmas just around the corner, I am hoping to reach the 1000 sales mark before the end of the year.

I have spent many, many hours trying to work out how to be found on Etsy with the relvancy changes and my upturn in sales suggests it's been time well spent.

Basically one day the penny dropped that titles are more important than anything else with relvancy. Tagging and descriptions are important but a very poor second and third.

And with titles, it's important to change what the first 3 words are in your listings. So eg with this White Pearl Cluster Bracelet (one of my best sellers) -

my previous title was simply White Pearl Cluster Bracelet. Now it is the rather clunky 'Bridal Pearl Bracelet, White Pearl Cluster Bracelet, Bridal Bracelet,Chunky Pearl Bracelet, Wedding Jewelry, Winter Wedding' With Etsy allowing the pairing of appropriate words in tags I now use things like - pearl bracelet, wedding jewelry, chunky bracelet. And it is working!

Any other relavancy success out there?

Weekly Round Up

2011-08-19T18:08:00.003+01:00

How has everyone elses shops been faring since the great Etsy relevancy change over? I've found that I've become completely obsessed with my shop stats, keywords and traffic sources. And even though 'search' is now my top traffic source my sales have stalled. I'm sitting on 899 sales though and just a reminder - I offer a discount of 15% to my blog followers. Just use the coupon code BLOG15

Just a couple of new items this week. A new Purple Phlox Pearl Cluster Bracelet

And this best selling Golden Brown Pearl Cluster Bracelet with Mint Green Flowers returns.

Weekly Round Up

2011-08-12T07:58:00.005+01:00

This week I've been working on some new memory wire bracelets. I love making these as they are quick and easy and don't involve any wire wrapping!

Deep Teal, Blue and Aqua Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Magenta, Lavender and Pink Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Chocolate Brown, Burnt Orange and Ivory Pearl Memory Wire Bracelet

Happy Birthday Alex!

2011-08-07T10:29:00.002+01:00

Today my daughter Alex turns 13. I can't believe she's now a teenager, though perhaps the fact she is still lying in bed watching her new Justin Beiber DVD at 10.30am should prove it!

Weekly Round Up

2011-08-05T09:27:00.005+01:00

This week I've been making nothing but pearl cluster bracelets. I've more or less caught up with all the ones that I've sold and have added a couple of new ones to my range. I've also spent more hours than I care to count, tweaking my listings and titles for when Etsy search reverts to relavancy only. Hope it's been worth it!

New this week -
Forest Green Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Lavender Purple and Silver Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Quarry Blue Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Recent Purchases

2011-08-01T18:21:00.005+01:00

I've been doing some buying from Etsy and thought I'd share with you.

I bought myself this Tote Bag - contemporary print from fellow UK chat thread regular MoaningMinnie It was beautifully made and got lots of outings when I was on holiday.

If you are looking for well made hats, neckwarmers, headscarves and more, check out this shop!

Weekly Round Up

2011-07-29T19:44:00.005+01:00

I did a massive stock take this week and realised that I've lots of pearl cluster bracelets that I've sold recently that I needed to make more of, so brand new items have been a bit sporadic.

So newly relisted this week -

White Pearl and Sterling Silver Bracelet with Birthstone Swarovski Elements - Pick your Own

Aubergine Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Coffee and Chocolate Brown Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Back from my hols

2011-07-25T16:54:00.008+01:00

We've spent the last 2 weeks recharging our batteries in Cornwall. I was internet and jewellery free for most of the time and now feel ready to start crafting again. One thing I've noticed since I reopened my shop is how dismal the views have been - what on earth has been going on????

Anyway, some pics of my fav place on earth :)

In Blue Bar, either having another latte or another Pinot Grigio

Alex reading

Jamie's sandcastle

SALE!

2011-07-06T17:18:00.004+01:00

I've decided to have a sale section which includes memory wire bracelets, pearl cluster bracelets and some earrings.

All items are 25% off and include this Mint Green and White Pearl Cluster Bracelet

this Purple Beaded Memory Wire Bracelet

and these Bridal Ivory Pearl and Cubic Zirconia Floral Earrings

Facebook Page

2011-06-07T11:25:00.004+01:00

One of my New Year resolutions was to get a business FB page up and running. I did set it up a while ago but did absolutely nothing with it.

So my attempt this week is to get it sorted.

Please check it out and any likes would be appreciated!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/AMIDesigns/187334354619698?v=wall

Weekly Round Up

2011-06-03T08:23:00.005+01:00

I've introduced a new range of bracelets to my shop this week. Staying with the pearl theme, the focal point of the bracelets are the clasp and charms or flowers, which dangle beside them. At the minute I've mainly used bridal colours (you cannot imagine how many hundreds of ivory/cream/white pearls I have!) but hope to expand the colour scheme soon. Any feedback welcome :)

Ivory Pearl and Champagne Crystal Bracelet in Antiqued Gold with I Love You Charm

Old Gold Pearl and Floral Bracelet

Aubergine Pearl Bracelet with Leaf Charm

Etsy Finds!

2011-05-24T09:58:00.004+01:00

For the first time ever yesterday I made it into Etsy Finds! It was this Teal Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Getting in the Finds is the next best thing to being featured seller on Etsy and makes for interesting stats.

The bracelet itself hasn't sold but has had a total of around 800 new views and 49 new hearts.

My shop has 52 new hearts and around 2200 views in the past 18 hours. And my items - excluding the featured bracelet - have around 100 new hearts.

Forgot to say I've had 1 sale and 2 custom requests as well.

So please can I be featured again soon LOL!

Etsy Wedding Divas

2011-05-22T21:09:00.003+01:00

I recently joined the Etsy Wedding Divas team on Etsy and thought I would showcase some of their work today.

1. Custom GARTER SET by SweetlyFallenBridal

2. Love Bird Nest Willow Bearer Pillow by CountrySquirrelsRUS

3.Macey Peacock Bouquet by Jillianns

4. Wedding Card Box Money Holder by TheWeddingMainSt

Front Page!

2011-05-04T16:14:00.003+01:00

This weekend I spent time with my parents, sisters and their families. We had a bit of a party for the Royal Wedding. I even dressed up for a short time in my wedding dress, but looked more like a pantomine dame than a blushing bride! My daughter has become a bit of a wedding obsessive now and we've had to buy several magazines so she can have a look at the happy couple in many different photos.

This weekend I actually made it to the Front Page of Etsy for the first time since last November, thanks to Kimiko611. I was an alternate in her treasury and had a few moments of extra exposure with this Blueberry Pearl Cluster Bracelet.

Etsy's Taste Test

2011-04-25T20:18:00.003+01:00

There's been so many different changes to Etsy recently that I've been a bit slow to try some of them out. One of these changes is the implementation of the taste test. In order to access it, you need to be logged out of Etsy and then you are offered a selection of different items. Any of those that you like, you click on and Etsy somehow works out similar items that you might like.

However, like everything else on Etsy, these items are limited to a few out of the many hundreds/thousands for sale and therefore there is the whole question again about admin promoting their favourites and many, many sellers being ignored.

My biggest gripe is that I now can't get rid of the taste test off my front page and the items are exactly the same as they were a few days ago - great advertising for the chosen few.

Have any of you tried it? and are any of you one of the featured sellers?

Weekly Round Up

2011-04-23T15:01:00.006+01:00

This week I've decided to add to the earrings in my shop. I've been working with czech flowers with pearls for bracelets and think it's time to add to my earrings with a new Posy range. Some of these earrings will match the pearl cluster bracelets in my shop, others while others are simply using up spare flowers :)

First up are these delicate Pale Pink Pearl and Flower Cluster Earrings. I hope to make a matching bracelet for these this weekend.

Next I've made these Denim Blue and Black Floral Cluster Earrings to match this Bracelet

And finally, Champagne Crystal, Latte Floral and Pearl Cluster Earrings
which are made to match this Bracelet

Etsy Fee Calculator

2011-04-19T13:27:00.006+01:00

I came across this handy etsy fee calculator on the Etsy forums and thought it that's a useful link to bookmark.

Sometimes it's hard to work out if you're losing money or making a profit when you are deciding on pricing. This great calculator takes into account both Etsy fees and your Paypal fees as well as shipping costs.

Give it a go, you may be pleasantly surprised!

Catch Up

2011-04-15T17:19:00.006+01:00

First off, apologies. It's been forever since I blogged. March was completely manic, both personally and on Etsy. I hade multiple orders for bridesmaids jewellery and in fact, it was my best month yet selling online.

Personally I was in Scotland for 2 long weekends with old friends, which was brilliant :)

The disadvantage of big custom orders is that I get so little time to make new items. I've been trying out a new range of pearl cluster bracelets with czech flowers, like this Golden Brown Floral and Pearl Cluster Bracelet

I've also been finding some new colours of pearls, which always surprises me as I think I've got most of them covered!I've found these lovely pinky-coral pearls and combined them with faceted glass beads for added sparkle.
Coral Rose Sparkling Pearl Cluster Bracelet

And finally, a new pearl cluster necklace in an elegant off white.

Weekly Round Up

2011-03-11T08:02:00.007Z

This weekend I'm going to Edinburgh with some old friends and while I'm there I'm hoping to meet up with Ali, Mike and Angel, all regulars from the Etsy UK chat thread - so exciting to meet up with people I usually only chat with online!

This week I've entered one of my bracelets in the TheHandmadeGiftGuide voter If you have a minute could you please click on the link above and vote for my Rose Gold and Champagne Floral Cluster Bracelet It's number 44 - thank you!

This week I've added a new Navy Memory Wire Bracelet

I've also got a new floral/pearl mix bracelet, this time Smoky Grey Floral and Silver Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Featured Sellers

2011-03-09T16:11:00.002Z

Some more fantastic finds from the British Sellers on Etsy team

Handpainted Fairtrade Ladies t shirt by WittyHearts

Blue speckle heart earrings by DaisyRose23

Digital Collage Print "I will follow you into the dark" by
Catalina23

Steampunk Ring, Vintage Watch by pennyfarthingdesigns

Felipe the Romatic Fox by CuteyCritters

Bright and Vibrant Vintage Scarf by englishpreserves

Friday Round Up

2011-03-04T18:37:00.004Z

This week I've been working on my custom orders, which are now finished (yay!) so as usual I feel I've had too little time to work on new designs.

I have managed to add a couple of new bracelets though.

The first one is this Mint Green Flowers and Golden Brown Pearl Cluster Bracelet

A similar flower and pearl combo is this Denim Blue and Black Floral Cluster Bracelet

I have a whole weekend to work on new items so hoping next week to have a few more new things to show off :)

Mondays Featured Sellers

2011-02-28T18:08:00.005Z

This week I'm featuring more of the work of sellers on the British Sellers on Etsy team

Pink alphabet quilted wall hanging/ playmat by LilacElephant

Hyacinth by DonnaWhittakar

CUSTOM house portrait by Scully107

Vintage Sky Blue Hand Beaded Purse by Retromagination

Swarovski Crystal, sterling silver & Copperwrap Earrings by StonedRoses

Sweet Divinity Organic Cotton and Bamboo Fleece Patchwork Blanket by MadebyMum1

Friday Round Up

2011-02-25T18:43:00.005Z

This week I have had a total of 7 custom queries. 3 of them have now confirmed orders and so I've been working on them, leaving less time for new items.

I love working on custom orders, especially for brides and bridesmaids. So I've added another pearl cluster necklace, this time with antiqued copper findings. All my necklaces can be made in custom colours and I've found having some in stock is definitely helping sales.

Copper, Ivory and Champagne Pearl Cluster Necklace

Also new this week is this Hunter Green, Olive and Lime Pearl Cluster Bracelet

And finally this Lavender, Mauve and Pale Purple Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Hot, Hot, Hot!

2011-02-22T18:39:00.002Z

Yesterday my Bridal Ivory Pearl Cluster and Antiqued Gold Chain Necklace was featured in a beautiful treasury by MadeBySunflower. It reached the very top of the first page of treasuries and brought me loads of new views, hearts and a few sales.

British Sellers on Etsy

2011-02-21T06:51:00.002Z

Today I'm featuring the work of several Etsians who are all on the British Sellers on Etsy team. I decided to feature all jewellers this week, so please check out these shops are some of them are very new to Etsy :)

1. Egyptian Cobra and rose gold arrow head necklace by EgyptianInspirations

2. Funky Textile Earrings by parkave

3. time traveller's wife bracelet by amth13

4. Four Coloured Heart Earrings by unicornsdesigns

5. Sea Green Amazonite and Textured Bead Earrings by BlueForestJewellery

6. Green Liquid Tartan Glass Cufflinks on Sterling Silver by FlyingCheeseToastie

Friday Round Up

2011-02-18T16:05:00.004Z

This week I completed my latest custom order, so I have had a bit more time to make new items.

I decided to concentrate on some new memory wire bracelets and although I'd like to expand beyone pearls, I just keep playing with them :)

First up is this Raspberry and Pale Pink Pearl Memory Wire Bracelet

I tried 3 colours together in this Fuchsia Pink, Deep Purple and Navy Pearl Memory Wire Bracelet

And finally, a simple Bridal White Pearl and Crystal Rondelle Memory Wire Bracelet

Stylish Blogger Award

2011-02-15T19:22:00.009Z

Many thanks to Wendy from http://www.1stuniquegifts.co.uk/blog/ who has nominated me for a Stylish Blog Award :)

There are some conditions to me accepting my Stylish Blogger Award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you - thanks again Wendy!

2. Share 7 things about yourself.
- I was the Northern Ireland 400m champion when I was a teenager
- I have a phobia of mice
- I met my husband when I was 19 and we've been together for 22 years. and never a cross word...
- I am one of 5 children, 4 girls and a boy
- I am an avid book reader and currently have 4 bookcases full of books that I've read or are waiting for me
- I have lived in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Only Wales to go
- I have a 34" inside leg

3. Award 15 recently-discovered bloggers

4. Tell the people you’ve awarded . . .

http://lifeasweknowitbypaula.blogspot.com/

http://jdavissquared.blogspot.com/

http://loddelinadesigns.blogspot.com/

http://baggieaggie.blogspot.com/

http://dotsandspotsdesign.blogspot.com
/

http://thirtyfiveflowers.blogspot.com/

http://tattytiara.blogspot.com/

http://fabulouslyhandmade.blogspot.com/

http://sosherry.blogspot.com/

http://zoerosebud.blogspot.com/

http://aviyaglass.blogspot.com/

http://jan4geo-glow.blogspot.com/

Valentines Day

2011-02-14T10:14:00.004Z

Valentines Day in the UK

1. Heart Strings by MaisyandAlice

2. Mini Loveheart Necklace by Lazygiraffe

3. Personalized White Hearts by SarahandBendrix

4. CoolBritannia by BetsyJarivs

Weekly Round Up

2011-02-11T07:28:00.005Z

This week I've been working on adding some pearl cluster necklaces to match the bracelets. I've been approached about making up matching necklaces many times, so decided to offer a few different styles.

This Bridal White Pearl Cluster Necklace is a chunky full necklace. Like all of the necklaces, I'll be offering custom colours.

This Bridal Ivory Pearl Cluster and Antiqued Gold Chain Necklace is for those who prefer all the chunkiness at the front of the necklace with chain to finish.

And finally, a similar Burgundy Red Pearl Cluster and Antiqued Silver Chain Necklace

As usual, all opinions welcome :)

Etsy Forum...

2011-02-05T16:21:00.002Z

...and other changes.

Maybe it's because I'm over 40 that I'm generally resistant to change. Or mabye it's the speed of the changes on Etsy this past few weeks, but I'm wondering if anyone else is struggling with all the changes?

Some are no doubt for the better but others appear to be change for change sake. And more worrying than anything is the lack of response and information from admin.

I read this (now closed) thread which may just have generated a bit of unnecessary worry, but it got closed with the usual 'everything we do, we do for you' admin response. My understanding is that the only way your items will now be searchable on Etsy, is through your tags. Previously they were searchable through title, descriptions and tags. Which made you more visable if you used them cannily. How canny can you be with 14 tags?

What do you think? The changes are for the better? Or why fix what's not broken?

Half Price Sale

2011-02-05T16:14:00.003Z

I've got a half price sale section in my shop including some memory wire and pearl cluster bracelets. Check it out if you want to treat yourself :)

Regatta Blue Pearl Cluster Bracelet Now $13.

Jet Black and Crystal Memory Wire Bracelet. Now $8.

Friday Round Up

2011-02-04T11:22:00.009Z

This week I'm managed to complete 2 out of 3 custom orders. For these 3 orders I've wire wrapped somewhere along the lines of 700 pearls, so I'm pleased (and relieved!) that I've got them done. I've also been trying to add some new things to my shop.

I've added these Bridal White Pearl and Rhinestone Fireball Sterling Silver Earrings These are made with handmade earwires from FoothillsFindings

I've been adding some new memory wire bracelets as well, including this Purple and Pink Pearl Memory Wire Bracelet

and this Burnt Orange, Champagne and Tangerine Pearl Memory Wire Bracelet This seems to be a very popular colour scheme for weddings this year, as I've had 3 custom requests since the beginning of January for bridesmaid accessories in these colours.

Mondays Featured Seller

2011-01-31T15:55:00.006Z

Today I am featuring the work of Karen and Rich AKA GrinGrimaceandSqueak. GrinGrimaceandSqueak is the home of handmade masquerade masks, fascinators, tiaras, head vines and more. They have a ready to wear range or can make one of a kind designs to match bridal or ball gowns.

Silver Wire Tiara

Jester Carnivale Masquerade Mask

Fascinator with red rose and black feathers

Check out their Etsy shop, own website and blog for more info on their fabulous work.

Friday Round Up

2011-01-28T20:23:00.005Z

January has been surprisingly busy for me online. I say surprisingly because last January was very slow. I've been trying to add new items regularly while working on 4 big custom orders for bridesmaid accessories.

I been thinking for a while that I need to expand my earring section so I've been designing some new ones, which will be available in custom colours.

First up are these Bridal Ivory Pearl and Cubic Zirconia Floral Earrings

Next are these Bridal Swarovski Ivory Pearl and Rhinestone Fireball Dangle Earrings

And finally, a new, slightly different Bridal Oyster Pearl and Swarovski Crystal 2 Strand Bracelet

All feedback welcome :)

Friday Round Up

2011-01-21T11:06:00.005Z

Since the New Year I've been working on 3 large custom orders. I'll post some pics of them next week when I've got them all finished.

This week I've decided to add a few more earrings to my shop. I've never had massive success selling them on Etsy (or Folksy) but since I've listed some to match my bracelets, they've been selling reasonably well.

Firstly I've listed these Bridal White Teardrop Pearl, Rhinestone and Handcut Crystal Earrings

AMIdesigns

As I'm going through a bit of a rhinestone phase I've also made these Bridal Swarovski Ivory Pearl and Rhinestone Fireball Dangle Earrings

I haven't given up on bracelets completely though, so I've added this Blue Pearl and Rhinestone Fireball Memory Wire Bracelet

We've been having some very bright, sunny and cold weather here this week, which makes taking photos on a white background impossible, so I've had to take them on a dark background. Never thought I'd be anxiously scanning the skies here for a little bit of cloud :)

Treasuries

2011-01-20T11:37:00.003Z

I realised today that I'm in over 600 treasuries. Which is amazing! Some of them are very beautiful and I'm so flattered to be in so many.

However, it also struck me that I'm rarely featured on the Front Page. In fact, checking craftcult, I've been on the front page a total of 26 times since they started The Vault in 2009.(I think)

The interesting thing for me was to find that I made the FP 7 times last year, while I made it 19 times in 2009.

So what has changed? My photos are better now if anything. I'm featured several times a day in new treasuries.

So could all those hundreds of threads in the Etsy forums about FP favouritism for certain curators/sellers be right?

A very old thread by AREjewellery from April 2009 was resurrected this week in which she did an analysis of the FP over a 24 hour period. And guess what, things haven't changed at all in the almost 2 years since that thread was written.

Thankfully I don't and never have relied on front page exposure, or any type of exposure such as being featured in the Storque or an Etsy Finds email for sales, as I am one of those many thousands of Etsians who still sell without admins support. However wouldn't it be nice if admin just admitted that favouritism is alive and well on Etsy.

International Shipping

2011-01-13T07:27:00.001Z

As someone who's online business relies heavily on international buyers, international shipping since the last week in November has been a complete nightmare. I try and ship within 24 hours of receiving an order, always convo the buyer to thank them for their purchase and give an idea of ETA.

However thanks in part to the adverse weather in the UK throughout November and December and the increased security of incoming parcels into the USA, shipping has been taking up to 4 weeks from the UK to USA and in some cases ever longer.

And understandably buyers are getting increasingly frustrated and annoyed that they are having to wait this length of time. Also, there is the very real possibility that some of these delayed parcels have got lost in the system somewhere.

So I'm wondering, what do you do if you have an upset customer who is worrying about their order? When do you decide that you should refund or replace? And what to you tell someone who is contacting you regularly for updates?

All thought welcome

3 year Etsy-versary

2011-01-11T09:34:00.002Z

Yesterday was my 3 year anniversary on Etsy. In that time I've learnt a load about selling online - the ups and the downs!- international shipping, photography, tax returns and customer relations. I've had 748 sales, shipped to places I've had to look up on a map and 'met' some really fantastic people.

By my 4th anniversary I'd love to have reached 1000 sales. I'd also like to have mastered the art of not checking craftcult 50 times a day. Or spending an hour browsing the forums without actually commenting on anything. I'd also like to sort out my crafting corner and do a massive destash.

Bet I'm writing these same things next January :D

New Year Sale!

2011-01-04T07:53:00.002Z

I'm having a 30% off sale in my Etsy shop to celebrate my 3 year Etsy-versary. The 30% is off everthing for the next week and the prices are already adjusted.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T09:57:00.004Z

Tomorrow is the start of 2011 - I wish you all health, wealth and happiness for the New Year!

This past year on Etsy has been a busy one. I've had almost 300 sales, have posted items to the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Maldives, Brunei and of course the UK and Ireland :)

I'm not really going to set myself New Years Resolutions in terms of goals for my business this year, but I do plan to blog more regularly, start a newsletter and set up a Facebook page for AMIdesigns.

Whatever your plans for 2011, I hope you achieve them :)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T10:01:00.002Z

Here in our house excitement is running high as Santa comes tonight. So I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas for tomorrow. May Santa bring you everything you wish for :)

Craftcult Treasury Widget

2010-12-14T21:07:00.002Z

I might be a bit late to this, but I've just discovered the craftcult treasury widget
The widget can be used to post live, clickable versions of your Etsy Treasury lists on your blog or website.

You simply enter your etsy member name, decide if you want to post a list made by you or featuring you, decide on the size of the treasury and finally if you want it to be a snapshot or dynamic (changes as changes are made to the treasury)

You then click on the 'Get widget' button and simply add the code to your blog or website.

Thanks to CatherineAhern for featuring my Navy Pearl Cluster Bracelet in her stunning Navy Winters treasury.

Friday Round Up

2010-12-10T17:05:00.004Z

Today is the last Christmas shipping day from the UK to USA, so in effect international Christmas shopping is over. Although my sales have been steady throughout November and December they haven't been as mad as last year. Maybe it's because there are so many new sellers on Etsy, maybe I just need to rethink my marketing. In fact, maybe I need to consider marketing LOL!

I've not been making many new things for my shop, as life has a habit of running away from me at this time of year. However I have some old things back in stock.

This Red, Silver and Grey Memory Wire Bracelet is back in my shop.

And making a return is this Burgundy and Silver Pearls Memory Wire Bracelet

And finally, a new thing! Purple and Pink Pearls Memory Wire Bracelet

AMIdesigns

Pantone Colour Selector

2010-12-09T20:43:00.004Z

I came across a thread on the Etsy forums tonight which may be of interest to anyone who likes keep ahead of trending colours.

It was linking a couple of articles about the Pantone colour forecast for spring 2011. Just click on this link and you will be able to get a look at all the trending colours.

According to an article in The Independent 'Honeysuckle, a dynamic reddish pink, will be defining the mood of 2011 given its "uplifting" qualities.'

I think my Dark Pink Pearl Cluster Bracelet is pretty close in colour don't you?

Craft Fairs

2010-12-07T07:11:00.003Z

Last year I got so fed up with poor fairs that had totally stressed me out beforehand, that I made a deciscion not to do any other than the one at my sons school this Christmas. But I actually found that I was missing them in a strange way, so ended up signing up for 2 others last minute.

And maybe I was just lucky, or maybe I've grown more experienced at what sells at these fairs, but I did my last one on Sunday and I've really enjoyed them and consider all 3 of them to have been successful.

For me, the nicest thing about them is that I get to make things that just don't sell well for me online, so I get to challenge myself to come up with new designs. The worst thing about them is when people take a quick glance at yet another jewellery stall and walk past without even taking the time to look at my work properly.

I think one of the things I've learned is to judge the fairs before agreeing to do them. In previous years I did all fairs that I found out about and on a couple of occasions just about scaped my table price. This time round I only did fairs with a small number of sellers and it has worked well.

Grey Pearl and Blue Crystal Necklace

Mondays Featured Seller

2010-12-06T06:18:00.006Z

Today I'm featuring the work of fellow UK chat thread seller OneStopPamperShop Here you will find a yummy mix of candles, votives and gifts.

I love this idea of the 12 days of Christmas candles, with scents such as mincy pies, orange and clove and mulled wine.

And how cute are these Snowball candles?

And finally, how about this personalised Photo hurricane candle lamp?

Check out her shop for more goodies :)

Friday Round Up

2010-11-26T15:40:00.005Z

This week I've been working on a big custom order for pearl cluster bracelets, necklaces and earrings so haven't had a lot of time to make other things. However, I have added a couple of new pearl bracelets to my Etsy shop

Royal Purple Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Grape Pearl Cluster Bracelet

I'm also participating in the Black Friday sale, so everything in my shop is 15% off. Prices have already been adjusted :)

Mondays Featured Seller

2010-11-22T07:32:00.001Z

Today I'm featuring the work of Italian crafter katrinshine In Katrins shop you will find a mix of leather and fabric jewellery, leather accessories, medieval dresses, corsets, patchwork bags and pillows.

Yellow-green leather Pendant

Cerise pink leather flowers bobby pins

Waist Reducing CORSET

Check out her shop for lots more gorgeous items, perfect for gifts.

Coupon Codes

2010-11-20T11:31:00.002Z

Another great feature from Etsy! I think they are very slowly getting there with sellers tools and this one is in time for Christmas sales.

I've trying it out by offering 15% off to all my blog followers. Simply put in the code 'BLOG15' at checkout and Etsy should do the discount for you :)

Friday Round Up

2010-11-19T07:27:00.007Z

I woke up this morning to find out that I'd been on the Front Page of Etsy last night! This doesn't happen very often so it was lovely to wake up to. Thanks to VintageDreamsShop for featuring my Turquoise and Lime Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Unfortunately as I was an alternate, I couldn't get a screen shot that included the bracelet on craft cult :)

I had my craft fair at Jamies school last night. I'd made lots of girls jewellery, necklaces and pearl bracelets and was really pleased at how well I did. To be honest, it was lovely to make things that are different from my usual online items and it's encouraged me to do another fair in the run up to Christmas.

Because I've been working on things for the craft fair, I've not listed much new in my shop, though I've listed this Grey Pearl and Blue Crystal Antiqued Silver Necklace

I've also got a few Christmas Baubles listed, including this Mistletoe Berries Christmas Bauble

I've also done one in teal

Check out my shop for other colours!

Craftopolis Edit Express

2010-11-15T06:31:00.005Z

Last week when I wanted to save time by batch editing my shipping, someone on the forums linked to the 'edit express' tool on craftopolis. I found that although it was my shipping that I wanted to edit and the tool doesn't allow for that, you can edit item prices, descriptions, titles and quantities easily.

Simply add your shop name, allow the app to connect to your etsy shop and the rest is simple!

I do have to ask though, why is it the Etsy never seems to offer these simple tools that help sellers so much and it's up to other sites to introduce them???

Friday Round Up

2010-11-12T16:55:00.005Z

This week I have been working on some simple, single strand bracelets that are all $15 I wanted to offer an affordable range for stocking fillers and if they don't sell online I shall bring them to a craft fair I'm doing next week!

Chocolate Brown, Mocha and Ivory Beaded Bracelet

Burgundy, Silver and Grey Bracelet

Pale Pink, Purple and Diamante Bracelet

I was at a bead fair this morning and got some yummy beads, so will post some pics later this weekend of the beads and some of my new creations.

Featured Seller

2010-11-10T18:24:00.006Z

Today I'm gong to feature the work of MoaningMinnie where you will find contemporary fashion accessories. Minnies shop is full of hats, scarves, bags and headscarves.

Dark Grey Tweed Beret

Metropolitan Bag - Black Cashmere with Blue Flowers

Black/Pale Grey faux fur neckwarmer

Non reversible headscarf black and hot pink

Check out minnies shop for lots more goodies.

Weekly Round Up

2010-11-05T09:50:00.006Z

This week I've been busy with making some bracelets and as always at this time of year, the big problem is getting them photographed! It's been a dull, wet week here and I'm noticing the quality of my pics is rapidly decreasing.

I've added a couple of bracelets to my shop, including this Coppery Gray Memory Wire Bracelet

and this Black and White Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Also back in time for Christmas, I've got some Christmas Baubles in a range of colours, including this Red Berries Christmas Bauble

and for the less traditional holiday colour scheme, one in teal

I'd appreciate some opinions too on whether or not you would buy a memory wire bracelet kit. I'd love to know if you think it would make a good gift, or if people would rather just buy the made up bracelet.

November Goals

2010-11-01T09:32:00.004Z

Now that Halloween is over and all the shops are stocking up on Christmas items, I feel that festive shopping is about to begin. So I thought I'd try and set myself some goals for the next few weeks.

Holly Red Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Looking back at my Etsy shop over the past couple of years,my sales in November stand at -
Nov 08 - 17 sales
Nov 09 - 44 sales

So this year, if I'm completely honest I would like to aim for 2 sales a day, or around 60 sales. But part of me is erring on the side of caution and just hoping to reach the same as last year.

I've stocked up on packaging supplies after running out of organza bags, bubble wrap and business cards last november (no wonder I totally stressed myself out) already made multiplies of my most popular items and have plenty of findings to make more.

Now all I need are the buyers :)

Care to share your November goals and what you'll be doing differently this year?

Autumn in Scotland

2010-10-31T19:22:00.007Z

We have just returned from Aberdeenshire in the Highlands of Scotland. We rented a cottage for a week with my in laws, the kids, 2 dogs and hubbie and me. And we had an amazing week, full of sun, walks, whisky distilleries, too much food, coffee shops and more food. A definite recommendation for the autumn half term :)

Friday Round Up

2010-10-22T16:16:00.004+01:00

I'm heading off to Aberdeenshire in Scotland for half term tomorrow. I'm taking my beads and pliers with me, but will have limited access to the internet. Hopefully any buyers will be happy to wait a few extra days for their purchases!

This week I've been working on some new designs and replacing some items that have sold.

This Old Gold and Champagne Pearl and Crystal Bridal Cluster Bracelet is back in stock.

I've been working on some memory wire bracelets which resemble 3 strands of pearls, including this Burgundy, Raspberry and Pale Pink Pearl Memory Wire Bracelet

and this Rhinestone, Silver, Grey and Black Pearl Memory Wire Bracelet

Catchup

2010-10-18T06:39:00.006+01:00

I've been especially poor at blogging this past couple of weeks. It seems that when things start to get busy at home blogging falls by the wayside, so note to self - must try harder!

I've decided to have another week long sale, in an effort to clear out old stock and generally offer customers a bargain. I've 2 different sales sections, a $5 Dollar Sale section for memory wire bracelets and a Half Price Section for Pearl Cluster Bracelets.

Chocolate Brown and Pink Pearl Cluster Bracelet now $13(~£8.35)

Lavender Pink Freshwater Pearl Bracelet which is now $16 (~£10.27)

Moss Agate Chips Memory Wire Bracelet which is now only $5($3.21)

So if you are doing some early Christmas shopping or just want to treat yourself, please have a look :)

UK Silly Sale!

2010-10-08T07:24:00.003+01:00

UK sellers have decided to have a massive pre-christmas sale to clear way for new stock.

Check out this thread on Etsy which has a list of all the amazing shops taking part -http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6637729

I am having a sale of lots of memory wire bracelets, bubbles bracelets and the occassional necklace.

All my items can be found in this section and includes these bracelets -

Dark Pink Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Turquoise Memory Wire Bracelet

Reddish Purple Freshwater Pearls Cluster Necklace

So why not do some early Christmas shopping and grab a bargain at the same time?

Front Page!

2010-10-03T18:19:00.003+01:00

YAY! My treasury made the front page on Etsy today -

For those who wonder does curating a FP bring increased views/sales the answer is a resounding no. I got about 20 shop views for the hour that the treasury was on the FP LOL.

Statsy Clockbot

2010-09-20T17:12:00.003+01:00

How many threads are there and have there been in the Etsy forums asking what is the best time to list? when is the best day? etc.

I don't know the answer to that one but I do know looking at my stats, that I get my best views late evening (remember I'm in the UK) So I've taken to listing or renewing just before I go to bed. This has resulted in a couple of sales, especially in items I've listed in the Weddings category.

But I do wonder what would happen to views etc if I was in a position to list even later or overnight. And thanks to this nifty little tool, the statsy clockbot I can now renew an item whenever I want!

Simply log into the site, add the listing # of the item you want to renew, the date you want to renew it and the time (EDT timezone) and ta da! The item is renewed for you - brilliant!!

Friday Round Up

2010-09-17T17:02:00.005+01:00

I've been working on some autumn coloured bracelets this week and threading lots of bracelets that have been waiting on me for a while! My crafting table is now looking extra neat and tidy, though I'm sure it won't last long.

Harvest Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Old Gold Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Burnt Orange Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Craftopolis

2010-09-14T08:52:00.002+01:00

I've got to admit with the new treasury east and the easy way of finding out if you are featured in a treasury, I've not been looking at craftopolis recently.

However I stumbled across an unrelated forum post that mentioned tagging and found that craftopolis' tag report allows you to see how people are finding you through Etsy search.

You just need to sign into your Google Analytics and you get the choice of finding out over the past 60, 30 or 7 days, yesterday or today.

It will give you the search type (usually handmade for me), search terms eg champagne, crystal, earrings and page found on, which I suppose lets you know what search page your item was on.

I suppose it's quite good if your items are in the top 10 pages of the search, especially for a jeweller like me with 1000's of us on Etsy, not so good if it's on page 93, like one of my bracelets! I just can't imagine anyone ploughing through 93 pages of bridal bracelets to stumble across mine :)

Paris!

2010-09-13T17:10:00.005+01:00

I've just spent the weekend in Paris with my friends Katherine, Alison and Lindsay. It was a girlie weekend away for Katherines birthday and made all the more special by the fact that they are all in Scotland and we don't get together as often as I'd like.

It was a lovely weekend, roasting hot on saturday and my wee bottle of Factor 25 came in very handy! We decided to take the open top bus, which is a great way of seeing the city and cutting out a lot of walking.

Katherine, Lindsay, Alison

I was there, honest!

Google

2010-09-07T06:56:00.002+01:00

It always amazes me how much I've still to learn about selling online. I think I'm getting there and then I realise that I don't even know the simple stuff!

This week I stumbled across a thread in the Etsy forums which taught me what probably every one else knows - but I thought it worth sharing!

Someone was asking how you know if an item was cached by google. I wasn't even sure what that meant but apparantly if you type the title of your item into the google search bar and you can find it, it will say "cached". If you then click on that, it will tell you when google crawled your shop.

And what does "crawled" mean?
Well that is when google indexes your pages - usually people are talking about your home page as google does not crawl all of your shop at once. If you google yourself -for me AMIdesigns - & click on the "cached" link to find the date of the last crawl. For me, my shop was lasted crawled on August 31st.

Also, something else I learned today. You can find out if your etsy shop has been syndicated by clicking on this link -
http://www.etsy.com/syndication.php
Syndicated people get their items uploaded to Google shopping automatically. If you are not yet syndicated, then you will have to wait as it is being done randomly and gradually. But you can still be cached even if your shop hasn't yet been syndicated.

Hope this is helpful to someone!

Craftcult Widget

2010-09-06T17:11:00.002+01:00

Today is my birthday - no big celebrations like last year when I turned 40, just a quiet one with hubbie and the kids.

I've been playing about with the widgets on craftcult - finally clicked on that link!

Friday Round Up

2010-09-03T06:43:00.005+01:00

This week I've managed to make quite a few new bits and pieces. The kids have started back to school and suddenly summer has come to Northern Ireland - typical!

I've been working to expand my bridal range and have added a few necklaces, with more to come. This Bridal White Pearl and Hammered Sterling Silver Ring Drop Necklace is one of them.

I've also made this 2 Strand Ivory Pearl and Swarovski Crystal Bridal Bracelet

And finally, perfect for autumn - Chocolate Brown and Lime Green Pearl Memory Wire Bracelet

Wednesday Wish List

2010-09-01T15:56:00.004+01:00

Next weekend I go to Paris with my friends for Katherines 40th birthday, so I thought I'd check out some French sellers on Etsy for my Wish List this week.

I love this Foggy Paris Morning photo from LittleBrownPen

And how stylish is this handbag by ikabags

I've long been a fan of malam and love the colour of this top

Handmadespark

2010-08-31T11:23:00.003+01:00

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you'll be aware that I rarely pay for any advertising. I've decided to make a wee change and a couple of weeks ago I joined handmadespark.com

So what is it?
In as few words as possible, "It’s a blog about the handmade scene. It’s also a site where we provide social marketing and a search engine optimized directory, mini-sites and product pages all for Etsy sellers. Handmade Spark helps you with the business side of things enabling you to focus more on designing and creating and to get more out of your selling and marketing efforts."

I've got a MySpark mini site which looks pretty good.

And the burning question, has it helped sales? increased traffic?
Well I'm not too clever with my GA but my traffic is up 75%. So maybe it has helped, maybe something else is working. But I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt for a couple of months and see how it goes.

Front Page!

2010-08-28T09:09:00.002+01:00

Thanks to erinf115 my Olive and Lime Green Pearl Cluster Bracelet was featured on Etsy's Front Page this morning. I'm delighted as this is the first time I've been on the FP in months!

Friday Roundup

2010-08-27T07:25:00.004+01:00

Today Alex starts grammer school. She spent 3 half days last week there at summer school but today's the first day of the uniform and classes. I've got such mixed feelings. So proud of her on one hand, dreading the inevitable growing up on the other.

Jewellery wise I've been working on custom orders and have been introducing some new items. I'm continuing to add to my earring section and been pleasantly surprised that they are actually selling LOL!

Aubergine Pearl Dangle Earrings

I've made this matching Aubergine Pearl Cluster Bracelet which I've got to say, I absolutely love!

And finally I've added this new Purple Pearls Memory Wire Bracelet

I've been Featured!

2010-08-24T17:23:00.003+01:00

I was delighted to receive a convo on Etsy this week from Erika at The Indie Bride letting me know that my Ivory and Mocha Pearl Cluster Bracelet was featured in an inspiration board for this autumn's colour trends.

You can check it out here

Zip Code Look Up

2010-08-24T13:21:00.002+01:00

I've been meaning to blog this wee tip for ages and finally got round to it today. When shipping parcels from the UK to the USA the standard zip code is something like AB 12345. However, I've stumbled across the USPS zip code look up site which allows you to enter the address and zip code. It then gives you an additional 4 numbers for the end of the zip code, which should help speed up the delivery of your parcel.

All good with the (fingers crossed) christmas rush just around the corner!

SALE!

2010-08-18T06:20:00.006+01:00

I'm having an end of season sale this week, so check out my sale section which includes memory wire bracelets, swarovski pearl cluster bracelets and bubbles bracelets

Green Memory Wire Bracelet

Blackcurrant Bubbles Bracelet

Powder Green Swarovski Pearl Cluster Bracelet

So check it out and grab a bargain :)

UK Handmade Wedding Guide

2010-08-10T13:03:00.004+01:00

Today the UK Handmade Magazine Wedding Guide came online and I'd delighted that one of my bracelets has been included! This Lavender Pink Freshwater Pearl Cluster Bracelet is among the many gorgeous, handmade items featured in the guide.

If you are getting married or know someone getting married and who is looking for unique, handmade items for the Big Day, definitely check it out!

Mondays Featured Seller

2010-08-09T06:22:00.005+01:00

Todays featured seller is Steph from SixSkeins. Steph is based in Cornwall and sells a mix of hand-dyed yarns, handknitted and crocheted items, beaded jewellery and original patterns.

It'd hard to pick a favourite yarn, as they all look so tempting, but this Classy Greys creative yarn varitey pack simply looks gorgeous.

I love the colours in this Cool Kiwi Crochet Cotton Hairband

And finally, how fab are these Cherry Crochet Mat Duo?

Friday Round Up

2010-08-06T08:46:00.005+01:00

This week I reached a big milestone on Etsy - I reached 600 sales :) I am delighted and hoping the run of sales continues.

I'm still waiting on the findings I've ordered for more earrings, so they've had to be put on hold for a bit. So I've been working on new bracelets as well as a couple of custom orders.

Bronze, Copper and Yellow Beaded Memory Wire Bracelet

Purple and Silver Memory Wire Bracelet

Bridal Crystal Fireball and White Pearl Cluster Bracelet

Craftweasel

2010-07-31T15:17:00.005+01:00

I found out about craftweasel when browsing the Etsy forums and thought it was worth sharing.

One part of the site offers a 'shop stats tool', where you simply enter your Etsy shop name and it supplies you with loads of valuable data, such as a graph of your tags with most views/day (pale pink), a graph of your tags with the highest price (necklace) and a graph of your most-used tags (bangle)

The other part of the site is the 'tag finder tool' which -
"helps you choose the best set of tags for your Esty items. Tag finder will generate graphs showing the price and views per day of items with your query, as well as on related tags. This lets you see which tags will be likely to bring the highest number of views to your Etsy items."

It lets you see a distribution of prices, graph of related tags with most views/day and related tags.

I put in Pearl Cluster Bracelet and had a chuckle to find that AMIDesigns is rated one of the related tags to use :)

Friday Round Up

2010-07-30T08:01:00.008+01:00

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by how much needs done and what little time you have to do it in? That's it what I felt like this week. So many things that I want to make, so many beads just lying waiting on me and no time to do it! I'm going to have to sit for a (long) while this weekend and just craft, otherwise I'm going to be one miserable sod :)

I've decided to make a range of earrings that are designed to specifically match my Bubbles bracelets. My earrings don't as a rule sell well online, but when I do custom bridesmaid orders, I get a lot of requests for matching earrings, so I figure it's about time I had some that people can see. Here's a selction of what's on offer, with more to come -

Amethyst Pearls on Sterling Silver Hoops

Champagne Pearl Glitter Dangle Earrings

Silver Pearl Oval Drop Earrings

Any opinions welcome!

Back from my Hols

2010-07-29T16:34:00.006+01:00

Well I'm back from my lovely holdays is glorious Cornwall. Contrary to most weather forecasts, we actually had a great fortnight with only a couple of wet days and a few showers. So we ended up spending loads of time on the beach, with the kids and Andy body boarding

and me reading my way through 5 books!

We visited all our favourite places, including St Ives -

Fowey -

And one of the highlights of my hols was meeting up with the lovely Steph from Six Skeins It was my first meet up with another Etsian and our kids had a lovely time too :)

Weekly Roundup

2010-07-09T06:26:00.004+01:00

This week I've been working on more custom orders and slowing down generally as I go on a 2 week vacation to Cornwall. I'm shutting up both my shops while I'm away as I think 15 days away is just too long to be open but unable to ship or maybe even respond to convos, as our interent access will be so limited.

This week I've been featured on this lovely website - BestHudsonValleyWeddingEver.com by Jen from NimiJewelry This Teal, Blue and Aquamarine Pearl Cluster Bracelet is the featured piece.

I won't be blogging again till my return from hols, when I hope to have some lovely photos :)

Friday Round Up

2010-07-02T08:01:00.004+01:00

This week I've been busy with custom orders. We go on holiday to Cornwall next Friday so I won't be taking on any more custom work after the weekend - hubbie would kill me if I took beads with me on my hols!!

This week I went back to my roots and made this Honey and Amber Memory Wire bracelet

I also added this Silver Shimmer Memory Wire Bracelet

And finally, I've got a new Chocolate Brown and Turquoise Bubbles bracelet

BOGO Half Price Sale

2010-06-29T06:38:00.002+01:00

I've decided to have a BOGO Half price sale section on some of my Bubbles bracelets in my Etsy shop. I'll refund through Paypal after purchase :)

Tangerine Bubbles

Jade, Purple and Pink Bubbles

Goldenrod Bubbles

Mondays Featured Seller

2010-06-28T20:00:00.004+01:00

Todays featured seller is Folksy seller Stacey from JewelleryAngel

My favourite item in her shop is without doubt this funky Totally Loaded Goodies Charm Bracelet

Next I have picked this Balls and Chain Necklace made from plastic, metal and cotton beads.

Stacey has lots of earrings in her shop but these Pearly Hearts Earrings really caught my eye

Friday Round Up

2010-06-25T07:11:00.004+01:00

Today is a very big day in our house. My daughter Alex leaves primary school. This week we went to her new school for her induction evening and last night we were at her Leavers Night at the Primary. I felt a little bit sad last night that she really is growing up and starting a whole new era, when she will turn from a little girl into a young woman via the inevitable nightmare teenage years. But I have no choice, she is ready and raring to go - it's me that needs to let go :)

This week I made the deciscion to reopen my Folksy shop. I haven't really added any new stock since Christmas but I've decided that I will give it another go. I like the fact I can refer people to a shop that sells in pounds but there are still a few things about the site that need work on. It remains extremely slow for one and I have still no idea how they decide where an item is in search - I have to hunt through several pages of listings before finding any of my items, even newly listed ones. I've decided to list only a few of the same items as in my Etsy shop, such as a few Bubbles bracelets, but will mainly do a different line of jewellery.

I've listed a few necklaces on Folksy including this Teal and Turquoise Cluster

I've also listed this perfect summer Chunky Boho Necklace

I haven't completely forgotten about Etsy and have been listing some new memory wire bracelets like this Peachy Pink Shimmer Memory Wire Bracelet

Wednesday Wish List

2010-06-23T06:13:00.005+01:00

This recent spell of good weather and my upcoming holiday to Cornwall has put me in the mood for summer clothes, so I decided to see what summer skirts I could find on Etsy.

The first one I found that caught my eye is this funky one by ZoeChen

Next, I really liked the fact this Prairie Skirt by LedThread is reversible and can also be worn as a dress.

And finally, I love all the pieces by this fellow EST member ThongbaiTatong, but I the gorgeous mix of patterns and colours in this Cotton Skirt are especially lovely.

Summertime...

2010-06-22T07:21:00.000+01:00

and the feeling is easy!

Living in Northern Ireland our weather tends to be a bit wet, a bit windy and rarely lovely.

But over the past few days it's been absolutely glorious! Instead of sitting inside in the evenings, I've been outside with a book in the evening sun, enjoying every minute of it.

Alex took some pics of the flowers on our patio last night -

Yesterday was the longest day of the year. Can't even bear to think that the days start to get shorter now :)

Mondays Featured Seller

2010-06-21T06:21:00.003+01:00

Today I'm featuring the work of Folksy potter Angela from TaitGallery

First up are these cute Personalised Ceramic Wedding Favours

Next I really like this Love Heart Gift for your grandma. I'm sure my Mum would love to get one from my kids!

And finally, a very sweet Graduation Keepsake

Craftcount

2010-06-15T07:07:00.003+01:00

I stumbled across this interesting link in the Etsy forums last week - it's was for Craftcount I may have mentioned it in an earlier blog post but it was mentioned in relation to paid advertising and I took a better look at what it has to offer.

It basically offers a summmary of the top sellers on Etsy and breaks it down further into 'Overall', 'Handmade', 'Supplies' and 'Vintage'

It wasn't just the sheer volume of sales that these sellers have made that surprised me - 83453 sales for the top supply seller Yadanabeads, 30049 for the top handmade seller TheBlackApple - but that I recognised so few of the sellers on any of these lists!

Even using the option of selecting top sellers by country and putting in 'UK' I only recognised 14 out of the 44 listed.

So what you might ask? Well, it kind of shows that maybe I should spend more time creating and less time browsing the forums for one :D Also, it shows thats you don't need to be one of the admin favourites to sell well on Etsy (though I do think it helps)

Check the site out - it will either inspire or depress you!!!

Front Page!

2010-06-11T07:15:00.000+01:00

I'm delighted that my latest treasury made it to the FP of Etsy yesterday! Of course I missed it as I was at work but got home to a convo :)

MOO

2010-06-10T06:18:00.002+01:00

I thought I would do a short post about MOO and what it can offer your business. I use MOO business cards and love them! You get to design your own custom careds, using images of your work and put your own message on the back - I put a bit about offering discount for repeat buyers which I used to write by hand and it saves tons of time.

Not only can you get super quality business cards but also mini cards (make great hangers for earrings), postcards, stickers and greeting cards.

Anyone who has not yet tried MOO cards and would like to just leave me a comment with your email address (or convo me on Etsy if prefer) and I will pass on your details to MOO to get you 10% off your first order.