Shop of the Week - bellabeadjewelry

Our Etsy Shop of the Week is bellabeadjewelry, where you can find handcrafted beads, findings, and even completed jewelry made from them! They are created by proprietor, Linda Lawrence. Her art and the the Etsy shop in which she sells it, are only one of the creative sides to her life. During the day, Linda is an art teacher in a local elementary school and, as she puts it, she "plays with fire by night!"

Linda has been making glass beads and jewelry for several years. She finds it interesting and challenging because there is always something to learn and improve upon when working with glass beadmaking. Many things inspire Linda in her creations; in fact, anything that catches her eye could possibly spark an idea for a bead or jewelry design. Linda adds, "the students I teach are a huge influence on me. I adore children. They are not complicated and are so free and open generally". Linda has a very personal feel about her work and says "the love that I have for making my glass baubles comes through each piece. I want my customers to enjoy it as much as I did creating it!"

Linda's main goals for her Etsy shop are to work smarter, try new things, and keep bellabeadjewelry stocked. Her take on it? "Its hard juggling it all but I believe good planning is key!" Tweeting must be hard for Linda to work into her busy schedule, but she uses Twitter to entice her followers into "popping over to my shop, blog or visit our shop of the week". Linda feels her greatest tools are her blog (to direct people to my etsy shop) and her newsletter.


bellabeadjewelry is offering a
15% discount
for the week of July 26, 2010
~~~~~~~
Please visit bellabeadjewelry!
Shop: http://www.bellabeadjewelry.etsy.com
Blog: http://www.bellabeadjewelrybylinda.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BellaBellaBeads

Written by Judy of Wellspring Creations

Shop of the Week - crochetgal

The Etsy Twitter Team's shop of the week is crochetgal which not only offers crocheted wearable art and specialty yarns, but also display mannequins. Valerie, the crochet talent and proprietor, also sells handcrafted soap dishes made in her family's woodshop!

Valerie is the sole designer and creator of crochetgal's crocheted offerings. She crochets each item with meticulous detail and is equally committed to customer service. She is inspired by "almost anything" she says, "from an interesting piece of material to a shape to a color". Valerie loves the flexibility and change possible with her craft as she explores various methods in detail. She says, "Right now I'm in my 'exploded lace' period with the crochet and have been there for about 3 years, but I see that direction changing within the next 2 years."

Valerie takes her business very seriously by setting both short and long-term goals. Initially, she defined a 5-year plan to make the business 'work' and provide an income. Her next 2-year plan was to double the size of the business. Her current 2-year plan is to double the volume of each year's business over the previous year. "It's ambitious, but without a goal in mind, a business cannot flourish."

A great deal of energy is spent during the Winter shows. She spends her summer planning her strategy...and relaxing while she can! In her spare moments she likes to tweet. Her emphasis is to interact with other people using Twitter, rather than posting continuous links.



crochetgal is celebrating
Christmas in July with
20% off all shawls
20% off a wide range of yarns,
(some yarns are net 65% off reg retail price!)
~~~~~~~
Etsy shop - crochetgal.etsy.com
Confessions of a Yarnaholic Blog - crochetgals.blogspot.com
Twitter - twitter.com/crochetgal

Written by Judy of WellspringCreations

"Ho, Ho, Ho Says the Birdie" Team Treasury

"Ho, Ho, Ho says the Birdie" by AngelEllie.etsy.com
Follow her on Twitter @mylittlechick

It's Christmas in July!! Grab some great deals on handmade holiday items and gifts now! Get ahead of the rush. Just don't forget where you're going to hide the presents until December!

Christmas in July Sale Team Treasury

"Sale! Sale! CIJ SALE from the Etsy Twitter Team Members"
by Jenco13

More great items for the Christmas in July sale!

"Christmas in July" Etsy Sale

This Treasury was curated by WhimsyFish.etsy.com and features items that are in the Etsy Twitter Team's "Christmas in July" sale. Check out each shop for the details of their sales and for dates the promotions are valid.

Some clicky comment love on this Treasury could be your "Christmas in July" gift to these wonderful artists! :)

How To Make An Etsy Mini For ANY Shop

By Vickie Porter from In My Head Studios

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade inmyheadstudios.etsy.com

An Etsy Mini is a way to have items from your Etsy shop show up on any page you can put the HTML code for it. It's a very useful tool for blogging and promoting.

When you want an Etsy Mini for someone the usual way to go about it is to have to ask the shop keeper for their code. But if you know how to read, it is possible to create an Etsy Mini for any shop. All you need is your Etsy Mini code, the shop name and the shop ID number – which is found in the right sidebar of the shop’s profile page.

Ready to get your hands dirty with a little HTML? Below I show you how to change your Etsy Mini - the Flash version of the HTML code – to another shop’s Etsy Mini.

1. First thing to do is go to “Your Etsy” then click “Etsy Mini”.

2. Make selections for the options based on how you want the finished Etsy Mini for the other shop to show up. Choose "Items from my shop".

3. Copy the Flash version of the HTML by highlighting all of it and doing a regular copy of the text.

4. Paste this code into a document that you can edit: Word or Text Editor, for example.

5. Go to the shop you want the Etsy Mini code for and copy their shop ID number from their profile page.

6. Paste this at the end of your document so we can come back to it.

7. Highlight and copy the shop name – inmyheadstudios for example.

8. Paste that to the bottom of your document as well.

9. Now it’s time to switch the code up. All you have to do is replace the shop ID number and shop name (user name) in your Etsy Mini code.

Here is my Etsy Mini code:

<table style="text-align: center;"><tr><td><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.etsy.com/flash/spots/etsy_mini.swf?user_id=5354473&user_name=inmyheadstudios&item_source=shop&item_size=gallery&rows=2&columns=2" width="354" height="362"><param name="movie" value="http://www.etsy.com/flash/spots/etsy_mini.swf?user_id=5354473&user_name=inmyheadstudios&item_source=shop&item_size=gallery&rows=2&columns=2" /></object></td></tr><tr><td><a style="color:#D35701; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight:bold" href="http://www.etsy.com">Etsy: Your place to buy &amp; sell all things handmade</a><br/><a style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12px; color:#0192B5; text-decoration: none;" href="http://inmyheadstudios.etsy.com">inmyheadstudios.etsy.com</a></td></tr></table>

Wait! Don't run off yet because the code above looks like gobbledeegook to you!! Stay with me! This is EASY!

In this example I’m going to change the code to make a Mini for my good friend Jenco13.

My user ID number (5354473) shows up twice in the HTML code as shown below:

<table style="text-align: center;"><tr><td><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.etsy.com/flash/spots/etsy_mini.swf?user_id=5354473&user_name=inmyheadstudios&item_source=shop&item_size=gallery&rows=2&columns=2" width="354" height="362"><param name="movie" value="http://www.etsy.com/flash/spots/etsy_mini.swf?user_id=5354473&user_name=inmyheadstudios&item_source=shop&item_size=gallery&rows=2&columns=2" /></object></td></tr><tr><td><a style="color:#D35701; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight:bold" href="http://www.etsy.com">Etsy: Your place to buy &amp; sell all things handmade</a><br/><a style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12px; color:#0192B5; text-decoration: none;" href="http://inmyheadstudios.etsy.com">inmyheadstudios.etsy.com</a></td></tr></table>

All you have to do is switch out the user ID number for the other shop. Simple copy and paste action. As you can see from Jen's profile page her shop ID number is 5555413.

10. The “user name” shows up in the HTML code in four places as shown below:

<table style="text-align: center;"><tr><td><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.etsy.com/flash/spots/etsy_mini.swf?user_id=5354473&user_name=inmyheadstudios&item_source=shop&item_size=gallery&rows=2&columns=2" width="354" height="362"><param name="movie" value="http://www.etsy.com/flash/spots/etsy_mini.swf?user_id=5354473&user_name=inmyheadstudios&item_source=shop&item_size=gallery&rows=2&columns=2" /></object></td></tr><tr><td><a style="color:#D35701; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight:bold" href="http://www.etsy.com">Etsy: Your place to buy &amp; sell all things handmade</a><br/><a style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12px; color:#0192B5; text-decoration: none;" href="http://inmyheadstudios.etsy.com">inmyheadstudios.etsy.com</a></td></tr></table>

Again all you have to do is switch out the shop user name for the other shop. Simple copy and paste action.

I switched out the information from Jenco13’s shop and now I have the code for her Etsy Mini:

<table style="text-align: center;"><tr><td><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.etsy.com/flash/spots/etsy_mini.swf?user_id=5555413&user_name= Jenco13 &item_source=shop&item_size=gallery&rows=2&columns=2" width="354" height="362"><param name="movie" value="http://www.etsy.com/flash/spots/etsy_mini.swf?user_id=5555413&user_name= Jenco13 &item_source=shop&item_size=gallery&rows=2&columns=2" /></object></td></tr><tr><td><a style="color:#D35701; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight:bold" href="http://www.etsy.com">Etsy: Your place to buy &amp; sell all things handmade</a><br/><a style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12px; color:#0192B5; text-decoration: none;" href="http:// Jenco13.etsy.com"> Jenco13.etsy.com</a></td></tr></table>

This is what Jenco13's Etsy Mini now looks like:

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade Jenco13.etsy.com

See? That wasn't all that hard! Knowing a bit about HTML can be a big help!

To see more simple HTML you can use go to this Google support article about HTML. This article adds more to what the last one showed.

Hope this helps you out when you need an Etsy Mini for another shop!

Shop of the Week – smutopia

Our EtsyTwitter Team Shop of the Week is smutopia (smoo-topia), which offers jewelry and accessories by Jessica Smutek. Jessica uses primarily stone, glass and metal beads and components in her work. There is such a variety of materials and techniques, she told me, that it is impossible for her to get bored! She says she “has always been inspired by the diversity of nature--so much so that when looking at my collection as a whole nearly every design falls into one of three categories: Sea, Earth, or Sky.” Her inspiration is very personal and so her art is very personal. As she puts it “Each piece I create is a reflection of the beauty I see in the world around me. I love the thought that my designs are bringing the beauty of nature to my customers’ as they are worn.”

On the business side, Jessica has some modest sales goals in mind for the year, but her artistic goal is to use more of her own lampwork glass beads in the designs she sells on Etsy. “I began making my own lampwork beads in April of this year and am completely hooked! I hope to introduce smutopia Jewelry made with ‘beads by Smu’ sometime in the next few months.

This summer, she’ll not only be working on improving her lampwork skills with the torch, but plans to get out and do some up close and personal collecting of materials. “Think beachcombing”, she says. Later, in the fall, she plans to set up the “smutopia traveling road show” at the Designers Downtown Market in Raleigh in September and November of 2010.

In the meantime, she’ll keep tweeting. Her Twitter philosophy? “Interact with people! Promote others, or offer advice and feedback. You’ll attract followers in greater numbers if you’re more than just a self-promotion machine.” Jessica feels that listing new items is the best way to bring sales to her shop “I find that keeping my inventory fresh keeps the gears turning by bringing in new customers from the Etsy homepage/categories, giving returning customers a reason to check in, and by giving me something new to promote through my social media connections.”


smutopia is offering a Shop of the Week
special from July 12-18:
a free zipper-pull charm with every purchase!
PLUS, through the end of July:
FREE Domestic AND International Shipping
~~~~~~~
Etsy Shop: http://smutopia.etsy.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/smutopiaJewelry
Facebook: http://facebook.com/smutopia
Blog: http://smutopia.blogspot.com

Written by Judy of WellspringCreations

Shop of the Week: SalonDArte

This weeks shop of the week is SalonDArte. Owned and run by the very talented Susan M. Brown {sbartist} from Fort Lauderdale, FL. Susan creates " paper-crafts mainly. Paper ornaments, lanterns, cards, collages, and mini books are my specialty. I paint, dabble in photography and other media, too. My items are quite different from knitting, crocheting and jewelry that many of my talented Etsy friends create. For my family and friends, they always get a special handmade gift from me - earrings or a bracelet - something special made just for them. Each item is hand made. A one-of-a-kind creation. Not machined, mass-produced or factory made - Handmade. Time and attention to detail is given to each piece and in many cases, I even make a custom package to give it a proper home. Even though the supplies may be the simple and small in nature, each piece comes to life with it's own character and special charm - making it something to treasure."

The favorite thing about my crafts is their simplicity and attention to detail. Being a graphic artist by trade, and a habitual perfectionist working in the printing industry, I focus on the little details - that one thing that is the finishing touch, the personality of the item. Especially with my ornaments. I have my own collection of personally chosen gems for my tree, and it's those details that always catch my eye.

I get inspiration from everywhere. Sometimes this could be a bad thing, because I am one who loves to dabble in many media - and I have many media at my disposal. A week ago Friday, I was standing in the Grand Canyon, what a beauty of nature, with so many juxtapositions of color and texture - so I was a photographer that day. Just this past Sunday I attended a clothing Swap-a-rama and ladies were altering clothes and silk screening on site at the event. A "Light bulb" went off over my head - collage my clothes...now I'm now off on another tangent! I have the luxury of using my Etsy shoppe for my alter-artistic ego. Lately I have been really into artfully recycling things, and giving things a crafty second life. I love making cards - they are a small canvas that can go in many directions. Also I love to teach, and I share my artistic, crafty knowledge with others, which is the greatest reward.

An insiders tip about how Etsians ship their handmade items..

"something about shipping. I think that many etsians would agree, we are in a quandry about shipping. We aren't in the business of selling shipping, just recouping the cost. Due to the odd size and shape of my items, the shipping may seem expensive. The ornaments and lanterns are made of paper & hollow inside - these have to be double boxed and have extra cushion to keep from being crushed in shipment. Honestly, shipping is a means of delivery, not profit. Many times the postage is more expensive than what I am charging to ship - it's more expensive than the item I'm selling in some cases. If it's not in an envelope and less than 13 ounces, the cost of shipping is getting pretty ridiculous. I prefer to use priority mail, they provide sturdy packaging, the service is pretty reliable and the less time it's being handled the better. I have a beautiful china doll my uncle sent me for my ninth birthday that was delivered via UPS. When I opened the box and picked her out of the packaging, her neck was broken in several pieces. My mom was able to super glue it, but it was never the same. Now the glue is aged and brown on the white porcelain. It's a constant reminder to me that when it comes to shipping precious cargo, one should never be to frugal. Please keep this in mind when shopping with your favorite etsy artisans."

Susan shared with me her :special events or plans do you have for your shop/business over the summer. Since this is my 1 year etsy-versary this month and that most of my items revolve around items for the holidays - I will be celebrating Christmas in July ALL month long. During July 5th through July 11th, I will be giving free US domestic first Class shipping for all items in my shop.

Special deals or coupons for the week and how they work/are redeemed if you have them: July 5th through July 11th, all items in my shop will have FREE US domestic first Class shipping. No coupon code necessary. The shipping cost will already be adjusted. For international shipping, please convo for invoice with shipping cost.

Etsy Shop: http://www.SalonDArte.etsy.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SalonDArte

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/SalonDArte/103281492810

Blog: http://www.SalonDArte.blogspot.com

Written by

Etsy twitter team leader, Jen

Jenco13.etsy.com

http://twitter.com/jenco13

Under age and having SEX!

I thought I would begin by stating this is and probably will be my shortest blog EVER! Why? let me tell you...

Who watched Under age and having sex last night?

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/underage-and-having-sex/4od

Whilst I felt the documentary was a good insight into the thought’s and therefore behaviour of teenagers, it was also reminiscent of conducted researches where the results could already be predicted if you applied common sense. Like, if you pour milk on cornflakes, cornflakes will at some point go soggy- no brainer, right? Well evidently not, because here is the link to the research regarding conflakesgate and the results found. I'm being serious!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/aug/12/research.highereducation

So the no brainer reason in my eyes, as too why these teenagers were having underage sex, is because their parents had not given them any reason not to have sex. From the time a mother can sit in front of her daughter and proudly express, in a jokey fashion the reasons why she doesn’t like the words c*unt or Cum, there is a problem and you don’t need Apollo 13 to travel to space and tell you that!

Where the hell were the boundaries? Where was the fear? My mum told me from day dot, that whilst sex education was important, I had no business doing it. And as for boys? Books were the only thing I needed to have an interest in, “I brought you into this world and I can take you out” these were the words that instilled fear into me...it worked. I was raised with a clear definition of who my mother was, she was not my friend and therefore I could not speak to her in the same ways as I would with Becky, Amanda or Tasha. Whilst I believe a relationship where the child/teenager feels able to talk to their parent is highly beneficial, there needs to be a balance within the equilibrium.

I had discipline and with it guidance, which seemed to have been a removed concept amongst the parents in the documentary. With the way of world today, would you have allowed your child to be filmed talking about their sex life? All the views came from girls, were they not afraid that they would be bullied? Stigmatised as promiscuous? Or even now that their identity is revealed pressured into sex?

“Sex is something to do to take up time” are you kidding me? Although teenagers are learning about and engaging in sex, the value, specialness, self-respect, love and the importance of being in a relationship is totally lacking in their awareness. Lack of emotional understanding may also be tied into the argument. Either way, the main responsibility lies with the parent! If you are too embarrassed to talk about sex to your child then you are failing your child. If you are too lax with your child, then you are failing your child.

Find the balance and do your job...instil, guide, discipline, love, protect and care!

Group #2: CONGRATS AND WELCOME!!

Congratulations and welcome to our newest members**!!

Here is the 2nd list of their etsy shop names and twitter addresses.

I hope all of you join me with following their tweets and learning about their shops.

If you didn't get into our teams this time around please

continue to look out for our next open enrollment.

(Only the people listed below were accepted at this time.)**

Best wishes

Jen

Etsy twitter team leader

Jenco13.etsy.com

http://twitter.com/jenco13

How info is set up: Name of shop owner/ etsy shop/ twitter addresses

1-Hayley:http://www.twitter.com/bambisboutique http://bambisboutiqueshop.etsy.com

2-Ayca: http://www.Ayca.etsy.com and http://www.SuppliesbyAyca.etsy.com

http://twitter.com/Ayca_s

3-Thea: http://www.fibrous.etsy.com .http://twitter.com/thatyarnstore

4-Birgitte: http://SewDanish.etsy.com http://twitter.com/SewDanish

5-Trudy www.mommagoddess.etsy.com

www.twitter.com/tjmbrdlady

The first group of members list: http://etsytwitter.blogspot.com/2010/06/congrats-and-welcome.html

**note to all our new members please make sure you got a second email (with many details about our team) from me if not contact me and I will forward it.