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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Seafoam and Black canvas handbag



I asked for feedback recently, and it was a wonderful thing because it has set me off in a new and even better direction.  This handbag takes much of this into consideration - larger size, sophisticated design, rigid base and handles.  This is, without doubt, my favorite purse to date which goes to prove that good things happen when you take a risk!

To view the handbag in my shop, please follow this link: http://www.etsy.com/listing/70511250/seafoam-and-black-canvas-handbag-finest

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Blog feature ...

It's always lovely when someone does you a good turn, and today I was contacted by Nikki of http://www.etsy.com/shop/nikkicandles as she'd written in her blog about Etsy shops, like mine, that are trying to raise funds for the Japanese relief effort.

What was especially nice is that she has also discovered that when you give to someone else, you gain far more, and her blog was in this spirit.  So thank you Nikki for not only helping raise awareness for my shop (and therefore my Red Cross donation this month), but for proving that 'what goes around, comes around'.

Nikki's blog can be read here http://nikkimakesscents.blogspot.com/

Friday, March 18, 2011

Sir Hip-Hop

With Easter just around the corner, I thought I'd share the story of Sir Hip-Hop ...


Sir Hip-Hop

The Land of Floom is a very happy place where every year, a big Fancy Dress Parade gives everyone the chance to make a costume and walk through the town with the local brass band.

One little egg has dressed up as Sir Hip-Hop, a local bunny who played the lead character in the recent remake of The Easter Parade at the local theater. It was a wonderful production and every member of The Burrow had a role - isn't that great!

People come from far and wide to watch, and they fill buckets with coins as a thank you. This year, the money will help buy some new instruments for the band so that more little eggs can join in the fun!

EtsyRAIN meetup ...



What a happy morning I've had!  I met 4 lovely fellow Etsians at the EtsyRain meetup at the The Village Bean, Country Village, Bothell.  We had a lively chat about all things Etsy and I learned a few new things as well as shared what I've learned over the last year.

I also discovered a new and rather fabulous shop called Lady D's Indulgences run by the owner Donna http://www.ladydlavender.com/index.asp

The first impression as you open the door is just lovely.  It's very feminine, inviting and, because of the many different soaps and candles, it smells wonderful.  You can't help but relax :)

Donna also carries a beautiful line of intimate apparel which would be perfect for a honeymoon - it reminded me of my own so many years ago now. 

She was kind enough to view a small sample of my cards and purses.  As I go out so rarely, it was great to get some feedback and Donna's was very positive.  My cards would be a good fit for her shop, and she was interested to carry them on commission, especially the Land of Floom cards which made her chuckle.  So, Dear Blog, watch this space!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

March is Red Cross Month

I just discovered that March every year is Red Cross month, so I'm even more delighted to have chosen this charity for my donation.

I also just found out that 91% of every dollar is donated to humanitarian services and programs. Given it is not supported by the governement and relies on donations to function, that seems like a pretty fair percentage.

I'm getting closer ...


Well, what a wonderful and slightly crazy day. I was having breakfast and checking emails, at which point I squealed with delight because I'd sold something. Then up popped several more emails - I'd sold 3 more items. I did a happy dance in my chair :)

Although each item was part of my 40% off sale, I was able to increase my donation total to $56. I'm still aiming for $100, so a few more sales and I'll make it. I'm excited just at the thought!

This is one of the first totes I made, and lots of people 'hearted' it, so this is my picture for today to help me remember how far I've come since starting this adventure just over a year ago.

Monday, March 14, 2011


I've now received permission from the American Red Cross to use their name in my efforts to raise money to help with the relief efforts in Japan. I feel very fortunate to have received this so quickly as they are, understandably, totally overwhelmed.

I feel that no matter how much I raise, it won't be as much as I'd like to give. I am constantly promoting my shop, and have had so many people feature my items in treasuries (150 so far!) and many 'hearts' on my items/shop, but very few people actually purchase anything. Add to that the fact that the items I've sold have already got 40% off them, means my net profits are quite small. However, I know that I have $33.95 to donate so far. Perhaps by putting this out into the ether will mean that my efforts will be repaid by lots of sales before the end of March. My goal is to raise at least $100 to donate which is either lots of bags in the sales, or one or two regular bags.
So dear blog, I think this is called 'The Secret' - visualizing what you want so that it can happen. Let's hope it works!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Whoopee ... I sold 3 bags overnight!


Charcoal gray and pink coral tailored handbag ... organic fabrics

People are so generous in times of disaster, and this was reinforced by the 3 sales that I had overnight. I had explained that the net profits for March will be donated to the Red Cross for relief efforts in Japan, and together with my clearance sale at 40% off, people chose to support my shop for which I'm immensely grateful.

I feel in need of a picture so will post one of the latest handbag I just sold.

Learning curve ...

A fellow Etsian suggested that I could post the receipts for the donations/loans on my blog, which I thought was an excellent idea so that is what I shall do. I have already posted it for the donation to Kiva in February which in and of itself was a steep learning curve.

Having captured the receipt, I learned how to use the 'snipping' tool to capture just the image which I then saved as a jpeg (kiss to Tony for helping me!). Then I opened it in 'paint' and painted out the transaction number and my address for security. Not sure what anyone could do with the info but it seemed wise as this blog is open to the world.

Anyway, I feel much better today having found a way to show legitimacy and offer peace of mind to those that buy from my shops :)

p.s. for anyone reading this that might wonder, as I only started this blog a few days ago, I will not post last year's receipts. If anyone would like 'proof' I'm happy to provide it.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Etsy rules about charitable donations ...

It seems there are shops on Etsy that claim to donate money to charity from their sales, but don't actually do it.

I know I shouldn't be surprised by this, but I was. I'm 47 but am still blissfully naive at times!

That said, I have become aware of some Etsy rules regarding these donations and am abiding by them - I have contacted the charities I wish to donate/loan to to request permission to use their name in my 'fundraising' efforts. I have received said permission from Kiva.org and am awaiting the same from the Red Cross. I cannot therefore donate to the Red Cross relief fund for Japan until I have received that permission (which is maddening) so have gone ahead in the knowledge that there's no reason not to grant it and have listed this charity now so that my customers know where the net profits will go to.

It's all arse-about- face, but there we go. I have followed the rules, I list full details in my Etsy profile and do, truly, donate the money.

I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to do to prove this, but am left feeling frustrated tonight and upset that I may loose sales because people suspect I'm lying.

When people are in such dire need of urgent help, I find myself jumping through hoops designed by others, and which slow the whole process down. Clarity is hard to come across tonight in Etsy and there are a lot of other shop owners feeling the same way.

My heart is heavy.

Japanese earthquake - donations


Toby at Himeji Castle
September 2009
My husband and I gave our son Toby a trip to Japan and Tokyo to celebrate his 18th birthday - he had a wonderful time, and it was a life changing trip for him. It's so sad to know that this wonderful country has been so damaged today.

I was so moved by the coverage of this disaster, and want to help in some way, so am donating my profits from sales during March. I've posted this message in as many places as I can think of, and have asked other Etsians who are donating to post details of their shops in the forum so that people will know where to find them. Let's hope it results in lots of donations.

http://www.bymytouch.etsy.com/
http://www.oddbitsandbobs.etsy.com/

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Rice Pilaf with Caramelized Onions ...

I found the most amazing recipe. It's pretty to look at, tastes delicious and everyone whose tried it wants the recipe. It's also vegan, but you'd never even think about that when you're eating it because it's so good!

The recipe is in the book written by Alicia Silverstone called 'The Kind Diet'. If you're on a budget, you can borrow it from the library to try it out.

I add a little turmeric to the rice which I think makes a big difference to the appearance, and it also has legendary anti-inflammatory properties apparently, which is an added benefit for me because of the Fibromyalgia.

I like to experiment with puting turmeric in my cooking, but be forewarned, it doesn't work in oatmeal: it looks pretty, but takes like you're eating earth!

Alicia has a great website, with lots of recipes to choose from (sadly not the pilaf though). The whole site has a positive feel to it and it's always interesting to read http://www.thekindlife.com/

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

'Red Poppy' clutch ...


'Red Poppy' clutch

I'm delighted to introduce this clutch - the first in a new range of clutches - made with the finest quality, eco-friendly materials including a limited edition, organic fabric printed with my own textile design which was inspired by my macro plant photography.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68583207/red-poppy-clutch-purse-exclusive-limited

Kiva donation February 2011



An unwritten law of the universe states that when you help someone else, you will gain far more than you can ever give ... and you'll do a little happy dance every time too :)

In 2010, I donated to Save the Children, Hope for Haiti Now, The Big Climb Seattle for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Breast Cancer Research and Breast Cancer Awareness.

So far in 2011 I've been able to give a $25 microloan to Kameri Ole Mpuumei, the Kenyan farmer shown above, who is married to Ndama. He asked for a loan to buy maize seed and fertilizer to grow and sell his crop for profit. He is described as a rigorous man who, through this support, will be able to educate his 7 children and work towards building a permanent home for his family.

Please follow this link if you would like more information, or are interested in making a loan yourself http://www.kiva.org/

Spring cleaning my shop ...

Today was a very exciting day - I couldn't wait to get started on the redesign of my Etsy shop so that it truly expressed what I am trying to achieve. I want my shop to be a destination for eco-friendly, fair trade ethical bags, purses and cards so I decided to have a massive clearance sale to (hopefully!) sell off everything that does not fit with that intention.

I've been designing and creating the items in my shop full time for a year now, and have, thus far donated $485 to charity. A great start, but I intend to donate a lot more over the coming years and this spring cleaning spree not only creates a cohesive statement about who I am and what I'm passionate about, but it means that every purchase does good for our wonderful planet, those that benefit through the donation of my net profits, and puts a smile on the face of someone whose found something they love!

So, dear blog, whilst I am writing this only to myself just now, I'm glad to have this written reminder of the day I finally had clarity on what it is I've been working so hard to achieve:)