Wizard of Oz Chalenge: Take #1

I absolutly love the challenges that Kayce comes up for us to do. I like that we get the chance to stretch our creative juices and try some things that are new and different. I also love that I get a chance to branch out from my "stock" pieces and work on something challenging and exciting.

This is my first attempt to represent the Wizard of Oz in chainmaille. The rings represent the yellow brick road, and the green crystals represent the beauty of the Emerald City at the center. I think they turned out very pretty.

I'm hoping to get one more piece done, but due to a mix-up with some rings (two sizes got mixed together, so I thought I had more than I really did) I came up a little short. We'll see what happens with Wizard of Oz Challenge: Take #2.

I can hardly wait to see what Kayce has in store for us next!!!

Treasury Fever

For many months after I started on Etsy, I couldn't figure out the hype about the Treasury. It jsut seemed to be a bunch of lists that only occasionally appealed to me that everyone seemed to get overly excited about. I didn't ever seem to be able to figure out the secret of "snagging" one to be able to make my own list, and it just seemed like a big waste of time. Then along came Treasury West for a few weeks, and I was able to try out my hand at curating my own Treasuries, and I decided I kind of liked this. Added to this, I have been wanting to help promote EtsyRain, and Treasuries feel like a great way for me to support my Street Team buddies. So, now I activly try to snag treasuries.

I also have been trying to make more of an effort to check and see if I am featured in any lists. Usually is just an exercise of clicking through and hoping to see a gold star, and being mildly disappointed when none pop up. I always make a point of stopping and commenting in the treasuries that do feature me, and clicking on all of the items.

Today was a banner day. Not only was I able to snag a Treasury for myself, but I am actually featured in FOUR others. I could not believe my eyes. And one of those I have two items in the Treasury. Just in case anyone wants to go check it out, here are the links:

• I COULD DRINK A CASE OF YOU -- I'm featured (Expires 1/27)


• It's in the MAILLE -- I'm featured (Expires 1/28)


• All I Want for VDay! -- I'm featured (Expires 1/28)


• Dungeons and Dragons Fantasies -- I'm featured (Expires 1/28)


• Purple Rain, EtsyRain Style -- I Curated (Expires 1/29)

I have really come to love and appreciate the fun and the power of the Treasury. I will keep curating, and keep having fun.

So Many Rings...

and so many ideas!!!

I just got a huge order from the vendor who supplies the rings for my chainmaille, http://www.theringlord.com/. Sixteen pounds of sterling silver, gold-fill, copper and aluminum were waiting for me on my doorstep when I got home today. You can not believe my excitement. My husband just laughs at me when he sees me pointing and quivering at the beat up, tape-covered, not-very big, but very expensive box.

I really like the actual act of receiving supply boxes. The opening, the sorting, the checking in each line item on the packing slip. All of these acts are a pleasure to me in themselves. I also love the possibilities. Right now there is nothing more than tangles of rings, waiting for me to figure out what to make. Some of my options:

• Copper Byzantine Bracelets
• Bobble Pendants
• Wobblebobs *Galore* in every color imaginable
• Gold-Fill Graduated Persian Earrings
• Stering Double Spiral Earrings

I can't wait to get started, my hands are itching to get a hold of my pliers and start bending metal.

First Sale of 2008

After the rush of the Christmas season, I was certainly ready for a little break. I needed to relax and to restock all of the things I had run out of.

Well, I had a couple of weeks of resting and relaxing, and now I'm ready to get back into the swing of things on Etsy. Good thing I had my first sale of 2008 today!

Yeah, me!!

Photo Shoot!

Recently I got some new photo equipment (a light tent, some really good lights and a few other goodies) and today I had a chance to try them out with Elli, a friend I sold with at Market this summer. We had such a good time! I love my new toys.

The lights and light tent made taking good clear photos so much easier, and Elli was able to take photos that she was satisfied with for the firs time ever. I can't wait to take more pictures and experiment more.

This was fun!

Crafty Kids Rock!

My daughter has been doing pretty sophisticated crafting for several years now. My intrepid mother-in-law (check out the Handmade Holiday posts below for some of her accomplishments), has had my little one sewing on buttons, painting, snipping threads into tiny piles of fluff (not crafting per-se, but great for small motor skills) and so many other things I can't remember off hand. Lately I have begun to walk into the sewing room to see my little one crouched under the sewing table running the presser foot while Ma guides the fabric. What a hoot.

This weekend, my daughter designed and made a fused applique pillow with only minimal help from the grownups (except for the ironing and the sewing). I think it turned out great! Watch out Etsy, in a few years, she is going to take you by storm.

201 Hearts

I know it is a bit silly to be so excited about something not directly related to sales, but I finally made over 200 hearts. For those of you not in the Etsy-know, that means over 200 people have marked my shop as a favorite. I've been deathly ill since right after Christmas (that's why no posts for so long, sorry), and I haven't been checking my hearts like I usually do. It came as a complete surprise to see that the number had grown so high. And this also came on a night when I got two wonderful feedbacks left for me as well. What a great set of pick-me-ups after feeling so cruddy for so long.

I promise to post some pictures this weekend of some of the handmade gifts that were shared at Christmas time.