Standard cliche - but I truly cannot believe that December has snuck up on me yet again. Sigh. Since I have not kept up with my blog, I decided to write a sort of rambling post today and just sprinkle some pictures of recent designs I have made here and there. Some have sold, and others are still available.
I had a fantastic Thanksgiving this year! We hosted my sister and her family, and it was truly enjoyable! Although, anytime you add a child to the mix (Gavin is 2 years and 3 months old), it always increases the fun. The past year has held so much negativity, politically speaking, that it was simply refreshing. I look forward to Christmas when my house will hold even more little ones!
I opened up my own website a while ago, through
Indiemade. In the meantime, I have kept my
Etsy shop, which basically has the same items. I opened my own website when Etsy first allowed manufactured items, versus handmade. It was hard choice for me, as I am not all that computer literate and starting a brand new site was so time consuming. While there were lots of negatives to Etsy, there were also lots of positives.
I recently read in a Facebook forum where a woman had an item from her shop "yanked" by the legal team of Etsy, stating the title of her necklace was subjected to copyright infringement. She has been making this same necklace for years and has sold many. The fact that Etsy can pull an item/suspend it from your shop with no feedback from you really irritates me to no end.
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| Set of 3 Stacking Bracelets, with Turquoise (sold) |
Etsy also has two payment methods for Seller's to offer to their customers - PayPal or Direct Checkout. With Direct Checkout, the customer simply uses a credit card without going through PayPal. The Seller, however, does not actually receive the funds for a minimum of 3 days. Example: Customer purchases through Direct Checkout on Monday. On Tuesday, IF I REMEMBER, I have to instruct Etsy to deposit the funds immediately. I would receive the funds in my chosen bank account by close of business Wednesday (available to me on Thursday). If the seller forgets to instruct Etsy to deposit the funds immediately, they are deposited to the seller's account in 7 days. This irritates me! Why should Etsy have use of the seller's funds for ANY amount of time?
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| Rainbow Fluorite Bracelet (sold) |
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| Lapis Lazuli and Cloissione Bracelet (sold) |
When an item is listed for sale in Etsy, there is a $0.20 listing fee, plus a nominal fee is kept by Etsy if the item is sold. Items are listed for 90 days...they then expire, and the seller has to pay an additional $0.20 to relist the item. It does not sound like a lot of fees...but it adds up!
I have had only a few sales on Etsy this past year. So, I have decided not to relist any items that expire. By March, my Etsy shop will be empty.
Onward!
For the past few months, I have gone crazy using Pattern Sterling Silver wire. I am a lover of texture, and this wire is amazing,
Some of the wire available is square - this is some thick wire! Not always easy to manipulate, but I was determined!
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| Pattern Sterling Silver Earrings - Square Wire (sold) |
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| Pattered Sterling Silver Earrings - Square Wire (sold) |
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| Pattern Sterling Silver Hoops (sold) |
I have also enjoyed playing with stamps. I do not have a proper anvil, but I did recently purchase a 12" piece of railroad track that has significantly improved my stamping. That long, flat surface of hardened steel is so much better than my little 3" x 3" bench block.
I have not participated in a craft show for several years now - my chronic spine and neck issues just cannot handle all that stress. So, I have relied solely on online sales. My sincere gratitude to my online customers. I had the best November sales EVER - and
Miracle Horse Rescue received every last dollar! This warms my heart --- the support of handmade and ultimately, the equines of MHR!
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| Justice! |
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| Stephanie (R), Me,and Dusty! |
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| Luna and Millie |
One last plea...if you are so inclined! Here are the residents of Miracle Horse Rescue under the wonderful care of Stephanie and Rob Pierce. The horse of your choice would love to receive a Christmas Card to decorate their barn this season!
If you are still with me here ... THANK YOU! And as always, thank you so much for stopping by! I wish you all Peace during this most special Holiday Season!
XO
Patti
