Just pretty

I found this package of pins at an antique store a couple of weeks ago; it's the kind of thing I have a very hard time passing up.  It's just pretty!  And it makes me happy.

The pretty image above is something I designed as part of my very first email "campaign" for Indulge Your Shelf, which I worked on yesterday.  I took some of the great advice in Etsy 101 and offered all of the shop's past customers (through 2011) the opportunity to subscribe to an email list.  Some shop owners send newsletters, but I am starting more simply with a twice yearly (only) email which will include a coupon code.  I used Mail Chimp, which is a great service for a couple of reasons.  First, it's free.  Second, it requires me to know about and follow 'the rules' -- the most important of which is that you ask permission before adding customers to your email list.  I ended up with 30 people on my email list, which I understand is a really good response!  Among the myriad of free services Mail Chimp offers is that box you will now see on my right sidebar which enables people to sign up to subscribe to my list!  Here's your personal invitation to sign up, too; doing so gives me permission to send you an exclusive coupon code to my shops twice a year!  And of course it comes with my promise never to sell or otherwise use your email info.