Indulge Your Shelf

Mitzi asked me to participate in a blog party of sorts, in which we all blog about tips for Etsy sellers.  It's almost holiday time and you know what that means: it can be a great time of the year for increased sales online! I've been selling on Etsy for four years now and have two shops, Indulge Your Shelf  for vintage/junque, and Leaves and Lace for made-with-antiques art.  I am one of their biggest fans and could talk about Etsy all day, so it's almost tough for me to think of just three tips, but I'm going to give it a shot: Have fun . Seriously.  If you're not having fun with your Etsy shop, you're not doing it right. Find your friends on Etsy and get into a circle with them.  That way when you "favorite" an item, or they do, your friends can see it (if you want them to) in their Activity feed -- it's way quicker than Pinterest !  Then, make new friends.  "Favorite" all the items and stores you see that you like and watch and...

Happy 4th of July to everyone in the USA! It's a strange holiday for us; Ben's away at camp so there'll be no flag cake this year. We're not able to use fireworks (not even public shows) due to the high fire danger -- and we've all had enough fire around here to last a lifetime! So, I thought I'd post s ome pretty red, white and blue images from among the stuff in my vintage Etsy shop ! I hope everyone has a safe and fun 4th!

Well, this hasn't happened in a long time: I was tagged by Linda of Pruitt Handcrafts , who is a member of the Etsy Bloggers Street Team, as I am, to answer some fun, getting-to-know you kinds of questions! 1. How did you meet your hubby (partner or boyfriend).  I met my husband when we both worked for the same company; I worked in the headquarters office in California, and he worked for them as a Field Service Engineer, based out of his hometown of St. Louis, MO.  I used to talk to him on the phone whenever he called in, and then finally one day he came into the home office for some training.  That was almost 21 years ago now! 2. What is your dream for this Christmas/Holiday Season? I would really like it if my husband could have a new job to look forward to for the new year.  He's been underemployed since we moved to Colorado 8 years ago and it's been hard on him (although he's a real trouper.) 3. What was your favorite pet as a child? I only really had on...

This month my wonderful Etsy Blogger Street Team featured blogger is Splendid Little Stars .   Margaret blogs about photography, art, making things, nature, gardening, and food" - the things, she say, she love!  She has two Etsy shops (just like me!) In Splendid Little Stars Margaret sells things for little people, and silk scarves.  Here's a pretty little hat from her shop: Dreaming in Pink Here's a lovely pair of earrings from her other Etsy shop, SparklyPark : Vintage Blue Glass and Freshwater Pearls Isn't she talented?  I just love to meet new bloggers via the Etsy Street Team!

It's Fall, and the Aspens have turned. This morning we awoke to snow on the peak: Pikes Peak, that is!

Etsy Bloggers Street Team is reminiscing about Kindergarten.  I'm from the generation that attended at the end of the 1960's.  For me, Kindergarten meant a half day of stories, finger painting, ABC's, then graham crackers and milk.  Afterwards, a nap on a flat mat, then playing outside until mom came to pick us up. "Outside" was a small yard, separate from the Big Kids.  The yard was carpeted with tan bark, and shaded by huge Eucalyptus trees.  Beyond its fence, a golf course.  We had swings, and monkey bars to play with.  And boys! On the first day of Kindergarten, I was excited to be going.  I'd spent the whole year before adjusting to my brother's absence at home, and was ready to move up in the world. My mother walked with me to the class entrance, where my kindly older teacher smiled her welcome and waved me towards her.  My mother let go of my hand and I walked happily to the door.  Just then, a little girl named Bronwyn scr...

I missed blogging about July's blogger of the month so I'm going to do her and the August blogger in the same post, to catch up! July's blogger was Missie of Sykin, who makes wonderful handcrafted items as well as lovely Pacific Northwest photographs in her nw wonders Etsy shop here .  She has another shop for Twilight items, simply called sykin . On her blog, she writes about other Etsians, featuring their products, which is really cool. Here is a sample from Missie's store: Twilight inspired forest earrings August's Blogger of the Month is Patch First Shop, run by  from Thailand.  She makes beaded Swarovski and bridal custom jewelry in her "first" shop ; she also has two others: Patch Vintage Shop , for vintage clothing, and Patch Supply Shop , for packaging and other supplies.  Her blog is here . Here is a sample from Patch's store:   Purple Lantern Earrings It's fun to be part of the Etsy Bloggers Street Team.  Don't forget: our A...

Have you heard?? Approximately 50 Etsy shops are participating in this wonderful event...we're all celebrating the 3rd Anniversary of the rockin' EtsyBloggers team...and we're all having a SALE!!! Look at all the beautiful items just waiting for you to take a closer look: Items in my vintage shop are on sale for 15% off all weekend, Friday, August 13 - Sunday, August 15 (except for items already marked as Summer Sale items)!

Every month we get to "meet" and write about another blogger as part of the Etsy Bloggers Street Team.  This month, it's Sandi of Handmade by Sandi !  Sandi has one of those friendly blogs that she fills up with stories from home, the antics of her various crafting friends, and her passion for her yarn crafts. She has two Etsy shops: one for fabric and supplies, called Sandi's Stash , and the other for her handmade items, called, what else?, Handmade By Sandi .  Here are my favorite items from her handmade shop: Crocheted Scarf .  I love how she took photos of the scarf held in place with various pins -- many made from buttons -- to show a new way to wear it!  Spa set .  It's my color, and she did a great job of photographing it, and including a sample soap from another Etsy shop! Now through May 31, Sandi's having a huge birthday sale!  Everything in her shop is 50% off, and every purchase is entered in a drawing for a $25 gift certificate!...

They say it's the happiest place on Earth, but I needed some convincing.  I've never been a big amusement park person, so while I didn't expect to really enjoy DisneyWorld, I did want to honor my family's wish to go there.  That was 3 years ago this month. Even before we went, this has always been my philosophy on Disney:  just expect it to cost a lot of money, and don't go if that will bother you.  Because of this -- and because I expected it to be something I'd do only once in my life -- we waited to take Ben until I was sure he was old enough to remember going, and we gritted our teeth and dedicated a big budget to it. I did all the research, including finding out which weeks would be the quietest since I really don't like crowds.  I made the reservations and then, at the last minute, remembered to email a friend from high school who has worked for Disney sales for years to ask his advice.  He convinced me to let him book our trip so that we cou...