Treasury Love

I missed this weeks Treasury yesterday what with operation buckle down going on. So I was so THRILLLLLED this morning to get a message from Etsian NVBlondie that one of my Peace Sign Rings was included in her lovely treasury.

Check out this Hippie Chic treasury here!

Thanks NVBlondie!

***

Check back often because I feel a giveaway coming on! If you have a blog and are an Etsian, do you like to do giveaways? I think that it is a lot of fun. To help me out and maybe you out in the future, here's a list of places that I know of that you can submit your giveaways to:

The Give-away Diva - Easy blog to submit your giveaway for jewelry, apparel, and accessories!
Giveaway Scout - They are a giveaway search engine that publishes your giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, newsletters, etc. Their giveaway categories include everything - cooking, home and garden, fashion, jewelry, art, books, and more! You can submit your blog to be added to their network here and submit your giveaways here
Etsy Giveaways  - Submit here  any handmade items in your giveaway
Your Twitter
Your Facebook page


Happy Friday/Saturday everyone!!!

Heigh ho Heigh Ho

Watch out! Big things are coming!

Well, at least for me. I have been putting my nose to the grind, working 24/7 on revamping my Etsy shop, taking pictures by the thousands, creating a new website, situating a domain, products for a 2nd etsy shop (still daunting), reading countless articles online about selling, and snagging promos wherever I can find them.

I really want to put 100% into this and while I feel I have, I'm plagued with doubt. Oh well, good thing I've adopted the motto, "build and they will come."

What I am sure about though, is that I'm exhausted! Starting your own super small home based business is not an easy task as I'm sure anyone who has a small home based business can tell me. But, or rather, BUT, I am having fun! And I'm sooooooo excited to be doing something I've always wanted to do. Create (hopefully soon, for a living).

For instance, I was given the opportunity to create a page for the Diary 2011 Project. It is a great collection in calendar form of creative works from hundreds of artists around the web!

I am not a paint shop expert and I had a horrible time trying to take a picture of my tiger but I think it all worked out well. I'm so excited!

Happy Thursday!

The giveaway winner is....

Wait, a prelude first.

My Internet connection has failed me. Dark days are ahead For the next 10 days, or so AT&T estimates (please universe, don't let it be for that long!). I wasnt even able to do Friday Finds yesterday :( Nevertheless, my iPhone and I have become very close, dangerously close. We bonded wonderfully during or euro-vacay but now it's more of a love hate relationship. My iPhone is just not productive or conducive to all things etsy and online marketing.

OK back to bigger and better things. It's time to announce last weeks giveaway winner of the Howlite Ring (see post for picture). There was 114 comments for the giveaway! So awesome.

Drum roll please.

Random integer generator (random.org) says....



That's Deanna! Congratulations!

Have a happy weekend everyone.

Treasury Thursdays

Did you know "Tesoro" means Treasure in Spanish?  So, naturally, Treasury Thursdays are my new favorite day! 

Today was my first treasury in forever so I was a little rusty on how to go about doing it on Etsy's Treasury Page. There have been some modifications since my last treasury. A couple wonderful Etsian's sent me links to their items and it was "love" at first site. Today's treasury comes at no surprise!

Now, I know today is not Tip Tuesday but did you know that if you have a shop on Etsy and sign up for Google Analytics, you can see how many Treasuries you are in at any give time. Included in Craftopolis' wonderful Etsy tools, check out the Treasure Tracks at http://www.craftopolis.com/#com=tt and give it a try.

How many Treasuries are you in today?

Happy Thursday!

What's up Wednesday

Until I can think of something better. Today, I feel like saying, What's up?

Today, nothing - BUT, I have high hopes that I will work on my checklist and just maybe, if I'm good, make some jewelry or do a bit of drawing.

Being your own boss is exhausting, mostly because, if I perform badly, I can't fire myself. I'll just end up having to be rehired.

Tomorrow, I've pre-decided, is Tesoro-y (a.k.a Treasure-y) Thursdays. So, if you are an Etsian, please comment with a link to an item of yours and what theme you think it'd be perfect for. Check back tomorrow to see the group - you'll probably be in it!

Happy Wednesday!

Tip Tuesday: Backgrounds for Etsy Photography

I have been inspired to do a theme day every week. We'll see how it goes!

Yesterday, for the first time in months, I photographed an item to sell on Etsy. It took me a minute to shoot, about 10 more seconds to scoot my chair two inches towards my Mac, 15 seconds to load the pics into IPhoto, and then finally 35 seconds to upload into Etsy. What is that? 2 minutes!!!

What do I credit? Not my lovely Mac, not my camera with its wonderful macro setting, but my background and location. More specifically, my placemats placed strategically infront of a double window.

I went through a lot of different backgrounds. Some were good, some were horrible, some pissed me off. I finally found "the one" passing through the aisle of Target. A cream-colored textured placemat. Beyond forces that I do not get, it worked. Now, they may not be the best pictures on Etsy (actually, I'm sure of it) but they are the best I've produced.

Here's a comprehensive list of all materials I've tried as backgrounds before finding "the one": (Please note: I am absolutely not saying that these do not work as backgrounds because I have seen fabulous pictures including most of these on Etsy. They just didn't float my boat. That's all)

Backgrounds:
Placemats
White paper
White tetured paper
Colored paper
Colored textured paper
Mirrors
Reflective black surfaces
Kitchen cutting board
Windowsill
Wood
Fabric
Ribbons (Glued nicely next to eachother)
Screening (the kind from a sliding screen door)
Foam
Carpet
Tile samples
Linoleum
Paper towels
Bottom part of wicker baskets

So my tip for the day, if you haven't found "the one" already, maybe try some of the above background ideas in your next item photoshoot. And, if what you use is not listed up there, please share your "the one"?

Don't forget! 3 days left in my giveaway. Participate here!!!

Good luck & Happy Tuesday!

Managing Mondays: Clutter is not conducive to creativity...right?

 I had a beautiful post ready for you today. It was full of hope, angst, and strategically placed comedic relief but Blogspot ate it. It was there and then it wasn't and I just can't bring myself to repeat myself (I admit, I don't remember most of it). So I'll just move on. 

I've decided to dedicate Monday posts to keeping myself in check. Monday is the start of the work week for most so it's the perfect time to get my ducks back in a cute little row and take on the week. The Hub just started his new job over the holiday weekend and since I am attempting the challenge of "struggling artist" and staying home, I will work when he works so I feel like I have a job instead of a really awesome job where I stay in my PJS all day making jewelry and painting. If I don't make that mental agreement with myself, I could lose perspective and go wild and crazy, like read all day. I'm just saying.

So, first day on the job, I've failed already. If I didn't like me so much, I'd be fired because I slept in. However! he had to wake up at 5 am and I can't do that. I just can't. My body rejects every bit of that idea. So, I have completed another inner contract with myself to wake up a few hours later than that and work twice as hard to make up for lost time.

What'd I accomplish this morning? A huge project - my workspace! It has taken me 2 weeks to situate myself a conducive workspace for my jewelry, art, and crafts. 

I expect that it will be clutterly organized within a couple of days and a full blown out warzone by this weekend. 

Aside from this, I have built massive checklists to organize the constant nagging voice in my head to get crap done! I need to update my etsy item tags, reshoot items, organize my pictures, sort through magazines, buy supplies, etc. I want to create but I just can't with all of these things still on my checklist!

For all creative souls out there, how do you motivate yourself to do the not-so-fun stuff involved in your hobby/business? I think the not-so-fun stuff covers everything else besides creating the art, am I right?

I have a celebratory surprise!

So this morning (errr, this afternoon) I woke up and really wanted to do a sale. Today's a big deal and I thought I should celebrate it here as well.

Today's my wedding anniversary to the love of my life. 2 years down! What? Like its hard? (what movie what movie?)

We originally wanted to get married on 7-12, which was a Saturday in 2008. After some bridezilla drama (not mine) with our reception place, we decided to get married the day before, a Friday, 7/11. Even though this meant we would be sharing our wedding date with a gas station, it quickly became our favorite date:

1 - it's so easy to remember i'm fairly certain my husband can never forget it
2 - i don't know why we didn't notice before but, 7 is his favorite number, 11 is mine
3 - it's the week after July 4th so doing something is usually less crowded and less expensive
4 - um, free slurpees at 7-11 on every anniversary, hello?
5 - it will always be the day I married my best friend who I love a million peanut m&ms

So, how should we celebrate it here?

In continuing with my love for the number 11, all rings in my etsy shop are $11.00. Just $11. This means a discount of 15% - 45% off on all rings!!!

The schematics: Purchase any ring(s) in my shop tesorojewelry.etsy.com and type "anniversary" in the message to seller and I will refund you via Paypal any amount over $11 per ring (excluding the $1 for shipping). If you would prefer not to use Paypal, let me know and I will send you a revised invoice. This sale will end today, Sunday 7/11, at 11:59 PM PST. (Update: Let's make it until tomorrow, Monday 7/13, at 12:00 PM PST. This way its a full 24 hours).

And there is still lots of time to enter my giveaway for a free Howlite Ring here.

Officially non-newlyweds

Old married hag here...

Tomorrow, tonight, this morning, whatever, currently...today is my 2nd year wedding anniversary. I can NOT believe that 2 years has gone by, flown by actually.

We currently do not have any tentative plans for our big day except ask ourselves all day long, "What were we doing exactly 2 years ago?" When that gets boring, around 7, dinner and a movie sounds good. We haven't done that just the two of us since Paris (sometime in very early May).

I'm also super stoked that my first blog giveaway since our irresponsible euro-vacay has received a bunch of participants. Yay! Everyone has until the end of Friday PST to comment here.

Giveaway: Ends Friday, July 16th

Now that my hubby and I are a bit settled here in Texas and my jewelry inventory has been laid out and organized into a less-horrific mess, I think I'm feeling my creativity mojo returning. To celebrate, I thought it was about time for a Giveaway. 

Since its summer, I thought, they need something fun, something cute, and something simple. So, here ya go, a fun, cute, and simple Howlite ring to accessorize your favorite summer outfit. Please, it needs to be put to work poolside and/or during strenuous beach or lake lounging.

How to Enter?

1. Become a follower of this blog

2. Visit my Etsy shop & share your favorite item

3. Heart Tesorojewelry on Etsy

Do you Twitter?

4. Follow my tweets on my Twitter

5. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter (please post link to tweet)

On Facebook?

6. Follow me on my Facebook page

7. Share this giveaway with your friends on Facebook

Have a blog?

8. Blog about this giveaway (please post link)

9. Grab my button and post it on your blog

10. Comment here on any of your summer plans coming up or just past. I will be living vicariously through all of you as we do not have any summer plans (as we shouldn't, see the last 10+ posts)  :D!

I believe that's 10 chances to WIN! Woohoo!

And the oh-so-fun rules: 

• Giveaway ends Friday, July 16th at 11:59 PM (PST). Winner will be contacted the following day. 
• This giveaway is eligible to U.S. Residents only. 
• Winner will be chosen at random via Random Integer Generator.

Also important: 

• Please post a separate comment for each entry that you submit. Each comment will count as 1 entry.
• Please make sure to leave your e-mail address in every submitted comment so I can contact you if you win! 
• Have fun and good luck!