As time goes by

I traded this sweet little desk calendar in February and I just now printed it on vanilla toned card stock.  Each month has a different design based on the shown damask print.  I realize I've already missed the first 4 months of the year, but who's counting? 

This and other digital files can be found at The Posh Event.  Brigitte's shop is chalk full of vintage style digital files in shapes such as favor boxes, note cards, and envelopes.

I think it looks quite quaint with my sepia toned thank you cards and old, cut glass lamp.    

$10 Sale

My favorite Etsy team is hosting a "$10 & Under" Sale all this weekend! There will be tons of special deals that you will not want to miss!

Click here the comprehensive list of participating shops.

By the way, get a set of the gossamer studs in plated metal for $10 this weekend only. Their the ones that made the front page of Etsy last month - twice.

Team Time: Trade-a-holics

This time, I'm talking about someone else talking about trading. Be sure to check out the feature that the trade team I am on landed just in time for the holidays. If you have an Etsy shop, you should come play with us! Trading is all the rage!

Read now: Team Time: Trade-a-holics

Always talking about trading...

I know, I'm always talking about trading. I can't help it. I love trading. I mean I LOVE trading. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'd trade for everything if I could.

I did some trading last Sunday, as a matter of fact. I tried to keep my trading controlled in this 12 hour trading frenzy. My motivation was the flashback of my ridiculously large shipping bill from last time. So, I tried hard to find things that were specifically on my Christmas shopping list. I think I did a pretty fine job. Here are some of my new toys...

This gorgeous scarflette is from mireilles.



here's this sweet little passport cover from owlsay.

Trading

I'm still reeling from the most exciting weekend I've ever had in cyberspace. If you know me well, you know that I love to trade. If you've got something I can use (whether it be a product or a service), I'm probably game for trading you something from my stash. In fact, I love trading so much that I joined an Etsy Team all about trading. Don't laugh, I'm not kidding.

Every few months, all of these crafty people get together and designate a weekend as an official trading weekend. During that weekend, the people in the group contact other people in the group and try to establish a trade. Trades are to be fair and are to be equal in price. You give something, you get something. That's precisely what I did all weekend long. I traded. I traded. And then I traded some more. I racked up a whopping 29 trades when Monday evening came rolling in. There were some shops that traded a modest amount of 3 trades and there were some shops that traded a grand total of 54 trades. There were prizes for those that traded the most.

I have to admit, I was a little nervous about what my husband would think about all of my trades. I am pleased to report, though, that he was a huge supporter. I seriously think I took care of every woman in the family for Christmas. I can't guarantee that the gentlemen will have the same fun that the ladies will, but I think they'll survive. I even traded a few things for my husband to give me for Christmas.

After it was all said and done, I am pleased to say that I've gathered together some encouragement and inspiration for the future of my shops and my jewelry. It's always funny how someone's handmade soap can plant a seed of creativity for a piece of jewelry. In the following days, I hope to begin posting new work that can be directly linked to this weekend.

In the meantime, if you have an Etsy shop and you'd like to join the trade team, let me know and I'll give you the details. The more the merrier!!!