New Blog - It's About Reading!

Hello out there!

All you lovely jewelry ladies, Etsy friends and blog pals!

I am guessing everyone has given up on me, but if not....

Come check out my newest blog, geared toward my new library gig. I am reading some great kids books and telling the world about them!

Why I Love My Husband

Well, to be honest, this is not the biggest reason, but it did make me smile and I am sharing it here because only other Etsy sellers will find this funny.

As you may or may not know, (since I have been so sadly absent from this or any other blog) I am going back to school. Since school started in January, I have not made a single piece of jewelry. I have cut back my renewing of Etsy items to a bare minimum.

Last night, we had this conversation:

Me: I have not sold anything in almost a week.

Him: Hm.

Me: Well, that is a really long time for me.

Him: Hm.

Me: It is a little unsettling.

Him: Hm.

Me: I really hope things pick up in March.

Him: Hm.

Me: I am worried!

Him: When was the last time you posted something new?

Me: Early January?

Him: Have you been renewing?

Me: Ummmmm. Not very much...

Him: You should probably go on the forums and ask someone to help you. You whiny newbie!


And all this time I thought he was not paying attention to anything I said about Etsy for the last two and a half years!

Indie Fixx Galleria

I am making my first big advertising investment (um, no, Etsy Showcases do NOT count) and have a spot in Indie Fixx's September Galleria. It is a juried ad page with a little profile and a sampling of my work. I was so excited to be selected. And look, there's StilettoHeights, too!
I am frustrated that I have no real means of tracking the success of this venture other than through views of the featured items, however, I am interested to see if the ad brings more people to my shop.
Wish me luck!

More Big Changes at Etsy

Chris and Haim are leaving.
I think you would have to have been around Etsy since before V2 to really feel this. But wow.
I am thinking more and more about having my own site for my jewelry.
It seems like so much work. And Etsy is working fine for me right now.
But if Etsy underwent big changes, I would want to be prepared.

unprepared to think about all this right now.

Spiffing Up My Other Blog - Free Ad Space

I am trying to spiff up my shopping blog.

If you have an on-line shop and would like some free ad space on Mira, please comment here and I will get in touch with you with all the details. I will be promoting the blog on the Etsy forums and there will be a link to it from my profile in the IndieFixx Galleria in September.

If you are interested in writing a product review as a guest, I will be sure that your review includes a link to your blog and shop if you have one. Again, comment here if you have recently purchased an item that you would like to review.

Thanks for your help.

Open Letter to the Emergency Room Staff

To the Admitting Nurse: Now is not the time to tell me that my deductable for emergency services is the highest you have ever seen.

To the Triage Nurse: He is only five, and a child of the new millenium. He has never seen a thermometer that is meant to be held under his tongue. Please be patient.

To the Doctor who said, "I'll be right back." after examining Thing Two without sharing any thoughts about his condition or what the next step may be: "I'll be right back" does not mean the same thing as, "forty five minutes from now a nurse you have never seen will poke her head in and casually mention that the x-ray tech should be here any minute to take him down for a CAT scan."

To the X-Ray Tech: If you want him to stay completely still during the scan, perhaps you should warn him that the machine is going to make a godawful noise while he is in there.

To the Nurse Ginger and second doctor we saw (Dr. I'll Be Right Back, never came back.) you both rock! Thank you.


Thing Two went home with a huge bump on his head, a beautiful brain scan, a refillable ice pack and a great story about taking a ride on a bed with wheels.

Let's Party

Thing One to Thing Two this morning:

When someone says "let's party", it is like they are saying "Hang up the disco ball and bring out the popsicles!"

A Hiccup in the Plans

Of the four women involved in the retail scheme, 2 dropped out. We have decided to let it go for now. I think this is for the best, as Thing Two is still little. I was a little unsure how I was going to pull it off.

Someday I know I will be revisiting this idea. It is in my blood (thanks, Mom!) and I had so much fun thinking about it.

And for the record, I was going to try and talk everyone into the most expensive place, because the location was so excellent and right now, in our downtown that is just starting to define itself as a destination, I think that a visible, accessible location is very important.

So, I will keep doing the summer market and be more vigilant about building a mailing list. Then, when the time is right, I will have a customer base to invite to a Grand Opening!

Choices, Choices......

Exploration for "the Shop" continues.

We have looked at three spaces.

Space Number One is on the ground floor, a block away from "Gallery Row" (edited to add: though only a block away, the feeling of these two streets is very different - only one other upscale shop on the block) with a huge picture window. It has two rooms and is laid out in a way that would allow us to have a sales floor out front and a work area in the back where we could hold classes. However, there is a fair amount of work that will need to go into it before it is ready for us to move in. The rent is quite affordable.

Space Number Two (shown above) in on the corner of a busy intersection, on "Gallery Row" and is ready to move in. The rent is the same as Space Number One. However, the layout is a little clunky - two small rooms, a long hallway between the entrance and the rooms. AND it on the second floor with an attractive, but narrow stairway.

Space Number Three is on the ground floor of Space Number Two. On "Gallery Row", on the ground floor, and one large space instead of little rooms. Also ready for immediate move-in. The rent is twice as much as the second floor space.

Hmmmm. What would you do?

Retail Dreams

Yesterday some friends and I toured a tiny, little retail space in town.

eep!

It all came about very quickly. And nothing is set in action yet. We are still just gathering information.

What do you think?

Any advice?

Any readers out there with shop owning experience?

Going into business with partners?

Stay tuned for further developments.