Vote for your Favorite 7.1.10 Linda’s Top 5 Etsy Finds

Each week I post in the Etsy Forums asking sellers to post an item from their shop and comment on my blog. Then, I get to pick items and submit them to you, Dear Blog Readers, to vote on. The winner gets a blog feature / interview on my blog.

Sunset Ring

Wine Glass Coasters

Baby Shoes

blue striped peyote triangle earrings
 

Blue Denim Lapis Bracelet

Thanks for submitting your items. If you weren’t chosen this week, please post in my forum thread on Tuesday and follow the directions.

Vote for your favorite item. The winner gets a solo blog feature, here on my blog.

It’s one of my favorite blog features to write.

I'm Looking for this Week's Top 5 Etsy Finds on my Blog

On Tuesdays, I post in the Etsy forums to ask Etsy sellers to show me one item from their shop and then post a comment here on my blog including the shop name. This is for Linda's Top 5 Etsy Finds blog post.

This week's thread is http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6561059

I hope to feature some terrific and unique Etsy items later this week. To be considered, go to the above thread.

Thanks,
Linda B.

Winner of Solo Blog Feature - AggieRay

Linda of Aggie Ray won your votes for this Extra Large Trendy Pleated Handbag

LindaB:  Tell us a bit about yourself (name, location, affiliations, personal stuff). 
AggieRay: My, name is Linda and I have lived in Rhode Island my entire life. I live in a small town called North Kingstown with my husband, daughter and son, 21 and 24…yeah 24 and still at home, but working. My daughter is entering her last year of college. 

LindaB: What inspires you? 
We are so lucky to have so many talented designers and the ability to supply us with wonderful fabrics of all kinds. I love color, as you can tell from my shop.
 

Floral Blooms

LindaB : What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why 
did you make it? 
As a child, I was always creating. For Christmas, I would always request a craft kit of some sort, but my very first item that I created with a sewing machine was an apron in 7th grade. I can still picture it with the ruffles, gathering at the shoulders and of course the ric rac accents.

Linda B; What is your favorite color combination? All colors…check out my shop!

LindaB:  What is your favorite thing to do with your creativity? 

I love to come up with unique designs for handbags to sell in my shop. I am not the type of person to make the same item over and over again. I need variety in style and color. 

Pleated Pink Wonders handbag

What are your favorite materials? I love to work with cotton quilt fabrics and home decorator fabrics.

Clutch Purse

What are the web addresses people can find you at? (website, etsy, blog, flickr)

Websites: www.AggieRay.etsy.com and www.FabricPlace.etsy.com
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aggieray/
Blog www.aggieray.blogspot.com

Why should people buy handmade? Handmade items are unique and usually you cannot find them anywhere else. The quality of many handmade items are better than store bought.

Any tips or bits of wisdom on selling handmade creations? Take excellent pictures. This takes patience and practice. Everything you make can be improved upon. As I design a new handbag, I discover new ways to make and design my items. Feedback is important also. I make handbags for friends and family for free and get feedback from them as to the style, ease of use, durability, etc. 

Apart from creating things, what do you do? I work full time as a Paralegal/Real Estate Agent. I have worked for the same attorney for 30 years.

 What have been the most valuable lessons you’ve learned from other artists?
I love the support you receive from other artist online. We are so lucky to have the ability to access so many places through the internet that we would not have had access to 20 years ago.


Congratulations, Linda and hope you sell many items from this blog post. Please let us know how you do. 


Linda B. 

Let Freedom Ring! July 4 Blog Carnival

A member of the Etsy Twitter Team has created a fabulous Treasury of red, white and blue items for your 4th of July celebrations. I’m pleased to be included. It’s not too late to get your red, white and blue accessories.

Independence Day is coming! Celebrations include backyard BBQs, hot dogs, potato salad, watermelon or fruit and fireworks.

Source: http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/blog/2009/07/

The 4th of July represents a historical time when people chose to fight for change and start a new nation. I love the 4th of July; it’s one of my favorite holidays.

It’s great to celebrate with friends and grilled food and hanging out.

One year, I was in the hospital having surgery, and my husband arranged to have me come home on the 4th of July, set me up with pillows in the dining room, the Boston Pops playing on TV, and the view out our patio door of the fireworks. Not only was I glad to be out of the hospital, but his gestures to ensure that I was able to continue our holiday tradition touches my heart deeply and brings happy tears to my eyes.

I hope everyone looks up this day in history and enjoys the holiday.

Sale Ends Saturday

My sale in my Etsy Shop ends at 9 pm CDT on Saturday, June 27. I’m only highlighting a few available items.

These expire tonight:

Swarovski earrings Only $7.15

Blue Sapphire Briolette
Pendant Necklace Only $11
 

Flower Dangle Earrings Only $4.75

I also have supplies on SALE!

Sterling Silver Bali spacers $4.50
Sold and relisted

Although, my sale is ending, I’m continuing to raise funds for the Susan G Komen Cancer Fund. So, part of every purchase will go to this worthwhile cause through the end of June.

Please feel free to browse and ask me any questions.

Thanks, Dear Blog Readers for stopping by today.

Have a great weekend!

6.23.10 Voting has Ended! Winner Posted Soon - Linda's Top 5 Etsy Shop Finds - Vote until Fri. at Noon for your Fave

Every week, I post in the Etsy forums looking for shops to feature for my weekly Top 5 Etsy Shop Finds blog post. I choose items that I like, are unusual and make me smile.

I'm a Survivor original collage in pink

GREEN KNITTED PATCHWORK HEADBAND

The Overnighter

Fold-able The Beatles Paper Figures

Marilyn Monroe Pyrographic Portrait

If you haven't been featured, look for my post on Tuesday in Etsy Forums asking for items for Linda's Top 5 Etsy Shop Finds.

Note, vote for your favorite item in the comments. The Etsy shop find with the most votes get a solo blog feature interview here. So, if you're featured, tell all your friends to come and vote for you.

Good luck.

Don't vote on these, they are mine and I just wanted to share them with you:

Peace Sign Hippie Lampwork Earrings

Blue Sapphire Briolette Pendant Necklace - Expiring soon - on sale!

The Votes are in! The Winner is ...

The laughing cat magnet by LaughingFridge, and I'm pleased to see that's it's Reserved. Way to go!

You win a solo blog feature on my blog, and I'll be sending you the questions soon. And, you can copy my Blog Button for your blog. 

You're 

How can your item be chosen? 

Look for my Etsy Forum post about "Wanna be on Linda's Top 5 Etsy Finds blog" on Tuesday. Post 1 link there and comment on my blog. It's easy peasy. 

Dear Blog Readers, thanks for visiting. 

New Listings on Etsy

I’ve been like a crazy woman going through my destash and seeing what lovely items I can part with. I’ve got too many jewelry supplies and, well, you know, I keep buying more.

I’ve been creating new jewelry designs and listing beads for the past few days for my big fame sale tonight on Etsy at 8pm (Etsy time or EDT). Come into this forum thread to be in on the fun http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6549240&page=1

These are only a few items I’m offering, and some destash supplies is priced at a little over wholesale prices.

Sterling Silver Bali Cylinder Bead

Glass Bead Assortment


Destash Bali Sterling Silver Spacers

Honey Onyx Round Beads

I’ve reduced my jewelry designs anywhere from 10-30% to fit any budget.

Look at these great buys:

Purple and Pink Swarovski Earrings

Mother of Pearl Pendant

Pink Strawberry Quart Pendant Set

Blue Bird of Happiness Necklace

So stop on over at 8pm (EDT) to be in on the sale http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6549240&page=1

See you later.

Here are Linda's Top 5 Etsy Finds for Friday

Every week I post in the Etsy Forum threads looking for shops to post their best item. Then, people vote for their favorite item by commenting on this blog post. The item that wins the votes then gets a solo blog feature, here, on my blog.

These Etsy Finds are in no particular order.

Laughing Cat Fridge Magnet

Jane Austen Scrabble Tile

Etsy Premade Shop Set

Pretty Floral Backless Crochet Detail Top (peach)

Welcome this new Etsy seller

Steampunk Woman Locket

Part 2 is for all the featured Etsy sellers to tell everyone to vote for their item by posting a comment to this post. The item with the most comments or votes wins a blog feature interview here.

Thanks, Dear Blog Readers, for visiting. Voting is open!

Recent Accomplishments - Blog Carnival

This Blog Carnival is about:
1) It's graduation time, tell us about a recent accomplishment of yours. Did you graduate? Have a business success? Climb a mountain?
2) What are you goals? Short term, long term?

Yesterday, I had a success of listing a pair of earrings and selling them within 15 minutes of listing them.

These earrings are ocean jasper, green aventurine and yellow jasper chips and are relisted 

We should all be so lucky, right? I'm hoping more listings for everybody sell. 

One of my first short-term goals is to make my display more vertical by using boxes and a fireplace screen (top picture) to hang necklaces and earrings. I have 2 Elgin craft shows this month and limited space. 

Eventually I'd like to figure out how to get the pegboard to stand up and easily transportable. 

My second goal is to complete some new bottlecap sports and holiday magnets (yes, it's that time already). I've already cut out the images and put them in the bottlecaps. Next, I need to mix the epoxy and pour it into the bottlecaps and glue on the magnets. Usually, I introduce new magnets at the shows and then list them on Etsy. 

Third, I must go to the post office and get my order out. 

Thank you, Dear Blog Readers, for visiting and I wish you much success. Any tips or feedback is welcome. 

Beaded Tail - Etsy Bloggers Team Shop of the Month

The Beaded Tail, owned by Sharla is a fun Etsy seller and blogger. The slogan "We're making tails wag one bead at a time!" carries weight because a portion of sales go to help animals in need. In 2009, donations in the amount of  $686.50 were made. That's fabulous. 


Here's a jasper kitty bracelet

Bud the Dalmation Earrings

Dog Collar Cover

Sharla also has items that are less whimsical, these Land and Sea Earrings

Visit Sharla's shop and her blog and tell her Linda B., her teammate sent you.

Playing with Jewelry Display Items

I have a couple of indoor shows coming up in June, and I picked up an fireplace screen to have my items go more vertical and take up less space.

Left side Magnets	Left side Mirror and necklaces
Middle Necklaces, rings, earrings (high right)	Right side – sale basket (middle) and bracelets
Sale basket – in the middle	Right side – more earrings, bracelets

Yes, it is a pegboard that you see behind the fireplace screen. I haven’t figured out how to get it to stand up by itself and be transportable yet.

I hope you enjoyed my Show Preview, Dear Blog Readers. If you have any suggestions on the display, I’d love to read them.

And, if you’re in Elgin on June 22, come to the Roadhouse on Prairie Street from 6-9pm.

On June 26, I’ll be at Vega’s Hair Salon from 9:30am–1:30 pm.