Marketing and Inspiration

Today I'm inspired to market myself!  I love reading the thoughts and information that Shannon Riffe of Rifferaff puts on her blog and shares with fellow Etsians.  She's successful.  She's intelligent.  And I want others to be able to look at my shop and say the same about me, knowing that they can come to me for help in making their shops more successful!  

Today is all about marketing!

Graduation time

Well it's been several days since I last let you know what was going on, but trust me, I was busy!  My friend Kathy needed graduation announcements made - 50 of them.  I'm not set up like a print shop, so it was a piecemill operation, but I did it!  And they looked pretty good.  Pictures are posted below.  I also have made congratulations cards for several graduates.  They are fun as I remember how important and emotional graduation was for me (all those many years ago!).  I also tried a new technique to make a wedding congrats card.  I embossed the front and then took chalks to color in here and there to give it an "old" feel.  I really liked the results and will probably do a few more cards like that.  

We're in our third day of a good old nor'easter and I've been wet more times than I care to mention, but it has forced me to stay inside and get some work done.  And moreover, it has caused everything outside to become so beautifully green!  So, I'm off to get a few more things done.  Everyone be safe out there and have a great Memorial Day weekend.

Starting to pick up business

Well, it was a great Mother's Day weekend.  Time with family was nice.  Food was great!  I'm just about to finish up the birth announcements and today I picked up a friend's grandson's graduation invites.  I'm really getting excited about the amount of work that is coming in lately.

Also, I have a purse order.  This is something I'm not putting on Etsy, just word of mouth stuff, but I'm excited to have the order none-the-less!

So I have a busy week ahead, but I'll try to keep a blurb here and there on Twitter!

I'm So Excited!

When I dropped off the Bean to school this morning, I was greeted with words of praise for my visit the day before.  I was pleased not only to hear that some of the mothers were checking out my web site and products, but Ms. Lisa had used the Cricut I left for her to play with to make a Thank You card for me that all of the children signed!  It was fantastic!  I was so pleased with it and with the experience.  Now I'm even happier that I did the project than I was yesterday!

I have another new follower on Twitter too.  This is shaping up to be a great day!

Have a great weekend and pleasant Mother's Day everyone!

Pre-K Craft Day

Well the Mother's Day card craft event at my grand-daughters pre-k was a big success!  It was so much fun!  The kids took the precut letters and spelled out Happy Mother's Day and glued them to the card.  Then added paper die cut decorations and signed the inside.  Every child did the card just a little differently and they all turned out very nice.  I think they will be proud to give it to their moms.  I've been invited back to do another craft on another day, so I'll have to think of something fun for the next round.

Staying busy!

I hope everyone reading this is doing fine.  The weather here in northeast Florida has warmed nicely and our average temps this week are in the 85 range.  Sunny too, so I have had to water the plants in the pots daily.  I have tomatoes on the vine and bellpeppers and the squash plants are growing fast.  

I've also been busy crafting.  I just completed a purse/tote bag of my own handiwork design that is large enough, has enough pockets, is summery and the straps are the right length.  I love it!  Also, I've been crafting barrettes and listed them on Etsy.  I've finished up a few new cards and I've etched a couple of glasses that I'm giving my daughter and her hubby as a gift.  

This Thursday I am working with the PreK kids to make a Mother's Day card.  I will have the letters cut out and let them decorate the card with other die cut designs I am bringing.  It will allow them to be creative and still have it be one of my cards.  I think it will be a ton of fun!

Stay tuned as my creative juices come up with more stuff for the Etsy store!  Have a great week!