Oranges and Avocados

Orange you glad I didn't say Avocado?

Created this etsy treasury with those two colors. Some combined and others just the basic colors on their own. I started with a search for all things orange until I came across this pendent Made by Sparkle Peach. 

The softness of the colors with the orange I like and a deep grey green reminding me of avocados.

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On the hunt for something orange What better then a Flower. This Pumpkin colored Rosette hair clip made by The Mustard Seed Co caught my eye. Loved that is was displayed in a picture frame.

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I have been thinking of Felting but have so many other things going on, I felt *wink, I should leave it to the Professionals. Here is an Avocado colored Felt Bowl 

by The Fuzzy Monkey. 

And fantastically enough it has Orange on it as well.

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And finally the very last Item I found tugged at my heart after just losing my little Man Jeffery Dog I saw this and couldn't resist. Emily Chen Of MChen created this Woof 8x10 print and Well he is just adorable.

Come by The etsy treasury and see all the beautiful colors.

Orange you glad I didn't say Avocado

Chocolate Skies

I have been craving chocolate lately and perhaps it is because I have been working with a lot of chocolate browns. I started making this washcloth set a few days ago and now all I want to do is make more chocolate brown themed things...                Instead I made another etsy treasury. 

Chocolate Espresso Brown and Earth Tones Washcloth set 

The flow of this dress is eye catching.

 Made By After Hour Shop 

Adorn with Beauty also known as Restored Beauty has a way with displaying her jewelry with household items that really catch your eye, this Necklace with a Cup but check out her use of Ball Glass jars in the rest of her shop.

And Beadin Babe left me speechless with this ring. I just can't explain it ~

Leen the Graphics Queen wall decals. Who doesn't love waking up to birds in the morning

Hope you are inspired to take a look at nature, maybe eat a little chocolate and check out the rest of the Treasury ~

Chocolate Skies

Cotton on My Mind Etsy Treasury

I am addicted to all the possible ways you can create an Etsy Treasury. If you haven't made one yet, try it, I know you will love it.

Today's Features were all about Cotton and the many wonders you can created. I love working with cotton and recently made a set of Plum Purple Washcloths that I adore. Here are a few of the Featured Etsy shops from the treasury.

From Gifts and Bead Shop a headband to go with anything

From Bagitarian A lovely blue and white clutch

From Revisions an amazing necklace that seems so light and fresh.

This was a rather interesting Keyword search. I only had four criteria for adding them to the Treasury. 

100% cotton materials as the dominant Medium and

White, Plum Purple or Blue in color.

Please go to the Treasury and see all the amazing things Cotton can become.

Cotton on My Mind

Hot Summer Days

I decided to make an Etsy Treasury. And it was actually pretty easy and fun to make. The only daunting part was deciding on a Theme or color scheme and I went with Summer reds. How did these items get picked over others? 

This picture from The Bold Banana was the perfect Bicycle and such an amazing red I couldn't stop looking at it, every time I passed the listing I would go back to it.

And who doesn't need a Fabulous party dress. Miss 4th of July Here I come. This Shop Timeless Vixen Vintage has amazing 1950's era cocktail dresses great for any occasion.

I Love Pomegranates and this one is beautiful. Life size Pomegranate Vase made by

New Moon Studio

Some were chosen for the picture quality alone and others for the feeling the picture gave.

And All The Loveliness...

RachelleD Roxy Romantic

Red Tuscan Poppy by The Honey Comb

Keeping those memories forever in the perfectly Red journal

Kath Prints a Linoleum Printed Blank Journal

And I had to add a little something Red, White & Blue

 

 Itty Bitty Bags presents Extra small retro silk dot

There are so many more I can't list them all here. Please visit the Etsy Treasury to see them all in their Red Hot Summer Glory

Hot Summer RED

Getting started on Etsy

When I first found Etsy I was apprehensive about starting my own shop. I had never really gone off and done something this Big. Putting what I create out there for the world to judge and see, was a huge step for me.

Once I got over the scary side of it all, with the help of an encouraging husband, family and friends I jumped right in.

The first thing I did was talk about it on Facebook, too friends and family there. I guess I was just putting out feelers. And of course with family and friends they were ecstatic about this new adventure. Then I looked at the calender, put my finger on a date and shouted it from the roof tops that My store would open. This for me made it real. Made it something I was committing to, that if I didn't do it I would be telling all those people they were wrong for thinking I was great. So date on the wall, in annoucements on facebook and then I created my Etsy account.

I didn't think to far into my name for the etsy shop. I hadn't quite settled on what Exactly the shop would be focused on, Would it stay Crocheted or move into a different direction. So to be safe I just used my Name. Not realizing that Dirty Joe Soaps would come about or the Household lovelies side of the shop either. But I am glad I didn't Name it Scarves and things.

But you all know most of this by now. I am writing this post and hope to make it a regular feature due to a few friends taking a leap of their own and starting Etsy shops. They ask for advice on little things and we have been sharing tips that we come across with one another. So I thought I would use a day a week on here to share the info with everyone else.

Step One...  Other then thinking about an amazing name, would be spread the word.
If you haven't started your Etsy shop yet but are close to doing so... Start Talking. Talking to friends, family, anyone who will listen. Tell them about it, your art and your future shop. This at least gets your foot in the water and gives you more enforcement to keep talking and one day start doing.

Busy hands Busy days

The past two weeks have been a bit busy. I have been trying to perfect my laundry detergent and finding ways to package and label it all. The Soldier has been such a great help with that. He thought of the name and a few other really amazing things that could be done and added to it. So Dirty Joe Soaps was born and I am so proud of how it has turned out.

I placed that image on Clear stickers and they became the perfect label for the jars of Laundry detergent. Small trial size jars and bigger jars that can hold 14 loads of soap. But I am still hung up on the best packaging for mailing the soap out.

The Jars might be too heavy to make shipping a good deal with the price of the soap (which is fairly low compared to store bought soaps). So I am leaning towards Muslin bags with my logo stenciled on them, with the Detergent securely in a plastic bag inside it. Then the Muslin bag could be reused, recycled or even sent back to me for a refill. Still deciding and searching for a local source (made in USA) for the fabric.

~Happy dance happened when I was featured in TWO different Etsy Treasuries. The first was Pamper Yoruself. It featured Spa type products and my Facial Scrubbies got a spot. The other is beautiful to look at and features Lime & Coconut themed items.

The other fun thing that happened this weekend. I had my first "Open House" or "Trunk show" some may call it. A friend was having a wine tasting party and asked if I would like to be a featured seller. I was flattered and thrilled, oh and a little scared. I didn't know any of her friends and this was a first for me. Putting myself out in front of the crowd to talk and show what I make. Its very personal to show and sell something you make by hand. Felt like I was pushing baby birds out the nest for the first time.

The Host was expecting 7 confirmed guests, a few maybes and some Non-responses. Well She was a little disappointed when 6:30pm rolled around and only 2 guests arrived. I felt so bad for her. She spent a lot of time preparing food for the night and arranging for the kids and Husbands to be out someplace for dinner.

Although only two people came, it turned out to be great. I was able to talk about what I do and create in a very casual and personal setting. Answer questions and show how you can wear scarves in different ways for different functions. Plus the wine was great. Oh, and I did sell an Item. Dirty Joe Soaps a large Jar of 42 washes.

I thought I set up her table well. Made sure you could see each type of product I make from any place you may have been standing, And I brought all the Scents of Laundry Detergent that I was working on.

The Host felt bad that her guests didn't show and kept apologizing. I kept telling her it was fine, that it got me to make and finalize a lot of things that I would have procrastinated on or still be trying to make a decision about. And because I made things specific to sell at the party, that meant I now had a lot of inventory to put up on the Etsy site. I really couldn't have asked for more.

So thankful for amazing friends, a husband who thinks some of what I do is silly and the other things I do are magnificent. Encouragement is all you need sometimes.

PS. There are a lot of pictures on the FaceBook Page. Check out the albums and see what will be posted in the Shop of Lovelies Next.