Wordless Wednesday

two words only...I'm hungry!

Our Christmas Card

This is the first time we are sending a photo Christmas Card and it's also the first time my 6 yo son ever made a snowman. In fact, the last time he saw snow was when he was three and he really doesn't remember it. We moved to NC on his 4th birthday and there's no snow there!! LOL!! So, imagine his excitement when he woke up the other morning and there was snow on the ground!! "SNOW. Mama, it snowed!" he yelled from downstairs. Music to my ears!!

~~ New Stuff ~~

I have been super busy taking photos, editing photos and listing items in my Etsy Shop. So, I thought I would show ya real quickly what I've added!

Confetti Scarf

Blue Dichroic Earrings

Psychedelic Note Cards

Loopy Lu Scarf

Feature Friday

It's time for word association. I'll start......

egg - scrambled
dinner - lunch
cold - snow
fire - hot

And when I say hot, I mean hot...especially when talking about today's featured Etsy shop...Tracy of PolishedTwo! Actually, to be completely honest, the first word that comes to mind when I look at her shop is HAPPY! Her designs are so bright, cheerful & colorful. Her pieces look almost effortless, like it is second to breathing to put these colors & beads together.

She certainly has a signature style and her pottery shards are no exception. They are beautiful ancient and replica Ming/Ching Dynasty shards that have beautiful images on them. She uses traditional Czech Republic glass beads to wood, brass, pewter, semiprecious stone, resin, porcelain, copper, and shell to re-iterate time after time her whimsical designs.

In addition to her jewelry (which includes EVERYTHING necklaces, earrings, bracelets & rings) she also makes bobby pins that are one-of-a-kind. These truly show her fun & whimsical style for sure!

From personal experience, Tracy is one of the most accommodating people you will meet. Treat yourself to some wonderful jewelry and swing by her shop. I'm sure you will pick up some great goodies as Christmas gifts (and I bet you'll end up getting something for yourself too!).

You are officially forewarned, anything you wear from PolishedTwo WILL be noticed and people WILL be stopping you to compliment your piece of jewelry. Happens to me all the time when I wear her Yarn Ball earrings (see picture above)!!

Wordless Wednesday, but it's Thursday??

Well, this just goes to show you how messed up with the days I am! I just posted this picture as my Wordless Wednesday. One problem...it's Thursday. This just means that I am behind on so many other things...what did I do yesterday? As my mother would say...Oi Vey!!


So, I'm just gonna throw caution to the wind and do my Wordless Wednesday anyway. Make a girl happy and just play along with me!!

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Treasure!

I consider myself a pretty crafty person. Jewelry, photography, glass and knitting are my specialties...so when I purchased my sewing machine a couple of years ago I thought "no sweat". I daydreamed about all the handbags, pillows, etc. I would be designing. I even bought books to guide me with designs. So, why is my sewing machine sitting on my bench collecting dust you ask? Because I couldn't even thread the sucker. I was/am a complete lost cause!!

However, Fashion Designer Mary Anne Lagana is not! Her style is fun, colorful and one of a kind. Her specialty is designing beautiful coats (great for this time of the year may I add). This one is my favorite. I love the animal print with the orange accent....very mod and fresh.

But, she doesn't only design coats. She has apparel for girls and women alike. Sweatshirts, long sleeve shirts, yoga tanks and skirts. They all display her creativity with mixing and matching vintage and textured fabrics. This cupcake sweatshirt is a perfect example - how cute!! Any young girl would think this is the best top ever.

And look at the pointed edge on this skirt...so flirty!

Stop by Mary Anne's Etsy shop and let her make a unique one-of-a-kind piece of clothing for you!

Feature Friday

Ah, it's Friday...the week has flown by!! Time for my second Feature Friday.

I remember when autumn began sneaking around the corner. Temperatures dropped just a bit, trees started changing colors and the heat was turned on for the first time since February ! Well, forget Autumn 'cause Winter is sneaking up on us fast. The leaves have all fallen, the heat is on all the time now and we are beginning to bundle up to keep warm outside. What? You've been wearing the same scarf and gloves for a couple of years now? Well, do not fear because MABS Crochet is here (all right, a bit cheesy but you get my drift)!


MABS Crochet features handmade housewares and clothing items by two fabulous women. In their own words "We're crazy for crochet, we're addicted to yarn. If we're not crocheting or buying yarn, chances are we're talking about crocheting or buying yarn. In short, we're in love with our crochet, and we hope you will fall in love with our crochet, too."


This is my favorite - partially because of the name (as I live in NC) but mostly definitely because of the style and color combo. It looks like it will keep you toasty warm!




And I love the colors in this clutch - so vibrant and fun!

Housewares, Purses, Children's Apparel, Scarves, Ponchos and more all at MABS Crochet. If you would like items made for a gift, or perhaps you would like them to be involved in a non-profit cause, you can contact them here.

BOGO Sale!!!

******Buy one set of Photo Note Cards, get the second 50% OFF******

That's 12 cards (6 in each set) for $18! Christmas cards are 20 cards for $22.50!
FREE SHIPPING ON EVERY ORDER
Mix-n-Match discount will be taken off the lesser priced item

All photos were taken by moi...flowers, Italy, nature and more!! They are digital photos printed on matte white heavyweight
card stock and packaged in a cellophane sleeve.

They are blank on the inside and can be used individually:

Birthday ** Thank you ** Get Well ** Sympathy ** Thinking of you

Or perhaps give a set as a gift :
House Warming Gift
Teacher's Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Day, Christmas, End-of-School
Hostess Gift
Birthday Gift

Ways to order:

1) Go to my Etsy Shop and put "BOGO50" in notes to seller - I will send a revised invoice to your Paypal or RME account.
2) Send me an e-mail and let me know what you would like to purchase and how you will be paying; Money Order or Check

(All orders will ship upon receipt of cleared payment)

**** Feature Friday ****

TGIF everyone! Today is a great Friday...it's sunny, 75 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. Today also marks the beginning of Feature Friday where every Friday I will bring a wonderful business to you.

Since this is the first, I thought it was fitting to begin with somebody whom I met a few months ago when I joined her Yahoo group, Unique Women in Business. Her name is Erin and she is one of the most supportive, nice and fun people that I know. Who better to kick off this new series with!!

Erin has recently been promoted to Director for a company called Pink Papaya. They began in 2004 offering the highest quality spa products with three wonderful product lines: aromatherapy, using 100% pure essential oils; body & bath, made with luxurious scents and botanical extracts; and skincare, fusing science with nature.
I've used their Body Wash and it is fabulous.....I have Ocean and it smells so fresh and clean. The best part - a little goes a long way. Just a dab...a dab will do ya!!!

I just ordered some items from their newest line of make-up and I can't wait to try them!!

To find out more about purchasing this product, hosting a spa party or perhaps a career that has the potential to offer you flexibility, recognition & team support you may contact Erin here. TRUST me, you won't be disappointed.

(REPOST) Want to Network and make sales?

If you are a woman with a great business to share, you MUST check out this Yahoo Group I belong to called Unique Women in Business. http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Unique-women-in-buisness/.

We consist of a group of 85+ women who have started our own business whether it is handmade, direct sales, or even a boutique. We are supporting each other by purchasing products from each other all around the US. Bath & Body, Candles, Make-Up, Clothes, Jewelry, Art, Baby Items, Health items, and the list goes on.

My own personal experience has been wonderful....we help each other with marketing, promoting & website ideas. The commradre is like no other I have ever seen. We know about each other's families and going-ons of our lives. We TALK to each other and we LISTEN to each other. Plus, we just have a lot of fun!!

We have a Blog & a Myspace page....check them out!

Now, the logistics.....upon joining you will need to make a purchase from the person who referred you to the group (which, in this case would be me), then you will be free to advertise your company and promote your items and a photo album will be created allowing you to download pics for shoppers to see. No minimun purchase just as long as it is something you want!!! Then you will have to make a monthly purchase to stay active in the group, does not matter who you purchase from or what dollar amount you purchase!! Since, Christmas is right around the corner..this is a great way to see new items and get great ideas!!

Come by and check it out.....just tell Erin (the site owner) that I sent ya!!

One Hour

One hour...that's all it lasted. I love it when it only lasts for one hour. It's only happened once before...a LONG time ago. Why can't it only last one hour for everything?

Listed this scarf the other day at 4 and it sold at 5! "HOORAY" I thought as I danced around the computer. Every sale gets the Happy Dance but the One Hour sale is the Super Happy Dance moment in life. Dancing, singing and arms flaring around is usually what happens...but this has only happened once before so I guess there is no specific Super Happy Dance decided just yet.

Although, with your help I think I can come up with a specific SHD today. Just listed this scarflette about 30 mins ago so there are 30 mins left. We'll see.......

Unique Women In Business

If you are a woman with a great business to share, you MUST check out this Yahoo Group I belong to called Unique Women in Business. http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Unique-women-in-buisness/

We consist of a group of 85+ women who have started our own business whether it is handmade, direct sales, or even a boutique. We are supporting each other by purchasing products from each other all around the US. Bath & Body, Candles, Make-Up, Clothes, Jewelry, Art, Baby Items, Health items, and the list goes on.

My own personal experience has been wonderful....we help each other with marketing, promoting & website ideas. The commradre is like no other I have ever seen. We know about each other's families and going-ons of our lives. We TALK to each other and we LISTEN to each other. Plus, we just have a lot of fun!!

Now, the logistics.....upon joining you will need to make a purchase from the person who referred you to the group (which, in this case would be me), then you will be free to advertise your company and promote your items and a photo album will be created allowing you to download pics for shoppers to see. No minimun purchase just as long as it is something you want!!! Then you will have to make a monthly purchase to stay active in the group, does not matter who you purchase from or what dollar amount you purchase!! Since, Christmas is right around the corner..this is a great way to see new items and get great ideas!!

Come by and check it out.....just tell Erin (the site owner) that I sent ya!!

My newest

Hello all!! Just a quick Saturday post telling you what my two newest items are. I guess you can say that I have Christmas on my mind! And, I've even started my Christmas shopping...I love it when I start early! In fact, all items have come from Etsy...so I think that is what tomorrow's post will be. In the meantime....

These are my new Christmas Wine Charms. Perfect as a hostess gift for a holiday party or even if you like to give parties!

These are my Pear Christmas Cards, Set of 10. I thought pears would be a welcomed addition to my growing collection of Christmas Cards.

I hope everybody is have a great Weekend thus far!

Autumn is in the air!!

Summer is my least favorite month.....it's hot and sticky and sweaty, high electric bills (due to it being hot and sticky so much so that I can't even sit on my couch w/o sticking to it if the AC isn't on), sand all throughout my car, children home from school for 2 months (not just my own child...but all the neighborhood kids) which leads to arguments, fights, me yelling.


Winter is my 2nd least favorite month. It's just too darn cold....can't put the heat on 75 all the time because we can just bundle up to save on the electric bill (so my husband thinks), stuck in my cold house 'cause of ice storms, school closings. The only part of Winter I like is Christmas. I get SO excited wrapping gifts, putting them under the tree after my son falls asleep and then watching him see the presents for the first time is just magical.





Autumn......right in the middle. Fresh brisk air..not too cold...so windows can be open and the air can penetrate my senses! The colors of autumn are soothing and comforting, Autumn is when I begin making my homemade chicken soup & pumpkin pies & cream of wheat. There's Halloween, Thanksgiving....and, Autumn is when I begin my Christmas shopping in preparation for my favorite holiday.

My favorite season? Spring! But I'll wait until Spring comes to tell you why I love this season so.

Spammers....please just GO AWAY

No I don't need a cheap car or a car loan nor a blackberry, and I certainly am not looking for a hot single so I don't want to meet anywhere or look at pictures, I don't need a checking account, nor do I need money for tuition, forget about grants..don't need it, not looking for the ultimate pet nail trimmer, credit score...no thank you, don't want the WalMart gift card..or the Target one for that matter, really not interested in who's looking for me, and although I do need to lose weight...I don't need to be reminded every 5 minutes.

and that's just the tip of the iceberg!

Lovlies for your ears!!

My favorite thing in this world (next to my family, of course) is a fun pair of earrings. I very rarely wear bracelets and only wear necklaces on special occasions.....but I am ALWAYS wearing a pair of earrings. Glass, Silver, beaded....you name it, I'll wear it!!

So, of course I have alot of favs on Etsy....and here they are

Fizz Earrings by curlygirlglass

Sakura Earrings by insanejellyfish (I just love that name!)

Kamil Earrings by Sproutonline

Falling Leaves by maggiejs

Jazz/Alma embroidered & beaded earrings by NAadornment

Arata Double Earrings by yellowplum

Tree Earrings by SarahHoodJewelry

Please check out all of these shops 'cause they all have some pretty spectacular pieces to share with you!

I want to decorate my home!!

But, I can't. But, if I could, I would sooooooooo buy these wonderful items to beautify by surroundings.

This print by Marni Mutrux Studio would go perfectly in my bedroom!! I just love it! Please stop by her shop - her work is gorgeous!!

This fused glass tile wall hanging is full of color and it just makes me happy!! The artist who made this beauty is Hipnest and, believe me, her shop is very hip! I think this piece would look nice in my studio.

The next item is a set of coasters. I think they would look great in my living room. Rubee Designs makes these and her selection is HUGE! I just love them....they will make great christmas gift for mom!

And the last item that I don't know if I will be able to live without is this beautiful print by K9 Art Gallery. My kitchen is Tuscan themed, so perhaps above my breakfront this would go!! If you like animals, definitely stop by his gallery - he is just so talented!





And I think that's it for now...next post will be items to beautify my earlobes! I have alot in my favs for that!! Stay tuned!

Win a Set of My Cards!!

The most fab street team in the world (which I belong to) is having a giveaway!! The giveaway is a set of my photo notecards...purple theme. A set of 6 cards....they are blank on the inside - perfect for birthdays, thank-you's or just to let somebody special know you are thinking of them!




All you have to do is visit my shop, pick your favorite item, go to the EtsyGreetings blog and post in comments the item and your e-mail or shop name. But hurry, it ends at 6 am tomorrow EST (9/18). So....go....hurry.....watcha waiting for???

Networking.....hmmm......does it work?

So, a few months ago I decided to give this whole networking thing a try. I joined a Yahoo group, started twittering (or is it tweeting?), blogging on a more consistent basis here and on MySpace...even have done some bulletins on Myspace (never had done that before), joined IndiePublic, joined Start up biz.com, posted my shop to Linkreferral and today I opened a booth on Bonanzle. That's alot, right? Oh, and I've been listing new items in my shop on a more consistent basis too.

Do you know how much time goes into networking, advertising, marketing....whatever you prefer to call it??? TOO MUCH! Oh my lord, I can spend the entire day just on the computer updating, informing, advising.....before you know it, my son is home from school and I feel like I've gotten absolutely nothing accomplished.

How successful will all this time on the computer be? This is what I ask myself on a daily basis. Now, I must add that my views and "hearts" have seriously increased..but no sales. I am hopeful that they will come back and purchase for the holiday season.

Honestly, the funny thing is that I started all this networking hoping to make sales, but the reality is that I have made alot of friends. Especially in my Yahoo Group, Unique Women in Business. Such a fun bunch of ladies who sell so many different things. We've really grown very close, sharing things about each other and really uniting. Ugh, that reminds me.....we're doing a weight loss challenge and I have to weigh in tomorrow morning. ICK!

So, here is where you can find, follow, visit me:

Etsy: http://www.theEclecticstudio.etsy.com
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theeclecticstudio
Twitter: eclecticstudio
Bonanzle: http://www.bonanzle.com/booths/TheEclecticStudio
IndiePublic: http://www.indiepublic.com/profile/SandraWilliams
startupbiz: http://www.sta.rtup.biz/profile/Sandy56
Unique Women In Business: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Unique-women-in-buisness/ (if you decide to join, tell them Sandy sent ya)

Stop by and say hi and let's be friends!!!

EtsyGreetings Giveaway!!!!

Come on by the new & improved EtsyGreetings blog!!

Right now, there is a great card giveaway featuring HappyDayStudio. Her cards are bright, whimsical and just fun.

Just leave a comment on the blog and you can possibly win these cards

Good Luck!!

Christmas in September?

I know...it's usually Christmas in July, but I didn't get my act together until the other day!

Listed my Christmas cards the other day in my shop.

Now, they are currently listed in packs of 6 but I'm wondering how many would rather have packs of 10 or 12??? If you would like to let me know which you prefer, I would be very much appreciative!!!

Vendor Blender Tonight - Reminder

Tonight is my friends Vendor Blender. She is hosting this party in a chat room....it starts at 5:00 pm and will run through the evening. Each 1/2 hr is featured by a different seller..the schedule is:

5-5:30-Beautiful Diva

5:30-6-Mineral Girlz Cosmetics

6-6:30-Longaberger Baskets

6:30-7-Gold Canyon Candles

7-7:30-MeMe' s Country Store

7:30-8-Shake Your Bon Bons

8-8:30-Simply Tempted

8:30-9-Eclectic Studio

9-9:30-Avon

9:30-10-Mrs Charming

Come on by and visit (or purchase....wink,wink) and learn about each product these vendors have! Some vendors will be giving away prizes during their time slot!!!
http://pub41. bravenet. com/chat/ show.php/ 3505945080

Hope to see you there!!

Do you promote YOUR Etsy shop?

I just came across this most awesome site Scrumpy Designs. The theory behind this site? They will help you promote YOUR Etsy shop. When you register you can set-up:

A profile picture (or your avatar)
Your Shop Description
Your Sales and Promotions
Your Etsy Mini
Your Etsy Items
Your Contact Info
Your Links such as other shops, blogs, flickr

They have an Etsy Showcase where you can view all the Etsy Minis signed up AND you can view all the Etsy Items or "Ads" by clicking on the Etsy Items section on their main page. I've been on this site for the past hour.....because...they also have a blog page. If you like to read blogs then you must visit their Links section and then hit blogs. Totally unbelievable. Love it!

Do you Trade?

I am no longer a trading virgin!! And, for my first trade...it is a GREAT one!

When I was approached by GoatsDesign's seeing if I would be interested in trading, well, she just made my day. I took a look at her shop and LOVED it.

What she is getting from me:

Trailing African Daisy Notecards, Set of 6

And what I am getting from her: Brown Sugar Pomegrante Scrub with Strawberry Seeds

and

Raspberry Lip Balm

I can't wait to get my delicious goodies!!