eensy weensy update...

ok, so i haven't updated in a while. my internet has been giving me lots of troubles! argh! i've only got a minute, but i just wanted to say that things have been going well in etsyland. there was a slow period there, but in the past month, i've been on the front page (again!), featured in a number of treasuries, and just this week have gotten 10 sales! huzzah! :) i've revamped my packaging (now 100% reused!!) and am working on creating gift certificates and my calendar for the holiday season. i'm glad i've most of all of that done, so when i start my new job in 20 days (ack!) i won't have to stress about multi-tasking. i'm super excited about my new job... it should be really great. i'll be doing a year of service through americorps--i'll say more about it when i get a chance! gotta run before the internet dies again......! :-/

on the etsy front page again!!

...but this time i got to see it for myself! i was out at the bead shop, chatting with my favorite bead gal, when my mother calls me to tell me i was on the front page! i told allison, and we both gave a little shriek and i ran home to catch a screenshot and see it for myself! i'm sure all the people in the store thought i was crazy, but who cares! :D luckily i only live a few minutes away and got home in time to catch it and to watch my views and hearts grow! what a thrill! the past week has been so great for me... i've had quite an increase in sales! i sold three of my prints--my first sales ever for those! and a couple of rings too. yay!! i guess the summer slump is coming to an end, and i couldn't be more excited. over the last week i've been in the process of revamping my store, mostly in little ways behind the scenes, but i'm getting ready to unveil some new items and a new look! so stay tuned! in the meantime, check out that front page! and here's a link to the actual treasury:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=21052

get ready to go green seattle!

seattle recently passed a law banning free plastic bags--now you have to bring your own while shopping or pay up! i've been using reusable bags for ages now, and am really glad that not only has this bill been passed, but also that the city will provide all residents with their own reusable bags! now there's no excuse! the changes will go into effect january 2009! if you're looking for some great cloth bags, check out fellow etsyrain shop imakecutestuff, and her tote2go bags!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5064725

i've been trying to go greener lately, and just became a member of the online community freecycle. since i started two days ago, i've given away vhs tapes, 3 ring binders and an old pair of shoes that were just taking up space, to people who actually needed them! i have been needing a few things, and i posted a request for them... i'm on my way out the door in a few minutes to pick up a new charger for my sonicare that broke, and a AA battery charger for my digital camera! it feels really great to be able to exchange these perfectly good items instead of filling landfills and putting more money into the big corporations' pockets! check and see if freecycle is available in your area!

oh, i almost forgot....

100+ hearts! wooooohoooooo! i've found that hanging around in the forums helps with hearts a lot. i dunno if it's helped much with sales, but it can't hurt! i'm always trying to work on being more visible. and last time i was in the critiques section, the person who was critiquing shops said she loved my work and was going to make a purchase! so fingers crossed that happens! ok, that's really all for now. gotta get back to making some new rings and then uploading them....whew!

ok, ok, more etsy treasuries...

after not being featured in a treasury for a while, i found myself to be currently featured in two! that's a record! and one of the curators who featured me created the treasury that got me on the front page last time, so i can only cross my fingers it'll happen again! haven't had a sale for a while, okay, well a week. but after you get used to a sale a week or so, you start to feel a little unloved! but really i'm just focusing on trying to prepare for the holiday season, like i said my last post. i've got some new items that i'll be posting soon, including some supplies and destash and my 2.0 version of my cards! whew, this whole business thing is a lot of work! i better get back to it. enjoy the treasuries!

for a change of pace...

....this post will have no pictures. there's no new treasuries, no new sales. hmpf. i wouldn't mind a few of those things happening, but alas. dang that nice summer weather! i guess i'll just have to settle for a regular ole chat. what's the latest for blythe you might ask? well, in terms of the business, i've been doing lots of brainstorming! i'm trying to take advantage of the slower summer months (instead of feeling down about them) to come up with some creative ideas for the holiday season, which i'm sure will be upon us before we know it. as my items are a little bit less giveable than others, i've had to do a bit more work than others. i've come up with an idea to turn some of my photos into a calendar for 2009--i'm really excited about that idea and have already been working on the design--yay!! in fact, i've been meaning to get back to it, but have been procrastinating.... i'm pretty spectacular at that when i want to be. i spent the day browsing for organic veggies with my mom and then listening to some awesome music at the capitol hill block party here in occasionally sunny seattle... my favs of the day were the slightly spicy local organic pickles (i bought a jar!) and the fleet foxes--beautiful harmonies! ok, enough procrastination. back to working on the calendar idea! i'll post again when i've got a good template....

this time...

it's a treasury that i made! i think it's particularly nice, don't you agree?! :) go, click and comment! these sellers are all some of my very favorite, so give them some business, won't you??

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=58335

featured in another treasury!

even though i've been featured in a few treasuries lately, it never stops being exciting! it's so wonderful that someone thought enough of my work to include it. here's a screenshot of the latest! this treasury was built as a thank you from dandylioneggs. i've featured her work in several treasuries i've made. her work is so beautiful and elegant--plus she's an etsyrain member too! check out her work!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5406154

happy birthday etsyrain!

ok, well it's not quite our birthday yet. but it's fast approaching! what's etsyrain you ask? well! it's the fabulous group of seattle etsians! if the people i've meet in the group are any indication, it's full of wonderful, supportive crafters who make beautiful things! the group was recently featured in the storque:

http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/events/article/
etsy-teams-digest-local-teams-meet-up/2187/

i've added the etsyrain blog to my links, and on it you can find all the members and their wonderful shops! go check it out!

New Sales and a Treasury!

what a great way to start a new week! i was feeling pretty drained and burnt out from an awesome, but tiring trip to oregon over the weekend. but i suddenly felt a lot better when yesterday i got six, yup that's right uh huh i said 6, sales! 4 rings and 2 cards! wheeee! if only all days were like that. and today i was browsing in the treasuries and found myself featured in another one! check it out!

etsy front page!

that last treasury i was featured in made it to the front page on friday july 11! i didn't see it myself, but i saw the results--a lot more hearts and a lot more views! via the etsy forums i was able to find a screenshot of it. check out my mini 15 minutes of fame!

coupons!

hey you etsy buyers! check out etsysecrets.blogspot.com for coupons to my shop and lots of other great ones too! have a great weekend! i'm off to the oregon country fair with my boyfriend! should be pretty awesome....

oh, and a new ring created!

i was in the bead store yesterday, and i swore i was only going to replace beads that i was running low on. but as always, i got sucked in to buying new stuff! oh well. what i bought yesterday inspired me to make this new ring, which i just listed on etsy.... check it out!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13288179

another sale! and another treasury!

lots of news today....another ring sold! so exciting! that's sale number 5 for just this week! i was included in another treasury too! it's so wonderful to get all this validation now! thanks to everyone in the etsy community who has supported me! :)

featured in an etsy treasury!

this is treasury number 3, at least that i know of! this is also the first treasury that featured one of my rings! hearts and sales this week are up, so it's been a good one!

welcome, welcome

so. you've found your way to my blog. yay. i never thought i'd do this, but lately i've been doing lots of things like that in the name of shameless self-promotion. :D so what's up with the title you might ask? well. i was sitting here, trying to come up with it, and drawing a blank. so i decided to steal a name from one of my etsy.com shop items. i figure that it's fun and sassy, just like me. oh so i guess i should tell you about my shop!

blythebydesign.etsy.com

i've been on etsy now for about two months and things are just now starting to pick up. i sell fun handmade rings, cards and photographs! don't just sit here reading this, go check it out!