I highly recommend becoming verified on Artfire.com.

So I took the step and verified my ARTFIRE account and wow was a surprised to have 5 sales from it yesterday.

Now I know that Artfire is still in it's early stages of development, but I normally spend anywhere from 80.00 - 100.00 in fees (sometimes more) on etsy so that 12.00 locked in rate at Artfire.com really has me excited.

But it's not only the fee's that made me want to verify my Artfire studio, but also the customer service. The administration at Artfire really seems to want to give the shop owner all the tools they need to be able to have a successful business. They are attentive when we ask for something, and they are available if you need help. I know I personally had a short conversation with @ArtfireJohn on twitter, which is amazing in and of itself.

Here are some other great things about being a verified member on Artfire.com:

* No Listing/Final/Hidden Fees
* UNLIMITED Active Listings
* Full Custom Fusion Studio
* Personal Domain / URL
* Free Web Hosting of Your Studio
* Preferred Placement in Searches
* Enhanced Customization Options
* Up to 10 Pictures Per Product
* Up to 99 Studio Categories
* Multiple Quantity for Items
* Full Community Interaction
* Social Media Promotion Tools
* Rapid Cart (sell on your blog!)
* Market Hub (Link to ETSY)
* Add Custom Widgets in Studio
* Integrated Payment Processing
* Google Analytics & Site Statistics
* Global Shipping Profiles
* Social Media Resource Library
* Live Instant Flagging
* Categories Displayed Randomly
* Fast, One-Page Listing Process
* Sticky Cart (reserves buyers item)
* Fast, Accurate Filtered Site Search
* Quick One Button Relist
* Vacation Mode & Sales Mode
* Education/Training/Support
* Listings SEO Optimized
* Google Base (Auto Submitted)
* View Prices in Any Currency
* Kudos / Karma Feedback System
* Artisan Guilds
* Artisan Councils
* Artisan Profile with Photo
* Ability/Option to Accept Offers
* Credibility Program (Artifacts)
* Automated Markdown Manager
* No Third Party Ads on Listings
* Increased Trend Pages Exposure
* Increased Gift Guide Exposure

Anyhow if you decide (like me) you want to become verified, use this link - Register on ArtFire.com to help me get my free ride!

Allow Your Passion

Allow Your Passion

When you are doing what you know you are meant to do, there's no need to struggle. Instead of difficult or challenging or frustrating, there is simply doing.
When you are merely interested, or when you're following someone else's dream, anything can distract you. Yet when you're pursuing your very own passion, nothing has the power to stop you.

True passion is not a matter of gritting your teeth and forcing yourself to take action. True passion is allowing all your words, thoughts and actions to resonate with who you most authentically are.

There's no reason to fight against yourself. Instead, allow yourself in every moment to live out those interests, qualities, longings, ideals and purposes that you value most.

There is a reason why some things feel right and other things don't. Pay attention to those feelings, for they tell you who you truly are.

From your own beautiful, unique spirit can flow a wealth of goodness and meaningful achievement. Feel it, know it, allow it and it will come.

-- Ralph Marston

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY - *** Every single order this Fri-Mon weekend will get a FREE pair of earrings!!! (Unlisted and One of a Kind)

**I am ALSO offering 20% off anything the last page in my shop.** (enter code "Weekend Deals" in notes to seller at checkout)

Remember to drive safe!

Please be sure to vote!

For my friend WickedlyGood in the etsy voter! I really want her pendant to win!

Wow, my treasury made the FP last night!

What another great etsy surprise. I was in chat and AuntieDis commented on how pretty the FP was. I had to go look and I was so happy! It was my treasury!

I know 3 people were bought off. Congrats to everyone.

Blame it on the E-E-E-E-Economy

I saw this on the view today and I thought it was awesome! Check it out.

15% off anything on the last page in my shop this weekend!

Go ahead and purchase, I will refund your 15% through paypal.

Hope everyone has a great sunny weekend.

I am really annoyed with our welfare system...

Ok time for a little snark. I just have to get this off my chest so bear with me here.

I am so tired of this countries welfare system. It simply disgusts me to see people living on tax-payers money that could be out working a job. (and many of them are...under the table)It seems we reward the wrong. and I admit, I don't have all the answers, but anything is better than this.

A little background, I live in the poorest county in Ohio. I don't know the numbers, but I worked at a bank, and when you work at a bank you cash alot of checks. Welfare, SSI, SS, etc. There were many people that were cashing in there disability check every month, and holding down other jobs, or working odd jobs which is technically wrong.

That isn't even the sickest part! Let's just say you were down on your luck, and you decided to go and try and get some help...let's just say foodstamps. IF you are working a job, you are going to have a hard time getting any help with food. Have children to feed? They don't care. If you make over that certain dollar amount, you are out of there! No help for you.

It has always seemed weird to me that the majority that are getting help, make just under the limit to get help with other things. So you get your monthly check, and you qualify for foodstamps to pay for your food, then you qualify for section 8 housing, and then you get free healthcare. Not to mention help with the heating bill, and reduced charges for phone and electric.

This literally eats me alive. Prob because when me and my husband got married he was in debt big time, and we were only bringing home 450.00 a week. Guess what, we didn't get help from the government (though I am sure we wouldn't have qualified anyhow) and we lived in a tiny 3 room shack while paying everything off. This place had no indoor plumbing, and no hot water when we moved in, and while we did eventually get a hot water heater, we lived without a bathroom for over a year. When I had to use it or shower, I walked my hind in a quarter mile uphill to my MIL and FIL's house. Now, I am by no means a rich person today, but we do a heck of alot better. Now we have a decent home, and 2 count, count them TWO bathrooms.

The moral of all this is, if you keep handing the money over, the country will continue to suffer, and able bodied people will keep on lining up with their hands out because after all it is easier. The people that really need the help can't get help because they "make to much" but yet when the social workers do the figuring, they don't account for your health insurance cost, nor do they account for your rent or mortgage payment or any of the other perks of not working. You know all of the benefits those already receiving help get...

Now for my reasoning...my son was born with a mild birth defect. I wasn't able to work after I had him because I didn't have any childcare available at the time, and if I would have paid for daycare, my take home pay would have been approx. 150.00 every 2 weeks. That's right, barely enough to buy diapers and formula. I was always the one who covered health insurance, but now that I wasn't working my DH would have to take over through his work, and that amounted to 120.00 a week! Yep that is right, 480.00 a month.

Now I know that doesn't seem like alot to some of you, but at the time, it was about 1/3 of our monthly income (thank the Lord he is making more now). I called to see if we could possible receive medicaid so my son could have his surgery and they told use we made too much. Did you see that, a family of 3 making about 1500.00 a month made too much. I pointed out to her that his health insurance was nearly 500.00 a month but she said it didn't matter. She basically told me that if he were to "lose" his job, we could get all the benefits we needed. Ain't that a smack in the face? Be a bum and we will support you, but try and work and support your family, you won't get squat.

I know a couple that just got married, he bought her a 1 karat diamond ring, they just bought all new furniture and a new SUV, and their family of 5 lives solely on the government, with no plans on getting jobs.

It is just sick.

There are people that really need help. I know that...this isn't about you.

WE need reformation!

It's Monday! New Earrings of the week!

I had a request to do blue earrings of the week this week. I started looking around and I remembered I had these beautiful glass ovals that would look great paired with antiqued copper.

They are only 6.00 and they will ship FREE with any other item in my shop. Be sure to get 'em while you can.

Free shipping this weekend @ BlueNostalgia.etsy.com

Check it out! Free shipping -even internationally- at BlueNostalgia all weekend long.

Ends Monday at 12am - no code required!

How would you like to win 50.00 worth of merchandise?

Well you can! The Etsy Chatters Team has gotten an anonymous donation from a wonderful person (I am sure of this, I mean WOW), and they want it to go to someone who follows the Etsy Chatters Blog. This is something you don't want to miss because yours truly is participating in the giveaway, as well as alot of other talented artisans.

You really need to check out all the shops you can win this 50.00 credit to. Anything from bath and body to jewelry, from crochet to photography and art! Oh and not to mention SWEETS! No strings attached other than following the Etsy Chatters Blog and picking which store you would like to spend your 50.00 in! I promise you don't want to miss out on this one guys - really some amazing shops.

Now, I just KNOW you will want to spend your credit in my shop right? Seriously though, even if you don't choose my store, no sweat!

Make sure you stop by http://etsychatters.blogspot.com/ and follow for your chance to win. :)

Where I get my cards...

I love giving handmade cards to family and friends as well as sending them out in all my packages.
I just had to share with everyone where I get the most amazing cards. The shop is CardsBetweenFriends. This girl is absolutely one of thee most talented card makers I have ever come across, and she has me as a customer for life.
Here are a couple examples of her work.

I got this card for my momma for Mother's Day -


I got this card for my husband for our anniversary. Incase you didn't notice, he loves to golf -


And I got this card for my FIL from my husband for Father's Day -


Her prices are super reasonable for the quality of work she does. You should totally check out her shop, and if you order, make sure you tell her I sent you. You will not be disappointed. www.CardsBetweenFriends.etsy.com

So I finally got my destash shop up and running,

Check it out, and definitely buy something. Spent 30.00 or more and I will ship for free! BlueNostalgiaDestash

How about a trip?

Back to 1987. Oh how I miss tapered leg jeans and leather jackets.

They like her, they really like her!

Another beautiful front page by my friend waysideviolet. She really has an amazing eye for making treasuries.

WOOT!

Thank you to my dear friend waysideviolet for rockin' another front page! Woohoo!

A bit of advice.

I was just reading in the etsy forums about an etsy seller that is being taken advantage of, and I have to admit, I have had the same thing happen to me in my shop.

A couple of months ago I had some contact me about one of my bracelets. She said she was looking for a gift for one of her family members, and really liked one that was in my sold items. She asked me to take apart the bracelet and make her a necklace which I did without problem. It was in my early days when sales were more sparse and I was happy for the potential sale.

So I took apart the bracelet and made it into the necklace. I took pics of it for her, and sent her a message. Needless to say, it wasn't what she wanted. So I took it apart again, and made it less asymmetrical as she requested. Took pics again, and posted them in a message to her. Once again she wasn't happy. She wanted the one I had sold a few weeks prior, but I just couldn't make that particular necklace for her because I didn't have enough supplies.

After nearly 10 convos back and forth she ended up getting rude with me about it, and telling me she didn't want the necklace after all. I was so upset, first that what I made wasn't good enough they way it was, and second because after trying so hard to get that sale, and literally spending about 3 hours trying to make it right, she had declined what I had made for her. Basically I had worked approximately 4 hours including convos, photos, editing, and messaging for nothing.

The moral of this story? Be sure to get you get at LEAST 50% (non-refundable) payment up front for your item before doing any custom order or custom work. Even if they don't end up buying the piece, your time is still valuable.

Above is the infamous bracelet. It really needs a good home!

YEA for weekend sales!

My weekend sale this week you ask?

In honor of earth day, I will refund 10% on any GREEN or BLUE (most items :)) item in my shop! Sale starts Friday morning at 10:00am est, and will end at 12:00am Sunday morning. Enter code "GOGREEN" at checkout.

Take advantage of this sale and buy something for the mother, or grad in your life! :)

It's Monday! New Earrings of the week!

Welcome my newest addition to the short lived yet affordable earrings of the week. I happen to love them so I of course HAD to make a pair for myself.

Make sure you get your pair soon - they are very limited, and if you buy them with any other piece in my shop I will refund the 2.00 shipping fee.

Yea for the Front Page!

Earlier today, I was messing around craftcult, and I decided to add their currently on the FP widget to my blog. As soon as I pasted it and went to view it, I got the shock of the month! I was on the front page. Boy is it fun, I think I *might* be able to handle it everyday. :P