Here it is

Okay I've made you wait long enough, besides my Etsy mini is giving at away.

Here is the first in my newest line. I'm thrilled by this product and I know you will be too.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34479876

Check back frequently as more will be added in the coming days.

I've been working on something...

I've been working on something for AngelaSpots but I can't show you until I take some pictures and I can't take some pictures until I get some sunlight, and time to photograph. Both which are in short supply at this time of the year. You'll just have to wait and see.

Yes more felted wool ready to be transformed into something useful

This is the last, I swear.

More felted wool from my stash

Here are some more...

My wool stash

I have a customer interested in some wool Klean Kanteen covers. She wants to know what else I have avaliable. I got thinking about it and I didn't know. It's been so long since I've been through my felt stash I forgot what was there. I had a blast going through it tonight and took pictures so I will remember without making such a mess next time.

If you see anything you would like transformed into a water bottle cover, purse, bag or anything else you can think of let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Fabulous Finds Friday - Down In The Meadow Market

Okay, okay I realize it's not Friday, it's Saturday morning. I completely forgot about posting last night. Silly me.

Today's featured seller is Down in the Meadow Market aka Downinthemeadow http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6904804

She is located in South Africa and makes the most adorable knitted creations from hand spung merino wool, which means they will be super soft. In her shop announcements she says "It will leave you feeling like you have just walked through a country fair...." which is so true.

My favourite are the pigs. Although I'm a city girl now I grew-up on a pig farm and I had stuffed toy pigs as a child. What's that expression. You can take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl.

Fabulous Finds Friday - Chalkydoodles

Today's featured seller is Chalkydoodles. http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5533276&section_id=5338827 and her blog http://chalkydoodles.blogspot.com/ This is what she has to say about her shop:

Chalkydoodles just launched it's new Chalkypalooza for TEENS collection this week. Chalkydoodles gets hip with new oilcloth & chalkcloth goods for a whole new generation. Now that's totally fly.

Chalkydoodles splat mats are the perfect spot to get really messy. They make clean-up a snap. I'm all for that!

Also check out her chalkboard labels. They were featured in January's Better Homes and Gardens. Congratulations Chalkydoodles.

ByNanasHands "CPSIA Inspired" listing

I blogged about Ozarknana and ByNanasHands http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5809669 on a Fabulous Finds Friday a few weeks ago. Today she posted in her blog about Etsy and the CPSIA law. http://wwwbynanashands.blogspot.com/2009/01/etsy-stands-with-its-sellers-of.html

Check out her CPSIA Inspired listing.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19881057

Quoting from the listing:

Based on the new CPSIA law which goes into effect on February 10, 2009, and using the current costs quoted for testing this tool box will sky rocket to $10,940.00!

My Tool for Tots Tool Box has a grand total of 26 "different" components....as follows:
* 6 different fabrics
* 17 different embroidery and regular sewing threads
* 1 kind of interfacing
* 1 hypoallergenic polyfil stuffing
* 1 length of belt webbing for handle

At $70 PER COMPONENT for lead testing, that adds $1,820.00 to the cost.

PLUS each of the 26 components need to be tested for phthalates at $350 per component which adds an additional $9,100.00, total with the actual cost, $10,940.00. That is the "true" cost of what the Tools for Tots tool box WILL BE AFTER FEBRUARY 10, 2009.

Many Etsians have posted similar CPSIA Inspired listings. To find them under Handmade search CPSIA and click price to sort by price. The highest price ones are what items will cost if the law goes into effect. The lowest priced ones are Etsians who are selling off their stock and getting out of the children business if not competely closing their shops. Tragic.

For further informaiton see: http://www.etsy.com/storque/craftivism/cpsia-deadline-for-changeorg-vote-cnn-article-3247/

My ETSY One Year Business Survival Tip list by LaveMeSoapCo

I saw this post in the Etsy forums today and loved it so much I had to share. I hope to keep all of these things in mind with my venture with LittleSpots

My ETSY One Year Business Survival Tip list by LaveMeSoapCo

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5560733

1. You might just fail.Yep, I said it. You might also succeed, but if you are not ready to realize that starting a business is not a guaranteed thing for a million dollar investment you will be blindsided when you are not thriving as you want to be. Accept the fact now and be prepared to do whatever it takes to get ahead.

2. Not everyone is going to like you.This is a world wide community with differing opinions, religions, political views, shop ideas ect. You will not become everyones best friend. Get a thick skin now and brush off what irks you. I spent many a nights crying and soon realized that people are not perfect and neither am I.

3. You will make some of the bestest friends you will ever have. I have not made only friends here but I have a true family of moms, brothers and sisters that I rely upon to give me honest opinions about how I am doing and maybe just be a shoulder for them to lean on or vice versa.

4. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SLOW TIMES! This is major. When sales are slow start a newsletter to bring in business. Make ads with project wonderful, do craft shows if possible, market, twitter, blog, retake photos and create business cards, ect. Do all of these things to improve when you have a chance.Go into critiques for an actual critique. Pop into the virtual labs as well. Make connections cause when the sales are piling in, you will wish you had.

5. Stop whining that sales are slow. Pity sales are not what you need. See above for things to do instead.

6. Join a team if possible. I am an admin with the CYA soap team and I love it! I get to chat about issues I care about, cross promote, teach, do treasuries ect. Working as a team means there is a greater force moving as one to promote handmade.

7. Follow your gut, not just trends. Nuf said.

8. Have confidence. Who wants to buy from a seller who doesn't believe in their product or ability. Self pity gets you no where. Trust that what you do is unique because you are as a person and your shop is an extension of that. Make people want your items because you know they will love them and want them.

9. I forget #9. Expect to go brain dead every once in a wile from thinking too much.

10. Customer service is #1. Good product, good photos, good marketing will get you only so far if you don't respond to convos, send product in the time promised and communicate with your buyers. Repeat business is why business succeed. Think about that seller that you always go back to 3 times a year for that special something. Now multiply that by 1000 buyers. You wonder how to become a top seller? Start by being a good business person.

I hope all of these tips help and ty ETSy!

Fabulous Find Friday - Electric Boogaloo

Tiffany Ard the artist behind Electric Boogaloo http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5002595 describes herself as "the biggest nerd you've ever met." I think she may be closely followed by me. I'm a cytogenetic technologist by day which translated means I grow cells and use a microscope to examine their chromosomes (DNA structures). I luv Electric Boogaloo's Nerdy Art, especially her Nerdy Baby Art.

The above picture is is my fav because of the letter Y.

The one below is called "I love my microscope". I think I should hang it above mine at work to remind me how much I love mine, especially on the days I'd rather be anywhere else.

ByNanasHands - made with love

Time for the second fabulous finds Friday. Today I am featuring Ozarknana. I first saw her shop when her "Girls Tools" were featured in a treasury on Etsy. Anyone, with enough patience, can make a treasury and the best ones end up on Etsy's front page.

Find Ozarknana's shop here http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5809669
and her blog here http://www.bynanashands.blogspot.com/

Here are my favourites. For your little handy man/woman.

Growing up my brother loved turtles and he still has his pet turtle. Everyone loves turtles!