THE THRIFTY SHOPPING GAME

THRIFTY SHOPPING or BEAT THEM AT THEIR OWN GAME

We all shop for something and the object of this game is to save as much as possible. Since my grandmother and mom did a large portion of their shopping in grocery stores, let’s play the grocery store game. By following a few easy principles we can save a lot on our food bills and reduce the number of times a week we have to eat out because there isn’t anything ready to fix for dinner. As with the previous games, add the savings to a “piggy bank” so we can have a concrete measurement of how we are doing. This time, we are using a separate “bank” from the previous game so we can chart our progress in each area.

Here are the guiding principles of this game:
1. Read and use the weekly grocery ads.
2. Always shop from a written list.
3. Never shop when hungry.
4. Shop alone.
5. Be flexible.
6. Use manufacturer’s coupons when practical.
7. Shop a maximum of 4 times a month.
8. Resist impulse buying.
9. Take a re-useable shopping bag.

These principles look simple and they can be but it usually helps when we understand the pluses and pit-falls of each one so let’s analyze them.

Read and use the weekly grocery ads.

This is the few minutes a week that can really pay off big time in the grocery shopping game.

Loss-leaders: Now stores have items called loss-leaders that they use to get us to come to their store instead of the competing grocery store. We want to use this competition to our advantage. The loss-leaders are items that are selling way below the normal price and often below the wholesale cost. IF this is an item that you use often and it will keep (canned goods for instance) this is the time to stock up.

For instance, say the sale item is canned tomatoes and you know that you frequently use two cans a week, and there isn’t a limit on how many you can buy, you might want to buy 3 months worth (8 cans a month times 3 months equals 24 cans). If the tomatoes usually sell for $1.00 a can and you can buy them for 2/1.00 then you have saved $12.00 and you won’t run out of tomatoes for 3 months.

You save in a couple of ways using this method AS LONG AS you don’t let any of your purchases spoil. First, you have the tomatoes on hand whenever you need them so you don’t have to make a special trip to the store to get some. Second, you have paid half of the regular price for the tomatoes. Third, this form of saving is a short-term hedge against inflation. In three months, the price of tomatoes may have increased to $1.05 a can so over the three month period your savings have grown without you having to do anything.

Now, compare the various grocery store ads and decide on which store has the best sales this week on the most expensive items you need to purchase. It is only time and cost effective to go to one or two grocery stores a week so it is important to decide where your will make the greatest savings.

Make a list for each store and note the items with special prices. Be sure to watch when you are checking out and verify that the scanned price is the correct price. Frequently the scanners are incorrect on sale items and often on the regular priced items as well. Some stores will give you the item free if you catch a scanner error but even if they don’t, you receive the benefit of the correct price every time you catch an error.

Always shop from a written list.

But my memory is fine, you say. Well, so is mine – most of the time. However, it isn’t fool-proof and I’m usually the fool that has to go back to the store to get the key ingredient for the main dish that I forgot because I didn’t use a shopping list. The other problem I frequently have when shopping list-less is buying the same item repeatedly. We had to eat our way through 40 pounds of potatoes one month because every time I went to the store I thought I needed potatoes so I bought 10 pounds. It was quite a while before the family wanted potatoes again after that fiasco!!! LOL.


The picture of the pizza notebook is from a Trashion Team member’s shop NatureMadeScents Think Again Notebook
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_18&listing_id=5232344

The Trashion Street Team specializes on creative thinking and making useful items from “trash”. This is just one example.


Next time we will continue with this discussion.

What Can I Do With This? Game

What Can I Do With This?


“A stitch in time saves nine.”

Notice that this pearl of wisdom doesn’t state nine what – stitches, cents, minutes or all of these?

“But I don’t sew,” you say.

No problem. It is very simple to sew on a button or to tack a seam by hand. All it requires is a needle, scissors and thread that matches the garment. In fact, if you secure the buttons before you wear the garment the first time you will probably never have to replace one as they will stay in place. The commercial sewing of buttons leaves a thread hanging and if you pull on that thread your button magically disappears. Once that happens you have to spend more than nine minutes finding another one, more than nine cents to purchase a new one and often more than nine minutes to sew it on if you count the time to get out your supplies, sew and put everything away.

The same principle holds true with many things. If you oil a squeaky hinge when it first starts to squeak, it won’t annoy you as much and it won’t wear out as fast.

Fix a leaky faucet and you save money on the water that drips down the drain and the faucet won’t wear out as fast.

Tighten a loose screw or bolt and it won’t fall out and disappear so you have to purchase a new one or throw the item away because you can’t find one the correct size.

But what if the item does break or wear out? What do you do with it? Throw it away? That is the American way after all – just toss it and go buy a new one. But remember, we are working on not spending extra money but learning how to change our wasteful habits.

The thrifty person looks at it first before tossing it to see if there is any part that can be used for another purpose.

Does it have a handle that will work on that case where the handle broke?

Do the small gears lend themselves to your latest art or craft project?

A plate breaks and after I get through being annoyed I wonder if I can use the pieces as mosaics in the new stepping stones for the patio.

My jeans have too many holes to repair – can I make a purse or an apron or a pot holder out of the useable pieces?

When something at our house breaks I hold it in my hand for a moment and try to imagine a new life for it.

Of course, not everything can be reused but you will find many items that can and save pennies or dollars with a small amount of thought and effort. Remember every penny you save this way you don’t have to pay the government taxes on again so it is really more than a penny saved.

One example of this is, I have a lovely brown stretch top in my shop that had a small spot on the front. Now it looked like new except for this small spot and I couldn’t bear to just toss it. I found a small piece of lace with a flower and leaves in it and cut them out, used some fusible webbing and attached the lace to the top. Then I added some fabric paint and a few amber and topaz colored glass beads. Instead of a spot, now I had a lovely lace bouquet on the front. Since this top was slightly too small as you can see from the picture I listed it on Etsy in hopes it will make someone else’s wardrobe sparkle.

Every item you reuse instead of discarding means that there is one less thing in your trash that you have to pay to have hauled away and one less thing in the landfill.

Reuse, Repurpose, Upcycle, Recycle – make these words a part of your daily life and your piggy bank game will grow rapidly.

I'm in two Etsy groups that focus on reusing and recycling items: EcoEtsy and Trashion. When you visit Etsy, search for trashion or teamecoetsy and you will find a wealth of ideas and products to help you save money and be creative with your own items.

Added a Follow This Blog Link

Hi Everyone,

Thanks to Lyndel of BearHollowCreations wonderful instructions I was able to add a follow this blog button on the right hand side of this blog and hope that you will do so. If you follow my blog, I'll link to yours.

Fall has officially arrived and with it many activies on my various street teams. The Trashion Street Team has a couple of biggies planned. Watch this space for updates on the Trashion Monster Mash, a Virtual Trunk Show and Save the World Sale.

The VAST (Visual Artists Street Team) has a fall colors challenge so many new items will be posted and I'm sure a lot of lovely treasuries will feature these items.

My OCEAN (Oregon Coast Etsy Artists Network) just finished a local art festival very successfully and now are working on various local events and a rack card to promote our items.

EcoEtsy rocks as a street team and many treasuries are created weekly as well as updates to our web page and the Etsy Mini photos that display our work.

Last but not least, Acetsy and Aceo Bounty Challenge keep creating wonderful ACEO's for all of us to collect and give as gifts.

If you haven't already done so, attend one of the Virtual Trunk Shows in the Etsy Virtual Labs. They are a lot of fun and you get to see wonderful items and learn more about the artists who create these items.

Handy Cleaning Tip

A fall feeling is in the air and makes me think of a crackling fire in the fireplace with me all snuggled up with a cup of coffee (cider, tea, hot chocolate or whatever you want) and some soft music playing in the background. Now this is a lovely picture but how about tomorrow when you need to clean the soot off of that beautiful glass fireplace screen. The picture turns not so pretty unless you use this tip.

First, make sure all the ashes are cold before you try this.

Take a damp paper towel or rag and dip it into the cold ashes. Now smear those damp ashes all over the sooty glass and interior frame (wherever you want to clean off the soot). Let is stand for a couple of minutes and then take a wet rag and clean off the ash mixture. Most or all of the soot should be gone but if any remains, repeat the damp ash treatment. Once all of the soot is gone, either clean with your glass cleaner or just polish with crumpled newspaper. Your fireplace glass screen should be shiny and ready for another good book and crackling fire.

Now if you want to keep your tea warm while you are either cleaning or reading, how about this tea cozy I have listed in my shop?

Monster Mash Materials Arrived

The Trashion Street Team is holding a Monster Mash and I'm taking part. We have been assigned trading partners and mailed our Monster Materials. Mine arrived yesterday and now I need to see what Monsters emerge from the wonderful box of goodies that NatureMadeScents mailed to me. As you can see from the picture - there are many monsters lurking in that pile of goodies.

We are each to create 2 monsters - one goes into our personal Etsy store and in my case it will be sold in the Kae1Crafts store. The second monster will be sold in the HOST store to benefit Etsians in need. Any further monsters we create from the materials can be sold or given as gifts.

Watch my blog for updates on this Monster Mash with pictures to follow.

EcoKate has Front Page Treasury

My EcoEtsy team mate, EcoKate has her awesome treasury on the front page. I've captured a screen shot for those who missed it. She is very mathematical inclined if you look at this one. :)

Mom is with the Angels

In loving memory of Genevieve Elliott

Everyone eventually comes to this day - the day that their Mother dies. Suddenly you are the older generation. So much of what I am today is due to her teachings, her passions, her love.

My Mom was an awesome cook who baked, canned and provided wonderful meals for her family. Her buttermilk biscuits were light and fluffy, her oatmeal cookies delighted the taste buds, her jams and jellies won many first prize ribbons at the county fair. But she didn't just cook, she also sewed. I remember when I dreamed of having a reversible pleated skirt and we didn't have the money to purchase a 'store bought' one. My Mom helped me find the material that was suitable and then used her treadle sewing machine and painstakingly matched and sewed the skirt. Suddenly I was the proudest girl in high school with my new reversible skirt.

Mom's talents didn't end with the cooking and sewing. She also loved animals and her life on the farm in Southwestern Oregon. She was a master at taming wild kittens when their mom would bring them out to join in the communal feeding in the barn. An injured animal seemed to trust Mom instinctively and allow her to tend to the injury. I once watched her remove a mole trap from my dog's paw. The dog stayed very still - it just whined a little even though it was trapped and in pain - while Mom gently removed the trap. Most people would have been afraid to try, but not Mom.

Lilacs, roses, gladoli and fushias were featured in her garden and yard. Reuse, recycle, upcycle and frugal living were a way of life - at times from necessity but often because it just made sense to this country woman.

A neighbor needs help, Mom was there with a friendly word and always food to comfort and sustain them. Someone was injured, Mom was there with the calmness of spirit and willing hands to take charge and make it better.

Mom has been involved with raising foxes, dairy cows, sheep, cattle, chickens, goats, dogs, cats and kids - and loved them all.

Then came the day that she could no longer manage the farm and we couldn't either so it was sold and she lived in town. One day she fell and broke her hip and with the same patience and determination she had always shown, she walked again, decided to stay in the assisted living facility so her kids wouldn't worry and "because it was just so comfortable, I stayed."

I don't remember a day that I didn't see her with a book to read. Even when her mind began to fail, she would have a book on her lap and proudly state that "I am a reader."

In her memory, I created a treasury of some of the things that I knew that she liked. I hope you will view it and learn a little more about my Mother.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=10183

In getting to know her, you get to know me just a little as I find myself doing many of the things that she used to do. I love to cook, sew and read. I find myself reusing, repurposing and recycling many things which has led me to join EcoEtsy and Trashion street teams on Etsy.com.

Mom, thanks for all you have given me. Have a wonderful time playing with the angels.

Love,

Kae

ETSY TREASURIES AND EARTH DAY IS COMING

I've been trying to make it a special project to capture treasuries on Etsy that will feature Earth Friendly items or images of our lovely world as a lead-up to Earth Day. Also, watch the Storque http://www.etsy.com/storque/ for articles on Eco-friendly and Earth Day activities.

My lastest treasury is here and will last until April 15 @ 11:00pm Eastern time:
EcoEtsy and Trashion Together
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=39047

Here is just one picture from this treasury with permission from fisheye:
If I get more treasuries after this one expires, check them out too. The more views the better.

TRASHION ECOETSY AND OUR EARTH TREASURY on Front Page

I was lucky enough to get a treasury the other day titled Trashion EcoEtsy and our Earth - this one was so popular that it rose to number two before it expired. I captured a screen shot (sort-of) so that you could see it for a little longer.

The items are all constructed either of discarded materials or are earth friendly items. It is so awesome that you can buy recycled or upcycled and it looks so awesome. Thanks to all of you who checked this treasury out and for creating such wonderful items.

There is a picture of the front treasury page showing that this treasury was in second place but I can't seem to insert the picture into this post so here is the link to view it. http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/ecoetsy/photos/view/d6fc?b=1

Kae

2 Treasuries on Etsy - Check them out

I snagged a regular treasury and a treasury west last night and both feature VAST, Trashion and EcoEtsy items and how well all these concepts fit together. I hope you will look at each item in the treasuries to help them move to the hot list at the front of the treasury list so happy looking.
Here is a link to the main treasury:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=28815
And the link to treasury west.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=1544
Kae of Kae1Crafts and Kae1Supplies

Eye-Popping Art Featured

Interview with Christine of EyePopArt

How did you get started with your art or craft?

I was 19 years old and living in a studio apartment in Great Falls, Montana with Chuck (who is now my husband, we have been together for 17 years). Chuck had bought some acrylic paints from the hobby store and painted a cool canvas. Then one day I just started painting on this old hardshell suitcase that I had, and found that it was really fun. It got a great reaction from our friends and from then on I was painting mad psychedelic patterns all over everything in sight, seriously, guitars, tabletops, a pop machine, the interior of our car. There are some pictures on my website at http://www.eyepopart.com.

Anyway one day, after we had moved back home to our native town (Portland - we were just in Montana long enough to live in the mountains for a while and then have a baby!), someone gave us some records and that's when the mandala thing really took off. I painted lots of mandalas when my kids were babies, then I went to work in the corporate world for about five years and tried my hand as a vendor at Portland Saturday Market in 1998.
That didn't last, there was just too much going on. We bought a house and I spent my free time painting murals on walls and ceilings. We've been in our house for ten years now. My house was recently featured on "Look What I Did" on HGTV.

So one day I found myself laid off from my big career as a commercial salesperson in the printing industry, and I decided to turn to Trillium Artisans, a local nonprofit, for help in starting up a business and selling my artwork.
Trillium works with low income artisans who use recycled and reclaimed materials in their work. Amazingly enough, I am now employed part time as the Program Coordinator for the organization. I sell my Mandala Record products through Trillium and also help to run the program, which serves a very cool group of about 26 (and growing!) artisans here in Portland, Oregon. Check us out at http://www.trilliumartisans.org.

What do you find the most satisfying about your creations?

I really enjoy the beauty of the finished product, and I am always eager to finish up a piece so I can simply look at it and love it. Mandalas are just so beautiful, no matter who makes them. I have done some wonderful projects with elementary and middle school kids, and I get the same excited feeling of just loving the design and wanting to see the finished product.

Of course, the process itself is very satisfying too, especially with mandalas because they are so powerful and are used throughout the world for centering, healing, and meditating. I enjoy the process equally when I am the one designing and painting a mandala and when the work is being done by kids under my advice. It's just fun to watch it all come together. There's something about the circle that truly satisfies the soul!

What do you find the most difficult about selling your items?

At shows, it can get really tedious to receive a lot of compliments from people who do not buy. It gets hard to keep smiling and thanking people for their kind words after several hours of no sales. This used to happen to me a lot and was one of the main reasons why I quit doing Saturday Market (both in the '98 season and when I went for it the second time around, between 2004-06). That was before I started making my record cuffs! Since I came up with a wearable product, I've done much better.

The hardest thing about selling on Etsy is just keeping up - with everything. There's so much going on and it's really hard to stay on top of it without feeling like I am getting sucked into my computer and never have time to make stuff!

How about sharing one time-saving or eco-friendly tip with the readers?

Time saving tip: use a planner. Set aside time once a week or even once a day for planning. It helps me stay organized.

Eco-friendly tip: use recycled boxes and packaging materials!

Tell us a little about your personal life â?" married, children, pets, hobbies other than your art, favorite food, place, activity â?" whatever you want to share.

I'm married to my soul mate and best friend, Charles Claringbold aka Chuck Thrust. He's that tall, weird guy with pink socks and dangly earrings and a tribal tattoo (an original Eye Pop design!) around his neck. I am also a doo-wop singer in his band, Dartgun, a loud, rocking indie punk group that performs at Portland rock clubs once or twice a month. Check us out at http://www.myspace.com/dartgun.

Two kids, Tangereen Velveteen, age 13, and Julius Elvis Chaos, age 11. Tangereen is a mad scientist and math whiz, and a beautiful, creative sweetheart. Julius is a flute player, squirrel lover, and comic book artist. Check out his shop at http://www.cafepress.com/juliuschaos.

My other big loves are READING, camping, and playing chess (I'm not very good, but I love it). I also enjoy blogging and you can check out my blog at http://eyepopart.blogspot.com.

Share a favorite quote or thought with us.

Kurt Vonnegut said, "A plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit."

Thanks!
Christine

Hanger Christmas Trees

Here are a couple of pictures of Christmas Trees made from wire clothes hangers. They are difficult to photograph because they are so shiney. The first view is the tree standing on a glass table and the second image is of the inside showing the crossed hangers. I've used 6 hangers that are interlocked with all of the hooks pointing downward. They are taped together like a star and then a craft wire is fastened around the bottom to make it secure. Once the hangers are secured, I then take garland and wrap it around the tree shaped hangers fastening at each hanger edge with hot glue. Once all the garland is attached, you can add a string of mini-lights if you wish. I don't because these trees are perfect for nursing homes and other places where you don't have a plug-in or lights can't be used. I then add decorations (again using hot glue to keep them in place). To store, I cover with a cloth and put in a dry place until next year. The colors and decoration choices are almost unlimited. Go Trashion and impress all your friends and family.

Announcing "Save the World Sunday" Sale

!!! SALE !!! SALE !!! SALE !!! SALE !!! SALE !!! SALE !!!
TAKE 20% OFF ALL ITEMS IN MY STORES ON SUNDAY, NOV 25, 2007
http://kae1crafts.etsy.com/
http://kae1supplies.etsy.com/

*********** TRASHION TEAM - SAVE THE WORLD SUNDAY SALE *********
To encourage customers to buy recycled, and to buy handmade, the Trashion street team is hosting Save the World Sunday, a major sales event and celebration of all things recycled & handmade.
• Participating shops are offering 20% off or free shipping on two special sales days, Sunday Nov. 25 and Sunday Dec. 2. For a list of participating shops, visit http://www.etsytrashion.com/ or http://www.etsytrashion.blogspot.com/

Here is a list of participating stores and what they are offering in the way of discounts:

A list of all participating shops:http://SweetWolf.etsy.com 25% off anything. Free shipping over $25.00
http://LindaErzinger.etsy.com 20% off. Free shipping
http://etsytrashion.etsy.com 20% off
http://fairytalefibers.etsy.com 20% off
http://anniessweatshop.etsy.com 20% off
http://samann1121.etsy.com 20% off
http://SweetyPrize.etsy.com 20% off
http://JunktoJewels.etsy.com 20% off
http://bayousalvage.etsy.com 20% off
http://foundthings.etsy.com 20% off
http://reduxdesigns.etsy.com 20% off
http://jen1kanobi.etsy.com 20% off
http://JunktoJewels.etsy.com 20% off
http://tomatedepingles.etsy.com 20% off
http://trashionmode.etsy.com 20% off
http://sojourncuriosities.etsy.com 20% off
http://RunzwithScissors.etsy.com 20% off
http://kae1crafts.etsy.com 20% off
http://www.kae1supplies.etsy.com 20% off
http://reneedesigns.etsy.com 20% off all Trashion Items
http://LilliputianDesigns.etsy.com Prices reflect 15% off
http://www.siragwatkins.etsy.com 20% off on three or more
http://bayousalvage.etsy.com Free shipping anywhere
http://sweetpepita.etsy.com Free Priority shipping
http://tamdoll.etsy.com Free domestic shipping
http://PaganoDesignWorks.etsy.com Free shipping
http://TwistThis22501.etsy.com Free shipping 'til noon

BUY HANDMADE FOR THE HOLIDAY'S

I took the handmade pledge and I hope you will too. This is my effort to walk gently on the earth, give gifts of art and love and support other artisians and crafters. I hope everyone will join us in this effort.

Blog Action Day

I just learned from another Etsy Trashion Team Member that today is Blog Action Day and wanted to participate. The focus of recycling is so VERY important to all of us that I like to make my voice heard even a little bit.

I think I was born into a recycling family - in that they never threw anything away!!! :) Now, sometimes this can become a problem but often great uses were found for the saved objects. Used yogurt cartons became freezer containers for leftovers, jams, jellies and more. Flour sacks were transformed into beautiful clothing. Living on the farm meant that compost piles nourished the garden, manure piles - ditto.

Now I live in the city in an RV so my footprint is small but I still recycle what I can, I shop for clothing as thrift stores and yard sales, I recycle packaging materials when shipping items sold in my Etsy stores Kae1Crafts.etsy.com and Kae1Supplies.etsy.com as well as my Amazon and Ebay accounts. When I ship books, I make my own boxes out of discarded cardboard.

Many of the items in my Etsy stores are recycled, upcycled or used.

Fall Events and Happenings

Lots of great things have been occurring lately on some of the street teams that I'm involved with plus a surprise notice from the cross stitch editor of http://craftgossip.com/ stating that she will be mentioning my Kae1Supplies.etsy.com store in the blog.

Etsy Trashion has been very busy with their Trunk Show (a great success) and now a posting on Etsy's new Storque
http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/events/article/trunk-full-o-trashion/124/

that shows some of the Trunk Show action and participants.

VAST Street Team is getting set to launch our VAST Autumn Event on September 15th so we are all busy creating great items for this. You can use vastautumnevent as a search on Etsy to find the items that are linked to autumn and this event.

On a more personal front, I've been busy creating clothing for my Craft store and adding a lot of new craft books and magazines to my Kae1Supplies store so do check them out and remember that I will combine shipping for items purchased in both shops to save you money.

I've also joined ecoetsy street team but haven't had much time to really get acquainted with it. One of their focuses is to reuse as much packaging materials as we can so that items don't get put in the dump -- well many of my items I use in shipping are 'reclaimed, reconstructed and repurposed' to say the least. Here is a short list of how I reuse packaging materials:

1. I use old plastic bags to make padding for shipping using foam peanuts that I've been given and then seal the bags to that the peanuts aren't floating away while packaging.
2. I use old boxes to make 'new' shipping boxes the correct size for what I'm shipping.
3. Egg cartons make good packaging around lighter weight items and protect them.
4. Cereal cartons make a good protective backing for lighter weight books and magazines.
5. Carefully open any item you receive so you can reuse the envelope, bubble wrap, peanuts, etc.
6. Tell friends and neighbors that you accept all used bubble wrap, peanuts, and any other packaging materials you use so you don't have to buy new.
7. Protective plastic wrap from boxes (the soft kind of plastic wrap) is great for filling small corners when packaging.
8. Soft foam can be sliced with a serrated knife and made to fit whatever packaging shape you need. I found a cheap knife at a thrift store and use it just for that purpose.

These are just some of the things I've done for reusing packaging. I'm sure others have many great tips and I hope you will share them.

Happy autumn, selling, packaging and successful shipping.

Kae

TODAY'S THE DAY

Well, it has finally arrived ETSY TRASHION TRUNK SHOW DAY!!! I will only be able to attend via computer but have sent items to be sold - see my Flickr Post to see what went to New York -- and now I anxiously await the time for everything to start.

Now is a great time to for me (and everyone else participating) to thank all those who worked so hard to make this event happen and who promoted the heck out of it. Being around all these creative minds is very invigorating even when it is 'just' a computer association.

Watch for more great things from this team -- they have snagged at least 4 Etsy treasuries, a Etsy showcase spot, a featured place on the Etsy Home Page and so many other great things I don't even remember them all.

So let's all shop Trashion, recycle, upcycle and make our world an even better place with less trash blowing in the wind and filling up the landfills.

VAST 15% OFF SALE STARTS TODAY

Check it out. VAST members are having a 15% off sale.

15% off all items in Kae1Crafts.etsy.com shop. Buyers please write 'VAST OFF THE WALL SALE' in the notes section of your purchase and wait for a revised invoice.
Sale will take place Friday July 6th through Thursday July 12th (art knows no time zones!)

Come look now and get great buys on craft patterns and books, jewelry, cards and much more.

Added a Flickr page

Hi Everyone.

Since others on Etsy have been talking about their Flickr page I decided to add one to my different efforts. Here is the link http://www.flickr.com/photos/9808686@N08/ . I've been using it to showcase the items I've made for the upcoming Etsy Trashion Trunk Show on July 27th being held in New York City. I can't be there but some of my projects will be. SweetyPrize has offered to sell some things for me and I am contributing to the swag bags (see sample of the cards I'm sending in picture above) that are being given away at the Trunk Show. I will also send some ACEO kits so people can take something home and create a 'Trashion' project.

Etsy Treasury

This has been quite a week for me. I'd never had anything of mine selected for a treasury on Etsy and this week I had not one but two ACEOs featured. You can check them out here:

The Trashion Treasury featured one of my Taradiddle Cat ACEOs
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=265

And the Visual Artist Street Team (VAST) featured one of my series from a slumber party challenge.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=267

In addition to all this excitement, the Trashion Team has their new store up and running. I will have my addition added shortly. I have made two cards that are completely constructed from junk or damaged papers. Nice to find something fun to do with junk mail!!!

Here are the pictures of the cards.





In addition to the EtsyTrashion shop opening, the Etsy Trashion Street Team is going full speed ahead on their Trunk Show being held on July 27th in New York. Details were published earlier in this blog. Sure wish I could be there but hope others will attend and snag one of the great swag bags we are handing out.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July in case I don't get back to posting on this until afterwards.