New look to my shop!

Hello all! I have changed the look of my shop and added a lot of new items, most being sterling silver and crystal! I've worked really hard so please have a look :)

FREE shipping worldwide on all my items!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Aglimpseofreality

A poem of mine

Aside from my jewelry making and crafting, I have a passion for writing, and I wanted to share one of my poems. I hope you enjoy :)


I won't tell a soul what goes on behind these closed doors
I cannot find my secrets, well hidden with yours
Close the window; the chills burning us deep
I was not blessed with anything permitted to keep
So hold me closer, but do not pull me in
You've envisioned the ending, no need to begin
Believe me, the dark is more beautiful then light
For people like us who live for the fight

Red Hot

Here's the treasury I made on etsy! Hurry and have a look, it's up in 2 days!!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=75905

Take the Homemade Pledge

I, personally, am taking the homemade pledge this holiday shopping season. Buying homemade items from sites such as Etsy.com, not only supports indie artists and crafters all around the world, but opens you up to an extraordinary community of talented men and women. You can find just about anything you may be looking for in any color, size, theme, or style! So hit the craft fairs and etsy.com to find one-of-kind gifts for your famliy, friends, and even to add to your own wish list! Here are some great shops to get you started!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheCozyCollection
http://www.etsy.com/shop/corrnucopia
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ayoka
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Jewelrybynala
http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrayingforFall
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Aglimpseofreality

Have fun and Happy Holidays!

Tweet Tweet

I just started my twitter and need some followers :)


http://twitter.com/Aglimpsereality

Vote for your Favorite Banner!

I am having a banner contest! To the right of my page you can vote for your favorite banner! Polls open tonight and close in a week, so hurry! There are smaller versions of the banners with their letters to vote A or B.

HALLOWEEN SALE

Free Shipping on all my Halloween items!


Aglimpseofreality.etsy.com

BANNER CONTEST

Hey guys, I need a few more entries before we can start voting so hurry, hurry!


Want to win a free sterling silver, personalized bracelet or necklace?! Of course you do! I am looking for a great banner for my shop aglimpseofreality.etsy.com! All designs must be original! Send your entries to my E-mail Aglimpseofreality@hotmail.com, and I'll pick my 3 favorites and post them on my blog for everyone to vote! The winner will receive their choice of a personalized bracelet or necklace in real sterling silver! Good luck to all!

~Heather~

Words of wisdom

I juggle a lot of resposibilities, including being a mom to my sweet little 3 year old, Elizabeth. With everything stressing me out, my daughter looks up at me out of no where and starts singing, "Keep trying, don't give up, never give up." Inspiration from my 3 year old. :o) Something to smile about!

Strength

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month: spread the word!

Create a Banner Contest

Want to win a free sterling silver, personalized bracelet or necklace?! Of course you do! I am looking for a great banner for my shop aglimpseofreality.etsy.com! All designs must be original! Send your entries to my E-mail Aglimpseofreality@hotmail.com, and I'll pick my 3 favorites and post them on my blog for everyone to vote! The winner will receive their choice of a personalized bracelet or necklace in real sterling silver! Good luck to all!

~Heather~

Etsy Newbie Tutorial

Etsy can be a scary, intimidating envirmonment when you first start out. The best thing to do is just stick to the plan. You're here for a reason: to sell your handmade items! No one is going to stop you!


Profile and Shop Info
First things first, fill out all your information! People want to know who they are buying from. Choosing an avatar that catches the eye is very important! It brings in more views when you're in a chat. Make your shop your own personal brand. You're selling your style. Spice it up with a banner, and make sure you're prepared for sales! Have Address Labels and "Thank You" cards ready with your shop name. Can't afford these tools? Make your own, it's so easy!


The Lingo

Know your etsy vocabulary! The first time you go in a chat you're going to be confused! It's inevitable!

FS = Featured Seller: The FS chat room is where people take turns being the featured seller, usually 5 minutes per seller. The first person to buy from the featured seller becomes the next featured seller. If there happen to be no sales made then the current FS will choose the next one.

TY = Thank You

YW = You're Welcome

TYVM = Thank you very much!

YVW = You're very welcome!


Chat Rooms

If you scroll down to the bottom of the chat room there are instructions on how to make your avatar spin and other things, but there is more to it than shown. If you want to write someone's name without typing it all out then type the first few letters and push the right arrow! Surprise!

Posting other's items is a big part of chats. It is sometimes frowned upon if you list your own. To list an item just click on a shop, find something that strikes your fancy and click it, then scroll down till you find the item number, copy and paste it in the picture box on the chat.


Friends

Make good friends! Etsy is full of incredibly nice people who are always willing to listen and help! Never be afraid to ask questions, there is always someone willing and waiting to answer! Making friends expands the number of people looking at your shop!


Pictures

Use natural lighting for your item pictures! The quality of your pictures is crucial to you views and sales! You are now a photographer!! Get used to using colorful backgrounds for items; the best background is scrapbook paper.
Never post something you wouldn't buy yourself. Your shop deserves the best. Try and post items everyday, it keeps you fresh on the searches which will get you a good flow of views.


Tags

USE ALL 14 OF YOUR TAGS WHEN POSTING AN ITEM! Doing this puts you in more searches which means more people are viewing your items. Running out of adjectives? Make sure you're using colors, shapes, and materials.


Facebook

Start a Facebook for your shop! This is the best way to seriously spread the word. Invite your friends to invite their friends, it's never ending!


Blog

Got something to say? Start a blog! It is a great way for your customers to get to know you, and it brings attention to your shop. You can run features and contests to lure people in, and then they spread the word.


I hope this has been useful to Etsy newcomers, and maybe even a little inciteful for those not so new to the online business communtiy. Post your feedback if you have anything to ask or add! Thanks for reading!

Labor Day Sale

LABOR DAY WEEKEND SALE IN BOTH OF MY ETSY SHOPS! 10% OFF EVERYTHING IN BOTH SHOPS! SALE ENDS MONDAY SO HURRY!!

Aglimpseofreality.etsy.com

TheCrafttrunk.etsy.com

The Craft Trunk

As you may already know, I run a craft supply shop on Etsy.com. I would love to do a feature for my current customers and hopefully future buyers! I want to see the items that have been made using the supplies I have sold. Send in your stuff and I'll add it to the special feature I am working on! Thanks!

My Etsy!

Hello! I just wanted to share my Etsy shops with you! Also, I will be writing a Halloween feature soon so send me any Spooky items you may want featured here on my blog! I hope you enjoy my shops!!

Etsy Buy Handmade Aglimpseofreality

Etsy Buy Handmade TheCraftTrunk

New Post, it's been a while!

It's been a while, but I will be posting a new craft as soon as I can so check back soon!

Paint it, plant it!

A great crafting idea for parents to do with children of any age or just anyone with a green thumb is painting flower pots!

What you'll need!

Flower Pot(s)

Acrylic Paint(s)

Paint Brushes/Sponges

Stencils (if desired)

Flower or Veggie Seeds

Soil

Planting Shovel

Watering Can

My daughter, Elizabeth, and I started off by painting our pots. I painted mine white and made polka dots by tracing a toilet paper roll, and I helped Elizabeth paint hers two different colors, finished off by writting, "Elizabeth's Flower Garden". We also made one for her two grandmothers in hopes they'll bloom in time for Mother's Day. Then we took them outside and planted our flowers! I matched flower seeds with the color of paint so when they bloom the flowers will match the pots. I hope you take our idea and make it your own. It would be fun to plant a variety of fruits and veggies as well! Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day! Shopping for a good cause!

To celebrate Earth Day and our beautiful planet, I will donate all my sale profit from all 3 of my shops today to the charity http://www.globalinheritance.org/
So go find something you like! Shop for a cause!

Aglimpseofreality.etsy.com
Pixietreasures.etsy.com
Createacandle.etsy.com

Currently Taking Applications for an Etsy Shop to Review!

If you are interested in having your shop reviewed, then please write to me at Pixietreasures@hotmail.com

Tell me about you and your shop, and please include your shop link. If you are chosen, I will E-mail you with interview questions.

Good luck to all, and don't forget to enter the crafters contest for a chance to win a free gift basket from one of my 3 shops!

Homemade Business Cards

I came up with a great and inexpensive advertising idea for my Etsy shops... homemade business cards! I started out with colorful index cards, an index card holder, markers/pens/ or even printer sticker labels, and scrapbook stickers. I color-cordinated cards and stickers, and then I wrote my shops and blog on the index cards. Cheap, simple, and colorful. You can mix it up and get as creative and technical as you want. Have fun!!

The Joys of Sidewalk Chalk!

I decided to spend the evening outside with my boyfriend and daughter, and a box of sidewalk chalk. I ended up enjoying myself very much. Chalk is a great medium, it blends very well! I let my little girl, Elizabeth, choose the picture, and then I threw myself into a 45 minute chalk session. The results: three characters from "Yo Gabba Gabba", one of Elizabeth's favorite shows. This was a fun night! I highly recommend a famliy fun night of chalk drawing. It's fun, creative, and inexpensive! Plus, the whole neighborhood gets to admire my hard work! If you take my suggestion, I would love to hear about your very own adventures with chalk... pictures would be wonderful!