Generations rubbing elbows in the workplace

I read another great article in CA Magazine.  It is about how different generations behave in the workplace and also how the signals from one generation can be misinterpreted by another.  It has some fabulous insights as to how to engage each generation or what motivates each generation.

I remember Psych101 had a brief stint on behaviour and the enormity of the shift from dictatorship workplaces to participative workplaces that the boomers were able to create from the traditionals.  (Traditionals, to me, are the workers in the industrial age hayday.)

GenX (that's me!), further moved the participative workplace to a collaborative one, elevating the status of the worker and turning the pyramid on its head.  Boss' jobs became whatever made the workers' jobs better, because happy wokers are good workers and who better to come up with innovation than those on the front line.

Now, being GenX, I completely do not understand GenY.  Believe me, my family has listened to me on many occasions ranting at the dinner table about it.  This article helped me to see, "OoooOH..... so THAT'S why they do that."  It helped me to understand what they think they are doing versus what I see them doing.  I agree with most of the article but there are a few points I strongly protest!

It's really quite a good read!  The full article is here: Talkin' 'bout my generation.

Have a read then come back and tell me what you think of it.  Did you learn anything?

Adventures in Light Box Land

So... third time to charm? That's right, I'm on my third homemade lightbox in as many weeks. At first, I just wanted to do something about my blue wall being in all my product pictures. Sometimes, it works. Sometimes, it just doesn't work for the picture. So, I decided to make a lightbox.

Mistake # 1.....

Guest Writer on the Revamp Your Etsy Shop Blog Series

Just a quick note today to let you all know that there is a blog series starting tomorrow on all the various aspects of your Etsy shop.  You can learn, step by step, how to tweak your shop.  Most of the lessons are written by guest writers.  My section will be about your Shop Announcement.  Here are the topics:

1. Avatars & Banners - Meagan: Baby Swank
2. Profile Bio - Rachael: Little Birdie Baby Shop
3. Location, Favorites and the Activity Stream - Christine: Quirefly
4. Shop Announcement - Lisa: Fairy Cardmaker
5. Alchemy & Custom Orders - Amber: Twisted Ribbons Bows
6. Message to Buyers - Affie: Crafty Bird Creations
7. Shop Policies - Meagan: Baby Swank
8. Shop Sections, Featured Listings, Rearranging Your Shop - Kimberly: Cinnamon Spice
9. Google Analytics - Annie Dees
10. Product Descriptions - Stacie: Sparrow Blu
11. Tagging - Donna: Zoe Girl Designs
12. Pricing: Overhead - Harriette: Harriete Estel Berman
13. Packaging and Shipping - Affie: Crafty Bird Creations
14. Photography - Part 1 - Alex: Terraine
15. Photography - Part 2 - Alex: Terraine
16. Branding - Mayi: Mayi Carles
17. Marketing - Sarah: Makery Blog
18. Social Networking - April: Blacksburg Belle
19. SEO - Mary: SEO Web Design
20. Seasons and Holidays - Missie: Sykin and NW Wonders

The series starts tomorrow on Baby Swank's blog and goes to the end of June, so there is lots of work ahead and lots of time to soak in the knowledge.  You can sign up for her newsletter on her blog to ensure you don't miss an article!

Wishing great success to us all in 2011!

There's a New Fairy in Town!

I did it.  I drew.

So, I had my banners done by graphic artists.  I do love my blue fairy and the wee ones that inspect my cards like fairy quality control.  However, the font has always bothered me a little and the blue is EVERYwhere instead of just on the fairy.  Okay, to be honest I just get bored of designs from time to time!  So, it was time for a change.

I got in on a sale on Etsy by WinchesterLambourne.  It was an incredibly good deal and Winchester ended up flooded with orders.  So, I had to wait a wee bit but it was no big deal.  It wasn't holding up any launch or promotion.  Once I made my way up the queue, then I got super fast, felt like to-the-minute service!

I chose a stock background design and I decided to keep it simple.  Clean and simple is my style and my selling point.  Clean and simple is easy to mail, hands down.  There were lots of digital fairies available, many of which were breathtaking, but few of which suited what I wanted.  So, I took pencil to paper and made a simple line drawing of a fairy.

She is now nestled in my Etsy Shop Banner with a fancy title, courtesy of Winchester!

Digital stamps is something I've been meaning to investigate further.  I am not very quick at picking up all this techy stuff though.  I spent 3 hours digitally "touching up" the scan of my hand drawn art.  3 hours for something I took half an hour to draw!  Digital stamp work is not something I'm going to go headlong in to.  I will continue to toy with it, as I have been toying with it for 2 years now.

As part of my order, I also received an avatar sized snippet of the shop banner background so that I could tinker with an avatar.  Here's what I came up with after 2 hours today.  It is actually version 5 of 7 attempts.

Do you like it?  I like it.  The question is... how long will I like it for?  Hee hee.

One of a Kind - Nun of a Kind!

This year was the first year I attended the One of a Kind show in Toronto.  The number of booths of artisans and crafters was mind boggling.  We started at row Z and by the time we stopped for lunch, I was only at row Q!  I thought I wasn't going to get through it all in one day! (But I did).

I went this year to meet the creator of Nun of a Kind.  Linda, the creator, was kind enough to share with me a couple of her extra exhibitor tickets. Small world, you know, she lives in a place neighbouring my hometown of Sarnia!  So, we had taken to chatting and reading each others' blogs.  I purchased a few Sisters for the ladies in my life a while ago (and one for myself, of course!).


Here's a picture I snapped of the booth.  If you click on it, you can get a MUCH larger view.

Linda, the maestro behind Nun of a Kind,  is over at the podium checkout and her friend Cathy helped man the booth - or woman the booth, I suppose!  Cathy is also an accomplished sewer as you can see from her Etsy shop: ZigZagStitches.

What I love most about the Sisters is that it celebrates, in a very fun, creative, light-spirited way, all the different things women can be.  Also, the idea of Sisters is so encompassing of any womanly relationship you might have.  There is an inclusivity and belonging to The Nunnery that is a feel-good kind of thing!

Several nuns debuted at this show.  One that was entered in to the "Love" exhibit at the centre of the show was the Sister who loves to cook: "Amelia Love".

You can just see her from the back of my photo here.  She has the giant poofy white chef's hat on over her habit.  Totally adorable!

In the back row are the holiday items.  I bought a Santa for myself.  I really liked the white ones, but there was one with a little polar bear that I had to have.  So, I went for red so the polar bear stood out more.  I got a little Frosted Folk to be my white winter wonderland piece.  The Santas are just superb - having a light filling, they have just the right amount of weight to stand up sturdy.  Another artisan at the show (who made fabulously detailed fairy figures) asked to see my Santa.  (His head and hat were sticking out of my bag and the jingle bell rang wherever I went.)  He was impressed with how well it stood up too!

Nun of a Kind is one fabulous way celebrate and support sisterhoods everywhere and I just wanted to share!

Studio Tour

Well, I cleaned my studio.  I had a personal craft day last weekend so I cleaned it for touring with my crafty friends.  It's very rare that the studio is this clean, although my definition of "clean" means "visible desk space" as there are always projects on-the-go that I don't want to stuff somehwere and then forget about.

I decided to show my studio because we're having some eletrical work done and one of the technicians said my craft room was so professional looking.  I was tickled.  He said he remembered it when they came to do the inspection first.  (I only semi-cleaned it then.)  For a man to mention it is out of the ordinary.  I think most would consider it a waste of space.

When one walks in to my studio and looks to the left, one sees my twin desks and triple windows.  While I have such beautiful natural light, it comes from the afternoon sun and heats my room up unbearably.  So, I rarely ever open the blinds.  (Air flow in this house is not the same as our last house.  It is very poor on the top floor while our last house was fairly equal on the main and upper floors.)  I can't have a fan - it would blow all my papers around!

The person before us used this room as a crafting room also.  Her hobby was painting.  My dad was an oil painter and my sister does well with water colours.  Me, I love paper more than colour.  No matter the art, there is always need for storage galore!  I have a space here for a second person to sit at the desk.  I sit on the far side, so I can see the door.  Most of the time, the second desk is littered with papers.  The plastic cart I have had for many many years.  It holds mostly ribbon in the first basket and brads, rhinestones and dew drops on top and a bunch of miscellaneous stuff.

Along the back wall of  my space is my Ikea Expedit shelf.  I purchased some boxes that go with it.  I have not yet assembled all the boxes, hence some of the cubby holes have been filled with "stuff".  The boxes do not fit 12 x 12 papers, but the shelf does.

Next to that is my computer station.  The twin stands here are actually microwave carts.  These were my desks before I bought the Ikea ones.  I find standing over my layouts gives me a better view.  As I make cards more and scrap less now, it was a better idea to go with a sit-down desk in this house.  The microwave carts are handy things: lots of storage and sufficient desk space.  There is a floating shelf above the computer (that didn't make it in to the picture).  In the corner of the room is my Boss Kut Gazelle.  It a plotter.  It plots the paths that I draw on the computer and cuts them out or draws them with a marker.  This is the machine that makes my die cuts.  If I was really pressed, I could move my paper cutter and a third person could craft in my room at one of the microwave carts.

My husband is supportive of my paper additction.  (Hey, I'm supportive of his gaming addiction!)  He took the door off my closet so I could get in there without obstacles.  My Walmart wire cubes were the predecessor storage shelves to my Michaels shelves in the next picture.  I have a wood plank across them and rest things in there like my manual die cutters.

These shelves are the latest additions to my studio space.  These are cubes from Michaels which I got on sale for my birthday present from my husband (in March) and which have been on sale since!  The small drawers are for my scraps by colour groups.  The big ones are for my full pieces of cardstocks and patterned papers.  I definately have more cardstock that patterned paper.  The open shelves are for my pieces of cardstock and patterned paper that have been cut but are too large for the small drawers.  The canvas bin on the floating shelf holds my stamping stuff.  The canvas bin itself came from the dollar store.  I love it.

This is where I take my pictures.  I open a couple blinds and turn on my Ott Lite daylight bulb (the black thing on the cabinets).  I get light from the windows and light from the Ott Lite on the opposite side.  It is very hard for me to take pictures in winter though.  I leave before the sun rises and come home long after the sun as fully set.  Not fun.  I can only take pictures on weekends then.

The Mimi rolling tote on the left was free!  I got it from Costco with my 5-year employee service award from the office.  I had been there more than 5 years at the time, but they were just re-instituting awards so I got a "catch up" recognition.  I had suggested just a card and a thank-you would be nice because some employees were over 15 years with the firm.  They decided to go the extra mile and give shopping rewards at Costco.  Everybody else opted for a gift certificate, but I got my rolling tote and my 12 inch Purple Cows trimmer.  While I have no complaints about this trimmer, I still want the Xacto laser trimmer.  There are a lot of times I am trimming something that printed crooked on my computer, so I can't use the paper edges as a guideline.  I have to eyeball how to cut straight along the printed edges.  The Xacto laser trimmer would show me where my cut is going with a laser light.  My sister has the Making Memories magnetic rotary trimmer but she says she likes my guillotine better.  I love the guillotine style trimmer and will never go back to rotary!  I never have a problem finding new homes for my old tools either.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my paper studio.  If only I had a crafty friend to share it with, it would force me to keep the desk clear more often!

The Business of Charitable Giving - Part II

Before choosing how to give, you should choose who to give to.  For ideas about finding a charity aligned with your own target market, please see PART I - Selecting a Charity.
 
BUSINESS CHARITABLE GIVING - PART II - Selecting a Manner of Support

Product
All of the examples in Part I highlighted a donation of product as a means of support.  If you are like me, and have more inventory than cash, that is a good thing to do.  It converts supplies into advertising.  In the retail industry, product is king!

However, some businesses don't have a product, but a service, and some are custom made products only.  How can this work for you?  Well, the product give-away version for service or custom shops is a discount coupon.  Those can go in silent auctions and swag bags, easy.

10% to Southern Ontario Animal Rescue - expires Sep.10.2010

Cold, Hard, Cash
In the charity industry, cash is needed most.  To quote the lead assurance partner at the firm, “Cash is king.”  Present some items with a percentage of the sale going to the charity of your choice.  Depending on the size and openness of the charity, they might even advertise it to their members for you.  (It never hurts to ask!)  You won't be out of pocket unless you sell something.  In the online marketplace of Etsy, that's what the Etsy for Animals team does.  Many members of this team donate a portion of proceeds to their chosen animal charity.  There are even some shops on Etsy that are 100% for charitable causes!

Time
What else?  If not product (or coupons for them) and if not cash, then donate time: teach, coach, guest-speak.  Get out there and wow people and serve a good cause while you're at it.  People are curious.  We're learners.  Most people appreciate new skills or insights.  There comes a sense of accomplishment or enlightenment that makes them feel good about themselves (and YOU by association).  Demonstrating your expertise goes a long way to making people feel more comfortable about buying from you.

There are many ways to speak or teach about your business.  For example, if you make eco-friendly products, you can speak on the benefits of it.  You could write a column for a local newspaper or college magazine on the benefits of purifying your life or reducing your carbon foot-print (one of which ways happens to be your product!).

All you fashion divas out there, teach me how to pair items in to outfits or how to accessorize or how to dress different body types.  Teach me to match colours.  Teach me how to be observant so that I can gift shop for my friends and family better - what are the cues to look for to understand someone's style?

Do you sell home decor?  Teach me how to stage a room.

I teach people how to make cards so that they buy the raw materials and embellishments from me to do it.

A donation of your time and expertise is one way to align yourself with charitable causes that are totally unrelated to your product.  If there is a charitable cause near and dear to your heart or your community, you can donate your time and/or expertise and pick up on the marketing opportunity later.  You could appear in the newspaper or the charity’s newsletter.

For example, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (ICAO) organizes free tax clinics.  Chartered Accountants volunteer an evening to help individuals who fall below the poverty line to file their annual taxes.  The ICAO then can publish its charitable efforts in its various marketing campaigns.

So, even when you can’t figure out how to align your particular product or service with a target market shared by a charity, there’s still no excuse not to get involved!

Make Charity Your Business.
Do good.  Feel good.  That's all there is to it.  Why?  Because I believe that all things in life come back to you, someway, somehow, sometime.

The Business of Charitable Giving - PART I

Business or Pleasure?
Why not BOTH?  Just because you are running a business to earn a living doesn't mean that giving to charity has to be a one-way trip out of your pocket.  There are many ways that you can work charitable donations or time in to your business model.  It's a win-win scenario!

The key to selecting a charity to support is knowing your target market.  You can create a symbiotic relationship with a charity where the host is a shared target market.  This topic will be covered in two parts:

• Part I: Selecting a Charity
• Part II: Selecting a Manner of Support

BUSINESS CHARITABLE GIVING - PART I - Selecting a Charity

Choose a charity related to your product.
You should choose a charity that is related to your product because it increases the chances that you will share a target market.  If you sell upscale handbags, does it make more sense for you to donate to a shelter for the homeless or to donate to the silent auction of a charitable business luncheon?  I've been to the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Peel "Women in Peel" luncheons where there are always professional suits with custom tailoring, laptop bags and ladies briefcases amongst the auction items.  (It's my favourite lunch of the year!)

Here are some brainstorming examples for you.

First example: Cards.  I make cards and scrapbook embellishments.  My primary target market is card-givers and my secondary market is scrapbookers.  To market the social connection aspect of my business that card-givers thrive on, I could donate cards to the Sick Kids hospital or nursing homes.  As a random-act-of-kindness, these cards will be appreciated and remembered, especially by those who seem to need more and more encouragement with the passage of time.  Families will see my cards and perhaps think of me the next time they need to send something unique and memorable.

The preceeding is still a pretty general market (unless I marketed especially to the very young or very old!).  So, I have further sub-defined my target market by my style.  What kind of people would like my style?  My style is neat and tidy and practical for mailing ease.  That means people who like sleek, streamlined designs or who adore organization and order are also a key segment of my target market.  In addition, these people do not live close to loved ones because of the mailing ease aspect of my cards because someone who hand-delivers their cards does not mind as much if the card is bulky and awkward.  This market might include minimalists, curators, architectural historians and professional organizers, and people who travel for work.

Another subdivision of my target market are pet lovers.  I have chosen to support the Southern Ontario Animal Rescue as my primary charity, so I need to be seen by the pet lover segment of my market.  I donate my cards to be used by the charity in their adoption kits as thank-you cards and (this year) holiday cards.  I get exposure to people whom I know either have pets or appreciate the charity.  I try to keep a few animal related cards and embellishments in my shop for that segment.  I also host workshops as a fundraiser for this charity.  I pick up on-the-spot sales of supplies after the workshops while still drumming up funds for the charity.

10% to Southern Ontario Animal Rescue

Second example: Toys.  If you make toys, your target market is children (or their parents, rather).  You could donate toys to Sick Kids hospitals, Ronald McDonald house, shelters, your local doctor's or dental office (I've seen a few with a small "play area") in the waiting area, even the local gym's day care (especially if you frequent the gym quite a lot and can see what toys the children gravitate towards).  You might even further subdefine: do you sell outdoor toys or indoor toys?  Travel toys?  Pet toys?

Third example: Clothing.  Your target market consists of people who wear your clothes and accessories.  Donate your clothing to silent auctions where your target market is in attendance.  Have you heard of "Dress for Success"?  It's an international organization that helps women enter or re-enter the workforce.  Maybe when they do land the job, they will come back to you with their new income stream for some more attire.

Fourth Example: Bath and Body.  Bath and Body samples make great items for charitable event swag bags and silent auctions too.  What about giving some soap or lotion to a "hard on the hands" frequent washing type charity, like an animal shelter or a doctor's office?  Are the cross-walking guards in your area part of a volunteer's association made up of mommies?  If mommies are your target market, give them some lipbalm for the long hours outdoors.  Again, you must narrow it down by your target market.  Are they vegan?  Are they anti-chemical?  Do you make soap for cleansing or as favours?  Or do you cater to a certain sense of humour?

Fifth Example: Eco-Friendly.  Again, a silent auction event is a great venue for giving, either as a feature item or as something in the swag bags.  Some eco-friendly charities are national and some are global.  What about finding a local school or highschool where an eco-friendly curriculum or extra-curriculum is just getting a foothold?  Get involved with it.  Can’t find one?  Pioneer one!  When I watch The Weather Network in the mornings before work, sometimes they do a small spotlight on schools foraying in to the environmental movement.  Classrooms look for ways to reduce their environmental footprint, plant trees, or have educational guest speakers to teach them.

Choose the size of the charity.
Selecting the charity by the market it reaches is one thing.  You should also think of its size.  Depending on how you are able to contribute, a national or global charity might be too large relative to you.  You must decide if you want to reach volumes of people, or a specific selection of people.

I chose a local charity because I like to be close to my target market in case they want to attend my workshops. I also chose a small charity because I wanted to feel like my contribution would make a difference.

Knowing your target market is key.
Different charities reach different target markets.  Which one is yours?  For more information on discerning your target market, here are a handful of good reads about target markets or marketing in general:

• Success Designs article on target markets
• Small Business Info article on target markets
• Makery Blog for Indie Success: Part I; Part II; Part III, Part IV (Courtesy of June 2010 Etsy Success Reading List)
• Indie CEO blog

The lesson is: Put your product where it counts.  People are tactile.  Seeing, touching, and experiencing your product is the best advertising you can get.

Join me next time for "The Business of Charitable Giving - PART II - Selecting a Manner of Support

Business and Social Media

I just read a great article in the June/July 2010 CA Magazine issue.  You can read it too: "Social Equity" by Gilles Lajoie.

The article talks about businesses leveraging off social media to connect with their community and their consumers.  It draws an interesting parallel between how businesses are reacting to social media and how they reacted when Internet-based commerce first started out.  I wanted to share with you a few highlights from it that I found interesting.

My favourite idea in the article is having an "internal" blog amongst your company.  It serves as a team building tool.  It can connect corporate teams in many locations for national and multi-national enterprises.  It refers to an example of how IBM uses social media to allow employees to learn more about the IBM team worldwide.

The article also suggests 10 Commandments of Social Media.  My favourites:
4. Thou shalt say something of substance, and
7. Thou shalt learn to spell
(P.26, CA Magazine, June/July 2010) Read the full article to get the full picture.

In all honesty, I need to work on #1. though: Thou shalt not be a narcissist.  This post is a step in the right direction!

I suggested the idea of a blog to my firm months ago, before Christmas.  However, it is a lot of work to build a professional blog and to constantly publish relevant content.  It would be a time sink for someone, for sure.  Everything has its cost and benefit decisions though.  I hadn't thought of an internal blog.  I think that would be fantastic!  There would be less pressure to produce content and we could make it like an "Ask an Expert" type-thing for internal frequently asked questions.  Those people in the firm who are frequently asked the same thing could just blog about the subject to save them being asked again in the future.  (There are about 4 or 5 of us.)  Blog posts can be edited anytime, so when information changes, the post can be updated.  (Okay, so some of this suggestion is selfish.  I always wanted to be a writer!)

Everywhere I look, I am bombarded with social media invites and promotions.  Of course businesses would want to get in on the picture.  Businesses have to go where the business is!  I guess I never actually clearly thought about it before reading this article though.  It was enlightening to me.  Read it!  What did you think?

SOURCE: http://www.camagazine.com/archives/print-edition/2010/june-july/features/camagazine38246.aspx

ABOUT CA MAGAZINE:
CAmagazine is the leading accounting publication and preferred information source for Canadian chartered accountants and financial executives. It provides a forum for discussion and debate on professional, financial and other business issues. The magazine is published in English and French 10 times a year (with combined issues in January/February and June/July) by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. Opinions expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the CICA.

CAmagazine.com acts as a complement to the print edition, providing web-only articles and news of interest to CAs, archives, a search function and online classified ads.
SOURCE:  http://www.camagazine.com/about-us/camagazine651.aspx

The Fairy Cardmaker's Workshop is OPEN!

When you need handmade cards, your Fairy Cardmaker brings you handmade birthday cards, thinking of you cards, Christmas cards, baby cards, wedding cards and more!  Fairy Cardmaker’s neat and tidy designs maximize visual appeal and minimize mailing bulk.

Fairy Cardmaker (formerly Ensorcelled Minds) is run by one woman.  Paper die-cuts are my specialty.  I can design a page or card with nothing but cardstock and ink or pens.  (Well… and some adhesive!)  I like to design my own die-cuts because then I can get exactly what I want in exactly the right colours and exactly the right size.

To be honest, though, I always wanted to work in fashion, designing dresses and costumes.  Turns out, I can’t sew for beans!  Every fabric is different and needs to be handled differently.  Fabric is a very artfully pleasing medium, though, which is hard for any artistic person to resist!  There are so many designs of patterns and solids, so many colours, so many textures, so many sheens.  Well, guess what?  Paper is the same!  The Scrapbook industry takes many of its pattern and colour cues from the fashion industry (which makes sense because you want to make sure your papers du jour go with your photos du jour).  So, my long standing love affair with paper has finally become a surrogate for my failed fashion aspirations!

I have two current favourite things: paper piercing and the colour brown.  Since, I surely can’t sew, paper piercing has given me a way to add faux stitching to my designs.  I love this patch work look!

Top Dog Card on iCraft

As a die-cut lover, patterned paper hasn’t always been my friend.  Sometimes, I am overwhelmed by it.  Busy patterns, loud patterns, faded patterns – it’s all too much!  Working with patchwork, however, has given me a new way to look at the patterns.  Maybe an entire 12 x 12 sheet of patterned paper is too much but broken in to little patches, it’s actually not that bad and way easier to mix together.  For example, this magnetic sticky note holder has colours I would find too bright for my tastes but paired together and toned down in to smaller bits, I love them!
 

Fridge Magnet Sticky Note Holder with Pen on Etsy

I’m also in love with the colour brown.  Any shade of brown will do!  Growing up, I was always a little disappointed to have brown eyes and brown hair.  It doesn’t get more boring, does it?  Then, one day quite some time ago (I think I was clothes shopping), and someone said to me how brunettes can wear any colour they want because brown is a neutral.  It is?  I thought only black and white were “neutral”.  No, brown IS a neutral!

Chocolates, creams, earthy colours – all neutrals!  So, lately, I’ve been using brown a lot.  I find it really pops the colour I am working with without being as harsh as black or white.  Love it.  Just love it!

New Design coming soon!

Making cards has become a very gratifying art for me.  I have always preferred gifts that are useful over those that are just fun to have.  Feeling helpful in my life has always been important.  Where I work as a Chartered Accountant in a firm, I have been a key player in developing our training and quality control department, completely out of my selfish desire to feel like I am contributing to the firm.  Similarly, making cards makes me feel like I am helping people to stay connected (while releasing my creative energies).  Just like the Fairy Godmother who helps Disney’s Cinderella be the hit of the ball, Fairy Cardmaker is a little sprite who works behind the scenes to bring you handmade cards that make you the hit of any occasion (or catch you up as the case may be)!

 Quilled Snail Belated Birthday on iCraft

 So, the next time you’re in a card-giving bind, keep your Fairy Cardmaker in mind!  Follow my new blog URL to see what else I’m up to on a regular basis.  Don’t forget to visit Fairy Cardmaker’s shops linked on the right: one on iCraft (prices in Canadian dollars) and one on Etsy (prices in US dollars).

Give the Fairy Cardmaker a little more time in the workshop.  There are some renovations going on by way of a graphic makeover!

A Name Change is Coming!!

Ensorcelled Minds Inc. is in the process of registering a NEW NAME - a much easier one.  My lawyers are running the search now on my chosen name and once it is registered, everything changes.  I will have a new:

• iCraft shop address
• Etsy shop address
• Business cards
• Blog address

Never fear!  This blog will point you to the new blog under my new name as soon as I can get it finalized.  So, followers, please remember to follow me there!  I expect the switchover will be handled in the next couple of weeks.

So, what am I doing while I wait?  I'm creating!  I've made a number of new cards for my shops and I have a few other editions in the works.  I'm planning my new name to start off with lots of new designs!  I also have a two post series ready for the new blog about how to fit charitable giving in to your business.

STAY TUNED!

Creator: Brilliant Beads on iCraft

iCraft is an online venue that connects artists, designers and craftspeople to those who appreciate their work. It is a place where artisans and crafters can showcase their handmade pieces for sale.

Here is a Creator Interview with Brilliant Beads, from London, Ontario who loves to work with glass to make lampwork beads that are inspired by nature. I love the blues in these beads - they are so rich and so bubbly water light at the same time!


Tell us about yourself…

Art, whether in my professional life as a dentist, or in my part-time life as a lampwork and jewelry artisan, occupies a good portion of my consciousness at any one time. I have memberships to several local and regional art galleries, and I always make time when travelling to visit local art exhibits.

My family and my home are my “comfort ground”. I have a wonderfully supportive husband, and four terrific children…27, 23, 18, and 15 years old. My husband built my glass studio for me, and is a great source of insight and guidance when it comes to the “how can I accomplish that?” questions.

I live in London, Ontario, Canada, in a house with a big lot that sweeps down into a ravine. Regular visitors to our yard are deer, fox, skunks, raccoons, and a great horned owl. I call it my little slice of paradise.

Tell us about your shop.

My iCraft shop contains both lampwork beads for jewellery designers and finished jewelry pieces that I have made. I love to see what other jewelry designers use my beads for and would love to use my iCraft shop as a platform to expand my business.

How did you get started?

I’ve been crafting since I can remember…I got my first “paint by number” black velvet oil painting kit when I was seven. Crewelwork and knitting was next, beadwork and cross-stitch followed, sewing, and mosaic art. I’ve always been fascinated by glass and took my first lampworking course three years ago….eureka, this is IT!!!

I was making jewelry for family and friends, and they suggested that I could sell it to others. I learned the rudimentary part of website design, and obtained a small business license. I like having an online business because the rest of my life is so busy and selling online allows me to tailor the amount of time I can spend.

What is your favorite item in you shop?

This lampwork bead, Swarovski crystal, and wooden bracelet is my favourite. I love the different textures all combined in a neutral, organic-looking piece.

http://icraft.ca/product-15322.php?forced=creator

What’s your favourite thing that you have ever made?

I made this necklace and was so tempted to keep it for myself, but happily it sold to a lady in California, and it has a good home.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gillianbeads/2934567188/in/set-72157607953954568/

What’s your most memorable sale?

My most memorable sale was the necklace shown above, because the customer also bought 6 other pieces at the same time! That was a great feeling that doesn’t come along too often.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

I love nature and the natural world around me…colors, shapes, vistas. My inspiration is often acquired from hiking in rugged countryside, the Rocky Mountains are my favorite.

Tell us about a favorite designer.

Nathalie Girard of Canadian Rockies Art is an amazing metalsmith…I love her designs!

What's your favorite colour?

I love blues and aquas and seem to gravitate to those when I’m working with glass. I love to wear earth tones such as brown, rust, and olive green.

What's your favourite room at home? Why is it your favourite?

I love to sit in our sunroom, looking out into the forest and ravine in our backyard. It provides me with inspiration and is a great place to unwind after a long day.

Do you have a glass working tip you'd like to share with readers?

I find that as I get older it has become particularly important to work with good light. I also broke down and bought a pair of magnifying glasses to help see the tiny beads I use…now I couldn’t do without them!

What are your favorite blogs or website?

IndieNorth
FiveForty at Home
Coloraddiction
Artisan Beaders
Beadlust

What are your favorite magazines and or books?

Lapidary Journal
National Geographic
Atlas Shrugged
Wicked
Oryx & Crake

What do you do to relax and unwind?

I love to hike and cycle…I find getting my heart rate up a bit takes the stress away. I’m not a sit on the beach kinda gal.

It's All in the Bag - Vegan Samples!

Ensorcelled Minds Inc. is a proud contributor to this year's It's All in the Bag vegan sampler bags - the Holiday edition. 100% of the proceeds from the sales of these bags will go to an animal sanctuary. Here's what I've got in the bag!


I only sent 25 pairs of tags, so not every bag will have them. The August bag sold out in NINE days! I'm hoping for a better record on the holiday bags. The holiday bags will go on sale November 1st, 2009. If you would like to read more about it, here is their blog: vegan craft samples

- Scrapninny

Feature Artist: Little Lily Bamboo

On Etsy, members can "heart" either individual items or whole shops. Etsy will track your hearts for you to make it easy to return to that item or that shop for later purchases. One of my latest hearts are these cloths from Little Lily Bamboo!

They look so fabulously soft and ecological! I'm definitely going to pick up a couple after the move to the new place! Jade (what an awesome name!) was kind enough to allow me to interview her so that I can share my fabulous find with the rest of you!

Tell me a little about yourself, your store, and your crafts.

"My name is Jade, and I'm a stay at home mom of three little girls. My newest, Myka, was born three weeks ago :) I started my Etsy shop about two weeks before she was born. I recently developed an interest in natural products for my home and family. I started sewing products our of organic bamboo to use at home and quickly fell in love with them! I use some cloths for my daughters...they are soft enough for my newborn's skin, yet "scrubby" enough for my two year old's "peanut butter face". The swaddling blankets are a must for my newborn. She loves being swaddled, and with it being so hot here right now, I can swaddle her in the lightweight, breathable material without fear of her overheating."

What role does art/crafts play in your life?

"I have never been crafty. I can't get into scrapbooking, and have always thought I hated sewing. However, people change :) And I've discovered that I love sewing! It's a fun hobby, and I'm glad I can do it now."

What made you decide to sell your art/craft?

"I love the bamboo products so much around my own house, that I thought it would be great to open up shop and make them available to other moms like me! If I could afford to GIVE a swaddling blanket to every new mom out there, I would love to do that. Unfortunately, until I'm super rich, I'll have to sell them...but really, they are a must have!"

How do you fuel your creative process?

"I fuel it out of necessity. My girls are my inspiration. Since Myka was born three weeks ago, I already have many more ideas for my shops and will hopefully be expanding soon!"

Besides your fabulous goodies, what is your current favourite handmade product?

"My friend Amy started making the most gorgeous homemade necklaces a few months ago. They are simple and fun, making it easy to look awesome even when I don't have alot of time for primping! Her etsy shop is www.sweethelena.etsy.com "

Little Lily Bamboo also makes baby wipes and receiving blankets. If you would like to know more about the products, visit www.littlelilybamboo.etsy.com or to learn more about Jade, visither blog at www.jadesteckly.blogspot.com.

-Scrapninny.

iCraft Seller's Bootcamp + IndieSmiles

iCraft.ca is a Canadian based, handmade goods commercial website. Artisans from Canada and around the globe offer their handmade wares for sale to buyers worldwide. As this venue is still fairly new, iCraft is hosting a Seller's Bootcamp program created by an iCraft seller and run by a host of volunteers. As part of this promotion, the Bootcamp gang has listed a number of coupons, en masse, through IndieSmiles which is a website that lists the various discounts and coupons available from independent artists to bring handmade goods to the public at the best possible prices.

NOW is your chance to see these movers and shakers in action! Get your IndieSmiles iCraft Seller's Bootcamp coupons today through this link!

What's a Scrapninny?

I’m a Scrapninny!

In or about the year 2001, I was introduced to scrapbooking at a Creative Memories party that a co-worker hosted at work. Then, one day, I wandered in to a local scrapbook store and was introduced to Quickutz – a die cutter company. As I returned there to check out the new dies, I slowly built a stash of other scrapbook company supplies and expanded to brads, buttons, ribbons, and more – oh my!

I am totally hooked on die-cuts. However, being the weakling that I am, I found the original Quickutz squeeze tool difficult to use. Another local scrapbook store suggested I try the (then new) Boss Kut. It fit the original QK dies and was far easier on me. Today, I have a Boss Kut Gazelle, their electronic cutter. I’m still in the learning curve phase, but I’m enjoying its abilities!

In 2005, I stumbled upon the popular scrapbook message boards attached to the online scrapbook shop “Two Peas in a Bucket”. I was floored! There is SO much information on this site and SO many layouts added daily to the galleries that I felt like a nincompoop by comparison. I had no clue about the full range of scrapbook products and companies that existed, the styles, or even the alterables and mini-projects. Hence, Scrapninny was born! I always thought that, when I was “good enough” or “worthy”, I could change it to ScrapSage. Well… that hasn’t happened yet and I’m not sure it ever will!

So, if you want to know what a Scrapninny is, it’s ME!

This blog will cover all things related to my scrapbook adventures! I will muse over products and trends, present some of my designs, and maybe interview others! It is just one more extension of my paper trails. Hope to see you back again!

- Scrapninny