My Secret Santa Gift

 

This year I participated in the Secret Santa gift exchange with one of my Etsy teams, Artists for Animals. My gift is for a super generous woman who rescues cats, so I made this pair of earrings especially with her in mind.

The earrings are made from silver colored wire with a 4mm sparkly glass bead dangling from a sitting cat. I made the ear wires from surgical steel.

I'm really happy with the way they turned out. 

What do you think?

xoxo ~ Mad

Florida Etsy Street Team 2012 Holiday Event:

Come meet me and some of your favorite Florida Etsy shop-owners on December 1st and 2nd at the Florida Agricultural Museum's Florida Market Days Fundraiser and Holiday Party!

FEST: Florida Etsy Street Team 2012 Holiday Event:: This year, we are having our first HOLIDAY PARTY!!! The  FLORIDA ETSY STREET TEAM  is getting together to spread the word, share some smi...

See you there!

xo ~ Mad

Show Time! Part 1: My Booth

  Vacuum tube ornament set "JOY" in silver

I participated in my 1st full-blown show this past Saturday, October 13th, at the 47th Annual Melbourne HAMFEST located in Melbourne Florida.

**A hamfest is a gathering of amateur radio enthusiasts were people buy and sell a variety of used and new radio parts, equipment, computers, odds and ends, and other things including jewelry and toys.**

There are tables inside the auditorium and set-ups outside in the parking lot known as a "tail-gate" area. I was in the tail-gate area (which is much less expensive than inside).

My tail-gate spot

It was a last minute decision (which I do NOT recommend... hahahahaha). Since it was an amateur radio show, I brought my vintage vacuum tubes to sell and a sampling of my jewelry and vacuum tube ornaments.

 My jewelry and ornament display

 Christmas Ornaments

Success!! I sold enough to cover the tail-gate spot cost, tickets, and food with a little left over. Of course that was before I went shopping.... :-) 

But, more on that next time...

How did your 1st real show go? What did you learn? Inquiring minds want to know! (OK, maybe we're just nosy...)

xo ~ Mad

Dark Side of the Net Goth and Halloween Links: New Dark Links for September 10, 2012

Check out this cool Goth blog that I was featured on for my bat ring and vacuum tube earrings:

Dark Side of the Net Goth and Halloween Links: New Dark Links for September 10, 2012: DARK ART: Agostino Arrivabene This Italian surrealist artist features Biblical, religious and mythological themes in his artwork. His pai...


xo ~ Mad

Optimize Your Etsy Shop FREE with the EtsyShoptimizer.com

Image from Purpose Advertising

I just used this cool app as a tool to point out things that I needed to improve in my shop. It was very easy to use and allows you to go directly to the listing or  area of the shop that needs "optimization" to work with Google's SEO (search engine optimization) search. By optimizing your shop and listings, you make it easier for Google to find you.

The app points out things such as listing titles that are too long, how many pictures that you have in your listing, and how your shop is laid out including sections, profile and policies.

So take a spin and try it out. It's fun and easy.

Optimize Your Etsy Shop FREE with the EtsyShoptimizer.com

What did it tell you? 

xo ~ Mad

Pretty Packages All In A Row...

Yesterday, I (finally) took pictures of my packaging. I even started to add them to my listings. :-)

When going through my packaging, I realized that I have several tags and ribbons that do not match with my shop and packaging... hmmm... what's a girl to do? I've decided that I am going to start adding a few extras to packages going to other shop owners and with packages of supplies. That should work right? It's a win-win situation. I pass on something that I'm not likely to use (and is cluttering my work area - which doesn't need any help, but that's another story) to someone who hopefully CAN use it. Yay!

Here is how the photo shoot came out:

The beautiful butterfly note cards are from

 Yesterday's Memories 09.

The cute scalloped Thank You cards are from

 The Craft Shedd.

How do you package your items for customers? 

Leave a comment and let us know.

xo ~ Mad

Back To School!

Woohoo!! Today is the 1st day of 4th grade for my daughter. To celebrate, I'm bringing you some of my favorite school supplies on Etsy. Enjoy!

Backpacks:

by catbirdcreatures

by wwwthisandthatgr

by wwwthisandthatgr

Reusable Sandwich Bags:

by OYCreationsToo

by BirchTreeBags

by RandomSacksOfKindness

Lunch Bags:

 by JBworld

by bowpeep

Pencils:

by ColleenAndCohort

by RightBrainy

by LizOhsiekDesigns

Do you have a favorite back to school supply on Etsy? Please share!

xo ~ Mad

Packaging For Success

With the holiday season rapidly approaching, I thought I'd address the subject of packaging... 

As many have said before me, people buy from Etsy shops for the personal touch of getting a special item directly from the maker. I recently read "Packaging That Packs A Punch Article: Call for Responses!" in the Etsy Success forum. They've set up a Flickr account with loads of examples of packaging to help your packaging to stand out in a crowd: etsypackaging. I thought I'd share a few of my favorites:

by mula jewelry

 

by MsSpanner

 by NoaSharonDesigns

by SteampunkFabricDream

by GreenRibbonGems

by Arketypes

How do you package for success?

xo ~ Mad

Is It Worth It?

      Recently, daniellexo from Etsy wrote a blog, How to Beat the Etsy Sale Addiction (and Make More Money!) . She talked about the high that you get from seeing that Sales number rise. Instead of valuing yourself and your work, you begin to set your value goals based on the number of sales you have. I agree, this is NOT the way to run a business. Read the whole article here.

     Danielle has some really helpful advice. The trick seems to be to believe in yourself and the value of your work. Make smart choices so that you work smarter, not harder. Keep a positive attitude and set business minded goals. Sure, that sales number is exciting (especially when you hit landmark sales), but you are running a business and you have to make sure that you are also profitable. Remember not to sell yourself short. This is not a yard sale, it's a business.

sign from missyscakesandaprons

      I am very lucky that my husband has a job that allows me to do what I love. I try to sell at prices that are fair to both me and my customer and am grateful that I do not have to survive on what I make! I am working hard to improve my work, my shop, and my business skills. I take classes, comment in forums, ask for critiques, and listen when people make suggestions. Sometimes I follow advice, sometimes I don't.... :-)

from ilanastangerross

 What are YOU doing to improve yourself and your shop?

xo ~ Mad

    

Worth Revisiting

I love this video interview of me!!

Voodooz Movie
by: KCarey22

What do you think?

xo ~ Mad

What I've Been Working On Today

Today I've been taking , or I should say re-taking, pictures of my newest items. (Stupid lack of sunlight! haha)

Some new Italian Coin cufflinks for him or her:

A little something to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee from her Canadian subjects:

A few new Victorian inspired items:

A faery inspired necklace:

 

A new take on Steampunk earrings:

 

And finally (for today) a pirate Steampunk inspired necklace:

  

Which one is your favorite?

xo ~ Mad

 

Multi Shop EXTRAVAGANZA Sale!!! Part 2

HEAR YE, HEAR YE AGAIN!!

 

Welcome to the 1st Time Travelers Team EXTRAVAGANZA SALE!!  **Use the Coupon Code EXTRAVAGANZA during checkout for surprise savings at one of 31 participating shops.**

 

Simply click on the shop name to enter each shop OR click on an image to go directly to one of the listings- 

 

TheWhisperingWorld - A Place of Whimsical Fun and Fantasy 

Boitifole - A French Touch for your Gifts 

caitlinjohns - Sparx Jewelry, Adorn Yourself 

EquineAnnihilation - Jewelry, Vintage Books and Other Finds

ChrisOsCreations - A Little Bit of Fantasy & Magic!

BeaPearson0626 - Fun, Funky, One of a Kind Jewelry 

FyreShadow - Jewelry, Altered Art, Shadowboxes, Collages, & Vintage Items

balmyatticarts - Handmade Clothing, Accessories, & Items for your Home

JupitersHaven - Dream. Inspire. Create.

 

 

TimelessAvenue - Steampunk & Vintage Inspired Jewelry Handmade for You

Creaturosity -Yarn Creatures and Altered Art Collages

jansbeads - Day of the Dead, Steampunk, & Gothic Jewelry

 

 

DarkBeautyBoutique - Elegant Solid Perfumes and Soaps

Biagreen - Handcrafted Jewelry & Art and Metaphysical & Vintage Curiosities

KindredImages - Gifts & Natural Products

 

 

heartofautumn - Where Magic and Fiber Intertwine

prettyandshiny - Jewelry, Tiles, Art and More

DeepMidnightPerfumes -Unique, Magical, Dreamy, Delicious, and Lovely Scents

AND

 

Drum roll please........

 

 ME!!

 

MadScientistsDesigns - Artisan Jewelry, Altered Art, Vintage & Supplies

 

Look at the 1st 11 shops here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And the question of the day is: 

What's your favorite treasury color???

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

xo ~ Mad

Multi Shop EXTRAVAGANZA Sale!!! Part 1

HEAR YE, HEAR YE! 

Welcome to the 1st Time Travelers Team EXTRAVAGANZA SALE!!  Use the Coupon Code EXTRAVAGANZA during checkout for surprise savings at one of 31 participating shops.

Check out the 1st 11 shops today-

 MoonspellCrafts - 

A plethora of really cool stuff 

 

 AgentOfChaos - 

Merriweather Technology for the Discriminating Adventurer

DemBones -

Artisan Clay and Sugar 

 Scarletrabbit -

Crocheted and knitted Steampunk, Goth, and Victorian Inspired Fashion and Hand-drawn Cards

 ZojjaUniquelyYou -

Bohemian Gypsy Victorian Gothic Bags and Accesssories

 GothAndGeekery -

Gothy and Geeky Accessories

 

LizzesBeautifulArt -

Original Modern, Abstract Art and Illustrations

 RomanticaNocturnis -

Alternative Clothing and Accessories

 

 Dovanna -

Lights in the Dark - Nerdy and Knitty in Minneapolis

 RavensCrafts -

Fun Jewelry, Cards, and Tags 

 

 StephaniePayan -

Unique Inspirations Jewelry

What is your favorite item from today's selection?

xo ~ Mad