Friday, January 31, 2014

Friday's Featured Seller - Fantasy Clay

Today's featured seller is Susan from Fantasy Clay (http://www.zibbet.com/FantasyClay). She makes wonderfully items from clay. This one has to be my favorite! 

Winged Purple and Green Dragon, Polymer Clay Dragon, Dragon Sculpture

How did you get started on Zibbet? Where did your shop name come from?
I first opened my shop when lifetime accounts were offered in 2009. I had listed items but didn't really get started selling here until this summer.The name came as juxtaposition of my different interests, I was really into dragons and magical creatures. 


Steampunk Grey Bunny Rabbit Magnet - polymer clay steampunk

You have such interesting characters you've made. Where do you get your inspiration for them? 
I love making characters, sometimes it feels that I am just giving shape to what's already there. All too often, the characters seem to have their own personalities even before they are done. 

Who are your favorite suppliers? 

I can say my favorite brand of polymer clay is Premo and it is availalble widely. However PolymerclayExpress.com is the best place to buy it, they are one of only 3 sites that carry 2 basic colors that were discontinued for general supply.



What is the secret to your pictures? 
Good editing. I do my best to take good shots but no matter how hard I try, I always need to play around a bit with Paintshop.

Do you take custom orders? 
Yes, I'm always open to custom orders. All of my cake toppers are custom made but I am always open to custom requests of any sort. Most of my cake toppers are wrestling based and that came from one custom order several years ago. I knew nothing about wrestling but decided to try it. After the first one, I kept getting requests for them and different poses. I never would of thought of wrestling cake toppers.


Polymer Clay Yellow Sunflower Wallhanging

Do you sell outside of Zibbet? If so, Where? 

I still have a shop on Etsy, I keep it stocked but basically I don't promote it at all.

Any sales coming up? 

Right now I have a customer order for a cake topper with the bride sitting on the groom's shoulder, wresting styles as well as some custom designs for groom as his favorite wrestler. 


Any last words for the reading audience? 
I'd say create what you love, use materials that make you feel good. I love the feel of clay in my hands. The coolest thing is when you find a product that no one else is offering. You need to keep moving forward, things change, you need to change.


Alice in Wonderland Polymer Clay Figure

Thank you, Susan! I can't wait to see what else you create!

If you would like to be a featured seller on my blog, please feel free to contact me with your web address.

Happy Friday!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Trying Something New

Today I started something new - a ruffle purse. Now, I'm not using a traditional pattern. Instead, I am taking a pattern of a different purse that I like and I'm adding my own spin. I've done this before with my reusable grocery bag pattern and Flip-Fur pattern. But this is the first time I've done it with knitting. This is what I have so far:

Photo: Part 1 of the experiment

I have also decided that I am going to make a piece and enter it into the Minnesota State Fair.

This is the year to try something new. What is your something new?

Monday, January 27, 2014

Brand New Monday

Happy Monday!!!! Sorry this post is a little late in the evening. I have been doing taxes. I hope everyone is nice and warm. Minnesota is going through another cold snap.


These gorgeous dragonfly earrings are courteous of my friend Katie at Fripparie (http://www.zibbet.com/fripparie) who specializes in Steampunk jewelry for men and women.

Sweet Felt Doll. Softie.
Meet Ella - the newest addition to Min and Moots (http://www.zibbet.com/MinandMoots). She is handstitched with love and will be a fun playmate for any little girl over 3.

Quilled Blue Heron
This quilled blue heron from Joan's Crafts (http://www.zibbet.com/Joanscrafts) will be perfect in your scrapbook.

Pink Sparkly Owl Card , Animal Shaped Cards
This pink sparkly owl is the latest creation by Bethies Cards (http://www.zibbet.com/BethiesCards).

Cream Sherry Jelly 1/2 Pint
Are you a lover of jellies? Check out these Cream Sherry Jellies from Mountain Rose Foods (http://www.zibbet.com/MountainRoseFoods)

That's all for today. Zibbet continues to grow every day with a wider variety of shops and products. Stop by today and find that perfect gift for your loved one this Valentine's Day.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Selling online

I sell my crochet and knit items online. It is a way for me to earn extra money outside of my day job as a paralegal. I enjoy knitting and crocheting - it is my stress reliever. I am always working with yarn, whether at home after a stressful day or I'm at the dance studio while my son takes class. I am at the studio 4 nights a week. That is a lot of down time. And I'm not the type of person to sit still. I have to be doing something.

One day, not long ago, I decided not to take my yarn with me to the studio. I sat there with a friend of mine and I was so bored!!!!! Not from talking to my friend, which is always fun, but because I wasn't doing anything productive. Never again, let me tell you.

I also crochet and knit at home while watching tv. I watch a lot of tv and movies. But, again, I can't sit still. I have to be doing something. I am a multitasker. It is even difficult for me to just sit and eat a meal without doing something else, even watching tv. So I use my meal time as a way to catch up on my social media, chat with friends all around the world. Look for new patterns.

So I make a lot of stuff. My apartment is full of finished products, half finished products, yarn, patterns, etc. You name it, I probably have it somewhere tucked away. I do sell at craft shows and I do relatively well. But I can't do craft shows every weekend, as much as I would like to. I just don't have the time to do that, and work, and raise my son. That and I don't have products that are good to sell all year, unless you count my ruffle scarves. I'm slowly getting there. Branching out, if you will.

So, I sell online. After all, there is always cold weather somewhere, right?

I started off on E, and I started many, many years ago. At first I sold my Aes Sedai shawls. Or at least, I attempted to. None of them sold and I was wasting my money on listing fees. So I took a break and experimented with yarn and patterns. After awhile I came up with my Flip-Furs and started selling those, which actually sold to a certain extent. I started making more things and listing them and I was selling sporadically. I had my busy times and slow times. No biggie, right? I was happy to a certain extent.

Then E started to change policy. Resellers have always been a problem on E. They pop up all over the place, all of a sudden with a ton of sales. How are they doing this? I have yet to figure that out. And we, as a community, are supposed to police for E and report such shops. Sometimes they get shut down, sometimes not.

Then E got the bright idea to allow shops to grow and hire manufacturers to help make a part of their product. Okay, not bad. After all, as a seller online, you often are working 20 hours a day if you are successful. Filling orders instead of spending time with family. Some sellers just have that luck in business. And they deserve it. I'm not saying they don't. And they hire help on the side for invoicing, packaging, product descriptions, etc. Anything but creating the actual product. Well, this policy allows them to outsource some of their work. Great! Yay! I have no problem with this. Allow your sellers to grow. Because if you don't, they will leave E and set up their own shops and hire help anyway. Keep the money flowing in.

But now they are allowing straight up manufacturers to come in and sell their products. Products made in sweat shops. And you are allowing them to categorize their products as "handmade". This is what I have a problem with.  This is what many sellers have a problem with and they, like myself, start looking for other venues. I do not want to sell my handcrafted products that I am very proud of next to cheap, foreign manufacturer made junk that sells for pennies compared to my prices. My prices are not that high to begin with, but I still price my stuff to take into account supply costs, the difficulty of the product to make and my time spent. And I am certainly not going to stay at a place that calls these cheap products handmade. Because they aren't.

So I moved to Zibbet. Zibbet is certainly smaller than E, but it is growing. There is a great community of people who are willing to help you, talk to you, share their own trials and mistakes. There is a chat room where I am often hanging out in while crocheting or knitting. And I have made sales. Sales where I did not have to play games to earn like I did on E. I let my products speak for themselves. I promote on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. Half of my sales so far have come from people who have signed up for a Zibbet account the day they purchased from me. My products are getting found.

Comparing E to Z. E charges a 20 cent listing fee for every listing. Each listing is only good for 3 months. Then you have to relist your item, and that's another 20 cents. Then, for ever product you sell, they take a commission. If you have Direct Checkout where customers can use their credit card instead of Paypal, that's another commission. If the customer uses Paypal, that is another commission out of your listing price.

Zibbet - no commission off what you sell. Zibbet has 2 options - a free account or a paid premier account. With the free account, you can list up to 50 items. Still, no commission except for Paypal. A great way to see if Zibbet is the right venue for you. I have a premier account. Right now you can lock in a yearly fee of $79 for a year for life. Your membership fee will never go up. But there are only a few of these memberships left. With the premier account, you can list as many products as you want. You get more options with the premier account, as well, such as more pictures, the ability to put a section or your whole shop on sale, create coupons. And you have your CEOs/founders who are always in the forums answering your questions. They have a support guru in Vicki, who answers your questions about glitches within 24 hours.

With Zibbet, if you ask people what you can do to get sales, they will tell you to work on your pictures, work on your SEO (search engine optimization), work on product descriptions, add more products. They won't tell you to join groups and promote within your groups. After all, are you trying to sell to people who make the exact thing you do? No. You are looking for the customer out there who will find you using Bing or Google or any number of other search engines. Yes, it is nice to sell to a fellow crafter. But with Zibbet, you don't have to play the heart game or the favorite game or have other people promote for you (if they feel like it). You promote yourself. After all, you made it. Who knows your product better than you?

Yes, Zibbet isn't as big as E. But it is growing. Every day new sellers come on board and open shops. Every day, new listings go up, which increases the amount of times Zibbet appears in search engines. There is a wonderful gal name Kristin from Bellagems61 who has a listing challenge. She tells us how many listings there are and how many sellers are active. Yes, there are groups you can join who can help you with your questions, but you don't have to join them. You don't even have to join the community (although, why wouldn't you - it is a great place!)

Yes, there are other venues that I haven't explored. I even thought about having my own stand alone website. But they weren't the right fit for me. Zibbet is wonderful and I am happy to say I am a premier shop owner.

You can find me and my products at http://www.jenstangledthreads.com. Yes, it opens to my Zibbet page. If you have any questions on Zibbet, let me know.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Friday's Featured Seller - Bellagems61

Today's featured Zibbet seller is Kristin from Bellagems61 (http://www.zibbet.com/Bellagems61) She is a seller of a variety of beautiful gemstones. She also is very active in the Zibbet community, hosting a listing challenge that keeps members up to date on the stats of Zibbet. 



How did you get started on Zibbet? Where did your shop name come from?
I started on Zibbet in August of last year. I closed my Artfire shop and was researching new locations for Bellagems61. Zibbet had the best reviews. I joined the community first and then opened the shop on August 28th.The name of my shop is pretty straight forward Bella ( beautiful in Italian) gems because that is what I sell and the 61 is actually the month and day I started the business June 1st.

I love the variety of stones you have. Where do you find them?
My stones come from several vendors that I work with. My Ethiopian opals are cut by a young man in India. He's family has been in the cutting business for three generations. He went to Ethiopian last year and bought rough directly from the mines.There are several other vendors I work with and they provide the other stones I carry in all three shops.



Who are your favorite suppliers?

I have two suppliers that have also become very good friends. The young man I mentioned Shahbaan is the same age as my son and we're very close. He actually calls me mom and we do have almost a parent child relationship. I also work with Brian who runs Pinnaclediamonds here on Zibbet. Brian and I have known each other for many years, he's great to work with. I talked him into joining Zibbet at the same time I joined.




You take wonderful pictures of your stones and jewels. What is your secret?
Taking pictures of gemstones is the least favorite part of owning the business. I use Corel paintshop pro for all my photos. It's great software allowing me to crop the pictures to the sizes you see in the shop. The best advice I ever got for taking good pictures was to use natural light when possible. I live in Florida so sunshine is usually available I use it whenever possible.



Do you take custom orders? Say a customer is looking for a particular stone.

I do take custom orders for any gem that a client might need. I've worked with many people over the years providing stones for their jewelry projects. My favorite client for a custom order was a young man who wanted to design an engagement ring for his girlfriend using stones mined in America. We ended up using a beautiful ruby from my home state of Montana.They were married last summer. I received a lovely thank you note from the bride which hangs in my office.



Do you sell outside of Zibbet? If so, Where?

Bellagems61 has three locations Zibbet,Etsy and Bonanza. Each shop has unique stones just for that site plus a core group of stones that they all carry.



Any sales coming up?

As for sales coming up I usually have a sale around Valentines Day so stop by and see what I come up with.



Any last words for the reading audience? (ie, words of wisdom for a new crafter/seller, anything you want to say about your products)

What I think is important for anyone new starting out is to be patient. It took many years for Bellagems61 to expand to the three shops I have now. Building a client base for each venue was also a choice I made that I'm happy with. I never compare one venue to another. I treat each site as a stand alone. It's served me well over the years.



Thank you for stopping by, Kristin. As you can see, I've found lots of pretty stones to feature. And she has so many more! Please feel free to stop by her shop and take a peek for yourself. 

If you would like to be a featured artisan on my blog, please drop me a line. My featured seller spot is a regular feature on Fridays. 

Monday, January 20, 2014

Brand New Monday

My friends at Zibbet  have been busy! So I'm happy to show you their new products!

Turquoise Striped Microwave Potato Bag
Diana at Dusty's Little Sewing Room has been busy with her sewing machine. Check out this new microwave potato bag http://www.zibbet.com/DustysLittleSewingRoom/artwork?artworkId=2139015

Hand Cut Easter Chick in Easter Egg Happy Easter Card
Beth at Bethie's Cards has been working hard on the Easter cards. Get yours today before they run out! Isn't this chick card adorable? http://www.zibbet.com/BethiesCards/artwork?artworkId=2138790  She also has a great selection of Valentine's Day cards and St.Patrick's Day cards.

Solid Sterling Silver Spoon Handle Pendant Necklace Floral
Katie at Fripparie has this beautiful upcycled spoon handle pendant necklace. Made from an antique spoon, the original detailing has been lovingly brought back. http://www.zibbet.com/fripparie/artwork?artworkId=2138789

Fabric Horse
This beautiful fabric horse from Artfully Made is a great toy for children. Not made for younger children, but it will be a faithful companion to your little horse lover. http://www.zibbet.com/ArtfullyMade/artwork?artworkId=2139768 Artfully Made has a great selection of fabric toys.

Pink Pearl Bracelet, Burgundy Handwoven Pearl Cuff, Handmade Mauve Chevron Bracelet
This beautiful bracelet is made by Sweet Freedom Designs. Made from Czech glass beads, freshwater pearls and seed beads, this bracelet will be brilliant against any outfit. http://www.zibbet.com/SweetFreedom/artwork?artworkId=1479895

Thanks for shopping with me on this blustery day. If you want to be featured on my blog - send me a message. I'm off to create more beautiful fashions.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Friday's Featured Artisan - Creatures Northwest

Today we sit down with Anne from Creatures Northwest (http://www.zibbet.com/creaturesnorthwest). Anne creates these quirky, loveable creatures that I cannot get enough of. I'm always in her shop to see who the next creature is. 

1. How did you get started on Zibbet? Where did your shop name come from?


I initially started my shop on Etsy in 2008. However, when Etsy began allowing mass-produced items on their site, I moved to Zibbet. It’s important to me to sell on a site that honors true handmade. My shop name combines the creature aspect with the Pacific Northwest where I've lived for the last 13 years. So, it’s a combination of two of my loves: creating creatures and living in the Pacific Northwest.

2. I love your creatures. How did you start making them?

I’ve been sketching monsters and creatures since I was in the second grade. About 15 years ago, when I was in my late 20s, many of my friends started having babies. I wanted to create something special for the kids’ nurseries and decided to turn my creature sketches into multi-media plush monsters. My friends loved them and—in fact—often took the kiddo’s creature and put it next to their (the adult's) computer as a companion. (They said the kids were too little to appreciate them!) I realized that there is a market for teens and goofy adults to have plush companions. We all need someone to keep us company throughout the day. And they’re like pets: They listen, they don’t complain, and they offer their goofy happy presence.

3. Who are your favorite suppliers?

Because most of my creatures consist of 60-90% recycled materials, I don’t rely on traditional suppliers. Rather, I love thrift stores and garage sales where I can find wool sweaters, unusual buttons, old hardware, and costume jewelry. I like component parts (like vintage buttons) that have character and history; they help create a really unique end-product with a lot of personality.

4. You take wonderful pictures of your creatures. What is your secret?

Thank you! What’s interesting is that my creatures are like people—some are photogenic and some are not. When taking photos, I try to capture the essence in their eyes. I spend a lot of time playing around with button combinations to make sure their eyes have light and depth and personality to them. So, when taking photos, I attempt to capture them as I would a good friend—trying to capture the essence and personality more so than the physical reality.

5. Do you take custom orders?

Yes, I do. I ask that people give me two or three colors, a facial expression (goofy, sweet, crazy, happy, caffeinated, etc.) and a short description of the personality of the person who will be receiving the creature (their hobbies, interests, background, etc.) This helps guide me in the creation process. I really enjoy working within creative parameters given to me by others.

6. Do you sell outside of Zibbet? If so, Where?

Not currently, although I do promote my creatures on a variety of sites.

7. Any sales coming up?

I hope so! Sales come in clusters and there doesn’t seem to be a science to it. Sales are wonderful, of course, but making the creatures is a passion and a meditation for me, so while sales help cover my time and supplies, they are secondary to the pleasure I get from the creation process. Right now, I have too many creatures in stock and I am in the process of donating quite a few to a local organization that serves children and teens who have experienced the death of a parent or sibling. It makes me really happy to offer something like this to people who can use a goofy companion during difficult times.

8. Any last words for the reading audience? 

I’d say two things: 

~ My creatures are like people: Perfectly imperfect in their weird & wonderful eccentricities.

~ If you want to create, create. If you think you can’t, you’re wrong! Get some crayons or fingerpaints or clay or yarn and play, play, play. Be silly, be goofy, take risks, and act like a kid. Don’t worry about the final product. Whether you sell your creations or not, the creative process is good for the soul.

Thank you so much, Anne for taking the time to sit down with us. Best of luck to you and your shop (http://www.zibbet.com/creaturesnorthwest). 

If you would like to be a featured artisan, please feel free to contact me. 

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Twitter Tuesday

This is my first Twitter Tuesday. I am going to pick out some of my favorite Tweets, Zibbet related or not. You can follow me on Twitter - @JTangledthreads

Headband with Ties Blue Lily Print by on Such a pretty floral print and it's one of a kind.


JJ California Surfer pin/brooch pewter by DollHerUp on Zibbet

Checking out "Set of 2 embroidered Lighthouse white bath hand towels" on Zibbet's Community:

And my non-Zibbet Tweet of the day retweeted by one of my favorite Vikings players, Brian Robison:
Pro Athletes in fishing by ->

Monday, January 13, 2014

Brand New Monday

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I was able to take a lot of pictures this weekend, so look for new items in my Zibbet shop.

Here are some great new products available at Zibbet today.

Little boy's Monster hat
What little boy doesn't like monsters? Especially as cute as this one? You can find it at Stitches by Megan (http://www.zibbet.com/StitchesbyMegan/artwork?artworkId=1655573). And it is on sale!

Slinky Reversible Smoke & Silver Bracelet
This lovely bracelet is made by Rampion Rampage (http://www.zibbet.com/RampionRampageGifts/artwork?artworkId=2115174) She is currently moving her items to Zibbet, so expect a lot of beautiful new items.Welcome to Zibbet!

Fall Color a Red Maple Leaf Fine Art Photo
Looking for some fine art? Look no further than John Harmon Gallery (http://www.zibbet.com/JohnHarmonGallery/artwork?artworkId=342817) This lovely print will look great on any wall.

That's it for today! Have a great week.

Great Blog Interview

Hey friends:
I'm being featured on this blog today! Check out my interview.

http://www.catswire.blogspot.de/2014/01/interview-with-artist-jen-from-jens.html

Friday, January 10, 2014

Friday's Featured Artisan - hARTSenseDesign

Today's featured artisan is Jelena from hARTSenseDesign (http://www.zibbet.com/hARTSenseDesign). She makes beautiful jewelry in her South Dakota home.

Auburn Red Fascinator - Feather Fascinator - Autumn Fascinator - Leaf and Feather Hairpiece

1. How did you get started on Zibbet?
A. I joined Zibbet in late October 2013, after I decided to close my long running shop (since Spring 2009) on another e-commerce venue due to certain changes at that venue I felt I couldn't support. I heard about Zibbet from other sellers who felt that this site had much to offer in terms of integrity of vision and quality of customer service. For the first couple of months, I only had 1 item in my Zibbet shop, practically serving as a "place holder" while I was getting ready to migrate my other items. I only filled my shop at the end of December, and am currently working on creating a unified branding across the sites I sell on.
Heart Earrings - Lotus Petal Hoop Earrings - Carnelian Earrings - Sterling Silver Earrings

2. I love your jewelry. How did you start making it?
A. By education, I am a textile designer and used to do quite a bit of fine art (mostly acrylics on canvas) and painting on silk wearables. After I moved to an area where I couldn't find anyone to do steam color setting on my silk pieces, and after seeing that the only art supplies shop in town didn't carry much in the way of stretched canvas, I decided to switch to a more "portable" craft. I apprenticed with a local jeweler for a couple of years, and then set out making my wire wrapped, hand knotted and strung pieces. Metal stamping and wire knitting came later, when I wanted to expand my skills.

3. Who are your favorite suppliers?
I love shopping with Rio Grande. Their products are high quality, customer service is excellent, and they have a program where I can send in my precious metal scrap for refining and receive store credit for the value of scrap I sent. Other suppliers I shop occasionally include Nina Designs, a pearl supplier from New Jersey whose family owns a pearl farm in China, and a small gemstone supplier from Israel.


Faux Bangle Bracelet - Sterling Silver Bracelet - Silver Bangle - Size M

4. You have such beautiful pictures. What is your secret?
A. My secret is my husband. He is my photographer. I don't know much about photography, but he does. He even built his own light box to help with photographing my items. Of course, I often do "post-production" on his photos by editing them with the help of photo editing software.

5. Do you take custom orders?
A. I used to do a lot of custom orders in the first 4 years of selling online. Currently, I am not accepting any custom orders because we moved recently, and our house - including the area I use for my studio - is still in quite a bit of disarray as we are finishing interior improvements. Once we are all settled in, I will probably go back to offering my customers an option to order custom pieces.


Amber Headband - Tiara Headband - Wire Wrapped Headband - Ambrosia

6. Do you sell outside of Zibbet? If so, Where?
A. Yes. I have two other shops online. One is on Square Market https://squareup.com/market/hart-sense-design where I offer higher end, mostly one-of-a-kind jewelry and a few wedding hair accessories, and the other one is on Goodsmiths www.goodsmiths.com/hart-sense-design where I sell discounted and discontinued jewelry styles, and am planning to soon add a line of hand knitted accessories. I also sell locally on consignment, and currently have a few bracelets at The Gift Shop @ The Dahl Arts Center here in Rapid City, SD.

7. Any sales coming up?
A. I only have a basic account here on Zibbet, so cannot offer sales or coupons directly through my shop. However, if your readers are interested in one (or more) of my pieces, they can enter code JENSTANGLED in a message to me when they check out, and I will refund them 10% of the purchased item(s) price through PayPal. 


Pink Opal Bracelet - Gemstone Bracelet - Pink Bracelet - Chunky Bracelet - Statement Bracelet

8. Any last words for the reading audience?
A. One thing I have learned after all these years making and selling jewelry online, at craft shows, and on consignment is that the crafter needs to believe in him/herself and his/her product. There will be a lot of mean spirited people and/or detractors one will encounter on this road, but one must not let that deter him/her from following his/her passion. Also, sticking to one's principles in everything one does is important, and it will become even more so in the future because integrity in the business world is rapidly declining.
Last but not least, those who want to know me on a more personal level, including the way I am decorating my new house, the food I cook, and places I visit can follow me on my personal blog at http://hartsd.wordpress.com or they can follow both me and my business on Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/
+HartSD (personal page)
https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/101757742323024625131 (business page)


Thank you so much, Jelena. If you have any questions, or want to see more of hARTSenseDesign, please feel free to stop by her shop!

Monday, January 6, 2014

Brand New Monday

Happy Monday, friends! Hope you all had a great weekend and a good start to the week. Schools in my area were closed due to freezing cold temps, and they will be closed again tomorrow. No dance for 2 days - what's a mom to do?

How about shop for new items?

Crochet Scarf - Multi-color
As a crocheter, I can appreciate the time and love that goes into a scarf like this. Marie does a great job with the different colors. http://www.zibbet.com/MarieHolmanDesigns/artwork?artworkId=1896007

Apple Cinnamon Soy Wax Melt, Soy Wax Tart For Wax Warmers
I love the smell of Apple Cinnamon. Don't know why - I just makes me feel like I'm home. Buy these soy wax melts from Brumalia Candles. http://www.zibbet.com/brumaliacandles/artwork?artworkId=2103889

Happy Saint Patrick's Day Green and White Embossed Card
These handmade cards are to die for! I love Beth's creativity! She also does Valentine's Day cards and Birthday cards. http://www.zibbet.com/BethiesCards/artwork?artworkId=2103061

Set of 2 Fabric and Lace Embellished Flour Sack Towels
I LOVE, and I do mean, LOVE, flour sack towels. They are the easiest to care for, they dry quickly and they dry dishes really well. Not that I would use these to dry dishes. These are just gorgeous! http://www.zibbet.com/DustysLittleSewingRoom/artwork?artworkId=2101571

2 Lighthouse tack pins JJ
Now, I normally don't promote vintage, but in this case, I couldn't resist. Aren't these lighthouse pins just gorgeous?  http://www.zibbet.com/DollHerUp/artwork?artworkId=2104052

Until next time, my friends. Stay warm!

Saturday, January 4, 2014

And the cold sets in

The next couple days will be some of the coldest in MN history. Yesterday, the governor cancelled classes statewide scheduled for Monday. The last time that happened when I was high school (I will refrain from mentioning the year because it will only make me feel older).

So, I hope all my friends stay warm and do not venture outside unless it is an absolute emergency. I will only go to work if my car starts. Which it probably will because I just got a new battery put in. Silly me.

Tomorrow I get to watch my beloved Packers go against the 49ers. Go Pack!

Friday, January 3, 2014

Friday's Featured Artisan - Stitch 1 Stitch 2

Today's featured Zibbet artisan is Brenda at Stitch 1 Stitch 2 (http://www.zibbet.com/stitch1stitch2).  She sells beautiful knit and sewn items in her Zibbet shop. 

Hand Embroidered Hug Me Baby Bib

How did you get started on Zibbet? 

I started on Zibbet about a year ago. Originally I had a shop on Etsy, and sold a few items, but wasn't making enough money to justify all the fees. I liked Zibbet, because I could set up shop and list for free. I recently upgraded to premium seller because I like Zibbet and decided to make the commitment to stay. 


You knit and sew. How do you balance the needs of these different crafting genres?

I go with the flow. Whatever happens to pique my interest at the moment is usually what I end up working on. Currently I'm working more with the sewing machine because I have the time right now to "hide" (as my husband says) in my sewing area, but I also have a few knitting projects in progress that I can work on when we're watching TV or traveling somewhere. 
 Circular Baby Blanket

I have to ask this - how big is your fabric stash and how big is your yarn stash? 

If you were to ask my husband he would tell you they're both out of control. I used to do a lot of sewing for my kids, so I would buy 3 yards of some cute fabric and decide later what to do with it. Often my kids would outgrow the fabric before I could use it, so over the last couple years I've tried to use up what was left and now I try to only buy what I think I'll use; and that being said, I have to admit to buying 25 yards of denim last year because it was cheap and I have a pretty decent stash of bottom-weight fabrics as I've become obsessed with sewing my own pants.

My yarn stash is pretty much the same. I try to only buy what I'm going to use, but sometimes there's that color or texture that just begs me to buy it. I have a good mix of nice yarns and cheap yarns. If I'm designing something or trying a new technique I'll use the cheap yarns to get a feel for it first. My yarn stash isn't quite as big as my fabric stash, I can fit all of my yarns into a large plastic bin, where my fabrics have pretty much taken over my little sewing corner in the basement.

Do you have a favorite fabric or yarn?

As far as fabric goes, anything that's colorful and eye catching. Thinking about my stash, I guess I work a lot with cotton blends or poly-cotton blends. A favorite yarn, if I'm making something for myself I really like Deborah Norville Everyday yarns. I made a sweater for myself out of her yarn a few years ago and it's my favorite sweater.




I love your Make-up/Tablet bag! Where did you find the inspiration for it?

My daughter. She's much more trendy than I am. I run a lot of my fabric choices by her. I found that fabric on eBay and she fell in love with it. I made her a tote bag using a mix of recycled jeans and that fabric; which was a huge hit among her friends and I had just enough left over for the make-up bag.

Do you take custom orders?

I do, but due to the nature of my real job, I'm only able to take custom orders between November and March. My real job has me to busy to even think about crafting the rest of the year.


Do you sell outside of Zibbet? If so, Where?

Right now Zibbet is the only place I sell. However If someone contacted me through Facebook or another venue, I would be willing to work with them.

Any sales coming up?

Not at the moment. I price my items at already affordable prices.

Any last words for the reading audience? 

I love what I do, and I do it mostly as a stress reliever. Although I know I may never make enough money selling my products to support my family, if I can make enough to support my hobby, I'm good with that.

Thank you, Brenda, for taking the time to answer my questions. Best of luck to you!

If you would like to be a featured artisan, please contact me.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Thrifty Thursday

I scour Zibbet for you to find sales on handmade items. Valentine's Day is coming up, so buy now and ensure your gift will arrive before the most romantic day of the year.

Primitive Recipe Box Witches Witch Witchcraft Halloween Folk Art Black Cats Baking Hearth Witch's Kitchen Witch Pagan Wiccan Magic
If your sweetheart loves to brew in the kitchen, this is the perfect gift for her. On sale for $27.00 at Sleepy Hollow Prims (http://www.zibbet.com/SleepyHollowPrims). The entire shop is having a 10% off sale.

Olivine Crystals Rosary Bracelet
This beautiful rosary bracelet is elegant. 25% off at Bell Mountain Jewelry (http://www.zibbet.com/BellMountainJewelry). This shop is also offering free US shipping.

Gift Bags / Snowmen  / Primitive Country Christmas
Looking to start stocking up on holiday wrap for next year? Try a reusable fabric bag. Hugs and Holidays is having a 25% off sale on all holiday products. (http://www.zibbet.com/HugsandHolidays)