Thursday, November 22, 2012

Pumpkin Whipped Cream Recipe... you don't even really need to eat it with pie it's so good!


Ingredients:

1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
dash of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. vanilla


In a chilled bowl, beat the cream until stiff peaks begin to form. Add in remaining ingredients & mix thoroughly.

I swear this is so good...it tastes like pumpkin pie!

To reduce calories, you can substitute splenda for the sugar.



Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Christmas & winter holiday resin glitter jewelry at isewcute on etsy!

Hello all! It's that time of year again! I've been crafting up some of my classic sparkly resin snowflake rings as well as many brand new one of a kind winter & holiday themed resin pendant necklaces & sparkly statement rings with glitter, santas, deer, & snowmen!
This is my original big snowflake dome ring...back again for another season...available in the shop now!
This is a brand new funky mod sparkly 'snowflake' ring in winter white! It sparkles just like sunlight on snow! I had so much fun crafting this whimsical resin ring!

I will be listing a few one of a kind novelty big statement pendant necklaces in the shop over the next 2 weeks! Check out my Christmas & winter holiday section to see whats in store! I have Santas & elves like this one available now at isewcute.

If you know a girl who made Santa's 'nice' list, she deserves something fun & sparkly from http://www.isewcute.etsy.com

I've crafted some new dome rings which are like Christmas ornaments for your fingers!
This one makes me think of a shiny brite ornament! It has those classic cool Christmas colors swirling around inside!
This christmas crimson red glitter dome ring is perfect for children aged 5 & up... or for more delicate hands. This ring fits both my 6 year old daughter & me.

This lovely mini glitter heart would look lovely all year long...not only for the holidays...even though it's that festive & sparkly!
Twinkly red glitter heart ring available now!

This sweet little friendly deer winter necklace will make it's debut in the shop next week!

I've handcast some new resin glitter holiday pendants in this sweet small heart size... for those who like a little sparkle, but not big gaudy baubles. (you know if it sparkles, I love it all no matter how big or small!)
This sweet Santa pendant necklace would look so lovely on a girl wearing her holiday dress, as well as being paired with jeans & worn to school! Coming soon!
Snowflake necklace coming soon!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Too Cute for Words! Grab Life as it Happens!


This kind of cuteness I just couldn't keep to myself! I've been working on etsy stuff when my daughter walked in all dressed up like Alice & I asked if she would mind sitting on the couch for a photo with our bunny.

This could be my Christmas card this year!

If I hadn't been spontaneous, the moment would have escaped us, and after many years of photographing children now, I realize you've got to jump at the opportunity & not let the moment pass.

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Etsy Success: Merch Trends for the Holidays Interview with Emily Bidwell Highlights

I've been working on getting the shop holiday ready & wanted to share with y'all the notes I took while watching the online lab video from etsy merchandising strategies for the holidays with Emily Bidwell...in case you missed it. I'm finding it very helpful to have written them out, since I have the attention span of about a minute & a half. ;)
This is how I interpreted the video, so please forgive me if I may have forgotten something.
You may watch the video here for yourself: http://www.etsy.com/community/online-labs under the etsy success video library.

Review your tags & titles to reflect what is going on with etsy's merchandising report.
Maybe redo photography to be more holiday friendly... this works well especially if you'll be selling the same items next year, however may be time consuming if you sell many ooak items.

The press is looking for holiday product 6 months in advance...so they're looking for holiday items in May June & July (doesn't help me now, but the press keeps coming to etsy looking for last minute features too...so it's never too late to be featured in a blog or for things like 'great gifts under $50' )
Shoppers are really getting into looking for holiday decor, gifts, & items for entertaining now.

Q: Is it beneficial to change your tags to Christmas/holiday etc...or does that get lost in the shuffle?
A: I think it gets lost... I'm usually looking for something specific like a vase or a certain style.

Q: What is the secret for getting on the front page of etsy?
A: Think about really great photography...to appeal to treasury makers, people who are shopping, & people who add to their favorites. Think about your product & also curate beautiful & relevant to the season treasuries as well.

Q: White backgrounds best for being featured?
A: White background can be beneficial if it is well photographed...& be featured by etsy & by bloggers, but also think about fashion magazines & how things are featured... editors picks (white background) vs. editorials...Ex. photos of models wearing a dress in a field with wildflowers. Balance is important in etsy finds emails to show shoppers items in different & interesting ways. Think about which way supports your product. If you sell clothing, the editorial way may be the way to go & if you sell a smaller product, a white background may make it pop more. It gives your shop a clean cohesive look as well.

Q: Watermarks good or bad?
A: Watermarks are recommended as a way of protecting your work... but in terms of getting featured in the different curated areas of etsy, it is difficult to use a photo with a watermark across the entire page...because it breaks the image & etsy is looking for really clear photography.
You can maybe have the first thumbnail image not have a watermark, or sometimes if the watermark is smaller & in a corner or around the edge etsy can still use it.

Q: Biggest tips for getting noticed or featured?
A: Good photography...tag correctly in ways that are relevant to the ways a shopper would think.
Get away from the literal aspect of what you make from an artisan/seller point of view... & think about the style. Think like a shopper would.
Get a friend to try to find your items from the home page & see what words they type in... in association with your creations. Think style, shape, & color. Shoppers may not search by specific materials that only the artisan would be familiar with.

Join an etsy team & get team members to help & support.

Q: What else is etsy looking for besides good photographs to be featured?
A: It's the science of merchandising... we're looking at top search terms, what people are clicking on, observing shopping behavior... so etsy is making an effort to feature things that support those numbers.

Holiday Shopping for a Cat Lover? Here are Some Gift Ideas!

If your hunting high & low for something cute to give a cat lover this holiday season, I may have handcrafted just the thing you're looking for at www.isewcute.etsy.com
To find all the ready made kitty-specific items that I have done, check out this shop search. There are rings & necklaces available in a variety of colors, shapes, & styles ready to ship by the next business day!
I can do custom kitty portrait jewelry in any of the shapes in my shop as well as jewelry made from your family photos, or child's artwork! All I need is a high resolution photo & a few days to create your personal treasure! What would be more special to someone than a custom pet portrait piece? Those are the orders I love to work on the most because I know they'll truly be loved by the person who receives it.
These types of items take a little longer to ship for the crafting time involved...usually a few days - up to a week depending on how fast the resin sets up, but they are well worth the wait!

Best thing to do is get your order in early so there is plenty of time for it to reach you before the holiday. If you don't have to rush for the holidays, feel free to contact me any time at all about a custom order! I do several throughout the year for birthdays, anniversaries, as well as pet memorial pieces. That way you can keep your pet & children close to your heart always.


Stay Sparkly!

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Artisan Spotlight wayneswoodworking on etsy

With over 40 years experience in working with wood, artistan Wayne Hall may have just the thing you're looking for in sturdy traditional modern handcrafted wood items. wayneswoodworking.etsy.com offers a variety of products including benches, tables, cutting boards, shelves, and cabinets.

You may ask why not go to a big brand name store for your furniture needs? A few great reasons are that it feels good to support an independent designer such as Wayne, who takes great pride in his work. His items are built to last with attention to detail. They have modern flair as well as rustic farmhouse charm...so they would appeal to a variety of tastes in home decor. His pieces are custom made & you as a buyer, have the option of changing out the color & even the opportunity to work with him in creating your very own unique piece.

If you like any of the items below, then click on the links to be directed to the items in Wayne's shop. If they have sold, then don't hesitate to contact him. That's the beauty of buying handmade itmes like this... you get to work directly with the craftsman.

My personal favorite is this little red bench! Our house is crowded with furniture already, but this is the kind of thing I could find a spot for.


This is a classic... farmhouse style tables have always appealed to me. They just make me feel right at home & as Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, there's no place like home!


This is a table where modern & rustic come together in such a beautiful way! It's functional art for your home.


The perfect holiday hostess gift? Yes! I think so!


My little kids would love sitting at this table, having tea parties & drawing. It would make a great additional table for Thanksgiving dinner this year. Who doesn't remember sitting at 'the kids' table? If you don't have children, it would make a great end table.


This is just the thing a family needs this winter when coming in from playing in the snow. You would have a place to sit & kick off your snowy boots & then be able to store them underneath! Wayne can make this bench in a variety of colors to match your decor.

This would make a lovely bookshelf or display unit!


This is another gorgeous coffee table where modern & rustic come together in such a beautiful way! Isn't the color & woodgrain beautiful?


I hope you've enjoyed this feature & take the time to browse www.wayneswoodworking.etsy.com Happy shopping!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Some days I just have to draw!

Got up this morning inspired to push a pen around on some paper & once I started, I didn't stop & even imported it into my computer for a wild splash of rainbow colors. I was inspired by my new friend Manda over at: www.youtube.com/Manda31409
She does cute fashion & accessories blogging & I'm working on a special birthday present for her! Can't wait to reveal it!

Stay sparkly!