Archeress Arts

BLACK FRIDAY SALE 2011

2011-11-22T07:48:00.004-05:00

Perfect for wedding jewelry, renaissance faire jewelry, or for dressing up your holiday gown, the "Jessica 3" choker (AB, rare), shown here can be found in my shop at http://archeress.etsy.com

BLACK FRIDAY IS COMING....

NOVEMBER 25, 2011 - ALL ITEMS IN MY SHOP (NECKLACES, CHOKERS, PAINTED PINS, EARRINGS, ETC) WILL BE MARKED DOWN BY 30%, FROM 4:00AM EST TO 11:00AM EST.

Snowpocalypse, 2011 (aka SnowmyGoodness) SNOW DAY SALE

2011-01-12T09:04:00.003-05:00

Yes, that is my car, with my husband's car behind it. Not a snow sculpture....

Snow has been falling since midnight Eastern time here, and is expected to continue to come down heavy until 3pm, at which point it gradually starts tapering off. We may not see it completely stop until 3am *tomorrow*. The plows have not come to our street yet, either.

So since I am obviously NOT going to work today, and many fellow Connecticut friends are similarly putting their feet up (or digging out, or both), I've decided to throw another SNOW DAY SALE at my shop.

15% off everything. All day long today, January 12, 2011, until midnight, Eastern.

http://archeress.etsy.com

Enjoy, and be safe!

Holiday Rush Sale!

2010-12-18T09:12:00.004-05:00

"Eleanor" Necklace, with matched earrings sold separately, in my Etsy shop.
http://archeress.etsy.com

If you're preparing for a 12th Night event, Christmas ball, or even looking to treat yourself or your sweetheart to a little sparkling something before the rush for the holidays is over, the Holiday Rush sale continues onward in my shop to help clear out some overstock, and save you a pretty penny.

From now until December 21, 2010 (11pm Eastern), all items currently in my shop are listed at 15% off!

Just go to http://archeress.etsy.com, for a look inside... Hair sticks, tudor jewelry, renaissance jewelry, belled anklets (especially useful for tracking those little elves), earrings, painted pins, and more!

Additionally, if you're a returning customer, yes, you can use your preferred customer discount of 10% off any one item, to receive a combined discount of 25% off!
No, really, I'm not kidding. This is my little way of saying "thank you" and giving a little back for the holidays, and also a huge thanks for helping me clean out some excess sparkling inventory.

A Word About Custom Orders:

Custom orders have been rolling in, too, however, at this time, my schedule is solidly booked until the 15th of January, with labor on any custom orders to start as of January 16, 2011. The sale does not apply to custom orders, however, I am willing to extend a 10% discount on custom orders placed now, to be started between January 16 and February 16, 2010. Once the "grace period" expires, so does the 10% discount, so if you see something in my sold items that you'd wanted, but missed out on, please contact me soon for this limited-time offer. Especially if you are planning a large order for a bridal or formal occasion (including proms!).

Thank you all so much, and please keep those photos of each of you wearing my jewelry coming in!

Cyber Monday Sale Week!

2010-11-29T07:32:00.005-05:00

Goldplate over brass / aqua glass stone "Violet" choker, available at my Etsy Shop!
http://archeress.etsy.com

The Holiday Sale continues today, Cyber Monday, and for the rest of the week until Thursday, December 2, 2010, all items in my shop are marked down $3.00 each.

For those shoppers who might be curious, the Preferred Customer discount (10% off any one item on your third visit to my shop) is still valid, and can be combined with each sale going on in my shop, as a little extra "Thank you" for your frequent patronage.

Happy Shopping to All!

BLACK FRIDAY SALE: Painted Pins, Renaissance Jewelry, and More!

2010-11-26T07:57:00.003-05:00

"Violet" choker, emerald green glass and antique gold plating over brass, available now in my Etsy shop!
http://archeress.etsy.com

The sale is on!
Items are already selling in my Etsy shop, at 20% off until 10:00 AM Eastern, and 15% off from 11:00 AM today until midnight Eastern time, Saturday November 27, 2010.

Thank you to each of my wonderful customers and fans for bearing with me through some technical difficulties, and I look forward to tomorrow's trip to the post office to ship your purchases out!

More sale information is in the previous post (I had to cut short the 20% sale due to technical issues with an application, but if you make a purchase between 10:01am EST and 10:59am EST, I will still honor that 20% off sale, and will refund you the 20% via PayPal once payment has cleared).

May you all have a great Black Friday, and Happy Shopping, everyone!

--Beth / Archeress

Black Friday and Holiday Sales are Coming!

2010-11-19T21:18:00.006-05:00

"Rose 3" Rare AB emerald green glass stone choker, available in my Etsy Shop!

That's right. Sales. As in, more than one....

Shoppers visiting my Etsy shop between the hours of 6:00AM Eastern and 10:00AM Eastern on Friday, November 26, 2010, will be treated to 20% OFF EVERYTHING in my shop.
Yes. Everything. Seriously. If it's not in my shop, well... someone else probably got to it first.
So that's

FROM: November 26, 2010 6:00AM Eastern
TO: November 26, 2010 10:00AM Eastern
SALE: 20% Off All Items

Maybe you need a little more time to make your morning coffee before hopping online to take advantage of Black Friday specials on Etsy. Well... not to worry. From 11:00AM Eastern on Friday, November 26, 2010, to 12:00AM on Saturday, November 27, the Black Friday sale resumes, at 15% off everything in my shop.

FROM: November 26, 2010 10:00AM Eastern
TO: November 27, 2010 12:00AM Eastern
SALE: 15% Off All Items

If you have to run out for morning doorbuster specials at the local retail store, or are across on the other side of the world and unable to browse the shop on Friday November 26, have no fear. There will be *another* sale after this!

FROM: November 27, 2010 12:00 AM Eastern
TO: December 2, 2010 11:00 PM Eastern
SALE: $3.00 off all items!

But wait.... There's more!

I will be away on vacation from December 4 through December 11, 2010, but will return on December 12 - in time for one last sale before Christmas. The HOLIDAY RUSH SALE begins on Sunday, December 12, 2010, at 12:00 AM Eastern, and concludes on Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 11:00 PM. Be aware of your payment methods; I would hate to hold up delivery if a payment is not processing through at a reasonable pace, and while I am open to shipping via USPS Express Mail by this point at their rates, I prefer to keep my shipping cheap by sticking to regular USPS First Class Mail, which takes a little longer, but is worth the wait!

So, to sum this one up:

FROM: December 12, 2010 12:00AM Eastern
TO: December 21, 2010 11:00PM Eastern
SALE: 15% Off All Items

Please note - by "all items in my shop" I really do mean "all items in my shop". So if it's not there, and you ask for a custom piece at the discounted price, I am truly sorry, but the sales all apply to existing inventory only. Custom orders may not be available until well after the holidays, depending on your needs and my availability, so please don't be afraid to ask, but I cannot promise custom work before the holidays due to my own personal schedule. Thanks for understanding!

UPCOMING SALES

2010-10-08T08:08:00.003-04:00

Jessica II style choker, available at my Etsy shop!

As Halloween approaches, shopping season has picked up again with the hunt for costume jewelry fitting for fine Halloween costumes and late season faire and SCA garb (it's never too late to shop for 12th Night adornments!)

Here is the October schedule of upcoming sales at my Etsy shop, Archeress Arts (seller i.d. archeress on Etsy):

October 10 - October 17, 2010 -- 10-10-2010 Sale!
All items, 10% off.

October 19, 2010 - 7pm EST until midnight EST - MIDNIGHT MADNESS
$5.00 off all items for just a few hours.

October 24, 25, 26 - HALLOWEEN RUSH
$3.00 off all items, but no guarantee of postal service arriving in time for Halloween (ask me if you need Priority mail or expedited shipping, please!).

AUXILLIARY MAGAZINE FEATURE!

2010-10-06T07:10:00.003-04:00

Last year, I sold a Rose set in silvertone and red to one of my customers, Odette Kuhn.
Today, I cannot thank her enough, for submitting her set to Auxilliary Magazine for a photo shoot by Laura Dark Photography featured on page 7 of the October edition of Auxilliary Magazine.

'Dette - You totally rock! Thank you! :)

http://auxiliarymagazine.com/news/2010/10/octobernovember-2010-issue-out-now/

MIDNIGHT MADNESS!

2010-08-11T07:41:00.004-04:00

Just a reminder - the Midnight Madness sale in my shop is tonight, from 7pm EST to Midnight, EST!

Some of the already on-sale items will be reduced further, only for those few hours, after which, the regular Pennsic Sale will continue until the end of the day this Saturday, August 14, 2010.

http://archeress.etsy.com

Midnight Madness and Team Treasury!

2010-07-24T07:37:00.005-04:00

PENNSIC IS COMING!

There...Now that I have your attention...

By now, several of my friends have hit the phase of what is commonly known as "Pennsic Panic". Last-minute garb to be sewn, camp projects to be completed, and the usual runs to the nearest camping goods store to pick up enough stuff to last for a week of camping with 10,000 friends from across the globe.

This year is the 39th annual Pennsic War, and I'm not going. Which is rather disappointing, but then, after having changed jobs in April, I am saving my pennies for an unpaid vacation in December, and will have the time again in August 2011, for Pennsic 40. So as my friends are enjoying campfires at night, shopping, classes, and martial activities during the day - and more shopping and socializing at night, I'll be hosting a SALE at my shop, for those interested in stopping by to browse some shiny stuff.

While I can't afford to merchant at Pennsic at this time (and would prefer to be participating as well), I am more than happy to host a sale during War Week (August 7 through August 14, 2010) ~ with extra discounts happening at about 7pm EST, August 11th, 2010, until Midnight that evening. During those 5 hours, you'll find a few items in my shop marked down by 15%!
(Sorry, preferred customer discount does not apply during the Midnight Madness part of the sale - but you'll still find some REALLY good prices on select pieces).

So, if your purse strings and wallets are tight, and you're looking for a little swag while everyone's off packing the stalls at Pennsic, please drop in at Mystic Mail, or your nearest laptop or computer, and visit my online shop during that week for a very special sale.

And now, a little team boost....

Here's a team treasury for the SCAEtsy team, featuring some of our work, as well as some work of our fellow Etsians. This treasury takes us all back to renaissance Italy - and the intrigue, splendor, and luxuriousness of the famed di Medici family.

Please go ahead and click on the photo to be transported to our treasury, and click on listings and comment to help keep this particular treasury popular. Thanks!

Earring Sale, and Great Northeastern War

2010-07-05T12:34:00.002-04:00

"Marguerite" earrings, by Beth Regnier at Archeress Arts
http://archeress.etsy.com

Summer is upon us, in all it's blazing hot glory. This weekend, to kick start the month of July, I've reduced the prices of the recent cache of earrings created in advance of the summer selling season for shop stock at the Colchester Tag Sale on the Green, and Great Northeastern War. The earring sale ends tonight, July 5, 2010, but may be picked up again at a later date.

Likewise, I've been busy behind the scenes with a few new things, which will be for sale exclusively first at Great Northeastern War (GNE War) next Saturday, in Hebron, Maine. I'll be there in my canvas tent, rain or shine (hopefully more shine than rain!). If you're looking for an SCA award badge, SCA officer's badge, or just your heraldry, as a piece of painted jewelry, please stop by my shop and take a look at what's on the table.

Last but certainly not least, I will soon returning to full production of my regular line of choker designs, one of my hallmarks since 2004. My shop is always stocked with these and currently has more than a few of them up right now - and has been a source of inspiration for other sellers and imitators since I began working in this style many years ago.

Each piece I create is a work of art, uniquely by my own two hands, right down to the smallest detail. Whenever possible, I use glass, not cheap acrylic/plastic, and charge appropriate pricing for my labor, materials, and shipping. I will stand by the quality of my work, and while these pieces are meant for gentle wearings, if my customers need any additional care on their purchases, I am more than happy to assist to the best of my abilities.

Colchester Tag Sale on the Green 2010 - How it Went

2010-06-16T18:19:00.005-04:00

My booth this year, complete with new table runner banner, new shelving unit, and the suncatcher that wasn't catching any sun... :)

The Annual Colchester Tag Sale on the Green went well this year, with perhaps the exception of the weather. With the constant threat of rain, overcast skies, air laden with humidity, and dark clouds rolling through to the south (in the direction of Norwich, CT), the crowds were a lot less dense than the previous year, when I recall driving past the town green and being unable to see through all the people walking around. There was little that could be done about it, but I was happy for the opportunity to meet new customers and browsers alike from the local area who don't participate in the Society for Creative Anachronism, or otherwise did not find me previously on Etsy.

Overall, I didn't do too great, but I didn't do terribly, either. For me, this was more about the opportunity to showcase with other local businesses, than the actual sales angle. I was truly happy to be there, my neighboring merchants (sundress vendor, the Tai Kwan Do academy, TD Bank, a woodworker, and a small crafts / framing / etching booth) were equally pleasant, and I think I even saw my neighbors walk by at one point.

My other 'fairly there' choker went to a good home, two of the pairs of celtic knot earrings I had made just the night before also sold, and the jewelry certainly stood out in style from 5 other jewelry merchants scattered through the green. Overall, it was a mixed bag of vendors - anything from t-shirt resellers, to local businesses like the gazebo and shed company, to the crafty sign business in another row, and fruit vendors. You can get a good idea of exactly how diversified we were by visiting the Colchester Business Association's website photo gallery of the show, here: http://cbaalbum.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album51

I think the only issue of real concern is the integration of the true tag-sale / garage sale stalls mixing in with the crafting stalls, and the advertisement in the Colchester Bulletin's article aiming this at bargain hunters. I am sure the gazebo business, and many other local merchants, would disagree with this tact, despite the fact that yes, there were bargains to be found among the traditional tag sale / yard sale booths. My jewelry, as with other artisans present, is handmade by myself, with materials that contain glass, metals, semiprecious stones, and crystals - quality that measures up to the price, despite the fact that I am still told my prices are too low. Just the same, I think it may be best to give the artisans present their own showcase, and segregate them into a separate area of the green, mixed with the other local businesses (Tai Kwan Do, Zumba, Cheerleaders, Garden Club, Fruit vendors, etc...) while the customers out looking for strictly tag sale items could find their merchants easily enough.

Or, perhaps the Colchester Business Association could consider hosting another event, i.e., a craft show... The Colchester Historical Society already sponsors one of those, however, the CBA does a good job of representation of its members' businesses... and I may consider joining, after this. Annual memberships are $80.00, I think, and the price includes seminars, and discounts at other members' shops. It bears some looking into.

As for whether or not I'll return for next year remains to be seen - it all depends on the date of the next one, and how my business is doing before that date. I'm fairly certain I'll do tons better at Great Northeastern War in Hebron, Maine, next month. There'll be different and new items offered at that event, plus it's merchant-heavy to the SCA's themes.

I'm looking forward to getting together with a bunch of friends there, including Freya, a friend from far-off Canada, and look forward to seeing several new faces there, too. Here's to hoping for better merchanting ahead, as the summer marches on!

Colchester Tag Sale on the Green!

2010-06-12T21:57:00.002-04:00

Less than 12 hours before the opening of the annual Colchester Tag Sale on the Green - and this will be my first year participating in it as a vendor. I've got a bit of a case of nerves, mostly because I've seen just how *packed* this event gets... and at the same time, I'm pretty excited. The weather forecast has been shifting back and forth between varying types of rain, but I don't much care - the event is HUGE, bigger than the SCA events I've merchanted at.

This whole week has seen me making whatever new jewelry I can, especially tons of new earrings and as many hair sticks as I can make. I have a new tablecloth banner now, thanks to the miracle workings of Suzee at Golden Crossings Embroidery, here in Colchester. I am just floored at the quality of her work, and will be going back to her shop for future embroidery needs, as well as recommending her shop to friends. I am so glad I chose her shop for the banner!

Setup starts at 6:30am, and all vehicles need to be cleared off the green by 8:30am. Since we live a mile from the town green, the only possible issues I forsee with getting to my little plot is possibly in waiting in line at my entry gate, Gate B.

IMPORTANT:
IF YOU PLAN ON COMING.... Parking for visitors will be at the middle school, with shuttle buses running every 15 minutes to and from the green. Vehicles parked for the show at Noel's Supermarket, Colchester Federated Church, Colchester Shopping Plaza, United Auto, or either side of Hayward Ave, Norwich Ave, and Main Street will be patrolled by the police for parking tickets. Seriously, park over at the middle school.

From everything I've been told, this show is one of the oldest running ones in Connecticut. Rain may impact the crowds some (about 1/3 less people from what I've been told), but it doesn't stop attendees from coming in. Plus the local businesses join in on the fun, usually with sidewalk sales lining Main Street near the green. Overall, this is one of the biggest attended events in Colchester, and I really hope everything goes well. Even if the weather is going to be stubborn!

On A Steek!

2010-05-31T19:01:00.007-04:00

As you can see.... I've been keeping myself a bit busy here. These are just some of the hair sticks that will be coming with me to the Colchester Tag Sale on the Green in Colchester, CT in less than 2 weeks. Unfortunately - or fortunately? - none of these are going into my Etsy shop until after the show. So for those of you who would like to call "dibs" on anything in the display here, look for me in stall #178, on the side of the field closest to the auto store and signboard (Main Street and Norwich Ave corner, left side of the center aisle as you face away from Mark's United Auto Parts).

For a few more glimpses at what's in store, as far as hair sticks go....

There's more where these came from. However, I've set a deadline on myself for next weekend to finish everything up by; this will be my first big non-SCA show ever, is usually a crowded one at that, and a tent, a banner, and a few other incidentals need to be purchased as of yet. Plus I'll need my pricing at-hand. I don't doubt next weekend will be spent purely on getting everything tagged, and making sure I have plenty enough bags to go around for purchases.

Wish me luck.... :)

Upcoming Events at Archeress Arts

2010-05-06T20:36:00.004-04:00

Jessica III choker, in warm summer topaz colors, with aurora borealis sheen.
More pieces like this one can be found at my Etsy store!
http://archeress.etsy.com

Welcome back!

We've dried out a bit here, and are now entering that part of late spring when catching a good *dry* day to go out and wrangle the lawnmower, tame the grass, and talk about all those other homeowner yardwork "wish list" projects that usually get put aside... Fortunately, the basement was not a complete loss after early April's flood, but the carpeting in the finished half was completely shot. The comic book collection, at least, survived, and everything downstairs has dried up again, thanks to some proactive round-the-clock pumping and cleaning. We'll be adding the re-sealing of the basement to our to-do list later this summer, as time becomes available again.

Many big changes have happened within the last month, including the search for, finding of, and change to, a new full-time job. Due to the busy pace at the office and corporate rules, there's just no time to login to Etsy to check on convos while I am at work, however, I'm still able to return messages once I am home each day for the evening. Plus, there is at least one post office in less than 2 miles from the office, open at 7:30am EST. Thus far, it's been a breeze to get packages out through there, so there's been no interruption of shipping anyone's orders. :)

Speaking of shipping...

VOLCANO:
As you all are aware, there's a certain volcano over in Iceland making a mess of air travel for Europe. Should you happen to be located overseas and in one of the areas affected by any ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull please be patient with any delays in your orders arriving. My turnarounds from order placement to shipping are pretty quick, but as always, major nature events and weather interruptions are well beyond my abilities to predict or control. Thank you so much for your understanding and patience.

EVENTS:
With previous projects finally accomplished, the shop should be re-stocked again soon. While I am certainly taking custom orders at this time, I am also trying to prep the shop for a major show right here in Colchester, CT, next month. The Colchester Tag Sale on the Green is Sunday, June 13, 2010, out on the town green as you enter the heart of town. It's a pretty big event - shuttles will bring shoppers to the green to help cut down on any traffic issues, and the green gets pretty packed, just from driving by it last year. This will be my first time participating, as a new business here in town, and while I don't know exactly where my booth will be, I will do what I can to make sure the shop sign is visible.

And, in case you're planning on doing some travel to the northern reaches of the US - or are planning on taking a trip down from Canada for a brief summer break... I will also be setting up shop at an SCA event called Great Northeastern War in Hebron, Maine.

The event features plenty of good stuff, from great people dressed in great costume (anyone attending is a participant - no bystanders, show up in pre-1700s wardrobe, and if you need advice on what to wear to this, please feel free to ask me), to fencing, archery, and rattan combat, camping available on site, a pool, an arts and science display, merchants galore lining one road, and of course, a royal court at the close of the day. The campground isn't far from a local convenience store, and the scenery in the area is just breathtaking. My husband and I are both pretty excited to attend this year, as last year was but a brief visit, and we went home that night wishing we had been able to stay for the entire day.

Hope to see a bunch of you at either one of these two great events, and have a wonderful Mother's Day and Memorial Day weekend, to those celebrating either one or both!
Ciao for now!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T09:44:00.004-04:00

One of the new anklets I made just before Mudthaw, still available at my shop! I have a few others in different colors, and yes, they jingle!
http://archeress.etsy.com

To all who celebrate today, Happy Easter, Happy Passover, and Happy Spring!

I have a bunch of customer appreciation photos to post, so please stay tuned. :)

In the interim, I'm happy to report that our basement, after being filled with 2"+ of water from the recent heavy rains (more kept coming in from Tuesday evening into Wednesday evening) is finally pumped out, shop vac'd out, and fanned out. The carpet in the finished portion, however, is a total loss. Yesterday we spent the afternoon ripping it up and tossing it into the backyard, as the basement was getting a particularly nasty smell, and despite using rug cleaner on it, the smell returned not 5 hours later. Rather than risk mold getting into the room, we opted to just pry up the rug and cut it out entirely. Cleanup is going to be expensive, and while we don't know how much if any that our insurance agency will cover, we still fared better than some of our other friends in the same county, and unfortunately, Rhode Island was also the hardest hit by floods this past week.

This is what our basement looked like when we discovered the mess at 7pm on Tuesday night. This whole area was dry at lunchtime that day.

As I was saying about Rhode Island, however, the Warwick shopping mall will need to be torn down; Groton, CT lost a bridge; Pawcatuck, RI and Stonington, CT had to be evacuated... We received a monumental amount of heavy rain in 2 days. About 8.25" fell on Rhode Island alone.
More on the flood coverage can be found here. In addition to my concern for neighbors in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, I'm also considering calling up my cabochon supplier in Providence, RI and another supplier out in western RI - hopefully both have fared well, but it couldn't hurt to make sure.

In the meantime, I hope you are all dry and safe.
Have a good weekend, and travel safely.

Mudthaw 2010 - A shop update

2010-03-22T20:17:00.004-04:00

"Vikki" design pin, $12.00 at my Etsy shop.
http://archeress.etsy.com

Just a few more days to go! This will be the first time I've set up shop at an SCA event since Birka, in 2009, and I'm pretty excited to be out there again among the merchants, taking it easy and spending time with all of my friends, acquaintances, and newcomers. Mudthaw is typically one of the bigger events these days due to its popularity - there are some events that offer "something for everyone", and this is certainly one of those, despite the absence of archery this year due to site limitations.

The merchants are typically pretty squished in the same room as the feast (dinner - seats are available for purchase the day of the event at this point, as the cutoff for reservations was a week or two ago), and although there is no dayboard (lunch) offered, there is one very, very good cook selling cooked food among us merchants. Chef Jaji's Mongolian Wok will certainly be there, and his fare has been posted over in his LiveJournal account. Shameless plug - his food don't suck, he's a licensed and professional caterer, and his prices are very reasonable.

While I am not sure entirely of who else will be there among the group of merchants, the space is first-come, first-served. Game Gnight is usually another attendee, as a local (who has been kind enough to continue to feed our Carcassonne addiction over the years) shop owner, and I know Little1's Leather will also be present.

As for Archeress Arts, I'm still working on affixing these little price tags to everything to help me make sure I can do a proper inventory at year-end. Although unfortunately the barrettes won't be making it (I was not satisfied with this batch, sorry!), I'm still hoofing it here in hopes of getting a few other favorites put together before opening shop at O'myGodIneedmycoffee-thirty in the morning. :)

So... if you'll be in the area of Livingston, NJ this weekend, and know where the Shriner's Hall is - and feel up to the task of wearing something medieval-ish to blend in with the locals, come on over, take a look around, and enjoy the day with us. Just look in the merchant room downstairs, and find the lady with the unusual tiered jewelry tree from koolartoo, and you'll find me.

Hope to see a bunch of you there!

http://www.eastkingdom.org/event-detail.html?eid=1850

Oh, also... please note that the shop will be closed briefly at 10:30am; should you show up and I'm not available to speak, I would be happy to help you shortly afterward, right in time for the lunchtime crowd.

Happy Spring!

2010-03-16T09:05:00.004-04:00

Knotwork earrings, $14.00 at my Etsy shop, just in time for St. Patrick's Day!
http://archeress.etsy.com

What a wild winter it's been, and out here in New England, we're ready to see the weather warm up, which thankfully will start happening this week.

Temperatures are set to hit the low to upper 60's until Sunday, and the forecast for St. Patrick's Day (tomorrow) is supposed to be gorgeous. Add to this that our favorite drive-up hamburger place, Harry's Place, of Colchester, CT (wicked awesome burgers and shakes), is also slated to open tomorrow for the 2010 season, and we're pretty excited to see spring get off to an early start!

So what's new with the shop? A few things....

First off, at the end of this month, I will be bringing the shop with me for in-person sales in the merchant room at Mudthaw 30 in Livingston, NJ, on March 27th, 2010. Any remaining stock from my Etsy shop (aside from bridal whites), plus a few extra goodies, are coming with me.

What sort of extra goodies?

I'm currently in-process on making a bunch of leather barrettes of the narrow bar type, which will be stamped and tooled in basic patterns.

Laurel earrings are coming back! I ran out after a short trial run, and am considering adding a pendant necklace, for those interested in completing their sets.

I also have blank cabochons in the middle of being painted with SCA award badges, however, availability for these is limited and will mostly be available by commission only.

Hair sticks! Assorted dangles will be available, please keep an eye out...

I'm bringing some destash with me as well; if you're looking for acrylic cabochons, and other interesting findings, please stop by my table and I'll point out the collection to you.

Provided that there is cell phone signal at the site, I can also accept credit cards, besides the usual cash and personal check.

Barrettes won't be available in my Etsy shop until after the event, so if you'd like to get your foot in the door, please meet with me at the site, or you could send a friend along (in garb, of course) to pick something up for you.

Have a wonderful remainder of the month, everyone, and I hope to see you back here soon.

One last note...
**Please note that my current production schedule is about to be limited again!
I will be unable to work on new pieces after 3-28-10, so the window for current custom work is closing swiftly. I should be available again on 5-3-10, right in time for summer bridal and renaissance faire season.

There's still plenty of bridal stock available in my Etsy inventory, which will not be traveling with me to Mudthaw, however, package custom orders, such as bridesmaid necklaces or full necklace/earring/circlet sets will be created following May 3rd by custom request.

Thank you so much for your support, and at the end of the month, keep an eye out for our next featured customer, Nikki, with a very special set of Halloween-themed bridal jewelry created not only for her special day, but also made for all of her bridesmaids and flower girls. It'll be a spooky start to spring, and please, yes, absolutely, keep sending me those lovely photos of yourselves wearing my jewelry for more featured customer content!!

See you back here soon!

Bridal Sale, February 2010!

2010-01-31T23:37:00.006-05:00

Love is in the air, and piles of bridal themed jewelry lay in various states of completion on my workdesk! Throughout the month of February, please keep an eye on my shop for new listings and discounted items for my February Bridal Sale. The sale only applies to inventory items (sorry, not available on custom orders!), so please keep an RSS or watch on my shop for new chokers, earrings, and more as they come along.

Similarly, business has been picking up since the turn of the new year. Currently there are 3 customers in the queue, with a wait time of 1-2 weeks. I will only be available to produce custom pieces for a limited amount of time, with my next window of production available after March 7, 2010. Should you need something sooner, or wish to get in the queue, please contact me privately and let me know of any upcoming needs you'd like to plan out in advance, so I can be better prepared to roll on your order as time becomes available.

Birka 2010 has come and gone, and although I did not merchant there this year, I have confirmed a reservation to set up shop at Mudthaw, in New Jersey, late in March 2010. If you wish to place a custom order and pick it up from me there, or would like to swing by and see what items are available (and I'd like to point out that there will be some items specially reserved for _only_ in-person sales at events like this, to feature a few special items!), I will have event information available in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, thanks again for visiting, and I hope to have some more featured customer photos for you all soon.

A Very Awesome Pirate Wedding!

2009-12-09T10:53:00.005-05:00

Special thanks and congratulations to Mollie and Scott on their wedding adventure in Florida! Mollie is this month's featured customer, wearing the Jessica style choker from my shop, and matched earrings... Similar jewelry work can be found at Archeress Arts.

Welcome to a very special edition of my shop blog, in which we travel to the wonders of Florida, and visit the scene of Mollie's wedding, on Halloween, 2009!

Happily, no pirates were harmed during this marriage. ;)

Fun was truly had, by all descriptions provided by the bride, and I'm happy to see that my little shop was mentioned among other fellow Etsians during her treasure hunt, in this article in the December 7th edition of The Offbeat Bride. The reception, held in high seas fashion, was hosted on the 'pirate ship' Pirates Ransom, based out of Clearwater, Florida.

Mollie's order was one of many brides visiting my shop in late August, and I am just thrilled at how spectacular her set coordinated with the rest of her outfit, from boots to corset, to mini tricorn hat (made by Topsy Turvy Design). Her husband's frock coat and tricorn are no less amazing, and truly, Etsy has a trove of handmade artists with a spectacular sense of style and adventure.

Visiting the article in the Offbeat Bride mentioned above was just a glimpse into a single day that will last for a lifetime of memory, and I am honored to have been a small part of such a wonderful assemblage of the perfect piratical fashion, for a truly awesome customer.

Thank you so much, Mollie, and I hope you and Scott share many fine adventures ahead together, with fair weather, swift winds, good health, and fine friends and family. May these holidays find you both in high sprits, and may your New Year be one full of prosperity and joy. :)

P.S. I've asked my husband about us possibly taking a trip to Florida to sail on The Pirates Ransom after Christmas. ;)

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-04T10:54:00.002-05:00

"Jessica" style choker, available at my shop. $39.00, and free shipping until 12.24.09
http://archeress.etsy.com

Hope everyone's having a wonderful holiday / Christmas shopping season so far! The Free First Class shipping sale for holiday shoppers is still ongoing until 12-24-09, and new items such as scarf pins, hairsticks, and a few new chokers have been posted to the shop. My production time has been cut off for now, due to other commitments, but my Etsy shop remains well-stocked with a few favorites, like the Jessica choker above, which works well with those elegant holiday events and balls.

Since I have been meeting up with several new customers so far this shopping season, here are a few tips to help make your shopping experience at my shop go a bit smoother:

1) Make sure your PayPal address is up-to date. This is a big issue, and can easily be avoided, as can the delays involved in holding up shipment to make sure the order is going to the right place.

2) If you need expedited shipping, tell me right away - I can issue an invoice with the updated shipping fees attached so you'll get it sooner. Right now first class shipping is free, but if you ask me for Priority, I'll knock $3.00 off the price of Priority shipping, anywhere, until 12-24-09. No kidding, really!

3) Is this a gift? If yes, I will drop-ship to other locations, and not send the PayPal receipt out with the package - and I'll add a mini note-card with your name inside as the giver, so nobody's left guessing. :)

CUSTOMER PHOTOS:
I am sure there are more ways to make your shopping experience go smoother at my shop - and don't forget, I also accept photos (PG, please!) for my blog here, to showcase customers wearing my work. It's fun, it's free, and featured customers are always welcome here. I love sharing these photos and testimonials with friends, so please feel free to send in some photos of you wearing my stuff!

(Not So) Shameless Plug for Another Etsian:
Lastly, a plug. :) Not for my shop - but certainly for another talented Etsian.
Damsel In This Dress on Etsy. http://damselinthisdress.etsy.com - if you have a thing for corsetry, pirates, wenches, and fantasy costuming... Go. Look. Gawk. I mean it. I bought my first bodice from her on Black Friday, and will be coming back for more. I can't sing her praises enough, so I am passing word along to you guys to check her stuff out for yourselves. :)

Again, thanks for stopping by again, and I hope everyone's having a wonderful yuletide season.

2009 HOLIDAY SALE!

2009-11-03T10:47:00.003-05:00

Archeress Arts is pleased to announce that it is participating in the 2009 IndieSmiles Etsy Black Friday Sale!

The sale begins with FREE WORLDWIDE FIRST CLASS SHIPPING in my Etsy shop from November 27 2009, to November 30, 2009.

FREE FIRST CLASS SHIPPING to the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia is available from November 27 2009, to December 24, 2009.
This part of the sale for both my Etsy shop AND my Artfire shop!

PLEASE NOTE: I won't be doing any custom orders during the sale, so if you'd like something especially made for you, not from inventory, I am available to create new items 11-3-09 and 11-15-09!

Thanks!

Shop Update, 10-26-09

2009-10-26T22:36:00.008-04:00

Photo by my husband, Greg, on September 13th 2009. Wild turkey "surprise" in Colchester, CT - we had a few visitors hop the fence into our backyard, and then back into our neighbor's yard, shown here, to rejoin the flock. There were at least 2 hens, and another 7 poults (juvenile chicks).

Welcome again! Halloween is almost here, and not long after, so too, come the holidays. Life has become increasingly busy these days, with a break coming up, thankfully, before the holiday shopping officially begins.

Starting November 1st, my production schedule will resume for two weeks, for a limited run of custom orders. A small queue has already started to form, and I am accepting orders in advance of my production date.

What else is going on?

First.... the good news.

As of November 16th, 2009, all orders placed within my Etsy and Artfire shops will include delivery confirmation to shipments made within the domestic United States. This will prove especially helpful for those orders placed for holiday shopping!

Also... the FREE FIRST CLASS SHIPPING SALE is coming back!
From November 27th (Black Friday) until December 24th (Christmas Eve), all orders placed to anywhere I ship to will have the shipping fees refunded back to you by PayPal.

Now... the bad news.

November 16th also marks a year since my last price increases.
And sure enough, after reviewing my materials costs, everything has certainly gone up.

To battle the poor economy, I will only be raising prices on certain items, and will still be offering occasional free shipping sales, or bridal sales, going forward. I understand times are hard for all of us, however, as my suppliers raise their fees, so too must I keep up with them, to stay in business for you. All of my discounts offered within my shop policies will still remain in place, however, and there are occasional planned and "whim" sales coming up (free first class shipping for orders over $50.00, and free Priority shipping for orders over $100.00).

Current pricing will remain in effect until the end of the day on Sunday, November 15th.

Planning on getting married this spring, or going to the prom toward the summer? Try getting a custom order in now, before the rush later on in the season, and take advantage of the current prices while they are still here. Come November 16th, the prices go up - and my window of production for custom orders will close, until early February, 2010. So please contact me with an Alchemy request for any custom work you may be interested in, and I'll place you in the queue immediately.

Thank you, and in the meantime, have a wonderful handmade Halloween.
Hope to see a bunch of you back here for November's announcements - no tricks, but there are more treats to come!

It's That Time of the Year Again!

2009-09-16T21:32:00.002-04:00

Special thanks to Nikki, for sharing her wonderful wedding photos! Here she is, wearing the Grainne choker and circlet, from this past spring, 2009.

All of the wedding orders are finally caught up and complete, right in time for the Halloween shopping season! Thank you, ladies, for working with me and being so patient as we picked out designs together. I really hope you and your bridesmaids look fabulous on your wedding day!

The air is starting to get cooler, and the apples on the tree in our backyard are baseball-sized from all of the summer's dousings of rain. Mister Rogers, our neighborhood juvenile red-shouldered hawk, seems to have flown the coop to find a new nest, and in his place, we've been visited recently by a flock of turkeys - 3 of the poults (chicks) even hopped the fence to wander around where we'll eventually be putting our garden.

The baseball season is slowly winding down, too. The Norwich-based Connecticut Defenders are currently in playoffs with the Akron (Ohio) Aeros, down 1 game in the series (soon to be 2, according to the game's audio in the background), and then they're away to Ohio for the rest of the series. Good luck, guys... we'll miss you. If you're not into minor league baseball, the Defenders (formerly the Norwich Navigators, farm team for the San Francisco Giants) play at Dodd Stadium - which was less than 1/4 a mile from where we used to live. They are going to be moving at the end of this season, and there's still no word on which AA team is being brought in to help fill those seats.

But enough about baseball....

Besides crafting commissioned wedding jewelry, I've been slipping a few new items in here and there in my Artfire shop, and my Etsy shop. There's been some inspiration for new jewelry, as you've seen already in the previous post's circlet. Although I'll be taking a brief break to work on another SCA scroll, I will be accepting custom orders for another queue after this, with work slated to start up again on 10-4-09.

Meanwhile... new stuff! Planned for the October shop listings, you'll see....

* Halloween themed belled anklets
* Pins!
* Fall themed hair sticks
* Bodice jewelry
* More circlets

Photos etc. will be coming up soon.

As for upcoming sales..... ;)

All sales from my Artfire shop for the remainder of this month will be offered with Free First Class Shipping. (Shipping fees will be refunded via PayPal). Just mention this blog posting!

Thanks, and I'll see everyone back here soon!

Sale! Celebrating 3 Years on Etsy!

2009-09-04T13:59:00.004-04:00

The above circlet was created as a custom order for one of my recent bridal orders (best wishes, Michelle!). I'm considering creating a special Halloween one and may offer these as a new line in my shop, if there's enough demand!

Because I felt like it, and because it's Labor Day weekend, and, I've been on Etsy for 3 years as of Sunday, September 6th....

Everything in my shops, BOTH Etsy and Artfire, is offered with free first class shipping to wherever I ship to (US, Europe, Canada). This sale begins today, 9-4-09, and ends at 11:00pm EST on Tuesday, 9-8-09.

So that should give everyone plenty of time to go enjoy the last of the summer here in the U.S., and then come back to shop for Halloween, masquerade parties, Fall weddings, and plenty of other fun occasions to wear pretty shiny things at.

Shipping will be refunded by PayPal. As usual, to all my International customers, I only accept PayPal; US customers may pay via PayPal, credit card (via ProPay), personal check, and money order.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone. :)

Twilight Inspired New Moon Hair Sticks!

2009-08-10T06:48:00.003-04:00

http://archeress.artfire.com

Welcome back! Vacation's over, we had a blast out in PA. It was a bit of fun, a lot of volunteering work, and my husband and I both have plenty of new memories, a few new friends, and met with several old friends while out west. We decided to pack up the canvas tent a little early due to a predicted rainstorm approaching overnight Friday into Saturday, and arrived home on Saturday afternoon - plenty of time to finish a project I'd started before the trip to Pennsic.

These hair sticks are *only* available in my Artfire shop. I really think they hit the "ferret button" aka "ooh shiny" factor, just right. Each is decorated with multiple AB and clear austrian crystal bicone beads on strands of silverplate chains, and is topped with a set of unevenly spaced rhinestones (this set is the prototype and is being sold as-is, adhesive visible and all). Adding to that celestial feel are a pair of crystal crescent moon charms, and honestly, if I had a broken piece of red ribbon to affix, I certainly would do so to accentuate which cover design I was after on this one.

I figure these would be great to wear to the opening of New Moon, scheduled to release on 11-20-09 in theaters in the U.S. In the meantime, if these are popular enough, I may consider making more....

This pair is $40.00, and as mentioned, is being sold as-is in my artfire shop above.

Vacation and Custom Orders

2009-07-23T10:50:00.002-04:00

Due to Vacation, my Etsy and Artfire shops will be closed from July 30 - Aug 9, 2009.

I am taking reservations for custom orders, but production will not begin until 8-10-2009.
There is currently a waiting list (see below).
All orders are arranged by urgency, especially w.r.t. wedding dates.
Estimated turnaround time for orders is presently 1 week.

(Brides, please ensure that you give me your wedding date when requesting custom work!)

Where am I going on vacation?
Pennsic: Our tent will be somewhere off to the left in that photo. (Slippery Rock, PA)

(A little more about Pennsic can be found here: http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn38/GENERAL/info.html#FAQ )

I won't be merchanting at this (insurance fees would kill my budget), but I may run an ad or two for my shop in the Pennsic Independent. For those wishing to tag along about the "Pennsic War" online, you can read up at The Pennsic Independent's website. http://www.pennsicindependent.com/

See you back at the shop, after "War"!

Artfire Cross-Promotional Sale!

2009-07-06T20:04:00.004-04:00

It's been a while since I first opened my shop on Artfire, and I'd like to sweeten the incentive for my readers to participate in a spur of the moment sale on my jewelry in BOTH my Artfire and Etsy shops.

What is this sale, you ask?

This is a "Buy 1 in Artfire, Get 1 for 10% off on Etsy" deal.
(Psst. Brides to-be may really want to pay attention here if you want something for yourself, especially if you have no gift for your Maid of Honor yet! Or if you want to go in on a purchase with a friend.... but hey, I don't do this often, so don't miss out!)

The Rules!
Since I have limited stock in my Artfire shop, this sale will either last until all 10 or so of my current inventory there is cleaned out, or until midnight Eastern this Thursday, July 9, 2009 - whichever comes first. This offer is for ONLY current inventory, since I am swamped with projects until mid-August and cannot do custom work until then. (Please help me keep a clean shop, and help me achieve my first Artfire sale!).

Simply put....

Step 1: Shop around my Artfire shop at http://archeress.artfire.com

Step 2: Buy an item, mention this sale in a note to me by indicating "AFSALE" somewhere in your note on Artfire.

Step 3: Login to Etsy, and purchase the other item from my shop at http://archeress.etsy.com, with a note to seller indicating "AFSALE" to get the 10% off refunded to you via PayPal.

Both items need to be purchased to qualify for the 10% off, thanks!
By the way.... Combined purchases of $50.00 or more heading to 1 address also qualify for free first class shipping, just so's you know. :)

Enjoy!

A Touch of Twilight Controversy

2009-06-13T20:42:00.004-04:00

(Above) Kristen, left, wearing the Lucrezia necklace, and Britten Johnson, right, wearing the Jessica necklace. Both wonderful ladies wore my creations to the Twilight Vampire Ball in Georgia this past winter!

A while back (at least 3 months ago or so), I began tagging some items in my shop with the search term "Twilight". Since then, I've met some really wonderful customers, incuding Britten, currently the Featured Customer. You'll see some photos of this lovely lady above and to the right, from when she attended the Twilight Vampire Ball.

Since then, apparently times have a-changed on Etsy.

This evening I received a note from content @ Etsy. Summing it up, I have been asked to remove all tags of "twilight" on my jewelry creations unless they pertain directly to the series, or are directly related to the time of day termed twilight.

I am really disappointed, but I have since removed the tags.
While I don't know who flagged my shop, and will likely never know who or why, I am not willing to risk losing one of the stongest venues for my jewelrycraft over someone else's bad day. Rather, I will continue to include in my item descriptions a simple suggestion that the jewelry would be great to wear to one's next Twilight party or ball.

I really hope to continue seeing fans of Twilight visit my shop. I am still just a noob to the series, and have yet to read the book or see the movie myself, but the thought has crossed my mind to send a gift to Stephanie Meyer or her fan club's president , in appreciation of her work.

In the meantime.... at least Artfire has not treated me this way. My Artfire shop still awaits its first customer, but hopefully that will change in due course.

Thank you, all of you, who appreciate my work - Twilight fans, or just fans of pretty shiny things in general.

If you'd like to continue following my shops, you can find me at:

http://archeress.etsy.com

and

http://archeress.artfire.com

I don't have Twitter, but I do have a FaceBook fan page.
You can find it at the link below.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Colchester-CT/Archeress-Arts/38430232262

Thanks!

UPDATE: 6/13/09, 9:00PM EST
Tim from Etsy's Content Team has given me the go ahead to mention in the description that the necklace would be perfect to wear to Twilight parties.
(I'll still miss out on the advertising angle, but at least the description can point this out to potential customers!)

Home Sweet Home!

2009-06-03T18:40:00.003-04:00

We did it! We're finally moved in... now to get unpacked. ;)

All shops are open and ready to go, considering I marked all the boxes with my inventory and have them in easily accessible places. Right now, I am only selling from stock - I have some partially finished pieces from before the move, however, I'd prefer to move existing inventory before I make new stuff, and am on a bit of a time schedule for other projects as we unpack here.

So... with that, I am offering FREE FIRST CLASS SHIPPING on *all* my items once again, until we're settled in. Please help me keep my new house nice and clean, and purchase a little something for your next event.

(And hopefully, when the new place is set up, I'll be able to provide a shot of my new work area, if you're curious).

Still Moving!

2009-05-06T19:56:00.002-04:00

Howdy everyone!

Things are going well with the move, we're about 70-80% done. The grass is already getting taller at the new house, and we'll be in need of a good mow before we're done moving in, if the weather can just stop being wet for a weekend...

Right now, all the supplies, tools, and inventory are already packed and moved over to the new place, about 20 minutes up the road from here. While I can't make any new pieces right now, I'm willing to go open up some boxes to pull out existing stock, as long as anyone interested has an idea of which colors or styles (design names) they're looking for. A good idea of which designs I usually sell can be found in my Etsy Sold Items link - here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop_sold.php?user_id=82972

First Class Shipping will be free, but again, I'm only selling what items are left in my current inventory right now.

If you are interested in a particular design in a particular color of glass and metal, just shoot me an email at archeress . arts @ gmail . com (without the spaces), how soon you need the necklace(s), the name of the necklace design, and the minimum neck length needed.

Currently, we're aiming for mid-May for finishing up our move, but we may not be fully moved into our new house until late May. All shops, Etsy and Artfire, and the occasional eBay single listings, should be back up sometime in June.

Thanks for your patience, and please keep an eye on this blog for the shop re-opening notice!

Moving Right Along....

2009-04-27T12:15:00.002-04:00

We're still packing and moving, the shops are all still closed (no eBay listings either), and all of my inventory and supplies are packed and moved into our new house. We expect to be fully moved in no later than mid-May, but in the meantime, here's a photo of me in my new duds, from the Coronation of Andreas IV and Gabriella II, Their Majesties of the East Kingdom in the SCA. (Photo courtesy of my husband, from April 11, 2009).

The belt, earrings, and jeweled collar are all my creations. The Spanish Ropa gown, kirtle and hat was made for me by a dear friend, Mistress Bess Darnley, from up in Nova Scotia, and transported down by way of THL Estela du Fraise.
Thanks to both ladies for making this outfit happen, and on time for a wonderful event.

Gearing Up for the Big Move!

2009-04-09T21:06:00.005-04:00

We did it! We're going to closing on our first house on Friday 4-17-09.

My husband and I will be moving just up the road about 20 minutes from here, to a lovely New England town. The house is just about biking distance to the edge of the town green, a farmer's market, coffee, and of course, spitting distance to a comic book store. Must... resist... urge... to restart my collection of Shi, Kabuki, and X-Men comics.... Seriously though, we're going to be pretty tight on the budget for a while as things settle, so I won't be TOO tempted. I might walk in to take a walk around though. ;)

So as things wrap up with the Moving Sale, I can tell you it's been a hit, as has my return to eBay. I won't be posting too many items at a shot (yes I still dislike the policies there, but what can one do), however, it's great to see some old familiar faces in touch with me again, as well as make new friends there.

This weekend sees us off at the Coronation of Andreas IV and Gabriella II, an SCA event in the East Kingdom. There will be a short closing court as Their Majesties Darius IV and Alethea I end their reign, followed by a flurry of activities throughout the day before first court begins. As my husband and I will be on the entourage, our day will be equally busy, attending to Their Majesties to-be, but there will be down time in-between to schmooze with friends and relax.

Additionally, in the previous few weeks, I've been leading a new team on Etsy dedicated to the Society for Creative Anachronism, called SCAEtsy - you can find members' shops through the search term 'scaetsyteam'. Plenty of great historic and historic-inspired stuff, as well as SCA-centric medallions and other goodies. And it's not just a group for shopkeepers, either. Buyers are permitted, provided everyone follows a decent code of conduct / courtesy toward one another.

Right now, though, I am really trying hard to finish up my first jeweled belt for my gown this weekend, sewn by a wonderful friend helping me make sure I am dressed to Their Majesties' whims for First Court on Saturday. Truly, this lady is a MacGuyver with a Sewing Machine and bits of scrap fabric she had available. An Elizabethan gown in a week, an English hood overnight. The photos look amazing, and I will find out if it fits tomorrow night. *fingers crossed*

I'll be sure to post photos of the outfit here later. In the meantime, Happy Easter and Happy Passover to everyone celebrating this weekend, and safe journeys to all. I'll see everyone back here late Sunday night!

HELP ME MOVE SALE!!!

2009-03-18T10:23:00.003-04:00

Welcome!

Spring is finally coming, and you know what that means!
....Besides the fact that I really need to clean out the closets, scrub things, etc. ;)

Weddings, proms, spring dances, SCA events, and soon, faire season!
There's even jewelry for Moms. Don't forget Mother's Day is coming!
And there's plenty of adornments for everyone, at prices that won't break the budget. So go, take a browse through my shops, on Etsy and Artfire, and "heart" your favorites.

I still have my HELP ME MOVE sale going on strong on Etsy, with FREE FIRST CLASS SHIPPING to anywhere I sell to.

There'll even be promos here and there on Artfire and eBay, for anyone looking to keep their shipping costs down.

Speaking of eBay, I am still around, and have had a wonderful 9-10 years of selling there, but business has grown, and times have changed. While I had a great start through eBay, it's just not the same there anymore. I have been very disappointed in all of the changes in eBay's policies in recent years, and still return for the occasional promotion, but have lost faith in their ability to meet both the needs of sellers and buyers alike, particularly in the handmade goods business. There is no end to the copyists there either, which is unfortunate, however, if you've been to my shop before, you know my level of customer service, and you know the quality of my work - and my work ethics.

But if you have never shopped from me before, here's what I can tell you:

I am but one person, not a factory, and you can count on me to hand-assemble and inspect each twist of wire, each link of jewelry, during and after my jewelrymaking. There's nothing factory-made about my items, except for the materials, which I select with care. If I receive defective components, I simply will *not* sell them - they hit my "circular file" and get put out to the curb. Generally I have some patterns that I reproduce on a regular basis, however, occasionally you'll run into something really one-of-a-kind, and while I have worked with large and small orders alike on a regular basis, I don't do wholesale and resale, preferring to keep my customer base close to my heart, where it should be. :)

And yes, if you've been to an SCA event on the East coast of the US, you might have even met me. I can't even begin to tell you how much it thrills me to see my customers, in person or in photos, wearing or using my jewelry and art (hopefully I can introduce a few of them to you soon!). It's fantastic to meet so many wonderful customers, knowing while each piece has it's own story, that history continues with each new owner, travelling either to a Twilight Ball, a wedding, or just pausing in historic recreation groups for a snapshot of an age gone by.... Each story is just as unique as the jewelry's owner, and I would like to thank you all for bringing a little joy into my life over the years, for purchasing the shiny things I enjoy creating on a regular basis.

I hope my creations have brought as much light (or darkness if you prefer!) and wonderment into your life, too.

Thank you all.

Help Me Move!

2009-03-09T16:03:00.002-04:00

Welcome back!

March certainly came in like a lion up in this part of Connecticut, with 14" of snow dropped on us last Monday. Over the weekend, a warm front moved in, and melted all but the last bits of that foot, thawing out just in time to re-freeze this week.

Can we have Spring now? Please?

As mentioned above... We're moving! Hopefully.
My husband and I are in the middle of purchasing our first house, which has passed inspection, and will have plenty more room to set up a studio in than we currently have in our apartment. We'll be staying in Connecticut, but relocating "just up the road", by 20 minutes, if all works out well for us.

So to help me lighten the load a bit, I'm offering a sale on ALL current inventory, starting Monday next week (March 16th), and ending April 10th, or sooner depending on Closing. So get ready, and take advantage of the discounts while you still can, starting next week!

And to sweeten this...
I am going to be introducing wedding packages to the shop this spring. Keep an eye out for discounted packages based on purchase of bride + bridesmaid sets!
These will be for custom orders only, depending on my availability - but don't forget I offer free shipping for ALL purchases of $50.00 or more.

The Turning Point

2009-02-12T19:35:00.002-05:00

And now for something completely different....

Every so often, I enjoy plugging other Etsy artisans' work. That is, I can't tell you how much in particular I love the earring stands made by Ed Roberts, artist and owner of The Turning Point.

Each piece he makes includes a lovely piece of turned wood, highly polished, not only gorgeous, but functional as well. I use his earring stands for my shop when I am on the road for shows, and have at least one for my own use too. Presently, I'm considering buying one as a birthday gift for someone dear to me, and although it's too late for Valentine's Day as a gift at this point - it's not too late to pick one up as a Mother's Day gift, if you're looking to beat the crowds, and want something small and easy to hide.

Ed is a very friendly artisan, and extremely helpful - and his items ship *fast*!

So... Go! Take a look!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6476993

Birka 2009

2009-02-02T10:17:00.001-05:00

Archeress Arts
Originally uploaded by KayleighMcWhyte

And we're back!

Before anything, I want to thank everyone who stopped by my table, whether to schmooze or shop, or make sure I was eating/drinking/stretching periodically. It was a long day, and I don't think I did too bad. Personally, I believe if I am going to return to Birka next year, I will need to offer different items to be more successful, and I hope time is eventually granted for me to add some new things to my inventory.

FEBRUARY SALE:
In the meantime.... in time for Valentine's Day, I am running a SALE.
(Two, actually!)

Once again, Free Shipping for First Class Mail to *anywhere* is being offered at my shop on Etsy. http://archeress.etsy.com from now until February 14th, 2009.

Part 2 of this sale begins on 2-15-09. While free shipping won't be offered after the 14th, I *am* going to reduce the prices on black, red, and otherwise goth-themed items. Keep an eye on my SALE tab in my Etsy shop if you miss out on the first part of the sale. :)

Thanks again, and have a wonderful month!

Gearing Up for Birka, and More!

2009-01-12T18:35:00.004-05:00

Here we go again!

It was a great holiday season for us, and thank you so much to everyone who stopped in at my shop to take advantage of the CT Etsy Team Holiday Sale. Free shipping via First Class and $2.00 off Priority certainly helped to move things along smoothly, and the shop has finally started seeing a steady customer base. It's wonderful to meet so many new people, old friends, and buddies who share similar interests - and I'm more than happy to keep creating new items for eye-candy!

So... It's a New Year, and already, I am working on my first appearance at a con-sized event called Birka, run by the Society for Creative Anachronism. On January 30, 31, and 1, we will be attending this event at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester, NH - the shop will be open at the hotel on Saturday the 31st *only*. As such, I will be temporarily closing my Etsy shop, from 1/29/09 to the evening of 2/1/09.

What sort of event is it?
Glad you asked!
Event details are here: http://www.eastkingdom.org/event-d etail.html?eid=1684
Attendees wear pre-16th Century costume, which rules out the golden age of pirates, but still leaves plenty of other time periods and cultures open, across Europe, Asia, and North Africa, through time. From Roman, to Celt, to Medieval England, France, Germany, and so on... We aren't quite re-enactment, but we try, or just plain have fun. Don't have a costume? Show up, and see the friendly faces at information point about loaner garb!

And if the event is too far... Not to worry.

A sale is coming, in February....

Holiday Team Sale!

2008-11-30T12:35:00.002-05:00

Welcome back!

Now that the wedding is over (phew!), I have been busy as a bee catching up with the production I had to cut back on towards Halloween. That said, the shop has been seeing a bunch of new customers in the past week alone, with the advent of Black Friday and early Christmas or holiday shopping.

SALE!!!
That said, "yule" be glad to know that Archeress Arts is participating in the Connecticut Etsy Team's Holiday Spectacular Sale, from November 28th 2008 to midnight EST on December 24th, 2008. What this means for all my customers is that I am offering FREE First class shipping to anywhere, or a choice of $3.00 off Priority Mail shipments to anywhere. Since Etsy currently has my default shipping method as First Class Mail, I'll need to know if your order requires the Priority upgrade if you wish to take advantage of that part of the sale. Simply convo me with your request, and I'll send out an invoice with the adjusted shipping fees included on it.

What else is new? Oh, plenty...
Here's where I'll be setting up shop this winter:

December 6th - BBM/Bergental Yule
Coming up just next weekend, Archeress Arts is hitting the road again, for the first time since spring. My shop will be open at the Barony Beyond the Mountain / Barony of Bergental Yule event, Saturday December 6th, at the First Congregational Church of West Springfield, in West Springfield, MA. http://www.eastkingdom.org/event-detail.html?eid=1677
Shop hours will be from approx 11:30am to 4pm.

January 30 and 31st - Birka
The shop will also be open at BIRKA, for the first time!
For those unfamiliar with this event, it is a very large SCA indoor event held at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester, NH, similar in size and style to a con. The original focus/theme is Viking, however, the "market" area will show a broad range of historic-inspired items to shop from. Attendees are required to wear garb that reflects pre-16th century cultures, and information point does have loaner garb available upon request.
http://www.eastkingdom.org/event-detail.html?eid=1684
Details on where my shop will be in the merchant area (separate from the rest of the event) are still forthcoming, but I can tell you that the table will be set up on Friday evening, and open for business on Saturday, January 31st, from 9am to 9pm.

Featured Customer!
Last but absolutely not least - a big THANK YOU goes out to Carrie, one of my recent customers who selected the aqua and goldtone Rose necklace/earring set for her wedding this fall. This month's featured photo is of her wearing her finery as a simply stunning renaissance bride!
Lovely photo, Carrie, and may the future be full of warmth and joy for you and your family.
Congrats!

What's new?

2008-09-25T13:15:00.002-04:00

Bunches of stuff. While still plugging away at my wedding reception's fine details, in the final stages, I am just barely holding off the panic as the big day nears.

Meanwhile, I have been poring over the possible places I can and/or will set up shop in-person at in the coming months.

If you want to find my shop's full stock, you will find it at Etsy, at http://archeress.etsy.com.
Come on in, there's TONS of costume jewelry goodness inside, and I have plans for other mediums to play with too! Lots of stuff in the shop in the meantime for Halloween costumes, like the Grainne necklace, featured this month (top right!).

I'm also giving free shipping on eBay a shot - for limited auctions only.

Last of all, I do have one custom order in the queue. Please use Alchemy on Etsy when making requests, so you're ensured a secure purchase that nobody else will pounce on. :)

More stuff is coming. A new workstation is being set up at the apartment, so I am not taking over random bits of furniture.

And, of course, I will keep you all posted on the wedding details. (Yes I am wearing some of my own creations!).

More later... And please keep those photos coming in! I love sharing customer photos (wearing my jewelry creations) with friends here!

Welcome to Fall!

2008-09-18T07:23:00.006-04:00

Funny how it seems like time flies these days... The wedding is coming up in just a couple of months, and plans are finally falling into place. Sales are picking up a little, with the advent of the fall wedding season and of course, the approach of Halloween.

However, with fall also comes hurricane season, and the US was graced with one particularly big one so far - Ike - which left some residents of Galveston, TX homeless, and many others only now receiving power again, while the lights slowly go back on across parts of the state. As with so many others, repairs are costly, and one storm story that came to my ears came from a fellow member of the FAE team (Fantasy Artists of Etsy), Valorie, of Battlemaiden Studios. At some point during the storm, half of the roof on her family's home gave way, leaving her brother and sister's room to an open-sky ceiling. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, but the 4 family members are now taking shelter with her in Valorie's apartment until repairs are made.

To that end, I decided to immediately propose a small fundraiser, called Winds of Hope. Under the tag windsofhope, some of us are selling at least one item with the proceeds to go directly to Valorie and her family, for roof repairs and any other necessities as they push through this hard time together. Above is my contribution, purchased by Upfromtheashes (thank you!). Other members are setting up their items for this, too... It's great being part of a team. :)

Last of all, I am happy to say that in addition to both of my current teams being very active these days (I wish I could go to the Shake and Bake show my friends in the CT Etsy team are having on October 4th!), I am also happy to announce the gradual formation of the SCAEtsy team. Interested? Curious? The thread is here:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5021491

End of Summer, and Upcoming Price increases

2008-08-31T12:33:00.005-04:00

Summer is nearly officially over, and what started with a bang, then lulled, is starting to pick up again. You know what that means.... Halloween shopping season is here again, and thankfully, my wedding envelopes are finally finished! Production on custom orders has already resumed, with two back-to-back custom orders (Thank you, Christine - I hope your daughter's wedding is wonderful, and that the circlets arrive in time!). Thank you as well, to all of you that have allowed me to lend a little extra something special to your special occasions - and I hope to have photos up here soon from some previous functions featuring jewelry from my shop. (Please keep those photos coming, everyone!).

As the air turns cooler, and as the leaves already start illuminating the New England landscape with their best and brightest colors, I am still drawn to the weather reports from outside of Connecticut. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who are in the path of Hurricane Gustav, and it is my hope that all who are affected by severe weather alerts this season can evacuate or find safety swiftly. Currently, I am witholding my annual fall clothing donation, as I await news of where it will be needed the most after Hurricane Gustav is done. Odds are that I will also be doing another line of charity-based jewelry this fall specifically aimed at the purpose of raising funds for such emergencies.

Last of all, it IS the Halloween shopping season, and come the end of this week, prices on some items in my shop will be increasing. If you are planning on purchasing something from my shop, custom or ready-made, you may wish to get orders in before Friday September 5th.

Currenty, there are 3 custom orders in the queue, one almost finished.

At this time, I am taking custom orders until about mid-October, so please keep this in mind too, for your costume accessory needs!

Thank you, and stay tuned for further developments about the shop!

East Kingdom War Camp

2008-07-20T15:35:00.005-04:00

What a weekend....

96 degrees and humid out in the hills of Lehighton, Pennsylvania this weekend, and this year's turnout for the event proved to reflect the gas prices as well. With Pennsic approaching in one week for some (others have already left for the event), it would seem a lot of the further-traveled SCAdians opted to skip this event in favor of saving a few pennies for gas for the long trip to Slippery Rock, PA, not much longer from now.

That said, I thought I would share a couple of shots taken of myself not only wearing some of my own pieces, but of other artisans out on Etsy and at-large as well.

This Irish overdress was commissioned by The Wenches' Wardrobe on Etsy (also found on eBay), who did wonderful work on this piece. The circlet is sterling silver, by Todd Alan Studios - sadly he is no longer selling circlets but you can find similar ones under "wedding tiaras" in his shop. This one was a gift for me from my husband, for my Award of Arms, an SCA award denoting my elevation to becoming a "lady of the court", in the summer of 2000. The bracelet, necklace, and hair sticks (hairsticks not shown, unfortunately), are all my creations, and can be found at Archeress Arts on Etsy or under my seller ID of archeress on eBay.

This past weekend also proved to be "extreme conditions" for wear of my jewelry. Rather than sell the jewelry I have now sweated on and had sunblock wear off onto, I will be replacing the pieces I took out of the collection to wear for display, and will replace them with fresh new identical jewelry pieces.

Overall, these pieces worked great with The Wenches Wardrobe's dress, and I look forward to making more pieces that go with this outfit!

Where does the time go?!?

2008-07-01T22:00:00.002-04:00

June's just flown right out the window, and I am staring at my schedule, looking at a whole bunch of changes and the elusive free weekend.

Due to an unforseen but happy situation, I will not be merchanting at the East Kingdom War Camp in Lehighton, PA on July 19th. Instead, I am going to focus what little spare time I have after that date on building stock for Halloween, in-between wedding reception planning.

Reception planning is coming along well, so far. We have the hall, the handmade Save the Date cards are slowly going out, invitations are on order, and I should have those envelopes here for hand-calligraphing them prior to our vacation.

In case I forgot to mention it, the shop will be CLOSED for the duration of August 2 to August 10. No orders will be processed until the 11th, when normal shipping resumes.

The cutoff date for custom orders before then is fast approaching. I will try to accomodate on a first-come, first-served basis anyone who sees something they want but need it in another color from my shop... However, once 7-7-08 hits, I turn into a pumpkin, and this fairytale of "free time" really has to be put aside for a project due on the 19th.

There will be another cutoff date later on, due to the wedding planning.

D-day is November 8th, 2008 - and that means missing out on one of the CT Etsy Street team's shows. As it is, I have missed a few shows, and feel it may be best to plan for one big "show" in the SCA this winter: Birka. That's not until January.... but that is a realistic goal, provided we don't have any issues with finding a house after the wedding.

The shop is still open during all of this. You're more than welcome to browse around!
But I'm going to have to start turning down custom requests soon, due to this time crunch.

Anklets for Awareness

2008-06-02T10:10:00.002-04:00

This past winter, a friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer. She's not the first friend or family member (she's like a sister to me) whom I have known to have breast cancer or fight it off. My late grandmother had it, a former coworker of mine had it, and now, MaryJo has it. I thought of some way to show my support, not just for her, but for all breast cancer patients and survivors.

What I came up with was a variation on one of the belled anklets I had just started crafting in my Etsy shop. I first came across something similar in college, although, not for a particular cause.

Each anklet is beaded with metallic pink fire polished beads, and dipped pink 6mm glass round beads. 4 sections of silver plated bells hang from each anklet, chiming audibly in light tinkling tones, and at center, a single pink ribbon breast cancer awareness metal charm dangles to display the wearer's support and awareness.

These anklets sell for $17.00 each, with $12.00 of each purchase donated to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer awareness. I am only selling them in my Etsy shop or in-person (I hope to have a few for my booth at East Kingdom War Camp in Lehighton, PA this July).

I will be making these for as long as I have supplies, and the time to do so. (At some point I will need to take a break for vacation, and our wedding reception, etc). So if you see a "temporarily sold out" note on the listing for these in my Etsy shop, please be patient - more may be on its way, as long as I have the time to make them.

So far, I have received a number of orders, and am floored at my friends' generosity and support for MaryJo and others.

I really look forward to listing more in the future, so keep an eye out! 3 are being listed today, 6-2-08 - more to follow, possibly next Sunday, 6-8-08.

What's New at Archeress Arts

2008-05-12T13:04:00.002-04:00

New Shipping Rates, Updated FAQ:
By now, most of you have noticed that the USPS rates have increased as of today, 5-12-08. Some of my shipping rates have changed a little, others have actually lowered for the first item, and sadly, others have increased a bit more noticeably. I continue to hope that my prices for shipping remain low and competitive, and to further explain my shipping fees and policies, I have updated my About Me page on eBay to feature a more explanatory FAQ.

If you have a question that's not featured in that FAQ, and think it should be, please feel free to post here or privately with your suggestions on anything I may have missed.

New Items!
Belled Anklets have been appearing in my Etsy shop lately, attracting both visual and audible attention. These little pieces of wearable art are a great fashion statement, wonderful audible accents for bellydancers and morris dancers alike, and also work as a low-tech lo-jack! (But you might not want to wear these while at study hall or in a library...)

For the discerning rogue, I have also started a line of hat bands. Since each one is custom-made, all interested shoppers should measure the circumerence of their cap for a proper fit. These pieces are easily pinned into place if you don't have your hat pinned up on one side, and can be fitted with charms to match your personality.

SALES:
Summer is approaching quickly, and faire season is winding up! As a little "thank you" to my many repeat customers, beginning this week I will be including 10% off coupons with your second visit to my Etsy shop or eBay listings (not second or more item of the first visit). I also plan on continuing the contests here, and would love to be able to post shots of my clients wearing their "sunday best" with a piece I've made for them. So please, if you have any testimonials or pictures of yourself in garb or costume wearing one of my pieces of jewelry, send 'em in (and please keep it PG, people!).

Where will I be next?
I am planning on merchanting at East Kingdom War Camp for the first time. Further information about the event (when, where, etc) can be found at:
http://www.eastkingdom.org/event-detail.html?eid=1594

For those new to the event, this site features merchants in a shaded grove area, as well as many participatory activities, and camping. There will be plenty to observe, as well, including archery, fencing, fighting, and a royal court at the end of the day, and swimming in the pool on site during daylight hours (no lifeguard on duty, byo swimsuit!).

PLEASE NOTE: I WILL BE AWAY FOR THE DURATION OF THE SECOND WEEK OF PENNSIC IN AUGUST, DATES TO BE POSTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE....

Have a wonderful summer season, everyone, and I hope to hear from you soon!

UPCOMING EVENTS

2008-04-14T10:16:00.002-04:00

Archeress Arts will be appearing at an SCA event in Meriden, CT, on Saturday, 4-19-08.

Please look for me at Balfar's Challenge with many other fine handmade merchants and sellers of fine goods! My tent will be near the archery field, and directions and details on the event may be found at:

http://www.eastkingdom.org/event-detail.html?eid=1505

The weather promises to be fair and dry, and I look forward to seeing many familiar faces and hopefully a few new ones there!

What's New?

2008-03-12T13:56:00.002-04:00

A few things have happened since my last posting here...

On Leap Day, 2-29-08, my fiancee and I were married, after dating for 8 years, and knowing each other for a good 15 years or so. The ceremony was small and wonderful, and we are planning a larger reception party for later on in the fall for extended family and friends.

I also received a wonderful wedding "gift" from Mrs. Karen Norman, of the Auctioneer's Wife blog - an interview!
http://avenuestosold.blogspot.com/2008/02/recent-ebay-fee-changes-send-norwich.html

And I have recently joined FAEetsy - a "street team" dedicated to fantasy-themed arts on Etsy.
You can find out more about the group here:
http://fantasyartofetsy.webng.com/

All in all, things are winding up fairly well as the ides approach. My final scribal projects for the Society for Creative Anachronism are finishing up tonight, leaving me a nice long break until November 1st, to tend to a house hunt, our wedding, and of course, new inventory!

Speaking of the shop...

I will be attending I-CON in SUNY Stony Brook (Long Island, NY) on Saturday, April 5th, although not running a booth there. If you happen to see me walking around (I will post a picture here in advance), I will have a pouch of business cards with me to hand out, and my ad will be in the pocket schedule. Although I am not actively selling at the convention, I would be more than happy to talk about commissions while present. I am really excited about getting some fresh air with my husband, and of course, the opportunity to meet Billy West, the voice talent of Fry in Futurama - and also voice talent for the starring roles in the Ren and Stimpy show.

Other plans are still being cooked up - and hopefully there will be at least one craft show in the works for this spring. If there is, I will announce it here!

Away For The Weekend....

2008-02-27T22:41:00.003-05:00

Please note that Archeress Arts will be closed from Friday, February 29th, to Sunday evening, March 2nd. All orders placed before 7am Eastern on 2-29-08 will be shipped out the same day. All remaining orders placed by Sunday, 3-2-08, will be shipped on Monday, March 3rd. I will be out of town during this time, and will not be able to answer any emails or calls - but will be back to answer questions and package up orders afterward.

In the meantime, stay tuned! March is just around the corner, along with a new monthly contest, the announcement of which necklace prices will be changing, and a little something special from Karen at The Auctioneer's Wife. Her blog is linked in the sidebar, feel free to stop in and pay a visit!

Thank you again for stopping by, and I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

(By the way, the picture above is a card I painted about 3 years ago for a friend. The birds are based on two found in The Sforza Hours, an illuminated manuscript from 1400's Italy.)

New Home, New Payment Method!

2008-02-25T23:16:00.003-05:00

Last week, I did a little research and came across an auction site called eBid.net. For those who aren't familiar with it, this site does not charge listing fees, and is still running a 50% off lifetime seller+ membership for the remainder of February. Seller+ accounts cost $49.99 during the sale, and include free shops, a 2% final value fee, and a setup similar to that of eBay - making integration that much easier.

On a similar note, I am now accepting credit card payments through Google Checkout. No more fees like PayPal has, and easy to use. I am still accepting payments by PayPal, however, Google Checkout has proven itself the simpler and easier of the two, and more cost-effective to everyone all-around.

If you're curious about the new site, I've added a link to the right. Meanwhile, Etsy has been keeping me busy, and I've picked up a few ideas of what to buy there for Mother's Day.

Viva la Revolution!

2008-02-22T11:07:00.002-05:00

It's been a busy week!

Despite the sellers and buyers strike on eBay, I have been researching new places to settle in for my auction services, while increasing my inventory over on Etsy.com. I see fellow competitors from eBay are finding a good home over on Etsy, where the market is just flooded with jewelry artisans of all types - and this is a good thing. Etsy now has a LOT more selection as a result, and the atmosphere is a lot more peaceful and professional there. We are all striving for the promotion of handmade goods, and independent artisans, and Etsy certainly respects our needs and way of life.

While setting sail for new horizons, away from eBay, I may have found a new location for my auction services, as mentioned above. This morning, I signed up (SEVERAL auction sites are hosting membership discounts for eBay refugees this week!), and am working on setting up another new shop on this alternative auction site.

I have been grateful for the support my friends, fellow Etsians, and fellow "FeeBay" refugees have lended me. I especially feel bad for those fellow sellers who had relied on eBay as a primary source of income, and goodness knows, I had relied on it too to help pad the cost of my upcoming wedding. But these things are not etched in stone, and thankfully there are other options worth checking out.

eBay's loss is another auction site's gain, so it's going to take a bit of exploration, and a lot more promotion, to help bring these other auction sites into the limelite that eBay has held for many years.

Thank you all so much for hanging in there with me, and thanks for being patient as I test the waters of a new place to explore and set up shop!

eBay's New Policies, Upcoming Price Increases, & Sales

2008-02-12T11:24:00.001-05:00

By now most of you have heard about eBay's new policies, which will go into effect on February 20th.
Lower insertion fees for sellers, free gallery... with the fine print spelling out that sellers will also be subject to a 3.5% Final Value Fee increase across the board. With the structured system set up as it currently is, despite the savings eBay is currently lauding, there will still be more fees on top of their existing fee structure, and many sellers, myself included, are forced to take a good hard look at how we sell on eBay.

I cannot help but sympathize with those who have already looked at other auction sites and moved away, but eBay has been a part of my business for many many years. Although I will not be disappearing from eBay entirely, I plan on updating my pricing schedule on March 2nd, and will limit the total number of auctions I list on eBay in a month. As a small seller, this may be but a drop in the bucket, but with the opportunity to sell in the flat-fee structured artisan market that is Etsy, there is yet some balance to be found.

So what does this mean for my customers?

Simple. Although I am keeping a closer eye on the number of eBay auctions I have in a month, I am increasing the number of items in my shop inventory on Etsy. This is a benefit - items are ready made, and can easily be stocked so that there is no fighting with other buyers over my items. Of course there will still be the issue of squeezing in time in my schedule, as before, for commission work, but this is still a boon to buyers looking for something right away at a flat price.

Further combatting the rising costs of eBay, my blog here will feature a contest each month, for one customer to receive a discount that can be applied to a purchase in either my Etsy shop or on my eBay listings. There will also be occasional sales, and yes those contest winnings can be combined with sales.

Last of all, shipping costs will continue to be kept as low as possible. Free first class shipping is still offered for purchases of $50.00 or more, and even though there will still be some things I cannot control, like the rising cost of plating on my metal parts, I can at least provide sufficient notification in advance to my customers of upcoming price increases, postal hikes, sales, and other items that may be of assistance in keeping costs down for all of us.

eBay's new policies are a minor setback, but rest assured, I can and will work around this, and hope you will be there with me as 2008 opens up to a year of promise.

Featured Items, Testimonials, and a Contest!

2008-02-11T21:45:00.000-05:00

Welcome back. By now you have noticed a few additions to the site - a featured item, a schedule of events, and a few tweaks here and there.

Featured Item:
Each month, you will see an image of a featured item on this page, for a featured holiday or activity. These items may be limited runs for only a certain time of the year, or may be rare due to materials availability. I would like to take this one step further, however, and need your help....

Customer Testimonials:
I would love to hear from you! Although my business is small, it really makes my day to know that I have made someone else's day special. Please pay it forward, and write to me with any positive commentary you may have. Spread the word!

CONTEST! - The Color of Love
Red is the color of love and passion, and is more than just a Valentine's Day theme. Send me a picture of you wearing something red of mine that you have purchased (please keep it PG!), with a maximum size of 700 pixels in any direction, and I will select a winner on March 2, 2008. The winning photo will be published here in this blog (reduced to fit), with a gift certificate of 10% off any purchase in my Etsy store.

Good luck!

Welcome!

2008-02-11T11:19:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my shop blog!

Some years ago, what began with a few sales of beanie babies on eBay has since grown into a hobby that is a business, and a business that is a hobby. It's been a pleasure working with many customers over the years, and although I believe my eBay business will be shrinking a little in the coming years (more about that later) due to recent policy changes there, I have been enjoying my new home in the artisan community that is Etsy, and have treasured the support of friends, fans, and family alike since picking this up.

As life tends to get a bit hectic at times, I may not be able to post here on a frequent basis. I will, however, continue to post updates as I can, about policy updates, new styles, new products, and whatever else may come up. I am open to ideas, and commissions, depending on material availability and time, and would love to hear any constructive input you may have as well.

Thank you again, and as things get rolling here, I will keep you all posted, so to speak. :)