simplyraevyn.com

Well it has been awhile since I have written in my blog about anything other than Etsy, and I think it is time.

I have been keeping myself very busy. I am really loving making cards. I love picking out patterned paper, and being able to play with colors. I have also been getting some custom requests from people for their events, which is very exciting to me! So I am getting a lot deeper into making cards than I ever thought I would. But it’s great. It also lets me be distracted from manically making earrings and things. However, it is difficult for me to keep up with all three of my shops at times. I have been able to establish sort of a rhythm though. The down side is it keeps me busy pretty much 24/7. I don’t let myself relax, and I think I am starting to get stressed out.

I am not sure if my mood lately is a bipolar thing or a stress thing. But I think it is a combo of both. I am snapping pretty easy lately. A quick example: The other day I stubbed my toe on a mostly empty laundry basket, so I picked up the basket and threw it against the back of our closet. Now don’t get me wrong, snapping is not a new thing to me. I have had an anger/rage issue for as long as I can remember. I just have not had a big problem with it in awhile. I really hate it, it makes me feel so out of control. I also worry if it will change the way my fiance looks at me. He is an amazing man, and he has been so accepting and supportive of me since the day we met. But I still worry. I am not worried I will hurt anyone, my family and friends are not in danger. As a matter of fact the person I tend to hurt is me. I just am so afraid of how it makes me look to others. And I am so sick of apologizing about it.

In high school I would punch brick walls, and I remember one event when I was meeting with my guidance counselor that I picked up a chair and threw it. Now I do not do these things to intimidate people. I think that the fact that I do these things just as often, if not more so, when I am alone then when I am with other people is proof of that. I just get filled with such anger, that I have to do something. When I punched walls I would look for the brick walls instead of the “softer” plaster walls. I am not writing this to say I am afraid I will start doing small things to hurt myself. I have no urge to punch a wall or anything like that. I just hate feeling such anger inside, and it is usually for no reason at all!

I am also crying a lot these days. I don’t just sit on the couch and cry. But I cry over just about every show or movie we watch. Once again, it annoys me because it just makes me feel so out of control. It is weird, because I really like where I am. I love being here in Texas, I love being with Paul, and I am very proud of the progress I have made with my Etsy shops. But I still have all of this inner turmoil. I know, that sounds so totally emo. But I really don’t know how else to explain it.

I think what I just need to do is get back to my shrink. I am having a really hard time making myself leave the house, and appointments almost worsen that because all I do is think about the fact that I have to leave from the time I make the appointment, until the time I go. But I really just need to buck up and do it. And I need to get myself on a medicine regime. Well not get myself, but work with my shrink to figure out what will be the best path. I am 32 now, and this is really not cute anymore.

Anyway, those are thing things going on in my head the past few days. Like I said, things are good. I am just going crazy :p But I love where I am, I love Paul, and I love the business I am trying to build. So I know I can make this better, I just need to take the steps to do it!

Well thank you for reading my ramblings Talk to you soon!
:w

Tags: anger, anxiety, beading, bipolar, crying, etsy, handmade, jewelry, Life, mood swings, Raevyn, rage

This St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th, will kick off the
1st Annual Search for the Shamrock Challenge
and Prize Package Drawing.

Please stay tuned for prize pack #2 photo.

The prize packages are comprised of items donated by participating shops from the
?¸.·´The Dedicated Beaders & Jewelry Makers BNR?¸.·´.

Challenge Rules

The challenge rules are simple.
Please read to the bottom as there are details for Additional entry opportunities there.

1) Search the following shops for the shamrock photo. Each shop has one (1) shamrock listing. It can be found in “any” photo in “any” listing.

AllThatGlass.etsy.com
CreativeSpirit.etsy.com
CreativeSpiritToo.etsy.com
DesignGal.etsy.com
DsignsByMelissa.etsy.com
Gallagj.Etsy.Com
GlassDezignz.etsy.com
PeculiarParchment.etsy.com
PimpMyPaperDesigns.etsy.com
Raevyn77.etsy.com
RhisBitsAndBeads.etsy.com
SimplyRaevyn.etsy.com
SlidingAlong.etsy.com
Yndigo1.etsy.com

2) Jot down the listing ID number when you find each photo with the shamrocks.. Remember, it can be in any photo in any listing. The listing ID number is found at the end of the url in your broswer. Tip: open the listings!

3) Once you find a shamrock in every shop, submit your entry HERE. Please note that e-mail addresses will be used only to contact the winners and will not be shared or used for any other purpose.

INCREASE YOUR ODDS
Make a purchase from any of the participating shops above and get ADDITIONAL ENTRIES. Each item purchased = one entry.

Challenge Entries will be accepted beginning March 17th through midnight EST on Tuesday, March 24th. Two lucky challenge winners will chosen by random number generator and announced here on March 25th.

Have fun and good luck!

Tags: beading, contest, etsy, giveaway, handmade, irish, prize, scavenger hunt, St. Paddy's Day, St. Patrick's Day, St. Patty's Day

I know I am a few days late posting this month’s contest. I got busy, and then I got sick But here I am! And I am hoping to make up for it with this great contest!

February is a great month! Along with so many other things, it is also my birthday month. So I decided to make this a big contest, with 3 prizes.

Prizes:
3rd Place - $10 gift certificate, good in any of my 3 shops
2nd Place - $15 gift certificate, good in any of my 3 shops
1st Place - $25 gift certificate, good in any of my 3 shops

Ways to enter:
Entering is simple, and I will give you a chance for multiple entries.
1. Get 1 entry by leaving a comment here telling us what your favorite Etsy shop is, and why!
2. Get 1 entry for signing up for my mailing list. I do not use this list to spam, and I will not give your email address to anyone else. I use my mailing address to announce special sales, and I may eventually do a monthly newsletter. This is the address: http://www.simplyraevyn.com/index.html#contact
3. Get 1 entry for posting the link to your favorite “February related” item on Etsy. This can be any item that relates to February in your mind! Valentine’s Day, Black History Month, President’s Day, winter…or whatever! Show us those items!

Okay so there you have it. You can get up to three entries. All entries must be received my Febraury 28th at midnight (est). On March 1st I will put all entries into a hat and my fiance will draw three winners; 1st place, 2nd place and 3rd place. Game on!

Tags: beading, blog, contest, etsy, febraury, gift certificate, giveaway, handmade, jewelry

Today’s featured artist is another amazing Etsyian that I have met while socializing on the threads. Wimsy and I are often following each other posting new items. She is the only person I know that seems to post new items as often as I do. And her items are simply beautiful! She has two shops: wimsy and wimsywillow

Wimsy recently took the time to answer some questions for me.

How long have you been creating jewelry?
I have been creating jewelry for about 4 years.
What is your favorite material to create with?
I have lots of favorite materials. Gemstones,lampwork beads,polymer clay,swarovski crystals, pearls. It seems like my favorites change and kind of go in a circle
How long have you been on Etsy? Is Etsy a hobby for you, or a business you are trying to a business?
I have been on etsy since March 2007 but didn’t start selling until March 2008.
Etsy is a hobby for me. I work full time and would like to devote more time to etsy but it is the fun and the great people that keep me on etsy.
What is your favorite word?
My favorite word is “Jamie” (my daughter)
Do you shop on Etsy? If you do, what sort of things do you look at?
I shop on etsy all the time. Probably more than I should but I just love the bead sellers, the card makers, the bead makers, the artists and the jewelry makers. My purchases aren’t limited to those catagories because I love almost everything on etsy.
Cats or dogs?
I love cats and dogs equally.
Do you have any advise for a jeweler looking to start selling on Etsy?
My advice to a new jewelry seller on etsy to to keep your prices and shipping costs reasonable and promote in threads, treasuries and outside of etsy with business cards. I have a custom made etsy sticker in the back window of my car.
What are you working on now?
Right now I am in love with copper and lampwork and polymer clay beads so have been making a lot of bracelets and earrings.
What inspires you most?
The beauty of beads inspires me. I can look at gemstones, lampwork, polymer clay and see such beauty that it inspires me to combine them with stones that compliment them and end in a pretty creation.
What is your favorite all time piece? If you have a link to the picture for it, please include it.
This is my favorite item. I have it listed in my sister shop wimsywillow. Kyanite is my favorite stone.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14216833

Stop in and see wimsy. She has really beautiful pieces, are her prices are so reasonable! She also happens to be very personable and easy to talk to.

Tags: beading, beads, bracelet, crystal, earring, earrings, etsy, glass, handmade, necklace, sets, wimsy, wimsywillow

In the world of Etsy, there is no shortage of jewelry. As a seller of jewelry myself, I am very aware of the huge selection. But some people stand out above the others, and today’s featured seller is one of these people. Gallagj’s shop is beautiful. The shop owner, Jo, is someone that I have come to know, respect and love. She is very talented. Her shop holds her gorgeous creations. She also has a great selection of destash, which I love to get my hands on Jo has quickly become an expert on keeping her customers happy. Recently, she took the time to answer a few questions for me.

1. When did you start creating jewelry?
I started creating jewelry at the beginning of this year. I love being creative. I tried out a jewelry kit and I was hooked. Of all the crafts I’ve ever done, this has been my passion.
2. How did you find Etsy, and when did you start selling there?
I found Etsy during a search on the Internet for supplies. I signed up immediately and was a buyer here for a couple of months and decided to set up shop in July of this year.
3. What influences you to make a certain piece?
Hard question. I think I just find a certain bead or slide that I really like and create around it.
4. What are your favorite materials to work with?
I love working with slides, crystals, and gemstones. They are so pretty that they get my creative juices flowing.
5. Do you have one “all time” favorite piece?
Yes, but it was sold last month. My favorite piece was the Golden Sunset Necklace. It just seemed to scream this is ME!

6. Any advice for someone that wants to start selling the jewelry that they make?
One thing I guess is to not always follow the guidelines of what you yourself would wear. You have to target all ages and kinds of people.

Tags: beading, bracelets, earrings, etsy, gallagj, gemstones, glass beads, handmade, jewelry, necklaces, sets, slides

Well it is time to get serious. I have some plans for this blog, and I will be working on it a lot this week. For starters, I will be adding the blog links to my fellow members of Etsy. They are listed on the side under blogroll. If you are a member of etsy and you have a blog, let me know about it! I would love to exchange links.

I am also working on some contest ideas, and I am writing some featured Etsy artist articles to post. I love the Etsy community, and I want to help my fellow Etsyians Hopefully I can do that with this blog.

So let’s see, what else is going on with me. Well I have been pretty manic for a few weeks now. Not sleeping much, antsy as hell, and some weird panic attacks. I am trying to make it productive right now though. I am trying to thoroughly clean the house. That includes getting rid of a lot of things. I am quite a pack rat, and it is very hard to break that. But when I am like this I find it a little easier. So I started bagging things up and we are going to bring them to Goodwill and the Salvation Army. We brought one load of things today. We have a small apartment and Paul’s mom is living with us. So space is at a premium. Especially with my beading and card making projects spread all over the place. So today I started going through our closet and I am going to keep going until everything has been gone through.

I am also getting ready for Christmas. I love Christmas! I love the lights and the songs and of course the silly Christmas specials on T.V. Like Frosty, The Grinch, etc. I have a lot of wrapping to do since I have decided to spoil my two best friends. They are both having a rough year and they need some spoiling. I found some amazing etsyians that would trade with me, and I was able to get a ton of things for Tanya and Jennifer. I can’t wait until they get to open everything. I am getting all of their gifts wrapped and packed up. Then on Wednesday I am gonna ship them Priority Mail. I also got a lot of things for my little sister, Sara. She is my angel. I miss her a lot. I was really hoping that we would be able to make it to Vermont for Christmas to see my family. But it really isn’t the best choice for us right now financially. So we are going to try to get up there in February for my birthday.

This was my first Christmas season selling my jewelry. It went pretty well, I had quite a few sales. However, I wasn’t ready. Next season I am going to make sure to be a lot more stocked up with things like brick stitch, necklaces, sets and bracelets. Those were all huge sellers and I think if I had more in my inventory, I would have sold more. So this was a good learning experience. I also donated 10% of my sales to the Salvation Army and I have to admit that that has made me feel pretty good

Whew I babbled much more than I thought I would! Guess that means I should blog more often. I am gonna try to go and get some sleep now. But I will be back tomorrow! I have so much planned, I can’t wait to get started!

:w

Tags: beading, Christmas, contest, etsy, featured artists, Goodwill, handmade, jewelry, link exchange, Salvation Army

At first glance it may look like I have chosen two different artists for this weeks feature, but that is not entirely true. It is two different Etsy shops. But they are both run and stocked by one fabulous Etsyian. Her name is Chris, and she is one of the first people on Etsy that I developed a friendship with. As far as being a member of the Etsy community, she is very active and in my opinion very important! She reaches out to new users, and somehow pulls them out of that shell that they may be hiding in She is very visible on the forums. Participating in all sorts of threads - from BnRs (Buy and Replace) to Games to just plane talking threads. She is very approachable, and answers whatever questions that she is able to. I can’t count the amount of conversations I have sent to her asking about a certain technique or where to find certain supplies.

But aside from that, she is also an amazing Etsy artist. As I mentioned, she runs two Etsy shops. The first one that I came across is called CCSynopticvisions . At first I just looked at this as a supply shop, with some great things that I had not yet tried using! So…I ordered! I ordered a lot, and I ordered often. Her packages always arrived quickly, well packed, and usually with a few extra goodies thrown in! Then I started looking around more at the store, and was blown away by the talent! Gorgeous bracelets, earrings, rings and more! And her photography of her items is beautiful.

After sharing so many forum threads with Chris, I soon found out that she had a second shop. This one is called Studio Seven . In this shop she has her beautiful metal creations. A lot of sterling silver work. Lots of pendants and rings, as well as all sorts of body jewelry. Really brilliant work!

Although having two stores to run and filling them both with such quality work must take a huge amount of time, Chris still takes the time to reach out to the Etsy community. She is a great person to know, and probably the person that has given me the most inspiration on Etsy. I highly recommend both of her shops, as well as talking to her on the forums if you ever get the chance. I have a mini for each of her shops posted at the end of this entry. Take a minute to browse, she has so many treasures for you to discover.

Tags: beading, CCSynopticvisions, etsy, featured seller, jewelry, sterling silver, StudioSeven, supplies

Early on in my Etsy travelers I came across this seller. To be honest I believe it was in a trading forum. That is actually how I have come across a lot of my favorite shops! GemsandDolls has a great shop. I would call her items, ecelectic. She has a large variety, and they are all great! She does sell beads, which is of course what first caught my attention. But her beads aren’t your standard, run of the mill beads. She always has beads that I do not see on other sites. Fun beads, that I have enjoyed using in many different projects.

Recently I got to try out her candles. And wowza, I love them!! It was a Peanut Butter Cookie candle. It smells and burns great! I am really looking forward to ordering more of her candles.

GemsandDolls’ shop is filled with all sorts of goodies. So if you are looking for some great Christmas gifts, or you want to spoil your self a little, make sure and stop in at her shop. Browse a little. Every experience I have had with her as been a positive one. She always ships quickly and packages her items well. She is also very easy to talk to !!! If you have any questions about her items just convo her.

Tags: air fresheners, beading, beads, candles, dolls, etsy, GemsandDolls, soaps, vintage

Well we have been home for a week now. It took a bit to get settled back in. Although we left Hartford, CT late Wednesday afternoon, we didn’t get home to Lubbock until 6am on Thursday. So it was a long trip to say the least. We took a two hour nap. Then Paul went to work and I got up. I just sort of fiddled around on the computer for the day. I wanted to bead, but I was so exhausted.

Now it is a week later.  Paul has worked every day since we got back. We expected that to happen. He is training a new cashier and trying to get the store in order. He has tomorrow off though. He will only need to go in for a bit at closing to make sure the new cashier has things under control. I have been working hard on my etsy shops. I decided to start making a goal list for every month. I used to do that, but I had fallen out of the habit. However I am ready to take my shops to the next level, and I think setting some good goals every month is really going to help with that. I am also working hard on fall and Halloween jewelry.

Although Christmas is still 4 months away, I am starting to get ready for it. I wasn’t selling my jewelry last Christmas, so I am not sure if my shops will be busy or not. But I want to be ready if they are! I have added gift certificates for both of my shops. I am also working on jewelry sets, and “higher” end jewelry made with  more expensive materials. I won’t list them quite yet. I would like to first clear out more of my Summer Clearance items.  I also want to get a lot of brick stitch done for Christmas.

I am also making plans for my website and blog. There are a lot of improvements I want to implement on both of them.  For example on my website I am going to have places that display my jewelry more prominently. And for the blog, I am going to make it much more eye catching. And have new places to feature Etsy and it’s sellers. I will also start featuring an artist once a week in my blog. Every Sunday I will feature an Etsy artist and their shop. This is a schedule I will stick to. I might even do more during the week if someone catches my eye.

Well hopefully things will get more exciting around here for you readers I need to go and get some bracelets made. See you on Sunday at the latest!

:w

Tags: beading, beads, earrings, jewelry, Raevyn, vacation

Today was a better day than I thought it would be. As I mentioned yesterday we went to my Aunt Judith’s house to help her clean up. But I had the fun task of sorting her beads. I loved it!! She has so many! I got into her beading room and immediately announced that I was in bead heaven. She had bags and bags of beads that she had ordered on the internet and had never even opened. I mean thousands of dollars of beads. It actually helped me think of more materials that I want to work with. She works with much chunkier beads than I usually do. But I saw some things I would really love to try. She also gave me a few pretty things. I can’t wait to get home and try them out. Judith was so happy when we got all her beads sorted and put away. She loves to bead, but just hasn’t had the inspiration to do it in awhile. I think that the time we spent today has inspired her and she will start again soon. My mom, sister, step dad, fiancé and friend Jenn worked on the downstairs of her house while we sorted the beads. They did an amazing job and Judith seemed very happy with everything that was accomplished today. I am glad. I love her a lot, and she has always bent over backwards for me. It was nice to be part of something today that helped her out.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Paul has lost his wallet so we are going insane trying to find it; mostly because his driver’s license is in there and it is hard to fly without that. But he looked up on the website today and we will still be able to get home if he doesn’t find it. It is just going to take more security screening. Which is fine, I can deal with that as long as we can get back to Texas.

I also went through more clothes. Mom has been giving me a ton of clothes to sort through to take back home with me. I am super excited to have so many new clothes, but trying on clothes has never really been my cup of tea. So I am slowly getting them all tried on while we are here.

Tomorrow Paul and I are going to go on a drive and do a little site seeing. That way we can get some pictures taken and spend some time together. I really can’t wait.

Well like I said, today wasn’t uber eventful. But I am keeping up with my promise to blog every day. See you tomorrow.

:w

Tags: beading, beads, family, maine, shopping, sister, texas, vacation, vermont