Article by columnist Pam AKA: Electric Penguin
Photo titled “Keep Talking” courtesy of HartelArt

Have you ever bought a handmade item on-line, and hear nothing from the seller until it arrives in your mailbox? And were you frustrated by that? It’s happened to me and I definitely was frustrated! I didn’t know if my orders had even been received, or when to expect them. I had one small order that arrived almost four weeks later from two states away, even though the seller’s policies stated it would ship within two business days. It didn’t get lost in the mail either – the shipping label was only printed a couple days before I received it. Why it took so long for them to ship remains a mystery. There was another silent seller I finally followed up with to see when it might arrive. I never heard a word back from them about my question (!!!), but the item arrived very soon after. Coincidence? I think not.

Now to some of you, I’m sure none of those things would matter. But there are those of us who do like a little bit of personal attention with our orders!! And for me, that can translate into not buying from that seller again.

Communicating to your buyers doesn’t have to be fancy or take a long time to write. For new orders, I have a canned email set up that thanks them for their order of xxxxxxx and tells them when it will ship. That way, when I get an order I just update the email and send it to the buyer. Simple, easy, and they’re happy. This also gives them an email address to contact you with, in case they have any questions. I have a lot of new buyers, many of whom don’t understand how to convo on Etsy. So an email address they can use helps a lot.

If there’s a reason why you won’t be able to ship an item on time, tell the buyer! People are very forgiving – if you let them know ahead of time. I once had to stall an order while I desperately shopped for a matching clasp because the one it was made with just didn’t work with that design. The buyer didn’t mind waiting when I told her what the problem was, and was really happy with the change.

Photo courtesy of LizzysLabels

If someone asks you a question via convo or email, please be courteous and answer! Even if it’s a “Thanks, but I’m not interested” answer, it’s still an answer. I have asked other sellers for generic info about their products, things like what coating they use and where did they get a certain size bracelet blank. Some have been willing to share, some understandably have not – but all did respond. That’s all I want!

The one thing I hope you take from this article is this – think of how you would feel if you were the buyer of your item and communicate accordingly. It could, no, it will affect your business!!

Slide photo courtesy of Studio21
Edited by Barbra of All About The Buttons

Written by columnist Linda aka LindaGJ
Photo courtesy of VintageScrapBox

Wreaths go back to the ancient cultures of Persia, Rome, and Greece way before symbolizing the coming of Christ and it's not known exactly when, as there are so many theories.

I would like to tell you a little history about wreaths before you see my display of some gorgeous Fall wreaths I found on Etsy in my slide show!

Many wreaths date back to the Persion Empire. Originally the circlet was called a "diadem" which is Greek meaning "a thing bound around" and were worn as headbands.

Beginning in 776 B.C. wreaths were made of laurel leaves and were used to crown the winners at Olympic Games. When the Olympics began going to other cities, they were awarded with head garlands made of branches of local trees.

The Roman upper classes, such as the military and public officials wore garlands of oak leaves and laurel. It was custom for the for soldiers rescued from a seige to present a wreath of grass to the commander of the rescuing force. Olive leave wreaths were worn by consuls and senators. Olive leaves became the symbol for peace. Julius Ceasar was crowned with a wreath of fresh laurel.

Other countries started to design head wreaths of their own using metals and precious jewels called "crowns" that we associate with royalty. The word crown comes from a Latin word called corona, which means garland or wreath.

The use of evergreens for Christmas wreaths probably started in Northern Europe, Italy, and Spain in the early 19th century. The original colors for Christmas are green and red. Green represents eternal life through Christ and red symbolizes the blood that Jesus shed at his crucifixion.

In these modern days, wreaths can be used all year round and a common custom in New England is to use a different wreath for each season!

I am featuring these Fabulous Fall wreaths from Etsy shops in this slide video! Remember to enlarge the screen to see the full view and I have added their shop name so you can visit their lovely shops!

Posted by Barbra aka:All About The Buttons

Written by columnist Rebecca of RaigeCreations
Slide and above photo courtesy of kitschville

What is it that men want? And how do we find it? These are questions that have plagued women since the beginning of time. Since joining the world of handmade and its venues for showcasing handmade, this question has been in the back of my mind. It is particularly challenging to find things men want in general, and even more so on these sites. My searches to find things for my husband has led me nowhere. I expressed this frustration to him, and he finally said, “I will look and see what I can find.” He found things within minutes! I should note he is an artist, and has very specific tastes which usually makes any search to find him things he likes near impossible. So how did he find things on Etsy and Zibbet so fast?

The first and most important thing I noticed is how he searched differently than I typically do. His searches are specific to things he likes or thinks are interesting, not broad terms like I would search. Then he weeds through to find things that surprise him.

He likes motorcycles, so he searched ‘motorcycle parts’, not motorcycles as I would have. He was surprised to find this cool clock lamp made from motorcycle parts by ChromeSculptures. He likes clocks and lamps, but would never search for those things. Add motorcycle parts to these things and it goes in the cart with a simple click.

As an artist exploring sculpture, he searched ‘contemporary sculpture’, not sculptures as I would have, and found this artist, Uturn. A figurative sculpture he liked pulled him into the store, but he really found his interest in the masks, and picked this great mask to add to his collection.

A search for just ‘masks’ would have yielded too many results not even close to his tastes.

My search terms led to very different finds, and the creators I found did not lead me to items he would impulsively purchase like these things he found. They weren’t ‘man-friendly terms’. For example, a clutch to him relates to a transmission, not a handbag. I never thought of that!

His searches generally do not use the plural, mine often do. His searches used terms that were specific to his liking while still general in terminology, a method I would have never thought of. And of course, once the search results come up, what peaks his curiosity takes him to an artist, and once in their shop, he finds the “it” he has been looking for without setting out to find it. My searches seem to be less of an adventure than his, but more an end results oriented search. We end up going down completely different paths, he finds items he impulsively must have, and I find items that he should have but probably will not like.

Acting on his attraction to vintage, he searched ‘skeleton key’, and was lead to coldtententacle’s shop, and ultimately to this great pocket watch. I never thought he would be interested in keys so that search did not occur to me, but that path led him to something else that he loves to collect – pocket watches with visible mechanisms.

He tried a search on Zibbet for fine arts as he is always interested in this market. His search was 2 simple words, ‘contemporary painting‘, not a search of fine art paintings like I may have. It didn’t take long to find Laura Barbosa and her Crystal Skulls painting.

The appeal to this one for him, other than the macabre, is the freedom to re-arrange and display the pieces how you like them best. Perfect for my perfectionist husband who prefers interactive, hands-on pieces.

He also discovered, by checking a tag on an item he found interesting enough to click on, search words can be found in tags. By adding the prefix ‘high end’ to ’sculpture’, seen in a tag, he found this dresser by GArtFurniture, and before I knew it, the cart was overflowing.

The dresser, come to find out, was not actually something he wanted for himself, but for our daughter. So it is true, they will shop for others, but it does have to meet their standards and criteria. In fact, GArtFurniture has another item that does have a very good response from men, a bouquet of hand carved roses, with a secret compartment for a small gift.

Now that is a man shopping with a woman in mind!

In the end, I discovered what my man wants, and how he finds it. We search completely different, follow distinctly different paths, and find entirely different items. My husband finds an item that peaks his curiosity and instinctively follows the path to his must have item. Men seem to shop impulsively. The thrill is in the hunt. The search is following the tracks. The purchase is the kill. Women tend to gather.

Hopefully we all can learn from this and find great handmade treasures for the men in our lives. I need to remember, he likes hard materials: metal, clay, and wood. I like softer materials: yarn, fabric, and sparkly things. Perhaps it is true, I am from Venus, he is from Mars, but now I think know what he wants and how to find it.

Slide photo and article by columnist Amy of TenthAvenueSoapworks

How much garbage did you contribute to a landfill today? It’s probably not something you think about when you toss a paper towel or some packaging into your trash can, but it adds up faster than you may realize. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, each American generates about 4.5 pounds of garbage per day. That staggering number becomes even more alarming when you consider that we are becoming more dependent on convenience and disposable products all the time.

There are many things you can do to decrease your landfill contribution, but one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways is by buying crafts made from recycled materials. Yes, really! The skill and creativity of handcrafters is staggering, and you will hardly believe the array of treasures that were once one person’s trash.

With a little effort, it will be easy to find products that are recycled or contain reclaimed elements. When searching online craft sites like Zibbet, use keywords like “recycled” “repurposed” or “upcycled” to find items that started out as completely different products. Look for yourself at some of these products from Zibbet.

Dote sells many charming pieces of jewelry made from recycled items, such as buttons that have been turned into necklace pendants, or earrings, like these here.

Junk mail never looked so appealing! Texas Eagle creates these colorful garlands from brochures and junk mail. Each 5’ strand would lend a fabulous touch to any décor.

Packaging, which makes up a significant amount of our daily waste, is put to a uniquely original use in the handiwork of Wrapper Fashion, making everything from handbags, pouches, wallets, and even belts.

Ragrugs takes clean, used fabrics and recycles them into beautiful rugs, mats, and runners from your home. Check out all the different colors they offer.

So check out these shops and the many others that receive their inspiration from the trash pile. You are not only giving yourself or someone special a one-of-a-kind creation, but you are also supporting artisans who will continue to design products that keep a myriad of once-useless things out of our landfills. And, your purchase will give you a boost in starting your own economical, eco-friendly lifestyle.

Edited by Barbra aka: All About The Buttons

I met Catheline of Miles of Textiles when she posted some handmade buttons on the Zibbet forums and I had to have some. She made some for me with my color choices and they are spectacular! I had to find out more about this multi-talented creator.
How did you get started?
I’ve had a needle ‘n thread in my hand ever since I can remember. My mother taught me to sew and I have a warehouse full of memories of she & I creating fun things together. We often spent Saturdays having lunch out and fabric shopping. In those days major department stores sold fabrics. So…you get an idea of how long ago THAT was! I loved making my own clothes, decorations for my room, all the macrame plant hangers on our patio, and more. I had a huge wooden wine barrel full of yarns & fabrics. I’m still wondering what ever happened to that old wine barrel.

Before you opened your shop what did you do?
Fast-forward 30 years. I took an early retirement from the foreign service a few years back. It was during those years of living in the Middle East and Southeast Asia I started seriously collecting textiles that has blossomed exponentially and is now the basis of my shop name. In New Delhi I discovered by accident the finest silk saris were kept under wrap in brown paper beneath the cash register. How any customer would know they were there was beyond me. But once I discovered this I would ask to see them and the store proprietors would roll many of them out for me to see. Soon I found myself swimming in an ocean of silk. For all my years of working with fabrics these surely were the most magnificent I had ever seen. To me, the world of textiles offers a fascinating and endless journey of discovery. You may agree as well.

What amazes or intrigues you about the textile world?
Buttons on these robes are all obviously handcrafted and in perfect proportion. I’ve tried countless times to recreate them but cannot even come close. And the robes themselves are some of the most magnificent I’ve ever seen – all handsewn hundreds of years before the invention of the sewing machine.

Your new life after the business world?
I am single and now live in Las Vegas. My 20-year old daughter has just gotten her certification as a veterinary assistant and works with a local veterinarian’s office. She absolutely loves working with animals.
I now have the freedom to create every day. Being a creative person does not just mean doing artistic activities. It is also having the ability to devise many solutions to situations that arise in our daily lives. Thinking “outside the box”, new ways of doing normal chores, etc. My head is constantly spinning with new and fresh ideas. So much so that I always have a pad of paper and pencil with me wherever I am…..otherwise I’ll forget my latest brainstorms!
Being retired from federal bureaucracy is wonderful. There is only one problem with “being single, retired, and living in Las Vegas.” You can probably guess what that might be….activities outside of the casino world is the key!

A visit to Catheline’s shop is worth the trip & you don’t have to pack! View her ready made creations or work with her with your ideas and her textiles to create a one of a kind adventure. The journey is worth it!

Article by Barbra of All About The Buttons
Slide photo courtesy of artbyjywheeler
Pin photo courtesy of Imagine247

I received an e-mail about a month ago stating that at the end of August the planet Mars would be very close to Earth. In fact, in the night sky, it would be as big as the moon and this will NEVER happen again in our lifetime…wow! Okay, not true. Mars will not be that close or that big but it got me thinking about the Moon. There are so many quotes and sayings with the moon as a symbol. I wanted to see how artists use the moon in their work. I found evidence in everything from paintings and jewelry to shoes and quilts. Here are a few samples of what I found which have plainly put me over the moon!
This is a stunning Victorian Lunar map engraving from 1892 offered by PetitPoulailler

JewelryByNorth has created a wonderful sterling silver moon pendant.

Another pendant, this time in black resin, was created by Janimie

This wonderful quilt by HMJQuiltsPlus has the moon in fabric.

And finally, what fun to be walking in these by Inkwear99

Do you use the moon in your work? Are you attracted to the night sky? And by the way, the expression “once in a blue moon” refers to the rarity of 2 full moons in one month! And that comes straight from the man in the moon….!

By Columnist Linda aka LindaGJ

“What could be better than creating works of art based around you and what you love?” Cathie Carlson”

Cathie Carlson’s inspiration is found in vintage beach images, surfing scenes, and her ocean side surroundings. In her sunlit studio you can experience her passion for color, whimsy, and the coastal environment in which she lives and creates.

“Although I love working in different mediums, my main medium of choice is paint, whether on canvas, wood, or bisque.”

Cathie always thought that growing up in a beach town, marrying a man that loved to surf, raising children who grew up with the sand between their toes, having well-ridden beach bikes and beach gear always ready to go, and spending almost every family vacation at a coastal town somewhere, were what stimulated her love of painting colorful images of beach babes and surfing scenes.

“But upon closer introspection, I now realize it goes much further back than that! The love of the sea and all things beach related, run deep within my blood!”
Here, in this slide show are some pictures of Cathie’s work. I also included some pictures about her very own Art School.
Enjoy!

“I hope that I have encouraged you to consider from who or what comes the motivation behind your creative spirit.” Cathie Carlson

Her grandmother and sister, as teens, would go to the Jersey Shore with Cathie’s great grandfather. The love of the beach continued throughout each generation of Cathie’s family. She grew up in Virginia Beach with her 2 brothers and 2 sisters. This is where Cathie got married to her surfer husband and now they are raising their 2 children who are now teenagers!

Cathie also teaches art classes in her home to children of different ages and to women! She offers so many fun classes along with a variety of subject matters. You will want to to go visit her Art Studio site to see all that is offered. I love the class offered that is called “Surfer Art Camp”! Her own art and passions just shine through Cathie’s classes! She also shows a lot of her classes activity on her blog!

VISIT CATHIE’S AWESOME SITES!
MagicMarkingsArt- Cathie’s Etsy Shop
Magic Markings Art Studio – Cathie’s Art Studio & School
Magic Markings Art- Blog including all kinds of inspirations and also pictures of her art classes!

Edited by Barbra aka: All About The Buttons

Much of the northern hemisphere has been melting this summer. I won’t get into the “Global Warming” debate but here in the USA it has been darn hot. Zibbet is headquartered in Australia where it’s winter and where I wish to be!
In an attempt to cool off mentally, here are some Zibbet sellers and their wonderful summer treats.

Aren’t these a feast for your feet from RealMcCoy?

And if you want be more airy, try this from RaigeCreations.

Your neck will be cool with a lovely necklace made from these found at FireSpirit Beads and Supplies?

<
And on your wrist a stunner from Olive and Gold.

Let’s not forget having our home feel cool as well. Hang this wonderful piece from Art Prints. Sure to bring a smile to your face!

Need a gift for a special lady? The sun from 3FineDesign.

And at the end of a long day, these will be a relaxing style from MimiandCollette.

During the dog days of August about to descend upon us, stay cool and think Zibbet!

Slide Photo courtesy of Portable Graffiti

Join us in welcoming Suzanne of NursesNaturally and ParanormalPresents to the Indie Smiles family.

I live in Raleigh, NC now to be near my oldest daughter and her family. At one point in time, all 3 of my adult children were in Raleigh but now one daughter and her family is in Texas and my son and his family, which just this month includes their first child, are in San Francisco.

When I retired, I finally had time to do something more fun so I got several books and learned to make jewelry. I do love it. I also, dabble around with many other things. My next favorite is skin care and bath products. I just may be ” The Grandma Moses” of jewelry making and of the Paranormal, but I never tell my age!

I have had a lifelong interest in the Paranormal and had some opportunities to know a few outstanding people in the field. It was my passion, next to work and family. Last year while Secretary for Global Paranormal Network, I started making some themed jewelry. That has grown to opening another etsy shop just for Paranormal items, and do a blog on the field.

I was at the U of Md, where I was a Clinical specialist in Psychiatry and taught at several universities. My creativity was channeled into the field where I was recognized in several areas for excellence, in Who’s Who In The South and Southeast in Nursing and in Education.

I have 8 wonderful grand children who are each special. Three are
artists. Only one is a dedicated crafter and one is the biggest fan of my jewelry. I have been blessed.



ShareThis

Edited by Barbra aka: All About The Buttons