Gemstone Pendants or Zipper Pulls

Sales have been dead this past week and my shop already has too many items in it. Which brings me to my dilemma. I made these last night. They are made from real gemstones and could work as pendants or zipper pulls. I want to list them but I don't want my shop to get any bigger than it already is. Each pendant will be listed separately- eventually! Just not today. LOL

Each one has its own different little charm hanging down. One has a flower, a cross, a circle, a leaf, etc.

You asked for it...

A few people asked me to post a pick of my CVS trip tonight, so here you go! This is my plan plus DS Alex's plan in with mine. If you click on the picture you can get an exact count of what we bought.
Here's the breakdown:
Total for everything pictured $190.69
Total we paid $2.59
A very good trip. I love CVS!!!

FREE SHIPPING Saturday has begun!!! And sharing my CVS plan for today.

You should know by now that a few etsy shops offer free shipping every Saturday. What? You didn't know?! We call it FSS for Free Shipping Saturday.
It is just after 1AM and I've got all shipping charges removed from my shop now through 11:59PM tonight. Please do drop in and see if anything tickles your beauty bone. :)

Some Saturdays I am not able to participate because my schedule won't allow it. Even then if you don't mind shooting me a convo requesting FSS I will still honor it. It just might take me a few hours to get back to you, is all.

OK enough about that! Who wants to hear my CVS plan for tonight? Huh? Huh? Huh? OK!
Tonight I will be getting:
20 candy bars (Reese's, Twix, Kit Kats, etc.)
7 Atkins nutrition bars
6 boxes cereal (Honey Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, etc.)
2 bottles Caress Exotic Oil Infusions body wash
2 Listerine Smart Rinse mouthwash
1 Oral-B twin pack toothbrushes
1 Dove body wash
1 Gillette Fusion Phenom razor
1 Schick Quattro Titanium razor

Grand total: $82.94
My OOP (out of pocket) for all this stuff: $1.55!!

And there you have it. :) I love my CVS and can't wait for Saturday to roll around now. Funny- Sat. nights used to be clubbing nights. Oh how times have changed. LOL

Does any one like Garnet besides me?

Genuine Garnet Set

It's my birthstone and even if it wasn't I still love the deep shade of red. I love it so much that I painted my kitchen in garnet, as some of you may remember.
I probably should've kept this set for myself but I listed it anyway. Sales have slowed down over the past few days so it's not like it's going anywhere. lol

Just call me Mrs. Lonely

First, Chris was supposed to have a week home between this rotation and the next. Then Wednesday it was, "I just found out that I have to leave back out Friday morning!"

OK, so it went from a week home to one day. Not happy about that but one day is better than nothing. And now, on Thrusday, the ONE day I should've had with Chris he finds out he has to go to the office (75 miles away) and work ALL day on paperwork. I literally saw him for 10 minutes as he came in the door and dropped off his laundry on his way back out to the office.

He has already been driving all night, now he will work all day only to turn around and drive the additional 75 miles home tonight. Can you say exhausted husband???
I know I'm not supposed to complain and I'm supposed to keep my chin up, but this really BITES yo!!
So when he does get home he will collapse in the bed to be ready to shower and leave out bright and early tomorrow morning. We are but two semi familiar blurs to each other these days.

June 19th will be our 20 year anniversary. I just hope he is able to be here for that.
If he isn't I am really going to need a shoulder to cry on. He is almost never home for birthdays or our anni. Not his choice, but that's life.

New in the shop.

Come on by and have a look at the rest of the new stuff. So many to list! Soo little time!!!

Good News and Repurposing!

One thing I've learned since joining Etsy is that recycling, upcycling, and repurposing can be FUN!
I knew it was important to recycle but I really got inspired when I saw what some of the sellers over there make from the most basic things and turn them into - Wow! that is SO cool!- things.

What does that have to do with anything?
Well, I had this old box of my business cards that were outdated. They don't bear my logo and the email address on them was wrong. Instead of chucking them I began cutting them up into several strips. I layered the strips together until I had one strong thick stack. I made sure that the front and back are identical, with the pictures of the diamonds and no old info anywhere except on the inside.
I placed an eyelet in the tops and used smaller strips to box up the edges for a finished look. After that I lightly sanded the edges. Now the old business cards are new pendants! Or at least they will be once I add the jump rings. I'd love some feedback on these. What do you guys think of this idea?


As for my good news, I just heard from Bead Trends. They want 3 of my offerings for the Nov./Dec issue! YAY! I better get on the ball and get the forms filled out and ready to ship off tomorrow.

June GC drawing Entries List

On the last day of each month I draw a name from the pool of customers that have shopped with me that month.
I'll be doing this for each month throughout the year.

The name I draw will receive a $5 or $10 gift certificate, or free item of their choosing from my shop!

*Only actual purchases count for the drawing. PIFs are not entered to win unless a regular purchase was made at the same time.

*You can see the list of winners on my shop home page under announcements.

Entries for June:
GabbriellasCloset2

angelbabe6333

Today's CVS Trip

Wish I would have taken a picture! Didn't think of it until I already put everything away-sorry!

I got:
8 bottles of Dawn dishwashing liquid
5 deodorants
5 500ct. packs cotton swabs with bonus travel packs
5 bottles Febreze fabric refresher
3 boxes sheer bandaids
2 Listerine Smart Rinse for Kids
2 twin packs of Oral-B toothbrushes
2 bags cheddar flavor Chex Mix
1 Gillette Fusion Phenom razor
1 can sour cream & onion Pringles
1 big pack strawberry Twizzlers
1 pack Ice Breakers sours gum
1 6ft. Hubba Bubba sour gummi tape
1 Ultra Mini glucose meter

That is 4 separate trips through the register. One on Sat. night, and 3 today.
Grand total: $130.59
Total paid out of pocket $2.36 WOOHOO!
And the best part is not only did I roll my ECBs but I made an additional $6.44 more than I spent. Money makers, chu-ching! :)

Since I have a dishwasher and still have over 60 bottles of Dawn, Karen and I did a trade. I gave her my 8 bottles for her Fusion razor. She needed the Dawn and Alex loves the Fusion razors.

That is one thing I like about having a friend to go CVSing with. Sometimes plans call for us to have to get things we don't really like/need and we can trade accordingly. Sometimes I can't work something I want into my plans but Karen can, and visa versa. Makes no difference cause we'll trade and each gets what they really wanted.

I had some other things on my plans to do that they didn't have. Hoping I can get them Wednesday after the truck delivers. Need to go back to town and get the animals their Frontline that day anyway. lol

And the winner is...

And the winner of this month's gift certificate is: Cynthia! Or better known at etsy as cr1105.
Congrats, Cynthia. Your gift certificate is on the way to you. Spend in good health and happiness. :)

Thank you to all that shopped with me during the month of May. I wish that I could give each and every one of you a gift certificate!
There are SO many great shops on Etsy that I feel truly blessed every time I log on and see an order. You all are wonderful and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me stay home with my boys and get them ready for the outside world. lol

Etsy also gives me something to focus on because, unfortunately my dear hubby and best friend in this world can not be home with me because of his job. Day in and out he works all over the country to provide for me and his kids. Day in and out I am a single parent bearing all of the load of the house and finances. It can get real lonely at times. Sharing your day via phone just isn't the same. lol So thank you, for helping to keep me distracted, in a good and positive way!

So enough of the mush...
I'll be drawing a name every month. Every order placed gets entered to win!
Sometimes it will be for a $5 gift certificate to my shop, sometimes $10. Sometimes I might switch it up a bit and give the winner a choice of item from my shop. You never know what this mind of mine will drum up. I hope you will hang around and find out.

Have a blessed day!

Today is the day!

I haven't forgotten about you, my lovely entries!
As I type this I am printing out all the names entered in the drawing,
getting ready to cut those apart and my son Caleb is being given the honor of drawing the winning name. I will be back momentarily with the winner! :)

Just a couple days left!!

*Starting in May*

On the last day of each month I will draw a name from the pool of customers that have shopped with me that month.
I'll be doing this for each month throughout the year.

The name I draw will receive a $5 or $10 gift certificate to my shop! (Certificates are valid for 60 days.)

*Only actual purchases count for the drawing. PIFs are not entered to win unless a regular purchase was made at the same time.

*You can see the list of winners on my shop home page under announcements.

Entries so far:
sunsign6

Elizabethjewelry

thecrochetedbaby

JulibeeKitsch

thescentedwick

girliemomma

ShadesJewelry

peacoxcreations

angelbabe6333

jillystamps

SkinJourney

melissarg

angelbabe6333

scrapperal

yodasboner

jennosmom

jessiewagoner

carsrme777

SimplyStacyJewelry

cr1105

bunnykitten

hannahbananabowtique

GrooveGirlBoutique

So who wants to be entered next?

Want to see something really neat?

Look at this!
My Creations

I've been having a ball.

I love giving out a little unexpected something with each
of my orders. Up until now it has mostly been earrings or
cell phone charms made with beads. The bad thing about that
is not knowing the customers tastes, so it's real easy to send
something that they might not like.

Then, I had this idea. Who can't use a little note pad for
their purse? Who would scoff at a fridge magnet? By George
I think I'm on to something! So, until I get sick of making these
I will be including them in with my orders at random. That is to
say that not every singe order will get one, but I do plan to be
generous.

Another great thing about these is that they will not add to
the cost of shipping. In fact they will help in adding to that
3/4" rate crap I have to deal with. So if anything they are good
for the customer and good for me too!

This is just the beginning as my mind is brimming with other
promo items I can easily make. I have a small rubber stamp
with my shop logo on it and I'm thinking that it is going to come
in handy very soon. :)

A Picture For Debbie

EDIT: OOPSIE! I've had to edit the picture because it was just picked up for publishing! Sorry everyone. I will replace it with the full size shot once the pictures come out in the book. :) For now just consider this a tiny peek.

I met the coolest lady through Etsy this morning. Her name is Debbie and this is her shop: A Bead Connection
Any of you that make jewelry should heart her shop because she is in the process of getting everything uploaded and she tells me she has a ton of stuff. I can't wait to see!!

I had the pleasure of speaking to her on the phone and I was telling her about the tiny 2-3mm gemstone rondelles and how I like to use them to create Keishi pearl flowers. Easier to show than to tell. So Debbie, this picture is for you.
I made these earrings with Keishi pearls, 3mm round cultured pearls, 2-3mm garnet and peridot gemstone rondelle beads. You'll have to let me know what you think of them. You can be honest. If you don't like them that's ok, but I just wanted to show you what I meant and why I love these tiny gemstone rondelles so much. :)

Summer's Coming and I have new goodies coming too.

These colors are HOT this summer!
They remind me of tropical islands with the luaus and leis, margaritas, and finding a lost treasure of jewels.

MORE TO COME...

Beefing up the promotion, and branding!

Business Card

Car Magnet

I know that a lot of etsy sellers think that business cards are a waste of time and money, but I like having them. I've handed them out on a few occasions when someone would inquire about my shop address. I've used them to write a quick thank you note, and sometimes when I give away a freebie I staple the earrings to it in a little gift bag.
I could easily make my own business cards but I got a great package deal and every promo item bears the same icon that I've decided to use to make a brand for my shop.
Yep! It's the globe looking necklace you've (hopefully) come to recognize. :)

So anyway, I ordered new business cards, a car magnet, and some little thank you notes. What do you think?

Win A Gift Certificate!!

*Starting in May*

On the last day of each month I will draw a name from the pool of customers that have shopped with me that month.
I'll be doing this for each month throughout the year.

The name I draw will receive a $5 or $10 gift certificate to my shop! (Certificates are valid for 60 days.)

*Only actual purchases count for the drawing. PIFs are not entered to win unless a regular purchase was made at the same time.

*You can see the list of winners on my shop home page under announcements.

Entries so far:
sunsign6

Elizabethjewelry

thecrochetedbaby

JulibeeKitsch

thescentedwick

girliemomma

ShadesJewelry

peacoxcreations

angelbabe6333

jillystamps

SkinJourney

melissarg

angelbabe6333

scrapperal

yodasboner

jennosmom

jessiewagoner

carsrme777

SimplyStacyJewelry

cr1105

bunnykitten

hannahbananabowtique

GrooveGirlBoutique

So who wants to be entered next?

For Angie

Some of these gemstones were purchased at Angie's Etsy shop, EternalGemstones.etsy.com
and I thought she might like to see what I did with some of them.
After "wasting" a lot of my sterling to make necklaces it dawned on me that it would be better just to make interchangeable pendants to switch out on the necklaces. LOL So, there are a bunch of different colored sets.
I still need to make a purple and yellow set, and maybe black too. :)

Frustrated!

I have a gift certificate that I got from being published in Bead Trends. I've been hoarding the GC for a long time because I wanted to make sure I purchase things I really needed and things that would be useful.
Tonight I spent like 2 hours scouring over the website and my huge catalog until I was finally satisfied with my selections. I went through the checkout process only to get to a page that said: "We're sorry, gift certificate redemption is currently unavailable." WHAT?!?!?

So then I thought I'd click on Live Help to see if someone could tell me when I can expect to be able to redeem my GC. Well guess what. Live help is OFFLINE. Isn't that just the luck!

I know I'm pretty lucky if this is the worst thing that happens to me today. It's not earth shattering, but it's still got my feathers ruffled because I wasted 2 hours sitting here trying to make each item count.

So that's my whine. I had to add the picture of The Deep End earrings that I listed in my shop earlier today. Does anyone else see how ironic this is that I listed such an item and now I am going off the deep end? lol