Two new Treasury features

Quite a busy weekend in Etsy world!
I got featured in two Etsy treasuries; the first one was curated by Inkesque and has a warm and delicious feel of fresh cup of coffee (I take mine with milk and one sugar, please). My chocolate and oatmeal wooly backpack fits in perfectly with all the cozy shades of brown.


The second one, chosen by CityOf Dionne, has a holiday theme and features one of my hearts. I like the colours Dionne selected for this treasury, proving there is more to Christmas than red, white and green...

Thank you!

Update 8-12-09

Dionne's Treasury made it to the Front Page this morning! This brought a lot of views and hearts to both the featured heart and my shop.

The Sales Fairy

Soon after opening my shop on Etsy I have joined it's European Street Team - EST. I discovered that their regular forum threads are very lively community updates, where members chat about their latest work, blog updates and other projects.

One of these projects was born quite unexpectedly when Inger from Ingermaaike listed a handmade "sales fairy" with a purpose of brightening up a rainy day and sending some good vibes to the shopowner who buys it...

Now, a month and a half later more than 40 sales fairies have flown from their creators to new homes, each buyer making their own fairy and listing it in their shop for the next team member to buy. The purchase often happens a few seconds after the fairy has been listed, because their activity is followed on EST forums with great interest, everybody wants to be a part of this chain.
Last Wednesday, while packing for my trip to Slovenia, I quickly logged on the EST forum, not intending to stay long, and was thrilled to find out that a new fairy is about to fly out. I quickly camped outside steinschmuckdesign's shop and caught the fairy the moment it was listed! I feel so lucky, not only because the sales fairy will help me with my shop but also because Michele has made such a beautiful job - I love it!

sales fairy by steinschmuckdesign

OK, what now? I've caught my fairy, now I have to make another one and send her out. The sooner the better, the girls said. And forgetting about all the packing and the work I still had to finish before I go on holiday, I quickly started making my fairy. An hour later Beeba was born, but it was already dark outside so I decided to wait until morning to take some pictures and list her in my shop. All I had to do the next day was drop a note on the EST forum about my fairy and seconds after she was listed another member snatched her up. Didn't I tell you she will bring me sales?

Sales fairy by Loddelina

The Beeba sales fairy went to DeerLola and as far as I know one or two more have flown to their new homes since. You can see all the fairies made so far HERE - they are all a work of instant inspiration, made on a moment's notice because you never know when a chance to catch a fairy will come (and you can't list a fairy before you catch one yourself).

I wonder where this chain will end. While I wait for the package from Michele to arrive, I'm keeping a close eye on the EST forum to follow every step of this fairy tale...

The Holiday Gift Giveaway at City of Dionne

"Bee happy" decorative heart by Loddelina

Hello from Slovenia,

We arrived late last night and I just found a few moments to escape to the computer (I love visiting my hometown but always have such a busy schedule with all the errands and visits...)

If you are interested in some free handmade goodies (who isn't?), here is a link to the wonderful City of Dionne, that is hosting a big Holiday Gift Giveaway full of beautiful Etsy treasures (I am participating with a decorative heart Bee happy).

Dionne will chose three lucky winners from all the entries and send them three yummy packages full of little presents at the end of the giveaway early next year.

What a way to start a New Year!

Bloggers ornament exchange 2009 - update

My ornament exchange partner Donna of Brynwood Needleworks has already received her ornament (wow, that was fast, five working days from Germany to Florida!) so this post won't spoil the surprise. I can't wait to get her handmade creation...

I was glad to take part in this exchange (you can see more participants HERE), it was great fun designing a simple, but elegant christmas ornament. I wanted to make more of them and offer them in my shop in sets of two, that is why I asked my blog readers to help me decide which messages to put on (thanks for your help, the winners were joy and peace).

But I have been so distracted lately, the news that has been official for some time has only now reached the top of my mental to-do list: early next year we are moving to France!

I will tell you more details when I start the serious preparations for our move; at the moment I am dealing with the boring stuff, like cancelling all sorts of contracts and notifying everybody about our departure. The day after tomorrow we leave for a 10-day visit to Slovenia and in the second half of December we will try to enjoy our last Christmas season in Augsburg.

Moving with the whole family is a stressful business but I am looking forward to making a home on a more permanent location and settling down with my husband - five years, four appartments, three countries and two children later it is the right time...