Personal Mantras

Just a quick post today.

I've been so consumed lately with little sayings, proverbs and personal mantras, that I shouldn't be surprised that a blot of inspiration found me. I was sitting at doctor's office waiting as usual and flipping through a magazine when I came across the Horoscopes. Along with the simple paragraph foretelling the future each one ended with a Personal Mantra for each sign...which started me thinking about creating larger tags to include Personal Mantras. I think I will call them Mantra Tags.

I have a few ideas which I am going to work on them this weekend... wish me good inspiration.

My Vision Board

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my Oprah experience, my introduction to "The Secret" and the Vision Board. Soon after writing that post, I started cutting out pictures and phases from different magazines and items I had found on the Internet. After looking at the clippings for a period time, I decided that regardless of the "holes" I was going to move forward and starting putting together my collage...So here it is (sorry for the bad photo)...

The top left is about http://www.hmmills.com/ and the hope to be "Seen" in National Magazines as well as two jewelry designers that I admire...sigh. I also threw in a picture of Oprah holding a copy of the murder mystery I hope to finish one day. I made a fake cover with my name and she is holding "the faux book." For whatever reason, it makes me laugh. The right top of my board includes phases and two pics that caught my eye...I think it's about finding my muse and truly hating my day career. The bottom right is just one picture and a phrase - a very sexy women with a body to die for...The middle section I have to admit, I feel guilt because it is so materialistic in appearence. It's furniture for my bedroom that eventually will be remodeled (barring any Hurricanes this year), a walkway for the backyard landscaping I am still working on, golf (to play more often or just play better - I don't know yet), living happily ever after with DH. More phases about financial success (worried about the retirement years), a picture of friends hanging out together, the label from one of my favorite wines and then lots of pictures of yellow lab puppies.

So I have been looking at those "holes" and I haven't been able to fill them, perhaps they were not meant to be filled...I am trying not to think too much about it, but the more I look at the board, the more I feel that it's on target. That said, the true test: Will my vision board motivate me to start working in the direction my vision board is pointing?

Oh it's time for some campaignin'...

It's time for me to digress again, our friends at JibJab.com are at it again...

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Smokey Quartz and Hammered Silver Necklace

Trying to follow some of the tips I have listed on previous posts:

http://hmmills.blogspot.com/2008/07/avatar-question-product-photo-or-shop.html

http://hmmills.blogspot.com/2008/07/success-on-etsy.html

...I have added a listing the other day to my Esty Shop: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13537512.

Last week there was a post in the Etsy Forums regarding the Treasury, someone wanted to know why it always seems that the same artists appear in Treasuries that are then post on the home front page. A successful artist responded that it was a combination of a great product, but most importantly she has great photos which is why folk pick her items for a treasury. (Wish I had Bookmarked that post.)

So, as I am looking at this pic, I am still debating the white background verse a texture or printed background. I think this pic looks washed-out and is just, oh how to say it....boring, unimaginative and doesn't shout out, "Buy Me!" I added this item on 7/20/2008 and in four days I have had four views.

Oh how the Picture Taking Gods mock me!

Etsy Tips

Continuing on the theme of Success on Etsy, I have included a helpful post by Sisterjinx. She had previously posted a question, asking the forum, "Etsy Tips ...What did you learn this week?" She then compiled all the information into the following post. It contains several great links to other sites, as well as a few useful forum threads.

sisterjinx says:

I posted this the other day and so many have gotten so much from it and added so much to it that I wanted to try and put it up all in one easy to find post. OK so I have learned SO much from everybody here on Etsy that I wanted to share some of it back to those who might want to know.

Majaba is your friend...I love keeping Majaba open while posting in the forums, listing new items, and I even leave it open when I'm taking a break to check when I get back. You can find Majaba here http://www.majaba.org/heartomatic.php

The etsy fee calculator is a great tool too. I love checking to see how much I would actually make from an item if I list is for $x or $x. that is here http://etsy.ppcalc.com/

Poster Sketch is a great tool for preparing for treasuries but also to see if your first photo of an item will work well in treasury. I've used it several times to switch photos around in my own shop so that things are treasury readythat is here http://www.etsy.com/poster_sketch.php

Recently I learned about the top seller's list. I think that is great because I can look at their shops and policies and profiles and see what is attractive about their shops that I might be able to incorporate into mine, with my own style of course. http://etsywiki.com/index.php?title=Top_Sellers_-_Handmade

I learned how to refund on paypal as opposed to sending the money back. I guess it saves you on fees. Here's the thread: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5715352

Site that keeps track of known scammers: http://www.xmission.com/~daina/known_scammers.html

There is a site.., where it shows the percentage of etsyians per country..here it is! :)http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/etsy.com

The top of this thread discusses the best days to post items http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5714216 also if you use majaba, keep it open while listing, it helps to determine. I did this for a few days and for me it was about 3 - 5 pm CST which is 4 - 6 EST (etsy time)

You CAN pay Etsy with paypal.Here's the thread that gives instructions http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5649510

A thread with a GREAT tutorial on how to make a treasury. For any of those who
have been trying to get one and not getting one you might want to have a peek. http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5531944

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Hope you find this helpful...