Clicking My Needles

 

Photo above - my handmade felt "Welcome Bear" goes up on my front door ever Christmas.

Okay, blogger is going to give me headaches so guess I'll just have to work around it until they find and fix the problem (or until I pick up a new browser such as Firefox).   I have uploaded photos from my PC to Picasa Web Albums and then I've uploaded them from there to here. Sort of like going around the block twice to get to your next door neighbor's house. :D

Christmas was an enjoyable time at our house as Wendi, our daughter in New York, came down and spent a couple of weeks with us. It was wonderful to have her here and I hated to see her go. I also did not have to worry about filling Christmas orders from my etsy shop Almost Precious as for the months of Nov - Dec  I only had one order for each month, both were for a pair of my Christmas earrings.

Photo of Candy Cane beaded earrings sold on Nov. 11th 2012

 

Can't say as I was swamped with business, LOL, but at least it allowed me to enjoy time with Wendi. 

Photo above of Holly Berries earrings sold the week before Christmas 2012

Also on a joyful note, the person who purchased the lovely Christmas "Holly Berries" earrings emailed me to let me know that the earrings arrived safely and were everything she hoped they would be. Her only down side she said, was that she would not be able to wear them all year long. :)

 

Over the past couple of months I've done more knitting and crochet work than making jewelry. This fuzzy scarf is so soft and warm that it almost makes me wish I lived in a cold climate . . . almost ! Wendi loved it and thinks it is adorable and as soft as a baby kitten.  Now I need to make one for her as this one is going into my etsy shop - guess if it doesn't sell then Wendi will have two "Lulu" scarves to keep her warm during NY winters.

Lulu?  Yes I named this scarf  Lulu.  How did I come up with the name "Lulu" ? Well most of you are far too young to remember a comic book character, of many ages gone by, called Lulu and the comic books were titled "Little Lulu". Little Lulu had her dark hair fixed in springy, coils and it was the spiraling fringe on this scarf that reminded me of Lulu's  hair-do.

Wendi and I think this fringe is both cute and novel. Hope others do too and that some sweet soul will purchase the scarf.   I have it listed on etsy but etsy has rapidly been getting a reputation of cheaply priced items - I've even heard people refer to it as "Etsy Yardsale" - "etsy-bay" and that etsy is just another version of Craig's List -  now I'm wondering if maybe my stuff is too expensive for those who shop on etsy?

I was recently on another site that had posted suggestions on where one could go online to sell their creations - the first site mentioned was, of course, etsy. It was eye opening to read so many comments that denigrated etsy. Several said that etsy was getting old; others said there were too many resellers and too many tacky craft items on etsy; a few bemoaned that etsy allowed venders to copy the creations of other venders and sell them as their own. I suppose when a site becomes as big as etsy is, it become hard, if not impossible to police things (though that never seemed to slow them down when it came to the forums and shutting down threads - LOL).

What is your opinion about etsy and do you think there are any other sites that are as good or even better than etsy ?

UPDATE - - - Good News For The Holidays

As many of you may know, the company that my daughter Kathi worked for had been sold to another corporation and that corporation, in an attempt to balance the books, went through and down-sized its new acquisition. Like most buyouts the new company was not a local one nor did it have any knowledge of the people they would be letting go, theirs was strictly a numbers game and the higher salaried employees were at the top of the list of those to be dismissed. Kathi had work for NDC for a number of years and had become an intrigal part of the company. John McKay, her old boss at NDC, had been an ex Florida State Senator and was a founder of NDC. In the years that Kathi worked for NDC she impressed those she worked with and for.  Her boss and her peers thought well of her, respected her for her intelligence, work ethics, and her ability to learn quickly and adapt.



Soon after Kathi lost her job, John McKay called her to pass on information that he had put in a good word for her with District 58's new Representative, Jim Boyd. Jim Boyd's office had a position open and was looking for someone qualified to fill it, John McKay recommended Kathi for the position.


Boyd's office got in touch with Kathi almost immediately and scheduled an interview, it was as though this was meant to be. The interview was most successful, they were highly impressed with Kathi and her résumé and Kathi left the interview with a very positive feeling. Shortly after the interview they contacted her again to tell her that she had the job. Though the pay is less the job sounds interesting, she will have to go to Tallahassee for special training and she is delighted with her new job title "District Executive Secretary". Her daddy smiled when he heard and he commented; "Well as they always say; 'If you can't give them the money; give them a title.' "

 Kathi is really excited about her new job and is looking forward to her up coming training session in Tallahassee. This is certainly a new direction in her career and it's nice to know that their Christmas won't be darkened by her being unemployed, or worries about paying bills or thoughts about having to sell her daughter's new horse, Scooby (this would have broken Lexie's heart).

Photo below...Lexie and Scooby BFF.

I also wish to thank all of you for your comments of concern and best wishes for our daughter, your caring thoughts were all appreciated and cherished. Thank you.
I've always been a believer that things happen for a reason, that our Creator knows which direction He wishes us to take and all we have to do is look for His signs and follow them. Of course sometimes His signs are very subtle, sometimes we don't see them and sometimes we choose not to see them, much to our detriment.