Feeling My Way Around Craftinest

Update June 2, 2014-  On 8/26/2013 I blogged about a great new website market place for handcrafted arts and crafts items.  The site was called Craftinest.

Unfortunately Craftinest is now no longer online.  No one knows what happened.  Though Craftinest did post on their facebook page that a fire had destroyed much of their sites equipment and they held out a promise to us that they would repair the damage and get the site back up and running . . . that promise is yet to materialize.   As I update this post is has been about 9 months since anyone has heard from Craftinest. Craftinest has not bothered to update their facebook page nor notify any of their many shop owners as to what is going on. All our emails are returned as undeliverable. We have pretty much given up hope that Craftinest will repair the fire damage and reestablish their website. 

Personally I believe that they grew too quickly and the inundation of so many artists and crafters overwhelmed them and their sites capacity to handle such an influx of shops and traffic.  The loss of Craftinest is sad as it held forth so much potential . . .  but sometimes things are simply not meant to be. 

Below is my old blog post of 8/5/2013 -

*********** 

 

Photo - I spotted this adorable tiny bell shaped flower in amongst the weeds .  It was all alone with no others like it around.

 

It's the Dog Days of Summer, the asphalt sizzles and the breezes feel like they're coming straight out of a blow drier set on high.  Sweltering masses of human flesh, sapped of all  energy,  make their lethargic way across blistering parking lots to revel within the arctic interiors of municipal buildings and shopping centers.

Those who have no call to venture out into this inferno,  wisely cocoon themselves inside the blissfully air conditioned,  confines of their homes . . .  this is where I've been cloistered, safe at home, away from Summer's scorching breath and blazing sun.

For the past week or more I've been submerged in finding, or at least trying to find, my way around Craftinest.  Craftinest is a highly sophisticated site and for those much more proficient with the wiles of Internet websites than myself, this would be of little concern.  Unfortunately I am technologically challenged and can scarcely find  my way around facebook, therefore the last several days have witnessed a steady flow of questions emanating from my email server to that of Craftinest's email Help line.  I'm am truly grateful for Samantha  @ Craftinest Help, she has been most patient with all my inquires and has been invaluable in directing me through, what I consider, a labyrinth of technology.

Craftinest is set up with every bell and whistle one could ever need, or possibly want, to run their own online business.  One can start off minuscule and grow their enterprise into something only limited by their ambition and  imagination.  I'm fairly confident that there are many features there that I will never have use for, still it is nice to know it's there - just in case.  

At the moment the Craftinest site is still in its birthing process and is an opportunity awaiting those who are willing to go through the labor of campaigning for votes to meet with the sites jurying requirements and then the rigors of setting up and caring for one's new born shop.  I'm certain that there are many of you out there that are far more qualified than I and would have your shop up and running in a fraction of the time it is taking me to accomplish this task. 

Since I wish to keep this post from becoming overly long I will end my post here and will post an update soon. . .hopefully.  

In the mean time take care and be happy.    :)

Wonder and Beauty can be found where we least expect it.