Happy Thanksgiving!

I just thought I'd take a few minutes out of the Thanksgiving holiday to say THANKS to all those on the internet all around the world who've helped me in SOOOO many ways!  I am very thankful for the kindness of strangers!  It makes my heart glad when I see that people are still willing to lend a helping hand, just because it's the right thing to do.

On another note, my birthday fell on Thanksgiving day this year.  I'm ready for some birthday shopping!  I still refuse to do Black Friday!  It's just no worth it to me.

Everybody be safe driving to and from Grandmother's house!

Whirlwind Couple of Weeks!

It's been a while since I've been able to post!  It seems that sales seem to hit me in waves.  I'll go one week where I'll sell a few items, and then the next week, get hit with 2 - 3 times as many.  Anyway, that's a good thing, right!?  Besides shipping everything out, now I have to make more merchandise so I have something to list.  I think I've about caught up.  This week is one of those easy weeks, thank goodness!  I've had to give up on Webstore.  I just didn't have the time to tweak it.  You'll have to decide whether the sites good for you or not.  I'll try to post again this week.

Aneva

An interesting bit of history on the 1917 barn!

I've been doing some research, trying to find out more on the history of our old barn and found some interesting, but contradictory information.  I was told that when the original house was built, the barn was already here, but, now I know that the house, barn, and livestock pens were all part of a housing deal around the Great Depression.  The size of the house, barn, and pens, depended on family size, so the original family that lived here, must have been huge!  The construction date is still 1917, and that doesn't seem to make sense, but I'm still looking for the exact "Law" or "Act" that funded this housing project.  Keep you updated when I find new facts.

Update on auction site! Learning as I Go!

I'm still on a venture as far as finding out what works best for my products, and eventually that's what you'll have to do also.  My crafts can sell great on Ebay, but you might have better luck on Webstore.  My information is based on the selling of mostly barn wood crafts, western jewelry and country decor.  Lately, I've been a bit disappointed in Webstore, but it may be because I'm not working it as hard as I am Ebay.  I've recently posted a few items on Yardsellr.com, to see if I have a market there.  I'm getting tired of being nickle and dimed to death with fees!  Just an update, I'll keep you posted.  I have increased my sales on Artfire.com with just some simple tweets.  I drug my feet and refused to tweet because I thought it was so trivial, but it does get your items more views and that is the only reason I use Twitter.

We're Back!!!!

We've been back for a couple of days.  It just takes me a couple of days to catch up on orders and house work.  Had a wonderful time! We went to DFW, TX, saw some friends and went to Church on Sunday.  Then, we slept late, did next to nothing, ate, took a nap, ate, and went to bed.  Repeat three times!  Except the last night before we went to bed, we went to see "Rise of the planet of the apes!" (I know, how romantic!) and then topped it off with some New York style cheese cake with strawberry topping and it was soooooo good, we took a piece back to the room with CHOCOLATE topping.  OH! I almost forgot!  my husband bought me a laptop computer of my own for our anniversary.  He's a sports photographer with his own website and we were always struggling to get all our "computering" done.  So, the laptop is his present also. 

While I'm Gone. Remember 911!

If you'll look over in the right hand side bar, you will see a display and a tribute to those lost on 911.  I'll always remember!!!!

20 Years of Wedded Bliss! September 13th

I'm going to be away from my desk for a few days!  My husband and I are going out of town for our 20th wedding anniversary.  I might be able to post, but then again, I might not.  I'll be back by Sept. 15th.   

What's the best online auction to sell crafts?

I recently posed this same question and I looked and searched for information, but when it came right down to it, I just had to do some trial auctions on different sites to see which one 1. had the buyers looking to buy my crafts, and 2. marketed my crafts to get enough veiws.  So, far, I've tried EBAY.com and Webstore.com.  I have to give the grand prize so far to Webstore.com.  You have to have ten items in order to be submitted to Google shopping, but once I hit ten, veiws and hits took off, and twelve hours later I already had my first sale.  I wish I knew what the difference was, but for a completely free auction website, it's going to be very difficult to beat Webstore.com, but I'm still researching and I'll keep you posted on my other findings.  Maybe this information will save someone else some time and hassle.

Having a Big BOGO sale!

I'm having a huge "Buy One, Get One" sale in my Artfire studio!  Come by and see if you can find something you HAVE to buy.

Down Time! We have a virus and it's not on the computer.

If I don't post for a day or two, it's because our family is passing around a nasty virus.  I'm usually the last to get it.  Even if I don't get sick, I'm already exhausted cleaning up after everyone, and running medicine and drinks to this room and that room.  Keep you posted!

Well, Here's the finished product!?

I'm not real sure if I like it or not yet.  I certainly don't know if it was worth the time invested!  I guess each time I make another one, it SHOULD get easier and faster.

I know it's not my best, but I had fun trying!  I've been so wrapped up in posting products into my new studios this summer, I'd forgotton what it's all about.  CREATING!!!

I tried something new yesterday!

I'll add a picture here in a couple of days because that's how long it's going to take to make this project look decent.  I tried to miter corners of a picture frame!  I understand why I hadn't tried it before now!  I had to sand, and sand, and re-cut, and sand, and I think I kind of got to where it will fit together now, but it's no longer an 8" x 10" frame.  I'll be lucky if I end up with a 5" x 7" frame when I'm done. LOL!!!!  I am straight line impaired!  I inherited it from my father.

Chance to win $100.00 gift certificate on Artfire.com

I have a studio on Artfire.com and they are giving away several chances to win $100.00 gift certificate to spend on their site for subscribing to the Daily Collection newsletter!  I added a link under the title for this post, but to make sure I'm including in this post also.  $100 Gift Certificate on Artfire.com

Tool Time Gals!?

I want to start a group of women that in the making of their crafts, use power tools.  If you can send me a picture, that would be great!  I want the world to know that 1.Women can do whatever they set their minds to do. and 2.We don't have to loose our femininity to do so. 3. We can enjoy doing so-called "male" jobs.

At the very least, send me a comment with a short story!

A few more favorites.

I guess over the years, I have acquired quite a few crafting skills.  Here are some crocheted rag rugs and fleece throws of mine.

My most popular jewelry item.

I started making these when one of my sons bought one at a craft show and then all of his friends wanted one.  There called Disciple Crosses and there made from horseshoe nails that are wire wrapped.

New Blog Kick-Off!!!

To begin with, I decided to show case some of my work just to detail some of my talents I've developed over the years.  I have a unique ability to just look at a hand writting style and be able to copy it without using a stencil!  Although I do have to draw some lines so I can write in a straight line.

And yes, these are made out of wood from that old barn built before 1917(that is just how far back we can trace it).