Project Wonderland

I’m such a bum!!

2008-03-16T18:50:00.000-04:00

I did pretty much nothing today except watch TV and movies. I’m still sick. Actually I think my ear infection is getting worse because today it HURTS! Well I guess I got a little bit of work done. I went through all of my jewelry and accessories (hair clips, magnets, keychain, etc.) I separated the pieces I have pictures of from the ones I don’t have pictures of. It looks like I’m going to be taking a lot of pictures this week. I need to make a new light box. I threw my old one out because it was pretty beat up. Here is the tutorial I used to make my light box, but I changed a few things. Instead of bristol board, I use white foam sheets. The only down side is they get dirty easily but they are cheap so I buy a ton of them. Also instead of fabric, I use freezer paper to cover the sides of the box and wax paper to cover the top. I love this light box because it is super easy to make and cheap. It works good and it’s almost no investment. I mean it is like what $1.99 for freezer paper. Right now I have a box and freezer paper but no foam sheets or wax paper. Tomorrow I should be feeling good enough to the store, at least I hope I’m feeling good enough.

Speaking of not feeling well… My mom is having trouble breathing. Today she walked from the house to the car. We were going to get her blood tests done. When she got to the car her face was red, like really red, and she was gasping for air- with her oxygen on. She really scared me. We were going to go to the hospital but she talked me out of it. She hadn’t ate or taken any of her medicines because she had to fast for her blood test. She thought maybe that had something to do with her feeling so bad. She wants to go to the doctor on Monday. I hope she will be able to get an appointment.

Spring Fever!

2008-03-14T00:40:00.002-04:00

Oh boy! These past few days have been rough. I have an ear infection and a chest cold. I felt fine when I went to bed Monday night. Tuesday morning was a whole different story. Fever, ear ache, head ache, coughing, head congestion, chest congestion, the whole nine yards. I'm starting to feel a little crazy. For the last three days I have done nothing but sleep and watch TV. How many Law and Order reruns can one girl watch? I'm starting to feel a little better. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to venture out of the house, or at least off the couch!

Where I’ve been and where I’m going!

2008-03-10T00:55:00.003-04:00

Well I’m not sure about everyone else but for me December was a great month. It was a busy month but it was great. I spent it finishing up my last semester of classes and preparing for my internship, plus there is Christmas and New Years. My Etsy shop was open in December but it was definitely not a top priority. Then in mid-January I, unexpectedly and without any explanation, closed my Etsy shop.

On January 11 my mother went in for a heart catheterization. There were some very serious complications. Her artery collapsed and her heart stopped for 36 minutes. After reviving her, the surgeons preformed an emergency double by-pass. Honestly we were prepared for the worst. The surgeons were not sure she would survive the by-pass and were fairly certain that if she did she would have some brain damage from oxygen deprivation. Miraculously she not only survived but is well on her way to making a full recovery. In fact she is doing so well that I am ready to re-open my Etsy shop.

I’ve taken the semester off school and I’m only working part time so now that my mom doesn’t really need help anymore… I actually have a good bit of free time for once. Tomorrow will be my “Grand Re-Opening!” It feels good for my routine to be returning to something like normal. Plus I’m ready to have something to commit to. I’m used to having classes and working really hard for the grade. Right now I don’t have that and I work at a pizza shop so I really can’t take that too seriously. I’m excited to see where I can take Project Wonderland when I make it my main priority.

I'm Back!!

2007-11-22T00:27:00.000-05:00

So it's been awhile...

I've been so wrapped up in school, friends, and working on new projects that I complete disappeared from my blog and all the "social networking" sites I love.

But...

I'm back now and I have all kinds of new items to list on Etsy and to show off. I'm really excited about some of my new pieces. There is only one problem... my digital camera is broke! I'm going to try to find a good deal on a new camera on Friday, Wish me luck!!

shown: my newest listing

Busy Bee

2007-10-06T22:03:00.000-04:00

So I’ve been working on getting together a mega-super-huge promotional plan together for November, as that is when the holiday shopping season really hits. I’m going to have ads on http://www.cra ftrevolution.com/ and http://www.pussycatmagazine.com/ plus I’m hoping to be a super mega contributor to http://www.homeofthesampler.com/ which means 200+ samples. When I say I’m hoping I mean I don’t have all 200+ samples made yet. I do have 87 samples made. Oh yeah, my samples are wire wrap rings, similar to this ring. I have a week until I ship them out to the sampler… I’m confident that I can make over a 100 rings in a week, but then again that is why I’m home on a Saturday night. I better get back to making those rings!!

Class is in session!

2007-09-14T01:31:00.000-04:00

So I’m three weeks into the semester and I already feel overwhelmed. I thought this semester would be fairly easy because I’m taking three psychology classes and a chemistry class. Psychology is my major and tends to come naturally to me, it is something I don’t have trouble understanding. Chemistry…I’m not so comfortable with but it is an intro class so I figured it shouldn’t be too hard. Honestly I don’t think any of my classes are that hard… yet, but they are work intensive. I have classes Monday through Thursday and I have and assignment due almost every day, plus three out of four of my classes has a big, huge, mega project due at the end of the semester. I hate to admit it but in the last few Project Wonderland has been pushed off to the side. I haven’t done much more than relist items. The worst part is I have even had time to create anything new or photograph the stash of jewelry I have made. Over the last three weeks I have realized how much I love making jewelry and how much I enjoy the things I thought I didn’t like, such as photographing my creations, editing pictures, and promoting my shop through different online communities. I know in a few weeks I will have adjusted to being back in school and I will allow myself to actually take a break from the books and have fun… Right now I am just trying to figure out what my professors are like, what they expect from me, and how they grade and test, as I have several professors this year that I have not had in the past. I tend to be a perfectionist, particularly when it comes to my education and my grades. Some day I plan to attend grad school and I’m going to need those A’s.

Labor Day/ Back to school SALE!!

2007-09-01T23:44:00.001-04:00

Late is better than never right? I wanted to post this Friday morning but life got a little hectic and well, it just didn’t happen.

This Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday only I'm having a huge Back to School/Labor Day BOGO half off Sale!!Buy one item get another item of equal or lesser value half off!! This offer is good on multiple items… meaning if you buy one item at full price you can get up to 3 items half off. When purchasing, please wait to complete payment until you receive an email containing an updated invoice.

**The sale begins at 12 AM on Friday August 31, 2007 and ends at 11:59 PM on Monday September 3, 2007. (All times are US Eastern Time - New York time.)**
Check it out and tell your friends!!

Ahhh…. School Drama!

2007-08-25T21:07:00.000-04:00

So classes start on Monday and as I’ve said before this will be my senior year of college. I was supposed to be interning this semester but that well… isn’t going to happen. Basically the agency I was going to intern with recently made a bunch of policy changes that my internship site supervisor wasn’t aware of and these policy changes affect my internship. There is still a possibility that I can intern there but with the semester starting on Monday there is no possibility of it happening this semester. At first I was a little upset about the whole situation but I figure everything happens for a reason. I need to complete a 480 hour internship to graduate so I still have to find an internship for next semester, but who knows, maybe I’ll find my dream internship. I don’t know exactly what my dream internship is but I figure if I keep looking I’ll find it. On the bright side, since I’m not interning I get to take some classes that sound pretty interesting, such as introduction to art history. I will also have more time to work on Project Wonderland during the holiday season which is definitely a plus.

I <3 Indie Public

2007-08-23T05:53:00.000-04:00

“Indiepublic is an independent art and design community. If you're an artist, designer, retailer, blogger, or just someone who gets giddy when they buy indie, we've saved a seat for you!” – http://www.indiepublic.com/

So I’m still very new to indie public. I haven’t even explored everything there yet, but I have to say I love it! I read about indie public on the Etsy forums the other day, so I checked it out. Then of course I signed up! Now I must admit I create an account on just about any site where I can show off my jewelry and/or view the work of other artist/creators/designs/crafter/etc. Some of these sites I create an account and then kind of forget about it because the site either isn’t user friendly or just isn’t fun. Some I visit sometimes, and some I’m always on. I can already tell indie public will fit the later category. Everyone there is so friendly, the site it’s self is user friendly, and from what I’ve viewed so far there is a ton of talent there, making it oh so fun! Check me out on indie public!!

Ready to work!

2007-08-16T21:56:00.000-04:00

For the past two months or so I haven’t been putting as much effort into Project Wonderland as I used to. I’ve been creating continuously and keeping up with listing items, but other than that I haven’t been doing too much. Promoting takes a lot of time and metal energy. It gets tiring after awhile. And then today I woke up and I thought “O.K. I’m ready to work!” My day was pretty packed with obligation unrelated to Project Wonderland and after I finished everything I had to do I got myself and my space organized. I strongly dislike working in a messy space! So now I am energized and organized and ready to go! Look out world, I'm back!!

Ring Mandrel!!

2007-08-11T18:46:00.001-04:00

I finally got a ring mandrel, which means I can now start listing my wire wrapping rings! I have some made but I was sure of their exact size… now I am! I am taking pictures now and hope to have one listing in my Etsy shop before the end of the night!

Reality is settling in….

2007-08-05T23:32:00.000-04:00

Well reality has finally hit me, in both good and bad ways. I am starting my senior year of college, which is great because it mean I am close to graduating. It also means I am starting my internship, which means I work and I pay a lot of money to do so. On top of paying to work, there are a lot of assignments that go along with interning. Now I am not really complaining because I know the experience will be invaluable and will help me in a countless number of ways during my future. My only problem is I don’t want to be overwhelmed and I already know I will be. Between classes, my internship, my job, and Project Wonderland, I will be surprised if I sleep, let alone have any sort of social life. I am starting my internship next week, before the semester even begins, to get a head start on my hours. I have also started on my readings for the semester. I know the busy season is coming soon in the world of retail and I want to be prepared. I think the best way for me to prepare for the holiday shopping season is to finish as much school work as I can now, before school even starts. Other than worrying about how Project Wonderland will fare, I am excited about the semester and my internship. I am really interested in the classes I am taking this semester and I think my internship will be an amazing learning experience.

Book Review! - The Art Of Resin Jewelry

2007-07-30T05:01:00.000-04:00

The Art of Resin Jewelry: Layering, Casting, and Mixed Media Techniques for Creating Vintage to Contemporary Designs by Sherri Haab

I’ve been intimidated by resin and after reading this book cover to cover I’m going to buy resin tomorrow. Sherri gives an overview of the basics, which is great because when I picked this book up I knew nothing about resin. The “basics” include info on the different types of resin, supplies you need, basic techniques, and helpful tips. This book also has great projects and offers plenty of inspiration. The pictures are amazing and the instructions are detailed yet simple, on top of being well written. If you can’t tell I am in love with this book. I got it from the library about a week ago, and it is now on my must buy list.

Book Review!

2007-07-23T19:12:00.001-04:00

Guerrilla marketing for free : 100 no-cost tactics to promote your business and energize your profits By: Jay Conrad Levinson.

I must admit this review may be a bit biased because Jay Conrad Levinson has recently become one of my favorite authors. I have only read two of his books but so far I am very impressed. This book is amazing. There were many marketing strategies mentioned that I have never thought about and many that have. The best part about this book is that it shined new insight marketing strategies that I have thought of and it gave me a new perspective on many that I have thought about. While reading this book I took 3 pages of notes, front and back. Trust me there is a lot of information and insight to gain from reading this book. My favorite chapter was chapter 8, personality traits you need to market for free. I definitely suggest you check it out. This is one book I truly believe has something to offer everyone. I also think it is important to mention that not every marketing tactic mentioned in this book is for everyone, every business, and/or every business. I suggest taking notes as you read this book and implementing only the strategies that you feel are right for you and your business.

Craft Room

2007-07-20T19:33:00.000-04:00

I have finally cleaned my craft. I have everything nicely organized and I took picture!!

You can find a few picture on my flickr account!

Rings!!

2007-07-18T03:49:00.001-04:00

So I’ve been making rings for awhile now. I taught myself to make wire wrap rings using this tutorial. I also bought silver plate adjustable rings with glue pads. I’ve started listing the adjustable rings but I have to wait for my ring mandrel to list the wire wrap rings. I don’t want to list them with out knowing their exact size. I’ve been photographing rings all day, well for a few hours at least, and I got finally got some pictures that I am happy with.

My First Market

2007-07-13T23:41:00.000-04:00

I did my first market today at Rogers, Ohio. When I went there I knew it was a large flea market. In my opinion, my jewelry is priced on the lower side, for handmade jewelry. I’m a little disappointed because I had to lower my prices to sale anything (which I didn’t like but I wanted to at least sell something!!), and even then I had people asking for specials. I made a small profit, and when I say small….I mean SMALL. I barely covered my booth fee and if you look at the vendor info…that isn’t much. I was in the back, where there was not much traffic, and I was right next to a guy selling cheap import jewelry… But I’m still glad I went. It was a good experience in general and it is something to learn from. It was a good way to “get my feet wet” so to speak. Next time I sell in person, I will do a real craft show where people understand that $4 for a pair of handmade earrings isn’t crazy… By the way- $4 was after I lowered my prices. I’m not going to let this discourage me too much. I am going to keep plugging away at Project Wonderland. I haven’t given up hope yet :)

July Goals!!

2007-07-09T18:29:00.000-04:00

We are a week and a half into the month, but it is better last than never!

July Goals:
1. Orgnaize my craft space and keep it that way
2. Keep my blog current- post at least 4 times a week
3. Spend 8 hours a week promoting and advertising
4. Do my first show on Friday the 13th!
5. List or relist at least once day
6. Track views daily and I’m hoping to see an increase in views due to promoting

Wish me luck!!

Vote for Etsy!!

2007-07-09T16:50:00.000-04:00

You can vote for, and rate, the 50 best websites of 2007… and Etsy is in the running!! I vote and you can too! Go here to vote and before submitting your vote make sure you adjust the slider to say 100 (or whatever score you think Etsy deserve!) Did I mention this is for Time Magazine!!!

Vote for me!!

2007-07-06T04:20:00.000-04:00

So an awesome Etsian 1stcreationz created an awesome advertising board for sellers of handmade items. Check it out! It also has a voting feature. You can vote for me by clicking on the link to your left :)

Book Review!

2007-07-05T14:06:00.001-04:00

"Guerrilla marketing excellence: the 50 golden rules for small-business success” by Jay Conrad Levinson”

Before I review this book I have to admit I did not finish it. There was a hold on it at the library so I could not renew it. I read half of it then I skimmed the rest. One of the things I absolutely love about this book is that is perfect for skimming. Each oof the 50 golden rules has it’s own short chapter. If you want to read this book but don’t have time to read all of the 200+ pages read the title and headline of every chapter and the first paragraph. If it is a rule you think is particular important to you and your business or a rule you need more explanation to understand, read the rest of the chapter. If you don’t feel it is crutial to you and your understand it, more on to the next chapter. As far as the rules go… Some are things I expected to see, others are things I never really thought about. Some of them I things I feel are crutial to anyone running a business and should never be broken. Others are well, not for everyone. I won’t discuss the rules indivudually, but I will say this is a book worth reading. Even if you don’t feel the need to follow every rule, you should know what they are.

Ankle update!

2007-06-30T19:18:00.001-04:00

Well my ankle is finally starting to feel better. I can almost put all of my weight on it. I still got a bit of a limp going but that is expected. The swelling has gone down a bit but it is bruised big time. I didn’t even realize it was bruised at all until Thursday night, lol. I took a pic but I’m only adding it as a link. It really isn’t thank gross, but I know some people are squeamish and bothered by that kind of stuff so I don’t want to post the actual pic.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/projectwonderland/674182497/

Sprained Ankle :(

2007-06-28T02:15:00.000-04:00

So last night I spent about an hour and a half designing some promotional stickers. I was sitting on my left foot the entire time. I got to get some printer paper and somehow did not realize that my foot had fallen asleep and was completely numb! As soon as I stepped down my ankle turned sideway and I was on the ground. At first it didn’t really hurt too bad, because my foot was numb, but then I realized I couldn’t put any pressure on it, like at all. I went to ER today to get crutches. They did x-ray and luckily it isn’t broke, but it still hurts like hell. I’m not real good on crutches and can’t walk at all with out them, so I guess my weekend will be pretty dull, but it will give me a chance to catch up on my reading…. I’m currently reading “How to win friends & influence people” by Dale Carnegie, “Guerrilla marketing excellence: the 50 golden rules for small-business success” by Jay Conrad Levinson, and “Guerrilla marketing for free: 100 no-cost tactics to promote your business and energize your profit” by Jay Conrad Levinson. I can’t seem to just read one at a time, but they all compliment each other so it works out pretty good. So far they are all really great books that would highly recommend. I’ll being doing reviews on them in the following weeks. Well I’m gonna go ice my ankle…again!

Delays…..

2007-06-26T21:41:00.001-04:00

Well I was supposed to sell at my first market this Friday, but it looks like that is not going happen. My mom was going to go with me but unfortunately something came up can she can’t make it. I not possible work a booth alone from 7:30 AM to 10:30 PM. and I can’t find anyone else willing and/or able to give up an entire Friday. I’m really disappointed but the market is held ever Friday so we are going to go in two weeks. I’m trying to look at the bright side. This delay will give me time to perfect my displays and make more stuff to take. In all honestly I guess it really isn’t that bad. I have been working on my displays all day and I’m not nearly finished. I made a necklace and keychain display out of PVC piping and tonight I started spray painting them. I have a whole new respect for graffiti artist and anyone who works with spray paint. It is harder than it looks. I can not seem to control where the paint is going. Well I’m off to do make some jewelry.

**To the right- Princess my puppy...unrelated to my post...but adorable :)

Buttons Galore!!

2007-06-24T20:11:00.000-04:00

In preparation for my first market, which is next Friday, I’ve been super busy creating new items all weekend. I bought a bunch of buttons and I raided my mom’s vintage button stash. I’m thrilled with the results: button bobby pins, button brooches, and button pendants!! They will be making an appearance in my Etsy shop soon!!

Book Review!

2007-06-18T19:10:00.000-04:00

Guerilla Marketing Online Weapons by Jay Conrad Levinson

Well I’ve heard good things about Guerilla Marketing books so I thought I would give this one a shot. It was published in 1995 so I wasn’t surprised that a lot of the information was a bit outdated. The internet is an ever growing and changing place, and is a very different place than it was in 1995. That aside, I like this book. I didn’t read it all but it was well written and covered the basics. I wouldn’t really recommend it because it is outdate, but I am excited about the other Guerilla Marketing books on my library wish list.

Mid-Month Goal Evaluation

2007-06-15T18:09:00.000-04:00

June is half over so I thought I would evatulate how I am doing at reaching my goals for this month.

My goals for the month:
1. list daily or close to
- Done!
2. promote more
- Not promoting as much as I should, but I am reading a book about marketing. Does that count?
3. keep my blog current
- I’m trying…
4. make my first sale since reopening
- Not yet, but I’m still hopeful :)
5. prepare for my first show (in 3 weeks)
- It will June 29 at Roger Ohio Open Air Market! I think it is the perfect place for my first show experince!
6. organize my craft space and keep it that way
- I have it half organized. I’m hoping to get it finished up over the weekend and maybe even post some pics!

Business Week!!

2007-06-11T23:10:00.000-04:00

There was a great article on the business week website today about Etsy!!

SO…

2007-06-10T23:09:00.000-04:00

I complete redid my computer….like wiped everything out…so it was like brand new again. Well I didn’t think it through because I forgot that I have a ton of pics on my comp that are no where else. I like my friends and all but I could care less about their pic. I wanted the pics of my puppies. I was soooo sad they were gone, and then I remembered I had them on yahoo photos. What would I have done with out a pic like this? That is Jayde as a pup, a purebred miniature pinscher *I think* who is now 3 years old. She is so cute, and she likes to cuddle…

Concerns about privacy on Etsy?

2007-06-09T21:04:00.001-04:00

If you frequent the Etsy forums you have probably noticed several threads stating concerns about privacy issues on Etsy. The main issues are that anyone can see what a buyer has bought and how much they have paid through feedback and that everyone can see the prices of a seller’s previously sold items. This can create some problems such as someone finding how much you paid for their gift or someone adding up your income from Etsy sales.

While I am personally not concerned with these issues, I can understand why others are. Admins have noted that they are taking these issues seriously but don’t want to make any hasty discussions. I can also understand that. My partial solution (and the solutions of many other sellers, just ask them): don’t leave feedback. While everyone loves feedback if you don’t leave it there is no trail. If you are concerned about people knowing what you bought or what you paid for it, ask the seller not to leave feedback.

Hopefully in the following months there will be a more permanent solution.

What to what every one else is thinking… read these threads, if you search there may be more!
ADMIN, pls consider changes to what's displayed on feedback pg
CHANGE THE PRICES IN SOLD ITEMS NOW!!! Please :)
Prices on sold item page

Book Review!

2007-06-06T03:58:00.000-04:00

Crafts and Craft Shows: How to Make Money by Philip Kadubec

In two words => not impressed! The photos are all in black and black and are horrible. The advice given in this book isn’t for everyone. To be fair this book may be useful for someone who plans to be a full time craft show vendor, but for someone just starting out and not planning to have craft shows as their sole source of income this advice is horribly off base. Hiring a professional photographer and attending only juried shows is not only costly, but in general not reasonable or feasible for a beginner. The good parts of the book are common sense and information you can find doing a simple internet search. The section on booth set up leaves a lot to be desired. I learned more about displays my doing a search on http://www.flickr.com/ I kept reading hoping I would find something truly useful in this book, but sadly it never happened. I must be missing something because it had good reviews on http://www.amazon.com/

**Please note this review is based on the 2000 version, the link and picture show the 2006 version. I’m not sure how different they are**

My new creation!

2007-06-05T20:30:00.000-04:00

So it’s nothing amazing and nothing original, but I’m still excited. I made a wire wrap ring using this tutorial. I think it came out really good for my first try!

So June is here…

2007-06-03T19:06:00.000-04:00

Around the beginning of the month you can usually find a ‘Monthly Goals” thread in the Etsy forums. Well today I read a post in that thread that I just had to share. The poster was dmriceart. And to quote

“Reading thru these lists... makes me realize... we are all going down similar paths, and yet we are all individuals, with different lives... It is neat to know that others are looking forward, too! Seems like Etsy gives us much more than just a place to sell our creations... it is giving me inspiration from knowing others are here, doing what they love ... and working toward successes, small steps at a time...”

Etsy truly is so much more than just a place to sell and buy, and I could not have said it any better myself.

My goals for the month:
1. list daily or close to
2. promote more
3. keep my blog current
4. make my sale since reopening
5. prepare for my first show (in 3 weeks)
6. organize my craft space and keep it that way

Book Review!

2007-05-26T18:36:00.000-04:00

Right now Project Wonderland, my crafty business venture, is really a hobby business. I treat it like a business but I’m still at a hobby level. My main objective is to test the water and get my feet wet. I am beginning to seriously consider that a career as aprofessional crafts person may be in future. I want to learn as much as I can about being a professional crafter so over the summer I intend to read just about ever book of the subject, well as many I can, lol. I figure since I’m taking the time to read all these books why not take the time to share my thoughts on. First up….

CRAFTING FOR DOLLARS by Sylvia Landman

I’m so glad I pick this book as my first summer read. It is well written, very informative, and has a little something for everyone. As someone relatively new to the world of selling crafts I learned a lot form this book. Furthermore, I’m guessing even a seasoned seller would benefit from reading it. It is divided up into 22 chapters, each one covering a different aspect or role of being a craft business owner. Sylvia covers the basics and beyond. Another thing about this book that I really like: interviews with a professional at the end of every chapter. Who better to learn from than the pros? Resources for additional information are also listed through the book, making it an even more valuable source of information. This is one I definitely recommend!

My light box!

2007-05-24T17:06:00.000-04:00

This week I made a light box using this tutorial. At first I was a little disappointed but with a few minor adjustments that disappointment turned into excitement. Originally I used an old white sheet to cover the box. The sheet was too thin so I replaced it wax paper. In the beginning I was also had the light too far away from the box. After moving the light closer to the box and adjusting the white balance on my camera, my pictures are coming out great! This necklace is the first piece of jewelry I photographed with my light box, post improvements. It was listed within minutes of me photographing it! I can’t wait to go take more pictures!

Project Wonderland is Back!

2007-05-20T17:07:00.000-04:00

My school semester is finally over, and I’m happy to say I did very well. Today is my grand re-opening! I’m so excited to back and active on Etsy! To celebrate my re-opening I am offering free shipping worldwide until June 30. I have tons of new jewelry and accessories made and ready to list. I’ll be adding several new items daily so my check my shop often. Here is a sneak peek at my earrings that will be listed later this week.

PW is closed :(

2007-02-18T00:12:00.000-05:00

If you have visited my Etsy shop or website recently, you probably noticed that I’m not currently selling. I have decided to take a break and concentrate on my schoolwork. I am in my senior year of at a local Penn State campus. Right now, my education is my main priority. This semester is really work intensive, it is not so much hard work but work that takes a lot of time. I also took on a job as a grader for a professor, which is great for my resume. Project Wonderland will open again in May. Over the next few months, I will still be making new stuff. I can’t stop creating. Crafting keeps me sane. I hope to keep my blog semi-updated over the next few months and plan to try to continue the Etsy featured sellers.

Do you believe in love?

2007-01-25T20:28:00.000-05:00

Mona and Michael do! They are two sellers on Etsy who met in the forums. Their relationship has blossomed from there. To get all the details check on Mona’s blog. Their story is truly beautiful and heart warming. I only hope I’m luckily enough to find love that that. Anyways Michael lives in Vermont and Mona is in Florida. As many of you know, a big move can be expensive. They are saving up for Michael’s big move to Florida. To honor this journey they giving away freebies will all purchases from both of their shops!

Check it out!

2007-01-22T00:37:00.000-05:00

Updated Weekly!!

Orange Crush Bracelet

2007-01-14T16:30:00.000-05:00

Several months ago, I made this anklet, and it was nice and I liked it but I knew it could be better. I put it aside, and there it sat unnoticed with so much potential. A few days ago, I notice this anklet and realized where I went wrong. It was meant to be a bracelet! I took a few inches off and ...tada! It makes a fabulous bracelet.

Featured Seller: art4milkbones

2007-01-10T23:56:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I have two miniature pinchers, and I’m totally in love with dogs, all of them. It is no wonder I love this shop. Art4milkbones sells all dog related items, including adorable wooden signs (one of which I am the proud owner of!), magnets, leash holders, charms and toys.

I, obviously, love the wooden signs, as I have one. I think this one might be my favorite. It would be perfect for any dog friendly home. Seriously though, what dog doesn’t love milk bones? And the description “Dogs don't care how much money you have or if your having a bad hair day ...” Can you say adorable?

I also love these magnets! Again with the descriptions...” Dogs Leave Paw Prints On Your Heart..& now they can leave them on the fridge!” How true is that? Any dog lover can appreciate how true that statement rings. Plus they are bright, colorful, and cute as hell!

To see more items from art4milkbones you can check out www.art4milkbones.etsy.com

Featured Seller: Ahpeele

2007-01-05T19:13:00.000-05:00

Ok so this shop just rocks. I don’t even know where to start! They make silk-screened shirts that are just fabulous. Their designs are a brilliant mix of originality and tredniness. They offer such a wide variety of styles and sizes, for both men and women, it would be hard to find something you don’t want.

I think my personal favorite is their “Japanese Koi Art Asian vintage tattoo” design. It is shown on a women’s short-sleeved t-shirt, but is also available on women and men’s long sleeved t-shirts and also on a zip up hoodie.

I generally feature two items but I am afraid I can not choose a
second. So I'll leave you with a taste, but you must go explore this one for yourself!

Featured Shop: the Mymble's Daughter!

2006-12-29T00:16:00.000-05:00

I discovered this shop while searching for all things "Alice in Wonderland." Alice in wonderland is my all time favorite book and movie. While my love for anythinwonderlandand themed led to this shop, that is not the only reason I love it!

This shop currently has 60 items for sale, including pendants, necklaces, charms, bracelets, and more. If you take a look around you are sure to find something awesome! Check out this bracelet! I love it! The uniqueness, amazing use of color, and the description is incredible. I love the colors, and the non-matching beads that are themed together are definitely my style!

Last night I ordered this "Alice in Wonderland" secret dpendantdent. I can't wait to get it! I knew I wantpendantndent but it was so hard to pick one. They are all so amazing.

After Christmas Sale!

2006-12-26T19:27:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! I just wanted to announce that I'm having a 25%after Christmas sale Tuesday and Thursday only! I'm not sure about everyone else, but I always have more money after Christmas than before!

Urban Princess- Featured Seller

2006-12-21T21:32:00.000-05:00

Before I begin I just want to say how happy I am to have time to feature sellers again. I so enjoy doing these little write ups and for the last few months I've had to write papers for school, so this is like a special treat for me. I hope I'll be able to continue them through out next semester.

So today's featured seller is Urban Princess. She is new to etsy and opened her shop just a few days ago on December 19. She does crocheted hats, scarves, and pins, and clothes...and her work is amazing! It so fresh and original. If you want something unique, something you won't find in a store, something you won't see someone else wearing...this is the shop for you! This scarf is so awesome, I can't even thing of an appropriate term to describe the awesomeness. It is based on the best 80's arcade game that ever existed...Pacman!! Seriously, who doesn't love pacman. Another question... who has ever seen a hand crocheted pacman scarf? I surely haven't! And I love it! And please can we talk about this shirt! I love it! Who couldn't? It is stretchy plaid and black material, has cute little accent buttons, and an adorable front purse pocket!! How cute is that? Like what you see? Don't wait around, she only makes one of a kinds and limited additions!

Hieroglyphics Bracelet

2006-12-20T02:58:00.000-05:00

It has been so long since I listed a new item in my etsy shop. Well I guess it has been that long, since December 2. I been relisted items, but not listing anything new. Anyways, that is all behind me. I just listed my hieroglyphics bracelet. It is one of my favorite pieces. I love the way the wood beads look with the glass beads. The markings on the glass beads remind me of hieroglyphics. They don't really look like hieroglyphics though. I don't know, I still think the name fits. Now I'm off to edit more pictures and write deceptions, so I can try to continue to list new items regularly.

Woo Hoo!!

2006-12-19T04:52:00.000-05:00

So the semester is finally over! Can you tell I'm a little excited? It has been a rough semester and I am glad to see it end. I can't believe Christmas is only a week away. I'm broke this year. I took time off work to get through finals. I'm making presents for almost everyone this year. I'm kind of existed to show off my talents to my extended family, but I am worried about getting everything done in time. Most things I'm making include painting, which takes several coats, times to dry, and a sealer. I know I'll get it all done but I still get nervous cutting it so close.
On another note... I'm, I guess, really hard to shop for. My mom always gives me money to buy my own present, then wraps them up for me to open Christmas morning. This year I didn't have time to. I'm going to order some things on etsy and print pictures to show everyone what I'm getting. I'm excited. I have some really cute things picked out.
Well I had better go start painting. I need to get atleast one coat on everything before bed. I'll update later in the week to show off what I've made and what I've bough!

Finally It Has Happen To Me...

2006-11-26T00:24:00.000-05:00

I found some free time! Thank goodness for Thanksgiving break. These last few days have been great. I spent some time in my craft room, started some new projects, made some new items, hung out with my family and friends, and finally listed new items on etsy.

I'm trilled with how my picture came out. It was sunny today, a little bit chilly but over all a pretty nice day. It took pictures of my "Mirror Mirror on the box" in the grass. The box is gray and looked so good in contrast to the green grass. I have been having a hard time with my pictures lately. I'm just happy I finally took some that I'm satisfied with.

I also am really happy with how my "Chinese Coin Keychain" came out. I took them on my sidewalk so that background looks kind of sandy. It looks really good because the keychain is made of hemp and the coins have an antique gold or brass look, it blended very well.

So what's new with you?

2006-11-17T01:31:00.000-05:00

Wow! That is all I can say about the past few weeks. School has been keeping me busy. So far I've kept my grades up, but it is wearing me out. Luckily, there is only a month left in the semester. My dogs are doing well. Princess was supposed to get 3 teeth pulled but after the vet seen the xrays he decided they didn't need pulled. I'm relieved she didn't have surgery but a little upset that I paid $335 to get her teeth cleaned. Most of the cost went toward anesthesia and xrays but still... Oh yeah the really excited news.... V2 of etsy launched on Monday! I was super excited. V2 benefits buyer and sellers in so many ways. I've only got to play around with a bit, but I love it. What I need to do is work on photographing some of my new pieces. It's not that I haven't made anything, I just have photographed anything, measured anything, wrote descriptions for anything, or listed anything. I'm afraid I won't get around to that for a few days. I have a 15 page paper due Tuesday and so far I wrote the title. Speaking of that paper I should probably get started.

It's been awhile...

2006-10-20T22:45:00.000-04:00

It has been almost two weeks since my last post. I've wanted to post but I just haven't had time. Last week was midterms week. I think I did fairly well but, I'm surely not setting the curve. I've also been working on website. Now that I have my website set up, people need to find it so I have been reading up on that. I also have promotion idea's swimming around in my mind. After thanksgiving break I want to write up a short ad about etsy and pass it out in all of classes. I think it could open a lot of eyes to world of handmade goods. I'm going to talk to my professors and make sure it is alright with them and university policy. I'm sure it will be. Well I'm going to research search engine optimization. Hopefully I'll find some time to make a few new pieces.

Website is Up!

2006-10-08T17:44:00.000-04:00

I have been working on my website for a few weeks. I've been getting feedback on the design and how it looks in different browsers. I finally got everything working, I hope. Overall I'm really satisfied with my site. It set up like a shop but everything links back to etsy. Check it out let me know what you think.

On another note, school is going well. It is taking up most of my time. I am getting better at managing my time. I'm working on my procrastination. I've been squeezing in some crafting time. My lasting listing in my etsy shop is a magnet set. They are so cute.

Featured Shop: Canadian Wood Crafts

2006-10-03T23:47:00.000-04:00

The name says it all, wooden crafts from a seller in Canada, right? Well sort of. When I think of wooden crafts, I automatically envision the uneven spice racks and crooked birdhouses that were a product of high school shop class. That is so far from what your find in this shop. This hand carved wood serving spoon is beautiful. The best description come from Barry, the shop owner. “I have always felt that even simple everyday tools such as a Wooden Spoon should be not only pleasing to the eye but comfortable for the hand as well.” The wooden spoons in my kitchen draw look nothing like that. After seeing how attractive a spoon can look, I may never be satisfied with my drab wooden spoon again. I also love his wooden pendants. Th is “E” is for etsy wood pendent is my favorite. I love the way the three different types of wood blend together. I also suggest you look around this shop for all the great things I didn’t mention, trust me it worth looking at!

New Bracelets!!

2006-09-30T19:54:00.000-04:00

Featured Shop- Soap

2006-09-25T19:46:00.000-04:00

Obviously, in a shop named soap, you expect to find well, soap. You will find soap and so much more. Aside from soap look for “No sugar daddy needed” sugar body scrub, lip balm and gloss, solid and roll on perfume, natural deodorant, lotion, and a few other goodies. Almost everything is offered in a large variety of scents. I have to say the variety of products and scents is mind boggling, in a good way. You will want to try everything. I know I do. Luckily, this was already thought of and there are combo packs and gift box sets available.

*Pictured above- Pumpkin Pie Vegan Handmade Cold Process Soap

Been Busy!

2006-09-21T16:57:00.000-04:00

Yeah, I've been busy, really busy. This semester is going to be tough. I can't believe it is only the end of the third week. I just don't remember ever having this much homework. I guess I should have expected it, considering this is my last year. The good news is I'm gaining a lot of organizational and time management skills. I'm also learning I can't do everything. I have to split my time between project wonderland, school, work, and fun. I think it will a challenge, but what isn't. I'm just happy it is Thursday. Thursday is the end of my school week, yeah! I finally got to take pictures of some pieces I made last weekend. I listed one on etsy. I think I'm going to list every other day. I'd like to list something every day, but every other seems more realistic to me. I'm also cutting back on featuring shops. Instead of Monday and Thursday I am only going to do Monday. I'm just too excited on Thursday. I just want to go in my craft room and create. Speaking of which....I'm going to head off now to do just that.

Featured Shop: Emily Riley

2006-09-19T16:24:00.000-04:00

Emily Riley
I would describe her style as clean, smooth, and elegant. Her shop is full of beautiful handmade jewelry, baby blankets, and a few baby hats. She is also selling some sewing patterns. I want to start with the jewelry. The first time I browsed through her shop these caught my eye. I love them! They are absolutely stunning. Those colors just go so well together. You’ll notice she has an eye for color. I also love her color choices for the baby blankets. This is my favorite. All of the baby blankets are one of a kind and made of chenille with satin binding. They are fabulous. If you want to see more of her amazing work, check out her shop.

**Be sure and get over there before October 31, to receive a free pair of earring with any order over $10!**

Featured Shop: The Dreamy Giraffe

2006-09-14T20:20:00.000-04:00

The Dreamy Giraffe

I don’t even know where to start, I have so much I want to say. KJ, the women behind Th e D re amy Giraffe is amazingly talented. She has a very unique style. I love that I know it is her work before I even look at the name. I believe this is my favorite pi ece. It is a one of a kind painting using acrylic paint on wood titles “Me & The Sea.” I adore the big sad eyes. They just pull you in. KJ is not just a painter. She also has other talents. Check out her Dreamy Hybrids (lovable stuffed creatures.) This one is my favorite, I think. It is so hard to pick a favorite when they are all so cute! If you want to know more about The Dreamy Giraffe check out her website and if you want to shop check out her etsy shop, you know you want to!

Featured Shop: Sew Easy Creations

2006-09-11T02:20:00.000-04:00

Sew Easy Creations

How could you not love a shop that has an item as cute as this in it? His name is Rojo and he is made of soft fleece with sewnon features and button eyes. Did I mention he is adorable?

You find a lot more at S e w Easy Creations than monsters. Check out these adorable baby booties. You’ll have to look at their shop to see the other baby booties. They also make dolls, puppets, book fobs and my personal favorite dish soap bottle aprons and patterns to make them. That is such a clever idea. I suggest checking the shop often, I don’t think we’ve seen all this mother-daughter duo can do!

Need Some Arm Candy?

2006-09-09T23:52:00.000-04:00

I do. Come on, what girl couldn't use a little arm candy? The newest item in my etsy shop is my arm candy bracelet. I love this bracelet. Actually I love it so much I made one for myself. I just think it is so cute and simply. It is a base metal bracelet with embellishments that look like valentine candy hearts secured on it. I love the name too. It is fun, just like the bracelet. Ok I'll stop gushing about it now, lol. I'm just excited because this is the first thing I made and listed all week.

Featured Shop: www.johnclark.etsy.com

2006-09-07T21:34:00.000-04:00

John Clark @ Etsy

If you haven't seen this shop, you need to check it out. His style is unique and enticing. The piece to the right is one of favorites and shows how luring his work can be. It is a portrait drawn on a page of a mystery novel. The words "He never cared. He's made his own hell." are left uncovered. I think this brings the picture to life, gives it a story. Another favorite of mine is his portrait of Bettie Page drawn of a page of a mystery novel. The words “the saint couldn't quit" are left uncovered. I’m a huge Bettie Page fan, so naturally, I love it, but I love the words too. They give it that little something extra. This is just a sample of what you’ll find at http://www.johnclark.etsy.com/ Check it out, you sure to find something that intrigues you.

Etsy Shops

2006-09-07T18:59:00.000-04:00

Ever since I've found Etsy I've been in love with the site. I always knew I would be a buyer there but at first I wasn't sure if I wanted to sell there or not. I really wanted my own site. Eventually I came to realize I may never get around to setting up my own site. So I set up my etsy shop. My sales have been low, but I'm not complaining. I love it there. The best thing about etsy is the community there. I have learned so much from the buyer and sellers there and been exposed to so much creativity it is almost overwhelming. I wanted to give something back. Starting later tonight I am going to feature Etsy Shops on my blog. Every Monday and Thursday I will feature a new shop. I have a list of shops that I am going to feature. Anyone who is interested that I haven't heard from yet send me a convo on etsy or email me at admin@projectwonderland.org Everyone deserves their moment! This gives me something to write about and other sellers a chance to shine. A big thanks to everyone who responded and wants to be featured, everyone who shared their blogs, and everyone who started featuring shops before me and inspired me to do the same. Check back later for today's featured shop!

I survived!

2006-09-06T02:21:00.000-04:00

Today I started 2 of my 5 classes for the semester. I got a peak at what I’m in for this semester, and let me tell you it is not pretty. It is better than I expect though. My developmental psych class is not focused on infants and children. I have taken 2 developmental classes that focus on infants and children and I wasn’t looking forward to another one. Luckily, this class is geared toward adolescences, adulthood, middle life, and end of life. My clinical psych class seems interesting and not as difficult as I thought it would be. This semester 4 out of my 5 classes are 3 hour once a week. I have never had a schedule that consisted mostly of classes that were once a week. So far, it looks like this semester is going to be a lot of work, but nothing unmanageable. I hope I still have the same outlook at the end of the week.

Classes start tomorrow!

2006-09-05T00:51:00.000-04:00

I’m starting my senior year at Penn State Beaver. I’m not ready. It seems like the first day always sneaks up on you. You know it is coming, but you’re never ready for it. At least the is how it is for me. I wondering how it is going to be with school, a part time job, and trying to get Project Wonderland together. I’m by no means complaining. I knew what I was getting into when I started this. I always get anxious the day before classes start and this year I have even more to wonder about. I always want to know what is going to happen before it happens, and life just doesn’t work that way. I want to know who is my classes, what we are going to learn, how much books are going to cost, is Project Wonderland going to be successful, how will I do at the markets this fall (I plan to sell at farmers markets on the weekend through the fall and winter), will the up coming holiday season increase my sales, how cold will it be this winter, how much snow will we get, and a million other things. I’m a planner. You can't really plan what you don’t know what lies ahead. Everyday I have a to do list, I might not get it all done but I have the list. I’m just rambling. Oh yeah…the picture is of some bracelets I made this weekend. The domino one is my favorite.

Only 24 Hours of Free Shipping Left!

2006-09-04T00:39:00.000-04:00

There are only 24 hours left to take advantage of my free shipping offer! I updated my shop four times tonight. I wanted to do it earlier but my camera batteries always die at the most incontinent times. I have a few more items that I’m going to list tomorrow, so keep checking back. You never know when you’ll find something new.

Free Shipping All Weekend

2006-09-01T18:30:00.000-04:00

In celebration of Labor Day Weekend, and the unofficial end of summer I’m offering free domestic and international shipping from Friday the 1st to Monday the 4th. This is my last weekend before classes start, so I'll be using this time to my advantage and making a lot of new jewelry and accesories. Check back through out the weekend, I'll be updating often.

Boxes!

2006-08-28T14:18:00.000-04:00

I am one of those people who can never seem to have enough places to put things. So I have been making decorative boxes for myself for sometime now. I finally got around to list some more in my shop and taking better pictures of the ones I listed in June and July. I love making them, but I have photographing them. I probably took 20 pictures of each of them over the last 2 months, trying to get a picture that shows how beautiful they really and the true color. It was worth the wait.

I'm back!

2006-08-21T22:43:00.000-04:00

Wow I haven't posted in forever! I've been busy. My arts and crafts room is done, for the most part. It still needs some finishing touches. I plan to have my website up by Sept. 4 so I've been making a lot of new stuff for it. I'm contributing to Craft Promo. I'm sending 76 pins. They are just so cute, I love them. I went to my brothers for the weekend, so I'm a little behind. I gotta go get some work done!

Arts and crafts room in progress!

2006-07-30T21:40:00.000-04:00

My art and craft supplies have taken oven the house! Luckily the spare room is no long in use and I'm not expecting anyone else moving in anytime soon so the spare room will be my new arts and crafts room and home office. I should be finished painting and cleaning the carpet sometime late tonight. I'm so excited. I'll finally have my own space where I can truly let my creativity shine through. Your surrounding effect your mental state of mind, and my cluttered bedroom just doesn't cut it anymore. The room is small but it has all the potential in the world. I'll post pics when it is complete.

Hello world, Project Wonderland is here!!

2006-07-24T21:56:00.000-04:00

Hello. A little bit about me... My name is Beth. I have been crafty all my life. Using my imagination and creativity to design something new is what I live for. A few months ago I decided to create Project Wonderland. Project Wonderland is my online shop where you can find all my crafty goods. Right now my web site is still being designed, but I have an etsy shop. http://projectwonderland.etsy.com I love etsy. There is such a great community there. I hope one day to be successful at selling my crafts. Oh yeah, maybe I should define "my crafts". Lately I've been making a lot of jewelry. I also enjoy working with clay, felt, and foam. I paint wooden boxes and picture frames. I like to sew. I love making all kinds of things, basically what ever my mind can come up with.