4.25.2009

Tweet, Tweet...life is all a twitter!

Ok... so I now have an " official " twitter page... as opposed to the " unofficial" one.
     I have finally gotten my act together to link my twitter to my blog to my etsy site... I think I need a full time job doing that.
         I will, when I have time, update as to what is happening in my world.
          thanks for following me to twitter
              martha

4.24.2009

dual front page and 3 gift guide listings...etsy life is good!!!


just a quick note.... I think I had the best featured day ever on Etsy.
  Yesterday about 10 am , my fiesta pedestal was featured in a treasury from a gal from Chicago.  What an honor to finally have an item reach the front page.  Today when I awoke I checked etsy and clicked on the Front Page...lo and behold my garden claw tool was on the front page.  2 front page items in less than 24 hours after never having one... tonight I arrived home to find 3 of my items featured in the gift guides section,
  my garden claw was in the home and garden gift guide and my nutmeg chopper was in the slow foods gift guides... I also had another item, the little vintage Camera featured in the mens gift guide... All is good at Etsy.  I am so happy and excited.   
         thanks to Etsy admin staff for recognizing my shop.
              Martha

4.23.2009

Take your Child to work day!

It was a fun day today... it was" Take your child to work day".. realizing that I was not " working" at my real job today... I wanted my son to have a workday experience so...I let my 12 year old son stay home with me to work on Etsy ... we had to check etsy in the morning, as soon as we woke up. We had sold several items (15 to be exact) that had to be shipped. Before we could ship we had to make the little goodies I put in the boxes. We found the shipping supplies and packed things, Went to ship at the post office, 6 of the items were going out of the country so we had to write out customs receipts, we tried our hand at the automated machine for the others...Then we headed off to the office supply store to replenish shipping supplies, Tape,pens,envelopes etc...Had to stop at kinkos to check the fedex shipping cost as a special request from one of my customers... came home, tool photos of the next items to list (colin was in complete control of the photos today)...We had to come up with descriptions for the items to list. list them on Etsy... in all this... one of my items was on the front page....I realized it when I arrived home.
what a day.... in the life of an Etsian....I LOVE IT!
I have to work my " real job" tomorrow and attend a wedding and sat is my daughters bday. lots to do , there never seems to be a dull moment around here
I really did appreciate his help...he was a trooper.
martha

4.20.2009

International buyers unite!

I have a goal... that is to find a wonderful vintage map of the world and begin to place little markers in the locations I have sold items to.
  They would be in , California, Wyoming, North Dakota, Colorado, South Dakota, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Utah,  Washington State, Oregon, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Virginia,  New york, Maine...Vancouver, British Columbia, Montreal, New Brunswick, United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and many many more.
   I have such fun imagining places I hope to Travel to someday.  
What a wonderful international community we have on Etsy... thru the Arts , handmade and Vintage ... bringing the world together, as one!  Happy Earth Day
      I LOVE it!

4.17.2009

Freshening up for SpRinG !!!


This week I am making a change or two to my Etsy Shop...
   I have been taking my photos on a stark white surface for a while.  This week, I will be freshening up my shop a by adding more natural backgrounds and fresh flowers.  I am hoping it will soften up a bit and be pleasing to the eye.
  I have my little pixie mascot who will be ushering in Spring by sharing her spot with a little spring chicken and some fresh daffodils.
     keep your eye open for the new fresh look.
           martha

My Latest Treasury...All A BuzZ . . ..!
    I love this one... the colors are honey , black and White.   The artists are inspiring and I have chosen some of my favorite sellers to feature this time around.  What fun.  I hope you will check it out.
          

4.14.2009

Treasury.... Mapquest.... inspired by vintage maps


ok... so after the sweaty palm moment... you etsy treasury people know what I am talking about.... for those of you who don't know... you can not enter a treasury until it falls below 333... I watch the clock... set the timer., much like trying to catch the last second bid on Ebay.  As soon as it falls to 332... you have only moments to put your treasury name up.  I have seen many successful treasury names that are just three dots... they didn't know what to name it...but it is mysterious so I think folks click on it...
   This is a treasury I have been trying to do for sometime now.  I love the colors on  a vintage map or globe.  They are so yummy, pastels in orange,green, blue and pink.  I was finally home to put together a treasury today.
   My last treasury went to the front page... I ran that one twice... hoping the etsy admin would see it.
   This one has already gotten many clicks... Alphabetically  it is the first on the list.
  I hope you like it as much as I do...when you click on the link... please be sure to visit all of the wonderful shops.  I have alternates as well.  Their links are in the word alternates in the last sentence... so that you can see their items as well! hope you find all four.
  
    Thanks for visiting me here!

4.10.2009

Think of it like an Easter Egg hunt...Have fun!



Thank you all for your business this past week.  Since having my bunny card featured I have been non stop packing and shipping... ok... so I have been sleeping ....so I guess it is not non stop packing... but it seems like in the past week I have made so many wonderful Friends on Etsy.  
   The kindness shared by all is contagious.   Many of the friends I have made have also been featured and it is so fun to share in everyones success.  
   I have been busily photographing many new items for listings to come.  
  I hope you will all stay tuned as I catch up with my shipping and prepare to celebrate the Easter Weekend with family and friends.
       Best to you all 
            Martha

4.08.2009

Good things come in Medium sized packages!

Yesterday, After many trips TO the post office to ship items... I went to PICK UP an item I bought on Etsy several weeks ago.  I have been looking for a pair of Vintage cowboy boots.  I took a chance with a pair that I had found.  The seller was not sure of the size ...it was an estimate.  I did a bit of research before my purchase and by some of the stitching I  found that they were manufactured in  Canada and by the same makers of the Mounties boots. Alberta boot company...  I went for it.  Waiting with anticipation.  I had never bought something that I had not been able to try on before.
I picked up my box... couldn't wait... opened it in the car... took out one of the boots and they looked like they might be too small.
The minute I arrived home... I put one on... they fit like they had been made for me.
    I love them ...The price was right!  What a find... you never know what you can find on Etsy. 


UHOHHHH...someone is catching the Bug!







Yesterday I sat down to photograph some of my etsy vintage finds.  While I was taking the shots my son arrived on the scene... he is 11 and will be 12 soon.  In hand were a pile of his vintage toys that I had picked up along the way...Estate sales, flea markets and the like.    He asked if he could set them up and take some shots.  I handed him my canon and off he went.  Placing them in groupings, focusing in ...in an " Artsy" way... I might add.  He asked if I would list them and if he could get a little of the cash for his savings.    Of Course I listed them for him...if you check out my listing for vintage toys, you will find them there.   I think he took some great shots for a budding photographer.          I hope you love them too!Seems he is well on his way to catching the Etsy "bug"....watch out POE... colin is on his way!     
           Martha
Here are a few of my favorite sellers... I hope you love their shops.
 please check them out. 
 Wildwomanjewelry is one of my favs. for accessories and earrings.  I love her fresh colors and styles.  I think I have featured an item from her in each of my treasury collections.
I also have some new favorites...funkymom... will be one to watch...her retro style and flair for repurposing vintage jewelry will make her soar to the top on etsy.
for wonderful vintage finds.... vintagology.  keep your eye on that one... cute pics and great finds.

4.05.2009

I'll take mine with Cream and Sugar Please!



This post is quite random... 

Yesterday my Husband , Son (11yrs) and I went out for breakfast at a little pancake house across from our Church.  
  I believe everything inside was original to the place... I am told it is at least 40 years old...my son, when asked to pass the Cream and Sugar, looked at me with a blank stare ...next to the salt and pepper shakers there were only packets of Equal and Sweet N' Low.  I asked my husband to pass the sugar please, he looked at me as well... as if to say... they are out of sugar packets.  Clearly on the table next to the packet dispenser was a " vintage" sugar jar.  Silver top, filled to the brim with sugar.  No paper waste except for the original  5 lb bag it came in, back in the kitchen somewhere.  The way it used to be... the way it SHOULD be.  Next to it on the table was the little silver cream pitcher, complete with flip up lid.  
  It was truly a teachable moment.  Just a comment on our current " uncultured" culture, that the young ones have not experienced.  I showed my son how  "in the old days" you would just measure the sugar into the spoon.   No need for waste.
 I guess that is one more reason I love all things Vintage.   Timeless quality, durability... less for our landfills!

Finally Front Page!


It took an entire day and a half ... but here it is.  My second front page.  I ran this one twice.  The first time the title was   " a sunny disposition" cute but didn't get much attention...
   The second was   
 !..... Twitter....! 
 I wrote..."short, sweet  or should I say Tweet... and to the point... and that's that." 
  I figured " twitter" was a hot word these days and it is just a short and to the point site.  I liked the bird tie in... it worked and got the attention of the Etsy admin.
   I am trying to think like one!

4.04.2009

fun with Fuzzy bunny and other vintage cards


A fun way to display vintage ephemera... I love my fuzzy bunny card and it would make  a darling centerpiece for your Easter table when you stand it in one of these vintage metal flower frogs.  It is such a cute look, using a vintage card or postcard as a decoration... fun under a glass cloche with some green moss and colored Easter Eggs.
   Have fun and use a little vintage in your displays!

Fuzzy bunny!

Today I arrived home to check my Etsy.  Hoping, still to find the screen shot of the Front page.  I am on a quest.  I know I had it as everyone noted it in the comments.  Tonight... I checked out my shop and had sold many things while at work.  I noticed that I had been marked as a favorite by almost 30 people.  I knew, somewhere on etsy I had been featured.  my quest began... I found it on the Editors blog.  2nd featured item...the fuzzy bunny.  Several weeks ago my shop ,and an irish pin, was featured on the VintageIndie Pulse site.
I have been lucky to be honored by these wonderful Etsy editors and followers of Vintage finds.
thanks all!

4.03.2009

you've got a freind

Listening to that song today... after so many years of hearing the lyrics... I finally "got"
them... "they'll take your soul if you let them.... Ah, but don't you let them".
   Beware of those who see the glass as half empty...the nay sayers...Rise above!

The Waiting is the Hardest part

bs...( before script as opposed to post script...this photo is my first fp...Jan 09)...still waiting...

Ok... so here I sit waiting for the Etsy Front Page flickr listing so that I can see the fp I missed today.  I have been waiting awhile for a front page and today at 5:30  I got it.  I had just arrived home from work and, since I didn't learn from last time... to check the fp when I arrived home...I went right to my site bypassing it.  Tonight I checked on my Treasury and lo and behold...the comments were all..."congrats on your FP"...ok, I missed it again...so I wait...when it comes up on the flickr site I will post it here for all to see.  Some time in my life... I hope to actually catch my frontpage when it is ON the FRONT PAGE!!!

Welcome to Opendoor Studio


Hello,  
 This is my first entry into the Blog world for a while.  I have another blog www.auntmarthasattic.blogspot.com where I talk about art and other fun experiences.  This time I would like to share some fun ideas, Creative thoughts and my Etsy sites
  I am so happy to be writing about  my Etsy experiences.  I can't  wait to promote shops that I love and people I have met through Etsy.
   I hope you enjoy what is to come!
        Thank you for stopping by
              Martha