Use PayPal At Craft Fairs?

I just found this article about Paypal and thought it was interesting and that I would share..I had not idea :)

If you have been looking into the options for processing payments at craft fairs you will have noticed that most require some sort of monthly financial commitment that seems a little pointless paying especially if you don't do a fair every month or you don't take many card payments.


However with mobile broadband for netbooks and smartphones it is now possible to take payments through paypal.

First set up a donate paypal button in your paypal account you can do this by going to merchant services and clicking on the link for the buy now buttons then clicking on the donate link in the left menu. Donate is best since you can enter the amount as needed rather than creating buttons for each price and having to use add to cart for customers that want to make multiple purchases.

You don't even have to host the donate button anywhere once it is created you will be able to click through to the page and bookmark that so you can get to it quickly. (if you are using a smartphone you may find it easier to temporarily host the button on a free site builder so you can click through to the link after setting it all up on your home computer.)

For blackberry users you will need to download the opera browser because the default browser automatically goes to the paypal mobile site and this feature isn't possible on that.

Now you should have your donation page bookmarked and all you will need to do when you have a person wanting to pay is go to the bookmarked page, enter the purchase amount (inclusive of any taxes) and put in the card details, if your customer is registered with paypal then they will be able to log in and pay that way if preferred.

Of course there are limits with the paypal system since they do not accept all cards and anyone that has already used their card three times with paypal will need to sign up for an account but you now have a simple and free (other than the cost of your phone/netbook) way to process most card payments. This works best for those outside the US since you will be able to have the payments in your own currency. However if the venue you sell on is in your own currency you can just process through your venue but the donate button makes things faster because you don't have all the purchase steps to jump through.

Color Watch Spring/Summer 2011

 I am always looking ahead to see what will be the latest trend in color, style, fashion etc. will be. Trends seem to travel through all medias of style from clothing to makeup, accessories to hand bags, and the colors seem to appear in housewares too. While I was browsing through up and coming trends for Spring/Summer 2011 I came across the color pallet below of the different shades of Coral/Salmon that are foretasted to be hot this season and decided to write about them. I am always looking for inspiration and color is a favorite. I think that copper fits in nicely with this color palette Yipeee! I am the copper queen and love all that I can do with this awesome metal.  Be sure to check out some of these great Etsy finds like....Chain Scarf Necklaces by Adiandelliedesigns.etsy.com, Bittersweet eyeshadow by ProvidenceAndGrace.etsy.com, and BotanicalLabs.etsy.com has organic lipgloss. Great Finds!!  oh and the fashion experts say that Teal is the perfect complimentary color to these beautiful sun-kissed shades of coral palette.

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/62339249/chain-scarf-necklaces-set-of-2-pick-your 

 

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68871917/bittersweet-eyeshadow-beautiful-coral

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63172657/organic-lip-gloss-mineral-lip-gloss

There’s something about coral.
As the snow begins to melt, colors start to bloom - this spring the return to color kicks off with sun-kissed coral shades. This isn’t your Grandma’s coral. “These modern formulas and juicy colors take an old-fashioned favorite for a fresh, modern spin.

These various shades of coral are foretasted to be popular from clothing to accessories "jewelry" throughout the summer season.

Inspired By Nature!

Here are a few new pieces of jewelry from my spring summer 2011 line. I had so much fun creating these mixed metal pieces. Inspired by nature and things around me, these pieces came to life on their own. LittleGreenRoom details and my quirky spin on design I was quite happy with the end result. I always hope that the design that I am trying to portray comes through visually and tells a story without words.

 I am hoping to get into the GreenRoom this weekend and come up with a few new designs, so many ideas...so little time to make them come to life, but atleast its not the other way around, lots of time and no idea what to do... I am so happy to be creating what I love and loving what I do...

I opened my email this morning and read these words..

Amy, I just wanted to tell you how much you inspire me! I can't think of an Etsy seller who's work I gravitate to, or wish I could create, more :) If you were closer I would be begging for an apprenticeship!



I didnt quite know what to say.. except Thank you!! for such a sweet email and kind words. Thanks to all of you who support me and my art you are all keeping my dream alive! Hugs~ Amy

One Of My Favorite Etsy Stores!

One of my favorite stores to visit! Have you ever visited Raceytay on Etsy? If not you should stop by and see her amazing photos, they are true works of art. She has quite and eye for what she does and it looks like she is having a sale right now.  Here is a link http://www.etsy.com/listing/62685703/35-off-sale-field-of-poppies-tall-ruby if you would like to see more..

A New Etsy Treasury That I Created Yesterday..

A Rainy Sunday Afternoon

Ahhh..My favorite kind of days...rainy days. I have always loved the rain for some reason, ever since I was a little girl I always remember loving the rainy days the most. I used to just go out and stand in it or go for long walks even though I would get soaking wet, I didnt care.

I worked most of the day yesterday, in my GreenRoom on orders, but was able to have the late afternoon free and decided to go for a 2 mile walk in the rain. It was just what I needed. Fresh, clean air and a light mist of rain, it was perfect! Everything was quiet and still, just like it is when it snows. The only sounds to hear might be the sound of water that is starting to flow in the wash, on the side of our property, I love that sound. When I got home I took my camera and decided to take a few photos of things that are starting to come to life on our property. I like to take photos at the change of every season..as nature inspires me and I have been noticing the last few days that color is starting to appear in the yard.

Some of the early blooming bushes and flowers have already started to open their buds and show beautiful color against the contrast of the what winter has left behind. Overhead a flock of seagulls lost and off track were circling high above in the fog trying to find their way back to where ever they had come from. Drops of rain were resting on the branches of trees that are missing their spring leaves. Here are just a few of the photos that I took, though I am not a photographer it was still fun capturing the rain drops before they fall to the ground.  It was the ending to a perfect day...

Beautiful Ribbon Turquoise!

Here are a few pieces of the gorgeous Ribbon Turquoise that I was able to buy while on my trip to Arizona last month. It is so beautiful that it takes me awhile to come up with a design to use it in because I want to do the stone justice. The pattern and color is so unique in each piece as no two pieces are the same because of the way that is is mined and cut. You will also see different pictures in the stone too..which makes it hard to buy for me because my eyes are jumping all over the place while I am looking at each unique piece.

I cant wait to use these stones for pendants and rings...I just need to get busy! Anyway I just wanted to share this little stash of mine.... pieces of jewelry with this turquoise...coming soon!

A Funny Story!

Yesterday my son discovered an big nest up in the rafters of our gazebo in our back yard. As he climbed up to look and see if there was any eggs in the nest to his surprise he found a small pile of dog food in the nest. He picked up the nest and brought it down to show us the dog food that had been collected in the nest and we all started to laugh, (kind of hard to see the dog food in the pictures), anyway it seems that one of the blue jays that live on our property is a dog food thief! We have caught this jay in our dog shed before as he quietly waits until the dogs are out in the yard so that he can go in for a snack but we had no idea that he is collecting their food up in his nest. Too funny!! animals are such characters :) 

A Stunning New Treasury That Has Featured My Cuff On Etsy!

A New Chapter!

I love etsy. The wonderful community of artists there is amazing. I have found so many wonderful things to purchase that I would not of found if etsy didn't exist. Last Christmas I purchased a leather bound journal from this shop on etsy GILDBookbinders as a gift for my son. His book was titled "The Book Of Secrets", I was excited to give him something handmade that he would be able to draw and write in and is a handcrafted piece of art, a keepsake. I appreciate hand crafted items so much that I try to buy them mostly as gifts, because they are the most unique and made with love. These beautiful books are made in Europe so that excited me too, a piece of art from so far away. When I received his book in the mail, I fell in love with it. The quality and craftsmanship is beautiful!

I have now almost filled the last few pages of my personal sketch book with my many pencil sketches of jewelry ideas that I have yet to create and am getting ready to purchase one of these books for myself.  Just thought I would share a great etsy find with you..my friends :) Here is the link if you want to see the other designs that they offer  http://www.etsy.com/shop/GILDBookbinders?ref=seller_info