Lets all congratulate AriadnesCreations, this week's treasury challenge winner!

I was floored by the stunning entries for last week's 'Wildlife and Wilderness' themed challenge. we had a great response. Make sure you give yourselves pats on the back for playing, clicking, supporting, and promoting... I think the entries get more beautiful each week!

You voted, and the winner this week is Ariadnes Creations, with the nautical inspired entry 'Oceans 16'. First off, let me say a BIG Happy 20th Birthday to Abbie from all of us at Team Undiscovered! Did you know when you voted that you were giving her an awesome birthday present?

I asked Beverly and Abbie, the mother and daughter team, to tell me more about themselves and their Etsy shop.

Beverly and Abbie's creations were born out of illness, Beverly explained:

'Around 10 years ago [Abbie and I] both contracted a debilitating illness called M.E. Needless to say, we were bedridden for a number of years and have been left with very poor health [ever] since. With all of our previous activities curtailed, Abbie looked into beadweaving- an art that can [even] be done from the bed! My interest was brought about when I saw the beautiful creations that Abbie was designing. And...presto here we are.'

Most of the mother-daughter duo's beadwork features seedbeads, but they love to experiment with any material they can get their hands on. Beverly and Abbie consider the designing process a joy.

Their inspiration come from different cultures, varying from South African stitchwork to elaborate Russian designs.

'Our featured item is one of the latter (an elaborate Russian design). This bracelet is one of Abbie's personal triumphs and favourites. It took numerous attempts, as all the written information was in Russian, [a language] we have no knowledge of!'

Etsy has been Beverly and Abbie's first venture into selling their designs. Health permitting, they are hoping to branch out into a local craft fair, Handmade Mafia.

Give Abbie an awesome birthday present by checking out, hearting, and maybe even buying something from Ariadnes Creation's shop! Or Like them on facebook.

Want me to write about your shop next? This Wednesday's theme will be 'Spring is just around the corner'. Be creative with the theme, it can mean anything to you! But remember to wait until Wednesday to make your treasury so it'll count!

It's Friday....Get your vote on!

I'm so stoked by the fantastic response to this week's 'Wildlife and Wilderness' treasury challenge. We had some wild and wonderful entries, and YOU, the fantastic members of the team are what make this challenge a success each week!

So let's get ready to vote...The winner's shop will be featured on Monday's blog.

Voting will be open until Sunday evening...be sure to check your convos, I'll be messaging the winner to let you know you won!

Place your vote for one of the following....

Lost in the Wilderness (149 views)

The Dry Wild Place (111 views)

The White Way (108 views)

Oceans 16 (105 views)

Vote for the 'Wildlife and Wilderness' Treasury Challenge Winner

• 
  
  Lost in the Wilderness


• 
  
  The Dry Wild Place


• 
  
  The White Way


• 
  
  Oceans 16

view results
Free vote poll

Get your treasures ready! It's team treasury challenge day!

Time to walk on the wild side with this week's theme:
'Wildlife and Wilderness'

Oohh I can't wait to see the wild & wonderful themes you guys come up with! Be creative with the theme, it can mean ANYTHING to you!

The Wednesday challenge runs for 24 hrs. Anyone can play! The winner will have their shop featured on The Undiscovered blog next week! Check back on Friday to vote for your favourite :)

Here's the rules for contest entry:
1) One item per shop
2) Spread the love...please don't include an item from your own shop
3) Include at least 8 undiscovered shops (20 sales or less)
4) Include at least 6 members of of Team Undiscovered (we use the tag teamundiscovered). Team members can count as undiscovered shops if they have 20 sales or less.
-The rest of the items are up to you today!
5) Include the tags: teamundiscovered, undiscovered
6) Include 'Team Undiscovered Challenge' somewhere in your treasury title
7) Write in your treasury description that you're participating in the Wednesday Team Undiscovered Treasury Challenge & include a link to our blog:
http://theundiscoveredofetsy.blogspot.com/
8) Post your treasury's URL here to enter your treasury in the challenge!

Have fun!

I Love to Pounce.

  Image Credit

That's right folks its Pounce day

The rules
Pounce on a Etsy shop that is new or has under 20 sales
The pounce button can be found in the buy section of Etsy or pounce a team mate
Write a blog pots about that shop ( tell us about the owner, what they sell, make sure you add a picture of one of their items)

Then come back here and link the post up...
You will see below this post a linky tool and where its says your next click here to enter  click that and follow the directions

Go visit other posts from the link and share some love ... also go visit other shops and share the love
Also let the owner of the shop you pounced know that you just wrote a post about their shop ...
Give them the link to your post and a link back here to this blog
Let them know if they would like to join the The Undiscovered Artists of Etsy all they need do is apply and take part in the Treasury Challenge tomorrow (link up here on the blog)
Please do not link to their shop on the linky tool ...link to your post/blog

Congrats to TatterBeans, this week's treasury challenge winner!

Congrats to our very own team captain Rachel, owner of Tatter Beans Photography, for winning this week's Anti-Valentine's Day challenge with one very dramatic treasury!

I asked Rachel to tell me a bit about herself and her Etsy shop.

After marring the man of my dreams I found myself living in a new country unable to work. While I waited for my green card to come through I picked up a camera to show my family and friends back home the beauty around me and that's where it all started.

Rachel's love for capturing her world through the lens of a camera became a passion and almost an obsession. Her amazing photographs were just piling up, so Rachel took on the daunting task of learning Photo Shop. Describing this long arduous process as at times, a 'hair pulling experience', Rachel is glad she stuck it out.

'My shop is very much a labor of love. My aim [is] to create something I would be happy to display in my own home. At the moment I'm trying to go towards a more retro look...but [I think] my love for vintage will always shine through.'

Rachel currently wears three hats- she is a house wife, a mother, and an artist; and is in pursuit of that elusive work-life balance.

'... if I'm not doing the washing up, ironing the clothes, making beds, or washing floors, I'm editing photography and making up image boards for my next collection. [In addition to] blogging for three blogs, a personal blog, business blog and a team blog'

Check out Rachel's Etsy shop here and show her some love!

Although Rachel sounds busy busy busy I for one am glad she took the time to compete in our treasury challenge. Check out the winning treasury here!

Want me to write about your shop next? This Wednesday's theme will be 'Wildlife and Wilderness'. Be creative with the theme, it can mean anything to you! But remember to wait until Wednesday to make your treasury so it'll count!

Get your vote on!

We had a tremendous response this week for our 'Anti Valentine's Day' treasury challenge. I personally want to welcome our new members to the team & thank you all for making treasuries, promoting, and supporting! This team rocks my socks! You guys are all wonderful, but there has to be a winner right? That's part of the fun.

The winner's shop will be featured on Monday's blog.

Voting will be open until Sunday evening...be sure to check your convos, I'll be messaging the winner to let you know you won!

Place your vote for one of the following....

Kickin it Free and Easy (187 views)

Alone on Valentine's Day (146 views)

Love is the new Black (116 views)

Cupid Strike Me Not (104 views)

Vote for the Anti Valentines Day treasury challenge

• 
  
  kickin it free and easy


• 
  
  alone on valentines day


• 
  
  love is the new black


• 
  
  cupid strke me not

view results
Free vote poll

A Few GiveAways

 Image Credit

Just a short posts today
On my travels I have spotted some awesome giveaways

The first one is Petite Hermine ... she is giving away 30days free advertising to three lucky winners ... really easy to enter

The second is one of our own team mates Sahara at her blog Sahara's Memories 
You could win one of her heart brooches ... they are adorable by the way

The third is is over at To Sew With Love ... one of her featured Artists is doing an awesome giver away ... and you really should go over and check it out ... especially if your a paper lover like me.

So that should keep you all busy today ... as if you don't have enough to do ...

Enjoy the day and be happy
TatterBeans

It's Time! The Wednesday Undiscovered Treasury Challenge!

It's time to play! Are you excited? I know I am!

The Wednesday challenge runs for 24 hrs. Anyone can play! The winner will have their shop featured on The Undiscovered blog next week! Check back on Friday to vote for your favourite :)

This week's theme is ' Anti Valentine's Day'
Why? Simply because it's one of January's trends and I want a team treasury featured on the homepage darn it! So let's see how 'hot' this week's entries get.

Be creative with the theme, it can mean ANYTHING to you!

Here's the rules for contest entry:
1) One item per shop
2) Spread the love...please don't include an item from your own shop
3) Include at least 8 undiscovered shops (20 sales or less)
4) Include at least 6 members of of Team Undiscovered (we use the tag teamundiscovered). Team members can count as undiscovered shops if they have 20 sales or less.
-The rest of the items are up to you today!
5) Include the tags: teamundiscovered, undiscovered
6) Include 'Team Undiscovered Challenge' somewhere in your treasury title
7) Write in your treasury description that you're participating in the Wednesday Team Undiscovered Treasury Challenge & include a link to our blog:
http://theundiscoveredofetsy.blogspot.com/
8) Post your treasury's URL here to enter your treasury in the challenge!

Have fun!

I Love to Pounce.

 Image Credit

That's right folks its Pounce day

The rules
Pounce on a Etsy shop that is new or has under 20 sales
The pounce button can be found in the buy section of Etsy or pounce a team mate
Write a blog pots about that shop ( tell us about the owner, what they sell, make sure you add a picture of one of their items)

Then come back here and link the post up...
You will see below this post a linky tool and where its says your next click here to enter  click that and follow the directions

Go visit other posts from the link and share some love ... also go visit other shops and share the love
Also let the owner of the shop you pounced know that you just wrote a post about their shop ...
Give them the link to your post and a link back here to this blog
Let them know if they would like to join the The Undiscovered Artists of Etsy all they need do is apply and take part in the Treasury Challenge tomorrow (link up here on the blog)
Please do not link to their shop on the linky tool ...link to your post/blog

Have fun

Congrats to DaSSanaDeZines, this week's winner of the treasury challenge!

Thanks to everyone who made a treasury, clicked, commented, voted, and promoted for last week's theme 'Work and Play'. You make these challenges a success and I for one (and I'm not the only one) appreciate it!

I realize that life is busy for the Etsian so we're trying something new to boost participation in Wednesday TTC's. Each Monday, we'll let you in on a little secret...this week's theme! So you can search for beautiful items at your leisure, pounce, and make a poster sketch. But remember, don't create your treasury until Wednesday. We vote based on number of views, so to be fair, only treasuries made on Wednesday will count! So, on Wednesday the 19th, our theme will be 'Anti Valentine's Day'. Have fun with this theme, it can mean ANYTHING to you. And check back Wednesday to submit your treasuries, you could be the next one featured on our blog!

Now, without further ado, let's all congratulate Jody, the owner & creative mind behind DaSSanaDeZines, this week's treasury challenge winner!

I asked Jody to tell me a little bit about herself, her shop, and her inspiration.

'Well I am fairly new to Etsy, launching the shop in December, Dassana Dezines has been in business for a few years. "Dassana" is derived from the ancient Pali language, meaning: vision, insight, inner vision.'

This single word, dassana, takes many shapes in Jody's life and she has tried to capture this influence in her business' motto "Chasing Vision by all things Creative". A creative soul, Jody has a deep love affair with color and texture, and a passion for her art.

'I spent my life drawing and painting what I see and feel. I love and have always loved paints [of] all mediums. I actually prefer to paint on wood and wood panels as opposed to canvas [and] I love paper and fabric. My coasters are actually made with discontinued wallpapers in amazing designs,colors and textures.'

While Jody has only showcased her coasters on Etsy (so far), her main sources of income come from painting large scale wall murals, designing theater Backdrops, and a large handcrafted gift line(including coasters) that is consigned and sold wholesale to galleries and boutiques throughout the Road Island and Massachusetts area.

'My most recent obsession is creating with upcycled and repurposed materials. [I] call it REVAMPED, [my] version of "Trash to Treasure"....Giving things a second life.'

Dassana Dezines also has a local program, teaching group art lessons using all recycled or repurposed materials.

To find out more about Jody and Dassana Dezines, check out her Etsy site.

Are you undiscovered? Then check out Jody's website Handcrafted Handpainted Haven which features Etsy shops each week!

Check out the winning treasury here

And remember to get your 'Anti Valentines Day' on this Wednesday...you could be the next shop featured here!

Team Spirit

Hello All,
Two suggestions for you today.


Suggestion One

I did post in The Team Forum about calling all sewers ....

I wanted to call you all again ... Non Petit Poppet, Make it Perfect and Monkeemoomoo are all taking part in the flood appeal for the Australian disaster ...

We are self have a team member who lives very closes if not right in the middle of this ..... and I just think as a team there is something we could do to help.... if it was us in the middle of all this just think how heart warming it would feel to know that your fellow team members where pulling together to help a situation that they personally are not effected by.

I ask that if you can sew you pop on over to Non Petit Poppet or Monkeemoomoo ..if like me you cant sew .. here is what I'm thinking.... we do a special BNR and whatever is sold that day is donated I have looked up where we donate to .... Donations ... what do you all think.... I am going to email foggy but I just want some feed back on this ........

My other suggestion is
We all need feed back ... and it looks good when we have sales there on our Etsy page right? ...

If you are struggling to get your first sale or it just seems to have slowed down a bit for you here is my idea.....

You announce a sale at 50 % of or lower..... let everyone you know that this is a one time special offer .. friends family etc ...

Announce it on your banner in your shop announce it in the team forum, on your blog twitter about it facebook it ....and see what happens ...

This was an idea that one of the bigger sellers did when she first started her Etsy shop ...she says that it really helped kick start things... when she sent the item of she then offered a discount on their next order... this was before coupons so she paid back with paypal... we are lucky we don't have that hassle ...

Its an idea I think for some of you it could be worth doing.

So here is to a happy weekend... Keeping those people out there in our thoughts as they come to terms with their devastating lose.

Much Love
Rachel

Time to Vote!

You guys really worked it this week with our 'Work and Play' challenge!
Thanks to everyone who participated!

Now it's time to get your vote on...Who do you think rocked this week's challenge and deserves their shop featured on The Undiscovered blog on Monday?

Voting will be open until Sunday evening...be sure to check your convos, I'll be messaging the winner to let you know you won!

Place your vote for one of the following....

All work & no play makes Tatters a dull girl (136 views)

Work it girl (100 views)

Play more work less (87 views)

Is it 5 O'Clock yet? (80 views)

 Vote for the Work and Play treasury challenge

• 
  
  All work and no play makes Tatters a dull girl


• 
  
  Work it girl


• 
  
  Play more work less


• 
  
  Is it 5 O'Clock yet?

view results
Free vote poll

The Mystery Behind Each One of Us

Maybe this is laziness... but I wrote a post sometime ago on the Mystery behind us all ....as bloggers/writers .... So today that is what I am going to share with you.

 Image Credit

What draws you to a blog?

Is it the name that pulls you in?

The subjects that a person write about?

Is it that they have something in common with you and you feel a connection ?

Or is it that plain old mystery of who is this person what are they about and where are they coming from?

Each of us has a story to tell, we all come from a place of mystery when we start to write.

In this day and age I think people are draw to a good story, there is so much sadness in the world, that each and everyone of us wants something that feels good and brings a smile.

I am all for a good story, I believe that each and anyone of us is capable of writing one and delivering it to the public, big, small, wrote here, wrote there.

The thing I look at is the mystery, lets us all consider the power of our own mystery for one second or long if you wish.

Lets throw some garlic around our necks and go digging in our own back yards for that suspense that surrounds us all.

Did you know that your everyday words and rantings are gripping to someone out there in this place we call the world wide web, its something that has them coming back day after day for something more then they received the day before.

So where does it all begin .... I believe right here....

Because believe it or not ....

Your words are heavy shrouded in suggestions, they conjure up a chapter  from a romantic novel, and ideal world, a place where people want to belong.

But do we use it?

Where do you sit when you write or do you stand?, at what time of the day do you decide what you will write about on that giving day?, what happened to make you chose that subject?

What do you hear as your write, is there a window, what surroundings do you see? what interrupts you?.

These are all questions a reader will think when reading something you wrote I believe, its human nature to think outside the blog so to speak. To look beyond the written word, and to create a story to match the smiling faces.

So the thing is this.... if you where to have to much detail about that person would it still bring you back each day?

Do you leave room for that mystery to develop, the things that have us running towards the mystery are not the same as the things that send us screaming the other way.

That song that played over and over again to the point where you knew the words by heart did not draw you back the next day ...No you avoid it, but the song that plays once and lifts your spirits is the song you desperately tried to find the next day.

Its the song that may repeat in our heads but we don't remember all the words, we need the words, we want them and we will find them.

I often think about the "Who Done It" novel of life... who started you on this crazy trip, and why did you follow through with it, was it something you did openly to begin with or where you a top secret agent working in the dead of night to achieve that something that would draw people towards you.

Its also that sense of belonging, that keeps us here. Or brings us back.

That part of something bigger and better, that is nurtured and nourished.
The whisper on the winds.
The silent voice.
The fostering of an idea.
The place of belonging.
And the friends that we make along the way.

Its the mystery of the creative face behind the words
The closed door we all want to open.





I hope that this gets you thinking about things... 
Think about the mystery you can create with in your shop...... people are intrigued by the mystery of handmade that's what keeps them coming back for more. You as a creator have the chance to write your own mystery with in your shop.
So start thinking today about who you are, and how you will portray that to your customers... keep them guessing.... cause believe me they will want to know more .. ...
Your personality will shine far more in your creations, if you have drawn them in by your profile.

The Wednesday Team Treasury Challenge!

The Wednesday challenge runs for 24 hrs. Anyone can play! The winner will have their shop featured on The Undiscovered blog next week! Check back on Friday to vote for your favourite :)

Well, this week kids have gone back to school....which means I'm headed back to work...but my job's pretty fun so this week's theme is:
"Work and Play"

Be creative with the theme, it can mean ANYTHING to you!

Here's the rules for contest entry:
1) One item per shop
2) Spread the love...please don't include an item from your own shop
3) Include at least 8 undiscovered shops (20 sales or less)
4) Include at least 6 members of of Team Undiscovered (we use the tag teamundiscovered). Team members can count as undiscovered shops if they have 20 sales or less.
-The rest of the items are up to you today!
5) Include the tags: teamundiscovered, undiscovered
6) Include 'Team Undiscovered Challenge' somewhere in your treasury title
7) Write in your treasury description that you're participating in the Wednesday Team Undiscovered Treasury Challenge & include a link to our blog:
http://theundiscoveredofetsy.blogspot.com/
8) Post your treasury's URL here to enter your treasury in the challenge!

Have fun!

I Love to Pounce.

 Image Credit

That's right folks its Pounce day

The rules
Pounce on a Etsy shop that is new or has under 20 sales
The pounce button can be found in the buy section of Etsy or pounce a team mate
Write a blog pots about that shop ( tell us about the owner, what they sell, make sure you add a picture of one of their items)

Then come back here and link the post up...
You will see below this post a linky tool and where its says your next click here to enter  click that and follow the directions

Go visit other posts from the link and share some love ... also go visit other shops and share the love
Also let the owner of the shop you pounced know that you just wrote a post about their shop ...
Give them the link to your post and a link back here to this blog
Please do not link to their shop on the linky tool ...link to your post/blog

Have fun

Congrats to awesleydesigns, winner of this week's Team Undiscovered treasury challenge

Congratulations to A. W. Designs, Team Undiscovered's second treasury challenge winner! We had some beautiful entries this week, and Amanda's Nautical entry literally won by a nose. Thanks to everyone who entered and voted, your support and team participation are what make Team Undiscovered such a success and a positive force!

I asked Amanda Wesley, shop owner of A. W. Designs, to tell me a little bit about herself and her Etsy shop.

'I owe my creative pursuits to my family. My mom taught me how to crochet when I was pregnant with my first child. From [that time, my creativity] has just grown.'

Amanda's design skills blossomed when her family decided to make each other gifts for Christmas rather than buy them. Her beautiful creations stem from a place of practicality and eco-consciousness, but also have a playful side.

'I hate throwing things away. [I try to] transform something that is destined for the landfill into an item that someone would want.'

'[Being a mother of three] I act like a child most of the time. My style can go from chic to funky and everything in between.'

Check out more A. W. Designs at Amanda's Etsy shop

And see the winning treasury here

Vote For this Week's Treasury Challenge Winner

I'm so impressed by the beautiful starry treasuries produced in this week's Team Undiscovered 'Lone Star" treasury challenge. Give yourselves & your fellow newbies pats on the back for your hard work!

So, which was your favourite treasury this week?
Voting will be open until Sunday night.
The winner's shop will be featured on Monday's blog!

Nautical Star (257 views)

Country Star (172 views)

Lonestar by Norah Jones (125 views)

A Modern Day Western (122 views)

 Vote for your favourite 'Lone Star' treasury challenge

• 
  
  Nautical Star
• 
  
  Country Star
• 
  
  Lonestar by Norah Jones
• 
  
  A Modern Day Western

view results
Free vote poll

The Undiscovered Artists of Etsy Team NEEDS YOU !!!

That's right we need you...

I bet now your wondering what it is we need well I will bet straight to the point and tell you

We need more leaders ...


We are looking for around four leaders....
I wont white wash this at all ...
Being a leader is hard work.
It means at times you have to put your own thing aside and look at something else .....
It means you have sometimes have to run when all you really want to do is sit and be still.
It means having to carry something which you may want to put down.
When you say I want to be a leader it doesn't mean that tomorrow you say I don't want to be a leader.
So I guess its something you have to think long and hard about ....
Its like opening your shop up on Etsy and then three days later closing it just cause you didn't have a sale....

No being a leader means your in it for the long haul even when things get tough.


So are you leadership material...and its ok to say no...

We need and want leader for a few different areas... some of the jobs are harder than others...

So Leader number one.... BNR leader...
We want someone to really head it up... take charge of it and run with it... tough job I know... but if you take this role on you will not be excepted to do anything else... you don't even have to join in with the Treasury Challenge ... your baby will BNR and that will be it.
I have a few ideas on BNRs that I really do think we need to look at .. so once we have ourselves a solid Leader I will talk to them about it.

I really need two leaders for the next job... Welcoming Committee 
Membership will not be put on hold for ever... There are people out there that should be in this group who will contribute far more than others members do right now... They are the people I want to see... a solid TEAM
The leaders for this job would do many things.. welcome new members as they join... explain where things are like the blog the schedule the tags we use and so one... help them with any questions they may have about BNRs,  Treasury challenges... so ye basically your job would be MOM....

I would like to see someone step up to the role of keeping up with the forums ..there are things in the forums that I do think we should be aware of...  this isn't a hard job... its just a check in now and again throughout the day .....

I am then looking for someone to help me with the blog... I do have someone in mind but I would like to see anyone else come forward on this... you would basically be helping compel lists .... maybe contact sellers for me... just little stuff like that...
I run three blogs and the work load can sometimes be really hard... as much as I love to write ..I to STILL have a shop to run...and keep my other blogs going

Its really hard to make something work and be in 10different places at one time... and its not I cant do it... if I have to I will.. I just know that many of you have more to bring to the table than just being members...
so if your interested in any of the above ...email me tatterbeans@gmail.com and tell me why you think you would be good at the job why you want to be a leader and what can you bring to the table ...
Cant wait to here from you

Wednesday Treasury Challenge

The Wednesday challenge runs for 24 hrs. Anyone can play! The winner will have an item featured on The Undiscovered blog next week! Check back on Friday to vote for your favorite :)

In celebration of my friend visiting from Texas, this week's theme is
"The Lone Star"

Be creative with the theme, it can mean ANYTHING to you!

Here's the rules for contest entry:
1) One item per shop
2) Spread the love...please don't include an item from your own shop
3) Include at least 8 undiscovered shops (20 sales or less)
4) Include at least 6 members of of Team Undiscovered (we use the tag teamundiscovered). Team members can count as undiscovered shops if they have 20 sales or less.
-The rest of the items are up to you today!
5) Include the tags: teamundiscovered, undiscovered
6) Include 'Team Undiscovered Challenge' somewhere in your treasury title
7) Write in your treasury description that you're participating in the Wednesday Team Undiscovered Treasury Challenge & include a link to our blog:
http://theundiscoveredofetsy.blogspot.com/
8) Post your URL here to enter your treasury in the challenge!

I Love To Pounce

 Imagine Credit

That's right folks its Tuesday and we know what Tuesday means...

Its Pounce day....

The rules.....

You must Pounce on a shop in Etsy that is Undiscovered and has less than 20 sales

You must contact the shop you Pounced and let them know you Pounced them giving them a link to your post and a link back to this post.....Let them know you are team Member of this group

There you go two simple rules...

Add your post to the link below...(not in comments pls)
that's add your blog posts not the Etsy shop

If you are unsure of where the Pounce feature is go to buy (in etsy) and scroll down and you will see a feature called pounce to your left

Congrats to the Treasury Challenge Winner- AllegraGraceDesigns

Congratulations to Allegra Grace Designs, Team Undiscovered's first treasury challenge winner.

I asked Jenifer, shop owner of Allegra Grace Designs, to tell me a little bit about herself and her new Etsy shop.

'I started making some of my own [jewelry] when I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for in stores...I basically think of an interesting design, or fall in love with some beads in a store and try to design something around them.

I love [working with] sterling silver, copper, mixed metals, and natural gemstones. I try to use leather and silk creatively, which hopefully helps me stand out. My pieces combine a rustic, southwestern feel with a refined sensibility.'

When something calls for a little extra sparkle, Jenifer will use glass beads for a more formal or vintage look. In the future, she wants to learn how to work with precious metal clay, but that will have to wait for now. Jenifer's jewelry design process is very time consuming, it has been difficult learning the ins and outs of managing an online business.

Apart from Etsy, Jenifer works full time for a non-profit organization serving young children and their families in the San Francisco Bay area. She has two delightful little girls, ages 6 and 2, who keep her very, very busy! The name of her shop combines her daughters' middle names (Allegra and Grace).

Pounce on Allegra Grace Design's shop, give Jenifer her first Etsy sale!

See the wining treasury

2011 Here We Come

Imagine Credits

Happy New Year team....

I am so excited about what the New Year has to bring us all,.

I remember as a child I would be very overwhelmed by the new year coming around and I still am as an adult but as an adult I am able to look beyond the expectations and see a path to take.

Do you often wonder where am I going with all this, why did I set this Etsy shop up.
I'm gonna take a pretty good guess why you did it, cause I think it may be the same reasons why I did to.

You want the world to know your an Artist.

Put aside money right now lets not even go there.

So how do we let the world know we are Artists?

I have a few ideas on that question...... I wrote last time about blogging and getting your face out there so lets begin there.

SETTING UP YOUR BLOG.

There is so much help out there for setting up blogs, but the key is you have got to want to blog if you don't have that desire then blogging will become a pain in the B**T to you.

You will need a name for your blog... name it after your business or come up with something that is related to you and your life.
Get a header, one team member has offered to help out in this area.  (HERE)

IDEAS

So the next step would be what do I blog about ....
I have a basic plan of what I blog about daily and I do try to stick to it... it doesn't always work but for the for most I do stick to it.

Linking up with others is always a good thing, there are blogs out there that invite you to join them on certain days ... some might be certain topics others are just link up talk about what you want.

Monday .... Much Love Monday .... so easy so simple but so lovely ... you post a picture of something you love but it must feature a heart in the picture... how easy 

I do I love to Pounce on a Tuesday... which I will make a team event if you are all up for it
I love to pounce is all about pouncing on undiscovered shops of Etsy... pounce is a feature Etsy use to help others find Undiscovered stores, I think I found some of you there.

Wednesday is a simple day if your a team member ... You can blog about our Team Challenge Treasury 

Thursday/Friday this is an Australian link up but has lost of people in from all over the world. Its called Flog Yo Blog Friday .(but if your not an Aussie you need to  flog on a Thursday) this is whatever you want to talk about link up.

Friday/Saturday again another Australian link up called This Week I'm Grateful for... this does take place on a Saturday but again if your not an Aussie its Friday for you.

Saturday/Sunday ... write about your work, talk about what your up to.... come up with another link up for us all the world is at your bloggy feet be imaginative... if you created such beautiful works of art then I'm pretty sure your imagination will stretch to coming up with a blog post

Here on Undiscovered Saturday will be our featured artist day ....
On a Sunday on my personal blog I use to share about A featured Artist not always Undiscovered but just something that caught my eye... I would be happy to start that up again if there was enough of us wanting to do it.

Remember the more people you connect to the more you face is out there....
Artist have a way of connecting and seem to come from very big circles... they are the circles you want to be in

So that is just some ideas...there are loads more link ups out there... and as the weeks go on I will reveal them to you... but for now lets not overwhelm

Hope this helps... hope this makes it just a bit easier ...

And as it is the New year I wanted to just point out a few articles I have read on Etsy... maybe you have seen them maybe you haven't ..always good to recap

Jump Starting January

Are Your Photos Frontpage Worthy?

Stretch Your Boundaries

Tag-o-rama With Descriptive Keywords

Have a wonderful day...and don't forget to pop into the Teams BNR