Things I am NOT good at #1: Blogging on a regular basis.

Well. Four months later, back to business. I was trying SO HARD to make sure I was doing this on a regular basis. And the reason WHY I was trying so hard is because I'm simply not good at it. Yes, I intentionally attempted to keep up with something I'm not good at doing, so that I could improve. Right before holiday season was probably not the best time to begin this undertaking, of course. And then holiday season turned out to be FAR busier than I ever expected. Which I'm certainly not complaining about - we got picked up on two fairly big websites just after Thanksgiving and sales went through the roof for a few weeks. I'm still trying to dig out of the sold-out-of-everything hole that happened in a span of about 3 weeks. We also had some housekeeping of sorts to get in order, both personal and business. In fact, if you go to our website, you'll see it is totally new and totally not on Etsy now! You can still shop us on Etsy if you prefer, but we wanted to change it up and be able to offer better pricing in certain cases, and more variety in some ways that Etsy does not allow for. Nice, right?! In any event, I am going to recommit to posting on a regular basis. At least twice a week. I think that's a good start! I'm also going to bring back the Sunday Spotlight feature as well. Thanks to everyone for your patience, and you'll be hearing more soon!

Giveaway Time! WIN a Daleks Have the Phone Box Gift Set from us in celebration of the Doctor Who Anniversary!

I couldn't very well let the big Doctor Who anniversary go by without offering up a box of goodies! One lucky winner will receive a Daleks Have the Phone Box gift soap set ($8.50 retail value). A soap dalek a day keeps The Doctor away! (Which, is actually kinda bad, because I'd be really, really happy if Matt Smith showed up at my house right now!) Enter below or on our Facebook page - hosted through Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday Spotlight: Sampler Village

The Sunday Spotlight is technically a Tuesday spotlight this week, but that doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely. Apologies again for the delay, I had a wicked sinus/chest infection that knocked me on my butt for a few days. This week we're interviewing Traci, the creator of Sampler Village.

For those of you not familiar, Sampler Village is a sort of gift-box purchasing system where you get to try a bunch of handmade goodies from artists all over. Artists donate products to the boxes, which are comprised of multiple samples from participating artists. Each month a new themed box is available for purchase - December's will be Holiday Sparkle -, and buyers receive a mixed box of surprise goodies to try out. (Not nearly as complicated as I think I just made it sound!)

Tell us a little about yourself:

Hello! My name is Traci Porczynski and I founded Sampler Village in Sept. 2009. I have been happily married for 24 years to my hubby Tad and we have 2 amazing boys, Lukas and Seth. I also have 2 fabulous dogs, Magnus & Bruiser.

I have been a WAHM ever since Lukas was born (that was over 19 years ago!). I started Sampler Village 4 years ago with the hopes of supporting small handmade businesses. Sampler Village is fun and unique way of getting your product out potential customer to try and enjoy. The samplers go on sale each month filled with amazing handmade samples of all kinds from our "Villagers" (we refer to our participates as Villagers). SV has been growing each year and it is just a lot of fun. I have met so many talented and outstanding people along the way and I expect to meet a lot more!

Tell us about Sampler Village, and what inspired you to start it:

Sampler Village is a gathering of crafters and artisans that send in samples of their handmade products to be included in our monthly samplers. I was inspired by the many handmade crafters and artisans looking for a fun and unique way of advertising. Being part of Sampler Village is so much more then just sending samples, you become part of a large supportive “village” that cares about the success of you and your small business.

Carnival Sampler Boxes

How can our readers participate in Sampler Village?

We have tried to make it as easy as possible to sign up and participate with Sampler Village. Please stop by our Villager Information and Sign Up page at http://samplervillage.com/pages/villagerform.htm

How can an artist stand out in the market today?

Creating and offering a great product with unique style and design will help you stand out. If selling online, amazing photos of your products are a must! Eye-catching photos of your product will be what grabs a potential customers attention.

How do you define art?

Art to me is anything created with unique style and design using your own individual talents.

Handmade Harvest Logo Sampler

What inspires you every day?

The amazing crafters and artisans that I have the pleasure to work with each day. So much talent out there just waiting to be discovered!

Have you had any crafting mishaps/disasters/funny stories?

Haha, first disaster (and hopefully last) happened during the sale of our Holiday Samplers 2 years ago. We had such a rush of customers that my cart could not keep up with the sales and ended up overselling the samplers by 5. I was devistated that I had to tell 5 people about the mistake. Every since then, I have made sure to hold back a couple from inventory, must in case :)

What artists do you admire?

I admire all the handmade artisans out there. Creating handmade items with individual talents is just awe-inspiring to me.

Witches Brew Sampler

What do you think the biggest challenges are for handmade artists?

Being unique. Having your “own” style and unique design are very important. 
 

What else do you enjoy in your spare time?

My family, my pets, crafting and of course shopping!

You can find Sampler Village all over the internet... I don't usually do link lists in our Sunday Spotlights, but I really want to encourage everyone to see how involved the whole process is!

• WEBSITE: http://www.SamplerVillage.com/
• ETSY: http://www.SamplerVillage.etsy.com/
• FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/SamplerVillage2
• FACEBOOK LOVE GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/group/SamplerVillageLove
• TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/SamplerVillage
• PINTEREST: http://www.pinterest.com/SamplerVillage
• INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/samplervillage
• NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/ywEt1
• BLOG: http://www.SamplerVillage.blogspot.com/

What is YOUR favorite item that you’ve made?

Years ago my mom and I made Panoramic Sugar Eggs for Easter, they are my all time favorite item that we made, they were beautiful!

With the fall and winter holidays coming, share with us YOUR favorite holiday, and one of your favorite holiday traditions:

I love Easter! When I little I used to get a Sugar Egg in my Easter Basket, it was always my favorite item in the basket, so I carry on that tradition with my 2 boys. They each get a sugar egg in their Easter Baskets.

Meet Traci!

Give your words of wisdom to other artisans and crafters:

Do what you LOVE! The old saying is true If you do what you love, you never work a day in your life! I am blessed to “work” with so many wonderful people each day, I love what I do and wish that love to everyone!

A big thank you from us to Traci for graciously answering all of our questions this week! (And quickly, too!) She is also offering $5 off your next -or first- Sampler purchase when you sign up for the Newsletter!

There are a lot of companies out there trying to get into the sample box business. Based not just on my time speaking with her, but on the glowing reviews she has received from other box contributers, I highly recommend speaking with her first if you're an artist looking to participate in this sort of experience!  As a shopper, this is a great way to support handmade artists and try something new - or treat a friend or family member! It is a lot of fun to get a box of surprises in the mail. 

Sunday Spotlight Delay

Sorry everyone, but I've been terribly sick the last two days and I haven't completed arranging this week's Sunday Spotlight in time. This week's article will come out on Tuesday, barring any catastrophes here and will extend an extra featured week. Please check back then! :)

Say No To Shopping On Thanksgiving! (In stores, anyway!)

For the first time, my company is opening the doors on Thanksgiving Day. I actually left my last day job because it had gotten to the point where the ONLY day we closed was Christmas, and I really wanted to have some of my holidays back with my family.

I know some people will say, "but not EVERYONE can stay home on the holidays! Hospitals, fire departments, police departments (et al.) NEED to be open and they have to work!"

Yes, this is true. And for those people I am truly grateful. However they also entered their profession knowing full well there was a NEED for their service, potentially any of the 365 days each year. 

There is no absolute NEED for retail stores to be open any sort of prime hours for Thanksgiving. Restaurants? Maybe. I say take a vote and see if there are enough employees willing to work for 1.5x pay on that day and go from there. Supermarkets? Sure. Open from 8am to noon for those emergency "I forgot the cranberry" shoppers and then bar the doors. Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part, and it costs more to keep the store open for the occasional $2 sale than you'll even make that day.

Retail stores opening on Thanksgiving Day has come down to one thing: Greed. The need to be "first" and have just one extra second at getting extra dollars in the door. 

But here's the reality. In that weekend alone - "Black Friday" through the weekend - there will be MORE SHOPPERS out there than you will have enough product to supply at those prices. You're not going to miss any sales, you just may not be the FIRST destination. 

Let's say MegaMart1 has a TV on sale for $300. They open at 6am and have enough TVs for only 50 people. 200 show up hoping to get the TV. 150 leave disappointed. They don't stick around and browse just for the hell of it - they rush to the next store with the next best deal. MegaMart2 has the SAME TV on sale for the SAME PRICE. They open at 7am. Those disappointed shoppers from the first store are ALREADY over at store #2, hoping to catch the deal there. And so it will continue for the rest of the day. You could stay open until Midnight on Black Friday, and anyone that has ever worked retail will tell you, people will STILL be coming in looking for the magical $300 TV.

But that's not good enough. The next year, MegaMart2, not to be upstaged by MegaMart1, opens at 5am. And the same scenario plays out. The year after that, MegaMart1 opens at midnight on Thanksgiving instead, etc, etc. Until the cycle has now crept into full-on Thanksgiving Day.

I think we need to take back our holidays. Maybe not everyone celebrates the same days, but how many occasions are there where MOST businesses are closed. Schools are closed. Banks and government offices are closed. This may be one of only a few days a year that these families ALL have the same day off coincide. Let them have that day. You don't need another TV 6 hours earlier. It can wait, at least until the next day, and we need to teach retailers that by NOT using our dollars that day. 

I'm getting off my soapbox now - I have a family to spend more time with.

Sunday Spotlight: DreamRaes

Happy Sunday everyone! Also, happy first weekend of November (it's getting chilly here, even for Florida!), and happy Daylight Savings Time day (go fix your clocks, if you haven't done that yet!). It's also time for a new Sunday Spotlight! This week we're chatting with Raedin from DreamRaes.

Dreamcatcher Dangle Earrings With Chain by DreamRaes on Etsy

 Remember dreamcatchers? If you don't still have one, you probably did at some point in your life. I love them, as I think the sentiment of having something to give you good dreams is a lovely idea, and Ms. Raedin makes some rather stunning dreamcatchers by hand.

Tell us a little about yourself, your craft, and how you got started:

I'm the not so typical 30 year old who doesnt want to grow up I suppose. I always wanted to do something I was passionate about, but few things could hold my attention. I fell into dreamcatchers by chance.I wanted one for my room, and I was bored enough to try and make it myself!

What inspires you every day?

I'm inspired by the beautiful world we live in. There's beauty everywhere, in everything, you just have to be able to see it, or want to see it. I grew up in Quartz Valley, CA which is in Siskiyou County, at the very tip top of California. It is a small rural area surrounded by mountains. Mountains filled with lakes, rivers, flowers, wild animals and everything beautiful the world has to offer. I spent a lot of time hiking and exploring the mountains growing up. When you finally reach the top of the mountain, after hours and hours of hiking and 

sweating and thinking you were never gonna make it to the top.. you come over the last hill and step out onto the top of the world. It takes my breath away every time, thats what inspires me. The overwhelming beauty that surrounds us. I make dreamcatchers that are inspired by beautiful places, experiences and thoughts/quotes. They're like postcards, sent to you from somewhere you may have never been, and I do love postcards!!

 

Starlight Dreamcatcher by DreamRaes on Etsy

Have you had any crafting mishaps/disasters/funny stories?

I havent had to many mishaps thankfully.  I am naturally accident prone, so I am surprised I haven't had more. The worst thing that happened so far is fish hooking my lip with the little hook I use to pull thread through bead. I've just started using soldering irons, dremels and other power tools. I hope my luck continues!

 

Is there another artist that you admire?

I admire all artists. I admire people who create; who see things differently and who bring the images from their mind to life and bravely show the world. 

What do you think the biggest challenges are for handmade artists?

Finding somewhere to sell.There are lots of people who want to buy handmade items, but being found in the bazillion pages on Etsy is tough, and getting to the front pages of Etsy takes a lot of time. Other sites don't have the traffic Etsy does, so you may be on the front page of that site, but people aren't looking for what you're selling. Selling locally, while ideal, comes at the cost of 50% commission at most places. Its hard to find the right place to sell your creations!

Earth Goddess Dreamcatcher by DreamRaes on Etsy

What else do you enjoy in your spare time?

I spend every single spare second I have creating dreams. If I'm not making one, I'm planning one or searching for something to make one with. All my trips this summer were planned around the natural resources I could collect from the places we went.

What is YOUR favorite item that you’ve made?

My all time hands down favorite is Midnight Sun. It started with a metal coil a friend gave me to use for a hoop.. and from that, 76 feet of chain, and a handful of earrings, pins and other jewelry bits came the most amazing piece. It just recently sold on Etsy, I was ecstatic and sad at the same time. I had a hard time parting with it, so I used bits of the leftover chain to make a smaller one. I actually decided to wear it, and it was a hit. I started making chain dreamcatcher necklaces which led me to earrings and hair clips.

With the fall and winter holidays coming, share with us YOUR favorite holiday, and one of your favorite holiday traditions:

My favorite holiday is New Year's. I'm a huge fan of new beginnings and sparkly things! But I have to say, my favorite holiday tradition is cutting the Christmas tree. Every year on the day after thanksgiving, we go up in the mountains and hunt for that perfect tree. Its quite a process, and since my family lives in different places we have to find 3 perfect trees!

Give your words of wisdom to other artisans and crafters:

My advice is to be courageous! Take chances with your art, even if you don't think anyone will love it but you, chances are, there is someone who will love it more than you! It will probably be your best seller. And don't give up just because people don't see what you see, you're not crazy, you're creative.

 

You can find DreamRaes on Etsy, of course, where new, gorgeous dreamcatchers are always popping up - I've seen several over the course of this week while we were coordinating this interview! - but don't forget to stop by her Facebook page as well.

 

And, she has generously offered FREE SHIPPING to any of our readers who would like to pick up a dreamcatcher! (Can I recommend a custom one for the kids in your life for the holidays? Or my personal favorite, the Starlight Dreamcatcher featured above!) Just use coupon code DREAMS4BUNNIES at checkout!

 

It's the holiday season (if you're a retailer!)

The holidays come but once a year.... thankfully. And it seems every year, the holiday season starts earlier and earlier. Known as the "Christmas Creep", this is the phenomenon of holiday items appearing in stores before Halloween has even passed, essentially as soon as "back to school" season has ended. 

I'm not a fan of this, I'm really not. When I was a kid, Christmas season didn't start until the day after Thanksgiving, which makes perfect sense, as that is the last holiday before the winter ones hit. But sadly, these days if you're a retailer of any sort, you need to be in the Christmas game early, along with everyone else or you'll be left in the dust.

So, we've already began posting our holiday product lines for sale. This year we're including new scents, such as Gingerbread, Christmas Tree, Snow Day, Peppermint Kissed and North Pole - among others to be announced. This week I've already posted our Gingerbread Fluffy Stuff! Whipped Soap, which is my can't-get-enough-of treat at the moment.  Here's a first peek at part of our holiday line:

Gingerbread Fluffy Stuff! Whipped Soap

 

 

 

 

Christmas Tree Forest Guest Soaps

Peppermint Kissed Smooth As Satin Lotion

Peppermint Candy Cane Lip Balm

Snowflake Guest Soaps

Be sure to check back, as we'll be giving some of these away as the holiday season gets closer!