Cutie Patootie's Blog

A Wonderful Artist

2010-10-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

http://fdekszer.blogspot.com/

THE GAME OF AUGUST

1. Please post this game in your blog with the link to my blog, so other beaders can play it too :) You bead up the pattern you have got from me in July and send me photos to show me the finished piece. You also have to leave a comment to this post so I can follow who is playing :) I'll need your permission to use your photos to promote the patterns. If you changed any of the colours I'll also need the code of the ones you used.

I will name the beader every time I use a photo of a finished piece.

I'll also set up a gallery on my blog to show all the finished pieces with a link to the beader's gallery.

You can send the photos to

vikishand@fairysdreams-jewellery.co.uk

You are allowed to sell the finished piece wherever you want but you have to give credit to me as the designer of the pattern.

After every finished piece you can pick an other pattern from my Etsy shop for free. Meaning: it is up to you how many patterns you get for free. The game will end on 5th Septermber.

2. All of you who are new to my game can choose one free patterns from the following designs to start the game:

BP141

BP81

BP22

BP138

2010-07-28T18:21:00.000-07:00

A Few Words of Encouragement.

2010-07-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

""When things go wrong as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all up hill, When the funds are low and the debts are high And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns, And many a failure turns about When he might have won had he stuck it out; Don't give up though the pace seems slow-- You may succeed with another blow, Success is failure turned inside out-- The silver tint of the clouds of doubt, And you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems so far; So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-- It's when things seem worst that you must not quit." ~ Unknown

Pricing, does the lowest price win?? (seussical)

2010-03-05T14:11:00.000-08:00

This was posted in the Forums on Etsy, and I wanted to make sure no one missed it, and if you did then maybe you would find it here. It is funny and true.

Dadswoodentoys says:

Under-priced items have you concerned?
have you lost money you should have earned?

To another seller who prices so low
for all of their time there is nothing to show

The answer of course is unknown for sure
did one of your customers bite at their lure?

But allow me to give you some food for thought
perhaps things are best with the prices you've got

pricing the lowest may not win the sale
it's not all buyers want in each case without fail

unless you are selling supplies such as beads
quality craftmanship is what each buyer needs

assuming your content and pictures are great
the question is how will your product rate

next to a listing that is underpriced
will your sales be stolen by prices so sliced?

If what you are selling requires a skill
and if it's on Etsy it most likely will

then your price tells more than what they should pay
confidence in workmanship you also display

the time you invested into your piece
will appear to be more than the one priced the least

when buying a commercially produced doodad
comparing just price will make buyers glad

but when dealing with makers of handcrafted wares
a price that's too low may only get stares

"Surely they couldn't have worked very hard
perhaps the seller is a fat lazy lard

I'ld rather pay money for items that last"
They'll say as they remember stuff bought in the past

oh sure there are buyers who buy just whats cheap
inside their closets there is most likely a heap

of broken items long since discarded
but not in the closets of those who are guarded

discerning buyers are those that you need
who see that your price is not fueled by greed.

those buyers are out there don't think that they're not
Etsy is probably their favorite spot

So make sure your description and pictures show
the work you invested so the buyers know

It's worth it to buy from your quality store
even when paying a few dollars more

Peppermint Pixie by Sagescupboard

2010-02-18T14:22:00.000-08:00

This fun and pretty bracelet is made with Japanese seed beads, Czech glass leaves, fiber optic cat’s eye beads, and CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski butterflies, using the spiral rope technique. Colors include coral pink, shamrock green, amethyst, and blue.

The pink spirals gradually increase from the ends, creating a wide focal section at the center of the bracelet. Accents like leaves and butterflies decorate the spirals, adding a touch of whimsy. The core of the spiral is a pretty shamrock green, which matches the hand stitched button clasp

This is a beautiful bracelet by Sagescupboard, if you have never visited her shop, make sure that you take the time to stop by and take a look. She has some very unique and interesting items.

Beautiful Things

2010-02-16T12:01:00.000-08:00

Purple Rhodolite and Gold Beadwoven Earrings

Very dainty earrings, featuring the beautiful gemstone Purple Rhodolite. The earrings are woven using gold plated miyuki seed beads and nymo beading thread and are finished with gold fill ear hooks.
The earring have a drop of approx. 2cm (0.8")

This is a wonderful shop with alot of beautiful things to look at, this shop has a lovely collection and something for everyone, so stop by and take a look.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/HaffinaAgain

"Be Yourself"

2010-02-16T11:51:00.000-08:00

This original painting is from a wonderful etsy shop by the name of Laura Trevey. She has wonderful original paintiings and this is a must see shop. If you have never had the opportunity to come across this shop, please do soon. Here is the link: http://www.etsy.com/shop/lauratrevey

Be Professional When Posting in the Etsy Forums

2010-02-13T06:53:00.000-08:00

I just had to copy this in case some of you don't read the forums or missed it. It is hilarious.

knotworkshop says:

Remember, ALL YOUR FORUM POSTS ARE PUBLIC

So you don't want to say anything which may turn off potential buyers.

My top tips for behaving professionally in the forum-

1) Don't be yourself. Frankly who you are just isn't good enough. The lampshade on the head act you pull at family parties is a non starter for a professional setting. You must pretend to be a good, kind, moral being whenever posting. If not, you may get labeled with such undesirable terms as 'bully' or a 'waste of pixels.' That can spell disaster for your shop.

2) Pat others on the back relentlessly. No one likes a forumista who doesn't congratulate others on milestones like, 'I just listed my 5th item' or 'I finally got on the list for a heart transplant.' Even if you don't mean it, you're expected to say it. So smear your teeth with some vaseline and get glad handing.

3) Be sure to read the forum TOU carefully. What are the TOU you say? I don't know. I've never read them. But suffice to say people will refer to them on a regular basis on threads ranging from 'spotted another reseller' to 'what color should my font be for best sales?'

4) Don't have a sense of humor. I know this is hard for some, myself included. But trust me, there are many people who won't know you are joking. I can't tell you how many folks I offended with the 'your shop looks like crap' critique thread I started (don't look for it. admin removed it for fear of lawsuits). So best to be straightforward as possible. If Oprah wouldn't joke about, neither should you.

5)Make sure you're clothed while using the Etsy forum. I don't know which sites you're frequenting before you visit Etsy or after. That's your personal business. Don't ask, don't tell as they say. But you will present a much more professional demeanor if you are dressed to impress when you sign in. You wouldn't show up naked to a b&m shop, so you shouldn't be nude on Etsy either.

6) And that brings me to my final point. There is a famous saying out there right now- What would Jesus do? I say we should use that as our guideline for forum decorum. I'll give you an example. Would Jesus laugh at the font you use? I doubt it. I mean, if he did, that's okay because he can get away with it. So my advice is, only do things that you can get away with.

I hope this has been some use to the community. We want to be as professional as possible in all our dealings. Act like you would were this a face to face marketplace. You can hide eye rolling and snickering in person by just doing it as the other person is walking away. But there's nowhere to hide online. Keep that in mind.

Snow, Snow, Everywhere

2010-01-08T13:46:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I am really sick of the snow. We have almost 20 inches on the ground, and this morning, it was 34 degrees below zero. What? What is that you ask, "Do I live in Antarctica?" No I do not, I live in South Dakota.

You would think that I would be use to this kind of weather, I have lived here all my life, and one would hope that eventually you would get used to it. NOT! The older I get the more I hate it, and my joints don't like it so much either.

But the alternative is to move to somewhere that is warm. That sounds great in theory, but then I would miss the seasons change, and the exact thing I would be moving to get away from, Snow. I would hate to celebrate the Holidays with no Snow.

But I can always look on the bright side. As of today, January 8th,2010, we are one day closer to Spring. LOL

Three Chocolate Cookies

2010-01-04T15:32:00.000-08:00

These are by far the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever eaten. Make sure you follow the directions to the letter for them to turn out right.

Based on 20 reviews

Chocolate, semisweet chocolate and bittersweet chocolate add up to a spectacular cookie.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup milk chocolate morsels
3 (1-ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup almond brickle chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and shortening at medium speed until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in chocolate morsels and almond brickle chips. Drop cookies by 1/4 cupfuls about 3-inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Recipes courtesy Paula Deen
Servings: 3 dozen
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 12 min
Difficulty: Easy

2009-12-31T12:17:00.000-08:00

This is the latest addition to my shop. The title is Lovely and Linear, the design is by Eileen Spitz, but of course stitched by me. It is made with delica seed beads, and the clasp is made with loops and glass beads.

Great Tools

2009-12-29T06:07:00.000-08:00

Here is a great tool to help you with keywords when placing items in your shop. It can help those that are wondering how to get more traffic to their shop.

https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal#groupAnchor_webpageTool_4

I have used it and it seemed to help me get more views in my shop.

Very Very Sad

2009-12-17T17:36:00.000-08:00

This is a very sad story. It is about a little boy who lives in the town I live in.
Please read the Journal, and Donate if you can.
Thanks for your time.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/getwellsoonaustin

Holidays!

2009-12-15T10:20:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,
I have finally finished up my Christmas shopping. Of course it was no small feat, as the Grandchildren grow, so does the price of things that they are asking for. LOL

I asked my 9 year old Granddaughter what she would like for Christmas this year, and her answer was, " a Blackberry". Excuse Me!!! I dont even have one of those.
Her response to that was ok, then get me a $100.00 gift certificate to "Icing", in the Mall. Since going to the Mall for me is like getting teeth pulled, I am thinking she wants some type of Frosting for something. Wrong again! It is a Teen Clothing store. But last time I checked, 9 did not quailfy as a teen. What do I know I am just the Grandma.

Kylee, the 7 year old, also wants a Blackberry. Again with the HA!!!! But she will settle for some Makeup she says, and an Ipod. LOL

Now Emma, the 5 year old, all she is asking for is Lipstick, and not even real Lipstick, she specified "I want pretend Lipstick Grandma"

Needless to say, there will be no Blackberries,(phones, or fruit) no Ipods, and no $100.00 gift certificates, But we did get them things that they had asked for but forgetten about.
So we will see what they ask for next year.

Romance Remembered

2009-12-14T16:48:00.000-08:00

This bracelet reminds me of time's gone by. It reminds me of a bracelet well worn with time.

The colors make me recall all things that are Vintage,as if we were looking through our Grandmothers jewelry box.

One Love

2009-12-10T11:32:00.000-08:00

My eldest daughter gave this beautiful framed poem to me one year for Christmas, I believe she was 12 or 13 years old. She has been giving me wonderful things like this often and usually just exactly when I need it.

You see when you are a single parent, you wonder if you are doing the right thing, you must me mother, father and disciplinarian all rolled into one. I must have done ok, with a daughter this thoughtful.

ONE LOVE
When other children ran to two,
I ran to only one.
Two pairs of arms for other kids,
Two hearts to lean upon.
But,I had one who came for me,
One love to see me through;
And though some kids might wish for more,
One love made up for two.
You always filled the empty space
Left when there's only one.
I'd turn around and see your face,
I never felt alone.
The love you've shown me as I've grown
Has always seen me through;
And if I had to have just one,
I'm glad that one was you.
~By Judith Bond~

Let's take time to think about how fortunate we are this Holiday Season!

If My Body Were a Car....

2009-12-07T13:40:00.000-08:00

IF MY BODY WERE A CAR...

If my body were a car, this is the time I would be thinking about trading it in for a newer model. I've got bumps and dents and scratches in my finish and my paint job is getting a little dull ...

But that's not the worst of it.

My headlights are out of focus and it's especially hard to see things up close
My traction is not as graceful as it once was.

I slip and slide and skid and bump into things even in the best of weather.
My whitewalls are stained with varicose veins.
It takes me hours to reach my maximum speed. My fuel rate burns inefficiently.

But here's the worst of it --

Almost every time I sneeze, cough or sputter ..either my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires!

I have gotten a new baby!

2009-11-10T12:59:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,
I have not fallen off the face of the earth, although sometimes I have fallen into the black hole.
Summer has seem to have gotten away from me, and we are now in fall and close to Thanksgiving already. Before you know it, Christmas will be here.

Every year I say I am going to get my shopping done early. I am 56 years old and that still hasn't happened, so I don't think it is ever going to happen.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, we got a new addition to our family. Sassy is her name, she is a Japanese Chin, 3 months old, and we are having alot of fun with her.

She keeps me company while the hubby is working, and now that the grandkids have move out of town, I was lost. So she makes my days move along a little faster.

I have been trying to keep up with my shop and the craft shows, and they are coming fast and furious now. But have been doing great at them, so can't complain.

Well better close and take my little one outside. Later.........

HELLO, HELLO, HELLO!

2009-09-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

I know you all have been wondering where I have been? I have wondered that myself lately.
I have been so busy it seems that I can't keep up with my etsy shop, blog, or anything else for that matter.
The summer has seemed to have just gotten away from me. The grandkids are now back in school, except for Emma, she keeps grandma company everyday while mommy works.
I have a craft show coming up next weekend, and have been busy making new items, plus trying to paint some rooms in the house.
And just when I think that I have gotten a handle on it, it is time to start yard work for fall.
Well anyway, here is my latest creation.

My Mistake

2009-08-06T07:06:00.000-07:00

I have made a mistake in my last blog. I did not tell you that Dogdazzle has a give away going on right now. And the Dogdazzle title is linkable to her shop. Please take a look at her collars.
Thanks ~A~Bunch.

Dogdazzle

2009-08-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

If you have not been to Dogdazzel's shop, you really need to make a visit. She has the most incredible dog collars imaginable.
I believe there is something for everyone, and in any size, just convo her for anything special that you are needing in a dog collar.
A percentage of all collar profits are donated to Pilot Dogs, Inc. A non-profit organization providing guide dog's for the blind.
Go take a look, it is well worth your time.

The Mama Dramalogues

2009-08-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have not yet been fortunate enough to come across this blog, it is pure delight. Mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, all types of mothers, will read it with delight and laugh themselves to tears.

This is one blog that we as mothers can all relate to, stop by and take a look, you won't be disappointed. http://themamadramalogues.blogspot.com/

I Know Something Good About You!

2009-07-28T16:25:00.001-07:00

Wouldn't this old world be better
If the folks we meet would say
I know something good about you.
And then treat you just that way?

Wouldn't it be fine and dandy
If each hand clasp, warm and true.
Carried with it this assurance.
I know something good about YOU?

Wouldn't things here be pleasant.
If the good that's in us all.
Were the only things about us
That folks bothered to recall?

Wouldn't life be lots more happy
If we'd praise the good we see?
For there's such a lot of goodness
In the worst of you and me.

Wouldn't it be nice to practice
This fine way of thanking, too.
You know something good about me.
I know something good about you.

Author Unknown

IcedAdornments's

2009-07-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

This pic is from the collection of Iced Adornments's, she has beautiful things in her shop. If you have not ventured there yet, be sure and stop and take a look around.

2009-07-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

Good Monday Morning All!
How was everyone's weekend? Mine was great, I managed to get some pieces made and listed, this is my latest earrings. I love the Orange cube beads and also the cube spacers.
They remind me of summer, but seems like summer is coming to an end faster than I would like to see. Seems as if we have just started, but the kids will be going back to school here on August 17th.
Of course they all seem to be ready to start, they get bored after 3 months of summer.

I have noticed the older I get, the faster time seems to pass. Is it just me, or is that really true?
Leave me a comment and let me know how you feel about this observation.
I had a nice weekend, we had the Air Show here this weekend, and the Blue Angels were flying, that is always a fun time for all. The show only comes every 2 or 3 years.

I will be leaving tomorrow for North Dakota for a few days, so if there are no new post, that is why. Maybe I will have something really exciting happen in Ledgendary North Dakota and will have something to blog about when I get home, one can only hope. See You Soon!

Just another Day.

2009-07-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

I know it is just another day, But it was nice to go to my shop this morning and find that Etsy had wished me a Happy Birthday.
I have to laugh, because for 3 days now my granddaughters have been wishing me Happy Birthday and I have to say it is not my birthday today. Now today, they probably will not say it to me. LOL

We are still waiting for that elusive buyer to come and buy our home. I am really getting tired of keeping the place soooooooo clean, and having to leave at a moments notice when someone wants to come and see it. I am thinking maybe we will take it off the market when the contract is up with the listing agent.

I think today, I will take the granddaughters over to the pond so they can feed the ducks, they love it, they could feed them a whole loaf of bread.

Anyway, what are all of you planning to do this weekend? We have a Air show in our town, I am not sure if we are going or not, it always seems to be so hot, I have gotten many a sunburn going to this Air show. Any way, we will see what saturday brings.

2009-07-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

Search Engine Submission - AddMe

Overwhelmed

2009-07-15T17:49:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have those days when you just feel overwhelmed the minute you get out of bed?
I has been one of those days for me, I have been looking for a dog for my parents. They dont live in the same town I do, they live in a small town, and of course are very very particular about what kind of a dog they want. It has to be certain kind, sex, must like to ride in cars, the list goes on and on. And of course when I find this dog, I must call them so they can come to town and look at it.

Then I log on to the computer, and find that my Domain name is not taking me to my etsy shop, so now I have to go to my hosting site and play around with that half the morning to get it to forward.By this time I am getting frustrated.

Now it is around noon, I still have not gotten out side to pull the weeds in my garden, and the grandkids have shown up, of course they want popcicles and I dont have any frozen, because they took the last of them out of my freezer.

We have lunch, they go home, I try to get things done on computer, and now it is time to go over to my daughters home for dinner.

It is 8pm in the evening, I am finally home, and all in all, I seemed to get nothing done at all today.And now I have to finish putting laundry away, and relax a little before bedtime.

Oh what a glamorous life I life. LOL.

Till next time!!!!!

Blog Award

2009-07-13T16:17:00.001-07:00

I have been honored to be chosen by fellow Etsian, DogDazzle to receive the The Premio Meme Award for my blog.
It is wonderful to be chosen by such a talented artist. Pictured above is a wonderful tote she has created to advertise her business. You can see all of her wonderful handmade Dog Collars in her shop www.dogdazzle.etsy.com

In order to accept this Award I must share 7 things about myself.
1.I love reading Blogs
2.I would love to own a horse again
3.Autumn is my favorite time of year
4.I am very funny and like to make people laugh
5.I am a grandmother to all girls
6.I used to make Stained Glass
7.I hate to cook

As required by being an Award recipient I'm bestowing this Award on 7 other famous bloggers:

http://obtp.blogspot.com
http://thegoldenthimble713.blogspot.com
http://mouchois.blogspot.com
http://themamadramalogues.blogspot.com
http://etsymoms.blogspot.com
http://mechellesart.blogspot.com
http://bonzaibeads.blogspot.com

Emma

2009-07-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

This is Emma now, and she is quite the clown. She loves to be silly and is quite the cut-up kid.
Grandpa still thinks she is great, but he thinks that of all his girls. They certainly are alot of fun, but sometimes I miss them being tiny babies, seems that they grow up so fast.
I remember when I use to be so close to Makayla, the oldest. And through the natural progression of things, her little friends at school are so important to her, and that is as it should be. But sometimes Grandma feels left out. LOL I still want to play, and she is too busy for Grandma.
It is so important to treasure them and all the little things they do. I love them all like crazy.
This is Emma when she was a baby, Grandpa thought she was the best thing since sliced bread.

Kylee

2009-07-13T06:21:00.000-07:00

This is Kylee when she was smaller, who couldn't love that little face.
This is Kylee, she is Grandpa's buddy. She loves to help grandpa in the yard. Planting, power raking the yard, digging worms, she doesn't care if grandpa is doing it, she is too.

2009-07-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

Makayla is still some what a Tomboy, she still likes to fish, and play with worms. This is one of her day's off from Miley Cyruss.

Grandchildren

2009-07-11T05:20:00.000-07:00

Today, I am going to discuss grandchildren. It is sooooooooo much more fun having them than having your own.
Please let me explain, I love my own kids don't get me wrong. But with grandchildren you can spoil them and send them home. Or when they get fussy or naughty, call mom and send them home.
But they all tend to grow so fast. My first granddaughter is now 9 yrs old. Seems like just yesterday, she was a toddler playing in the large playhouse we built for her.This is Makayla, she is my first granddaughter, she now thinks she is a teenager. Everything with her is about Miley Cyruss. I will introduce my other two granddaughters in another segment. And more about my views on being a grandparent.

2009-07-10T09:38:00.001-07:00

More CIJ

2009-07-10T09:36:00.001-07:00

2009-07-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

Here is some of the things I added for Christmas in July sale.

Sites to Post Your Items

2009-07-10T06:52:00.000-07:00

I am just curious, how many places there actually are on the web, that we can post our items to get exposure?
I imagine there are millions, it boggles the mind. And with all the networking that we try to do to get our names seen and recognized, it sometimes becomes overwhelming.
Here are a few that I have found, and I would like you all to send me links to ones I am not aware of yet, I have only just begun.

craftgawker.com
plaincraft.com
indiespotting.com

ok, I have started, everyone send me your links.

A Heart Wrenching Story

2009-06-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

I watched this yesterday, and couldn't stop crying. It reminds us to count our Blessings everyday.
http://www.oprah.com/media/20081001_tows_99balloons

House on the Market

2009-06-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

Do you suppose anyone ever really thinks about what is involved when they put their house on the Market?
I mean really, do any of us ever really like to get up at the but crack of dawn so that some real estate agent can come and show your home at 8:00 AM?
I know we all think well it will only last for 90 or 180 days, which ever contract you have signed. But let me tell you, the first week will feel like you have had it on the Market for a year.
Not only do you constantly have agents calling you to see if they can show your home, they have secret codes, like (NAS) which stands for (No answer Show) soooooooooo hope you aren't in the shower when they happen to call----You know what that means? You didn't answer, so they will show it anyway, I sure hope your not stepping out of the shower, just as the agent and his clients come through the door.
And all the little notes that you have to leave for them, like PLEASE LOCK THIS DOOR WHEN YOU LEAVE. I know it sounds silly, but believe me I have come home and found my house has been left unlocked, so yes, I have had to leave notes.
They love calling at 9:30 PM to ask if they can show it the next day--"here is a novel idea, why not just call me the next morning?"
Anyway, I could go on and on but I won't , just promise me you will think about this if you decide to put your house on the Market.