The Shopping Kiwi

Mesha, but you're not a seller !

2009-09-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hello again :)
Already halfway through September and I've not blogged at all. I'm really sorry.
At this point, I'm trying my best to adjust my schedule to what used to be my life. I hardly have time for "myself" so I'm really trying hard to get stuff done while juggling everything else. Blogging has always been important to me, so even if I'll take a while, I'll keep blogging for you all :)
I saw this in Etsy front page today and it completely made my day, sleepyking did it again with one of her Halloween items :D I guess I'm not the only one really excited about this holiday ! - it might come as a totally radical change in topic, but last night I went into Etsy chat for the first time in weeks. I was surprised to see how many of my "regulars" have been replaced by people I had never seen. It's kinda sad, but eh, life goes on :] I did find Linds from LathersbyLinds and she gave me a sneak peek of her upcoming products. Whipped soap, anyone ? Am I the only one who can say for the first time this soap REALLY looks edible ! Resembles some sort of meringue dessert to mind, and I can already feel my stomach grumble. It must smell as good as it looks and I'll have a very hard time trying not to eat it when I purchase :'D
Anyway ! my last post was a very impromptu poll, for which I got only one vote and am okay with, since I know it's nobody's fault but mine. Someone said you gotta keep the public entertained, which I haven't done properly :'D Either way, said poll was to get a little help with a post, so I'll take the idea I was given.

More seller tips, from a buyer's insight ! It's funny how many people have said "Mesha, but you're NOT a seller !" - this is why it should be even more helpful, I'm giving you the pro's and con's from a buyers POV, but well well, to each their own ;]

Who doesn't love presents ? I've always had a weak point for packaging, specially the packaging of stuff I got off Etsy. Back in the day I made a post about steppie's outstanding packaging and secretly asked myself why not all my packages had been that pretty. See, the thing is that when you buy something you love an awesome outstanding presentation. Have you ever been to one of those fancy bakeries ? They wrap up everything in tissue paper, then a box and a cute ribbon. Can't you tell me we all love stuff of the sort ? I'm sorry, but wrapping my items in bubble wrap and stuffing them into a mailer is just not enough. Even bubble wrapping is an art, perhaps you could use some really cute decorative tape ? Tissue paper even ! I once got a pretty journal that had been wrapped in matching tissue paper and then bubble wrap. It was something small and maybe you'd think it just wouldn't matter, but believe me, small details ARE important ! If you're selling a scarf, fold it nicely, wrap it in tissue paper and use a coordinating ribbon. Most fabric items( clothes, bags, accessories...) can be wrapped this way and it gives your shop a great presentation. I've seen some shops have their own personalized boxes/mailers made. I know it must be pricey, but you could get a nice stamp to personalize your packaging. The key, is being creative. Even packaging has etiquette ;]

Now, making your packaging pretty and outstanding it's not everything. It has to be durable. The other day I got a package that was gorgeously wrapped, but one of the items(stationery) got here in pretty bad shape. The seller decided to shove my papers (wrapped in a cute cello bag and tissue paper) without a hard backing. I don't know most of you, but I live in Mexico City and packages take their sweet old time to get here. What's worse, is that some sellers ship whenever they're pleased and don't bother on letting me know when they do. I've had items arrive to me a day before they are marked as shipped. Seriously ? There's a difference between forgetting to mark items as shipped and actually forgetting to ship. If your shop policies say my items will be shipped in 1-2 business days I expect them to be shipped in 1-2 business days. It would be very nice if you could contact me explaining why my purchase will not be shipped until 3 days later or a week. I'm a very difficult customer, especially when it comes to shipping times. I know I can expect my items to arrive within 8 days, so I can get a little feisty when they haven't gotten to my doorstep in 10. Make sure to let your customers know when their items have been shipped - maybe not a conversation, but at least mark the item as "shipped" when it has been done. Regular buyers check their items' status almost daily (or 3 times a day in some cases... Lol. Image bellow is from SpiceRakDesigns, they have the cutest vintage style aprons on Earth).
Now, speaking of difficult customers. Have you ever had to deal with that "picky" person ? You know, the ones who will change their mind every few minutes. Or those who want a return/refund because their item didn't look exactly like the one pictured. Dealing with returns is very hard, and as a buyer I'll advice to not offer refunds. Maybe store credits, that's a good idea, but cash(paypal) just don't seem like a smart idea. I think it's safe to say not everyone out there is a reasonable or rational as we'd expect, so sometimes you can just hope for the better. When you have to deal with a difficult person, the best is to just sit, listen and try to be patient. Think of it as being in an actual brick and mortar shop and having to watch the lady try the same blouse in 29 different shades. I've heard people say "anything for a sale !", well, this is one of those "anythings", be patient and you'll be rewarded.

Patience didn't do much for you ? Then this is a worst case scenario. Your customer is just not happy with their purchase. Now, there will be those customers who just shrug it off and said "well, I got it off the Internet..." which is terrible, one less person around your venue. Luckily, or not, this is a very rare case. Most of the time you'll be contacted by a less than please customer - you need to be careful about this. Give a partial refund in store credits, replace the item or make a great offer, but remember what they say: the customer is always right. In the handmade business, as much as in any other, it's a constant tugging game: you put this, take that, give and lose. It's all for the well being of your shop and someday you'll look back and be thankful you decided to be careful, pleasing and rational.

Random poll

2009-09-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

So I'll be out of town this weekend.
I have to work on;
~3 school projects
~2 letters
~1 story update
~2 blog posts
Though, my 2 blog posts are due in a long-term kinda thing, so I need your help guys !
I'll take the first comment on this one: what do you want me to write about ?
Whoever gets it first and it's something worth my time and some common sense I'll gladly post about it.
In the meantime, have a lovely weekend, heard it's a 3 day-weekend ? :o
Mesha♥

Well herro there

2009-09-01T13:56:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone ! This is a quick post to announce a few things :)

First, I'd like you to know I'm pretty aware of not having blogged much last month. This will change as for September, I promise to have many surprises under my sleeve this month :)

Now if any of you remembers, last week a giveaway for a chance to win a sampler pack of organic tea was running, and now I've picked out a winner ! The process as usual was completely fair and random, and well, the winner for the tea giveaway is...
Congrats Skatterbrainz ! I'll be contacting you shortly for your information :) Thanks everyone who joined, I got a total of 24 entries which seems fair for an non-blogging month, my bad ^^;

Anyway this is it for now, very short post I know ! There are still 2 ad spots left for this month so if anybody is interested you can go here and purchase your spot before the 10th :)

Mesha♥

Good for your soul; good4you

2009-08-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

~News & Announcements~

~School started on Monday :D It's trying to murder me only in the first week, so I haven't been able to get on much. Rumor has it I've been missed but who knows ;]
~I have a few surprises stored for you guys ! All to make up for the lack of posts, has anyone noticed how I've had less than 5 posts for August ? Omg :o
~There are 4 ad spots open for September, come and get yours now :D
Now onto the cool. How many of us like tea ? I know many of us do. It's my drink of choice everywhere I go, let it be breakfast, lunch or dinner I'll always drink tea (or orange soda, but that's besides the question). It's very hard to find good blends here you know ? They're all either pre-made or simply someone felt like mixing chamomile with hibiscus and that was their brilliant idea. I like intricate flavors and mouthwatering scents, and those two are what you'll be able to find in good4you.
~What is good4you?
Good4you is a small organic handmade tea company run by one, me Jess!

~When was the idea born, were you taught to make all your blends?
I was inspired to make these teas after taking an amazing class in college. It was a basic class on herbs, but it was in a greenhouse. I was so drawn to the fact that plants have amazing medicines to offer us. Also one night I had a stomach ache/really bad cramps. One of my good friends made me a blend from whatever was in the kitchen. Using herbs like rosemary, peppermint, cinnamon, lemon balm and even cayenne! It was such a weird tea but it worked wonders! Starting with ginger and peppermint, I started making more teas like this for people in my dorm. Then requests for new teas were born from all my friends! Blends are still inspired today from good4you fans!
~Do you sell locally? How easy is it?
I sell to natural food stores and coops in my area. It's seriously just a phone call away to have your products in your town's shops! I can get pretty shy, so it's a good thing for me to break through this and get out there! It's super rewarding too.

~What's your opinion regarding mass-produced teas vs. organic blends ?
In all cases, I believe handmade is the way to go. Then organic is a great choice! AN even better choice I've found is to have your own garden. This year I managed to grow over half the plants in my tea! I hope to grow even more herbs next year. Mass produced teas tend to have sat on store shelfs for a really long time. I think more thought and love gets put into locally made and hand made goodies!
~Overall, why could you recommend organic blends ?
Organic blends are pesticide, fungicide and chemical fertilizer free. All these components tend to leave a really bad impact on the environment. If land has been un-naturally fertilized, the chemicals could potentially live in the soil for years as well as "running off" into our rivers and water supply. Organic methods, if done correctly, as more environmentally friendly and farmers tend to have more care for there work. All around, I believe organic has more love put into it, especially if you know the farmers. I definitely go with intention.
~Is there any advice you have for Etsy sellers?
I would find your favorite, most successful shops and pick and choose your favorite qualities about them to help your own business. Whether it be awesome pictures, good customer interaction and of course promotion! I'm still learning, I think we always do, so don't ever get discouraged. Just find a new approach! And no matter what, remember you're doing it for fun and it makes you happy!
good4you wants only the best for your body and soul, so guess what ? That's right, lovely Jess is having a giveaway ! The lucky winner will get a Chakra Sampler Pack ! All you have to do to enter is comment here :D(1) you can also go to good4you shop and let us know in a comment which is your favorite item(1) ! For another 2 additional entries you can either blog about this(1) and tweet(1) ! Make sure to comment each entry separately with links to your blog or twitter. This giveaway starts today, Saturday 22nd and ends on Monday 31st so hurry !
Another surprise ! With every purchase you can get a free ounce of Pure Bliss Chai Tea ! Just enter the code "Tea4you" at checkout in the 'message to seller' box (convo me if you have any questions and need a walkthrough the checkout process) and you're set :D Any purchases made from today until the giveaway ends are entered into the drawing too so comment here letting us know what you purchased :D
That's it for our August interview, I hope you enjoyed this and make this giveaway as successful as the others, you know you'd love to win one of this amazing blends !
Mesha♥

News, Giveaways and Hello Kitty

2009-08-18T12:36:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone !
I know I'm a little behind the usual schedule of interviewing on the 15th and 30th of each month, please bear with me school has just started and even if I love my blog to bits, school is first and foremost for a teenager, isn't it ? At least it should be haha.

I know I haven't been in Etsy chat a lot either, stuff has been going on and I've found myself feeling a little alien there, so I'd rather stay out of it for a while and until I feel like osm Mesha again ;] I can assure you there will soon be an interview posted ! I'm working on something with two amazing Etsy sellers so you'll have something worth the read soon, and I also want to give you a heads up on an awesome giveaway !

Sarah, owner of Sarahahaha & polygnome is hosting her second Hello Kitty giveaway in her blog ! I'm a huge HK fan so this seems like a great opportunity to me. Go visit her blog and don't miss out on this one !
You could win a Hello Kitty MAC nail polish and some other goodies, go enter now ;]
I promise to update more soon !
Mesha♥

Selling and random advice for dummies

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

News & Announcements

~Update at last yay
~I had 2 people bail on me about advertising in my blog, so I have 1 spot open. Get it before the 10th :D
~I recently joined Swap-bot so if you have an account there.. well kudos to you. PM me or something, username: Mesha.
~I'm looking for a radical change around here, I know I've been whining on and off about this but I promise it WILL happen !
~Once again, thank you all for having entered the last giveaways :)

Now, the last couple of days have been pretty bad for me so I want this post to cheer me up yeah ? Lets talk about your business. You may think I know nothing about this, bleh I'm only a buyer and whatnot. I've been luckily raised in a family that runs many businesses :) all kinds of businesses at it, so I'm constantly hearing about this and it's something I'm very interested in.
First of all lets talk about one of Etsy's latest trends, re-listing. I'm very aware this is not new, but I've seen it's a very common topic in the chat rooms. Someone asks every time you know ? I have always voiced my opinion, but of course people would rather listen to other sellers. I've seen people with less than 30 sales say re-listing is the way to go. Excuse me, but say stuff like that when you have some sales under your sleeve you know ? I refuse to believe spending $20 in re-listing every month is a good idea when you hardly get 2 sales a week. The formula for re-listing is very simple; do it a couple of times. It's not working ? Sales aren't happening ? That's all very well, then you have to figure out what's stopping people from buying ! Your items are all at the top of the searches, but people are not buying. What is stopping them ?

We will not talk about costs, when I see an item I value it's cost and most of the time it's very fair. Yet maybe what stops us buyers are the shipping fees ? I know I have many people agree with me when I say shipping fees are an extreme turn off when we're international, and I've even seen some outrageous prices for domestic US shipping. Are you being fair ? Is it a win/win for you and your buyers ? I do notice some sellers charge a packaging/handling fee, which is very respectable. Neither good or bad, I'd advice to let your customers know why they seem to be paying a little extra or, in case of solely charging for raw shipping, I'd also advice to let your customers know any exceeds will be refunded. Believe me, I know how much it sucks to pay $8 for shipping, get a package with a very cheap wrapping and have the USPS form say it cost $3.20 to ship. It has happened. The form bellow is a little exaggerated lol. Just set the shipping to "everywhere" to a good promedy. Works for me, should work for you.Tagging is extremely important. I am not calling out on anyone, but just for this article I made a search for the term "kawaii" (click here for more info) and it showed me nothing but disappointment(picture bellow). Alright, I'm pretty sure you want to get your product out there, but WHY miss tagging ? Please understand when I say that the jewelry that popped up in the first place is NOT kawaii. That cute cupcake is though, and the picture is also amazing, an item I would definitely click on and consider buying (if I weren't poor...). I'm not bragging, but I'm great with random words and good tags, hit me up if you need help :'DSpeaking about said cupcake, I did end up clicking on it and loved the picture. This is something that might stop us buyers from considering a purchase: BAD PICTURES. My friend Eric, also an Etsy seller, has a great tutorial for great item pictures you should check out if you think you could polish your skills. Pictures are probably the most important factor of a listing. Your pictures are the best way to lure in a customer, and if they're bad pictures they wont lure in a fly even if they're at the top of the searches. Good product pictures are the key and trigger to most succesful sales - who wouldn't buy the beautiful rings down there ? They are in my wish list and are from lovely Samantha Bird, visit her shop, MissesBird @ Etsy.com
Do you have any idea of how important an item description is ? I'm really honest when I say this, no matter how wonderful your pictures are, how amazing the price and shipping & handling fees are, I will not buy something with a 3 line description. On Etsy, and the whole world wide web really, your best tool are your words. Sure, a picture does make about 90% of the work when it comes to online shopping, but your description matters more than you think. Tell us about the materials, textures, colors, scents, flavors, dimensions, etc. Do it in a friendly caring manner mentioning details you'd like to know. Good spelling, redaction and punctuation say a lot about a seller, for instance if you're writing in ALL CAPS I'll get the sensation of being yelled at, which is not good. I know many lazy buyers that would rather not contact you regarding a little itty bitty question about your product and that will make you lose a sale. Maybe the answer to said question would have been answer if given a proper item description. See, I'm not telling you to give us 3 paragraphs of description (because that's boring and very hard on the eyes) but to only be specific. Give information you would like to have if you were a buyer. Stand in our shoes !

Now that you're comfortable in my high stiletto pumps (lol) lets talk about freebies. A free little something is ALWAYS enjoyable and creates an instant impression in your buyers' minds "Free gifts = returning customer". Sadly, this is always misunderstood and therefore, it's misleading. When I see someone offering a "free gift with every purchase" it's always a great turn off. In my mind that screams "stuff I don't want with every purchase" you know ? I am not saying freebies are not good, but believe me when I say this: it creates a much better impression to send a totally unexpected gift that's sure to please your buyer than just telling everyone they'll get something. Also, if sending something please give something you would like to receive ! Maybe a little but extremely yummy candy ? A sample of one of your products or someone else's ! (LathersbyLinds has a sample pack perfect for sellers, but she's currently on vacation due to her first show ever ! yay Linds) Discount coupons/codes are always an amazing idea, as well. Just make sure you're sending something your buyer will enjoy receiving, either based on what they got at your shop (this may give you an overlook of what your customer likes) or just something generally enjoyable. We will be thankful and most likely come back.Now that we've gone over all that cool stuff, lets talk about the most important part of your shop: your customers. I've seen this in chat a lot and have talked it over with a few very successful sellers. Etsy is your venue. You're a respectful professional seller who is trying to get the word out about your products. Or at least that's what you should be doing ! When going to Etsy chat rooms and starting crap only because you felt like it you're just telling everyone how unimportant your business is for you. Chat rooms are a great place for just relaxing and talking, but you should always keep in mind even sellers are potential customers and starting any sort of argument is showing you're a very unprofessional person who doesn't take their business seriously. Come to chat, have fun but most importantly remember your shop comes first and foremost and you have to show everyone how much you care about it.

When someone contacts you with a question regarding your items, you gotta make sure they know you're available and willing to answer each and every of their inquiries. There is nothing worse than gathering the guts (and will haha) to contact a shop owner and have then convo you back after 3 days ! By this time I'll have moved on and purchased something from someone who responded as soon as I asked. I don't care what you do, but your shop is important for you and you have to let people know this. If someone is interested in your products treat them as if they were sitting in your living room talking with you. You need to let customers know you're entirely dedicated and open to queries.There IS one thing that's probably just a pet peeve of mine, but I believe it does give an overall bad look to one's shop: asking for hearts. If you browse through my hearts you'll find all sorts of things, but overall they're stuff i really really liked and plan to purchase someday, if I haven't already. Asking me to heart one of your items or your shop is not nice at all. It makes you look desperate. As a general advice, just don't do it. If you're having a little game/giveaway that works based off hearts that's cool, but don't gauge my eyes out with the "If you can't cart me, then heart me" phrase. That's just wrong dude.

One thing that is very true and will never change is the fact that if you want to be successful, you WILL be successful. How do you think all the awesome shops out there managed to pull through being hidden and just starting out like many ? If you want to do it, you will do it - I have had many many "newbies" ask what's the formula for a first sale. It's a very simple 3 word formula: don't give up.

I don't think there is anything else to say here, I've listed all the points I believe are important and I'll now proceed to rest. It was a very long and sad morning so now I want to chill with my buddies in chat and maybe go on a tiny shopping spree. I need retail therapy - who doesn't ?

Mesha♥

Giveaway Part Two - Winners !

2009-07-28T19:22:00.000-07:00

Once again it was such a hype going on around here !! You guys made sure to get this done in less than an hour !! I am sorry about the confusion, I had INDEED set the goal to 400 at first but thought I was exaggerating, so I set it back to 300. This was one LUCKY mistake, because I got 2 repeat winners so I could randomize one out from the resting 120 comments !!

So I know you're all excited heeh, I am too !! It was HELL to go through while counting haha but yeah enough rambling the prizes are as follows !!

LilNikisBig wristlet - Katie
mishibu's goodies - Ann
TheMemoryCafe greeting cards - Toadly Unique
FancifulForm mini pendant - PonderAndStitch
modmomME $15 cert - clearlytangled
NearNU $30 cert - Samantha Bird

Thank you thank you THANK YOU everyone for making this the best giveaway EVER ! (until now ;P ) Thanks for having followed my blog and having made this possible - you know what will happen when I get 300 followers, right ? Teehee

Mesha♥

Live Giveaway Part Two

2009-07-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

Heeh sorry for the delay haha, anyway ! after last night's rampage I know we're all more than excited about the next round ! This one is pretty exciting as well, but the deadline is a little further as I know you're not THAT nuts ;P

Now now, onto the action ! Our goal is to get 300 comments by tomorrow at 4pm ! Click here to know what my 4pm is in your time zone haha. I'm hoping this will go as smoothly as the first round! The prizes are as follows;

Wristlet by LilNikisBig
This wristlet is so cute and classy ! Holds a certain vintage flair imo.
Winner: 31

A goodie bag from mishibu !
Polymer clay goodies, a ring, a pair of earrings, some charms...
Winner: 73

6 greeting cards by TheMemoryCafe
They will NOT be the exact one pictured, but you know they'll be equally amazing !
Winner: 132

Violet rose mini pendant by FancifulForm
You know you want this, so small and classy.. so fancy !
Winner: 189

$15 gift certificate for modmomME's shop !
Weee $15 to get goodies from modmomMe's shop ! Perfect for all mommies !
Winner: 234

$30 gift certificate for NearNu's shop !
Holy kiwi. $30 for a vintage shop ! I wish I could win this haha
Winner: 294

See the little "Winner; #" ? That means whoever makes comment # will win !! This is FAIRLY easy, however there are a few rules ;]

1. You're only allowed to make 5 comments in a row. If you already posted 5 comments, you'll have to wait for someone else to post in order to being able to comment again.
2. There is NO comment limit, but they must be longer than 2 words.
3. Only ONE prize per winner. Lets be fair shall we ? ;]
4. You MUST be a follower of the blog - if you're not, you're not eligible for the prize you won !
5. Giveaway open to worldwide residents.

This giveaway is designed to keep you on the page as long as you want to be, and anyone can join as long as you follow the blog !

The giveaway starts NOW so start posting your comments and get the word out so we can reach the goal by tonight ! Winners will be announced as soon as it's over and I do the count ;P
Thank you everyone !

Mesha♥

Giveaway Two, get ready.

2009-07-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody ;]
Just a heads up, Part Two of the live giveaway will happen today at 4pm my time, click here to find out what time it will be in your time zone.
I'm really very happy about the first giveaway ending in less than 30 minutes !! It came out even better as planned and that was pretty awesome, thank you all who participated and congratulations to those who won !
So please don't forget to check back at 4pm (this is your time) for the next round !!

Mesha♥

Giveaway Part One - Winners !

2009-07-27T23:29:00.000-07:00

Dude. I gave a 24hour deadline and you guys ended it in less than 30 minutes.
I ADORE YOU ALL !!!
Now now, I know you're excited about this, want to know who won ?
;]

WhiteFlagDesigns; goodies; sleepyking :D
ktfin777 bow; Nicole Marr
clearlytangled cards; LathersbyLinds
sleepyking plushie; Kendra Kay

Thank you everyone !! I'll soon be contacting you to gather your addresses :D
Don't forget to check back for part TWO of this giveaway !!

Mesha♥

Live Giveaway Part One

2009-07-27T22:17:00.001-07:00

It's time !!
Finally I've reached 200 followers, and let me tell you, it was NOT easy !! As a thank you to all my readers, I'm hosting a HUGE giveaway, starting when ? Right about now !

We already have a winner ! Thanks PhillyCheeseCake for being my 200 follower ! You just won 2 bars of soap from LathersbyLinds :D ! Hope you enjoy it and thanks for being the lucky 200th follower ;P

Now now, onto the action ! Our goal is to get 200 comments by the end of the day ! Part 1 of the giveaway will end today, July 28th at 9pm EST so HURRY and get your entries in ! The prizes are as follows;

3 lip blams and 2 solid perfumes by WhiteFlagDesigns
Any flavors and scents you want from this super fresh shop !
Winner: 34

This super cute bow for your babygirl from ktfin777 !
I wish I had a cute little girl to make her wear this bow, it's so pretty !
Winner: 76

8 super fun and classy sheep cards from clearlytangled !
I'm a sucker for stationery, and I'm telling you - this is AMAZING.
Winner: 126

An amazing mustache cat plushie from sleepyking !
It's a cat. With a mustache ! You know you gotta have this.
Winner: 191

See the little "Winner; x" ? That means whoever makes comment 'x' will win !! This is FAIRLY easy, however there are a few rules ;]

1. You're only allowed to make 5 comments in a row. If you already posted 5 comments, you'll have to wait for someone else to post in order to being able to comment again.
2. There is NO comment limit.
3. Only ONE prize per winner. Lets be fair shall we ? ;]
4. You MUST be a follower of the blog - if you're not, you're not eligible for the prize you won !
5. Giveaway open to worldwide residents.

This giveaway is designed to keep you on the page as long as you want to be, and anyone can join as long as you follow the blog ! This giveaway will end tonight and if there are prizes left for this round, they... I don't really know what will happen to them if you don't win them all by tonight ! I'm confident in you guys helping me reach the comment goal for this round ;]

The giveaway starts NOW so start posting your comments and get the word out so we can reach the goal by tonight ! Winners will be announced as soon as it's over and I do the count ;P Remember this is only PART ONE, there will be many more prizes to come !
Thank you everyone !

Mesha♥

Giveaway news

2009-07-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hey guys :D
This is just a news post ;P a very important news post haha

As you may have noticed, I'm VERY close to having 200 followers, which means my next giveaway is right around the corner !
This giveaway will be special: it's going to be a live giveaway ! What does this mean ? The giveaway will only last a couple of hours, and I need YOU people in here commenting through the whole thing. I bet it sounds odd, but it's very easy once you get the hang of it... and read the complete rules haha.

This is only a heads up to any of you who are interested in winning items from over 10 different Etsy shops :o ! We'll have modmomME, TheMemoryCafe, theriverisweverywhere, sleepyking... you really can't miss this, there will be over 10 winners for this giveaway so keep checking back for updates and follow this blog closely as well as my twitter account for more updates on this ;]

And as always, please check this if you're interested in advertising in my blog :D

Mesha♥

Dedication; artemna

2009-07-20T00:23:00.000-07:00

~News & Announcements~

Hey kids, just reminding you about a couple of things ;]
~I'm on vacation ! From today July 20th, to July 25th I'll be away from home :D I'll be checking my Etsy conversations, tweets and emails very often so don't despair :'D
~I won another giveaway :D Yeah, just rubbing in on your face. I won spontaneousdots' first giveaway so someone should buy a hedgie love necklace so we can be necklace twinsies lawl
~Ad spots for August are still open ! 2 left for only $5 each ! There's also a yearly one for $30 so hurry and get them ;]
~Don't forget to follow the blog ! There will be an awesome giveaway when I get 200 followers so shout this out and tweet for me yeah ? Haha ♥

~Dedication; artemna~

During my daily Etsy browsings one day, I met this lovely lady, artemna ! She sells her self published comics and awesome prints you should check out. I got her "Boobage" comic and it's pretty awesome and fun ! Have fun reading this and visit Monica's shop to get your own Boobage ;P
When did you start drawing?
I've been drawing since I was little, but I specifically remember starting to draw comics when I was seven. I was obsessed with Garfield and Calvin & Hobbes, so I tried over and over to draw their characters and mimic their panel layouts. When I got older, I read more manga and attempted to mimic that, creating an 80-page comic starring my friends and I in high school.
Any classes you ever took?
I took art classes in middle school and high school, and then my senior year in high school I spent half the day at normal high school and the other half at an art school. In college, I majored in digital arts and animation.
When and why did you decided to start your Etsy shop?
I started my Etsy store in September of 2007. I forget how exactly I found the site, but it was so magical! I love handmade, individual clothes and art so this was heaven. I was thrilled that it was a place I could participate in and sell my comics and art alongside others.
Where do you get the inspiration for your comics from? Have you ever thought about publishing with a major label?
All over the place -- friends, family, memories, past experiences. Things I'd like to do, or things I've dreamed of doing. Luckily, I was blessed with a furtive imagination at a young age! Publishing with a major label, yup! I think that'd be a great opportunity. It would give me a break on the publishing/distribution/invoicing side.
Do you have any advice for aspiring cartoonists/illustrators and Etsy sellers in general?
Never, ever give up! In any single day you'll probably get inspired once and discouraged ten times. But ignore the negative thoughts, and keep doing your thing! The fact that you're doing it makes it worth doing. :)

Isn't she an amazing person ? Her comics and artwork are truly amazing, and she's got a little surprise for you ! Mention this interview at checkout and get 15% off any item from her shop ! Awesome isn't it ? Make sure to drop by and get one of her comics ! Hope you enjoyed this ;]

Mesha♥

Spontaneous giveaway

2009-07-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

Did you enjoy the last post with Mameshiba videos ? :3
We know you did, everyone did ;P So ! Guess who is having her FIRST giveaway evurr ? No other than spontaneousdots !!
She's giving away this super cute Hedgie Love Necklace !
Isn't it the cutest ? I know, I know :'D
Click here for details on how to win this cute pendant, and you better HURRY because this ends on Monday !!
Go and get your entries in for spontaneousdots' first giveaway :D
Don't forget to follow this blog if you haven't ! We will have an awesome giveaway when we reach 200 followers too ;]
Mesha♥

Kawaii, ne ?

2009-07-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

Kawaii is a japanese word meaning "beautiful"(adjective) or "cute, adorable or pretty" (when used literally).The word Kawaii is generally used to refer to cute characters, such as Hello Kitty, Sugarbunnies, Cinamoroll, etc. It's used for clothing, stationery, accessories, pets, plushies - as it's generally used by females, it refers to anything a female would defy as cute.

So after the explanation, I wanted to share with you my ultimate kawaii, yet disturbing find. Mameshiba ! This cute little bean... No i don't know, you need to see for yourselves haha.

Kawaii, ne ? (cute, isn't it?) You can hover over the thumbnails when it's finished or click here if you want to watch a playlist of 10 Mameshiba short clips. The cutest and most disturbing bean I've ever seen :'D

There are still 4 ad spots open for August($5) and 1 yearly spot($25) hurry and get yours now ! Also, please follow the blog if you haven't ! Only 20 followers more to announce the giveaway !
Mesha♥

Chat Etiquette

2009-07-14T23:14:00.000-07:00

~News & Announcements~

~The giveaway will be announced when we get to 200 followers, please follow if you haven't :)
~If you'd like to be a sponsor for the next giveaway please contact me at kiwi.w@live.com
~There is 1(one) yearly ad spot open $25(save $35) - all August advertising spots open now, contact if interested.
~I will be away from the 19th through the 25th, just a reminder haha.
~Visit Savvy Stitcher, Etsy Chat Team and Red Planet for giveaways ending this Friday.
~Visit The Memory Cafe for a long term giveaway.
~I got my Elenor from vireo today. So in love :'D
~Become a fan of The Shopping Kiwi on Facebook !

~Introduction~

Lately I've started to notice how certain things annoy me more than they used to, while in Chat. Some others, I realize there are some "unsaid" guidelines that most chatters respect, but not many know or understand. I guess it's just a matter of being a regular.

~Chat etiquette~

More like chat for noobs and do's and do not's lol. If you know me, you'll know I'm a chat regular - more like a chat preset haha. No matter the time of the day, I'll be there blabbing my brains out. What can I say, I like talking. I will say I now consider myself as a chat "old timer" even if they've only been a couple of months. I've learned quite a lot believe it or not; hence this, I'd like to share a few of my thoughts and chat experiences with you all ;]

~Self-promoting is NOT cool. Also know as self-posting, this is when you post your listings on the side bar for everyone to look. I do understand some of you might don't see the wrong in it - I really don't either, but it's considered as rude by most chatters. Think of it this way, you have an awesome product you want everyone to see. What would be more fulfilling ? Posting yourself and watching it go by unnoticed or have someone else post it because they truly liked it ? I'm not a seller, but it's hard not to see the smart logical choice.

~Politics and religion; only for the strong minded. These two are probably the trickiest, toughest topics in the chatting world. There will be always someone in disagreement. And don't get me wrong, I've had many political and religious talks, but it's a bit ridiculous when you try knocking Jesus into my head via hitting me with a bible or something. I will listen to your beliefs and remain quiet, but don't try to mess with my own or someone else's, that's just a great no no.

~Team is win. There will always be people with friends in the same room. I mean, come on. Whenever I see vireo or LatherbyLinds in a room I'll patiently wait for a spot to clear up so I can enter the same room, it's only logical right ? You really can't expect to start an argument in a room over whatever and get away with it unscathed, there is always someone to back you, or the other person, up. Word of advice, if you're going to start crap, try to do it in a place where you'll get support. Fight a battle that will be worth it, don't just come PMS into chat.

~Chatting, cheaper than a shrink. On the note above, you can try and come to chat to argue, but it's better to try and vent. I've lost count of how many times a room has gone quiet, thoughtful and understanding when someone comes in to vent. Most of us, chat regulars, are often there cheering and whining about daily happenings. We will have deep and trivial talks, and you can always go there for general advice, shop critique and to clear a doubt, ask away.

~Canned meat products ? No baby, spam. Seriously, don't do it. I might come off as hypocritical on this one, but spamming the chat with links, sales and bold text will rapidly annoy the room and make you target of remarks. I know I link to my blog often and even do outraging font sizing and coloring, but I try to make it in timely and not obnoxious manners. Posting the same text over and over again will get tiring, and sooner or later you'll make it to the "annoying people" talk. It's a hot topic in chat, and you should be afraid to be on that list if you plan to stick around.

As of today I have been part of many arguments, hilarious talks, late night chats and games. Etsy chat is just a very nice and welcoming place as far as you don't overwork yourself and the rest in the room. You'll learn to love it, we don't bite too hard ;]

Mesha♥

Red Planet Giveaway

2009-07-13T20:56:00.001-07:00

So I finally made up my mind about the blog.
You'll se a few changes here and there in the following days. I hope they're not disappinting to anyway. If anyone will actually care lol.
Anyway, dropping that one, I'd like to point you in the direction of a very cool giveaway.

Margarita Case Giveaway, by Red Planet.
Isn't it pretty ? And very useful, I really want to win this one heh :)
I'm a sucker for animal prints, specially zebra print, and green earthy tones. This one is lime zebra print and just won me :'D
Go over to Red Planet for a few chances to win this, the drawing ends on July 17th !

And keep checking back on more updates about the 200 follower giveaway. Did I mention modmomME is one of the sponsors ? ;]

Mesha♥

News and updates yesplz

2009-07-12T21:43:00.000-07:00

Hey guys !
I know it's been a while since I've made a post worth the getting-cozy, as artexana calls it, but lately I've found myself a little discouraged to write :( I think it's my house, been here sitting for too long, doing nothing. I need a change of setting, which I'm getting soon.

In about a week, Sunday 19th actually, I'll be leaving for a little family/work holiday. It will be kinda good. All by myself for a whole week in an expensive hotel room. PUHAHA. Lawl, I think I'll actually vlog for the first time if I'm bored enough ! A fancy hotel room might be a good setting haha. I'll only be missing out for a couple of hours, then it's just my laptop, wireless internet and a full week of nothingness.

I got some pretty cool stuff lately ;P Got packages from all over Etsy ! LathersbyLinds - BEST soap ever, you seriously need to try it. Also got some re-ments I had ordered :) jewelry from sugarraindrops, a really soft and cozy scarf from HandcraftedbyKaren and some other goodies. I'm happy :'D still waiting for stuff from vireo and RetroNana. Kinda sucks going away haha.

I won a giveaway ! I won team EEAT's Christmas in July giveaway :D Got the grand prize puhaha. Had never actually won anything, I'm pretty excited about it, and YOU should be too. I have some serious plans for my next giveaway. It will be happening when I reach the 200th follower so you should help me on that one ;] We'll have MANY prizes, they're all pretty damn awesome so you definitely need to be here when it happens ;P

Today in Etsy Chat I met Chiikake. I was DAZZLED by her stuff ! Such unique plushies ! They might not be the most colorful in town, but they're really damn cute and have great little stories ! I'm kinda pondering about getting one for one of my friends, or maybe for a swap - they're really kawaii !I was totally charmed by more than one of them, so you should totally drop by her shop and take a look around, she's NEW on Etsy so you could be her first sale ! You know how awesome getting your first sale was, don't you remember ? ;]

I got my beret finally. Haha. I had been craving for one for MONTHS. I hearted so many on Etsy, then unhearted. I whined about prices and whatever. I couldn't find the right one ): And then one day, my awesome friend ummashin listed the perfect beret. Man, I SO fell in love with it ! When I got a chance, I ordered mine and it's just SO purdy :'D I'm in love with it haha.

That's it for updates this week, please do keep checking back as I'll slowly start posting some teasers about the next giveaway. You REALLY don't want to miss this one guys, we will have MANY winners and it will be really exciting :3 Can't wait for it to happen, hurry up and follow the blog if you're not already !

Mesha♥

Blossoming a giveaway

2009-07-10T10:04:00.001-07:00

Yeah baby, another giveaway 8D
This time, my friend Samantha from Nest In Bloom (who designed the layout for this pretty pretty blog YES) is hosting her first giveaway ! It's just as exciting as my own first giveaway :'D
She will be giving away a custom stamped sterling ring, much like this one;
You of course have the pick on font size and the like, read more about the ring here. This is a totally customizable prize !
A-mazing isn't it ?
This giveaway won't last long, and there are a few ways to enter so go check out Samantha's blog to get your entries in !
Mesha♥

Kawaii finds 979

2009-07-09T13:10:00.000-07:00

So it's the 9th. That means, tomorrow is a big day :O
In timely manner, and not being willing to spoil you with posts about how much I love my boyfriend, lulz, I will show you a couple of my latest finds.
I'm a sucker for kawaii fashion, and jewelry just gets the best of me. May I show you some my favorite findings ?

1. Cake earrings (kiwi & banana) by mishibu
2. Kawaii gold tone teacup necklace by sugarraindrops
3. Hot cakes breakfast necklace by candychick
4. Tea cup ring by acrylicana
5. Hello Kitty tea cup of milk necklace by eclairre
6. Stellar spectacular rainbow world bracelet by sparklerocks

I highly encourage any kawaii lover to check each shop, they're full of amazing goodies to fill your kawaii needs ;o [I find all my jewelry there haha]
Mesha♥

CowlickCutie and her giveaway of osm

2009-07-08T23:12:00.000-07:00

Omg, yet ANOTHER giveaway :'D
You guys should be thankful, the whole giving away issue is teh osm.
So anyway, my friend CowlickCutie was recently featured in J.Leigh Designz's blog.
The outcome ? A very interesting article AND a giveaway.
The prize ? Drumroll please.
CowlickCutie is offering that cute bow ! You know you can already see your little girl wearing it ;]
Go to the feature and get your entries in, there are many ways to get a few extra entries !
I kinda wish I were cute and tiny enough as to wear it haha.
Mesha♥

Savvy Stitcher + modmomME = giveaway !

2009-07-08T22:54:00.000-07:00

So what's better than a random post ? That's right, a random post about a giveaway !
This time a fellow blogger, Savvy Stitcher, is working with modmomME and made a great feature for her, but they also have a giveaway !
You could win one of modmomMe's key fobs !
They're sho pretty, I want one :'D
There are MANY ways to enter so you need to hurry up and get your entries in, this giveaway will only last a week !
Hurry everyone, go read the awesome feature on modmomME and join her giveaway, show some love ! Mesha♥

TRIE giveaway winner !

2009-07-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

Well well. Mrs. Theriveriseverywhere granted permission to call out the winner for her giveaway tonight.
So here I am. I know who won. She doesn't. No one does. This is sweet as honey haha I like having people on hold. [Specially certain Etsy chat room that is dying to know who the winner is].

So once again. The prize is a Pink Octopus Necklace by no other than theriveriseverywhere.
Winner ?
Congratulations you brat, Ash [aka vireo] ;P !

Thank you everyone for your entries, both Sam and I appreciate it a lot :]
Keep checking back for more posts and giveaways !
Mesha♥

TSK's first winners !

2009-07-06T00:08:00.000-07:00

Hello guys ! Ahh, this is amazing, my first giveaway is over with more success than I hoped for. I mean, poking at you was nothing haha, I thought I wouldn't get over 20 entries, honestly. Much to my surprise, I got 82 ! It was awesome :'D I'll now announce the winners yuh ?

Panda Face Ring by steppie. Winner { FashionFauxPas
Sun Flower Hand-carved stamp by xneoncanvas. Winner { The Rich Ant
I'll soon get in contact with you both to gather your info and address where your prize should be sent (:

Thanks everyone for your entries, every tweet and comment made me feel all your support. Thank you ! Next giveaway will be VERY soon, and we actually have one going on, featuring theriverisweverywhere ! This one ends tomorrow so hurry for a chance to win an awesome necklace by Sam !
Mesha♥

Sales and news

2009-07-03T21:55:00.000-07:00

A few quick reminders ;]
Our FIRST giveaway will be over this Sunday 5th, hurry up and get your entries in ! The giveaway featuring theriveriseverywhere will be ending on July 7th, you CAN'T miss this one, Sam's stuff is great !
The file on advertising with us has been updated, hurry and get your spot for July, only 1 left !
Okay now, onto the business ;P

My friend Charlene from ArgentaCollaborative is having a great sale. She sells this really cool repurposed tiles that were salvaged from a redone shower. She cleans them perfectly and paints them with mixed acrylics and then sealed with several layers of varnish.
They're really cool looking, and I'm sure they make perfect gifts. It's a great way to give a One Of A Kind piece to your art lover or someone special.

The sale is, buy 2 painted tiles, get one FREE ! I think it's amazing, and I wish I weren't so poor right now to get some. I think they'd look perfect in my dad's office. Lol. Anyway yeah, you seriously can't miss this one ! They're VERY affordable and the offer is unique. Now, if you got your two tiles out of the shop you can either pick one from there or pick a colour and Charlene will give you one of the many unlisted tiles she owns !

As a very nice plus, any print you want from this Flickr page will have FREE shipping ! You can't miss out on this ! All refunds will be done via paypal where applicable.

Now in a different but equally great offer, my friend Linds from LathesbyLinds is offering FREE shipping to the US on any bar of soap and only $2 shipping to everywhere else ! This is a great deal believe me, I already have a couple of bars coming my way :'D This offer is only up until July 6th (Monday kids, Monday) so hurry !

Cupcake soap :D ! Had you even heard of it ? I seriously think it's amazing and can't wait to try it; go get yours before they're gone :'D Linds is an amazing person and her soaps are just amazing, you really need to get some of her soap - at least try it ! I'm sure you'll fall in love with it ;]

That's it. Sorry. No more osm deals D: Lol. Do you like the new blog design ? My friend Samantha Bird from Nest In Bloom made it for me ! Amazing isn't it ? She also sells pretty handmade accesories and vintage findings, I found a bag I'm in love with and really need to get :'D haha.

Sam's designs are beautiful, if you're seeking for some web design I highly recommend her. And I'm a picky one mind thee ;P

Thanks for reading, hope to hear from you all soon okay ? Comments make me happy. Leave comments. Lol.
Mesha♥

Team work ; theriveriseverywhere

2009-07-01T18:47:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone !
I'm sorry for not having updated in a while haha, it's been a busy week for me ! It's all cool now, we've got the whole summer to blog ;] and to begin with it, I want to introduce you to our third interview - I met this girl in chat and forever and always fell in love with what she does, brace yourself to meet theriveriseverywhere.
1.Who is theriveriseverywhere, where does the name come from ?
The River Is Everywhere team consists of me myself and I. I’m a one-woman show, if you will. I’m attending college to become a home economics teacher. (You know. Those “easy” classes you took where you learned to sew and cook.) I’m super sarcastic and have way too much fun for my own good. The name of my shop is actually a quote from my favorite book Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. I admit I’m not much of a reader (at all) but after putting down this book my view on life was completely altered. The quote is also my next tattoo.
2.When did you decide to start making all that you do ?
-I don’t think I ever decided. I didn’t come out of the womb with shears and a hot glue gun. I grew up doing arts and crafts just like any other kid did. When I started wearing some of my creations out in public and received compliments, I figured I might as well share my stuff with the rest of the world!
3.Where do you get your inspiration from ?
-Inspiration is everything. I mean think about it- no idea is unique. Even if you think that you have just thought of the greatest idea, It’s likely someone has already thought of it. I’d have to say first off that I am inspired by my mother and grandmother who both introduced me and taught me how to sew and craft. I’m also inspired greatly by nature, and everything within in.
4.Do you have another job competing with your Etsy shop ?
-Ahhhh. Work. Yes. I’m an assistant manager at a clothing/skateboard/snowboard store. I love working around clothes, and being able to use my creativity on displays and such. Working there has also taught me about selling and how a business runs smoothly. This job and school takes up most my time, so I spend the few hours I have creating and working on my etsy shop. Maybe someday I can quit my day job :)
5.Any tips or advice for Etsy sellers ?
- Well I’m still fairly new to the Etsy world myself. The best advice got was when I started was advertising outside the website. For myself I just like to wear my creations out to get them noticed. Also having good pictures really help a bunch. And make friends and connections through chat rooms and blogs such as this lovely one!
Surprise !
Sam is no doubt one of the most lively and easy to get along with people I've met on Etsy so far, and she's got an awesome gift for TSK's readers - She's giving away one of her pink octopus necklaces. Amazing isn't it ?
All you have to do is go to her shop and choose your favorite item, come back here and tell us which is it and why you love it !
For 1 extra entry you can tweet about this interview and comment with a link to your twitter. Any purchases from theriveriseverywhere get 1 extra entry, leave a link to the transaction for verification ;]
Giveaway ends at 10:30pm EST on July 6th. The winner will be announced on July 7th. Hurry up and go check out theriveriseverywhere !

Mesha♥

TSK's First Giveaway !

2009-06-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

This giveaway is over ! Winner will be announced Monday July 6th !
Thank you everyone !

Today at exactly 10:18pm my time, I saw this.

Which means... time for our first giveaway !!

I'm so nervous and excited about this ! I can't believe The Shopping Kiwi got to its 111th follower(thank you really much Mandi) in barely 2 months ! Thank you all for your support ! It's been great having ideas pop out of Etsy chat rooms - thank you bunneh for being my editor up until now ;P Thank you all for your readings and comments, it really makes my day waking up to a comment or two !

I could never finish thanking each and every person that has helped me build my little comfort zone in the interwebz, this is why I decided to have a giveaway ! The prizes ?

Amazing eh ? Panda Face Ring by Steppie, my first Etsy interview ever ! AND a Sunflower Hand Carved Stamp by xneoncanvas, our second interview ! There of course will be 2 happy winners for this, you could get one of our two amazing gifts !

How to enter ?
There are a couple ways of entering;

Follow the blog and let us know in a comment ! If you're already a follower, comment as well !
Comment in this blog ! A "hello" is enough !
Tweet about this and comment with a link to your twitter for validation !
Blog about this and leave a link to your blog in a comment !
Choose your favorite post from the blog and tell us why in a comment !

Each one gives you an extra entry for a chance to win any of the prizes, only 5 entries per person are allowed and PLEASE make sure to make each one separately ! Extra surprise entries will be given via Twitter randomly, make sure to follow @KiwiWiggle ;]
This giveaway is open to everyone around the world, s&h fees are on me so don't worry if you're right in my city or in Sri Lanka, your prize will get to you if you're one of the lucky winners !
You can have a preference but the winners for each item will be chosen at random and i can't guarantee you'll get your pick haha both are equally awesome and I so wish I could keep them ! I won't be greedy haha, I've been taught to share ;P

I'm hoping you all like this and there are many many entries !
Giveaway ends July 5th at 5pm EST which gives you enough time to hurry and get into the drawing as well as to shout it out to all your friends !
Winner will be announced Monday July 6th ;]

Thanks again for all the support guys, I couldn't have done this without you !
Mesha♥

Panda Face Yesplz

2009-06-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

Two posts in one day, amazing ! Haha, I just needed to share this with you guys ;]

Today I had a very important test and wasn't home from 7am until 1pm. I guess I didn't notice any mail ? My neighbor was so kind as to pick it up for me and hand it over at 9pm haha it's the thought that counts right ? Anyway, you have no idea of the rush of excitement I went through !

I wish I could show you pics of the package before excitement took over me haha, but it seriously was unstoppable :'D Also excuse the poor quality of the pics but I took them in the hype with my very bad camera haha.. anyway, I got a package from no other than Steppie ! I was dazzled by the amazing care with which she packages her items - I've spoken to her in her packaging sprees and it is just amazing she goes through 40 packages and pretties up all of them ! The mailer was a 90% recycled envelope from DuckProducts I totally fell in love with ! I had heard of environmentally friendly / recycled DIY mailers, but this just topped the list !

I ripped it on the side as soon as it got to my hands, to later find out it had an "open here" stripe haha... Anyway, the inside.. woop, I flipped ! We had talked before about how much i love steppie's business cards - she sent me a couple and I so will hand them out to my target possible steppie customers ! Haha, I seriously loved them ! She also included a few stickers and i'm being tempted to sticker up my hands haha... I shall refrain from, but they're just SO cute !

Of course being the A++ seller she is, she made sure to include a handwriten thank you note that I absolutely loved ! Every single detail in this package made me swoon haha, it was the very highlight of a rather sad day - my boyfriend is on vacation and i miss him terribly D: getting my package was excellent ! The item was carefully packaged into a hand stamped baggie with tissue paper and a mini-ziplock - talk about protection !

And you wonder, what was inside this amazing package of never ending wonder ? No other than the amazing Panda Face Ring ! I couldn't be any happier with my purchase, this is no doubt the best package I have ever gotten ! Thank you steppie!

Mesha♥

Status; Pending

2009-06-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

Hello again :D
I've been meaning to post something useful for the past couple of days, but haven't been able to put it to words.. you know, just one of those ideas that scratch the back of your mind every so often, but you can't get a hold of ? I think I'm finally getting it, so I'll talk about it some.

Status; pending.
In a rather short time, I have learned that some people are more dedicated to their business than others. Of course there's the kind of person who has their online shop as a full time job and treat it as such; putting special time, care and dedication to it as if it were a common office job. Some others have their shop as a part-time issue, mixing it with their full time office job or their part time job; I find this really nice. There is some people though, you can't seem to coordinate between one and other, if any, and can't give each work its importance.

Perhaps this is only a pet peeve of mine, but I hate it when sellers are not consistent regarding item statuses. When I buy something, the item status will automatically be changed to "Payment received" if I paid through PayPal. Do sellers expect it to change to "Item shipped" automatically as well ?

There's something really cool about ArtFire when it comes to item statuses. You can mark it as "Paid", "Packed" and "Shipped". It would all be perfect if sellers used each tool accordingly.

Updating an item's status is not only an annoyance for us buyers and you sellers, but it also speaks of how much you care about your customers. Could any of you explain why some sellers wait for the buyer to leave feedback before leaving their own ? It's something beyond my comprehension but perhaps there is a very simple reason for it ? Are you waiting to see if your customer leaves a seldom nice comment or perhaps a neutral feedback in order to leave exactly the same ?
As far as I know and am concerned, your job as a seller is done the minute you ship out your product. Refunds and exchanges are perks sellers rarely ever have to go through, so we could say you're done with a sale as soon as it's out your door. Isn't this a perfect moment to leave feedback to your customer ? Even a quick "Thanks for your purchase !" is alright, but please oh PLEASE don't leave blank feedback unless you're doing batch feedback for the same order.

I do understand some sellers hold back certain amounts of time to leave their feedback for this or that reason, which is very understandable. But seriously, leaving your feedback right after your shopper did is a little too obvious, say what you want to say about the amazing transaction you experienced !

This is perhaps another of my pet peeves, but I don't honestly see the point of holding back when writing feedback. To me, Etsy was pretty much the spice up my world needed ! I remember my first Etsy purchase, it was this really pretty stuffed animal for my boyfriend. It was a bit dumbfounding when I saw I had "pending feedback". Like whoa, I can actually RATE the shop and item ? Wow ! And when I found out the seller would also rate me.. mind blowing ! The perfect way to create a little 5 minute bond with someone who handcrafted what you are now holding, you know ?

Us buyers have a great role in feedback as well, we have to learn to leave prompt and accurate feedback ! Sometimes a "Thank you i love it" just doesn't quite cut it - at least not for me ! Like I said, we need to let the seller know we LOVED the item and are very happy with our purchase ! This is a handmade business, wouldn't you like to know someone else likes what you made with your own hands ? This is all what I'm about, letting the seller know I loved their work and am very happy with having found their shop and bought from them.

Sell handmade, buy handmade. It's a great business. You need to take care of your business as you take care of yourself. Think of it this way; your shop is your baby. You start out with 0 sales, 0 feedback, 0 listings. Your shop grows, your sales start happening ! Your baby is growing up. You need to let people know how you handcrafted what you're selling, they need to know you appreciate their purchase, views and hearts - updating the item statuses and leaving feedback is another perk of this amazing handmade job.
Enjoy!

Advertising with The Shopping Kiwi

2009-06-23T20:34:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone :)
Thanks for your interest in advertising in my pretty blog :D
I started out slowly, but luckily we've grown in followers and our traffic has increased ! We get nearly 1000 visits per week, busy weeks get almost 1200, which is really great for shops and fellow bloggers who wish to advertise here :)

From the 1st to the 31st of each month, your ad will be displayed here for our many readers and viewers to click on :) You'll get great exposure via clicks earned here and from twitter :)

125x125 ad ~ $5 a month
125x125 ad ~ $40 a year (save $20)
125x125 ad ~ $50 permanently

A total of 6 ads per month are allowed. You have the first 10 days of each month to purchase an ad, any spot purchased after the 10th will be booked for the following month. The banner positioning will vary.
Spots left for September; 2.

A total of 5 permanent ads are allowed. Permanent ad owners have the right to change the banner as much as they want to, and positioning will be preferential.
Sold out.

A total of 2 yearly ads are allowed. You can purchase this at any time of the year and once you have it, you can change the ad as much as you like, positioning also will vary from time to time.
1 spot left.

Please feel free to contact me via Etsy conversations or email me to kiwi.w@live.com if interested in advertising here ! Thank you :)

*Please note The Shopping Kiwi reserves the right to deny/remove any ads deemed inappropriate.

Mesha♥

Make over, yes/ no ?

2009-06-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

I've been whining on and off about this; my blog needs a make over.
A new layout, better design, idk. I just kindof think it sucks right now haha.
I've always been a very creative cupcake and love all things shiny and colorful. Design is a great part of my life.
If only I knew how to code blogger layouts !
I guess I'll have to learn, unless a good soul is willing to do it for me.. ? no ? Any takers ? Bleh.
I first thought up a very colorful and rather childish design, because that IS me, but now.. now I kinda want something a little darker. Totally up for blacks, reds and whites. It'd look very classy !
Ever been to a masquerade ? It's been a dream of mine ever since I have a memory.. the gowns, masks, all the flair and mystery involved.. It has nothing to do with the blog design, but I digressed (:
I want to completely make over my blog. No more Etsy blabbing, a little more Mesha and Mesha's interests, see ? I love Etsy, it's an amazing place I really really dig, but lately I've found myself a little renuent about writing here.. it can't all be Etsy-related excuse me I have a life as well !
Maybe it's time for a change. Or maybe I should make a new blog.
I'm more inclined for the second option. What do you guys think ?

In other news, yes, the giveaway project is still up and running ! You know what we need though, more followers, moore followers.
Link your friends ;]

Rehearsals; xneoncanvas

2009-06-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

Hey guys :D First off, some quiick news yeah ? :D
-The article about FS Etsy rooms is canceled FOR NOW, since we have much more exciting stuff going on teehee.
-TSK is hosting its first giveaway! I’ll post about this when we get our 111th follower. You really wont like to miss out, I’ll have some really nice prizes I wish I could keep haha.
-Soon a pdf file regarding advertising in my blog will be able for download, keep track of this if you’re interested!

That’s it for our news around here, please check previous posts for interesting articles and interviews. Now onto our July interviewee, a girl who has quickly won us over in chat rooms with her amazing personality and beautiful work: Felicia @ xneoncanvas.
When did you start making stamps? Did you start your Etsy shop right away?
It was before Christmas when I was watching a Youtube video on "How to Make Rubber Stamps". I thought it was pretty cool and showed my mom. I told her how I wanted to learn how to do that and that I would go get the supplies soon. I never did and soon forgot about it. My mom got me the supplies for Christmas and I was making a bunch just for fun. Later on I just added them to my etsy account (I had made one already to buy things) just to see if they would sell. None did for a while until I got more involved in Etsy and the chat rooms and such. And I have been selling ever since :]
Do you have a part time or full time job competing with your shop?
I used to have a part time job at Tropical Smoothie until I was in too many shows to keep up with it. My boss just told me to text him when I could work again... I actually texted him last night but got no response D: I will probably go job hunting soon. My stamps sell and its fun but I do not make enough money to survive on my sales alone. It is more like pocket money for me. I wish it was that much of a money maker for me :P
What is a day in the life of Neon Canvas?
Rehearsal, rehearsal, and more rehearsal. I am a theatre girl. I love to sing, act, dance (not so good at the dancing part tehe). I was just recently in 3 shows at once with leads in all. You would probably know the play Oliver... I played Oliver hehe. I'm tiny... it worked :P When not at rehearsal I make stamps and hang out with my lovely boyfriend Nick. He is my life ^___^ Which has sadly led me to have no (close)friends haha. I'm not even kidding :P
Do you think people prefer hand-carved over machine-carved stamps?
With Etsy, I do believe hand-carved is preferred since it is literally "hand made". I know a lot of people buy the machine made ones as well but I think there is just something about the hand carved stamps that make people want to buy them more. With my friends I get some of the same reaction "You MAKE those?! Oh cool! I want one!"
Any advice for beginner stamp carvers? What about Etsy sellers in general?
When I started making stamps I had the hardest time remembering that you had to write backwards on the stamps so they would stamp out the right way. I can not tell you how many I have made where I finished fully and went to stamp it out and everything was backwards. How frustrating! So i was reading some tutorials and found one that showed the design drawn out on paper with pencil first and then flipped over and rubbed into the rubber to make a mirror image. I've been doing that ever since and have no more problems regarding the backwardness. :] To Etsy sellers in general... I believe that promotion is everything. Not all of us get featured daily. You just have to let people know you exist. I didn't get any sales at all until I learned about the chat rooms and forums. Not that I was all "Buy my stamps fools!" Just be nice, make friends, and it will all come around and work out for you in the end! :D
xneoncanvas is offering a 10% off any item in her shop if you convo her with the code “MeshaSuicide Interview” Hooray for discounts!

Some of Felicia's Etsy favorites :D
1. Owl ipod case - I just love my new ipod case! Keeping my ipod shiny in such a fashionable and adorable way :D
2. Vintage Smith Corona Typewriter - I want it!! @___@
3. Sunflower Rose Ring - I own this too! Anytime I go anywhere with it I always get compliments!!
4. Vintage Shabby Chic Altered Shadow Box - I have so much stuff that need to be up on my wall! I need this :P
5. Kitschy kitschy fun junk earrings - These are absolutely adorable and would match most of my clothing! I am a very colorful person ^___^

Hope you enjoyed this second interview ! Keep checking back for more articles and fun stuffz ;P

2009-06-17T23:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of newsletters? You know, the typical e-mail you get in your inbox every week or month – some work daily, too. Have you ever thought about getting a monthly Etsy newsletter? Forget about the storque and Etsy finds. Think about all the shops you know, your friends’ shops, that girl you met in chat or someone whose blog you read. Would you like to subscribe?

What if it got to your mailbox every month?

It's the junk mail you'll want to read and wait for eeevery month, right in your doorstep. How does that sound ?

Comment ;]

Limping and bragging

2009-06-12T20:17:00.000-07:00

This post isn't Etsy related, sorreh :'D
In return, we'll talk about a few stuffs regarding my pretty teenage years. (read: rant).

If you're the least educated and informed about world happenings, you'll have heard about the tragic daycare fire that happened down here, in Mexico. Well, I'm very sorry to say I lack of that sensible fiber, thus I wasn't too impacted by the happening. Yes, I know it was really tragic, but I didn't feel the "terrible" of it, excuse me. Apparently some people feel the need to remark how we all should feel horrible about it, feeling also the need to call me "unhuman" (read: inhumane, excuse said person's lack of spelling bee's as a child) and a monster. Can you really blame me ? I don't like fuzzing about stuff, but it kindof gets me going how said person will do stupid remarks everytime we happen to cross each other's paths in etsy chat rooms. "I don't do emo", "my cue to leave", "oh, mesha is here ? later everyone". Not exactly what I call mature, woman.

Anyway with that being said, because i needed to vent haha, I'll tell you about my week ! It was pretty eventful, which is very amusing haha. On monday I finally signed up for the gym ! After months of being willing, but lacking of time, I finally managed to go there. Needless to say, I've been sore the whole week haha. Wednesday, as mentioned in previous posts, was my little 3 month anniversary (month-versary ?) with my amazing boyfriend - ahh, keep falling in love everyday haha, he's amazing ! Much to my dismay, everyone chose Wednesday to pms on me, which didn't result in a very nice day, safe for the moments I spent with my lover♥

Gym sessions aren't all pretty and cool. Somehow, I managed to get hurt haha. I now limp in a very odd Dr.House-fashion which is rather painful, but hilarious my friends say. I'm pondering into being looked at by a doctor; I feel like a puppy that got hit by a car haha. Hense this, I didn't fulfill my gym quota and didn't assist today. I feel bad about it, but it wasn't the only thing let me tell you D:

Today I finally put an end to my scholar year. I'm in for sophomore year this August, however, I didn't come clean out of it. My maths final happened this morning at around 7:30am. Verdict ? I failed miserably. In need of an 80%, I got a 70%. Bummer, I cried out of frustration. Emo, I know; but honestly, this wasn't about me, it was about my parents. All I did this year (and for the past 2) is disappoint them. This past couple of months it had seemed that I was finally making things right, but alas, I failed a test that was important for my dad. He didn't want me to be such a great pitiful failure, but I guess I failed at not failing. Amusingly enough, he wasn't as sad as I thought he'd be ? I mean, if he had been I don't see why he brought home this baby,

Yeah, I'm bragging haha. I had been asking for a laptop since my last one died (read; i killed it) and just now my dad decided to get me one. Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty much in love with it and I'm really excited about it, but I feel like I don't deserve it... like I didn't earn it you know ? Failing and such... the feeling should go away after a couple of hours using it haha.

I ran out of things to say ! Oh. The other day I was watching a vlog by someone whose name I can't remember.. I've kinda felt like giving it a try though I'm not sure ? What do you guys think about vlogs ? yes/no ? Should I try or should I stick to the magic of writing ? Opinions yesplz ! Also, if you do have a vlog puh-lease link here, I'd love to see it !

Next entry will be.. dun dun dun ! Article ! What on ? Drumroll please: Featured Seller rooms in Etsy chat ! I'm so dying to write it and see your reaction guys ! It shall be fun haha.

Mesha♥

Soap Giveaway - LathersbyLinds !

2009-06-12T16:36:00.000-07:00

Giveaway time :D !!
This time the lovely Linds, from LathersbyLinds is celebrating her 100th sale !
As an amazing thank you gift for her customers and all the support, she'll give away a really good looking vintage travel case alongside a free soap sampler pack ! You get to try almost every soap in her shop with this amazing prize !
Want to know the bases ? Go to her blog to find out more - it's so easy to win !

Good luck to everyone ! I'll surely be jealous of whoever gets this one ;]

Love finds ♥

2009-06-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

Blog, I'm sorry for having put you off the whole day. I seriously planned to update this morning, but I couldn't. It’s the 10^th ! It’s a special day people ^_^ my boyfriend and I have been dating for 3 months now – it must seem like nothing to some off you but hey, we all start somewhere right ? I just know I’m so happy about us and so lucky to have him ~ he’s amazing. Do you want to hear more about us ? :D y/n ? Fine, instead of sharing my love life with you kids, I’ll show you some remarkable finds I pulled from my Etsy hat today; the theme ? Love - Ad hoc, eh ?

1. I heart panda greeting card, by Steppie.

2. Customizable heart pendant, by mysilverpie.

3. Forever and Always print, by jellybeans.

4. Clara earrings, by LostAndFawned.

5. Headgie love scrabble tile pendant, by spontaneousdots.

6. Bunny rubber stamp, by craftpudding.

7. Love is, mini cards, by storybymia.

8. Heart hedgehog button, by bybelinda.

9. Love birds print, by persiangarden.

10. Our first dance moss terrarium by OnePunkPosy.

Hope you enjoy these love themed babies as much as I did – I’m one gleeful girl deeply in love. Thanks for this amazing 3 months Greg ;]

Giveaway by The Cantaloupe Corner !

2009-06-09T10:50:00.001-07:00

First clothing giveaway announcement :D
That sounds odd. Anyway.
Guess who's hosting an amazing giveaway to win this pretty pretty tee ?
Right, no one else but The Cantaloupe Corner :D !
The rules are very simple, and there are many ways to enter for a chance to win the shirt !
Visit her blog to find out more about this amazing giveaway !
♥Mesha

Ads going down ?! Whyy ?! D:

2009-06-07T18:42:00.000-07:00

Tell you why lovelies.
After poking my blog here and there, I started realizing how all the shop banners I have added take up quite a lot of space around. Shucks D: This is why we need to change this a little.
Fees will apply now, and I'm really very sorry but hey ! I need to get my candy money somewhere eh ?

1 month for your banner up here - $1.50usd
2 weeks - $1usd
Interested on having your banner in my evil blog forever ? That's $10usd
There will only be 10 ads per month.
Permanent banners; 1 spot left.

Banners can be 125x125 or 125x200 vertically. If you don't have one I can make it for $2 (:

I know it must sound silly for such a tiny blog, but I promise I'm trying to bring more traffic here - thus, redirecting to your shops.
Please contact me before June 10th if you're interested in keeping your banner in my blog !
Questions if any, I'll be glad to answer.
Mesha♥

Lemony Goodness giveaway by HeathensHearth & DoubleDippedsweets !

2009-06-07T16:26:00.001-07:00

Time for a new giveaway !
This time it's a co-op between HeathensHearth && DoubleDippedSweets !
Sounds amazing isn't it ?
Go to either (or both haha) of their blogs to find out how it works !
The prizes ? Brace yourself ;]

You really can't miss this one,
DoubleDippedSweets and HeathensHearth are two of my favorite sellers out there.
Go to HeathensHearth's or DoubleDippedSweets' blog for a chance to win !

Harder than we thought; Selling.

2009-06-06T15:56:00.000-07:00

During the past couple of months, I’ve found myself stuck in what I call the big market. This or that has happened, and I have had to go through the little “I need money” phase. I’ve visited selling and trading forums, tried journal selling.. even Flickr ! After much desired sales, but hardly ever one, I gave up. I never thought selling would be that hard.

I’ve had the opportunity to sell before, but I had never tried doing it online. I heard it would be complicated, I just didn’t know how much. This is why I started doing research: you know, asking here and there, reading articles, forum/site guidelines for selling and the like. My mother sells certain cosmetics and happens to be very successful at it, therefore I thought I’d ask her and some of her coworkers what in flipping hell they do to get their products out there and running around. This and the above mentioned surveying allowed and led me to write this article.

Do’s and it's a good idea not to’s; Selling.

Hello stranger ! I’m ____.
What’s the first thing you talk about with people you first meet ? “Hi I’m Mesha, oh yeah, I study high school ! Of course I don’t have children just yet haha… what about you ?” It’s a very nice and polite greeting, isn’t it ? I’m afraid YER DOIN EET WRONG D: When you have a shop, items and products you want to sell, you need to get the word out ! You talk to people on a daily basis, but can you honestly say you mention your Etsy shop to all of them ? Show us how proud you are of your handicraft ! Lets talk about, tell me what you do and when you got started ! It’s much more appealing to hear “Hello, I’m Mesha and I make jewelry” than “Hello I’m Mesha :D”.

Agent 00Fail.
It was very upsetting to realize some online sellers are ashamed of what they do. Are you serious ? This is your job, your income, your passion ! You should be out there and bragging about it ! I’ve seen people magically get local sales like whoa. The reason ? They stopped acting like FBI agents undercover and decided to get the word out there by handing out business cards in parking lots, grocery lines, their office… the list is never ending. It’s time to stop being invisible !

Can we eBay plz ?
No sorry, the price is final… That is SO very putting off. There are times when you just fall in love with a product, and for your luck, said item is way over your budget. It’s happened to all of us, right ? Not many have the nerve to actually contact you and ask “Hello, I was wondering if we could come to a deal regarding this thing”. I have done it a couple of times ! Not everyone has agreed but most sellers are quite accessible and flexible. I’m not telling you to give someone %50 off just because they convo’d you, but lets jump into the buyer’s shoes for a minute or two.

It took me 3 gazillion hours to make it.
The art of pricing is VERY hard to master. There are quite a few formulas to give a fair pricing to your items, along with some sites that will do that for you. I can honestly tell you a formula that has always seemed to work.

Cost of your material ÷ units you can produce = unitary price.

Now you have the “raw” price of your product. The next step is easy. How much would you pay yourself for an hour of labor ?

Raw price + Time it took you to make said item

It can’t get any easier. When pricing, you have to value your time and efforts – you’re the core of your shop, if you can’t value yourself without overestimating, you’ve got nothing.

On Sale
50% off in purchases over $3000 excluding shipping and mixed items. Seriously. When you’re offering a sale it’s supposed to be something appealing but yet rational. I’m sorry, but if I see a ridiculous offer I can’t help but think your items are of a bad quality and you want to get rid of them asap via sales. Setting up deals is quite an art as well ! It is very true that as a buyer, you expect to find a reasonable price in something you want, but seeing a sterling silver necklace with Swarovski crystals for $10 – 20% off is a little suspicious. Be rational ! A 15% off every once in a while, free shipping on purchases over a certain amount and/or giveaways and games every so often is better than just putting ridiculous offers out to merely get traffic.

I hope this is a good and useful article for all you sellers out there ! Feel free to comment with your opinion ;]

Think Raw ! Think Kiwi !

2009-06-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

TwistedSizter: you can get a zillion ideas reading tweets !
MeshaSuicide: lol I get a zillion ideas looking out of my window.
TwistedSizter: okay then bring your window into your blog

And I did. Or at least, I'm trying :P
Still going on about the whole moving, changing and juggling theme, I decided to turn this blog in not only a critique and feature blog, but also my personal happy place. It took me a while to realize I needed this - it also took 4 people poking my ribs constantly until I decided to shake off that laziness of mine, unblock my writer's block and put a leash on my mojo. It's name is Roudoudou, he's tiny,furry and irky and lives in my jar of moss. No shit.

This is serious business yo. If you were following my blog for the past couple of weeks, or walked into a chat room while my emo rant was happening, you'll know how bad I was craving for this. I want people to know who I am, because I am every word I write. I'm not really up for you loving what I write - not hating it either; what I really want is to cause some sort of reaction in you. I'm sorry if I'm going over and over in circles over the same thing, but I need to vent.

This blog will no longer be all Etsy, go figure. It's Etsy AND Mesha. In case you don't know who that is, I'll tell you.

Mesha is a common girl. Me. I live, love and laugh. I wake up everyday wondering what will happen today - turn on my PC and check the occasional Etsy convo and feedback. While the chat lobby is loading I come here and poke my blog awake - after that, then I can take a much desired shower and a (couple)cups of coffee. My life isn't too different from yours, is it ?

I love every single aspect of life. From the minute I'm awake to that split second where the mind is lucid before totally passing out into well deserved sleep, I'm enjoying life. I love a great conversation, I love meeting new people. Have I told you about the Dakota-Mexico affair ? I will someday, but tell you what: I love being so in love with the most wonderful guy on earth. My life is amazing and I want to share it with him forever - and let you know how it goes with my blogging ;P

I know I'm sugar-coating my personality, but you'll be pleased to know the following. I'm irky. I get angry very easily and have a pretty short temper. I hate arrogant people - much to my dismay, I've been some here and there; I guess it can't be helped. I'm nothing extraordinary, I can be a sweetheart or a total bitch, but can't we all ?

When I look out of my window I see that little ray of sunshine filtering through the clouds every day. I'm pretty young and I'm sure I'm pretty immature as well, but I am also very aware. Stuff happens, things change, money comes and goes, but you need to stand through it all. I've had crap happen, and I'm not really up to broadcasting it unless someone is interested enough as to hear my little sob story. The quirk ? I refuse to being stuck in the puddles I've found.

Looking out of my window gives me memories of conversations, happenings, hang outs. Looking out of my window gives me ideas; ideas that are always very amusing to me and everyone around me, ideas that make me smile and ideas that make me frown. We all get that, right ? I like thinking I'm special though, I like thinking my ideas will get me somewhere someday.

I could go on about this, but I'd rather wait for the reactions I crave for - this is only a tiny part of what I'll share with you all. Whoever was following me for the features, I hope you're not disappointed by the sudden change, and to whoever is a new follower I hope you enjoy what you'll find here.

You could hate it too, but that's a part of the process ;P

Thank you TwisterSizter, HeartNSewDesigns and PiggleWiggins for your help.

We're starting over !

2009-06-05T16:24:00.000-07:00

In the process of amazing changes and never-ending changes of mind, my blog and I decided to start over again. I already refurnished The Shopping Kiwi - it's now my personal AND Etsy blog. I'm changing stuff around as pretty much usual, deleting posts and writing some new stuff as you see. What I really would like to have now though, is some input on what you would like to see in my blog.

I've seen some amazing blogs lying around and I must say I'm quite impressed at the great quality of the posts - I also feel the need to confess I follow several of this said blogs ;P My point is though ! That I want my blog to be that popular and awesome one day and I need nothing else but your help and support guys !
I need to know what kind of content you'd like to hear about besides my obvious rantings about life and epiphanies I may have at 3am - this blog is yours as much as mine ! See the pretty poll at the left ? Vote wisely ~

I aim to get critique as well as compliments - I want to improve as a writer and more importantly, as a person. If everything turns out as planned, with your help of course, I might accomplish this someday. All comments are welcome ! (:

Thanks for taking your time to read my blog !

Advertising for dummies

2009-06-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome once again to my blog of doom :D
The Shopping Kiwi has been undergoing a lot of changes. As you can see, the layout has changed, widgets and ads have been added and soon the blog content will start changing.
I'm planning to stop featuring as often ): however ! We'll now offer you some pretty cool stuff. I'll be doing monthly interviews like the one I did to Steppie ! I'll also write little articles about varied topics, all Etsy related, I promise ! If you want some free advertising and want to see your banner here (like all the awesomeness you see scattered around ;P) you only need to ask; you can provide the banner (125x125) or I can do that for you. And last but not least, if you're feeling generous ;] The Shopping Kiwi is now accepting $1 donations ! you can find a pretty button in the bottom right corner of the layout ;P It's all for a great cause I promise - Etsy buying :D I don't have an Etsy shop, so a girl needs to get her candy money somewhere, right ? Haha.

Ok, having told you about all the awesome improvements in this lovely blog, we'll now get started on our first Etsy article; advertising.

What the hell is advertising ?
When you're selling anything - no matter if it's the most expensive swarovski replica of your newborn(lol, I have yet to see this xD) or a simple $2.00 homemade gum, you gotta advertise ! Let the world know you're there with amazing products of a great quality and made with love ! This, this is advertising.

Sounds easy, where do I sign up ?
I know it sounds easy, hell it is easy ! What we need to understand, and seems to be quite difficult, is that there's a thin line between promoting and smothering your audience.
I know your shop is wonderful ! I know about your low prices and your amazing offers !
I know it because you have told me about it more than a hundred times. And not only me, but the whole wide world. I can assure you the offer was very tempting the second time, I must be honest, I didn't even notice at first. After the twentyeth time.. well, I honestly ignored you.

Advertising and spamming are NOT the same thing.
I love Etsy chat rooms. It's a great place to make friends, find awesome shops and hear about amazing offers. It's also a great place for arguments and misunderstandings. I understand you can get a little too excited when your friend enters the chat room you're in. (vireovireovireovireovireovireo) That's cool with most of us, believe me. What is totally unacceptable is when all you do is scamper around shoving your shop url into everyone's eyeballs and whoring your items in the sidebar. Yes, I know there are promo rooms, but you have to admit being a spammer is straight up rude, annoying and hasty.

Mesha, make your point, would you ?
Fiiine D:
In the amazing WWW, you have many ways of advertising, and omg, for free. May I list some ?
Forum posts
Blog posts (should I link to my own blog ? haha)
Twitter.com
Facebook.com
There are also several sites who will display your banners and items for different time ammounts for little to nothing. It's only a matter of digging into the interwebz.
If you're in a chat room, please make sure to at least post a few items from another present seller besides yours, out of courtesy and common sense ;P and please don't post your blog a million times. I can assure you we all saw it the first 3 times.

Is it over yet ?
Blog, you and I still have a long way to go. Stop whining.

...

Hope you enjoy this first article ! I had never written anything of the like before teehee - I'll get better with time, I promise ! Also please note that this is only one girl's opinion; If you don't agree with what I said or would like to comment I really encourage you to do so ! This topic is open to discussion until the next article is up - and forever on haha.
I'd also like to give a special shout out to the amazing wendyjang♥, who sent me one of her awesome creations as a gift - an odd eyed white cat plushie ! Click here to see him modeling nearside my awesome moss ;]

Luck with the sales !
Mesha~

Inspiration; steppie.

2009-05-31T00:54:00.000-07:00

Before starting our first interview, I'd like to give a short announcement.
This blog is just getting started and not everything is the way I wish it were. I appreciate all kinds of feedback regarding any aspect, as far as it will help me improve as a writer and enrich the content of this beloved project. I really thank you all for taking your time to read my posts and even following me - I promise I wont disappoint you (:

This being said, I'd like to begin this, our first interview with one of my favorite Etsy people, Steppie. Not only is this college graduate an amazingly fun girl to be around, but she also is an extremely talented Etsian with great ideas and an amazing stock. After getting to know her a little you will see she's a really special someone who will own your care and respect in a heartbeat. See for yourself, you could fall in love with a penguin or a certain panda ;]

♥ What got you started on crafting ?
I've been crafting since i was little. I wasn't your typical kid that played outdoors with the other kids in the neighborhood because my mom was a bit protective growing up, but ultimately, it forced me to be more creative with my time. Ever since, i've always preferred a day of crafting over anything else. There's something enjoyable about the process, as well as the end result; it's a win-win situation.

♥ When and how did you start your Etsy shop ?
I joined Etsy in 2007, but didn't open up my shop until ten months ago. It all started when i submitted some photos of my apartment to a decor community: the posters of the community spotted a painting that i had hung over my bed and asked me where i had purchased it. When i told them i had painted it myself, they then asked me where they could buy one for themselves. I never knew people would like my artwork, let alone, actually purchase one, but after that one experience, i finally had the guts to put them up for sale: and so my etsy shop was born. And it has evolved and grown since!

♥ Do you have a part-time or full-time job besides your shop ?
Nope! 'steppie' is my full-time job, and by full time, i mean all-day and all-night. I can't say my situation is stable enough to support myself completely yet, but i just graduated from college last year and have an amazing support system that allows me to really follow my aspirations. I figure if there's any time to see if this can work for me, it's now.

♥ What does Etsy mean to you ?
Etsy has truly opened doors for me. It has provided me with a venue, a platform, and a place to challenge myself and surprise myself. I've never had confidence in the idea that i would someday be sending my artwork and crafts across the country and all over the world - i didn't even study art/design in college because i was scared i wasn't good enough. But because of Etsy, and the amazing people i've met, i now can say that i have, and as long as people are still enjoying my work, i will continue to.

♥ Any advice you'd like to give out ?
Never think you're done working. Getting somewhere requires a lot of work + there's no space or time to be complacent. I've still got LOADS of work ahead of me to get where i want to, but that also doesn't mean to not reward yourself for everything you've done so far. I'm constantly retaking my product photos; i've already re-branded my whole business three times; and i'm constantly introducing new genres of items into my store. Your Etsy shop is a reflection of you and your personality, so it's ok to evolve, grow, and change!

♥ Some of Steppies' items.

a. tree carvings original (i love love love working with wood)
b. aurora birdealis original (probably the one i'm most proud of)
c. into the woods print (my fave design as a print)
d. flying panda tote (yellow = happy!)
e. ninja tank (i wear this all the time!)
f. printed greeting cards (i love the idea of my artwork being sent in the mail!)
g. i kind of like you card (i always get a reaction from people at shows w/ this card)
h. all of my buttons! (because theyre fun. i stick them on anything + everything!)
i. panda face messenger (uh, anything with my little buddy = love!)
j. oh deer moleskine journal (i love the feel of the pages!)

♥ Personal favorites from Steppie.
a. raincloud plushy i actually own this. not only is tanya a sweetheart, but omg. so soft. so cute. it makes me smile.
b. pirates/ninjas checker set do i really have to explain why this is so awesome?
c. magnetic board i own this too! it's in my creative space
d. hair twig clips i have a soft spot for branches + hair pins
e. good time ring is this not a GENIUS idea for a ring?

Thank you all for reading this interview with one of the best persons out there ! Hope you enjoyed it and leave lots of love. Also check her shop and who knows ! Maybe you'll buy something you love !
Mesha♥

Etsy Feature - Round 2

2009-05-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

Weekly feature :D
Yes, they happen every Thursday in case you were wondering haha.
This time I decided to feature people whom I haven't known for too long, but I've still managed to love and have always been amused by each of their shops - even before we started to talk haha.
Please take a few minutes from your day to read this article and visit their shops,
I'm sure you'll find something of your liking !

ummashin
This lady and her puffy baby won me over the second I met them haha. Not only does this girl have the cutest and prettiest models, but her items are made with such care and they're so beautiful it makes you want a baby to have him wear it ! Seriously haha, the second I saw her shop I wanted to get a pretty puffy baby of my own to make him/her wear ummashin's awesome beanies. And for all you ladies who would like one of this creations for yourself *cough* i do *cough*, ummashin makes lady hats and custom orders as well ! I so want one :'D
Personal favorite ? Pretty Pink Puffy Newsie Beanie (top center)

theivorymagnolia
The first time I ever got body and bath products off etsy was here, in this amazing shop. I met this amazing lady in chat and her pictures caught my attention - I instantly started browsing through her items. Body scrubs, facial masks, lotions - she's got it all. I got one of ther pretty soapsicle and a body scrub; the day the package arrived I swear I wanted to lick it haha. The scents are awesome ! If I didn't know they're body care products I'd so think they're edible haha. They work wonderfully too ! You seriously gotta try anything from this amazing shop, you'll love it just as much as I loved what I purchased.
Personal favorite ? Kiwi Satin Body Cream with vitamin E (top center)

wendyjang
I've always wanted a white cat. An odd eyed white cat. Hense this, I nearly had a stroke when I found wendyjang's shop in chat haha. She's got the cutest cat-themed handcrafted coin purses and plushes I've ever seen ! She also has this super cute tiaras and necklace purses your little princess would adore. I feel like I'm 10 years younger whenever I browse her shop, everything is just so cute and looks so cuddly I want it ! Haha please take a look at all these items made with love and care - I bet you'll fall in love with her odd eyed kittens as well.
Personal favorite ? Odd Eyed White Cat (bottom right)

HeathensHearth
Another amazing shop for skin care products ! I honestly haven't tried anything from this lovely lady yet, but I really want to give a try to body creams - they look so yummy ! Haha, I seriously browse her shop more than once daily - everything looks so inviting D: I've always wanted to try homemade lip balm and this is my first (and only desired) option haha. One of this days I'll get some of her Strawberry Banana lip balm and get back to you with a huge comment on its awesomeness haha. Don't hesitate to take a look at this shop please !
Personal favorite ? Strawberry Banana Lip Balm (top right)

vireo
vireovireovireovireovireovireovireo. That's what this girl has to endure everytime she enters a chatroom ♥ haha I really can't recall exactly since when we started talking, but I can tell you exactly how her shop caught my attention - one random day which I can't bother to remember right now, heh, I saw a very nice drawing on the right side of my screen, where all the items slide at a chat room. It's beauty captivated me, the lineart was so flowy and the shading so smooth - I'm a sucker for pencil drawing, so I had to go take a look at that user's shop. The rest is pretty much history - fell in love with her art and stalk her in DeviantArt, love her pencil drawings and paintings and really want one of them on my wall one day :'D
Personal favorite ? Idol of Pidgeons (bottom left)

LathersbyLinds
I could talk about this girl's awesome sense of humour, or maybe how much I like picking on her(heh) but I'll limit myself to talk about her soaps of awesome haha. I haven't tried these either, but they're number 2 on my list of next purchases. [Number one is always occupied by stamps, sorry ^^; ]. Anyway yeah, I so want to try Linds' soaps ! They're made with the cold process method (if you don't know what this is ask her and she'll give you an Oscar worthy explanation) and according to some, the scents are fabulous and they're perfect for sensitive skins. What are you waiting for ? I know I'm only waiting for my paycheck.
Personal favorite ? The Perfect Apple Cold Process Soap (bottom center)

Explanation as of why I waited until 11:39pm my time to post this is explained in my personal journal, I'm very sorry for any inconveniences caused by this.
Yeah right hahaha.
Hope you enjoy reading and browsing this shops as much as I enjoyed making this second weekly feature, and as usual, if you wish to be on next weeks feature don't hesitate to contact me !
Mesha~

Hello Kitty Giveaway By Polygnome !

2009-05-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Kitty Give away !!

Everyone go to Polygnome's blog for a very unique opportunity to win awesome HK goodies.
Go ! Go ! Go !
You know you want to, it looks fantastic !! :P
(I know I want to haha)

Game from FashionFauxPas !

2009-05-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

edit:// Winner of this contest was

KnittedLove

Thank you everyone for participating :D

Time for another contest :D
Guess whose this time ?
No other but our lovely Bethany from Creative Cards by FhasionFauxPas !
This one is pretty simple and entertaining, so I highly recommend you to go to her blog and give it a try - I'm sure you'll have a blast :P

Contest is simple as follows. You have to make up a word (or many why not haha) with these letters:

h c n a j j d a w d b z d

b's and d's can be turned upside down for p's and q's - au favour :D

Beth's favorite word will be chosen on Friday May 29th at GMT+1 and that one will be our lucky winner !!
Please drop by and see what you can make up - you may be in for winning a completely free card from this awesome and creative Etsian :D

Vintage feature - Uno

2009-05-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

Now now, this post is destined to a great category on Etsy: Vintage.
I'd like to feature my top 5 vintage sellers on Etsy to this day.
No special order but special love for all of them, some I have talked to, some I have only had the chance to browse their shops - either way, I hope you enjoy this as much as I did and hopefully like something enough as to purchase. Come on, you know you want to ;P (who am I kidding I want to haha, love vintage)

BlackRavenVintage
This girl I met in chat. What drove me in were her pictures and models, everything is so pretty... I guess I'll be saying the same about all our featured Etsians, but you will not find other words to describe them haha. BlackRavenVintage covers from clothing to accessories, and I must say I'm a huge fan of her shoe line. Everything is so ... vintage ! Haha, I honestly don't know what else to say about this shop, I guess you'll have to see for yourself (:

Zwzzy
I met this girl in chat too :D She's so nice haha, you'll love talking to her if you ever encounter her in one of Etsy's chatrooms (: I get stalkery when I talk to her though haha.. what first drove me into her shop was her super pretty model ! Turns out it's her :'D stuff got weird when I went "omg your model is so pretty omg" and she was like "^^; thanks that's me". I swear I wont stalk her down though. Her shop is amazing ! The clothing is really cute and flirtatious, and maybe it was just me but I found the cutest party dress I so want in my closet :'D

Shrinkle
Shrinkle turns out to be a "sister" shop(or that I want to call her haha) of Zwzzy up there, and they're besties :D Haha someday I do wish my own best friend and I had a shop. That'd be epic fun :'D Anyway. How I found Shrinkle ! I found her in LiveJournal, followed up to Etsy and realized I 'knew' one of her models. Turned out to be our lovely Zwzzy (: Not only with a great variety of pretty pretty models, her stock is really good. I personally love the care with which she portrays her items, and would love to get a thing or two from her shop. One of this days when I'm rich and awesome 8D and to help this haha, her prices are also awesome and affordable. What are you waiting for go take a look at her shop :D

TialeyVintage
I love that skirt on the pic I love it love it :D With that being said haha, this is a shop I honestly can't remember whether if I found in chat or via Etsy search as I browsed "awesome skirts" (aka high waisted skirts haha). I seriously love that white skirt, and in favour, she's got more awesome items. Also loving her dresses, this shop offers a varied range of casual vintage wear at very affordable prices. Please check it out, I'm sure you'll heart more than one item from this one ! (Birthday advice: feel free to give me that awesome Jade tunic dress as a gift haha)

SprakleRocks
Time to talk about my favorite Etsy shop EVER. This isn't specifically vintage wear, but vintage and kitschy awesome kawaii goodies. Yeah, I meant accessories haha. I had never met love for an object until in my first day of Etsy chatting ever I found this lovely lady. Her stock is unique, and no two items are alike. You'll fall in love with something in there ! I know I did :D Besides the amazing and one of a kind jewelry, you can find Sprakled up clutches and shoes - god I love this haha. Amy is super flexible and nice, and she'll do anything for her customers :D very easy to feel the same way about her, she's such a sweetheart and you can really see all her stock is made with love ! Please take a look at this shop, I've purchased there more than once and if you're such a great fan of unique and super cute jewelry, like me, so will you !

Doom dee doom(8) This was our first Vintage feature ! Please be sure to check back regularly if you're a fan of vintage clothing and accesories, I'll make sure to feature all the awesome shops out there, but if you know of an awesome vintage Etsian you would like to see featured here, please comment ! I'll be very glad to take a look around ;]

ThreeFive18's Awesome Giveaway !

2009-05-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

We're in for another awesome offer from another Etsy seller :D ThreeFive18 is having a special birthday giveaway ! I'm telling you, you CAN'T miss out ! You get everything pictured down here,

Two donuts, toast plush, banana, two orange slices, two strawberries and a plush toast pin !

Amazing isn't it ? And all you have to do is comment on her blog ! This is a great chance to win amazing stuff from an amazing seller so please check her blog before Sunday, May 31st at 5pm EST ! Winner will be picked at random and who knows, maybe it's you !!

Good luck everyone, and please visit ThreeFive18's shop for more awesome deals !

Sunday Feature - Say Cheese !

2009-05-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

Sunday feature of awesome :'D
Every end of the week I'll make a special feature, the Sunday feature. Theme may vary, and no more than 4 Etsians will be featured here.
This Sunday, our very first feature will be photography themed :D
During my Etsy Chats, I got to meet 3 fabulous photographers whom which I talk with regularly - they're pretty nice and also very talented. I highly encourage you to take a look at their shops, you'll find more than one favorite in each of them ;]

MGWPhotography(link)
This guy's work is what I call versatile. Nature, farms, lakes.. hell, even a roller coaster - he uses a variety of techniques, and I must admit my personal favorite he does really well with: black and whites. I'll be honest, I tried my hand at photography more than once and I'll tell you I have no clue how he manages to get such stunning shots. The colours are rich, bright and contrasting; his landscapes are very amusing and breath taking. I truly have no clue of how to adorn his work more - you have to see for yourself what I'm talking about ;]

BonnieBoden(link)
Something I have always liked and have always tried to be good at, is macro photography. At first I tried snapping macros with my lousy 6.5 Sony. That WAS a challenge. I never thought it would be such a challenge you know ? Lenses, pixels, dpi's. I didn't even know what those meant, and I still don't do haha. The first time I saw Bonnie's shop I was truly mesmerized. Her shots are so clean.. it's as if you were there, standing right in front of cucumber tendrils with a magnifying glass - speaking of which, I own two of those prints :D They're of a great quality and overall, her work is amazing. I'm jealous of her skills :'D Her stock varies from those colourful flowers to tiny bugs. Nature lovers out there who want to compliment their walls with a couple of fine art should take a look at her shop.

Eric216(link)
Do you really need me to tell you how amazing this guy is after having a Treasury full of his art ? Seriously, this guy knows how to get the crowd going - in every aspect you can think of haha. Eric's a great chatter and friend, and even a better photographer ! Not even only that, because he's also one of the best digital artists I've had the pleasure to meet. His shots are clear and outstanding, they have this "Eric" feel to them - haha I can't really explain this, but if you know and have talked to him you'll know what I mean. He's just an exceptional artist with great skills, and that shows in his shop. You will find something to fit your fancy - and your wall. Believe me ;P

This is it for our first Sunday Feature ! Please subscribe to this blog if you want to keep track of all the awesome Etsy people that will be featured here :D

Game from Matteslace2010 @ Etsy !

2009-05-22T15:28:00.000-07:00

Well hello there :D
During my daily Etsy browsings and chats guess who I crossed paths with ? No other but Jerry, sales manager of MattesLace2010! He told me about this awesome game his shop will be running tonight at 9pm EST. Sounds interesting eh ? Please take a look, you may be the lucky winner !

In MattesLace2010's listings, you will find a variety of letters looking like this;

eg. (J) (Y) (2)

They can be on the item name and description, they also might appear more than once and some of them can be hard to find so please look carefully !

There will be 28 of this numbers and letters, and what you have to do from this on is rather easy : just make the correct sentence with this findings and convo them to Jerry. If you're the first one to find the correct answer, you'll have won ! :D

What does the happy winner get ? You get a $10.00 USD free order from MattesLace2010's shop ! This is not a scam and most certainly there's no gimmick in here - play and win, easy as that !

Rules;

Only 1 submitted answer per person. More than 1 answers disqualify you so think carefully !
MattesLace2010 wins no profit AT ALL from this game - this is just for fun and promotion !
The $10.00USD prize also considers shipping fees, but if you'd like to buy the expense $10.00USD and only pay the shipping fee(which is very reasonable I assure you) you're free to do so.
The game will last ONLY 24 HOURS, starting at May 22nd, 9pm EST and ending at May 23rd, 9pm EST. The winner will be announced in Etsy chat rooms and this blog.

Everyone can participate at NO COST and there will surely be a winner !!
Please visit MattesLace2010 and start looking for the numbers and letters for a chance to win $10.00USD credit in that shop !

Tempting isn't it ? Please participate and give this great shop some support, this will be fun !

Etsy Feature - Round 1

2009-05-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

Well hello there.
Recently I’ve been stuck inside this amazing Little world called Etsy. I’ve met such nice people in there ! Some have been a-holes but hey, they can’t all be winners. Either way, this site has taught and given me a lot and I think it’s time to pay back a t little isn’t it ? I’ll start doing weekly features with the most outstanding sellers I’ve had the chance to meet. Please take a moment to read this feature and if you’re an Etsy seller leave a link to your shop, you might be the next one :D
**Note that all coloured titles are LINKS and that the items shown in the pictures are for sale in the respective shops, if you like anything you see go and fetch for it before it's gone ! ;]

FashionFauxPass

This woman is not only a great Etsy seller but she’s also a great friend. Very fun to be around and you can tell her items are made with love. She sells OOAK(One of a kind) handmade cards with any motive you might need/request, and she’s also a writer ! Besides the very pretty and unique card, you can get a perfectly customized poem for the giftee. She's a very flexible girl and I'm sure you and her could get to an agreement in an awesome deal - her price are accessible and she's got a great customer service. So now you know, looking for a unique card ? Search no more, FashionFauxPass has got it !

MattesLaceandTrimmingCo
When I think about starting my own Etsy shop I get a little frustrated – what will I sell ? jewelry ? Will I have to sew stuff ? … where will I get all that I may need ? It’s a hassle to find right pricing for supplies at the moment, they’re sky high. Lucky for you all, and potencially me in some future haha, I’ve found the best supply shop EVER. With an amazing manager such as Jerry and the 100% customer satisfaction policy this shop counts with, you’ll be sure to find about anything and everything you need. Fabric ? Lace ? Trims ? Velcro ? Vintage buttons ? You name it, they have it ! Best of all, amazing prices ! This shop is surely one of my favorites in the whole Etsy world and you’ll be hearing from them over and over again – they’re just the best when it comes to supplies. Hard to believe eh ? See for yourself, you’ll be thrilled. As an amazing plus from this awesome shop, mention this blog and get %5 off your purchase !

Suebeebuzz
Do you know what a Green Man is? In all honesty, neither did I until one day I ended up in Sue’s shop ! This lovely woman makes OOAK sculptures, baskets, dream catchers, salves and jewelry that you will fall in love with at first sight ! The other day we were talking about how keys will hit hard in this summer/fall runaways – guess who’s got unique key jewelry ? That’s right, Suebeebuzz does ! Vintage, antique, steampunk; you name it, it’s in her shop at a very reasonable price and in an amazing handcraftery – I’m telling you, you will love it !

PrettyKittyCollars
Cats are my favorite animals ever. They’re so cute and elegant – they hold a special charm you basically can’t find in any other animal. I can’t have any kittens prancing around, for I’m allergic ): Though ! If I had one, I’d totally get my special kitten a special collar – this is where our friend from PrettyKittyCollars fits in. She makes truly beautiful collars for that special furry in your life, call it a cat or a small dog, she has something that will make your baby look amazing ! Her designs are very classy, designed with Swarovski crystals will make your smitten look fabulous. Thinking of a totally customized design for your special pet ? She can work anything you want for a very affordable price and totally of your liking. What are you waiting for ? Give your pet a safe AND stylish look they’ll love !

EenieKing
I’ve never been the girly type of girl, and suddenly a few years ago I got the urges to be. Liking the whole headband kind of thing you know ? I can say with all confidence and honesty, I had never seen such pretty headbands until I visited this San Diego student’s shop. To me, they scream GLAMOUR. Maybe it’s the pheasant feathers, or maybe the marvelous styling. Either way, I’m so in love with them ! From the discreet ribbon headband to a very eye-catching pheasant feather headband, this girl has it all in headband needs. And as a very nice plus, she’s an artist ! Tiny felt art squares give her shop a very interesting look, and I must say they’re adorable as well. So you know, need a fancy, comfortable and affordable headband ? EenieKing’s got it. Btw, pink hairclips up there ? Don’t you just love them ! Personal favorite :’D

Babynme
When a baby is born you just want to give them everything in this world. Their rosey cheeks and chubby feet just win us over, don’t they ? If I had a toddler, I know one of my first shopping spots would be Babynme’s shop. I’ve been told giving a kid a bath is hell to go through, all the squirming and squeaking – must be grand. This is how washcloths with awesome themes can come in handy. Maybe your baby likes crocodiles ? Or pandas ! I’m sure mine will haha. Oh, and the fun doesn’t stop there ! This lovely lady also sells finger puppets to keep your sweetie entertained on a road trip AND she also sells cute hairclips and headbands to make your princess look beautiful. Fancy something unique and pretty for your baby ? Drop by, I’m sure you’ll fill your cart !

LilDabDesigns

This is an interesting woman with an interesting shop. Everything you see was born from her love for art and life. I highly recommend and even ask that you take a look at what she has to offer, every piece of jewelry and paper in her shop is beautiful and very unique – a heart or two will happen here. Her jewelry is exquisite, from Swarovski crystals to beautiful rosaries; you’ll fall in love with something there. I seriously ask for a moment or two of your day to browse the shop of this loving mother, each piece is fabulous and if you’re only looking for a dozen of tags for gifts or your own shop, this is also the place to look in!

Thank you for dropping by and stay tuned for our next Etsy feature !

The Shopping Kiwi

Mesha, but you're not a seller !

Random poll

Well herro there

Good for your soul; good4you

News, Giveaways and Hello Kitty

Selling and random advice for dummies

Giveaway Part Two - Winners !

Live Giveaway Part Two

Giveaway Two, get ready.

Giveaway Part One - Winners !

Live Giveaway Part One

Giveaway news

Dedication; artemna

Spontaneous giveaway

Kawaii, ne ?

Chat Etiquette

Red Planet Giveaway

News and updates yesplz

Blossoming a giveaway

Kawaii finds 979

CowlickCutie and her giveaway of osm

Savvy Stitcher + modmomME = giveaway !

TRIE giveaway winner !

TSK's first winners !

Sales and news

Team work ; theriveriseverywhere

TSK's First Giveaway !

Panda Face Yesplz

Status; Pending

Advertising with The Shopping Kiwi

Make over, yes/ no ?

Rehearsals; xneoncanvas

Newsletter

Limping and bragging

Soap Giveaway - LathersbyLinds !

Love finds ♥

Giveaway by The Cantaloupe Corner !

Ads going down ?! Whyy ?! D:

Lemony Goodness giveaway by HeathensHearth & DoubleDippedsweets !

Harder than we thought; Selling.

Think Raw ! Think Kiwi !

We're starting over !

Advertising for dummies

Inspiration; steppie.

Etsy Feature - Round 2

Hello Kitty Giveaway By Polygnome !

Game from FashionFauxPas !

Vintage feature - Uno

ThreeFive18's Awesome Giveaway !

Sunday Feature - Say Cheese !

Game from Matteslace2010 @ Etsy !

Etsy Feature - Round 1