I'm in an Etsy Treasury!

Ah, what wonderful things to report today....

Firstly, I'm so excited to say that umlauf on etsy has featured me in her pounce on this! treasury! What a lovely surprise and such a wonderful thing to have been chosen by someone to be included in their treasury. I feel very honoured that she chose one of my Kimono pieces (Turquoise Deco Dream, below) to include out of all of the amazing things there are to choose from on etsy. Thankyou.

I did actually make my self-imposed deadline of having my etsy shop up on 15 November. I had one pair of earrings listed.... but my shop was definitely up! I'm finding that taking the photos, editing the photos, writing the description, uploading all of the information and creating the listing really is quite a lengthy process. One which I'm sure I will get betting and quicker at as I do it more and more. Though, I have to say that I really just am so chuffed that I have an etsy shop at all! And I'm definitely enjoying the process and the discovery of it all.

I am also delighted to say that I DID manage to get a ticket to the Amy Butler gathering and she was just lovely. If you have her book Midwest Modern, you do get a sense of her and her inspirations, and this was more of that. She really is as she comes across in print - very warm, natural and lovely. And what talent! One of the nice things I brought away with me from that evening is that, if she can do it, so can I. And by that I mean - create a really successful creative business that inspires and fulfills me every day.

And that brings me to my last point. I had a moment of clear inspiration yesterday. And here it is. You might need to hang in there while I explain... What would happen if I lived my life without fear? What if I lived my life without doubt, worry, concern, lack of confidence? What would happen if I lived from a place that saw things as an adventure, with a "let's do this and see what happens" attitude, from a place of optimism, with a belief that whatever I need (resources, people, help, etc) will turn up at just those moments when I need those things, from a place where what we might see as a failure is actually a door through which I am passing to get to something even better than the thing I was aiming for? How would that be?

I can tell you, it was the most freeing feeling. A feeling that lifted me up and washed away all doubt. And now I'm going to try to go forward with that feeling. The first thing I've resolved to do is the Life InSTYLE trade expo in Sydney in late February. It's time to get my stuff out there in a bigger way. Heck, if I don't try this, how will I know? So, I'm going to stop fear from getting in my way and just do it.

So, here's wishing inspired action to anyone else who needs it this week! I'm off to apply to be included in Life InSTYLE... this could be good!

Amy Butler in Sydney

Amy Butler is coming to town! How cool is that. I have her gorgeous book above and I'm so inspired by her - her fabric, attitude, take on life, creativity and her amazingly successful business she's created doing what she loves. I hope to be as successful some day.

So, I'm heading off to the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth tomorrow evening to see if I can harvest a few pearls of wisdom. And I'm really looking forward to it. And excursion on my own! Normally I have 2 little boys in tow. Here are the details....

WHERE: Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
DATE: Thursday 20 November 2008
TIME: 7.00pm

I just clicked over to the info I have to make sure I had these details right, only to be reminded that I have to BUY a ticket. I absolutely forgot about that part. Hate that. So let's see if my plea for help for 1 ticket will be successful. I would not be at all surprised if this had sold out weeks ago. Ah well, it's in the lap of the gods now.

If you go, come back and tell me about it?....

Etsy Here I Come!

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I’ve been planning it for a while and now it’s serious!

I’m working away writing copy, preparing stock, taking photos and pricing postage costs to get my Etsy site up and running! You can find it at www.LoveAngelaHandmade.com.au.

It’s daunting and exciting at the same time. I mean, I’ve had a website showing my jewellery for some time now but I haven’t been able to sell via that site except if someone emails me. So this is taking online sales to a whole new - and better - place.

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I’ve had my jewellery in around 12 stores here in Australia for the past year or so, which I love. The thing that really excites me about Etsy is that, unlike a store, you don’t necessarily have to produce a piece in quantity in order for it to be considered. So, if I want to, I can produce just one of something and put that up for sale. And I can sew any number of the stack of ideas that I have in my head, and put them up. Stores want quantity, which one can’t always provide when creating handmade. Whilst the essence of Etsy IS handmade - unique - individual - and I love that!

So, if you’d like to be notified of my Etsy site’s Grand Opening, just send an email to angela@loveangela.com.au. And to all of those lovely people who do so, if you buy something from LoveAngelaHandmade in the first 2 weeks after opening, POSTAGE WILL BE FREE. From Australia, at this point that’s looking like a saving of more than $10. Can you believe it?!

You’ll also be the first to know about any future specials, promotions, new stock, and any other lovely stuff I can come up with.

It’s like world domination, jewellery-style!

Have a great weekend everyone!

And congratulations to Barack Obama and America - I wish you great times ahead!