Ode to Knitting and Reconstructing

I am currently working on secret Christmas projects. I can’t really tell you exactly what my brains and hands are busy creating because there maybe spies reading this blog. But I can tell you a few of them are knitting related.

Ah! The joy of knitting! Little simple pleasure I kind of had forgotten about. Solitary contentment that has you relax, think and reflect. And sipping tea once in a while when your hands feel a little tired.

This week-end, as I was deconstructing some of my “secret work” to rebuilt it at proper size, I started thinking that this was exactly like life – you sometimes have to reflect and take a good look at what you did, deconstruct it to better rebuild it the way you want it to be...

Gee, did knitting made me reach the philosophical pleonastic stratospheres? Or was it too much green tea? Don’t know. But I remembered the Mahatma Gandhi was weaving from thread he himself spun and encouraged others to do so. Were Aristotle, Socrates and Plato knitters too?

Well, we’ll never know for sure. But yepi for knitting and constructing things according to our intents and dreams.

Have a beautiful and constructive week! All the best,

Patricia Wood
VerreDesign
http://www.verredesign.etsy.com

PS: Today is Cyber Monday, your last chance to grab one of the little beauties in my Etsy Shop at sales price! Hope you take advantage of it:)

Funny Forgery

Have a great week-end everyone! And don't forget to check out my Thanksgiving Week-End Sale in my Etsy shop! Until Monday only:)

http://www.verredesign.etsy.com

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Black Friday and Cyber Monday but Were Affraid to Ask

Everyone is talking about Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But do you know what they are and where they come from? Here's some enlightening:)

"Black Friday is the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the US, which is the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season. The term dates back to at least 1966. Because Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States, Black Friday occurs between the 23rd and the 29th of November.

Retailers often decorate for the Christmas and holiday season weeks beforehand. Black Friday is the first shopping day after Thanksgiving and has served as the unofficial beginning of the Christmas season, at least since the start of the modern Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1924.

The term Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday, the ceremonial kick-off of the holiday online shopping season in the United States between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Whereas Black Friday is associated with traditional brick-and-mortar stores, "Cyber Monday" symbolizes a busy day for online retailers. The premise was that consumers would return to their offices after the Black Friday weekend, making purchases online that they were not able to make in stores. Although that idea has not survived the test of time, Cyber Monday has evolved into a significant marketing event, in which online retailers offer low prices and promotions.

The term Cyber Monday was first used within the ecommerce community during the 2005 holiday season. The term was coined based on research showing that 77% of online retailers reported a significant increase in sales on the Monday after Thanksgiving in 2004. In late November 2005, the New York Times reported that "The name Cyber Monday grew out of the observation that millions of otherwise productive working Americans, fresh off a Thanksgiving weekend of window shopping, were returning to high-speed Internet connections at work Monday and buying what they liked."

Now, there you have it:) Enjoy the week-end and happy shopping! You may want to have a look at my store for some special offers: http://www.verredesign.etsy.com/

Take care,

Patricia Wood

Handmade Jewelry and ArtGlass

http://www.verredesign.etsy.com

Thanksgiving and Surprise Rebate on my Handmade Jewelry

Thanksgiving is always the start of the joyful Holiday Season. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general; it has been an annual tradition in the United States since 1863.

Ever since Abraham Lincoln, U.S. President has followed a tradition of pardoning a turkey on the day before Thanksgiving. After being pardoned the turkey goes off to live the rest of its days at Disneyland. This always makes me happy and sometimes wish I was that turkey! Lol!!

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I will be busy today prepping for my “Black Friday through Cyber Monday” promotion in my Etsy shop. For a start, I will be cuting 10% off the price on every item.

I don’t do sales very often, so here’s your chance to grab something you like:) And to express my gratitude to you, amazing blog readers and supporters, I thought of giving you a little something extra. So I will take an additional 10% off if you simply include the word “blog” in the notes to sellers at check out. That’s a 20% discount reserved only for my blog readers:)

As I say in my shop announcement, VerreDesign is the perfect place to find Handcrafted, One Of a Kind, Artisan Jewelry Designs. Wander around and stay a while... you may fall in love with something while you're here. You may even find the perfect gift:) http://www.verredesign.etsy.com/

What a great way to start the Holidays! I hope you’ll have a wonderful day with your loved ones. Take care,

Patricia Wood
VerreDesign
http://www.verredesign.etsy.com/

PS: I will probably be done marking down the prices in my Etsy shop before the end of the day – you don’t have to wait until tomorrow to grab that one of a kind piece of jewelry you like so much in my shop:)

Deals, Giveaways and Promotions you'll love!

Many sellers get involved With Black Friday and Cyber Monday Promotions. Black Friday through Cyber Monday is a recognized shopping weekend that has quickly gained a reputation as the best time of year to find promotional sales on gifts for the holidays. This Thanksgiving week-end officially kicks off the busy Christmas holiday rush.

To get you into the spirit, here are some great contests and giveaway you'll want to enter:

Forever Scarf from Mandizzle to win on BonbonRose’s Blog.
I love Mandizzle and this scarf is abolutely fabulous and so versatile!

Hypnosis to transform you life download and discount on TigerLily’s Blog.
This is a real treat and such a feel good present, either for yourself or someone you love:)

Discounts all over and 350$+ package to win on TransCanada Etsy Team Blog.
More than 25 sellers are participating in this promotion. Gorgeous finds in every corner!

Discounts and Free shipping on Etsy;"> throughout the week-end.

Etsy will be providing promotional opportunities for sellers who are already planning or wish to host promotions and sales Friday, November 27, 2009 through Monday, November 30, 2009. When doing a search, simply enter the "EtsyHolidaySale" or “EtsyFreeShipping” tags in addition to your search criterias. And look for the Gift Guides and Home Page Collections Etsy will be featuring all week-end long:)

I will be part of that last one. Stay tuned for more details:) And there are always these great books I suggest for jewelry designers and lovers.

If you know about other great promotions and giveaways featuring handmade gifts, please make sure to add them in the comments section below, including the link so we can get to them easily:)

Enjoy the deals and get into the handmade gifts Holiday spirit! Happy shopping and all the best,

Patricia Wood
VerreDesign
http://www.verredesign.etsy.com/

PS: While you are reading this PS, I am adding the final touches to my surprise free tutorial that will be sent to my newsletter subscribers in a few hours. Hope you’ll enjoy it! Post your comments here to let me know and share pictures of your finished products on my FB fan page!

Free Tutorial!

Just a reminder so you don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter to get your free tutorial tomorrow!

Read the details here: http://verredesign.blogspot.com/2009/11/surprise-how-to-tutorial-in-next-weeks.html

Have a wonderful day everyone !


Patricia
VerreDesign
Handcrafted Jewelry and ArtGlass
http://www.verredesign.etsy.com

PS: Tell your friends as well!

Surprise How To Tutorial in Next Week's Newsletter!

At the beginning of next week, my newsletter subscribers will receive a little “how to tutorial” just in time for Christmas!

I will share a simple and fantastic little idea that you will want to try right away! It makes a great personal or promotional gift and it is just the perfect stocking stuffer! Your kids will have a blast creating their own for their teachers:)

So don’t miss it! Subscribe to my mailing list if you haven’t already done so by clicking on the pink link on your right!

Enjoy your week-end and all the best,

Patricia
VerreDesign
Artisan Jewelry and ArtGlass
http://www.verredesign.esty.com

PS: For great packaging idea, check my earlier post "HOW TOs Holidays":)

What to Buy a Jewelry Maker Lover for Christmas?

What to buy to a jewelry maker may be tricky. New tools? Beads? Gift certificates to some supplier’s store? Another designer’s piece.... maybe one of mine?

Well, all of the above can be a challenging and end up in disappointment if the jewelry designer did not let you know about any specifics or clues. For instance, I’m pretty picky about the tools I use and like to chose them myself – so if I was to receive new round nose pliers, I guess I would rather have you asking me about it before you spend any money on them!

On the other part, all jewelry designers love to have their creative wheels spinning and to learn new things. They will probably tell you the best investment they can make is in themselves and in learning new techniques and/or polishing what they already do best.

To do just that, here are 5 great books I recommend. I love them all and learned greatly going through each one of them. I checked if they were still available on Amazon and they are! They all cost 20$ or less and are worth every penny:) The only exception is Corina’s book (passing the Flame) but it is the encyclopaedia of bead making, a reference book I still refer to regularly and that retails at around 50$.

They are:
. Designing Jewelry with Glass Beads
. Beautiful Wire Jewelry for Beaders: Creative Wirework Projects for All Levels
. 101 Wire Earrings: Step-by-Step Projects and Techniques
. Woven Wire Jewelry: Contemporary Designs and Creative Techniques (Beadwork How-To)
. Passing the Flame: A Beadmaker's Guide to Detail and Design

I added a little widget on the right with the 5 books, in the side panel, to make it easier for you to check out. Simply click on the images to see more of them and get inspired. I also added a little description for each one.

So if you’re looking for that perfect Christmas gift for a jewelry maker, her birthday or any other occasion, grab any of the suggested books and got yourself a winner:)

I hope this will help find a perfect gift! Have a terrific day,

Patricia

Verredesign

One of a kind Artisan Jewerly and ArtGlass

http://www.verredesign.etsy.com

PS : If you'd like to recommand any other book, please do so by leaving its title in the comments! And let me know if this helped. Thanks:)

HOW-TO Holidays

If you are looking for ideas for packaging, here are some great little video how-tos I found browsing through The Storque on Etsy. I published the links a while ago but thought you'd love to take a look at them again with only 30 days or so to Christmas:)

You'll find great ideas and tips to personalize gifts and packages at almost no cost.

So grab your cup of tea, sit back and enjoy:)

Etsy Holiday How-To #1: Packaging
Etsy Holiday How-To #2: Branding ur Shipping Materials
Etsy Holiday How-To #3: Creating Labels and Hang-Tags
Etsy Holiday How-To #4: Photographing Your Items
Etsy Holiday How-To #5: Shipping

Hope this will give you some cool ideas! Have a wonderful day:)

Patricia

PS: If you have other tips or links pertaining to gift wrapping and packaging you'd like to share, please leave them in the comments! Thanks:)

Journey of Love and Japanese Chiyogami

You've probably seen it often but simply don't know what it is called. I'm talking about chiyogami paper, a Japanese paper decorated with brightly colored, woodblock-printed patterns.

A wonderful artist by the name of Denise Kung, from Journey of Love Designs, specializes in stationary made with fascinating papers. In her little online shop you can find paper gifts, magnets, invitations, escort cards and table numbers.

Maybe I'll treat myself with these wonderful seals stickers...


And Denise has a Special for This Week Only:
Get a free set of 6 gift tags with any order from Journey of Love Designs!
Use code in notes to seller: "Etsytwitterteam"

Hope you'll have a wonderful and colorful day:)