Holidays coming to a close and a feature mention!

I hope everyone had and is having a great and interesting Holiday season!

The wonderful plant decked out in red Christmas lights is my fiance's alternative to a traditional Christmas tree. We have been snowed in for several days so we weren't able to go get a regular tree, but we all liked this Christmas plant quite a lot.

Now the snow is being washed away by the pouring rain, and we regrettably all have to start going back to work.

I'm already starting to think about my New Year's Resolution - it's never too early! There are a lot of new things I want to experiment with and possibly contribute to __1337 Art. I also want to get my workspace cleaned and organized once and for all! Any tips on that would be fantastic!

I have a lot of beads and supplies and piles of things that make it *slightly* hard and/or overwhelming to create new things. I'll definitely post my workspace organization progress if and when I can conquer it!

Blazer, my sleeping kitten, was napping from an exhausting morning of annoying our dog and my older cat, playing in boxes, and getting lost under chairs and wrapping paper. I like that he is sort of photogenic.

I wanted to say a special thank you to dzfantasy for the wonderful blog feature of __1337 Art that she published on her blog! You can view her blog here and my feature here. She offers a wonderful variety of fiber fantasy sculptures. You can follow the link below to view her colorful and fanciful Etsy Shop:

http://dzfantasy.etsy.com

Thank you so much for reading,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com/
http://1337art.artfire.com
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

After Christmas Sale!!!

AFTER CHRISTMAS SALE!!!

*Spend $10 get $2 off!
*Spend $20 get $4 off!
*Spend $30 get $10 off!
*Spend $60 or more save 35%!

Discounts will be refunded to your PayPal account after payment has cleared. Please note that discounts apply to merchandise only (before shipping and any applicable tax.)

Please feel free to visit our shops below to take advantage of these incredible deals!

http://1337art.etsy.com
http://1337art.artfire.com

Winter Weather in Washington State

It appears that the Winter weather has been getting on some people's (as well as bird's) nerves. I believe the angry bird pictured is upset that his birdseed is slightly frozen.

It also appears that Western Washington (Seattle/Tacoma) has been getting paid in snow for not having a White Christmas for the past couple of years. The snow keeps falling down, and we are either snowed in or brave enough to ski to work!!

A lot of us have missed work, which is both a good and bad thing. We get to spend time with family and friends while being able to relax. We're losing money though, and with our current economy situation there could be no worse timing.

Pictured is what I call the hill of doom.
You're lucky to be able to go down it, and blessed to get back up in the snow and ice, that is. It's this huge steep long hill that inhibits me from going to work. There's more to the hill, you just can't see it.

I am happy to finally get my White Christmas. I've always wanted one but rarely get it.

There has been a lot of relaxing and changing in my sleep schedule, and it is definitely time to get back to working on __1337 Art.

Thank you very much for reading,

Happy Holidays!

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com/
http://1337art.artfire.com
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

__1337 Art on Artfire.com

I recently made my first sale on Artfire.com, and I am going to be focusing more individual time on my Artfire site. In the next couple of days, for example, I will be listing a couple of items only available through my Artfire site instead of my Etsy site. Please check back on my blog as I will post when the new items have been added.

My Artfire shop will also include clearance items, supplies, and experimental items. I'm very excited!

It's really exciting to get started on a new selling venue website. They offer a lot of features that Etsy does not such as viewer stats, free listings, no transaction fees, and more.

We've had some great Winter weather out here, and I am definitely taking advantage of all this free time! New items will be added to both of my shops soon, and I have a huge list of other things to get started on.

Just a quick note to my followers - if there is any particular subject that you would like to read from my blog please feel free to let me know either by leaving a comment or sending me an email at 1337art@gmail.com

Thank you very much for reading,

Happy Holidays!

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com/
http://1337art.artfire.com
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

It's not too late to shop __1337 Art for the Holidays.

If you're still looking for that perfect last minute gift for the holidays my shop offers a variety of items for every budget and for just about every member of your family.

I have gemstone potion necklaces and key chains available in the following gemstones:

*Peridot
*Tiger Eye
*Black Tourmaline
*Lapis Lazuli
*Rose Quartz
*Blue Goldstone
*Goldstone
*White Howlite
*Amethyst

If I do not have the gemstone of your preference from the above list for sale in my shop please contact me for a special listing.

I also have a growing variety of necklaces - both simple and elegant and hair accessories including combs and bobby hair clips.

I recently added three beautiful Paua Shell Necklaces in blue, pink, and green. The natural original designs of each shell are truly unique-I can't choose a favorite!

There are currently four masculine necklaces perfect for your special man for sale in my shop.

Hair accessories are perfect for stocking stuffers and Christmas Eve gifts that your daughter could wear on Christmas morning or on the way to Grandma's house.

You could even slip my hair clips onto your wife or girlfriend's vanity as she dresses up for a nice evening out in town.

If you're looking for a nice stocking stuffer or a small gift to hand out with a greeting card my earring studs are perfect!

They are available in Sterling Silver as well as Surgical Steel - great for people with metal allergies. Prices start at just $4.50 a pair. I have gemstones, shell, crystal, and aluminum.

I have great bookmarks for that book lover in your life! They could fit nicely inside of a stocking, and you can even slip the bookmark into the receiver's book as they're sleeping for a nice surprise.

My bookmarks can accommodate the coffee lovers, pet lovers, nature lovers, and more!

I also have three lovely cat's eye rings for just $5.00 each! They reflect a ring of light that resembles a cat's eye. Available in black, pink, and purple.

I also have men's cuff link sets available in black snake's eye and black onyx. Both are very masculine and would make an excellent gift for the man in your life.

The postal service can no longer guarantee delivery of items being sent via standard mail for Christmas. They have provided the following shipping methods and deadlines for almost guaranteed delivery:

Priority Mail
Deadline: Saturday, December 20th.

Express Mail
Deadline: Monday, December 22nd.

You can still place your order with __1337 Art and still have your items by Christmas if you choose one of the above shipping methods. Please contact me if you are interested in an expedited shipping method.

Thank you very much for reading,

Happy Holidays!

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com/
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

It is Haiku* Time!

Snowing; stuck at work.
Fluorescent lighting, white walls;
it is not the same.

-------------------

Coffee, where are you?
Searching through paperwork and
still left with nothing.

-------------------

The office setting is so inspiring sometimes. ;P

*A haiku is generally a three line poem that consists of a 5 - 7 - 5 syllable pattern.

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com/
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

Flirting with the Winter and Holiday Spirits.

I just made my first cup of hot chocolate this year - oh how it brings back memories. One taste of this mystical chocolate water, and I am feeling as innocent and naïve as a child. I remember the midnight to 3am car rides stopping back home with just enough time to make another cup of hot chocolate before hitting the road.

This taste mingling with music blaring from the speakers; feeling the comfy-ness of gloves and a scarf, and having the window down to keep us both awake. It was thrilling - and memorable - and real.

The office where I work is decorated for the holidays. The weather outside is getting colder. I can almost see the snowflakes falling and piling up on the roads…I hope it snows in time for Christmas this year.

Snow is always so innocent and youthful. I used to take long (2 or 3 hour) walks in it by myself listening to music and happily getting lost in thought. That seems like ages ago.

[I need to make myself some snowflake earrings.]

Happy Holidays! Enjoy the spirit as Winter approaches.

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you find some time to enjoy the beauty and calmness of the Holiday season.

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

__1337 Art on Mycraft.com!

I've been hearing some good things about Mycraft.com so I thought I would sign up and give it a try. I created my profile yesterday: http://www.mycraft.com/1337art Already I have met some really nice people, and it is such a great way to socialize and network with other artisans. Sites like Myspace.com seem a little harsh in comparison.

If you're looking for a great and easy to use social networking site to share your craft with other artisans, Mycraft.com may be the thing for you. You may be thinking "it's just another networking site." Maybe you're right, but maybe it can work for you.

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

Behold the Beauty and Mystery of Photography.

I recently bought myself a new point-and-shoot camera that fits in my purse. My other cameras are large and not as suitable for spontaneous photography opportunities. I've always been highly interested in taking pictures, and now I will be able to pursue that interest on a more daily basis.

Maybe one day I'll offer some prints and cards up for sale, but right now I just want to experiment and get back into the photo-taking... "groove."

I really like taking pictures of objects and nature...things that make you think about what you are looking at. Take the above image for example. What is it? That's a secret.

I remember when my photography class in middle school used pin hole cameras. They were very enjoyable. I would love to have my own dark room someday. Digital photography is great, and it offers an endless array of creativity, but there is something unique and special about traditional film cameras, dark rooms, black and white photography and chemicals.

For the rest of the year I want to put my jewelry making on the back burner and focus on the natural beauty that is nature and still life and unsuspecting family members, friends, and co-workers.

Thank you so much for reading! I hope to bring more mysterious pictures to the table soon.

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

Happy Cyber Monday!

Cyber Monday; a day to shop online. A day for good sales and electronic funds transfers.

It is also the last day of my last sale of the year. If you haven't already checked it out please feel free to follow the link below:

http://1337art.etsy.com

I just finished my last craft bazaar, and I have decided that 1337art will be strictly online only. This means more time to make new items such as the two wonderful pairs of clip on earrings that I just put up for sale.

They are made with Gun Metal, Swarovski Crystals, and Silver color clip on components.

I'm going to ship them in a sleek black cotton filled box that is the perfect size to slip into a stocking or hand off with a greeting card.

You can find both the Gothic Sparklers and Pink Sparklers for sale at my shop.

I have more clip on earrings to add soon, and I have plans to offer a large variety early next year. If you are looking for specific clip on earrings please let me know.

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a Happy Cyber Monday!

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

Last Day for Custom Orders / Requests

With the upcoming holiday season I wanted to announce that today is the last day that I will be accepting custom requests until after Christmas. If you are looking for an original gift of jewelry and/or accessories look no further. You can submit your request via email to 1337art@gmail.com with the subject line “Custom Order Request.”

And don’t forget about my sale! Come check out what I have to offer at 1337art:

http://1337art.etsy.com

Thank you so much for your interest and support.

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.] Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

Birthstone Chart

June can also be represented with white Pearl.

Necklace Size Charts

Thanksgiving Sale!

Free Shipping on orders over $25.00!

__5% off orders of $10 or more
__10% off orders of $20 or more
__15% off orders of $50 or more

Only at http://1337art.etsy.com

New products and more coming soon!

I have been busy designing new products as well as trying to keep my Shop inventory and craft fair inventory up. Today I wanted to share four new items that are currently available for purchase. The first one is the lovely Thought Contrast Choker Necklace; Black versus White. Good versus Evil. Grey is both the balance and the neutral.

This one-of-a-kind choker features a hand blown glass pendant that hangs freely on the chain. The Zebra Jasper gemstone beads are beautifully and naturally designed with random patterns of black and white; no two beads are exactly the same

I have also introduced adjustable rings to my Shop inventory! I currently have them available in Black Cat's Eye, Pink Cat's Eye, and Purple Cat's Eye. These adjustable rings fit most ring sizes, and they will make a great stocking stuffer or party favor.

The Cat's Eye fiber optic glass gems are approximately 10mm. They are called Cat's Eye because of the white band that reflects light.

I hope to add more rings in a variety of styles by early next year. If you have any requests please feel free to contact me. I would love to hear what you have in mind.

I have also been thinking about the men, and I currently have two different styles of cuff links to offer. The first set is made with Black Onyx; a natural gemstone that defends against negativity. They are very masculine, and they will add the perfect little touch to his suit.

If you are looking for something a little more modern I have some very hip and happening Snake's Eye cuff links. These fiber optic glass gems have a band of white light that reflects in an "S" shape. Their color ranges from dark grey to black. These cuff links will make a unique gift.

There are more things up my sleeves, and I cannot wait to introduce them to you. Please feel free to keep checking back on both my blog as well as my shop for new items.

Thank you so much for reading,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com/
http://1337art.artfire.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted. Custom deadline is November 30th, 2008

Have you signed up for our email newsletter? Sign up here!

Artfire, feature, and tagged.

I wanted to announce that I was finally able to set up my ArtFire shop: http://1337art.artfire.com Please feel free to check it out. Artfire.com is an online website that allows people to buy and sell hand crafted items.

I also wanted to thank CBsPolyWorks for featuring 1337art on their blog: http://cbspolyworks.blogspot.com/ They did a wonderful job, and it was such a nice surprise. Thank you!

Cindy from Cthings tagged me a little while ago, and I wanted to post my answers. I won't tag anyone specific because there are some people out there who do not like to participate in surveys. I think it's a fun way to get to know the person behind the blog.

Here are the TAG GAME RULES:

1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here are the 7 facts about me.

1. I don't like milk or cheese.
2. My female rabbit's name is "Jack."
3. I love ferry rides.
4. I've never broken any of my bones.
5. Coffee is my savior.
6. I job-shadowed one of the producers of Kiro 7 news.
7. I like watching Everwood and Dawson's Creek.

Be sure to check back tomorrow. I will be updating about new items!

Thank you so much for reading,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com/
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted. Custom deadline is November 30th, 2008

Have you signed up for our email newsletter? Sign up here!

Achieving Contentment for the Holidays

A few posts back I mentioned some goals I wanted to achieve. November is already here and quickly passing - realistically I will not be able to list 300 items in my Etsy Shop while preparing for two upcoming craft shows, and I am okay with that. It is great to aim high, and it is even greater to not get discouraged when not all of your goals are met. I am trying to take it easy this holiday season; it is important to enjoy time for yourself too. Success is too hard to come by when you are stressed and sleep deprived and rushed.

I would be so happy to be able to work my business full time, and the thought of this motivates me into overworking. I have decided to wait until early next year to work on some new products and ideas so I can take the proper time to experiment and have fun. This frees up time to keep up on this blog, create inventory, and breath once in awhile.

My family and friends celebrate Christmas, and what a hectic holiday that can be. I am doing my best to plan every little detail in advance. I already know what the gift tags are going to look like, and I almost know what I am going to get or make everyone. Christmas cards I still have to design, but it is almost easier for me to make them at random on the spot.

If you are going to be in the area please feel free to see me (CM Designs dba 1337art) at the following venues this month:

1^st Annual Winter Warm-Up Craft Fair and Chili Cook-Off
Key Peninsula Civic Center
Saturday, November 15th

Winterfest in Purdy, WA
Peninsula Highschool, November 29th and 30th

It is important to take it easy this holiday season and find time to relax. You are not a super person, and it is okay if you did not accomplish everything you hoped for.

Thank you so much for reading,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com/
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted. Custom deadline is November 30th, 2008

Have you signed up for our email newsletter? Sign up here!

For the Love of Books and Literature.

With shorter days and longer nights rapidly approaching it is such a great time to cuddle up with a huge novel and enjoy the written words of another soul.

Take a visit to your local library and register for a free library card. Most libraries offer you a free selection of books, music cds, and dvds as well as large print books and books on audio tape.

As long as you return your “checked out” items on time everything is completely free. A lot of counties also have an online website where you can check on your personal account as well as view your library’s entire inventory as well as put in requests for your local branch to hold certain items for you for local pick up.

If you prefer to own your books Amazon.com and Half Price Books have a great selection of new and used books for a great value.

I find myself wanting to read much more often coincidentally with the change in seasons and time. I have had the desire to write books myself since I was in grade school. One of my dreams in life is to publish a novel and have it be well received. Until them I am content with reading the words that inspired the author’s fame.

Thank you so much for reading,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com/
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted. Custom deadline is November 30th, 2008

Have you signed up for our email newsletter? Sign up here!

Featured bookmarks can be found for sale at my Etsy Shop: http://1337art.etsy.com

Happy Halloween!

víspera de Todos los Santos feliz

Glücklichen Halloween

Happy Halloween, everyone!

For tonight only I want to offer free shipping on every item in my Etsy shop until Midnight. Enter the code: happyhallow into the comments to seller. I will then refund your shipping charges or send you a revised invoice via PayPal.

Have a very spooky night--at least have some fun!

Thank you so much for reading,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com/
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted. Custom deadline is November 30th, 2008

Have you signed up for our email newsletter? Sign up here!

Roses: Love, Beauty, and Romance.

I will never tire of looking at a rose. It is fascinating to watch a bud turn into a full bloom in a matter of days. They are so inspiring and beautiful; no two petals are the same, and you can't help but sigh lovingly when your significant other surprises you with a bouquet or miniature plant...sometimes even a single red rose.

Trying to verbalize or portray my personal obsession/connection with roses is a task I will not soon partake. They will forever hold dear a relation to all things romantic and innocent, and the rest is transcribed into endless feelings and soft memories of smiles, kisses, and hugs.

Even though roses do not last forever, their presence will remain in the heart of the receiver for all time. Now is the perfect time to surprise your love with a single red rose whether it is one you purchase in a store or one you borrow from a neighborhood yard.

Roses will never go out of style.

Thank you so much for reading,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com/
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted. Custom deadline is November 30th, 2008

Have you signed up for our email newsletter? Sign up here!

How to Make A White Chocolate Mocha at Home

I am one of those people that used to spend over $100 (easy) a month at the espresso stand. I eventually gained some perspective, and decided that making coffee at home is much more affordable. I recently discovered how to make great white chocolate mochas at home in an inexpensive way.

My fiancé bought me an Aeropress Coffee Maker (found at thinkgeek.com) for $25.99. This nifty contraption takes the bitterness out of coffee, and makes drinking coffee more enjoyable for everyone. My personal favorite coffee at this point in time is the Millstone brand French Vanilla, and it was hard to believe, but after using the Aeropress, this coffee tastes even better! You can also use this contraption for americanos and lattes. The best and most inexpensive white chocolate powder that I have found so far is the Ghirardelli Sweet Ground White Chocolate (found at coffeeam.com) for $14.39.

Are you ready to save money on your coffee habit?

It’s easy! Just follow these steps:

1. Read over the instructions (and watch the video) on thinkgeek.com
2. Add a couple scoops of the Ghirardelli Sweet Ground White Chocolate into your mug.
3. Warm some milk on the stove. Be careful that it doesn’t boil.
4. Pour the warm milk into your mug after using the aeropress coffee maker.
5. Enjoy!

**Please note: you are more than welcome to use a milk frother and/or any brand of white chocolate powder and coffee.**

Thank you so much for reading,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com/
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted. Custom deadline is November 30th, 2008

Have you signed up for our email newsletter? Sign up here!

Are you on Twitter? So are we!

Goals for the Holiday Season.

October is half way over already! I have two upcoming craft shows next month that I need to prepare for as well as finding time to keep an online presence. Here are some of my goals that I hope to achieve before December 31st:

#1. Set up my first blog giveaway. I'm expecting this to be ready fairly soon...so check back for more information on this mysterious giveaway.

#2. Start up another blog. The theme/subject of this new blog is under wraps. I am still working out the kinks, and I will post more information when I have that blog up and running.

#3. Send out my first email newsletter. The pieces are slowly coming together on this.

#4. Have 300 items listed for sale. At least! I actually want to accomplish this before the end of November. Once I sit down to create it seems to come easy for me.

#5. List items not yet listed. This includes new surgical steel post earrings, hair accessories, and more.

#6. Advertising. This includes Deviant Art, craigslist, local newspapers, social networking websites, bulletin boards, and consignment inquiries.

#7. New items. There are new ideas and items I want to work with and offer for sale before the holiday rush. I also want to expand on my current items. More ribbon bookmarks, clip on earrings, necklaces, men's accessories, etc.

#8. Personal website. I want my personal website to be live as soon as possible. (a special thanks to my fiance for putting it together from scratch.) If I had two days I could have it up and running.

#9. Make gifts for friends/family. Saving money has become more critical than ever so I am making more of an effort this year to make gifts for all my friends and family. This includes jewelry, accessories, cards, etc.

#10. Run my business full time. I would love very much to be able to run 1337art full time. This holiday season will be a sort of test to see if I am ready to do it. There are so many things I would like to expand on, and I would strive best working for myself. I can do it!

There will definitely be time for relaxation too!

Thank you so much for your time,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted. Custom deadline is November 30th, 2008

Have you signed up for our email newsletter? Sign up here!

Are you on Twitter? So are we!

Clip On Earrings and a Thank You!

I am excited to announce that clip on earrings will be available in my Etsy shop in the coming weeks. I just listed my first pair yesterday, which are cute (and ferocious) dragons.

You can find them for sale at the link below:
http://1337art.etsy.com

If you have any requests please feel free to send me an email at 1337art@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog post.

I also want to say a quick THANK YOU to CoconutPalmDesigns for featuring me in their blog:

http://coconutpalmdesigns.blogspot.com/

Thank you so much for your time,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted.

Have you signed up for our newsletter?
http://elite-art.blogspot.com/2008/07/were-collecting-emails-for-our-mailing.html

5 Ways to Organize Your Business for the Holidays

The holidays are quickly approaching--it's already October!! Here are five ways to help organize your business for the holidays. Hopefully you can be prepared so you can take it easy.

1. Purchase plastic shoe containers at Target or Walmart for $0.99 each. These fit great on shelves, and they are see through. If you do a lot of shows you can designate one container for each show and label them as such. These bins are also good for storing supplies, finished product…the possibilities are limited to your imagination.

2. Get a free self-inking address stamp from Vistaprint. These are great to stamp on customs forms and envelopes. It will be a great time saver when you have a lot of orders to package and ship at one time.

3. Make sure you have enough shipping supplies. Plan to have more than you think you need. Do you have enough tape? Bubble envelops and boxes in different sizes? You can get free expedited shipping supplies from the United States Postal Service website. You can even order free customs forms.

4. Create, create, create! The holidays bring a lot of hungry shoppers. Be sure your shop has plenty of stock available in different styles and price ranges. If it is possible, create multiples of the same item so when you sell one you can immediately relist it. Look through all, and I mean all of your supplies to see what you actually have! (I know I have a ton of supplies around that I need to dedicate a day to go through!)

5. Set boundaries. If you accept custom orders set a deadline so you aren't overloaded on custom orders. Designate a weekly schedule to go to the post office...maybe just two or three times a week? You could also make things one day, ship items another day, etc. Whatever will work for you.

I hope this is helpful to you, and I appreciate you taking the time to read. If you have any comments, questions, or requests please feel free to reply to this blog.

Thank you so much for your time,

-

Christina

CM Designs dba 1337 Art

http://1337art.etsy.com

Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted.

Have you signed up for our newsletter? Sign up here!

Etsy Artist Feature 23: ThisandThat

It is important to show the world the charms of handcrafted items, and I plan to do this one artist at a time. Tonight I feature Randi from This and That.

Below you can read the interview:

1. What is the first memory of crafting that you can recall?

I have loved crafting since preschool.

2. What are some of your favorite past times?

I can vividly remember painting a construction paper butterfly, I loved it. I love to craft of course, read, shop and be with my children.

3. What do you specialize in?

I specialize in hand painted items that can be custom ordered.

4. What made you decide to open up a shop on Etsy?

I started on Etsy because I now have the time to really work at crafting, I left teaching after 15 years this May.

5. How did you choose your shop name?

I chose the name This and That because I like to do a little bit of everything.

6. What are your hopes for the future?

In the future I hope to have my work in retail stores.

7. How do you feel about custom orders?

I love custom orders, nothing makes me happier.

8. Try to sum up your workspace in as few words as possible.

My workspace is my dining room table, nothing fancy.

You can visit This and That’s Etsy Shop:

http://randi100.etsy.com

You can also email Randi at randimontessori@yahoo.com

Thank you for reading,

-

Christina

CM Designs dba 1337 Art

http://1337art.etsy.com

Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted.

Have you signed up for our newsletter? Sign up here!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast cancer is the third most common cause of death in the United States alone. Women have a 1 in 8 chance of developing the disease, and a 1 in 33 chance of it causing their death.

I have donated my previous Breast Cancer Awareness Items to a fund raiser, and so I made these simple earrings for my shop. Not everyone likes chunky and/or elaborate jewelry, so I thought these earrings are perfect for just about anyone.

All profits from this piece will be donated towards finding the cure through further research and studies. Please follow the link below to the selected charity:

http://www.bcrcwa.org/

You can find these lovely Breast Cancer Awareness Earrings for sale at my Etsy shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com/

In the upcoming months I plan to add more modern-friendly awareness items to my shop. If you have any suggestions for designs and specific causes please feel free to contact me at 1337art@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading,

-

Christina

CM Designs dba 1337 Art

http://1337art.etsy.com

Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted.

Have you signed up for our newsletter? Sign up here!

How to Recover from a Bad Craft Fair.

It is so easy to feel exasperated and hopeless after you return from a not so great craft fair. I've been there, and it really sucks. I've made a list of a few things to keep in mind to help you recover from a bad craft fair.

1. Relax. Sit down with a cup of coffee or tea. Put on some comfortable clothing and listen to music and do what calms your soul whether it be reading, writing, or whatever.

2. Don't take it personally. Perhaps the fair was badly advertised or the weather was bad. You aren't the only vendor that had a bad time. Just remember that your products are desirable, and that you put a lot of love and hard work into each piece.

3. Learn from the experience. Take any customer/vendor advise into consideration. Was there something people paid more attention to? Did you pick up some tricks from the other vendors such as product placement, exceptional customer service, etc.? There is always at least one thing you can learn from each craft fair you participate in.

4. Remember this event. When you are scoping out craft fairs for next year you know to skip this one. You can also compare this fair to other ones so you have a better idea of where your time is better spent.

5. It's over. You're home now, and the fair is behind you. If it will make you feel better you can sulk for a few minutes...but only for a few. It's better to eat a little bit of dark chocolate. It's best to take the rest of the night off from doing any work towards your business, or you will feel distraught and overwhelmed.

We all will experience a bad craft fair at one point or another, but we will have our share of great ones too. It's important to let go of this bad experience or it will be more difficult to make progress.

Thank you for reading,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted.

Have you signed up for our newsletter? Sign up here!

Craft fairs, new items, and lots of coffee.

1337art has an upcoming craft show this Saturday:

Harvest Fest in Home, WA
Community Services House Saturday, October 4th from 10am - 4pm

I'm looking forward to taking a nice month off from craft fairs so I can focus on adding a much larger inventory to my Etsy shop. My goal is to have at least 200 items before my next show in November. I'm hoping to expand my collage items; cards, ACEOs, pendants, and more. I also want to add a lot more to my Men's Jewelry, Brooches, and Hair Accessories categories.

I'll be drinking lots of coffee, reading the latest "Quit Your Day Job" articles from Etsy's blog, and finally putting my overload of supplies to use.

Thank you for reading this quick update,

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted.

Have you signed up for our newsletter? Sign up here!

Patience - That Virture Thing

It is easy to get caught up in the dreams you set your sights on. In my experience impulsiveness is risky and not such a good idea. There are things I am wanting and craving more each day, and it is really hard to stay focused about making responsible decisions.

"Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is patience."

Whatever dream you currently have really think it out and plan how to reach it steadily as well as successfully. It's like a seedling that needs the appropriate nurturing and proper care before it can grow into a beautiful plant. It's cute to even think of yourself as a curious kitten waiting to pounce on a ball of yarn or a creeping little insect. Focus, concentration, and patience.

Thank you so much for reading.
-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.Custom orders are accepted.

Have you signed up for our newsletter? Sign up here!

Etsy Artist Feature 22: BellyBabies

It is important to show the world the charm of handcrafted items, and I plan to do it one artist at a time. Today I feature BellyBabies.

Below you can find her interview:

1. What is the first memory of crafting that you can recall?

My first memory of crafting is when I was about 5 years old, I was sitting at a table behind our kitchen making Valentine's Day cards with my mom and brother. My next memory was probably about 3 years later, knitting a set of little leg warmers for my dog (it was the 80s).

2. What are some of your favorite past times?

Even though I do graphic design in my day job, one of my favorite past times is designing! I have done several of my friend's wedding invitations as well as business cards and logos for their own entrepreneurial pursuits! I also enjoy sewing -in addition to completing a slip cover for my sofa, I have also been working on plushie versions of all the Belly Babies characters. You can check out my plushie penguin here: plushie penguin

3. What do you specialize in?

Belly Babies specializes in cute and fun onesies and t-shirts for infants and toddlers. Bellies - pregnant bellies and babies bellies are what inspire me! Each of the Belly Babies characters was designed starting with the same round belly shape!

4. What made you decide to open up a shop on Etsy?

I heard about Etsy from a friend of a friend and honestly it took me a long time to actually check out the website. But once I did, I became an Etsy addict!!! I especially love spending time in the forums and learning about other Etsy crafters experiences.

5. How did you choose your shop name?

That was easy! Bellies and babies - that's what Belly Babies is all about!

6. What are your hopes for the future?

My hope for the future is that one day Belly Babies will become a more than just a part time pursuit. I would love to grow our brand explore other areas...I have already started illustrating a children's book based around Belly Babies!

7. How do you feel about custom orders?

We have a number of ways that you can customize an order...in terms of sizing or adding a specific phrase on your shirt. Including: baby brother / big brother / baby sister / big sister

8. Try to sum up your workspace in as few words as possible.

Oh wow, my workspace is my desk, my backyard, the dining room table, the basement, a big corner of the bedroom...the list goes on! It's taking over!

9. Is there anything else you would like to add?

For the upcoming Christmas season we are offering shirts for your own 'Santa's little helper' and for 'Baby's first Christmas'. So start your shopping early :)

How can people get in contact with you?
http://www.bellybabies.etsy.com or email: info@bellybabies.ca

Thank you so much for reading.

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
http://1337art.silkfair.com

Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted.

Have you signed up for our newsletter? Sign up here!

Farmer's Market from a Crafter's Point of View

My friend and I have attended a summer long Farmer's Market consisting of 22 Sundays from 12pm - 4pm. It was located in a small town, and the only advertising done had to do with the food portion of the market. There were 4-5 other crafters at any given time, and the community didn't know we were there!

This was the first Farmer's Market in the area, and we had prepaid for the entire summer at a discounted rate. There were pros and cons in this experience, and you can read about them below:

Cons:

1. There was no advertisement for crafters.
2. There were two other jewelers. My friend and I shared a booth, and we also made jewelry.
3. The market was held in a small community.
4. A lot of people didn't anticipate crafts so they didn't bring money.
5. We spent a lot of time setting up and taking down our booth with little overall profit.

Pros:

1. We had the opportunity to meet people and to let them know we are here.
2. We reminisced with people we haven't seen in a long time.
3. It was really a community event where everyone knew each other.
4. We made our booth cost back with some profit :)
5. We gained experience on good days vs. bad days.

Advice and Tips:

1. Share a booth with a friend. It keeps booth costs down, you have support, and you can take a few moments for yourself when need be. You both probably sell different things with a different style, so more people would be drawn to your booth.

2. Check out the other booths. Not only do you get to check out what other great crafters/farmers there are, but if you make friendly contact with them they are more likely to come visit your booth. Vendors are customers too.

3. Offer discounts. You can offer scratch cards that give the customer a chance to win a percentage off of their purchase, or you can put a coupon into the packaging after they purchase something. I didn't think of it in time, but I had postcards with a discount code on them that I handed out with each purchase. This will definitely be something I hand out at every upcoming show.

4. Offer a variety of items in a wide price range. Perhaps someone dropped by to check out the market as they were heading out to buy a friend a gift. Maybe a kid has a little spending money and wants to use it in your booth. It's important to have a little something for everyone.

5. Don't get discouraged. It was a farmer's market after all. We had high hopes, but we learned from the experienced and met a lot of interesting people. We got our name out there, and we did have our good days. It really put me in low spirits when people walked right past our booth without even looking inside because they immediately think "Oh. It's just jewelry." We offered more than jewelry, and some people didn't give us the chance. Perhaps we didn't stand out enough. Perhaps they stereotyped us. It was the moments when one person came in and looked carefully at everything, took a business card, and said with sincerity, "You really have some amazing stuff here" that made me forget about the rough time we were having.

Perhaps you have or will have a more overall profitable and successful Farmer's Market in your area, but before getting a booth it is best to check out the market to get a feel for it. Ask the vendors what their opinions are on how successful the market is, and if they would attend again. Also check into how the event is organized and advertised.

I hope this has been helpful to you, and thank you so much for reading.

Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
http://1337art.silkfair.com

Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted.

Have you signed up for our newsletter? Sign up here!

Etsy Artist Feature 21 : clairelaraine

It is important to show the world the charms of handcrafted items, and I plan to do this one artist at a time. Today I feature Claire Laraine from North Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Below you can find her interview:

1. What is the first memory of crafting that you can recall?

Since I can remember I have had a love of fabrics, colour, pattern but most importantly, creating. I have spent years gathering and hoarding scraps of fabrics, beads, buttons, ribbon, anything that I thought might just be useful for something!

2. What do you specialize in?

I specialize in making accessories (bags, purses, pocket mirrors, jewellery, notebooks etc) and follow the mantra of 're-new and re-use', no little scrap of fabric can escape, I am always on the hunt for faded remnants, or a fragment of jewellery I can bring a new lease of life to. My mission is to find all the 'forgotten' fabrics in the world and make them beautiful again. I like the idea that when you make a purchase from Claire Laraine, you will be helping us to do 'our bit' for the environment together.

3. What made you decide to open up a shop on Etsy?

I already had my own website with an online shop, but decided to become a part of Etsy because I liked the idea of being 'surrounded' by other great creative people.

4. How did you choose your shop name?

I chose to use my actual name!

5. What are your hopes for the future?

In the immediate future I hope to continue to build my online business, and branch out into other areas, I hope to be able to provide every accessory anyone could possibly want! Then further in to the future I hope to be able to open a bricks and mortar shop, and sell all my lovely handmade creations, as well as some of those that I have featured in my 'Partners in Crime' venture.

6. How do you feel about custom orders?

I am always open to custom orders, especially as I work with re-newing and re-using fabrics and 'found' items, I would be happy to make something for somebody from a special piece of fabric they might have, or a favourite button or something similar!

7. Try to sum up your workspace in as few words as possible.

Quite small but very full! Inspiring to work in, and it says lots about me.

8. Is there anything else you would like to add?

I would also like to mention in more detail about my 'Partners in Crime' blog, where I feature other UK sellers and their lovely creations, and I will soon be running monthly give aways. So, please have a look and support lots of other fabulous crafters. http://www.clairelaraine-partnersincri me.blogspot.com

How can people get in contact with you?

email me - mail@clairelaraine.com

Thank you so much for reading! Feel free to visit Clair Laraine's Etsy Shop today!

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
http://1337art.etsy.com
http://1337art.silkfair.com

Elite Art for the elite at heart. Featuring jewelry for men and women, art collage, awareness items, bookmarks, cell phone charms, hair accessories, key chains, kilt pin brooches, wine charms, and more.

Custom orders are accepted.

Have you signed up for our newsletter? Sign up here!