FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.) How do I use a coupon code at your Etsy shop?

A.) Etsy.com is not set up to accept coupons automatically so there are a couple of ways to go around this. One thing you can do is contact me before placing your order with the items you would like to purchase and the coupon code you would like to redeem. Once I receive this request I would adjust the listings with the discount so you can then add them to your cart and proceed through checkout as normal. The other thing you can do is leave the coupon code in the note to seller box during checkout. Then you have the option to immediately pay with PayPal where I would refund the discount once I receive your order, or you can wait for me to send you a PayPal money request, which is an email from PayPal where you would have to log in to your PayPal account and authorize/conduct the payment.

If you are paying via check or money order and want to redeem a coupon just put the code in the note to seller box during checkout, and I will email you with your new total.

Q.) When are you going to get (insert item name here) back in stock?

A.) I am a one-person business so I do not have multiples of every item I make. If you have been waiting for something to become available in my Etsy or Artfire shops you can send me an email (support@1337art.net) to check availability. Most of the time I would be able to remake the item for you.

Q.) How can I contact you?

A.) You can email me at support@1337art.net or send a letter to:

1337 Art
P.O. Box 291
Vaughn, WA 98394-0291

Q.) I would like to be featured on your blog. What do I need to do?

A.) I appreciate your interest in being featured on my blog. You can send me an email letting me know how you are interested in being featured, (Etsy/Artfire Artisan Feature, Jewelry Box Feature, etc.) what items you offer, and your contact information. I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible. Please be aware that I have the right to reject requests not suitable for my website.

Q.) What is "1337 Art?"

A.) It is an online acronym for "elite" where numbers can be used instead of letters (also known as 1337speak), such as:

1 = L
3 = E
7 = T

Other examples of 1337speak are:

lol = laugh out loud
thx = thanks
ttyl = talk to you later
rofl = rolling on floor laughing
hi2u = hello to you
31337 = elite
1337 = elite (slang)

For more information on 1337speak visit the Wiki article below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1337speak

Q.) What inspires you?

A.) It starts with a cup of coffee, and it can lead to a photograph, an emotion, colors, or textures. Sometimes I sit down with my beads and pendants and components and my pieces make them selves. Other times I find a new bead or pendant or material, and it starts telling me its story.

Q.) Do you offer coupons and discounts?

A.) Yes. You can occasionally find them advertised on my website and in my email newsletters. You can sign up for the __1337 Art newsletter by imputing your email address in the box in the right hand column.

Q.) Do you have a store front and/or sell locally in shops?

A.) At this time I only sell online in the following places:

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

Q.) How often do you add new items?

A.) I have a full time day job so sometimes it's hard to find the time to create, make, design, photograph, list, write a description for, edit, price, package, etc. new items. My goal is to add at least one item a week, and I have high hopes that in early 2010 (if not sooner) I can reach my goal every week.

Q.) Do you accept custom orders?

A.) Yes, and you can check on the status of custom order requests on my website and shop announcements. There are times when custom orders are closed, such as around the holidays.

Q.) What payment methods do you accept?

A.) I currently accept PayPal, credit cards (via PayPal), checks, and money orders. I am working on adding Google Checkout in the near future.

Q.) How long does it take to receive an order?

A.) I do my best to package and ship orders as quickly as possible. For Domestic US orders the turnaround time is approximately 1 - 3 business days for an order to ship. For Canada and International orders the turnaround time is approximately up to 4 business days for an order to ship.

All packages are sent via the Postal Service standard shipping. Domestic orders take approximately 2 - 5 mailing days to be delivered. This is not a guaranteed time, and delivery can be delayed due to natural disasters and holidays. Canada and International orders take approximately 5 - 10 mailing days to be delivered. This is not a guaranteed time, and delivery can be delayed due to natural disasters, holidays, and Customs.

Q.) How do I place an order?

A1.) On Etsy: You need to register for an account. Please see this link for helpful information. Then you visit my shop: http://1337art.etsy.com and add the items you would like to purchase into the cart. Once you are done shopping you click on the cart link at the top left hand of the page. Once there you go through each step (shipping address, payment method, final review of items in your cart) then you click "commit to buy." Then you will need to click on the PayPal button, and you will be forwarded to PayPal where you will log in and submit payment. Once you submit payment, your order is placed and on its way to you!

A2.) On Artfire: You do not need to register for an account. Simply visit my shop: http://1337art.artfire.com and add the items you would like to purchase to your cart. Once you are finished shopping click on your shopping cart in the top right corner of the site. Once in your cart enter your shipping address and any applicable coupons. Then you click on "submit order" where you will be prompted to make your payment. You will be forwarded to PayPal where you would sign in and submit payment. Once the payment is submitted, your order is placed and on its way to you!

Have a question not covered in this FAQ? Please feel free to send an email to support@1337art.net

2 Days Left for Custom Orders!

The holidays are quickly approaching, and if you are still looking for something special you have 2 more days to place a custom order with __1337 Art. You can take a look at some of my previous custom made jewelry and accessories here:

http://1337-art.deviantart.com/gallery/#Customs

If you have a budget or a general idea of what you would like please feel free to contact me via email at support@1337art.net I would love to work with you to create something special for the person you love.

Thank you for your support, and I look forward to working with you soon.

-
Christina
__1337 Art

Turkey Cooking Directions: Falls off the Bones!

My husband is a great cook (he should be a pro chef) and I thought I'd share his little recipe on how to make a tender and juicy turkey this Thanksgiving.

12-25 pound Turkey (100% Thawed Turkey)

Temp. 375 (F)
Cook Time: 2-2.5 Hours (DO NOT OPEN EVEN ONCE!)
Don't Open Oven and Don't Open Foil for 2-2.5 Hours!!!
Keep Turkey Covered at least in TIGHT Aluminum Foil!!! NO Venting!

Ingredients (WHOLE) (No Stuffing Recipe)
Rinse out carcass and rinse outside of Turkey with water.

Salt (Cupped Handful) rub inside of the carcass.

Goal: Fill cavity!
1 or 2 Onions (Peeled)
2, 3, or 4 Apples

Gently rub butter under the skin of the turkey starting from the sides keeping the top and bottom of the skin attached, careful not to break the skin. Also rub outside of turkey with butter.

After 2-2.5 hours if the leg comes off or just the bone comes out and leaves the meat in tray then its done!

Broil to desired brown.

Cut, EAT!!!!

Warning meat may fall off the bone due to tenderness and juicy-ness ;)

Holiday Shipping Schedule Deadlines

Holiday Deadline to receive your gifts by December 25th:

Africa/Central & South America Customers:
December 3rd

Canada Customers:
December 6th

International Customers:
December 6th

Domestic US Customers:
December 10th

All orders are mailed First Class via the United States Postal Service. Please contact me if you need to expedite your shipping method at an additional cost.

And remember that I offer Free World Wide Shipping for all orders over $25.00! Any shipping upgrades will be at an additional cost.

Monday Special!

***Free Gift with Purchase***

Receive a free pair of beaded hair pins with any size purchase. Just leave the code "freegiftblog" in the comments section during checkout. Colors will vary but feel free to specify a preferred color, and I will do my best to accommodate.

You can visit at my shops below:

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

And remember that I offer Free World Wide Shipping for all orders over $25.00!

10 Tips on Being Green this Holiday Season

1. Reuse old gift wrap/tissue paper or magazines and newspapers to wrap gifts.

2. Send email gift certificates instead of plastic gift cards if possible. Or give cash.

3. Bake holiday cookies and cakes instead of buying them to reduce packaging waste.

4. Send holiday emails instead of paper cards via snail mail. If you still want to send cards look for plantable cards - most are made with recycled paper, and they contain flower seeds so the card can be planted.

5. Throw a holiday get together with lots of friends and family to save on food costs, energy, water, electricity, etc.

6. Plan shopping trips to save on gas.

7. Use old jars as vases or for the ingredients of a cookie/cake recipe (just tie a tag with the recipe around the neck of the jar - makes a great gift!)

8. If you are buying someone an electronic device do some research and also provide them with a list of places where they can dispose of their old one.

9. Write gift lists, wish lists, to do lists, etc. on the back of old bills, scrap pieces of paper, even the newspaper instead of using a new clean sheet.

10. When mailing packages to friends and family out of state be sure to use envelopes and packaging materials that are recycled.


Do you have any tips you would like to share? Please feel free to leave a comment.

Thank you for reading,

-
Christina

Poll Results: The Best Sale

With the holidays quickly approaching it is time to start thinking about sales. They heavily influence where a customer makes their purchase. I conducted a brief poll of 211 participants with different "sale" options to see what was the most favored. Free shipping was the most popular with buy one get one free in a close second. Interesting results to keep in mind if you are a shop owner.

I recently started offering free global shipping for orders over $25 so it looks like I am heading in the right direction.

I hope these results are helpful to you, and be sure to check back next Tuesday for more poll results. If you have any suggestions for future poll results that you would like to see please feel free to leave a comment.

Thank you for reading,

-
Christina

Poll Results: Shipping Turnaround Time

I conducted a survey with 168 participants regarding their desired turnaround times for their orders to be shipped. You can view the results in the above image, and below you can read some of their helpful comments:

"I understand that people don't always have time to ship immediately. So, the Tuesdays and Fridays option. (I'm used to 6 months long waits....)"


"I said other because usually artists have two jobs, a "regular" job and their artwork...if you balance out all of that and life in general, it comes down to when your next free day to go to the post office is

From a business stand point however, and given the way some customers can be absolutely horrible (if it arrives so much as one day later than what you said, they post nasty reviews all over the internet and tell their acquaintances not to buy from you, so on and so forth) I would say Tuesdays and Fridays."


"Well, a shipment asapc would be the best, and by ASAPC I mean "as soon as you possibly can", when you receive the payment etc.
If there is to be a delay, I'd like to know about it, I'd appreciate it!

I hope this was helpful "


"It depends if you pay for shipping. If shipping was free then i wouldn't mind waiting a week or two for it to be shipped, but if i had paid for shipping, especially if it was expensive, then i would expect it to be shipped the next day, or within a few days if it wasn't too expensive.
Hope i helped "

Thank you so much for reading. I hope these results were helpful to you. Be sure to check back next Tuesday for more poll results.

-
Christina

What is 1337 Art?

1337 Art is a slang of the Internet language "leetspeak" where numbers are used in place of letters. The 1 is an L, the 3 is an E, and the 7 is a T. The translation: Elite. I design jewelry and accessories, and I want to show people that a piece of jewelry is not just a piece of jewelry - it's a work of art.

Art extends far beyond paintings and pictures. I cannot draw or paint, but I can make jewelry. The pieces I design are elite to my abilities. As you can see in some of my listings I also use words to bring the piece of jewelry to life.

Art is everywhere. The artwork you create is elite to your abilities.

Now Offering Free Shipping Worldwide

For orders over $25.00! With the holidays coming up I wanted to offer my customers something they can really take advantage of. So now when you place an order through either of my shops:

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

You will get free shipping if your order is over $25, after any applicable discounts. Your shipping charge will be refunded after your order is placed.

Are You in the Halloween Spirit Yet?

I'm a little too old for trick-or-treating, and too young to have kids of my own so what is left to do for fun? Hold a Halloween Party for adults perhaps?! I found some very tasty sounding recipes for different beverages that would be a great addition to any Halloween Party.

I can already see boring offices transformed into festive spooky fun, and something for the teenagers to get excited about. (imagine that!)

I hope these found recipes bring you some Halloween joy.

Bug Juice Smoothies

2 cups vanilla yogurt
2 large bananas, cut into chunks
1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Candy:

Gummy worms and/or gummy bugs

1. Place all ingredients in blender, except for the candy. Cover and blend on high speed about 30 seconds or until smooth.
2. Pour into 4 glasses.
3. Serve immediately garnish with gummy worms or bugs.

Makes 4 servings.

Halloween Fizzy Punch

6 cups cold orange juice

1 (16-ounce) bottle cold lemon-lime soda
1 pint orange sherbet - divided use

1. Place orange juice in a large pitcher.
2. When ready to serve, stir in lemon-lime soda.
3. Place 1/4 cup sherbet into 8 punch cups. Pour orange drink over sherbet and serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Hot Spiced Harvest Brew

3 cups boiling water
1 (6-ounce) package orange gelatin
4 cups boiling apple juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 cinnamon sticks for garnish (optional)

1. In a large bowl, stir boiling water with dry gelatin until completely dissolved. Stir in boiling apple juice and cinnamon.
2. Serve hot with cinnamon sticks, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Mmm...Enjoy! And thank you for reading.

P.S. The pictured jewelry can be found at my Etsy Shop. The Jet and Topaz Moon Earrings are temporarily out of stock, and I will be getting another pair of those available this week.

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Special!

It's Monday again, and I am offering another special. This week I am offering FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING in all three of my shops!

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

All you have to do is type "freeshipblog" in the comments to seller at checkout. Once I receive your order I will refund your shipping charges via PayPal unless you prefer to wait for a revised invoice.

Even though it's only the middle of September, I can feel the holiday spirit in the air. Now is a great time to start your shopping. If you do it early it will reduce last minute stress.

What I’ve been up to.

Upcoming and New Designs:

*Journalism Bookmark
*Halloween Themed jewelry & accessories
*Limited Edition Cameo rings, necklaces, brooches, & earrings
*1337 Jewelry including earrings, necklaces, and bracelets
*Vintage Jewels - rings, studs, and earrings
*Birthstone pieces including bookmarks, earrings, and necklaces
*Collage/Mixed Media jewelry pieces
*Cell phone charms
*Zipper pulls
*Christmas Themed pieces
*& more!

Coming Back into Stock:

*Journalism Earrings

If there is something that you have been waiting for to come back into stock please let me know. I do not always remake every item that I sell.

Other Items of Interest:

*Working on another email newsletter. If you have signed up yet you can find the sign up box to the right.
*Trying to get my studio set up. It’s slow progress, but in the coming weeks my husband and I will make a lot of progress.
*Deciding whether or not I will do one Holiday craft show this year.
*I plan to stock up on inventory in all three of my shops:
Artfire - http://www.1337art.artfire.com
Etsy - http://www.1337art.etsy.com
Made it Myself
*Working on adding items directly on this site (www.1337art.net) for purchase.
*Email gift certificates

Remember: The custom order deadline is November 30th, 2009.

Be sure to check back tomorrow morning at 6:00am Pacific Time for another Monday Special - exclusive to my blog readers.

Thank you so much for reading! Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

-
Christina

Wordless Wednesday

Poll Results: Halloween Jewelry

I recently held a poll regarding the popularity of Halloween themed jewelry. There were 213 participants, and the majority of them were thrilled with all things Halloween. I'm surprised that vampires did not rank higher, and that the witches had only one fan. (I was a witch for Halloween for about 5 years in a row!)

There is still plenty of time before Halloween. I have already introduces some skull cameo earrings in my Etsy Shop, and I have a few more skull cameo pieces up my sleeve as well as some Halloween colored goodies. Maybe a couple of other themes if things work out as planned.

What is your favorite part about this holiday? I liked dressing up in school and having little class parties. In Elementary school we used to do a costume parade - so much fun! Now I think I like the candy corn Hershey kisses the best.

I hope these results were helpful to you artisans out there. Thank you so much for reading.

-
Christina
__1337 Art

Monday Special!

For today only I am offering my blog readers a special treat - a Monday special! I have been thinking about offering a daily special on my blog for awhile now, and I think it is a great day to put it for a test drive. Today I am offering you the first pick of my brand new (and not yet listed in either of my shops) Vintage Jewels adjustable rings. There are three gems to choose from, and they are genuine vintage Swarovski crystals. The silver ring settings are also vintage. Each gem measures 8mm x 10mm.

Retail Price: $18 each.
You Pay: $15 each.

You also get free shipping!

(International readers please contact me to purchase)

These crystals are very beautiful. Their surface is like liquid.

You can pay directly here on my blog using the form below with either your PayPal account or a credit card. It's safe and easy!

Each ring will arrive in a black cotton filled box and an organza bag. Perfect for gift giving, stocking stuffers, or a special gift just for you.

After today I am going to list these rings in my shops at full price with shipping. Once these rings are gone they are gone.

Have another coffee and enjoy the rest of your day. Thank you for reading.

-
Christina
__1337 Art

Artisan Feature - Carvel Country Soaps

It is important to show the world the charm of handcrafted items, and I plan to do this one artist at a time. Today I feature Carvel Country Soaps from Alberta, Canada. Below you can find her interview:


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

I remember as a child, being no more than 6 or 7, helping my mom's friend sew doll clothes for my cabbage patch kids. I remember being thrilled to choose the materials for each outfit from her scraps and then see those scraps become something. It was very fascinating for me.

2. What are some of your favorite past times?

When I am not making soaps and things, I enjoy reading, golfing, curling, and scrapbooking.

3. What do you specialize in?


I specialize in handmade, paraben free bath and body products.

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

Let's face it, those of us with shops on Etsy are there to sell, I saw opening up my shop as a way to get my products more exposure. The friendships and daily chats are an added bonus, I've met so many fantastic people because of Etsy.


5. How did you choose your shop name?

Carvel Country Soapworks- I live in a rural setting near the hamlet of Carvel & I make soap and other goodies. I love my shop name, it really ties everything together.


6. What are your hopes for the future?

Over the past few years I have seen tremendous growth in Carvel Country Soapworks both locally and on Etsy & I hope this trend continues. I am hoping to expand my product lines as well as add additional wholesale accounts.

7. How do you feel about custom orders?

I love custom orders! I offer a number of fragrances and colors and will gladly put custom orders together. I have worked with a number of customers for various events such as baby showers, weddings, birthdays as well.


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

Bright, Spacious, my escape.

You can visit Carvel Country Soaps' Etsy Shop here:

http://www.carvelcountrysoaps.etsy.com

And you can send Krysta a message via the Etsy Convo system or an email to soapworks@cruzinternet.com

Krysta is also offering a 10% discount for my blog readers! Just enter the promotion code: "BLOG" in the comments to seller at checkout. Just in time for the upcoming holidays! It is not too early to buy your loved ones gifts - and you can't beat handmade either!

Featured Items:

JUMBO Crayon Soap Set
Coconut-Lemongrass Bath and Body Bar
JUMBO Goat Milk Soap Bar

All available at http://www.carvelcountrysoaps.etsy.com

Thank you so much for reading!

-
Christina
__1337 Art

Customer Appreciation!

I just wanted to share this nice feature from one of my customers, Katie:

http://inmyownlittleuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/09/etsy-appreciation-photos.html

I appreciate each and every one of you for your support in my growing business.

Thank you!

Site Changes and New Items.

I'm going to be making some changes soon to my blog/website including the ability to purchase items right from here. I am hoping to get that part all together within the next couple of weeks. Some items will be available exclusively from here as well.

I have to admit that __1337 Art is getting big - and it's a lot to handle. New ideas, things to change, etc. are always on my mind like a radio with a broken antennae. I have been lacking on the artist and jewelry box features since I've been back from Maui...and hopefully I can start adding those again soon.

In the picture you will see some lovely 6mm Champagne Rose Stud Earrings, 10mm Deep Purple Paua Shell Stud Earrings, Black and Pink Skull and Crossbones Earrings, and a pair of 10mm Blue Paua Shell Hair Pins. These items are new and available in my Etsy shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

Thank you so much for reading. I'm working on the daily updates. :]

-
Christina
__1337art

My Wedding Jewelry.

It's been one month since we were married in Maui. I cannot believe how fast the time passes. There we were standing on the beach without shoes in our formal clothing at sunset. A sailboat and mountain range behind us, the crashing of the Makena Beach waves...such beauty.

I wanted to share some pictures of the jewelry I wore. The first picture is a bracelet made with black Mother of Pearl and Black Onyx. I didn't wear this piece at the ceremony, but I wore it plenty during the honeymoon. The random black and white swirl of the beads has a lovely iridescent glow to them.

This next bracelet is made with vintage lace, gunmetal, and sterling silver. The toggle is a pretty good size with a heart-shaped filigree pattern...the perfect focal piece. It's really hard not to wear this piece or any of these others on a daily basis. It fits snugly on my wrist, and the chain has enough slack to move.

This extravagant choker features vintage black lace, gunmetal, Karen Hilltribe fine silver, and a very elegant dichroic glass pendant. I originally wanted a large rose focal to match the clasp, but I couldn't get one in time, and this heart pendant was right in plain sight the whole time!

These gunmetal filigree earrings feature black freshwater pearls, sterling silver, and Cubic Zirconia. They are very comfortable to wear, and this is my first pair of chandelier type earrings - so they're extra special. The hearts on the post earrings are large enough to be noticed and to catch the sunlight, and small enough to not distract from the filigree and chains. I really like the way these turned out, and I want to make a variation of these for sale sometime in the future.

This short necklace is made with black freshwater pearls and gunmetal. I wore this alongside my choker, and the lengths worked out perfectly. The heart pendant rested over the pearls, and they both sat tight, yet relaxed.

And yes...I wore a black dress to match!

In a future post I'll have to show off my black diamonds, and I have a story to tell about our trip to Jared's to get our rings engraved...it will open your eyes to the world of "professional" jeweler chains.

Thank you so much for reading.

-
Christina
__1337 Art

Survery Results: Birthstone Jewelry

I recently conducted a brief survey with 190 participants about their interest in birthstone jewelry. If you take a look at the results it appears that necklaces and rings are the most sought after birthstone jewelry.

So as I am building up my inventory for the upcoming holiday season, I will definitely incorporate these results in my designs. If you have any specific designs you would like to see please feel free to comment here or email me at 1337art@gmail.com

I hope these results are helpful to you, and thank you so much for reading!

-
Christina
__1337 Art

Back from Maui and Back to Work!

I recently got back from my Maui honeymoon...very adventurous to say the least. We had some good times.

It's time to get to work! Christmas and the other holidays are creeping up...and I am far from prepared.

I'm moving into my husband's house, and I'm getting my own studio!!! The progress is slow, but every little step is so exciting. At the moment I am beyond thrilled that there is enough space on the floor in there for me to sit down. I still need to work on my thank you cards from the reception, and once I lay out all of my papers and embellishments I hope it rekindles my desire for collage work.

My Goals:

1. Blog daily
2. Add new items weekly to my shops: Etsy and Artfire
3. Send out monthly email newsletters.
4. Organize/finish my studio area.
5. Make many new items!

I am going to go on a supply binge that will hopefully tide me over until after the Christmas season, but I do love my supplies...

(if there is something you are wanting to see more of, at all, or just as a general suggestion please let me know email or comment so I can plan for it. :] )

__1337 Art is taking custom orders again! You can note me or send an email to 1337art@gmail.com with your serious inquiry/request.

Coming Soon:

New Stud Earrings.
Champagne Rose Stud Earrings.
New Gemstone Rings.
Gemstone Chip earrings.
Themed Cameo necklaces. (think Hemingway & Victorian)
Gunmetal and Antiqued Copper Filigree Rings.
Gunmetal and Antiqued Copper Filigree Chandelier Earrings.
And more...(!)

Look forward to daily blog posts hopefully by next week and new items in my shops.

Enjoy your weekend!

-
Christina
__1337 Art

Crafters / Business Owners BEWARE

I advise that you cancel any transaction from Tonya Pendley of Jasper Alabama. She is a scammer. I was recently a victim to one of her many scams. At the end of this post I have included some helpful information from livelaughlovesoap on how to fight back. Something I unfortunately have to do myself.

I took the following post from http://www.byhand.me/ I didn't get it as bad as this artist did, but I still want to spread the word about this scammer in hopes that she gets what is coming to her. And soon:

My shop on ArtFire is called CreativeCritters and in May I made my biggest sale ever, 15 items for almost $500.00. Great, right? Maybe not. After waiting for more than 2 weeks for the check to arrive I emailed Tonya Pendley of Jasper Alabama and suggested she may want to track the check down, in case it had gotten lost or stolen. She said she'd just send me another one. I did actually receive that check about a week later. I deposited it right away and planned to ship the package once the check cleared, which happened a few days later (or so I thought). So I happily ship the package, thinking all is well. Today, more than a week after the check showed up in my account, I receive a notice from my bank stating that the check was written on a closed account and the money had been taken out of my account. I was totally bummed out, of course, and posted on the ArtFire forums about what happened. Some of the artists made some very good suggestions (contact the Attorney Generals for both her state and mine, and include all documentation possible), and I did a bit of research myself. I discovered that Tonya Pendley has pulled this trick on more than one artist, and that she used to have an Etsy account. How low can you possibly go- taking advantage of (and stealing from) fellow artists?! So I'm printing up everything I can find against her and will mail it to the Attny. Generals, and possibly the FBI. My mother said they may be interested, as this occurred in several different states and they've been taking internet fraud a lot more seriously. I had to warn other artists about her though. I may never see my items or the money again, but maybe I can keep this from happening to anyone else. My husband also suggested that I post pictures of the items I sold, in case Tonya tried to sell them on eBay. I do sign my work, but if someone tried, they could probably remove the signature. Anyway, these are the items Tonya Pendley stole from me.

There's a miniature church sculpture, a log cabin sculpture, a Tudor style house sculpture, a scarecrow pen set, a Westie dog pin, a blue house sculpture, 2 Brussels Griffon dog pins, a knit stuffed cat in brown and cream, hearts in roses earrings, my World of Warcraft Tauren Hunter and his pet Lion, a red brick house sculpture, an orange and yellow striped knit cat, a brown and white knit dog, and a black and white knit cat.

Wow, looking at them all like this, makes me realize just how much this woman stole from me. I worked really hard on these pieces, and I really liked each of them. These represent 100's of hours of work. I only hope I can get something out of this. She certainly got FAR more than she deserved.

If anyone has additional information on this woman, please leave a comment for me, or contact me through my studio. And to all artists out there- BE CAREFUL! Because of this, I no longer accept checks. It would be nice if I could just trust everyone, but unfortunately, the world doesn't work that way.

---

Here is the advice from livelaughlovesoap:

First, send a registered letter to the offender, invoicing for the price of the item plus NSF fee. State that you will need to seek legal repercussions if an agreement is not reached and payment is not made in XX amount of time. I recommend providing two options for restitution and, whatever you do, do not accept another personal check from the offender.

Sending this letter registered guarantees that the offender receives it. Keep a hardcopy of this letter for your records.

If you do not reach an agreement with the offender to resolve their debt to you, contact your State Attorney's Office for Bad Checks. Writing bad checks is against the law and you have rights under the law to receive restitution. Writing a bad check is never "an honest mistake." It's a misdemeanor and sometimes a felony.

Once the SAO has opened a case, it will cost the offender hundreds more in court and processing fees. Additionally, the offense will be on their legal record and if they reoffend, they will not be eligible to participate in any deferrment programs. It is in their best interests to take care of this problem with you as agreeably as possible. Otherwise, they can explain their "honest mistake" to a judge.

Remember, you're a business. The world does not end with Paypal or your internet venue. Follow legal channels when appropriate to follow legal channels.

Good luck. :)

Shop Closures July 14th - July 24th, 2009

My shops will be closed from July 14th - July 24th 2009 for my Honeymoon Vacation to Maui, Hawaii!

If you are planning to make a purchase for an upcoming birthday, anniversary, or personal pleasure now is the best time.

http://1337art.etsy.com/
http://1337art.artfire.com/
http://www.madeitmyself.com/user/1337art.aspx

All items purchased during July 14th - July 24th will be shipped after my return.

Mahalo nui loa!

-
Christina
__1337 Art

Time to Think Ahead.

I conducted a small survey with 160 participants regarding when they start shopping for Christmas gifts. If you take a look at this chart you'll notice that a majority wait until November and December.

These results have me thinking about my three shops (I recently opened one on Madeitmyself) and how to prepare them for the upcoming Christmas season.

I want over 200 items in my Etsy Shop, over 150 in my Artfire Shop, and at least 100 in my Madeitmyself Shop.

Since the times are slow I need to take this time to really evaluate my shops, my items, my supplies, etc. to determine what steps I need to take to make this season a successful one. My first step, obviously, is to use this down time to create new designs. Step two: organize my studio. I'm not going to fret and worry about low views and sales at this point, and as a result I have been away from the Internet and all things social networking for the last couple of weeks.

After my Honeymoon/Vacation next month I'm going to look over my design/new idea books and hoard on supplies in August so I can spend August and September sitting in the middle of my bead mess and create until my fingers threaten to stop working. Until then I'm going to utilize the supplies I currently have and work hard to keep my shops inventory stocked (and update my blog more often!)

Thank you very much for reading. I hope this chart is helpful to your business. And good luck this holiday season!

-
Christina
1337 Art

Sunday Snippets

From Hemingway's True at First Light novel:

Fear is a child's vice and while I loved to feel it approach, as one does with any vice, it was not for grown men and the only thing to be afraid of was the presence of true and imminent danger in a form that you should be aware of and not be a fool if you were responsible for others. This was the mechanical feat that made your scalp prickle at real danger and when you lost this reaction it was time to get into some other line of work.

I love, when in the middle of reading, an unexpected gem appears, and it's something that makes you stop. Read it again. Think about it. Read it again. Think some more, sigh, and move on.

Attention Jewelry Artists...

I want to feature your jewelry box!

I am looking for jewelry artists that would be interested in having up to 3 pictures and a brief interview about their own jewelry collection featured on my blog.

Wouldn't it be fun to see what jewelry artists keep in their own jewelry box?

I would also post your name, company name, and one url at the end of the feature.

Please feel free to contact me if you're interested! I'm hoping to feature one artist a week.

Thank you!

-
Christina

New Item Updates - Men's Jewelry and Accessories

It's getting closer to Father's Day, and I've also just been meaning to contribute to my men's jewelry and accessory inventory for quite some time. I have some designs sketched out in my notebook, and I've already ordered the necessary supplies. I hope to be adding more men's items as early as next week with the focus being on necklaces.

If you would like something custom made for your father, grandfather, boyfriend, husband, or any other man in your life please feel free to email me at 1337art@gmail.com I would love to work with you to create something he will cherish.

Thank you so much for reading!!

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.]

Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, stud earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

You can also find _1337 Art on:
Twitter / Myspace / Live Journal / Deviant Art / Etsy / Artfire

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Trying to find the time.

I have been spending almost all of my spare time either trying to relax after a long week at work or working on new items for my shops. What I thought I knew about time management has seem to have gone out the window, and I haven't felt like I've had the time to create enough original pieces.

I've been focusing on stud earrings because I do love them, and a lot of people like them too.

I am having a real problem trying to clean up (as well as organize) my home studio so I can be most productive with my off time.

These next few days I'm going to try very hard to make a noticeable effort to clean things up. If you have any tips please feel free to post them! And if I pick anything up I'll be sure to pass the tips on to you.

Thank you so much for reading!!

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
[Elite Art for the elite at heart.]

Featuring jewelry for men and women, awareness items, bookmarks, brooches, cards, cell phone charms, clip on earrings, stud earrings, cuff links, hair accessories, wine charms, and more!

You can also find _1337 Art on:
Twitter / Myspace / Live Journal / Deviant Art / Etsy / Artfire

Wordless Wednesday

Free Gift Promotion for May

In honor of Mother's Day I have decided to offer a free gift to my customers.

You can either:

Buy two pairs of stud earrings get one pair of 7mm round stud earrings in crystal clear or jet black Swarovski Crystal free!

Or you can:

Spend $10 or more (before shipping) and get a pair of crystal clear or jet black 7mm round stud earrings free!

There is a limit of one free pair of stud earrings per order.

****
You can get three pairs of handmade stud earrings for as low as $8! I have a variety of other stud earrings in sterling silver, surgical steel, shell, aluminum, gemstone, glass, and more! Prices will vary.
****

The free gift will be mailed out in its own black cotton filled box tied with a pink ribbon. You can give this to your mother on Mother's Day (Sunday, May 10th) or you can keep it for yourself.

This free gift promotion is available in both of my shops:

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

Thank you so much for reading!!

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
[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!

You can also find _1337 Art on:
Twitter / Myspace / Live Journal / Deviant Art / Etsy / Artfire

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Musings - Coffee!

The sweet elixir. Nothing beats the smell of fresh coffee brewing in the morning before you trudge off to work. Nothing brings coworkers together quite like coffee either. It's like a universal language with the words being "friendship" and "mmm..."

I've been drinking it since I was 12, and since then I have turned many people onto it. Even after so many mornings, afternoons, evenings, and nights I am always awe stricken when this beautiful liquid touches my tongue.

It's flavor and stimulating effects are like a recipe for inspiration. It heightens my creativity, and it is also relaxing. I don't drink coffee for the caffeine. I drink it for the taste - for the experience.

And off I go. To see if I can catch my favorite barista at the local coffee shop. Enjoy your day and your coffee!

Featured Product: Coffee Addiction Bookmark - available at my shop:

http://1337art.etsy.com

See Also: My How to Make a White Chocolate Mocha at Home post.

Thank you so much for reading!!

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
[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!

You can also find _1337 Art on:
Twitter / Myspace / Live Journal / Deviant Art / Etsy / Artfire

Artfire Artist Feature - kickinskreations

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

Today I feature kickinskreations from Ellenville, New York. She makes beautiful candles in the shapes of baked goods, alcoholic beverages, and so much more. Each one looks good enough to eat.

Below you can find her interview:

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

I first started out making soap.


2. What are some of your favorite past times?

I love to create new candles, also line dancing.


3. What do you specialize in?

I don't really have one area, but I prefer to make the candy dishes.

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

I read up on it and looked at the shops, seems like a great way to get my items out there.

5. How did you choose your shop name?

My name came from my yahoo name "kickin" which in turn came from my line dancing.

6. What are your hopes for the future?

I would like to have my store be a success and in turn make my family's life all the more better.

7. How do you feel about custom orders?

If there is something a person wants and I am able to make it , sure I would.

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

My kitchen.

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

Life sometimes throws curves, I needed to find something to help me get around that curve and kickinskreations is helping me do so.

You can visit kickinskreations studio:

http://kickinskreations.artfire.com

and you can email directly at thisthatanthensome@yahoo.com


Thank you so much for reading!!

-
Christina
CM Designs dba 1337 Art
[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!

You can also find _1337 Art on:
Twitter / Myspace / Live Journal / Deviant Art / Etsy / Artfire