New listing on my Etsy shop! Also made a sale!

I listed a new item in my Etsy shop this morning, my first January Challenge entry for the eSMArts team! Please check it out at http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20529775 and let me know what you think of it! I tried something different for this design, and I think I like it, the more I look at it. Stepping out of your comfort zone is difficult for sure!

The listing has already been picked up by CheapTweet. If you want to vote for it, go here and click on the 'Cheap!' button!

On another positive note, I woke up this morning to a sale! My Monet Bling Ring is packaged carefully in its envelope and waiting to be mailed to MA this afternoon! Woohoo!!!

My friend and fellow teammate Wilma has been chosen for an Etsy treasury! Check out the treasury here and check out all the cool 'Aquafied' items, including Whimsey's 'Swirling Seas' lampwork beads. They are gorgeous and I want them bad!!!

Enjoy the eye candy and let me know what you think! })i({

Read Rena's Newsletter!

I had written an earlier post about Rena Klingenberg accepting and publishing my jewelry artist story on her website. Just this past week, when I checked my inbox and saw her latest newsletter, I skimmed through it like I always do. Then, I saw that my story and 3 others, 2 of whom are on my Etsy street team eSMArts with me (Wilma and Teri), were featured in her newsletter! What a great thing to happen! What great exposure!

So, please, read her latest newsletter. Click here to go to Rena's latest newsletter.

If you do not get them already, I highly suggest you subscribe. You will find them informative and very interesting. I learn all sorts of little hints and tips and tricks and display options and the like.

Plus, she's a super-friendly woman who takes time to answer her emails, and I know she has to get a whole lot every day! She even tracked down someone's email address for me because they commented on my story. I think that's top notch service and the sign of a professional businesswoman like she is!

Anyways, I will post again shortly, I had to reformat the computer last night and I'm still getting things up to speed. I am also feeling a big out-of-sorts and depressed, hopefully it will get better in the next day or 2. })i({

My Story Published on Rena Klingenberg's Site

I decided to write my personal jewelry story and submit it to Rena last night. It was a hard story to write, very personal and involved. So much I wanted to mention, and just not enough time or space to do it in!

I wrote about my lifelong, very difficult and continuing battle with depression. I think making jewelry has helped to save me. That and lots of therapy. My therapist loves that I do something to keep me busy and give me an outlet for my anxiety.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm high-strung, a perfectionist, obsessive-compulsive. These qualities are not always negative however, as they drive me to make great-quality jewelry. But, they do bring me a great deal of anxiety as well.

I chose not to mention my Etsy eSMArts team in it for the simple reason that the story was about my personal struggle with depression. I hope I did not offend or anger anyone by doing that. They are a great group and very supportive of me, and I wish to thank them for that. I'm a new member in the group, and they took me in with open arms, just as they do everyone who joins. I think this group will be a fundamental part of my recovery with depression.

So while I toot my own horn here as they like to say, I also toot the horn of my group. You can read my article at http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/how-making-jewelry-saved-me.html. You may read about our group at our blog at http://esmarts.blogspot.com and see our wonderful, growing store at http://esmarts.etsy.com.

Other members of eSMArts have submitted their personal stories as well. Please read theirs, as everyone has a story and everyone has struggles, not any worse than mine necessarily but a struggle all their own. })i({

Wilma (Wilma's Whimseys) - http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/finally-found-what-i-wanted-to-do.html
Teri (S&T Creations) - http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/teri-b-partner-in-s-t-creations.html
Helene (Glass0Beads) - http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/a-jewelry-story-lose-weight-save-money-and-travel-to-spain.html