BELT BUCKLES brand spanking new product!!!! and yes, of course, a giveaway!!!

I had this idea that I needed to do belt buckles. I mean, how cool would that be? My buttons are the perfect size, 2.25 inches round. Soooo, I found all the parts and put it all together. It took a few weeks to get exactly what I needed. Now, I have it all going on. My daughter wanted the British Flag so I started with that one.

This buckle is on a 1.5 inch black leather belt from Tandy leather. I am not going to be selling the belts, just the buckles. Go ahead and get yourself exactly what you want belt wise. These belts are made with 2 screws that come undone so you can put the buckle on it. This way you can buy as many buckles as you want, but you only need one belt. There are a few people selling these types of belts on Etsy. You need it to be about 1.5 inches in width.

You can order just about any of my designs to go on a belt buckle. I will make a custom listing so you all can just tell me what you want. I'm thinking pink sugar skull? or maybe Hello Kitty playing guitar? I don't know, you tell me.

Okay, the giveaway part. I am going to give away one belt buckle to a random lucky winner on Monday May 11th. What to do to be a part of the drawing:

1. Check out my etsy shop http://www.flirtbuttons.etsy.com/ and heart my shop (add as a favorite)

2. Pick your top 3 designs that you would want as a belt buckle, from any pocket mirror or bottle opener design, and list them here on the blog as a comment.

3. Follow my blog

okay so that's it, just 3 things. easy peasy schmeasy.

Can't wait to hear from you. -Sharon

FREE SHIPPING IN APRIL, TO ANYWHERE

I am running a free shipping to anywhere special. I figured since there is always a lot of complaining about shipping internationally, that I ought to help everyone out. If you would like free shipping, please take a peek at my shop!

CUPCAKES CUPCAKES CUPCAKES

One of my favorite subjects is cupcakes. I just love them. I make them all the time for friends and family. The women yell at me about the calories and the men just eat them by the handfuls. So, I have made several items with cupcake fabric. They are horribly nonfattening and not delicious to eat at all. But they are so darn cute!!!!! My favorite fabric is this great pink with cupcakes. Here are some other items I found on Etsy made with the same fabric.

1. Very cute patchwork scarf by http://www.madamecupcake.etsy.com/

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16096243

2. An adorable little reversible pinafore by http://www.sugarflower.etsy.com/

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=13998968

3. A great little girl's headband by http://www.sweatp07.etsy.com/

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17212181

4. The fanciest tutu dress ever, by http://www.sdemke.etsy.com/

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19599366

5. and last but not least this awesome purse by http://www.purseona.etsy.com/

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11552188

Hope you love them!!!!

12/28/08 January will be custom month!!!

January will be custom month!!! Let me know if you need anything in your own fabric, graphics, pictures or even words.Perfect time to get shop promos. I have always done custom work, but didn't want to advertise it in my busy holiday season. Now that things have slowed down, I can focus on custom work!!!!!

Q. So, what would I have made if I wanted to do something custom???
A. 1. If you make purses , maybe you would like some of your popular fabrics made into pocket mirrors to match your purses. Always a nice extra for your customer to purchase or as a gift. I have several purse designers that send me fabric in the mail and then I make mirrors for them for a very low price!!!
2. You are an artist and would like to have some smaller, less expensive items to sell or give out with your images on them. You could have magnets made in 2.25 inch or 1 inch sizes, pocket mirrors, bottle openers, pin back buttons or even jewelry. Just take a look around my shop at all the possibilities. Your artwork makes great promos and gifts for relatives. Some people really don't know what to do with a full size painting or print. Originals can be cost prohibitive, but magnets are definitely affordable. All you would have to do is email me your artwork, or let me choose from your website. I have put together some great starving artist beginner packs for as low as $20 including shipping. Just so you know, I have a B.F.A. and an M.S. in textile design and I am very profficient with Photoshop.
3. You own a shop and maybe you need some promos. I can put your logo on anything I make, and if you buy in quantity, like 12 or more, I can give you a wholesale rate.
4. You are getting married, maybe you need a save the date magnet for people to put on their refrigerators. What an excellent reminder. You might like photos of the bride and groom and the date on any of my items??? Many brides have a theme and favorite fabric that they want me to make pocket mirrors as wedding favors. I have even made some beautiful pendants to match, for the flower girls.
5. You have a boutique, maybe you need some small inexpensive items for impulse purchases at the counter? You could send me fabric you have chosen, or request some styles that would do best in your shop.

I am here to work with you on your needs, wishes, wants and dreams. Whether it be for resale, gifts, or just for you to hoard for yourself. I have several repeat custom customers that are happy as pie with my service and products. The pictures included in this post are from my customers.

big time holiday sale!!!!

gobble gobble gobble happy thanksgiving, hope you have a great day and stuff yourself to the brim. If you happen to be shopping today 11/27/08 I will throw in a free pocket mirror with every order. just have to have the sale date be 11/27/08

~~~FROM NOW, NOVEMBER 26TH THRU DECEMBER 1ST, FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS OVER $20 TO ANY DESTINATION (PAYPAL WILL BE REFUNDED)~~~

~~~ALL SINGLE POCKET MIRRORS WILL BE $3.50 EACHor 6 for $15 or 12 for $25 or 50 for $90 SALE ENDS AT MIDNIGHT E.S.T. DECEMBER 1ST ~~~


And please don't forget to make personal requests. If you see something you like and wish it came as something else, let me know!!! If you like the fabric as a pocket mirror but really need a bottle opener, I can do it!!!

Also, I need a December sale, any requests???? I haven't decided what to have for my sale.

11/16/08 Indie Craft Experience Holiday Shopping Spectacular Review

The Indie Craft Experience Holiday Shopping Spectacular 2008 will be a day of celebrating the best handmade indie goods around.If you have any holiday shopping to do - Mark Your Calendar!Saturday, November 15, 11-6 p.m.at Ambient + Photo Studio Located at 585 Wells St. SW Unit A * Atlanta, GA 30312
Review:
CONS
The only negative, was lighting!!! I know we would have sold atleast 25% more if we had lighting. It was very dark in the center aisles. The part that irritated me about that problem was that the girls had said that there was light and that we didn't need to bring any. Because we all would have brought our lights and electrical cords, if we knew lighting was a problem.

PROS
The place was very cool!! A great big high ceilinged, hardwood floored old warehouse.
They promoted properly and so there was a ton of shoppers. All sorts of fun and interesting people came to shop. It was definitely the place to be yesterday!!!
The crafters were fabulous, interesting, fun, and creative This was not your ordinary craft festival. I was able to find exciting, fun and unique items for my children's birthdays coming up (shhh, I bought a sideshow creature from www.zomberella.com). I bought fresh made the night before, lavendar soap. I also shopped from http://www.lintyfresh.com/ This guy has very cool tshirts and he is a great sales person. He knows his product inside and out, and is incredibly helpful when it comes to fit. I bought myself a beautiful, incredibly wellmade hairband from the girl next to me, http://www.easyedges.etsy.com/ . Her prices were fantastic. Did I mention that everyone had wonderful pricing??? You could afford it all. The girl across from me was selling very funky handmade metal belt buckles that were also bottle openers, http://www.myspace.com/buncombebuckles. I bought from Wren, of http://www.loveyu.etsy.com/ some very cute squirrels that face each other so they can kiss. My kids love their kissing squirrels. Oh and there was a woman with tons of fabric. http://www.shop.someartfabric.com/main.sc I found a fabric that I desperately needed and some others that I wanted very bad!!! My partner in crime, Diane from http://www.dkdesigns.biz/ bought a purse pattern from the fabric lady.

and what did I sell???? absolutely everything. My brand new, made on Wednesday bracelets were a huge hit. I have orders coming out my ears for them. My pocket mirrors sold well and were grabbed up by a brick and mortar store for resale. I sold lots of magnets and earrings and rings and bottle openers. It was a great show. I'm glad I had sales help.
http://www.flirtbuttons.etsy.com/

I got to meet http://www.fluffyflowers.etsy.com/ and also http://www.soshesews.etsy.com/ these are some great girls with wonderful stuff!!!

11/4/08 a new update about my crackhead mirror supplier

If you don't know about my crackhead mirror supplier please read my 10/13 blog. It will inform you of the insanity I have to go through as a button maker dealing with suppliers.

then I wrote on 10/14:

we left off yesterday with a box of 250 mirror parts and 500 shims. I only needed 250 shims. Why did he overnight 250 sets of mirror parts along with my shims????
I don't know, but TODAY a box came and it contained........250 shims.
Should we take bets on whether or not something will come tomorrow?
Meanwhile, can you guess what I have been making?????


today's info:

Did we ever discuss what happened to the 1000 one inch buttons that were originally shipped to me?
Well, I asked my crackhead friend what he would like me to do with them. He sent me an email with a return form for FEDEX. Which is all well and good but it's yet another thing to organize and then drop off at another location. So, I of course procrastinated. Meanwhile I got a decent size order for one inch buttons, and lo and behold I was out of them!!!! So, I emailed the guy and said that I would like to keep the 1000 one inch buttons, and could he please invoice me with Paypal. I thought this was a win win situation. He gets paid, and I don't have to find a FEDEX location. That was 2 weeks ago. I haven't heard from him, nor have I received a bill from Paypal. Can you guess what all my promos will be next month????

Avondale Estates Autumnfest Review

Hey there!!!
I am back from my weekend festival at the Avondale Estates in Georgia. It started off incredibly chilly and windy and wet! The sun managed to come out and make everything nice and festive. The food was good, excellent kids activities, music and plenty of handmade vendors.
However, We all struggled with sales. I personally felt that I should have made twice as much money. The vendors around me felt the same way. Some were struggling just to make booth fees. I blame it on the lack of advertising/marketing. If twice the amount of fair goers were there, then we all would have made twice the money. It was a difficult location to find because it was back in a neighborhood that was thick with houses and trees. You could not tell a festival was being held there, from the main street. Also parking was at a minimal. You had to park at the church and get bused in. I never saw a sign up at the church for the festival. I'm not saying they didn't have one, but I never noticed it from the street.
The good part was that I got my product out in front of the people. I had a wonderful reception. People ooohed and ahhhed over all my stuff. They bought one inch magnets, pocket mirrors, rings, bobby pins, earrings, Christmas ornaments, my new bracelets (that are not even on my site, pin back buttons, pendants and bottle openers. My bracelets seemed to appeal to women over 40. Probably because they are 8 inch bracelets, which is for a wider wrist. My pendants were bought by and for, girls age 10 to 15. All age groups bought the magnets and rings from age 5 to 65. Pocket mirrors were bought mainly as gifts for girls and women ages 13 to 45. Bottle openers were bought for men and women in the 21-55 age range. It was fantastic to see who was buying and what they were buying.
Then I got home and low and behold I had a ton of orders on Etsy! So I have been a very busy girl this week. Thanks to all my supporters!!!!
My next show is on November 15th. I will get the website and info. for you in the next week.

10/19/08 arts fair coming up 25th and 26th in Atlanta area

10/19/08 where I will be this coming weekend:Historic Atlanta Neighborhood Avondale Estates Presents 2008 AutumnFestCreating a truly original flavor in the middle of historic Avondale Estates, AutumnFest attracts art lovers of all ages with a marketplace featuring over 50 artists and vendors, live music, an AutumnFest caf´, plus art and recreational activities for children.www.avondaleautumnfest.org

10/16/08 Gearing Up for Christmas

Well, I did it! I finally made and then photographed and listed my first Christmas ornament.

If you have been following my blog you will know that my pocket mirror parts supplier is a crackhead and therefore has shipped me an abundance of mirror parts for no reason. Sooo, I had to get crackin' at hustling them out my door. I put them all on a super sale and now I have created a new product with them. I have added an organza ribbon loop to hang the pocket mirror with. TAH-DAH an ornament!!!! It has wonderful light reflection on one side (the mirror) and a nice Christmas or winter themed picture on the other side. And of course you can still just use it as a mirror!

If you see anything in my shop that you would like made into an ornament please let me know. I will gladly make it for you!

10/09/08 update

Come visit all my stuff at my shop:
www.flirtbuttons.etsy.com

10/9/08 Gifts for Men

Today is my Mom's Birthday and I better remember to call her later!

But on with my blog.

I am trying to make sure that I have gender neutral items in my shop. My shop is very girly but that does not mean that these girls do not have men in their lives!!!! So, I have started to list more bottle openers that could be for anyone. I am going to put up some pics of gender neutral bottle openers and bottle openers that women have bought for men, and that men have bought for themselves. So, if you think it may be a little girly, don't look at me, I didn't make them buy it!!!!

I hope that you all take a look at your shops, if you have one, and make sure that you have some gender neutral or masculine items in your shop. Even if it's just a small separate section for women to buy for their man.

here's some of my bottle openers that I promised you!

10/5/08

10/05/08 Join my mailing list for specials, coupons etc... Just convo me on etsy and ask to be on my mailing list. You can have messages sent to your email or convo'd to you, let me know what you would like! orrrrrr leave me a message here as to how you would like me to contact you with sales, news etc.... and always coupons!!!!

here is a coupon code:

08blogfreeship

free shipping good for the rest of 2008 for all USA, Canada and UK shipments

just put the code in your message to seller or convo me.

http://www.flirtbuttons.etsy.com/

have you seen my new rings?????????

9/23/08 yet another day that I do not have to blog!!

Hi Sharon,I just posted a blog post about you: http://scribblenation.typepad.com/Thanks for the shipping refund. Love your shop!

9/13 shopping spree!!!!

Well, I got a few hours off from my kids yesterday and went shopping with my friend Diane. She has www.gottags.etsy.com and some other shops. She had found a wonderful scrapbooking shop over by the Town Center Mall in Marietta, Georgia or maybe they consider that Kennesaw, I don't know. Anyway, the store has great prices and then take 50% off of that!!!! Soooo, I bought some absolutely fabulous papers. You will be overwhelmed by all the new products I will have over the next couple of weeks. After shopping til we dropped in the scrapbooking store, we headed to Joanne's. I bought a little bit of fabric and then some wonderful scrapbook papers, And a rubber stamp of the eiffel tower. Ohhh and the all powerful circle cutter. I needed a circle cutter to cut my 1 inch button papers. I have done it by hand so far, aarrggghhhhh. I don't mind cutting the fabric by hand, but the paper makes me crazy. And did I mention the all powerful giant Hello Kitty sticker book? I will be the queen of Hello Kitty soon.

Spotlight on Starlitnest my favorite fabric shop on Etsy

Hi there,

Thought I would spotlight a fellow Etsian. I just love the customer service that I have received from Alison at www.Starlitnest.etsy.com. We always convo back and forth and she is very friendly and quick with her responses. I almost always have custom orders that she puts together for me. Some how I am unable to just pick something she has already spent the time to put together. I'm just a pain in the neck that way!!!! If I have any questions or need an extra scrap of something she always sends it in my order. Speaking of orders, they come pressed and neat and wrapped in ribbon like a gift. She must be a true fabric lover because her packages are treated with such care.

I went crazy on one inch buttons

New Promo for September, 12 (one dozen) custom one inch buttons for 5 bucks.

Okay so I went a little crazy and ordered wayyyyy too many one inch buttons. But dang it are they cute! I will be listing fabric covered and designer paper covered buttons etc...but back to this listing.You will get 12 one inch buttons and pay $5 plus $2 for shipping in the USA.You can send me artwork or photos or ask for words of your choice.Just remember these are only an inch. Don't go getting crazy on me!Need more than 12? convo me or look for my larger listings

8/18/08

I'm having a sale!!! Buy 2 pocket mirrors or bottle openers and get 1 free. How handy!! Perfect start to the holiday shopping, or if you just need something for you!!!!

I have been so busy this week making new products out of all my new fabrics. You will love them.

Okay well I wish I could go back to Sunday. This week is not working out quite yet. It started with a waterfall from my upstairs bathroom into my family room!!!! I woke up to it at 2:30 a.m. Monday morning. Then Monday evening we had a bad storm and the power went out for more than 5 hours. My neighbors tree split in half in her front yard. Oh joy. Now I'm waiting to see what today brings.
Meanwhile I am working hard on lots of new products!!!! please take a look at my site:
www.flirtbuttons.etsy.com

I can't believe it's Sunday!!!!

This weekend is over, how'd that happen. Maybe because I was so busy working most of the weekend I didn't realize it was coming to an end.

Well I have some new fun products available by the dozen. Blank mirrors, magnets, bottle openers and buttons. You can decorate them yourself. Should be fun for a girl's party or an activity at school.