Simply Sneaky

Though I've been creating jewelry for years, I decided to officially open my Etsy shop in early May of 2010. I found myself getting frustrated when, after several months, I had no sales and very few views. On August 9, I received an interesting Etsy conversation informing me that I had just been "sneak attacked". Part of me thought that it was probably just spam, but I checked out the link to the weekly thread and found that I, along with two other shops, had indeed been sneak attacked.

What does it mean to be sneak attacked, you might ask? It's when a group of "sneakers" get together in an Etsy forum and advertise, promote, and even purchase from unsuspecting shops. Most shops have few or no sales, and the Sneak Attack is intended to give each shop that extra boost. And trust me, it works. By the end of the night, I had sold six items. This was HUGE for me. It gave me an extra boost of confidence that I so desperately needed.

The second year Sneakerversary (Sneak Attack's second birthday) was yesterday and a HUGE gift basket was won by Hippy Chick Boutique!One of my necklace designs was included in the gift basket along with over $275 worth of other items.

Sneak Attacks are still going on every Monday and Thursday. I try to be present for most of them, but I often find myself at work or in class when they go on. I always make sure to visit the thread to check out and "heart" the shops.

Interested in joining us in the Sneak Attack threads? We are all currently hanging out here! Also, check out the Handmade Movement website for more information about Sneak Attacks as well as schedules for the weekly Sneak Attacks.

Many thanks to the lovely people at Handmade Movement and my fellow Sneakers. You truly are wonderful, caring individuals and I'm so thankful to be involved in this movement! Yay for handmade goods!

- She

Oh, I almost forgot! Here are the two things that I purchased in last night's huge Sneak Attack. There were a total of 17 shops Sneak Attacked last night and 46 sales. How fun!




I got these fun clips from HannSewn!





I also got this festive Halloween soap from StephStrong!
Yahoo!

Birthday Bracelet and Buttons

One of my favorite things to do is give presents to others. Whether it be my sixty-one-year-old mom or my five-year-old nephew, the thought of going out and picking the perfect gift has always excited me. My half sister, Brooklyn, turned two today and I, yet again, got excited and went to buy a gift. I was having a hard time deciding what outfit to get, but I ended up purchasing an adorable grey and white sweater dress adorned with some of my favorite things: buttons! Whether they are vintage or new, it does not matter to me (though I'm a sucker for vintage anything!) Buttons are not only functional, but can be a unique addition to any outfit. I especially love making button jewelry, whether it be earrings, rings, or necklaces. How fun!

Anyway, I found the dress and decided to make a bracelet for her as well. It's so odd making children's jewelry when I'm so used to making adult jewelry. I kept measuring and re-measuring to make sure it was the right length-- it looked like it would barely fit around my finger! Here is a photo of the dress and bracelet as I was getting them ready to ship off to Brooklyn:



Seriously, how cute is this dress? I got it at Target for around $12. What a deal! If only they made it in my size. Sigh..

Anyway, it's bedtime in this house. I'll be posting a button earring how-to soon.. so stay tuned!

- She