OOPS I did it again, I think I'm in love

with Bonanzle because by golly I am featured again on one of the hand picked list by none other than STUFF! YES that is REALLY her booth name! LOL

One World One Heart (OWOH) Giveaway!

Well I just couldn’t be left out so I am joining in to do the One World One Heart (OWOH) Giveaway! After all who wouldn’t want to make new friends around the world!

As shared by Lisa, the incredible orchestrator of this world wide connection tool, The whole idea behind doing this and trying to get as many as possible to join in, was and is to meet new and wonderful people. Bloggers come from all walks of life, all socioeconomic backgrounds, all areas of the world, female, male......some are artists exclusively, some dabble, some are professionals in various areas, some are stay at home parents, some are teachers, some are very young and some are up in years. The common denominator in blogging is that we all have stories to tell....be it through visual means or life stories or the day-to-day or art work or handwork of varying kinds or poetry and journaling. We can be inspired or inspire others by finding a blog and taking the time to read/see someones story. Often times a spark happens....this palpable spark of recognition through kindred understanding and shared passions in life. It is in those times when we take a moment to comment and comment again.......when those comments are reciprocated a discovery is made that we share commonalities which connect us sight unseen. Sometimes we may live on separate continents or at either end of the same country or even discover you hail from the same general area. By paying attention, by connecting with others, we are creating a circle of amazing individuals who can literally enhance our lives and we can enhance theirs.

Below are my 3 free gifts that I will ship anywhere in the world! To have a chance to win, you only need to have an active blog and leave a comment on my blog before midnight EST on February 11^th! I will use Random.org Generator to determine the three winners! The winners names will be announced on February 12th and I will contact each winner to let you know you've won. So please be sure I have a way to link back/contact you. So lets get to commenting and all the best to you!

Wire Wrapped Jasper Bead Hoop Earrings

Funky and Eclectic Wire Wrapped Earrings

Green Heart Sterling Silver Earrings

I look forward to getting to know all of you!

TWO items featured On the Front Page of Crobbies too - YIPPEE!

I didn't even realize that along with Stormy Designs, TWO of my items are featured on the front page of Crobbies! WOW! My lime green and bead necklace and Pewter Pearl Earrings! So exciting to be in the forefront of a new and exciting site!

Featured on one of Bonanzle's Hand Picked List

Thanks so much to STUFF on Bonanzle for Featuring me in their Hand Picked Listing

Fill up your jewelry box: RED!

Featured Etsyblogger of the month - RoseworksJewelry

I have no clue why I am so late getting this done! RoseworksJewelry aka Ruthie is one of my absolute FAVORITE Etsybloggers team members!

Hemp Bracelet (one of her newest styles)

I don’t know if I adore her because of how much she is constantly helping her team mates, posting detailed comments on EVERY Single blog posts, sharing an encouraging word, educating and training all of us through her blogs -Roseworks Blog, and Ajedi's Musings… or just her all around loving and giving spirit! Indeed she is a team mate to set your goals and visions to imitate! I love her to pieces!

Purple Snake Bracelet

To top it all off she is one of the most talented Artisians and talk show hosts I know!
She has an phenomenal eclectic mix of jewelry items in her RoseworksJewelry shop and if that was not enough, Ruthie and her mom Patty partner in a new Etsy shop Kindred Spirit Treasures.

I am EXCITED to say I made the FIRST purchase from Ruthie and Patty's Kindred Spirit Shop! See what I purchased! Gorgeous isn't it?!

Purple Cell Phone Charm and its all MINE!

So hats off to you my dear and I hope you get TONS of sales end new followers on Etsy Twitter and wherever else you set your sights~

Donkey Smiles Valentine Candy Blog Give Away

DonkeySmiles is having a blog give away!

THIS IS WHY YOU DON’T TAKE MEN TO THE STORE WITH YOU

THIS IS WHY YOU DON’T TAKE MEN TO THE STORE WITH YOU

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on
her trips to Target. Unfortunately, like most men, I found
shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally
unfortunately, my wife is like most women — she loved to
browse.

Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from
the local Target.

Dear Mrs. Samuel,

Over the past six months, your husband has been causing
quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this
behavior and have been forced to ban both of you from the
store. Our complaints against Mr. Samuel are listed below
and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them
in people’s carts when they weren’t looking.

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off
at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor
leading to the women’s restroom..

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an
official voice, ‘Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right
away.’

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a
bag of M&M’s on layaway.

6. August 14: Moved a ‘CAUTION – WET FLOOR’ sign to
a carpeted area.

7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and
told other shoppers he’d invite them in if they would
bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department.

8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he
began crying and screamed, ‘Why can’t you people
just leave me alone?’

9. September 4: Looked right into the security camera and
used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting
department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants
were.

11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while
loudly humming the ‘Mission Impossible’ theme.

12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his
‘Madonna look’ by using different sizes of
funnels.

13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people
browsed through, yelled ‘PICK ME! PICK ME!’

14. October 21: When an announcement came over the loud
speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed ‘OH
NO! IT’S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!’

And last, but not least.

15. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door,
waited awhile, and then yelled very loudly, ‘Hey!
There’s no toilet paper in here.

Organize what? Blog Carnival

Well I saw the blog carnival I decided to share about how I am organizing my business for paying taxes? I laughed when I saw the subject because I am so horrible with organizing my business stuff. Did you say ORGANIZE? Receipts and paper trails scattered. Is that considered as organized! Oh Boy! Every year I say I have got to do better and actually I do. I don't make enough money to pay a CPA or any other resource I would have to pay to organize anything. This business is still at the beginning stages for me and since the economy is horrible I am confident I had a loss this year. So for me, I do my own organizing like on April 14th (yes I usually file an extension). I gather all of my stuff, put it in a spreadsheet and PRAY I didn't miss anything! Then I give it to my Tax guy to file it for me ( he charges me a nominal fee).

Disclaimer: If a tax auditor is reading or reviewing this data note that all information in this blog is for entertainment purposes only! LOL!

I Know I have been MIA - Miss you

Hi Guys! I know I have been MIA lately. My grand baby has Pneumonia and a double ear infection (yes the cutie pie in the videos). Plus I have just been brain dead and really have taken a sabbatical trying to assess what I am doing here and how I can meet my goals and needs. Blogging is great and talking on the forums is great but I haven't sold over $100 in the past 6 months online. And fact is $70 of that was from one sale during the Christmas Holidays with the other portion being from my Infinitiessupplies shop. So I had to stop, consider my options and say what am I doing and do I need to keep moving in this direction. With the post from RoseworksJewelry about the Bonanzle venue. I have been playing with it a bit knowing that Etsy has far too many jewelry sellers and just have not been able to compete.

I know the economy is in a rough place right now so was also thinking hey maybe I should destash most of my stuff cuz I need the money with no job and then just start fresh when things are more financially stable. Then I had an EPIPHONY MOMENT and thought Hey why not try doing some traveling trunk shows? I send my jewelry with a friend to work or home, they get orders and customer names and I am not spreading myself thin trying to travel to and fro to make sales. I did my first traveling trunk show with my friend Patti who took it to her school and she made $60 bucks. Hey better than nothing. I went to a close friends house this weekend to have her take it to her job and she bought $60 worth on the spot, kept it all and took it to work with her today and so far has about $30 in sales. Hey that aint too bad. So all that said, I am just playing around with different venues and ideas and trying to figure out what I am doing and can do to bring in ACTUAL income!

Know that I miss all of my Etsyblogger team members and my Pluggers United Team members and hope to be back online full force soon!

Huggles to all of you!

Spreader of Love award bestowed upon me

Aww!I feel super special! I truly feel very honored to end the 2008 year with the Spreader of Love Award from the awesome TiltCreations! I was very encouraged by her comments about me and am so glad to be a part of two amazing teams. Etsybloggers Team and Pluggers United Team!




I love this piece from Tiltcreations



















Ok - onto the award rules:
1-Post a copy of the award on your blog post
2-Mention who gave you the award
3-Pass the award on to 4 others (ok so I reduced the number from 6 to 4)
4-Leave a message on their blog letting them know the honor has been bestowed upon them



My choices are...(drum roll)........

Storybeader - I love that her pieces tell a story!

Memoriesforlifesb - I see her love of family & creating memories through her scrapbooking

Quirkydolls - She is just a universal and creative spirit! (Ebony & Ivory)

Shellmitchell is just a kindhearted Artisian! I LOVE her gloves

Dance Video - Take 2 Zionna in motion

She actually speaks this time!

Zionna Dancing

Sorry about side ways video! Zionna dancing to the music!

New Years Resolution - Not really - Blog Carnival

In all honesty, I generally don’t make specific “New Year’s Resolution’s”. I choose instead to consistently set tangible goals throughout the year that I want to reach. Often times at the end of the year I reflect on my past experiences, my progress made and take an assessment if you will of where I am so that going into the new year I can see if I am still headed in the right direction. For me for sure in 2009, I want to be focused more on “Going Green, building a business around it and I also want to focus on my ministry. I really want to help more people to understand who God is and to be used to help people move towards a closer relationship with Him.

Signed,

Unique Commodities

What a Cutie Pie!

Zionna is an amazing cutie and Joy! She was so spoiled this Christmas and spent it with her Grand Parents on her dad's side of the family!! She is truly loved !

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Unique Commodities

Pluggers United - 5th Edition

A great team that is ALL about and for artisans who promote and Pay it Forward to other artisans. Want to be part of this awesome team that's all about supporting and promoting each other? Then come on and check out Pluggers United!

Here are a few items from some of our team members! Buy an item from any of these shops and get free shipping off of your purchase in my shop

Just convo me that you purchased an once I confirm with seller you will have that credit for when you are ready to shop with Unique Commodities!

Mercyming

CrowHavenFarm

Pigatopia

Wordless Wednesday

UNIQUE COMMODIITIES

What in the world?!?!

Ok I am a little late sharing this but today has been a crazy day! It was a crazy week last week with a speeding ticket on Monday (no job) and a car accident on Wed (my fault) and then my son gets a ticket on Saturday night and then to top it off Sunday I lose my dog on keys (yes the whole set)! I can’t find them ANYWYERE - WHAT IN THE WORLD?! I have been borrowing a friend’s car as my new car keys (to the tune of $48) per BMW dealership won't be delivered until Thursday! Go figure!

Well to make things so much better, I found $45 that I hid from myself while looking for my keys so that paid for the replacement car key at least! And what is just as exciting is on Blockhead Rod's radio show last night I won TWO prizes with the most exciting prize being 12 months of free advertisement for a whole year on Blockheadradio’s new website AND I won a WOOT button from the King Plugger Lugger. It was hilarious to see Agoodwitchtoo teasing everyone in the chat room by giving false alarms for the key to call in to win! When Huckleberry Arts finally posted the key phrase to call, I was on it! I was also encouraged that Fluttering Designs shared about my win on her blog! I absolutely love the Pluggers United Team for their “Pay it Forward” and helping hands spirit!

I am most grateful that in spite of all the challenges of the past few weeks, I have undoubtedly received some great kisses!

Pluggers United - 4th Edition

A great team that is ALL about and for artisans who promote and Pay it Forward to other artisans. Want to be part of this awesome team that's all about supporting and promoting each other? Then come on and check out Pluggers United!

Here are a few items from some of our team members! Buy an item from any of these shops and get 20% off of your purchase in my shop

Just convo me that you purchased an once I confirm with seller you will have that credit for when you are ready to shop with Unique Commodities!

PurelyPainting

Thyme2dream

PTFMGraphicssShop

Pluggers United Treasury by PTFMGraphicsShop

Thank you PTFMGraphisShop for the treasury feature of both my Unique Commodities and Infinity Supplies shop! Pluggers United Rocks!

Pluggers United - 3rd Edition

A great team that is ALL about and for artisans who promote and Pay it Forward to other artisans. Want to be part of this awesome team that's all about supporting and promoting each other? Then come on and check out Pluggers United!

Here are a few items from some of our team members! Buy an item from any of these shops and get 20% off of your purchase in my shop

Just convo me that you purchased and once I confirm with seller you will have that credit for when you are ready to shop with Unique Commodities!

RoseworksJewelry

TiltCreations

Sassalynne