MY FIRST GIVEAWAY!

Wreaths and wall hangings using dried flowers and distinctive materials to create unique and unusual floral home decor

Help me make my first giveaway a success!  I'd like to reach over 1000 fans on my facebook page and get some views on my newly launched Angelsneverlastings Webpage. (I won the web page setup in a giveaway from Mary of SEO Web Design) I'd also love to bless someone with one of my beautiful unique floral wall hangings.  I was having a problem deciding what to giveaway.  I mean how do I know what would go in your home or what you would like.   My items are such that depending on your home decor - you might prefer one color scheme over another,  therefore, rather than my choosing a item to give --I'LL LET THE WINNER CHOOSE the item of their choice from either my Etsy Shop or my Artfire shop.  Entries are limited to those within the US as dried flowers are problematic to deliver internationally.

Winner will be chosen on 2/14.  Entries must be posted by midnight on  2/11/11.

HOW DO YOU ENTER?  You can have up to five entries - one entry for each of the following.  Please leave a separate comment for each one and include a e-mail address so I can notify you if you win.  I will be carefully keeping track and numbering each comment and using random.org to choose the winner.

1.  Visit my web page at www.angelsneverlastings.com and click on my Etsy shop or my Artfire shop and choose a favorite item or one that you would like to win.  Come back, comment and post a link to that item.  Upon winning, if that item is still available, you can either choose that item or another.

2.  Follow this blog and leave a separate comment stating that you are a follower. (if you are already a follower post a comment stating that you are already a follower)

3.  Tweet about the giveaway and comment here with link to your tweet.

4.  Like my Angelsneverlastings Facebook Page & comment here. (already a fan - that counts -  post comment)

5.  Blog about my giveaway and comment with link. 

Blessings and happy Valentines day.

OTHER GIVEAWAYS THAT MIGHT INTEREST YOU:

http://galla15.blogspot.com/2011/01/treasure-hunt-contest-win-swarovski.html
http://hoganshandiwork.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/giveaway-11511-2911/#comment-86
http://petitehermine.blogspot.com/2011/01/giveaway-1.html
http://myeuropeantouch.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-first-ever-give-away-help-me.html#links
http://www.debbyaremdesigns.com/

Planning a giveaway

Wall Topiary in shades of pink and silver

I am planning to have my first giveaway. I have been thinking about this to celebrate and promote my web page  http://www.angelsneverlastings.com which was launched recently.   My first problem though is that I can't decide what to offer in my giveaway.  I want to offer something that is from my best work.  Here are pictures of a few of my items which I could offer for my giveaway.  I do believe when you give something you should give your best not just something you can't seem to sell and have had too long.  I could offer one of these pieces or even offer a choice.  If you have a moment kindly visit my Etsy shop at Angels n Everlastings and tell me what you would like to receive if you were to win my giveaway.  If you have hosted a successful giveaway -- I would love to hear about your experience.  I would appreciate any comments or advice.

Promotional Frenzy

Tanzanite Crystal Drop Earrings by galla15 on Etsy

Reflecting on the past year, it was a year of joining.  I Joined Facebook along with creating a Angels n Everlastings Fan Page for my business.  I spent oodles of time working the "link love" Facebook system for gaining "likers" for my fan page.  I got plenty of likers and liked plenty of pages but I can't say it has helped with sales.   I joined all sorts of Facebook groups that would help promote my business.  Most of those I've lost contact with except for an occasional e-mail from them.  Some I should reconnect with.  I joined Twitter and followed a bunch of people who followed me back. I joined the Etsy CAST team http://www.etsy.com/teams/6326/christian-artists-street-team-cast?ref=pr_teams which now has over 1000 members. I also joined the CAPS team which concentrates on member promoting.   I started my Angels n Everlastings Artfire Shop in October which needs some love and attention.  I started this blog and recently launched my web page http://www.angelsneverlastings.com.  Then recently for promotion, Stumbleupon, Kaboodle and who knows what else.  All this joining was productive but I can't say that I really have used all these connections effectively.  Recently I came across the Promotional Frenzy Etsy Thread http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6732302 and got involved with their networking.  This is a group which encourages promotion with activities on certain days - for instance,  Monday they host a BNR treasury, Tuesday everyone chooses one item to be promoted, Wednesday is the day everyone is encouraged to blog, Thursday everyone tries to list a new item, Friday is the day to create a Promo Frenzy member treasury and on Saturdays they choose one member for a "solo Frenzy.  Sunday is a day of rest!  I can't do it all but I find this schedule very helpful to encourage me to actively use my blog or to create a weekly treasury.  The leaders on this group really seem to know how to promote and I've learned a lot in the short time I have been involved with them.  For more information on the Promotional Frenzy Thread visit http://galla15.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-promotional-frenzy-thread-huge.html  So this year, I hope to reflect on the connections I have made and try to either use it or lose it.  I can't maintain all the connections I have made but I need to decide which ones to keep and which ones aren't helpful to creating sales or getting noticed.  I think the Promotional Frenzy group will be one of the keepers along with the Etsy CAST team and CAPS team and I encourage you to check them out.  Here are a few creations from the Promotional Frenzy group:

Pomegranate Jewels Necklace - Red Agate and Gold Ribbon by petite hermine on Etsy

Viking knit Bracelet by Prittyfy

NewCreatioNZ - Set of 5 bookmarks

Planning for the new year!

Well, I'm going to pick four things to focus on, improve or change in the new year. 

1.  Photography skills - .  I plan on taking a basic course so that I know how to use my camera more effectively.  I received a tripod for Christmas so I hope that, along with becoming more familiar with my camera will help me take better pictures.

2.  I want to learn more about the internet tools I have.  This past year much time was spent working on my etsy shop shop and starting my Artfire shop, starting a Facebook fan page, twitter,  blog and just recently my webpage.  I joined teams and made connections but don't know that I was very effective in using those internet tools and connections once they were made.   I need to reevaluate the teams I have joined and the connections I have made to be able to keep those I think will be more effective with less time.  I want to blog more and leave comments regularly on other blogs.   I want to spend less time on the internet promoting but I want that time to be more effective.  I will try to avoid sitting at the computer for hours.

3. I need to make some local connections -- Develop some opportunities for teaching wreath making and other craft classes. 

4. Last but certainly not least -- I need to get organized both personally and for my business. Those of us who work from our home -- need to be able to organize our workspace around our living space and vice versa.
I envy those for which organizational skills come naturally.  For me,  I struggle in that area.  Right now my storage space is in need of a major redo.  I also need to organize my personal space and create space to store some of my business supplies, like boxes and stock which are now occupying and cluttering various corners of my living space.

Well, I planned on making three goals but ended up with four.  How about you?  What are your plans for the new year?  Now let me go read some blogs and post some comments..........

Unique handmade Christmas decorations and cards

I love to search on Etsy through all the unique handmade Christmas ornaments and decorations.  There are so many to choose from that it makes it difficult to choose but here are a few of my favorites that I found.

Etsy Finds -Shopping for Christmas on Etsy

There are many places to shop on the internet.  One of those places is Etsy.  Etsy is a site where individual crafters post their handmade items for sale. If you like handmade crafts, you can find all sorts of unique gifts that you will find no-where else.  Etsy has everything to make your Christmas giving special and unique.  Here is the link to their main page. http://www.etsy.com/

Take a look.  You can see there are many categories of handmade items to search.  Here are some beauties I found while searching the jewelry category. 

 If you are looking for handmade one of a kind jewelry there are plenty of choices on Etsy.

Here's a multiple strand freshwater pearl bracelet

Pearls by SabtisDesigns

Or how about Turquiose Blue?

 Earrings by Creations by Tricia

Or Natural Shell assortment

Earrings by SueRunyonDesigns

Or how about copper?

Hammered Copper Earrings by Eagerhands on Etsy

How about a festive red for holiday dressing?

Red Velvet Faceted-Crystal Earrings by BijiBijoux

How my angels come to life

I started selling dried florals and angels some 20 years ago.  I put my business aside a number of years ago and took a job in the business world.   One year ago I decided to once again sell my dried floral home decor and Christmas angels on Etsy.  I didn't realize how things had changed.  There were some gift shops in the area which sold my items years ago. Now they were not interested in them as there is no demand for dried florals.  I suppose you might say "dried florals are so 1980's".  Boy doesn't that make me feel old.  One consignment shop said she remembered my work was beautiful but said they won't sell.   I recall, one local business, Betsy Williams had such beautiful wreaths for sale.  Today, there doesn't seem to be any businesses like that in the area.  The other surprise was that I could no longer obtain the paper twist ribbon for the angels.  At one time you could find paper twist anywhere and it seemed like they were making everything out of paper twist ribbon.  I wish I had some pictures of those early angels.  What was I to do?  I found some interesting fabrics and began to experiment.  

I found that fabric was so much more difficult to work with.  All the additional  measuring and cutting was a lot of work.  The fabric was too soft and wouldn't hold it's shape. Fraying edges were also a problem.   I decided to try Stiffy fabric stiffener.  I knew you could shape fabric into beautiful bow shapes and use the Stiffy and it would mold them into beautiful shapes.  So I tried to saturate an angel with the Stiffy and carefully draped the skirt as it dried. The Stiffy worked great creating a long lasting finish and resolved the fraying edges problem.  A quick trim of any frayed edges worked great.  These angels make beautiful Christmas tree tops or table centerpieces. 

 

I also have some wired ribbon angel bows which make great package decorations or Christmas ornaments. 

My first angels had spanish moss for hair which had a real country look. 

I wanted something which would give them a different look so I ordered some  Baby Alpaca Roving Fiber Yarn from LaTeaDaDesigns on etsy and created a softer hair on some of my angels.  

Kindly visit either my Angelsneverlastings Etsy shop or my new Artfire shop to view other angel creations and dried floral home decor.