MY FIRST SALE ON ETSY.COM

I MADE MY FIRST SALE ON ETSY.COM

Truly, I am higher than a kite.  On June, 16, 2018, I made my first sale on Etsy.com in my shoppe, GoodThingsSmallBoxes

I check my Etsy.com Shoppe every day, just in case there is an interested buyer.  I was shocked, thought I was dreaming when I opened it the other day to find that someone had bought my handmade Polish Szopka!! A szopka is a Polish traditional nativity scene. It is large and elaborate, made of paper, glue and tape.  For further discussion, please see my previous blog.  

Traditional Polish Szopka by Arlene Klatkiewicz-Pitts
My first sale on Etsy.com

I cannot tell you the deep thrill and excitement of someone, a stranger finding one's work, and liking it so much that they purchase it!  For fear of sounding like Sally Field, ("they like me they really like me"), wow. I made it. I wanted to sell it. I wanted it to happen. It did and now I'm surprised that someone else appreciates and likes my work, or what they could see. 

Even if it is only one sale, but I doubt it, this confirms and reaffirms the truth to "BELIEVE IN ONESELF".

What is more, I am so joyful to be sharing my Polish culture with others and keeping the love of this tradition alive even in a small way.

One sale....I know, but it fuels my enthusiasm. It blasts those who laughed and said it couldn't be done.  It lifts my spirits high.  It confirms where believing in oneself can go.  Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.  I pray that many more find my shoppe and enjoy my creations.

(I will not reveal my buyer in order to keep their confidentiality secure.)
~~Marie
#etsy.com
#szopka
#polishculture

What Else has Carpe Diem'ed my Days

Other creative pursuits during the month of May, 2018.

HAPPY SPRING DECORATION

 S

Hoppy Easter signs

My 2nd Szopka dedicated to

the Black Virgin of Poland

An Advent Calendar made of

Pill Containers

The Christmas Advent Calendar needs another coat of gold metallic acryllic paint.  Be sure to sand the lids very well before painting. This will help you avoid multiple coats of paint.

A set of Shabby Chic Apothecary Jars made

from Folder's Coffee containers and Dollar Tree Items

The Flowers on the Lid were a special purchase on Amazon

TRIP TO TAHOE!!

On yet another trip to Tahoe, I was able to use my 'creative' photography skills to capture what remains of the snow in the California Sierra's.

Caples Lake

A Meadow with a Stream near Kirkwood, CA

I have been busy with my creative endeavors! If you want to know how I created any my crafts/arts, feel free to ask. If I get requests, I will put them on YouTube.

Thanks for visiting! ~ Marie

May: NATIONAL SCRAPBOOKING MONTH

I keep forgetting that May is National Scrapbooking Month, but this year, I happened to catch the announcment in my email from Scrapbook.com telling of their yearly contests in celebration of all memory keepers who scrapbook.  I first joined in in 2008 when there was a set day, time and site. You had to reserve that day, be there to receive instructions and submit your creations by a deadline time.  It was maddening!  One would try to create something amazing in a short few hours, take pictures and upload them to the site.

I like the way they are doing it now.  They announce the contests in April and give you a deadline approximately a month later for submissions.  Even the submission process has gotten easier. You can enter as many times as you desire.  A much more practical way to do it.  I liked the thrill of trying to get it done with a deadline  with what I had on hand on that day.  However, it felt more like a race, than a creative contest.  I love having the time to incubate ideas, gather supplies, create. 

The prizes are amazing. There are gift cards from major scrapbooking supply stores, craft stores, etc. I entered several things this years.

I did not win anything this year. I had in 2008. I won all sorts of embellishments that were outstanding.   Although I did not win a prize this year, I did get something more than I expected. I took the time to look at many of the other entries. The creativity out here is so wonderful. So many ideas are shared.  You know what happens when creative ideas are shared??  More creative ideas are born!!! New methods are learned and people grow. I know I have grown just from looking at the other entries, other member's galleries of their creations, commenting on their entries. What is more, I made a few friends doing so.  Creative, crafty people are so friendly, fun, exciting.  Creative people fuel the imaginations of other creative people.   For me, I won grand prize, the friends, ideas, methods and sharing of so many creative people.  

A special thanks to Scrapbook.com for sponsoring this amazing event each year. It gets better all time!  Thank you to the vendors who donated the prizes. They are greatly appreciated. Thanks, too, to my fellow creative scrappers.  Thank you for your comments, encouragement, and love, but most of all thank you for helping my creative side grow.  #scrapbook.com #nationalscrapbookingmonth

Below are a few of my entries. There were three categories:

To enter the Live, Laugh, Layout Challenge: you create a layout that incorporates a wide variety of embellishments.  To enter the Die Cut Challenge you To enter a creation that shows off your creative use of die cuts.  The Crafters Choice Challenge allowed crafters to enter whatever they create, not just scrapbook pieces.

My Live, Laugh Layout Challenge submittal:  A three page scrapbook layout of my birthday at the Grand Canyon with map post card pocket and a self authored Haiku.

page one

post card pocket

page 2

page three

GRAND CANYON HAIKU

My submission for the Die Cut challenge was a wall hanging made with machine, handcut and purchased die cuts;

A Diecutville Christmas

My other entry, Crafters Choice, were the fairy home domes that I detailed in my previous blog.

Fairy Home Dome

These Fairy Home Domes are for sale in my

Etsy Shoppe: GOOD THINGS SMALL PACKAGES  There are four different positions right now. I am in the process of making the "home domes" for gnomes, elves, dragons, etc.  I also take custom orders.

~Marie

       #scrapbook.com, #nationalscrapbookingmonth

SCRAPBOOK.COM  (not just scrapbook supply site, a community of very creative people!)

NEW ITEMS FOR "GOOD THINGS SMALL BOXES" ETSY SHOPPE

I have added several new items to my Etsy Shoppe, Good Things Small Boxes!  With the current "Fairy Garden" craze, I decided that my fairies, elves, gnomes, cute animals, etc. needed a safe home, free from tiny admiring hands and beloved, curious pets!  After all the hard work put into the gardens, scenes, vignettes, as tempting as it is even for me, lol, I wanted to protect my beloved creatures, and find a safe way to ship them so others who admire them, could have them.

I have started with Fairies!  Right now there are limited numbers of each. In fact, I am looking to find these lovely fairies again as they are have been hard to find.  I put them into garden scenes inside of clean recycled two liter bottles. They are sold by position. For example:

              SITTING

         
              LAYING ON THE FOREST FLOOR

                   SITTING AND LAUGHING

            STANDING ADMIRING HER PHYSIQUE

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY ETSY SHOPPE, GOOD THINGS SMALL PACKAGES. I will be adding more "Dome Homes" for elves, animals, dragons, etc.   I ALSO TAKE CUSTOM ORDERS!  Just leave a note in the comments or write me on my email: carpediem5790@yahoo.com!

HELP SPRINKLE THE MAGIC FAIRY DUST!!