Friday, April 30, 2010

Kitten

Well today's entry doesn't really have to do with crafting. We have a new Kitten :) My 14 year old daughter who has optic nerve atrophy has been suffering from depression, mostly due to the struggle with her vision, although it doesn't help to be a teenager in today's world either. She came to her father and I and gave us a whole "presentation" about how people who suffer from depression feel joy from their pets. My husband and I have been against having a pet because my daughters don't like to help with much around the house. After a lengthy discussion we agreed to let her have a kitten. A friend of hers had a recent litter of new kittens that were now ready for homes. And of course, she agreed to take complete care of this cat. We will see how that goes. If the joy on her face last night when the kitten came home is any indication of how much joy she will have with Hokey Pokey (yes, that is his name) then she should be a very happy girl :)

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Quit My Day Job????

I love reading about people who have quit their day job as the result of a thriving online craft venture. Oh my goodness, how is that even possible?? I think it is so amazing that some people are able to reach out to the masses and conquer their craft. Secretly I wish that I could be one of them, honestly, how will I ever get there. As I post blogs, tweet on twitter and browse every forum I can, I sit here with one sale, well it looks like 4 on my Etsy because one person bought 4 items. I was excited beyond belief when I saw that first sale. And now, for two weeks I sit here with nothing. It is so frustrating, I understand why somepeople give up, but, I am pushing along, vowing not to give up. I am also struggling with a broken left thumb...not a good time to be in a cast when you are to trying to make items to post in your shops, and I have another week at least before the cast "might" come off. So I am reaching out to the masses for advice. So many of you are good at giving your feedback and you make it seem so easy...I hope it gets easier than this. So "patience is a vertue"...I am here

Steph

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Conquering the Web

As a "new" online seller, I am looking for every possible avenue to get may name and my items out there. I read all of the post on the three sites where I sell, and I read so much great information. But what is right for me? So here is the blog...ok one step started. Twitter, well I am working on it, there is so much to see, so many followers and following??? But, I am trying. I wish there was one tell all that would work the same for everyone. Do steps A,B,and C and be promised, views and sales and riches beyond your wildest imagination. Right...wishful thinking. So stop in and see me on twitter...twitter.com/LemonadeFromMyL follow me, I will check you out and follow you too.. And stop in to my Etsy shop to see my latest listing http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=45489274

And tomorrow..it starts all over again.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Spring Day

Well, it is a beautiful spring day in Maine. The sun is shinning, it is warm, the birds are singing. I am inspired by the sights, sounds and colors around me. But the inspiration stalls from making it to creativity becuase I have a broken thumb. Not a good way to start out when you first go online to sell a product. I cant get any beading done right now, but I have been able to make some new headbands. It is a slow process and a bit frustrating. The thumb will remain in a cast for at least two more weeks, and it was a moment of stupidity that lead to the break (not worth mentioning how, just trust me, it was dumb).

I am also struggling to get views on my sites, but to listen to other crafters they are dealing with the same thing. It is hard when you just start out. Getting yourself noticed in a vast sea of very talented people requires work. Hitting the social networking sites and trying to get people to follow you is also hard. It's like starting in a new school and trying to make new friends. I see I have a follower here, one, thank you so much for being the first and checking me out. But, it brings back all those childhood fears, will they like me?, what if they dont?, how do you keep them around if they do?. So, here I sit, putting myself out there. Of course, each person that checks you out gives you a rush of excitement. And that first sale, man, nothing feels better. As I patienlty wait for number two, I try not to over analyze it too much. If you have any suggestions from your own success I am all ears.

I am working on adding to all my sites, so stop in take a look around and stay awhile. I appreciate any comments or feedback that you would like to give.
Use the site links to stop in - I am shop LemonadeFromMyLemons in all sites.

thanks for reading
Stephenie

Monday, April 19, 2010

My First Blog

Welcome to my blog. My name is Stephenie and I am a full-time working mother of two beautiful daughters. I have recently started to sell handmade items online at several different online venues including Etsy, Zibbet and Craft is Art. You will find jewelry, headbands, barrettes, pendant, and a few polymer clay items.


One thing my daughters have always enjoyed is being crafty. My older daughter, who is 14, draws beautfiul pictures and has since she was very young, adding detail beyond what you would think a child would do. She has been diagnosed with a degenerative eye problem called Optic Nerve Atrophy. This is the "wasting away" of the optic nerve. It is not correctable with glasses or surgery and the amount of vision loss is different per person. She is currently seeing between 20/50 and 20/70 and it is likely she will have further progression of her visual loss to what extent we will not know, but we hope and pray that she will be fortunate enough to always have some form of vision. This year in school she signed up to do art and I was so proud of her work. It was wonderful to see her get back to something she does so well. It fills my heart everytime she does something that you at first wonder how her vision will impact it and then see her success.

My younger daughter who is 8 was born with bilateral congenital cataracts. Interestingly enough, the two eye issues my daughters have have nothing to do with each other. She has had 5 eye surgeries and has been in one form or another of corrective lenses since she was a month old. Nothing stops her. And day by day, she is becoming more creative too.


The girls actions to overcome their "issues" inspires me to be creative too. I'm one of those people who thought I never had much "talent". I have been scrapbooking now for about 8 years, and my girls love their books. As I look back through the books and see my progress, I become more confident in my work. I also do some stamping, I was even a demonstrater for a stamping company for a couple of years. Then started dabbling with beading. Of course my girls loved my work, but were they biased? So as I wore my jewelry to work people started commenting, and then the suggestion of selling came up. I have to admit it is a scarey thought. What if nobody liked it, what if it didn't sell. Well, I figured I had nothing to loose... that's how Lemonade From My Lemons was born. My mom always talked about when life gives you lemons make lemonade...it is a phrase that has come up many times in my life. And for my girls, the lemons are the visual challenges they face every day. So...we are making Lemonade, lots of sweet, juicy, beaded (oops, maybe not beaded) lemonade. I ask you to join me in my shops and take a peak. I hope you find just what your looking for.







I hope to see you there


Stephenie / Lemonade From My Lemons