What's Cool Where I Live

Frankly, I am getting pretty tired of the stories of doom and gloom when it comes to the topic of where I live.  Last week, one of the big news stories was about how the population of Detroit is dwindling fast.  Yeah, we know we suck . . . don't rub it in!

 For those of us who have no plans to leave, it is sometimes difficult to explain to outsiders our reasons for staying.  So, I have decided to show you what is cool about where I live.  Really, there are cool things here . . .

Welcome to Ann Arbor, MI.   It is less than an hour's drive from where I live.  It home to the University of Michigan, one of the nation's most prestigious institutions of higher learning.  Everytime I visit here, I feel like I gain a few extra IQ points, just for breathing the same air as the smart people.

 Ann Arbor has the feel of charming small town with the cultural diversity of a big city.   The downtown is loaded with places to dine and shop.   The historical brick buildings have been maintained and restored beautifully.

There is always something going on in A2, whether it is a Football Game, an organized protest, a theatrical performance, an art fair, or a "different" kind of festival, such as the infamous Hash Bash that is held annually.

 Did I mention there is great shopping??

There's a great bead shop, too!!

Lessons Learned

When I opened my shop on Etsy four years ago, I knew virtually nothing about selling online.  Since then, I've learned so much ~ mostly through trial and error, but also through the Etsy forums, blog and by comparing notes with my seller friends.  Four years and two shops later, I consider myself far from being any kind of pro at all of this.  It is a constant learning experience, but that's partly why I love it.

Recently I was thinking about the secret to having a successful shop.  My suspicion is that many sellers would like to know the secret to success.  Of course, each of us has a different idea of what it means to be successful, and how to get there.   Unfortunately, I am still in search of the magic formula.  

I am an observer by nature, and I can tell you one thing I have observed when it comes to selling online ~  Having a terrific product surely helps, and finding a niche really helps.  Selling jewelry is especially challenging, when there are over 1,000,000 pieces for sale on Etsy.   So what is the secret?  Marketing, of course.   I truly believe you can sell anything, and sell it well, if you market it right.   By that I mean ~ take awesome, artistic photos, give your shop a clever name, and make your product names especially cute and catchy.    It seems to work for many.   That has to be it.  If it was based on hard work alone, then my sales would be in the gazillions :)

Obviously marketing is not my forte'!   

So . . . I would love to hear your thoughts, if you sell on Etsy or anyplace online.    Please share them!  What have you learned from running an online business?

Oh, you're probably wondering what the photo above is all about.  That is the front window of a Fluevog shoe store in San Francisco.   I snapped the pic when we were there in October.   I thought the sign was pretty clever . . . it caught my attention anyway!

Living with Less

Last year, Oprah did a show about Learning to Live with Less. She challenged her viewers to live with less “stuff” and with more “meaning”. The show really got me thinking. I’m not much of a materialistic person, with the exception of a few vices (ahem, shoes, for one). The past year, especially, has been a lesson on scaling back and consuming less. We spent far less on the “extras”, in an effort to save money for what we truly value ~ i.e. vacations. I would much rather be able to travel than drive a fancy new car, live in a big house or have an amazing new outfit for every day of the week. I realize that for some people, a vacation doesn’t fit into the equation. For many during these times, a choice must be made between paying the electric bill and putting food on the table. That is what makes Oprah’s experiment even more relevant. As I’ve been working on transforming a spare bedroom that has been primarily used for storage into my new crafting space, I’ve had to ask myself many times “can I live without this?” Many times, the choice to get rid of a certain item has not come without pain. The decision is made a little easier when I think about how much more I want a place to work on my craft, instead of that book that has never been opened, or some shoes that haven’t been worn in two years. It’s all just stuff, really. While we sometimes think that having a lot of stuff will make us happy, it can also complicate our lives. In the past week, I’ve gotten rid of quite a bit of stuff, much of which will be donated to charity. It makes me feel good to be doing that, but I’ve also vowed to end my hoarding ways from here on out. Like many Americans, I have been guilty of buying into the idea that more is more. I am now committed to being less of an impulse buyer. After all, a 10x10’ room will only fit so much. I want to remain on this path of living with less so that I don’t soon fill up the space to the point where it stifles me once again. I want it to be a place of inspiration, where I can create some amazing things. That’s what really makes me happy.

The families that Oprah highlighted were pretty much addicted to their electronic gadgets to the point that it distracted them from spending quality time together. Although I don’t consider myself a tech-addict, I definitely could not live without my laptop, or my digital camera. I need them in order to run my Etsy shop . . . does that count? :)

What about you . . . what material items could you not live without? Are there ways you could downsize if you wanted, or needed to? What are you doing to simplify your life and live with more meaning?

Buy 1, Get 1 for 50% off Sale!!

It's Week 2 of my "Etsy"versary Sale! The opportunity for you to get yourself an original "DOB" creation for a steal is here. I am offering Buy 1, Get 1 for 50% off on all items in the Sale section of my shop. The best part is that the more expensive item will be discounted ~ when does that ever happen?!? Please note that this special sale applies to items in the specified category only, and that no other coupons or discounts may be applied at this time. Hurry, this one won't last forever! To start shopping, click here.

I Need One of These!

When Zumba starts up in a few weeks, I'm going to need to stay hydrated, no doubt. I prefer to drink water, but try to limit the amount of bottled water that I consume. My mom has me all freaked out about drinking from them. She says the plastic leaches into the water and causes cancer. Who knows if that's true or not, but I sure don't want to find out. So, while I was shopping at my brand new neighborhood Target the other day, these cute aluminum water bottles caught my eye. They're not only practical and functional, but fashionable too. I like that! I think I need one of these.

Finding Martha at Big Lots

Every now and then, I get a hankering to go to Big Lots ~ love that place! You never know what you might find there, if you're in the mood to dig. I compare it to a casino ~ sometimes you hit the jackpot, and other times it's a bust. On a recent trip, they had racks of these Martha Stewart craft kits for only $2 each! Each kit is filled with all the materials you need to make a fun craft. I bought a few of the felt accessory kits to send to my little niece who just had a birthday. I know she will love them. She is already taking after her aunt by being an avid beader!

Shop Update ~ New Bridal Pieces

As promised, I've added some unique jewelry to my shop that is just perfect for a bride. Take a look at "Sabine", which are three coordinating pieces that are inspired by vintage romance, with a little French twist thrown in ;) Each features lovely Ivory Satin nugget pearls that are nicely sized at 10mm each. My obsession of the moment is pearls and brass together ~ I think they make a spectacular pair.

Earrings ~ $22

Bracelet ~ $32 Necklace ~ $20

These pieces would look awesome with this dress, which comes from Jones New York. The name of it is "Let's Elope" ~ love that! Soooo perfect for a beach or garden wedding. Who says you must have a big poufy gown? I love its simple elegance. At only $105 (on sale), it's ideal for the bride on a budget!

Revolving Door Sale!!!

What better day than a Monday to announce that I'm having a SALE?!?

I'm calling it a "Revolving Door Sale" . . . why, you ask?? Everything in this special section of my shop has been marked down, but the sale items could change from day to day, even hour to hour. So that means you should check my shop early and often for the best deals. You can handle that, right?! ;) Anyone who's known me for a while also knows that I don't do this often, so jump on the bandwagon while you can. These deals won't be around for long!

Let's Go Shopping!

A fellow Etsian runs a daily feature on her very popular blog where she showcases a complete outfit, coordinating accessories and all ~ (her requirements are that two of the four items must come from Etsy). Pretty cool, eh?? She has asked for submissions from her readers, so a while ago I gave it a shot and came up with my own little virtual ensemble. Well, seeing that it's been a few weeks and I've heard nothing back, I'm quite sure my little ditty went into the rejection pile. So, for what it's worth, I'm posting it on my own blog . . . because I think it's cute, dammit. See below, and let me know what you think, please:

Heather grey jersey shirred V-neck dress by linQ; "La Fleur" necklace by Beau and Stella on Etsy (also available in Silver plated); The "Katherine" bag by BDoodles on Etsy; "Davon" sandals by Nine West;

It's the perfect outfit for a day of shopping, I think!

Wardrobe Dilemma ~ What to Wear???

I have a fun outing coming up this Friday evening , which naturally calls for the purchase of a brand new outfit. Multiple trips to various retailers have turned up nada. With only two days to go, I am beginning to panic. It’s not that there’s nothing cute to be found, it’s just that nothing looks cute on me or fits like it should. SIGH . . . what’s a girl to do???? A quick virtual shopping trip turned out the following get up’s. Each is completely different from the next in terms of style but I like something about each one. Here is what I would wear if : 1. Price was not an issue ~ I’m not looking to drop a lot of coin here. 2. I was a size 2 ~ LOL!!! I usually don’t do dresses, but I like this one from Jones New York. It’s conservative without being frumpy ~ perfect! I think it might be a little too formal for the occasion though. Crisp white jeans and a silky top ~ kinda dressy/casual. Did I mention that white clothing and I don’t get along well??? Let’s move on, shall we? I love this flouncy skirt from Anthropologie ~ it’s perfect for a night of dancing. I’ll put this on the back burner for now . . .

This colorful top from Banana Republic is a winner ~ it is bright, flowy and comfy looking. It would look great with a skirt, or jeans, or crop pants. I can see one of my very own creations in place of that fabulous multi-layered necklace.

New Shoes Cure the Blues . . .

. . . At least that’s what the magnet on my refrigerator claims. A bit of birthday money has been burning a hole in my pocket, so last weekend we headed to the outlet mall in search of work appropriate sandals for me. Mission accomplished . . . times three! I had great luck finding cute pairs that actually fit at the Bass outlet. When I think of Bass, I used to envision these stupid loafers that were popular among the preppy crowd in high school (back in 1990-something). Actually, Bass has evolved from those brown leather loafers with the green tag to some really great styles. I have trouble finding shoes that are somewhat stylish and comfortable at the same time. My feet are pretty small (size 6 ½), but wide, so shoe shopping can be a challenge. I’m not ready for orthopedics yet, for crying out loud, but I am not willing to suffer for the sake of fashion either. What’s a girl to do?

I almost always have luck at this store, so it was worth the hour long drive to go there. I found these strappy wedge sandals that have a bit of a heel. I can’t do skinny heels but I do like some height. I got a great deal on them, too! They were 55% off the retail price. I’m a member of their rewards club, so I brought along coupons to help me save more. On top of that, the outlet mall was running a coupon for 10% off a purchase of $50 or more. The sales gal let me use all those coupons! I am finding that many retailers are bending their rules just to get people to buy. That definitely works in the favor of the consumer!

I was overdue for some retail therapy. We’ve really been curbing our spending on non-essential items over the past few months. I do think you need to treat yourself when you can. If you’re smart about it, you can do it more often than you think!

Are you a Recessionista?

I've been hearing the term "Recessionista" quite frequently lately. It seems pop culture gives birth to these catchy phrases every now and again. This clever word was obviously spawned by the current economic conditions and is the combination of the word "recession" and "fashionista". The definition is as follows: "A person who is able to stick to a tight budget while still managing to dress stylishly."

I am a self proclaimed bargain shopper who never pays full price for anything, no matter what. I will turn my nose up at anything that is not on sale and I love the thrill of the hunt for bargains. Although I do not consider myself a "fashionista" or trendsetter, I do love clothes, shoes and accessories. I've been really tightening up the purse strings this year by not buying very many of the aforementioned. I'll be the first to admit that it hasn't been easy.

Recently I was on a quest for a new purse ~ a good leather one that will hold up for a while. While designer names don't much matter to me, I did feel like splurging a bit. I justified the urge to splurge by the fact that it has been quite a while since I have spent any money on "me". So, I went to my favorite place for purses, TJ Maxx. OK, make that my second favorite, since I love the purses on Etsy most. But this time I was looking for leather and my budget would not allow for the $300 leather purse I've been eyeing there.

After tearing through every purse on the many racks in the store, I kept going back to a shiny black number whose pricetag was a bit more than I had budgeted for. I liked everything about it, and it looked and felt like really good quality. Still, it was more than I wanted to spend. I put it down and walked around the store to grapple with this tough decision.

It was then, that I caught sight of a sign on the wall, "LAYAWAY".

I approached the salesclerk and asked what the terms were. Could a purse be put in layaway?

"Yes" said the salesclerk.

Now, I recall the days when my mom would cart my sister, brother and I to the local Kmart and have us pick out our school clothes, which she would then put into Layaway so we would have them in time for school to start. This was a necessity for my parents, who were supporting three kids on one income and who didn't believe in putting anything on plastic. They were smart.

The idea of having the store hold onto my new purse for 30 days while I made on time payments made the purchase a little easier for me to swallow. I went for it.

If you're at all curious, here is a link to my new find. I am happy to say that I paid far less than this price at the "Maxx". I'm actually quite pleased with the deal I got.

These are tough times we are in, no doubt about it. Many of us are trying to hold onto what money we do have and not give into the temptation to spend. However, I do feel that it doesn't hurt to treat yourself, even in the smallest of ways. Besides, spending a little cash can help boost the economy.

I'm trying to do my part. ;)