Monday, April 27, 2015

Listing Motivation!

I've been making (but not listing) much jewelry this past year.  (Nor am I wearing it, because... well, because I'm saving it to list!)   So lately I'm thinking, "How ridiculous is this?!"



So, it seems to be time I stop/slow down on some other activities and get some of these items out in my store!

    



To commit myself to doing it, I'm posting a "sneak preview" of a few of the listings here, just to keep me honest! 



Let's see how this works!  ;-)


(I don't know that listing items in online stores is anyone's favorite activity!  What do you do to make it faster/easier/less painful/more enjoyable?   Please, drop us a comment!)


Have a good week, whatever your tasks are!   

~Sharyl

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Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Reflections on Earth Day 2015


On this Earth Day 2015, the 45th anniversary of this worldwide celebration, I find myself reflecting on things environmental.  It's a good time to evaluate what we do right, what needs improving, where we've been, where we are going...

earth heart

Working with the environment...

1)  Though not by design or plan, I ended up having two jobs that dealt with the environment: one in an asbestos removal training facility, another (years later) as a library manager working under contract for the U.S. Environment Protection Agency Region 7.   The latter, in particular, provided me a wonderful education in environmental matters!   Unfortunately, it also taught me about the politics of environmental concerns...   (Bummer that.)

At our home...

2)  Indoor air quality matters...  Yep, we have our very own Radon Removal System.   Wish we didn't need that, but it's not uncommon where we live. Expensive, but well worth the money for peace of mind and better health!    (We're also a non-smoking home.   None of us smoke, so that is easy!)

house with trees
3) Outdoor air quality matters too!   So we avoid  mowing and filling gas tanks in the hottest part of the day.  No burning leaves, although unfortunately burning is still allowed where we live.  (We have so much further to go... we live in a city where transportation by car travel is most common.  That wrecks one's "ecological footprint!")   On the bright side, we are in an older neighborhood that has many very large, very old trees.   We also live where tornadoes and ice storms tear them up at times.   So we plant a new tree every year or two to make up for the loss.   New homes built in our city are required to plant trees.  I find that rather amazing!   It makes for a lovelier, healthier city though!

Below is our sorry little excuse for a Japanese Maple tree, but we love it!  




4) And then there is water quality!   This is a bit more difficult to deal with on a personal level, but one thing we avoid doing is putting all those tree leaves in the street so they end up in the storm sewers.   (Not sure why folks here so often do this!)

5)  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...  We are not saints at this, but we try.    We have nearly as much material in our recycling bin as in our trash bin.  It would be even better if we had less in each!

arrow gloss green rightI'm sure there is more I should consider, but I'll stop here.  I'm wondering what YOU do to help the environment or how you will celebrate this day! Please share!


This doesn't help the environment, but could help save you some of the GREEN stuff!  I'm having a sale on all jewelry and components.  
Shop at Metapolies™ Apr 22-23 

and get $10 off your purchase of $45 or more! Code: EARTHDAY45


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Image Credits:
Photos by Sharyl, 2015
Graphics by wpclipart.com
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Saturday, April 11, 2015

Metapolies™ Store Update -- And then there was one...




Is it with sadness that I announce I have closed my Metapolies store on the Artisan Component Marketplace.   I started with the project before the site opened last year and was honored to have been selected by Marla James to be even a small part of its development.   I think ACM  provides a terrific opportunity for artisans selling their handmade beads and components, and sincerely wish I could continue with it.  


...I encourage you to continue shopping there and if you haven't taken a look yet, please do!     (Shop ACM here.)  There are beautiful hand-made art beads from around the world!   I'll feature some of them in future blog posts.

I'm finding that in addition to other commitments, trying to keep up multiple stores at once is not currently feasible for me, so I'm going back to having just one online store, for a while at least.   Because I need to be able to sell both my components and jewelry, I decided to keep the Metapolies™ store on Etsy I opened last year.  



The store on Etsy is now much better stocked with jewelry, polymer clay beads, and metal components.  I have many more items (especially jewelry) ready to list and hope to get those added in the near future.

My thanks to you all who have visited my stores as I've added, subtracted, and experimented with store venues this past year.   It has been a great learning experience for me, and I hope you have benefited by it in some ways also.  
  
For now,  a sigh of relief for me, as I settle down to my remaining store.  I look for many good things to come from this!  I'm hopeful the additional time will allow me to keep the store full of interesting items for you, and I'll be able to refocus my attention on:

  •  creating new designs, 
  • blogging, and 
  • marketing.

My sincere thanks and best wishes to all,

~Sharyl

P.S.  To recap:  


I'll be working on updating whatever links I've not yet changed in the next day or two.   
      
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Sunday, April 5, 2015

Happy Easter, Happy Spring!

Two posts in one day, but I wanted to wish everyone who celebrates Easter, a very happy, joyful (ad-free) one!  

easter greetingsIn our family, it's a time we remember many wonderful childhood Easters and also keep warm  the memory of my Mother (who passed away on an Easter day). 

While I'm hoping to visit my sister and family this afternoon, we're also hoping for a very safe delivery of a new "grand niece" today!  I hope your day is also full of promise!

Wishing you all lovely Spring holidays!

~Sharyl   

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Graphic from wpclipart.com
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Winner Announcement and Sale reminder!

And the winner of the drawing for a pair of Sterling Silver "Matchstick Dangles" is...


.... Betty Winslow from Betty's Bead Soup!   She gets to pick the color (or 2 colors) she would like her dangles painted, and I'll make this pair especially for her!

While you wait for this to happen, please visit Betty's Etsy store and Facebook page!  (I've just been admiring her copper coil earrings!  Nifty design!)

Thanks to all who participated and helped me spread the word!  I very much appreciate it.  Congrats again to Betty!

If you didn't win but would still like in on the goods, a reminder that I have a Super Spring Sale going in both of my stores!   


Now is a good time to grab beads, metal components, (even jewelry) at these greatly reduced prices!  Sale ends Monday!

Hope you enjoy the weekend!!   Oh happy Spring!

~Sharyl

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Friday, April 3, 2015

Super Spring Fling Sale at both Metapolies™ stores!

(For Give-Away offer, click here!)



Go to my Metapolies.com site for more details and links to the stores.  (You can also link from my Blog menu above, but you might miss out on Shipping Savings offer!)  

For Sterling Silver "Matchstick" Dangles Give-Away, click here!


daisy like pink
If you are celebrating Easter this weekend, happy holiday to you!    And Happy Spring to us all!

~Sharyl

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Image Credits:

Photos and sale ad by Sharyl
Flower graphic from wpclipart.com
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