My New Etsy Shop

My new Etsy shop has been open for awhile now, but I just now have time to write up the blog post about it! If you don't know already, I have opened a Bath, Beauty and Home shop! The name is CountryBlossom Wondering what's in this shop of mine:

Lip Balm

Lip Gloss

Perfume Oil

Sugar Scrub

Cold Processed Soap

Whipped Body Butter

Soy Candles

 

And the winner is...

I just want to thank everyone who entered my giveaway! I got alot of entries and it was very difficult to choose just one. But, I think this person will really benefit from getting this mat.

So, the winner is...drum roll please...

Lindsay F.

Ringing in the New Year!

So, since the year was such a success for me. I wanted to do a little something special for someone that deserves it. I am doing my first Yoga Mat giveaway! A $60 value! I want to make sure the right person gets this special mat. So, what I want is for people to email me. I want to hear why you should have it. Maybe it's because you want to start doing yoga and think my mat will give you a little extra incentive to do so. Or you are already a Yogi, but for some reason need a new mat. Or, you have someone in mind that you think would like this mat? You can nominate them.

Your email can be short and sweet, or however long you want it! I am looking forward to finding the perfect match for this yoga mat. So, I bet you want to see which mat I am going to be giving away?!?  Well, first let me tell you why I chose this mat to give away. First off, I wanted it to be gender neutral. So, anyone could have a chance to win it. Secondly, who doesn't like plaid? Here's a little more info about the mat on my Etsy Shop!

So, here's what you need to do:

1. Follow me on Facebook and/or Twitter

2. Follow this Blog

3. Email me your story:

flowyogamats@yahoo.com

Entries will be accepted until January 31st, 2011. The winner will then be chosen and announced by February 10th, 2011!

This giveaway is for US residents only.

Cyber Monday Sale

Hi everyone! Sorry I have been MIA lately. My shop has been very busy, which I LOVE! Just want to let everyone know about the sale I am having. Tomorrow is Cyber Monday, which is the last day of my Holiday Sale! Just enter the coupon code HOLIDAYSALE15 when checking out to receive 15% off your total. And to top it all off, I am also offering FREE shipping. And that goes for my hand painted yoga mats also. Which is a $9.95 savings!

Inhale Exhale Bracelet - $9 w/ coupon code $7.65

Hand Stamped Lucky Penny Necklace - $12 w/ coupon code $10.20

Hand Painted Plaid Yoga Mat - $60 w/ coupon code $51.00

You Are My Sunshine Keychain -$7 w/coupon code $5.95

Thank you everyone, who has been so supportive! I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving! I am thankful for so many wonderful things in my life right now. I am looking forward to the holiday season. Christmas is my most favorite time of the year! And we already have almost 2 feet of snow outside, soit looks like this year we will be having a white Christmas!

1 Year on Etsy!

Today is the 1 year anniversary for my Etsy shop.  And what a year it has been.  It has had it's ups and downs, but it's all been worth it.  I have come a long way and learned so much about Etsy and about making a successful shop.  By no means can I quit my day job, but things are on the upswing. 

I started out on Etsy not knowing anything about it...I hadn't even bought anything on Etsy.  But, it looked like a great venue for my hand made items.  I really had no idea if my yoga mats would even be something people would want to buy. And as it turns out, they do like them. And, I am still the only one on Etsy hand painting yoga mats! And with the success of the mats, I also added yoga accessories.  I now have yoga straps, blocks, hand stamped yoga-inspired jewelry and key chains and also my canvas paintings. So, it's a one-stop-shop for all your yoga needs. And makes great gifts for anyone you know who does yoga. 

For people just starting out on Etsy, I want to give you a few pointers...I want to say that pictures are your number one selling point!  The picture is the first thing people see and if they don't like that little thumbnail picture or yours doesn't set you apart from the rest, you won't be successful.  And use all 5 of your pictures.  Since people can't touch and feel and pick up your item, you want them to get the most out of your pictures.  It will make them feel more comfortable with their purchase.

And another thing, use social networking sites!  I have a Facebook Page, Twitter account and obviously a blog.  The more you are on the web, the easier it will be for people to find you through search engines, such as Google. 

And one thing that has worked tremendously for me was to join an Etsy team.  Not a lot of newbies even know about teams.  But, they are out there.  You can join a local team, or a team that is specific to what you make.  There is tons to choose from.  I am on the Eastern Wa Team.  And they have been nothing but great.  They support you, never make you feel stupid for asking dumb questions and it really feels more like a family!

So, here is to many more successful years!

Feature on Self Magazine's Website

So yesterday I was going through my Google Analytics, as I do almost everyday.  And I decided to take a peek at the Referring Sites section.  This section is a little irritating at times.  It lists all these referring sites, you click on them and then you can't find where your link is or any mention of you at all.  So, most of them time I just browse through this area. 

Well, yesterday I started clicking on the links and I just so happened to click on a link from Self.com.  Well, when it opened up there was blog titled, "Pamper Your Body With These 6 Healthy Finds".  So, I look around the page before I read the blog and I realize it's SELF MAGAZINE!!!!  Which is a huge magazine, you can find them at all the grocery stores, book stores...anywhere that sells magazines.  By this time I have goose bumps all over and can hardly even read the darn blog cause I am so excited!  Click HERE to read the blog.

I'm just so excited to be recognized!  And for all you that are wondering...yes, this mat that they featured did sell!

Best day...ever!

Today has been such an exciting day for me.  I woke up today with emails from my team congratulating me for being in Etsy Finds.  I was still kinda groggy from waking up, so it didn't fully register until I went downstairs to my computer and checked my email there and read Etsy Finds.  I was so excited to see my Eat, Pray, Love Necklace there.  Such a great theme to be featured in, with other awesome items.  So, I'm super stoked about Etsy Finds and another email comes in saying the Cherie's treasury is on the front page.  Well, I knew that she had recently done a treasury that featured a few team members, so I go to Etsy.com's front page and there is my Live, Laugh, Love Necklace.  By this time, I wanted to scream I was so excited!  I think I have had a smile on my face all day long.  It's just so crazy I was in Etsy Finds and the Front Page all in one day!  It's blowing my mind.  The other teammates that were on the Front Page were PostScripted, ForTheLoveOfPete, OrangeThyme, TinyBellesBoutique, LaurenBPhotography, and JanKanSew.  They all do such beautiful work!  I'm honored to be on the front page with them.  Anyways, here's the screenshot of the front page.