A Few of My Favourites...

I thought I'd share a few of my Etsy favourites with you today.  There's so much loveliness in the market place that this is only a hint of what I have marked (and spend quite a bit of time drooling over!).  

I hope that you find something to get your own creative juices flowing :0)  

Enjoy!

I Love an Airline with a Sense of Humour :0)

I heard about this and then I saw it.  Gosh I love Kiwi's and their sense of humour!!!

"I'm Not a Raffle Ticket Seller's Bottom"

Yep.  That's my sad, yet somewhat profound judgement on the hour I spent today trying to sell raffle ticket's at the local shopping mall for my son's Scout Group.

It was awful.

As I am not a uniformed member of the Scout Group, Centre Management did not want me roaming the floor, trying to force shoppers into buying tickets.  I could only smile from behind my 'Community Stand' and hope that this would be enough to entice harried shoppers over to view the delights on offer from winning the Monster raffle.  Heck, I could even give you a bit of information on joining the Scout Group if you were brave enough to approach me.

It was a lonely hour.

Without the ability to approach people as they passed by and con encourage them to take part, it was akin to cutting my tongue out.  I was without my mojo.  I would happily approach shoppers with a cheeky grin and ask them if they would like to win 2nd prize.  "2nd prize", they would ask, "What about first prize?" 

And there it was.  My perfect entry to have a conversation with them about the raffle and how there was of course a 1st prize, and how there chance to win would be increased if they perhaps bought more than one ticket.  Who could say no?

But there I was, not allowed to approach anyone.  Merely a one-sided, 'come hither' look across a crowded shopping centre.  Not really enough to entice anyone over for a second look.

It did, however, give me an opportunity to think about how to encourage people to buy our MooBeeTee's items when we can't approach  them, they can't touch our items (online that is) and they won't potentially ask any questions.  How do I stop them hurrying past our shop pages and take the time to understand how lovely our items are, and the effort we have taken to make them for everyone.

I thought it might be useful to share any hints or tips you might have for your fellow e-shopkeepers.  How do you entice customers to your shop to spend some time with you?  Do you use free shipping?  Do you have freebies? What hint can you share?

(For the record I sold three raffle tickets, all to people who I knew.  I told them I'd cry if they didn't buy something - sound familiar to anyone????) 

Relay for Life - get involved!!

How about this for an 'almost instant' blog post!!  I have just got back from picking up MooBee from school.  Today was special as all of the children were participating in a pre Relay for Life Walk.  The team walk is Saturday (26/03), but to get all of the kids involved the school oval is used as the walking track and the kids rotate walking all day.

Each child made a daffodil to put around the track in memory of or supporting a friend or family member who has cancer.  MooBee popped a message to her Grandad on it - he suffers from Skin Cancer and she is always concerned when she sees he has a 'sore head' from spots being removed.

The children were also asked to wear yellow - they looked very bright and beautiful on what has been a very grey day.  When I arrived the walk was finishing up, but MooBee ran over and asked me to walk the last few laps with her.  She put her little hand in mine and said, "Come on mum let's walk for a cancer cure'.  Bless.

In the end the children raised $800.00 to contribute to their school team's total.  

If you would like to help Beaumaris North Primary School raise some more funds, please click here to donate.

This is only the second time the children have been involved - I think next year I'll take a leaf out of their book and take part in the big walk.  You never know how it might help :0)

Today is my Birthday...

...and I was rather curious to see who I share this rather wonderful date with.  So I googled famous birthdays and here are my Top 5!  To keep the crafty side of things going, I then entered their names into the Etsy search to see what I would come up with.  See for yourself who and what March 22nd has given the world!

 Reese Witherspoon

caffetempo

Marcel Marceau

 

minimalista

 

 Stephen Sondheim

 ivylanedesigns

William Shatner

 

Michey1

 

Andrew Lloyd Webber

LainasDesigns

Look Who's Making Their Debut...

No, it's not MooBee - far too young!  It's MooBeeTee's new Plushies!!

I have been working away on some deisgns and these three are the first to be let loose at The Handmade Show on Sunday (20/03/2011).  Rabbits are always favourites with the kiddies, so they will be available first.  I think monkeys will be will be next.  So here they are - straight from the sewing room:

Nearly all of the plushies will be created flat - that is no bits that can fall off - so they will be suitable for all ages.  I will however be indulging myself and making some Special Edition plushies - the first of these has been inspired by my fabulous friends accross at Voodoo Rabbit (thanks to their fabulous fabrics and love of all things bunny!).  Here's a closer look at my Voodoo inspired Bunny:

I'd love to hear your thoughts on them!  What other animals would you like to see me apply the Moobeetees touch too?

The Open Book Project - Reach

Whilst driving to work yesterday I was listening to 3AW - in particular Neil Mitchell.  He was talking about a new project that the Reach Foundation had launched called The Open Book Project.

This is what The Open Book Project website has to say about what they are trying to do:

"Read back over the pages of your teenage diary. The thoughts and emotions that once filled your mind probably seem silly in hindsight. Thing is, they're still very real for teenagers today.

 

The Open Book Project calls on people to offer up past diary entries, and revisit the thoughts, feelings and ambitions they had as a teenager.

What does it aim to do?

The Open Book Project will show today's teenagers that they're not alone. By sharing a page of your teeenage diary, today's teenagers will know that, no matter where life takes you, there are similar things we all experince when growing up.

It's a couragous act that will make a big difference in the lives of Australian teenagers."

I was imediately interested.  They are looking for people who kept diaries as teenagers to contribute to an 'open book' that will help today's young people.  I kept a diary for all of my high school years and a little beyond.  they are all stacked together, in a garbage bag in the farthest corner of the topmost shelf in my wardrobe.  A little time capsule of my teenage years that I only very occasionally dust off and delve into.

bubbamia

I've often wondered why I kept them.  It has oft been said that people only keep diaries so that they can be read.  I'm not sure that this is entirely true.  Sometimes I think that they may make interesting reading for my daughter when she gets a bit older - so she can see that mum suffered through all sorts of teenage emotion and angst as well.  Sometimes I think I would be mortified if anyone ever read my thoughts from those early years.  Sometimes I think they should just be shredded and placed firmly in the past. So in the meantime, they sit on that very top shelf in the corner, in a garbage bag, gathering dust.

Until now that is.

 TheBlackSpotBooks

After hearing Jim Stynes talk about this project I think I will get my diaries down off that shelf, dust them off and look for an entry that might convey to young people today that I'm not all that different to them.  I might be older now, more confident, hold a steady job, be married to the man I love and have wonderful children, but I once was heartbroken by a boy, in tears over exam results and my apparent lack of future, as well as being joyous at that first kiss with someone special.

I think it's time to finall share a little bit of my past - and I couldn't think of a better way to do it.

What about you??  What can you share?? 

Click here to learn more about The Open Book Project.