I've Been Featured......Woo-hoo!!

The CAST team on Etsy has more than 2000 members.
There is a CAST team blog too!
Today's post is a feature of myself and Angel, a darling
young lady from Chambersburg who makes all kinds of
adorable things for young ones and scrapbook items.

Hope you'll pop by and see the photo of the two of
us at Sight and Sound.  We had such a fun evening with
our husbands.  Then feel free to peruse our shops and
think of your Christmas list.  What would you like from there
or who do you shop for who would enjoy something we've made.

Have a very blessed day!!!

Making New Friends At Work

My work these days is largely

online...

this will change in about a month

as I begin to make candles for the fund raisers

but for now I am busily getting the name

Good Neighbors Candles all over 

the Etsy site.

One of the huge blessings of Etsy is a forum

for Christians.  Over 2,000 shops are registered

to this team.  It is great to be in fellowship with 

other believers who are also attempting to 

bring in an income without leaving their 

home and children.

Many are young mothers, 

there are retirees

and 

Moms, like me, 

who are about to experience an 

empty nest and are seeking 

something to do while being available

to their teens.

Opinion here:

Teens need us every bit as much

as our toddlers did.

Every time I think of getting a job

outside of our home I am reminded 

how much time I would lose with my 

still impressionable young adults.

This is not the time we want to hand over

primary influence to friends who are just as

young and impressionable.

So, Etsy, in theory allows for a business

to grow and for money to be made
while working from home.

I say, in theory, because a lot of 

people have shops on Etsy and have 

barely made a dime.

This is because to make money here 

takes time and work.

Imagine that!

Just like the real world....

However, it has been very enjoyable

to meet a host of wonderful ladies

on our forum thread.

One of these ladies is a young mother.

We like to call her Bammy

because her shop,

shared with another talented Mommy,

is called Bam Crafty Mommas.

On Saturday, 

Angel(Bammy) and her husband Sean

came over and met Warren and I 

at Sight and Sound

to see my favorite show,  Joseph.

It was so much fun to meet both of them.

We enjoyed the show

and then went to 

Outback Steak House for a 

late dinner.

We laughed so hard and it got 

late...

Sean and Angel had a two hour drive 

to get home, not to mention

Sean had to be at church by 7am 

the next morning to prepare to play 

with his worship team.

So, dear friends, accept my 

apology for keeping you so long.

Hope you've caught up on some sleep.

Here are some of the items

Angel and her partner, Michelle, 

make for their shop.

Premade Scrapbook...You just add the photos!

Cute fabric for these bibs!

I love these burp cloths......

This photo and the next are of fabric chalkboard mats.

A very cool idea for kids on the go...at church, a restaurant, even at home....

A chipboard mini album filled with scripture and embellished with scrapbook paper.

These are just a few of the nearly 150 items in Bam Crafty Mommas Shop.

I also recommend Angel if you would like to preserve special

memories in a scrapbook but don't want to take the time to 

do it yourself.  Angel loves to create special pages

and will happily and cheerfully work with you to custom

make a precious keepsake.

I recently recommended this to a friend who was wondering

what to do with cards received after her father's passing.

My Mom, who is also a "scrapper" made a very wonderful

book doing this very thing and it is a "keeper".

Finding new friends has been a pleasant surprise

but one for which I am thankful.

They have given feedback that is helping my business

grow....they have prayed with us as we suffered the 

loss of a dear family friend and were in deep shock,

they have rejoiced with me over sales.

God has blessed me with the CAST Team.

I have not forgotten my beloved Blog

Community.  I am so thankful for you too!

One dear friend is hosting a giveaway 

of a hot chocolate

mug.....

Crystal, sister of Melissa, has educated herself

about the benefits of soy candles.

She has shared on her health blog about 

why you would want to burn soy over paraffin.

I hope you'll stop by and leave a comment for 

this lovely lady who just happens to be the new

momma of a precious baby girl.

Enter to win this candle

which retails for $10.

More than Jar Candles....

If you've been around here long you 

know that just about nothing is spared

from being turned into a candle around here.

However, it was just yesterday when I was

posting a new listing at my Etsy shop that

I was able to put into words 

why this is true.

This is what I said in my newest listings:

"It is my goal to make candle art.

Jar candles are great. 

I make those too....

but there are places in our homes 

where we want it to be just a bit more dressed up. 

This gives you the option of a warm glow within a beautiful piece."

I found these two bowls on deep discount at 

Kohl's and simply fell in love with them.

They are $10 each

before shipping.

Shipping adds $5.

Each one holds between 8 and 9 ounces of soy wax.

As always the wicks are hemp.

No metal to burn!

Once burned down this bowl 

will clean up beautifully with 

hot soapy water

leaving you with a sweet bowl.

The purple one is actually a deeper purple 

than it seems from the picture.

It is French Lavender.

The yellow one is Amazingly Grace (Type)

Fragrance.  A very, very soft scent of roses and musk.

Contact me if you are local and want one 

of these bowls.  

You don't have to deal with the 

postage on Etsy.

Packages That Come in The Mail...and a DISCOUNT CODE

Lately our mail has not been the usual 

fare of bills and advertisements.

Well, they have been there too, but,

We have also been receiving little packages.

Fun stuff.

I am going to show you what was in one

of the packages.  

But first.....

Some in my "real life" 

(You know, as opposed to virtual life)

have asked what in the 

world is Etsy.

Etsy is an online location that hosts (for a fee)

artists and vintage sellers individual shops.

The good and the bad is that everyone has

a uniform look and rules.

Being creative as we are I am sure this

stifles all of us a bit sometimes but for 

the most part I am thrilled to use this site.

Not having to start from scratch on a website

is wonderful.

Been there. Done that.

Within Etsy you can join Teams.

I have joined a couple.

The most active has more that 2000

members and is the 

Cristian Artists Street Team. (CAST)

I'll often pop onto a conversational thread at

some point throughout the day and chat with 

other Etsy sellers who are working away.

CAST also has a Team Blog.

There a different seller is featured at least 

weekly.  I happened to win a beautiful 

jewelry set by Tricia.

CreationsbyTricia is her shop name.

I love this necklace.  

It is so me.

There is a weight to it that

pleases me.

I tend to "fiddle" with my jewelry

and this feels sturdy enough to survive

the abuse.

It is very well made.

Isn't it pretty?

I am pleased with the response to my 

Etsy Candle Shop, so far.

Traditionally I close up the 

whole candle shebang over the Summer

so to have it up and running with sales

makes me a happy camper.

Making new friends 

in this venue has been fun too.

For the rest of this week you are 

invited to take 25% off your

total order from my shop.

Just use Code

CAST25

 at checkout.

Perfect For Spring and Mother's Day

Sweet Victorian Rose and Hydrangea Heaven 

Candles have just been listed on Etsy!

SOLD - New One of a Kinds in the works!!

These containers caught my eye right away

and I knew I just had to 

make candles in them.

I only have these two so 

when they are gone

that is it....

Sorry, I wouldn't know where to find more.

Thanks for stopping by today....

Have a most excellent weekend!