Catch up

What a blur the last few weeks have been. The auction was a huge success as was the giveaway. Congrats to my very oldest friend...Anne, seriously we went to kindergarten together! I enjoyed bringing her the basket of goodies to her brand new house and watching the big fat wet snowflakes cover the ground in 30 minutes.

After the auction was my meltdown over the grey,wet,crazy weather. Begged for a trip to Florida, and ended up with one to Houston instead! Yippee for family who loves me enough to plunk me on a plane and let me head out of here. Funny though...a day after that was solidified..sunny skies and beautiful weather which has lasted for 2 weeks..crazy still though since we are enjoying weather in the high seventies in March! so off I go on Sunday to Houston to visit my aunts and grandmother,to soak in the humid heat and to enjoy all the spicy tex mex I can! Pictures of the journey I promise!

In addition to that I have found a new author, Jim Butcher who I am so enjoying! A book to avoid at all costs, The Wolf Gift, Anne Roce, trust me you will thank me for stopping you that heartache.

Crochet wise I have started a theme for the months of Friday deals. This month there were household items. Next month the theme will be ocean . Who knows what May will bring...flowers??? I also have mastered broomstick lace and have made 2 one of a kind scarves each with cotton yarns and different fringe types. sales are steady and there is not much more I could ask for from that!

Big news for another Duncan. Randy opened his own etsy shop. wwww.duncanclay.etsy.com which is fabulous for him..he has so much ready to ship items we are running out of space!!! So yea for him in this endeavor.

So I will post Houston wonders after I return!

THE GIANT GIVEAWAY AUCTION sneak peek!

If you have been following along this month you know I have had my 1000th sale on etsy!! To celebrate this March 1 there will be a multi vendor auction featuring the work of
http://www.everydaydiamonds.etsy.com/

http://www.purpleowlwitch.etsy.com/

http://www.turtlefly.etsy.com/

http://www.duncanclay.deviantart.com/

http://www.auntkatymadeit.etsy.com/

http://www.julieellyndesigns.etsy.com/

http://www.tattingforspirit.etsy.com/

http://www.berboo.etsy.com/

http://www.ginalouisedesigns.com/

http://www.whimsicalwishesbystormy.etsy.com/

http://www.jaimeddesigns.com/
http://www.eruckman.etsy.com/

http://www.thevividpeach.etsy.com/

http://www.throughmylens.etsy.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/samanthaRmontgomery?ref=ss_profile

http://www.karenswimmer.etsy.com/

as well as gift items also donated by
 http://www.upstateherbworks.etsy.com/
http://www.justkiddingcreations.com/
http://www.beatricclanore.etsy.com/

On March1  I will be adding a folder chock full of items at great starting prices! Each seller receives all the money and each payment will go through a PayPal invoice. The auction will run March 1 at 9 am -March 3 at 9 pm.  Each initial bid on any item will be counted as an entry into the giant giveaway of $300 worth of handmade fabulous creations.

The gift basket includes:
set of 2 hair pins, a pair of frog fun earrings, a pair of hand tatted silk flower earrings, a tutu, a matted moon flower picture, an original mixed media art print, a crocheted newsboy hat, a stuffed rabbit fleece, hand stamped necklace and bracelet,$20 gift certificate to the vivid peach, 2 bars of cold process soap, $20 gift certificate to JulieEllyn Designs, a $25 gift certificate to Jaime D Designs, an original water color painting, a set of chap sticks, a $20 gift certificate to Whimsical Wished by Stormy,a set of upcycled arm warmers as well as a $50 gift certificate to karenswimmer.

To be entered into the GIANT giveaway, please visit each shop, leave your favorite item from each shop here or on my all at www.facebook.com/DuncanCreative

Giant Giveaway Part 2

We are getting so close to the giveaway and Auction..I can barely keep it together with all the cute things coming into this house!!!
New shops added to the list:
http://www.jaimeddesigns.com/
http://www.upstateherbworks.etsy.com/
http://www.purpleowlwitch.etsy.com/
http://www.originalfrosties.etsy.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/samanthaRmontgomery?ref=ss_profile

I am so lucky to know such talented sellers.  Up next for All Things DuncanCreative.  Auction sellers and Auction Start on March 1-3rd.

karenswimmer.etsy.com a review...

983 etsy sales...So close to that 1000. In 2008 I started on etsy with my beaded jewelry along with the other 700000000 jewelry artists. In the first year I didn't break 100 sales. At the time I was working and taking care of 3 kids..not much time to invest in my craft. The next year I started more crochet projects..specifically play food. Big doings in 2009 for play food. Pricing was low, work was intense and still I was working at the YMCA as well as staying with Brady at home til the other kids got out of school.

2010 started making more items that spoke to a wider population and began phasing out jewelry. In April of 2010 my job ended at the Y for a 9 month stint while renovations were happening. I decided to give my little business a serious chance to take off. I did more shows, joined Facebook, promoted my work like never before. In September 2010 I bought the owl hat pattern from crazysockscrochet. That was the beginning of a whole new dimension. I was now a hat maker mainly. Repeat customers started...as well as a huge online support from other shops like whimsical willows coture.In Dec 2010 I had my 500th sale on etsy( my mom was the lucky buyer). I began designing my own hats...with a few gentle nudges from customers suggesting I could do it. Themainegirl on etsy gave me lots of inspiration to grow and create the ideas from her head..turkey hat, reindeer, bender, elf,..all credited to her vision, my panic and finally learning to think out of the box.

Which brings us to the insane and fast year of 2011... I made a gazillion hats it seems like...I made a lot of new and fabulous friends via etsy teams, facebook and getting my name out in the Rochester art community. I did 2 shows this season rather than carting my wares to 12 shows. I made the BIG mistake of participating in heartsy. I had my first negative review, I sometimes wanted to put my yarn away and have a week where I slacked. I made a studio designed for just my yarn.which was taking over our house. I made my business happen and it was hard but rewarding. It was now a J-O-B.

So back to that 983. I would love to have 1000 by March 1, will I sweat it if it doesn't happen....nah it's just a number. What I am excited for is the future of my business. March 1 st will be my biggest celebration yet. My day was spent contacting the best artists with like minds and superior wares to do an online auction. lots more to come on that. Remember the play food? Since I am done making it, I am going to publish my patterns on etsy and ravelry. After that, it is time to bring DuncanCreative to the gazillions of gift shops in the wine country. So 1000 or not, this woman has big plans for her hooks.