Here's Some Tax Relief You Can Use...a Coupon!

Last week, I worked on taxes any time I had a break from my other obligations, and now, at last...

I'm finished!

I'm celebrating by offering a 20% off coupon in my Artfire and Etsy stores. Just use coupon code:

 TAX20 

It's good through the end of April, and works on anything over $7!

If you have your eye on something in my eCrater store and would like the discount, you'll have to write to me, because that store doesn't have coupon capability. I'll have to mark it down manually for you...but I'd be happy to do that!

So, after shaking off the bookkeeping brain-stupor, I have started photographing and listing things again. My plan is to try to get something new into the store on a daily basis, so stay tuned!

Here is my newest listing, from today. This scarf has a minimalist, modern art kind of print, with primary color blocks and boxes on a tan  background. Follow the link to see it flat. If you like it, it's eligible for the coupon code. Just sayin'...

Savings Start Now at CandyAppleCrafts! Here's a Coupon...

Just for kicks, take 20% off orders over $20 on both Etsy and Artfire, using the code TNX20 on either site. Better hurry! Code only lasts until Sunday the 24th!

Visit CandyAppleCrafts' Studio

SAVE 20% Off Order Total

Use Coupon Code:

TNX20

during checkout.

Earth Friendly Gifts

Christmas in July Sale 2013

Hello, readers! Just popping over here to tell you that I've set up a Christmas in July sale on Etsy. Just use the coupon code CIJ to take 10% off orders over $10 until July 21st.

That means that this pair of 50s Morgantown "Federal" leaded glass is now $112.50 until the end of the sale...

And this great piano book from the early 50s is now $9. 90.


Lots to choose from, and lots of great savings! Hope to see you soon. :)

After Christmas Sale!

In many places, people are celebrating Boxing Day, a holiday that was originally a way of acknowledging and thanking the hired help for their service. These days, there are frequently sales taking place on this day. This year, I decided to give that a try!

I have established "After Christmas Sale" sections in my stores.

Etsy Markdowns

Prices on Etsy already reflect the markdowns. Some things were marked down 10%, some 15%, some 20%, some with free shipping, and some with free shipping plus 20% off!

Markdowns include items from practically every other section in my store, including books, wall art, and some Christmas ornaments. This "veggie" cutting board shaped wall hanging is currently on sale for about $8.

I hope you will go and browse. There are some good deals to be had.

Markdowns on Artfire

On Artfire, I have a similar markdown section. Here, I have activated coupons, which expire January 5th, and have marked several things with free shipping already.  The scarves (such as the one below) and many of the lightweight items in the section are eligible for a 30% off coupon, while the rest are eligible for the 20% off coupon.

Sales on eCrater

At present, I don't have any markdowns set up on eCrater, but if there is something you really want a discount for, please just ask. I'm pretty open to reasonable offers over there, because I am trying to get established on that venue.

Sale Ends January 5th

This sale, and all applicable coupons and markdowns, is going away the weekend after New Years Day, January 5th.  After that, prices will be returning to pre-Christmas levels, and some items in the category may be removed from the stores and either listed elsewhere, or taken offline permanently. 

I will be adding new inventory as well, while the sale is going on, and may be adding more items to the sale categories (especially if things are selling quickly).  Check out what I have, ask questions if you have any, and visit often!  I'd love to have your business this season.

New on eCRATER!

Just wanted to come over here and announce my new store on a site called eCRATER. I have been stocking the shelves over there since last Friday, but I wanted to wait until there was enough in the store for you to see.

Currently, I have a section in my store devoted to wall art, sorted by decade, and another section devoted to dishes, sorted by type.  This store is different from the others, because it is going to be devoted exclusively to vintage merchandise (none of my handmade items mixed in).

Hop on over there and go exploring!  I have been able to price things more cheaply than on other venues, because I don't have the usual fees to worry about.  It is fully functional, with Paypal secure checkout set up and ready to go. Here's the link to the shop, although I will also add a tab at the top of this blog for easy reference.

http://www.candyapplecrafts.ecrater.com/

Announcing Menagerie Contest Results

I received 14 entries in the contest since it began, so to choose a winner, I numbered them in chronological order, 1-14, and input that number (1 minimum, 14 maximum) in an online random number generator.

The result was "a cute bunny," which happened to be number 14.  Congratulations to Whitney at Whitney Sews!

This has been fun, so I'm thinking about running the contest again in a little while!

Now I need to get started crafting a bunny rabbit... :)

Artfire Patron Discount, Contest Update, and More!

Just popping in here to update everyone on a few things going on in my stores.  The title of this post doesn't cover everything, so keep reading!

First off, this past week, Artfire rolled out the new Patron Discount program.  If you are a signed-in buyer, you will see discounted prices in stores that have opted-in. These discounts are only available to people who have an account with Artfire, and they are invisible to everybody else.  For instance, here's what signed-in customers would see if they came to my store:

If you aren't a registered buyer at Artfire, it is easy to sign-up.  You don't have much information to fill out, and voila!  You can even sign in with your Facebook account.  Here's what the log-in page looks like on Artfire:

This is only one of the two discounts available in my store on Artfire.  In addition to this new Patron Discount, there is also a small discount for leaving a comment on an item!  Just look for the comment form at the bottom of each item page.  You can only cash in on the discount for four hours after you leave the comment.  It is a smaller discount than the Patron one, but it's something!

Now for the Menagerie Contest Update...

I have continued to receive entries for the contest, and currently have 11 entries.  Most have come from Facebook.  All of you Twitter users better get busy!  Let me emphasize the basic rules again:

• Got an idea for a pom pom or felt creature you'd like to see me make?  You could win it!
• Tweet your entry @CandyApplCrafts and tag it #MenagerieContest  in case I somehow miss it.
• Write your entry on my Facebook fanpage wall.  You can click on the Facebook module to the right, here on the blog, to go there.
• Yes, you can post the same idea on both Facebook and Twitter at the same time.  Just don't post it more than once on these accounts, in one day.  Theoretically, you could post your idea twice a day, once on each site, every day until the end of the contest.  This would increase your chances of winning, too!
• Contest entries end 10 p.m. US Central Time, March 3, 2012.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Announcing: Room to Create Sale

JcPenny's recently announced that they are tired of sending out circulars and running constant coupon sales, so they have decided to lower their baseline price on everything in their stores and have done with it.  Taking a page from their book, I'm having a vintage sale in my stores, but there won't be any coupon codes to enter or anything like that.

Why am I doing this? Frankly, my house is not a warehouse, and it's getting a little crowded in here. I need some room to create. I need some more storage space.  My pom pom collection is multiplying like Star Trek tribbles.  Yeah.  All of that.

On Etsy, vintage prices have already been significantly reduced.  On Artfire, expect the rollout to be more gradual, since I have 243 items (as of writing this) to adjust, and that is taking awhile.

Now, for two very important things shoppers might want to know:

• Please note that I have small, lightweight items marked with free (to the US) or very reduced (to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK) secondary shipping.  This is the shipping charged for the second thing if you buy two.  I wish it were possible to note on the items themselves that for many of them, I could probably manage to fit three or more of such items in the same package without raising the shipping price more than a penny or two. Maybe not at all (weight-metered mail is silly this way).  However, if you bought 3 or more, the checkout process on the site would probably automatically overcharge you on shipping. If you'd like to buy an armload of something, please contact me and I can bundle the items and get you an accurate (not an estimated) shipping price. If the order is big enough, I might even give you an extra discount on the items, just to say thank you. You might be amazed about how much I can save you this way.
• All shipping prices reflect US postal service rates, plus about $0.60 for the cost of the box and the packing around your items, and a few drops of gasoline that get used up to take your box to the post office.  If you think they are too high, please, please write your Congressman or the Postmaster General and beg on behalf of online retailers for something about this to change.

If you read this blog and decide to buy from me, I will throw a small party in your honor. Unfortunately, you won't be able to personally attend. ;)  I can promise you that I will dance and sing your package all the way to the post office for you, and when you get it and open it, I hope you will start dancing and singing for joy as well.

Thank you, as always, for being a fan of CandyAppleCrafts and Sweet Old Things!  Please visit again soon.

Puppy for Valentine's Day

Just in case you missed it, I thought I'd pass on the news here that I have a new handmade dog in my Etsy shop now.  Meet the puppy in a box, just in time for Valentine's day!

This puppy was modeled after Chow Chow puppies, for those who recognize the breed.  They look a lot like little teddy bears.  I shaped the paws to hold onto the lip of the box, so the puppy could stand up on his hind legs and peek out.

You can close the box with the puppy inside.  The lid is decorated with roses and ribbon, which really makes the surprise that much nicer when it is opened.

So what do you think?  More dogs and other creatures to come.

I have two other business updates you might want to know about:

• The US postal service is raising its rates again on January 22.  This means I will likely have to increase shipping prices on all of my items.  I really hate how this affects my customers, but it seems to have become a regular part of doing business online.  If you've been eying something large in my shops, I advise you to buy it before shipping rates go up again, since those rates will likely increase the most.
• All scarves on Artfire are still on sale for 30% off with the coupon code NEWYEARSCARF.  In addition, secondary shipping is free on many of my items.  Secondary shipping is applied to a second item in your cart at checkout.  I have paired scarves with coordinating jewelry in my shop, so now you can take 30% off a scarf, and get a brooch for a few dollars extra (and no extra shipping).  Check it out and calculate your savings!

New Year's Resolution: Redo Your Wardrobe

Tired of the same old look?  This year, consider spicing up your wardrobe without breaking the bank.  I've seen some fashion segments on television that claim to have found new looks for less, but frequently they still run about $60 or more for one new ensemble.  If we are looking to save money, we often need to cut more than that from our budgets.  Here are some tips I have gleaned that I think will work for a pennies type budget:

• The rule of two matches.  Try to buy new garments that can be worn with at least two other things you already own.  Minimize the number of wear-alone or distinctive pieces from your wardrobe.  If you are going to spend more on one piece in your outfit, make it count for multiple outfits.
• Buy high-impact accessories.  You can look just as good in a little black dress (or another solid neutral color) paired with eye-catching accessories.  The good thing is that, with the exception of jewelry made of precious metals or stones, your accessories usually cost less than the clothing you are wearing.  Again, look for accessories that go with more than one ensemble, such as a floral scarf or a large piece of costume jewelry.
• Buy vintage.  This is a huge trend right now, but it has a practical side as well.  Frequently you can find high-quality things for a fraction of their retail price. You have to be willing to sift through the worn leftovers, but this time of year thrift stores fill with things people donated for a tax write-off, spring cleaning castoffs, and unused gifts the recipients were unable to return.
• Alter it!  If you are cleaning out your closet, consider altering those "mistakes" you wanted to wear, but somehow couldn't.  Maybe the sleeves or pant legs were too long, it didn't fit in the bust, or you hated the drape of the skirt.  Frequently it is an easy change, but if not, look into your local dry cleaner's shop to see what they charge for alterations.  Chances are they would be cheaper than replacing all those clothes.
• Ditch the guilt.  If you have held on to clothes that you hate (but maybe you spent a lot of money on them), it's time to let go.  You are much less likely to wear clothes that make you feel bad about yourself, especially if you own something you love more.  As an added bonus, getting rid of the guilt gives you space for some replacement pieces.

While you're thinking about all of this, you might want to check out my January scarf sale, going on now.  All ladies' scarves are marked 30% with coupon code NEWYEARSCARF.  Just type in that code on the right side of the checkout screen.  Follow the link to see what I have available.

New Year's Resolution: Redecorate on a Budget

In the spirit of making a change in 2012, many of us may have wished for new horizons and surroundings.  While it may not be workable to move right now, it is still possible to transform our surroundings in small and large ways.  One way to make a change is to redecorate, and it's even possible to do so on a budget.

Here are a few tips, in case redecorating was part of your New Year's resolutions for 2012:

• Seek out ideas from interior design blogs, magazines, and tv shows.  As much as possible, gather clippings together in one place.  I hear Pinterest is a great place to find interior decorating images and gather them on a digital pinboard.  There is also the old reliable method of collecting magazine clippings in a binder, notebook, or journal.
• Try to work with the furniture you have.  You don't have to run out and buy a whole new set of furniture if you want to redo a room.  Try making a graph of your room and small paper outlines of your furniture, so you can rearrange the pieces virtually before you exert your muscles, and be willing to swap furniture from other rooms in your house.  Another option is to paint or reupholster what you have (just not valuable antiques).
• Consider repainting the room.  Paint does cost something, but it is one of the cheapest ways to dramatically transform the room.  Before you pull out the drop cloths and get started, it is generally recommended that you paint a piece of posterboard with the paint you want to use and tack it to the wall for a few days.  This gives you a chance to see what the color looks like in different light levels (night, sunny day, rainy day, etc.), and lets you change your mind before you make it permanent.  For other tips, look online for articles such as this one.
• Bring in new pieces of art or other objects of interest.  If you have a good backdrop already established in furniture and wall color, it's time to accessorize the room!  Don't be afraid of some color and texture.  This is a chance to express your personality without spending a lot of money.  If you decide later that you don't like these things, you can replace them without a lot of regret.
• Buy vintage or handmade for maximum impact.  Stores may not have the style or type of furniture or decor you are looking for.  Here's your chance to have something custom made for your needs, or find something that no one makes anymore.  If you shop carefully, you might find something that will brighten your home and your life for years to come.

Until next time, I'm wishing you a happy new year!

P.S. I am currently running a 30% off sale on vintage fashion scarves for women.  Visit my Artfire store and enter the promo code NEWYEARSCARF in the box on the right at checkout.  Vintage scarves can be worn, framed as art, or reclaimed for decorating projects like throw pillows, so be sure to check out this deep discount!  The coupon is available all month.

Cyber Monday Sale

For Cyber Monday only, select items on Artfire will have free shipping, plus orders over $25 will also receive an additional 20% off!  Please drop by my shop and let the savings pile up!

SAVE 20% Off Select Studio Items

Use Coupon Code:

CYBERSAVINGS2011

during checkout.

Handmade Quilts

Here is a teaser glimpse of just a few of the things I have available that fall under one or both discounts:

Fun Gifts Under $5

Curated By: CandyAppleCra...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Scarf Promenade

Curated By: CandyAppleCra...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Have a wonderful holiday everyone, and happy shopping!

Facebook Auction!

I  have heard of "Facebook Auctions" before, so I decided to hold one on my Facebook fan page to round out my October anniversary sale.  I made this little furry monster a little while ago, but couldn't figure out where I wanted to list it (or if I wanted to just keep it).  This is the only one I've made, so if you win it, you will have a one-of-a-kind creation!

The highest bid, wins!

How to participate:

•  Eligible participants have to "like" my Candy Apple Crafts Fanpage, and have a valid and current Paypal account, address, and email address.  US residents will have shipping included in the price, but international residents will be charged shipping in addition to the winning bid.
• I will post this photo on my Facebook fan page .  The caption will have the starting price, and the bidding increment.
• Leave a comment on the photo to place a bid.   For the sake of clarity, don't leave a comment on the photo if you don't want to bid.  You can comment multiple times.
• Every comment on the Facebook photo raises the bid by the bidding increment.  If you aren't sure what the price is at any given moment, count the number of comments and add it up.
• The bidding ends noon, Central Time, Tuesday, November 1, 2011.  Comments posted after that will not be counted.
• The winner will be privately contacted through Facebook for their shipping information and a valid email address.  I will send you an invoice through Paypal to your email.  You will have 24 hours to finish checkout, or you will be disqualified and the winner will be the next lower bid.
• I will mail you this as soon as payment has been completed!

Good luck everyone!  Head over to my fan page right away.  You can't bid here on the blog!  See you there.

Anniversary Sale Continues, Plus, a Sneak Peek!

As I announced earlier, I have a sale going on all month to celebrate the anniversary of Candy Apple Crafts.  For two years now, I've been steadily building my business, and I'm now approaching 100 sales in my two stores.  This is a great achievement for a small business that started so simply in 2009, with less than 20 items for sale and no presence whatsoever in the online retail market.

I've grown a lot, and now have nearly 300 things available in my stores, but I intend to maintain the same level of customer service, quality, and style.  What I have to sell may vary greatly, but I want it to be homey and nostalgic, traditional but not uncomfortable, family-friendly and fun.  The name of my store is evocative of the theme of my merchandise.

Currently, everything in my Etsy store is eligible for a 10% off coupon.  Just type in the code SecondAnnivSale2011 at checkout.  My Artfire store is marked down 10% automatically (no coupon needed).  Hope you'll come check it out!

*******

Now, that said, I wanted to show you a little sneak peek of a project I've been working on.  It's the first in a new line of retro Christmas ornaments that I have planned.

This is an early prototype, which means I am making more improvements.  I'm not telling how I did it (this artist wants to be paid for her efforts!), but I will tell you that it took many failed attempts over the course of a year.  Yup, it's hard work!

After a few more tweaks, I will be making these available for sale, of course with a hanger attached.  There are other designs in the works, too...

Now is the best time to put in special requests!

Candy Apple Crafts Anniversary Sale!

I officially opened my Etsy shop in October of 2009.  Almost exactly one year later, I opened my Artfire store.  To celebrate two years of being in business, and 76 sales on the two venues, I am having a big sale all month!

Here are the first deals of the month:

• Take 10% off all items in my Etsy store with the coupon code SecondAnnivSale2011.
• Take 10% off all items in my Artfire store, no coupon code required!  All things marked down automatically.
• Take an additional 10% off all items in the scarves, ties, and handkerchiefs section until October 15 with the coupon code 1FirstAnniversarySale2011.  Enter this code on the right side of the screen during checkout.

Here are a few of the things you can find on sale now:

A Paula (Russ Berrie Co.) Sillysculpts figurine from 1972.

Nautical Repousse Metal Wall Tray to decorate your home!

Get this Thanksgiving Cornucopia Centerpiece on sale.  Decorate your holiday table before the busy season starts next month!

Get this Jones New York scarf for 10% off, and don't forget the coupon to take an additional 10% off.  It's easy to care for, and trendy colors for the season.

Stock up for Christmas early!  I have many Christmas decorations, like these Elf Christmas Ornaments, as well as gifts for all ages, under $10!







Hope to see you there!  Follow the links throughout this post to check out the deals.

Scarf Promenade and Announcing a Serious Sale!

I've been keeping an eye on style trends, and have noticed scarves appearing with increasing frequency on television commercials and in sales circulars.  Fall is the best season to wear them, too!  It's no coincidence that the last page of the latest Woman's Day magazine was instructions on how to tie a scarf.

Because of all this, I created this collection to show off a small handful of what I have in my Artfire shop, and just announced a coupon for 25% off your scarf order (no minimums) with the coupon code 1265QU-SCARFSEPT2011.  Use it by the end of the month to take one fourth off the price of the scarf.

Shipping has also been reduced on all of these (I found a way to cut some costs without cutting quality), and I have especially discounted my secondary shipping, which means it costs less to get two scarves together than it does to order them individually.

I hope to see you in my store in the next ten days!  In the meantime, enjoy this eye-candy.

Scarf Promenade

Curated By: CandyAppleCra...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts