After Christmas Sale!

Christmas has come and gone, and I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!  Now that we are approaching the end of the year, I'm sure that all of you are looking forward at the new year ahead of us, and making plans and resolutions. I hope it will be a year of good things for all of you!

I have decided to kick off the new year with a sale! It is officially marked on items in the artwork and home decor section of my Etsy store, but I have been doing some markdowns in other stores as well.

 When the USPS raises their shipping rates again in January, these items will probably be more significantly affected than some of the other sections of the store (because they tend to be heavier). That seems like a good incentive to buy now, before they end up costing you more (and while you can benefit from the sale price as well).

Here are some highlights from the sale (while supplies last!):

These Morgantown blown glass "patio lights" from the Federal pattern are greatly discounted!  Made in the 50s, these pieces have a peacock blue color and a clear, bell ring because they are leaded glass.

This extremely rare (possibly one of a kind!) Jeanette Iris and Herringbone pattern metal bowl is very deeply discounted, about $85 off. My research uncovered one example each of solid metal bowls like this, in other Jeanette patterns, although there is no record of glass companies making metal bowls at all! It must be some kind of salesman sample or mockup, made of an unknown pitted and worn metal. Follow the link to read more about it!

Did you wish you had a more stylish carry-on than a ratty backpack during your holiday travels this season? Here is an affordable powder blue American Tourister bag from the early 80s. It is quite roomy, but fits perfectly into an overhead bin!

Looking for something to dress up the room for spring? How about this framed butterfly needlepoint tapestry, probably from the 50s or 60s.

And now for one of the "less advertised" sales. This pretty set of Metlox Red Rooster pattern salt and pepper shakers has been marked down AND set for free US shipping (all other shipping destinations have discounted shipping rates, as well).

This dueling pistol cologne bottle from Avon has received a lot of attention lately. Nope, it is not a gun at all! Leave a comment and get a discount on your purchase!

If you intend to do some entertaining in the coming year (or finish decorating a room), I have 2 of these white divided serving dishes from Fire King. They are from the 50s-era "Golden Shell" pattern (you should see the back!) and are edged in real gold. Leave a comment, get a discount!

Here is another lovely vintage plate in untouched condition. It was made in postwar Japan, and seems to have been part of a rare pattern from a company named Jyoto. I have marked it down 20%! It is well worth a closer look.

I just marked down this attractive pair of metal wall chargers from England, made in the medieval style. They are now 20% off!

This lovely Daher lithographed metal tray is also 20% off. Lovely piece to decorate a wall, but can also be used as a serving tray or catch-all tray in your home.

There are many more things than this on sale right now. I hope you'll stop by before the year-end sale ends. Follow the links and go exploring!

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

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.

Cyber Monday Deal at CandyAppleCrafts

Just popping in on Cyber Monday to say hello, and let you know about my 10% off deal in my Etsy and Artfire stores today, just in case you aren't following my Twitter stream or Facebook page and hadn't heard about it through those channels. I have chosen to extend the 10% off deal until tomorrow night, just in case you wanted to get in on it but ran out of time today.  All you have to do is enter "ShopSave2012" in the coupon code box at checkout.

I cannot currently offer coupon codes on eCrater, but if you see something in that store and really want the 10% off, tell me at checkout (or in a separate email if you can't send me a message during the checkout process), and I will refund the 10% to your account. Better hurry, because this offer only lasts until midnight, Eastern Time, on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, I just wanted to show you my newest ornament, the friendly lion. Like him? You can order him on Etsy now for only $6.50 USD. If you are not from the US, better order quickly so it can get to you by Christmas!

Hope to see you soon, and as always, I wish you a very merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Contest Winner Pictures!

I thought I'd hop on over here to show you the prize for the first Menagerie Contest Giveaway.  The tip was "A Cute Bunny."  I hope I have accomplished that with this one.  I was going for something not so "Easter," since one of my other entries was an Easter Bunny.  I want to be fair, and also I want my work to be the kind of thing a person could display year-round if desired.

This was a very labor-intensive idea, mainly because of the legs, which had to be sculpted out of flat sheets of felt. I also had to trim the pom poms to make it look less "lumpy."  Of all the things I have made, this is the closest I have come to true sculpture, using construction techniques inspired by the little figures used in 60s animated specials like Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  I actually saw a few of those movie production figures on the Antiques Roadshow awhile ago.

 Because of the labor intensity, I am wondering if I will ever put one in my shop. I could do these, but can't produce them on the scale of my poodles.  This bunny would be costly compared to my other ones.  Would you buy a bunny that is about one to two inches tall, and priced at around $20 to $25?

Let me know in the comments. Otherwise, It's back to the drawing board to find a more mass-marketable bunny. :)  Thanks for reading!

Get Ready for Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is the first day of November.  We're about to swan dive into the holiday season.  Are you ready?  I am, with a stock of vintage dishes and a really cool Thanksgiving cornucopia centerpiece for your holiday table.

If you are also looking for some really nice, one-of-a-kind pieces of autumn and Thanksgiving decor, you might check out this thread in the Artfire forums, called "Thanksgiving Collections." Each collection of items is linked to sixteen different shops, selling everything from place cards to hand-crocheted table runners.  Go handmade, and support small shops and artisans this holiday season, and go vintage to go green!  It's all good.

I also wanted to inform you that I have all of the poodle ornaments, in pink, yellow, blue, green, white, and purple, available in my Etsy shop now.  If you are not a US resident, I very strongly encourage you to make your orders this week, so your package can have some chance of arriving before Christmas.  International shipping is notoriously slow, especially with some recent anti-terrorist measures some countries are taking concerning international mail.  Ideally it should take 10-14 days, but I've seen it take longer.  It's best not to get too close to the cutoff point!

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.

Shopping on a Budget: Great Gifts Under $10

If you are like me, you have a long list of people to buy for during the upcoming holiday season.  I'm trying to make that job easier for you by putting together gift guides in different price brackets.  Today, I'm sharing a small selection of what I have for under $10.

Great Gifts Under $10

Curated By: CandyAppleCra...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Jewelry

At Candy Apple Crafts, you can stay within the budget without being boring.  There's something for everyone in my store, from the fashionista to the bookworm.  I even have some Christmas ornaments for those who like to give those as gifts around the holidays.  What do you think?

Would you like to see more in this price range?  You're in luck.  I am adding more handmade Christmas ornaments to my stores right now, and there will be a slew of vintage pieces added as well over the next few weeks.  Everything in both stores is currently on a 10% off anniversary sale, but that ends October 31.  Act fast!

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!

Collections: Scrumptious Fall Treats

I have to say, one reason why fall is my favorite season of the year is the food!  I love the smell of cinnamon apples, sugar cookies and spiced breads, pumpkin and smoked meats...

Hungry yet?  Here's something to make your mouth water today:

All Treats, No Tricks!

Curated By: NightSkyJewelry

ArtFire.com

Craft Supplies

A special thanks to Night Sky Jewelry for including my vintage apple salt and pepper shakers in this collection! 

I will be back here soon with an announcement of some new Christmas items I think you'll love. Meanwhile, please take advantage of my October Anniversary Sale in both stores. It's still going on! Click the tabs marked "Artfire" and "Etsy" and go straight to my stores to look around. :)

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.