It is GIVEAWAY TIME!

I'm running a little behind on announcing this on my blog (hey, kids have to come first, right?!), but that is OK...you still have a couple of day!!

I have been knitting my fingers to death on these awesome boot toppers that everyone is wearing....

YOU COULD WIN THESE!

AND YOU CAN WIN THEM!!!


I don't even have them up for sale yet on my Etsy shop, but you could WIN this pair!  Once they go up for sale, this style will be $30, so get your name in the drawing soon!


What all do you have to do?  Not much, really!  

First, you will need to head over to my Facebook page: 13 Plum Knitting

There, you will see a big "SHARE IT TO WIN IT!" picture!  Once you "like" my Facebook page, share the picture, and write "shared" in the comments!  

THAT IS ALL!  I will draw a winner on Friday (February 8), so head over NOW to get your name in the drawing!  

Etsy sell? And Etsy Sale!

Etsy, Etsy, Etsy.  We have a love hate relationship, but mostly, these days, just hate.

I love that Etsy offers an easy, straightforward approach to putting your items up for sale.  I love that my customers can use paypal, but can also use their debit and credit cards also.  I love that I can offer gift cards for purchase, and set up coupons.  I love that there is some pretty darn cool stuff, even though sometimes you have to wade through some somewhat strange stuff.

One of my many baby headbands at 13 Plum!

I hate that it is so saturated.  I hate that trying to search for something only pulls up the biggest and best of the shops, leaving the smaller ones with items that are just as wonderful in the dust.  I also hate that you can apparently sell things that aren't even handmade (even though the rules state otherwise), and that if you tack the word "vintage" it automatically becomes Kosher to sell.

One of my diamond scarves...I currently have it in 4 other colors

I have many sales locally, through Facebook, and through my booth at a gift shop in a town about an hour away, and even on Twitter.  But seriously, getting sales on Etsy is next to impossible, I don't really have the time to sit and constantly monitor and promote, and I don't like having to pay to keep my things listed.  I think I'm going to be doing things differently this year!

My favorite pair of barefoot sandals!

 This year, I would really like to get a few of my things into some local stores, and am going to take the steps necessary for that here soon!  My plan is to get my headbands into some local gift and boutique stores, as well as my dishcloths into some gift/kitchen stores.  Those are both things I can make fairly quickly (at least compared to things like blankets and shawls), and sell well.

I had no idea these little headbands would be as popular as they were...I could hardly keep up with orders!

I would love suggestions on other online venues for selling.  I know of Artfire, and HyenaCart, but am sure I am missing some others that are equally impressive.  Please comment and let me know if you have some favorites!

This scarflette is another of my favorites!

I will leave my things up on Etsy for a bit longer.  I'd like to sell them all before just pulling them down, though.  So starting today, everything in my Etsy shop, 13 Plum Knitting, will be 25% off, with the coupon code "JAN2013".  But only if you order through Etsy!  Stop by, take a look, and order somethings! Be sure to share with your friends, and please, what are your favorite online selling venues!?

A Little Business Thursday

I have had two Etsy orders this month!  I know for some Etsy sellers, that's nothing.  They get that many orders in an hour.  But not this girl!  Its the most sales (online) that I have had in a single month, and I'm excited! Since opening my Etsy shop, I have had 24 sales.  They say that 50 seems to be the "magical" number; that once you hit 50, your sales really start taking off and you are "established".

Good grief, after 2 years of having this Etsy shop, I'm ready to be established!!!

Now, I have 23 items listed in my shop.  If I sold everything, I would almost  be at that "magical" mark!

What's a girl to do?   Beg for sales, of course!

I'm asking all of my friends, readers, and fans to help share my blog, and my business.  Christmas is around the corner, and the good news is I do usually get really busy this time of year.

Know someone with a baby?  I can make them a beautiful, heirloom quality blanket!

Everyone needs scarves, hats, shawls, wristwarmers, neck cowls, and other things to keep them nice and warm when it gets cold outside.  I have plenty of those, and if they aren't in the colors you like, I can make them for you!

It would sure mean a lot to me if you told your friends, or shared my blog!  Or, just got check out 13 Plum and get yourself something!!


Twitter: Mommabobo
13 Plum Plum on Etsy
13 Plum on Facebook

I'm a Model...Sorta....

I'm so terrible.

A few weekends ago, my friend took pictures of me modeling some of the things I have for sale.  I meant to get a post up, and totally forget.  I feel awful about it!  So, today, I'm going to share with you!

Scarf @ 13 Plum Knitting

Stefany says she has always loved photography, but she is just starting her career as a photographer.  She is expecting her first baby in December (yay!!).

Shawl @ 13 Plum Knitting

Scarflette @ 13 Plum Knitting

I love her photography.  She has an amazing eye for placement!  The photo shoot was so fast, but we got so many amazing photos.  Seriously...when I got on the computer to put them up on my Etsy shop (13 Plum Knitting), I had a terrible time trying to chose which ones to use!

Do me a favor?  Check out her facebook page, Stef Kaye Photography!  She is just starting out, and we all know that spreading the word is the hardest part.  Take a look at all the beautiful pictures she has taken, and "like" her page!

Shawl @ 13 Plum Knitting 

Stefany, thank you for taking these pictures, and making them so wonderful!  I can't wait to do it again!

Shawl @ 13 Plum Knitting 

You Learn Something New...

So, I found out the other day you can actually purchase things on Facebook!

I've always put pictures of my "for sale" items up on 13 Plum's Facebook page.  Then, if someone wanted to purchase it, I would send a Paypal invoice, or wait for a check, or plan to meet up to deliver.  It wasn't complicated, but..it was complicated.

So then, my friend at Lil' Miss Texan popped up with this awesome new app!  It allows people to actually shop and pay through Paypal directly from Facebook!

After annoying her with a gazillion questions about how in the name of goodness to set it up, I finally got it!  I don't have all my items added just yet...that is going to take a bit of time since I have so much for sale.

Up in the right hand corner, you'll see a little shopping cart that says "Shop Now".  Click on that, and you can see everything I have for sale.  Pretty easy, huh?

I think this is going to be a pretty awesome deal...at least I pray it is!  So, would you do me a favor?  Head over to 13 Plum's Facebook page and hit "LIKE"!!!  There are a lot of times that I list sales and new items on there before I ever get around to announcing it on Etsy, Twitter, or anything else.  So this is a good way for you to keep up on last minute and/or spur of the moment sales!

In fact, if you will go like my page, and leave a comment there, I will send you a coupon for 15% off anything in my shop!  (It won't be hard to find...every picture in this blog is linked back....and almost every link on this page will take you there!) Hope to see you there soon!

Be Blessed!

I Am No Dummy!

Little Man and I have been spending a lot of time at the library lately.  We don't normally do that, mainly because when all the day care kids are here it is hard to get out.  And libraries are supposed to be quiet, and all my kids are...noisy.  Anyhow, I want to instill a love for book in Little Man, and the library is nice and cold.  And it isn't running on my electricity bill.

Anyhow, I checked out a book called Blogging for Dummies, by Susannah Gardner and Shane Birley.  The good news is, I'm not a dummy!  WOOT!  I knew a lot of it already, at least the setting it up, designing it, etc.  Unfortunately, my life would have bee a lot easier if I had had this book when I first started.  I've also learned quite a bit about blogging, though, and some of it quite important. (And just to clarify, for the blogging world, this is just my own opinion of a book I happened to read.  I wasn't compensated in anyway. Hell, they didn't even ask me to but I am anyway!)

Long story short, my blogging friends, go check this book out.  You'll learn some interesting stuff.  Unless you are a know-it-all, in which case you probably aren't even reading my little blog.

I have more tomatoes from my garden!  My life is just so complete now!  It sure is funny how many people you learn are your friends once they found out you have a garden.  Suddenly, I'm everyone's buddy, and really must tell them if I have more tomatoes than I can handle.  Obviously, they have never seen just how many tomatoes I can eat in one day, but I'll keep them in mind.

Back to the grind, I suppose.  Would you be so awesome, and recommend me to your friends?  I'm so close to having 200 followers, and I would really love to see it happen before Friday!  I might even save you some tomatoes for linking me up to you facebook and such!

Have a wonderful day, and be blessed!

Just a Little Info!

I don't do this incredibly often, but, today I am going to.  I'm going to spend just a little bit of time bragging about my shop, and the things I offer.  I was recently told by a friend that I need to boost myself up a little bit, and stop being so modest.  So, maybe I will.

I personally make everything I offer by hand.  To some, that may not mean a lot, but to others, it is the most important thing.  My customers can know that the things they get from me are well made with quality material, and not thrown together in a mass producing factory.  

Personally, I would rather purchase something handmade, by a micro-home business than even something mass produced and sold in a locally owned/family owned shop.  Why?  Because I know that the money they receive from me will go directly to helping a family.  I know firsthand, because when I make a sale, that is money I am able to use for my family.

Also, thank you for reading my little blog each day!  I honestly figured that most people would have very little interest in reading about the life of a craft addicted, food loving, Bible living, work at home mom.  I'm really excited that, at this very moment, I have 172 followers.  I'd love nothing more than to reach 200 followers in the next week!  I think I can do it, but, not just by myself.  If you do enjoy reading my blog each day, would you take just a minute and recommend it to some of your friends?  In the next few weeks, I will be scheduling some giveaways.  But, in order to win a giveaway, you have to follow my blog!  

If you are reading this, and you are a crafter who sells your items online, be sure to check out my sponsorship page.  I'd love to help you advertise your business, and do so through my blog, as well as through Twitter!  It is much easier and less expensive than a lot of other methods of advertising, and you won't have to do any of the work.  Rates start at just $8, and, just like the sales of my crafts, that money directly benefits my family.
If you are interested in allowing me to do a giveaway of one of your items, please, let me know!! 




Most bloggers have many professional ads on their websites also.  When you get a chance, make sure to click on those, too.  That's another way we crazy bloggers make money...and we all appreciate when you do!

Thanks for taking time to read this, and allowing me to toot my own horn a bit!  If you haven't already, you can also follow me on Facebook, and on Twitter!  Twitter is a great way to follow, because often I will pop off and have a surprise one-hour-only sale, and the coupon will only be announced there!

Thank you again, and be blessed!!