Freebies! Everyone loves FREE!

Some of my favorite free offers for YOU!

Swagbucks is my FAVORITE thing ever!  I save up my points all year long, trade them in for cash, then use it for Christmas gifts!  Fridays are always Mega Swag bucks day, too!

















* I do get paid for each click...thank you for helping me pass these on to you!**

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!?

Christmas in July - Part 2

Last week, I featured a few Etsy shops who had some great Christmas in July Sales, and today, I have even more for you!  Be sure to click on the pictures, too!  It will take you directly to their shop, where you can look around for yourself.  These are just small samplings of the things these shops offer.  I couldn't begin to list all they have!  I have said it before, but it is worth repeating.  Those of us who have Etsy shops oftentimes depend on the sales we make.  Sure, you could get something similar from a gift shop or boutique...but we pour our hearts and talents into the things we make.  Buying something from a handmade business goes directly to helping a family!

Ebi Emporium
Ebi Emporium is based in Vancouver.  I fell in love with this painting:

Credit: EbiEmporium 

I reminds me of Texas Bluebonnets!  Ebi Emporium is offering free shipping on all art during July!  The thing I love the most about this shop are the post cards!  I'm one of those people who just doesn't decorate.  Why?  I don't know, but really, its the last thing on my mind.  I'm lucky I have picture of my kids hanging up!  But you can get this exact painting on postcards!  Take a look around...Ebi Emporium has beautiful floral and abstract paintings!

Perpetual Posy
I have what my dad and Barb Wire Man refer to as a gangrene thumb.  Don't give me a plant unless you want it to die in record time.  I have killed even the so-called un-killable plants. So the floral arrangements in Perpetual Posy are exactly what I need!  I love this one..

Credit: Perpetual Posy 

I'm a fall person.  I love the colors of autumn!  But, Perpetual Posy has flowers for all seasons, including some Christmas items.  Plus, throughout the month of July, you can get any item at Perpetual Posy for 25% off!  Just use the coupon code "CIJ4PP" during checkout!

Smiling Green Apples
Now if this doesn't make you want to hang laundry out to dry, I don't know what does.

Credit: Smiling Green Apples

But, I'll be honest with you.  You can't have these.  Because they are mine.  HAHA!  I do have good news, however.  Smiling Green Apples has a ton of these adorable clothes pins!  And, unlike many of the others you can find, these are sealed so that you can actually use them outside for your laundry!  They aren't purely decorative!  Everything at Smiling Green Apples is 10% off for Christmas in July.  And, I have even better news.  Coming up soon, I will have a giveaway of some of Smiling Green Apples' clothespins!  I'm not going to tell you exactly when, so you need to be paying attention!  And just a heads up...if you want to win some of these, and you are not a follower of my blog, you need to go ahead, look over on the side, and hit "follow".  Just go on and do it now.  I will wait.....

OK.  Back to Christmas in July...

Designs By Velvet
Oh sweet angel of knitting.  Designs By Velvet sells my heroin   yarn that I can't wait to get my hands on. And roving....which is what a person uses to spin their own yarn.  Seriously...wouldn't this make the most gorgeous yarn e.v.e.r.??

Credit: Designs By Velvet

Truly, Designs By Velvet has so much more than yarn and roving.  Beautiful shawls, jackets, fingerless gloves and more.  But, I was so sidetracked by that beautiful roving...
Anyhow, Designs By Velvet is offering 40% off everything when you use the coupon code "julyspecial".  Unfortunately, I think if I order any more yarn, Barb Wire Man might leave me.  Then again, I check the mail...so maybe he won't notice....

Shop handmade as much as possible this year!  Stop by these shops and look around today.  Seriously!  You will be surprised some of the beautiful things you can find while digging around!  Be blessed today!