My First Craft Show

I thought it was about time to put up pictures from the very first craft show I did. This happened back in November. It was a holiday bazaar for a preschool. The moms came to shop! I was excited because I sold 15 items. Here are a couple pictures. My kids came by to visit too!
It was great experience for my first show. One thing I learned was that the items flat on the table tended to sell the best, but the items on my jewelry displays drew people over to the table. This month I did two more shows. I sold 23 things at an elementary school bazaar and 8 things at a church craft show. I plan on returning next year to the same shows. Everything sells so much better in person!

See Mommy Sew

If you would like to learn more about me, go read the blog of See Mommy Sew! She interviewed me in her blog. The dragonfly necklace mentioned in the article did sell at a craft show, but you can see the picture of it at the top of my blog :) Thanks See Mommy Sew!
Here is the link to what she wrote here. It was very sweet of you to promote my shop.

Etsy on CNN

Wow, the website I sell my jewelry on, Etsy, got mentioned on Cnn! Not my shop specifically, but I do get excited when I see things that point people to Etsy. You can read the article here. Looks like I'm not the only one enjoying crafting this year :)

In a Treasury

On the etsy website, people are allowed to make a treasury, which is basically making a page of items they like that are being sold on etsy. The treasury only lasts for a couple days, but it is great exposure for your shop. It is a huge compliment. I am thrilled my green oval earrings are being featured until Friday in this treasury. You can see them on the bottom right corner. Maybe someone will see them and buy them. They would look great for Christmas time!

I have been featured!

Another etsy seller decided to include one of my necklaces in her blog! I feel very flattered she is promoting my necklace. Come check out her blog entry here. It seems this is my most popular necklace, and yet it still hasn't sold. It is the dragonfly one.

More Preparing

The craft show is less than a week away! I pulled out all my jewelry and started pricing it. I also got these lovely displays for my table at the show. I think my jewelry looks so nice on them :) Here is a picture of some of my preparations.

Busy Little Bee

I have been making jewelry every second I can get whether it is during my daughter's nap or after all the kids go to bed for the night. I am getting very busy for my first craft show. The show is in less than 3 weeks. It is actually more of a school fundraiser. It is called a holiday bazaar. Half of my proceeds will go to the preschool that my nephews attend, so it is a good cause. It is also wonderful experience for me because it is a smaller show, and I will learn from it. I will be able to hand out business cards and even spread the word about etsy. I am getting so excited! My order of jewelry gift boxes came in. They were so much cheaper than buying them at the craft store. I want to be ready! I've been thinking and getting ideas of how to set up my table. The bazaar lasts for 2 days. I'm hoping to get lots of sales. I think jewelry sells better in person than on the internet!

Turquoise and Coral

I think red and turquoise look beautiful together. That is why I loved making this set in my store. I sell them separately, but they match perfectly and would make a wonderful gift. The turquoise is actually dyed howlite. I included red coral chips and tiny white shells. The colors really give a southwestern feel. I love the way these pieces of jewelry look. They are still available in my etsy shop.

How I Got Started

As a kid, I was never really much into crafting. However, my mom has always been very talented at making things. She is so good at knitting! I do love crafting now; I just like different crafts than she does.
So, my mom actually got me interested in making jewelry. She doesn't make it herself, but one Mother's Day she gave me a beginner's kit for beading. I was hooked very quickly! Isn't that sweet that my mom gives me gifts on Mother's Day? She honors the fact that I am a mom too.
These days I make jewelry after my own kids are in bed. It is a great way to relax for me. It is a fun hobby. However, I wondered what I was going to do with all the stuff I was making. My husband encouraged me to look into Etsy. A college friend that sells on Etsy encouraged me to go for it. It is an inexpensive way to start selling.
I am going to use this blog to show some of the things I have in my shop and to talk about anything related to my jewelry making. I hope you enjoy reading it!

First Post

I decided to start a blog for my jewelry store on etsy. So many people on etsy have a special blog that they use to show what they have been working on. I love making jewelry, and I have been learning quickly. Here is my shop HiddenTreasure.etsy.com
What is Etsy? Etsy is a place where crafters can sell things online. There are so many fun shops, and I am happy to sell things through them.
I think this blog will be a fun way to talk a little bit more about crafting :)