Shop handmade. Shop local.

There are a few good reasons to shop handmade and local. My personal favorite is that I'm helping someone in my own community find success. In turn I get amazing products that delight the recipients. It's pretty much a win/win.  As someone fairly new to the whole selling thing I can honestly tell you how important each and every sale is. Every single one makes an impact, not only on my business success, but on mine. It makes you feel darn good when someone likes your stuff enough to buy it!

So this year I'm going to make an effort to purchase more locally and more handmade. If an item turns out to be both of those things, BONUS!

Here are a few ways I'm planning to do this:

ETSY.COM
Did you know you can shop local on Etsy? It's true! There is a search option just for it! If you're on the main page just head down to the very bottom of the collumn on the far left and click on SHOP LOCAL. This is so awesome. I've already purchased one thing locally and I plan to do a few more, here are a few of my favorites so far.

Salt and pepper bowls
From paulova on Etsy

Stemware Coasters
From DimLim on Etsy

Stackable Simple  Ball Chain Bracelet 
From Bumhemian on Etsy

CRAFT FAIRS
If you're not an Etsy shopper (what? do those people even exist? I kid. Well sort of.) there are bound to be some amazing craft sales in your area. I will be going to one of Portland's largest next weekend. The ever amazing CRAFTY WONDERLAND. The name says it all. It's a wonderland of all things good and crafty.  My girlfriends and I grab our holiday beverage of choice (eggnog latte for me) get in line early and then spend a few hours wandering from booth to booth. It's awesome. Look for a craft fair in your area. You can try the two links below. They aren't great, but they do seem to have a few listings.


www.craftlister.com
http://festivalnet.com/


What kind of Christmas shopping are you doing this year? Anything handmade?

Christmas Freebie!

Ah the gift of wine!  It's almost guaranteed to please. It's even more guaranteed if you put one of these cute little tags on the bottle. 

Here's that little freebie I mentioned last time! Check back next week for another one. In the mean time check out the store. I'm adding things almost daily and Christmas is in full swing!

Right click on the image above and open it in another tab or window to view it full size. Sometimes you'll see a little magnifying glass as your cursor, if you do click it to enlarge the page,  then print it. It's that easy.

Make sure you print preview. Every computer and every printer is different. I had to change my setting to landscape and no margins but it worked perfectly!  These work best if printed on cardstock.

It's officially Christmastime!

I'm not sure if the day after Thanksgiving is the true mark of Christmastime, or if it's really the first of December? Either way, in my house we're calling it official!

I spent most of my day working on some holiday designs, ordering my Christmas cards, and planning decor for the house.

This will be the first Christmas tree for the puppies. I don't know how they'll handle it. Best case scenario they don't even really notice it or the packages wrapped up underneath it. Worst case scenario Brady will pee on it, Ella will bark at it and they will both take it down trying to unwrap a few presents. It will probably be something in between. As long as they don't break a window and set the house on fire I think we'll be winning!

In addition to Christmas cards and decor I spent a little time working on a new little freebie for you. It's not quite ready but check back tomorrow or Sunday and I'll have it posted. Nothing terribly special, but a little something fun for the holidays.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to get a jump start on some holiday ornaments I've been planning to make. I found this recipe on Pinterest and it looks like a perfect way to decorate a package with a little something special.

Clay Christmas Ornaments

What are you doing to get ready for Christmas?

Thanksgiving doesn't really rank up there in my top three holidays (Christmas, Halloween, and my birthday) but it does have one thing going for it that trumps the others.

Mom's mashed potatoes.

My mom makes the best. No really, she does. Go ahead and argue for your mom's if you like, but I know the truth. My mom is better than your mom at mashed potatoes. She has magic butter or something. Seriously, THE. BEST.

One year we had a guest who brought her own version of mashed potatoes. It was a disaster. Who puts shredded carrots in mashed taters? Crazy people*, that's who. Leave those taters alone people.

In honor of Thanksgiving I've put some new prints up in the shop. Check them out. I'm happy to make custom changes to any of them if you need it tweaked a little to fit a certain room in your house. Feel free to send me a message on Etsy and I'll whip up a perfect little print for you.

*Said crazy person is also my very best friend and I am okay with throwing her under the bus for the potatoes because she makes THE BEST green bean casserole. It's so good I actually eat green beans. She is one a select few who has been able to entice me with vegetables. She quite enjoyed her "Celebration Potatoes" so maybe they weren't a complete disaster...

Thanksgiving Freebie!

Here's a little freebie just in time for the all those Thanksgiving dinners. Pretty little wine bottle gift tags!

Print off these little tags and hang them on a bottle of vino (or sparkling cider) before you hand it over to your host. Just the right amount of dress up for a bottle and a nice way to say "Thanks!" to the people who are going to feed you.

I apologize for the poor quality photos, not having natural light makes for not so great composition. No more late night photo sessions. Lesson learned.

Right click on the image below and open it in another tab or window to view it full size. Sometimes you'll see a little magnifying glass as your cursor, if you do click it to enlarge the page,  then print it. It's that easy.

Make sure you print preview. Every computer and every printer is different. I had to change my setting to landscape and no margins but it worked perfectly!

Thanksgiving Hang Tags - http://www.etsy.com/shop/PennySueProjects