MAJOR HALLOWEEN SALES!!

We are having Halloween sales in ALL of our shops!! Read below for details for our sales!!

★★★★★★ Designs by Krissy @ Art Fire ★★★★★★

$5 off an order of $15 or more! Use coupon code HALLO5 at check out! Also check out our Halloween Clearance section for lower prices on all of our Halloween merchandise & Halloween colored merchandise.

★★★★★★ THREE SEVENTEEN @ Etsy ★★★★★★

BUY ONE ITEM GET ONE 50% OFF AND ALSO, GET A FREE PAIR OF EARRINGS!! Note "Weekend deal" in note to seller and it will be refunded IMMEDIATELY via PayPal!

★★★★★★ OH MY CUPCAKE @ Etsy ★★★★★★

WEEKEND DEAL FOR HALLOWEEN WEEKEND!! 10/30/09-11/02/09

Our weekend deal is running until TUESDAY! :) Buy one get one free on our soaps & bath and body products! Refund will be given VIA PayPal. "WEEKEND DEALS" in the note to seller.

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Happy Hallowen! (Weee hours!)

I cannot sleep at all! I'm sitting up watching Forensic Files on Tru TV. lol Trust me, it really is fun, I promise! I'm just having one of those nights where memories come back flooding your mind with every possible memory you want to wipe out of your mind.

Those started when I was watching TV and saw something about Philadelphia and Halloween. Memories came back from Halloween 2004 when I had lived in Philadelphia and gone to college at Moore College of Art. I also was engaged to my ex fiance. I just started remembering that Halloween and the fun my room mate and I had with my brother and ex fiance and other friends from college. Every memory came back to me. After that, I decided to search for my old room mate on Facebook and I ended up finding her MySpace and e-mail address. I sent her an e-mail, hopefully it still is her e-mail address! I haven't spoken to her since 2005 and I would love to catch up with her. We were very close and when we were in college, she was the one person I could tell anything to. I do miss her a lot!

After that, I don't know why, but I decided to look up an ex friend of mine and it just brought back all of these memories and floods of feelings of everything. I guess maybe everything is just coming back to me at this point. I don't know. I don't want any of it to come back to me. In fact, I want to forget it all. I want to erase every memory from 2005-2008 and just start over. I don't know why the painful memories come back when you don't want them to.

So, I grew a pair and decided to subscribe to Art Fire. *hides* I figure, any publicity is good publicity and during the Holiday season, I would rather have two shops than just one. Maybe it will increase my chance for sales. Honestly, I like Art Fire a lot with their features. My views are still VERY low and I still haven't had a sale, we'll see! If I still have no sales after the Holidays, I wil definitely cancel my account. Otherwise, I will keep it and Etsy as well.

I am having a BOGO sale on OH MY CUPCAKE -- Buy one get 1 free!! Visit the shop announcement for details.

THREE SEVENTEEN is having a buy one get a free pair of earrings sale! The earrings are not earrings that are listed, but you have a choice of pearl or crystal earrings. They are made to order and I try to make matching earrings to any piece that is purchased!

ARTFIRE @ Designs By Krissy - 20% off an order $10 and over! USE COUPON CODE: HALLOWEEN09

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JUST OPENED AN ART FIRE SHOP AS WELL!!

SALE!! SALE!!

Visit designsbykrissy's Studio

SAVE 20.00 % On Order Total (orders above $10.00)

Use Coupon Code:

HALLOWEEN09

during checkout.

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NaBloPoMo

When I started blogging back in 1998, I used to write ALL the time. Every day. Back in 1999/2000 when blogging was VERY popular, I would blog more than once a day and I would really keep it up. I was also stuck in that "CamGirl" scene. (While it was still clean and innocent. Not the perverted scene that it is today!) I was a good loyal blogger with a domain and clean looking layout until 2004 when I went to college. At that point, I got so stuck with school and having a life and then my daughter, that I just didn't have the time or desire to continue.

Now that i have my own business, blogging is essential. You never know who may come across your blog or what business may come from your blog. I have learned -- any publicity is good publicity. I need to start blogging more often and I think now I will. :) I have tried the NaBloPoMo a few other times with no avail. I failed completely at blogging daily, but maybe I need this kick in the butt. :) I'm going to participate! I actually e-mailed them to ask if I can donate one of my necklaces to the prizes as well. As I said, any publicity is good publicity and even if I donate and include business cards, it's still a potential sale. Anything that helps my business along is good with me!

I have been completely lazy all day and I am not even out of my PJs yet. (At least my kids are all bathed and dressed!) I definitely do have to get to the grocery store and out to get Olivia diapers... I guess I have to get dressed. LOL Only in comfortable clothing!

.....What a day!! Hopefully I can list some items when I get back. Or at least one! I still have a giveaway that I have to post!

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FINALLY got my Macbook working again.

I love my Macbook. *hugs Macbook*

This past summer I had been using it a lot due to the fact that I had been doing a lot of graphic design things for friends and just for amusement. I don't know how, but my stupid power cord overheated, blew out, whatnot... It got me very angry because my power cord wasn't working on this Macbook or my older Macbook. Since I had gotten my Netbook (Which I love, but it has Windows..blech!!) and really didn't feel like standing in line at the Apple store to figure out why it isn't working, so I used that and put this to the side for now.

Since I finally found the power cord and got an appointment today at the Apple store, I was able to go there and get a new power cord for free because of my Applecare. *hugs apple care too* Now it works and I am very happy. I don't have to stare at a small Netbook screen and try to work with that. Thankfully I have my large screen of my Macbook again. The only downside is that I have to go through my stuff and to find my card reader and wireless mouse for this. lol I'm still going to have to work with two computers, but at least I can use this...my LOVE, my Macbook. lol

*hugs Macbook and never lets go...!*

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Floral Elegance Cream Pearl and Rosette Simplicity Necklace

Floral Elegance Cream Pearl and Rosette Simplicity Necklace

I love this necklace and I had to show it off. It is a different style than I am used to and I think that is why I love it so much! It's elegant enough for a bride and simple enough to work with any outfit; even casual. The larger pearls are carefully wrapped with sterling silver hypoallergenic wire around the front of the necklace. The acrylic cream colored rosette is dotted in the middle with a shiny and sparkly rhinestone. It's just gorgeous and fit for anyone who wants to feel like a princess! This necklace has to be seen, it's a beauty! Click the link above to purchase OR to read more about this beautiful necklace.

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Getting ready for Halloween!

Yesterday I was so into my relaxation and Cinnamon Tea I completely forgot about the fun we had yesterday when the kids were actually calm. LOL We carved pumpkins. We carved one traditional one, that I think looks like a cat without whiskers, and then I carved a Cinderella one. Keep in mind, I did this without a template, completely on my own. I know it looks only somewhat like Cinderella, but my kids think it does and that's all that matters to me! I think I did a pretty damn good job. Now if I could only paint it blue and flesh colored with the yellow hair, I would make a great pumpkin! I just have absolutely no time for painting a pumpkin now. I'm lucky I had the time to carve it in the first place. I am happy about my pumpkin. :) It's my prized artistic possession now. LOL Two years ago I tried to carve a special pumpkin like this and it got so very messed up. My pumpkin would break or just completely crumble. Yay for craft pumpkins!

The one real pumpkin we did carve, I kept the seeds on the side and made fresh toasted pumpkin seeds. They were great and my kids ate most of them before I even got to the bowl! :) We had a pretty good day yesterday before they were maniacs. Today they're maniacs too. They're beating each other up and wanting to watch two different things on TV. Maybe I'll get a calm day somtime before they're both married. lol I gotta run out for a few hours. At least I'll get some time alone then. lol

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Relaxing with cinnamon. :)

I love ANYTHING that has to do with cinnamon or vanilla. Seriously. I am in love with the scents and tastes. Hell, my favorite coffee at Starbucks is Cinnamon Dulce. :D Anyhow, today was such a stressful day. I was on the Etsy forums all day trying to promote, and in addition to that I was with the kids who were MANIACS. I mean eating everything in site, messing up the entire house so much so that I probably cleaned their room and the living room about 20 times. They were cranky and whiny and it was just so stressful.

They're not asleep quite yet, but laying down in their room watching TV and being quiet. (For the time being! The rebels will get up soon and start another rousing round of the rowdy game!) I took some time to sit in the kitchen with my laptop and a cup of hot cinnamon tea to relax until I have to chase after them again. :) I love cinnamon tea. Here is a great recipe for yummy cinnamon tea.

Yummy Cinnamon Tea

• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup of boiling water
• 1 regular or decaffeinated black teabag
• sugar or splenda
  

Make it!

1. Place the cinnamon stick in a cup.

2. Add the boiling water and steep covered for 10 minutes.

3. Add the teabag. Steep for one to three minutes.

4. Sugar time! :)

If you don't have time for all of that and you just want instant gratification, you can get Cinnamon flavored teas at the supermarket. :) I think Lipton has Cinnamon flavored tea as well as Bigelow Teas. :) They're all just as yummy!!

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Great new vintage find.

This is so beautiful and is the perfect gift for that special someone who loves vintage and who loves brooches. I do believe I may turn this into a necklace if someone isn't interested in it within a reasonable period of time, because I'm in LOVE with this. (If you're really interested in my turning this into a necklace for you, please let me know. Convo me on Etsy or e-mail me at designsbykrissy@msn.com. I would be more than happy to make this into a beautiful necklace for you.)

Dating back to the 1950's, this brooch was made by an elite costume jewelry company called Original by Robert. Doing a lot of research on this piece, I have found that it was very rare. Only very few of them were made and even fewer are in circulation today! The price of this piece back in 1950's to purchase was.... *drumroll please* $40!!! Back in 1950, $40 must have been a thousand dollars to them! (Imagine that!) This piece today is worth over $100. You can purchase this brooch from Designs By Krissy for just $100 including FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING! It's really gorgeous and the picture does not do it justice.

This comes in a beautiful gift box with Designs by Krissy branding on it. Aside from that, I do definitely gift wrap for the holidays. If you would like to purchase this brooch as a gift, please include that in the *MESSAGE TO SELLER* section on the order.

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WE WERE ON THE FRONT PAGE!!!

http://www.craftcult.com/vault_list.php?list=6149

YES!! IT IS TRUE!! We WERE on Etsy's FRONT PAGE! I am so excited and in disbelief. I never ever thought that we would make it to the front page. Truth be told, we were actually an alternate for the FP. Though at 10:30 PM my items was FINALLY on! I missed it, unfortunately, and I wish there was a photo that showed my item on the FP so I could see how amazing it looked to be on there. LOL :)

I am so excited that we were on the FP. Just so excited!

I did add some new items yesterday. I was so sick and so tired yesterday that after I added them I just got off Etsy and promptly fell asleep. I was exhausted and felt like crap. I'll post those new items now. :)

Vintage Faux Wood Organizer
Onyx Desire Black Stretch Bracelet
Fresh Cinnamon Bun Wax Melts

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TODAY'S DAILY DEAL 10/17/09

DAILY DEAL TIME!!

Today's Daily Deal is this BEAUTIFUL

Past, Present, Future Swarovski Crystal Wire Wrapped Ring. The price for this was originally $19.99 BUT just for today until midnight, it will be priced at $12.99!! You CAN use this deal in combination with the WEEKEND DEAL as well! :) (Read the shop announcement for more information about our weekend deals!!)

REMEMBER -- FIRST FOUR PEOPLE TO PURCHASE ANYTHING FROM OUR SHOP THIS WEEKEND, RECEIVES A FREE PAIR OF EARRINGS WITH YOUR ORDER! :)

This weekend, the deals are great!!

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Such a sad sad camera day. :(

My best friend, my Canon S5 is about to bite the dust. It has survived so much and put up a good fight! lol It's survived my dropping it on the sidewalks of NYC about 40 times, my kids dropping it when accidentally getting a hold of it, it has survived SO much. The view screen is cracked and was working for a while, but the other day walking in the rain probably screwed that up. The view screen no longer works. The video function works but is very spotty when you take videos, the audio is messed up. BUT!!! When you hold the camera up to your eye the traditional way, it does work. Not the best, but still it works. I'm still going to keep my beloved Canon, but I do need another camera that works well with photographing my pieces. I do have a Canon Rebel XTi, but my mom misplaced that camera charger. So I am unable to use that until I get a charger. I still love to carry a camera on me if I am going out, so I need something smaller. I am not exactly sure what to get. I was looking on Home Shopping Network (that's where I got my Canon S5 from on flexpay!) and I found this Samsung DualView that looks pretty cool! I can do 4 payments of $74.98 for that. I am considering that. :) Ther is also a Kodak Z195 that's $59 for 3 payments. I used to have that camera before I upgraded to my Canon and I loved it! There are some others including a Fujifilm DSLR "Style" Camera that is not a DSLR, but takes DSLR quality photos. Maybe I'll go with something like that, though I am not sure yet.

I stayed up until 4 am getting a few new pieces done. Three are halloween-oriented and the other isn't. The last bracelet took 5 painstaking hours. It was the wire wrapping and making sure everything was the right measurements. I also had to adjust the clasp because It was a 4 strand clasp and I only made a 2 strand necklace. :) I'm excited to list my halloween items and the GORGEOUS bracelet I made. I'm inspired so I probably can crank out 4 more today. :)

Here's to hoping for another sale! (I got one yesterday too! Weeeee!)

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Feeling so very positive,

I don't know why, but today I was feeling very positive that my shop will succeed. I wish I knew why I felt this way, but I don't. lol It's probably a very fleeting feeling that won't last too long, but at least it has arrived. LOL :)

Tomorrow I probably won't be able to work on my shop AT ALL. I'm heading to New York City to go to a concert with my friend. We are leaving at 8 am because we want to be in a decent spot. #1. It's general admission and #2. It is going to rain tomorrow. We don't want it to pour and us be in the middle of times square. We want to be situated comfortably (but coldly) under the awning of the theater. lol I'm planning on having a lot of fun, since I go to concerts VERY rarely. I had been thinking of bringing my computer so that I can actually get things done, but #1. I am not exactly sure if I want to carry my netbook with me all day and #2. I would probably hate to be running back and forth to my car at the parking garage to put my computer back in there and then take it out again. lol I don't even know if I would trust my computer being in the parking garage without me. My Netbook is my baby. *pets*

I did add two new items today. The first would be an original painting and the second would be vintage but a very great gift. :) You can check those out:

Vintage Mom's Kitchen Wall Hanging & Hot Plate - GREAT GIFT!!!
Lazy Afternoon Original Acrylic Painting

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Butterfly Glam Necklace

I made this necklace last night and I absolutely love it. I actually think it is a stretch from what I have made before because it is larger in size, but it is just gorgeous and looks gorgeous when worn! I am incredibly happy with it. You can read more about this necklace from the link above. :)

I have had such a terrible migraine for the past two days. It subsides a little, but then comes back full force. I don't know why and I wish I did. Tylenol does nothing for it and I keep forgetting to buy Motrin. Maybe it's just the heat on in the house...too much heat can give me a headache, but the heat isn't on for long when we put it on. My mom said that it is probably my contacts. I may need new contacts or maybe a new prescription. I can believe that. They have been bothering me.

Tomorrow is a full day. I have to do things around here pertaining to our big move coming up (whenever we find a place) and I also have to work on the shop. I got a lot of great Halloween things to add, they just need to be fixed! :)

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DAILY DEAL 10/13/09

★★★ SPECIAL DEAL!! 10% OFF YOUR TOTAL ORDER TOTALING $5-$19 FROM $20-$40...25% OFF YOUR ORDER!! FIRST 4 PEOPLE TO MAKE A PURCHASE BETWEEN TUESDAY OCTOBER 13TH AND WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14TH GET A FREE PAIR OF EARRINGS WITH PURCHASE!! Refund will be sent VIA PayPal within 3 hours. ★★★

DAILY DEAL FOR 10/13/09

Our PINKTOBER necklace is today's DAILY DEAL! We reduced the price to $10.40. That is $4.60 less than the original price. This price will be good until 11:59 PM today. At 12 AM the price will go back up! ALSO...FREE SHIPPING on this daily deal! You can't lose! :) 50% of the sale of this necklace goes to Susan G. Komen breast cancer foundation.

View or Buy Pinktober!

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Dreams...

I came upon the, "Quit Your Day Job" series on Etsy earlier today. Reading that made me realize that maybe I CAN actually get along and support a family with what I make and find. Vintage and handmade are two of my loves and if I can quit my day job as well and honestly feel comfortable with just creating and selling, it would be amazing. My ultimate dream is to open a brick and mortar shop. I actually already have picked the location it will be. It is this small little "island" in the middle of our city's most busy street. The shop is so small and petite and though everyone says it is cursed because nothing that opens there stays more than 2 months, I feel it is the right place for my shop. Though, that move will have to come if I ever win the lottery. LOL I could never get a B&M place without that! It's nice to dream.

Tomorrow I have to try to find the charger for my amazing Canon DSLR. My mom had it and misplaced it somewhere. It frustrates me that she lost it, because a new charger for that damn camera costs about $30. I guess I could find a generic battery charger at Staples, but I wish I had the one I had gotten with the camera. I don't need to spend the extra money if I don't have to. (BUT I DIGRESS) I really feel that I need to fix my pictures in my shop. My Canon S5 does it's best, but I believe maybe I should try my DSLR. It may give me better macro settings. I'm going to try, from now on, to completely revamp my shop and make things PERFECT.

I am exhausted and been sleeping most of the day. I had and still have a TERRIBLE migraine. :( Though I did get one necklace done. I love it and will tell the story of it and photograph it tomorrow.

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Sick and sales!

My daughter's birthday party went PERFECT! I think all of that planning was worth it. Even though it was just at Chuck E Cheese, I tried to make it perfect. I can't believe my little girl is already 4! It feels like just yesterday I was pregnant with her. She is growing into such a perfect little girl.

I really have wanted to get working on some new items for the shop, but I was so busy the past two weeks. Now that things have calmed down with the party and I'm free, I'm going to start again. We're actually cleaning out my studio so I can actually use it for a studio and not clutter my room with the mess of jewelry and soap supplies. :)

I did list some vintage items yesterday and sold some as well! I've been looking through some of my grandmother's vintage items that I had and found some that were perfect to list. It seems as if vintage goes like crazy on Etsy because so many people are interested in my vintage items! I'll probably list a lot more of that along with some of my own handmade things very soon. :) While you're waiting for me to list some new items, why dont' you check out some of the great things I've added. :) CHECK OUT THREESEVENTEEN!

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Learning a new technique.

A few months ago when I was in New York my friend and I went to a street fair near Times Square. I purchased a few pairs of gorgeous earrings that looked like the old string art I used to do as a kid. I have been in love with them since I got them and have been looking for some tutorials online to find out how to make my own. I finally, after a few months of searching, found the BEST tutorial for it and am heading out to get some of the supplies right now. I want to learn how to do it because I think they are absolutely gorgeous and I think they're so delicate and elegant. :) I will definitely be posting them to my shop when I get some of them done...providing they come out good! We actually learned in a 5th grade art class how to do the string art. It had some math theory behind it, I remember that... Knowing how bad I am at math, it may take a while to figure that one out!

Alayna's birthday is today so our sale is still going on... To celebrate my daughter's 4th Birthday we are having a SALE!!! BUY ONE GET ONE 50% OFF ANYTHING IN OUR SHOPS!!! ALSO...FOR OUR BLOG FOLLOWERS...GET AN EXTRA 10% OFF!!! This is a blow out sale to help us celebrate Alayna's 4th birthday!! Put "Weekend Deals" in the "Notes to Seller". :) Take advantage of our sale to help us! :D

Will be posting more items today!

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More time to work!

My daughter's party was this past Friday. She turns 4 on Monday. I can't believe 4 years have flown by already! It's so unbelievable. I never really believed that time flew, but it really does. I worked an outside job since my daughter was 2 weeks old and I never stopped and took time to really realize that she isn't going to be a baby forever. It's only a matter of months until my youngest will be 2. (December) Crazy.

Her party went great. All of the time I took planning things, it really turned out excellent. It was at Chuck E. Cheese and she and her friends had a great time. :) It has been so stressful, wanting to make this party perfect, and it was.

I will now have more time to spend on Etsy since I have downtime now. I am going to apply for a seasonal job at Bath and Body Works, but that is only because we need money. Until I can add more things to my shop and actually make things move quicker, I really have to get something outside the house where I can make money for my family. Though, I will primarily concentrate on Etsy. :) I'm going to be adding some new things tomorrow. I have a lot to add.

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Oye...and that is all I have to say.

My kids are nuts. lol I had to share a picture of my two little nut balls wearing colorful Dracula teeth! Since Alayna's birthday is (semi) close to Halloween, I decided to get some Halloween stuff for the goody bags. (At least for the boys & some of the girls.) Since we had 20 Dracula teeth and...not that many kids, I gave the girls some too and they went nuts. LOL.

I have to share a cute story... I had to work on Etsy a little tonight, so my mom was watching TV with the girls in the living room. My mom fell asleep and I hear the girls being very quiet. (Which is always a problem!) However, I was finishing something on here and I figured whatever they were doing to get in trouble, I'd fix it later. A few minutes later, I see my 2 year old walking in my room with a ghost parashite toy. (Which I had gotten for goody bags.) So, of course I freak out and storm into the living room to yell at my 4 year old. Where upon I see her on the floor with all of the goody bags lined up putting (neatly) the goody bag toys in the bags. She said "Surprise mommy!" And had finished all of the goody bags herself. Honestly, she did an amazing job. I am so proud of her and told her how proud I was. :) She told me that since I was working hard, she was going to help me and make me "less stressed". I was so proud of her. :)

Right now, I am continuing to be a "soccer mom" (as my mom says) and baking Hannah Montana cupcakes. I just had to run out to the grocery store (at 1 am) to get more canola oil because I hadn't realized we didn't have enough for 36 cupcakes. I doubt we will need all of those cupcakes, but better to be safe than sorry. That's also why I made more goody bags than I needed! I'm sure someone will bring their siblings to the party or maybe people who had not RSVP'd will come... Oy Vey! What a day! lol

I had another sale today...so I cannot complain at all! Though, they don't have feedback yet and haven't paid. So I am wary. I did convo them and tell them that they have until Monday at 10 pm to pay. If they don't pay by Monday at 10 pm, I will have to relist the item. I have never had a non paying buyer yet, so I do hope they pay. They seem legit, they have a paid ISP e-mail address and hopefully are going to pay. I can use the money, so I am happy. lol :)

Gotta go get the cupcakes out of the oven! I'm going to have more time after tomorrow to work on Etsy.

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