october's design challenge... PUMPKIN PATCH!

necklace by simplyraevyn - sorry, i couldn't resist using it because it's so darned cute

Autumn is upon us, the kids are back at school and the leaves are changing! So… it’s time for another design challenge! This month’s challenge is "PUMPKIN PATCH", as chosen by the last winner, jaxxcandles! As always, we leave the interpretation of the theme up to you – there are no limits!

the rules are simple:

- entries will be accepted until october 18th, 2011 at 5pm EST (that’s etsy time)

- only one entry per individual (you can only submit one entry even if you have multiple shops)

- all entries MUST be handmade and listed for sale/trade in your Etsy shop. (no supplies or destash please!)

- all entries must reflect in some way the current theme "PUMPKIN PATCH"

- tag your item with this month's challenge tag "tradeoct11" so that people can find your item!

- when you're ready to enter, CONVO muffintopdesigns with the LISTING ID# only of your entry (it's the number that you use when you make treasuries). it's located on the actual listing page below the listing date and above the number of views your item has had. we will be making treasuries with the entries and posting the widgets on the blog so everyone can check everything out (and maybe end up on the front page?)

Feel free to promote the challenge - and yourself! - via facebook, twitter, etsy, your blog or hot air balloon! the voting will start on october 20th and go till the 25th!

thanks to you all – especially the lovely jaxxcandles for choosing this theme! and as always - TRADE ON!

xoxoox muffin & raevyn & the tradeaholics’ leader team!

Congratulations to JAXXCANDLES!

 Without further ado, the Tradeaholics present this month's challenge winner!  Congratulations to the fabulous JaxxCandles - and many thanks to the wonderful InfusedDesigns for her amazing interview!

Jackie Weber, of Jaxx Candles won the monthly challenge with her cool striped star floating candles. I had the pleasure of interviewing her and here is what she had to say.

Trade-A-Holics: How did you come up with your winning design?

Jaxx Candles: For the summer I think floating candles are nice additions to outdoor parties. I found star molds and thought they would be perfect. Then I got the idea to make them in layers of red, white and blue to have stars AND stripes!

TAH: How long have you been crafting?

Jaxx: I have been a crafter all my life, but have been making candles since 2002.

TAH: Who taught you?

Jaxx: As for candle making, I began by reading books and experimenting. In more recent years I have joined forums and candle organizations where I have met other candle makers who willingly share their experiences. I have also used the Internet for research. And I even attended a candle workshop where I learned a lot from experienced candle makers.

TAH: Do you have any formal training in any crafting/art subject?

Jaxx: As stated above I have read a lot, experimented a lot, and met and learned a lot from other candle makers, but I am not sure that would be considered formal training.

TAH: When did you open your Etsy store?

Jaxx: November 2010


TAH: Do you have other venues you sell at, like craft shows or other online stores?

Jaxx: I do sell at local craft shows. I also have online stores through Etsy and ByTheseHands.com. I also sell my products at a store in my hometown that caters to local artisans.

TAH: What is one of your favorite items in your store?

Jaxx: I love many of them, but I would have to say my long stem roses are one of my favorites. From a simple single rose, to a full bouquet, they are beautiful and everyone who has received them just loves them.

TAH: Where do you gain inspiration for your items?

Jaxx: EVERYWHERE! I see containers and think, ‘wow, that would make a nice candle!’ I see home decor and envision how my candles could fit into the different designs. I live and breathe candles and candle making. It is definitely my passion.

TAH: Do you feel like you have found a niche for the items you sell?

Jaxx: I am working on that. Candles come in all shapes, sizes and varieties. I have customers from all age groups. I offer every day products, but I also offer unique one of a kind items and targeting this market has been a bit trickier. I obviously want to cater to a large number of consumers, but I have definitely started small and will continue to expand and define my niche areas.

TAH: What advice can you give your fellow team members?

Jaxx: One thing I have learned is to do what you love. Candle making is my passion and I seem to have endless energy for it. If you do what you love the rest should fall into place. It is not easy, though, and takes hard work, but is so rewarding.

Thank you again to Jackie and to Arina!  Next month's challenge details will be up shortly, so stay tuned!!!!!!!!

congratulations, aneurythm! and next month's challenge...

i have "known" aneurythm for a long time - her avatar features her sweet Wonder Pup's face and i really can't imagine our team without her.  so i am pleased as punch to feature her shop because she won our last design challenge!  

dubbing her work as "ethno-boho" (love love love the term!) Merry's designs truly embrace the earthy sensibilities of untreated gemstones and metals, while catering to the bohemian esthetic.  beautifully handcrafted, her necklaces are delightfully chunky and speaks her amazing sense of color.  you can totally imagine wearing her creations with a long, flowing peasant skirt and an off-the-shoulder gauzy blouse. 

i was fascinated to find out that Merry moved from upstate New York to the sunny shores of california - which i would probably do too if i had the chance!  after suffering a brain aneurysm (hence her shop name) in 1997, she turned to jewelry making as a way to help rehabilitate herself.  add that to also completing her PhD in psychology, we have a picture of a well-rounded tradeaholic.

thank you, Merry - for entering the design challenge, having such an amazing shop and for sharing your courageous story with us!

Merry has chosen "Freeform Stars and Stripes" as july's design challenge theme!  how perfectly fitting for the 4th of july!  so watch this space - and your email - for the design challenge details - and put your creative thinking cap on!!!!

October's Design Challenge!

we cannot believe that it is OCTOBER already! where did the summer go? and it's time for another design challenge! the winner of the last challenge - the lovely rayvenwoodmanor - has chosen "a spooky hallowe'en" as this month's inspiration!

entries will be accepted from now until the 17th of october. the rules are simple:

- only one entry per shop

- the item must be a handmade item, listed on etsy, and made by you (no supplies or destash, please)

- the item must somehow reflect the theme "a spooky hallowe'en"!

- tag your item with this month's challenge tag - "tradeoctober10"

- convo muffintopdesigns via etsy with a photo of your item (so that it's easier to post on the blog during voting!)

feel free to promote the challenge - and yourself, if you enter! - via twitter, facebook, on the etsy forums, and/or on your blog! the voting will start on october 18th and go till october 25th here on the blog and the winner will be announced on october 26th - just in time for HALLOWE'EN!!!!

so dust off your witch's hat and your broom and get creating! (thank you again, rayvenwoodmanor! and thank you, readingbunky for the photo of your awesome shirt!)

team treasuries! go team TRADEAHOLICS!

We have a new forum thread on ning. It is for team treasuries!! A few members have pointed out that we should be using the treasuries to promote our team - get team members sales and maybe on the front page! So we are encouraging members to go out and make treasuries featuring team members. We have a very large team (858 members), and if we view, click and comment on each others team treasuries it could go a long way towards promoting and getting sales!! So we started a forum to post treasuries that you make featuring team members. http://tradeaholics.ning.com/forum/topics/team-treasuries Even if you don't make a treasury, please take a look at the thread and go to the treasuries that other members post. It only takes a small amount of time, and it is so helpful. Click and comment!!

(treasury courtesy of the lovely huggermugger!)

TIME TO VOTE! August's TradeAHolics' Design Challenge

so, without further ado, here are your design challenge submissions for this month's theme - "a diamond in the rough"! please take the time to check out the talents of your fellow tradeaholics' (you can click on the links underneath each photo to see the full listing) and VOTE for your favorite on the sidebar! you have till august 25th to vote, at which time, the winner will be announced! thank you to all the shops that entered... we LOVE seeing what inspires you!

stopher

ravyenwoodmanor

mycellardoor

muffintopdesigns

cookiesforsale

feel free to blog, tweet, facebook this challenge - the more votes, the better!

March's Design Challenge Entries! - MARCH ON!

without further ado, here are the entries for this month's design challenge - MARCH ON! please vote for your favorite on the sidebar. keep watching this space for the winner and next month's challenge!!!!! and thanks to everyone who entered! YOU ROCK!

0namesleft3

createdbythe3maries

flowerchildcreations

glassredefined

glasylassy

julieellyndesigns

northstarornaments

prettyhairclippies

rayvenwoodmanor

tessacotton

thebackyardbear

yellowee

January TnS Start List!

without further ado... our start list for tomorrow's TnS!

Amysonpie.etsy.com
Angiehandmade.etsy.com or kellyfun.etsy.com
Boogerandtash.etsy.com
Karolstreasures.etsy.com or karolsvintageart.etsy.com or karolsvintageattic.etsy.com
Maplestreetcreations.etsy.com
Prettyhairclippies.etsy.com
Teaman.etsy.com
The3maries.etsy.com or createdbythe3maries.etsy.com
Theardencandleco.etsy.com
Uneek4U.etsy.com

thanks to everyone who threw their hat in the ring! see you all in the morning!

xoxoxo muffin and raevyn

ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!! January Design Challenge!!!

we threw down the gauntlet, and you created! here are the 33 - yes, 33! - entries to the first tradeaholics' design challenge! click here to see the entries!

please vote on the poll on the sidebar - one vote per person! we'll announce the winner on the 26th!

(i know that this might not be as streamlined as we could make it, but it's our first huge design challenge... we'll work out the kinks as we go! if you have any suggestions, please let me know via etsy convo!)

FRENZY details!

hi all!
well, it's official!
we're having ourselves a Trading FRENZY!!!!

what is a Frenzy, you ask? it's the same as a trade and stay, except it's only limited to a short, limited time!!!! hence... the trading will be even faster and more frenzied!

here are the details:

where: in the Promotions forum - raevyn will start the thread and send the location to everyone via ning.when: sunday, october 25th, 2009

time: 12 noon to midnight EST

how can you get on the start list? CONVO - and only convo - muffintopdesigns with "frenzy" in the subject line. indicate your shop(s) url and what you sell. (i.e. http://muffintopdesigns.etsy.com - jewelry ) that way it will be easier to keep us organized! i'll be taking the first TEN shops only!!!!

are you ready? you only have 2 1/2 days to stock up your shop!!!! :) if you have any questions, let me or raevyn77 know!!! yay for the FRENZY!!!!

xo muffin

October's Trade and Stay Start List!

you guys are very very fast. lol! the minute i sent out the email asking for starter shops, i had my 10!
so.... without further ado, here they are:

2sleepyheads.etsy.com
CozInk.etsy.com
divinecanine.etsy.com
magymai711.etsy.com
Nativebeads.etsy.com
OopsIKnitItAgain.etsy.com
sparklegarden.etsy.com
SpartaSoap.etsy.com
thisisit.etsy.com
Wheezies.etsy.com

and, this time around, we have PRIZES!!!! (as if you guys need any incentive to trade!)

The newly crowned Trade-Ho takes home the Official Title http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31916521

A Trade-Ho bracelet from ReadingBunky! http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5224298

A $10.00 gift certificate to Divine Creations for your four legged Love

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5854013

A $10.00 gift certificate to KarolsTreasures http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=8079015

A $10.00 gift certificate to NativeBeads http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6133611

A Wand for the Queen Ho-Ho courtesy of TheGirlyPlace http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7474312

And gets to be featured on the Tradeaholics Official Blog!

******************************************************************************

1st runner up (2nd prize) will receive a $20.00 gift Certificate from Simply Raevyn http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5710650 Which can be used at any of her three shops!A $10.00 gift Certificate from Kim Creative http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7396557

And a Hand crocheted Beanie with a clip from PiggytailsBoutique http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6358703

******************************************************************************

And 2nd runner up (3rd prize) will receive, Ta!Dah!

A $10.00 Gift Certificate from MuffinTopDesigns!http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5231963

A Pocket mirror, your choice from JustGiveMePeace http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31278712

And a hair clippie from PiggytailsBoutique http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6358703

thanks to EVERYONE who convoed me - it is so fantastic to see such eager traders! so get ready for Saturday!!! i will post the link to the thread here, on the chat thread, on ning and via the email list.

xoxox muffin and raevyn

$5 Tradeaholics Team Event!

the lovely booboomonsters has agreed to spearhead our very first TradeTeam $5 sale! in a nutshell, the TradeTeam $5 Sales event is a super easy sale. All participating shops have to do is have $5 items in their shop on the day of the sale... each shop can have as many $5 items as they wish. The $5 event highlights items in your shop that are $5.00, whether that is their regular price or a sale price.

More details to follow... including how to sign up for this event! what we need right now is to set a date - so go to the sidebar and VOTE!

remember, this is a SALE, not a trading event, LOL!!! we gotta pay our trading fees!

xoxoxo muffin, raevyn77 and booboomonsters

P.S. we have a sign up link now - http://tradeaholics.ning.com/forum/topics/tradeaholics-team-5-sale-sign so go here if you want to participate!

Trade FRENZY!!!!!

i admit it. you admit it. but thegirlyplace admitted it in public, out on the chat thread, in the forums, of all places!!!! we all can't get enough of trading! so, as thegirlyplace suggested, we're going to have a Trade Frenzy - a one day, trading extravaganza! what is a Frenzy, you ask? it's the same as a trade and stay, except it's only limited to a short, limited time!!!! hence... the trading will be even faster and more frenzied!

here are the details:

where: in the Promotions forum
when: thursday, august 20th, 2009
time: 6 am to midnight EST

how can you get on the start list?

CONVO - and only convo - muffintopdesigns with "frenzy" in the subject line. indicate your shop(s) url and what you sell. (i.e. http://muffintopdesigns.etsy.com - jewelry ) that way it will be easier to keep us organized! i'll be taking the first TEN shops only!!!!

are you ready? you only have 10 days to stock up your shop!!!! :) if you have any questions, let me or raevyn77 know!!!

xo muffin & raeyvn77

http://muffintopdesigns.etsy.com
http://raevyn77.etsy.com

Save the Date(s)...

everyone's having Trade and Stay hangovers. and they don't seem to be going away. so raevyn and i have decided to put you all out of your misery and now want you all to grab your calendars and pencil in the next two TnS dates!!!! because they will be relatively close together, they will both be three day events and have the same format as all the other TnS's!

got your pens ready? :)

the first one will start Saturday, October 3rd and run till Monday, October 5th - to stave off all those trade jitters and get you back in trading form!
the second one will start Saturday, December 5th and run till Monday, December 7th - just in time to get those last minute holiday gifts!

so start getting your shops - and your wish lists! - ready! any questions? let me or raevyn77 know, or better yet, post on our chat thread here: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6226825

i will also be posting a refresher "Trading 101" both here and on the ning site - just so we all stay current - and our newbies don't feel so lost!!!!

xoxoxoox muffin & raevyn77

Will you Trade and Stay With Me? :)

yay! it looks like our trade and stay will commence on July 19th! i KNEW you guys couldn't wait till later in the summer! so watch your email for the call for "start listers"!!

speaking of emails, thank you to everyone who followed us over to the ning site (and to those who sadly revoked their membership too). it totally has helped Raevyn77 and i streamline and clean up all of the lists. if you signed up on the ning site, you should have received a Yahoo Groups email from me asking you to confirm your membership. this way, we can make sure that you really want to be part of the team! so now, officially, our team membership stands at about 75 - how WICKED is that? YAY for trading!

and while we're on the topic of trading, on the chat thread we've been bouncing around the idea of having a trade game one night soon. so stay tuned!

Cleaning House!

as most of you know by now, we're cleaning house! with my new co-leader, raevyn77, we're slowly but surely getting ALL of the lists up to date, and hopefully we'll be able to keep them that way! in the meantime, raevyn77 has started a NING group for us - it will help us keep membership much more current! so if you haven't yet, head on over there and sign up! we're hoping everyone will be able to do it by July 1st, and then our lists will be complete! if we don't hear from you, we'll assume that you're not able to be an active team member anymore - which is totally okay!

the ning site is here: http://tradeaholics.ning.com/

we'll also be having another TnS soon... so watch this space for the poll as to which dates work best for everyone!

any questions? let myself or raevyn77 know! and WELCOME, raevyn! we're so glad to have you on board!

xoxoox muffin

http://muffintopdesigns.etsy.com/
http://raevyn77.etsy.com/

Gotta Love Spring Trade and Stay Event!

and we're off again! the May Trade and Stay Event is located here:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6161127

come and join us!!!! YAY!!!!!!

xoxox muffin

So... You Guys Ready for Another Trade and STAY??????

so.... you guys ready for another Trade and STAY??????

i'm feeling like we're ready! lol! how does Sunday, March 15th - Wednesday, March 18th sound???? yes, it's coming up soon... but i know you guys would be up for the challenge!

so, if you've caught up with your trades from the last event, let's do this again! (of course, if you're all traded out, you totally don't have to trade - but feel free to join in on the thread! you KNOW you love to chat!)

i'll take the first 8 shops that convo me to be our "start list". so get listing, everyone!!!!!!!!

xoxoxo muffin

Scavenger Hunt Brainstorming!

okay, so i've done some research and here are my thoughts on the springtime scavenger hunt! please please feel free to let me know if you have any ideas... i want this to be fun and fabulous!

here goes:

How will people play our game? They will visit each of the participating TradeAHolics' shops (a list will be posted here on the blog and on a Promo thread that we will bump throughout the contest duration) and look through the pictures in the shop listings (recently sold items included). Some shops will contain one picture of a "letter" hiding in one of their shop listings. (i will send the "letter hiding" shops a graphic of the letter and it can be used in one of the photos of a listing in your shop - that way, they are hidden and people will have to dig through your shop to find it!) They will search through the participating shops and jot down the "letter" and the name of the shop they have found the letter in. After they have found all of the letters (we would have to decide on a word!), then they will have to unscramble them to complete a word. When they think they have solved the puzzle, they will convo me or a scavenger hunt designate with their entry and their name. If they are correct their name will go into a drawing to win a prize from the items donated from the participating shops. The contest will end (a week from the start date). All correct entries will be entered into a drawing and the winners will be selected at random and announced on the blog. The winners will be posted here on the blog and on the forums. All participating shops and prizes will also be promoted on the blog!

Members of our team cannot actually play the game - LOL! - for obvious reasons! And people who do enter can only win one prize. But that's pretty obvious too! What we'd need is enough shops to spell something PLUS "dummy" shops that won't have a letter in it (I think 20 shops would be a good number?) plus shops willing to donate a prize (maybe 5?)

Anyway... any thoughts? Let me know! And once we decide the details, I will be deleting this post as to not reveal any of our secrets!!!!!!

xoxoxo muffin

We HEART Trading!

oh my. what a fabulous event we had! thanks to the flamingolady's fabulous idea, we turned the trading world upside down with a Valentine's TRADE AND STAY!

here is the list at it stood at the conclusion of the event (thanks, muddymoose!)

AlicesAngelJewelry.etsy.com (3 trade)

almondworks.etsy.com (11 trades)

andreastamps.etsy.com/ or ribbonwonders.etsy.com(19 trades)

aPassionForFashion.etsy.com (1 trade)

audreyscountrycrafts.etsy.com (3 trades)

babymoon.etsy.com (1 trade)

bagsbytracy.etsy.com (17 trade)

beckynot.etsy.com (6 trades)

blingismything.etsy.com (10 trade)

bloomingbeads.etsy.com (4 trades)

butterflydesign1.etsy.com and earringparadise.etsy.com (15 trades)

chitowncheryl.etsy.com/

creationsbychristina.etsy.com (2 trades)

creativeborders.etsy.com (3 trades)

cutebabyboutique.etsy.com (2 trade)

decadencedesigns.etsy.com (2 trades)

divinecanine.etsy.com (13 trades)

echoesofstars.etsy.com (7 trades)

equivoque.etsy.com (10 trades)

Geckojewelry.etsy.com (14 trade)

GemsandDolls.etsy.com (4 trade)

girliemomma.etsy.com (1 trade)

gloplace.etsy.com (2 trades)

hattrickclothing.etsy.com (1 trade)

iamtheprincesshbf.etsy.com (2 trades)

indulgentcreations.etsy.com (12 trades)

jennadesigns.etsy.com (3 trades)

jerseymaids.etsy.com (8 trades)

jetflair.etsy.com (1 trade)

johnnyconflict.etsy.com/

jonikay52.etsy.com (2 trade)

kariana84.etsy.com (1 trade)

kellydnlvy.etsy.com (1 trade)

Kerleyskreations.etsy.com (1 trade)

kimsmissprissy.etsy.com (1 trade)

knitsbywhitney.etsy.com/

kotibeth.etsy.com or kotibethphotography.etsy.com (9 trades)

KristysRedBarnBakery.etsy.com and KristysDestash.etsy.com (1 trade)

laurali.etsy.com (6 trades)

lolbaby.etsy.com or lorilong.etsy.com (6 trades)

luckyrosiescreations.etsy.com (1 trade)

MagicIsland.etsy.com (4 trade)

makingsbymary.etsy.com (4 trades)

MissElany.etsy.com (1 trade)

muffintopdesigns.etsy.com (3 trades)

myissag.etsy.com (4 trade)

nativebeads.etsy.com/ (14 trades)

passthelasso.etsy.com/

peachypendants.etsy.com (1 trade)

Peaches4me.etsy.com (8 trades)

pennyspug.etsy.com/ (7 trades)

raevyn77.etsy.com and simplyraevyn.etsy.com and peculiarparchment.etsy.com (23 trades)recupefashion.etsy.com (1 trade)

Redrobinpretties.etsy.com (6 trades)

rusticdivadesigns.etsy.com/ or gypsywynd.etsy.com/ (1 trade)

salsagal.etsy.com (5 trades)

sewcute7.etsy.com (1 trade)

shellrifficheirlooms.etsy.com/

sherwear.etsy.com (3 trade)

sparklegarden.etsy.com (14 trades)

starrclothing.etsy.com (5 trades)

supanerdstef.etsy.com (1 trade)

suzannedesigns.etsy.com (5 trades)

theatticshop.etsy.com OR heatheralexander.etsy.com (4 trade)

themuddymoose.etsy.com (12 trades)

thepeachtree.etsy.com (4 trades)

tothe9s.etsy.com (1 trade)

wheezies.etsy.com (5 trades)

WinterPanda.etsy.com (1 trade)

wispywilds.etsy.com (2 trades)

and the title of "Official Trade HO" goes to...

our fast and furious Raevyn77!!! you definitely are the Trade Queen!

now get working on getting those packages out, traders! i know that i am! and stay tuned for the details on the Spring Scavenger Hunt - i'll be doing the research and will post details ASAP!

thanks again for the wonderful turnout. LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!

xoxox muffin