Top 9 Friday 2/27

1. Carousel
2. Mocha
3. Vanilla Bean
4. Twin Leaf
5. Colors of the Earth
6. Coptic Rainbow
7. Acacia
8. Reversible Fleece
9. Fall Path



Leave a comment here about your favorite item with the link to your ArtFire Studios! Stand the chance to get featured next Friday!

Little Spots Under The Light

Create one for yourself or others at byhand.me! =)

Kumihimo and Magazine Bag and Stamps Bulk Order

I just found some other outlets to feed my creative side. I love braiding and I'm happy that i found Kumihimo. Kumihimo is Japanese braiding technique. I bought my first Kumihimo kit online from Dyeing For Fabrics and Threads. Their Kumihimo disk is from wood, no numbers on it but it's quite easy to follow the instruction enclosed with the disk. I bought 1 disk and 3 tutorials from them. I like making the round braid the most so far.. Flat braid is rather hard to get an even tension though after a while you'll get used to it and start getting better. Doing the flat braid was twice longer than doing the round one which took me about an hour to finish a 8 inch long bracelet. I'm not too crazy about the square braid either. I think I can live without. But it's always nice to try something new :) I might add Kumihimo braids to my jewelry collection.

Besides Kumihimo-ing, I tried making a bag from old magazine cuts. Verrrrrrry time consuming! I think i spent about 3 days just to get one finish! 20+ hours just to get a 6" x 5" x 2" bag finished. and that only the body, no handles yet. I think I may use this for a pencil stand or something. It only fits one folded wallet and two cellphones. My bad for making it too small. If you're dying to try for new stuffs, go to Candy Wrapper Purse blog for the complete instruction. It's fun to make! And by doing it, you're helping the environment by recycling your old magazine or chips bags. Go green!

Btw, for you jewelry artists, Fundametals.net is gathering orders for Infinity Stamps. They've got a good deal of discount for Custom Alphabet Stamps and Numbers if at least 20 people participated. $214/set for 26 letters (the font and size of your choice, upper or lower case) and $285 for a set of 26 letters + 10 numbers. This is a very good deal since without this bulk discount, the Custom Alphabet Stamp set itself is priced at $359.50 and Custom Number Stamp Set is at $155. Go visit Fundametals and lock your spot for only $5 down payment. When they're ready to order, then you'll get contacted to finish the payment. If you later decided to cancel your order, you will get your $5 refunded. No string attached.

That's all folks!

*back to Kumihimo-ing*

And The Winner Is.......

*drum roll please* The Winner is:

Mandy Wang!!

Congratulation Mandy!! You've won $20 Gift Card to be used in my shop :) I will send your Gift Card soon.

And because I'm feeling generous, I added a second Winner! This person will receive a $15 Gift Card. The second winner is:

Sue!!

Congratulations Sue! You won a $15 Gift Card from my shop :D

Thank you for everyone who participated. It was a great fun. From 59 people left comments on this contest, I got 45 valid answers, and in total of 83 entries/points. Funny thing that Mandy and Sue were the biggest points earners and it proved that the more entries you've got, the bigger chance you'll win a contest. Interesting, huh? Or maybe they were just that lucky ;-) Note that i didn't handpick the winners, the draws were randomly generated on Random.org.

Special thanks to these giveaway channels that helped me spread the word about my giveaway.

Cashnet Sweeps 

Blog Giveaways 

Online Sweepstakes 

Etsy Giveaways 

A Contest Blog 

Blog Contest Station 

Since there were no takers on the $40 giveaway and i still have $65 to giveaway. I'm gonna arrange another contest on April 1st! Stay tuned and please subscribe by e-mail to get the information first-hand.

Thanks!

Smoke Free Pets Free Icons for Your Stores

I read in ArtFire Forum that Google base does not allow promotional language like:

Buy 1 get one

Free shipping

the word free

refund

etc.

Google base also does not like mature items.

Click here to read the said topic.

So to avoid mentioning these words on your listings, I have created several icons that you can download and use for free. You can upload these icons into one of your picture slots given in your online stores.

- Free Shipping. PNG image. 200 x 200 px

- Smoke Free with Pets. PNG image. 200 x 200 px

- Smoke Free, Pets Free. PNG image. 200 x 200 px

To download, just save this icons to your computer and upload it to your stores.

If you have any other words in icons needed for your store, I'd be happy to add it into the collection for free. It will be done in this style and only this style in this size. You cannot ask for any other specific style requests.

Please note that even tho they're free to use, you cannot sell these/make any profit from it. Also please kindly mention my blog/this post if someone asked where did you get your pretty icons :D

-K-

Be A Part of This $100 Giveaway

For the grand opening of my ArtFire studio and Etsy Shop, I'm having a $100 giveaway lucky draw. Yes, a total of US$100 gift cards to be spent in my shop for 3 lucky winners. This Lucky Draw will be running for 2 weeks until Valentine’s Day February 2009.

That $100 will be split into 2 (@ $40) gift cards and a $20 gift card. Those 2 $40 gift cards will be awarded to 2 lucky customers who purchase items in my shop between 1-14 February and 1 $20 gift card for one lucky winner who spread the word about this draw.

I will use Random.org to select the winner. Contest ends on February 14^th midnight, CST (US time). Winner announcement will be posted on February 15^th.

There are 2 giveaways. What can you do to get points?

$40 gift card giveaway: For Customers Only. The rules are:

Every purchase that is made between 1 - 14 February will automatically enter you to this Lucky Draw. For every full 5 dollar, you will get one point. So for example, if you bought something that's worth $10, you will get 2 points. However, $9.99 spent will only get you 1 point.

• For Return Customers who have purchased something from me in the past, get an extra 9% discount plus the chance to win one of the gift cards. Extra discount is also valid on already discounted items. So double discounts for you!

• For First Time Customers: If you purchase more than 1 items you will get that extra 9% discount on second items. The biggest value will be counted as the first item.

• Custom orders are welcome.
  

• Shipping fee is excluded.

$20 gift card giveaway. Opens for Everyone. Here are some things that you can do to win it:

• Leave a comment containing your email address, after this post and write 3 (three) things that you like from my shop. It will get you 1 point.

• Write a blog post about this Lucky Draw in your public blogs/journals and tell people what jewelry you like from my shop. Get 2 points for every blog/journal post made. Every product picture included in the article will get you an extra point. I will need to check the validity of your article so include the links in your comments. If I caught you cheating by copying other people's post, I will disqualify you. However, copying your own post to be posted in your other blogs/journals is completely acceptable. Your blogs and journals must be set to "public". Private blogs/journals are not eligible to enter this Lucky Draw.
  

• Tell other people about this Lucky Draw o n social networking sites such as Twitter, Plurk, StumbleUpon, etc. For every social network you spread this Lucky Draw, you will get one point. Make sure to link me to your posts so I can check. I already made it easier for you. While you’re at this page, Click the huge RSS icon on the right column (that orange guy sitting and reading) and it will take you to SocialMarker.com. Check the sites you want to share this post on and uncheck the rest of them. Enter short description and related tags and click Submit. Clicking Next button will get you to the next site and so on. Very useful and easy to use tool! Or if you’re old-fashioned, use the Share button underneath it.

• Refer someone to buy from my shop. You will get 2 points if that person bought something from my shop. Make sure to have them told me that You referred them to my shop.

• 

  Put this badge on your blog's side column and link it back to this post. Receive 2 points.
  

Please don't feel intimidated by the number of options/rules. You can do as much or as little as you want. It's completely up to you :)

Important Notes:

• One prize per person.
• READ THE RULES CAREFULLY.
  
• <Everyone can enter this Lucky Draw. No country limitation. This is a list of acceptable countries. Please ask if you're not sure.
  
• Gift Cards are valid for 6 months since February 15, 2009.
  
• Items will be shipped from Indonesia.
  
• Non-customers are only eligible to enter the $20 giveaway.
• There will be two separate draws, for $40 and for $20.
• I, as the Lucky Draw holder, hold all the rights to disqualify, cancel, and/or ban anyone’s accounts who didn’t follow the rules.

Good Luck for everyone!