Monday, July 28, 2008

Trying New Autumn Colors

I’m resisting listing Christmas items this early (I’m making them, just setting them aside for later). But I did find some autumnal colors and patterns that really appealed to me. My first foray into warmer colors came from a source that only yielded a few circles, so I made them into a little 4-set I’m calling Sedona Sunset (left), since it reminded me of colors and patterns in the Southwest.

I also really liked this African-themed pattern (or at least it felt reminiscent of African fabrics to me), which yielded the first of several eventual sets I’m calling African Autumn (right) These and a few other new items are available — where else! — at 13 Delancey Street’s shop on Etsy.


1% of the sales price for all the items in my Etsy shop donated quarterly to earth-friendly nonprofits

Friday, July 25, 2008

Art Students League, c.1961

Orange you glad when you get a sale? I am! I sold this “Orange. Apple. Fish!” set today (left), which made my day. It also gives me a very happy excuse, as always after a sale, to feature the work of another Etsy seller from my Favorites. I'm crazy about these cards at the mother-daughter shop The Mum and the Rose, made from sketches (right) that “Mum” made as a student at New York City’s Art Students League in the early 1960s. You will literally have to hurry to snatch these up before I do!

Image © 2008 by The Mum and the Rose.

1% of the sales price for today’s sales (and all my Etsy sales) donated quarterly to earth-friendly nonprofits.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Colors and Characters


F
or years I’ve been receiving China Radio International (CRI)’s reader newsletter, as well as very pretty calendars and delicate paper items, all because I sent them a QSL (listeners’ report) card years ago, when I was spending time listening to shortwave radio. Most stations send a postcard back in response — I have lovely cards from 42 countries, the last time I c
hecked. But CRI also sends beautiful die-cut items a couple times a year. The listeners’ newsletter is more straightforward, mostly station news and contests for English-speaking listeners. But I’m so drawn to pictograms and Asian-themed items, after my black and white CRI bubbles sold, I decided to take scissors to another issue before it went into the recycling bin. This one was a program calendar printed in pretty lavender and pink (with the results above, of course available on Etsy). As always I’m not sure what the characters say, but I’m confident it’s G-rated!

Speaking of pink, I tried my hand at my first solid-colored bubble magnets (Fuschia Loves Pink, left). I love the colors, although as per usual I actually think the color worked better here on Blogger than it did in my Etsy shop.


1% of the sales price for these items (and all my Etsy sales) donated quarterly to earth-friendly nonprofits.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

New Info and a "New You"

I spent part of the evening over on the Etsy forums, searching topics on older threads. There’s a world of information there for new sellers — very cool! I was geekily excited to learn about “repositionable” glue dots, which may help solve my dilemma about how to package magnets so they don't immediately demonstrate magnetic attraction, flip over, and stick to each other. I was also really pleased to find a source for biodegradable clear cello bags (a happy alternative to polypropylene), which I may start using to package the magnets instead of just upcycling random packaging material from home. Lots and lots of terrific info from experienced sellers: what a wonderful community!

I have some new items in the shop. Little Cocoa Pops (right), are a nice chocolate brown and a bit more understated than my other bubbles. I’m also excited about a new series, “New You” (above) which I like since they’re motivational and positive.

1% of the sales price for these items (and all my Etsy sales) donated quarterly to earth-friendly nonprofits.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

In A Treasury -- and Surprise Sales!

I logged on today to find an unusually (but happily) high number of views on my Orange Green Mod Magnets — and a multi-item sale!

One of the first items I listed, my China Radio black and white bubbles (right), sold; as did my favorite Tangerine Pinks; some pretty Almond Flowers; my first time with a larger bubble in a yellow flower set; and a newly listed Blue Feather Print set (below). Although I couldn’t find a listing, I’'m guessing this was the result of a Treasury listing (click to see while it’s still active) — with a big thank-you to my anonymous curator Entropia who was the curator! I think I want to continue the practice from my first sale and use this as an an opportunity to promote someone else’s item from my Favorites, just as a PIF thank-you for the sale (see image at botttom of the post).

As always, 1% of this sale (and all my Etsy sales) will be donated quarterly to earth-friendly nonprofits.

♥ ♥ ♥

I love these “Seaside Notecards in Lagoon,” from PeaseBlossomStudios. Snatch them up before I do!






Saturday, July 12, 2008

My First Sale!

Like these? Well, you can’t have ’em because they sold! I’m really psyched about this. They went to a person who’s active doing positive things on Etsy, which was also very nice.

As a pay-it-forward kind of thank-you, I'm going to do a little promo here for one of the items in my Favorites. It’s from Little Hands Studios, which has a beautiful array of sushi plates. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I thought this Transparent Aqua Three-Striped Plate (below) was especially lovely. You can see all of Little Hands Studio’s work here.


1% of the sales price my first sale (and all my Etsy sales) donated quarterly to earth-friendly nonprofits.


Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Tangerine Pink

Sounds nicer than pink with some orange, no? I had fun today practicing for an Etsy treasury. Goodness knows when I’ll ever be able to snag one, but I found a beautiful group of items. I don’t want to give away my theme, but if I don’t have success soon, I’ll post a sneak peek here.

My newest items for sale in the Etsy shop: a summery yellow set of Sunflower Marble Magnets (currently in the gallery in the right sidebar). I’m also quite happy with the way the Tangerine Pink Marbles turned out, pictured here.

1% of the sales price for these items (and all my Etsy sales) donated quarterly to earth-friendly nonprofits.


Monday, July 7, 2008

New Item: Orange Green Happy!


I don’t typically think of myself as an orange and green person (I'm all about blue and green). But these designs caught my eye: they’re so peppy and happy. As with most of the glass bubble magnets in my shop, I found these designs in random magazines.

1% of this sale (and all my Etsy sales) donated quarterly to earth-friendly nonprofits.

Update 7/15/08:


Sunday, July 6, 2008

The Etsy Shop Is Up and Running!

First I learned how to make little magnets out of flat glass bubbles. Then I started seeing 1/2-inch circles, suitable for magnet-ing, in lots of magazines, newsletters, discarded business cards, and even political campaign stickers. Could an Etsy shop be far behind?

I listed the first couple items for the shop, called 13 Delancey Street, on July 4th: a set of glass marble magnets made from pages of the China Radio International reader newsletter, and a set called Ocean Blue (right) made from various magazines with gorgeous swimming pool shots.

I’m just going to add a few items at a time, so I don’t compete with myself on the site search. The most recent items added will be viewable here on the blog, on the upper right-hand column. The Etsy shop also has a RSS feed (see the lower-right hand corner of the shop home page). Or you can keep up here by subscribing via the link below!

For information on the shop’s 1% to charity program, see my earlier post.



Friday, July 4, 2008

1% Donations to Earth Friendly Nonprofits

Carbonfund.org logo

When I started the Etsy shop, I knew I wanted to make the venture earth friendly. The materials themselves include glass, ceramic magnets, and upcycled paper items — magazines, newsletters, discarded business cards, and the occasional political campaign sticker. But I wanted to do more, so I decided that 1% of the store’s sales will be donated to what I’m loosely describing as “earth friendly nonprofits.” (I’m keeping this loose so I have flexibility to include a variety of groups.)

For the shop’s first quarter, I’ve chosen Carbonfund.org. I’m happy with the way they make carbon offsets easy, accessible, and affordable to individuals and I like the types of projects they fund. 13 Delancey Street will make a 1% donation each quarter (i.e., the first donation will be on October 1st, covering July – September). Check back here for details!


Thursday, July 3, 2008

Welcome to 13 Delancey Street!

Welcome to the companion blog to our collection of upcycled baubles and trinkets, just for you. Our items will be available on Etsy around July 4th. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek of a work in progress. Using flat glass marbles and found papers, these will be transformed into pretty and affordable bubble magnets. If you would like to be notified when 13 Delancey Street goes live adds new items on Etsy, post a comment!