Learn and Earn--A New Contest

As most of you know, I'm a columnist for the new and flourishing blog Handmadenews.org in the Inspiration Department. The entire site is made up of 12 departments, and there are currently over 50 editors and columnists providing fresh handmade content on a daily basis. And because we have a large pool of writers, you aren't getting just one perspective on any one subject. You're essentially getting a tapestry of handmade knowledge and experience woven into one place for you!

If you're looking for business and/or marketing tips, there are articles on pricing, bookkeeping services, jump starting your marketing plan, how to write a press release, how to approach consignment shop owners, and many, many more.

If you'd rather stop racking your brain about keywords and tags and listing, there's plenty of light-hearted fare in our Just For Fun section, including the Top 10 Signs You Have Craft ADD. And if you're just sick of reading altogether, try out some of the puzzles I've made in our department! Here's this week's crossword and word find. New crosswords come out each Sunday and new word finds each Wednesday.

Personally, I've found a ton of fascinating articles in Green Wise, including this one and this one. I'm not even going to name them. Just click them and you'll see why that's one of my favorite sections. You can get some fantastic stump-your-friends trivia!!


So, here's the contest:

One of my fellow columnists, Daniella Cortez, is sponsoring a Handmadenews.org scavenger hunt contest on her blog. See this post for details! There's a great selection of prizes to win, including a pendant from my shop if you so choose! So check out Daniella's blog and handmadenews.org and win some loot in the process. You'll have fun; I promise!!

Take care, Lori

Reluctant Rain Giveaway--WINNER CHOSEN

**CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BLACK PUMPKIN FOR WINNING THE CONTEST**
So, my weather forecast for this weekend said it was going to rain the whole time, and yet, it hasn't. Hmmm. So, I think that my idea to have a Reluctant Rain earring giveaway is a good one! So, between now and midnight on Memorial Day, see below if you'd like to be in the drawing to win these earrings!

not every drop that

falls from the sky

is eager to do so

don't ask me why

All you have to do to enter is go to my shop and comment with a complete sentence using the names of 3 of my pieces. You can add articles (a, an, the) and any version of the verb 'to be,' but otherwise, it has to be my text! Of course, if you can do it without using any extra verbage, I will think you're quite the wordsmith and elevate you to some sort of wizard category in the liberal elitist section of my brain. (Lucky you!)

Also, please leave your email address in the comment so I can contact you if you win! Thanks!

~Lori

Would you like to take 15% off your order in any of my shops through midnight on Monday? Just email me ahead of time with the code LIBELITIST15P and the names of the items you want to purchase, and I'll give you the discount.

Viva La Moda!

The new issue (vol. 3) of VivaLaModa is out!! This is a great online fashion magazine. It has fantastic articles about handmade fashion and so many other things. This month's issue has:

A great tutorial for a basketful of coasters on p. 42
Enchanting Eye Makeup Tips on p. 48
Turn your ordinary T-shirt into a fabulous shabby-chic halter top! p. 58
How to make a cheater's herb garden on p. 75
How to wear a silk scarf p. 86

Read VivaLaModa here!

(my contributions are on pages 15 & 32. They're not instructive, just reflective, lol.)

Turning Over Rocks...

I'm looking for a few good stories for my columns in the Inspiration Dept. of Handmadenews.org and I'm looking for some specific types of stories/experiences. If you feel like you have a story or experience similar to what I'm requesting below and would like to be interviewed, please email me with the type of story you're responding to in the subject line. I call this post 'Turning Over Rocks' because I often find when I talk to people that we talk about one subject and then the more we dig, we actually get to the kernel of another story where the real inspiration lies, and that's what I write about.

I'm interested in the following stories/experiences about:

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

Collecting vintage items to sell or not to sell, the process, the choice, the places, the people, the serendipity, things you learn along the way

Making handmade supplies, the decision, the process, the feeling of seeing your parts in someone else's work, good experiences and bad experiences

Living with and/or loving another artist, waking up to someone who's still painting the same painting he was painting when you went to bed six hours ago

Commercializing your art, how it makes you feel, how it changes who you are/what you create

Fear of inspiration, being unwilling to do what you know you're capable of

the inspiration continuum, something that you experienced twenty years ago suddenly inspires what you do today

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

These are suggestions to get people thinking. If you feel another connection from those suggestions, feel free to email me about that as well.

Thanks, Lori

Savannah Mermaid Metal Wall Sculpture Signed Original by frivoloustendencies

Handmadenews.org

If you're looking for one place to go to find a plethora of news, information, and crafty tips and inspiration about and for the handmade community, then you need to check out handmadenews.org!

There you'll find articles on featured sellers, business tips, marketing, going green, craft trends and techniques, fun stuff, guilds, and stories and tips to keep you inspired!

I'm a columnist in the Inspiration Department, so please come by and check us out!

ArtFire Mother's Day Giveaway-May 2009!

**CONGRATULATOINS THERESA!! SHE'S OUR WINNER!**

It's time for the ArtFire Mother's Day Giveaway!! It's your chance to win a bunch of Mother's Day girly goodness from a bunch of awesome ArtFire sellers! This giveaway will run from today, Sun. May 3rd - Sat., May 9th at midnight. There are 8 sellers participating in this giveaway, so please read the entry rules them carefully! On to the loot!



This month's prize consists of my Clouds & Berries bracelet from Risky Beads, a Seafoam Narrow Glass Fused Barrette and Oriental New Jade earrings from AJewelGift, a Tea Pot Rose Fabric Key Fob from PrettyPurse Designs, Rose Glycerin Soap from Soapsmith, a 'Mom' bookmark from Bijoux Designs For You, Hand Knitted Coffee Sleeve by LilBritKnits, Black Raspberry Vanilla Satin & Silk Lotion by Shine Your Hiney Soap Co., and a Country Blue Apron Towel Kitchen Set by acadienne. These products retail for $99! Here are some close-ups:




But, wait, it gets better!!

Each owner of these shops has volunteered one of their products because they want to promote their shops but also ArtFire as a venue so we are all offering 10% off in our shops during this giveaway! Use this code when purchasing: RBMAYAF10P**

The winner of the contest will be chosen by the random number generator at random.org, so each comment is one entry unless it's incomplete, in which case it will be skipped. To enter the contest, you must visit at least 4 of our 7 shops listed above, come back, and leave 1 comment that mentions your favorite item from those shops, not 4 separate comments. After completing your main entry, you can earn extra entries by doing any or all of the following, putting each one in a separate comment:

--visit the other 4 shops you didn't visit in your first comment and mention your favorite item in one comment for all 4 shops

--blog about the giveaway and link back in a separate comment

--tweet about the giveaway and link back in a separate comment

Want automatic entries in this giveaway? Well, then all you have to do is:

--purchase from any Artfire shop from May 3-May 9 and link back with your order #. Your seller will give it to you or ask for it.

--purchase from any of our 8 shops and receive 2 extra entries per shop and link back with your order #. Your seller will give it to you or ask for it.

Please remember to leave your contact information in your comment. We can't contact you if we can't find you!!!

-Lori

If Your Mother's Favorite Color is...Red

She might like something like this for Mother's Day...



All artists and items can be found on 1000Markets. Click the item and off you go!
Did you miss purple, turquoise, pink, yellow, green, orange, or Mom?

More spotlights coming soon!
~Lori

Psst, our ArtFire Mother's Day Giveaway kicks off on Sunday!