Friday, October 30, 2009

"Jewelry Business Key Success Factor - Teaming With Social Marketing Pals"

Looking to take your online shop(s) to the next level? At eSMArts a key success factor for many of us has been learning how to properly apply Social Marketing concepts within our unique team concept.

Looking to share your marketing skills with like minded souls? Well, we've been building our repertoire of social networking skills and the results are vibrant and prosperous online shops... but we're looking for a few more good people :)

Join our social marketing group for artists!!! eSMArts (originally meant Etsy Social Marketing Artisans) sends you an open invitation to take part in a unique networking and creative process.

We are a global collaborative of mixed media artisans who discuss social networking principles and how to apply them in our online indie shops. A major goal for our group is cross promoting our team mates, but we've also formed good friendships in the process and we even have a hoot of a good time every now and then too!

Contrary to the name, social marketing does not mean 'socializing', so our group is not about chit chat. Social marketing involves building online relationships and endorsing those within a reference group. These activities are FREE but they involve elbow grease and a small but regular time commitment.

Using our main discussion forum (based in Yahoo Groups finance section) we've crossed boundaries of selling platforms and global constraints. We've recently opened a second chapter called "Social Marketing Artisans/eSMArts on ArtFire" and many of our members now have established shops on other emerging sales venues as well.

Our group mandate: To foster friendship, creativity, connection, inspiration, discussion and plenty of cross promotion via implementing social marketing principles in order to drive traffic to our storefronts/online shops.

If you think that partnering with us (we're mainly jewelry artisans) to learn more about the use of blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social marketing (or social networking) venues is right for you, then what are you waiting for? Please email or use the link provided and join us!

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/eSMArts/

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Turkey Day Follow Up


This year David prepared our Thanksgiving meal! whoo hoo! and as I mentioned earlier we had opted to roast commercially prepared turkey breasts in lieu of a complete stuffed turkey.  This is a whole new territory for me - totally uncharted waters!

I can count on the fingers of one hand the times when we did NOT roast a fully stuffed turkey bird for Thanksgiving over the past 30 years.  I suppose Thanksgiving is the one western festival that we celebrate religiously!  LOL   David and I openly admit being hedonistic AND food motivated!

So I purchased two frozen turkey meats, a stuffed breast by Maple Leaf (below right) and the light and dark meat Butterball offering (below left and the package is pictured at the bottom of this article).  Both of these cuts are easy and straight forward to prepare ~ you just pop 'em in the oven!




Neither offering produces much in the way of pan juices, so if you're thinking of choosing these convenient cuts plan on canned gravy or my favourite is the powdered Bisto gravy maker that turns boiled carrot water and 1 tsp of butter into a delicious gravy. We just love that stuff!

The stuffed Maple Leaf offering (approx. $15 CAD) turned out to be formed around the breast bone and it contained way more bones, fat and waste than we expected.  The included prepared stuffing was not to my liking at all and I wouldn't purchase this product again.

The Butterball (above left) was totally boneless with zero waste so at roughtly $21 CAD it proved to be the best value overall.  If we absolutely must work with a convenience cut in the future, we would seriously consider a totally boneless choice such as the Butterball offering.

Lots of folks simply won't eat homemade stuffing that has been roasted inside the turkey carcass... and if your family is the same, bake lots of of homemade stuffing in a covered buttered baking dish or there's always the stove top brands of commercially prepared stuffing mixes... they're fast and rather tasty especially given the fact that they require only a few minutes to toss together. 

David whipped us up stovetop stuffing, canned gravy, roasted sweet potatoes, prepared mashed potatoes, and a ton of nutritious and delicious steamed vegetables, canned jellied cranberries and finally warmed purchased pumpkin pie with lots of whipped cream .

The feast was fabulous and if you're in a hurry consider a convenience cut of frozen turkey breast... but to be honest nothing can compare in taste, texture and presentation with a fully stuffed roast bird.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

ISIS Handmade Set - Apatite and Hessonite Garnet on 14k Gold Fill






Water and Sun inspired and perfect for your cruise, these unique one of a kind pieces are currently available for immediate shipping!

Visit http://gahooletree.etsy.com/ for more of my special gemstone creations.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!



Harvest is my favourite time of the year. Warm sunny days with cool, crisp nights, colourful leaves, and an abundance of health giving and tasty produce. It's really no wonder then that we choose beautiful autumn to pause & celebrate with loved ones, to take stock of our blessings and appropriately, to give thanks.

Today our daughter came home to share in the traditional harvest feast. This year we've opted for boneless turkey roasts in lieu of the full roasted stuffed bird. More on that to follow.

I've never viewed Thanksgiving as being a particularly religious event. To me Thanksgiving is an opportunity to meditate and reflect while enjoying, savouring & appreciating earth's bounty. By so doing I somehow feel at one with and in harmony with the universe.



Above: my hand cross stitch from 2006. This is a free pattern that I found online and amended. Some day I'll get it professionally framed.

Albeit primitive, all civilizations and cultures have celebrated earth's gifts in one way or another. I suggest that humans are inextricably linked to Mother Earth and her cycles - that we're organically and spiritually a part of this beautiful orb and without Earth we won't survive...

Do something today to invest in the future of the planet.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Madeleine Pink Sapphire and 14k Gold Fill by GaHooleTree on Etsy



Madeleine Pink Sapphire and 14k Gold Fill by GaHooleTree on Etsy
  • A new listing. 
  • Pricing of $89 reflects a premium for pink sapphire.
  • Pricing also includes FREE SHIPPING to Canada and continental USA. 
  • This item is also available in sterling. 
  • This style is available in other genuine gemstones including: sky blue topaz, yellow topaz, london blue topaz, ruby, blue sapphire, amethyst, peridot, pink tourmaline, green tourmaline, citrine, pearl, carnelian, clear crystal quartz, rose quartz, garnet, aquamarine, moonstone, emerald, white topaz, jade, turquoise and more.   Please email for availability and firm pricing on other gemstone/birthstone beads.    [email tiger_eye at rogers dot com] for a prompt firm quote. 
  • Please allow 2 days for custom creations.

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CheapTweet - ON SALE!!! Check them out!! eSMArts Team Rocks - Twitter Deals, Coupons, Bargains, Sales and Discounts


CheapTweet - ON SALE!!! Check them out!! eSMArts Team Rocks - Twitter Deals, Coupons, Bargains, Sales and Discounts

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