What's Up for December

It doesn't even seem real to be writing that subject. Moving on...

Hello, December! What's going on this month?

• Finishing up my 2013 holiday shows. Many of you already know that I've been up to quite a lot of things this fall, including the most holiday craft fairs that I've ever vended in a month and a half period. For the most part, it's been great. I'm excited to have a solid list of shows that I would vend again next year, a few ideas for new shows, and a wealth of ideas for revamping my booth and product lines. I'm also really excited to finish up the 2013 stint and have time to regroup and prepare for the new year.
• Getting ready for Christmas. Most years I have the Christmas letter written, the Christmas cards and stamps ordered, and the majority of my Christmas shopping done by the first week of December. I'm sure that it's not much of a surprise that all I've done thus far this year is buy a couple small Christmas presents. I'm glad that I'll still be able to give these tasks as well as other fun Christmas happenings (like decorating the house) the time and attention that they deserve these next few weeks.
• Regrouping and setting new goals. To say that I'm at a loss about my overall goals for 2014 is harsh, but for a handful of reasons, I'm struggling to put together a plan for 2014 as easily as I did for 2012 and 2013. The short of it is that I don't want to wake up in five years and realize that I've neglected personal projects and the chance to grow my passive income the way I would really like to in lieu of short-term pursuits that may be lucrative but are ultimately unsustainable long-term and are generally not as fulfilling. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to find time for the projects that I want to pursue without giving up so much of what I've built these past two and a half years, but I'm getting there.

Blog sponsorship

I'm restructuring my blog sponsorship for 2014. It is now $12 to have a blog ad for the entire duration of 2014. That price remains the same no matter when you decide to join. The great news is that if you join up now, you get the ad and the social media and blog promos that it includes for the entire year. In other good news, if you decide to join up later, this price is still very reasonable, and you'll be sure to get your money's worth out of it. Whether you currently have an ad and would like to renew for 2014 or you're interested in joining up, contact me at randomcreative28 at gmail dot com.

Thanks for sticking with me during a truly crazy October and November! Here's to a great December.

What are you up to this month?

What's Up For November

Somehow another month is here already. This has been one of the fastest falls in my entire life.

Happy November! What's going on this month?

• I'm still doing a lot of writing. My first bullet for October was "I'm doing a lot of writing." That was the understatement of 2013. October was by far my most writing intensive month and also highest earning month since I quit teaching more than 2 years ago. I'm not planning to break either goal this month or any time soon really, but it was extremely empowering. With that being said, I am still doing a lot of writing this month, primarily for clients. I'm hoping to find a better balance between client writing, passive income writing, and blog writing again in late 2013 / early 2014.
• I'm keeping holiday inventory and Etsy inventory stocked for the holidays. I didn't get as much small show inventory (magnets, etc.) done in October as I'd hoped, but I did surprisingly well during the summer and fall months with everything else. I've been in good shape thus far and am finding little bits of time to keep ahead. If you've been thinking about ordering something for the holidays, especially something custom, it isn't too early!
• I'm trying to squeeze in a little time for fun photography. This is a complete change of pace from the spring and summer when the highlight of each week was a fun photography outing or two. It's been really hard to fit that in with everything else that's been going on lately. I know that this crazy schedule isn't going to last forever, and I'm still going through a huge backlog of photos from late summer and fall, so I'm okay with it. I still haven't put together a cold weather photography "to do" list either, but that is going to happen at some point.
• I'm standing up in my brother's wedding. I finished the wedding jewelry and co-hosted the Chicago shower so until the big wedding week, my wedding duties are pretty minimal. I know that it will be here and over before we know it, and I'm going to do my best to enjoy every minute.

Think about joining my blog sponsors!

I have a great round up of blog sponsors! These lovely ladies all have Etsy shops and/or blogs. Check them out on the left hand side of my blog under "Private Sponsors." Would you like to join them? It's only $3 per month or $10 for 4 months to advertise with me. Check out all of the details about it right here.

Finally, THANK YOU to everyone who stops by here regularly, reads what I have to say week after week, and leaves me comments either on the blog or elsewhere! For the first time since I started this blog, I've been struggling to make the blog rounds and comment regularly, but I'm hoping to get back into this routine soon. Until then, bear with me.

What are you up to this November?

What's Up for October

 

That title should really be where is fall going? It's so hard to believe that another month is here already.

Happy October! What's going on this month?

• I'm doing a lot of writing. At least that seems to be the plan based on how the last few months have been going. I've been scrambling just to find time to keep writing blog posts and new HubPages articles in between all of my client work, which is a good problem. We had a bit of an expensive September with a large unexpected car repair for my car, and extra income is more welcome than ever right now.
• I'm working on creating inventory for my holiday shows and stocking my Etsy shops. I have a hard time working this far ahead, but I don't want every single day in November to be completely crazy. I'm trying to stay ahead on making multiple quantities of best selling items and keep adding new stock to the Etsy shops. If you haven't already visited my new photography shop, get over there, like the shop on Etsy and share it around to a few of your favorite people who love photography.
• I'm making the jewelry for the girls in my brother's wedding party. Remember how I shared some of the beads that I bought for my wedding piece? That's exactly as far as I've gotten with this not so little project (again, struggling to work so far ahead). My goal is to have these pieces done by the last weekend in October (again, trying to keep November from being a melt down month).
• I'm planning my future sister-in-law's Chicago bridal shower. You all know how much I love to host parties, and I'm so excited to be co-hosting THE Chicago shower for my future sister-in-law with my mom. I got my handmade invitations into the mail at the end of September and have already received some RSVPs. I'll be sharing some more shower planning fun during the month.
• I'm purchasing some new photography equipment and making a fall photography "to do" list. The new photography equipment thing was supposed to be a September "yay, it's fall, and I'm still going to be excited about taking pictures even when it's cold outside" thing. But we were blessed with amazingly beautiful September weather, and I still got outside a lot. I also didn't feel justified buying those sort of things after the big car repair. It will happen before I'm spending time in Chicago this month, though. As far as the "to do" list goes, the summer places to photograph list was a big success so I want to keep that kind of thing going. It may end up being more of a "cold weather" list for fall and winter that I won't use quite yet, which is fine.

Think about joining my blog sponsors!

I have a great round up of blog sponsors! These lovely ladies all have Etsy shops and/or blogs. Check them out on the left hand side of my blog under "Private Sponsors." Would you like to join them? It's only $3 per month or $10 for 4 months to advertise with me. Check out all of the details about it right here.

Finally, THANK YOU to everyone who stops by here regularly, reads what I have to say week after week, and leaves me comments either on the blog or elsewhere! Here's to another great month!

What are you up to this October?

What's Up For August

Yep, we're several days into August, and I'm still a little bit in denial about that. Moving forward...

What's going on this month?

• I hit a huge milestone on HubPages the first week of August: 1 million views. It took me 2 years and 4 months to achieve this stat. To date I have 286 articles published there. I am really proud of many of the things I've been able to accomplish these last couple years with my freelance career, but this is definitely way up there on that list.
• I've been staying ahead of my ambitious task list for opening a new Etsy shop for photography on Labor Day weekend 2013. This month is going to be the final push. I'm planning a huge giveaway to kick things off for the grand opening so get excited about that.
• I've been part of a product descriptions writing group off and on since December and I got to write for a handful of huge orders for that this past month, which played a large role in July being my highest earning freelance month to date. I've had a steady stream of work from additional clients, too, which didn't hurt either. I'm looking forward to using some of those funds for new photography equipment and some of the supplies I need (i.e. new business cards, packing materials) for the new Etsy shop.
• I am still fully enjoying everything that summer has to offer and am determined to use this month to soak up as much of it as I can. I've ticked off quite a few of the "to do" destinations / random pursuits on my summer photography list and am determined to fit in a few more while the weather is still great. Jake and I have some fun social activities planned as well as a mini long weekend trip.

Think about joining my blog sponsors!

I have a great round up of blog sponsors! These lovely ladies all have Etsy shops and/or blogs. Check them out on the left hand side of my blog under "Private Sponsors." Would you like to join them? It's only $3 per month or $10 for 4 months to advertise with me. Check out all of the details about it right here. 

It means so much to me that so many people take the time to read my blog and leave such thoughtful feedback on a regular basis. Here's to another great month!

What's going on with you for August?

June Top Commenters and July News

This summer is going way too fast, but I'm doing my best to enjoy every minute of it!

Christmas in July

....is coming soon! How's that for an exciting way to start off a monthly post? It is a huge amount of work getting a big group of new sales items up and running on Etsy, and I haven't been able to make it my top priority this week. But I'm slowly pushing ahead on it and will have more details for you soon. This is the only time you'll be able to get these kind of discounts until the 2013 holiday seasons so get them while you can.

 

Top Commenters

It means so much to me that so many people take the time to stop by and leave their feedback, insight, and questions for me everyday. These lovely ladies all have handmade shops that you need to check out.

Summer Garden password notebook with index tabs, mini, 100 Web sites, spiral bound, tangerine blue pink green by MisterPenQuin

Wooden Post Earring Studs - Sunburst Design by memoriesforlifesb

Orange Sunset Artisan Lampwork Glass and Crystal Sterling Silver Earrings - Fall Sunset by BeadedTail

Romantic Floral Infinity Scarf. Circle Scarf. Women's Scarf. Spring. Pink rose print. Fresh green. by PeriDotbyDuni

Handmade Artist Notebook - Childhood Circles by storybeader

Nautical Sailor LOVE Signal Flag Resin Pendant Swallow Charm Necklace Silver by StalkingTheWildSnark

Color Block Necklace - neon, coral, mint, yellow, statement necklace by OhNostalgiaDesigns

Red Leaves Greeting Card by Pictimilitude

 

Blog Sponsors

I have an awesome round of blog sponsors! These lovely ladies all have Etsy shops and/or blogs. Check them out on the left hand side of my blog under "Private Sponsors." Would you like to join them? It's only $3 per month or $10 for 4 months to advertise with me. Check out all of the details about it right here.

 

Bring It On July!

• A lot of people in my family have early-mid summer birthdays, and I get to help celebrate with them in various Midwest locations the first week of July.
• There is so much amazing stuff that takes place during the summer! I always think that it will be a great time to get ahead on show inventory for the holidays and catch up on things around the house, but the weekends are way too busy for that. It's a good problem. There is plenty of time for those other activities during the cooler fall months.
• My freelance client loads have been so big lately that I haven't found much energy to get over to HubPages during my spare writing minutes on the computer. This is another good problem. June is the first month that I published less than 4 articles on HubPages since I started writing there over 2 years ago. I don't feel like I owe anyone any apologies. It will still be there when I do have the time to add new content.
• I put together an ambitious set of June through September goals for myself related to selling photography. Aside from not uploading on SmugMug as much as I wanted (largely because the uploads really slow down the internet so I have to remember to set them up while I won't be online), I did well with my June goals. I've been making some changes to my online routine so I can make this a bigger priority for the remainder of the year.
• June was an amazing month of getting out and taking pictures. I had a number of planned excursions as well as some completely unexpected opportunities, which was a great mix. I'm hoping for the same in July.
   

What is going on with your blog and/or business for July?

May Top Commenters and June News

Happy June!

Who else is so excited for the beginning of summer?

Biggest Announcement of the Month

Let's just get right to it because I'm so excited about it. I've been working really hard this past month to get my SmugMug account up and running. I have my pricing structure in place and a number of photo albums together. Of course I will keep adding more, but there is plenty to choose from already. Go check it out and spread the word!

Top Commenters

As always, I really appreciate all of the feedback that I get on this blog. It means a lot that so many people take time to share their insights with me.  Thanks to Catherine of Living the Gourmet for stopping by and commenting regularly! Check out goodies from some of my other top commenters who are selling their handmade items online.

Purple Hearts Sleepmask. Eye Mask. Sweetheart. Valentine. Soft Cotton Sleep Mask. polkadots by PeriDotbyDuni

 

Lavender Purple Beachy Nautical Knot Celtic Earrings Freshwater Pearl by StalkingTheWildSnark

 

Custom Caterpillar Beadwoven Bracelet in Purple and Brown Made Just for You by BeadedTail

 

Wild Asters Notebook from Pictimilitude

Maroon covered Art Journal - collage and lined interior "Junque Journal" by storybeader

 

Drop Earrings Dangles Black Metal Hardware Jewelry Eco Friendly by additionsstyle

Mother's Day Photo Album Scrapbook - MOTHER by memoriesforlifesb

Cloth Napkins - Set of 2 - Handwoven Guatemalan Cotton - Purple Ombre by pasqueflower

 

Buttons and Flowers Gift Tags by PruittCreations

Blog Sponsors and June Advertising

I have an awesome round of blog sponsors! These lovely ladies all have Etsy shops and/or blogs. Check them out on the left hand side of my blog under "Private Sponsors." Would you like to join them? It's only to advertise $3 per month or $10 for 4 months with me. Check out all of the details about it right here.

Bring It On June!

• Jake and I are starting the month with a trip to Chicago to see the Book of Mormon (which will have already happened by the time this post goes live). We're following it up the next weekend with a Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concert featuring the music of Mad Man and then Wicked in Milwaukee the following weekend. How can June possibly be a bad month?
• Before the month even started, I already had a whole slew of freelance client jobs in place. I love having that work waiting for me and not having to scramble for jobs each week.
• I kept my holiday traffic going strong on HubPages through Mother's Day this year, which was a considerable extension from Easter last year. My numbers are still about twice where they were this time last year, so I really can't complain. I'm anticipating a pretty decent Fourth of July spike. Otherwise I'll keep building my base through the summer.
• Many of you who follow me on Facebook know that I've been able to get out with my camera a lot more since the weather got nicer. I'm taking considerably more photos than I've been able to share here in a timely manner, which is a good problem. I'm hopeful that June will bring a lot more great opportunities to take photos.

What is going on with your blog and/or business for June?

April Top Commenters and May News

Happy May!

I am so excited for a new month with more free time and hopefully some continuing warm weather (finally!).

Top Commenters

As always, I really appreciate all of the feedback that I get on this blog. It means a lot that so many people take time to share their insights with me.  Thanks to Grace of Dragon's Alley for stopping by and commenting regularly! Check out goodies from some of my other top commenters who are selling their handmade items online.

Irish Small Green Celtic Knot Earrings Seed Pearls Hypoallergenic Gold by StalkingTheWildSnark

Green and white paper beads by storybeader

Owls - Green Beaded Sterling Silver Leverback Earrings by BeadedTail

Oven Mitt - Green and White Chevrons by pasqueflower

Green Eyes Cat Postcard by Pictimilitude

Green Planet Fabric Coasters by PruittCreations

Statement Necklace Pendant Steampunk Wire Wrapped Hardware Jewelry Multi Color by additionsstyle

 

Jade Green Necklace - cluster, emerald green, antique brass, spring colors by OhNostalgiaDesigns

Moss Green Crochet Scarflette with Flower by JNOriginals

Blog Sponsors and May Advertising

I have an awesome round up of blog sponsors!  These lovely ladies all have Etsy shops and/or blogs.  Check them out on the left hand side of my blog under "Private Sponsors." Would you like to join the them?  It's only $3 per month or $10 for 4 months to advertise with me.  Check out all of the details about it right here.
 

Out With the Old Sale

 I cannot even tell you how happy it would make me to see even one or two of these older pieces go to new homes in the near future. I'll keep my Out With the Old Sale going through Christmas in July. Take advantage of these great deals on handmade beaded pieces while you can.

Bring It On May!

• I am wrapping up with choir, handbells, and Bible study (until the fall) in the next couple weeks. I'm looking forward to purchasing a new camera lens (still looking at this one) and getting out with my camera a lot more often. I made a list of a couple dozen places that I'd like to photograph in the greater Milwaukee area between May and October and hope to hit one or two every week.
• Significantly building my SLR portfolio is part of my plan to launch serious photography selling. I'll be sharing more on that during the next few months, but one of the first steps is that I'm planning to open a paid SmugMug account this month and get it ready to open to the public by early June. That may be too ambitious, but I'm pretty confident that I can get it open and running with a respectable amount of inventory this summer.
• All of my hard work to keep both seasonal and non-seasonal traffic going on HubPages during a slower time of year is paying off. My traffic numbers have remained more than double what they were this time last year. I'm hoping that I can keep these numbers going through the summer.

What is going on with your blog and/or business for May?

March Top Commenters and April News

I hope that April is starting off well for everyone! It still doesn't really look or feel like spring here, but hopefully that will change over the next couple weeks.

Top Commenters

As always, I really appreciate all of the feedback that I get on this blog. It means a lot that so many people take time to share their insights with me.  Thanks to Jamie of Crafter on a Budget for stopping by and commenting regularly! Check out goodies from some of my other top commenters who are selling their handmade items online.

Anchor Necklace Nautical Signal flat LOVE pendant from StalkingTheWildSnark

Anchor Anniversary Card - 5 Year Anniversary Wood Card - Personalized Engraving by memoriesforlifesb

Floral Harmony Post-it Note Mini Clipboard with pad, 2-sided, pink - blue - green by MisterPenQuin

Lavender Lupine Embroidery Hoop Art by PruittCreations

Shabby Chic Decorative Pink Polka Dot, Floral Hanging Hearts, Ornament, Satin Roses, Valentine, Trio by PeriDotbyDuni

Pink Rhinestone Earrings - spring, girly, Easter, antique brass, vintage inspired, retro by OhNostagliaDesigns

Green and white paper beads by storybeader

Echeveria Plant Art - Flower Magnet - Green Rose Drawing by aquariann

Baby Booties, Size 0-6 months, Baby Blue, Boy, Fleece, Crocheted, Ready To Ship by ChristieCottage

Blog Sponsors and April Advertising

I have an awesome round up of blog sponsors!  These lovely ladies all have Etsy shops and/or blogs.  Check them out on the left hand side of my blog under "Private Sponsors." Would you like to join the them?  It's only $3 per month or $10 for 4 months to advertise with me.  Check out all of the details about it right here.

Out With the Old Sale

I brought back my Out With the Old sale this year for the beginning of 2013. There are a number of older pieces in my shop that I would really like to clear out forever to get my shop more streamlined and reflective of my current lines. Take advantage of these amazing deals while you can right here.

Bring It On April!

• Easter came early this year, which means that so did the end of my Halloween through Easter traffic streak on HubPages. In 2012, April and May were two of my lowest earning months. I have done my best to build spring articles that aren't tied to specific holidays and add more Mother's Day articles this year. Hopefully it'll pay off, and I won't see such a significant traffic drop. I'm trying to stay ahead and brainstorm summer topics as well.
• I had a great first 2013 show last month and am looking forward to a second show at the end of this month. I have a couple new projects in the works for this show that I'll be sharing in the near future. There are also a lot of holiday shows that put up apps this time of year so I'll be working on that as I can throughout the month.
• It has been amazing having such a full calendar this year. It will also be amazing to have a less full calendar as the school year winds down. Easter was a huge milestone to check off the list. I'm looking forward to getting out more during the (hopefully) warmer weather in April to take pictures and explore some new (to me) areas of Milwaukee with some of this unscheduled time.

What is going on with your blog and/or business for April?

Where I Linked Up Today:

February Top Commenters and March News

I hope that March has gotten off to a great start for everyone!

Top Commenters

As always, I really appreciate all of the feedback that I get on this blog. It means a lot that so many people take time to share their insights with me.  Thanks to Ann of Ann's Snap Edit Scrap and Jamie of Crafter on a Budget for stopping by and commenting regularly! Check out goodies from some of my other top commenters who are selling their handmade items online.

Owls - Green Beaded Sterling Silver Leverback Earrings by BeadedTail

Crayon Roll-Up Carrier - Pokey Turtle by PruittCreations

Graphic Design Magnets - Engraved Wood - Set of 4 by memoriesforlifesb

Coin Purse, Keychain, Tissue Case: Organize Your Purse Kit in Fern & Cheeta Print by NFallonDesignStudio

Crochet Dishcloths, Washcloths Set of 3 - Key Lime Pie by MagnoliaSurprise

Jewelry bracelet kit - Copper and hand-rolled paper beads by storybeader

St. Patrick's Day Irish Small Green Celtic Knot Earrings Seed Pearls Hypoallergenic Gold by StalkingTheWildSnark

sleepmask. eye mask. millefiori. green. butterflies by PeriDotbyDuni

Blog Sponsors and March Advertising

I have an awesome round up of blog sponsors!  These lovely ladies all have Etsy shops and/or blogs.  Check them out on the left hand side of my blog under "Private Sponsors." Would you like to join the them?  It's only $3 per month or $10 for 4 months to advertise with me.  Check out all of the details about it right here.

Out With the Old Sale

I brought back my Out With the Old sale this year for the beginning of 2013. There are a number of older pieces in my shop that I would really like to clear out forever to get my shop more streamlined and reflective of my current lines. Take advantage of these amazing deals while you can right here.

Bring It On March!

• I'm not sure what to share about my work that I didn't share last month. Last year the HubPages traffic explosion that I had from Valentine's Day helped keep my holiday numbers going through Easter. So far that has been true this year, too. My client work has been pretty steady, which means that I haven't had to do much searching for random freelance jobs.
• I have my first 2013 craft show this coming weekend! How did that come up so quickly? I am absolutely never ready for a show until the morning of the event, but I'm doing pretty well all things considered. I have one more next month and have applied for one in May as well.
• I have a milestone birthday coming up at the end of this month. I have been talking all year about how I want to do something for it and am excited that those plans are finally in the works.
• I am also pretty excited about how many pictures I got to take during the month of February. I didn't let the cold weather slow me down too much. I hope that I'll be able to keep that up in March.

What's going on with your blog and/or business for March?

New article:

St. Patrick's Day in Milwaukee: Parade and Other Irish Events, Festivities, and Celebrations

Where I Linked Up Today: