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Friday, June 19, 2009

Etsy PEACHY DEALS from Georgia!

From Sunday June 21st thru Sunday June 28th
I'm participating in the Georgia Etsy Street Team

PEACHY DEALS Sale!


Visit these participating Etsy shops to find your Peachy Deal
or Search for "GAETSYTEAM" at Etsy.com:


Amber's Aromatherapy
http://ambersaromatherapy.etsy.com/
Bath products, specifically soaps and lip balm, custom blended teas, and jewelry.Free shipping and free custom blended tea


Amelia's Soap Co.
Handmade soap products
15% off all individual soaps


Berd & Bee
http://berdandbee.etsy.com/
20% off handmade housewares


Bijouterie by Nipurna's Creation
http://www.nipurnascreation.etsy.com/
Unique and modern Handmade jewelry, one of a kind and excellent prices
All item 15% off.


Birds and Cherries
http://birdsandcherries.etsy.com/
Photography with a somewhat quirky point of view!
Free surprise bonus print with all orders during the sale


Crafters Crossing
http://crafterscrossing.etsy.com/
Handmade Swarovski crystal and wire jewelry.
10% off merchandise orders totaling up to $99.99.
15% off merchandise orders totaling $100 or over


Deb's Pane In The Glass
Stained Glass items from Lamps, Suncatchers to Window Panels & Business Card Holders, Note pad Holders.
Free Shipping in the USA & discount internationally: $5.00 and $2.50 for a second item.


Deuce Goods
http://panash.etsy.com/
One of a kind handmade accessories.
All items 20% off.


Echo d'Amour
http://www.echodamour.etsy.com/
Custom jewelry designs - monograms and more!
20% off all orders during the sale


FavorsRUs
Handmade bath products
15 percent off store wide


Fine Art by Rachel M Cotton
Free Shipping on Original Artwork
Surprise orginal ACEO with each order over $20


Fluffy Flowers
cute creatures & pretty pouches
HALF off on select Zipper Pouches


Growin Like A Weed
http://growinlikeaweed.etsy.com/
Specializing in hand- painted children's growth charts, step stools and room accessories.
All items 15% off.


Inky Illustrations by Tamara Garvey
Lovely, whimsical pen-and-ink illustrations made into prints and stationary.
All Prints 15% off, please use coupon code Peach15 and either wait for yourdiscounted invoice, or pay and I will refund your 15%.


JoyAnna.etsy.com
http://joyanna.etsy.com/
Handmade one of a kind pillows, purses, diaper/travel bags, scrapbook covers, tissue box covers
15% off everything in shop


K. Berlin Metalsmith
Handcrafted Artisan Jewelry - Precious Metals and gems
Free Shipping on All items


Lydia's Spa Collections
Natural Bath and Body Products With Fabulous Fragrances
10% off everything in the shop with free shipping


Maria Luna and Kartu
http://marialuna.etsy.com/
http://kartu.etsy.com/
handcrafted artisan jewelries and fine art nature photography
15% off excluding sale items


Miss Molly Cottage
http://missmollycottage.etsy.com/
All items 20% off


Nanty's Naturals
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=96348
Natural, Handcrafted Soaps
15% off all soaps and a free mini sample soap with any purchase


no flying in the house
handmade original artwork and vintage items
free shipping on all items


Painted Paws Folk Art
http://artisticpaws23.etsy.com/
Dog Folk Art
prints 15% off and free shipping of prints


Princess Ciarra Raye's Designs
For the Little Girl Inside You
Free Shipping and a Free Gift to with every Purchase.
Buy 1 get one free gift, Buy 2 get 2 free gifts and so on. You won't be disappointed with the gifts. Valued at $10 or more


Sheboygen
Vintage and handcrafted jewelry and accessories
1/2 off all vintage


Smelly Rhino Studio
http://smellyrhino.etsy.com/
Original paintings, prints and cards
10% off storewide (excl. PIF and Charity items). Free shipping on all orders over $10! Surprise Summer treat with every purchase!


SweetPea Boutique
http://happygrandma402905.etsy.com/
Colorful hairbows and clips for girls of all ages
Buy one hairbow or clip set and get one of equal or lesser value for half price!


Whisper Wing Studio
Handcrafted Jewelry
All items in sale 15% off


Worthy Soy Candles & Crochet
Soy Candles & Unique Crochet!
Buy One Get One 50% Off on Specially Marked Items! Over 30 to choose from!!!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Enjoying FREE Press!

My web designer, Lindsey Mitchell, has been featured in an article about Wix.com!
http://mytest.naldzgraphics.net/uncategorized/wix-a-free-flash-website-builder/

This is a great opportunity for me because when you view Lindsey's business card on the web designers page my site is listed as one of her design examples.

Here is a little background info about all of this...

I created my web site about 2 months ago. http://kberlin.com
I decided to use an web based site builder tool called Wix.com. With Wix you can build a web site for free, then when you are ready to go live you pay very reasonable fees to have your new site pointed to your domain name. You can do all of this yourself if you know what you are doing. And I understand most of it. But I decided to have a web designer build the site for me and I chose a Wix Web Designer named "Lindsey Mitchell." I began by sending her a list of web sites that I liked and explained what I liked about each site and how I might see the idea/design working for me. From there Lindsey was able to create a mock up for me and we worked together to finalize the outcome. Now I can add, edit and maintain the web site on my own. And I don't have to pay a web designer every time I want to change or add text and images to my web site.

Lindsey Mitchell is a Freelance Graphic Designer so she can design any marketing, advertising, and promotional materials that you might need and I highly recommend her. She is very professional and efficient, and her fees are extremely reasonable. http://www.lindseymitchelldesign.com/

Monday, June 8, 2009

A Birthday Present

I'm pretty sure that I'm not alone when I tell you that a few of the stones that I purchase as a jeweler are never meant to be sold. I buy them for ME! Some I just keep to look at and to hold. Others I envision in a piece of jewelry that I've already designed in my mind. And the rest are acquired under the notion "I have no idea what I will do with this, but I have to have it."
For my upcoming birthday on June 13th, I decided it was time to make something that I've been wanting for myself with some of my very favorite stones.

I chose the follow stones:
  1. Fossil wood from the red wood forest - small square w/colors range from brown, yellow, green to blue green.
  2. Turquoise doughnut - bright blue green color with brown web matrix
  3. Spectrolite - an oblong triangle shaped stone with flashes of greens and blues
  4. Chrysocolla, I think? - large square w/blue greens in dark brown
  5. Variscite from Australia - light green triangle shaped stone


Thursday, June 4, 2009

How I got here!

I've been ask lately, to relay the story of how I came to be a metalsmith, making jewelry as I do. First, I need to begin by saying that with the recent creation of my new web site (www.kberlin.com) and my Etsy shop (http://kberlin.etsy.com), I have accomplished a long time goal. T he jobs I've held over the past 20 years have prepared me very well for all of this. I began as an administrative assistant in advertising and design. For ten years I worked for small graphic design firms where I learned the ins and outs of print production, media placement and project management. I jumped on the dot com bubble for a three year ride down the IT path that led from web design project manager through technical support team supervisor to Program Manager. As the bubble deflated, I found myself safely on the ground in December of 2003.

I've always enjoyed making things and I've always been attracted to jewelry. For many years I was a single mother, raising my only daughter alone. We enjoyed our time together, going to the park, hiking, watching movies, baking, or making crafts for fun. One rainy day in the fall of 1997, I sat with my daughter at the dining room table in our brand new home. She'd been given a beading kit and we spent the afternoon making bracelets and necklaces. It really sparked an interest for me, and I wound up spending more time playing with the beads than she did. Later that year, we made polymer clay beads and necklaces for every one of her classmates for Christmas. Soon after that, I met my husband-to-be, we got engaged a year later, we got married the year after that, I had a new job working downtown... it was a very different life for me and my daughter.

With my passion for beads and making jewelry still going strong, I heard about a local bead show and I just had to check it out.
Let me tell you, if you have never been to a bead show, it's overwhelming for the first timer. Where do you start with so many vendors to choose from? I spent the day just taking it all in and didn't spend much money. The second day I went back with a purpose. There was a woman doing demonstrations at her booth and she was making her own enamel beads. I just had to try it, so I bought her enameling kit. For the next few years I made my own enamel beads in my basement with a propane torch and copper tubing. I even made enough jewelry that I had an open house show in December of 2003.


In January 2004, after leaving my stressful corporate job (POP goes the dot com bubble!), I enrolled in a beginner metalsmith class at a local community arts center. I was hooked, and over the next two and half years I enrolled in one or two classes each quarter. During that time I met a local gem stone dealer and rock hound. He needed someone to assist him for an upcoming rock and gem show, and I volunteered to get experience exhibiting at shows. I spent a lot of time helping him sort through his stones, pricing, labeling, and preparing his displays, and I made a great new friend. By this time it was spring of 2006 and I was looking for a part time job. While my friend the stone dealer paid me for helping him, I needed something more regular. He told me that I should go talk to a friend of his, because she was looking for help. Little did I know, this would be my dream job. In June of 2006 I was hired by Judie Raiford as her studio assistant, two days a week. Making another artists jewelry, with their equipment and supplies for 16 hours a week is a great education, and I get paid to do it. I am not only welcome to, but enthusiastically encouraged to work on my own designs in Judie’s well equipped studio. That studio just so happens to be in the basement of her well known art gallery in Roswell, Georgia. (www.RaifordGallery.com)

My personal studio!

When I'm not working for Judie, I'm working for myself. The encouragement that I receive from Judie and her staff ("the Gallery Girls") has been incredible. I am now one of the 400+ artists represented in the gallery and my work is displayed in one of the 26 jewelry cases. It has been three years since I began working for Judie and I am so grateful for the life and the career I have today. It's not easy, but I really enjoy what I get to do.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Creating hype? Can I do with my hands?

Advertising and promotion has been the bane of my existence lately. So, today is the beginning of some ad spots for my shop: http://kberlin.etsy.com.

I have a virtual craft show that started today on Cafehandmade.com - http://cafehandmade.blogspot.com/2009/03/virtual-craft-show-aisle-1.html

Also, I've rented a virtual craft booth on http://handmadecraftshow.com that should begin shortly.

And to my delight, my Nouveau Turquoise Ring has been chosen for a treasury today -
http://bit.ly/19PEM9









It's a good day! The sun is shining and the day has been productive.

Loving life! And thankful for all that I have been blessed with.


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