Nothing But Soap Review

Click Here To Go Straight To My Giveaway

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nothingbutsoap

First, I want to Thank nothingbutsoap for this wonderful offer and allowing me to try this great soap for free!

I love it!

"Eucalyptus Hemp & Tea Tree olive oil, hemp oil & Shea butter soap Intense Eucalyptus and rich Tea Tree with peppermint leaves make this an eye opening treat. The eucalyptus will energize your day while hemp, Shea butter and a wonderful base cleanse your skin. Eucalyptus and tea tree essential oils are known for their medicinal properties in anti-fungal and anti-staph capabilities. Peppermint leaves are added for additional exfoliation. An intense experience to remember. "

Remember the Blog Soap Swap I told you about?

I received my soap, I tried it, and I liked it.

The aroma was very similar to Vick's! That alone would help to clear up any persons sinus or congestion dilemmas. My daughter even enjoyed the scent!

This soap has a mild, creamy, and smooth lather -

I love creamy lathers!

The peppermint leaves felt really nice, they could do well as an exfoliant.

I think a body scrub or lotion would go great with this. It'd make a wonderful "Get Well" Gift.

This deal is still running at nothingbutsoap.

If you love handmade soap and want to try something new, take a look at this shop.

It's free.

(You have nothing to lose)

Here is a run-down on how to get this free soap-Please go to the nothingbutsoap shop for full details.

~How to get the soap ~

1. "Purchase" the soap but do not pay for it. In the notes from buyer section leave your blog, website, myspace wherever you plan on gabbing about this soap.

2. Make an entry about this offer with a link back to the shop. The soap will be sent quickly after you have made a post about it.

3. Use the soap. -The Best part!

4. Within 5 weeks of receiving your soap make another entry about the soap, with a link back to the shop.

It's that simple!

FREE SOAP-nothingbutsoap

Want Free Soap? Look at this!

Blog Soap Swap - FREE SOAP

nothingbutsoap

"Eucalyptus Hemp & Tea Tree olive oil, hemp oil & shea butter soapIntense Eucalyptus and rich Tea Tree with peppermint leaves make this an eye opening treat. The eucalyptus will energize your day while hemp, shea butter and a wonderful base cleanse your skin. Eucalyptus and tea tree essential oils are known for their medicinal properties in anti-fungal and anti-staph capabilities. Peppermint leaves are added for additional exfoliation. An intense experience to remember."

"Try showering with this soap when you have cold-like congestion or sinus allergies to create a soothing vapor."

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You will receive a 1-oz. rectangle bar in exchange for . .

How to get the soap -

1. "Purchase" the soap but do not pay for it. In the notes from buyer section leave me your blog,website,myspace wherever you plan on letting people know your opinion about this soap.

2. Make an entry about this offer with a link back to my shop. Once I have seen this I will send you the soap.

3. Use the soap.

4. Within 5 weeks of receiving your soap make another entry,with a link back to my shop, about the soap. What did you like about it? What didn't you like about it? It could be as simple as I liked the free sample soap I got from Nothing But Soap.

5. That's it! 5 steps just look better.

A hilarious Swim Diaper naming contest

Click Here To Go Straight To The Blog Giveaway

Get in on This Thread

It's too funny

"can you help me name my swim diapers?"

vilatesniftynook says:

"help me name my swim diapers and you could get one free!"

Here and Here

"I am having a contest to name my swim diaper. If you have any name suggestions I am more than willing to consider them! Send them my way and if I choose your name I will send you a swim diaper for free! You have until June 1st! If you buy this diaper and then win the contest your money will be refunded through paypal! "

LEAVE ALL SUGGESTIONS IN THE THREAD TO ENTER

*I am not in any way associated with this contest, I just find the thread amusing.*

Opinions of Ups and Downs of Etsy plus some giveaways

First I'm going to show off these wonderful giveaways, it's hard to resist a good giveaway, after all.

But scroll down to see Opinions of Ups and Downs of Etsy!

Audrey's Giveaway Blog is hosting a great giveaway for this amazing necklace!
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Kim's Country Cottage is hosting a Grand Opening Giveaway for this beautiful Romantic Rosebuds Afghan until June 15th on her blog. Created with soft white yarn and adorned with mauve rosebuds and frosty green leaves, this afghan is the perfect size for a single, twin size bed, or as an adornment for your favorite chair.

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What do YOU like most about Etsy and what bugs you the most?

I have been curious about this.. There is just so much diversity and contrasting opinions about Etsy. I'm you've noticed this if you hang out in the forums much.

So, I've been doing my own research to find this answer.

And here is what I got..

The #1 thing that Etsians like most is the overall community.

There are so many helpful and friendly people on Etsy, it really is a great place to be. I'm proud to be a member of this community, and delighted this was #1 on the 'like list'.

The #1 thing that bugs Etsians is just how many people get into the forums to whine.

Everyone understands that *you* need to let off some steam, but is this really the place to do it? It's unprofessional and makes you seem tempermental and erratic. Next time you think about coming to the forums to gripe, take a break from your computer and calm down first.

Return to the forums and turn your complaint into an unbiased constructive discussion about your problem. You'll get it all worked out much quicker if you have your wits about you.

Far less snarkiness.

Here are some positive quotes regarding 'Likes'..

"I love the community, the clean and attractive design of the site, the quick-loading pages, the creative and friendly copy written by admin on the site, the very reasonable fees."

"I love the sense of community - join a street team - it's a lot of fun!"

"I love Etsy! I started out selling on eBay and still do actually, but I'm leaning more and more to Etsy mainly because of the community, friendly feel and because it is SO much cheaper than eBay!"

"I love Etsy because I know whatever I'm purchasing had actual time, passion and heart put into making it. And that I'm supporting someone else out there who loves to be creative and share that end product of their imagination with others. "

"I love the sense of community and how generous and free people are with their words of wisdom and advice."

"I love the treasury options, and having the opportunity for a seller's treasuries to make it to the FP is pretty neat. I also love how our listings are set up w/the 5 pic opt & our own featured section."

"I love being able to find unique gifts for my friends and family. There is really a limitless ocean of possibilities on here."

"I love etsy for all the wonderful creations people make. The items on here are so unique--it just makes me feel great when I find something adorable and beautiful. "

Here are some quotes regarding 'dislikes' on Etsy..

" I don't like what goes on with front page choices although it does seem to be changing a bit. I also am anxiously awaiting the implementation of being able to organize items in my shop without relisting. "

"I wish we could arrange our items. "

"I like the forums but know-it-alls bug me and rude people bug me...its not that hard to be nice!"

"I don't like the way some shops get much more attention by admins then others. "

"What I don't like---the way alot of people are marketing --or "marketing" their shops. Too much spam on twitter,etc. Everyone wants sales fast and now...it takes time to build a business."

"the search for items and mistagging really bugs me though "

"I don't like the fact that we can't arrange the items in our shop without going through the relisting process. "

"I'm sick of people whining about low views, bad economy, Etsy doesn't do enough for them, blah blah blah."

"It really bugs me when threads are closed for senseless reasons. "

What is your like and dislike or Etsy?

Congrats to the giveaway winner~Whimsical Creations

The winner of my blog giveaway is

Whimsical Creations!

Congrats! Whimsical Creations :)

Thank you everyone for joining in on the fun!

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I loved the Sweater hoodie so much that I had to make a summer version for my daughter.

I used no patterns at all, so this is my version. And instead of the mushroom, I made a lollipop!

The snail is still a pocket, Lilly had to stuff a card from a fellow Etsian in it, lol.

Lilly says she wants me to put a puppy or a kitty on her next top... hehe

What do you think?

My little sweetie is an artist!

The first picture is a piggy that she drew, its special, lol. The smaller circle to the right is its snout, yet it still has a small nose and mouth above the snout..special right? (no ears or tail)

A natural oddity..

The second picture is a squiggly spider. Look at those big googly eyes, the large round honker, and the small mouth. What's the circle at the bottom, you ask? That the belly button, or "beeper" as we call it!

Yep, I think she's ready to start selling her art on Etsy, watch out for her new store.

"Manilly's Art"

Okay, I'm kidding, no store... but I have seen a few very young youngins on Etsy selling some... interesting.. things.

Blog Giveaway!

BLOG GIVEAWAY!

How to enter:

ALL COMMENTS MUST BE LEFT UNDER THIS POST FOR A CHANCE TO WIN

1.) Go to yarnlovertn and come back here and let me know what your favorite item is AND become a follower or already be one.(Please leave one comment) Mandatory

How to earn additional entries:

2.) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to here. Leave me the link to your tweet. You can do this everyday for additional entries!


3.) Make a purchase from yarnlovertn- this will give you 5 entries!!!


4.) You will get 3 entries for blogging about my giveaway- with a link back to here.



5.) You can post a bulletin to Myspace or any other social network for 3 entries-with a link back here.

Please make sure to leave one comment for EACH additional entry, or they will not be counted properly!
Also, please leave me an email address to reach you at!

This giveaway ends April 12th (12PM mtn.)

Male Etsian Artist~ mindlesspursuits

BLOG GIVEAWAY IS 2 POSTS DOWN

I put my store in vacation mode today, yay! It was hard to do, but I definitely felt less stressed today. I've been working on my crochet and was able to leisurely do it, while playing with my girls. Here are two of Shay's new hats that I made! I'm so proud :) (I love huge flowers) I've made a few others but don't have photos yet. But I can't seem to figure out how to size booties correctly. :( They all come out too small or too big, its frustrating. Any advice??

mindlesspursuits

I just adore the painted cherry blossoms and aster flowers! It's beautiful art like this that can really brighten up a room. The mountain river painting is so peaceful, it really reminds me of the mountains around here in WY.

I love his answer below, please make sure to read the red-very admirable! :)

• How and when did you discover your talent?That depends upon how you define talent – some might say I’m still looking! But I’ve liked doing many different things, and since what’s mostly in my shop right now are paintings, I’ll focus on that. I hadn’t painted anything at all since junior high, and the last thing I painted then was a 2D color version of one of those line drawings from the back of a TV guide – you too can go to art school and all of that jazz. But I was a Bob Ross fan, and so as I grew older, I kept watching his shows and getting them on tape then DVD. In early 2008, I was on a medical leave from work and going stir-crazy so I finally decided to try painting again. I did a few various trial pieces, then after watching some more Bob, jumped in. I still have a long ways to go, though. Even by my own standards, my technique is basic.



• What or Who do you think is the most important influence in your work?Well, in painting it would have to be Bob Ross, no doubt! That said, it’s really my mother and father. My mother loves flowers and flower painting, and my father has sketched landscapes all of my life. He’s actually the one who got me started watching Bob in the first place.



• Does any of your art have a deeper meaning?None that anyone sees in my shop today carries any deeper meaning than to provide the visual uplift that pretty flowers or landscapes do. I’ve been told that means it’s not art. Whatever. I still enjoy doing it. That said, I’m a writer first and foremost, and I’m trying to make the transition from using words to provide meaning into explorations of how to do that visually. I don’t feel my technique is mature enough yet to want to display or show any of the pieces I’ve been working on yet, but eventually I’ll be happy with the results. Then my response will be much more interesting!



• What is your favorite piece and why?Well, for what I have displayed in my shop today, it’s definitely the hand-painted cherry blossom pillow covers. They make me smile to look at them. My favorite piece to date hasn’t been photographed to show – it’s one of my attempts to put a thought-provoking concept to canvas. It’s my favorite because it’s driving me to better my technique and refine my way of thinking in order to visually express it.



• Where do you do your work?My living room. I have a fairly small apartment that I share with my daughters and ALL of my various crafts and computers (I’m a Geek) and so I have to set up and tear down in the living room when I want to paint. I also only like to paint in natural light, and the living room is the only space that gets enough to paint in.



• When do you feel the most creative and motivated?Just before bed, which is problematic as I need to sleep! I keep a ‘project journal’ with me though, and I write down ideas in as much detail as I can before falling asleep so that I can work on them later. I also tend to get more motivation when I’m listening to club music. If you need somber music to create thought-filled paintings, I’ll never complete one!



• Have you found any pros or cons to being a male artist? Or does it even matter?Frankly, I haven’t found any pros or cons to being a male artist. Other than I seem to garner more discussion with other sellers at craft shows.



• Do you feel that you should be promoted on Etsy for being male? I don’t think Etsy should promote anything other than on the basis of the work itself. While that may leave me out of the running for the front page, Etsy is a venue not unlike going to your local mall. The mall itself doesn’t promote sellers within. The sellers need to promote themselves. As such, I would just expect Etsy to list my work in the way that I pay for, and to keep their ideas on themes and promotions out of it. That’s my job to do for my shop.



• What do you do to promote yourself?I don’t promote my shop, for a few personal reasons. I do promote my writing, so if I ever publish any writing on Etsy, I’ll have to figure out how to address this question.



• Is there anything you would like to add?I’m very much about making the world a better place and putting self-interest aside as much as you can in a healthy fashion, so I encourage everyone to find ways to get involved in doing so.

Today I am Featuring an Etsian Artist~ Chrystalyn

Don't Forget to Take The Poll And Leave A Comment Below For The Free GiveAways!

My featured Etsian Artist today is~chrystalyn, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=20758

Chrystalyn makes wonderful OOAK jewelry, keychains, and everyday ornaments.

Her items definitely have an 'earthy' feel.

Here are some favorite picks from her store.

I Love this Artists description of when she gets most creative, read it!

Favorite item from my shop: My favorite item right now is my Coral Valentine Necklace. It's red dyed coral strung on a delicate gold filled or sterling chain and measures about 17 inches. I was marketing it and developed it for Valentine's Day, but just had it published on myshoppingconnection.com and listed as "The Shape of My Soul" necklace. It's understated but totally fantastic!

How did you first hear about Etsy? I think I heard about Etsy because I was looking for some handmade items myself? It was almost 5 years ago now... I guess I don't actually remember how I discovered it. I just recall promptly realizing that it was a great solution to help me establish my internet presence. Of course, then, it was much smaller and the regular traffic so much less than it is now.

When did you first start selling on Etsy?I started selling on Etsy right after I discovered it. I had just made my website and was needing to sell online but wasn't ready to splurge on the whole e-commerce setup such as a shopping cart. And because so much of my early work was exclusively one-of-a-kind, it made sense to find a platform that was faster to update than building and rebuilding a webpage every time I designed a new piece.

What made you decide to make what you make?I started making jewelry because I couldn't afford what I liked, namely freshwater pearls. In fact, my trademark design early on was a color mixture of freshwater pearls in different lengths. At the time, I was living in uptown Dallas and was surrounded with inspiration from hip friends to funky music to lavish eateries. And because Dallas is known for it's shopping, I think my location really aided me in establishing an initial fanbase. However, I was working a job that didn't exactly leave a cushion for the beautiful things that I saw in the local neighborhood shops. To keep myself sane while working the job, I started revamping my own jewelry, handbags, and clothing. I then realized I had a real knack for design after all my friends wanted my whimsical creations for birthday presents to sport around town.

Where do you get your passion/motivation?My passion roots from a very honest sort of love of beautiful things that say something about the ins and outs of life. My initial theme was very much "contradiction by design" and I often revisit that notion to see how I, as well as my work has progressed. I love the irony of imperfections and a lack of predictability in my own work. Like life, those are the things that are real and intriguing and worth noting.

Do you have a day job?Well, sort of. I do alot of temp work locally here in northern California. It's flexible and gives me the opportunity to constantly network my creative projects. As a plus, I'm a total multitasker so the variety is probably what keeps me grounded enough to keep doing what I love which is creating.

Where do you invent your items? i.e. do you have an office or do you work in your house?Before I moved to the west coast, I had a studio space in my house with tons of windows and plenty of room to hang designs all over the walls. Now though, I have a little section of a room that has all of my supplies organized for portability. Everything is in glass containers or on vintage plates that I scored from a few garage sales so they don't look so "craft-time" like. It's sort of like the art closet in kindergarten class where all of the markers, crayons, and construction paper are kept. I pull them all out when I'm inspired and try to remember to put them away when I'm finished. That, often, is days later...

Do you belong to any Etsy Teams?I do actually belong to a Chico Etsy Team. The problem is that Chico is an hour or so from where I live so I've not attended a single meeting yet. Shame on me!

How long does it take you to create a piece?It depends on what it is. If I've been thinking about it for awhile, then I can knock it out in about half an hour. I try not to sit down with the intent of just making unless I've just landed some new beads that I'm really psyched about. I just wind up being fussy about the designs when I don't have a vision for it yet. And in that case, it could take me a week to create a piece. Creative forces are like waves: I don't mind riding the crest but I detest sitting there in the trough.

When do you get most creative?I used to only be able to work late at night. I'd stay up so late sitting on the hardwood floors in the doorway between my bedroom and living room. Now, I think it's still evening because I'm most relaxed then. I like to make an event of creating. I get a good glass of wine, put on a cool movie, and just create according to the mood. The only time I create during the day is if I have a deadline. I try hard to keep the joy of my art at the forefront rather than treating it only as something that pays the bills.

What is your most popular item in your store?During the holidays, the gemstone ornaments just go like crazy! I'm trying change the perspective on the ornaments though. I call them all occasion ornaments because they are such a sweet original gift that goes so far beyond the Christmas tree. I think people are starting to catch on. I think they're lovely gifts as a token of remembrance of a life milestone or to honor a hostess.

Any advice you could give to other new sellers on Etsy?Don't get down if you've been on awhile and have yet to get a sale. I think i was on for about 6 months or so and, even still, my first sale was a good friend. Read tips in the forums and learn from others that came before you. Don't be afraid to ask questions and play around until you figure out how Etsy works best for you.

What do you do to promote your shop?I have a blog (www.chrystaljewelry.blogspot.com) as well as my business website (www.chrystalynjewelry.com). I also make use of all of the social networking sites that my sphere of influence has a presense in. I love doing promotional postcards; They are my favorite!

How do you balance your creative work with home life and family?I try not to make my creativity the be all/ end all. On the contrary, I ride the waves as they come and don't try too hard to make it happen. I think it works well for me because that causes me to be deliberate in the way in which I divide up my time. Of course, everything changes when you have a deadline...

Are you trade friendly with fellow Etsians?Heck yes! I love trading! Gosh, I'd barter for everything if I could. I currently trade massages for jewelry. I'm still looking for someone to trade pedicures for jewelry. I actually just did a trade for an all occasion ornament with a gal in the Philippines. I need to get on the Etsy Trade blog and look around. I LOVE trading!

Do you have your own blog?My jewelry blog is http://www.chrystalynjewelry.blogspot.com/. I try to keep it updated with my monthly promotions and photos of new designs. It can also be accessed from my website.

Featured Fellow Etsian~WildRoseJewels

Don't Forget To Answer the Poll and Leave A Comment 6 Posts Down for My Blog GiveAway!

Today I am featuring a new Etsian~WildRoseJewels http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6637309

She carries Exquisite handmade sterling silver jewelry, I just love love love her pieces!

I heard about Etsy a few years ago, but I came across it recently while searching for jewellery supplies.

I started selling my jewellery on Etsy two months ago.

I make jewellery because it makes me happy.


I live in a house full of boys, and jewellery is something girly and pretty that I can do just for me.


Passion for my craft comes just from the fact that I enjoy it. It’s something I want to do. I look forward to getting new materials and all the creative possibilities they bring.


My day job is mommy right now, and I love it. My son will be one year old in March, and I can’t believe how the time has flown by. He is an absolute joy.


I do my work at my kitchen table, everything from making the jewellery, to the photography, to packing and shipping. It’s great. Although a studio would be nice too . . .


I am a member of the Alberta Street Team.


It doesn’t take me very long to make a piece, once I’ve solidified the idea. Usually I’ll think about it for days, draw pictures, and once I have it all figured out, it comes together pretty quickly.


I get most creative whenever I get new supplies.


I don’t think I have a most popular item . . .yet. I’m still newish.


Advice for new sellers - maybe I’m not the best one to ask, but I think the main thing is to never stop working on it. There is always something you can improve on.


I have tried some paid advertising, but I’m not sure it’s working. I try to post in the forums whenever I can, and I’ve been telling everyone I know, and telling them to pass it on.


My creative work comes second to my family, of course. During the day, my son runs the show. Usually I work before he gets up, or when he naps - he’s still a two-nap-a-day kind of guy, luckily. Evenings are devoted to my husband. It all works pretty well.


Ooh, I haven’t done a trade yet, but I would definitely love to!


I don’t have my own blog yet, but it’s on my to do list.