ABSOLUTELY AMAZING SHEEP

http://www.pawnation.com/2009/12/11/viral-extreme-shepherding-ad-campaign-lights-up-the-welsh-hill/?icid=mainhtmlws-main-wdl7link3http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pawnation.com%2F2009%2F12%2F11%2Fviral-extreme-shepherding-ad-campaign-lights-up-the-welsh-hill%2F

Watch and Listen to this 4 year old and his ukulele

He doesn't know the words which makes this youtube video so cute and he's a very talented player:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErMWX--UJZ4&feature=channel

Halloween 2009

What fun Halloween was this year! I went to my first haunted house and screamed through every room (you had to follow the arrow to get through) with people jumping out at you, elaborately staged scenes like a dining table coved with crisp white cloth, fine china, and a person in the middle eating something raw and disgusting, strobe lights, wooshes of air, headless dolls, etc.

Then we carved some pumpkins.

For Halloween night, Al my dad suggested a hunchback for Kenny. I was a witch and my mom helped me make this huge pointed hat. We stayed outside in this cul-de-sac where Kenny lives and droves of kids came by for the next 2 hours. He was hilarious and scared the hell out of all the kids. I was the friendly spook.

He dragged one foot and gave out candy. The kids would ask, "Does your back hurt?" He would say," My back is killing me" and kept dropping candy and telling the kids to pick it up for him. One kid saw him about 1/2 block before he reached the house and ran to his sister to get his sword to be ready to face the hunchback.

He followed a few kids, dragging his foot, and they would run away.

Great night!

My Gallery show is coming in a few days...

My show's opening reception is July 18 (there's a typo in the date on the postcard which should say "July" and not "June".) 20 of my ethnic folk art acrylic on stretched canvas paintings will be shown along with established outsider artist Harriet Wiseman (one of her paintings is on the postcard too.)

You can see all 20 of my paintings at http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtisan/3721392203/in/photostream/

On Thursday, there will be a pre-show for customers selected by the gallery.

Writer Dan Brooks interviewed me by phone and wrote a great article which should be hitting 5 different newspapers today (my dad who is a professional photographer, will also be photographing the actual show for the newspaper he works for.) See article below:

http://www.buckslocalnews.com/articles/2009/07/15/entertainment/doc4a5e25e4b566d197029454.txt

Happy Mother's Day to my other mom

I have 4 parents, 2 in CA, and 2 in PA. So this is my "Happy Mother's Day" to my other mom, in PA. This is my mom who has encouraged my artistic endeavors, comforted me through boyfriend break-ups, and the aftermath of my big surprise surgery.

Happy Mother's Day, Libby! I love you!

Sharon

Happy Mother's Day to my mom

As you know, I often talk about my "old hippies" in my blog posts, meaning my mom and step dad because they' re both abstract artists who lived on Haight/ Ashbury, the true epicenter of the turbulent 60's during that time.

What I failed to mention is a very long story about my separation from my mom and two of my three brothers for most of my childhood. The short version is I have 7 siblings--3 full brothers, a half sister, and 3 step sisters, with two dads and two moms.

When I was 6, my dad took us away from my mom in San Francisco, to live with his brother's family in Wisconsin. After a year, 2 of my brothers went to live with my mom and step dad.

After a year my dad came and got my eldest brother and me, and we moved to Philadelphia. He remarried. Since then, all contact was cut off with my mom and two brothers, so my brother and I went through a very sad and confusing number of years without seeing or talking with that part of my family, roughly 13 years.

After my first year of college in PA, when I was 19, I was finally able to spend the summer in CA for the first time with my mom, brothers, step dad, little sister and 3 step sisters. It was the greatest time of my life.

I spent many many years without my mom and brothers and dreamed about them constantly. There was really no adult to turn too.

Directly after graduation from Penn State, I moved to Northern Ca to be with my long lost family.

So when my step dad very recently dug out these old pictures of my mom in her 30's (I was about 11 at the time) and scanned them, I was thrilled, since they are "missing pieces" of my life which I now find tangible in the way of a photograph.

Today is Mother's Day and though we often argue because we are so alike, I want my mom to know how much I love and cherish her, and treasure the fact that I can see her every day now, with no more wondering where she is and what she is doing.

Happy Mother's Day, Mama. I love you.

Sharon

A cellphone salesman sings opera

This is from a British TV show of undiscovered talent. The man is Paul Potts and he sings "Nessun Dorma" from the opera by Puccini . Amazing! He won the competition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA

After getting famous, here is the full version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVkcvuhWGGY&feature=related

And I also included a version by Pavaroti, the greatest tenor of all time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdTBml4oOZ8&feature=PlayList&p=F0A4D2099DD3392E&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=3

Octomom giving birth--thanks Angie (Hilarious)

Fishbulb500 sent me this. It's from the Jimmy Kimmel show and so funny, I am still laughing about it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywys3kx9trs&feature=related

Listen to his beautiful voice

It's by this Hawaiian man named Israel Kamakawiwo'ole who was considered a national treasure in Hawaii. He had the most beautiful voice and played ukelele. He also weighed over 500 pounds and died recently in his 30's. Lovely lovely voice. You might recognize this song from commercials and movies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I&feature=fvw

Creative Writing Contest Octomom Giveaway!

So apparently I'm the "bad boy" of etsy, even though I'm a girl. I posted a thread today, asking if my new octomom articulated paper puppet was in bad taste. I had a few "Nays" but the majority of people commented that it was distasteful and offensive and they probably would not shop in my etsy store. A few people did bring up a good point that my nasty paper puppets do not look nice next to my higher end jewelry.

That's already solved, however, because I have already opened a rubylane shop for my jewelry and just have to take the time to move it.

I want my etsy shop to be all about fun, making stuff that makes me laugh and have a great time, after slaving 2 years over promoting my stinkin' jewelry which has left me burned out for serious things.

I grew up reading "Mad Magazine" and find many strange things very very funny. I like bad puns. I even like offensive stuff as long as it is innocent and harmless and not hurting anyone.

Here's the closed thread: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6065754

Anyway, I digress! This is a contest and the prize is my "offensive" octomom articulated aper puppet and her litter of kidlets. The rules are simple. Write the worst, overblown, and BAD first sentence to a story, following all grammatical rules, which means no run on sentences or improper punctuation.

In a few days, I will pick the winner, so please let me know how to get in touch with you after the contest so I can send out the prize.

There is a national contest for bad first sentences. It's a good and funny read: http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/scott.rice/blfc2008.htm

My example:

Upon awakening to the balmy, grey skies just outside her window, Tiffany Barbie lovingly glanced over at her lustrous, shiny, blonde locks of hair lying about her pilllow like a halo of light, hair that really shouldn't have been there at all and had defied medical science since she was just diagnosed with alopecia, which had affected her hair on her legs and armpits, a disease that was a Godsend in some ways, since it was because of the alopecia that she had met handsome, masculine Dr. Standford Wanky, who, when examining her porcelain skin with his exquisite and moist soft hands, had sent tingles all throughtout her body, though her mind was still on Paul Stank, the starving artist, with his deep pools of blue eyes, who had painted her portrait, and talked of his dreams, his sad life, his lack of proper food and sustanence and a working shower, day after day, in his cramped little studio that smelled of linseed oil and turpentine, its walls covered with holes he had punched in his desperation as he cried about the sins he had committed with his last empoyer's nanny, and now Tiffany wished she could fall back into slumber so she wouldn't have to choose between the two men who loved her so.

Good luck everyone!

*The winners are in and it's a tie! Congrats fishbulb500 and wryandginger! Octomoms will be on your way as soon as humanly possible!

Thanks everyone for your great entries--it was a hard choice.

Sure Fire Way Of Stopping Panic Attacks DEAD!

Okay, I'm going to come clean here. No, I have no felonies nor am I addicted to chocolate. I suffer from panic attacks.

The reason I am writing this is because last night, someone on the etsy forum posted a thread about panic attacks. This morning, I posted a thread on how to stop them dead in their tracks.

So I thought I would blog about how to stop a panic attack instantly, and also a bit about assertiveness VS. agression

Stopping Panic attacks dead in their tracks:

1. As soon as you feel panicky, hold your breath. It is impossible to feel panic when holding your breath.

The physiological reason for this is as soon as adrenaline starts coursing through your body, your breathing changes. It might be so slight that you don't even realize it. You will start to consume too much oxygen (hyperventilation), which will add even more adrenaline, because your body is fooled into thinking it needs to escape an animal that is chasing you. More oxygen, more adrenaline, so you can get away.

You can also breathe into your hands or a paper bag, breathing in co2 which will then regulate your breathing to normal.

2. Repeat.

3. Relax your entire body. Just sag. You cannot feel panic if your body is completely limp. It's physiologically impossible.

4. Invite the panic to come and get you. Say aloud "Panic, come and get me."

Don't worry, it won't slam you. Inviting it instead of fighting it takes all the power out of it.

5. Repeat. "Panic, come and get me."

Afterward, you will feel jelly legs, effects from the adrenaline coursing through your body, but will feel no fear or other symptoms.

* The worst thing you can do when you feel panicky, is to try to take your mind off of it, or stop it in any way. It will just prolong and increase the adrenaline in your body. It will just last and last. That's why it's so IMPORTANT to do the steps imediately after you feel a hint of panic.

* Panic attacks are often hereditary, such as in my case.

Having them does not make you strange or a weak person. There are thousands of people who suffer from them.

* triggers of panic attacks are often angry or hurt feelings which are left unspoken and stuffed down. So anger and telling someone how you feel about a situation, is your friend.

That's where "assertiveness" comes in. Many people can't say "no" or are intimidated easily by others. Or they become super aggressive, which is self defeating.

There is a wonderful and funny book which teaches you techniques on how to be assertive (and not aggressive or passive-aggressive) called "When I Say No, I Feel Guilty" but Dr. Manuel Smith.

examples:

When dealing with someone who always finds fault with you, you can use two techniques:

Repeating everything this person says will eventually get him/ her to stop.

example:

"Your dress is ugly"

(you) "my dress is ugly?"

"It makes you look fat."

(you)

"It makes me look fat?"

"I wouldn't put a cow in that dress."

(you) "You wouldn't put a cow in this dress?"

Another technique is to agree with that person:

"You're a selfish bitch."

(you) "You're right. I can be a selfish bitch."

"You're stupid."

(you) "You're right. I may be stupid."

medications can also be very helpful. Klonopin has saved me many times!

Good luck!

Don't drink sake and go onto the etsy forums...

Well, the day started innocently enough. Who knew what would occur just a few hours later!
It's that time of year again, my mom's birthday--72nd to be exact and she always likes to go to a great sushi restaurant where we are friends with the sushi chef Sama-san.

So we got gussied up, me looking like cat woman, dressed entirely in black with 3 inch suede knee boots. Sam the dog looked pitiful to be left, so he came along to the party.

We were met by a couple, some family friends.

The food was spectacular, the fish super fresh, the sake awesome. Normally, when you drink sake you share it, with the little cups and a decanter. But our guests had beer, my mom doesn't drink and my dad prefers his sake cold, whereas I like mine hot. So...I had that decanter all for myself. Then I had another, and another. A drunk person never knows how drunk he/ she is.

We went out to the parking lot where Sama-san fetched his own dog, an akita/ lab mix, and the two dogs played together with leases on. It was then time to go home, so Sama-san put my Sam in the car but forgot to take off his leash.

We got home, I let Sam out of the car, and went on my merry way, falling twice because of my 3 inch boots (not the thing to wear after consuming mass quantities of sake.)

I got on the phone, called my exboyfriend, told him I loved him and wanted to come home. Then I went on the etsy forums as some sort of ninja samurai Dear Abby.

Here are the forum postings, misspellings and all!

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6052967 and

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6052990

Later, my dad went looking for Sam, because he noticed him missing and he didn't respond to a whistle. Our cars are parked far away from the house because my parents live on a quarter of an acre. He saw Sam standing by the car. He called again, but Sam just stood there looking confused. Finally my dad went up to him and began to pet him, when he realized the dog leash was closed in the door!

Mama mia! Sam hates when I drink sake too.

I'm Featured on a great new site!

It's a site created by Rebecca (http://soapdeli.etsy.com) and her husband and an amzing site at that! It was created in less than a week for only about $100.

Sellers from many venues, such as etsy, artfire, dwanda, 1000 markets, etc. are free to use this site to highlight their items in "Spotlights" which look like treasuries, do social networking, have your own page to upload photos, etc. Everyone is talking about this great new site.

Anyway, you can find my interview o the first page, just scroll down a bit: http://byhand.me

New mature articulated paper puppet

My newest articulated paper puppet--Freddy the flasher!

He's creepy and he's stinky...

he likes to show his winkie...

Printed from my original illustration, digitally colored, handcut, and put together with brass brads. Watch out, Nana!

I've thrown in the towel...45% OFF SALE

For jewelry that is! It doesn't make me happy anymore because all I do is promote, promote, promote, worry, and promote some more. Etsy does not do well with higher end work, especially jewelry. So I am having this blow out sale for about a week, then moving whatever doesn't sell, to http://rubylane.com/ where you pay advertising fees so no promoted needed, as I have been told.

I'm not leaving etsy, but am changing up what kind of store I want. I want something fun, that's fun to make and inexpensive to buy, like my articulated paper puppets or even papier mache figures. I'll also continue to knit scarves and make my tiny Japanese bags. Just no more jewelry for me!

Have fun with this sale!

Rain Rain Go Away

It's been raining cats and dogs, and pigs and cows, all day and night for the last couple of days. So I guess winter is finally...officially here, despite its lateness.

Otherwise, it's been in the late 60's to 70's with cold nights.

As you can see, Sam is pissed because this means no fetch the ball. Yes, I could stand outside with a waterproof suit and umbrella and play, but it's windy too! Sorry Sam.

I love rain but not when it's cold too. Speaking of cold, my room is not and that's a good thing, thanks to that nice guy Sal who bought me a radiant heater which works great. No more numb hands trying to bend wire.

I have added a "follow my blog" widget and to my surprise, my cousin found me and left a little note! It's not because of the widget, but because I shamelessly sent out a huge email to all my family and friends to put my shop link in their emails to friends. So my cousin blogged about my shop and then visited my blog. Thanks Meg!

Stay dry and warm , kids!

If a blogger solicits you for a free item to review

there are some things you might want to consider before handing over your item ( this is NOT about blog give-aways, but a blogger asking you to specifically give him/her a free item with a review on his/her blog in return):

1. Almost all very popular, high traffic blogs and websites do not contact sellers. It's the other way around--they get contacted by hundreds of sellers asking for a product review.

2. Their blogs are most likely low traffic ones.

3. They want freebies.

4. They could just as easily PAY for your item and then review it.

5. They could just blog about your item or shop for free by using your pictures.

6. There are some people out there who will take advantage of you.

This tool might be helpful when deciding whether or not to send a product for review:

free blog ranker:
http://www.prchecker.info/check_page_rank.php
(blogs with a page rank of 4 and above get good traffic and have a good ranking)

So please be sure to check out stats and stuff, before sending free stuff.

A List of Promoters you can hire for your shop

(My new avatar)

Yesterday on the etsy forums, I posted a thread about how I seem to spend my life promoting my shop, never-ending hours upon hours, and never seem to have time now to make new pieces, photograph them (which is also extremely time consuming) and list items. So I suggested that there is an untapped niche on etsy---shop promoters or PR people.

How great because a bunch of people came forward, and I have actually hired one person, to try out for a week, to promote my shop. She is making me an ad, then will post it in several network sites, along with some classified ads.

To help anyone needing this kind of service, I have compiled a list here of PR people, bloggers who will feature you and your shop for free, and some free sites to place ads. Also, a really cool site that has a website/ blog rater (it goes by how much traffic your blog receives, so you can check before you commit to placing an ad on someone's blog or site).

Here we go (with my disclaimer that I can, in no way, vouch for any of these people. Convo them and ask about their history with business marketing, etc.--do the research before choosing one):


http://hamptondesigns.etsy.com/
says: I would love to help anyone with promotions---I love PR/Marketing etc. I would love to write a press release for you, a feature story etc. Perhaps brain storm about some ways to get creative with your marketing for the next few months---If you are interested---please convo me. I have honestly been thinking about starting a blog just for marketing for crafters---it would feature daily and weekly goals, and fun projects for all--to make promotion fun!!Looking forward to hearing from you!
I didn't share much about my background--Public Relations and Journalism--I have been a freelance writer, and also operated my own art studio for 8 years. I recently decided to jump back into the corporate world after a recent divorce--however, not sure that was the right move. I am now the marketing director under a major national company. However, I don't think working for "the man" is what I should be doing. So my goal is to promote my art work on etsy and other online/offline venues, operate as a freelance writer, and start a marketing blog/business to help with...promotions! I miss owning my own business, and creating daily--writing, painting or getting creative with a marketing plan--I am a bit different of an artist. I consider myself more the creative type. If you are interested in helping me get my business off the ground, I would be interested in helping you. Perhaps we can work together---talk to you soon!


http://peeperkeepers.etsy.com/
I can create an etsy facebook page or personal/ business blog, myspace, twitter, etc. If you are looking for a website presence I can create that. I am willing to work with anyone who needs help with marketing, be it print or internet.

I work for iContact for email marketing. Email me if you are interested.

http://yayamarsy.etsy.com/
My business is small & I just do a few admin jobs for other small businesses.
But, as I read this thread I'm thinking that maybe I can put a package together for Handmade i.e. Etsy shops
to promote, or have a menu of things I can do. I know people won't have a lot to spend to start, so that's why I want to tailor this and think about the best approach. I don't know how long this thread will last since someone said this is something Etsy would not allow. If anyone is interested, please convo me then I can
give you my email address and we can really talk. Thank you, Marlene

http://madeformebyoaklie.etsy.com/
I create Avatars, Banners, Logos, I have have created my own address lables to match my logo, Avatar and Banner. I have a website http://myhelpinghand.ning.com/ . I love setting it up and change peridodically to keep things fresh!I can create and place ads.. there are a lot of free advertising sites out there. I also have numerous networks I belong to and carry my theme throught. If any would be interested in a personal consult just email me through my webpage. I have added a page there called helping hand or you can convo me here

http://mysticmistressdesign.etsy.com/
I use facebook,myspace,twitter,2 blogs,local press realeases,and paid ads on orangesoda and yellow book not to mention any free classifieds I can get to bring people to my site and everyone links that I have posted.Unfortunaltely (sp) it taked a goo 30 days to get in all the search engines etc. but i have had about 1300 page view so far and still tweaking the site to make it more shopper friendly.


http://shadesjewelry.etsy.com/
Hi...been reading your post. Could you tell me a little more about what you are looking for in having someone else promote your business? I might be interested in helping you out, but I want to see what exactly you have in mind first!! :-)Feel free to read my blog to learn more about me! I'll be out some this evening but will respond as soon as I return! Blessings, Dawn ( Dawn will do a complete review of your shop for $30)http://shadesjewelry.blogspot.com/



Bloggers who will feature you:

*FREE http://myfunnybunny.etsy.com/ ( does giveawayson her blog )

I do give aways and when the item is sent to me for the give away I do a seperate review!Started this month, all etsy sellers. This month's FREEBIE - AVATAR & BANNER!http://www.myfunnybunnyhandmade.blogspot.com/

*FREE http://facialcareboutique.etsy.com/ (will blog about your shop)

*FREE http://busterandboo.etsy.com/ ( will feature you on her blog and has blog giveaways)

*FREE http://robynsart.etsy.com/ (will feature you on her blog--she does an interview every Weds.)

*FREE http://alionakjewelry.etsy.com/ (will feature you on a blog)
"I'm planning to start my own blog with a goal to promote handmade. Funny enough, I was planning to do it for free! The only trick is to get myself organized and set aside time to actually do it."

*FREE http://digitalexpressions.etsy.com/ (will feature you on her blog)
Okay I'm gonna jump in and hope this work. I love blogging and special about artistic/creative people. I would like to offer featuring any of you in this thread on my blog http://www.glentwistle.blogspot.com/. All you have to do is convo me with permission to copy your photos and infor from you profile for use on my blog.I may even later ask you to do an interview as I have time. I still create, blog, do a little promoting and love it all.Go look at the blog and you will see what I do. I was told by on of the artists I featured in my watercolor blog that she sold both items I featured. It can't hurt and costs you nothing.

http://jimjuris.etsy.com/ will answer questions. He also is willing to reveiw your shop for a samll fee.

http://gilbea.etsy.com/ (is a web designer)

FREE ad sites:

http://byhand.me/
http://www.adgridwork.com/
http://thmpsd.dmpmc.net/ (go to upper right where it says to "submit store"
http://www.squidoo.com/classifiedslist
http://myshoppingconnection.com/
http://indiespotting.com/

free website grader: http://website.grader.com/ (so you can check out scores for websites to see if they are worth advertising on and get plenty of traffic. )

free blog ranker: http://www.prchecker.info/check_page_rank.php (blogs with a page rank of 4 and above get good traffic and have a good ranking)

http://feralglass.etsy.com/ recommends a book called "A Complete Guide to Google Advertising" by Bruce Brown

I am Baaaaaaaack...at etsy and blogging again

Well, I've been gone for quite a while, nursing a broken heart from my breakup with that Bill guy, my ex-boyfriend of almost 9 years.

My etsy store (I now only have one after my hard drive got fried) was full of cobwebs and dust, and I have been doing a bit of cleaning up and adding new things--many lower priced casual jewelry pieces made faster and with less intricate detail, so I could offer a range of jewelry for different buyers. I am still busy adding more pieces.

Plus I started knitting! My first, a loose weave oatmeal colored wool scarf, is almost finished and I'll add it to my shop.

I am glad to see my old etsy friends are still around--fishbulb500, fashiongreentbags, and princessizzy. Fishbulb said I better post another blog or she would have no choice but to kill me dead because she is SO sick of coming to my blog and seeing the pics of me and my two old hippie parents partaking in the huge portions of an authentic Mexican meal (see post below!)

Here's Sam at the largest dog part in the entire USA, running free and happy. It runs right along the beach and, after a few ball tosses, he snuck into the pacific ocean which is rocky, ice cold, and full of currents! After that we put him back on the leash. He just cannot resist water. Goldren retrievers are bred to be waterdogs; hense, their super thick coat.

I am glad to be back! Hello everyone!