I forgot today's Kwanzaa value! It's creativity! This is an important value for indie businesspeople, but other people can benefit from it too. People who can make a dollar out of fifty cents have creativity, and so do people who can fix things even without a book. Use your creativity all year round to make the best of what you have.

Look at these cute socks! I want!

Look how cute this purse is! Too bad it costs nearly as much as the rent..

It's the last day of the year, so I'll be working on search engine optimization, and putting stuff up on google base. Maybe if I get that far, I'll make a line sheet.

What a dress!

Interactive play quilts. People are getting more creative by the moment. I guess I should put a thing on my about about how most of my designs are one of a kind, but they are representative of what I make.

I have two cute pairs of fish earrings ending today.

Today's Kwanzaa value is Purpose. This means to have a purpose in your life in which you work towards with all your strength. While not everyone can be an idealist, it's good to at least have short term goals to work towards, and from them, to assess your true life purpose.

Awesome sexy necklace.

I need some of these camo arm warmers.

I'm drinking this tea now. It's got an unusual amber color. It tastes like regular green tea to me. The other flavors are very subtle.

Hey, I got a bloggy mention!

Another new design. It's up on ebay.

Today's Kwanzaa value is Cooperative Economics. This means economic self determination- creating one's own shops, and industries. This value is close to my heart as an independent businesswoman. I love independent businesses, as each one represents a person taking control of their economic destiny. Not to mention, independent businesses can improve the economic health of a community- the big companies can pull out of the area without a second thought, but small businesses are more committed to community. This is especially important for ethnic minority communities as being able to produce things for themselves gives them economic freedom, and the ability to bring their perspective into the marketplace.

Hey, it's my first all sterling design! It's available too.

Today's Kwanzaa value is Collective Work and Responsibility. This means that we need to all work together to solve everyone's problems. I think the best way to show this value all year is to volunteer. Volunteermatch.com can give you ideas of where to volunteer locally. Volunteering is great- I volunteered at ESL classes one semester, and it was great- I met people from all different cultures, and learned to use the city bus system.

Today's Kwanzaa value is Self Determination. This means an ability to define yourself for yourself. We are all searching for self determination, I believe. No one wants to be viewed solely from their outsides, but instead want their inner qualities to be what they are remembered by. Instead of spreading stereotypes about people you feel are 'other', try to challenge them whenever you can. In that way, more people can be seen for themselves. My book recommendation for today is Invisible Man, which speaks to a man's struggle for self determination.

Yesterday's Kwanzaa value was Unity. That is being able to work together towards a common goal. America and the world are in need of unity. Try to overlook petty things such as whether you think people dress right, spend their money right or are the right skin color, and try to look towards common goals.

As I wind down from the holidays, I am spending my time putting my products on google base, doing new ebay auctions, and surfing the web. Here's a great fair trade t shirt- pug power indeed.

I've started a page for book donations to my mom's 8th grade classroom.

Whew, I finally finished the shipping change. I'll have to prepare for the after Christmas sale too...

There's a Save Gocco campaign going on. Apparently it's an inexpensive way of screen printing. I should look into screen printing one day. One of my goals is to make a lino cut.

I'm so happy. I finally have time for my business.

Here's some information about Community Supported Agriculture. Support small local farms, and get fresh food! Of course, there's always community gardening. I'll miss the garden at my college, as I have to graduate, but I am sure I'll be able to find something someplace, you know?

Because of next year's postal rate hike, I'm going up in my shipping rates. It's now 65 cents for buttons and magnets and $2 for jewelry.

I took the plunge, and am going to all sterling silver. Later in the year, I'll go for all gold filled, but that's later, as one upgrade at a time is enough for me. Expect some nice prices on findings from me on ebay in the future as I dump my old stock. I'll also have an after Christmas sale of old stock I want to clear out.

You can order from independent booksellers online. I have been able to find a greater diversity of books from independant bookstores than the big chains. Buy a booksense giftcard for your friends and family.

I'm tossing around the idea to go to all sterling next year, but I haven't decided yet.

Great product.(warning: an adult product)

This might be a bit late, but this would make a great gift for a young child. It's non gendered, non commercial, etc.

Lovely stuff.

Cassowary Jewelry Holiday Gift Guide 12/5/05
Here are the best bets for your holiday! Remember- I offer free gift wrap, and free expedited shipping!
Stocking Stuffers Under $5



This quirky fish bracelet is fresh, funky and only 3.95

This bracelet has a nice earth toned look and is cute for 3.95.

For an Ultra Feminine Woman



Creamy Mother of Pearl and lovely white lampwork beads with rose accents work together to create an atmosphere of girlyness.

These are both classic and unique enough to stand out. A great gift for under 10$

For Women with a Dramatic Style



This lovely choker ends with the drama of a huge jasper pendant. Lovely for 24.95















A lovely matinee length necklace with dramatic turquoise chunks.

turquiosenecklace

turquiosenecklace
Originally uploaded by Shannon W..

I tried to make a necklace like this for the first time.

pinkbellearrings

pinkbellearrings
Originally uploaded by Shannon W..

I made pink bell earrings for the holidays.

Yay, I finally made some stuff!

yaybeads

yaybeads
Originally uploaded by Shannon W..

I got a lot of good beads today. I will enjoy making jewelry out of them!

More foraging tips. This time: mushrooms.

How do you model your jewelry?(possibly, nsfw) I usually just lay mine flat.

In today's awesome news, we have Nigerian made plasma tvs.

Look at this lovely necklace. I'm defeated. ;_;

This necklace is my holiday door buster deal. Starting at 99 cents- free shipping.

Beware of scams this holiday season.

Yay, tampon cozies. The uterus one is great for those starting a knitted/crocheted/whatever uterus collection.

Today is the last day to get custom extended size clothing for the holidays. It's always nice to explore new designers.

I'm glad to see If'n Books and Marks has lined journals in their new designs. I have one of the other journals from them, and while it was slightly delicate, it was fun to write in, and had a nice bookmark. I've filled it up, and even though it has a lot of rips, tears and there's no more bookmark, I'd buy some of their stuff again.

alt="Click here to join cassowarybuttons">
Click to join cassowarybuttons




Join my mailing list, and get a buy one, get one free code.

This is one of the many stories that will be coming out about Black Friday today. On CNBC, I saw a story about a woman who lost her wig in a stampede in a Wal-Mart. *shakes head* They do this every year.

The sodalite necklace from last post is now on sale.

I'll be selling this one soon. I finally got these beads, at least.

Also, my auctions are all ending tomorrow. Accessorize, accessorize.

Hiked Postal Rates Coming. Expect even higher shipping on ebay.

Wooooo~! Buttons are back up.

The Darn Good Chili Mix is good, if expensive. I got 2 packs for $7 on sale. I wonder if there are any cheaper chili mixes with beans and everything?

I really love gemstones. I have ever since I was a child. I used to go to crafts fairs and just look at all the pretty rocks. I'd even buy one or two just to keep around.

Typical Dutch Holidays,eh?

I really want to buy this for my mom. The owner says she charges a bit extra for gift wrap. Maybe I should offer gift wrap and expedited shipping on my site. Sounds like a task for tomorrow.

In a few days, you'll be able to see all my products on google base.

Black Books Direct has an interesting selection of DVDs of black movies that I have missed. I wonder if I could find reviews of some of these, especially Mississippi Masala. However, since you can get one of these DVDs for scarcely more than it'd cost to go to the theatre and get popcorn, I think they'd be worth a try.

Kimono Hoodie! I love the new fusions that fashion designers are coming up with nowadays. One day I'll learn to sew!

Now I've realized that I am running out of beads. I was supposed to get a whopping shipment of beads but the seller took ten days to ship, so I'm waiting. Also, my bead string has gone missing. It's a hard knock life, here.

I'm tired, but my new printer is coming soon. I did some ebay work, now some of my auctions are starting at 99 cents.

Decide what my new t shirt will say.

There are shoes that cost nearly $700. You could pay rent on a small house in Memphis for that.

I simply don't approve of people who post sob stories on Ebay because they might make people more cynical to people who have real problems. Ditto to people who post "Buy my stuff or the cat gets it" ads on livejournal. There's no way of knowing whether people are telling the truth or not. Although, if you find yourself in real trouble, you may want to ask for help from a charity, maybe one like Modest Needs.

It seems like foraging is a way some supplement their diets. I have no plant knowledge, so that wouldn't really work for me.

Now that's creepy.

I combined a cup of corn meal, a can of tuna, a forth of an onion, two handfuls of broccoli slaw and fried them in a skillet for a few minutes, and now I have a tasty lunch and dinner. Go me!

I love this bracelet. It was hard to photograph though.

An interesting conversation on pricing. I usually keep the prices for my jewelry low as I priced based on what I'd pay, and I have no money, but some say that increasing the price increases sales... I don't have the confidence yet to be really high priced, although if my printer worked, I'd have my line sheet and be over to the gift shop down the road hoping to get my jewelry in...

My printer is broke. I can't get it to print black, yellow, or blue. So button making is down until further notice.

Another good community for those looking for great items is the shop fruits community. It's great for those devoted to J fashion.

In economic news, I found that my jeans can be fixed for ten bucks. I went to a store advertising alterations. This will give me money for what I want to do next. I'm really excited.

I love ladybug designs and this new baby gift tin is no exception. Just adorable.

Buy Nothing Day is this month. I want to have a Kwanzaa inspired Christmas in which I give only handmade gifts to others. I know what to give the women on my list- jewelry, lots of it, but men? I don't know. Especially my consumerism loving bling bling brother.

I love this Asian influenced purse here. It's getting near holiday time, so maybe I should have review posts finding more great handmade stuff. Of course, you can count on me to promote my own stuff. I have something nice coming up soon, hopefully, very soon.

I'm glad that a poster on black voices decided to note that my business is black owned(and black operated, since I'm the only employee). Small business needs everyone's support.

Ebay actually did a fixed listing sale, so I whipped up five new auctions for the occasion.

Wooo! I did my first freecycle. I gave away some tin foil cookie sheets. They seem like they went to a good home.

Know a really big Harry Potter fan? Look, here's a Gryffindor pouch. I wish I had enough talent to make something like this, but I think my jewelry making has really improved.

It'll be another year before I need a new journal, but I might get this when I do.

I really love working with hematite and mother of pearl- they go together so well. See here.

Victory in the girlcott, but there are still so many alternatives for t shirts that no one needs to buy A&F. Another alternative shirt maker I love is Uppity Negro. Some people say that liberal politics shouldn't be represented on shirts. But Dixie Outfitters is just fine. Standing up against oppression is a lot different than showing your support for flags that have flown over KKK rallies and state houses to show support for school segregation. If anyone has any questions, I have a lot of information on the murders and terrorism that the KKK did. Also, I have information on the Civil Rights movement, and the ongoing fight against school integration.


Hugo weighs in. I'm only 21, and know better. I sometimes wish I could have a t shirt line, but maybe when I get older, as it's a bit more expensive to sell t shirts.

Need an alternative to stupid shirt slogans? There are many t shirt companies that produce shirts that aren't sexist or racist or just plain stupid. There's One Angry Girl Designs, with her famous pro feminist shirt. Black Lava Designs has many great anti racist designs and many Asian heritage designs. Panic Doll and Candy Violet have gothic lolita inspired designs.

Cat and Girl has cheap great anti ironic t shirts. These are flashy anti n word t shirts. In fact, on ebay, you can find many independent designers who have shirts that are much cheaper and less stupid than Abercrombie. Try DIY Marketplace if you need help.

I'm selling a Chipotle gift card I got for being last in our school's DDR competition.

I like red coral and blue lampwork together.

I like how dramatic this necklace is.

These earrings are great because I love the chunky dimensions of the rose quartz and how it contrasts with the silver.

I have no idea why some people don't like snipers. I personally don't snipe- I just enter my highest bid near the end(which can be like 3, 5 or even 8 hours before the auction ends.). If you're selling, hey, bids are bids. You can't depend on a bidding war every time you sell something, so put the bid at the least you're willing to let it go for. I decide how to bid on what is the most I'd pay(I include shipping). For example, I saw some beads I wanted and bid a most of $7 because shipping was ten bucks. If someone bids $5 at the last second, I'm still going to win anyway, and if they bid $10, they deserve it, because while $17 is in my budget, $20 is too high. So what's the big deal?

The freecycle finder is a new way to keep consumption down. Do you need say, an old lamp? Maybe some well loved shoes? bubble wrap? Don't waste by buying new, share with others in your community. Also, for people who run small, especially home based, businesses, asking around at local stores for packaging material is a great way to make your business more sustainable.

Save your pennies. They add up. I think I'll just carry a 2 liter drink home, even if it's heavy, and save my pennies that I have been using for drinks to buy beads. In other petty consumerism news, I got a 12 ounce bag of pre cut broccoli slaw for 1.50. It's a good taco topping, if you don't add mayo, etc. I'm not a mother, but wonder if this is a good way to sneak vegtables on kid's plates.

Overstock.com seems to have bitten off more than it can chew. No word on how this will affect the auction side of things. Viable replacements for ebay still are in short supply. Some try livejournal for auctions, but since it's not set up for auctions, the interface is clunky. Yahoo and Overstock both have the same problem- not enough buyers.

If you have a brick and mortar store, put directions from public transport on your site. This will encourage people taking public transport instead of cars. Be a responsible business owner.

Free Ebay and Paypal fee calculator. In figuring out your profit and loss, it's always important to add in the fees you pay to sell something. Some marketplaces have a higher profit margin than others. I'm hoping to get the confidence to sell my jewelry to stores, but it's difficult for me.

This is one of my favorite livejournal communities. It gives tips on how to live poor. I love the cheap recipes, as my biggest expense is food.

I am amused at the responses to this ad.

Boycott Common Ground/Twelve Tribes, as it is linked to a white supremacist group that abuses kids, and uses child labor.

Hey, my site link is up on Unemployed Loser. I love advertising.

I've fixed the problem, but now to put the buttons all into froogle, and to optimize the site for search engines. That will take all night. In other news, I got an auction ending in less than 24 hours. Also, I got an auction gallery. I've decided that I should have at least 5 auctions every week. Man, I'll be made fun of at the post office for buying enough beads to meet that quota, but it'll be fun making all that stuff. I have to shop around for supplies too.

Geh, it seems that putting two paypal buttons on the same page unleashes an annoying bug in Sitebuilder. Sounds like I'll be spending all night Friday fixing this.

Recycling is chic. Everyone loves a sustainable business. I recycle packaging materials, personally. No need to let perfectly good bubble wrap go to waste.

I'm selling a goddess bracelet on ebay.

I bartered buttons to Earthenwood Studios for some great bee beads. They are really nice ceramic beads that came in a nice little pouch. Mine had a button that said "I (heart) buttons" on it. Also, there was a nice packaging of paper with Earthenwood Studio's logo on it. Since I just package very basically, I'm always amazed by people who are good at packaging.

Design drama.

Lots of new auctions this week!

What a lovely Alice in Wonderland costume.

I'm tired and my printer's on the fritz which is totally stressful, but I've got a new item up on ioffer.

Sooo nice. You can certainly tell the owner is a graphic designer. In other news, the much coveted pear bag is back on auction. If only I had $36 extra dollars.

Auctions End Today.

I love fruit leather! I've been buying it from Rainbow Natural Foods, but the website has flavors I've never seen before like apple.

Here's a cute angel pin made out of a spoon.

The creator of the label Candy Violet is modeling some of her designs. So cute. Also, the creator of the LimeCrime label in her own clothes.

I completed another bracelet. I'm going to have to get some more beads soon.

I'm starting to think of offering plus size jewelry, but I don't know what specifications to make it too. I don't have any plus size testers- my mother is technically plus size but she has the same small bone structure that I have.. Hmm...

I wish this brooch was a pendant, so that I could justify buying it. This necklace is like a necklace that my mother bought me in New Orleans when I was a child. I still have it, and it's the only thing I have from the old city. Oh yea, and I have auctions ending in 24 hours!

Yes, I have put up trial jewelry of the month club memberships starting at the low low price of 9.99. You have to get this limited time deal! It ends on Monday!

You, yes, you, can get a Mystery of Pentecost playset for the low low price of $115!

This site has such a cute concept. She makes soaps in the shape and smells of desserts. I'm saving up for a bar!

Black Money Matters is a new webzine on money matters. Their best content is the advice on common questions. I'm not so much a fan of Jamal, CEO, personally.

I bought an Aeris bookmark from this person's booth at AWA today. It's so cute! Also in other store goings on, I went to Tomato Japanese grocery and bought pocky and genmaicha. Most of the food packages are in Japanese, so there may be some guessing involved, but it's a good store. The sales assistants mostly are Japanese speaking, but will switch to English if you need help. This is good for me, because my language skills are poor.

I put a new pair of earrings up on ebay.

I've decided to barter things on my website. Make me an offer!

This bracelet is up for sale too.

I love Rainbow Natural Foods. Not only did I get a pound of tofu for 99 cents and a pound and a half of popcorn for 74 cents, they also have stuff you can't get at the regular grocery store like those fruitful bars, miso soup mix, almond butter(grind your own), tons of different types of honey(bring your own container!), and even local produce in season.

I had a really productive beading day today, and churned out four bracelets, and I put them all up either on eBay or on my website. I'm proud. I have a necklace that I made that I love, but I am not quite sure how to photograph it to its advantage.

Alligator sausage?

I want these!

I love these dolls! All colors, all genders, soft and without consumerist trappings. Also, they are made in Canada. If I had a kid, I'd buy one. (Although, I hate it when people put music on websites)

Got a new bracelet up!

Wooo hoooo! I've set up the customs section of my website. The smallest run is 10, no setup fee!

I've finally put out a new edition of the newsletter. There's so much on my plate lately. Now I need to make stuff to donate for hurricane relief. I noted that I had a charity auction going on, but I forgot the picture...

I've put up a benefit auction for the Katrina victims. 50% goes to the Red Cross.

I see someone else loves having a x of the month club. (nsfw)

Oooh, paper jewels is having a sample sale. I really love the technique she used with the lacquered paper.

I'm so happy! Earlier this summer I ordered $50 worth of supplies from my supplier, but they had been sent to school, and I couldn't get them for a month. But today, I finally picked them up. They are great, and I can't wait to get beading.

I always love an oppurtunity to get something in bulk- and I'm tempted to buy some of this soap- I really love nice soap, especially if I can get it a lot at a time.

I finally finshed my jewelry of the month club section. And none too late either.

I really love this corset. I have never worn one, but I love the look of them, and I especially love when they combine different fashions into one.

I found a new site that allows you to make a wishlist from any site on the internet. You can even make a list for items on my site.

From the Black Business Owner's Network. I would encourage people to donate:

Greetings Family,
(Removal & Contact Info At The Bottom Of The Page)

OK...the end of the month is fastly approaching, and my current
negotiations with Absolute International (www.absoluteint.com) has
fallen apart, so I'm turning to you my subscribers and supporters for
financial help.

Every computer needs a screen saver. Why look at flying Windows or
moving mazes, when you can amaze your associates, clients, family and
friends with an Afrocentric screen saver from City Lights Software
(http://www.citylightssoftware.com).

City Lights Software offers some of the most unique afrocentric screen
savers, available online! Our Black screen savers are the ideal gifts
for coworkers, distant relatives and friends. We deliver ONLINE -
Direct to your Desktop.

As a fundraising (survival) strategy, we are having a weekend long RENT
PARTY. You remember them from the old days don't you? When a neighbor
or friend lost their job, or was on hard times, they would have a party
and ask people to pay $10 at the door to raise money for rent. Well we
are discounting five dollars off our normal price of fifteen dollars
this weekend to raise emergency money. You can now purchase any of City
Lights Software's fine line of quality screen savers for just $10.

We represent icons of the entertainment, photography and art worlds.

Entertainment: Ray Charles, Red Foxx, George Clinton, All Stars of Jazz

Educational: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans and
Native Americans

Photographers: LaMonte McLemore's Tan & Lovely, Howard Moorehead's
Bronze Beauty's

Fine Art: Charles Bibbs, Albert Fennell, Larry "Poncho" Brown, and
Calvin Massey

City Lights, fine line of screen savers are designed for Windows PC's
and require a minimum of 4 MB of memory. They come direct to your
desktop via the Net or as a hardcopy on CDROM. They are best viewed at
a minimum configuration of 640x480 with the monitor display set at no
less then 256 colors. Our products contain high quality graphics and
many entertaining effects and features (such as wallpapers or music).
City Lights provides a 100% money back guarantee and full technical
support via phone, fax, and on the Internet.

Normally, when doing an online promotion such as this, we only get a 1%
response rate, but I'm asking you to change that statistic. If you have
a Mac or don't use a screen saver, send $10 anyway. If you are cash
poor (like me), then forward this email to everyone you know...come on,
help us out

City Lights Software (http://www.citylightssoftware.com) is the number
one developer of afrocentric and multicultural software in the country.
We are a community based, family owned African-American corporation.
Our stated corporate goal is to assist African Americans and people of
color in the achievement of social and economic equality on the Net.

We publish the "City Lights Reporter" a bi-monthly online publication
that focuses on Afrocentric and Multicultural issues, technology and
business. Many of you have complimented us on the timely and relevant
content, we have posted to this group
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The_City_Lights_Reporter).

Viacom's BET.com can show you the latest video, but
will they tell you how to get a brother out of jail???
(see "Is Blakely A Get Out Of Jail Free Card?")

AOL's BlackVoices.com can get you a hot date, but will
they tell you how to get your grandmothers money
back??? (see B of A Owes Millions To Social Security
Recipients)

Comcast's BlackPlanet.com can get you a job, but will
they tell you how to start a business???
(see eMobile at Yahoogroups)

The City Lights Reporter is a free service of City
Lights Software, Inc.. We publish this unique online
journal as a public service to the Black online
Diaspora.

We're asking for you to put your money where your mouth is! Do You
Support Black Business? Do You Want To See More Black Culture On The
Net? Do You Want To Help Bridge The Digital Divide??

Only when we begin to create, distribute and BUY content About US, From
US, and For Us, will we ever begin to bridge that mythical Digital
Divide. Why do you watch TV? .... Because of what's on it!!!

Tell your network of friends, family and coworkers that this is the
year to give a taste of Black Culture! Purchase a Black culture screen
saver today by going to our website http://www.citylightssoftware.com
or contacting us direct at sales@citylightssoftware.com.

Share The Knowledge ... Share The Dollars!

Gaijin Geisha has opened up a new label- Candy Violet! Awesomeness.

It's time for a back to school clearance sale. Up to 75% off!

Now this is something I haven't seen before- want ad for promise rings. I won't go into my personal feelings about having ceremonies for teen girls centering on their sex lives. Just enjoy the quirky ad.

I can't imagine having a picture of Alan Greenspan up on my wall.

Eye makeup as conceptual art? There's always something unusual on eBay.

Lovely artwork. A tip- always look on DIY Marketplace for the hottest new designers. I know I don't post as often as I should.

An adorable tea cup chandelier. Perfect for any cute fanatic's bedroom.

Looking to shop black? Look here. Help build wealth in the black community- support black business.

I'm hoping for cooler weather ahead, so I'm making fall themed jewelry nowadays. I am starting to do more pieces with botanical influences, and lately, pink has been my favorite color.





These earrings don't match the bracelet exactly. I should make a matching pair- maybe tomorrow.

This is just one of the pieces I made today. I'm on a roll.

Finally! I have redone my whole website so that every button can be ordered as a magnet.

I have a nice bracelet up. I've been so busy redoing my website to allow people to buy magnets(I'm up to the Ns) that I haven't been able to get this bracelet up, so I'm selling it on ebay. To promote the arrival of magnets, I'm having a contest. People who subscribe to my mailing list get one free chance at the prize of 25 custom magnets. Also, subscribers will be able to buy tickets for more chances at the prize.

Earring auction- one day left.

I'm clearing out some of my excess beads- the auctions are ending in less than 24 hours, so get to bidding.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you about drop shippers for ebay is don't use them. As a buyer, I want my seller to have the item in hand, ready to go when I pay them. I don't want slow shipping or items to get lost in transit. For ebay suppliers, I'd advise people to look in their own home towns. There have to be estate sales, garage sales, thrift stores, people selling abandoned storage sheds near you. If not, use google, use other auction sites, just don't go and ask others for their suppliers. I'm just an around the house seller and I know that.

How cute. This woman is selling bears made from your own old clothes- like a quilt, but cuter. My mom keeps and preserves the old family quilts, and one quilt is mine- my mom personalized it by using some cloth I was going to use to learn to sew to patch the holes. (yes, I've been trying to learn to sew for years, and never have gotten the knack for it. Maybe this summer will be the summer). I'm glad I had the chance to remember that.

Click the pic, and you can own this lovely piece today.

Ms Cobblepots is supposedly closing. Where will I get my bows now? I hope I won't have to make them myself.

Also, I have two bead auctions ending in less than twenty four hours. There's more where that is coming from as I am cleaning out my bead collection.

Do you have a gothic lolita related business? Contribute to the Lolita Snap link pool.

While I'm blogging, I'd like to mention my mailing list Members get sales, special deals, contests and lots of other fun stuff. It's free to join, is only a weekly mailing, and your email address will never be sold or given to anyone else.

Now that's a smart marketing move. I usually try to avoid using names of recognized movies or companies in my auctions, because who knows which company is going to be a Vero member and get your auction pulled, but if you can get away with it, it's always good for extra exposure. One note for buyers- if a seller has multiples of a too good to be true item, it's probably not real. I don't mind sellers like this one, but what really gets my goat are people who sell fake Coach bags or fake Tiffany earrings because that means that people who sell the real deal aren't going to want to put theirs on ebay- how will they compete with $20 vinyl purses and $60 gold plated rings?

In celebration of my eBay luck, I have posted 4 pairs of earrings at the irresistible price of $9.99


Click, and get them before they are gone. Also, an explanation for the uninitiated, Gothic Lolita is a Japanese style inspired by Victorian fashion. No Nabokov here.

I'm so excited. My magnets are in. I should put up the new option to get any button as a magnet soon and also put up new designs.

I have been having a great streak of ebay luck- every single item I put on ebay sells. This is very strange since summer tends to be a slow time for sellers. I guess it all depends.

A small businesswoman talks about the travails of home parties. I've never tried home parties before, as I am still sharpening my skills, and also because I don't have a car. Maybe later.

Another venue that my items are on is the Velvet Garden. I have four pairs of earrings up.

If you want a profitable ebay business, try making lampwork beads. They are always too high to buy. I really am itching to make some jewelry, but my supplies got sent to Atlanta, so I'm taking a long time.

I posted a pair of earrings on craftview. It's only $1.50 for a 30 day listing. I'm experimenting with different venues to get my crafts seen. That reminds me that I have to find some more consignment places online to sell my stuff. More exposure can't hurt.

In good eBay news, we finally have a designer artisan category. This category is just for people who handcraft jewelry. So instead of getting the same earrings that everyone else is wearing, you get a real piece of art, and support honest crafters.

Submitting products to froogle is really slow going. I'm trying to use froogie, but it won't even let me copy and paste descriptions from my site, so I have to retype them out. It's so dull and boring, I tend to procrastinate. I'm creating new items all the time too, so it's a real hassle. Of course anything that makes it even a bit easier costs an arm and a leg. *sigh*

The latest ebay dust up is over how people will no longer be allowed to sell using just a personal paypal account. This doesn't affect me because I already sell using a premier account. I'm still of two minds about this. On one hand, it's annoying that small low margin sellers have one more reason to raise prices, on the other hand, unless you are selling items for .99 cents each, 30 cents more shouldn't dent things too much. One adaptation ebay sellers need to make is to start the starting bid at the lowest price that they would pay unless they know that the item will have a bidding war. Most ebay items get one or maybe two bids. If you sell at .99 cents, there's not much of a point in selling with all those fees, you'd be better off with a yard sale.

Another is to do research using the completed items search feature. This is easy to use- just go to advanced search, type in your item or category, and click the box saying completed items only. This will give you an idea of what keywords sell and when items sell at the highest price.

I have to admit that I was annoyed when yahoo sitebuilder kept prompting me to upgrade, but now I'm glad because among the new features is an option to quickly put in a paypal button. This makes putting new items on the site much faster. So thanks, yahoo. Also, today, my first ebay auction in a long time is ending. I have had those spiral findings for about 6 months or so, trying to find the best way to use them, and I am satisfied in how the earrings came out.

The comments on this post include a really good discussion of 'bootstrapping' versus venture capital. This of course depends on the business- I don't think any one would give me $500 let alone $50,000 to set up a jewelry company. Boot strapping is hard because you have to start on a shoe string. I do not even have a credit card so spending $1000 on ads or hiring someone for PR is out of the question. However, I also do not really owe anyone anything. If my buttons are too snarky, there is no one to tell me to tone them down, if my business fails, that's on me. I think I like that.

As a business owner, I know the importance of the media in a good business plan(although the media is woefully underutilized in mine) and one important tip is to never masturbate in front of the media. It tends to alienate.

And to celebrate, I've put this lovely pair of earrings on auction.

I'm back and business is running as usual.

I have put my tip jar back up. Any donations will invest back into the business. If you want to know why, read this essay.

You may want to join my mailing list to get the scoop when I get back. Happy summer everywhere.

Hey, small business owners, want up to $2400 tax credit per worker? Here's how to set that up.

I'm packing for vacation, but special thanks to If'n Books and Marks for getting my journal to me on time. I dig the fake tattoo too.

What adorable stuff. Just do us all a favor and mix and match across genders. Give your girl a car shirt and your boy strawberry pants. I never got why clothing has to have gendered prints at this age.

I'm working hard and winding down, but I've had time to make this necklace:
Great, isn't it? Update: SOLD!

This great jewelry set is going...going... Less than 24 hours left

I love the first painting here, as well as the happy robots. I want some!

Today's item is a beautiful striped skirt.

Today's item is a vintage gothic lolita style dress.

I'm running out of thank you cards for orders, so I rejoiced when I saw this website on the black entrepreneur's network! Handwritten notes on cards can be a mice touch for any business.

Time for more wacky eBay auctions. In other eBay news, seller input worked, and now they are not only not getting rid of the artisan category, they are expanding it. Great work eBay jewelry sellers! There's really a huge difference between me making a bracelet that is one of a kind, and mass production of bracelets from China.

This handcrafted necklace is the item of the day.

Today's item is a pair of new, never been worn earrings starting at 2 bucks. They are classy and mature. Also, I'd like to mention that I have a whole mailing list devoted to advertising things.

People are getting creative with their reconstructions. I present, a che corset top.

I'm having a going out of the country sale on ebay.

Ebay is considering removing the arisian jewelry category. Please comment and tell them that lumping independant designers in with mass produced goods just won't do.

Here's a resource for cheap advertising. Underwrite journalism that breaks the stories you need to know(like whether your pharmacist will deign to give you your birth control) and help people organize for important causes such as getting health insurance.

Micro businesses employ 17% of America, an amazing feat once you consider that most of these have 1 or probably two employees. Of course, under the table micro businesses aren't being counted, so there may be even larger numbers. Micro businesses are anything from the girl who hooks up your hair on the weekends to the college kid sewing DIY clothes for extra cash to the man who makes a killing selling on ebay. They may be full or part time, but they really help pump up the economy, as they usually have to get their supplies from somewhere. So support micro business. They are supporting you.

Finals are nearly over,so I am drooling over the beading that lays ahead of me. Of course, there's only 3 weeks before I have to go to england! But I'm still looking forward to it. Get ready for a lot of auctions as I try to raise money for my trip.

I feel slightly embarrassed realizing that when I started the business I didn't have any start up capital besides my savings. Although I usually have about a thousand saved because I don't have a car, I don't have to pay rent, or bills. I also do not use a credit card. Then again, I keep my costs low and start slow. For example, I started to sell on eBay, which had lower fees then. I also do my own website, don't pay for my mailing list, rely mostly on link exchanges and livejournal for ads, and buy supplies cheap. Now I sometimes wish I could finance a big splashy ad in Bust, or buy tons of expensive findings, but I'd rather go slow than go broke. However, I have to start hustling on the bossiness as next semester is methods, and I won't be able to have a job. So I have to work hard!

Of course, I see that many young people are starting out by selling on selling journals, selling to their friends,etc. So good luck to all mini business owners!

Even though this is a marketing blog, I must say I really hate this idea. Somehow some old marketing dude pretending to be a 13 year old to flog some body spray rubs me the wrong way. At least here I'm upfront. I really prefer a line drawn between commericialism and life. I don't think you'll ever see my jewelry product placed in a tv show, or anything, just because I really hate stealth marketing like that. Just keep it out in the open, let ads be ads, instead of letting them devour everything.

I am way too tired to make any jewelry. I haven't made any for weeks. I understand all handmade jewelers go into a slump, especially if they have finals, but it's pretty depressing. For ebay jewelers, the jewelry board is pretty friendly.

OMG! I found a indie store with journals with lined pages. People who have naturally neat handwriting, who can write without lines, bleh! Here's some journals with graph pages. Not sure how that would work. I'm picturing a really awesome engineer using them or something. Here are some really elegant journals that you should give as graduation presents. Once I got a journal like that for high school graduation, but it wasn't handmade. So that's it for that. My obsession with journals knows no bounds as I search for the perfect journal to go to England with. BUT WAIT! This site has a 'day book' with....wait for it....LINES. I might have found it...

Support independant bookstores. Also, here is a source for fair trade tea.

This article about the underground economy brings back memories of shade tree mechanics and kitchen beauticians. People don't see the woman fixing heads on her own as a businesswoman, but she is. A business person doesn't have to look a certain way to be one.

In other news, here's a site that shows how to cut down on consumption. I admit to being a cheap skate. I buy used books, wear thrift store clothing(except for when I get it from small designers- if I'm paying $30 for a shirt, I'd rather get it from a small business person), and wait til massive sales to get anime. My big expenditure is on food- I can't get enough. Although I do admit trying to find a cheaper way to keep myself hydrated without having to drink plain water. Maybe I'll have to drink dubious lemonade... (made with lemon juice concentrated, water and sugar substitute). And one day I'll have to learn to use a non disposable menstrual cup, to save money that way too. Another great way to do things is to get into a barter community such as freecycle, which lets people give things away for free, which reduces waste.

I'm forver fascinated with why someone would pay over a $100 for a shirt. Of course this is a gothic lolita brand shirt, and so will go for an outrageous price, but this is just a regular deconstructed sweater, albeit from a good seller.

I found a great blog about small business trends on blog explosion. I hadn't even heard of yahoo local before this(despite using both their webhosting and their 'groups' for my newsletter) and I signed up, even though my business doesn't really have a physical location. While speaking about blogs, here's one good bumblebee, another small crafty business blog. I love her pouches, by the way.

Also, here's a livejournal community for people who love to do DIY and reconstructed items. Of course, I can't leave out my favorite DIY community- DIY marketplace. I always feel like spending buttloads of money when going there.

An awesome club. Maybe I should have a jewelry of the month club, although jewelry is more personal than soap. Maybe button of the month, because buttons are cheap, fun, and great. I'm definitely joining the soap of the month club after the new semester begins, because that's only one month's soap not getting to me.

Here's a great resource for those interested in fair trade. This would be a great place to start for the small business owner who wants to go into the selling of fair trade products. I think I'll use more free trade products in my work. I may say what percentage is fair trade, so that consumers can decide whether it is worth the price(I would say so, but am I the customer? no.)

Here's a site with socially conscious gifts- they even have no sweatshop journals. Also, here's shop that allows you to buy from non profits directly.

I am offering custom chain bracelets on eBay. My favorite thing about these are that they are unisex. The chain's really delicate, but it's not overly fancy which makes it perfectly fine for men.

I have a pair of earrings up at the Velvet Garden.

I have a nice chunky bracelet ending in less than 24 hours!

I simply don't think that black business will solve all our problems. There have been many black businesses since Africans have even been in America. Yes, black business is good, and we should support it, but there are other issues. Some of this stuff is just plain wrong- American Indians and Hispanics, especially non white Hispanics, do not have a good economic base in America, although their political base may not be the strongest either. I also believe that blacks have been pulling themselves up by the bootstraps even when we had no boots. The thing is that without political and social issues, the economic base falls into rumble. If blacks don't have good schools, can't get good jobs and shop at our businesses, well, what good does that do? If they are in jail, and can't buy our products, what good does that do? I think the real problem is focusing on the economic at the expense of other things. Yes, that's one aspect, and we should work hard, but the real problem is seeing things as either/or. Either you totally assimilate and become a white person painted black or you're just a ghetto hoodrat. Either we build black businesses or we fight for justice.

While I understand we don't have all the resources in the world, we do have millions of people. If I build my business, and work on transit issues, my brother can lead the charge for school justice and buy from black businesses. For every kid we rescue, we can have yet another person working for us. And it's not just black people- we have allies of every race who want justice for all.

Man, I wish I could afford a dress like that. $200! I can barely imagine $40 for one. I think I may start to sell some of my clothing. I am selling a rockabilly top because I couldn't wear it. In other auction news, my mystery box has less than a day left. Snag it NOW!

Indie Clothing Designers- I really love it when people make clothing in custom sizes. I want to wear clothes in stores meant for adults, but I don't like things to be too too big, especially in the chest area.

Time for....Indie Stylin'

Today's shop is formula exo. I've ordered once, and would order again.(ok, in fact, I did order again- I didn't want to let that nurse fetish necklace get away.) Another favorite are her pacman earrings. She has a sharp sense of style, and knows what the cult favorites are. Although she would be better served to call her head dress an egl head dress instead of a head band, I'm not too picky, but some might be. There's also a nice edge to her gothic collection- while wearing earrings made of razorblades or dolls' arms with cut here may be too far out for my mild mannered taste, I bet those who love living on the edge(or at least shocking their parents) would love it.

Also, these adorable owl pins apparently go for a good cause. (I say I'm a good cause, but I'm joking- I promise I spend all the money on clothes and food and anime. Oh, and ads, and materials. Let's not forget that. But by good cause, I mean someone needs to raise money for an actual need)

So I've been working hard because I don't have any pressing assignments. So I set my mailing list up. Get great deals weekly. Also, I managed to get one auction up. It's one of my first pairs of stud earrings. Of course, the mystery box is still being offered. Get over $100 of great surprises.

It seems that gothicveils.com is no more. Apparently the business grew too fast and she couldn't keep up with the orders. (I can see why- I bought some hair stuff from her, and it was really cute, and also she uses those clips which work in all types of hair, not just straight hair. My hair is too big and resilient for a scrunchie, but a decorative bow or clip works just fine.) That's an important thing for indie business owners to consider because many of us are working on our own. For example, my business has only one employee. While I hope these mini businesses grow and employ more people, there is also a point where it's too much for one person, but still not money making enough to hire an employee. Just something to think about.

I have an auction for a mystery box up. Over $100 worth of jewelry for cheap

I have an auction for a huge lot of funky bracelets ending within a day. Also I finally got the list of Happily Handmade Link Partners up on the homepage, thus ending my long long stretch as a dead beat.

YES!!!! I got it all done, and today is the grand reopening. Look around, look around. I'm exhausted from school, promoting the opening on livejournal,and just living on this earth, but I am also full of pride.

I'm cranking it out. The jewelry sets page is up, although I forgot to put it on the navigation bar.

It's slow, it's sure, but it's going. The necklaces section was finished today. But soon after that, I'll have to do the dreaded earrings section. I might even have to take new pictures for that.

On Indie Stylin' today, we have Mellifluous Couture. I especially love their heather dress, which is cute and flirty, and the Marisa skirt which would give me a more 'grown' look, I think. Remember to look at the swatches before ordering the clothes, so you can see what fabric you want them in. The clothes seem to all be made to your size which is good whether you are extra petite or extra cuddly. I'm still a poor college student, but I can dream, can't I?

I at least finished the bracelets section.

I made this today as a spring break souvenir- the pendant was bought for me over spring break, and I got some pearls to go with it, since we went to the pearls exhibit at the Milwaukee public museum. It was great.

I'm introducing a new feature on the blog today. It's called Indie Stylin'. Basically, I'll talk about items I personally like from indie online stores. Today's feature is In The Starlight. Since August, 2003, they have been offering elegant gothic lolita clothing to the masses.I really love their maid dress, their tea party skirt(the skirt I have from them is the strawberry skirt which is on the bottom of the skirts section- although you need to wear a slip under it. It's a very bell shaped skirt which spreads out and probably would look better with a petticoat- but I don't wear petticoats) I also love the neck corset.

In the Starlight really stands out because of the price point. Gothic Lolita clothing from the 'brands' costs over $100 for a skirt, and more than $200 for a dress. Of course, you have to import it if you don't live in Japan for more cost. So it's nice to see affordable clothing. I could probably fit into Japanese sizes, but many Americans can't, so it's nice to see clothing accessible to everyone. They offer fuller sizes at no extra charge.

Of course, I can't get through a blog post without a plug! I have an auction for heart pendants ending today.

Yes! Quirky Buttons is completly functional. Now for the jewelry side to be fixed up. I also added links to my ebay auctions if you want to get a deal. Man, I can't wait til everything is up, running and submitted to froogle.

While I am typing, I'd like to note that people who want to make 2 1/4" buttons can bid on button parts here. I'll eventually add a link to my ebay auctions in my navigation bar on my site.

Black Business Month is around the corner! Here's a press release. Although, we all need to take responsibilty for helping other people, and not depend on business to magically eradicate our social ills. A quote from Octavia Butler- Just because you throw people away doesn't mean they go away. I sell one inch buttons and jewelry, and that's good and nice, and people like it, and I make a bit more money, but it's not exactly causing everyone to have health coverage or babies to be fed, even if some of my wares do promote the idea of not being selfish.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:Daniella Masterson(323) 791-9227Mastersonpr1@(space)AOL.COMRecycling Black Dollars CreatesBoulevard Of Pride For Black Business MonthLos Angeles, Ca - During the month of April, African Americans throughout the nation will focus their collective hopes and efforts on Economic Empowerment, one of the most important issues facing their communities, to celebrate Black Business Month.To kick off the ninth year of the hallmark month, Recycling Black Dollars (RBD) will hold a still parade (a line of none moving vehicles) and vendors displaying their products and services from 9:00 am - 2 pm, Friday, April 1 in front of the Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper located at 3800 Crenshaw Blvd. in Los Angeles.In addition, RBD will have a Boulevard Of Pride, a beautiful array of 8'x3' banners displaying the inspiring message: "April is Black Business Month" in addition to the name of a Black business hanging along Crenshaw Blvd.

The Boulevard Of Pride will begin at Jefferson Boulevard and end at Slauson Avenue. This is the fourth year of this grand tradition that summons pride much like Central Park's "The Gates" installation last month.RBD is especially proud to have supporters such as Janice Bryant-Howroyd (ACT-1 Group of Companies), Danny Bakewell (Los Angeles Sentinel /Brotherhood Crusade), Bernard and Shirley Kinsey (KBK Enterprises), Frank Denkins (Office Furniture Outlet), Lenny Woods (Chino Hills Ford), Dr. Frederick K.C. Price (Crenshaw Christian Center), Leon Garr (Garr Construction) and Shelton Johnson (ADDCO Party Rentals) along with many others. These companies have blazed trails in business while also providing the next generation with exemplary models.During this month, consumers will be encouraged to patronize an African American-owned business each day.

By doing so, they will be helping to remove Black-owned businesses from the "blind spot" of the consumer eye. "Los Angeles has 28,000 Black businesses," said Muhammad Nassardeen, CEO of RBD. "The only state to have nearly that many Black businesses is Cook County, Chicago, and they have 5,000 less."Nassardeen went further to explain that "Since we probably have about a dozen Black Fortune 500 companies and businesses on the New York Stock Exchange combined, the community has a big responsibility to rally behind Black businesses to create their own success."

Black Business Month was intended to help Black businesses to create more viable ways to change the economic status of Black Americans. By doing so, the Black community is lifting a tremendous burden off of state and local governments.RBD is a 16-year-old nonprofit organization created to support the success of minority-owned businesses. One of RBD's primary goals is to publicize self-empowerment through effective business strategies, such as supporting existing businesses and forming larger companies that employ residents in their own communities.

More updates on the website! I finished the political buttons section, link swapped with Shano(yummy cards!) and rejoined the diy swap. I also got listed on I Buy Diy. Not bad for the middle of midterms!

Updating my website is a long slow business. I finished the upgrade of the feminist button page, and am now doing it for political buttons. Soon I'll have to do for the jewelry which is more time consuming as each has a different description. Midterms and spring break and more midterms are eating up all my time, but I'll persevere I guess.

I haven't made my happily handmade page yet, but please enter into the contest by leaving your name, email,etc, on the comments form with the subject line, Happily Handmade. And while you are there, visit their indie shop links. Support small business!

I am out of town til the 21st starting on the 12th.

I have decided that I am out of making 2 1/4" buttons since the election is over. I still make 1 inch buttons, which are way more popular, and am looking into making 1 inch magnets. Of course to do that, I'll need cash, so I am selling my 2 1/4" button parts.

I have two pairs of dice and swarovski earrings, one beautiful blue Japanese beads and lampwork set, a wholesale lot of heart pendants and a retro style necklace up for grabs. Two auctions ending today.

I decided to go with yahoo for webhosting. My new website is online, but still under much construction. I'm happy because I have a compromise between ease of use and flexibility. I know basic html, but I am a great lover of convenience. I'm very tired now. La de da, auction pimp.

I'm in a dilemina about webhosting. I know I want to change from Vendio, because it's too expensive, but I don't know if I can get my site back online easily.

I wait at least three weeks before worrying about not receiving a package. I need to make a button with 'life happens' on it. I would have had many many bad transactions this month if I started threatening sellers after two weeks. I got a CD that took exactly two weeks to come here from Cali today. And I still haven't gotten some box clasps I needed for my business- but you know what? I politely asked about this, and it seems that my package got sent all the way back and it has to be resent. If I had been rude, the transactions would have gotten really ugly, really fast.

It seems that Auction Flair is having problems as well:

Auction Flair Update Dear Shannon ,We have just received notification that someone has contacted those who registered for our old forum making false claims about Auction Flair. We no longer have control over the information posted at our old (free) forum which was located at 1-2-free-forums.comWhen we started Auction Flair, we wanted to get the word out quickly and chose 1-2-free-forums.com to host our discussions. We do not know if it is a third party or if it is the owners of the 1-2-free-forums that were involved in this attack. It is interesting to note that 1-2-free-forums.com is hosted by AllStream of Canada and has an extremely similar IP address to that of an individual (ebayrules) who attempted to cause trouble on the old forum.We apologize for the confusion this individual(s) has caused.Also, be aware that it is trivial to fake the sending address on an e-mail and those 300 or so of you who were registered for the old forum may very well be sent false e-mails and/or spam. At this time we believe the information recorded when you reserved your user-id to be secure.We are very, very sorry for this occurance that was caused by trusting a public, free forum. It is very fortunate that we moved the forum this past weekend to our own servers and now are able to maintain exclusive control over your information.Please understand that our policy is to never sell/release your information to third parties. Protecting your information is very important to us.Again, we apologize for future e-mails beyond our control sent to those who were registered for the old free forum. (We were intending to delete all user data from the old forum on Friday now that our new forum is up!)We are truly sorry for the inconvenience. We are continuing to work to bring you the best auction site we can!Andy and Amy Mayer - Auction Flair

I'm not saying this dooms the site, but with the recent problems with wagglepop, it would be good to be catious. I guess people think that they can just create an ebay alternative with nothing more than a free website, and two guys who think they can code if they have a book or something. I mean with all this hassle, you could do your own website and get traffic to it.

It seems like Wagglepop is down for the count. For a moment, I worried about my thin skin, but then again, I think it's all about knowing who to take advice from. Some people are just so negative that their advice loses nearly all meaning. Although, I can do good customer service if by email, but I don't think I'll ever be good at selling in person. Also, it seems that a more serious problem than just my lack of self confidence has emerged- it seems that the security on the new site was weak. If you gave any important information to the folks at wagglepop, please change your passwords, cancel your cards,etc,etc. I'm glad I was too lazy to switch over.

If you're a black business owner, you might want to consider theBlack Business Owners Network.

YES! I'm the Minority Entrepreneur Society Business of the week. Here's the email:

Hello!I belong to an awesome networking organization called Minority Entrepreneur Society. One of the members is the owner of this company:http://www.cassowarybuttons.com Please check out the link and then pass this on to all of your family and friends. This dynamic diva isvery professional and could use your support.

Not amazingly descriptive, but every bit of free PR helps!

Busy busy! I'm doing school work and getting the catolog together. But this auction is ending today