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.