Back in Business

I'm super excited to share this post today. I've had something in the works now for quite a while, and I've finally gotten the motivation to do it.

I'M STARTING UP THE CANDLE BUSINESS AGAIN!!!!!

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I am super excited to be starting up again. I've been absent from it for about a year and a half, while I went through my separation and divorce. I'm starting over again, and that means starting fresh with a lot of things. I've missed my little business so much over the last several months. I made a lot of friends, and had so many loyal customers from the different venues where we would show. I can't guarantee that I will be at every single event, but I'll make it to as many as I can. It'll be just me for now, but I'm coming back in a big way! I have to repurchase the domain name and set up shop online. Besides the independent site, I'll also start posting on Etsy again. For now, the easiest way to reach me is to email me at sjcandleshoppe@gmail.com or find me on Twitter (@TXshoppegirl) if you want some info, to place an order, or just wish me luck! *SJ*

Etsy $5 Monday

I wanted to post early today to let you all know of a special promotion on Etsy today. Each Monday, the Etsy Texas Crafters (ETC) team does something special to promote our team. Some weeks it is a special sale, other times there are contests, a scavenger hunt, etc.

Since this is the fifth Monday of the month, today is $5 Monday. Many of the ETC crafters are participating by offering items for $5 in their shops. There are a lot of great deals going on today, and we're participating, too.

You can check out our $5 items in our shop, or type "ETC5" into the search box on the Etsy homepage for all participating items. Happy shopping!


*SJ*

Etsy News

We have agreed to be part of a very worthwhile fundraising effort on Etsy. The fundraiser begins Sunday, August 16 and goes through August 26. Twenty percent of all of our Etsy sales placed during this ten day period will go to this noble cause.

The organization that will benefit from the fundraiser is Saving Shelter Pets. You can read more about their cause on their website. Check back Sunday morning for a link to all of the Etsy shops participating.

For help with your fundraiser, contact us at sjcandleshoppe@gmail.com!

*SJ*

The Internet is a Beautiful Thing!

I just learned how to connect my Etsy shop to my Twitter page, and it is so cool! Turns out, there is a separate section of Twitter - called twibs - specifically for businesses. I added SJ Candle Shoppe to my twibs profile, then found out I could have that link up directly to my Etsy shop.

I emailed the main twibs genius to make sure I didn't have to do anything special whenever I add something to Etsy. The good news is, once it is linked up, one feeds automatically from the other, easy cheesy.

And that, my friends, is a beautiful thing! Check out the splendor here on my twibs page!

*SJ*

Etsy Fort Worth Meeting

We had another Etsy Fort Worth Team meeting tonight at Gallery Art Cafe. We had a great turnout, with the following members in attendance.

• Blueskysunburn
• Sketch Customs Clothing
• Caroline Creates
• Knitty Knitty Bang Bang
• Wantzit
• Annie's Powder Room
• SJ Candle Shoppe

The group is growing, and we have many great things in the works. If you're not following the team blog, you can check it out here. The contest is still going on, so you have a chance to win if you sign up as a follower. More info about the contest is here. You can view all items for the team by searching "Team Fort Worth" on Etsy.

*SJ*

Wordless Wednesday

Two button loafers & brimmed hat

Etsy Fort Worth Team member WeChooseJoy

Meditation Necklace

Etsy Fort Worth Team member JMargot

3 is a Crowd

Etsy Fort Worth Team member Wantzit

ENJOY!!

*SJ*

Blog Giveaway

I wanted to make you all aware of a great blog you should be following. No, it's not mine (although, you should be following me, too!)...it's the leader of our Etsy Fort Worth Team. Jennifer is the owner of Blue Sky Sunburn, and she is celebrating her blogiversary with several giveaways. Check out her blog, and her artistry, here:




*SJ*

Etsy Fort Worth Team Meeting

If you're in the area, you should drop in for the Etsy Fort Worth Team meeting on Thursday evening. Team Fort Worth is for Etsy artists as well as Etsy supporters. We meet together to promote Etsy and one another. This Thursday, we are meeting at Gallery Art Cafe on Jennings just outside of downtown Fort Worth. We will be meeting from 7pm-9pm. Feel free to drop by and say hello!

Gallery Art Cafe

*SJ*

Etsy Fort Worth Team Treasury

One of our Fort Worth Team members, Indigo Orchid Designs, has compiled another treasury featuring SJ Candle Shoppe. Green and browns are the theme of the Pick Your Poison treasury, and can be viewed on the Etsy site here. Be sure to check out the beautiful items our teammates are offering. You can also visit our fellow Etsy artists in person. Check the "Where to Find Us" page on the team blog for local venues and dates.

*SJ*

KW Cares Event @ Keller Williams

Today was the KW Cares event at Keller Williams in Fort Worth. I think the event was a success. We got to meet many new people, including a fellow Etsy Fort Worth team member, DiAnne Arnette. DiAnne has some beautiful, elaborate jewelry in her shops Wantzit and Wantzit2. Amanda from Indigo Orchid was also there, along with a few other clothing and purse vendors.

Overall, it was a good day to "talk shop," meet new people, and stay out of the heat! I'll be sure to post some pictures as soon as I get them downloaded from my Blackberry.

*SJ*

Etsy Fort Worth Meeting

The Fort Worth Etsy team had a great meeting tonight at Gallery Art Cafe. Seven of us met, drank coffee and talked shop. The members who met tonight are:

FlowerBedHead
IndigoOrchid
AnniePoo
Shastinalynn + her guest, Sarah
BlueSkySunburn
SJCandleShoppe

Danica (FlowerBedHead) posted some good pics on our team blog. She's going to forward a few on to me. For once I remembered to bring my camera, but forgot my SD card! I'll be sure to post the pics when Danica sends them. Meanwhile, keep checking the team blog for more great info about the team.

*SJ*

New Show Schedule Coming Soon

July is drawing to a close, and I will be publishing our August show schedule soon. I had previously said that I would be at Grapevine Market each Thursday and Saturday through mid-October. I still intend to participate in that market, but hopefully only on Thursdays. I am waiting to hear back from the market director for Keller Farmers Market to see if I am accepted. If so, I will be attending there on Saturdays from 8am til noon.


I have a meeting with the Etsy Fort Worth team tomorrow evening. I am looking forward to meeting many of our fellow etsians and "putting our heads together" on how we can get the word out about our group. We are having a contest for those who follow our team blog. Many of the artists are contributing to a gift basket that one lucky follower will win. You can see the details on this thread, and you can follow our team blog here. I'll have more info, pictures and follow up after our meeting tomorrow.

*SJ*

In Need of a Day of Rest

I had every intention of going to church today, then coming home and doing nothing. I got up, got ready to go, then proceeded to freak out when I couldn't find my keys. I finally found them, just in time to be late! : (

Instead, I turned to the oft-neglected laundry basket. I got four loads done before I had to call it quits. I decided I had earned some fun time, so I set about catching up on some of the blogs I follow. I'm hoping that some day soon I will have a beautifully designed blog with lots and lots of followers.

I also got caught up on some Etsy news, plus our Fort Worth street team tidbits. We are having a contest for followers of our blog (the team blog, that is). The details are in the Etsy forum, here. Please check out the blog and my fellow Fort Worth artists. There is some real talent in this group!

*SJ*

We're Featured in an Etsy Treasury!

I recently made a decision to become more involved in our Etsy team, Team Fort Worth. Yesterday, one of our members created a Treasury that is featured on the site. Our soapsicle is featured in her treasury. So why is that a big deal, and what the heck is a treasury anyway? According to Etsy:

What is the Treasury?

The Treasury is a member-curated gallery of short-lived lists of 12 hand-picked items each. Members can feature their favorite items, items selected on a theme or just whoever they like. The Treasury is not intended for self-promotion, but instead to acknowledge and share the many cool things for sale on Etsy. Admin often choose an exceptional Treasury list to promote to the the homepage hand-picked items.

Hand-picked. Pretty cool, huh? To check out the treasury, click here. You can search all of our team's items on Etsy by entering "Team Fort Worth" in the search bar.

*SJ*

Sugar Scrub Is a "Go"

Wow, wow, WOW! I am so thrilled with the results of my sugar scrub, and I can't wait to have it added to our line. Here's the history of the scrub, and why I'm so excited.

I had been asked about adding bath and body goods to our line for the last several months. I kept reassuring our customers that I was working on recipes, and that we would have some new additions soon. I was thrilled when Jay and I were both able to attend a bath & body class at one of our favorite suppliers a couple of months ago. (Although Jay assured me I would be the point person for the B&B..."I'm not telling people I make soap and bubble bath.")

So the big day arrived, and we got to the showroom early (!!!). The instructor arrived late, and spent the majority of the class plugging her newly-published book. She then proceeded to tell a story about a lotion she made that failed miserably. She ended the story by saying, "This is the lotion we're going to make today."

Umm...huh? Jay and I glanced across our work stations at each other, and I shrugged. We gathered our ingredients, mixed everything together, and stick-blended our little hearts out. We blended for a really long time, without the lotion achieving the "whipped" texture it was supposed to. Then the instructor mentioned we may not get that texture right away. She suggested we take it home and let it rest, assuring us it would be a beautiful rich lotion in the morning.

We went on to try our hand at the sugar scrub, which we partially finished before our class time was up. Jay and I took our half-finished batches of scrub home and played with the recipe a little (we didn't have one of the oils on hand, so we had to substitute).

The next morning, we went to check on our lotion, very excited about what we had concocted. Of course, by now you've probably already guessed that the lotion was a big flop. We tried everything short of standing on our heads to try to get this lotion to set like it was supposed to...nothing.

After that debacle, aside from being furious, I put it to rest. I shoved the lotions and the scrubs in the back of our supplies, and went on my merry way. I researched online, tried a few things, but couldn't come up with something that I loved.

Then, last night, I found the courage to try the scrubs. I came across them several days ago and wasn't sure what to do with them. I've been having problems with ingrown hairs after I shave my legs, so I thought I would try using the scrub to see if the exfoliation would help. Lo and behold...it worked beautifully! Even tonight, I don't have any stubble, and my legs still feel remarkably smooth.

I am so thrilled that the scrubs turned out. It makes me a little bummed that I didn't try them sooner, but now that I know I have a good recipe, I plan to make more...and soon!

I'm going to be listing sample packs of our goodies on Etsy, hopefully beginning tomorrow. I will group a sample of the scrub with some bath salts, a small bar of soap, a small bath bomb, and possibly a tart melt or two. Check out the shop here, and look for the scrub and other bath goodies on the full site soon www.sjcandleshoppe.com

*SJ*

Happy 4th of July!!

Hope you all had a fantastic day celebrating our nation's Independence. We took it easy today and stayed around the house.

I took some time today to get our Etsy shop up and running again. I am now part of the Etsy Fort Worth team. The Team has meetings and shows together periodically, so that's something else to look forward to soon. I've already listed a few items in the shop. If you see something you like, you can purchase it directly through Etsy. That way, you won't have to wait until I get the shopping cart up on the full site. We accept PayPal or personal check through Etsy.

I'm going to start ingredient profiles here on the blog. Basically, I will take one ingredient - let's say shea butter - and then discuss all the benefits of shea butter. We can talk about any ingredient you'd like, so if there is something candle or bath/body related that you have a question about, let me know. I'll do the research and then share it with all of our readers.

As always, please let me know if there is something you would like to see, either on the Etsy site, the full website, or here on the blog. Thanks for supporting us as we grow!

*SJ*