~ Looking Back and Looking Forward ~

Welcome to my new --- errrr --- OLD blog!
I made the decision to switch from typepad to blogger, as the time I was investing in posts definitely did not compensate for the amount of money typepad has been draining from me (argh). Very soon, it will be two years since I started blogging, and with the account-renewal deadline looming ahead, I felt this was the time to make a change. So welcome to my blogspot.
Consider this post a round-up of all my typepad days and a look-forward to what blogger will bring!

~ PROJECTS ~
It was fun to browse the archives as I transferred all the posts from typepad to blogger. There were some I squealed at (I used to be so creative! and clever! when did I go downhill?)... and some, I blinked at and hurriedly scrolled past. But whether nice or horrid, every project post has been transferred here. These are some of those that triggered ..err.. the good memories:


1. From this post


2. From this post

3. From this post
-- If you won't beat me for saying it, these mini albums are so cute I think I want to hug the screen.

4. From this post
-- I need to do this again!!! (this = make cards)


~ ETSY ~

I started my etsy shop a year and a half ago as a means of supporting myself through my pre-working days. Let me take this opportunity to encourage those who have an etsy store for sharing your handmade projects with others: Do it for the fun of it, and not because you have a desperate need for money! Etsy is not the best way to earn the most out of your projects, but it's the community of people on it that make selling handmade projects so much fun and minimizes effort on the part of the seller.

My etsy stats show that within the space of a year or so, 308 items sold and the shop made a profit of $3,883.20 ... divided by twelve calendar months, that is really not a lot -- about $323.60 a month. Well actually that WAS quite a bit for a sideline, have-fun job as a then 19 y/o. The etsy store was only a platform from which I made many friends and repeat customers, who then purchased directly from me (via PayPal, which removed the painful etsy fees). All the money went to my music lessons, and helped to pay for project supplies and typepad fees (which I really could have avoided by being on blogger from the start... grrr).
Now that I have moved on to a full-time job, the etsy store is no longer a necessity. Not to mention that I also don't have the time to make anything to stock the store with! :) So for now, there is a glaring white page at www.violamahr.etsy.com. One day maybe I will fill it with fun stuff again.
I hope my etsy story will encourage you if you have your own shop...
Most of all, have fun with it!


~ GRAPHIC DESIGNING ~
Wow, I think this has to have been one of the most amazing things that have come about from blogging. It started out as an adventurous streak in me to do something good for the cause of crafters -- ha. After creating free designs for some of my blog-friends, some of them insisted that pre-designed blog banners would be a good item in the etsy store. I did a few of those, and eventually moved on to custom designs with more complex navigations, specialized backgrounds, etc. I have learned TONS from doing hours of research and studying html, but still have a long way to go. By NO means am I a web-designer. I am more a collage graphics kind of person, but let's hope the technical skills will improve as the years go by.
Due to my schedule, I am no longer taking in design requests, but I may set up a few ready made designs to go in my etsy store soon.
Here are some of my very favorite designs in place -- click on the links to see more of the gadgets and bits I created to match:

A Kiss on the Chic

Paper Silhouettes

Stamp Talk with Tosh

My Cup Runneth Over

~ PINTEREST ~

This is totally random and just for fun, but this has been the most-pinned-pin from my pinterest boards...

That's basically it for the round-up post today. That was fun... and tiring. I SO need to get some sleep now...

Thank you, thank you all of you for visiting my little spot on the internet. I wish to continue inspiring and creating. Be back soon with some crafty posts for you.

Much love to all,

~ Vi

P.S. I'm still kind of setting up house here, so the navigation bar links are errr...... mostly broken... (sorry). Also, my sidebar is kind of in a mess, but I'll try to get that settled in the next few days =)