Poppy's Soapbox - Rocky the Zombie

It has been a crazy last couple of weeks and with money flush at the moment I was able to go way over budget.... This amazing Artist did not make me break the bank though!

Today I'm reviewing Rocky The Zombie

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/Rockythezombie

and her Beautiful zombie fairy

First looks- It almost looks like Ranon went to Poppy packaging 101 with the pretty ribbon & tissue... Now onto the shirt, Just gorgeous, super crisp beautiful and vibrant. I just love how it's very Burtonesque with a Rocky The Zombie twist Love, Love, LOVE!

Construction- Ranon uses very nice shirts. This was a 24-36 month and My giant babe was swimming (so it was sized just right because this chunk wears an 18-24 month normally)

Wearability- Ranon uses Permaset inks which are the best! What makes you say that you ask? That is my go to Screenprinting ink! I have shirts with that ink from 5 years ago that look awesome still:) These shirts will stay pretty forever!

Value- $14 for kids $20 for adult size, these are really a great buy and will just make you smile:)

 Go like her on facebook http://www.facebook.com/therockythezombie to get in on all of her goodies

Oh yeah, go enter my $25 gift Certificate giveaway too! http://cinderssays.blogspot.com/2012/05/poppys-soapbox-may-giveaway.html


(photo editing by Enfant de la mer Photographie http://www.facebook.com/EnfantdelamerPhotographie )

Poppy's Soapbox - May Giveaway

Since I'm a slacker(for those of you who know me feel free to LOL) I didn't get a review together this week! Why, because with my 30 other orders I was designing and making the Gilda The Griffin Hoodie(My little Pony for you non Bronies) http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/4701457 anyways since I promised a giveaway I'd better at least follow through with that:P
How Does a $25 Poppys Wicked Garden Gift Certificate sound?

Each step equals 1 entry! (I'll be checking) Be sure I have a way to contact you too!

#1 Follow this blog and add a comment, I follow this blog

#2 follow my Facebook http://www.facebook.com/PoppyClothing add a comment that you follow me!

#3 go through my shop  and let me know what you would like to see me design (or your fav design) in a comment! http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/PoppysWickedGarden

#4 Tweet Want to win a $25 PoppysWickedGarden gift Certificate? Enter here http://cinderssays.blogspot.com/2012/05/poppys-soapbox-may-giveaway.html and post that you tweeted

#5 Facebook Want to win a $25 PoppysWickedGarden gift Certificate? Enter here http://cinderssays.blogspot.com/2012/05/poppys-soapbox-may-giveaway.html and post that you tweeted

Winner will be picked by Random.org on June 1st

Bonus contest on Facebook Tag to win this Cherry Tutu is still open:)
http://on.fb.me/L5Jy6z

Bizz Buzz - Life Without Etsy Part Deux

I had another post written for today, I bumped it to next week because I wanted to write this post about my amazing Daughter Poppy.

About a year ago, Etsy made an unfair decision to shut down Poppy's shop. She had been on Etsy for years and was a top supporter and a top seller of handmade original clothing designs. She also reconstructed shirts and there was where the problem lay. While she sells reconstructed shirts on other sites without problem, Etsy chose to remove her and all of her shops including one we shared, because of excessive flagging, even though her items were legally made and the flagging not valid. Etsy didn't listen to reason. You can read more about the incident in these past posts. Etsy Shop Closings

Poppy's clothes are beautiful, original and wonderfully comfortable and well constructed. She's amazing at her craft. Watching her design is a treat. She gets an idea in her head, lays out fabric and just cuts it. She takes her pieces to the machine and just like magic it's perfect. No patterns, no measuring and she can reproduce it over and over without pattern, in any size. I could never sew for her when she was in the hospital, because her patterns are all in her head. When she was on Etsy, she was on the front page regularly. You remember her adorable Poppy Longstockings I'm sure.

This month Poppy is Clearing out her Poppy shop on Artfire at ridiculously low prices as she prepares to close shop. She has to go back the the Genre fashion that brought her to Etsy from eBay. It makes me very sad, and I'm sure it makes her even sadder to see all of that wonderful work sold for practically nothing. But Artfire and eBay are a different animal than Etsy was.

Poppy will still have her genre shop, Poppy's Wicked Garden but that's her cash cow, not her heart and soul. I know how she feels, because I'm not selling my beloved product either, but I chose to try another path with it. Poppy has a new baby and doesn't have the time to try other markets, when she has product that sells.

So if you get a chance, stop by Poppy and pick up a great deal, or tell Poppy how great you think her designs are. She'll appreciate that.

Thank You Poppy for Making the world a prettier place.

Update - Life without Etsy

Well it happened again, another shop suspended. Etsy did one of their sneak attacks Friday at the end of the Day and suspended the shop of a seller, without any warning. This is a seller whose sole income is that of her Etsy shop. These are the cruel people you work under and support. Etsy shuts down shops on Friday at the end of the day, because no one is there on the weekend to answer your emails or calls. I know because it happened to me.

Type in my old address and this is what you get akacinders.etsy.com

So how is life without Etsy? I just had to compile my finances for the past 5 months. I was on Etsy in January, sales very good, then I was booted off on February 11th. It was very hard for me to look at that month. While I was trying to negotiate with Etsy, and trying to figure out what to do, I had NO sales for 2 weeks. I was misty eyed as I filled out the financial statements.

Then in March when I decided to get back on the horse and fight, I started making sales again. I really love Artfire, and my shops had sales, but the traffic is still not as good as Etsy. Although I didn't want to, I went back to eBay too. I spent weeks trying to figure out my niche there. I made some sales, but it was 1/4 of what I made in January.

April got a little better, some Artfire Sales and a new Product on eBay that was selling. Still not as much as I was making last year on Etsy.

May, now there was a month. But mostly it was due to hours of blogging work and exposure from a blogged item. Now if only I can get more people to blog my work, life could be rosy. My sales in May were actually higher than my Sales at Etsy last year. But we will see how that goes when I'm not freshly blogged.

By the way, I am selling my Genre Aprons and Clutches. My Jewelry suffered terribly and I was just getting off the ground with it on Etsy. Very disheartening, as it was to My daughter Poppy when she got her shops shut down too.

So even though it was a struggle, there is life without Etsy. If you ever get yourself into the same predicament, please feel free to contact me HERE and I'll help you get through it.

May 10 Giveaway - akaCINDERS Poppy Trio Necklace

Finally recuperated from a busy weekend and fun Mothers Day celebrations. I love working in the Garden. This year we planted a few more perennials, Hosta, Peony, Roses and a Poppy.

The new little Lilac bush is almost in bloom too. It's going to be a wonderful Summer here.

Oh Prizes? Did you want Prizes? Here she is. A lovely Poppy Trio Necklace made by me, for you. All you have to to is follow these rules HERE and be a follower of my Facebook Page akaCINDERS. Just leave me a comment that you are following both, but  if you are using different aliases, you might want to let me know both your FB and Blogger or visitor names.

That's all there is to it.

Good luck! This Prize will be shipped at the end of May when the Month of May giveaway is over.

Come Back tomorrow, cause you could win 2 months of add space on my Blog!

I got a little ahead of Myself Yesterday and Announced the Gift Certificate Winner instead of the Skate Deck Key Tag Winner. What a Gorm (new favorite word). 

The winner of Friday's $30 gift certificate is kalliope kreations, CONGRATS!

May 2 Giveaway - Peppermint Poppy Longstockings

Today is the First of Many May Giveaways. This is a Pair of Poppy Longstockings from Poppy on Artfire.


She has a wonderful shop and You should visit her. Here's Poppy's Shop


To win these wonderful Longstockings, go to her shop and find something awesome. Then leave me the name of your favorite item in Poppy's shop on this post in the comments. 


That wasn't so hard, was it?


Oh and remember, you have to be a follower of this blog to win. 


See all contest rules and calendar of prizes HERE


Don't forget to come back tomorrow for another chance to win more great stuff. 

WIN a A POPPY TRIO ECO FELT NECKLACE

Here's your chance to win one of my MOST Popular Necklaces Custom Made for YOU

To win you have to do a little work.
go through all of 3 of my shops and choose your favorite item from each one.
akaCINDERS.etsy.com
cinderbox.etsy.com
cinderellascache.etsy.com

Add your list of your three favorites to the comments in this blogpost to be entered. Please enter only once

Contest ends OCTOBER 1st I will randomly choose and announce the winner on OCTOBER 2

Don't forget to let me know how to contact you if yo are not a registered user!