Jewelry, Accessories, Gifts

Link

Tons of new listings! Come check them out! Crochet wire fall colors jewelry and fun fashion trendy scarves and cowls!

Mommy Tyme Bath and Gifts: I'm Back!

Mommy Tyme Bath and Gifts: I'm Back!: "Wow- so,it has been a few weeks since my last post! I have really missed my weekly posting and have a ton of things I cant wait to share- I..."

Promote yourself!

I am always trying to find the great resources out there that will help you excel in your endeavors! Well, if you are looking for a fun way to get your items seen... just pop over to Creations with a Heart! Every week she showcases some awesome items from fellow artisans! The collections are just wonderful! And if you want to grab her eye with one of your creative pieces, simply comment on the showcase she currently has up! That easy! Once your comment is posted, Creations with a Heart will explore your shop and find an exciting item to share with the world! So, stop by and take a peek... Just click the button below- and remember to tell them Mommy Tyme sent you!

Mommy Tyme Bath and Gifts: I'm Back!

Mommy Tyme Bath and Gifts: I'm Back!: "Wow- so,it has been a few weeks since my last post! I have really missed my weekly posting and have a ton of things I cant wait to share- I..."

Tweeting and POH

Thanks for all the entries!
Wow! We will have a gorgeous May full of beautiful works for the Pursuit of Handmade! I have been tweeting and posting your links! I hope you will all help with this, too! just do a search for #POH and you can retweet the posts of your fellow artisans! Or grab the URL's from the comments and share share share!

Hop over to Mommys Review and see our first Participant! Wow! Gorgeous! http://mommysreviewsyoucanuse.blogspot.com

Enter the May Pursuit HERE!

I think I may have been confusing everyone with my change of venue with the blog! So sorry! I would like participants to the May Pursuit of Handmade to Enter here with a comment! Just comment with your URL to the item or place where I can find it! If you want to share a little something about your item, that would give it a little more "juice" when it is featured, that would be fantastic! So, comment below!

Remember- the Tweet along- just tweet or share others and yourself, add the hash tag "#POH" at the end, and I will find you, Retweet you, and share! You can do a simple search and do the same.

May's Theme- "Something for Someone Special" Any item that one could give to that someone special in their life- The theme is in appreciation for all those special people who help us along in life that may not fit under the Mothers Day umbrella!

So, come on, post post post

Tweet A Long!

Want to participate? Have your items retweeted over and over? Well, this is a two way street, buddy! You have to help, too! (just kidding!). Here is how it works-

Comment and add your link to your item you have entered into the Pursuit of Handmade

Others will click on your link and then SHARE it with a share button or you can copy and cut the URL and add it to your twitter

Before you post, add #POH at the end of the tweet

Whenever you or others go to twitter, they can do a search for #POH and then all of the other posts that related to Pursuit of Handmade will come up! Just click the retweet link! Simple, easy, and helps one another, right? Well, get busy then!

May's Pursuit of Handmade

Announcing May's Pursuit of Handmade-

For some Mother's Day is a wonderful moment of sharing and appreciating your family- for other's it can be a painful, lonely day... Families are blended and full of so many different caregivers, that Mothers and Fathers day may not apply in the Hallmark meaning, but in so many other ways that are just as meaningful! So, I wanted to go beyond Mother's Day for May and find "To give someone you love..." That is pretty open, and can mean anything you want it to! So, list your item link here by commenting! Than hop over to Mishaps of Mommy at http://mishapsofmommy.blogspot.com and sign up for the Pursuit of Handmade Tweet Along- share your link again, and if you want- a story of inspiration about the item, about you, or what this theme means to you! We will show you and your fab. item off here!



Add your link, a story about your item, and then start sharing everyone else's entries! Just click on the links in the comments and then Share, Share, Share!
Remember, whenever you post your Pursuit of Handmade item, or another person's who is participating here- add #POH at the end so we can all just search and Retweet!

I am so glad you came to join in the fun! Dont forget to add yourself to the Tweet Along, too!

Take A New Turn

Well, I have decided to make some changes with this blog... Unfortunately there just are not enough hours in the day to do everything I want to... I have spent the last year sharing ways to grab traffic, promote your biz, etc. here at Mishaps! Now, I am going to focus on promoting, uniting, and working together with other sellers or biz's who are to break into the world...

With that in mind, hop over to Mommy's Reviews at http://mommysreviewsyoucanuse.blogspot.com This will be the blog for promoting and exposing all of my new friends, and future friends! This blog, however, will focus on the information, nuts and bolts of getting ourselves out there and noticed! Everyone is moving into the handmade arena (which is fantastic!) but, sometimes we get lost in the crowd! Often, we don't have a sale for a while, we started doubting ourselves, and we lean towards throwing in the crochet hook! Don't do it! You just need a pick me up, and here is where you will get it!

Every month I try to do a "Pursuit of Handmade" which exposes or shows off sellers who create products in a chosen theme line... Well, I am going to broaden those themes, and then do a little publicity for one another when we participate!

Here are the things I think we could do to help each other-

1. Participate in the announced Pursuit of Handmade (that is the anchor to the entire operation!)

2. List your link at Mommy's Reviews (http://mommysreviewsyoucanuse.blogspot.com), thus you get immediate linkback and exposure- no waiting for you to be featured! You just add your link to the item that you think meets the theme.

3. Here (Mishaps of Mommy http://mishapsofmommy.blogspot.com) again list your link to the item in the comments section, AND share a little something about the item, the inspiration, the theme, whatever... I will expose each participant individually on the blog

4. Whomever is being featured that particular day, share it! We need to share each other on twitter, facebook, digg, all the social networks and sites. It is very easy, just go to the upper left corner of the blog and hit share or you can use the share button I have added to the bottom of the postings at http://mommysreviewsyoucanuse.blogspot.com

5. Click on all the links to the items under the comments and share them with twitter, facebook, etc. For example, if it links to an Etsy item, just click the share button to the bottom right of the page and you can share it with twitter, digg, facebook, all of the great sites! Share your items, share others items. It is all about promoting and exposing one another- A team effort, so to speak!

6. Finally, I will have a post below the pursuit for that month here at Mishaps of Mommy http://mishapsofmommy.blogspot.com You can add your link to the "Tweet A Long" We will all tweet each other followed by the hash mark #POH which stands for Pursuit of Handmade. This will increase exposure and seems to be a great tool many groups and teams are using! Whenever you are on twitter you can do a quick search for #POH and all the tweets will pop up, then just click "re tweet" and we can promote each other some more! It is a group effort, a combined force!

Make sense? We will just work on it as we go along... if you have ideas- share them and we can promote, expose, show off, and learn from one another-

The jist of the entire post is, this blog will focus on ideas, sharing and helping one another, while the Mommy's Review blog will focus on finding new customers, linking customers with sellers, and getting our names/products out there!

So, are your ready? See the above two posts for the Tweet along and the Pursuit of Handmade announcement for May!

Good luck and happy sharing!

A few opportunities you might find interesting....

All Marketing Content



PLR Running Article Bundle

reBlog from Mommy Tyme: Mommy Tyme Bath and Gifts

I found this fascinating quote today:

With all of this in mind, I decided to take some time and evaluate my ingredients, procedures, and purposes of some of my products. I have revamped and create some new items I am excited to show off in the next few weeks- I have been working on these for a while and have a ton of ideas for more... but, I wanted to have a few items to introduce along with Earth Day. I have created this blog to focus on How To's, ideas, products and ways that we can continue to focus on tomorrow by our actions today- I hope you will stop by and offer a comment or thought at http://mommytymegifts.blogspot.com (bookmark it or add it to your favorites!) To really kick off the new blog, I will be offering some freebies, prizes, and give aways! Make sure to follow the blog, comment with your contact info. and enter, enter, enter....Mommy Tyme, Mommy Tyme Bath and Gifts, Apr 2010

You should read the whole article.

My favorite Traffic Exchange so far...

I've just joined Traffic Ad Bar which is a brand new FREE way to generate website traffic for your websites.

Unlike many other services, Traffic Ad Bar uses a level ladder which generates hits for members by using the "Daily Update Email".

But the reason that I joined more than any other was that I can use the Traffic Ad Bar to advertise my website completely FREE, AND reach almost everyone on the internet!

Click below to find more.

http://trafficadbar.com/mommytyme

Mommy's Reviews you can Use: Contest at Mommy Tyme Bath and Gifts~

Mommy's Reviews you can Use: Contest at Mommy Tyme Bath and Gifts~

Come check out the giveaway going on! One week left! Easy entry!

A fun way to get your items or products noticed is by entering contests and showing yourself off! One great place to really compete with some interesting themes is the Inspiration Avenue Blog-

Check it out here...

Biggest Put Offs For Etsy Shoppers – Part 1

If you sell on Etsy or any of the handmade marketplaces, you do not want to miss this article! Well written with insight from shoppers on what they look for in a shop! Check it out, then come back here and leave a comment!

Biggest Put Offs For Etsy Shoppers – Part 1

Cool Ads that grab your reader? Slide Ups?

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Here's the URL again in case you missed it:
http://www.SlideUpAds.com/4326
Unlike popups or hover ads, SlideUpAds displays your banner
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I've been getting lots of emails from my other subscribers
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Not bad for a free service, is it?

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Check out http://www.SlideUpAds.com/4326 to see
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Try this one, then let me know what you think...

Check this great opportunity out....

http://www.traffic-splash.com/splashiala.html?referer=Mommytyme


Do you have a raging torrent of targeted traffic flooding
your site?

Or are your visitors trickling in?

I've just discovered a site that's owned and run by Paul Kinder
who is apparently one of the top traffic specialists in the
world today.

Traffic-Splash is a very high-profile program and it is well
worth getting in.

Now, you can either upgrade straight away at half price,
earning 50% on all your referrals and any random referrals
that Paul generates for you, or you can join for free.

Whichever way you go Traffic-Splash, brings in a river of
referrals so it will be great exposure for your business,
helping you to:

* advertise your web business
* grow your opt-in list
* build your affiliate program
* provide resources to improve your advertising

Traffic-Splash is one of the best quality traffic exchanges
on the net and I think it's a must have advertising resource.

Turn your Splashes into Floods of Traffic
=> http://www.traffic-splash.com?referer=Mommytyme

Happy Splashing!



=> http://www.traffic-splash.com?referer=Mommytyme

Another Great way to find traffic and get the customers you seek....

Have you seen the new Dragon Surf?

It was already one of the most popular and successful
traffic exchanges on the net, but it just relaunched with
an awesome new design and some cool new features.

See the new Dragon Surf here:
=> http://dragonsurf.biz/?rid=53927

Get hoardes of new visitors to your sites while earning
a ton of free advertising in the brand new Dragon Surf
game.

Dragon Surf also offers cash commissions on some of
the best converting offers in the traffic exchange industry.

Over 44,305 members have already joined Dragon Surf...
and they are waiting to see your offer!

=> http://dragonsurf.biz/?rid=53927

Thanks,
Valerie Poling

P.S. When you join Dragon Surf you should pay special
attention to the one time offer. You will get a chance
to grab a 1 year upgrade at a 50% discount. It's an amazing
value so don't miss it.

=> http://dragonsurf.biz/?rid=53927

Mommy's Reviews you can Use: Contest at Mommy Tyme Bath and Gifts~

Mommy's Reviews you can Use: Contest at Mommy Tyme Bath and Gifts~

Motivate yourself and move forward

Using Positive Self-Talk to Conquer Any Goal

Do you feel like you are always talking yourself out of success? As soon as you start to set goals for yourself, do you suddenly have nagging thoughts about how you aren't up to the task or how you simply aren't qualified to carry it through?

If you have ever experienced either situation, you need to change the way you respond to your inner dialogue. Instead of obeying your negative commands, you can use positive self-talk to counter the negativity and overcome nearly all anxious thoughts.

Setting Goals and Sticking to Them with Positive Self-Talk

Are you initially filled with excitement when you first set goals for yourself? Are these thoughts then followed by self-doubt and self-defeating thoughts that stop you in your tracks before you even get started?

It can be difficult to make the most of your life when you are constantly talking yourself out of being a success. It can be frustrating and discouraging to have these thoughts constantly plaguing you. Many of us, in fact, don't even realize we have them! All we know is that we don't have the confidence to stick to our plans and reach our goals.

But there's another way!

Positive self-talk is an effective way to set goals and ensure that you stick to them, even if you have never been able to do this before. The way this works is that you decide what goal is important to you, and then you plan the logistics of how you are going to attain this goal. When self-doubt starts kicking in, you will respond with affirmations that prove your success without surrendering to the negative pressure. Since you're reading this article, it's clear that you're no quitter and you're certainly not a failure, so start believing in yourself!

Re-Programming Your Mind

Affirmations are essentially positive statements that re-program your mind for the positive. The moment you have a self-defeating thought you'd be able to counter the negative with a motivating statement. An example of a positive affirmation is: "I am worthy of great success," or "I see myself in the winner's circle." What this does is replace negativity with thoughts that will help you move toward your goals instead of further away from them.

Positive self-talk is easier to implement than you might think. You may not be aware of the severity of the negative dialogue currently within your mind. However, once you begin with positive self-talk, you will suddenly realize that you are self-sabotaging the goals you set for yourself from the minute that you make them. This process can open your eyes to exactly how much this inner conversation has been interfering with your life. You'll feel hopeful that you can now set goals and surpass them.

Through positive self-talk you will be able easily set long and short-term goals for yourself. And when you use affirmations, you'll have accessible tools to help you push yourself further than ever before. Learning to quiet negativity with positive thoughts is a great move toward setting and attaining future goals with ease.



How to PLR Free Email Course

Get 50 free emails promoting your biz, that you write- each week! Super easy! Then you also can earn money by reading others! It is up to you how you make this system work- but give it a try, then share your thoughts!

Q2: What Are Your Content Marketing Goals? Accountability & Help Is Here

Q2: What Are Your Content Marketing Goals? Accountability & Help Is Here

I came across this blog and wanted to share it with all of you trying to scrape your way through the trials and tribulations of selling online! Wow, it is tough, right? Well, here are a few tips to keep you moving forward- Positively! IT is a great read, and well worth a few minutes to motivate you!

Gifts & Accessories

Gifts & Accessories

Enter to win! No purchase Necessary! click on the link for contest details!

Moving Ahead effortlessly....

Well, the past few weeks I have been pretty busy with trying to get my new products created, packaged, and ready to sell so I have not spent a lot of time on marketing. However, somehow I have managed to continue to make sales and increase hits to my site and my shops- Hmmmm... The only answer I can think of is that the marketing efforts I put in place prior to my "vacation" from daily marketing- are finally paying off! I was really happy to see that my squidoo page continued to receive hits, my web site (even though it is under construction) received hits and even some link outs to my store- so, it has to be the marketing and traffic services I have been utilizing are still redirecting traffic to my sites without my efforts! I am always assuming my traffic comes from my participation on facebook and the Nings... but, maybe I have been underestimating my traffic referral sources-

So, I played catch up this morning by linking and viewing several other websites that are required when you join a traffic service. It is not that time consuming- one of my favorites is Traffic Ad Bar. They send you a daily email with a web site link- link to the site, wait 10 seconds, then you can link out. Eventually your website will be the one in that email for everyone to see. In the meantime, you site or address is rotated through the other addresses that people view each day. It only takes ten seconds per view, and you earn 3-5 credits each view (on most, some are less)- Oh, did I mention this is free?







Another one I just tried today is Trafficsword- it is also free. I just linked in and signed up today so I really can not tell you too much right now. The link is below, I have not received mass emails, so your email address appears to be safe! Check it out, what do you think? Share your thoughts on the traffic rotators-

We are ranked #1 on TrafficSword.com!
<

reBlog from Mommy Tyme: Mommy's Reviews you can Use

I found this fascinating quote today:

We all use soap. In the old days, most people made their own. Today, we are much more likely to buy it from the store. There are lots of brands to choose from, and each brand has various formulations and scents.Mommy Tyme, Mommy's Reviews you can Use, Feb 2010

You should read the whole article.

I've just joined Traffic Ad Bar which is a brand new FREE way to generate website traffic for your websites.

Unlike many other services, Traffic Ad Bar uses a level ladder which generates hits for members by using the "Daily Update Email".

But the reason that I joined more than any other was that I can use the Traffic Ad Bar to advertise my website completely FREE, AND reach almost everyone on the internet!

Click below to find more.

http://trafficadbar.com/mommytyme

Fishing for traffic? Try this one...

If you were fishing for Barracuda you wouldn�t go to the Arctic, would you?

And you wouldn�t try to find many Killer Whales on the Equator either, would you?

So, if you�re marketing your site to other Marketers and Opportunity Seekers where do you think you should advertise?

Where is the place you�re likely to get best response?

Yep, you�re right! You�d go wherever other marketers are advertising and viewing websites. Wouldn�t you?

So, I�ve found this new site that delivers a torrent of targeted traffic for online marketers. It�s called Traffic-Splash and they also provide promotional tools to help you build your business.

You can join for free and this gives you the ability to generate up to 250 hits an hour to your sites or you can upgrade and generate up to 750 hits an hour.

They have a special half-price offer for now, where you can upgrade at half-price ($4.98 a month), earning 50% on all your referrals and any random referrals that the owners generate for you too.

The traffic is all well targeted, I�ve not found any cold barracuda yet, so I�m very pleased with the results so far!

I think you�ll be pleased too. Check it out.
http://traffic-splash.com/index.php?referer=Mommytyme

Happy Fishing!

Warm Regards
Valerie

PS What�s warm and wet and puts floods of eyeballs on your site? Only way you�re gonna find out is by checking out the promotional tools at http://traffic-splash.com/index.php?referer=Mommytyme

Mommy's Reviews you can Use: Pursuit of Handmade!

Mommy's Reviews you can Use: Pursuit of Handmade!

5 Keys to Selling Success...

5 Keys to Creating Websites that Sell

Your business website is essentially your storefront, business card and most significant marketing piece all rolled into one. How it affects your visitors and customers is then essential to your success. Provide a memorable experience and customers are sure to return time and time again. Let’s take a look at five keys to creating a website that sells.

Key #1 Make your website interactive.

As the internet continues to grow and evolve it’s becoming more important to create a community around your business. To accomplish this you want to engage your visitors and customers. This can be accomplished a number of ways. You can:

* Provide a forum
* Post surveys or polls
* Enable visitors and customers to review or rank items. For example a “How valuable was this article?” question and a scale of 1 to 5 stars or a ranking from 1-10.
* Offer a blog and inspire comments and feedback
* Host contests and sweepstakes
* Publish video and audio content as well as written content. This gives users another way to access you and your personality.

Key #2 Make sure your website provides value.

People go online for a number of reasons. They go online to research a potential purchase, to seek solutions for a problem they’re having and to be entertained. If your website provides all three; products, information, and entertainment then you’re in tip top shape. The good news is your content can provide both the information and the entertainment and when written well, can also inspire purchases. Here are a few ideas to provide value for your customers and prospects:

* How to articles, videos, and audio
* Tips articles, videos, and audio
* Case studies
* Workbooks and reports
* Interviews with experts
* Product reviews


Key #3 Make sure your website is easy to navigate.

It takes a visitor about 20 seconds to make a decision about whether they’re going to stay on your website or click away. If your site is laid out nicely, with products and services, information, prices, FAQs, and content easy to find then people are more likely to hang out – the longer they stay on your site the more likely they are to make a purchase or to return again.

To make your site easy to navigate consider:
* Keeping your site simple.
* Keep your pages uniform with the same options and appearance.
* If you have a lot of content, great! Use drop down menus and organize your content by topic for easier access.
* Offer a search function where users can search for products, services, or content topics quickly and easily.
* Provide a way for users to easily go back to previous pages. A back key is an option however if every page has the same options and drop down menus, including the ability to quickly return to the home page, a visitor will always be able to find what they need.
* Test your website’s appearance on different browsers to make sure every visitor has a good experience.
Key #4 Make your website easy on the eyes.

Ever visit a website and the text was so small or the colors so incompatible that you couldn’t read a word? Readability is critical to a selling website. Make sure:

* Your colors are easy on the eyes,
* Your graphics aren’t distracting
* And keep formatting like underlining, bold and italics to a minimum.
* Spacing between sentences and paragraphs is adequate
* Font size is large enough for people to read and font is easy to read


Key #5 Give them a soft sell.

People expect to be sold to and they’re looking for it – they’re wary. Instead of hitting website visitors with a hard sell, provide information, solve their problems and show them the benefits of your products or services. They’ll be much more receptive and appreciative.

Creating a website that sells requires a structured approach and a desire to create the best experience possible for your visitors. Once you’ve created your website, consider testing it and asking associates, friends and family for their opinion.



Now that you have read this... What do you think? Do you agree? What are some tips you can offer your fellow handmade vendors? Feel free to share! Do you have a blog that promotes and helps other Etsy, Zibbet, Winkelf, Artfire, etc. Sellers? Well, post it here! The more information we all have, the better equipped we are to take on the challenge of making it in our own biz...

reBlog from Mommy Tyme: Mommy's Reviews you can Use

I found this fascinating quote today:

Do you create any of these items? Do you create something that can benefit these items? Do you create the supplies used to Make these items? if so, post your comment describing why your items are special along with the URL to your shop! I will show you off for our Purses Page!Mommy Tyme, Mommy's Reviews you can Use, Feb 2010

You should read the whole article.

How to Earn Slide up Ads? Do they work?

Over the years, we've all been taught that the best way to grow a sizeable mailing list is to give our visitors a great offer they can't say no to. And the most common way to attract more traffic and readers is to pay or trade with another marketer to have a popup window or hover ad on their site with your offer and hope that the visitors will be intrigued enough to sign up.

But more recently, we're learning that popup ads, hover ads and all those other gimmicks are simply driving visitors AWAY and leaving us with no sales and an unresponsive list.

Until now, there wasn't a sure-fire way to get your ad noticed without getting on people's nerves. One ad network is looking to change that - and do it all for free.

It's called SlideUpAds - http://www.SlideUpAds.com/4326

SlideUpAds is a unique, eye-catching way to advertise your site across an entire network without having to resort to distracting popups or banners.

With SlideUpAds, your ad appears at the bottom frame of the user's screen, so they can still scroll on the web page without being interrupted on whatever they're viewing. Since your ad slides up from the bottom gradually (and quickly), it's more likely to get noticed without being distracting and abruptly closed.

SlideUpAds costs nothing to join and there's no charge for any advertising. You simply fill out a short form and get the details of your account, then upload your ad and you're ready to go! It's simple and straightforward and most ads can be online within a few minutes.

For a limited time, SlideUpAds is also opening the doors to what they call a
"Viral Marketing Avalanche". If you refer a friend and THEY join, you get 100% of that person's credits. If your friend refers a friend, you get 100% of THEIR credits too! Of course, your friends still get to keep their credits, but it's like getting double or even triple the exposure without doing any extra work!

Many people are reporting terrific success with SlideUpAds, particularly where popups and hover ads simply haven't performed well in the past. Consider testing your current opt-in form with SlideUpAds and gauge the response for yourself - you may be pleasantly surprised at the results!

To learn more, visit http://www.SlideUpAds.com/4326 - it's free to join and there's no membership fee.

http://www.SlideUpAds.com/4326

Free advertising? Email marketing? Leads to your shop?

One of the reasons I created this blog was to review and discuss all the many advertising, promotional and marketing services available.  As you know, there are thousands- and the process of trying to find the right fit for you can be overwhelming!  I have learned by trial and error which ones work, and which ones are a con!

One that I have been pretty pleased with is Advertyze!  You receive 50 free email marketing ads each week- as a free member.  You can increase these with upgrade to your membership, but for a small biz... 50 may be just the right amount for you!  I had signed up several months ago, but did not have time to really explore Advertyze until now.  It is really easy to use, no tricky sign ups, no forced affiliate marketing, and no email inbox overload!  In fact, the same day I signed up I had access to my first week's advertisement.  So, it is quick, easy, no strings, and really worth a moment of your time!

Have you tried Advertyze?  If so, love to hear your thoughts.  I will give you an update in a week or two of how it has helped, if it helps, my website and sales!  For now, if you would like to give it a try... here is the link

http://www.advertyze.com/members/go.php?r=12736

reBlog from Mommy Tyme: Mommy's Reviews you can Use

I found this fascinating quote today:

Want a fun and easy way to promote yourself?  How about your blog- you can actually add a feed to your lens!  Or your Etsy mini?  Sell on ebay?  You can pull your items from ebay and promote them here, too!  There are so many things you can do with squidoo!  If you don't have one, get one!  They are totally free.  Plus, you can actually earn money simply by allowing Amazon and other top name vendors to advertise on your lens!  It is really easy to set one up.  Use it to sell, promote, talk about your hot new items.Mommy Tyme, Mommy's Reviews you can Use, Jan 2010

You should read the whole article.

reBlog from Mommy Tyme: Mommy's Reviews you can Use

I found this fascinating quote today:

Made it Myself is one of those great venues where you can sell your handmade items, yet, somehow I missed the boat on this one! I am kicking myself now. Initially, I had posted 5-6 items on there, and then just sat back. Other than joining the Made it Myself on Ning site, I did little to no marketing for this venue. Ugh! Now, I checked it out today just to see if there had been changes, improvements, etc. AND WOW! There really has! Here are just a few of the benefits I see of MIM- 1. Its free! Really free. 2. You can list unlimited items 3. there is a huge image of your banner at your individualized URL, 4. you can add the badge that links directly to YOUR shop, not the marketplace in general 5.  Recently listed items are posted on the FRONT page- so you can stay up there until the amount of new items listed by others  pushes you off - but, depending upon your listing time, this could be a few days and so you are getting FRONT page exposure for free! 6.  For a super low fee of .49 you can have your item listed on the front page for the duration of your listing - that seems like a fair investment if you consider Etsy charges 7.00 for their Showcase! 7.  Now here is something truly unique- you can set your listing as Negotiable, and buyers can make offers, you can wheel and deal, make trades, etc.  And all of this is tracked, goes through your payment service, so there is a record of your agreement.  You can even issue a coupon.  How is that for customer relations? 8.  You can "link" with Made it Myself by adding their banner to your blog, site, etc.  and in return they will post a small banner of yours.  Now this appears to be a first come first serve, and it is not a neverending time frame that your banner is posted.  I assume that you are posted for a short duration (week- month) which has its benefits.  The reason this is a positive is because when a shopper checks out the link page, they are not overwhelmed with thousands of banners.  Instead there are about 12, so that is appealing and functional for a shopper.  When you are lost in a crowd of 100, what are the real chances someone is going to pick you link? 9.  finally, the community and forums is great!  These are not pages and pages of entries that you muddle through like on some of the bigger marketplaces- You can go to the forum that posts the topic you need (sales, marketing, glitches, etc) and see your post immediately.  Because it is not thousands of entries, others respond back really quick.  I found the forum and community page the easiest to use of any of the marketplaces thus far!Mommy Tyme, Mommy's Reviews you can Use, Jan 2010

You should read the whole article.

New way to Promote your Etsy shop

I was emailed this link to a great little blog that is all about promoting your Etsy shop on Twitter!  Brilliant idea, actually... Here is how it goes...
Everyone uses the hashtag WWes and then post your link, etsy shop, sale, etc!  Other followers of the blog will do a search each day for WWes and Retweet all the items that pop up!  So your tweet may be retweeted a dozen or so times to a various other group of followers!  Great idea, eh?

If you would like to check it out for yourself, here is the link-


http://worldwideetsysellers.blogspot.com/

Create Banners for Free! Peel Away ads, buttons, all that jazz...

I found an awesome program the other day!  Yes, its free!  Yes, I tried it!  And yes, it really works.  A little tricky at first, but you need to just mess around with it until you get a feel for it!  This cool program lets you create Peel Away Ads, banners, flash banners, ... all that cool stuff you are probably paying someone else to do for you!  Now, I am no expert, but it really was not too much- just add your text, choose your colors, and there you go....

Here's a link if you want to give it a go... Now, I think the catch is you have to muddle through some advertisements.  But, it only takes 30 seconds to get through that, then you are ready to create!  also, it saves your graphics, so if you upload pictures to the program- you won't have to continue to do that; they will be accessible the next time you create!  Come back and let me know what you think...

http://instantbannercreator.com/?rid=45575

Mommy Tyme handmade bath and body, gifts, jewelry, and fashions

Mommy Tyme handmade bath and body, gifts, jewelry, and fashions

Advertise for free right now! Openings available with $.0 for beginning bid through Project Wonderful. Click on the page, look to the right and you will see the Project wonderful bid boxes. Currently there are no bids, so you can get these spots for free for however long they remain open without bids! perfect for anyone with a shop... Who can beat FREE advertising?

First Ever Facebook Contest! Sweetest Sweet for your Sweety!

I am having my first ever facebook fan page contest!  I enter them all the time, but rarely host them!  But, as many of you know, facebook can be a fantastic source for promoting and showing off your latest works!

So, hit the link and check it out!  Sweetest Sweets for Your Sweety contest!  Post the sweetest gift idea you have created with your shop, link, url and avatar (if you have one!)  I will show your work off on facebook pages, blogs, twitter, my site, Mulitply, and everywhere I can find that will let me post!  You have to fan the page, and you have to enter by 2/1!  Oh, and obviously it has to be YOUR creation...

So, come check it out and get started!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=262297993679

Oh, PS- I always fan or follow my newbies back!  So this is one more linkback to build your biz....

Find the facebook fan page at:
http://www.facebook.com/business/dashboard/?ref=sb#/pages/Mommy-Tyme-Bath-and-Unique-Gifts/87968482686

Mommy Tyme Bath and Unique Gifts on Facebook

Exploring the Claims of Traffic services, Referral Packages, Profit Machines, Etc.

I signed up for this new program to help me with traffic to my website and web stores.  You never really know if the claims are true or not, until you try it.  Since it is free, what the heck?  right?  Well, here is the promo for the service... Scroll down and I will tell you a little more about what I learned!

http://www.50000FreeVisitors.com/?id=5144247

You get EVERYTHING you need for success...

tools, training, traffic and the complete worldwide Monitor network.

We have created a powerful LIVE video system that will
build ANY business in a matter of days.

After you join and ATTEND our LIVE webcast YOU will get access to our report that shows
you how to get 50,000 Home Based Visits To Your Site.

Details Click Here --> http://worldprofitassociates.com/t20.cfm?id=5144247

Sounds great, right?  Well, I signed up, logged in and boom... There is a live chat type window open.  You are asked to write a message to announce your presence, then watch a live stream video.  The video takes about 20 minutes- and basically, it focuses on you PURCHASING an upgrade and from that you can SELL the products that they are offering- books, programs, etc to help build your traffic.
I scoured all the pages and unfortunately, I never did see an opportunity for the FREE visitors or the FREE traffic to my site.  It was really confusing, and when I left the site I actually felt I had better check my pay pal account to ensure I had not been charged for anything (I wasn't).

Just an FYI and MY opinion of the program.  Is there something I am missing?  Maybe.  Is there really a way to receive all the free traffic?  Probably- but, I could not find it!  So, if you are looking for a simple program to boost your web site, this is not the one.  If you are a guru on the web and have plenty of time to check it all out... This could have some potential!


I had posted a few weeks ago that I was going to begin a review and exploration of all the traffic services, link exchange programs, etc out there that make big promises!  I am going to share with you which ones successfully improve my stats, and which ones fall flat (in my opinion!)  So, keep coming back and lets muddle through this together.

Do you have a service you really like?  SErvice that you want to share?  Post your link and we will check it out!

At this point, I would still recommend Traffic Swarm as one of my favorites!  It is easy to use, there is no catch.  You browse ads, then they post yours for others.  Simple concept!  And free!  Here is my link if you want to check it out:


http://www.trafficswarm.com/go.cgi?922223

Affiliate, Traffic, shopping, earn money from home... All in one? Really?

Ok, here we are reviewing another affiliate/traffic rotation program.  This one I will give a thumbs up, though!  It actually works.  Super easy, you view sites, you earn credits or money (your choice), then you can cash that money in for your site being posted.  Does it work?  yes.  Can you really cash the money in for CASH?  Yes.  There is a minimum withdrawl amount you have to reach before you can actually have the money transferred, though.  It is about a penny a click, so it will take a while.  But, you can do like I do, view a few sites, take those credits and convert them into your own advertisements.

There are a ton of other services on there, too.  There are shopping sites and discounts, contests, and more... Check it out!  Then come back and tell me what you think...

http://www.clixsense.com/?2762243

Reduce Footprints: Change The World Wednesday

Reduce Footprints: Change The World Wednesday

If you have not checked it out, you should! Stop by and see some fantastic ideas on how to reduce and reuse!

Continue to find storage space and Organize! Not just in the craft room, but everywhere...

Since I have been focusing on de-clutter, organize, systemize, etc. etc. in my craft/workspace, I decided to scout some tips from the experts.... Here is a fantastic article that seems to be in step with my thoughts on getting your items into their correct place:



Home Organization 101: Easy Steps to a Clutter Free Home

When you first move into your home it seems like you have so much space.  As the years pass, you might find yourself becoming a pack rat.  What are you going to do with all the stuff you have accumulated?  Perhaps it’s time to weed out the unnecessary items and organize your home.

Home organization is a step-by-step process.  It will take more than a day or even a week to get everything to a manageable level, but once you do staying organized is an easier task.  If you have a family, enlist their help.  They can pitch in and learn a thing or two about controlling clutter in their life. 

1. Start with the high traffic areas.  The living room and kitchen are usually the two most used rooms in the house.  Everything gets dropped on a counter or the couch in these two places.  Concentrate on getting everything set up the way that you like it before moving on to another room.

2. Use storage containers.  Over the years, the style of storage containers has upgraded to be pretty as well as functional.  Instead of storing containers in stacks in the garage, purchase ones that match your décor in each room and integrate them so that no one would even notice they were being used for storage.

3. Divide items into categories.  You can use heavy duty trash bags for this part.  Everything that you find can go into a pile: KEEP, THROW AWAY, GIVE AWAY, and RELOCATE.  Items that will stay in that room are to keep.  Things that you don’t need or are broken can be thrown away.  Clothes or furniture still in great condition can be donated and scheduled for pickup by the Veteran’s association or Goodwill.  Anything that definitely belongs in another room can be labeled for relocation when you get to that room.

4. Remove everything from drawers and cabinets.  This is a time-consuming process but it is easier to start with an empty space and fill it instead of simply pushing things around.  If you line things up on the counter, someone else can help by putting the items in some type of order.

5. Make use of all of your available space.  In the kitchen, for example, appliances or extra containers can be stored on top of the cabinets provided they don’t extend all the way to the ceiling.  That’s extra storage space without benefit of a storage container.  Also use the top of the refrigerator for cereal boxes and breakfast food like boxes of instant oatmeal or grits.  In the bedroom, shoes and winter clothes can go into flat storage bins that slide easily under the bed or the dresser.

6. Label your containers.  Use tape and a permanent marker to identify the contents of your storage containers.  Avoid writing on the actual container in case they are reused and the contents are changed.  Labeling also makes for easy identification if you decide to sell or give away a container of books or something.  You won’t have to open each container to locate them.

Organizing your entire house takes time.  But, once it is done, returning everything you use to its proper place will maintain that same level of organization.




Finance & Credit Article Bundle

Home Decor Article Bundle

Here are some great You Tube Videos to help you with your attempt to Organize!  I love these tips!  Check them out, try some of the tips, then come share with us!  Did they work?  How is it going?

Organization for Creativity Part 2- Keeping it cheap!

Organizing for creativity - Next Step

So, now that you have sorted and seperated all the areas of your room, you are ready to organize and set up the room in a way that is functional for YOU.  When I divided all the items in my room and sectioned off the areas I found I had more needs than space!  I needed a place to study, a place to do the household finances, etc, a need for an area to work on jewelry making/scrapbooking/wreaths, etc. and a place to store my crochet tools/patterns.  My room just simply is not big enough for all of that!  Realism struck!  This is not going to work! 

So, I decided to work it out on paper- I sectioned off the room and created a hypothetical area for the desk, a theoretical place for the table- I had to leave room for walking and manuevering.  Next I decided what I MUST have handy, and what can be stored.  I will only work on wreaths for a few weeks out of the year, so those supplies can be stored.  In a tote they went, labeled, and moved to the attic.  I went through some of my other items- like jars, bottles, etc. that I have been saving to create something (what?  I don't know yet, it hasn't come to me- But, it will!)  Those type items I boxed up in a tote, labeled and stored.  This continued for a while...

I still had a ton of projects and items that needed space!  So, I tackled one task at a time.  First was to set up the study area.  I rearranged the desk, went through old files, boxed up everything before 2009- labeled and in the attic they went (I literally have receipts from 1997!- is that nuts?)  I had to make room for the desktop, a file cabinet, and my laptop.  I came up with a system, it may not be the greatest, but it saves space and is functional.  The laptop goes with me everywhere, so it has to be somewhere I can grab it and go.  So, I purchased a few desktop organizers from the Dollar Tree for a buck, then put rollers on the bottom of the file cabinet (it was wood- so not to tough a job.  You can purchase rollers at Walmart, the hardware store, etc for under 5.00!  I was fortunate and had an extra set that had come with an entertainment center we purchased a while back!)  WaLa- Instant space!

Then I moved to my jewelry making supplies... This was a little tougher.  There are so many embellishments, findings, beads, crystals, tools, etc.  Before I simply kept everything on the table and worked- but it was crowded, time consuming to find what I needed, and things easily got lost (remember, I have a 4 year old boy!).  So, I thought about what type of components would best serve as storage for all of this.

We have all seen the little clear divided boxes for beads, right?  Those are a great idea, but small.  So, I thought I needed the same concept, but bigger.  I hit the hardware store!  There, I found some great storage ideas- drawers and boxes for nails/screws/washers are PERFECT for beads.  The fronts can be labeled, the drawers slide easily but have a lip so if it gets knocked over the drawers do not come out!  How fantastic is that?  If your a mom, you know exactly why I was so excited!  Another great idea for tools, wire, etc. are the mini 2-3 drawer plastic chests.  All of your tools fit in there, they are small enough to sit on your desk, they are clear so you can see what is in there- all around a great idea AND I got mine at Dollar General for 2.00!  yes, that is right- 2.00!

Here is a few photos of what I am talking about--

These were a tremendous help once I got them filled with individual findings and beads.  I am sure there are all types of storage ideas at the hardware store, much cheaper than what you may find in office supply shops!  

Well, stay tuned as we move to the nightmare I call "Yarn Supply"!  I will post more progress next week!


Have organization ideas?  On the cheap?  share them with us!

I did not forget about the organizing for creativity series.... I will post phase 2 this week!  Storage and organization ideas for your smaller items and how to get to the next step once you have sorted into piles!  sorry for the delay!  Look for the post on Thursday!

Promote your shop for free with Mommy Tyme! No catch!

A great way to promote your shop/business is with widgets or mini stores!  Many of the marketplaces have them- Etsy, Winkelf, Artfire, etc...

(if you know of more, please comment and let me know... I am not sure of all of the venues out there!)

anyway, I am hoping to create a featured section on my blog- Mommys Reviews- and post a variety of artists mini shops for either a week/or a month at a time- (I dont have all the details under control yet...)

so, here is an excerpt from my blog- Mommys Reviews at http://mommysreviewsyoucanuse.blogspot.com  -  If you are interested in participating (Yes, it's free!) then you can comment here with the information, or you can go to Mommy's Reviews and post the information there!  I really hope to get the Mommys Mini Marketplace off the ground in the next two weeks!  So, hurry and post!  Plus, this will really be added promotion for your shop- I will feed it to twitter on a 6 hour interval, also post all new mini shops each week on Facebook, and it has a feed running to my website!  Plus, I subscribe to multiple traffic exchanges and services for both My Mommys Reviews Blog and my website.  All of this benefits you- so, join in the fun!

Here's the details from http://mommysreviewsyoucanuse.blogspot.com

"...As we have talked about previously, the Share the Love Series will be ongoing and updated weekly.  As will the pursuit of handmade series which is my weekly blog entry!  The Mommy's Mini Market contains all of my shops- but, my new FEATURE is Mommy's Mini Marketplace- which I hope to have up and running in the next week or so... Here is the deal for this:  If you are a handmade artisan and you want to promote your items/shops- you can do so here!  I would like to feature 3-4 mini shops (or widgets) each week (or month)!  All you have to do is- sign up!  Just leave me a comment with your shop URL, name, and email.  I will choose 3-4 shops for this first feature, then contact the shop owners.  The shop owners will send me the code for their mini shops  I will post the mini marketplace.  One catch, however, is that the online shops must have a mini/window, etc.  I know that etsy, winkelf, artfire, and fuzz b offer this free service- but, as for other marketplaces, I am not sure!  You will just have to ensure that your venue does offer this service.

My readers get a fantastic opportunity to browse a variety of shops with multiple modes of talent!   Readers can shop directly from the blog or they can link to your shop and see all of your great products!  This will give readers a chance to see all the fantastic items out there in the handmade marketplaces- not just the few items I may choose to feature!  And this provides you (the shop owner) with one more link back, one more promotional tool, one more place where your name and products is being shouted out!  You have to do absolutely nothing!  I will tweet your shop's presence here, post it on my website, let my facebook followers know, etc! 



I honestly believe in promoting and preserving the great talents out there!  One of my biggest fears is that by the time my child is an adult, there were only be cheap, mass marketed products for him to enjoy.  I want the future of handmade and artisan work to grow- I pray that individuals continue to express themselves and their creativity and that there continue to be a market that openly appreciates and receives these creations.  So, I feel an ultimate obligation to do my part and shout to the world - Hey check these artists out!  So, Mommys Mini Marketplace is just one more way I can do that!  Problem is .... I need participants (you, the shop owner!)

So, if you are interested, comment with the needed information- and I hope to have this feature section up and running sometime next week!..."

If you have questions, ideas, or thoughts on how to get this up and moving, streamlined, or easier for the readers, let me know!  Hope you join in and participate!

reBlog from Mommy Tyme: Mommy's Reviews you can Use

I found this fascinating quote today:

I am currently scouting some treasures to present for Valentines Day- Sweets for your Sweety!  Anything that would make a great gift for someone special.  Personally, I do not care if people feel Valentines Day is a money making gimmick for Hallmark!  I love it and want to be spoiled on February 14!  I think most overworked moms do!  So, lets find some great items that we would love to receive!  then you can conspicuously email the link to your hubby!Mommy Tyme, Mommy's Reviews you can Use, Jan 2010

You should read the whole article.

Free Marketing? Header and Slide up Ads? How do I get this service to work for me?

Over the years, we've all been taught that the best way to grow a sizeable mailing list is to give our visitors a great offer they can't say no to. And the most common way to attract more traffic and readers is to pay or trade with another marketer to have a popup window or hover ad on their site with your offer and hope that the visitors will be intrigued enough to sign up.

But more recently, we're learning that popup ads, hover ads and all those other gimmicks are simply driving visitors AWAY and leaving us with no sales and an unresponsive list.

Until now, there wasn't a sure-fire way to get your ad noticed without getting on people's nerves. One ad network is looking to change that - and do it all for free.

It's called SlideUpAds - http://www.SlideUpAds.com/4326

SlideUpAds is a unique, eye-catching way to advertise your site across an entire network without having to resort to distracting popups or banners.

With SlideUpAds, your ad appears at the bottom frame of the user's screen, so they can still scroll on the web page without being interrupted on whatever they're viewing. Since your ad slides up from the bottom gradually (and quickly), it's more likely to get noticed without being distracting and abruptly closed.

SlideUpAds costs nothing to join and there's no charge for any advertising. You simply fill out a short form and get the details of your account, then upload your ad and you're ready to go! It's simple and straightforward and most ads can be online within a few minutes.

For a limited time, SlideUpAds is also opening the doors to what they call a
"Viral Marketing Avalanche". If you refer a friend and THEY join, you get 100% of that person's credits. If your friend refers a friend, you get 100% of THEIR credits too! Of course, your friends still get to keep their credits, but it's like getting double or even triple the exposure without doing any extra work!

Many people are reporting terrific success with SlideUpAds, particularly where popups and hover ads simply haven't performed well in the past. Consider testing your current opt-in form with SlideUpAds and gauge the response for yourself - you may be pleasantly surprised at the results!

To learn more, visit http://www.SlideUpAds.com/4326 - it's free to join and there's no membership fee.



Just click the link below, remember its free!  I use it, and it really works!
  http://www.SlideUpAds.com/4326

Organizing for Creativity

When attempting to create you need a space that you can work in- one that is quiet, organized, and easily accessible. If you pack all of your needed items in hard to reach places, the enthusiasm or creativity when it strikes, will quickly diminish upon being faced with the task of having to locate and gather all of your supplies. I have been struggling with this for some time now. As a full time mom, full time student, working full time I find I have a very limited time to work on my passion- creating! So, when I get those times, I want to get busy- not waste a ton of time trying to find this piece, that skein of yarn, these embellishments, etc. In fact, I have been so frustrated lately, that I simply grab what is accessible and attempt to use it first- but, I know there is that perfect bracket, focal bead, or fragrance hiding in my totes somewhere that would really make the item I am working on Perfect! I just don't have the energy or time to search for it.....

So, I decided this year I was going to make my crafting/study/home office area ACCESSIBLE and FUNCTIONAL! Now, this was a task. I have a small room that is about 12 x 9 to do all of the household budgeting and record keeping, my class work and studying, plus my crafting. Oh, did I forget to mention this room also houses my clothes closet and storage for my shoes? So, you can imagine how I was dreading this task... But, it was my New Years Resolution, and I only had 3 days to do it.

The first day I drew out a plan on paper. I just broke the room down into areas (like a kindergarten classroom) and decided which area would be for what. I needed a table and a desk. I also needed storage- and a lot of it. I make jewelry, crochet, scrapbook and make soap/bath products. So, once I broke the room down into quadrants and lined it out on paper, I went shopping for storage. I saw tons of great storage ideas on the web and in magazines, but I just did not have time to create and decorate all these things in 3 days. Instead I opted for cheap and functional thinking as time allows me later I can decorate a great photo box, or embellish a coffee can for tools.

Once I had all my new containers in tow... I just dug in. I pulled out all of my supplies, totes, etc. and just moved it all into the center of the room. I started going through each and every item (this took a day in itself). I threw out things I knew I would never use (Wow! that was hard!) I divided everything into big totes or piles- scrapbook supplies, jewelry, bath and body, school necessities, household stuff, and my personal wardrobe items. Once it was all sectioned off, I was exhausted!I will tell you- one great investment for organizing is a label maker.  It will undoubtedly help you with the process of separating and organizing, but also help KEEP you organized when done!

I am posting some pictures of the process! I will go through the next stages of my reorganization and show my finished room later this week!

Do you have organization or storage ideas you would like to share? How about telling us about your work area? How did you set it up for functionality and creativity? Is it a shared space? Dish, readers! Share your thoughts and ideas with us!

I moved everything into the center of the room and just started going through all of it!  Each tote, container, etc.  I ended up with 3 garbage bags when I was done!

It took an entire day to go through all of my items.  I ended up with 6 large totes of yarn, alone!

I just opened it all up and started going through it- seperating, labeling, and sectioning off!

Downline builders can be a great way to start
generating traffic and promoting your programs.
The problem comes when your programs don't match
the owners agenda.

Everyone needs traffic and to bring people into
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owner decide the agenda for building your business.

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They help you to bring people into YOUR sphere of
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They have also included tips and tricks for building
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Check them out today and start filling YOUR funnel.



P.S. Stop letting others control YOUR business and
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http://affiliatefunnel.com/?rid=46748



Make sure to check back this week.... I am going to list the best of the best, easiest to use- FREE- traffic building, rotating, and banner/site exposure services I can find... I am diligently scouring and surfing to determine what are the best services for people like you and me to use! Those of us with small businesses, home businesses, WAHMS, bloggers, and more... We cant afford those big rotators, nor can we spend hours on the web surfing for credits! So keep up with the programs I have tried for you- then share your experiences with them.

Do you have a program or service you would like me to try? Are you an affiliate with a traffic program? Link services? Swap? Just comment and list your affiliate link/splash page! I would be happy to try it out and pass it on to my readers!