I've started looking into mobile marketing. Got a new smart phone and testing out qrcodes ...mobile website conversion systems etc...will keep u posted.
This space is filled with random thoughts, experiences and other misc news. It also allows you to post replies and comments. Hope you like it! ~Nancy
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Silver Willow Gallery
Along with 3 other wonderful artisans, I've taken over management of a small, non profit, gallery in Hampden, Maine. Since January this shop has been owned by my guild, the Jewelry Artisans of Maine Guild, but recently the guild decided it was best if the gallery were run by an independent group. Officially we take control of the Gallery on Sunday, May 1st.
Because we were owned and operated by the Jewelry Guild most of our artisans are jewelry artisans but we're expanding to include the work of other Maine based artisans are are always looking for more : )
Look for us on Facebook, twitter and the web!
~Nan
Because we were owned and operated by the Jewelry Guild most of our artisans are jewelry artisans but we're expanding to include the work of other Maine based artisans are are always looking for more : )
Look for us on Facebook, twitter and the web!
~Nan
Friday, April 15, 2011
Maddie James Foundation
I watched a video on youtube about this little girl's life and death and was moved to tears. Pleae visit their site and donate what you can.
Nancy
Nancy
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Contest - Win a $25 Gift Certificate
I'm running a contest from my Facebook page at: http://www.Facebook.com/GlassOrchids and all you have to do is share a link to my FB page, my twitter account @GlassOrchids and/or my Website: http://www.GlassOrchids.com . You can post a link, tweet about me and/or use the FB Share feature. Once you've shared the love just go to my FB page and tell me what you did on my special Share the Love page; there is a link to it on the left of my FB wall page.
Thanks for your continued support! Without friends like you I would not be able to continue creating!!
~Nan
Thanks for your continued support! Without friends like you I would not be able to continue creating!!
~Nan
Snowy Day
Well it's March 22nd and we're buried in snow again. I sure hope this is the last fling of winter!! I was loving seeing the tiny leaves at the base of some of my plants and dreaming of the first blossoms. I am ready for the warm sun to shine on my head as I pull weeds and plant seeds. I'm tired of being cold too.... patience... patience.. patience..
Nan
Nan
Friday, March 18, 2011
What kind of scam is this anyway?
Ok so I've mentioned this before but am doing so again. I get this anonymous comment on every single post I make on my blog:
"Thanks for sharing this link - but unfortunately it seems to be down? Does anybody here at [insert source] have a mirror or another source? "
So I'm wondering WTH? Why do this as Anon when no one can reply to you anyway AND the link DOES work. So I googled the phrase "Thanks for sharing this link - but unfortunately it seems to be down" and found this same comment posted on many many places. There is no link back to some scam website, the emails of the posters are either anon or not real email addresses. What's the point? I don't get it........
hmmmm.. upon further research on some of the other posts I see that they include a link .. the one that they say doesn't work but it's not the same one posted by the original author. Many of these posts are by the same 3 or 4 names too. Must be some scam to get you to go to a website where they will steal your info. It's been going on for several years apparently... which is why I NEVER click links w/o looking at the URL it points to first.....
~Nancy
"Thanks for sharing this link - but unfortunately it seems to be down? Does anybody here at [insert source] have a mirror or another source? "
So I'm wondering WTH? Why do this as Anon when no one can reply to you anyway AND the link DOES work. So I googled the phrase "Thanks for sharing this link - but unfortunately it seems to be down" and found this same comment posted on many many places. There is no link back to some scam website, the emails of the posters are either anon or not real email addresses. What's the point? I don't get it........
hmmmm.. upon further research on some of the other posts I see that they include a link .. the one that they say doesn't work but it's not the same one posted by the original author. Many of these posts are by the same 3 or 4 names too. Must be some scam to get you to go to a website where they will steal your info. It's been going on for several years apparently... which is why I NEVER click links w/o looking at the URL it points to first.....
~Nancy
Life as an American Artisan
People buy handmade artisan jewelry not only for the beauty of the piece but because of the mystique of the artisan lifestyle. They like the 'story' behind the work and, often, it's an interesting one. I've worked in many establishments over the years from washing dishes in a Kosher kitchen to scooping ice cream to being a registered stockbroker to being VP of systems at a major international bank. Now I support my family making jewelry, dishes and other pretty shiny things.
The life of an artisan is not an easy one by any means, most of the artisans I know struggle to pay their bills and buy their next stash of supplies. It's not all beads and insense I can tell you that. The hours are lousy, the boss is a slave driver and the pay isn't great but it sure beats working at the bank!
Seriously though, as an artisan I spend as much time working as I did when I was a vice president at the bank but for a lot less return monetarily. It’s a business and involves all those things that are necessary to run a small business – paperwork, taxes, marketing, bill collecting, ordering and managing inventory etc… I probably spend more time each week at my computer than I do at my glass desk creating. Some of this might be due to my love of computers and I do spend a lot of time marketing online and maintaining my website, facebook page etc… and researching how do market more creatively and effectively.
Then there are shows which have to be applied, and paid for, well in advance. Sometimes it’s a crap shoot because you never know if a show is going to be worth your time and efforts, which are considerable, or if they will be a waste of time. You also don’t know if you’ll get in so scheduling your year can be difficult. Your potential income is often in the hands of strangers on a jury committee. For instance, one show up here that is great is the Common Ground Fair, I apply for this show every year with the same work, I get into this show about ½ the time. Same artisan, same work, different jury committee.
I’ve found that the older I get the harder, physically, shows are to do. The beauty of doing shows though is that you get to meet your customers face to face and share a bit of what you do and who you are with them. This is the real payoff. Living the artisan lifestyle isn’t all Woodstock mud slides and camp songs but it has its beauty. You see, what we sell is joy. We get to spend some of our time making beautiful things, expressing our creativity, being entrepreneurs and bringing joy to the lives of others. Not only that being an artisan often frees us up to live in unique places; it allowed my family to move to rural Maine from New York. Being a professional artisan gives one a kind of freedom and deep satisfaction but is not for the fainthearted.
~Nancy
Tweet
The life of an artisan is not an easy one by any means, most of the artisans I know struggle to pay their bills and buy their next stash of supplies. It's not all beads and insense I can tell you that. The hours are lousy, the boss is a slave driver and the pay isn't great but it sure beats working at the bank!
Seriously though, as an artisan I spend as much time working as I did when I was a vice president at the bank but for a lot less return monetarily. It’s a business and involves all those things that are necessary to run a small business – paperwork, taxes, marketing, bill collecting, ordering and managing inventory etc… I probably spend more time each week at my computer than I do at my glass desk creating. Some of this might be due to my love of computers and I do spend a lot of time marketing online and maintaining my website, facebook page etc… and researching how do market more creatively and effectively.
Then there are shows which have to be applied, and paid for, well in advance. Sometimes it’s a crap shoot because you never know if a show is going to be worth your time and efforts, which are considerable, or if they will be a waste of time. You also don’t know if you’ll get in so scheduling your year can be difficult. Your potential income is often in the hands of strangers on a jury committee. For instance, one show up here that is great is the Common Ground Fair, I apply for this show every year with the same work, I get into this show about ½ the time. Same artisan, same work, different jury committee.
I’ve found that the older I get the harder, physically, shows are to do. The beauty of doing shows though is that you get to meet your customers face to face and share a bit of what you do and who you are with them. This is the real payoff. Living the artisan lifestyle isn’t all Woodstock mud slides and camp songs but it has its beauty. You see, what we sell is joy. We get to spend some of our time making beautiful things, expressing our creativity, being entrepreneurs and bringing joy to the lives of others. Not only that being an artisan often frees us up to live in unique places; it allowed my family to move to rural Maine from New York. Being a professional artisan gives one a kind of freedom and deep satisfaction but is not for the fainthearted.
~Nancy
Tweet
Friday, March 4, 2011
Hey Can I use some of the information in your blog post.......
Another message I've gotten twice from different people on the blog.. asking to use my info if they give me a back link... and yet there is no contact information and both posts used the exact same wording. Is this some new type of spam? To what end?
Thursday, March 3, 2011
I don't get it...
I have comments on the blog set so they don't show unless I approve them. I keep getting comments that say the exact same thing every time "Thanks for sharing this link - but unfortunately it seems to be down?... " and something about a mirrored source for the blog. I don't know why someone would keep saying this when the links are not down. They post as anon so I can't reply personally to them. If YOU are the one posting this please email me so I can figure out what your issue is. Everytime I check the links they are fine by me.....
Anywho... have a great day!
Nan
Anywho... have a great day!
Nan
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Auto replies when someone follows you on Twitter
So I noticed when I follow people sometimes I get an auto reply almost immediately and I thought.. WOW those people are fast.. what are they sitting at their keyboards 24/7? But no.. they are not super twitterers.. they are using a service at SocialOomph.com to sent replies and to auto follow others. This is a tip worth sharing so there you go!!
You're welcome,
Nan
You're welcome,
Nan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)