Ooooh we got another parcel!

*WARNING* not suitable for those of a nervous disposition ;-)


As you may have read, the meerkats were very excited recently when Graham the snail came visiting, so they were extremely pleased when the postman delivered a parcel. Maybe Graham is back?

As it was such a sunny day we took the parcel out to the decking.


I can see little pink ears! (it's not Graham the snail then!)


I think he's asleep, look at his little closed eyes - let's lift him out.


Oh good grief - a severed head! HELP! HELP!

Quick - get behind the box - I hear rustling - HELP!


Fortunately a Superhero was at hand - and as Axel the Executioner Mouse leapt out of his box Thor Meerkat stepped firmly forward, hammer poised to deal a deadly blow...


Luckily Niftyknits was also around (well, honestly - who do you think took the photos?) and lifted Axel and the severed head out of the way. After seeing he was poised above the pond, Axel promised he'd retire from executing, and only use his axe for chopping logs in future.



We were last month's mouse-winner from the blog of the House of Mouse - why not enter and see if you're as lucky as us? If you can't wait then head over to the House of Mouse and buy one!

Best of the web *woohoo*

I had a treat yesterday :-)

My blog was included in a Best of the Web feature in Be@Home

Be@Home is a home and activities blog which covers everything from interior design to arts and crafts activities. They try to have a little something for everybody, even occasional posts for gardening enthusiasts. Be@Home likes to feature blogs and bloggers who would interest our readers, and particularly likes to acknowledge bloggers who showcase their unique creations.

I was especially pleased with the photo as it showcases my favourite online venue, Zibbet!

It was interesting to me in another way, as I've been pondering changing direction slightly with my blog. Being featured at this time is almost like when someone compliments you on how nice your hair looks...when it's driving you scatty and you're actually on your way to the hairdresser!

What do you think? I'd love to hear your ideas of how you'd like to see my blog develop - after all, I don't only write it for myself! Whether you're one of Be@Home's 3,300 readers (wow!) or one of my regulars (smooch!) I'd be very interested in what you have to say!

Who's been reading?

Ever wondered who reads your blog?

I'm not convinced all my followers read it every day (cos I know full well I'm not that good at reading all the blogs I follow!)

Project Wonderful keeps stats to help potential advertisers say where to place their ads, and those figures say where my blog visitors came from this week:

214 from UK;

104 from USA;

17 from Israel;

7 from Turkey;

6 from Canada;

6 from Poland;

5 from Denmark;

5 from Australia;

4 from Germany;

3 from Lithuania

Thank you - in lots of languages!

I won a prize!

I've been meaning to show you my prize for a while, but life (and those blessed meerkats) keep getting in the way.

I entered a giveaway on Veryan's blog Beadypool and had to make a decision...necklace or bracelet and earrings? Teal or purple?

I'm not good at decisions, but finally decided on the braclet/earring combo and asked Veryan to choose the colour for me.



My prize came beautifully packaged as you can see, and inside was ...



not just a bracelet and earring set in fabulous petrol-purple but an extra pair of earrings in the teal, which I am giving to my daughter. The purple is stunning, my photo doesn't do them justice. The colours change as they catch the light - so I spend my time waggling my wrist around!

If you also find Veryan's work irresistable, why not check out her shop, Beadypool?

I win - you win!

As you know, I love entering giveaways! Yesterday my prize from Maria's blog Scarlet Butterfly arrived. I had won a £10 voucher, and chose to spend it on some lovely ribbons to use when wrapping my sales.



These are some Nativity Meerkats on their way to a new home!

Scarlet Butterfly links can be found on their website

Blog giveaway winner...ME!

I do so love a giveaway - and I've been lucky enough to win a couple recently.



Maggie of intothemagpiesnest.blogspot sent me a beautiful faerie collage sheet, and I knew there was someone in my family who would love it even more than I do. If collage is where your heart is, check out Maggie's shop MagpieMine.etsy.com for more.
Follow Maggie on twitter

You'll believe a meerkat can fly

Superkat!



Batkat?



MeerRobin



But who is the other Superhero?



It's HoodenersHorse!

Virtual friends - I love them!

I've posted about my twitter friends before, featured my etsy and folksy friends in interviews, and at the weekend went on a bloggers' picnic. Am I odd, or is this how others make friends these days?



One of my long-time virtual friends littleworm.etsy.com recently started a blog - I'd love her to be surprised by some new readers if some of you wouldn't mind dropping by?

lifeofalittleworm is very new just yet, but I've had so much fun reading her convos and forum posts over the years I just know she's going to be a great blogger!

eeeek, I've been given an award!

In her blog yesterday, http://ZaftigDelights.blogspot.com Sandie "tagged me" and sent me a blog award. The award states that you give 10 facts about yourself and “tag” 10 fellow bloggers....so here goes!

1. I'm a Brit, but I lived in Kenya for 3 years as a child. My father was in the Army at the time Kenya was gaining its independence from the UK, but rather than remembering anything of historical importance my main memory was that President Kenyatta's cavalcade held up my school bus and I was late home from school!
   
   
   
   
2. When I came back from Africa to the UK the Beatles were very popular, and the talk in the playground was all about who is your favourite Beatle. I only knew one name - so Ringo was my favourite at first!
   
   
   
   
3. My hair is *cyber purple* but some of my young pupils thought it was natural (bless)
   
   
4. I love knitting (that'll surprise you!)
   
   
   
   
5. I go thorough obsessive gaming phases - over the years I've been hooked on Warcraft, Starcraft, Freecell (I'm still working my way through that in number order, generally while waiting for treasuries to open) and the Sims. The Sims became more real than life at one time, and when we went on holiday to a villa which was advertised as having a jacuzzi I walked around and around looking (in vain) for a turquoise cuboid - well, that's what they looked like in the game!
   
   
6. I'm a life-long trekkie. My meerkat trekkies came about because I was invited to a twitter meet-up and someone suggested I wear my Star Trek original series Command sweater - I refused, but said I'd knit a meerkat wearing one - the rest is history!
   I refused because I didn't think the world was ready to see me in uniform - but you guys won't tell anyone, will you?
   
   
   
   by the way...I'm the one on the left. It's not a new pic, I'm in my pre-purple hair phase!
   
   
7. I'm a cat person, I'm not keen on dogs. We're petless right now, but our last cat, Tom, taught himself to use the toilet. Several mornings we got up to find the toilet had been used but not flushed - both my husband and myself thought it was each other and said nothing! Then one morning we heard peeing and looked at each other...! Eventually I managed to catch him "at it"
   
   
   
   
8. I went to boarding school - and no, it's not like the schools you read about in books as a child, although we did have midnight feasts occasionally.
   
   
9. I'm married - 29 years next month! - and have three wonderful grown-up children.
   
   
10. I taught myself html to build my school's website (I'm an ex teacher) and learnt by making a fansite for the Lone Pine books by Malcolm Saville. I own the set now, tracking them down from ebay and charity shops, but first read them as a child, borrowing them from the library in Deal, Kent. In a bizarre twist of fate the library building was sold and turned into flats, and my aunt bought one. The children's section where I chose my books is now my aunt's kitchen!

Over to you: here's 10 of my favourite bloggers (in no particular order)
I confess I don't usually follow through on blog awards, so please don't be embarrassed to ignore this award!

http://dawnonowyouseeit.blogspot.com/
http://kitschycoo.blogspot.com/
http://feltmeupdesigns.blogspot.com/
http://mytutorlist.blogspot.com/
http://etsytreasuryteam.blogspot.com/
http://alibalijewellery.blogspot.com/
http://www.5erg.com/
http://agnieszkasshoes.blogspot.com/
http://www.weaselmcpuppy.com/
http://www.tobyboo.com/

This is ... Kim

from KimsCraftyApple

Favourite colour?

Seems like a simple question but this is quite loaded for an artist. I would say my favorite colors to work with are the deep, rich jewel tones. But used in the right context every color can be absolutely exquisite. My 2.5 year old daughter would answer for me, Purple.



Favourite smell?

Right now, apple cider donuts...ask me again in a few months after I've made hundreds of them!



Favourite place?

Anywhere by water.

Favourite sound?

my babies laughing

Favourite way to spend your time?

Creating

Favourite item in your shop of all time?

Hmmm....another difficult one. I really like my Spring Flowers Quilt.



Why? I like it because I used such bright and beautiful colors on a design I created myself. I was influenced by others items but took the influences and made it into my own. I rarely make anything twice but I was inspired to make my Spring Flower's Quilts into a series...I have four total...so far.

Favourite shop that isn’t yours? (Apart from Niftyknits, obviously!)
Why?

I'm going to have to pick a few here:
www.allthenumbers.etsy.com has some amazing dresses for baby girls. I would buy them all if I could!

I bought the coziest, fun shirt from www.revivalink.etsy.com and hope to buy more in the future.

I love to buy fabric from fabricalacarte and karolsvintageart destash section.

I love the jewelry from crowsnestmountain.

I love so many etsy shops...I'm leaving out a ton but I do A LOT of my shopping on here!



What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt so far that you’d like to pass on to our readers?

You can't expect to set up a store on etsy and have them do all the work for you to get customers to your shop. In my personal opinion and experienbce you have to start out by:
One, having great pictures (I'm forever working on this)
Two , JOIN TEAMS...once I joined teams it made a HUGE diference.
Three, Take some time and promote on etsy...meet some people in forums and chat rooms



Four, Take A LOT of time and promote off of etsy...twitter does a world of good, a blog (super easy to do on blogger), facebook, handmade.me, project wonderful. So many sources taht are an inexpensive way to get people to look at your site
FIVE, tell your friends and family! Have them spread the word. Give you stuff as gifts whenever possible and don't forget to wear it yourself!




So...that's my five tips to you:) I'm still learning but it seems to be getting better and better and I'm getting closer and closer to my dream...simply being able to support my habit (Crafting).

KimsCraftyApple.etsy.com

www.theapple.etsy.com

www.kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com

kimscraftyapple on twitter

This is...Niftyknits

I've revamped my interview questions, and thought I'd use myself as test dummy!

Favourite colour?

Purple, always purple. Unless it's turquoise. Or maybe fuschia pink?

Favourite smell?

Bacon grilling to a crisp, ready for my favourite lunchtime sandwich.

Favourite place?

The Kent countryside around my home - you can probably tell by the number of countryside photos in my blog!



Favourite sound?

Birdsong in the garden (especilly when not accompanied by neighbours' children arguing! Playing is fine, that's a lovely sound... but when they start shouting...) Did you know there is a bird song radio station? LOL

Favourite way to spend your time?

Knitting and watching Star Trek, both at the same time.

Favourite item in your shop of all time?

My first knitted fuschia


Why?

It was one of the first items I made that was completely and utterly from scratch and unique to me. It's difficult to say a human figure doll, for instance, is utterly my own pattern because everyone knits dolls with two arms, two legs, head at the top - there are only so many ways of doing that! But I've never seen anyone else knit fuschias.

Favourite shop that isn’t yours, and why?

Goodness, where to start? I love Raisinlike and traded with her to own my own sales fairy and flutterbutt



Crochetbouquet was one of the very first shops I hearted, her pansies are so lifelike and delicate.



I very rarely buy from Etsy (or indeed from anywhere else - my disposable income is tiny!) but one of my first purchases was from MadArtJewelry when I discovered Steam Punk.



What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt (about online selling) so far that you’d like to pass on to our readers?

Promote, promote, promote! Online venues are just that - venues. It's no good thinking that if you fill your shop with lovely items they will be spotted by buyers. Joining ETTEAM has been fantastic, the support and mutual promoting is invaluable. My favourite ways of networking are through my blog and through Twitter. But I hate to be too *in your face*. I don't read blogs (or follow twitterers) who only ever post stuff like "I've made this gorgeous wotsit, I'm selling this gorgeous wotsit" so I try not to do it myself.

(Apologies to all makers/sellers of gorgeous wotsits)

I am always looking for more original artists to feature, so if you'd enjoy the challenge, please get in touch. My time is limited (like yours!) so please don't be offended if I don't have time to feature you.

My tiny tweet has arrived!

I entered a contest on feltmeup's blog and won my choice of tiny tweet!

I was almost too excited to choose, but I decided on pink feet and beak. He arived today - I had to lift him up to meet the seagull, he's so sweetly tiny!

If you can't wait until feltmeup decideds to run another competition, check out her shops here feltmeupdesigns.etsy.com and here feltanomicon.etsy.com and a closing down sale :-( here feltmeup.etsy.com

Feltmeup can also be found on twitter, of course.

Now I'm going back to coo over my tiny tweet!

Mint Julep

As my regular readers will know I do love entering giveaways - and I like winning even more! Talking Beads was quite a challenge, as I had to name a piece of jewellery and I don't usually go in for "arty" names. The beads were so pretty, such a lovely minty shade mixed with lilacy pink so I had to have a go - and Jean picked "mint julep" as the winning entry!



If you're tempted, you can find more of Jean's jewellery on her website http://www.talkingbeads.co.uk/ or on Etsy talkingbeads.etsy.com or Misi or www.talkingbeads.folksy.com

and of course - don't forget to check out her blog in case she does more giveaways!

Meet my fairy godmother, Dawno

Anyone reading my blog or following me on twitter can't have failed to notice my excitement when my meerkat trekkies went viral.



It took me a while, but eventually I worked out the trail and it led back to a lovely lady known as Dawno who sent the first article off to boing boing.

I found Dawno on twitter and set about learning a bit more about my new fairy godmother!

She has found a very specific niche to fill with her Etsy shop, Dawno.etsy.com. As she explains: "I have to wear a badge at work and the shoestring lanyards just don't look good with professional dress. So I decided to make my own jewelry style lanyards and other people wanted their own."



Despite (or maybe because of!) her full time job this busy lady also finds time for two blogs:
http://www.beadedbadgelanyards.blogspot.com/
and www.dawnonowyouseeit.blogspot.com


and a jewellery shop, this time on Artfire!




Dawno on twitter
http://www.beadedbadgelanyards.blogspot.com/
www.dawnonowyouseeit.blogspot.com
Dawno on Artfire
Dawno on Etsy

I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge THANK YOU to the lady who kick started the wave of publicity which took my meerkats into the spotlight, and ask wach of you who reads this to have a wander around her stores and blogs. Thank you Dawno!

Let's meet...Enuwbe!

Jen (She's the prettier one in the photo above) from www.Enuwbe.etsy.com is a Newbie (see how clever we've just been?) member of Etteam, but she seems to have been around forever! I know her shop sells organic, eco-friendly sustainable clothing - but let's find out about the girl herself.

Cats or dogs?
Dogs, only because my hubby is allergic to cats. I have a large Goldendoodle right now named Dreamer. She's pretty rad.

Star Wars or Star Trek?
I've always thought Cpt. Jean-Luc Picard was sexy. "This is Jean-Luc Picard of the Star Ship Enterprise....."

*coff* Niftyknits prefers the Original series of course ;-)

Fruit or chocolate?
Chocolate, it's way better for you.

Favourite colour?
I tend to lean towards green and purple. I am a pretty colorful person though, so I hate to commit.



Favourite meal?
Burrito and cheese burrito, from Taco Bell. I also only eat free range organic meats.

City break or weekend in the country?
I dream of a country farm retirement. As long as there is a Farmers Market nearby.



Soaps or documentaries?
documentaries, Soaps scare me. Plus, I don't have a TV.

*coff* Nifty here again - to quote Joey from friends "But how do you know where to point your sofa?"

Bath or shower?
Long hot Showers all the way. I have strange neurotic issues with baths.



Now we’ve got you warmed up…

What brought you to Etsy? Tell us about your shop. Do you sell anywhere else?

I think my dads wife brought me to Etsy. She knows all the cool places.
I sell Organic, sustainable, multifunctional clothing. I try to ensure that every aspect of my designs are done with the environment and human rights in mind. I order fabrics that are grown and milled in the USA when ever possible. I also order fabrics from suppliers that use solar energy and feel strongly about their environmental business ethics the way I do. I want to be trusted by my customers for my eco friendly morals and demand for high environmental standards. I try to set the bar.

Right now, I am putting 100% into my Etsy shop. I think it is one of the best sites online. I love the way I can bypass big business and put money directly into the pockets of the people that do all the work. However, I am signed up on Folksy for when they expand to my neck of the woods. I am also slowly working on my own website, that I hope will link to my Etsy store.



What’s the favorite item you’ve made so far?

I really like my halter top. Its sexy, yet very functional. I think I will be wearing them all summer long. I love my cuffs as well. They are really fun, and I love to be able to offer a very affordable, yet practical item. It is a great way for people to touch and see the quality of my work.



What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learned (about Etsy) so far?

Keep taking your pics till you get it right (sometimes this can take months), renewing is vital, A good team is where you also meet good friends. If a competitor seems to have an advantage, learn from it.

If you could start again, is there anything you’d do differently?

The lessons I have learned from my mistakes have been invaluable, so I am not sure I would want to change anything.

How do you see your store developing?

I see my store developing to offer a better variety of active wear for men and women of all shapes and sizes. Activity and health are extremely important to me. I want to make sure I have something for everyone. Wearing something that is comfortable to move in and makes you feel good, is one of the best things in the world. I also hope to develop in a way to educate others on the importance of eco friendly clothing. It would be nice if more people stopped to think how clothes are made and how it effects the world around them. I am also developing more active wear for hiking, climbing and biking.

What have you been doing today that I’ve interrupted?

I have ADD, interruption is my lifestyle.

What’s your top marketing tip for today?

Pics look great when taken outside in the shade.

Thank you! Let's just drop in those links once more, can't have our readers getting worn out with scrolling!

www.Enuwbe.etsy.com
www.enuwbe4kids.etsy.com
http://twitter.com/ENUWBE
http://enuwbe.blogspot.com/

ETTEAM giveaway

I am very proud to be a member of Etsy's Etteam (Etsy Treasury team). We're all just a bit obsessed with making treasuries, so here's my latest. It's called koumpounophobia which means "fear of buttons".



One of our members, Zaftig Delights is our team blogmistress. The blog features a range of useful information for Etsy users and has just published our first giveaway!



Hot foot it over to the ETTEAM blog to win these fabulous charms from midnightcoiler