25% Off All Store Items!

Enjoy 25% off all items in both of my Etsy shops in celebration of me finishing my doctorate! Enter coupon code Grad2011 at checkout :D

Happy Shopping!

http://jessprkle.etsy.com

http://jesspins.etsy.com

First Qualifying Exam = DONE!

To celebrate the submission of my first doctoral qualifying exam, I'm offering free domestic shipping in both my shops through 3/6/09.

Be sure to stop by and take advantage!

http://jessprkle.etsy.com
http://jesspins.etsy.com

doodles on the run

hiya, folks

blah blah blah. i really need this semester to end, but also need more time! i have a clinical qualifying exam due in 20 days, and a dissertation proposal that isn't coming along as quickly as I'd like. i'm hoping once the exam has come and gone that the proposal will pick up some speed.

despite all the chaos, i still carve out some time to create. here's a doodle that took me two days... fun stuffs!



much love and sparkles!
*jes*
http://jessprkle.etsy.com
http://jesspins.etsy.com

yep. again.

heya, everyone!

sooo, yeah. i finally got around to updating my list of places to promote and sell your wares, so please be sure to check it out!

and be sure to stop by my Etsy shops to look around and give me some love!
Jessprkle & Jesspins

love and *sparkles*!
~jes

sisters are influential

at least mine are. i've got 6 sisters and one brother. recently, my sis, Shannon, started a blog where she is documenting daily musings in her illustrative world. her endeavor has inspired me to keep up with blogging and show a little of my own creative processes as i struggle to get through this semester!

soooo, this shot is another freeform crochet hat in progress. again, i'm using up bits and pieces of my own handspun yarns. but this one will have tiny tidbits of commercial yarns as well. i fear freeform is going to have me spending gobs of moola on yarn from other etsy sellers... we'll see what happens!!

In love with freeform and hardly any time

school has been an absolute mad house since i last posted here. this semester includes a qualifying exam and dissertation proposal, as well as searching for therapy practicum sites. my hubby and i are also possibly looking to purchase a home in Louisville, KY, so that's another thing to add to the list... house hunting! fun, exciting, but kinda overwhelming, too.

anywho!!

i just finished my first freeform crochet project... a hat inspired by Heather from girlwithahook. i've admired her work for so long. i recently found myself swimming in scraps of my handspun yarns and decided to give freeform a shot. i. am. officially. obsessed. but i have no time! i do have another project in the works, and i hope to document its progress here.

well, i'm off... been sick all week and it's time to buy some medicine... i always try to put that off. i hate chemicals swimming through my body! blech!

New Shop on Etsy!

I took the plunge and opened a second Etsy store! It's called "Jes Spins!". I will be devoting this new space to all of my fiber goodies: handspun yarn and crocheted stuffs. I'm totally excited about it and feel my fibers yums stand much better on their own than mixed in with all of my other creations at jessprkle. Please stop by my new corner of Etsy :) I'd love to see you there!

XOXO
*jes*

Etsy Seller Spotlight: Jujulee

I found this great little shop on Etsy recently.

Jujulee sells unique, yet trendy, accessories and jewelry that she whips up from acrylic and mirrored acrylic glass. With 65 sales since she started on Etsy back in April, Jujulee isn't doing too shabby! Her silhouette designs are chic yet eye-catching. I think they would be perfect for that little black dress or a jeans outfit. Then she has this collection of colorful, spunky, reflective pieces--totally suitable for a night on the town or club dancing! And at these steal-worthy prices, they would make great gifts and stocking stuffers :)

Be sure to check out Jujulee!

Etsy Buy Handmade jujulee

Long Time, No Blogger

Talk about craziness. Talk about chaos. Talk about wild. That's how my past two semesters have been. It's been difficult keeping up with all the blogging and other online marketing and promotion. *sigh* However, no fears! I've got a 2-week break coming up and plan to do quite a bit of blogging during that time. I've purchased from a LOT of Etsy sellers over the past two semesters, and plan to do little reviews of my experiences with them. I also plan to update my Etsy Shopping Guide because that has gone too long as well.

I'll be blogging soooooon :)
XOXO

Revolution Money Exchange

I'm always looking for other methods of payment for online shoppers, because not everyone is a fan of PayPal. In addition to PayPal and Google Checkout, I am now accepting RME as a method of payment. Use this link below to sign up! You get credit for referrals, and they've been offering a free 25 bucks for signing up (I'm not sure when that offer ends, though, so get a move on!!!):

Fiber Addict

It's true... I've become a total fiber addict. I honestly don't know what to do with myself! I recently did a trade with Liz of hobbledehoy and got these yummiful wonderful fibery batts! I couldn't stop squooshing my face in them! But spinning them on my wheel was just as exhilirating...

I love spinning. It has become my main source of coping with the chaotic life of being a doctoral student. The soft clicks the wheel makes, watching the colorway come to life, the smell of fibery love, and the fuzziness under my fingers... it's a full sensory experience! Now that I have a wheel and I'm able to spin things up so quickly, I'm coveting a drum carder. I'm feeling quite limited in what I can spin up since I can't really mix things up like I'd love to do. So, that's the next thing I'm saving up for. Buy from my etsy store so I can get one faster!!!!! LOL

In addition, I've become bored with household dying. It's time to venture into professional dyes, but I can't find a suitable pot :( If anyone has any suggestions, please do send them my way.

I also just purchased 16 oz of EcoSpun yarn on ebay today. I'm sooo excited to get my fiber made from plastic bottles! How fun!

Please take my survey on the right! And join my mailing list if you're so inclined!

Until next time,
Peace, love, and *sparkles*
*jes*

Awesome Feature and Interview!

Zoot-a-zoooot! Guess who was featured on a lovely blog with a wonderful interview? Yep. Me! I'm thrilled with how it was presented. Please be sure to check it out HERE

And be sure to take my poll on the right hand side of this page!!!
XOXO
*jes*

Fun Goodie Bags Now Available!

I'm excited to now be offering surprise goodie bags in My Etsy store! These fun stashes will be full of things like: Paper beads, Yarn-wrapped beads, Earrings, Rings, Barrettes, Envelopes, Commercial supplies, Handspun yarn, Pendants, and Magnets. So, come on and surprise yourself today with a fun Jessprkle Goodie Bag!

psst! don't forget to vote on my poll to the right!!!

I'm Back!

After a long haitus from blogging, I've decided to start up again. It was a crazy semester, and this one will be even more chaotic. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to it.

My Etsy sales have remained somewhat steady despite my lack of outside promoting. Thank you to all of my wonderful customers for keeping me afloat during school :)

I'm pretty psyched, because I just bought this fabulous Ashford Kiwi Spinning Wheel! Now I'll be able to spin up yummy fibers in half the time with more yardage! eeep!

I've added a mailing list and poll to the right hand side of my blog. Please take the time to offer your opinion and join the list if you'd like!

Keep an eye on my Etsy store for new goodies, too!

My Sister's Artwork Was Stolen!!!

This piece, titled "Fear of Being Forgotten", was done by my sister, Shannon Bonatakis. It was recently stolen from the gallery where it was on display. I am reposting here the bulletin she put up on myspace. Please, please, please.... repost this anywhere you can! I also have it up on my flickr.
--------------

About a week ago a painting of mine was stolen from Joyengine, the gallery I've had it hanging at for the last year or so. I just found out because I've been overseas for a week, so I am only now getting to post this and hope that you all, if you could, will repost this for me. This piece has hundreds of hours of my life chronicled into it. It has never been marked for sale, means more to me than any chunk of money ever could, and has always been intended to be given to the person I originally created it for and about. I'm not sure that any person who could bring themselves to steal someone's work like this could ever understand that, but perhaps they could think about it for a few seconds and have a change of heart.

Listen - I don't care who you are, I don't care why you think you deserve my painting more than I do, and I don't care what your intentions were with stealing it. I just want it back. Stealing somebody's artwork is so audaciously disrespectful, I can't even figure out who would do something like that.

If you by chance see this hanging somewhere or you were by chance somehow involved in this, please do the right thing and return it. Wrap it in plastic and leave it at Joyengine's front door. Mail it to them. Do it completely anonymously, I don't care. Just return it. It means more to me than it does to whoever took it. And if you could, please repost this. Perhaps somehow in this crazy web of millions of myspacers this could fall under the right eyes.

Joyengine's address is 2037 13th Street Boulder, CO 80302. Their phone number is 303-449-1967. Please contact them (or myself) if you know anything about this.

Many thanks,
Shannon Bonatakis

Etsy Seller Spotlight: SobeBotanicals

Today I'm talking about Sobebotanicals.

I recently purchased a 15-piece sampler kit from her etsy shop and have fallen in love with mineral makeup. I can tell these little 5g sifters are going to last me quite awhile. I especially like the foundation... it's so light on the skin! I never wear foundation because of how gunky and fake it looks, but here's a photo of my face all done up with her makeup (no gunk!):

Etsy Buy Handmade SobeBotanicals

Be sure to stop by SobeBotanicals today!!!

Newly Updated!

I have updated my list of places to promote and sell again! Be sure to check it out :)

Etsy Seller Spotlight: Yellena

I'm a sucker for art. Always have been, always will be. I can stare at etsy seller Yellena's work for-ever. I love Yellena's use of color and motion. Have a look for yourself:

Etsy Buy Handmade yellena

I find Yellena's work to be so wonderfully whimsical! Be sure to stop by this fabulous etsy store!

... and.... yep ... AGAIN!

No joke. Yesterday I was on the front page of Etsy for a third day IN A ROW! Lookie lookie:



I have EtsyLabs to thank for that gorgeous yarn treasury!

I gained 36 hearts to my shop over those three days, dozens upon dozens of views, and oodles of hearts of the items that were featured. Thanks for spreading the love, Etsy neighbors!

To end the week, I'll be in the Etsy Showcase tomorrow. I haven't even THOUGHT about which items to feature there!

AND, be sure to check out my new Etsy Shopping Guide. I categorized and organized all of my favorite sellers on Etsy. This now makes finding things much easier :)

Made the front page AGAIN!!!

Man, am I a lucky girl or what?! I made the front page of etsy AGAIN yesterday. That makes two days in a row! Here's a screenshot of the happiness:



Special thanks to tomatedepingles for creating the exquisite treasury list devoted to all things recycled!

Needless to say, that lot of beads sold within minutes of being on the front page. They gained like, a gazillion views and hearts before they sold, too. I also accumulated over 10 new hearts on my shop yesterday. Thanks for spreading the etsy love!

AND, to make the day EVEN BETTER... smidge featured me on her site yesterday as well!
Screenshot of that wonderfulness:



So, all in all, yesterday was a fantabulous day for my etsy store! Yay!