BE THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE

THIS WONDERFUL PRAYER WAS PASSED ON TO ME SO I AM PASSING IT ON. EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!

Lord, I just want to say THANK YOU, Because this morning I woke up and knew where my children were. Because this morning my home was still standing, Because this morning I am not crying Because my spouse, my child, my brother or sister, my parent does not need to be buried or to be pulled out from underneath a pile of concrete, Because this morning I was able to drink a glass of water, Because this morning I was able to turn on the light, Because this morning I was able to take a shower, Because this morning I was not planning a funeral, But most of all I thank you this morning because I still have life and a voice to cry out for the people of Japan . Lord I cry out to you, the One that makes the impossible, possible, The One that turns darkness in to light, I cry out that You give those mothers strength, That You give them peace that surpasses all understanding, That You may open the streets so that help can come, That You may provide doctors, nurses, food, water, and all that they need in a blink of an eye. For all those that have lost family members, give them peace, give them hope, give them courage to continue to go on! Protect the children and shield them with your power. I pray all this in the name of Jesus!!! To all our email friends, please continue to forward this so that we can pray together for the people in Japan & God' s Protection ALL OVER THE WORLD.

Life's not about waiting for the storm to pass......

It's about learning to dance in the rain.

HOW TO AVOID AND MINIMIZE YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING A NEUTRAL or NEGATIVE FEEDBACK

So you have just checked your feedback status and you have just discovered that the seller or buyer have just given a neutral or a negative feedback. You are upset, hurt, confused, frustrated, and you wonder what you should do next?

Some of you will give a negative or neutral feedback back just to retaliate. And some of you will just walk away and do nothing because you didn't think that anything can be done to make the situation better. Talking about specific transactions on Etsy in forums is not allowed on Etsy, and will be deleted by the admin team. Retaliation is not the solution because it does not make the situation any better (in fact, it just makes it worse).

I have had many years of experience selling online (Ebay, Etsy, Artfire, Amazon, and my own website). And although I have had many many happy customers, there still is a small number of customers, that could never be satisfied, no matter what you do.

Rules to abide by to avoid and minimize your chances of getting neutral and negative feedback:
1. Always Always provide the BEST customer service that you can give.
2. Always put the customers first.
3. Have an acurate Description of your item. Including the correct measurements, colors, dimensions, flaws, what your listing includes and does not include.
4. Have great pictures, show the details (including the flaws), and make sure the lighting and the colors of the items is as true to the "naked" eyes as best you can.
5. Have a clear and updated store policy. Including returns and exchanges.
6. Do have good communication exchanges with your customers/sellers.
7. Do ship your package out FAST (as soon as you can).
8. Do build up thicker skin.
9. Never over promise any services or items. Especially one that you cannot deliver.
10. Do have good/proper packaging for delicate and fragile items.
11. Don't over charge on shipping. If you do, offer to refund the unused portions.
12. Always be respectful and never insult or use profanity towards your seller/buyers (this only makes the situation worse).

Of course these are only precautions that you can do to minimize your chances of getting a negative or neutral feedback. You cannot control the other person (in the transaction), so you can only control what you do. And if you have been in business as long as I have, you will run into some unreasonable customers eventually. And those are the worst because there is nothing that you can do to make them happy (even if you give them everything that they ask for). But life does goes on, and so does your business.

There have been some sellers who have closed their shop online due to one or a few small neutral and negative feedbacks (out of hundreds and thousands of positive feedbacks and sales). Please don't let a few bad, mean, angry people ruin your day or stop you from doing what you love. I know that running your own business is very difficult at times, but everything worth achieving is challenging and requires a lot of patience and hard work.

***NOTE***The list of rules above applies to all of your online selling venues. These rules have also been applied to Brick and Mortar Stores as well.

Feel free to comment and email me any suggestions that you may have to avoid and minimize your chances of getting neutral and negative feedback.

LESSONS FROM OUR MOMS

This post was inspired by my mom.

And here is a little story about my mom. She is a chef and she runs a restaurant with my uncle. So she has a 12+ hours work day. But she LOVES to sew. And her problem is she is so petite that she cannot find anything that will fit her in the stores. So she goes to the fabric stores a lot to stock up on fabrics (when it is on sale) to make her clothes. She gets 1 day off out of the week. So she does not have much time to make her stuff. So many times have I witnessed her wasting her time at the fabric stores for hours picking out the materials, going home and having to cut out the materials, and then spending so much time to sew the garments. And those of you who sews know that making a custom outfit takes a lot of time because you have to tweek the garment so many times after you are done sewing it, so that it will fit right. And if you mess up, well, then it takes a lot of time having to rip out the seams and doing it over again.

And because my mom only has 1 day of the week to work on her craft, and a lot of time, life gets in the way. So she would leave off her projects for later (most of the time). And then guess what happens to those projects that she would leave off? Well, you guessed it, she never had time to get back to it. And with something like sewing and fashion related, the trends change so fast, that by the time you are done making something, it is already out of fashion! Unless it is vintage inspired. But even then, you might change your mind on it or the season has changed and it is too hot or too cold to wear the garment.

So I was cleaning out my craft supply the other day (getting ready for moving day) and I found an entire cabinet full of fabrics that my mom had stashed away over 10+ years ago. OMG, I could remember being a little girl going to the fabric shop with her and picking out the exact fabrics (as if it was yesterday). And now I am all grown up and having a family of my own. My mom's stash of fabrics have been untouched in so many years, and my mom had forgotten all about it. I looked at it and felt very sad. Because my mom had spent so much time working at the restaurant and not having time to do her craft projects. And just to think of all of the time that she had wasted on picking out the materials and all of the money that she had wasted on buying the materials that was never going to be used! And now she can't even use the materials because her taste have changed and the fabrics were from the 80s so they are so out of style.

I am sure many of you can relate to this true story about with my mom. And the moral of story is that if you find something that fits you and your taste, and you can afford the price for it, then just reward yourself and just buy it. Because you trying to make it yourself sometimes is not worth it.

My mom have worked so hard all of her life and she never even took time out for a vacation for herself. And she has never had the time to spend on doing what she loves and spending time with her family. I have had many of my readers who have emailed me and told me of their two jobs and 50+ hours work days. This story is dedicated to all of the women out there who works too hard and never have any time for themselves. And there has got to be an easier way to earn a decent living, have time left for yourself, and have time for your family too. I am dedicated to finding that "way out" for most of you.

PANTRY ESSENTIALS

So I'm in the process of cleaning out my house and of course, getting all of my stuff ready to move (hopefully into my new country cottage house). I have a lot of stuff in my kitchen that I know that I do not use. And it is my priority for my next place to keep organize (hopefully I can keep this up for the rest of my life...I know good luck right? hahaaa). Anyways, I stumbled upon this list on the Rachel Ray show and website that shows what Rachel Ray uses as her essential cooking ingredients in her pantry.

I just love Rachel Ray. Not because she is the best cook or anything; it's just that she makes everything look so easy and fast. I'm a very busy woman (like most of you), and I don't have a bunch of time to spend in the kitchen. But I do want my family to eat healthy and enjoy a good meal. And Rachel Ray does just that on her show. I'm serious, EVERYTHING that she cooks on her show just looks so delicious, and she makes it look so easy.

So I am in an effort to stock my pantry with these essentials, so should you:

Here's a master shopping list of ingredients to have on hand at all times. You can print this out and take it to the grocery store with you every so often to make sure you have everything in stock. These ingredients will help make mealtime even simpler because you won't need to run out to the store every time you cook! Plus, some of Rach's recipes use ONLY cupboard ingredients, for when you're really running short on time!

Note: Buy the smallest unit of spices available so you can replenish them as they age. Anything over 6 months old should be thrown out. Salt and pepper are the exceptions to this rule and can be bought in larger quantities because you'll use more of them.

Baking Goods and Spices

• Ground Allspice
• Bay Leaves
• Chili Powder
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Coriander
• Ground Cumin
• Curry Paste or Powder
• Fennel Seeds
• Grill Seasoning
• Whole Nutmeg
• Dried Oregano
• Paprika, Smoked and Regular
• Poultry Seasoning
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Dried Thyme
• Coarse Salt
• Coarse Black Pepper or Peppercorns
• White Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• All-Purpose Flour
• Cayenne Flour

Condiments

• Hot Sauce
• Dijon Mustard
• Spicy Brown Mustard
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Capers
• Roasted Red Peppers (jarred)
• Peanut Butter
• Mayonnaise
• Bread Crumbs, Plain and Italian
• EVOO (you know what that is!)
• Vegetable Oil
• Honey
• Tamari
• Vinegar: Red Wine, Balsamic, and a mild light one like cider, rice or white wine

Dairy and Deli

• Milk
• Half-and-Half
• Butter
• Eggs
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• Grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• Bacon

Produce

• Lemons
• Limes
• Flat Leaf Parsley
• Celery
• Carrots
• Idaho Potatoes
• Small Red, Baby Potatoes
• Yukon Gold or Small White Boiling Potatoes
• Spanish or Yellow Onions
• Shallots
• Garlic

Freezer Items

• Frozen Peas
• Frozen Corn
• Frozen Chopped Spinach

Canned Goods/Pantry

• Chicken Stock (boxed)
• Beef Stock (boxed)
• Italian Tuna (in EVOO)
• Tuna in Water
• Canned Clams
• Canned Alaskan Salmon
• Anchovy Filets
• Diced Fire-Roasted Tomatoes
• Canned Crushed Tomatoes
• Canned Tomato Paste
• Canned Tomato Sauce
• Chipotle Chilies in Adobo or Dry Chipotle Powder
• Canned Black Beans
• Canned Chick Peas
• Canned Cannellini Beans

Other Groceries

• Long-Cut Pastas
• Short-Cut Pastas
• Couscous
• White Rice
• Loaf of bread

Wines

• White Wine (one bottle)
• Red Wine (one bottle)
• Dry Sherry

My hubby and I do keep a small supply of food storage essentials because with everything that is going on in the world today, you just never know what is going to happen. So I encourage all of you to please keep a small amount of food on hand. For a family of 4, you should keep about 3-6 months food supply. Stock up on dry goods that can last for a very long time. Don't just shop at Sam's Club and Costco, you should seek out professional food storage places or online. Your food storage supply should last at least 20 to 30 years (if you keep it sealed and in a dry and cool place). Using this list of essential ingredients and spices on hand, you can mix this in with your food storage and have a very healthy and delicious meal.

(Source: www.rachelray.com)

LOOKING FOR A HOME IS VERY DIFFICULT

Finding a property that you can call your own takes a lot of time and effort. I have purchased many properties before (for other people and myself), and the process never gets any easier. Each time, the experience is very different. And it is most difficult when the property that you are hunting for is for yourself.

So my husband and I have our hearts set on a cute country cottage that we can use as our vacation home and maybe someday our full time home as well. But even though everyday on the news, you hear how bad the real estate market is, it doesn't make finding the right home any easier. I know that they say that there are more homes on the market than there are buyers, but they DON'T tell you that there are very FEW good homes left on the market. The majority of the homes that we have seen have either been abandoned for too long and or they people who have lived in it before (the seller) don't keep a clean house before they put it on the market. In addition to that, my husband and I have not really notice the prices getting any lower either...what is going on?

So here are a few examples of what I am talking about when I'm telling that the prices are not going down...either that or the sellers are crazy to think that they can still get a really high price for their property. So my husband and I saw this one house that we had put in an offer for (a month ago). The asking price was for $110K (this is a foreclosure), and through a back and forth negotiation, we decided not to spend anymore than $100K on the property (because it needed some remoldeling (which have to come out of pocket). And guess what? the bank denied our offer on the property! What the heck???? So we offer $10K under the asking price and they wanted more $$$??? No way! So we walked.

That is one thing that I wanted to let you know (if you are looking for a property right now), is not to be afraid to walk away. If a property that is meant to be yours, then it will be. My husband do not have as much experience in purchasing property (like me), so he made a lot of mistake that many people make when they go house shopping...and that is falling in love with a property too soon. When I go to shop for properties, I take the emotion out of it. Treat your house shopping experience like dating! Don't settle for the first house/date that you go on. Give it some time to sink in, so that you can thoroughly analyze the property for any major flaws (potential big money problems). Here is a list of things that you should do when you go look for a home:

1. Do have a list of things/ features that are important to you (for a house to have).
2. Don't have your expectation too high.
3. Do expect to pay more for a property if it has all of the options that you want.
4. Don't expect the property value to be too low either. Home prices have not gone down that much in some regions.
5. Do shop around for a good lender...not all lenders are created equal. Compare interest rates and loan fees.
6. Do know your credit scores (both you and your spouse, and any co-signer).
7. Do know your maximum that you want to spend. If you don't have a set price in mind that you want to spend, between the seller/real estate agent/and lender, you might end up spending more than you want to. So make sure you know your budget.
8. Don't forget about the down payment...0% down is very rare and almost doesn't exist anymore. The normal is 10% - 20% down payment.

Also, I have noticed that many real estate agents are rude to us! I can't think of a reason why they would be rude and mean to us other than how old we are. I won't tell you how old I am, but we are a young couple (and plus I look a lot younger than I am). But we have the money, the credit, the know how, and we are a serious buyer...so I don't understand it. Don't they want to sell houses? I can think of at least 3 situations where hubby and I have walked out or hang up on a real estate agent because they were rude to us. One real estate agent, even hung up on my husband when we were in the middle of talking to her on the phone. We called her back and got her voicemail instead?! Don't people have any manners anymore?

I think it is more frustrating to deal with the seller and the seller agent when we are looking for properties. The seller agents are 8 times out of 10 are mean and rude to us. Which I don't understand why, because don't they want to sell the properties?

I used to sell real estate (and I was the nicest person you can meet), why can't people be more like me? But there are a lot of crappy people in this industry, and that is why I am NOT doing real estate full time anymore...it just sucks the life out of you! I have had many different jobs in my life and I think that the WORST job that I have ever had was in the real estate industry. People were all sharks, no one was nice, and I really didn't have any friends in this industry. The clients were mean (not all of them, but some of them are just so nasty to work with), the other agents were mean, the sellers were mean, and the buyers were mean. It was really rare to find someone to help you out in this industry...very cut throat. It was almost like being a stock broker with all of the competition and back stabbing. Anyways, I am so glad to not have to do this full time anymore. I left it to do my own business and it was the best decision that I have ever made!

So we found 1 property (after a few others that we have let go) and hopefully this one will work out. Wish me luck! If anyone is house shopping right now, I feel your pain! haahaa....Please share your experience with me, because no experience in real estate are ever the same.

CUTE WAYS TO KEEP ORGANIZED

My husband and I are planning to purchase a new country cottage in the next few months. We are currently house shopping. And one of my requirement for this move (which was my husband's idea) is that I have to have my own work studio and office space (so 2 separate rooms)...and so I have been researching to get some ideas. And I stumbled upon this collection of really cute ways to decorate and keep your craft room organized, so I had to share it with you guys. I LOVE all of these rooms. I'm definitely going to post pictures of before and after of my work space when I finally get a cottage and finish to decorating it. You have to understand that decorating is NOT my strong point. I am a creative person, but because I am very indecisive, I probably would never finish decorating my workspace. I will probably just keep changing out the look of the room. I have a commitment issue when it comes to decorating...haahaa.


(now if you really want craft room envy, check out the rest of the Martha Stewart photoshoot here)

tutorial on designsponge

Or here’s a ready made solution via IKEA
What about fabric storage? While many people choose open shelving,

(I also love her inspiration boards)
here’s a really creative idea from flickr user splityarn:

She wraps her yardage around archival comic book boards and files them sideways.
I love how this crafter is using a dowel (or you could use a branch from your yard!) and some recycled cookie tins for storage:
and this crafter is using thrifted dishes and cookware for some very attractive organizing:

I love this use of thrifted clipboards as a way to keep track of inspiration and orders
For you soap makers, these wire shelves combined with some baskets make great organizing of supplies:
Are you a paper artist? Use a lot of stamps? Narrow shelves along an entry wall allow you to see all your designs without taking up much room:
I love this use of Ikea rail systems and wire baskets found on the poppytalk blog
And last, but not least, the lowly pegboard. How versatile is this?

If you have any DIY solutions or any inspirational pictures or comments that you would like to share in regards to your work space...I would LOVE to hear of them or see them (if you have a picture). Just send me a Url to the picture or website with the pictures. I'm so excited, can't wait to hear what fun ways you guys will come up with to organize! :)
(Source: http://blog.ecoetsy.com/2011/01/bus-tips-lori-keeping-it-all-organized/html)

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU HAVE NEW ITEMS?

I recently have had a lot of people ask me this question. This is a really good question to ponder your thoughts upon. But the more I look into this and the more that I thought about it...there really isn't a right or wrong answer to this question.

How often should you have new items in your shop? The correct answer is: as often as you come up with new products. But it does depends on what you are selling. For example, the technology industry changes new products once every 3 to 6 months. Your new product offering should reflect the changes in the industry, the market, and the trend of your customers.

If you sell handmade goods, you should have new products in your shop as often as it takes you to make new items. Having new products keeps your store appear fresh and exciting for your customers. And for your return customers, it gives them a reason to come back to your shop for more. If you do not change and update your products offering, your customers will get bored and once your customers gets bored of your shop and your product, they will leave. And here is where it gets dangerous, if you do not offer new and exciting products to keep your customers coming back for more, eventually you will loose that customer for good because they will find someone else to fill their creative need.

If I were you, I would try to have new products in my shop once a week. Now the number of new products listings should depend on what it is that you are selling. For example, I sell jewelry and jewelry making supplies, so I would try to offer a lot more new products (since my stuff is small) each week than someone who knits for their craft. Knitting a scarf or a sweater takes much longer to make so someone selling handmade knitwear will not roll out as many new products each week.

What do you sell and how many new items do you try to roll out each week? Please share with me your comment, I would love to hear more about your shop and how often you come up with new stuff. Thanks.

NEW ARRIVALS

1 pcs. Alice in Wonderland Drink Me Bottle Pendant Charm, Purple

What you get: 1 bottle: Alice in Wonderland theme Drink Me Bottle Pendant Charm in purple. This bottle looks like an expensive vintage Victorian bottle. Made of arcylic gems.
At the very of top of both bottles are wire loops so that you can add a jump ring and string a chain through (if you want to make a necklace), or just add it to a bracelet as is to be used as a charm. I made the loop in the picture in gold wires, but if you need them in silver, just let me know, it is not a problem.

Each Bottle is handmade by Me! :)
I made each bottle individually, so no two are ever the same. If you need more please let me know.

Due to my busy schedule, sorry I do not take any custom orders at this time.

HOW TO SQUEEZE IN MORE TIME FOR YOUR DAY

So this blog post is inspired by a very good friend of mine the other day. I was talking to her on the phone and she was like, "How do you manage to run your 2 Etsy shops, have a day job, have a husband to take care of (kinda like having a kid...heehee), run an etsy team (Etsy Entrepreneurs), and have a day job at the same time? I really don't know how I do it, but this is my breakdown for my day/week. Maybe it will help you too to squeeze in more time for your day.

WAKE UP: I always try to wake up early (but it doesn't always happen as planned...I need my beauty sleep, otherwise my hubby will complain that I am being grouchy.
But by waking up early in the morning, you will find that you have an early start for the day. Which means, you will have more time during the day to accomplish more tasks. Plus, I find that no matter if I get up early or later, I always end up staying up late anyways...so I may as well get an early start.

DRINK LOTS OF COFFEE: haahaa. I'm sure there is another way to get your energy in the morning besides eating breakfast and drinking lots of orange juice. But nothing does it for me like Mr. Coffee. Oh, I don't know what I would do without you dear friend. I know that some people drink energy drinks or take those 5 hours power supplements. But I know that those energy drinks cannot be good for you when it tastes like chemicals, and I can't even pronounce what the heck it is made out of. And well, those 5 hours power supplements are way too expensive at about $3.99 per mini bottle, that is a lot of money. Plus, I would need like a few of those through out the day, so $12-$15 dollars a day on supplements is not an option for me. So I stick with the natural stuff that has been around forever and works like a charm: Coffee.

MAKE A LIST FOR THE DAY: I always make a list of things that I need to get done during the day, first thing in the morning...so that hopefully I won't get side track. And as I finish them, I check it off. Also, it helps if I put how many minutes/hours I have allowed myself to finish the task. This method keeps me on my toes. Oh I forgot to mention that when you are making your list of things to do, make sure your prioritize your tasks. Make sure that tasks that have more urgency should be at the top of the list.

JUMP ON THE COMPUTER: Okay, I know that this is where most people (including myself) get lost and side track. So, I figure the best way to make sure that I don't burn my whole day on the computer is to put on timer. I use my cell phone alarm clock feature to set a timer. And when the 1hr or 2 hrs is up...well, I have to get off the computer and on to the next task. You can use an egg timer as well if you like the sound of something ticking. But this kinda makes me feel anxious just by the tick-tock sound.

MAKE ALL OF MY PHONE CALLS: So I do have set business hours (for my Etsy shops), and my day job. So my work day hours are Monday thru Friday 9am-5pm. And after 5pm, I try not to take anymore calls from my day job so that I can focus on my Etsy shops. And if you do your Etsy shop full time, you should set up a work hour schedule as well so that you can have more time for other things in your life (like your family and yourself), and not be drowned in your Etsy work all of the time.

SCHEDULE SOME TIME OUT TO EAT LUNCH/DINNER/GO ON A DATE/FAMILY TIME:
This is a little bit tricky, but with a very strict schedule and lots of planning, you can do it!
So this is what I did. I plan all of my "date nights" with my hubby in advance. I live by my planner, so just mark the days and times that you want to carve out of your week for some quality time with your family. I do the same things for friends and family who wants to get together with me. I usually sit down and schedule my week out on Monday. Because you now have a planned schedule for the week, whatever you do, you know that you have to work around that. I know that this doesn't leave much room to be spontaneous...but who has time to be spontaneous when you don't even time to get the other important stuff in your life done!

FOLLOW YOUR SCHEDULE: Please Please don't ever leave something off of your schedule that you can get done today, and leave it off for tomorrow or the day after that. You know as well as I do, that when you leave something off, you just end up procrastinating over it later and stressing it even more. When it could have been done right now, today, and be out of your way. Please save yourself some future headache and just follow your schedule. Stick to the plan and you won't stress out about it later.

SCHEDULE A DAY TO HAVE "OFF"
Treat your Etsy business just like a real job. I have one day out of the week, where it is my "ME" day. On this day, I use it to catch up with whatever it is that I need to catch up on; or anything that I am feeling behind. I also use this day to relax, sleep in, go and pamper myself, shopping, go to the doctors, do some errands, or just do nothing. You do need a day for yourself. I think that so many of us forget to take care of ourselves because we make the excuse that we are too busy: Either too busy taking care of our family or business. This is also a great day to schedule your date with your husband/significant other, or have a fun adventure with your family (kids).

MOST IMPORTANTLY:
Keep your workspace organized and clutter free! I notice that whenever my workspace gets very cluttered, I cannot think straight. And just looking at the clutter stresses me out. So I do my very best to be organized. I always put my tools back where they were originally so that I don't have to waste time looking for them the next time I need them. I hate wasting time looking for stuff!

If you have any other tips and methods that you use to trick the clock into giving you more time out of your day, please share and comment. I would love to hear what you do. Thanks. :)

ARTFIRE REVIEWS AND SCAMS

I have an Artfire shop along with my 2 Etsy shops.

Why did I sign up for Artfire in the first place?
Well, I was really attracted to their low listing pricing. Just $10 a month and no per item listing fee or final value fees on sold items.

You really get what you pay for.
They really have no service. When customers email me, I could not email them back. I have had many customers who have emailed asking questions on my products on Artfire and when I email them back...I get a notice from my email saying that "the person I was trying to contact does not exist"....hmmm so what the heck is going on?

Why would so many people email someone a bunch of questions and don't provide a legitimate email address for that person to email them back? Is it a scam? Are these my competitors trying to annoy me? I have no clue. And what makes it worst is that I can't find anywhere on the Artfire website where their Admin would help me out with this kind of issues.

In addition, why isn't there a rule on Artfire that makes people verify their email address before they can send messages to other Artfire members?

I have also had a few incidences where people would purchase items in my shop and don't pay for the items. And there is no where on Artfire where I can set my shop setting so that upon checkout, payment must be made (like on Etsy). And then when I try to email the buyer back, I would have the email bounced back, and the message "the person you are trying to contact does not exist." What makes this problem worst is that the email notice that Artfire sents to sellers when they get a sale is very confusing. When someone checkouts through your shop and don't pay for the item, it looks the same as if someone had already paid. The only difference, is that there is a very small print at the very bottom of the screen that would say that "this order has not been paid." Wow, I have almost missed it a few times. And the first time I got a sale, it was a phony buyer and I didn't even see the little note at the bottom that said that the buyer hasn't paid; and I had already wrapped the item to get it ready to be mailed off. But while I was double checking for the mailing address, I realized that I couldn't find them in my paypal records...so that meant that they had not paid. I then sent the buyer an email asking them to pay for the item or if they had changed their mind, just let me know. But the email bounced back to me and it said that "the person you are trying to contact does not exist." What the heck!

I have had Artfire for a few months now, and I haven't really gotten any real sales from this website. In addition, all I have been getting from them are phony buyers and people emailing me, asking questions, and don't provide a real email address for me to respond back. I have been getting no help from their admin team so far, despite the fact that they advertise how they provide more help than Etsy...what a bunch of BS! Excuse my language!

But I am writing this review to let all of my readers know how horrible of a service and program Artfire is and that if you are planning to open an Artfire shop, please think twice about it. I am planning to close my Artfire shop soon!

If you have had a different experience than mine, please comment. Or if you know the solution to my call for help, please comment as well; as I do not get any help from the admins at Artfire. Thanks.

***Oh and I wanted to clarify: I am not stating that Artfire is a Scam. I am merely stating that I am suspicious that some of the people who are contacting me through Artfire are Scammers. And that they are trying to purchase my products and not make payments for them. And possibly trying to get me to ship out their orders without first making payments. I have never had these issues with Etsy or Ebay before so this is a major concern.

HOW TO REDUCE STRESS AND INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY

• Plan each day. Planning your day can help you accomplish more and feel more in control of your life. Write a to-do list, putting the most important tasks at the top. Keep a schedule of your daily activities to minimize conflicts and last-minute rushes.
• Prioritize your tasks. Time-consuming but relatively unimportant tasks can consume a lot of your day. Prioritizing tasks will ensure that you spend your time and energy on those that are truly important to you.
• Say no to nonessential tasks. Consider your goals and schedule before agreeing to take on additional work.
• Delegate. Take a look at your to-do list and consider what you can pass on to someone else.
• Take the time you need to do a quality job. Doing work right the first time may take more time upfront, but errors usually result in time spent making corrections, which takes more time overall.
• Break large, time-consuming tasks into smaller tasks. Work on them a few minutes at a time until you get them all done.
• Practice the 10-minute rule. Work on a dreaded task for 10 minutes each day. Once you get started, you may find you can finish it.
• Evaluate how you're spending your time. Keep a diary of everything you do for three days to determine how you're spending your time. Look for time that can be used more wisely. For example, could you take a bus or train to work and use the commute to catch up on reading? If so, you could free up some time to exercise or spend with family or friends.
• Limit distractions. Block out time on your calendar for big projects. During that time, close your door and turn off your phone, pager and e-mail.
• Get plenty of sleep, have a healthy diet and exercise regularly. A healthy lifestyle can improve your focus and concentration, which will help improve your efficiency so that you can complete your work in less time.
• Take a time management course. If your employer offers continuing education, take a time management class. If your workplace doesn't have one, find out if a local community college, university or community education program does.
• Take a break when needed. Too much stress can derail your attempts at getting organized. When you need a break, take one. Take a walk. Do some quick stretches at your workstation. Take a day of vacation to rest and re-energize

(Source: www.mayoclinic.com)

KNOW YOURSELF TO GET THE SECRET TO SUCCESS

YES!!!! I felt like I won the lottery when one night, out of a dream I felt like I finally found the answer to what my heart has been waiting for...no not true love (I already got that, remember????), my dream job. Finally I figured it out...here is the secret to finding your dream job, which is the same process that has taken me years and years to finally realized it:
1. What is it that makes you happy
Think back to a time in your childhood...the part that you remember being the happiest.
2. What did you use to do a lot of when you were a kid that makes you happy.
3. Understand your personality trait. Do not lie to yourself. Dig very deep, and the answer may not be very apparent at first, but if you really listen to your heart, you will find the answer within.
4. Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert, or Both?
Introverts don't really like to be around other people, so home businesses might be best for you. But they are also not always self motivators, so running a biz by yourself might not be ideal. So you might want to partner up with a trusted friend/family.
Extroverts are usually self motivators and they love to be around other people...so maybe a home business is not the best idea for you because you need to be around other colleagues. But maybe you could partner up with an Introverted person and run the sales part while they do the business and paperwork part...hmmm...this is a thought!!
If you are both an introvert and an extrovert, then you have the best of both worlds...but sometimes the dual personality can conflict one another. Plus you don't always control which personality is more dominant at a certain time.

5. What are you good at?
6. What do you enjoy doing (with your free time)?
7. What do you enjoy doing that you don't consider to be a chore?
8. Is what you do special, can everybody do what you do?
9. Do you deserve to be happy?

These are some of the questions that I used to constantly contemplate to get to where I am today. Just remember, you can ANYTHING that you put your heart and head to! That is the secret to success. Never doubt yourself! Don't just believe you can do something...but know that you can make it happen (if you want it bad enough). So the true secret to success is knowing yourself better and making a conscious decision that you will make it happen. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.