Zen Creations Jewelry

Sale!

2012-02-10T10:00:00.005-05:00

Our annual February sale is going on right now! Use this coupon code: FEB2012 and get 15% off all regular priced items. 1 customer will be chosen at random to receive a FREE gift.

Zen Creations Artfire Shop
There are a lot of new items in both shops, and be sure to check out the clearance section of our artfire shop for great deals!

Zen Creations Etsy Shop
Sale ends this Sunday at 10pm EST.

Annual February Sale!

2012-02-08T20:17:00.004-05:00

I am very pleased to announce that starting this Friday, February 10th, Zen Creations Jewelry will be having our annual February Sale! As a special bonus for all our facebook fans, the sale coupon code will be posted tomorrow evening on the Zen Creations page . Sale ends on Sunday evening at 10pm EST. Also, I will be chosing 1 person at random to receive a special FREE gift!

Coupon codes will be posted in both shops once the sale begins. More new items are being added before the sale starts, so be sure to check both shops!

Clearance Sale, New Items, Art For Thought

2012-01-21T15:28:00.005-05:00

A new year - out with the old, and in with the new!

I have marked down several items 50% in my artfire shop to make room for new designs. Get some beautfil pieces at great prices! Items are already maked down, so no need to mess with coupon codes. Just visit my artfire shop and click on the clearance section of my shop.

Now for the new pieces! I have spent some time over the holidays experimenting with some new techniques. I am quite pleased with the new pieces that have come out of this process. Here are a few examples:

Some of these pieces have already been listed in both shops, a few others are for sale locally at Incognito Tattoo Studio in Greencastle, PA.

For anyone local who wants to give this technique a try, Mercersburg Council for the Arts has asked me to teach a class on Feb. 18th in Mercerburg, PA. We will be making a brass cuff bracelet. Here is an example of one I made recently:

For more inforamation about this event, please visit the MCFA blog or the MCFA facebook page.

Win a Necklace from Zen Creations Jewelry!

2011-10-11T10:00:00.004-04:00

Family Stichery is hosting a necklace giveaway for Zen Creations Jewelry!

To enter to win a Zen Creations faceted quartz crystal necklace, please go here, and follow the instructions on the page. They also have a very nice reivew of one of our more popular necklaces.

While you're there, be sure to look around their site. They have other giveaways, and great product product reviews!

Elemental Alchemist

2011-09-28T16:53:00.003-04:00

Exciting news! Zen Creations recently shipped a line of jewelry to a new shop that is opening soon in Jim Thorpe, PA. Read on for more info about this shop from one of my favorite blogs, Green Mom Green Baby:

September 27, 2011 Jim Thorpe, PA. Alchemy Inspires Transformation in Jim Thorpe. The economy might be down but Alchemy means new business on Race Street in Jim Thorpe. This October, the first Wellness Studio is set to open on Old Packer Row: Elemental Alchemist.

Elemental Alchemist is comprised of three wise women; Annemarie Balog (Reiki Master, Yoga Therapist), Selena Mazmanian (Soapstress, Formulator) and Michelle Gallagher (Medium, Spiritual Counselor) who came together coincidentally but with divine purpose in mind: to provide a space for the surrounding communities to attain information on self-healing and transformation. Each Alchemist also wants to introduce products and services that may assist in the promotion of overall personal wellness. All three women serve as Universal Ministers and are available to perform ceremonies upon request.
“Alchemy is an early form of chemistry that was not only meant to transform metals into gold but to discover life prolonging elixirs and universal cures for disease.” Gallagher notes. “The three of us are well aware that personal transformation is possible with enough inspiration and want to provide that opportunity for others.” Gallagher was introduced to Annemarie Balog when Balog bought her book Witch Wolf? The Curse (Amazon.com). Annemarie had an idea for Gallagher that involved Selena Mazmanian’s handcrafted products from 13th Moon Creations. One lunch meeting was all it took for Alchemy to take place. A space on Race Street presented itself within minutes and the three women decided that they would forge a partnership to inspire others on the spot.

Annemarie Balog a Reiki Master wants Elemental Alchemist to provide a seriously fun blending of mind, body and spirit connecting with the five universal elements: water, fire, earth, air & ether. She is also one of less than two- dozen people worldwide certified in Lakshmi Voelker Level II Chair Yoga an experience Gallagher says “That will lend the amazing benefits of Yoga to all ages, shapes, sizes and flexibility.”

Selena Mazmanian and her husband Dan knew that they had to quit their jobs and move to Jim Thorpe on a day trip they took two years ago. 13th Moon Creations has been Mazmanian’s after work and weekend passion. Her soaps, body butters, incense and oils have drawn curious people through the doors of Elemental Alchemist while the women were just setting up. It seems as if Elemental Alchemist is the perfect cauldron to see Selena’s dream comes true.

Elemental Alchemist’s Lending Library will circulate books on natural medicinal and home remedies, gardening, herbs, mediation and more. Other services The Alchemists will provide are: Reiki, Hatha Yoga, Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga, Yoga Therapy, Spiritual Counseling, Intuitive Readings, Oracle Consultations and craft and wellness courses. All three women want you to know “Everything we offer is for healing, protection or self love.”
Elemental Alchemist will open October 1st (11am-7pm). For more LIKE Elemental Alchemist on Facebook. For press info please call Michelle Gallagher at 570-954-4520.

Mercersburg Townfest

2011-09-24T06:16:00.002-04:00

Up early today for Mercersburg Townfest. If you are in the area, stop by today, the event runs from 9am to 3pm, and you'll find crafts, food, music, kids activities and an auction at the First United Methodist Church. Zen Creations will be set up in our usual spot on Seminary Street, close to the square, across from the ATM of the bank and Dick McCracken Rugs.

More shows!

2011-08-16T10:08:00.002-04:00

Well, it sure has been a busy summer! My plans to list items every week and keep my blog updated went right out the window the 1st week of summer. The good news is that I've been busy with shows and creating new pieces and now that I have a short break in my schedule I can finally start adding new things to the shops. Keep an eye out for new listings over the next couple of weeks!

New show added!
Saturday, August 20th - Trinity United Church Peach Festival - Fort Loudon Community Grounds, 8 am to 2pm

Next up is the Shippensburg Corn Festival, followed by First Fridays in Mercersburg, and then Boonsboro Days!

4th Annual MCFA Art Auction Fundraiser - Tonight!

2011-05-24T10:52:00.003-04:00

Stop by Flannery's tonight for the 4th Annual MCFA Art Auction Fundraiser. Jewelry (including a set from Zen Creations), photography, paintings, music, hand spun/dyed yard from Hobbledehoy and much more! 5pm to 8pm at Flannery's in Mercersburg

Spring Craft Bazaar!

2011-04-07T15:26:00.003-04:00

Zen Creations will be vending at the Spring Craft Bazaar @ Ft. Ritchie this Saturday from 9am to 3pm.

Super Sale this weekend!

2011-02-03T21:46:00.003-05:00

SUPER Sale in both shops this weekend!

Visit Zen Creations on Artfire

Use this coupon code: ZENSUPER11 in either shop to get 15% off your total purchase.

Visit Zen Creations on Etsy
2 lucky shoppers will be chosen to receive a free gift! sale starts Friday at noon, ends Monday at noon.

Watch for new items to be listed berfore and during the sale!

Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale

2010-11-26T00:37:00.002-05:00

Get 15% off in both Zen Creation shops this Friday to Monday! Simply enter this coupon code when checking out in either shop: VALUEDCUSTOMER02 and get 15% off your purchase. Many new items have been added to both shops for the sale and new holiday earrings and braclets.

Sale ends Monday at midnight!

Last craft show of the year - Kris Kringle

2010-11-18T12:33:00.002-05:00

This Saturday and Sunday Zen Creations will be vending at the Kris Kringle craft show at HCC in Hagerstown, MD. The show features 250 vendors and free gift wrapping services. The entry fees ($1) collected will be donated to a local charity, and they will also be acceping can goods at the door for charity.

Hours are 9am to 5pm both days.

DIY Promotion

2010-09-09T14:53:00.003-04:00

This morning I read a great article called 10 Ideas for Making Your Show an Event written by Martin Atkins. While the article is written for those in or looking to get their big break in the music business, a lot of what Martin suggests can be used for your craft business. The idea of having your craft show turn into a major even is what we all dream of and it's something that can be attained.

While we as crafters are sometimes limited because we don't organize the event (and have to stay within event guidelines), we can use some of the ideas Martin has suggested as use them as a starting point for creating our own events. Holiday open houses are a great way to start. Finding and setting up at events that we wouldn't normally set up at exposes us to new potential customers. Find and help a local organization or charity by creating a fundraising event or food drive or participate in one they already have. Have friends and family host themed open houses or organize a small local show with your Etsy street team or crafty friends. The possibilities are endless. Are only limits are our own creativity.

For those of you who are not familiar with Martin Atkins, he's been in active in the music business for ages. He was the drummer for many well known bands like Public Image Limited, Killing Joke, Ministry, Damage Manual and (my favorite!) Pigface, and has his own record label - Invisible Records. Over the last few years he has been teaching and giving seminars on the music business and wrote a book called Tour:Smart.

Speaking of shows and promotion -- this weekend is Boonsboro Days, in Boonsboro, MD. Both shops will be closed while we are away at this show. The show is held both Saturday and Sunday in Shaeffer Park. Zen Creations will be located near the band shell in the park. Mention my blog and get 10% off your total purchase!

Horrorfind Weekend, shop discovery, more shows!

2010-09-07T12:25:00.005-04:00

This past weekend while I was recovering from my chemo, my husband and I ventured out to Horrorfind Weekend in Gettysburg. My husband is the big horror film freak, me - not so much, but I have gotten into them over the years. This festival was fantastic, Lance got to meet almsot everyone he wanted to, and we had a wonderful oppportunity to speak with Kevin "OhGr" Ogilvie of Skinny Puppy, Ohgr, Repo! The Genetic Opera, and most recently 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams.

While talking to Ohgr, he told us about the person responsible for the amazing costumes he wore on the recent Skinny Puppy tour and for Maniacs: Kerrie Kordowski.
I discovered that she also has a shop on Etsy and I highly recommend checking it out:
Opal Moon Designs You can see more of her work on her website: Opal Moon Designs.net

This week will be a short but busy week. Boonsboro Days is this weekend, in Boonsboro, MD. This show is both Saturday and Sunday, and tends to get quite busy so if you are planning on stopping by, you might want to head out early! After that, we have Mercersburg Townfest, plus more shows to be added to our list by the end of this month!

This Weekend!

2010-08-03T13:45:00.002-04:00

This weekend Zen Creations will be set up in the square for Greencastle First Friday's. The hours this Friday are a little earlier, from 4pm to 7pm. due to Old Home Week festivities. From what I hear thsi First Friday will have a lot of vendors out, so be sure to stop by and check it out before you head to the fireworks!

Also, Fairy Godmother Designs (who carries an exclusive line of our jewelry in their boutique in Chambersburg, PA) will also have some Zen Creations Jewelry in their booth at the Chambersburg Farmer's market on Saturday mornings for the rest of the summer.

I will be posted more fall and winter events very soon!!

Also, I know both online shops have gotten a little, um, well, empty lately. I promise I will be updating both shops with new pieces in the next few weeks.

Vacation!!

2010-06-21T12:35:00.001-04:00

Both shops will be closed until July 5th for our family vacation. Hope you all are having a great summer!

Tonight!

2010-06-04T09:43:00.001-04:00

June 4, 2010 • 4-7 pm

Music On the Square
4pm Mason Bailey - Acoustic / Folk / Rock
5pm Brennan Elliot - Acoustic Guitar
6pm Mudcracker - Acoustic / Folk Rock

Vendors on the Square on Main Street
Artist Diana Penrod, "Eye of the Collector" at JB Hotel with many fine pieces on display and for sale, From the Heart Gifts, John Bloom’s Rustic Birdhouses, Zen Creations Jewelry, The Dressing Room Unique Gifts, Jennie Caldwell Jewelry, Community Groups, Food Vendors and more!!

Free Family Activities
Free Face painting, Balloons, Bracelet Making and Whitetail Snow Cones

Fendrick Library
Spoken Word & Writers Circle

Zen Creations will be set up in the square by the Irwin House, next to JB Atheltic Boosters.

Mercersburg Farmer's Market!

2010-05-20T21:07:00.003-04:00

Mercersburg Farmer's Market starts this Saturday! Summit Health Center parking lot, 2 Keefer drive, Mercersburg. 8:30am till noon. This year there are some old favorites returning and many new vendors:

Berry Brook Farm - asparagus, strawberries, lettuce, onions, garlic, etc.
BMB Farm - raw milk, cheese, beef, eggs, and more.

New this year, crusty bread from an artisan baker from Hagerstown.
Another vendor is bringing pastries.
Also new, produce from the Diller Farm in Path Valley. Offered will be radishes, spinach, watercress, and early season, grown- in- the- ground (in hoop houses) tomatoes and beets. The Dillers will also have goat milk soap and dandilion jelly.

Plants and flowers from Wildflowers and Wonders, quality jewelry from Zen Creations, BBQ chicken, birdhouses, and usually some last minute surprises!

Spring! New Events

2010-04-14T21:52:00.004-04:00

Well, spring is here and I was sooo ready for it!

A few days ago we discovered that we have 2 baby bunnies living in our backyard. They came out to play today and it gave me a chance to take a few pictures. So cute!

This is the perfect time to enjoy this nice weather and make a lot of new jewelry! I've been busy finsihing up new pieces and getting them ready to list this weekend. I'll try to get a few pics posted here before I start listing. Also, we've been working on finalizing our list of events for this spring/summer, which will be updated here very soon.

Spring! New pieces!!!!

2010-03-07T19:25:00.002-05:00

Well, another chemo treatment has come and gone. Luckily I have 6 months before I have to worry about another one. This past Saturday we vended at Green Grove Garden's Cabin Fever Craft show. Show was great, weather was even better! Thanks to Teri for getting me info on a few other craft shows. Hopefully I will be posting those dates soon!

Spent most of today taking pictures of the new pieces and getting ready to list them in the shops. Here is a sneak peek:

Fairy Godmother Boutique & Event Planning

2010-02-20T13:37:00.003-05:00

I am very pleased to annouce the Grand Opening of a new shop in Chambersburg, PA. Fairy Godmother Boutique & Event Planning!

This store will be carrying an exclusive line of Zen Creations jewelry - a mix of everyday pieces and bridal sets.

The grand opening event starts today, from 10 to 6pm, and Sunday, from 12 to 5pm. The store is located at: 2005 Lincoln Way East, Chambersurg, PA.

Stop by and check it out!

Big 3 Day Sale!!!!

2010-02-02T20:51:00.003-05:00

Zen Creations will be having a big 3 day SALE in both of our online shops. This Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

3 Day Sale
Feb. 5th, 6th & 7th
10% - 15% - 20% off all items
http://www.zencreations04.etsy.com
http://www.zencreationsjewelry.artfire.com

New items will be listed in both shops all this week. All listings will be changed to reflect the sale prices during the sale. No need to wait for an updated invoice!

New year, new jewelry, new goals

2010-01-14T22:24:00.003-05:00

2009 was a good year for Zen Creations Jewelry. A very good year. Our shows and home parties doubled, we became better known locally, and many more new pieces were created. It was also a stressful year, and trying to juggle a day job, home, family, craft shows, home parties, 2 online shops, etc. --- well, as any busy mom knows --- it's very difficult to keep things balanced.

I took a few weeks off around the holidays to take a break from jewelry and to determine my goals and focus for 2010. This year I'm going to try to keep things more balanced. Because of the increase in shows we did last year, both online shops were not updated with new pieces as often as I would have liked. This year I want to try to update them on a regular basis with new pieces and old favorites. I'm also going to experiment with different techniques and metals to add a larger variety to the jewelry that Zen Creations offers.

Here is a sneak peek at some new rings that will be added to both shops very soon!

Holiday Sale!

2009-11-29T10:47:00.002-05:00

Visit zencreationsjewelry's Studio

SAVE 15.00 % On Order Total

Use Coupon Code:

ZENHOLIDAY15

during checkout.

Also, get FREE SHIPPING in my Etsy.com store!

PLEASE NOTE: Offers cannot be combined. 15% off coupon good only in my Artfire shop, Free Shipping only good in my Etsy shop.

Local Alpaca Farms Offer Unique Gifts

2009-11-19T20:48:00.001-05:00

Local Alpaca Farms Offer Unique Gifts

If you look closely, Jean is wearing a Zen Creations necklace and there is another one displayed with the green top behind her. These two farms are currently carrying an exclusive line of Zen Creations jewelry.

Greencastle - First Fridays - November

2009-11-02T12:28:00.003-05:00

Pete and Megan Lancaster to perform at Greencastle’s First Friday

First Friday in Greencastle on November 6 welcomes Blues musician Pete Lancaster and his daughter Megan. These Greencastle residents of three years will be performing at Fran Kenawell’s State Farm office on the square. Pete will be showcasing the various styles of Blues music, and Megan will be performing acoustically.

Peter, a Bowie, Maryland native, started his music career and lifelong love of the Blues in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a one-man band—singing, playing guitar and harmonica, and stomping on a tambourine-filled crate.

From Cleveland, Pete moved to Hagerstown where he immersed himself in the music scene. He participated in the last Hagerfest music festival and immediately began playing solo around the area. Soon, he and neighbor Carl Disque formed the duo 2 Blue. When Carl wanted to start a Blues fest in Hagerstown, Pete was on board. And so, the idea of the Western Maryland Blues Festival was formed.

To drum up interest in the festival, Carl and Pete began reaching out to the public and providing an education in the Blues. Carl would set up engagements with local organizations, and Pete would perform, explaining and playing different styles of the blues, such as Delta, Texas, Piedmont, Louisiana, and “train ride to Chicago” or electric Blues.Pete also put out the call to his fellow Blues musician and was able to line up several Blues greats for the first festival—first generation Blues artist Robert Lockwood, Jr. (stepchild of the legendary Robert Johnson who allegedly “sold his soul to the devil”), The Nighthawks, and Mr. Downchild.

Currently, Pete performs with his band, Stack O’ Blues. Members also include Arnie Helmick on bass, Alan Mason on guitar and keys, Bart Lay on drums, and Duane “D.C.” Carnes on guitar.

Megan Lancaster has been singing with her father since she was four years old and has been playing drums, bass, piano, and guitar since she was six. Megan is currently a student at the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts where she is enrolled in the music department for voice.

Megan is influenced by those whose hearts are completely in music and lives life through music. Her passions are acoustic and worship music, and she is a member of the Christian band, The Ground Between You and I. The band plays instrumental compositions in the ambient and shoegaze styles.

Both Pete and Megan are looking forward to taking part in First Friday. Hope you can stop by on November 6 and support our local talent.

November First Friday in Greencastle

First Friday is delighted to present Blues musician Pete Lancaster and his daughter Megan. These Greencastle residents of three years will be performing at Fran Kenawell’s State Farm office on the square. Pete will be showcasing the various styles of Blues music, and Megan will be performing acoustically.

The Antrim House will be featuring the watercolors and pastels of talented artist Marti Yeager.
Gallery 7, located in the office of Charles L. Strausbaugh, C.P.A., will be showcasing the works of Greencastle Area Arts Council members.
Willowtree Gifts and Flower Boutique is exhibiting the paintings of Laurie Shindle who will be demonstrating her painting techniques.
Sweet Myrtle Fine Gifts and Interiors is showcasing the unique jewelry designs of Elisa Tlanda of Spanish Cage Jewelry.
The Jewelry Shop is hosting author Lee Scott, pen name Scott Layton, who will be on-hand to sign his new novel, Museum of the Mind. Lee will also be displaying a digital photo show and discussing techniques and possibilities for digitally enhancing photos.
Anna’s Paperworks presents Lori Facchina who creates unique images using a Polaroid photo transfer process.E.L.M Shoes is featuring the expressive prints and paintings of artist Anne Finucane.
E.L.M. Department Store is hosting Heather Nowell of Zen Creations who handcrafts beautiful sterling silver, gemstone, pearl, and crystal jewelry.
The Farmer's Wife Antiques and Collectibles, Gift and Specialty Shop is exhibiting the photography of Phil McDonald.
Photo Gem is hosting Kittieandalunchbox. This talented duo of Cole Shenebeck and Momo Lawyer gives funky flair to retro items.
One of Greencastle’s newest shops, Inner Beauty, will be hosting Carol Rinehart who creates seasonal cards from her original paintings.

In addition, Coffee House Poetry Night will be meeting at the Antrim House from 6:30 to 8 pm.

The First Friday committee also invites residents to demonstrate their artistic talent by participating in a community mural. The mural site will be located on the square by Tower Bank. Anyone attending First Friday in November is encouraged to paint a portion of the mural. The finished mural will be unveiled at Heritage Christmas.

Also, Bentley’s Bakery and Barbeque will be serving rib samples, baked goods, cider and coffee.
Come on down and help grow First Fridays in Greencastle into a must-attend event. Hope to see you there!
- from the FirstFriday press release; Nov. 2009

Greencastle First Friday—Oktoberfest! This Friday!

2009-09-28T10:41:00.002-04:00

From the press release for First Friday:

Let First Friday in downtown Greencastle be the official kickoff to your autumn season! On October 2 from 5 to 8 pm, the downtown area will be bustling with activity.

Headlining First Friday is the modern alternat ive rock band, Dimestore Profit. Their high-energy performances showcase their original music as well as cover a wide variety of classic rock songs from the 1970s to present day.

Butterfly Gardens from McConnellsburg will be set up on the square selling pumpkins, mums, and other fall favorites.

Several local restaurants will have booths set up along Baltimore Street and in the square and will have tasty treats for sale. Pure & Simple Café will be featuring pumpkin and apple pie smoothies, cider, and coffee. Antrim House will be serving Oktoberfest-inspired appetizers and more. Rita’s Ice will have fall-flavored ices. Bentley’s Bakery and Barbeque will be featuring fall baked goods. Tracey’s Orchard will have fresh apples and other items on hand.

For beer lovers, free samples of the seasonal beers from Roy Pitz Brewing Company of Chambersburg will be on tap.

For the kids, the Greencastle-Antrim High School Art Club will be leading kid-friendly activities on the square.

Marnie and Mo's Antiques and Gifts is hosting Kittieandalunchbox. This talented duo of Cole Shenebeck and Momo Lawyer gives funky flair to retro items. Also, Cole will be bringing along her face paints to delight young patrons.

Kamie’s Gifts is showcasing painter and jewelry designer Susan Shaffer who cleverly incorporates her paintings in her jewelry designs.

One of Greencastle’s newest shops, Inner Beauty, will be hosting jewelry designer Elysia Koons.

E.L.M. Shoes is exhibiting the photography of Phil McDonald and is hosting Heather Nowell of Zen Creations who handcrafts beautiful sterling silver, gemstone, pearl, and crystal jewelry.

E.L.M. Department Store is showcasing the unique jewelry designs of Elisa Tlanda.

Willowtree Gifts and Flower Boutique is featuring the beautiful, hand-painted items of Tracy and Lindsey Sutton, including Christmas ornaments and slate pieces. They will be working on their latest creations and can personalize any ornament.

Sweet Myrtle Fine Gifts and Interiors welcomes Dave Miller of Mountainview Pottery who will be showcasing his unique pottery pieces.

The Jewelry Shop is hosting Barb Noel who will be demonstrating the art of tea bag folding. She incorporates the folded tea bags in handmade cards.

Anna’s Paperworks welcomes Laurie Long who creates beautiful paper cutting designs and unique wood spirit carvings.

First Friday welcomes Julie Green of Glamorous Misfits who creates custom hair falls, fantasy head pieces, jewelry, and accessories.

After a brief hiatus, Coffee House Poetry Night returns as a First Friday activity and will be meeting at the Antrim House from 6:30 to 8 pm.

The First Friday committee invites residents to demonstrate their artistic talent by participating in a community mural. The mural site will be located on the square by Tower Bank. Anyone attending First Friday in October and November is encouraged to paint a portion of the mural. The finished mural will be unveiled at Heritage Christmas.

Alpaca Farm Days 2009

2009-09-17T21:19:00.003-04:00

Here is a sneak peek at some of the jewelry I designed for a line of alpaca based clothing that will be on sale in Mercersburg and Waynesboro, PA. The jewelry will be used in 2 fashion shows during Alpaca Farm days on September 26th and 27th and will also be available for sale at that time.

These are just a few of the pieces that will be featured!

Stone Meadow Alpacas
14514 Hollowell Church Road
Waynesboro, PA 17268

Long Acres Alpaca Farm
9703 Blue Spring Road
Mercerburg, PA

10am to 4pm

First Fridays in Greencastle, PA - Sept.

2009-08-22T10:18:00.004-04:00

Below is a list of vendors and Locations for First Fridays in Greencastle, Pa on Friday September 4th, 5pm to 8pm

Anna’s Paperworks (14 E Baltimore St) Sally Phillips‐Boice – Handmade Books
Antrim House (104 E Baltimore St) Joy Geiman – Blue Ridge Mountain Lace Makers Guild
E.L.M. Department Store (12 Center Square) Zen Creations– Handcrafted Jewelry
E.L.M. Shoes (3 Center Square) Lori Facchina – Polaroid Photo Transfers
The Farmer’s Wife (103 S Carlisle St) Dave Miller – Mountainview Pottery
Jewelry Shop (18 E Baltimore St) Pat Beard – Hand‐wovens and Weaving Demonstration
Kamie’s (7 S Carlisle St) Lee Scott – Book Signing, “Museum of the Mind”
Marnie & Mo’s Antiques and Gifts (17 Center Square) Eliane Ambrose – Exhibit and Painting Demonstration
Photo Gem (103 S Carlisle St #6) Kittiandalunchbox – Vintage Items with a Funky Flair
Rita’s Water Ice (on the Square)
State Farm (Fran Kenawell’s Office) (13 Center Square) Nate Nardi – Photography Display
Sweet Myrtle (21 E Baltimore St) Tracy Sutton – Hand Painted Glass and Slate Items
Willowtree Gifts and Flower Boutique (11 E Baltimore St) Ed Beard – Shaker Boxes

For more information about Greencastle's First Fridays, please visit click here.

BIG Sale!

2009-08-18T12:14:00.003-04:00

Last night while I was pricing and tagging new pieces, I realized that I have loads of new pieces that I have yet to list in my online shops. So to make room for all these new pieces, I'm having a big clearance sale in my etsy.com shop! Nearly half the shop is either on sale or on clearance!

Vist my etsy shop here.

Happy shopping!

Downtime :(

2009-08-17T12:37:00.002-04:00

Well, last Wednesday I ended up having to get more Rituxan. My platelet counts were at 98,000, which is pretty good for me, but my Dr felt that I should get another dose. We're hoping that I can get 6 months between treatments now instead of 4. Nothing like having to get chemo just a few weeks away from major craft shows!

The good thing was I was able to put some of my downtime to good use. I made several pieces since last Wednesday, and I laid out several more to make this week. It also forced me to take some time for myself and rest, which I think I needed much more that I had orginally thought.

Up next is Shippensburg Corn Fest. First time we will be doing this event and I hear that vendors do really well. My mother will be vending at this event as well, so I'm crossing my fingers that we both do well.

As for the exciting secret news -- hang in there. I will be posting more information on that soon!

Sidewalk Days and more

2009-07-31T08:50:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago we were at Sidewalk Days in Greencastle, PA. New spot this year, on Carisle Street, and while Friday was a little long (12 hours!) I got see a lot of familiar faces and meet many new people. Saturday we had to pack up early due to heavy rain, but overall I think the show went well.

Next up is the Mercersburg Farmer's Market and Shippensburg Corn Festival. This will be out first year doing the Corn Festival and we keep hearing that it is always wall to wall people and that vendors are often cleaned out by the end of the day! My mom will also be vending at the Corn Festival, but will be at the other end of the street. I will post more information later this month about the Corn Festival.

I also added some new events to the events section of my blog. I have 1 other event pending and a very special project in the works. I will post more on that later this month!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2009-07-14T22:02:00.005-04:00

Whew! I finally got a few minutes to update my blog.

Between craft shows, Farmer's Market, 2 online shops and family functions, I've barely had time to relax. It's all worth it, but July is the busiest of the summer months. Last weekend was Sidewalk Days in Greencastle, PA. This year there were a handful of new vendors and we had a new spot on South Carlisle Street. I have to say I had a lot of fun this year and it was good to see so many familiar faces.

Next up is the farmer's Market in Mercersburg (1 date in July, 1 on August) and then the Cornfest in Shippensburg, PA!

Oh, and about a month ago we brought a new addition to the family home:

Our new little guy is about 3 months old now. We're still working on house training him, but so far he's doing great!

Featured on Etsy!

2009-06-27T20:52:00.006-04:00

I'm old school! Well, an old school Etsian!

I was recently contact by Etsy for an interview for their Old School Estians series. These articles focus on sellers who have been with Etsy since the beginning, their memories of the early days, things they have learned, etc. And I have to say, it was certainly a nice way to celebrate my 4 years on Etsy!

You can check out the article here.

I wish I could have found a better picture! LOL

Celebrating 4 years of selling on Etsy today!

2009-06-19T08:46:00.003-04:00

Today is my Etsy shop's 4th anniversary!!!

4 years ago today I checked out Etsy and signed up for a shop as soon as I saw it. The site and my shop has changed and grown a lot of the years. I had no idea back then how big it would become, nor did I have any idea how much my business would grow!

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade
zencreations04.etsy.com

Mercersburg Farmer's Market this weekend!

2009-05-27T22:08:00.002-04:00

This Saturday will be the very 1st Farmer's Market in Mercersburg, PA. Located on in the parking lot of the Mercersburg Health Center (next to Modnur Pharmacy), the Farmer's Market will run every Saturday from May 30th until the end of October from 8am to 1pm. The Market will be featuring locally grown fruits and vegetables, prepared foods, flowers, musicians and artists.

We will be vending 6 Saturdays over the course of the Farmer's Market this season. All dates will be listed in the Events section of my blog. If you are in the area, please stop by!

Home & Garden Festival - tomorrow!

2009-05-08T20:55:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow we will be vending at the Home & Garden Festival in Mercersburg, PA. If you are in the area, stop by and say hi!

Home & Garden Festival
10am to 3pm
Located on the sqaure and Seminary Street
Mercersburg, PA

Sneak peek! New Jewelry!!!

2009-04-23T11:37:00.003-04:00

I've been working pretty hard lately on 2 things: 1. trying to get photos taken of new pieces as they are finished instead of waiting to photograph several at once, and 2. getting things listed in my shops more often. Here is a sneak peek at 2 new pieces that I just finished. Neither have been added to my shops yet.

This first bracelet was made with gorgeous beads by Libelula Designs. She creates some of the most beautiful beads I have ever seen! As soon as she listed these beads -- I had to have them!!! The bracelet was made with her gorgeous beads, sterling silver spacers and a combination of large round links and small oval link chain.

The second piece is a pair of earrings made with sterling silver, antiqued brass and a combination of garnet rounds and teardrops, finished off with 2 gold vermeil spacer beads.

Ouch!!

2009-04-17T14:02:00.002-04:00

Yesterday morning I slipped on some ice on my porch and fell on my butt. HARD. So hard that I laid on the porch for 10 minutes before I could even drag myself inside the house. A trip to the ER, couple of x-rays and 5 hours later, I was on my way home with good news (nothing broken or out of place) and an rx for pain meds. Now if only I could make the pain in my lower back go away completely!

So now I'll be spending the next few days taking it easy, trying to get my lower back back to normal. I had plans to work on some new pieces, but now I will make better use of my time listing new items in my shops. Keep and eye on both shops over the next few days for more rings, earrings and necklaces!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T21:00:00.004-04:00

Whew! What a day! Easter candy, Easter brunch, Easter egg hunts, Easter lunch, etc, etc. A fun day with family, and Zoe has more sugar today than she's had in a year. What to do with all this candy now? LOL

Time to get back on track with new listings and new pieces. I added several new rings earlier last week to each of my shops and this lovely new necklace to my artfire shop:

Up this week:
matching earrings (for the necklace above)
more rings
2 new necklaces
1 new bracelet

Keep an eye on the Etsy and Artfire shops this week!

Easter Craft Show - York, PA

2009-03-28T10:07:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow I will be travelling to York, PA to vend at the Easter Craft show. The show will be held from 10am to 4pm at the York Expo Center, in York, PA. I've spent this past week trying to get of a nasty head cold and make new pieces for the show. I'm finally starting to feel better, just in time to wipe everything down, price, pack and get the Jeep ready to go for tomorrow. This is the first time vending at this show, so I don't really know what to expect, but we're excitied to try it out.

We will also be trying out our new set-up tomorrow. I found that I was running out of space to display necklaces and I had so many ideas for new pieces. So, we added another table and another shelf, plus some new necklace displays. I can't wait to try it out tomorrow!

Rings!

2009-03-16T21:56:00.003-04:00

Getting ready for my next craft show in York, PA. Made 22 rings over the weekend, all pearl or Swarovski crystals with sterling silver. Simple wrapped rings, but pretty and always a hit at craft shows!

Cabin Fever show

2009-03-10T21:29:00.004-04:00

Well, I had hoped to post sooner about this past Saturday's craft show. Good intentions but just not possible until now. A trip to Lehighton right after the show, a baptisim on Sunday and the drive back from Lehighton, not to mention a long day at work on Monday and needed to take inventory, well, you can see where this is going. lol

Anyway, I think the show went very well and I was pleased with the turnout. The venue was beautiful and everything was well organized. My new color scheme worked out well (pictures will be posted as soon as I can find my camera), just need to add a little more green and pink and we'll be set. Also made plans to expand my set-up so I can highlight more jewelry sets at the next show.

Cabin Fever Craft show - this Saturday in Greencastle, PA

2009-03-05T12:40:00.002-05:00

This weekend I will be vending at the Cabin Fever Craft show @ Green Grove Gardens in Greencastle, PA. This is the first year for this event, and from what I've been told, they will have the place packed with craft vendors! I'm excited for my 1st craft show of 2009 and because this will be the 1st time that I debut my new booth color scheme. I still have a few kinks to work out with my displays, but I'm sure it will be all worked out by Saturday.

Cabin Fever Craft Show
Green Grove Gardens
1032 Buchanan Trl E
Greencastle, PA 17225
Time: 9am t0 5pm

If you get a chance to attend this show, please stop by and say hi! Just look for the booth with brown, pink and lime green!

More Events!

2009-02-18T09:20:00.003-05:00

I am very pleased to announce that I have added a second craft show for March! I will be vending at the Easter Craft Show, March 29th, from 10am to 4pm at the York Expo Center, York, PA. This will be my first time doing this show, and I'm very excited about this event.

In the meantime, I have been working very hard on new designs and should be posting a preview on here very soon!

Valentine's Day Sale!

2009-01-30T12:38:00.001-05:00

Treat yourself or a loved one this Valentine's Day with jewelry from Zen Creations during our Valentine's Day Sale!

From 10pm EST on February 2nd to 10pm EST on February 3rd all items will be on sale in both of our stores: http://www.zencreations04.etsy.com and our new store: http://www.zencreationsjewelry.artfire.com
Get 10% to 25 % off all items! Discounts will already be applied to each item, so no need to wait for a revised invoice.

Also, 2 people will be chosen at random to receive a FREE GIFT!

Snow Day!

2009-01-27T09:13:00.002-05:00

It''s snowing here today, so Zoe and I have a day off of work and school. Just a few minutes ago we went for a walk around the neighborhood to check out the snow. We don't have enough just yet to go sledding, but Zoe seems to be enjoying the snow that we have so far:

The farm and mountains behind our house makes for a beautiful wintry scene:

The another nice thing about an unexpected day off is getting to list and work on new pieces. I just listed this icy necklace in my Etsy shop:

For now, Zoe and I are warming up by the fireplace with some hot chocolate. The snow is falling heavier outside and we're hoping to go sledding after lunch. I love snowy days!

A slow start

2009-01-18T19:39:00.002-05:00

Well, I have to say, 2009 is off to a slow start. I have recently stocked up on some gorgeous beads, but I have yet to complete a single piece of jewelry with them. I finished a new set of Valentine's Day jewelry - a necklace and matching pair of earrings. These new pieces will be added to the artfire shop this week. As for the rest, I believe I'm having a little bit of a creative block, so I've been trying to sit down a little bit every day until inspiration hits.

Back in the swing of things

2009-01-04T21:41:00.002-05:00

Well, the holidays are over, Christmas decorations are packed away and I think I finally got my house back to normal. Time to get back into the swing of things! I've ordered quite a few new beads, both glass and gemstone -- and I've very excited for them to come in. I also have a couple of new pieces to photograph and list in both the Etsy and Artfire shops. Keep your eye out for those new pieces soon!

Happy Holidays!!

2008-12-24T15:37:00.004-05:00

Happy Holidays from Zen Creations!!!

Artfire!!

2008-12-18T21:16:00.001-05:00

Today I joined Artfire and started setting up shop! I only have a few items listed so far, but watch for more new pieces to be added over the next few days!!

Store not available

Disney World 2008

2008-12-11T21:35:00.001-05:00

Sale! & Vacation!!

2008-11-26T22:15:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and with Thanksgiving comes Black Friday and fantastic sales. I will also be leaving early Friday morning for a vacation in Florida - Disney World! We're driving down (2 loong days!), but we're stopping in Georgia to visit with friends. My husband and I have been looking forward to this vacation for months, and our daughter has been super excited ever since we told her where we're going.

My shop will be staying open while I'm gone, but orders will not be shipped until we return from our vacation. I will, however, be posting sales throughout the week in my shop, so keep an eye out for great deals!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Ahhhhh.......

2008-11-16T01:02:00.003-05:00

Ahhhhh........ at last! A nice shiny new laptop, wireless internet AND a new camera to play with!!! To have a computer that not only moves quickly, but can actually handle the internet without having it shut it down every 10 minutes ----- I am in HEAVEN!!!!

Still need to play around with the new camera. Hope to experiment with it tomorrow (well, later today since it's 1 am right now), maybe even start added some new items to my shop after the jewelry home party this week.

Ahhhhhhh.... this is so nice!

8 Years & FREE Shipping

2008-11-04T12:33:00.003-05:00

Today Lance and I are celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary! It's hard to believe we've been married that long. To mark this occasion, I will be offering FREE SHIPPING in my Etsy shop from 9am EST today to 9am EST tomorrow (11/5).

Don't forget to vote today!

Getting organized

2008-11-01T14:26:00.001-04:00

Whew! A busy summer followed by an even busier fall has left my main workspace a mess! For the first time in over a month, I have an entire weekend without anything in particular to do. I sat down a little while ago to work on a few pieces and found that I couldn't because my workspace was such a mess. A little over an hour later, I have it clean up, beads, findings and wire put in their proper places and all my scrap wire in the scrap tray. Now I can finally get something done!

It's amazing how much of a mess can accumulate in such a short time. Back when I work as a jeweler full time, we cleaned up our benches every day before we left. Now, with working a full time job, taking care of the house, family, friends AND trying to run my own jewelry business --- well, something has to slide from time to time. LOL

My hours at my day job were recently cut back from 5 days a week to 4, which will allow me more time to create, photograph and list, and possibly keep my workspace in better shape. Well, maybe!

Vote for Kelly!!!

2008-10-27T19:47:00.004-04:00

If you have a few miniutes, vote for my cousin's wife Kelly. She entered in the Belly Pumpking contest that WKRZ is having. The winner gets a year of diapers!
Vote here. Look for Kelly McFarland.

Great Outdoors Festival -- this weekend!

2008-10-21T21:11:00.002-04:00

This weekend is the Great Outdoors Festival at Whitetail Ski resort. You don't want to miss this event if you are in the area! This festival has plenty to offer: good food, entertainment, demonstrations, crafts (look for Zen Creations!), Belgian Horse wagon rides, Penn State Timber Spors team, a climbing wall kids activities, and a ski, snowboard and golf swap.

Great Outdoors Festival
October 25 & 26th, 10am to 5pm
Adults - $6, Ages 6-12 & Seniors - $3, Under 5 - FREE
Whitetail Ski Resort
13805 Blairs Valley Road
Mercersburg, PA
http://www.skiwhitetail.com

Fulton Fall Folk Festival this weekend!!

2008-10-16T12:19:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow we head out for the Fulton Fall Folk Festival. It will be nice to vend at a craft show that is only 30 minutes from home. This is the first time vending at a 3 day show and our first time at Fulton Fall Folk Festival. So far, it looks like the weather is going to be nice. A real plus after all of our rainy craft shows this year!

Looking forward to tomorrow, but I still have plenty to do tonight to prep. Still need to finish pricing a few new pieces and packing up the jewelry, need to repack my displays before packing them up in the car. I had better get my checklist out and start checking things off when I get home from work!

Fulton Fall Folk Festival - this weekend

2008-10-13T12:35:00.002-04:00

I have 2 craft shows coming up:

35th Fulton Co. Fall Folk Festival
October 17, 18 & 19
Location: McConnellsburg, PA

Great Outdoors Festival:
Whitetail Ski Resort
October 25 & 26th
Location: Mercersburg, PA

We've been spending as much time as possible prepping for these events. The last few months have been very busy for us, and we've done 2x's as many craft shows this year as we did last year. Overall, it's been an extremely busy summer and fall. It certainly has been a challenge this year to balance family, health issues, Etsy Team duties, full time job, Etsy, craft shows and creating new pieces. As much as I enjoy creating jewelry, I am looking forward to taking a week off in December for our family vacation.

Bubbles!

2008-10-06T15:39:00.003-04:00

Just had to share this photo from the weekend. Thank you Sara for this picture!

Things have been very busy here lately. Between craft shows, making jewelry, home parties and family functions, I've barely had time to take a break! I do have some new pieces that are almost finished that I'm very excited about. Hope to post pictures of these pieces very soon!

Mercersburg Townfest 2008

2008-09-27T22:08:00.003-04:00

The day started out rainy and gray today, but it cleared up quickly and ended up being a beautiful day. This was our first year vending/attending Mercersburg Townfest and I have to say, this town really put on a nice little event. The local churches hosted breakfasts and lunches and the First United Methodist Church had rooms full of goods for sale, goodies to eat, music and a gym full of silent auction items. Outside on the streets of Mercersbug, there were vendors of all types, yummy foods, activities for the kids and music and dance performances.

I had the opportunity to meet Amy and view her absolutely beautiful jewelry up close. I especially loved her colorful chainmail pieces. I also got to meet another local Etsy seller - Mad for Needles.

Overall, it was a nice day, weather ended up being just right - not too hot, not too cold. Plus, it was fantastic to only have 6 minutes travel time to a craft show! Ahhh, there's nothing like tearing down, packing up, driving home and unloading only a few minutes later!!! I will post some pictures soon from this event.

Tomorrow, we have the alpaca event at Stone Meadow Alpacas. They have invited us to not only sell our line of Stone Meadow Alpaca jewelry, but our other designs as well. We will be there to set up at 9am and will stay unitl 4 - 4:30pm.

Alpaca!

2008-09-24T21:53:00.003-04:00

Recently I was commissioned by Stone Meadow Alpacas to create some jewelry using their logo for National Alpaca Farm Days 2008.
Here's a sneak peek at the jewelry:

These items will on display and available for purchase/order from 9am to 5pm on September 28th, 2008 @
Stone Meadow Alpacas
14514 Hollowell Church Rd.
Waynesboro, PA 17268
- at 10am there will be a small talk on the Alpaca Fiber industry and a free alpaca product will be given away. For more alpaca industry talks, fun, food, a fashion show, and prizes visit 6 participating farms nearby during the weekend. Visit http://www.cvalpacs.com for more information and scheduling details.

29th Annual Mercersburg Townfest - this weekend!

2008-09-23T11:21:00.004-04:00

This Saturday I will be vending at the 20th Annual Mercersburg Townfest. This is our first year doing this event and I'm very excited!! I've heard a lot of great things about it, and from the looks of the vendor map, there are 2 full streets full of vendors.

Mercersburg Townfest
Saturday, September 29th, 9am to 3pm
East and West Seminary Street + a portion of Main Street, Mercersburg, PA.
you can read more about it and view a list of vendors here.

*Zen Creations will be located on West Seminary Street, around the corner from The Mansion House, 3rd space in, diagonal from Mix 95.1.

Also - check this weeks Mercersburg Merchant for our ad and coupon for Townfest!!

Perez on Martha!

2008-09-18T12:08:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, the Queen of All Media, Perez Hilton was on Martha Stewart. I subscribe to the RSS feed for his blog and I find myself taking short breaks from work several times a day to read his posts. (I know, I'm an addict! LOL) He's made a name for himself, and while some hate him, a lot more people must love him since his blog gets sooo many hits and comments every single day. Maybe it's a love hate thing? Either way, I love to read it and you have to admit, it's amazing what he's built for himself from blogging.

Here's the clip from the show so you can check it out and enjoy. He gives some great tips on blogging:

I also have to mention that his efforts to slim down & shape up have really paid off. He looks great!

New fall goodies!

2008-09-16T12:16:00.003-04:00

I've been very busy the last few days, working on new pieces for my Etsy shop and Townfest. Here's a few of the new fall goodies in my shop!:

Fall Spiral Earrings

Coral and Carved Wood Necklace

Eye of the Storm Braclet

Falling Leaves Necklace

Getting ready

2008-09-11T15:36:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I went for what will hopefully be my second to last chemo treatment for a while. My Dr gave me some great news - my counts are up from 74,000 to 118,000! So I have just one more treamtent in December and then hopefully I'll get atleast a year of remission out of this. Yippee!!!

While I'm off work a few days, dealing with my chemo side effects, I'm trying to get some new pieces planned out and hopefully finish some that are already in progress. My next craft show is the Mercersburg Townfest in Mercersburg, PA on September 27th. This will be my first year doing this show and I look forward to doing this show.

Boonsboro Days 2008 Recap

2008-09-08T21:15:00.006-04:00

Saturday morning was gray and quickly turned to rain, but many sellers and shoppers still made it out to Boonsboro Days. I was glad we set up our canopy Friday night! We managed to get our area set up and ready to go before the rain began, and toughed it out as long as we could. Around 1-1:30pm everyong closed up shop for the day.

Sunday turned out to be beautiful, not too hot, not too cool. There were almost twice as many people there on Sunday as there was last year as well. We ended up making up for Saturday with shoppers and sales, and it appeared that everyone had a good time. In addition to the music, food and crafts, there was a classic car show, craft demonstrations and pony rides.

I took some pictures of my booth and one of my mom's booth. Check out her great fabric pumpkins!

www.flickr.com

Boonsboro Days 2008

2008-09-04T12:15:00.002-04:00

I'm putting the final touches on a few pieces tonight and then we will be ready for Boonsboro Days. Crossing my fingers that the rain will pass up by and we will have beautiful weather. This is one of my favorite craft shows for both vending and shopping! I got to seet some of my mom's new pieces that she will be selling this weekend. I might have to buy one of her rustic fabric pumpkins!

Check out this website for more information about Boonsboro Days and the history of the Boonsboro, MD area.

Boonsboro Days:
September 6th & 7th
Shafer Park,Boonsboro, MD

-We will be located near the rear of the band shell in Shafer Park. Last year we were between country/primative crafts vendor (my mom) and a candle vendor; across from Cedar Ridge Soaps. My mom's country/primitive crafts will be in the tent right next to our again this year so be sure to check out her stuff!

SPECIAL OFFER: Mention my blog and get 10% off your total Zen Creations purchase at Boonsboro Days!

Pretty little pearl earrings

2008-09-01T13:45:00.001-04:00

I've been busy this holiday weekend, finishing up pieces for Boonsboro Days. Last night I made several pairs of these pretty little pearl hoop earrings and I was so pleased with how they turned out, that I made a second set for my Etsy shop.

Here's a littl sneak peek:

I have 6 different colors in this style, which will be added to my shop over the next few days.

Boonsboro Days & Mercersburg Townfest

2008-08-25T12:45:00.006-04:00

Boonsboro Days:
September 6th & 7th
Shafer Park,Boonsboro, MD

-We will be located near the rear of the band shell in Shafer Park. Last year we were between country/primative crafts vendor and a candle vendor; across from a soap vendor. SPECIAL! Mention my blog and get 10% off your total Zen Creations purchase at Boonsboro Days!

Mercersburg Townfest:
September 27th, 9am to 3pm
Downtown - Mercersburg, PA
- more information will be posted later.

Also, I have added an events section to my blog to post a list of upcoming events. This will be updated as events are added.

Finally!

2008-08-24T13:40:00.003-04:00

Well, it took me longer than I would have liked, but I finally have several of my newest pieces photographed and ready to list. I listed on pendant necklace earlier this week, my current favorite:

Here's a sneak peak at another pendant and a pair of pyrite earrings that will be listed this week:

Boonsboro Days is coming up soon too! I just found out that I will have the same spot as last year, so I'm very excited about that!

Treasury & new items

2008-08-14T13:59:00.003-04:00

Created a team treasury today at lunch:

Still working on new designs. Tonight I'm going start taking pictures of the finished pieces and get them ready to list. Watch out for more new items soon!

On a Creative Roll

2008-07-29T20:16:00.001-04:00

Well, my plan for last week and this week was to list several of my newer pieces. So far, only one of these items has been listed. The reason for this is last week I received a shipment of beads, and ever since then I've been on a creative roll. It's one of those times where you have so many ideas and the materials on hand, and all you want to do is create all day long, never want it to end. Too bad I still have a day job! LOL

I will be going out of town Sunday to Wednesday, taking a little vacation with my parents. Before I go, I'm going to list a few of these new pieces, including a dazzling little Swarovski crystal ring.

A Nice Surprise

2008-07-27T01:05:00.000-04:00

I have been looking for another event to vend at in August, since I can't make it to the Mercersburg Lion's Club event (due to a wedding up north). Today that information came right to me - the answer was sitting in my mailbox! After spending the last year and half searching out every possible craft show and community event in this area, it was nice to have someone actually send information to me.

At this point, I had figured that August would be devoted to just making pieces and keeping my Etsy shop updated -- prepping and stocking up for fall shows and home parties. This event looks to be perfect, table fees are very reasonable, location is about 30 minutes from home, show is 1 day and ends at 2pm. Tomorrow I need to call and get a little bit information.

Now I just need to get my butt in gear and start making everything that I've been sketching and laying out these last 2 weeks.

Downtime!

2008-07-22T12:24:00.002-04:00

Everyone needs a few days off sometimes! After being so busy with my last 2 shows, and planning/having Zoe's birthday party this past weekend, I decided to take a few days off to recharge and catch up on some of the little things.

Most of my new supplies have come in and I already have tons of design ideas swimming around in my head. I also have quite a few new pieces, either finished, photographed and ready to list, or almost done and ready to be photgraphed in a day or two.

Keep your eye out for new designs soon!

Summer Fun!

2008-07-16T12:44:00.003-04:00

I decided to take a little break after having 2 craft shows in 2 weeks. It will be a few days until some of the supplies I ordered are in, so what better way to make use of this time than to have fun with the family!

First off, we spent the afternoon with my parents at my mom's work picnic. Zoe had a great time throwing water ballons and riding in the bumper boats.

Last night, we went to the Greencastle Fireman's carnival and met up with some friends. The kids had fun on the rides and we finally got a chance to hear the Borough Boogie Pickers.

I took some pictures of my newer pieces Monday night, so tonight I will be listed some new items, and at least one new item each day for the next two weeks. Keep your eye out for new items!

Sidewalk Days!

2008-07-12T08:16:00.003-04:00

Well, another Sidewalk Days has come and gone. This year was certainly interesting! First off, we get there at 6:15 am to find that we have been moved from our spot in the square (our spot last year) to a spot up the street near Willow Tree Gifts. So, thanks to someone's poor planning, we had to make some major adjustments to our set up, going from a nearly flat space in teh street where we could use the entire 10 x10 space to a sloped (in two directions!) space where we lose a foot of our tent to the curb. Oh, and you haven't lived until you've had tractor trailers roll by your tent, about 6 to 12 inches from it!

Lance and I had to think on our feet and make the best of the space we were given. Using jewelry trays to prop up our tables on one end to keep things from sliding off and sitting out next to our spot (in the sun -- yikes!) instead of inside our tent. We had a lot of people tells that they thought we decided not to return this year since we were not in our spot from last year, but I was glad people bothered to look for us!

Overall --- despite the sunburn, tractor trailers and sloped space ---- I'd have to say we did have a great show, and I was pleased to find more people familiar with Etsy.

41st Annual Greencaslte-Antrim Sidewalk Days!

2008-07-10T12:43:00.001-04:00

Greencastle-Antrim Sidewalk Days
July 11 from 8:30 am to 8:30pm
July 12 from 8:30 am to 4pm

Over 100 vendors will be at this event, located in and around the square in Greencastle, PA. My space will be located in the northwest corner of the square, near the First National Bank.

If you have some time this weekend, please stop by and check out this event!

Summer Jubilee- July 4th, Waynesboro, PA

2008-07-04T11:33:00.003-04:00

Here's a quick photo of my booth at the Summer Jubilee (July 4th). While it wasn't hot, it was rainy off an on all day. It didn't seem to bother all the people who came out, but it did make keeping things dry hard! LOL We ended up running to my mom's house and borrowing her red tent sides to keep my displays and tables dry.

This friday and saturday is the Greencastle Sidewalk Days.
More info on this event will be posted soon!

Getting Ready

2008-07-02T22:14:00.002-04:00

This Friday, July 4th, I will be doing a local craft show in Waynesboro, PA - Summer Jubilee. This will be the first time Zen Creations will be vending at this event, so I don't really know what to expect. This will also be the first time we will be using our new folding shelves that we bought at Ollies a few weeks ago. I love them for 2 reasons, 1. they fold nice and flat - great for transporting them, and 2. they can hold 3 displays on each shelf. My displays were really tight at the last show, so this will allow me to display more goods in less space and put it at the customer's eye level.

Our new shirts from VistaPrint came in today. Very pleased with how they turned out. Maybe I can get Lance to model the shirt and hat on Friday and post it here! My labels also came in today, so I spent about an hour sticking them on various sized white jewelry boxes. I think they add a nice touch, and hopefully bring customers to my Etsy shop in the future.

Still waiting on an order from Firemountaingems.com . Hopefully it will come in tomorrow and I can use the new displays I ordered on Friday. Tomorrow night will be filled with packing up my displays, Lance packing up the car and organizing beads and findings to take and work on during the show.

Cross your fingers that it doesn't rain on the 4th!

Old school Etsy

2008-06-26T12:38:00.001-04:00

I should have added this last week when I was celebrating my 3rd anniversary, but here's a screenshot of what Etsy looked like when I joined:

What I have learned over the last 3 years...

2008-06-19T08:05:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow (june 19th) I am celebrating 3 years of selling on Etsy.com. Tonight I spent an hour or so looking through the first few pages of sales I had on Etsy, going over the photos, reading the listings, and thinking back to when I first started out. The site, my work and my shop has changed a lot in those 3 years!

So, what I have I learned? Well, I learned that it takes a lot of time to sell online. Time creating, time photographing, and most of all, time promoting. 3 years ago I had no idea what a blog was, how to make a banner, barely used forums, and didn't even know what an avatar is! LOL

Photographing your work in a way that not only shows off the piece, but will also catch your customer's eye is key. My early photographs were badly lit and taken from too far away. Once I learned how to use the macro on my camera, experimented with using different colored backgrounds and photo editing software -- my photographs really improved.

Probably the most important thing I learned was that YOU have to promote your shop. A lot of times people sign up for a shop on Etsy, list their items and expect to sell right away. You really do have to work hard on getting your name and your work out there. It takes a lot of time and effort, but it's worth it in the end. Sure, sometimes you get lucky, the right person sees your work at the right time, talks it up and your shop takes off. But that's not always the case, so you have to make things happen for yourself.

Celebrating 3 Years On Etsy! Sale!

2008-06-17T13:41:00.002-04:00

Zen Creations is celebrating 3 years with Etsy.com on Thursday, June 19th at http://zencreations04.etsy.com.

From 12am to 11pm EST I will be offering 15% off all regular priced items in my shop . To get your discount, enter this code in the Message to Seller box when purchasing: 3RD YEAR . Complete your order, but Do not use the payment link Etsy provides. I will send you an invoice with the discount applied to your total.

Don't forget: etsy has a shopping cart function, making shopping on Etsy even easier!

2 buyers will be chosen at random to recieve 20% off, 1 buyer will get 25% their total purchase and 2 people will get a free gift! All orders over $80 will get FREE shipping!

Greencastle, Mercersburg and Hagerstown residents - if you want your order delivered or arrange a pick up, please let me know and I will remove the shipping fees.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, or you can find me from 8pm to 11pm EST in a chat room at Etsy.com. The location and password for the chat room will be posted in my shop that evening at 7:55pmEST.

To enter the chat room, you will need an Etsy.com user account. To get one, go to http://etsy.com and create an account. It only takes a few minutes, and it's free to sign up!

Please feel free to pass this information along to family and friends and watch for more new items to be listed throught the week!

Treasury!

2008-06-16T23:14:00.005-04:00

Here are 2 great treasuries that feature some of my jewelry. Thanks MonkeyBuns!

and JewelryCreations!

A sneak peek...

2008-06-10T20:23:00.003-04:00

The last 3 weeks I have been getting Rituxan treatments for ITP. I spend 1 day a week at the hospital getting it and the next few days not feeling all that well. Trying to make the best out of this sitation by using this time off from my day job to work on new pieces. The result is several new pieces which will be listed in my Etsy shop over the next few weeks.

Here's a sneak peek for my loyal blog readers!

New Website!

2008-06-10T16:18:00.003-04:00

Check out the new Zen Creations website!

Zen Creations Jewelry

I'm loving the design!!! I don't have a shopping cart yet, so for now, everything will link back to the sections in my Etsy shop. It's geat to have matching business cards, blog, website, banner, car magnets and Etsy banner.

5 tips for making the best out of a bad craft show

2008-06-08T13:24:00.003-04:00

OK, so we've all been there. You sign up for a craft show, spend weeks getting ready, you get there, set up and then.............. nothing. If you're lucky, you make your space fee back, plus a little extra, but then there are times where you just don't sell a thing. It's even worse if it's a craft show that you've done well at in the past.

So, what do you do? Quit? Go home early? Stop doing shows? No. You make the best of it. Here are my top 5 tips for making the best out of a bad craft show:

1. Work on new pieces. This has 2 benfits. The first is you get somework done instead of just sitting around all day. The second is people can watch you work on your creations and a lot of times this sparks interest. People like it when they can see that what you selling is handmade by you. Even better when they've watched you make the piece they bought.

2. Research - Customers. Listen to what people are taking about when they are looking at your goods. What pieces get the most compliments? What pieces get overlooked? What colors are people drawn too, etc. Listen to your target audience and what their needs are so you can work on filling that need.

3. Research - Displays and packaging. Take a walk around and look at other people's displays and packaging. Find inspiration from that for your own displays. Take some time to consider your displaying needs, what works in your booth now and how you can improve it for the next show.

4. Find your "hot spot". Every booth at a craft show has a "hot spot", that one place where people always seem to notice first in your space. That spot that, whatever you put there, people notice it and it draws them in. Once you've found that spot, try changing the pieces that are there every so often and see which draws people in the most.

5. Network. This is the perfect time to network with other crafters in your area. Talk to the other vendors and found out about future craft shows, contact info, suppliers, etc. These are people that you will most likely run into again and again at local shows and it doesn't hurt to get to know them a little bit.

Strawberries!

2008-06-03T11:59:00.003-04:00

This Saturday the Mercersburg Lioness Club is hosting the Strawberry Festival in Mercersburg, PA. If you're in the area, stop by the Lion's Club Park from 9am to 3pm and check out the crafts, food, strawberries and fun dog show. Don't forget to look for us while you're there!

Here are some great Strawberry items that I found @ Etsy.com!

Etsy
Buy Handmade
zencreations04

The little things count!

2008-06-01T17:02:00.002-04:00

One of the things I have learned over the last 3 years is that all the little things make a difference with advertising -- never miss an opportunity. For instance - your bags at craft shows. Bags are a perfect opportunity to advertise your goods. You should always include your business cards in your bags. I usually use some of the downtime at shows to stuff bags with my business cards. That way, if you get a rush of customers, your bags are all ready to go.

Another thing I started doing was decorating my bags. You don't have to spend a lot of money on your bags, and it only takes a little time to spruce them up a bit. Since I sell jewelry, I can get away with smaller bags. I purchase the brown paper bags from the grocery store and decorate them with 3 different stamps. The first one is a long bamboo stamp, the second is a Z stamp and the third is my business stamp which includes my Etsy shop address. They're cheap, simple and look better than plastic bags.

Banner, part 2.

2008-05-30T15:00:00.000-04:00

It's finished!

I painted in the larger areas first, concentrating on the black and green. Next I painted in all of the smaller areas, the lines and dots. Finally, I did the lettering and painted an off white boarder around the outside. I am very pleased with the end result and I think this will work well for the front of one of my tables. Next time, I'm going to make a larger one for one side of my tent.

Making my own banner, part 1

2008-05-23T10:14:00.005-04:00

I've looked over all my options for a banner for my craft show set-up, and none of them seemed to be what I wanted. Too costly, too little choices for design, etc. So, I decided that I should just make my own, and I couldn't be happier with the results so far.

Here's what I did:

1. I made a trip to our local Joanne's Fabric for muslin and paint. Muslin costs only $1.99 a yard, easy to cut and paint on. I bought 2 yards of it, plenty to make a couple of different sized banners, but right now I'm focusing on just one. Next, I blew up my postcard and taped the pages together.

2. I taped up the blown up copy of the postcard and traced it on white paper with a black sharpie marker. The black sharpie can be seen through the muslin and makes it much easier to transfer the design onto the muslin.

3. Next I postioned the black and white copy under the muslin and traced the design onto the muslin.

4. I don't own a sewing maching, so I iron on stips of fusing web to create neat and clean edges.

5. Now I am ready to paint!

Zen Creations - table set up

2008-05-15T12:29:00.002-04:00

Zen Creations
Originally uploaded by zencreations04

One last picture for today. This one is of my table. I think Suzy took a much better one, but I like how I caught Lance making his way behind the table in this one!

Tomorrow I will post some more pictures from this event.

Shared table - Project Felt and Hobbledehoy

2008-05-15T12:28:00.001-04:00

Shared table - Project Felt and Hobbledehoy
Originally uploaded by zencreations04

Liz and Tara's table. I really think their stuff looks great together!!!

Syd of Dottedwithhearts and ShopofLittleHorrors

2008-05-15T12:26:00.002-04:00

Syd of Dottedwithhearts and ShopofLittleHorrors
Originally uploaded by zencreations04

Just finally getting back into the swing of things after this weekend. The craft show went really well, not as busy as everyone would have liked, but I think we all had a great time getting to know each other, hanging out, selling a few things, etc. Seph did a fantastic job with the music and everyone seemed to love the unusual setting.

Here's a picture of Syd from Dottedwithhearts and Shopoflittlehorrors at her table!

Uwishunu.com write up

2008-05-08T12:26:00.002-04:00

Sara did a nice little write-up about our craft show, check it out: http://www.uwishunu.com/not-your-grandmothers-craft-show-this-weekend/

Promos are packed and ready to do in the Jeep. I'm really impressed with the promos that were sent from such a wide variety of Etsy sellers! I will take a picture of the promo table on Saturday and post here as soon as I can.

Now I just have to finish getting vendor info organized, $$ to pay for the venue ready and get the car packed up tonight. Tomorrow its a short day at work, followed by a 3 hour drive to Philly to get the venue ready for Saturday. I can't wait!

Craft show in Philly this weekend!!!!

2008-05-07T10:47:00.000-04:00

If you are in the area on Saturday, please stop by and join in on the fun!

Corner of 48th and Woodland Ave. - across from the ball field.

Not Your Grandma's Craft Show! Vendor List

2008-04-29T12:41:00.003-04:00

Next weekend is the Mason-Dixon & Philly Etsy Team joint craft show!!! I can't wait to get together and meet more of my fellow Etsy sellers!

Here's a sneak peek at the amazing vendors that will be at this event:

Etsy
Buy Handmade
projectfelt

Etsy
Buy Handmade
zencreations04

Etsy
Buy Handmade
hobbledehoy

Etsy
Buy Handmade
TranquilityJewelry

Etsy
Buy Handmade
pheajean

Etsy
Buy Handmade
dottedwithhearts

Etsy
Buy Handmade
beckyaugustine

Etsy
Buy Handmade
ShopOfLittleHorrors

Etsy
Buy Handmade
Cbeauty

Etsy
Buy Handmade
DesignsByPat

Etsy
Buy Handmade
allisonostertag

Etsy
Buy Handmade
BijouxByAllison

Etsy
Buy Handmade
insitudecorativearts

Etsy
Buy Handmade
LemonDrops2

Etsy
Buy Handmade
jadevixen555

Etsy
Buy Handmade
KlaatuCollection

Magnets!

2008-04-28T21:41:00.003-04:00

I recently ordered some car door magnets from Vistaprint.com and they just came in! I got one for each of our cars, plus one for my mom's car. I love the design so much, I ordered business cards and postcards to match. I think they stand out on our blue cars.

Although I think Lance needs to wash his car! LOL

Last day for Team Members to reserve their spot!

2008-04-20T20:35:00.003-04:00

Today is the last day for members of the Philly and Mason-Dixon teams to get in their entry fees for our joint craft show! As it stands right now, we have 10 spaces taken, and 3 more that have express interest. If I have already contacted you or sent you an invoice, a space will be held for you, but only for 2 days. Please pay your invoices for your space asap.

Any new additions to our vendor list will have their etsy mini's added to the myspace page tomorrow.