Fall Arrives in Rochester, NY

Yes I know fall is here.  Last night I baked the first vegetable bread of the season.  It was great as a dessert after breakfast today. Any guess as to what this is?  Shown on my counter top which is why I love baking. 

Seems a bittersweet end to summer this year.  Below are a few of my beach glass rings in sterling silver.  I collected the glass myself on the shores of Lake Ontario right here in Rochester.  the weather went from super hot to wet and the vegetable garden never seems adjust.  I have happy lettuce, cooking greens, Parsnips, Leeks, & Radishes.  We just planted a new crop of Broccoli which I hope to harvest by the end of October. 


Preparing for a women retreat this week, 7th Annual "Inspiring Success:The Women Ties Retreat." The date is approaching fast, event is on Thursday.  I have some new designs and a few of the best sellers to bring with me.  Plan to show off my custom cut gemstones, so I am ready for special orders.  As always, prepaid orders shipped free to the buyer and free gift wrapping.  Panda Wear is excited to be there this year, our first.  have been hearing great things about it for a few years.   The group's lunch events are always educational and fun events so worth the time. 
The rest of my fall schedule is up in the air right now.  I am still adding new items to my website weekly.  Also learning Instagram and twitter as time allows.  I will update my schedule online when i have a list of shows I am doing.  I do plan is to spend some time outside tonight for the Lunar Eclipse.  is is going to be a well photographed event, especially by several of  my photography friends.   They will have some stunning pics to share later this week, I am sure  Not even trying to take any myself.

 $99 until 10:30am EST 9/28/15.  Turquoise pendant flash sale. PM me for the sale price. Details of the piece on my website: Turquoise


My shops:  Panda Wear Website
                   Cabochons and Supplies
 
Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Pinterest: Pinterest 

Labor Day and Taking Time off

 As a small business owner one thing we forget its to take care of ourselves.  I am using the time off to rejuvenate myself.  It worked wonders on Memorial Day weekend.  It is good to take time off and take personal me time.  I have started putting it on my calendar.  I always tell my entrepreneur  friends to do this, I need to practice what I preach.

How you spend the time is going to be your decision.  It will be different for you and me.  What relaxes me may not be your cup of tea.  Even a nice relaxing soak in a hot tub may be all you need.  think about a special  weekend with you significant other and both unplug and enjoy each others company.  The get away does not need to be a million dollar getaway and cross the ocean for it to be time off(down time).  Just relax and enjoy it. 

Enjoying the three day weekend.  The heat wave, over 90 today,  means we are spending much time in the pool.  Will be harvesting more from my garden this week.  Have made tomatoes into sauce twice this year. here is my harvest from last week.  guess what these are?  At right as the full plant and below as a close of of the edible part of the plant. 

Amazed it is Labor Day weekend all ready.  It seems like it was just the forth of July.  This summer seemed to zoom by for me.  would not know it is the unofficial end of summer by the 90's outside now.  As for me and fall it is way past time to start working on my show schedule for the end of year holidays.  Also to make some fall and winter items.  Hard to think of the fall items when it is so nice to just swim in my backyard.  Will have some new jewelry photos of my new items soon.  

Below is a piece of Owyhee Sunset Jasper.
more here   Rock slabs

Follow Panda Wear on FB, Twitter, IG and here to keep up with my new pieces and my specials. 

My shops:  Panda Wear Website
                 Cabochons and Supplies


Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Pinterest: Pinterest 
Instagram: Instagram

Smoke and Mirrors - Etsy Motto

How Etsy redefined handmade.  If you can not be what your company your polices state, change the legal definition of a word to suit what you have become.  Most of the quoted pieces are shown with a bold heading. 

Etsy Credit card reader October 2014.
launched for sellers to record in person sales and inflate etsy sales figures.  How to provided by Etsy with details in the how to us section how to enter cash and check sales into it to track all the sales in one place.  

HOW ETSY REDEFINED HANDMADE- to allow the factories to continue selling there wares on etsy for less than the materials cost here in the USA. 

https://www.etsy.com/help/article/483
quote "HANDMADE items are designed and created by the shops that sell them. Because transparency matters on Etsy, we ask sellers to list shop members and share information about manufacturers involved in creating their items."

April 2012 https://blog.etsy.com/news/2012/the-who-of-handmade/

October 2013

https://blog.etsy.com/news/2013/notes-from-chad-11/

Quote from Etsy blog April 2012
"Our mission has always included a desire to bring the human element back to commerce. Since Etsy began in 2005, “handmade” has more specifically meant “handmade by the seller.” In Etsy’s earliest days, “the seller” often meant one person — an artisan — who did everything herself, from sourcing materials, to design, to production, to shop management and customer service, to order
fulfillment.... "  so now it falls within the guidelines to have a manufacture produce your design, and even ship it to the buyer for you.  not hand made as most of us understand it.

 I now sell on my stand alone website.  I have many friends online and am part of a fantastic group.  Many of us have left Etsy as a place to sell our work.
Sellergroup
We are a group of vintage, handmade and supply buyers and sellers.  

This is a sterling silver pendant showing the beauty of beach glass from Lake Ontario here in
Rochester, NY.   

 This is a sterling silver ring showing the beauty of beach glass from Lake Ontario here in
Rochester, NY.   

I sell this as a made to order One of a kind item.  you pick the color and size and i make this just for you.  Beach Ring

My shops:  Panda Wear Website
                   Cabochons and Supplies


Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Pinterest: Pinterest 
Instagram: Instagram


I have included some of the original information with links to Etsy's own blog so you can read in depth yourself.  My conclusions:

•  they do not care about anything but their profits 
• the goal of the site promoting commercial goods
• ignore vintage items
• hide and arrange your numbers to sell as much stock to as many as possible
• when all else fails mute the seller and remove them from the site.   This has been done to many sellers there.  Muting means you can not post in the Etsy forums to share ideas or have problems worked on.  they can remove your shop if you do.  This has happend to several sellers I know.