Handmade at Amazon - Thank you

I am so happy to see this and happier for my crafting friends who will be selling through Amazon.

  At launch, Handmade at Amazon will include about 5,000 sellers from 50 states and 60 countries offering 80,000 items. Amazon takes a 12 percent fee from overall sales made by Handmade at Amazon sellers and includes payment processing, discounted shipping and access to other Amazon services. There’s no listing fee or monthly fee to start. In contrast, New York-based Etsy has 1.5 million sellers and 21.7 million buyers as of June 30. It takes a 3.5 percent fee on overall sales and a 20 cent listing fee per item listed. They also differ in terms of manufacturing policy. Amazon says sellers have to fill out an online application to be approved to sell on the site and all items sold on the site must be “factory-free” and not made by manufacturers. New York-based Etsy, on the other hand, started letting some merchants apply to use manufacturers for some products in 2013 [and this is where Etsy screwed up by going for large profits]. In September, Etsy said it was creating a new Etsy manufacturing marketplace to make it easier for its sellers to find “responsible production assistance.” Manufacturers can apply to be part of the program and Etsy approves them based on certain criteria.
   http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/oct/08/amazon-challenges-etsy-with-handmade-at-amazon/ 

Sorry for my absence

Just an FYI - I am dealing with health issues and plan to get back to posting soon.
Summer was long, hot and due to wildfires, very smokey.. It left me breathless which is a not good thing.  Starting to feel better now that fall is here and fall has truly arrived as leaves started changing over the weekend. 
So here's a pic of an earlier piece - enjoy

Why free stuff is killing creativity

Excellent article on why being an independent, successful artist is essentially a thing of the past.

Although I craft for pleasure and the occasional pin money it's a shame that this is occurring.

http://morningswithmadge.com/free-stuff-is-killing-creativity/

A new piece & an update

  I'll start with the update. Due to health issues including surgery last fall I just haven't had the energy to keep this blog updated. I am feeling better so may post here more often. I dropped out of a couple blog hops and didn't even pick up the kits from my LBS.

  I did however complete this piece.  I have friends on the Big Island who used to have Great Pyrenees.  They currently have a dog who is similar to their Pyrs but she has a more pointed muzzle. Somewhere in my travels I picked up the dog charm and realized it closely resembles their current dog. So white beads because of the Pyrs, turquoise and silver because they both like SW art and jewelry and the dog charm. Peyote stitch and a strong magnet clasp.

  First pick is the completed bracelet, the second in the happy owner modeling it.

Ma-halo, y'all.