Spring....already?

One of my guilty pleasures is a subscription to InStyle Magazine. I received my December copy a week or so ago and have indulged in its pages when I have a couple of minutes to spare. Then here arrives my January issue filled with information on Spring fashion! What? Already? Winter is not even officially started yet the style mags are starting to talk about what to wear this spring...I am just not ready for this.

As I'm working to fill all the Christmas holiday orders, I can't even bring myself to think about Valentine's Day, Easter, First Holy Communion, Mother's Day....all the upcoming holidays and celebrations that sometimes involve jewelry.

Even so, I'm kind of excited to see that one of the big trends coming in spring is the return to pastel colors. I saw rainbows of soft yellows, pinks, aquas, mints, peaches, and lavenders. It should be a lovely fashion season. BUT, I'm going to get there when I'm good and ready. It will have to wait just a bit longer.

A treasury feature...

I don't usually post here when others include my work in a treasury, but this particular treasury is just beautiful. The curation is really nice and includes a mixture of chocolate browns to enjoy. I thought I'd throw up the link here in case anyone was interested in seeing it.

Featured Etsy Shop: OhDearWatson

I'm getting to know some of my fellow teammates on the Aspiring Artisan's Guild on Etsy, and I wanted to share one of them so that others might get to know them better, too!

OhDearWatson is a lovely little vintage shop owned by a husband and wife team. Amanda and Cody have only been married since 2010, but together they are growing a small Etsy business with a shared love of all things vintage. Amanda told me that her appreciation for flea markets and items from earlier times comes from her mother and grandmother - something I share as well.

So Cody and Amanda peruse local estate sales and auctions for just the right items to add to their online store. Though the store is relatively small, there is a wonderful selection of unique finds. One of my personal favorites is this pair of Aunt Jemima and Uncle Moses shakers...

Vintage Aunt Jemima & Uncle Moses Shakers from OhDearWatson on Etsy.

They are in really good shape, and I nice set for collectors.

Something else I just really like is this little coffee canister...

Vintage Knobler Instant Coffee Jar from OhDearWatson on Etsy.

I just really like it! It's so cute and perky. I love vintage kitchen items, and I would love to have this in my kitchen. If only I had room!

Finally, I really like these Merry Mushroom canisters from Sears & Roebuck because my mom used to have a set of ceramic ones just like them. My brother has them now. He's so lucky...too bad he doesn't know what he's got!

Vintage Merry Mushroom Canisters from OhDearWatson on Etsy.

That's just a few of the goodies OhDearWatson has in their shop. I only chatted once with Amanda, but she is really sweet and very willing to share about her passion. I can't wait to see what sweet little finds they add to their shop next! Stop by their shop and check them out!

Treasury Time!

If you love to look at Etsy treasuries, check out the ones I made over Black Friday weekend.

Here's a little treasury shout-out to my two teams: SAHMs of Etsy Team and Aspiring Artists' Guild. I combined listings from both teams to create this treasury. Also a gift guide for mom and child. :)

This treasury is all about blue, focusing solely on AAG. Also a gift guide for the gal who loves blue!

Red, black and white - like a scotty dog with a colorful scarf. ? This treasury is fun to see!

Gifts for him under $75 - check it out. :) Very ecclectic.

Finally, a really popular treasury focusing on eco-friendly gift giving from AAG. Already received over 2100 hits! Seriously?

BLACK FRIDAY & CYBER MONDAY!!!

They say you shouldn't type in all caps because it looks like you're yelling. But, um, hello? BLACK FRIDAY IS HERE! Don't miss out! Etsy is crawling with fantastic deals this weekend. Some are Friday, some are Monday, and some, like at my shop, last all weekend long! Stop by ECJ for 15% off everything in the store, including all sale items! Here are a few of the items I recommend for your shopping list...

Tree of Life Pendant on sale for $17.

Ceramic Silk and Chain Necklace on sale for $52.70


Hanukkah Menorah Charm Bracelet on sale for $18.70

Black Tie Tack Pin on Sale for $17.

Those are just a couple of different ideas. Of course I have gift certificates (one size fits all!) and tons of earrings, bracelets, necklaces...you name it...for all budgets and tastes. Don't hesitate to ask about something custom - there's still time to get something that's just right for you or your loved one. :)

Are you ready for Black Friday & Cyber Monday?

So my fall sale has been very successful...lots of people have come to the shops to check out the steals and deals, and many of those sale pieces are now gone. BUT, the fun doesn't stop there. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are fast approaching. What kind of retailer would I be if I didn't humbly observe two of the biggest shopping days of the year? ;)

Keep watching for details on what kind of madness I'm bound to come up with for sales and deals. It's an opportunity not to be missed!!

HUGE Fall SALE!!!

ECJ and ECR are having a HUGE fall sale! Click here for the sale items to be found at EC Jewelry, and click here for the items at EC Rosaries. Deep discounts on many items, this is not a sale to be missed. A great time to pick up something special for yourself or maybe get some early Christmas shopping done!

As always, if you have any questions, let me know. I pride myself on having excellent customer service!

Gift Certificates Now Available at ECJ!

Yep, now you can buy the perfect gift for your loved one without having the burden of choosing what piece of jewelry to buy! Available electronically or on paper in denominations of $25, $50, $75 or $100.

Gift Registry Now Available at ECJ!

I'm very pleased to announce a new service available at Exhausted Creativity - Gift Registry! If you found something you really want, tell me, and then tell your loved ones to contact me.
Send me an e-mail or convo me through the Etsy shops with a list of your favorite items, and I'll keep a record of them. Then, tell your loved ones how to find me. There are 3 easy ways to reach me:

1) Through the Etsy shops - www.exhaustedcreativity.etsy.com and www.ecrosaries.etsy.com Go to my shops and click the contact button on the lefthand side of the shop screen. You can send me an e-mail this way if you are a registered Etsy user.

2) Send me a direct e-mail - skip the Etsy site altogether and just send an e-mail! A good option for anyone not registered with Etsy yet. Contact me at ecrosaries (at) hotmail (dot) com.

3) Call me - 815 Five Five Seven 06 Seven Four

The best way for this to work is to see what's on the websites before explaining what you like or want made. If something you liked sold, I may be able to recreate it or make something similar, so don't let that stop you. And if cost is an issue, I may be able to make the item with less expensive components to help save a little money. Just ask - I'm happy to work with you!

Gift wrapping and expedited shipping are also available to help make holiday shopping a little easier for everyone. Start your shopping now for the best selection of ready-to-ship items!

Another wonderful season is under way! Enjoy it, and happy shopping!

Holiday Gift Services Now Available!

Exhausted Creativity is pleased to announce that gift wrap and expedited shipping services are now available at both Etsy shops.

If you purchase an item from either Exhausted Creativity Jewelry or ECRosaries, you may also choose the gift wrap option. For a modest fee, I will wrap your gift in the paper of your choice, finish it with curling ribbon, and even hand-write a note composed by you. Priority Mail is the standard shipping option, but expedited shipping options are availble for an additional charge.


So even the last-minute shopper need not fear! However, please note these holiday shipping deadlines provided by USPS.com, especially for the military!

Happy shopping!

Forgot to mention, I was featured a while back!

Back when I was transferring the old blog to here, my shops were featured by my SAHMs of Etsy team. It was a really nice feature. The link is here if you'd like to check it out. The site is great for seeing the other talented moms and dads from my team!

Gearing up for the holidays!

So the holidays are approaching rapidly, and Exhausted Creativity is getting ready.

Holidays? Like...Christmas? But that's, like, 3 months away! Well, actually, it's 2 and half months away, and it gets here a lot faster than I'd like.

So how is Exhausted Creativity going to make your holidays easier? Look for these new options within the next few weeks:

*Gift Wrapping in your choice of papers with a hand written note composed by you
*Expedited shipping options
*Shipping directly to your gift recipient
*More stocking stuffers, gifts for teachers, Secret Santa, office gift exchange, and those folks who seem to have everything
*More jewelry for men
*Most importantly....personalized service. Let me know how I can make your experience better and I will do my best to accomodate you!

Stop by the shops before the Christmas rush. If you don't see something you want, drop me a line, and let's make it happen!

www.exhaustedcreativity.etsy.com
www.ecrosaries.etsy.com

I've been featured!

I am a very proud member of the SAHM of Etsy team. For those of you not familiar with the acronym, SAHM means stay-at-home-mom. This team is made up entirely of moms and dads who stay at home and run Etsy shops. Everyone sells something a little different, which adds nice variety to the group.

I am honored to let everyone know that my shops have been featured on the SAHM of Etsy team blog. You can find the post here.

By the way, I'm also very pleased to be starting my blog here on Blogger. If you have followed me from my blog at WordPress, Welcome!! If you are new to my blog, Welcome and thanks for stopping by. I hope to share my latest listings, ideas, dreams and schemes, and maybe a little bit about family and faith. Enjoy! ;)