Your Momma Shops Etsy 7 of 10

Blue Denim Flowers Clutch Bag (Sale…Free Shipping) $22.00

lolos

Gourmet Tea Flavor Sampler (in a beautiful tin 75 Bags in all) $11.00

teaman

Crocheted Necklace 3 Tiered--Short Pale Blue $25.00

Sumpin Else

Misty Swirls - Lovely Fluorite and Purple Velvet Swarovski Crystals $9.00

lunaessence

Above please find 7 of 10 in the series Your Momma Shops Etsy. After this, only 3 more installments. We hope you are enjoying these Etsy finds as much as we are!

The week has gone by quickly. This is the first time I've been home before 9 p.m. and I'm finally getting a chance to sit down at the computer with more than 5 minutes to spare. Of course now that I have the time my brain has disengaged.

I have been keeping up with your emails and tweets. I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy hearing from everyone. Many times it has nothing to do with our Etsy shop or work just a "...hello." It is awesome to receive one of these little messages during the day. Sometimes they come at the best of times--you know the moment when you need to hear a positive word that will put a smile on your face. So please keep them coming--I will respond.

Until next time,

Carmen

Your Momma Shops Etsy 6 of 10

Autism Charity Print Please do not label me 8 by 10 print with free aceo your choice $10.00

backroomtreasures

tiny Envelope Necklace $75.00

LOOKAjewelry

Infinity Plus One, Fine Silver Infinity Ring Plus One Stacking Ring $35.00

seababejewelry

Travel Log-Journal—Compact $10.00
Sumpin Else

Brief entry this evening since it's been a long day and the weather here in Orlando is too beautiful to stay indoors. Caught you up on the weekend and life was good Saturday and Sunday. Monday brought its typical Monday disasters. Why can't we just start the week on Tuesday? I guess we would only delay the inevitable for one more day then Tuesday would be Monday, and Wednesday would be Tuesday--ok, enough I'm confused.

Above please find our three Etsy finds and artists for Monday (and one of ours). We hope you enjoy and explore. Until Wednesday (why is there an "d" in this word and why is it silent) when we feature three more plus one from us.

Carmen

Your Momma Shops Etsy 5 of 10

Singer Series Necklace Number 32 $58.00

TimothyAdamDesign

Vanilla Bean Latte Soap $4.25

OsayinHolistics

And We Danced-Mother of Pearl $65.00

CreativeAddictions09

Where are you going my little one… $20.00

Sumpin Else

Today marks the midpoint of our special "Your Momma Shops Etsy" feature. We continue with some of Etsy's best artists, jewelry makers and crafters. So far, your feedback has been very positive. The comments have been slow but your emails have been many--that's ok it more personal that way! Either way we love hearing from you so keep the comments and emails coming.

What are you doing?

Finally broke down Thursday night and signed up to Twitter. Learning the ropes but having a great time with it so far. I don't know why I waited this long. Wonderful tool for staying connected. Thanks to all those Etsyians that kept promoting the site and singing its praises.

Participated in our 3rd Annual BEAR Camp this morning. BEAR Camp is our children's bereavement event that we hold once a year. Children who have experienced the death of a loved one are invited to attend and participate in events geared specifically for their age group to assist them to come to terms with their loss. Parents are invited to the afternoon session to talk about their loss and to acquire skills to help their children work through grief. It is so rewarding to see them come out of their shells and talk, smile, laugh and sing! It's like watching a field of flowers bloom right before your eyes.

Thanks to Liz for allowing me to assist them with crafts and help them pick out their Memory Bears. She was very proud of me since I managed to survive the arts and crafts without being covered in glue and glitter (it takes about three days to lose the "glitter glow" after this event). Special thanks from my eyebrows and eyelashes for not making me cook this year! Thank you to our staff: Liz, Ramona, Dawn, Linda, Louise, Susan, Holly, Tom, Norton, Jane, Frank, Melvin, Mark, Carol, Jean, Tracy, Paula, Ciel (as Clarabell--you were amazing), Izzy, and Ann. A special thanks to our official photographer Jae and our wonderful VOLUNTEERS.

Until next time (or next Tweet),

Carmen

What Are You Doing?

Ok, so I am exhausted! Today I worked, munched, lunched, addressed, spoke, walked, tweeted, Etsy'd and blogged! Oh, and it was Stephanie's (my daughter's) birthday--Happy Birthday Baby! Can I sleep now--please?

My executive assistant held our annual Bags of Hope a charity event that we do for the American Cancer Society to kick start our Relay for Life fundraiser. Of course, there was food and "...you have to have a little something." The turn out was great, we had staff and community attendance that far exceed the last 2 year's attendance. Everyone had a great time and it looks like this may be the best year yet for our Relay for Life donations. Great job Ramona and Dawn! LOVED the little Coach purse even though I DID NOT GET IT. Ok, maybe next year.

Then it was on to our Annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. This is truly one of my favorite events of the year. These are the most amazing people that you could ever meet. Their pay for what they do is a smile and a thank you. They give so freely of their time and their selves. We would never be able to do what we do if it were not for these wonderful people. Special thanks to Linda, and Louise you are the wind in our sails.

Then it was on to Lake Eola. Where we walked to defeat ALS (aka Lou Gehrig's Disease even though it was Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis that claimed Lou Gehrig's life). It was an unbelievable turnout! When we first became involved with the ALS Association four years ago the attendance at the walk was about 200. Today we reached for 1,000 walkers. Some walked, some pushed their loved ones' wheelchairs, some rolled twice around Lake Eola to raise money to continue the fight against this killer disease.

ALS has no socio-economic boundaries. It is an equal opportunity disease. It strikes in the prime of life and robs its host of function while keeping a sharp mind in a body that doesn't respond until it robs that body of life itself. It is not the beautiful death that people see pictured in movies. It is a cruel and uncaring killer; their is nothing romantic about it.

For more information about ALS please visit: http://www.stealingpieces.org. To view the new Piece by Piece art installation please visit: http://webfl.alsa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SP_2009tour. If you are a Floridian the second link will also tell you when the installation will be in a town near you. It is moving. In the weeks to come please visit us at http://www.sumpinelse.etsy.com as Ella gives back for this cause.

Last but not least today was the first Etsy Day. We hope that you saw bumper stickers, signs and other Etsy related material in your home town.

Until tomorrow (and the next installment of Your Momma Shops Etsy),

Carmen

Your Momma Shops Etsy 4 of 10

Branches. (A Pendant.) $11.00

littleputbooks

Fern Lamp $94.00

Hannahnunn

Travel Log Journal $10.00

Sumpin Else

Unique Knitted Jute Handbag $83.00

yessysdesign

Welcome to the fourth installment of Your Momma Shops Etsy! For the last six days we have been featuring some amazing Etsy artists and their shops on the blog. We hope that you continue to enjoy our finds and are taking us up on visiting these (and other) Etsy sites. If you still don't know quite how to do this please feel free to scroll down and read the brief tutorial.

Tomorrow is Etsy Day. What you ask? Well a large number of Etsy sellers got together and will be doing grass roots promotions for Etsy and their shops. Just think a national Etsy holiday! If you see an Etsian in your community with a Follow Me to Etsy bumper sticker take a moment to wave and let them know that you're on board.

Until next time,

Carmen

Your Momma Shops Etsy 3 of 10

Sterling Silver Pansy Cuff Bracelet $279.00

TheSilverLakeStudio

Got a Lilly Mouse in Your Pocket (book) $15.00

lwhelan

Dancing in Dark Water $18.00

ImagineStudio

Teal and Black Striped Frame $23.00

Sumpin Else

If you’ve been keeping up with this feature you know we’ve barely started. Today we bring you four new finds and three new shops. The next installment will be Thursday so in the meantime we hope you enjoy (and explore) today’s offerings.

As I've shared in the past, I am still relatively new to this blogging thing! Some days I like it some days--not so much. I would love to hear from you. In addition to our holiday features what would you like to read about here? I welcome the opportunity to turn this into a supportive page that brings you joy, tips, ok--even recipes (if that's what you want hey I make a mean crock pot stroganoff and yes it can be altered to vegatarian). Please feel free to comment and know that your suggestions won't fall on deaf ears.

Until the next time,

Carmen

Your Momma Shops Etsy 2 of 10

Sophie’s Sterling Mamma Mia Bundle $69.00

baublesandbubbles

Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey Flower Pot Gift Set $9.00

LostRiverRags

Whimsy and Spice Classic Sampler Box $22.00

whimsyandspice

iPhone Cozy $20.00

Sumpin Else

Good morning, afternoon or evening depending on where you might be. Hope your Saturday was amazing. Ours certainly turned out that way!

Once a month Maggi and I try to meet up with a group of friends for chatting, chewing, and crafting. It’s usually a day long outing and we make it a point to work it into our schedules. As I was sitting there yesterday I realized what an important outlet this is in my life and what a tremendous source of support it is for both of us. With that said, I would like to say “thank you” to our friends and families for allowing us the luxury of recharging our batteries. Extra big thanks to Arleen, Sayonara, Steve, and Paul for keeping our ship afloat and on course!

We hope you enjoyed the first installment of Your Momma Shops Etsy. If you followed our Valentine’s Day features you might have noticed a little variation in price range for this segment. Our hope this time around is to introduce you to a wide variety of Etsy sellers, items and prices, to assist you in developing a comfort zone with Etsy. Then, when your gift giving needs arise your solutions are only a click away.

Above please find four more Mother’s Day possibilities and four more amazing shops!

Enjoy,

Carmen

Your Momma Shops Etsy 1 of 10

Crocheted Brooch--Sterling Silver Rose (Mauve) Daisy a Day 4 Tiered 3 D $15.00

Sumpin Else

Green Candle Bridge $20.00

bprdesigns

Midnight Crystal Sterling Silver and Swarovski Bracelet $37.50

heysista

Aurora Solid Perfume $65.00

Illuminated Perfume

As promised here we go. We are kicking off our feature with four amazing Etsy finds (ok, three amazing and one of ours). Until our last post for this feature on May 5th we will be bringing you a wide variety of gifts (and price ranges) for Mom, all Etsy, and all handmade! Watch this page every other night for our new finds.

We will be providing not only the hyperlink for the item (click on item name to be connected) but also the hyperlink for the shop (click on shop name to be connected). Sumpin Else believes in choice so if you see something "like" what you want talk a stroll through these amazing shops. I am sure that you will find just what you are looking for.

Hope you enjoy,

Carmen

Oh but I want that…Etsy purchasing made easy

So, you found the perfect Mom gift on this blog. You have been clicking on it for the past 3 days. You want it, you must have it, you can’t wait to get you hands on it. Finally you click and try to purchase it. Alas, you don’t have an Etsy account! NO PROBLEM!

As we rev up for our featured sellers, I thought we would give you some Etsy basics to help you prepare for some serious shopping. First, let’s answer some questions. One of the biggest fear that most people have about purchasing on the Internet is they are unsure if their information is safe. Etsy is a secure site. Your information is safe. Second, they ask will my email address be sold? No, although there are some websites out there that actually make money by selling your email address to spammers, Etsy is not one of those websites. You will receive a confirmation email once you have set up your account (more on this below) and unless you subscribe to Etsy emails you will not receive them—that simple. Third, now that I have joined Etsy what happens? Nothing or everything the choice is up to you. Take a moment and read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s). They are your best friend covering topics from “convo’s” to “flagging.” Fourth, ok, I have done all that—what next? Enjoy! Click on anything and everything. Talk to sellers and buyers in the Forums or on Chat. Pick out your favorite shops (heart them) to visit them again and again. Buy without ever leaving the comfort of your home. It is that easy. No hidden fees, no red tape, only what you want when you want it.

To sign up to Etsy you must be at least 18 years of age or have parental approval and supervision. Go to www.etsy.com, click on Buy, click on “It’s free you can do so here. Learn more.” Both of the underlined words on this page are hyperlinks that will direct you to the appropriate page. To continue with your registration click on “…here,” you will be directed to a page with Register—click. Give careful consideration to what your user name and password will be. User names cannot be changed so if you go with “FlufferButter” you will be “FlufferButter” forever on Etsy. I could be hungry but that does not sound so bad right now. Fill out your registration form and provide a valid email address. Etsy will send you a confirmation email. Click on the confirmation link and get started! Oh, your confirmation link does not work? No problem, copy and paste the confirmation URL (the funny letters and numbers) into your browser. Fasten your seat belt, sign on (using your user name and password) and SHOP, LOOK, OR PLAY!

We start the featured sellers’ series this Friday. If you have any questions please feel free to email Maggi or me (Carmen) @ sumpinelse@gmail.com. We may not know the answer but we will do everything we can to respond or point you in the right direction! Bye for now, take good care of each other and talk to you again on Friday!

Carmen

Hope You Had a Great Easter

Crochet Necklace

It's been a while since I've gotten on to say "hello." Life and and the shop (making and listing new items for Mother's Day) has used up most of our energy. Maggi's been super busy with Mom things (now that she is a temporary SAHM) and Cub Scouts. She's always looking for new projects for her pack and when she's not doing that she's "camping." Right, imagine Maggi "camping!"

We had a wonderful time preparing for Easter. We provided Certificates of Participation, favors and two lollipop gift baskets for the Longwood Plantation Easter Egg Hunt 2009. The children had a great time and everyone came out a winner.

Last Monday our little ACEO Waiting for Life to Happen was featured on Timothy Adam Designs' Top 10 Monday. That was pretty exciting and quite an honor. Timothy is one of my favorite artists and fellow Etsian. His work is amazing, you can view for yourself by clicking on this link Timothy Adams Designs.

As we were getting ready to ship out an order the other day, we happened to notice that there was an error on our business card. As luck would have it we just had these reprinted and have given out about half of them so if you have received one please note that the email address on the card is incorrect. If you would like to contact us via email the correct email address is sumpinelse@gmail.com. To view our work please feel free to visit our Etsy shop at http://www.sumpinelse.etsy.com/. We'd love to see you there, there is also a contact Sumpin Else feature on the right hand side. You can drop us a line using that as well.

I am gearing up to do our Mother's Day feature. Already looking for gifts in a wide variety of price ranges. I am sure we'll be able to help you find just the right one for the Mom in your life. So I leave you for now with the little teaser above!

Carmen