Copy Cats - Why I'm not on Etsy

Several people have asked me why I don't sell on Etsy anymore. It's a rather long story, but this website pretty much sums it up.
http://youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com/blog3/

Here's my story: http://youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com/blog3/?p=1631

I am sick and tired of Etsy being a place that supports copyright infringement, trademark theft and plagarism of all sorts. That site gives serious artists everywhere a bad reputation. Ever since I got off of that site, all I've heard from people has been "Good for you!" and "You're a professional, why were you even on there?" That alone is enough to make me wonder how much Etsy has hurt my reputation as a business person.

If you are using Etsy to sell a few crafts or as a sideline, then I'm sure it can be great, but if you are hoping to do your art full time, for a living, think long and hard about who you want to be associated with.

This year will bring many new venues from people who want to run their sites with integrity and honesty, and they will be very competitive. Don't think for a minute that Etsy is the be all and end all in the craft world. Creative minds are coming up with better mouse traps every day, and these sites are getting launched left and right.

Three more days until LolliShops opens!

I can't wait! Here's a sneak peek at some of the vintage button rings I'll be listing. I've been photographing stock like a mad woman lately, and I'll be listing tons of sweet treats as soon as I get my password from SadieLou.

You can find me at http://www.lollishops.com/RivkasGarden on November 29th!

Time to lighten up!

I loved the old fashioned look of my old blog, but it was just too dark. Winter is rapidly approaching, and I'm already starting to feel the effects of the shorter days. I figured giving my blog a little makeover would help to perk things up.
Here's a new ring that I will be selling on LolliShops. I have been using an old thesauraus to get some fun words, and I was quite amused to find these two words together. Do you believe in fairies? Clap your hands!

Wow, has it really been three months?

Long time, no blog. Where does the time go? My daughter started kindergarten this year, so things were quite crazy for a while. Tuition, bus schedules, school supplies, uniforms, etc. Getting used to getting up early, packing lunches, doing homework, it's all new! It seems like just yesterday she was a baby, and now she's such a big girl. *sniff* Of course the biggest challenge is not going back to bed after she gets on the bus. I don't always manage to resist the temptation.

I've got lots of things I want to blog about, but for now I'm just going to give you what is quite possibly the best turkey soup recipe I've ever made. You'll need a crock pot, set on high.

6 cups of water
4 turkey wings
4 large carrots, peeled
1/2 of a large onion, peeled
5 celery stalks
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp dill leaves
1/4 tsp celery seed
1 Tbs parsley flakes
powdered chicken soup mix to taste (I like mine really salty)

Cook the whole thing overnight.

In the morning, lift out the turkey wings to a platter and separate the meat from the skin and bones. Discard skin and bones.

Lift out the celery, carrots and onion and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Combine shredded turkey meat, vegetable puree and stock and warm through. Adjust seasonings if you like.

This is a great way to get veggies into kids, and you don't lose any of the nutrients. The soup will have a wonderful velvety texture and rich flavor. It freezes really well, but I don't think we're going to have much left over!

Enjoy. :-)