Handmade Highway is on Video!

I've been seeing a nice flow of traffic to Lucky Girl Trading on Etsy from the Handmade Highway, and I'm excited to see that it's developing into a solid resource for shoppers. Whether you're shopping for the perfect gift for Auntie Mae or unique, handcrafted items to stock your retail store, the Highway is the ideal place to start your search. And if you're an artisan or crafter interested in reaching a larger audience, I recommend you cruise on over and get your own stop on the Highway.

I Can Tie My Own Shoes!

This week I managed to tie my shoes--all by myself! It makes me feel like a little kid to say that, but it was a really big achievement, so it's all good. :) I can't manage the pepper mill yet--freshly ground black pepper is my next goal. I'm continuing to gain strength and control in my hand, so I should be back in my workshop soon!


I've added a couple new chain styles to my inventory. I love these gold vermeil box chains! You get the look of gold, and since the gold is layered over sterling silver (unlike like gold-plated or -filled chains, which are base metal at the core), the chain is much more affordable than solid gold and completely made with precious metals.



These huge 4mm sterling silver ball chains are just plain fun! Perfect for the guys, and works well for women, too. I currently have both styles in stock in 16", 18", 20", and 24" lengths.

Are You Feeling Lucky? Win $25 Credit at Lucky Girl Trading

I love doing giveaways, and I love entering other people's giveaways. That said, I've spent a fair amount of time reading giveaway posts. Laane, an awesome blogger in The Netherlands, has written absolutely the nicest giveaway post that I've ever read. And it's about me--because she's giving away a $25 gift certificate to my shop!

Go check out her lovely blog, Laane on the World, and enter the giveaway. Spend a few minutes nosing around if you can; Laane always has something interesting to say!

New Slumped Bottle Plates

I've been slowly working at getting photos taken and descriptions written for some of the pieces I had finished before my surgery. The doc told me not to push myself at all, and to have a very boring month. I've listened, and it's driving me nuts! I can't wait until I can use my right hand again. And I'm sure my family feels the same, I know they're tired of tying my shoes.



I've got another "tie-dye" bottle ready, this one is yellow, pink, and orange. It's so cheerful! And I was thrilled with the way this Grey Goose Vodka bottle came out. All of the printing on the bottle is intact, and it's lovely! Apparently someone else thought so too, because it's already been sold.



This cobalt blue tequila bottle came out nicely too. There's something about blue glass that catches everyone's eye! My favorite, though, is this Midori bottle. All of the lovely, bumpy texture of the original bottle held up through the kiln-firing process, even as the bottle slumped to a fairly flat shape.

Cruise the Handmade Highway

I'm so excited to get my own stop on the Handmade Highway! It's a new site where you can list yourself and your creations so that bloggers looking for shops to feature or sponsors for giveaways can find you. Created by the amazing Lori of Risky Beads, I think this will turn out to be an incredible resource for all lovers of handcrafted goodness.

Registration for the Handmade Highway takes only a couple of minutes and $5.00. I think that's an incredible bargain! You have to meet a few qualifications, though: at least 5 items for sale somewhere (Etsy, Artfire, your own dot com site, etc.); quality pictures that engage the customer; and a good customer service reputation.

Lori's offered a special bonus for readers of my blog! Register on the Handmade Highway through tomorrow, July 4, for only $3.00. Use "Lucky Girl Trading" as the referral code when you sign up.

And if you're a blogger looking for someone to interview, or an artisan to feature, you might want to check out Find A Feature, the flip side of the Handmade highway.