Homemade Lemonade

The best homemade lemonade tasted has to be from The Hotel Con Corazon in Granada, Nicaragua. I drank gallons of the stuff! Each country we visited had it's own local soft drink. Lemonade was a favourite but we also had pineapple, papaya, and various other fruit mixtures. Some were better than others. Some had even slightly fermented and were quite revolting!

 Today with my new squeezer from Mexico me and my helper tried to recreate lemonade. Well the squeezer broke on the first squeeze and we resorted to our traditional glass one. 

You will need : 

1 cup of lemon juice (about 6 lemons)

4 cups of water 

1 cup of sugar

First make a syrup by dissolving 1 cup of sugar in 1 cup of water.

Squeeze 1 cup of lemons.

Mix and add 3 more cups of water.

We poured ours into a lovely bottle and added a tag. Keep in the fridge. 

Easy peasy lemon squeezy!  Couldn't resist that one.

Had a quick search for lemon related products and look what I found!

Inspirational quote by Rock The Custard

The lemonade would look great served in one of these pitchers.

My Vintage table 2 U

And how perfect is this print.....

Purdey and Blue 

Polymer Clay earrings by Cute Enough Crafts

Please click on the links to go straight to the shops.

The Crafty Folk Team on ETSY

This week I'd like to shout about the wonderful crafts people on my favourite ETSY team. The Crafty Folk team. It's a team that works together and promotes one another in many ways.

Shop of the week - this week it's the turn of SimJaTa, I must remember to ask where the name came from. I love all the original bags but this sewn card caught my eye this week. A great sentiment. I'm sure most of us know someone that would be a perfect recipient for this original art card.

The hot 100 - an item is chosen at random from participants and the idea is to increase the items views until they reach 100 or a sale.  You can use any social media that works for you to promote as well as viewing and favouriting the item. 

This pendant by  https://www.etsy.com/shop/Lottieoflondon  is completely unique and a real eye catcher.

If an item is favourited it shows up in the feed of all your followers. I've been building up my followers slowly.I thought I was doing well until today I saw someone with 23,000! The more followers you have the more feeds the item favourited will show up in. So an item favourited by me in theory should show up in over 2000 in boxes. Build up your followers Crafty Folk and our reach will be in the millions!

Themed Pinterest boards. A willing team member chooses a theme and everyone uploads images of their products that fit into the category on the thread. . Last week Shirley from https://www.etsy.com/shop/WhimsyWooDesigns chose 'The Blues' . The pieces are all collated into one Pinterest board. Repinning from the board is encouraged as repins rank  higher in Pinterest searches.

This weeks board - http://pinterest.com/whizzywoo/the-blues/

Thanks Shirley and everyone else that has curated these.

A kindle touch case by WhimseyWooDesigns

We also have a daily listing thread. I try to list something everyday and while on the thread favourite everyone elses new items. My favourite today is this felted scarf from FrouFrouFelt. 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/FrouFrouFelt

This is not an exhaustive list there are many other ways that this team helps each other. Next time treasuries!

If you think you'd like to be part of this fabulous supportive team......

https://www.etsy.com/teams/15309/the-craftyfolk-team/discuss/

Crafty Folk Congratulations.

Congratulations to Polly from http://www.etsy.com/shop/PollyKrafts  for her first ETSY sale. Check out this fabulous crochet bunting from her shop that will add some handmade class to your jubilee celebrations.

Congratulations to Dave from http://www.etsy.com/shop/GelertDesign  for hitting the 200 sales mark. I love these Tolkien keepsake boxes.

And finally to Shirley from  http://www.etsy.com/shop/whimsywoodesigns  who has had a great month. These fabric book covers would make great presents for Father's Day. 

Raffle Results!

Black Friday through Cyber Monday was a mad selling weekend and yes it was my busiest ever! I think I got all the packages to the right people and hopefully they have all arrived safely. I've been trying out some new ideas with packaging as in the UK the item has to fit though a hole to get a lower rate of postage. The postie recommended corrugated card instead of bubble wrap.He even game me a bundle to use. I hope this has worked out for everybody. Please let me know if not.

Anyway over the weekend anyone that bought an item got a raffle ticket and I have finally drawn them in a santa hat of course. (none of that newfangled number generator business!)

Numbers in!

Number out!

Daisy is on it's way to ticket holder 11

Thanks for playing everyone. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Remember blog readers can always use 'blog10'for 10% off purchases in my ETSY shop.

There's still time before last posting.



Black Friday

NOW  until Cyber Monday specials in my ETSY shop

1.        Any order of more than £15 will receive a free glass Christmas Decoration.

2.        Free raffle ticket with every item purchased between now  and Monday 28^th      November.

Winner receives a daisy pendant.

3.       Valid discount codes that you have still can be applied.

Please click on the shop tab on the right hand side.

A perfect present for a hostess gift. Also makes a great keep it handy present.


More discounts from the Crafty Folk team

15% off all items in  www.etsy.com/shop/missbohemia

       the discount code is 'BLACKFRIDAY15'

Also 15% off
www.missbohemia.com

using the same discount code

Miss Bohemia


MISH73 for 15% off

www.etsy.com/shop/mish73
Eclectic Vintage Finds

Natalia Lovat -

 15% discount - Coupon code NLBF01

 Valid  valid from 25th November-Midnight 28th November.

Natalia Lovat - fine silver jewellery
www.etsy.com/shop/natalialovat

FREE SHIPPING from Moody Cow Designs

Bags, purses and  glasses cases
www.etsy.com/shop/moodycowdesigns

Harmony Designs & Soaps

www.etsy.com/shops/harmony5

 5% off coupon Friday 11/25/11 only!
Please use coupon code fridaysale to receive this discount!

Free Shipping worldwide and 20% off on handpainted pottery (no code needed)
Original art work
www.etsy.com/shop/craftunikat


I seem to have got in a complete muddle as the items are not centred correctly , the captions have taken over, the fonts are crazy and generally it's not the best, forgive me. I really don't have the time to start this again. I want to start shopping!

Please feel free to add your own promos in the comments.

Featured Seller of the week!

This week the featured seller in the Crafty Folk team is Amy's Moving Castle.

Please visit her shop for the most amazing art photographs.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/AmysMovingCastle

My treasury for Amy features the colours orange and lilac as inspired by the crocus photo. I would never have put these two colours together but I think they look great. I guess nature knows best!

BNR's

Well as you know a new team has started on ETSY,  'Crafty Folk' . Originally started after the UK site FOLKSY made it's true feelings about 'assembled' goods known. Lots of shops have now moved to the 'other side' and have collected together. Everyone is welcome though. As well as a daily listing club we have been coming up with new ideas although mostly stolen from other teams! The latest is a BNR . It's well under way and we have had 5 sales in the first few hours.

A BNR has a starting line up in a treasury format. If you'd like to buy from one of the shops , go ahead and then post the transaction link making sure to call out the shops name in CAPITALS. Your ETSY shop then gets that persons spot. You get to stay in the treasury until you are bought out. Anyone is welcome to play.

Now if you become an addict and you may well,there's a few teams that have fantastic BNR's or BNS's (Buy and Stay). They are a great way to promote your shop and usually lead to a sale. I can recommend http://www.etsy.com/teams/7574/shoppers-paradise-bnr-team. They're a friendly lot and such a global team there's always someone hanging around for chatting.

If you haven't tried  a BNR/BNS then yet it's time to have a whirl.

Red or black?

Crafty Folk Daily Listing Club

I've joined a new Team on ETSY called Crafty Folk and we have set ourselves a daily listing challenge. You know I'm an addict! We're all new to ETSY and finding our feet this week.The idea is to promote the other team members in any way possible. Here is a selection of the talent on the team.

Gimme That ThingLilly's Night gardenMad Mum KnitsLouLou's LuxuriesMiss Mary ElliottApril is Forever Please click on the picture to go straight to the shops.  

It has to be blue.

This colour is so vibrant. Thank you Christine from Waggledance for featuring me in this gorgeous treasury.

Please click on the picture to go to Christine's amazing shop of handprinted cards and tags.

This is a dynamic clickable treasury too.