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January 31, 2010
Blue Moon Inspired Challenge for the Fire Divas
In honor of the blue moons this month, The Fire Divas are holding a January Blues Challenge! You can see big pictures of the entries below, then vote for your favorite on the Fire Diva Blog! The voting will be open for one week, and will end on February 7. Please go vote!
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January 24, 2010
Even the best of intentions can go awry: beware indie artisans
Last year a bunch of indie artistsans from ArtFire and Etsy rallied together to raise money for a fellow artisan, Larry Hamm. Prizes were donated, funds were collected. Money was given from the pockets of the sellers themselves. Many did not really have the funds to donate, but our friend needed a surgery. Right?
We had a great auction, raised thousands of dollars, I think somewhere around FIVE grand. Invoices were sent out. Larry was sick, in and out of the hospital. He would come online long enough to tell us he was in the hospital and then nothing.
Pretty soon people started getting antsy. They wanted their items, and we wanted to get our donations mailed out to the winners. Emails were sent to Larry and pretty soon he just never bothered to respond.
Was he sick? Was he even okay? We had no way of knowing. But we did know he wasn't coming out of the woodwork. NICE!!!
Then, the wonderful couple who hosted the fundraising auction disappeared. Advertising was sold, money was given to them, and then they disappeared too. Hmm. Huckleberry Arts and Blockhead Radio (BHR). Very nice people, or so we thought. Friends? We thought so. But we were wrong.
Being friends with Annette of Huckleberry Arts, I agreed to a trade of $100 worth of custom made beads, and I also gave a free $35 bead, was traded for a years worth of add space.
Then they left town. Packed up for and adventure. Never to be heard from again. It's been a months of emails from various artisans, with no replies back. I waited patiently for BHR to come online again so I could see my add. Nothing.
Until one day the site came back up...under new owners. Fricking nice!!! Excuse my language, but I'm sure you understand.
I feel terrible having to write this out loud, over the Internet. But please, PLEASE! Be careful of how much you give to others. They will take advantage of you if they can. Not all of them, but the ones who will are watching, and waiting. They offered great advertising at even better prices. Only to give nothing.
My husband always says, "No one ever gives the good stuff away for free." And that's true. And in this case the old saying, "too good to be true" plays a big part.
We all wanted to help Larry. We all wanted to believe that Annette and Rod would be great friends and even better advertisers. But we were wrong.
And so I say, even the best of intentions can go awry. We tried to help a fellow artisan, and it appears we've been scammed.
So please beware, be careful. Don't offer too much. We think they'll be back, because we were too kind, had big hearts, and opened our pocketbooks and offered a piece of ourselves. And were taken for a ride.
No wind in the hair, no sunshine on the face, so sigh of contentment. Just a swift jab to the gut.
We had a great auction, raised thousands of dollars, I think somewhere around FIVE grand. Invoices were sent out. Larry was sick, in and out of the hospital. He would come online long enough to tell us he was in the hospital and then nothing.
Pretty soon people started getting antsy. They wanted their items, and we wanted to get our donations mailed out to the winners. Emails were sent to Larry and pretty soon he just never bothered to respond.
Was he sick? Was he even okay? We had no way of knowing. But we did know he wasn't coming out of the woodwork. NICE!!!
Then, the wonderful couple who hosted the fundraising auction disappeared. Advertising was sold, money was given to them, and then they disappeared too. Hmm. Huckleberry Arts and Blockhead Radio (BHR). Very nice people, or so we thought. Friends? We thought so. But we were wrong.
Being friends with Annette of Huckleberry Arts, I agreed to a trade of $100 worth of custom made beads, and I also gave a free $35 bead, was traded for a years worth of add space.
Then they left town. Packed up for and adventure. Never to be heard from again. It's been a months of emails from various artisans, with no replies back. I waited patiently for BHR to come online again so I could see my add. Nothing.
Until one day the site came back up...under new owners. Fricking nice!!! Excuse my language, but I'm sure you understand.
I feel terrible having to write this out loud, over the Internet. But please, PLEASE! Be careful of how much you give to others. They will take advantage of you if they can. Not all of them, but the ones who will are watching, and waiting. They offered great advertising at even better prices. Only to give nothing.
My husband always says, "No one ever gives the good stuff away for free." And that's true. And in this case the old saying, "too good to be true" plays a big part.
We all wanted to help Larry. We all wanted to believe that Annette and Rod would be great friends and even better advertisers. But we were wrong.
And so I say, even the best of intentions can go awry. We tried to help a fellow artisan, and it appears we've been scammed.
So please beware, be careful. Don't offer too much. We think they'll be back, because we were too kind, had big hearts, and opened our pocketbooks and offered a piece of ourselves. And were taken for a ride.
No wind in the hair, no sunshine on the face, so sigh of contentment. Just a swift jab to the gut.
January 11, 2010
Happy Belated New Year
I'm sitting drinking coffee, wondering where 2009 went. And yes, I realize it's already the second week of 2010, but I have to tell you all Happy New year.
I'm hoping to find more time, to do what-I'm not sure, but more time. Running an online business takes a lot of time.
Oh wait, tax time is just around the corner, so I'll have to find more time.....some other time! Sure, isn't that the way it goes? Dang!!
I'll be back to blogging again, now that the Holidays are over. Hope you all can find the time you need to get everything done!
I'm hoping to find more time, to do what-I'm not sure, but more time. Running an online business takes a lot of time.
Oh wait, tax time is just around the corner, so I'll have to find more time.....some other time! Sure, isn't that the way it goes? Dang!!
I'll be back to blogging again, now that the Holidays are over. Hope you all can find the time you need to get everything done!
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