CUSTOMIZATION Is My Middle Name!

I love to create exactly what someone is looking for. I found a really cool sheet of Holiday graphics, and thought, "Wow, there are so many choices. Which ones should I start with? Which ones will everyone like?"

We all know everyone has different tastes. And I really do enjoy creating exactly what everyone likes. So I listed my Holiday Stained Glass Pendants as a "Customizable" item in my Etsy Shop.

Check out those Peppermint tights! Are those cute, or what? What kind of image would you like on the back of that? You'd think it would be kinda hard to imagine anything going with those sassy stockings. But I have two choices that are my favorites. And an additional choice that just seems perfect!

My favorite is the black "Santa, I was naughty", with the "Naughty or Nice" a close second. But wouldn't the other side of the pendant look great with the candy canes? Click on the picture at the right to see all the choices you have.

Want another choice? I know, I know, now I'm going overboard! lol But, what if you see something perfect for someone you know, but they don't wear necklaces? Well, not a problem. I'll replace the chain with a little ribbon, and now you have a one-of-a-kind ornament! Hang it on the tree, or anywhere you'd like. The perfect give for someone you love, or maybe for yourself!

For more great customizable ideas visit me at Glasstastic "Customizable" Treasures!
Prefer to make this purchase on Handmade Fuzion? Click here!

Have a happy and safe holiday season!

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What's so great about Handmade Fuzion?

Well, first and foremost, Handmade Fuzion (HF) is all about handmade only items. It's a great website to buy and sell only handmade items.

But what makes it so good? Oh, I'm so glad you asked.....

• For me, the most important tool they offer sellers is the ability to use html codes to track stats. With stats we're able to see what part of the country (even where in the world) our views are coming from. We can also track what time of day we are getting our views, and what the viewers are looking at, all depending on the analytic account we have. HF also supplies us with a view counter for our main shop page, as well as item view counts.
• Next is the ability to customize the look of our shop. We have been supplied with some pretty cool templates to create an individualized shop appearance to compliment our items. Again, we have html availability so we can add codes or whatever we are able with our knowledge of html. I, for one, am not very html savvy.
  
• Cool fonts, font color choices, and other little editorial gadgets to use at our whim. And don't let me forget the ability to create prefilled fields which help make listing quick and painless.
• Wildwood (a HF seller) describes the ease of listing as "smoo-hooth:)".
  
• Need more options then Paypal and check/money orders? Well, with HF we have it. Just name it, they've supplied it: Revolution money, direct credit card payments, offline payments (Western Union, etc) and more!
• Shipping options galore! Choose the shipping fees per state, country, etc. Have an item that can only be shipped priority? No problem, it's an option.
• There is also a fees calculator so we can calculate how much your listing will cost.
• Oh, and tired of never seeing your item on the front page? Me too. HF charges a minimal fee and your item will cycle throughout the daily page loads and show up on the front page!! How exciting to see your item showcased on the front page. Especially when you know you deserve it.
• Hey, want to offer a sale or special? What an awesome feature that HF has given us....the ability to put some or all our items on sale. Immediate mark-downs for our customers, making their purchase easy and painless. No waiting for an adjusted invoice for them. And for you...no paying fees on a dollar amount that really wasn't sold. Oh, and if we are in need of sending an adjusted invoice for any reason, we have the option to do that right through the HF site!
• Have a pesky customer you don't ever want to have to deal with again? There's a cool function to block them. You'll never have to be harassed again.
• Wonder what your hard earned fees are being used for? Well, on HF, they let us know when and where they are advertising. Check out the completely handmade and totally original commercial below!
  
• Best reason ever to join HF? They started contests to win cash and prizes. Sign up, buy, list, sell and earn points to win cash for Christmas.
  

Have you had enough yet? There are so many great features from handmade Fuzion, that I can't possibly list them all. But I would like to conclude that the Admin there are the absolute best. And I'm not just saying that. They have worked very closely with us from the onset of opening day, to make this site exactly what we want and need. They are always there, always listening, and always helpful! Click here to learn more about the creators of HF.

Got a hobby you'd like to turn into more? Click here to sign up for the HF experience. Please tell them Glasstastic Treasures sent you. Remember, there's a contest, and you and I can help each other win!!

Still have questions? Just ask, I'll do my best to help.
:)

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Goddess of Flora Bead

I'm so incredibly proud of this bead. It's my very first goddess bead. I think it turned out exceptionally well. It's available online at Glasstastic Treasures on Etsy.

I love the texture, the curves. This is one sexy bead.

On this goddess I was ready to go the next step and add a head and hair. Of course, I was disrupted and had to put the bead in the kiln unfinished. Yes, I kept it, after all that time, I didn't want to waste anything! This goddess is for sale inn my Handmade Fuzion shop. See for yourself how amazing it is. It totally reminds me of a worn or half finished sculpture. Something you may find in a museum.

I'd love to hear your comments.

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Sell your handmade items here!

Sell your great handmade items at Handmade Fuzion! Just tell them Glasstastic Treasures sent you!

Why sell at Handmade Fuzion? First and foremost, it is a juried site. That means the selling venue will not be over run with mass produces items. And the customers that buy there are looking for quality handmade items. Just like yours!

There is a great Forum, with an IM! How cool is that? You can network, add friends, and see who is online instantly.

Fees are low, and they are having a cool contest now. So it's the perfect time to sign up, list your items and earn points for $$$

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Hmm, what to do, what to do....

Just sitting, drinking coffee, wondering what to do.

I'd love to have a monthly drawing, what do you think of that? I like it too. Now....What to do, what to do....

Leave comments, I'd love to hear what you think. And I'd love to hear some of your ideas.

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About a Bead: Knowing the difference

Do you know the difference? I can hear whispers in the wind..."what is the difference?". And a small tear escapes from my eye.

"What's wrong?" a small voice inside you asks.

A voice on the wind replies, "these words have broken her heart. She read them just now, 'FINALLY, the market has opened up and we don't have to be held hostage by inflated prices!' "

"But what does it mean?" you ask.

"It means that someone doesn't know the difference between art...and mass production," the wind explains as it blows on it's way.

And a tear slips from another eye.


So, do you know the difference? The difference between artisan lampwork beads, and commercially manufactured beads? Some people don't. So I'll help you out.

First, and foremost, artisan lampwork beads are works of art. Made by hand to create something special and unique. Like any other art, really.

Where do mass produced lampwork beads come from, and how are they different?

Mass produced beads come from overseas. Overseas being a country, unlike the United States, that allows people to work in unsafe conditions, for minimal wages. Sound familiar? Hmm, does sweatshop ring a bell? That's the picture that comes to my mind.

These are the kinds of beads that I don't really consider art because the same bead is made in batches of thousands. Nothing unique is being created there. But worse yet, is the fact that glass is not properly anneals to make it durable.

You see, when you heat the glass to make a bead, you change the structure. To make this glass strong and durable it has to be held (we sometimes refer to it as "cooked") at a certain temperature for a certain amount of time. To do this, you need a kiln that can keep your glass around 950 degrees Fahrenheit. Something that is not done with mass produced beads.

Why is this so important? Minute stress cracks will form if the beads are cooled too fast. You may not even be able to see them, but they can cause you a lot of headaches later down the line when you're beads crack and your jewelry is ruined. What a shame to spend so much time on your own work of art, only to have it ruined!

Proper kiln annealing gives the glass enough time for the crystals to align properly, making the glass strong and durable. I can't tell you how many times I've dropped a bead on the floor, or banged my key chain into the door frame! And my beads still live!!

Would I ever recommend mass produced beads? Sure, they're perfect to practice new techniques without spending a ton of money. And they're perfect for younger teens because of the affordability, and the fact that teen styles change with the seasons, so it won't really matter if the item doesn't last forever. They won't care!!

But if you want to create a truly unique item, or to collect something wondrously beautiful, artisan lampwork, by far, offers the inspiration to create something truly awe inspiring.

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