A Gift, A Shop and A Give-Away

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I’m feeling particularly pleased with myself.  I made a new Light Catcher; my first one in hues of yellow.  It is so pretty, like a little ray of sunshine.  And it’s a gift and is just awaiting the final touches before being sent  away to the recipient.

(The yellow colour in the background is more accurate than the subdued colour in the circles – yellow is hard to photograph apparently.)

Click twice to biggify

Yellow

And, still on the subject of feeling particularly pleased with myself, I made a new page for my blog, it’s there sitting on the black bar beneath the heading picture, can you see it?

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It’s called ‘The Contented Crafter’s Gift Shop’ and it lists all my creative work in the various formats that are available for sale or on commission.  I know several of you have been asking and waiting and – well – here it is at last with apologies for the delay.

Logo Image

The shop page also has links to two other sites where some friends sell their particularly fine wares. Just in case you are looking and need inspiration…….   I had this idea of a global support network that may or may not have merit.  This is its small beginning.

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Now if you wouldn’t mind, and if you have the time [I know how busy you are!] I would so appreciate you taking a few moments to look and to comment with your feedback – particularly about layout, quality of photos etc; about ease of understanding the different headings or not, anything that needs fine tuning, anything that does or doesn’t appeal, make sense or offends or delights you I would really like to know about.  What do you think about linking to other sites?  Would you look?  Did you look?

As a thank you, your name will go in the draw* for a Single Strand Light-Catcher.  The winner can choose one of these:

Blue GiveawayPink Giveaway

The blue single strand light-catcher is made with large blue *chrysacolla rounds interspersed with graded blue glass square beads from which hangs a 40 mm AAA crystal sphere.  Smaller crystals and beads hang randomly from the silver chain along with a few charms.  Catcher measures approx 50 cm long.

*’Chrysacolla purifies the environment and can work to eliminate negativity within a person. It imparts an energy conducive to stabilising the environment and rebuilding relationships’.                     Love Is In The Earth~A Kaleidoscope of Crystals

The pink light-catcher is a 40 mm AAA faceted crystal sphere hanging from a run of acrylic heart beads and very pretty white ceramic beads painted with pink flowers.  A variety of clear and coloured beads,faceted crystals and charms makes up the remainder of the main and subsidiary chains.  This catcher measures  approx 60 cm long.

*the draw:  is conducted randomly with the aid of my favourite coffee cup, strips of paper with names written on them, a vigorous shaking procedure followed by a tipping motion and the randomly placed paw of one Orlando King, the worlds best marmalade cat.  [Siddy isn’t allowed to take part, in the practise run, he ate the pieces of paper.]

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The draw will take place New Zealand time:  5pm  Wednesday 12th August 2015

Any comments placed after that time will not be eligible for the giveaway.

In advance, let me thank you for your interest, for your support and for your feedback. it is as valued as you are!

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!

 

 

77 thoughts on “A Gift, A Shop and A Give-Away”

  1. Pingback: Presents from Pauline: Lucky Me! | Love Those "Hands at Home"

  3. Congratulations Pauline on your store!! I LOVE your postcards and will definitely get round to ordering some of those. Just curious: do you have an Etsy/Facebook Store accounts etc? (sorry my work is in digital marketing so can’t help interfering)

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  4. My favorite parts of your example shop were:
    1. The yellow suncatcher with the close up photo with the Native American designs of dream catchers completely entranced me, Pauline.
    2. Siddy’s chin resting on table or ? With His dewy eyes and almost a “goofy” smile on his face.

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  5. I am always excited to see how many people have come visiting you, Pauline. Then, your lovely art pieces you display and the yellow, golden rays of sunshine host shine and glitter like gold.
    The icing on the cake is how happy you seem. Having the two “loves of your life” here means we are all family to you. 🙂

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  8. Pauline, I just love your new header. Congrats on setting up the store. i will hop on over soon to take a look at it. I am confident that it will be a huge success! I like your system of “drawing a name” of the winner of your light-catcher:-) Have a fabulous balance of the week!

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  9. You know how much I adore your light catchers Pauline, hint hint 😉 😀 Seriously though, they are just beautiful. I am thrilled for your new shop and have left a comment over there, but I forgot to add about the links to other sites and say that yes, I would click on them if there was something that caught my eye and held particular interest. I haven’t looked today as I’m scrabbling to ‘do the rounds’ but I will when I’ve got more time and return to your shop. I think it’s an excellent idea 🙂

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  10. I like your light catchers, so pretty :). The website is easy to follow and lots of info. I like the links too. Giggled a lot thinking about Siddy chewing up the bits of paper 🙂

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  11. Hi Pauline. I did have a look at your shop, but I was unable to see the images. I suspect that is due to my poor satellite internet connection which has some thingie that is supposed to speed things up, but it makes it impossible at times to see some images. I will try again in the morning. Mostly I just wanted to tell you how beautiful your light catchers are, and that I think it is a wonderful idea to have a global support network. 🙂

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    • Thank you Robin! I hope your thingie gets its act together soon – I must have a thingie too as there are often periods when my patience is tried when wanting to see photos and images on blog posts. 🙂 Isn’t it comforting to think its a global occurrence? I think the blog links are a great idea, I am totally committed to the idea of being able to share and support other arts and crafts people – like a village craft fair only more wide spread!

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  12. Hi Pauline, I think your shop page is just lovely, it’s all very clear and easy to follow with lots of beautiful images. You really are a very talented lady and I wish you every success with it! I have someone in mind who would love one of your light catchers so I will drop you a separate e-mail xx

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  13. I’ve just been browsing your new page – it looks great to me, I wish you every success with it. Your light catchers are lovely, very unusual – I’m sure you’ll be getting plenty of commissions.

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    • Jenny, thanks for taking the time to browse through – I’ve had many helpful suggestions so am quite relieved you have nothing to add at this point 🙂 Thanks for the good wishes too – always appreciated!

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  14. Nice light catcher in the opening! Congrats on starting your own shopping site. Good luck!!!!

    In terms of feedback, having the shop on a separate page works. To me, the page is too long, thus I encourage you to consider a form of subpages. Just a thought!

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  15. That was so cute about the slips of paper might be eaten by your dear Siddy! Such lovely light catchers! I really appreciated your tutorial but I doubt I will ever be able to make one despite your clear instruction. So much effort and materials (sigh) more than I have of either. Oh, and patience and talent too! I may have to seriously consider indulging in one some later point.

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    • Patience is the prime ingredient Jan – something I have been short on most of my life until recently apparently. Now I am happy to make progress slowly …… Who knew such a miracle could occur!! 🙂 I am simply happy to hear you like my light catchers. Thank you!

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  16. Hello dear P, you are always surprising me with your creative spunk. I love that you’ve taken the ‘bull by the horns’ (as they used to say) and designed a link to all your creations in one place. Very thoughtful to include others, I like that effort very much and I think other guests to the shop will see a glimpse of your big heart by doing so. I really enjoyed the kilidoscope of colour too, it’s joyful and will definitely intice guests to linger. I agree with other messages here, a watermark on your art is advisable to discourage the unscrupelous. I have only one suggestion about the photo with all your postcards together. Looks like you layed them out to take one big photo, alas a couple on the right of your image are cut off. I often use this website to make a collage of multiple photographs.

    https://pixlr.com/express/?gclid=COC4vO7kya4CFRIzhwod23YVAQ

    You don’t even need to sign up or sign in. Just click Collage, choose a layout, upload individual photo’s. I save it to my desktop, then upload the collage into the Media file of my blog. I’ll make you one with screen prints from your blog and email you so you can see how it might look (I’ll use your pets rather than screen print your art) xoxo K

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    • Hi there K – I just spent the day writing all over the most vulnerable of the photos [to deter the unscrupulous as you say 🙂 ] and reloading some items through pizap again – re sizing etc etc. I hope it all works better now. But I know two prints still need attention – as it means redoing the whole ‘print’ chapter I’m leaving it til later. This is a time consuming and exhausting process I must admit. . Thank you so much for your many messages of help and support.
      You are the best!! xoxo

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  17. I’m giggling at the idea of Siddy eating the paper draw slips and Orlando showing him how it’s done properly. :)) I’ve been waiting such a while for your post and now see why. That’s a great deal of work you just put in. I love it all and especially the the green eye shadow on your header. That color just sings to me. That and the purple of the piece I already have. I get to look at it everyday and feel happy. Choosing Joy each and every moment. Now I’m going to joyfully go stain my porch a lovely shade of cedar gray and make it company ready. :)) Have a wonderful, prosperous, productive week. Hugs to all, M

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    • The header is detail from the ‘Listen’ mixed media painting. I like it too 🙂 It was a long winded process getting the lay out right and everything in Marlene – and I would just go away and leave it for a while and then come back and change it all up again ….. It just went on and on. I’m glad you are still enjoying your original piece. I’m so happy you have it. Happy staining of the porch – it will be ready for the last long days of summer won’t that be lovely! My cottage is still just a dream. It will most likely always be just a dream – but better to have an impossible dream than no dream at all I think. 🙂 xoxo

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  20. Hi Pauline your shop is just beautiful, what a talent! 🙂 I loved the way the colours were laid out in the collages at the beginning, and the presentation overall was great. I found it easy to navigate. One thing that stood out to me was that when I clicked on a mixed media painting, I got a full (iPad) page in great (and detailed) quality, which was essentially printable as is…I would definitely suggest a watermark copyright or similar across it. Beautiful work, so cheerful, I loved it! Bianca

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  21. Cool! So glad to see you doing this and the shop is looking good! I especially like the way you describe and explain the light catchers–and the pictures work well! A couple of bits of feedback–the collage of all items at the beginning confused me–I thought that clicking on one included photo would take me to a description and cost of that item. I agree with another commenter that it’s difficult to read the sayings on some of the prints–could you just provide a caption underneath each image? And, as you get a chance, you might consider adding larger pictures and more info about the mittens–they almost seem to be an afterthought. In browsing the shop, your enthusiasm and excitement for the light catchers is VERY evident, for the mixed media is quite evident, and for the mittens . . . not so much! You’ve clearly made a huge effort on this–and it’ll only get better with time!

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    • Oooh – good points Kerry – thank you! And also accurate……. I have received some excellent advice from Boomdeeadda on how to improve those collage presentations and will work away on that as tie permits. It was a huge and often challenging undertaking so I m glad it almost works 🙂 Thanks for looking and this helpful feedback.

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  22. The new format is lovely, loads quickly and is easy to navigate. Hilarious thought of Siddy running off with the strips. 😀

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  23. I love the little Russian doll in the yellow (let’s say gold) light catcher. And if I won – how best to save on postage!!!!! Catch the light nonetheless – dear kindly Pauline!

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  24. I’m still snorting with laughter over how you described the official giveaway procedure, Pauline. It’s so wonderfully scientific.
    And as far as the new page goes, it pops with promise. I’m still so overwhelmed at how talented you are. Your art is simply infused with warmth and grace. It will have me returning regularly! Well done, you. 😀

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    • As you know we are anything but scientific in this tiny corer of the cosmos Shelley – pure chaos and mayhem rules far more often than it should so I thought why not carry it over into the blogging giveaways! Who knows where we’ll get Orlando to slap a paw down – I could still be trying to find the winner a month after the event! Thanks for the cheer on my paintings I really appreciate that 🙂

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  25. Your new header is fabulous, Pauline! I’m so excited for your new shop. I know it’s going to be a big hit! Oh Siddy…he’s so sad he can’t participate in the drawing…look at that face! ❤

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      • Got it. Yaay! Just went there and really love the light catchers. And Mimi’s mittens. I like the way you give a shout out to others as well. I like scrolling down the page, too. I’m wondering if you could add the meaning of any of the stones on the light catchers? I think any other questions might just come through email discussion. I do like the design of the new page and will be back to browse your store–as well as visit on your blog!!!

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  28. Your light catchers are quite beautiful. I’d love to look in your shop, but the new page link isn’t showing on my computer sadly 😦 All the best for your new venture, and I love the idea of you linking to other sellers, what a great idea.

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  30. Aw, Pauline 🙂 I love it all you clever, clever lady. Good on you and very best wishes with your shop – everything together is just visual heaven to me. Thanks for the link 🙂 xxx You go girl!!!

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