Product Review: Earrings from The Tiny Bee

Time for something new on this blog! Time for my first product review! If you love jewelery (and especially handmade jewelry) then you are going to L-O-V-E  love this review. Melissa, of The Tiny Bee, kindly sent me a pair of her yellow Chrysanthemum Earrings to review and I must say - these earrings get a big thumbs up from me! Read on for details on why I love these earrings so much.

First let me say that I sometimes have trouble with earrings. I gauged my ears when I was younger and have saggy holes as a result. These saggy holes tend to droop when I wear heavy earrings. Seeing as the earrings from The Tiny Bee are polymer clay I was a bit worried my ears might droop when I wore them but they didn't! I put a larger back on them and they held firmly against my ears all night. The backs that came with the earrings would work wonderfully if you didn't stretch your ears like I used to - that's my own fault.

The second problem I sometimes have with earrings is when my hair gets caught in them. No one likes the pain that comes from brushing your hair and ripping out an earring. These earrings did not catch my hair once and I wore them to a concert with a mosh pit! I'm surprised at this since I have very fine long hair. It gives me confidence to wear these lovely earrings more often for sure.

The final thing I would like to look at with these earrings is design. Are they beautiful? Check. Are they professional quality? Check. Do I love the color and composition? Double Check! Did I get complimented while wearing them? Check! Will I be wearing them again? YES - and soon!

In summary, I love these earrings. At around $8.00 a pair I think I know one of the stores I'll be looking at during the holiday season. The factors that make these earrings so wonderful in my opinion are that they are affordable, beautiful, made with quality craftsmanship, and of course that they are handmade. I would absolutely recommend The Tiny Bee to all my friends and family.

If you would like to win a pair of these earrings from The Tiny Bee you can enter the giveaway here. Easy entry for everyone! Open Worldwide until September 30th, 2013.

Thanks for reading!

Tiny Tipis LLC makes and sells Artisan Quality Canvas Products. Would you like to see your shop featured or sponsor a giveaway on this blog? Contact me here for details.

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Real or Fake?

While mindlessly poking around on the internet today I saw an article about the number of resellers crashing Etsy's Economy and killing to mood for handmade sellers. Stories of handmade artists having their designs and product photos stolen by Chinese Factories can sure make you shudder - especially if you create and sell your items through this online marketplace!

Etsy claims to be a site that fosters handmade. They have thrived on the ideal that everything sold on their site comes from an individual, a person that makes each item with love and care. Yet they have had to create teams of people to police their site for "resellers." If you ask me, I'm positive the Etsy police can't patrol the rip-offs as fast as the Chinese factories can make them.

Alibaba is a wholesale site selling items manufactured in Asian countries. Alibaba is well known among Etsy sellers as a site that fosters resellers and rip-offs. Most stories of Etsy products being mass produced without permission from the artist are linked to an Alibaba listing or twenty. (For those of you wondering what you are supposed to do when intellectual property is stolen by Alibaba, I would direct you to their complaint form. I can't personally speak to the effectiveness of using this form but I would love to hear from anyone who has had experience with this.) Occasionally I make a point to surf the massive site for my items being pawned off at a discount rate. A simple "teepee" search reveals... Alibaba sellers still can't make a real tipi. Let's do a quick comparison.



A Real Tipi Tepee Teepee:

• Has 13 to14 poles total depending on the tribe making it.
• Has 3 to 4 poles (again depending on the tribe making it) called "lift poles" that form the base upon which the other poles are added.
• Is cone shaped with a round footprint. 

The pole structure of an 18 foot Sioux-Cheyenne Tipi. Photo thanks to my wonderful friend M.

• Is held together with small wooden sticks called lacing pins.  

Lacing Pins being put in during a tipi setup. Photo thanks to M.

• Is sewn together from very long strips of canvas resulting in beautiful seam lines on the inside. (When laid a flat tipi looks like an imperfect half circle.)

See all the lines? Only a real teepee has awe-inspiring lines like that. Photo thanks to my friend M.

• Has smoke flaps on the upper front to control the airflow inside the Tipi. These are controlled by two additional poles and secured with ropes from the lower corners to the ground.

Many Thanks to Little Joe of Ahki Tipi for use of this photo.

 Now lets look at a wannabe tepee:

For sale here if you happen to need 50 or more at a time.

•  No smoke flaps. A strange cap instead...
• Only 1 steel pole in the center, not 13 or 14 poles. The sides are staked down.
• No lacing pins.
• Is Technically a TENT, not a Tipi Tepee Teepee.

What does it have in common with a Tepee though? It is cone shaped and round. It is made from canvas. That's about it.


The problem with these wannabe Teepees (or Cheepie Tipis as a friend of mine calls them) is that they don't have all the strengthening features that a real tepee does making them vulnerable in many ways. Authentic Teepees have reinforcement patches, a time tested structure that is erected and bound in a way that resists strong winds and heavy snow, openings at the top to allow a fire inside without smoking out the people inside, and most importantly - tradition. To me, a real tipi is made by someone who has a great love and appreciation for the history of the tipi and it's people.

This brings me to my closing thoughts. I am proud to make real tipis and pleased that the imitation tipis are so inaccurate and (personal opinion) ugly. I am thankful to have been able to learn my craft despite all the challenges I encountered. Most importantly I am grateful for the friends I have made along this path. Many thanks go out to Maria (the Spanish speaking lady who taught me to sew my first tipi front), Linda Holley (who wrote the most amazing book about Tepees and aided me in producing a historically accurate pattern), Little Joe of Ahki Tipis (who constantly inspires me by making tipis the traditional way taught to him by his grandmother), Marian (who lives and dreams in one of the first Tipis I made and is always the source of a good smile), and my husband (who pushes me to keep reaching for the sky.)  Much love to you all, wado.

A Rare Level of Care

I purchased some LEDs from eBay the other day and they just arrived. Nicely wrapped around the bag of lights inside the box was a little comic strip about why leaving feedback is so important. It got me thinking about my own feedback for my online store and I came to the conclusion that I don't mind when people don't leave feedback.

Most sellers are anal about getting that positive feedback. They print notes to send with each package and try to find polite ways to say "give me good marks." If you don't leave feedback right away some give you neutral reviews. They get their undies in a bundle over a couple mouse clicks and stars!

There are times when I make an online purchase and, even though it arrives at it's destination, it takes me an extra week to pick it up. I'm not trying to procrastinate in leaving feedback. I'm simply busy. I'm just as excited to open that package as the seller is to get their positive review. I also like to take the time to really evaluate the product so I know my review is accurate. Times like these I get really bothered by sellers who nag about giving scores. My approach as a seller is a little different.

When I sell an item, custom orders especially, I know that my buyer is looking for something specific. They took the time to converse with me about the most minute details to ensure they get what they want and I put forth every effort to honor that request by sending them the best product I can offer. (Note: I'm a perfectionist almost to a fault.) I take the time to write them a personal note about the item and include it in the shipment. I give them multiple ways to contact me for any reason they might need to. Most importantly, I do not pester them about scores, feedback, stars, or positive reviews. I send them a message online asking to let me know their product arrived safely and that they are pleased. I let them know that if they are in any way unsatisfied to let me know so I can do everything in my power to fix the situation. I really do care that they are happy with their purchase and everything I need to know can be summed up in an email. It would seem almost rude to me to ask my customer to log into a website, click such-and-such link, write a few blah-blahs, and click some stars. That is their choice and I do not feel I have a right (or need) to nag.

I feel my approach is more personal. I think it shows a level of caring that many online shoppers never experience. I take the time to ask them personally if they are happy, not ask them to boast my stats with a silly score. When I do get a positive review (no negative reviews yet!) I see it as a bonus. That customer was so happy with their purchase they took the time from their busy schedule to leave me a good review. If I email a customer inquiring about a purchase and never hear back from them I take it as a sign that they are satisfied and may not have the time to reply, that is perfectly acceptable in my opinion. Yes, I have made many sales online. No, my stores do not show a lot of reviews. If you could see my email though, it tells a different story.

I don't mind when you don't leave feedback - but it makes my day to get a happy email. :)

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One Day She Will Fly

The things I have learned this year:

- When I tell myself 5 minute limit on the computer it ends up being 15. Maybe I should start aiming for 1 minute...

- Laundry doesn't do itself.

- Listen.

- Good enough is an excuse for a crappy job.

- There is never a "right time" to quit.

- Being the dumbest in the room is a good thing. It means you are the smartest in the room to surround yourself with those who would lift you up.

- Telling myself to "just do it" gets more done than "I need another cup of coffee for that."

- Baby gates only work for babies, not toddlers.

- I would rather buy a toy for my son that buy myself anything.

- Every second counts. Ever minute is precious. Every day is a gift. Every year is a giant opportunity to succeed.

- Eat well to live well.

- The sooner I get dressed the more I will accomplish.

- No matter how high up you hide the sharpies the child will find them.

- Fashionably Late is a lame excuse for "I didn't care enough to be on time."

- I have control issues.

- There is always room for improvement.

- If you are not moving forward you are moving backward or stagnating - either way is not good.

- The ability to accept help does not show weakness. The ability and willingness to return the help is where you show strength.

- Be Organized.

- Show others you appreciate them every day.

Not bad for a year... I'm only that much more determined to make next year even better now. 

The Waldo Canyon Fire

From http://www.guardian.co.uk/news

The air in Colorado Springs is feeling more like soup than something breathable this week. As a west side resident I've been keeping an eye on the Waldo Canyon Fire progress. It doesn't look good. Evacuations and notices currently extend from Woodland Park to Monument and into the Colorado Springs City Limits. I find my own home a mere half a block outside of a pre-evacuation area.

From http://www.gazette.com/

While my home is still a few miles away from the actual front line of the fire I admit my stomach is twisted in knots. I've already left once due to the smoke. Thankfully the wind changed and I am now home again. The situation is so surreal. People have already lost homes and places I used to hike are now consumed by flames. The mountains I used to love so much are now an inferno fueled by years of collected pine needles and dead brush. I can't help but think about how long it will be before I'm allowed to walk through beautiful William's Canyon and drive on Rampart Range Road again. In my head it is still unreal.

I wait with my ears turned toward the TV all day to see if anything will change. The meager 5% containment and the ever growing fingers of the Waldo Canyon Fire threaten more communities as each day passes. I can only wonder if, or maybe when, I will have to leave my home again too. My heart goes out to those who have lost their home. There are no words strong enough to comfort their losses.

From http://www.gazette.com

For the Birds

Baby bird I found behind my trash cans

Yesterday was kind of inspiring. I found a baby bird in my house yesterday. I managed to snap a few pictures before I grabbed a cardboard box to transport him outside. Poor little guy was pretty freaked out.

I was fixing to empty my vaccume cleaner and put some things outside when I noticed him on my front steps. He didn't look hurt so I decided to leave him where he was since he seemed content. I guess I didn't notice him fly inside while I was doing stuff and even though I looked for him when I came back in I didn't see him right then.

I went about my day as usual and a few hours later decided to let my son play with the ferret. Oz, the sweetest ferret alive, is one of my sons favorite toys. I kept having to remove the ferret from the corner where I keep my trash cans. He seemed really interested in it and was getting more worked up than normal. I thought maybe there was a bug back there he wanted to get at so I put him back in his cage for a moment to grab a tissue for whatever bug I thought he cornered.

He hopped away quickly when I set him down outside

When I moved the trash can I saw this poor little bird.  I can only imagine what that ferret looked like to him while he was trapped in that corner. He gave me a few peeps and tried to fly showing me that his wings were healthy, just not mature. I grabbed a cardboard box knowing I shouldn't touch him with my hands and herded him into it. He chirped and squeaked all the way to the spot where I plopped him outside.

He looked at me with surprise as if he just knew I was going to eat him and then hopped his way away from me as quick as possible. Momma bird and several others swarmed the area. They had missed him.

One of the adult birds that kept watch

I checked on him during the day to see if he had managed to get off the ground but he mostly just sat next to the front stairs kind of hidden until my husband came home. As dark neared his fellow birds kept coming back to him and encouraging him to climb into the trees and rose bushes. I watched for a while as panicking mama bird frantically pushed him from behind to go higher and higher. Each time he would fall out of the tree a different bird would swoop down to help him up and keep making him try.

I need to clean behind the trash cans...

I stepped away for a bit to make dinner and when I returned to the window I had been watching him from I saw him no where. The mass of angry birds had gone as well. I hope he made it to safety but I will probably never know. I'm just glad I got the opportunity to witness such inspiring and heart warming teamwork in nature. Maybe someday he will come sit on my doorstep to sing. I'ld like to think so anyways.

Personal Growth

Big Rig Jig by Mike Ross

I grew up with a wasteful attitude. I didn't know it, I was American. I lived life big, always wanted the newest and best of everything. Shopping used and recycled meant poor to me. I can remember ducking my head whenever mom wanted to shop at Goodwill just in case someone from school would see me. The word handmade was usually followed by the word "crap" when I was younger as I saw homemade gifts as cheap knock-offs. I stupidly thought as a child that people only move up in this world. Once a solid middle-class girl, now I am a struggling lower-class artist.

With age comes appreciation though. I live in a tiny house with a walk in closet for a nursery and an oven that is older than sin to cook on. One of our built-ins used to be a window and it never got properly sealed so if I forget to spray it with bug repellent I sometimes have the pleasure of fending off a line of ants that comes in the cracks. Eventually I will caulk it myself but at the present time I don't have money in my budget for even that.

My mom still can't believe I manage to buy groceries for three, diapers, and formula on a $300 per month budget. Sometimes I don't think I believe it either. The key to that is actually making sure to buy only what you need and NEVER waste. Single serving casserole dishes are a huge help as well as having access to a large freezer. I almost never buy meat at full price and instead make sure I get to the store early enough to have first pick of the sale items and then I can put them in my sub-zero freezer when I get home. After graphing my monthly food expenses I found that between non-obsessive coupon clipping, shopping sales, saving scraps, and doing the eCoupons through Safeway's website I can save myself an average of 30% of my bill. Potatoes that sprout no longer look like trash can liners to me. Shredded, soaked, and frozen between wax paper will save that bag of spuds and give me a side dish for breakfasts.

Recycling is not some lofty concept for me anymore. I can't afford new canvases to paint on which means I definitely can't afford a new frame to put it in. Instead I frequent Goodwill, the Arc, and other thrift stores. It feels better to only spend $5 and walk out of a store with 2 canvases and frames that fit. Then I watch out for free sample quarts of paint in the papers so when I redo the frames it costs me nothing but time. I make it a goal to only fill a bag a week with trash so the landfills aren't as filled by me. I started using Chickory in my coffee too which saves me a few bucks a week. Heaven help the world if I don't get my coffee.

The other day a friend of mine called to say he was moving and to see if I wanted anything from his house that he wasn't going to take. The old me would have scoffed at the food that wasn't directly from the supermarket, anything I already had, or something that I might need to wipe the dust off. I would have taken the office chair I'm sitting in and that's about it. The current me however took everything and then blushed as I said thank you. It still feels weird sometimes to take "handouts" but I just remind myself that it's better that I use it then it get tossed out. "It's not greedy if you use it, it's thrifty" I keep telling myself.

Never again, I promise myself, will I walk by a penny on the ground and kick it further into the street. Never again will I use a freezer bag once and toss it out because it has condensation droplets inside. For the days ahead; I hope to be thrifty while leaving a smaller footprint on the planet. It's not just necessity anymore. I feel a passion for living small and being within my means. Life is more rewarding when my waste is less.     :)

A Day to Travel

270 Miles to Learn

   I took a trip yesterday. It was the longest I've been away from my son since he was born as well as a large step for my company. I managed to visit Ralph's Sewing Machines to look at future investments, stocked up on smudge sticks, traveled to an intentional colony to propose a Tipi job, visited some friends, and saw a wonderful play.

Grandma's Tomato Pin Cushion

  My day started shortly after 8 am when I left the house and dropped off items at the Post Office on my way out of town. I stopped at the sewing machine store in Denver only to confirm I was right in assuming an industrial sewing machine would cost me around $1,200. On the upside it would last me a lifetime with how well I treat my machines and Ralph's offers excellent service on the machines they sell.

Inside of my current machine

     I left the sewing shop and headed to Wings of Eagles, a Native American themed store, in the Heritage Shopping Square in Golden. It was my first time there and after a lengthy drive that involved many U-turns I found them. My grandmother recommended I get my smudge sticks there, it was where she went when she lived in Colorado. They had local artists on display along with jewelry and other assorted Native American items.

I took a quick lunch break in Boulder to try a local coffee shop's Salami, Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Panini along with a cup of joe. It was fabulous! The potato chips were homemade (score!) but didn't have any salt. I couldn't find any salt in the place either.  :/  I still ate them all and got a 25 cent refill on my coffee.

Salami Tomato Basil Mozzarella Panini at a Coffee Shop in Boulder

     
     After lunch I headed to the intentional colony outside of Loveland to propose a tipi job to them. Long story short: an almost epic failure. Realizing that I have no business education and, try as I may, had no one to rehearse with; I would say I tried my hardest. I'm still disappointed in myself though. What was I thinking when I forgot a business plan? Even I know that's step one. Failure two...? Not knowing the mathematics behind how my product would benefit the company investing me. Wow, I messed up. There's really no other way to say it. On the bright side the gentleman who was kind enough to take the time to meet with me seems open to letting me have a "do over." Rest assured, if I am lucky enough to have another go at it, I will be over prepared if I'm anything.

     I was able to chill with my friend, Adam, from high school after the meeting. It was nice being able to catch up and see how each of us has grown up. He is working at the intentional colony currently and enjoying dating a girl he met there. They seem to be of like minds, which I know is a rarity for him to find. Such a unique mind, I feel blessed to have friends that form their own thoughts and opinions.

     After Adam and I painted a Canvas Bag I designated as my "Tiny Tipis Promotional Bag" I headed back to Boulder for a musical another of my dearest friends was in. "Beautiful Radiant Things," by North Fork's own Marty Durlin, was one of the best theatrical experiences I've had the pleasure of viewing. The music was fitting, the humor was witty, the message was bold, and the acting was top notch (and consider the performers volunteered their time!) I was able to catch up with my friend Marian afterwards, which; made the entire drive worth it. She is such a gentle soul, so amazing and beautiful inside and out. She inspires me.

     Finally after a long day I headed home at around 10 pm. The long drive was made short by all the lessons I had to mull over in my head. My mind wandered between possible improvements to my business and things that had been said between friends that day. It was sort of overwhelming to a woman who has almost grown accustomed to seeing the same four white walls every day... not bad though. Not bad at all.

It's all for Tipi Tepee Teepee Love

Tiny Tipis Goes International

A Simple Inspirational Moment

Shipping is a major part of any company these days as the internet digs it's claws deeper into every corner of the earth. People in Russia could be reading a blog that you might have written for an American audience! Such is the nature of the beast though with Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and the likes taking over the generation I grew up in. Today, I discuss shipping because I had a first for my business. Today, I shipped Internationally for the first time.

I hadn't planned on shipping globally yet. I figured it would be months, maybe even years, before I would need to. When I received a note from the buyer saying I could send it to either a United States or Australian address I was at first inclined to send my canvas items withing where I am familiar, but; that brought up questions. What would it cost? Was it reasonable? Should I expand my company to serve that many people?

I quickly pulled up the USPS website and typed in the info I had. The page loaded and I scanned down the prices until I got the option I normally use within the US. Well, I thought, that's not as scary as I expected. Besides, it really wasn't up to me if it was reasonable or not. The buyer could decide for themselves.

I sent my customer the prices I calculated plus a dollar of buffer. I gave them more options than I anticipated I could have this early on. The response came quick along with a paypal payment to my account. The deal was good! I had my first customer located in Australia and my first chance to expand past the boundaries of the United States.

The next morning I packed my truck with boxes and envelopes to ship including the envelope marked for Australia. My stomach gurgled at me with nerves as I hopped in the drivers seat. I knew the principal of what I had to do. Step 1, find the correct forms. Step 2, figure out how to correctly fill our said forms. Step 3, hope I calculated my prices right.

I was lucky and got to the Post Office during a slow time so there wasn't a line. It always makes it easier to interrogate the workers about shipping regulations when there isn't a chain of angry impatient people behind you. To my surprise, I had grabbed the exact forms I needed. Check a box here, enter a weight there, fill in the addresses, and sign the bottom... the lady stamped the square in the corner of the page I filled out and complemented me on needing minimal guidance.

I asked if there was a way I could take a few extra customs forms so next time I needed to ship international I would be more organized for them. The lady helping me was thrilled. "Of course!!! We encourage it!"

On my way home I thought about all the times I had mailed letters as a child. As I grew up technology started to take over the times I would have normally slapped a stamp on an envelope. Bills, letters to family, photos, Christmas cards with money... all things I can do easier from a computer.

I felt triumphant. It didn't matter how simple the process was, it was something I was clueless on and highly unsure of. I had shied away from it but now I saw that there were so many more customers available. Shipping need not stop me now.

For today I close with this thought:

 May we never stop learning with soft hearts and open minds. Let us conquer the world with love and knowledge. Never give up.