A Golden Day -- Treasury East

Have you made a Treasury East yet? What do you think? This is the first one that I made, A Golden Day, and it seems odd that it sticks around forever! Now, do you go back and rearrange, add new shops? Or, do you delete it and create something new? ...actually I have two others...can you find them?

Alchemy Meerkat Phoenix to Las Vegas

Under The Big Top

My newest porcelain buttons from Hodge Podge Arts! Can't wait to work on this design! Would someone give me a few more hours in my day?

Alchemy Meerkat Final Goodbye

Goodbye Geese

Goodbye books...


Wait...Wait....is that me????


Well...it is me....I'm a star!!!!


I'll be back home before I know it!


My bags are packed...and I'm off to Las Vegas!


And, now to shove off...

Vintage Car Eye Candy

Alchemy Meerkat in the Studio

Well, I think I get a day of rest...we are playing in the studio today!


Rose ordered more of those lovely porcelain buttons from Hodge Podge Arts, and look at the Wisteria Cuff she made from that first batch!


Oh this is enough color to make anyone happy!


I love this tropical ring....Rose said I might even get to take one of these rings with me, you won't believe all of the treasures I've collected along the way...once I get back home in England with Nifty...there will be a contest and I'll go to the lucky winner!

Modeling is such a tiring job...just need a short nap



Ohhh...Oh...what is this? look at all of this felted wool...so many drawers, so little time!

This would make a great place to nap as well....but can't rest now, we are designing a new cuff!



I think I'm in love...look at all of this embroidery thread...what color next?

I'm dizzy.....

Embroidery Digitizing Victorian Boot Part 1

I designed this boot for a hand embroidery piece that I did a few weeks ago and named it An Elegant Victorian Boot. As I was working on the piece I thought that it might be a good design to transfer over to a machine embroidery design. Using the jpeg of my original design I imported it into my Creative 4D* digitizing software. This software is very versatile and allows you to create from your own design or purchased designs, which you can then manipulate.


Once I had the basic design digitized I went back and used more decorative stitches to give the design a bit more texture. I also chose the colors of sulky threads that I wanted to use to sew this out. This is all done on a PC (unfortunately there is not an Apple version). The software also allows you to choose the machine hoop size and shape that you want to place the fabric in.


Once you are satisfied with the design on your computer, you then transfer it over to your sewing machine. I have a Pfaff creative 2144, but there are many other embroidery machines that this software interfaces with. As you can see, the design is up on the screen and the hoop apparatus is ready for the hoop and fabric.


A closer look at the design on the sewing machine. You can save quite a few designs to the sewing machine and only need to go into the folder to get your designs. Once up on the screen, you can still make some minor adjustments. While I chose the sulky thread colors that I wanted to use, it doesn't mean that I always have to use that color combination. I could do a blue, red, pink...any color of boot that I want. Once I sew this out I will post part 2 of this process.

*I have owned both of these products for a long time, this is not a sponsored ad.

Alchemy Hiking and Rock Climbing in Arizona

Another day on the trail. We've decided to hike and rock climb today...


You find shade wherever you can!


Help! Can you find me?



Onward and Upward!



I wonder if my hosts have any less adventurous activities planned?
(...they have a pool in the backyard...need to float around in that chair)



OH my!


Back to my rock on the river....need to meditate a bit after all of that!

Google Caffeine - Advertising and My Blog

With all of the changes at Etsy and on Google we are all looking for a way to be seen, or found when people are doing google searches. If you blog it seems that incoming and outgoing links are becoming even more important to your ranking in google searches. These links need to be seen as not being spam. Links should be relevant to you. The links also should come from blogs or sites that have a good page rank, or following. If you sell beads you don't want a lot of incoming links from people who sell fences, for example. If you sell beads you also don't want many outgoing links to people who sell fences. Your links need to be relevant and reputable. Or, google may flag your site just like they did back in the day when people stuffed their meta tags.

For those with Etsy shops, you should figure out what your keywords (use the Google Keyword tool) are and use them effectively in your product titles, descriptions and tags. Don't write with every other word using the keyword (spamming) use the words naturally. But do sprinkle your keywords in throughout the description, you want some repetitiveness. When google crawls your page its algorithm can see what is natural and what isn't. Funny how it is smart like that!

Facebook, Twitter LinkedIn and MySpace will play a large role in boosting the ability to be seen and consequently found on the internet and on Etsy. Each of these social media products are beginning to be displayed in real time when you do a google search. When you do a search you will see someone's tweet or facebook post that relates to the term you searched on. Maybe you've already noticed this when you do a search in google and are now seeing tweets and Facebook posts? Or, if you have Google Alerts set up and receive alerts on your business name have you noticed that at least daily you receive something that you or someone else tweeted about your business the day before or posted to Facebook? Each of these social media methods are important to you being found. But, you can't always tweet about yourself. You need to tweet about others and in turn find a way for them to tweet about you. This helps build your credibility in Googles search engines.

Maybe you are saying, well I just run a shop an Etsy and I'm not interested in tweeting, facebook, etc. Over time you may begin to notice that people visiting your shop is decreasing. The people using social media effectively may be gaining ground and taking away some of the traffic you use to receive. We need to face facts that we need to use every resource available if we want to be successful. While you may not think that people find you through google or twitter, how do you know that your traffic might not increase IF people doing google searches and tweeting could find YOU rather then your competitor? There may be an entire untapped market of buyers out in the land of google that doesn't realize that you exist because they don't find you when they do a search. This has as much to do with the keyword as it does how you, your blog, or Etsy shop rank.

Before I knew that Google was making a change to caffeine, even though it was announced last August, I decided to not only offer 125 ads on my blog, but I also decided to create advertising packages, just like media agencies do. My packages include a 125/150 ad, tweeting, and facebook promotion. Not only can Etsy sellers benefit from my packages, but also blog owners. Having these links and tweets push you up in the search engine. The more traction you get in various ways helps to boost the number of eyes that see you. I have created an advertising page so that you can choose a package that suits your needs. I will also be adding testimonials on the effectiveness of advertising using my packages. If you are interested in an advertising package, contact me and we can work out the details. I want others and myself to be successful and will stay up-to-date on Search Engine Optimization and will adjust my packages to help increase your efforts to be successful.

If you have any questions, you can contact me, or post your question in comments and I will answer them as soon and as well as I can. Also, please read my earlier article, Get Your Name Out there! Advertising, it will help you understand how to find the right blogs to advertise on. If you want to read a review of one of my packages, visit my Advertising page.

Alchemy Meerkat Adventure in Arizona! Part 1

My first day in Arizona...and what found me? A Saguaro Cactus.....ouch!


My hosts have this very cool vehicle in which they take a lot of adventures in...I wonder why it is so yellow? ...and what is that hook all about? They've named it Wikid...I think I'm in trouble!


Who told me there wasn't any water in Arizona?
Well, we managed to get stuck and
I came to the rescue....Mighty Meerkat Power!


I found out what that hook was all about!



Need to rest for a moment!

I think I can...I think I can


I did it! I rescued Wikid


As a meerkat I don't really like water, but after all of that hard work and this heat...
I'm ready to jump in...


Dry heat!

Alchemy and Etta have been traveling the world on a great adventure. Etta has arrived back home in England and will be given away with all of her treasures on Monday, April 12th. (hurry and enter!) Look for Alchemy to arrive back in England soon....with all of his treasures and for another splendid giveaway!

Links to more of the adventures of Alchemy!
(stay tuned here....part 2 and 3 will arrive soon)

Alchemy Learns to Quilt
Catching the Moon
Maple Syrup Making
A Primitive World
In the Garden
Motor City

Echinopsis Eyresii Night Blooming Cactus

I was out yesterday and came across this flowering cactus. Not only is it beautiful its fragrance is amazing. You generally do not get to see them in the daylight, since they bloom at night and wilt with daylight, but this one really wanted to show off!