a special offer for you

did i mention that i am opening an etsy shop next month? i am so very excited about this. in the beginning, i will offer photo cards. later, i will offer other things. i must say that i had no idea how much fun it would be to get things ready for my little shop - i am having way too much fun coming up with names and descriptions.

in my getting ready, i discovered a small dilemma. i want to decide how i want to "package" and send out the cards, but it's hard to decide this without actually having cards to package and send out. happily, this gave me an idea.

i have five or six sets of cards already made. i am offering these sets up early at a special price ($12 a set, free shipping - these sets include five photo cards), so i have something to "practice" on. plus, this will help me pay for my supplies.

if you're interested in purchasing one of the sets, send me an email {it's eahalt [at] mac [dot] com}, and i'll send you a paypal invoice. the sets that are already made are titled {lavender dreams}, {daisy, daisy}, and {yellow roman candles}. (there is a photo of each set in this post; i am guessing that you can tell which is which.) let me know if you have a preference.

{edit to add: i have my card people - yay! thank you so much!}

speaking of making cards .. there are some projects that can have sort of an assembly-line feel, like making more than a few of the same card. (i notice this whenever i make christmas cards.) i am really trying to avoid this for my shop. i want my cards to be infused with nothing but love and delight so that whoever receives them feels it, even if unconsciously. (possibly this is a silly dream, but i like to imagine that it will be so.)

to prevent this, i have created a ritual around my card-making. i thought i'd share it, in case the ritual (or the idea of a ritual) is useful to someone else.

when i make my cards, i do the following:

: i treat myself to something yummy to drink (at the moment, it is lemonade or orange cream soda).
: i play music that makes me feel happy and inspired and full of love (generally "alleluia" by robert gas, kirtan music, or "theme from silk road" or "caravansary" by kitaro).
: i blow a little kiss to each card after i make it.

somehow, my little ritual makes the making-of-the-cards feel special and slightly-out-of-the-ordinary.

Comments

[Marcie]

Oh..these look beautiful!! Good luck with your etsy shop. Will be curious to hear how it goes (as I am considering doing the same..).

[Josiane]

Oh, I want to be your guinea pig! :) I'm emailing you as soon as I can decide which set I want!

[Tracy]

Sooo EXCITED about your shop, Elizabeth! You have a great start with these sets. I would love to have one of your lavender sets! I will email you. Wishing you all the best for fun & success with this new adventure! Taking time to enjoy as you set us is essential... I know what you mean. ;o) Happy Days ((HUGS))

[Toni]

I ♥ you E! You make everything so special. Good luck with your shop. I didn't have much luck, but that doesn't mean that you won't do gangbusters. I love the photos that you've chosen for your cards - so pretty!

[anne]

Have you been to ClearBags? I purchase little sleeves from them that hold a card and envelope, yet open so you can read the inside. (They also offer other types, for cards that you don't need to open.) Plus they have all types of clear boxes that could hold the sets. These are really cute with a "belly band" of ribbon or paper....

[elk]

LOVE the ritual..it really is a fun place to be...I love your cards friend!!

[Rose]

wow, this is amazing!! well done (and good luck) with all of this!!!
very exciting.
x

[chrissy]

yeah! HAPPY ETSY OPENING! that is so darn exciting and i LOVE that you have had fun getting it all ready...i hear a lot of concern and "un.fun" from some folks when they are getting their shop going...GOOD FOR YOU!
but i wouldn.t expect any less than that from you.
i love your ritual. i was thinking that somehow atlas should have a part in all of the goodness....hmmm? just a thought.
loves to you.
c

[elizabeth @ retinal perspectives]

@chrissy: hee. i have a tendency to keep atlas away from the cards. he can drool and i suspect i am the only one that would appreciate that. ;)

but that is a very good point .. i will have to think of a way that he can be included! though, he will have his very own set of cards.

[Julie M.]

Yay! Those are absolutely gorgeous, Elizabeth! Please let us know when your shop is open for business. :) So excited for you!

[kerri]

so glad you're enjoy the etsy store set up- that's very exciting! :)

[Relyn]

Bummer that I missed the chance to be one of your "card people". I am so excited for you and your new venture. You are just full of new ventures, aren't you? Congratulations again and again.

[Bullwinkle]

Yay! Yay for new things! (Lovely new things - I'm sorry I missed it!)

Yay for rituals! (And thank you for writing - today, something popped into my head and it may be the solution to my sleeping issues: change a 'ritual'. And I didn't even realize it *was* a ritual. So, thank you for pointing that out.)