SpookyTime Jingles Grows up

Yes, STJ is growing in so many ways. In just a few days STJ will attend its 3rd National Halloween Convention in King of Prussia/Philadelphia. Each year we are one of the most highly anticipated vendors at this show. It is so heart warming to receive such a warm and exciting response from attendees, fans and collectors alike.


So,this year we decided to completely revamp our booth displays to keep it fresh and to keep you all on your toes! You will NOT be disappointed, I promise!
Think Neo-Victorian haunted house meets SpookyTime Jingles!

Also look for our LIVE feed to be shared on our Facebook Fan Page!

If you see a piece you like when we post pictures and videos leave a comment on our Facebook page and we will contact you. Last year we sold Dozens of pieces from pictures posted on our page!

This year we are doubly honored to be considered by 2 television networks for interviews and filming for upcoming features about Halloween!
Fingers, toes and eyes crossed ;)

SHOWROOM FLOOR SALES DAYS ARE ONLY Friday, May 6th-Sunday the 8th!
The other days are for vendors only

*if you would like to attend the NHC and need any assistance, please let us know we would love to help!
contact us at: spookytimejingles@yahoo.com
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We are nearing our 3 year anniversary-July 13th, since we opened our internet doors and beyond!
No small feat in the tough climate we have all weathered these last few years.


Our growth and success has shown that so many of you love our concept and our goals and believe in what we do. Thanks, seems too little of a word for the tremendous gratitude Wendy and Myself have for all of you. And an especially big hug of thanks to the artists who work so hard to bring you the best they can do every month and at every show.
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Finally, last year we held our 1st annual STJ Holiday Soiree and it was a remarkable success for a 1st year show. The Soiree excitement continues for us this year as Wendy Leaumont (STJ new Co-owner) is aboard full time! The talent Wendy brings to STJ is nothing short of magical.



Together we have planned an ambitious event for the 2nd annual STJ Soiree and intend to make it even better for artist and collector alike!

To start we have a new Webpage for the Soiree
http://www.spookytimejingles.com/soiree/
that will allow us to not only give you the important details but also display it all attractively.



We have a new venue this year that is warm and inviting in gorgeous historic New Hope, Pa. (I always dreamed of having an art show in New Hope-yippee!!)
Plus, it is only 10 minutes away from last years venue.

This venue should hold us for many many years to come and we hope will prove to be the yearly home of the STJ Holiday Soiree!

Imagine Warm woods, glistening chandeliers, cozy carpeting underfoot and Victorian furnishings among some of the finest holiday collectibles to be had!
Yummy!!


It is hard to believe all we have accomplished as a group of dedicated artists in such a short amount of time.

I am honored and humbled and happy.

artfully yours,
dani nelson
founding owner of SpookyTimeJingles.com

Getting started: Accepting Credit Cards at Shows and Everyday

Yesterday, I sent an email to friends in the biz about how to get started accepting credit cards. So many thanked me that I realized I needed to share this info even further. So....

It is a very intimidating process until someone shows you the way and suddenly you go....AH that is easy!!!!!!!!!!

So a special shout out to Iva Wilcox for her sharing of information that helped me get started 2 years ago.

This info is for any artist selling at shows. You will make more money if you take credit cards..people buy more from you when they can charge some of it. Here is the info just in case.

STEP 1:
ProPay.com

sign up, VERY EASY application, no credit check. instant approval. ONE TIME Fee each year (not monthly) is $55.00 for up to $3000.00 of charges accepted per month!!!
you will get a ATM card to withdraw your money from the credit card transactions within 24HOURS or have it transferred to your bank acct!!!

You can do the entire thing via their online website when running a credit card but just in case you do not have wifi/internet connection available at your location, just order the below supplies and run the cards after the show back at home or hotel!
*I personally ALWAYS take a imprint of the card so I can prove I had the card in my hand and that the owner did authorize it.

STEP 2:
Order Supplies
1) Credit Card Imprinter
1) pack of Slips (long ones I prefer to the shorter ones-you can always use the extra space to write on the slip)
1) sign saying you accept MasterCard and Visa

I bought my supplies from here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/BARTIZAN-CREDIT-CARD-IMPRINTER-KIT-W-SLIPS-SIGN-/380256627081?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58890fa989

Total investment: is under $75.00 to accept credit cards for an ENTIRE year!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is AMAZING!

*Side note: You can also optionally order a name plate for your business that attaches to the imprinter so that every time you swipe a credit card transaction your business name will also imprint on the sales/copy/receipt slip.

In my opinion there is no better service for taking credit cards at this level.

Happy selling!!

Beyond Description

Here is me after ZERO sleep for 20 hours, getting ready to leave for the airport at 4 am to go see my friend, buddy, pal, confidant..... Janell:

I look downright loopy. My right eye looks 30x larger than the left...what in the hell is that?

So....
I made it on time to Phila International and made it through TSA easy enough ( no anal probing needed for ass bomb checkage-BONUS!). Two Xanax later I boarded my high flying "bed" to Denver to catch my final flight to Eugene, Oregon. Here is the early morn sun rise after takeoff from Phila.


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Xanax induced sleep, slipper socks, John Mayer-new Battle Studies album (yep, that kind of mood) on Ipod, Vitamin Water and two lil pillows for perfect propping. I was in Denver in no time flat!

Somehow got to Denver 1 hour early (? how does that happen?) and tooled around and found THEE best place to drop some cashola (actually Visa Gift Cards I got for Christmas ;)!

Mosaic Fine Arts and Crafts Gallery in the Denver Airport

I wish I could have scooped up one of these..they are sooo wonderful but alas I was too cheap!

~Mark Brown Robot Assemblage Art~
Look for his books too..he is simply amazing!

~Heart Assemblage~
Kathryn Arnett Recycled
Stacked wood pieces 6+ inches deep wrapped with metal straps- how cool!

~Live with Passion Assemblage Mirror..Yummy! ($400+..eep! Still worth it ;)~

Finally, I settled on a piece that fit on my Visa gift Cards and that made me smile. It truly was a "Dani" item..


Erin Smith Art

So, I left Denver Airport a happy chic-a-dee with my new art in tow.
Got on my lil plane to Eugene and next thing I knew I was on the ground and coming down the escalator to see a super sweet Janell waving and smiling bright. I swear we hugged for 5 minutes. I knew instantly she was everything I had anticipated..A kind genuine soul.

So to shorten this growing post I shall share some of the things I just LOVED about my stay on the Florence, Oregon coast at Miss Janell's beach side abode:


FLORENCE BEACH




Roxy (aka ROX-A-Roni)



Heceta, LIGHTHOUSE & SEALS Swimming and Barking!!!

Truly a busy whirlwind of a trip. Although it rained lightly everyday it was still somehow nice. With temps in the 50's I was smitten b/c I just knew back in NJ it was 30 or below...burr~
Janell was a fantastic hostess. She kept me fed and watered (I constantly skip both necessities when deep into work) and was just an awesome friend.

Myself and Janell in Stone Structure at Top of Cape Perpetua

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The purpose of this trip was to buckle down (ha!) and to throw ideas around about creating fun and unique pieces for Janell's D56 lineup. Department 56 can really create almost anything in reproduction with very lil limitations it seems. That alone opens up a whole new world for Janell. I am soo excited to see what she and the D56 team come up with! Can you imagine? What an exciting time!

We did manage to find sometime to sight see for approx 1 hour where gorgeous coastal views and the sound and site of seals made my heart sing!

Cape Perpetua Overlook

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We drove 2+ hours to meet Jo & Dylan of CBTH and had a wonderful time. Jo served us an awesome lunch of Vegi Lasagna with a tasty Caesar salad.

And for dessert we had was this!:

ornie from Jo n Dylan of vary before the horse">

How awesome of Jo and Dylan to do something so sweet! We got to meet the whole CBTH clan including the kiddo's and they are just the sweetest family. Big hugs for their kindness and hospitality.

We ate some interesting meals along the way.... This is supposed to be Mongolian Beef from a lil Thai restaurant. However we are so NOT convinced.




We did eat an amazing meal at Sierra's home (Janell' s daughter). She cooked us dinner in a Hot Pot. Hot Pot cooked vegi's and shrimp, bbq pork and sticky rice..YUM!

Can you believe we found this at a local Goodwill...was kind of eerie for me and sad too. These two items were on the shelf right on top of each other.

So, now back to my reality of being back in NJ with what feels like enough work for Martha Stewart's Staff.

Dirty Spelunking with a Prozac Smoothie please

Do you have any interest in Spelunking? Well perhaps you could send a well equipped team to help me explore and analyze this downy right sorry azz situation I have gotten myself in.

I realize spelunking is considered an Extreme Sport but I assure you there will be many death defying maneuvers required to remedy this situation. Send Help STAT with a Prozac smoothie chaser please.

p.s. My Oregonian travel goodies will post this week for those who give a crap..lol-hugs! ;)

See ya soon

Hey all. Just a quickie post to say that the recent updates of mine (Ambitions Design) is my last on Pfatt and SpookyTimeJingles.com for the foreseeable future. I am not leaving either marketplace, rather taking a break.




I have been fighting a painful illness now for many weeks and the truth is I need the break so I can try and heal. Although, the suspected illness has no cure, there are many things I can do to help heal my body and regain strength. Without a doubt I need to remove some of my duties to relieve the stress I place on myself to get things done.




A few of you know that I have not been well but mainly I have said nothing for many reasons over the last 10 weeks. I am now as I did not want there to be speculation over my temporary break from either of the marketplaces.



I will still be running SpookyTimeJingles (hopefully from a laptop at the beach) no different than now.



I hope to post on here from time to time over the summer to say hello.



Happy Creating~

Please let me know!!

Ok my blogland friends.

Can I ask, beg, plead with you to PLEASE go to the SpookyTime Jingles Blog and let me know if you are going to the National Halloween Convention April 10th or 11th in King of Prussia, PA?

There is a poll up for you to choose your current status of attendance.

Many hugs for your continued support of all things sweet & spooky!

www.spookytimejingles.blogspot.com

Don't forget!!

www.NationalHalloweenConvention.com

KING OF PRUSSIA CONVENTION CENTER!!

Yeah, a Giveaway!!!

Wanna win a OOAK Halloween original by Ambitions Design made just for you?



Well just become a public follower and you are entered.

click FOLLOW link in the right hand-side column of this blog




Comment on anything positive you feel like sharing and you are entered twice!




You must be a follower to be eligible.



I will create a Skellykin just for you!!

~this post represents some of the Skellykins already sold~









Winner Announced ON MARCH 31st.



Your Skellykin will be created during the week AFTER April 13th.


We will work together to get you a Skellykin just for you!

Art.......blah, blah, blah

This pic is a year old ..... I actually look different now but alas I am too lazy to pose for a new one. I have a love hate relationship with my digi-cam.

Hello I am Dani and I am an art addict! Buy or sell it doesn't matter as long as I am knee deep in it.

Now that being said, how am I going to get my art out there more? I just want to create and not deal with the marketing end of it. Can't I just click my heels 3 x and wish for it to happen? Must find my ruby slippers......

I must say I am loving etsy.com! It is so easy (compared to poo-bay, pay-bay, oh that is right it is called e-bay). Etsy fees are great and I can list so quick. My shop has had a dry spell over the last 8 days. Tis a bit depressing as I think I have listed some of my best Aceo's but these things go in cycles and I shall have to be patient and continue to create.

I LOVE any and all feedback. I never get upset over an honest opinion. Art is a very personal thing and I do not get upset over such things. So feel free to comment, suggest, critque, etc... as it can only help me see the full picture.

Come pay me a visit at http://www.ambitionsdesign.etsy.com/ or

on myspace and click pics to see some of my older pieces http://www.myspace.com/daniduckduckgoose

~happy creating~

Dani~