LisaRaspino.com is Open for Business!

As I stated in my previous post, I downgraded my 1and1.com web hosting package to a domain-registration package.   (This is not a reflection on 1and1.com.  I'm very happy with them.  However, I really didn't have the time to master their web-building program and, as such, I wasn't taking full advantage of what I was paying for.  If I'm ever in the market for web-hosting again, 1and1.com will be my first stop.)

My site is now hosted by the e-commerce platform called supadupa.me.   It was simple to set up, I like the templates.  I got in on the early bird special so the price was right for me.

Looking pretty good, right?    www.lisaraspino.com

I'll soon have new domain names for my e-shops!

I'm waiting for my package downgrade to occur so I can redirect my two registered domain names.  One will redirect to my Artfire shop, the other will redirect to my new site on supadupa.me (more about Supadupa later).

I've had a website with 1and1.com for a while now, but I never promoted it because I just couldn't get the hang of it.  It was okaaayyyy, but not wow!   That's not 1and1's fault mind you.  It's just that between creating jewelry, photographying it, editing photos, writing descriptions and my ADHD, I just don't have the time to figure out 1and1's website builder.

As a company, though, I like 1and1 a lot.  I've found their prices to be very good and their customer service friendly and helpful on the few occasions I've called them.  If and when I'm ready to engage the help of a professional webdesigner, 1and1 will be the first place I check for webhosting.

OOPS, I did it again!

I have committment issues, it seems.   I've redesigned my logo, banners, and avatars for my blog, my Facebook page and my Etsy and ArtFire pages.  This is the 5th time (at least!) in four years.  Sheesh....

I've been obsessed with the color combination of gray and berry.   (Since I've decided to embrace my natural "silver" haircolor, I find that berry is one of my new colors that look good with my coloring.  So why not incorporate it in other areas of my life?)

The pale gray heart on my banner represents a motif I use in my sterling silver wire jewelry.   I "drew" it (my first vector graphic image!) using a free program called Inkscape.  I then put the banners/avatars together using another free program called GIMP. 

Feel free to chime in.  Is the gray too bland?  Is the pink too "Barbie"?  Or does it look okay? 

Why ArtFire Rocks!

I love ArtFire.  Of all the online venues where I have a presence, ArtFire is my favorite - hands down.  Here's why, in no particular order:

1)  Cost:  There's a fixed monthly rate.  No listing fees, no fees when items sell.  No hidden, unexpected costs.   This makes it very easy to budget. 

2)  Knowledge Base:  The forum, the Help Guides, the Inside Handmade podcasts -- all excellent.  The education I'm receiving about search engine optimization (SEO) and social media (loved the Social Media Bootcamp series) alone is worth the cost.

3)  The "Admin":  The folks who run ArtFire actively participate in the forum discussions.  Getting a straight answer couldn't be easier.

4)  Selling:  People have found my items via Google and purchased them.  While shoppers are welcome to sign up to join the ArtFire community, they are not required to do so in order to purchase. 

5)  Really cool stuff:   Okay, I've been writing from the perspective of a seller, but let's face it:  I'm a shopper too.   ArtFire features some of the most amazing handcrafted items, vintage items, and crafting/art supplies. 

Another Book I'm Enjoying: 30 Minute Earrings by Marthe LeVan

I literally spend hours at my local Barnes & Noble. I especially love to peruse the art & craft books while sipping coffee at the B&N cafe and attempting to narrow my selection to one or two books.


I really liked 30 Minute Earrings by Marthe LeVan. This book features 60 earring projects, each from a different artist -- all created in 30 minutes or less.

Really cool earrings, too: some made from recycled materials (automobile license plates, VHS tapes -- I kid you not!), others made from traditional materials, others made from budget friendly items.

I also like how the top of each project lists exactly what skills are needed to complete the project. If you don't solder, for example, you can skip ahead to the next project.

That said, my first attempt at one of the projects took about 100 minutes (85 for the first earring, 15 for the second) -- talk about a learning curve! Once I figured it out, though I was zipping along.

If you're looking for out-of-the-box ideas, consider this book. It's available at B&N, Amazon, and I'm sure other places.