The Curious Pug

10 tips for making a vlog

2012-05-29T08:40:00.001-04:00

I came up with a list of tips & tricks that have helped me when it came to making a vlog and I am sharing it over on Better Blogger Network today. It is my first post as a blogger over there and I'd love for you to stop by and let me know what you think!

Click to read 10 tips for making a vlog on Better Blogger Network

Add me as a friend on BBN

Perhaps, this means I will be making a new vlog sometime soon ;)

Books I've Been Reading : Anon

2012-05-28T08:00:00.001-04:00

Details:
Type: E-book purchased from Amazon.
Price: $2.99
Date finished: May 7, 2012
Rating (out of 5 stars): 4 stars.
Synopsis from Goodreads:

Rory Ellison, victim of his own misdeeds, wallows in misery. Then a door opens. Now he's got a new job, a dream assignment to rewrite the darkest mistake of his past, and a strange new companion in his head. Wielding powers beyond his comprehension and control, Rory return to Faith.

She possesses the perfect husband, kids, and home. But when Rory falls back into her world, old wounds open wide, shattering her ideal life.

At the center of the mayhem stands Anon, a seemingly benevolent organization with a sinister past of its own. "Helping you realize your dreams sooner," the company promises. But what do they stand to gain? How far will they go to get what they want? And if they make dreams a reality, what about nightmares?

Only Michelle, a young girl with a strange gift, can defeat the evil threatening her family. But she must face fear, work with the ghosts of her enemy's past, navigate a maze of terror, and make the tough choice to grow up too soon in a world filled with evil and indifference.

Hold on tight! Anon;a tale of corporate and familial terror that is unlike anything you've ever read.

My review:

Anon is a creepy and terrifying psychological story. The main character, Rory, is really unhappy with his current life, hates his wife and one of his bosses is a prick. One day he is invited to a meeting at his job, Anon, where he is offered an opportunity to fix all his problems.

The book takes you through Rory's childhood all the way up until present day and you can't help but like him even though he makes some terribly selfish decisions towards the end, decisions that will change everyone's lives involved.

I would have liked to know more about the details on the inner workings at Anon and how Rory was able to change his life, but it's fiction so obviously there is no real answers and perhaps it wouldn't have made the story as creepy. Sometimes less is more. But I like how Anon symbolizes corporate greed in today's world and how it's easy to influence the decisions of others regardless of how damaging their effects are, thus corporate greed. And that in itself is scary because it could happen to anyone. This is definitely a unique and different kind of story.

Moved in and slowly getting settled

2012-05-27T09:00:00.017-04:00

At the last minute we decided to leave NY Wednesday night and get in the new house so we wouldn't have to deal with morning rush hour traffic on Thursday and also so we could start unloading the pods early in the morning (ahh, the joys of living within driving distance! It's still something I'm going to have to get used to). We were pleased that nothing was broken in transit thanks to Brian's amazing packing skills, but opening the pod doors was a little scary since everything wanted to spill out from the long drive cross country.

We unloaded both pods with the help of Brian's parents on Thursday and I couldn't believe the perfect timing. As soon as we had everything unloaded and in the house, the sky opened up and down poured! The house was full of boxes and furniture all completely out of order and messed up but we didn't care. We just sat on the nearest piece of furniture while the rain came down and waited for the cable/internet guy to come.

By the end of the first day we had the kitchen and master bedroom set up for the most part. And the day after that the living room and bathroom are mostly done.

But the spare bedroom and office is a disaster area. We don't even know where to begin with those rooms and are in no real rush to start.

The landlord had lived here for many years before and owned 2 dogs herself so the entire outside is dog proof with fences and gates galore so it's awesome outside. Just a bit muddy but we may end up growing grass and planting a garden if we are here long enough.

And our next door neighbors are so sweet! We've never had a positive experience with any neighbors before (so let's hope this isn't jinxing it), or just never even bother to meet them, so when the couple next door came over with homemade biscotti, a couple of candles and matches (the power goes out a lot apparently from the storms) and a cute little handmade card, I was beyond excited and touched at their gesture. And it's funny because they have a black cat named Monty that followed them over and our Monty was glaring at him through the door.

Then yesterday we went into town to check it out and much to my excitement, found two doggie boutiques where we got the pups a new toy and a peanut butter cannoli, and a Christmas store that was having a 50% off sale on everything! I went slightly bonkers but ended up buying a nutcracker worth 60$ marked down to 30$. Can't beat that! I hope you are having a great Memorial Day weekend!

Bookmark Dump

2012-05-25T08:00:00.008-04:00

If all has gone to plan, by now we have moved into our new rental house and are in the process of unpacking our two u-pack storage pods and the internet should be set up or is in the process of being set up because God forbid I go without the internet for a frickin day. (That line reminds me of the one from in The Wedding Singer, "Now let's cut the stupid cake cause I know the fat guy's gonna have a heart attack if we don't eat again soon," only substitute fat guy for me and stupid cake for set up the internet).

48 things that will make you feel old. No really, they will. From Caitlin.

15 ways to stay married. I actually find myself agreeing with lots of the things on here (except maybe #7 with the kids, because...well, I won't get into it)

A good article on how to tick check your dog (even if he's big, black, and hairy). Having 2 ticks on me and 3 on the dogs over the last 3 weeks FREAKS me the hell out so I've been super paranoid about feeling them crawling on me and making sure the dogs are safe.

Mean Puggin. Thank you Andrew for finding this! I love it :)

I love these minimalist movie posters! From So About What I Said.

Want to see a cute puppy and read a cute puppy story? Click here.

I thought this was a fun link up: Buy, sell, or swap ad space link party.

The Shining in 30 seconds with bunnies. The sound effects and voices rile up/scares the heck out of Mabel lol.

There are over 350 new members on Better Blogging Network! I've been having fun hanging out over there, you should check it out.

Watch two talking dogs argue. I love huskies because of how they howl.

Partner with the Pug

2012-05-24T08:00:00.002-04:00

So I have no idea what this month will bring blog-wise. I typically don't plan too far ahead, but this is for sure: a few personal changes are in the future. We will be settling into our new home in Pennsylvania by the time you read this so I may or may not have internet access to approve your ads right away, but they will definitely be up by the 1st. I am looking forward to going on a few exploring trips in our new town, and it's our 5 year wedding anniversary in June too. Perhaps this month I will also get a job? Who knows.

Sponsor spaces are available now and more will be opening at the end of the month so if you'd like to be a June sponsor, please click here for more info and to secure your spot!

Doodle frame from Little Pink Strawberries

Life List

2012-05-22T14:49:00.000-04:00

I've decided to update my Goals While I'm 30 list to a huge list of things I want to accomplish at some point in my life. I'll probably be updating and adding to this list a lot over time and making it a regular part in my blog series.

~~Move out of California and back to the east coast.~~

Buy a house.

Mow the lawn because that's what homeowners do.

Get (or begin to work on obtaining) my national mammography license.

Get an xray job with somewhat normal hours.

Host a holiday party at our place.

Read at least 30 books a year.

Get the crazy dogs some training.

Start a workout program (Bodyrock, perhaps?).

Build a chicken coop and raise some chickens.

---------------------

Grow a veggie garden

Visit Ireland/Spain/France/Germany/England/Egypt/Greece

Get a tattoo with my sister

Go camping

Buy a kayak

Buy a bike that I like (IE: not a mountain bike)

Ride a segway

Go to a movie by myself

Grow my movie poster collection

Get a pool table

Get a chameleon

Make a (wo)man cave

Meet a blog friend in person

Attend a workshop to learn something

See a ballet or Broadway show

Renew our vows
Revisit where we got married
Finally purchase our wedding photo album

Go to Cape May for vacation

Go to Atlantic City for vacation

Try eyebrow waxing

Get back into crafting/sewing projects

Go fishing

Get a gun permit

Have a dog that can be trained to be a therapy dog

Volunteer at an animal shelter

Get in shape/exercise more

Buy stocks

Move my blog to wordpress

Buy a Piper & Paisley hat
Offer a blog design service

Improve liquid eyeliner skills

Collect my favorite Disney movies

Pay it forward to an unsuspecting individual

Zip line
Make the decision about having kids

Donate my hair

Rescue a greyhound

Rescue an older dog

Make a fun lawn display for Christmas

Take a hot air balloon ride

See a glacier

Build a fort

Go water tubing

Catch fireflies in a jar

Send my parents on a vacation

See The Northern Lights

Visit the Museum of Modern Art

Visit the White House

Be a tourist in my own town

Fly a kite

Taste raw honey

Read 300 books

Use a personal shopper

Eat a macaroon to see what's the deal

Take a shot of alcohol (never done it before!)

Throw a surprise party
Find an old pair of point shoes and bust a move
Smoke once from a tobacco smoking pipe (and not weed)
Paint a house
Build a piece of furniture
Weave a basket
Read The Dark Tower series

To be continued...

Rainy day on the deck (Picture heavy!)

2012-05-21T11:08:00.005-04:00

I love to sit outside under the awning when it's raining and listen to the sound of the drops falling. The dogs didn't seem to mind it too much. It certainly didn't stop them from playing as usual. I love all the funny faces they make when playing. Monty always has his "this is my mean face" snarl, and Mabel looks like she's making a silent scream when she's not shoving a toy in Monty's face. I love these guys.

Mabel had her stitches taken out today and it looks gross but the Dr. said it's OK. You can see where they shaved her belly for her spay.

Currently

2012-05-20T21:48:00.012-04:00

Reading:
The Philanthropist's Danse. There's lots of characters in it so I'm trying my best to keep everyone's name and relationships straight, but it's a pretty good read so far with an interesting plot.

Watching:
Nothing. The stupid cable box isn't working and it just was the other day so I'm going to have to watch The Killing some other time. Poop.

Thinking About:
This past weekend in Buffalo. Felt weird to be back for the 1st time in 8 years after I graduated. A lady at the bridal shower asked me where I was going to college and said I looked 16. I was like, wow, thanks? Also, the dog's need a bath. Desperately!

Anticipating:
Moving into our new place on Thursday. FINALLY.And Mabel get's her stitches out tomorrow but her belly still looks swollen so I don't know.

Listening to:
The loud fan blowing because it's hot as hell in here.

Eating:
Nothing yet. But drinking iced tea and thinking about raiding the cookie basket for some girl scouts.

Wishing:
For the TV to work because I really want to watch a show in bed.

Bookmark Dump

2012-05-18T08:30:00.013-04:00

Did you see my guest post on Jigsaw-London? You know you're a dog mom when....

This is a hilarious post about House Hunters.

Death star dog cone: A clever way to spice up your dog's boring Elizabethan cone.

A super cute starfish softie tutorial.

Let this hilarious elderly couple teach you how to survive 72 years of marriage.

This really sweet wall plaque.

Crusoe the jet-setting Dachshund is simply adorable! Look at his tiny legs!

Nova shared this link on her blog: Condescending Wonka. I freakin love it!

Have you heard? Better Blogger Network has launched! There's already over 260 members that have joined and I've been having fun over there this last week. You can add me as a friend here, and I created a group for bloggers with pets.

What do you think is the greatest invention to date?

2012-05-17T08:00:00.032-04:00

That is the question I asked my large sponsors to answer this month. For me, the greatest invention to date is the internet, having obviously changed the way we communicate and entertain ourselves. And maybe I'm partial because I am obsessed with mine, but a close 2nd would be the Kindle. If you have one, you know how much it changes the way you read.

Here's what the sponsors have to say!

Blog :: Tumblr

Blog :: Shop :: Twitter :: Facebook

Shop :: Blog :: Twitter

Blog :: Shop :: Twitter :: Instagrid

Would you rather #18

2012-05-16T08:00:00.002-04:00

Hands down, without a doubt, I would rather have a nosy neighbor. Having only lived in dorms/apartments for the last 12 years, nothing drives me more nuts than a noisy neighbor...hence the reason why we are getting a house in the country. The worst is when you lose sleep because of inconsiderate neighbors either making noise really late at night or really early in the morning. I hate having to wear earplugs to bed but it's become a part of my nighttime routine.

I would still hate a nosy neighbor too, and who knows maybe I'll have the misfortune of living next to one, but the noise factor is still worse in my opinion.

Living with your parents isn't what it used to be, that's for sure!

2012-05-15T08:35:00.021-04:00

As you probably already know because I won't shut up about it, we are temporarily staying with our parents in NY until we figure out Brian's job situation (as well as my own) and find a new apartment in PA. And I can't help but laugh at the following things that I never thought twice about when I was living here as a kid. And this post is not meant to sound like I'm bitching. I'm just observing and making light of our situation...our slightly embarrassing situation of being 30 and living at home *blushes* Yup, I'm one of those people.

1. There is no way what-so-ever to be quiet/stealth/uninterruptive in our house when my parents are trying to sleep. Each step on the floor gives my location away with a loud CREEEEEEK, SQUEAKKKK, thump or bump. I feel like a huge, heavy giant while walking through our house and getting ready before bed. Turning the bathroom light on is loud, closing the door is loud, flushing the toilet is deafening! The doors and walls are paper thin so there goes any chance at buffering the sound. Shoot, I have to fart and now everyone will hear it.

1a. It doesn't help that my parents go to bed at 8 and I am up until midnight, easy. The TV is permanently on the lowest setting.

2. Everything seems so small to me! The stairs are short and shallow, the doorknobs are low, the cups and bowls are small. Was I really that small last time I lived here? I'm only 5'3'' so it's not like I've grown much since I was 18. Or were things just that much bigger in our California apartments? Grand, luxurious, extravagant California! Oh my god, how did we ever survive!?

3. Our small, quiet, farm town of 12 years ago is getting more and more populated and touristy. There's more restaurants, there are bars popping up, there's Spring Fest, sidewalk sales, and there's a stop light! One little stop light between my family's house and Brian's family's house. Get out of town! Not having stop lights quiets my road rage because without them, there is no need to rush through traffic to make the next green light. But now, awww bloody hell!

4. Now that I'm an adult, or old enough to be classified as one, I actually find myself wanting to learn things that my Dad does everyday so I can do those things at my own house one day. Like how to mow the lawn, how to chop and stack wood the right way, how to start a fire, and how to shoot a gun. Yes, I am going to be getting a gun for protection and to ward off villains, and garden mangling gophers, and bears oh my!

5. I have no idea how I learned how to drive on the back roads here. They are SO narrow that when a car is coming in the other direction you could roll down your window and slap them high five. Chances are, you'd probably know who they are anyway.

EDIT: I wrote this post 2 weeks ago, and since then two things have happened: 1) Brian has been officially offered the PA job he's been working at and 2) We have been approved to move into a rental house! We move in on memorial day weekend. I'm so pumped. No more apartments ever, or crashing at our parents houses. We only had to be 30-year-olds-living-at-home losers for about 8 weeks.

Better Blogger Network

2012-05-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

Ashley from After Nine to Five has recently created a blogging community called Better Blogger Network that I am quite excited to join and experience. BBN is a networking community for bloggers with forums, profiles, a chat, and the ability to easily connect with new bloggers from around the world.

I am so excited and happy to announce that I will be joining the BBN team as a contributing blogger! The launch date is set for tomorrow, May 15th, so if you'd like to get a head start in joining or following along, here are the links you need to know:

Main BBN Site :: BBN blog :: Twitter :: Facebook

My personal BBN profile can be found here so you can add me as a friend once you sign up if you'd like. I hope to see you there! I think this is going to be a great resource for new (and even seasoned bloggers) alike. I'm really looking forward to watching it grow and meeting new people.

Mabel at 7 months

2012-05-13T11:25:00.003-04:00

Mabel is 7 months! She was spayed 2 days ago and is doing fine. We had originally planned on having her surgery the day we left California but because we ended up leaving last minute we had to cancel obviously. And I'm glad we did because we saved a few hundred bucks having her spayed in NY. CA vets charge a ridiculously high amount and they don't try to help you save money either. The vet here actually suggested to buy a baby onsie to prevent her licking the stitches instead of buying a $20 cone from them. I was blown away!

Anyway, the first night home after her surgery she was so sleepy and loopy but once the morning came around, you wouldn't have known she had surgery the day before. The vet recommends keeping her "calm" for 2 weeks which is already proving to be an impossible feat. And there's been a few tick scares. I pulled 2 off Monty and one off me! ICKK! It's so nasty and gross but I guess since I got them before 24 hours, there is a low chance of getting lyme. God I hope so.

But the dogs are being good with going back and forth between our houses and are enjoying all the attention they are getting. We only have a few more days here before we move into our new rental house. I'll be posting more about that Tuesday. We are so excited!

Happy mother's day!

A different kind of mother - You know you're a dog mom when...

2012-05-11T17:25:00.005-04:00

I may not be a mother to any tiny humans, but I certainly consider myself a mother to my dogs!

Come see my feature on Jigsaw London: You know you're a dog mom when...

Bookmark Dump

2012-05-11T08:00:00.026-04:00

I'm really excited about this weeks bookmark dump. Some weeks I find things I'm absolutely head over heels for and this was one of those weeks...

I LOVE 17 Apart's tutorials. How to make your own natural dog treats and how to grow celery are my faves.

How to make your own nail polish in any color. This is so cool!

I love Oana Befort's entire shop.

I'd LOVE to be dextrous enough to make these really pretty crate covers!

I wish there was a printer here because I'd print this free printable for my mom for mother's day.

Pimp My Blog has some really great designing tips and resources.

A dog's purpose and the meaning of life.

Some great info on moving from Blogger to Wordpress. Eventually I'd love to do this.

I really love Ellen. She makes me laugh so hard I cry. Here's 2 great examples:

Ellen reads 50 Shades of Grey

Shake Weight for Dogs

Meet new friends: Sarah from Nobody Puts Sarah in the Corner

2012-05-10T08:00:00.003-04:00

I'd like to introduce you to Sarah from Nobody Puts Sarah in the Corner. She is this month's featured sponsor and I think you'd enjoy reading her blog. To get to know her a bit better, I did a little interview with her as well as asked her the question of the month:

Here's what she had to say!

Blog :: Twitter :: Facebook

You mention on your blog that by day you are an executive assistant and by night you are an actor in surrounding theaters. Can you tell us more about that and how you got into acting?

I've been acting since kindergarten... my first show was a Groundhog's Day play and I was the best dang 'sun' that school had ever seen!! =) In the 5th grade I told my parents that I wanted to be an actor and once I was accepted into Indiana University I decided to major in Theatre & Drama [they're ranked 9th in the country]! It can't pay all my bills, but I have gotten a few paying gigs in the area. It's really where my heart is at... I feel the most alive when I'm acting!

What do you typically blog about and what inspired you to start blogging?

I started blogging out of a desire to write more. I'm also a writer and I found myself post-college having trouble getting inspired to write. At work one day I found a couple blogs I really loved and started reading them regularly. Eventually I decided that I wanted to start getting my writing out there, too. Even if I'm posting about my outfit, or Kitty Corner posts, or even just the silly occurrences in my daily life... at least I'm writing!

What are some of your favorite blog posts?

My favorite blogs posts are really the ones where I feel like I'm letting something off my chest. I loved my Why I feel so strongly about eReaders post because of the response, and how strongly EVERYONE feels about their reading. It was nice to not feel like I was in the nerdy minority.

I also like my 30 before 30 list because it challenges me to own my life and accomplish things that are important to me. Everyone was really supportive and kind about my new tattoo post, too! And I can't forget about my Awkward & Awesome Thursdays, inspired by the gawhgeous Sydney at The Daybook!

Everyone loves pictures of cute animals and you have a few of your own. Can you share a little more about them, and maybe a picture too?

Ooooh, my favorite subject: my furbabies!! haha. I have 3 kittehs and 1 pup. My kittehs are Bellatrix, Callisto, and Princess Peach... they are my little cuddle girls and I love how different each of their personalities are! I also have a WONDERFUL little man named Franklin. He's a Boston terrier mix that I rescued last fall and he's my pride and joy. He loves to hug and snuggle at night. I'm so blessed with such loving little angels! =)

Connect with Sarah!
Blog :: Twitter :: Facebook

Would You Rather #17

2012-05-09T08:15:00.002-04:00

I could never be intentionally mean to someone. I'd feel too horrible about it. And I would be an unsuccessful bully since I am terrible at telling people what to do, even if it's in a good way. It breaks my heart to hear in the news about kids hurting themselves because they were bullied in school and made to feel like a worthless person. It's even worse today because of facebook and twitter so a whole new world of bullying has been formed. So I'd much rather be known as a slacker. At least the only person being affected would be myself and I could live with that. I could never inflict the lifelong scars on someone that bullying does.

I'm going to tell you a story about my (thankfully) only experience with bullying. I was in 6th grade and eating lunch with my friends. After I finished, I got up to put my tray back and when I came back there was a group of girls waiting for me near my empty chair. I was confused because I had no idea what they were doing there, as I had never even spoken to them before. But for some reason they had a problem with me. The way kids talk, they must have misunderstood someone along the line and thought I said something about their ring leader, Kristen, but I never did. What would it matter anyway? They just needed a scapegoat because they were jealous or insecure or whatever it is your mom will tell you why girls are mean to one another for. So they were like, "where you going, Alycia?" and I was like, "uh, just putting my tray away?" I really was so naive back then and didn't know what they were doing until they started saying threatening things to me. And get this...the ring leader's mother worked as a cafeteria monitor to help kids out and make sure they were being good. And her fucking mother just stood there with a grin on her face, watching the entire thing while her lovely daughter tormented me. I stared wide eyed at her mother like, you're going to let your kid act like this? What the fuck is wrong with you?

I went to the guidance counselor's office right away. Like, from the cafeteria to the office in that very same moment. I am so proud of myself because even to this day I was never one to take senseless crap like that. But I told the counselor and he called us both into the office to talk. I don't really remember what was said but Kristen basically got in trouble and I was able to leave. But the following days were still pretty bad as I had gotten her in trouble, so she tried to get her subordinates to make my life miserable. Her second in command, Jessica, would say crap to me in class and eventually I couldn't take it anymore so I told my teacher in the hallway while crying, what they were doing to me. It never made sense to me what the hell I even did but it was more of a frustrated crying because I was clueless as to where their hatred of me came from. Maybe just being shy and quiet was enough to make me a target in that case. I don't know. There isn't one good reason in the world why anyone would be deserving of being bullied.

Still to this day I think about those bitches and wonder if they ever felt bad or even remember what they did to me. I'm pretty sure this is where my fear of groups of girls comes from. Even if they are like little 9 year old girls, I immediately think they are going to talk about me as soon as I pass by. Which they probably will anyway lol. But girls can be SO mean to each other. I hope I have baby boys one day because one punch in the face and it's over, kwim? But the mental and psychological bullying leaves its scars for a lifetime.

You know what, if anyone actually would rather be known as the bully, just leave.

5 reasons why I won't buy from an online shop (& how you can change that)

2012-05-08T08:00:00.023-04:00

I used to be a seller on Etsy, but for the last few years I've been mainly a buyer. I am a huge supporter of the handmade community and will always go to Etsy first for any gifts or personal purchases. The creativity and craftiness the handmade community has never ceases to amaze and inspire me. With that said, this post is not meant to come across as mean in any way, but there's been plenty of times where I've clicked "add to cart" only to second guess myself and not go through with my purchase because of one of the reasons I talk about below. So this post is meant to be helpful coming from the point of view of a buyer so perhaps you can gain more sales. Also, when I say you, I don't mean you in specific obviously. I am not claiming to be a pro or a know-it-all. I am sharing what goes through my mind as a buyer.

Here's why I won't buy from your shop.

1) Your shipping prices are ridiculously high.

I understand the cost of shipping materials is worked into this figure and I also understand distance is a big factor. But if something literally light as air is being shipped domestically for over $5, I won't go through with my order. Of course I do take into consideration fragility because I would hope that my package would be packed to high heaven with protective materials, which would explain a high shipping price. When I first started selling on Etsy and visited those online chats, they always recommend upping the price of your item to include part of the cost of shipping and then lower the shipping cost listed. It surprisingly works because I know for me, I'd rather pay more for an item and less for shipping, than less for the item and more than shipping. It's a psychological thing I guess. I also like sellers that say they will refund shipping overages that are over $1.

What I recommend: If you ship from home, make your life easier by getting an electronic postal scale (you can get one for under $20 from Amazon.) and put together a sample package of everything you'd be including in the package to your customer (tape, paper receipt, the item, packaging materials, etc) and weigh it. Then check out the USPS postage price calculator and set your shipping prices based on the weight of that package and it's destination. Then you can print postage labels from home through PayPal. If you still somehow undercharge for shipping, it is not OK to ask the buyer to cover the overage. You should just consider it a loss and a learning experience.
*NOTE: If you ship from home, any items over 13 ounces can't be placed in the blue bins for pick up. They need to be dropped off in the post office. But at least you won't have to wait in line since the shipping has already been paid for.

2) You don't mention one thing about the size of your item.

Ummmm, why the heck not? Just last month I wanted to buy a planter for one of my succulents but instead of adding the item to my cart and paying right then and there, I had to send a message to the seller asking. By the time they got back to me, I lost interest and found another one instead. It makes no sense why a size wouldn't be included! We are shopping online so you as the seller need to be our eyes and hands.

What I recommend: Describe your item as if a blind person without hands asked you to tell them about it. Size, shape, color, weight, texture, length, material, smell (especially if you live with a smoker or pets), care instructions. In addition to that, perhaps include a photo of you with the item so they can gain an idea of the size. If you sell bags, include a photo of the bag being worn over your shoulder. If it's a necklace, include a photo of it being worn. If it's something that you don't want to wear because of hygienic reasons (earrings, make-up, etc) perhaps it may be helpful to include a photo of the item being held in your hands.

3) You spammed me

You see that I favorited your shop item and you sent me a message with a coupon code for X percent off. Now, I won't buy this item just out of principle but that's just me. Plus that 10% really isn't worth it.

What I recommend: Just don't spam anyone :) Ever. Instead, put a link in your shop's announcement to direct shoppers to sign up for a mailing list where they can receive your coupons or to 'like' you on facebook where you offer occasional coupon codes. If they like your shop enough, believe me when I say they will seek out ways to obtain your discounts. I will hunt the internet down, I tell you!

4) Your pictures are bad

I admit, I am partial to nice pictures. I will pay more for an item if the picture is nicer than someone selling a similar item for less. Plus, I can't see any details in a dark photo and it just looks icky.

What I recommend: It's better to use natural daylight than to use a flash. And it certainly doesn't hurt to use a photo editing program to lighten them up too. If you have Photoshop, I created a tutorial on how to easily lighten your photos. Or for free online photo editors, try Pixlr, LunaPic, or FotoFlexer. Maybe you can make your own lightbox! Here's two tutorials: lollygirl.com and photododo.com.

5) Your prices are too high or too low

Pricing is like an art! I know how hard it is to find that window to accurately price your items at. If it's too high people will think, gee I can't afford that! If it's too low, people will think it must be made poorly. I understand the cost of materials and your time goes into this factor, so really sit down and think about it.

What I recommend: Play around with pricing and see what works and what doesn't. If you think your prices are too low, raise them a few bucks. If they are too high, maybe offer free shipping to make the buyer feel like it's worth it. Check out this article for more help: Etsy Success: Reevaluating Your Prices.

Please feel free to leave your reasons for not buying from a shop so the conversation can keep going! Please don't name any specific shops, just your reasons :)

Computer graphic from freebie vectors

Books I've Been Reading: The Innocent by Vincent Zandri

2012-05-07T08:15:00.001-04:00

Details:
Type: E-book purchased from Amazon.
Price: $3.99
Date finished: May 3, 2012
Rating (out of 5 stars): 4 stars.
Synopsis from Goodreads:

Getting caught is simply not an option. It's been a year since Jack Marconi's wife was killed. Ever since, he's been slipping up at his job as warden at an upstate New York prison. It makes him the perfect patsy when a cop-killer breaks out--with the help of someone on the inside. Throwing himself into the hunt for the fleeing con, Jack doesn't see what's coming.

My review:

Jack "Keeper" Marconi is the warden of Green Haven Prison in NY where a convicted cop killer escapes and Marconi takes the fall. The media and other officers say he has become soft since his wife died so he becomes the scapegoat, but there is a much bigger conspiracy going on. In a series of set ups and lies, he goes on the run to save his ass and find enough evidence to prove his innocence. Running parallel with the main story, is a series of flashbacks to when Keeper first started working at the prison, before becoming warden, during a time when the prisoners overthrew the guards and a deadly riot ensued for days. You get to learn more about the connection between Keeper and those setting him up.

I really liked this book and it was one of those where I'd be reading before bed and was really tired, so I'd tell myself, OK just finish this chapter but then I'd get to the end of the chapter and I had to keep reading.

Currently

2012-05-06T17:55:00.012-04:00

I can't find my digital camera cable, so you get a super crappy webcam shot. Woo!

Reading:
Anon by Peter Giglio. I started reading 2 days ago and can't put it down. It's exceptionally creepy so far and I can't wait (hope) to figure out what the deal is.

Watching:
Red Riding Hood. It's either this or QVC. My mom is addicted to QVC.

Thinking about:

There's so much on my mind lately. My sister, being the main thing. How I hate to hear anyone complaining about stupid crap after what she's gone through. I don't want to become bitter though. Finding an apartment/house to rent that allows dogs. Having to pay double rent since we still have the CA apartment. Mabel is getting spayed on Friday. If I'm ever going to find a job. Brian's mom is sick now. My baby niece had her 2nd heart surgery a few days ago so we are hoping she pulls through.

Loving:

Playing catch outside with Brian and his little league baseball mitts. He said that he never woulda thought at age 11 that his future wife would be playing catch with that very same glove. Checking this site everyday for the best free Kindle books (thanks to Claudia). I downloaded about 10 books in 3 days all costing me $0 and they've received good ratings on Goodreads. Sleeping in my own bed in my old room. That my parent's laugh at my dumb jokes...or maybe I should rephrase that to say I can somehow make my parents laugh at my dumb jokes. Playing fetch with Mabel.

Anticipating:
Moving. It's going to be soon. And house hunting.

Bookmark Dump

2012-05-04T08:00:00.008-04:00

Got some extra beer bottles lying around? Turn them into pretty decorations!

Don't have time to scrapbook but wanna save your mementos? Enveloped in style.

Star Wars put into charts. I like to see it all laid out in front of me.

101 portrait photography tips.

If this awesome Alice in Wonderland decoration wasn't $100, I'd buy it in a second.

This entire shop is adorable: MochiThings.com

Let this hilarious elderly couple teach you how to survive 72 years of marriage.

50 people you wish you knew in real life. Get ready to die laughing at some of these.

Mabel (and sometimes Monty) playing fetch in Brian's parent's huge ass yard.

A yellow dress at long last

2012-05-03T08:30:00.009-04:00

Here's my handsome man in his new suit and I before leaving for a friend's wedding last weekend. And real quick I have to tell you about my quest for a yellow if you wish to hear it. Mmmk? K.

I've been looking for a light yellow dress for about 2 years now. I could never find one I liked, or that fit right, or in the right shade of yellow and I about gave up. It was always in the back of my mind to keep an eye out for one. But a few weeks ago I was just wandering around a mall in PA (while Bri was interviewing for a job) and I wasn't even thinking about looking for a dress because I was just killing time until he was done with his interview, when I went into Delia's prom store for shits and giggles, and lo and behold, my dress was there in the back, in my size, in the color I wanted, and it freakin fit! I about screamed with joy and the sales girl must of thought I was a weirdo because I kept trying to explain my excitement to her and she's like wow, that's great hun lol!

So yea, I am pumped about finding that dress. And I also couldn't believe it when I went into Forever 21 (making me feel like an old poser since I'm not even in my 20s anymore), and found a pair of wedges in my freakishly small size of 5.5. I'm just so used to not ever finding something I love or in my size when I need to so this shopping excursion was a miracle in itself. I should just stop looking for the things I want and maybe I'll find things more often.

If I found an extra $50 in my pocket...

2012-05-02T16:00:00.002-04:00

I would put it towards any of these! Here's some of my favorite favorites...

Lola the Boston Terrier Grey... Cuore $70.00	Mix Tape Tablet/eReader Case... BraveMoonman $50.00	Mamie Hat-black and white tw... piperandpaisle... $45.00
Tree Lovers Messenger (Patch... littleoddfores... $142.00	Mail Holder - Chalkboard - C... LegacyStudio $49.95	Cooking Apron costume HauteMessThrea... $70.00
Cognac, NEW Color, Swedish L... simplyyoujewel... $42.00	Scribble Hanging Planter MAD... PigeonToeCeram... $70.00	Orange Pillow - Cute Pillow WinterPetals $49.00
Modern Owl Wall Clock - Bamb... decoylab $78.00	Leather Bike Frame Bag Sunbu... SanFilippoLeat... $60.00	owl sweatshirt,recycled hood... 1AEON $48.00
With the luck of a rabbit...... theaterclouds $33.00	Vampire Bite Mug - Ready t... MaidOfClay $32.00	Peridot white moonstone stac... littlebugjewel... $120.00
Grayson the Fox Felt Appliqu... Cuore $35.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio

Would You Rather #16

2012-05-02T08:00:00.001-04:00

Call me a cynic, but I would rather trust my life in a (trained) lion's mouth than a person throwing fast, sharp, pointy knives at me. It just seems like too many things could go wrong with throwing knives at someone. What if the thrower had a fight with their significant other and is feeling angry? What if they are hungry and have low blood sugar causing them to be dizzy and shaky? What if someone in the audience shouts and distracts them? Where with a lion, all he's doing is what he's told - open your mouth and keep it open - and gets a treat of delicious raw steak afterwards. But then again, what if the trainer has bad intentions too? I look too deeply into things...