Key rings are so simple yet so complicated. Deciding on the finish is only the first step. Then, you need to decide on the size.

Its easy to size out your key rings when you have them in your hand since you can tell if you like the size. However, there are several measurements you must consider before shopping online.

There are three measurements, two of which can be used to calculate the third measurement. These are:

1. Outside diameter
2. Inside diameter
3. Gauge (width of the metal)

Although the picture to the left is an O ring, it will help visualize the various measurements I am referring to.

If you like mathematics then you can see that:

[outside diameter] = [inside diameter] + 2x[gauge].
Don’t forget that you have to add the gauge twice because we are measuring the diameter. (At one point I had only added it in once, causing me massive confusion.)

When I first started TS, I did not realize there was an inside and outside diameter. So, when I switched suppliers I accidentally ordered slightly larger key rings. After speaking with my supplier, I realized it was because my previous supplier spoke in regards to the outside diameter while my new supplier described items in terms of inside diameter. Most people simply speak of “diameter” so if you are looking for an exact size key ring, make sure you ask whether they are referring to the inside or outside diameter.

So now, in terms of TS key rings, here are the sizes (based on inside diameter) and finishes we provide:

1. 21.6mm copper split key rings (1.7mm gauge)
2. 23mm nickel and antique brass split key rings (2mm diameter)
3. 25mm antique brass split key rings (2mm diameter)

If you are looking for a larger or smaller key ring, please email el@tantalizingstitches.com . We are gradually increasing our selection and would love to hear what you are looking for.

Plus you save money.

Investing in an inexpensive scale will save you both time and money. With a postal scale handy at home, you can create shipping labels at home by purchasing postage online. If you have a small store, I suggest paypal for postage purchases for no additional monthly fee. If you have more packages to send out you may want to try a monthly service provider like Stamps.com.

With these online post age purchases, you can save on delivery confirmation (costs around 19 cents instead of 75 cents), you can print out a scan form, and you can even save on the base rate.

For example, if you send via priority or express mail, paypal, click n’ ship, and stamps.com will provide a discounted rate with free delivery confirmation.

If you send by first class mail, stamps.com provides a discounted rate and a reduced delivery confirmation rate.

I happened to stumble on a couple of used food scales (weight watchers) which are pretty useful as a postal scale stand in. I am providing them at $5 per scale and sending it priority mail.

Feel free to ask me any questions about paypal, stamps.com, or my food scales.

I just received a newsletter from Ann Ranlett about the upcoming AAARF Arts and Crafts Fair.

Location: Auburn Autohaus, 2855 Grass Valley Highway, Auburn, CA

You can find the AAARF on facebook.

Here is the Facebook Event. Check it out to see what other artists will be in attendance.

My friend Sandy is moving!

We met online through the Crafting for Animals Guild. The Crafting For Animals Guild is a group of artists and crafters on Artfire.com who are dedicated to catering to the needs of animals by either creating and designing items for animals or by supporting and / or raising funds for charitable animal organizations. I started the group several years ago. Sandy joined last year and was a big help in spiriting our group. Just like me, she loves animals.

Unfortunately, due to circumstances, she is moving and needs to find new forever homes for her furbabies. I have had to do this in the past as well. It really is a hard thing to do but sometimes the best things to do are the hardest to live with. If you are interested in knowing more about her little pooch, please let me know.

In addition wouldn’t it be wonderful if some of her creations found forever homes? Take a look of what she has to offer here.

Previously, I shared with you some tips on possible email vendors and ways to gain subscribers. I mentioned that you can ask paypal checkout customers if they would like to subscribe to your newsletter. This is how to set it up.

Should You Do This?

In general I would say, “Of course!” But after reading some etsy posts, I have decided to stop doing this. This is because the new etsy checkout system prevents this information from showing in your details section of your paypal transaction. (See below for information on how to retrieve the information.) Because of this, your customer is always asked whether she would like to receive your newsletter. However, you will not know whether she wants to subscribe.

Say you do set this up. You asked the customer (via paypal) if she would like to subscribe to your newsletter. She says yes but you don’t know it because she purchased via etsy. So then, you later send an email and also include another invitation to your newsletter. She may simply ignore the question because she is thinking, “Duh, I already said yes! Why do you keep asking me?”

I sell on several venues but I’ve decided that that the etsy problem is hampering the results of my paypal subscription option so I’ve deactivated this feature.

If you sell on artfire or zibbet, then I highly suggest adding this option to your paypal checkout.

Setting It Up

Go to paypal and log in.

In paypal, click on “Profile”.

Then, if you are in the new profile setup, click on “My Selling Tools”

Then, once you click that, you will find “Custom Payment Pages“. Click on “Update”.

Click on “Options”.

Then, at the bottom you will see “Offer Promotional Emails”. Check mark that.

Finding Your Subscribers

This is the more time consuming part. To find your subscribers, you must click on every payment detail.

Then, while in the details screen, you scroll to the very bottom. If you see “Subscribed (email address)” then you’ve got a winner.

If you don’t see any of this at the bottom, that means the customer did not check mark the subscription box.

I started my TS newsletter just over a year ago so I thought I’d share some business tips on how to choose a email marketing vendor and ways to invite members to your newsletter.

Newsletter Vendors

There are many choices of vendors to run your newsletter. In deciding on one, you need to access your own strengths and weaknesses. For example, can you write and understand HTML? If not, you should make sure that your vendor provides easy to use formats.

Over at the SF Etsy team, members were discussing what they use and why. Some top suggestions were:

• Constant Contact
• Mad Mimi
• mailchimp

I personally use dadamail. Unlike the other email newsletter vendors, dadamail uses your own web space. I highly suggest it to tech savvy entrepreneurs as you need to be able to install it and set it up. You also need your own website.

Many web hosting companies provide a one click install for dadamail, which makes it much easier. I use hostmonster (and have used godaddy) and was able to install it with their simple scripts – simple enough to do.

The best thing about dadamail is that you can keep an archive of your old newsletters. You can see mine here. Although not as easy, you can also move your dadamail to another server or website.

Another great incentive with dadamail is that it is free. It is an open source mailing list manager and provides closed-loop opt-in subscription-based mailing list. After running my newsletter on dada mail for over a year, I decided to support the dadamail project and purchase the pro dada mail forever (Its not required but I love to support projects that have supported me.).

The more difficult thing to do is send out nice looking HTML coded newsletters. This requires a little more patience than is required for other newsletter vendors. For instance, I haven’t spent the time to customize my newsletter archive.

How to Collect Subscribers

To figure out who would actually subscribe to your newsletter, first think about your audience. If you are an independent artisan store owner, then I would suspect your audience to be one that enjoys crafty, unique items and articles relating to the process of making those items.

To that end, I suggest posting a newsletter subscription panel on your website (see here on the left side?).

Also, when sending out shipping confirmation emails to customers, don’t forget to invite them to subscribe to your newsletter.

Lastly, if you customer pays by paypal or google checkout, you can set up your account to ask your customer if she would like to subscribe to your newsletter. I will write a tutorial on this shortly.

Remember to NEVER add any email address without the permission of the email addressee and always provide an unsubscribe link for subscribers that decide they no longer would like to receive your newsletter.

The not so new fad are these clever FOB sets. They can be used as an extension of your key chain for easy identification or, if long enough, as an easy way to carry your keys (anything in my hands are immediately placed somewhere and never to be found.)

Some people also use the FOB kit to create the strap part of the wristlet.

The FOB kit is easily assembled. To make a basic fob, choose your choice of 1.25″ cotton webbing. (For more personality, sew a ribbon onto the cotton webbing.)

Fold the webbing in half (if you added ribbon, make sure the ribbon faces outwards.)

Then, sandwich the webbing inside the flat area of the Key Fob Hardware.

Use pliars to close shut. (You may want to protect the metal by covering it with scrap fabric to prevent the pliars from scratching it.)

It takes practice but the end result is your own very key FOB.

If you don’t feel like making one (or perhaps you don’t have all those unique webbing, ribbons, or embroidery machine, check out Paper on Parade on Zibbet. She has a great selection of sizes and styles that you’ll love.

I love it when stores ship items at reasonable rates (hence the reason why I do the same). So, when I was looking for some 100% cotton yarn and found Create for Less, I was ecstatic. Their shipping prices are very reasonable and are based on the total price of your order. If you purchase $100 or more, shipping is free.

¹Standard shipments to AK, HI and PR add $10.00.

Now, I am crocheting away!

(P.S. I’ve included my affiliate link. Would you mind feeding my yarn addiction

A fellow Crafting for Animals Guild member, Lindsey of CardstockEquine, shared with me about a fundraiser for the Pregnant Mare Rescue. Coincidentally, this rescue is based in Aptos, California, very close to where I am based. Pregnant Mare Rescue is a California 501(c)3 Not for Profit Organization.

Lindsey has been communicating with one of the volunteers at Pregnant Mare Rescue about their program. After doing some research on her own, she feels confident that this organization is doing a good job and has expressed a willingness to support them.

Currently, the organization is looking for handcrafted donations for their silent auction as well as attendees to their Breakfast with the Babies’ fundraiser. If you are an artist or artisan and would like to help support them, please contact 408.540.8568 or pmrhorses@pregnantmarerescue.com.

Breakfast with the Babies
Location: Corralitos Grange, 165 Little Corral Way in Watsonville
Time: 8 am – 1 pm
Date: June 25, 2011