The eBay: Unusual Activity!

Quite to my surprise, I found another sale this morning and an email from eBay.

They had frozen my ability to list anything else on the website and asked me to call their customer support due to:

"Unusual Seller Activity"

 Oh really? I wondered to myself and called my husband to complain. "What could I have done? I have 100% positive feedback and good prices."

He had no idea either. "Ugh." I complained, "Maybe it's unusual that I am doing well and my customers are happy." He laughed and said he'd make the call to Customer Service when he got home.

Sure enough, after waiting 6 minutes with a xylophone wait music blaring, we get a nice young American man who is also clueless about why we'd get a warning. He politely put us on hold for a moment and returned congratulating us on how well our account has done in so little time. He went on about how they had very good feedback about the account, and that was the reason they wanted us to "Check In." eBay Seller Management had flagged our account as an outstanding seller and wanted to know if we wanted to have the next seller limit lifted early.

Good to know I'm succeeding somewhere. Even if they think it's "Unusual."

Etsy Experience: You have Convo! from both homes

Maybe You've got Mail dates me...

 I'm okay with that. 

Last month, my nephew Zandon turned 1 year old and we'd decided building blocks would be great for a little one learning to move around more expertly. My William has a lot of fun with Legos, but his first building toys were a wooden set I found with wooden Thomas the Tank Engine trains and matching rails. I spent a small fortune at craft fairs and a train dealer shops for the wooden pieces. (I don't think they make Thomas and Friends in wood at all anymore.)

So I found myself  on Etsy searching away for a good deal, a good owner, and a good product. I sent out four convos to four artists and, even to this day, I only received 1 reply- one. Coincidentally, he was the only shop who had a very complete profile of information about himself and his products. I think we had a wonderful little chit-chat and I enjoyed getting my very simple answers. I felt good about our transaction and I hope he felt good about my excitement.

It was very interesting as I look back on it. I'm sure those three other artists have had sales since I asked my questions. I just don't understand, then, where I went wrong.

Mini Glass Pot gardens of Semi-precious Stones

Two of my recent customers started out as purely conversations in my message inbox. I guess it was just fate that both buyers come from places I consider close to me- Chicago and Connecticut. A part of me already wanted to connect with these people and I hope my work continues with them.

Each had their own reasons for wanting to step into the shoes of aquatic gardener. One managed to hold her husband back from deleting her Etsy account, pleading her sanity was intact. Both worried about finding so many international options, wondering about customs, shipping costs, and damage to the plants. They are living colonies of algae, after all. I enjoyed hearing their enthusiasm about options I could offer and budget tailoring. My tanks are lined with these amazingly plush families of "sea weed." I never knew so many also share my fascination for them as well.

0.5" babies, 1" Sisters,
& 2" Big Ole Brother

Truly, I couldn't have asked for better opening sales to my newest product "line." Shipping has gone very well and I feel more confident about introducing more and producing more of my Marimo Moss balls. My luck with these has been great over the years of apartment living. I've enjoyed growing them, and they greatly out number my fish friends.

If you'd like to know more about my Marimo Moss ball garden or work on a custom order within a budget: Click Here!

If you would like to chat about farming, growing, Etsy, or fair value supplies- Contact me on Etsy or  via Email


I think my theme for this Holiday season will be  Marimo Green and Maroon. 

Inspiration: Discarded Asphalt Art

I find myself pondering about the most discarded objects in life. Perhaps it is my way.

As a Rat of the Chinese Zodiac, I admit I have many of the tendencies. Although I am not a hoarder, I really do find myself pining to figure out every other way to use an object before I throw it away. Is it wrong? I surely hope not.

My son and I used to walk to the grocery store at our last apartment nearly every day. Not really as an exercise plan, but a way to wear him down physically to make him more acute mentally. My children, like many or most, are prone to be categorized as having ADD. These same children can sit for hours doing puzzle based video games and Sudoku.

Anyhow, William and I decided to go out together alone today. The local grocery here is called Marsh. They are also kind enough to offer 5 cents for every reusable bag you bring into the store. We are only two blocks away from a very busy intersection with lots of useful shops including a small Jo-Ann fabric. Along the way back home, I noticed him kicking a small piece of asphalt. I noticed there were a lot of pieces near the edge of the street where they haven't yet finished the side walks.

Being a Science Olympiad Mineral and Rock event person many moons ago, I was intrigued. I saw a piece that wasn't completely rough. The sparkle of pale gypsum pieces in the paving concrete made me pick it up to inspect. Like all good strays, it came home.

Soon, my husband stared at me awkwardly, as I steam sterilized it and sat looking for a good use for it. There was a small niche in the side where I instantly thought about one of my air plants. It took a couple of my plants to find one that fit naturally into the space.

But I feel pleased. If it doesn't sell on etsy, I welcome my air plant friend to continue holding the stack of bills, coupon pages to cut, and school newsletters at bay.

♥