Random chat NO PROMO

[#1]

Hi guys, I thought it'll be nice to have a thread for just random ramblings so we can all get to know each other!

So, lets start with, what do you all buy on etsy? I just received a soap order, waiting for another 2. Looking for body butter and solid lotion bar, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

I love waiting for parcels! 7 more!

[EvesLittleEarthlings]

March came in with a big snowstorm last night and the world was white and crisply cold this morning.

The last 2 years I have had amazing Valentine sales, but those did not appear at all this year. Jan and Feb were slower than usual, but still busy enough to keep me occupied.
28-30 is about standard for our summer weather, but most folks have aircon these days. We have a window unit that we use once or twice a year.

[Frecklesoriginals]

Hi guys I finally succumbed to a photo. I've cut my hair lately but hey ho don't think that matters. Heather looking fab is that your new arrival? oh cute. It's been ages since I was here how are you all? Spring is in the air here it's been a weird winter hardly any rain the olive farmers are not happy. That wont stop them partying next week, one thing they are very good at. I think I'll give it a miss the noise from the Roman drums makes my head spin.

[Former_Member]

yep I've changed pic again, reading to little Lois. I'll change it to something more appropriate if I ever get around to opening my shop. really can't be bothered right now.

we had a day or two of spring but it's gone back to winter.

[sockysocks]

Nice photos ladies!

[Former_Member]

Hi everyone! How's spring treating you all?

Janne, we just had some relatives leave for New Zealand last week. She's moving back home and taking my partner's cousin with her. He's never been out of the USA so it should be interesting.

I'm still dealing with the rejection of my lungs after the transplant so I've been spending quite a bit of time either in the hospital or home resting after treatments. Many of the treatments that I've been getting are very similar to chemo and they really wipe me out. One good bit of news is that the medically induced diabetes is getting closer to being under control and I'm not having as many wild highs and lows of the blood sugar.

What's everyone else up to?

[catchaleaf]

crochetgal, what you are experiencing is extraordinary by anybodie's standards - I wish you the best!!

[ClosetGothic]

crochetgal - that's bugger about the lung rejection :(

I hope the treatment works for you but my goodness that must be tough. Good about the blood sugar stabilizing though.

CG, your relatives might find it a bit of a culture shock coming here - we're a pretty laid back bunch! We've had an incredibly beautiful Autumn, warm and sunny and then in the last two days... bang. Hello Winter. Brrrr... snow down South and the wind off the snow blowing very cold up here.

I've been busy with my shop but should be busier - I need to list more! I like to have nice quality antique and vintage stock but it is getting very difficult to find at a decent price. eg. I have sold quite a few beautiful Victorian sterling silver whistles over the last couple of years, in the region of $200-300 for price. Those whistles are now selling in antique markets for $800-1600. Too high for me!

I enjoy looking though :)

[EvesLittleEarthlings]

crochetgal, I hope things settle down with the lung transplant very soon. I see you are still selling and your shop looks great and very busy. Do you have help?

We are heading for England on June 1. Does anybody want anything from my shop? We could meet up or I could post it if you're off the path we are wandering. Our itinerary keeps changing for the last part of the trip, but it looks like we will be going up the east side to Durham, York and the coast, then across through lovely places and eventually to Bath and maybe Wales. So many choices! I am sure whatever we do it will be historical, scenic and wonderful.

[sockysocks]

Gosh crochetgal, you are certainly going through the mill. Are you able to crochet or read or do anything enjoyable while you are resting?

Have a good holiday Eve, you are certainly coming to the UK at the right time, the scenery is all lush and gorgeous at the moment. You will of course have to put up with the run up to the EU referendum while you are here - we vote to leave or stay in on June 23 and our news is full of it.

[Former_Member]

Thanks everyone.Eva I run my shop completely by myself, although my partner will bring in the crates of yarn from the garage to my workshop on occasion.

Mandy, I've not been able to do any sort of crochet (even with the larger hooks) since the transplant because of both the tremors in my hand (from some of the medications I have to take) and from the diabetes (which has drastically affected my eyesight). I'm hoping that once the diabetes gets a bit more under control that I can stop taking some of these meds (I'm currently having to take more than 50 pills per day) and that my body will start to get back to some sort of normal. I'm also having to deal with weight gain because of the steroids even though I'm not eating very much at all.

Eve have a wonderful trip to England! Its the perfect time of year for it and the weather should be gorgeous.

Janne, she's originally from New Zealand (north island) but he's never been outside of America so it is culture shock for him. And to top it off, he's freezing down there right now! He went from our spring (100F) to your winter in a matter of a couple of days so hasn't had time to get used to the cold again.

[catchaleaf]

crochetgal, I was really glad to read your update - you sound strong and positive which is half the battle, the rest is patience and I hope that the side-effects will start to ease off soon . . .
You are right about your advise to Eve, regarding the UK weather - no doubt this is our best season, give or take the odd gale-force storm . . .
Wishing you all the best!

[ClosetGothic]

New Team Leader - Mandy!

And a big thank you to Nifty for your good work and always entertaining presence in Etsy International threads; remember though, just 'cos you're not a leader now doesn't mean you can abandon us!

[ClosetGothic]

I hope you are progressing well with the recovery, Crochetgal- you're an inspiration to us all but I bet you must nearly rattle with all of those pills :)

Funny thing about your rellie moving here is that until a few weeks back it was still warm and lovely and then Bang - hello Winter! Poor man, it hit me hard too. It's been very brrrrr in the mornings.

[Former_Member]

thanks for letting me escape - I decided to check just how long it was since I shut "temporarily" and realised it was probably permanent, so seemed time to go. I'll still pop by now and then though if I may (I'll bring cake)

[sockysocks]

Nice to see you nifty, hope you are enjoying grandmotherhood!

[ClosetGothic]

Definitely pop in for cake , Nifty :)

How's everyone in here coping with the 'payment processing delay'?

[sockysocks]

I've only had two (this is my quiet time of the year). I convo'd my buyers as soon as I realised I had stuck orders just to let them know I was aware of them. By the time I had the second one I was able to tell them what the problem was - I've no idea what information the buyer receives from Etsy or how long that is taking.
This is being discussed in the UK team. Some people are just despatching orders without waiting for the 'processed' email and have also switched off Direct Checkout temporarily. There are a lot of disgruntled sellers out there and no doubt a few buyers too.

[ClosetGothic]

Looks like the backlog is gradually freeing up. My older ones cleared yesterday and the latest 'processing order' took about 6 hours to clear.

It's a shame that WorldPay virtually dumped Etsy in the dungheap by saying' no problems our end!' for several days. My goodness some sellers got pretty testy out there in the main Forum. I can understand why but it certainly wasn't helpful!

[ClosetGothic]

Happy New Year to all - I certainly was the thread killer on this one last year!

What's everyone up to?

[Former_Member]

Hi Janne! Long time no see!

Its been quite quiet around here. I'm still in recovery mode from my double lung transplant in 2015 and I'm almost 18 months out. Its slow going but at least its mostly forward steps.

I've kept the shop open the entire time but I'm not working nearly as hard as I was before the transplant.

What have you been up to?

[sockysocks]

Happy 2017 ladies!

Crikey crochetgal, that 18 months has gone fast. Well done on your ongoing recovery.

I'm just back from having lunch in a vegan cafe. I'm not actually a vegan - it was my daughter's (on hols from uni) choice. As a family we have rarely eaten meat but aren't vegetarians as we eat fish. Veganism has really taken off in the UK in the last year with lots of well known high street cafes and supermarkets catering for the increasing demand. Probably just a fad, but it's quite interesting to see all the new stuff coming onto the market. Don't think my daughter will become one though as she can't stop eating cheese.

Any dog experts out there? I've been having problems with mine for the last month. He has developed an intermittent fear of going for a walk from the house and we can't see the trigger. He is nearly 10, we've had him from a pup and walked from our house hundreds of times. He reaches a point (sometimes at the end of our drive) and freezes, looks terrified and turns for home. It happens in different places, there is no noise or event, he isn't scared of other dogs, isn't ill (checked thoroughly by the vet) and never does it on the way home even when going over a spot where he has just frozen in the other direction. He is fine if we go out in the car and do a walk from that. Honestly, it's driving me nuts! The vet has given me the number of a behaviorist so I think I'll have to try her this week. I'm desperate to get our walks back!

Just want to say if anyone new to the team or new to the chat thread is reading and wants to chat, PLEASE DO!

[ClosetGothic]

Hi CG - glad to hear that the steps are now mainly forward - progress!

Mandy - my son's girlfriend is vegetarian and he is following suit. It's a good lifestyle choice so I'll be watching with interest how he copes - especially with cooking!

We are just settling into the New Year, it's been a not-so-hot Summer here so far, everyone is cursing the constant wind but at least nights are cool for sleeping.

I'm just trying to get shop stock levels up and it's taking me a while. My head is in holiday mode even if the weather is not!

We are just discussing saving like crazy this year and going to Japan for three weeks in September (my slowest month) I'd love to go...

Is your dog hearing something high pitched that has recently been installed in your neighbourhood, Mandy? A cat nearby that has walloped his nose recently? I would lay bets there is a simple answer.

[sockysocks]

I wish it was something simple Janne but if it is, it's completing eluding us. I've just had a very long chat on the phone with the dog behaviourist and she seems baffled too. Just hoping that she'll have some ideas when she comes to visit us on Friday.

A trip to Japan sounds lovely Janne. My best customer is a lovely Japanese lady who buys socks for her Dad, she is always so sweet and polite. There was a really interesting tv series broadcast here a few months ago - Joanna Lumley's Japan. If you can watch it somehow I highly recommend it. http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1week36/joanna-lumleys-japan

Right, back to the knitting - I wish sometimes I sold something that knitted up faster!

[ClosetGothic]

Mandy I will definitely watch that - I love Joanna Lumley and its sounds great. When I click that link I get a 'not available in your country' message but I will find it somewhere, maybe Netflix will have it.

Your socks are gorgeous - love them. Do you ever make them with suede soles or similar?

[sockysocks]

I do hope you'll be able to find it somewhere Janne - I think it's available on DVD. Joanna is so warm and funny in it. The bit where she interviews a geisha girl was brilliant.

No I don't make them with any type of soles, it's not really something I've ever thought of to be honest. The yarn I use isn't particularly thick so they are best worn in shoes of boots rather than as slipper type socks. Although I do know of people that just wear them indoors.

Must go...I'm being nagged to make pancakes!