Focus Feature and Giveaway

Happy Thursday and welcome to another focus feature and giveaway! First, let me announce the winner of the Mystuff2 photo greeting card and bookmark giveaway. Using a random number generator from Random.org, the winner is… (drumroll please…) #44, Flory!!! Congrats and I’ll put you in touch with Mystuff2 to collect your prize!

And onto the next… This week’s feature is on LaughingFridge, a GREAT shop with the brightest and most cheerful magnets you’ll find! The shop owners, a husband and wife team, do a great job of working together on these creations! My first purchase to get into a Buy and Stay thread came from LaughingFridge, an adorable owl magnet that I bought for my mom. She loved it and has it front and center on her fridge!

LaughingFridge will be giving away 2 magnets! Happy Sunflower and Church on the Hill could be yours! Check out the shop, www.laughingfridge.etsy.com, to see the many other magnets LaughingFridge has in stock!

Here’s what this husband and wife team had to say:

What’s your favorite item from your shop and what makes it your favorite?

My favorite is Dr Mewlittle, because it looks like our cat and the little critters make me smile, and because it was made by John!http://www.etsy.com/listing/37788259/aceo-fridge-magnet-orignal-art-dr

John’s favorite is the UFO Dolphin Sighting, because he’s just a spacey kind of guy. And he’s into UFO’s as if you couldn’t tell from some of his other magnets, lol http://www.etsy.com/listing/37229937/fridge-magnet-aceo-ufo-no-4-dolphin

How did you get into your line of crafting?

I gave John a mini scroll saw for his birthday because he liked doing marquetry (wood inlay pictures). He discovered he could cut out funny looking cat shapes, we found some old craft paints stashed away, and the rest is history! (Well, we haven't made history yet but are working on it.) I love to draw so designing new magnets is fun for me. John and I really enjoy spending time together working on our magnets and bouncing ideas off each other. We spend a great deal of time laughing, which hopefully translates into our work!

Do you belong to any groups on Etsy?

We are members of the Loud and Wacky Street Team, the Dachshund Team, the Military Brats Team and the Portland Etsy Team. We also participate in a couple of BNS promo threads. This is the one of the best things we’ve done on Etsy, not only for shop exposure but because we’ve made some wonderful online friends!

If you had one super power what would it be?

I would want to have the power to stop time so I could finally get some things finished!

John would want to be able to hypnotize anyone, anytime. Scary thought….

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Mine is eating M&M’s or Cheezits and watching Project Runway.

John’s is eating ice cream and watching NCIS and CSI reruns.

If you could be any animal what would it be and why?

I would want to be a pampered pooch, and then I could retire in luxury!

John would want to be a beaver so he could gnaw on wood all day, haha.

Do you have a personal favorite Etsy shop that you would like to share with readers?

Oh my, we have so many favorite shops, I wouldn’t want to hurt any shop’s feelings by listing one and not the others! We do have a few favorites listed on our blog.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 things would you take with you?

I would take John, my sketchbook and a pencil

John would take me, a ham radio, and a swimsuit

*I do wonder why John is bothering to bring a swimsuit… Stranded alone on an island and already bringing his wife? I should think a swimsuit wouldn’t be necessary… LOL!

From my own personal crafting I’ve been through frustrating moments with new projects. What have you learned from your own crafting frustrations?

Always have Q-tips handy! No, really, sometimes a mistake can be turned into a wonderful piece of art. Or you put it in your stack of Chernobyl items just to have a good laugh now and then. (I must acknowledge a teammate, fiberpuppy, for that term we now use for failed projects, lol)

What advice would you give to new Etsy sellers?

Don’t get discouraged! Be patient and don’t expect that first sale to come the day you open shop. Join an Etsy team that shares your interests; you’ll make friends and gain more exposure too. Etsy also has many self-help articles on running your shop, taking photos, customer service; the business end of being an artist. Most of all, though, love what you do and it will show in your work!

Blog, twitter, facebook links?

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LaughingFridge

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LaughingFridgeArtMagnets

Blog: http://laughingfridgemagnets.blogspot.com/

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Anyone can post and accumulate up to 15 entries for the giveaway! Please be sure to include your email address so that you can be contacted if you win, and don’t forget to post each entry as a separate comment!

Visit LaughingFridge’s Etsy shop and post your favorite item here. (1 entry)

Follow Clever’s Corner Blog and post to let me know you follow. (1 entry)

Tell me your guilty pleasure. (1 entry)

Follow LaughingFridge’s Blog. (1 entry)

Tweet about this giveaway and post the link here. (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES!!!

Make a purchase from LaughingFridge’s Etsy shop and post the transaction here. (5 entries)

Make a purchase from The Clever Crafter’s Etsy shop and post the transaction here. (5 entries)

The giveaway will end on Wednesday, May 26 at midnight (Eastern Standard Time). Winner will be contacted Thursday morning when the next giveaway is posted and prize details will be arranged with LaughingFridge. Thanks for your interest and entries!