Moving to a new blog..

We're moving to a new blog!  Old stuff is here, newer stuff will be here!

Christmas is coming...

It's that time of year... Oh, yes it is... some people start shopping now, because they are just like that.  Some are making things and have to start early.  Some have budget restraints.  Some will wait til the last minute because it seems more like the holidays then...

However you prepare, you probably have a list at least in your head!

This time of year I have to start thinking about when I'll ship my last orders and work backwards from there.  Just to make it a bit more complicated, my house is on the market and could sell at any time (she said wishfully).  AND, because that isn't complicated enough, I am going to visit one of my sons and his family in the UK at the end of October, cutting off 3 weeks of shipping time. 

(We will take orders, but will not be shipping them between October 24th and November 13th!) I'll  leave the shop open and still take orders, but that means when I return, there will be a pile of orders that need to be filled (she said hopefully).

It's also time for coupons, for those who shop early, they can get an extra 20% off off bookplates by using XMAS EARLY2012 at check-out, good until November 1st 2012.   Regular customers who have signed up for an account can always use REPEAT2012 for a 10% discount, good anytime.  And for those reading here, typing in BLOGGIE2012 will give a 15% discount until November 11th.

My Regretsy friends also have a coupon card, but that's for those who are in the know!  I'm going to also provide a special WePay shop for them to order stuff that only Regretsy people really want!

      

Sale! Mini books clearance....

Oh, boy -- it isn't even Christmas, but its time to have a SALE! Out of the goodness of my heart, and because I'm trying to down-size my work and my life, I've marked down mini-books to some ridiculous prices, from .97 to $2.00 (no I'm not KIDDING)!! If you order more than one use the cheaper SHIPPING ALTERNATIVE! This should give you a low price on shipping. Please take a look -- Tolkien, Zen, Buddha, sisters, mothers, brothers, dad, peace...more!

They are both on my facebook site and my main web shop! Help me out, help yourself!!!

A super simple way to order bookplates

Possible now to get our bookplates from WePay ..whoppeeedo! Friendly Spirit on WePay . A simpler way to pay -- it is a bit more complex for me since they don't seem to have a way for customers to write in personalization information. But if someone just wants bookplates, it's a great way to go. Don't even need an account, I don't think, just a charge card. Testing it out anyway!

My First Class Alternative! Going around Miva Merchant 4.3

A New Zealand customer e-mailed me to find out if there was perhaps a less expensive way to ship his order for 6 sets of bookplates than the$48.00 on my website.                      :::BLUSH::: Spent this morning coming with an Alternative Plan for customers - US, Canada, England, Australia and New Zealand - that - although a bit clunky - brought his shipping down to $6.00. Yeah, that's more like it!! Explained it on the website, let's see if people stop dropping their shopping baskets when they get to the checkout now.          ------------------------ First Class is no longer offered by my software program, and it's what is most often appropriate for lightweight bookplates! This is my alternative to the shipping choices for your orders. There is one choice for the US and Canada, another for UK, Australia, New Zealand (other international customers, please contact me using the form in the section. To use, scroll down to the bottom here 1.) Select the appropriate First Class Shipping product and place in your basket. 2.) Choose the quantity of bookplates in your completed order (you can also adjust the quantity to fit if you add or subtract bookplates). Shipping First Class after a certain weight isn't allowed- the order will have to be shipped Priority, Parcel or UPS - so that's why the quantities stop at a certain number. If you want something shipped faster - select Priority or other - do NOT use this! Note: If you ordered Limited Edition bookplates, to determine how many packs divide your total by 12 and round to the closest number. (so 1-6 Limited Edition loose bookplates= 0 sets 7-12 Limited Edition loose bookplates = 1 set 13-18 = 2 sets 19-23 Limited Edition loose bookplates = 2 sets etc. etc. Remember, if your order totals over $50.00, you get free shipping and you will not need this! While occasionally someone will try to take advantage of something like this to get a great deal, I know bookplate customers generally won't do that! I'm a small, one person operation with shallow pockets! And please, don't worry - I will double check the shipping total - if there is an error, I'll let you know and will either issue a refund or request payment for the difference before shipping the order.

http://www.friendlyspirit.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=SHIPPINGINFO

My Luddite Software

The software system - Merchant Miva - leaves a bit to be desired.  Slowly it keeps taking away things, if I had them in the first place.  In my low budget, semi-Luddite manner, I'm trying to work around it since I don't have the capital or interest to invest in a more refined system.  My latest way of working around the system in my Luddite, Quaker manner. (see my phone number policy comments here) I hope is working.

So, little Miva has taken away the ability for customers to select First Class as a shipping option (the method most often used for my lightweight products) and the third party software developers recently stopped providing a fix.

So, now:

 If you chose Priority Mail, I ship Priority Mail.  If you choose Parcel Post, I ship First Class and refund you the difference.

Orders over $50.00 are shipped free - US, Canada and Britain only.

These aren't quite discounts, but..I hope these help make up with a kind of personal interest and service for what technology isn't offering. 


My Miva software is a much older version- I think I've had it for nearly 10 years, having updated only once since I started this business in 2000. And though I realize it would probably increase business to invest in a better system, I don't have a lot of money or time to invest in a better system.  This is a tiny home based business, I'm not (at 64) hoping to grow this puppy into something huge and profitable.

That can't sound good to my customers.

(read also the post on how my system works with giving customers their discount)

What is a bookplate and why would I buy one?

People ask me when I tell them I sell bookplates, "What's a bookplate?" It sounds like some technical piece of equipment used in the making of books, doesn't it?

It's actually just a simple piece of paper with a design on it used to signify who owns a book. These days they usually come with a self-adhesive backing.

That's the short description. People also want to know why they'd want to stick a label inside a book. Sometimes they want to know what bookplate to buy for someone.

There is a little more explanation about what a bookplate is - what they are for, why people use them, how to select a bookplate, to personalize or not and what to do with a bookplate if you get one - so that's what I'm hoping to do here!

 Why give bookplates? Here are ten reasons...I'm sure there are more...

• Bookplates encourage reading - children love stickers with their names on them - give a bookplate along with a new book!
• Bookplates are an inexpensive gift
• Bookplates are thoughtful gifts, especially if you select well
• Bookplates will last for a long time - everytime someone sees the bookplate, they'll remember you!
• Bookplates can be very personal - if you have them personalized
• Bookplates remind borrowers to return books - so you're helping someone loan books, and helping them get them back!
• Bookplates identify ownership - so you may be helping roommates avoid arguments or pack up with ease.
• Bookplates identify ownership - so you may be helping a new couple with new names identify ownership of new books they buy together!
• Bookplates leave memories - donate a book to a library, a book in honor of a teacher, a book in memory of a loved one -- leave memories!
• Bookplates make a nice thank you - give a bookplate as a thank you for something nice someone has done - better yet, put it inside a book and give it to the person. 

Antioch Bookplate Company is finally gone

Yes, it is.. and it makes me feel very sad.   Although there are places on-line where you can still buy the bookplates, Ernest Morgan's little company is long gone.  Well, it's been long gone for a long long time. Many of the former workers - employees still hang out one way or the other - live and face to face, or on facebook - and get together for reunions.

Ernest's idea of a community based workplace run by the employees was a good idea, although it never really became quite what he dreamed. Still, a lot of us value the friendships or just the people we met there.  Though we might not all agree politically, socially, religiously on a lot of things, we managed to find ways to work together - we got a lot done.  Everyone took pride in the work they did, as they should have - we designed, produced, manufactured, sold, shipped some fine stuff.  The work ethic was excellent - I worked there for nearly 20 years, if you count my years in the field (I do) and even the couple of years I left and then returned.  Two of my sons worked there, one only as a temp but still...

The Antioch Publishing section is long gone, sold a few years ago.  The Creative Memories manufacturing that went on in the building remained until April of this year, but now its gone, along with some 40 jobs.  At the moment the building is still standing.  But it will probably be sold soon.

There are a few pictures from the lobby - rebuilt after I left in 2000, so I don't have any kind of sentimental attachment to it.  But the timeline and the words of Ernest Morgan bring out some feelings -- I suppose the bittersweet recognition that everything must pass.

On strike today

A Friendly Spirit went on strike today in protest against censorship and against SOPA and PITA bills. 

The House's 's bill is called Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). In the Senate the bill is called the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). SOPA has gotten more attention than PIPA because it was moving faster in the legislative process. But PIPA is just as dangerous, and now it is moving faster.

PIPA would give the government new powers to block Americans' access websites that corporations don't like. The bill lets corporations and the US government censor entire websites and cut sites off from advertising, payments and donations.

This legislation will stifle free speech and innovation, and even threaten popular web services like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

The bill is scheduled for a test vote in the Senate on Jan. 24th: We need to act now to let our lawmakers know just how terrible it is.

Read more and go here to write your representatives. 

http://sopastrike.com/strike