Invisible Friends

A year and a half ago when I opened my first shop on Etsy, if anyone had told me that I'd be as addicted to it as I am today, I think I would have fallen over. I'm addicted to Etsy the way some people are to Face Book or texting, or computer games. I have to say, I really love my little shop, Olivia's Garden, where I offer my hand made jewelry. The whole process is fun...making the pieces, taking the photos, posting them and then checking the shop 685 times a day (maybe more) to see how many shop views I've gotten or if I've made a sale. The sales seem to be happening on a more regular basis lately I'm happy to say!

But the very best part about Etsy is my group of "invisible" friends. Last summer I found a mention of the Jewelry on Etsy Team (the JETS) - so I emailed to see about becoming a member. They had a waiting list, but at the end of what was a very rough November for me, I was invited to join - perfect timing too. Might be a little over the top to say that it changed my life, but it definitely has had a very positive impact.
Let me tell you about my Jets. It's a group of very smart, very talented, very caring and silly as hell women plus one really great guy - he's all of those things too except that he's, you know - a guy! We live all over the world - Scotland, the UK, Australia and all over the US...and...we all make jewelry. You may think that since we all make jewelry there would be a lot of competition, but nothing is farther from the truth! Camaraderie yes, competition not at all...I've never met a more supportive, encouraging group of people. We chat every day on the team thread. We share secrets for making sales, create treasuries and other ways to promote each others shops, encourage each other to try new things, revel with each other when the sales fairy pays one of us a visit, lament with each other over NPB or difficult customers, and ooh and ahh over every new listing that one of us posts. But it goes farther than just the "business" end of selling on Etsy. I've never met any of these people in person, but I feel like I can call them all friends. We share success stories, home construction, work frustrations, pictures, stories about kidlets and fur babies, spats with spouses, rifts with families, losses of friends or loved ones, illnesses, worries, *Waves*, ((hugs)) and *pinches* on the (_)_). Then there are the nicknames - Glitz, Coolie, Aba, AJ, Bei, Emo, Crayons, Smack, Brassy, Beadz, Gillie, Birdie, Bug, Stout, 3, Satin, Fuchsia, Wearable, OGG, Van, Indie....(and Glitzy calls me Lovelia - which make me laugh every time!!) to name just a few.... and a whole bunch of other really wonderful things. And... we share our creativity. I'm a firm believer that creativity is contagious and my creativity has taken a giant leap forward from being around this wonderful group of people.
My husband and my friends at work laugh at me when I mention these nick names in conversation because they know I've spent time with my "invisible" friends again. I don't care - let em laugh.....I wouldn't trade it for anything! Love you guys!
Olivia