Friday Finds: Knitted Cord Bracelets

Hand knitted scarves and mittens can be incredibly stylish, but what could be more fashionable than jewelry made with the same techniques? These beautiful soft bangles in shades of black and cream are a great way to stay cozy and look fabulous at the same time.

Visit Anny May to see more eco-friendly handmade clothing and accessories, like shawls, hats and hand warmers.

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team and Anny May

Treasury Challenge: Alphabet Keychain

It’s time for a new treasury challenge! Our readers have voted, and the winner of the Cupcake Pajamas challenge is Sleepover feat. Candy PJs. Congratulations to the curator, Design by Cassandra, and thank you to all of our participants and voters!

Our next challenge begins today! The contest is open to anyone, and we invite all Etsy members to participate, even if you’re not an Oh Canada Team member or a shop owner!

The winner will receive the opportunity to select the theme for our next challenge. It could be an idea, a color, or even an item from an Etsy shop, to be featured in our next Treasury Challenge. All you have to do is make a treasury using the current theme.

The Rules

1. Your treasury must incorporate the challenge’s theme, and include at least 8 Oh Canada Team members. Check out our team roster for members, or search for the tag OhCanadaTeam when choosing your featured listings.

2. You must include the words “OCT Challenge” somewhere in your treasury’s title.

3. You must tag your treasury with “ohcanadateam” and “OCT challenge”

4. In your treasury’s description, let viewers know that it is an entry in an Oh Canada Team challenge, invite them to join, and provide a link to our main blog, or this post.

5. Please do not use your own shop(s) in your entry, including alternate shops.

How to Enter

To enter your treasury, add a link to it in the comments section of this post.

Only treasuries that are submitted on the blog before the deadline will be included in the judging round.

The deadline for entering the “Alphabet Keychain” challenge is Tuesday, November 2nd. Our judges will select 6 finalists, and voting will begin on Thursday, November 4th. Screenshots of all the entries will be uploaded to our Flickr challenge album before the judging round begins.

Voting for this challenge will close the following Tuesday, and the winner will be announced along with our new challenge theme on Wednesday, November 10th.

Everyone is welcome to play - including Etsy shoppers and non-team members. If you’ve never made a treasury on Etsy before, you can get some handy tips in this tutorial: How to Make Etsy Treasuries.

The Theme

Our previous challenge winner, Design by Cassandra, has chosen a fun and colorful handmade keychain to be the focus of this challenge round. You can create a treasury using any theme that you desire, but you must include this listing in your selections: Alphabet Soup Keychain.

Challenge Judges

Not ready to make a treasury yet? We will also be looking for guest judges to help narrow down the finalists. If you would like to participate, let us know in the comments section of this post, along with a link to your shop. The first three volunteers will be contacted by our Treasury Challenge admins with more details about the judging process.

Please feel free to contact our team admins if you have any questions.

Good luck!

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team and Design by Cassandra

Behind the Lens: Splurge Jewelry

Photography is usually the number one concern for Etsy sellers. Taking great pictures, and choosing the right images for our listings, is an important part of having a successful shop. Oh Canada Team member Darcy, of Splurge, shares some of her secrets to fantastic Etsy photos.

Oh Canada: What type of camera do you use?

Darcy: I use a Canon PowerShot SD850 IS. While I bought a much fancier camera last year, I haven't had the time nor desire to begin using it. I love that this one fits in the back pocket of my weekend jeans. What I don't like is that it has limited options for focus and close up shots.

Oh Canada: How do you light your images?

Darcy: I try and use natural light as much as possible. I do have 2 natural light lamps though I rarely use them in spring and summer. As the days get shorter in Calgary and good lighting harder to find, I will begin using the lamps again.

Oh Canada: Do you ever use a light box?

Darcy: No, I don't use a light box. I did make one last year and spent a lot of time with diffused lighting and product staging but felt my end result was too sterile for my designs. I have seen many photos on Etsy taken with a light box and they are excellent - it's just not for me.

Oh Canada: What materials do you like to use for backgrounds?

Darcy: I prefer natural wood backgrounds. I find the easiest background to use is grey weathered cedar as it works with almost every colour. The soft background also makes those photos easier to include in treasuries with a mix of items (in my opinion). I've moved more to a different wood background for aesthetics but I do miss grey, especially when working with blue and green items.

Oh Canada: Do you ever use models or props for staging your photos?

Darcy: No, I don't use props other than display items to show earrings hanging or a necklace on a bust. The design of my jewelry is simple and modern and I want the photos to have the same feel as my work.

Oh Canada: What’s your best tip for staging product shots?

Darcy: Watch your lighting!

Oh Canada: What’s the minimum number of photos you take per item?

Darcy: I take at least 10 photos per item, but often more if I find the layout or the lighting is tricky.

Oh Canada: Do you edit your photos before using them?

Darcy: Yes and no. I run the photos through free Picasa software but the edits don't seem to stick once I've transferred the photos to Etsy. I'm afraid that what you see in my listings may be exactly how the photo was taken. My goal in 2011 is to learn and use the PhotoShop software I've got stashed away.

Oh Canada: In your opinion, what makes a great “first photo” on Etsy?

Darcy: I would have to say it depends on the product category. I like when you don't necessarily see all of the item in the first photo or it is taken at an angle to pull you into the photo. Ideally the first photo gets people into the listing and the rest of the photos get them into your shop.

Oh Canada: When making treasuries, what do you look for in a first photo?

Darcy: Well, the easiest answer is kids and pets. If you've got one or the other in a treasury, you are likely to have more people clicking. Aside from that, strong photos with good lighting and good clarity.

Oh Canada: Can you share any more Etsy photo tips?

Darcy: Use the macro setting on your camera if you want to highlight details in a small piece. Adjust your white balance on your camera if you find photos in a light box or light background to be too yellow or blue. Use the forums to search for more information on photography.

One of the best things about using a distinct background and angle for your lead shots like Splurge is recognition. When people see your thumbnails, do they think "I know that shop!"?

Want to get more Etsy photo tips? Here are a few popular forum threads and blog posts with helpful ideas:

Etsy’s Guide to Photography
Stop Being Invisible
How to Improve Your Photos
Lightbox Shmightbox

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada and Splurge

Tag Workshop: Melia Crochet Bib Necklace

On Etsy, the default search function is powered by 14 small but important lines of text. Each listing a seller creates can use these keyword spaces to categorize and label the items for sale. How we use these keyword spaces can greatly effect how often our products are found, and by which types of shoppers.

Studies show that the majority of visitors to sites like Etsy will look for what they need by typing in search terms, rather than by using the category trees provided by the site’s sort function. So the tags that we choose are essential for putting our products in front of the right shoppers.

Melia Necklace
by Lavender Field

Every week, the Oh Canada Team shares some examples of which search terms shoppers and sellers use to locate different types of products. This week, our Tag Workshop will focus on a unique crochet necklace by Lavender Field. The description reads:

My newest Melia Bib crochet necklace formed with leaf shapes and loops in seafoam, slate grey, light aqua and ivory, dotted by tiny Delicas© Japanese glass beads in teal, seafoam, and ivory which are worked into the design.

This necklace measures about 22" (54 cm).

It has a steel chain with twisted links in gunmetal and closes in the back with a swirly hook, which you can hook into any of the links, making the necklace a bit shorter, if you wish.

bstudio suggests these tags:

jewelry, necklace, fiber, crocheted, needlework,
blue, white, purple, botanical, nature theme,
woodland, statement, adjustable, beaded

Dot Stitch recommends:

jewelry, jewellery, leaf leaves, circles, bib necklace,
international ship, seafoam, slate grey, light aqua,
ivory cream, modern crochet, handmade, contemporary, art jewelry

Dark Ride suggests:

jewelry, necklace, fibre art, crochet, organic quality,
bib collar, aqua blue, sea foam green, lavender mauve,
bead embellished, japanese glass, feminine, gunmetal chain, lace like effect

And the actual tags are:

crochet, jewelry, necklace, leaves,
aqua, seafoam, teal, ivory, wearable art,
fiber, unique, slate, lavenderfield, cyprus

Each list covers the basics of tagging like style, function, color and theme, with variations on some keywords that reflect different terms that shoppers might use to find the same item. The more products and listings you have, the more ways you have of reaching out to potential customers. You don’t have to use tag variations, locations or usernames in every listing to be found, but they are a smart choice when you have the extra space.

For more tagging help visit:

Tag-o-Rama
Tag Wars
Etsy DOs and DON’Ts

Visit Oh Canada every Tuesday, or subscribe to our posts for more tagging ideas from Etsy members.

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team and Lavender Field

Shop Spotlight: Jinx Murphy Designs

One of the most fabulous things about Etsy is being able to find one of a kind designs that match your own unique style. And it’s not just about fashion. The home décor category is full of amazing creations to help make your living space as unique as you are. One shop that takes decorating your home to the next level is Jinx Murphy Designs. The artist, Vanessa, creates beautiful hand cut wooden wall art and table décor. Oh Canada has put Jinx Murphy Designs in the spotlight.

Oh Canada: Of all the things that you sell, which item or style is your favorite?

Vanessa: My flowering branches and bird silhouettes are still my favourites. They’re a slightly tweaked version of the very first design I listed in my shop.

As a close second, I have a soft spot for the personalized pieces in my shop. The address plaques sell really well as gifts for weddings and housewarmings, so each one is a piece in a story of its own. The original was a gift for a close friend so it will always be special.

Oh Canada: Where did you learn your skills?

Vanessa: My dad taught me to cut on a scroll saw when I was about 10 years old. I started out cutting children’s puzzles and simple shapes. I started to enter small competitions when I was about 13 and found it a thrill to beat the boys in my age group.

I took a cabinet making course for fun after college and learned more about joinery and finishing. I think that the techniques I learned there have helped me to improve my art. That course may have been the most valuable I’ll ever take. I learned to love woodworking for a second time and I met my fiancé in those classes.

Oh Canada: Everyone has different motivations for making their unique wares. What drives you to create?

Vanessa: I need to make things. Most of my designs come from either a need for something around the house (and it might as well look good too) or from an idea that keeps nagging at me to try it just to see if it will work.

Oh Canada: If you could learn to use any new technique or material, what would it be?

Vanessa: I hope to incorporate silk screening into my work soon.

Oh Canada: Any plans to incorporate a new product into your shop this year?

Vanessa: We’re getting close to the end of the year so I’ll probably rely mostly on my current products to take me through the Holiday season and introduce a few new ideas in the spring. I’m planning on experimenting with fabric goods to coordinate with my woodwork, like tea towels and napkins with screen printed designs.

Oh Canada: What is your favorite thing about selling on Etsy?

Vanessa: I love knowing that pieces of my work are in homes all over, and on the other side of the world.

Oh Canada: Do you have a number one tip for new sellers?

Vanessa: Put your best into your work. It is your name that will be attached to everything you send out. Make a creative, unique and quality product that you are proud of.

Oh Canada: What is your favorite thing to buy on Etsy?

Vanessa: I’ve been buying bits and pieces for my wedding on Etsy. I love the personalized stamp that I ordered for our invitations and the headband that I’m going to wear.

Oh Canada: What is the number one best item in your shop right now?

Vanessa: The little bird address plaque is what I’ve been selling most lately

You can see more wooden creations at Jinx Murphy Designs on Etsy. To get the latest news and updates from the shop, follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada and Jinx Murphy Designs

Friday Finds: Book Bunny Boyfriend

Let me introduce you to Stan. Stan caught my eye because he's one cool looking bunny. Right now he lives in the Yermit shop, but he truly wants to find a new home! He stands 21 inches tall and is handmade from his blue jeans, green knitted sweater, scarf and toque, right down to his fuzzy shoes.

This Canadian shop is filled with colourful and unique character dolls. Truly, one of a kind and great conversation pieces! Visit Yermits to see more fun and fantastic creations. Add the phrase OhCanadaTeam to your searches on Etsy.com to find even more Canadian treasures!

Found by Leanne Designs

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team and Yermits

Cupcake Pajamas Challenge Finalists

It’s time to vote for your favorite collection in our latest treasury challenge! This round our theme was an adorable pair of cupcake print PJ pants by Tarapparel. There have been some very yummy entries!

Our wonderful judges have narrowed down the entries to six beautiful collections. Have a look at each of these treasuries, then choose your favorite in the poll at the right. The winner will choose the theme for our next treasury challenge!



Girls Night In and Femininity



My Cup Caketh Over and Sleepover feat. Candy PJs



Positively Pink and Like Candy

Voting is open until Tuesday, October 26th. The winner will be announced along with our new challenge theme on October 28th. Thanks for playing, and good luck to our finalists!

Copyright Oh Canada and Etsy.com

Tag Workshop November Sign Up

Do you ever get to the tagging stage of the Etsy listing process and draw a total blank? Does thinking of keywords get you down? Join in the Oh Canada Team Tag Workshop exercise!

Every Tuesday, we showcase one Etsy listing here on the Oh Canada blog. Our volunteers suggest unique tag lists for the listing, which we examine and compare. Through this exercise, we can learn about what types of search terms customers are using, and which keywords stand out the most.

All Etsy sellers are welcome to join in our Tag Workshops! You don't have to be a member of our team, or a Canadian seller.

How it Works:

Leave comment on this post with a link to the Etsy listing that you would like tag suggestions for, and you'll be entered into the draw.

Five sellers will be chosen at random from the comments, for the November series of workshops.

Each volunteer selected will be asked to suggest tags for four listings.

In exchange for your tagging ideas, your item will be showcased here on our blog, and your shop will be linked to in five separate posts throughout the month. Plus, you’ll get insights from four other sellers about which keywords shoppers might use to find your item.

All types of shops are welcome to participate - handmade, vintage or supplies.

Taggers will be chosen from the comments on Tuesday, October 26th.

To learn more, check out previous posts in our Tag Workshop series!

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team

Tag Workshop: Eastern Treasures Necklace

On Etsy, the default search function is powered by 14 small but important lines of text. Each listing a seller creates can use these keyword spaces to categorize and label the items for sale. How we use these keyword spaces can greatly effect how often our products are found, and by which types of shoppers.

Studies show that the majority of visitors to sites like Etsy will look for what they need by typing in search terms, rather than by using the category trees provided by the site’s sort function. So the tags that we choose are essential for putting our products in front of the right shoppers.

Eastern Treasures Necklace
by Dark Ride

Every week, the Oh Canada Team shares some examples of which search terms shoppers and sellers use to locate different types of products. This week, our Tag Workshop will focus on a wonderful Arabian inspired necklace by Dark Ride. The description reads:

Eight beautiful little antiqued brass connectors are linked together and garnished with seven dark topaz glass teardrops. These are stunning little Czech glass beads with a celsian finish, giving this bead a soft, golden iridescence. The center, larger bead is also a dark topaz faceted teardrop of Czech glass. Stunning colour, and deep, dark glow.

Designed to fall just at the base of the throat, this necklace measures 16 inches in total including the small antiqued brass clasp. The chain used in this design is a smooth pretzel chain. The intricate pattern of the rope-like chain is a lovely compliment to the detail on the connectors.

bstudio suggests these tags:

jewelry, necklace, metal, beaded, ruby red,
bronze, antiqued, filigree, topaz, middle eastern,
triangular, art nouveau, large, swirls

DotStitch reccomends:

jewelry, handcrafted, dark topaz, antique brass, free ship,
international ship, handmade jewellery, eastern arabic,
handmade necklace, ohcanadateam, vintage inspired,
ethnic fantasy, choker necklace, bead jewellery

Lavender Field suggests:

jewelry, necklace, choker, eastern treasure,
middle east style, south asia, burgundy bordeaux,
antique, dark topaz, celsian, free shipping, filigree, elegant

And the actual tags are:

jewelry, short necklace, arabian influence, dark topaz glass,
czech celsian, dark amber brown, faceted teardrops,
south asian vibe, vintage vibe, exotic glamour,
ohcanadateam, niagaraetsyartisan, freeshipping, darkride

Each lists has great examples of shopping terms that can also be found right in the description. This is often the best place to find keywords. If you’re describing your item thoroughly and accurately for the average customer, the text should be rich with useful keywords.

For more help with tagging on Etsy, check out:

Tag Wars
Etsy Tagging Suggestions
Etsy DOs and DON’Ts

Stop by our blog next Tuesday for more great tagging ideas!

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada and Dark Ride

Stone of the Month: Opal

Ornate White Opal Snow Queen Ring
by Little Bear's Mom

Unlike most other birthstones, opal is not a crystalline gemstone, but a mineraloid. These types of substances are formed under similar conditions as crystal gemstones like emeralds and diamonds, but possess a different chemical makeup. Other common types of mineraloids include obsidian, jet, amber and even petroleum.

Opals are formed from ancient hot springs, and have a water content of anywhere from 3 to 20 percent. Most opals are found in dry, arid climates like Mexico and Nevada. Australia is the leading producer of gemstone quality opals, with over 90 percent of the world’s gemstones originating from Australian mines. Opal is their national gemstone.

The color of natural opal can range from white to black, with many color variations. Blue and green hued opals are more common, with reds and blacks being the most rare. The birthstone opal is usually an iridescent white or pink color, similar to mother of pearl.

Because common opals show many different colors on their surface - usually pinks, yellows and blues - they are often considered a mood stone. Opals have been thought to increase happiness, bring good luck, and even encourage love. Legends of Australian aborigines indicate that the opal is a sign of peace.

Blue Oregon Opal Necklace
by Six Baby Girls

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team

Friday Finds: Stardust Hoop Earrings

According to Coco Chanel, the most important rule for perfect accessorizing is to remove one piece of jewelry before you leave the house. In other words, if you’ve finished your outfit with a necklace, bracelet and earrings, you’ve probably overdone it.

Of course, if you’ve only got a small collection of classic, high quality jewelry, you might be able to get away with wearing all of your favorite pieces at once. These stunning hoop earrings by Joanniel are the type of accessory that can add elegance to any outfit - day or night.

To see more gorgeous handmade jewelry from Canada, visit Joanniel Creations, or add the tag OhCanadaTeam to your searches on Etsy.com.

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada and Joanniel Creations

Treasury Challenge: Cupcake Pajamas

It was a tough choice, but our fantastic readers have cast their votes and chosen a winner in the Blue Tile Magnets treasury challenge! Congratulations to Tarapparel and her collection Out of the Blue, and many thanks to our participants and voters!

Our next challenge begins today! The contest is open to anyone, and we invite all Etsy members to participate, even if you’re not an Oh Canada Team member or a shop owner!

The winner will receive the opportunity to select the theme for our next challenge. It could be an idea, a color, or even an item from an Etsy shop, to be featured in our next Treasury Challenge. All you have to do is make a treasury using the current theme.

The Rules

1. Your treasury must incorporate the challenge’s theme, and include at least 8 Oh Canada Team members. Check out our team roster for members, or search for the tag OhCanadaTeam when choosing your featured listings.

2. You must include the words “OCT Challenge” somewhere in your treasury’s title.

3. You must tag your treasury with “ohcanadateam” and “OCT challenge”

4. In your treasury’s description, let viewers know that it is an entry in an Oh Canada Team challenge, invite them to join, and provide a link to our main blog, or this post.

5. Please do not use your own shop(s) in your entry, including alternate shops.

How to Enter

To enter your treasury, add a link to it in the comments section of this post.

Only treasuries that are submitted on the blog before the deadline will be included in the judging round.

The deadline for entering the “Pink Pajamas” challenge is Tuesday, October 19th. Our judges will select 6 finalists, and voting will begin on Thursday, October 21st. Screenshots of all the entries will be uploaded to our Flickr challenge album before the judging round.

Voting for this challenge will close the following Tuesday, and the winner will be announced along with our new challenge theme on Thursday, October 28th.

Everyone is welcome to play - including Etsy shoppers and non-team members. If you’ve never made a treasury on Etsy before, you can get some handy tips in this tutorial: How to Make Etsy Treasuries.

The Theme

Our previous challenge winner, Tarapparel, has chosen a cute pair of cupcake print PJ pants to be the focus of this challenge round. You can create a treasury using any theme that you desire, but you must include this listing in your selections: Cupcake PJ Pants.

Challenge Judges

Not ready to make a treasury yet? We will also be looking for guest judges to help narrow down the finalists. If you would like to participate, let us know in the comments section of this post, along with a link to your shop. The first three volunteers will be contacted by our Treasury Challenge admins with more details about the judging process.

Please feel free to contact our team admins if you have any questions.

Good luck!

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada and Tarapparel

Tag Workshop: Bead Cluster Bracelet

On Etsy, the default search function is powered by 14 small but important lines of text. Each listing a seller creates can use these keyword spaces to categorize and label the items for sale. How we use these keyword spaces can greatly effect how often our products are found, and by which types of shoppers.

Studies show that the majority of visitors to sites like Etsy will look for what they need by typing in search terms, rather than by using the category trees provided by the site’s sort function. So the tags that we choose are essential for putting our products in front of the right shoppers.

Gelato Bead Cluster Bracelet
by DotStitch

Every week, the Oh Canada Team shares some examples of which search terms shoppers and sellers use to locate different types of products. This week, our Tag Workshop will focus on a pretty bracelet made from vintage earrings by DotStitch. The description reads:

This sweet and oh-so-feminine bracelet is made from a pretty selection of vintage cluster earrings on a silver tone base. Dress up or down - it would look equally good with a little cocktail dress or with jeans and a t-shirt. The earrings that comprise the bracelet are each beautiful in their own right, with heaps of sparkle and personality!

bstudio suggests these tags:

jewelry, bracelet, pastels, pearls, beaded,
vintage jewelry, jewellery, clusters, feminine,
pink, ivory, aqua blue, formal, casual

LavenderField recommends:

jewelry, bracelet, pearls, pearly, elegant,
wedding, vintage, gelato, cluster,
bridesmaid, bridal party, feminine, recycled

Dark Ride suggests:

jewellery, bracelet, vintage assemblage,
upcycled earrings, pastel colours, feminine,
bridal, inspired by nature, flowers, soft pink,
pale blue, pearl white, delicate looking, retro vibe

And the actual tags are:

jewelry, bracelet, vintage earrings, pearl bead,
pale gelato, ice cream color, pastel pink, delicate feminine,
duck egg blue, robins egg blue, pale blue,
jewellery, new zealand, bridal

Each list includes some great examples of how you can combine relevant keywords into tag phrases. Using multi-word tags is a great way to increase your keyword power, as long as each individual tag is a single descriptive phrase. If it wouldn’t work in a sentence describing the actual item, then it wouldn’t make a good tag. Combination keywords can enhance the effectiveness of single words like colors and shapes.

For more help with tagging on Etsy, check out:

Guidelines and Tips for Tagging
An Alternative to Renewing
Tagging for Maximum Exposure
Etsy DOs and DON’Ts

Stop by Oh Canada every Tuesday for more tagging ideas!

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada and DotStitch

Friday Finds: Emerald Paua Shell Ring

Sometimes all a classy fall ensemble needs is a bold piece of jewelry. Cameo brooches and pendants are always a hit. Peacock eye earrings and opera length necklaces are also great as stand alone accessories.

This deep green ring by Little Bear's Mom is the kind of statement piece that can push any outfit into the "Wow!" category. And the great thing about rings is that you can wear them anywhere, with anything, no matter what your age or style.

This ring features an oval paua shell cabochon, dyed a vibrant emerald green, set into a silver plated adjustable ring. The shell is highly shimmery and reflective with a variety of shades of green.

To see more gorgeous handmade jewelry designs, visit Little Bear's Mom on Etsy. You can also add the tag OhCanadaTeam to your Etsy searches to see what our members are designing for fall!

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada and Little Bear's Mom

Blue Tile Magnets Challenge Finalists

It’s time to vote for your favorite collection in our latest treasury challenge! This round our theme was a beautiful set of blue glass magnets by Simple Sundries. We had so many fantastic entries with great themes!

Our wonderful judges have narrowed down the entries to six beautiful collections. Have a look at each of these treasuries, then choose your favorite in the poll at the right. The winner will choose the theme for our next treasury challenge!



Bursting with Blues and Blue Jeans



Hip to Be Square and Violet's Treasury



Electric Blue and Out of the Blue

Voting is open until Tuesday, October 12th. The winner will be announced along with our new challenge theme on October 14th. Thanks for playing, and good luck to our finalists!

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada and Etsy.com

Link Ups: Thanksgiving Treats

Get ready Canada! We’re only days away from the very first party of the season, and it’s time to start thinking about all the delicious treats we’re going to be eating! Grocery stores have already stocked up on eggnog - do people really drink it this early in the year? - and morning talk shows are sharing their best stuffing recipes.

If you’ve ever tried to prepare an entire Thanksgiving dinner, you know it’s probably one of the hardest jobs in the universe, and all you really get to show for it is a lot of turkey soup and cranberry sauce sandwiches to eat for the rest of the month. If you’re cooking this year, why not treat yourself and have the kids whip up a delicious and simple dessert, so you can put your feet up for a few minutes between stuffing the bird and peeling potatoes?

Orange Cream Pie Holiday Parfaits

Ingredients:

1 package of instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups of milk
Zest of ½ an orange
Pinch of ground cinnamon and ginger to taste
½ cup butter
1 ¼ cups of graham cracker crumbs
Whipped cream

1. Prepare the vanilla pudding according to the package directions, and refrigerate until set.
2. Stir in the orange zest, cinnamon and ginger and chill until serving time.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter over low heat in a saucepan or frying pan.
4. Add the graham crumbs and stir until lightly golden.
5. Divide the crumb mixture evenly and press into dessert bowls or daiquiri glasses. Set aside until serving time.
6. Top the crumb base with orange pudding and whipped cream, and serve with a slice of orange for garnish.

Do you have an all-time favorite holiday recipe or handmade treat? Share a link with us below!

The link list will be open until October 10th.

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team

Tag Workshop: Silk Ribbon Jewelry Box

On Etsy, the default search function is powered by 14 small but important lines of text. Each listing a seller creates can use these keyword spaces to categorize and label the item for sale. How we use these keyword spaces can greatly effect how often our products are found, and by which types of shoppers.

Studies show that the majority of visitors to sites like Etsy will look for what they need by typing in search terms, rather than by using the category trees provided by the site’s sort function. So the tags that we choose are essential for putting our products in front of the right shoppers.

White Flowers Jewelry Box in Silk Ribbon Embroidery
by bstudio

Every week, the Oh Canada Team shares some examples of which search terms shoppers and sellers use to locate different types of products. This week, our Tag Workshop will focus on a beautiful silk embroidered jewelry box by bstudio. The description reads:

Silk ribbon embroidery flowers completely cover the top of this romantic little jewelry box. It makes the perfect spot to tuck away your most cared about possessions!

I have hand embroidered each flower onto an ivory silk dupioni base fabric using various shades of white silk ribbon from natural to bright white. The flowers are complemented with hits of spring green silk ribbon.

The embroidered top is set into a gold color metal frame and the exterior of the base of the container is a gorgeous matte spun gold tone finish on metal.
I have lined the interior of the bottom with pale pink crushed velvet.

DotStitch suggests these tags:

housewares, box, keepsake, treasure box,
trinket box, ribbon roses, silk ribbon art,
jewellery box, jewelry box, white flowers,
bright grass green, ivory cream, romantic, floral garden

Dark Ride recommends:

housewares, jewellery box, container, needlecraft,
small box, embroidered lid, inspired by nature,
white flowers, green leaves, matte gold tin,
lined interior, silk ribbon, feminine, ohcanadateam

LavenderField suggests:

housewares, box, jewelry box, trinket box,
embroidery, silk ribbon, white roses,
romantic, nostalgic, spring green,
small, favor, flowery, metal

And the actual tags are:

needlecraft, accessories, jewelry box, trinket box,
silk ribbon, hand embroidered, silk, flowers,
botanical theme, gold, romantic, jewellery box,
housewares, white

Each list has some great descriptive keywords, along with variations on keywords and categories. If you’re not seeing the views that you would like for a new item or product line, you can try mixing up your category and subcategory tags to see different results. Although direct searches are more common, on Etsy a shopper can narrow down their results using the category tree. Using a variety of headings for your listings can put your item in front of a wider audience.

Always remember that the categories and tags that you choose must be accurate, and describe only what your product actually is. Using irrelevant keywords is not only frustrating to shoppers who want clean search results, but also uses up valuable tag space that could be saved for terms that your potential customers might actually use.

For more tips on using Etsy tags, check out:

Guidelines and Tips for Tagging on Etsy
Tagging for Maximum Exposure
Tag Wars
Etsy DOs and DON’Ts

And visit Oh Canada every Tuesday for more unique tag ideas!

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada and bstudio

Friday Finds: Fall Fiesta

Welcome, October! We’ve been waiting a long time for you to arrive - about 11 months or so. Now that you’re here, we’re going to celebrate with tasty treats and colorful decorations. In fact, we’re so happy to see you, October, that we’re going to decorate ourselves, too!

Head and Shoulders

Bamboo Shawl in Brown Shades
by Anny May

Lil Punkin Hat
by buttonboxdesigns

Gnome Knit Hats
by FlowerPot Designs

Mustard Ruffles Scarf
by Simply Naif

Knees and Toes

Monsters in a Tube Push Up Soap
by Bubble Tub

Thriftypumpkin Limited Edition Natural Soap
by soapstar

Tangerine Orange Mineral Eye Shadow
by Maple Creek Soapworks

Vanilla Apple Pear Jelly
by Bovine Bubbles

Hands and Heart

Halloween Witch Handmade Card
by Annabelle’s Art

Quilled Halloween Mini Card Set
by The Crafty Bug

Boo and Spider Pumpkin Cushions
by Dans ma maison, il y a

Fall Leaves Pencil Case
by MiniMade

Fingers, Wrists and Ears

Chrysanthemum Ring in Pumpkin Spice Orange
by Little Bear’s Mom

Halloween Crystal Bracelet
by boomerville

Copper Modern Leaf Earrings
by Splurge

Acorn and Squirrel Earrings
by Ishy Jewellery

Want to see more October treats from the Oh Canada Team? You can add the tag ohcanadateam to your searches on Etsy.com to see what we have for you! Our team members are hard at work creating and polishing up plenty of Halloween and fall goodies for every taste.

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team