CONTINUED GIVING, Back to School...

Back in May, I posted a HEARTFELT REQUEST, asking Amazon.comusers to consider going through the Amazon search tool in the right-hand column of my blog when going to Amazon to search or purchase anything. Through using the search box on my blog (or any of the books listed below it), I'm earning a small percentage (4-15%) on most products & I'm passing this small amount of money on to my little sister, who is trying to pick herself up (w/ her 4 kids) after a nasty divorce to an unstable guy. It's not alot of money, but every little bit helps! (right now she is dealing w/ a painful tooth that needs a root canal & crown or needs to be pulled NOW... no dental insurance!) Last month I earned $24, but that was from maybe 5 people going through my links (thank you!), imagine what we could earn for her by YOU using these links & by passing this info on to all of your friends & family.

I just added a couple of Back to School ads on the top of my blog's right-hand column... right now Amazon is promoting Back to School Savings AND a FREE 1 year Amazon Prime account (free 2 day shipping on text books & millions of other items) to College students joining their free Amazon Student program. (I have an Amazon Prime account & LOVE IT!) You can click on those ads & purchase ANYTHING, not just school supplies, & a percentage of your purchase might qualify for this program. (you won't get any info of what my earnings were... this is supposed to be a silent earning program for people who use their links on their blogs & websites)

THANK YOU, so much, for considering helping my little sister out!!

Clicking on any of the links throughout this post (except for the first one) will take you to Amazon through my account.


~ Julie

If you want details on what kinds of products earn what kinds of percentages, here you go:

How are fees calculated in the Performance Fee Structure?

The Performance plan allows you to earn higher advertising fees as you increase the number of shipped items generated through your links. You earn an advertising rate from 4% to 15% on items shipped by Amazon or third-party sellers in the following categories:

• Amazon Video on Demand
• Apparel & Accessories
• Automotive
• Automotive
• Baby
• Beauty
• Books
• Camera & Photo (Consumer Electronics advertising-fee rates)
• Cell Phones & Service (phones only, not plans)
• Computers
• DVD
• Electronics (Consumer Electronics advertising-fee rates)
• Endless.com
• Gourmet Food
• Grocery
• Health & Personal Care
• Home & Garden
• Jewelry & Watches
• Kitchen & Housewares
• Magazine & Newspaper Subscriptions
• Music
• Musical Instruments
• Pet Supplies
• Software
• Sports & Outdoors
• Tools & Hardware
• Toys & Games
• Video
• Video Games

Both Amazon and third-party items count toward your total shipped items, which determines your advertising rate. As you move from one level to the next, the advertising rate in the new, higher level will be applied to all items shipped during the month. For example, if you refer 100 shipped items in a given month, you will be in the third level and earn 6.50% on all general products and flat fees on other product categories (e.g., 4.00% on CE Products), whether shipped or sold by Amazon or a third party, shipped during that month (subject to any caps set forth in the Operating Agreement).

See the Associates Program Advertising Fee Schedule for a chart detailing the advertising fee rates in the both Performance fee structure.

Fixed Advertising Fee Rates for Specific Product Categories

Electronic Products: 4%, Amazon MP3 Products: 10%, Amazon Video on Demand Products: 10%, Endless.com Products: 15%, Gift Cards Redeemable on the Amazon site: 6%

Volume-Based Advertising Fee Rates for General Products

1-6 items: 4%, 7-30 items: 6%, 31-110 items: 6.5%, 111-320 items: 7%, etc....

Caps: Personal computers (both desktops and laptops) have advertising fees capped at $25, and Amazon Video On Demand as well as Amazonmp3 products are capped at $1.50 per item.

A HEARTFELT REQUEST....

Just a quickie request for you, if you will...

...okay... I'm lying... you know I don't do "quick"...I explain, w/ many many words, LOL.... but this is important, so read on, please. :o)

I have a wonderful little sister who is struggling to pull herself up after a nasty divorce from a really unstable guy. She has 4 kids & ALOT on her plate. I'm so proud of her for being strong enough to get out of her marriage, but the ex hasn't made this easy for her, to say the least. It's been a really rough year.

Anyway... my wonderful brother knew that I blogged & had a website, so he asked me if I was willing to do something that would maybe generate a little bit of money every month to help her out. I already had the following account set up, just hadn't started using it yet, so of course I said YES!

Here's where YOU come in....

Do you buy from Amazon.com?? I buy ALOT from them, I love the site! (I have an Amazon PRIME account, free 2-day shipping... LOVE IT!)

See the AMAZON.com search box & the book recommendations on the right side of my blog, a little ways down??

Do me a favor... make this blog a "go to stop" before you head to Amazon to search for anything. What happens, is that for each purchase that is made by someone coming through any of the Amazon links on my blog (or the recommended books section on my website's RESOURCES page), I get a very very small amount of $$...I think it's actually Amazon credit. You don't have to purchase any of the recommended books... just click on any of the links or use the search box on this blog to get you to the site & just go from there. This doesn't cost you anything... other than whatever you purchase on Amazon, that is. Prices will be exactly the same, whether you go from here or go directly to their site.

So... each month, if there are any purchases made through linking from this blog, there will be a small amount of $$ (or credit, not sure about that one!) in my account. I'm going to give my little sister 100% of anything that comes my way... 100%. It might not be much each month... but it might be enough for her to purchase an essential item or two from Amazon. Any little thing will certainly help.

Pretty cool, huh?? I'd really, truly appreciate any help you can give us.

THANK YOU!!

Truly,

Julie.♥

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I'm finally taking a break from the craziness to spend some nice time w/ my family for the holidays. No website, no selling, etc... just chillin' out w/ the kids & hubby. Nice.

We were supposed to go to Colorado for Christmas, that's where my family is & we haven't been there for Christmas day since 1993 or so. My kids have never had a Colorado Christmas, sad. :o( We had been planning on this since probably the spring, we didn't go home for the summer, which we would normally do, since we knew we were going for Christmas instead. The first week of December we had to choose between a new computer, new tires for my car & a new dryer or Christmas in Colorado. What a sucky choice, huh?

It worked out okay, as sad as it was to not be home, I was so super crazy busy up til the day we were supposed to leave, no downtime whatsoever, so I can't imagine having to add the stress of packing & getting ready to go on top of all of that. Not fun. PLUS, major snow & ice storms between here & there, the drive would've sucked. :o) We'll head out there for Spring Break because the summer has already gotten busy w/ trips & such & Colorado isn't on that list.

Hope you had a nice & relaxing Christmas... or whatever you might celebrate... & a fabulous, but safe, New Year!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING...

It's a [lightly] snowy Thanksgiving morning in my Minnesota neighborhood. Brrrrr. I have yet to locate my winter coat. LOL. Time to start searching. It SHOULD be in an obvious & planned location. Nope. :o)

I got up early this morning & torched for a bit. It's been several days. I decided that I needed some pieces to take along (ie. show off) to the in-laws as some of the people who will be joining us haven't seen any of my beads since Easter. With a tiny bit of practicing between then & now, I think I've improved a touch. :o) Anyway... I needed to do a little torching because all of my serving pieces are @ that boutique. I don't even have any snow domes! Oh well... they can see pictures. :o)

So... what are you thankful for today?

I'm thankful, of course, for my family. My husband who puts up w/ my messes, especially. :o) My kids who ask "are you torching AGAIN?" (who don't understand that I'm not just playing, LOL!) I'm also thankful for all of the obvious... health, happiness & a roof over our head.

But this blog is [supposed to be] about GLASS, right? I'm VERY thankful for glass, LOL. For taking on this wonderful art & for whatever talent I've been given that allows me to make such beautiful pieces w/ it. I'm VERY thankful for that.

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have many things to be thankful for.