long time no see!

well hello!

fancy meeting you here...again!

many changes have happened since i have been here last. many new products, and my most favorite...all new labels and packaging! 2010 was an exciting year for Orange Thyme, and I can tell that 2011 is going to blow it out of the water. In one more week I will be re Opening rachel323 (my jewelry shop) with lots of exciting bright bold pieces. If you have not become a FAN yet, now is the time. I have a SALE coming up, and it's for fans only.
here are some photos to catch you up in case you have not seen the product lines lately. enjoy! *warning, massive photo overload!*

exciting things have been brewing for fall!

crazy i know. i am not one to wish upon summers end. aside from massive seasonal allergies, fall is gorgeous here! here are a handful of items that are new to get you in the mood. 

{pumpkin & leaf} soap set $8.00

a lovely blend of oak moss, chai and gingersnap

 

{candy corn!} lip balm. limited edition, while supplies last.

New {Mon Petit Secret} Perfume oil. $ 8.00

 

{White Ginger & Amber} Perfume Oil.

 

New {Perfume Sample Trio}. You pick 3

 {Rosemary Mint) Perfume Oil

Peppermint and whisper of rosemary on a bed of vanilla. 

 (ok, so this is a tad wintery, but let's face it, that's unfortunately around the corner too!)

...and even though it smells like fall in here, it's 73 degrees out, and i am going to enjoy my last week and a half of summer. 

xoxo!

i have an internet business, do i charge tax?

Since I was Featured, I have gotten this question probably 20 times.

The Internet takes tax-free shopping to a new level. In fact, no-tax shopping has become a prime lure of online retailers looking to hook consumers on click-and-charge buying. Despite what you sometimes hear, however, some Internet sales are subject to sales tax, and even when a site doesn't collect sales tax, consumers are technically responsible for remitting any unpaid sales tax on online purchases directly to their state.


If you a run business with a physical storefront, collecting sales tax is pretty straightforward: you charge your customers the sales tax required by the jurisdiction where your business is located. So, if you operate a retail store in Nashville, Tennessee, you collect both state and local sales taxes from customers buying merchandise at your store.



Now, suppose you start selling your products online. Does mean you charge them the same sales taxes on those coming into your store? It depends.

If your business has a physical presence in a state, such as a store, office or warehouse, you must collect applicable state and local sales tax from your customers. If you do not have a presence in a particular state, you are not required to collect sales taxes. In legal terms, this physical presence is known as a "nexus." Each state defines nexus differently, but all agree that if you have store or office of some sort, a nexus exists. If you are uncertain, whether or not your business qualifies as a physical presence, contact your state's revenue agency. If you do not have a physical presence in a state, you are not required to collect sales taxes from customers in that state.
http://www.business.gov/business-law/online-business/sales-tax/

new things have been brewing.

tons of new items in the shop for summer. 

 

new perfume oils are in!

my new fav is Refresh. Blood Orange, Ruby Grapefruit, Lime and Ylang Ylang.

 

 Four New Soaps! Glycerin and Goats Milk soaps

 

Marble Rings in 4 colors

 

Lavender lemonade Lip Balm

 

Rosemary Mint Lip Balm

...and orangethyme got a new etsy banner!
*** 

and please give a giant welcome to my newest lovely wholesale account: Melissa of Wool & Honey!  and of course, you can become a FAN on facebook! i recommend it, the shops is adorable! don't you just want to go hangout there? i know i do.

oh! and!!

what's hotter than a cute boy with an etsy shop? not much.

my husband is now selling his art in his etsy shop. take a peek. 

ok, so...what IS a treasury?

i have actually been getting the question a lot

from my not-so-etsy familiar friends.

i am going to break it down the easiest way i know how. it's a collage of pieces, that someone has put together of their favorite items, or just plain items that look good together. there are bajillions of treasuries on etsy that you can browse. when you are at the front page and you see that pretty collection...that IS a treasury that someone has put together. AND how they made it there, was by you clicking on the items in the treasury. the more popular the treasury, the more it moves up to the front and has a chance to make it to the front page! this is wonderful exposure for an artist. but treasuries expire! so it's important to get that link out there as fast as you can and get as much exposure as possible.

because most will never see the light of day.

treasuries are not used for self promotion, so the items in my treasury here, are other artists that i am promoting.

i feel badly about how many treasuries i am in, i am kind of a treasury hog. i wake up to usually 3-4 a day. i cannot promote them all, as i feel like 3-4 postings a day is really too much. i hope that no one ever thinks that i do not appreciate their efforts, but if i posted all of them, i'd see my fan base drop from over posting.

some are really pretty, some are funky and some are quite 'interesting'. i end up promoting the ones that i feel have major eye appeal in hopes it will get some serious clicks. well, for the first time ever, i made my own. and let me tell you, it took me close to 2 hours. it's really time consuming going through your favorites, browsing, and just making this look like a piece of art on it's own. you then have to contact everyone you feature, and let them know so they as well can promote the link. so, here you go. my very first treasury created by me. please, click your life away.

spokane comicon is this weekend!

want to get a really sweet gift bag this weekend?

holy hawk tails! it's this weekend!?

where has the time gone?

spokane comicon is the inland northwests' only Comic Book and Pop Culture show, created and ran by my wonderful husband! we work really hard all year on this, and the last 3 months leading up to it are especially busy. well, if you are in the area, or in washington in general, i promise you this will not disappoint. who does not want to meet and hang out with some seriously awesome Star Wars peeps? this is such a wonderful family event.

it's only $5.00 to get in and most of the activities are FREE. you can get your photo with a Star Wars Character, meet Charlie Schmidt, the creator of Keyboard Cat! yes! charlie will be here! he is a local spokanite and he will have all sorts of cool keyboard merchandise. The Lilac City Roller Girls will be here too! So much more, it's hard to list it all. But really, come check it out. There is a costume contest at 5pm, that is always such a hoot! Lanna will be going as Wonder Woman this year.

WHERE: Spokane Community College Lair Bld 6

WHEN: saturday may 22nd 2010

TIME: 10:00am-5:00pm

(the costume contest starts at 5:00pm, so don't run off!)

we have some really special friends coming from Seattle to hang with us for the day, and i have to say...thank you! this means a lot to us that you are making the time and joining us in something that is really special and important to us. we love you so much!