Spam is the magic word...

When my Dad wrote a post on spam the other day, it made me laugh. Every once in a blue moon I'd get a spam comment on my blog about purses or clothes or penis', but I'd quickly delete them and go on my way. Unfortunately, I was a bit MIA. Well, not a bit mind you. I was in another world.

Since November, I've been working like crazy which I'm totally not used to so I was exhausted. When I wasn't working I was trying to tame a crazy kitten and a crazy dog. And when I wasn't doing that, I was worrying and driving to a hospital when my FIL went in for a bypass. Then Christmas happened and New Years happened and dinners and presents and shopping and working and visiting and talking and barely sleeping. I definitely wasn't crafting, so there was no words to put on this blog.

But since I'm cleaning my craft room so I can actually start crafting again instead of sitting amongst a pile of disorder, I thought, hey! I'll check on my blog! And then came the "Hey! People are still visiting my blog!" And then it was all "Oh my, lookit all those comments!" Ya. Spam. All of them. Spam after spam after spam. After spam. And then more spam. I've successfully deleted about 30 spam comments so far, but there's still 6 pages of spam comments. I'm slowly going crazy. 1,2,3,4,5,6 switch.

Luckily they all came from the same IP so I was able to block it from future Hugo Boss, Tony Butch and Peter something or other spam comments. Of course, that'll last a day. Maybe half a day. Not sure. But on ONE day, 8 pages of comments were strewn all over my blog. What a pisser.

Hope everyone else is having a better Monday night!

To Artfire or not Artfire?

I'm having issues with Artfire. But you intelligent ones could probably figure that out from the title.

Basically, I don't have time to concentrate on more than one shop. Well, if anyone happened to check out my iCraft shop, you'd see I have one photo sitting in it. I was planning on listing things, but damn, it kept giving me error messages so I just gave up. It wasn't very user friendly, but maybe because they were having site issues the one day I decided to fill it up? Who knows.

Plus, Google will drop any duplicate listings, and having the same items in so many places would just put me out in left field in google shopping searches. (y'know, the left field that no one visits because it's so overgrown with weeds and there's strange noises and it smells funny).

I was already having issues because all of my listings on Artfire were logged into Google Shopping, and NONE of my listings on Etsy were. So I changed all the names. It didn't seem to matter. And even though none of my Etsy listings were showing up in Google Shopping, my views on Etsy could run laps around my views at Artfire. (and give them black eyes and kick sand in their faces). So I've currently deactivated all of my listings in Artfire.

So why am I having issues with wanting to keep it? Well, because you don't have to be a member of Artfire to purchase from me. In fact, I've installed a "RapidCart" right here on my website so you can purchase directly from Ze Blog without having to leave. (and I really like keeping you all here! Maybe I should install some couches and serve coffee..)

But if no one is even looking at the listings on Artfire, what are the chances they're gonna BUY anything, right?!

Plus I'm working on trying to sell things directly on this website - Squarespace doesn't "support" any "carts" but I could technically have a page with all my product, and put in a paypal button, but I could send an invoice and yadda yadda yadda.

Does anyone out there have any suggestions/input/guidance/humourous anecdote?

With me starting a job soon, I'll have less time with my shop and such (and apparently it's already too difficult to post a 5 minute blog once in a while! yeesh!) So I'm thinking I should just downsize and stop paying the monthly fee on Artfire.

Alright, off I run... But first! A pic...

                                      

I know I complain a lot about my cat, but I do love him. And he's very sick. :( I'm gonna miss this guy!

Anyhoo, have a great day everyone! It's FRIDAY! WootWoot!