Ephemerala Newsletter Archives

Online: http://www.ephemerala.citymax.com

eBay: http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/ephemerala/?refid=store

November 22-28, 2004

In This Installment:

** New Items

** Coming Soon

** Stone Fun Facts

** News & Stuff

** Fortnightly Sale

** Insider's Sale

** Last Week's Top Sellers

New Items

Nothing New This Week

As mentioned last week, I am spending the next month concentrating on processing orders and re-tooling the website, and will list new items as time permits. I often manage to squeeze in a new Closeout item now and then (this week it's assorted earrings for a dollar), so be sure to look at that page often:

http://www.ephemerala.citymax.com/closeouts.html

Coming Soon

Note: With the exception of the beads, the rest of the below items are already listed on the site and ready to go. I still have them in the "Coming Soon" section here due to a lack of pictures. Scanning tends to take a lot of time, and it was more important to simply get these out and make them available. I will add pictures as time permits. Anyone wishing to buy any of the below items can find them in the appropriate catalogue pages on my site. They will show up at the bottom of each page. If you cannot find something you are interested in, let me know and I will send you the link. As I add pictures, I will feature each one in the "New Items" section.

New Beads:

Chrysotile Chips, Red Chalcedony Chips, Blue Chalcedony Chips, Mexican Zebra Jasper Chips, Green Opal Chips, African Opal Chips, Yellow Opal Chips, Chevron Amethyst Chips, Grossular Garnet Chips, Apple Green Turquoise Chips, Red Flower Jasper Chips, Frosted Quartz Round, Citrine Round, Citrine Brick, Citrine Tube, Black Onyx Rondell, Large Garnet Round, Kambaba Long Chips, Golden Abalone Stick

Ocarinas (clay flutes)

"Fortune Cookie" Silk Purses

Solid Perfume in Soapstone Jars

Stone Fun Facts

Spinel

** This stone has only been known in the gem world for about 150 years, but has been around much longer, as a Ruby impostor! Due to its close chemical composition to Ruby, Spinel has throughout the ages been mistaken for Ruby. Two very large "Rubies" in the British Crown Jewels are actually Spinels.

** Spinel comes in a variety of colors, but red and pink are the most popular. Even though it is not Ruby, it still is a well sought-after gemstone, and its value is rapidly approaching that of Ruby.

** Fine red Spinels can command $500-1,500 per carat.

** The crystals form in well-formed octahedrons. If you look closely at my Spinel Chip Beads, you can see the occasional perfect tiny crystalline octahedron!

** The name "Spinel" is unsure in its origins. Some think the word stems from a word that means "spark" or "point."

** Crystal healers promote Spinel for happy marriages. The stone is thought to set aside the ego to enable to become devoted to someone else. It helps to encourage great passion, and provides longevity. All three of these are helpful for a happy marriage.

** Spinel can be used as a gift for the 22nd Anniversary.

** Even though it is a relatively new discovery, there is still a lot of lore surrounding this stone. A loss of luster is said to warn of danger. It was once thought to protect the wearer from fire. Powdered Spinel was thought to make a potion to detect when others are lying.

Please see other Stone Fun Facts here:

http://www.ephemerala.citymax.com/stone_fun_facts.html

News and Stuff

AOL Customers Not Getting Messages?

Last week, all my messages sent to AOL customers bounced. I tried several times to re-send the message, but it never made it through. If this message manages to make it through to the AOL customers this week, and you wish to see a copy of last week's issue, please let me know!

Boo! Hiss!

These things happen. The good news is that all repeat customers get a shipping discount. The bad news is, starting January 1, I will no longer offer Free Shipping, but instead I will enclose coupons good for a dollar off shipping. Hopefully this won't bum too many long-time customers! This change is NOT going to occur until January 1, so anyone wishing to redeem their Free Shipping coupons will have to do it before then.

I also plan to change my shipping policies on eBay in the next few months. Currently I have a $2.00 flat rate, but soon this will change to $2.00 for the first item, and an additional 10 cents for each additional item. The online store site shipping costs ($1.00 plus 10 cents per small item) will remain the same.

So, Is It On Sale Or What?

I recently got an order for some of the Clear Quartz items that were a dollar off during the last sale, two weeks ago. The buyer later e-mailed me apologizing, saying she didn't realize that week's sale was over, and should she send me the extra?

Folks, if the price shows it, that's what the price is, even if the sale has ended. I try to change my sale prices back to regular shortly after the sale ends, but sometimes I don't have time, or the listings are ending soon and I might as well ride it out, or the sales were so good I let it ride for a week or two after that. Whatever the price reads when you make your bid or place your order is the price you will get, so don't worry about taking advantage! (I recently realized I had never changed the Penny Sale from last week, so the Pearl Beads I mentioned in the newsletter have continued to be a penny all this last week!)

Fortnightly Sale

20% More in Value Packs!

A cornucopia of value! With the holidays coming up, people are already starting to look for stocking stuffers and bulk items. This week, I am offering a customer favorite sale of 20% more items in all Value Packs. This means that:

5-piece packs contain 6 pieces

10-piece packs contain 12 pieces

20-piece packs contain 24 pieces

40-piece packs contain 48 pieces

80-piece packs contain 96 pieces

100-piece packs contain 120 pieces

This sale applies to ALL Value Packs and grab bags, including beads, pendants, rings, bracelets, chip bottles, chains, and a few new ones I've just created. Have a ball!

You can shop on eBay,

Or see a larger selection on Ephemerala Online:

http://www.ephemerala.citymax.com/sale.html

20% More Items in Value Packs Offer is good through November 28, 2004.

Penny Sale

Every two weeks, I hide a new special offer somewhere on my online site. This listing will offer a certain product for ONE CENT, with any purchase of $10.00 or more. The item and its location will change every two weeks, so be sure to look often. Simply go to my online store site:

http://www.ephemerala.citymax.com

and browse until you find the hidden listing. Add it to your cart, along with the rest of your $10+ order, and it will be included for just a penny. Happy Hunting!

(Recent keen-eyed customers got a bag of PEARL BEADS for a penny. What will you be able to get this week?)

Insider's Special

Cash Back on Chip Beads Purchases

This week, for each bag of Chip Beads you buy, I will return 50 cents back to you. Due to the large number of Chip Beads, I cannot automatically change all prices to reflect this sale, but here's how it will work. Go to my eBay store or my online store and buy any number of bags of Chip Beads you wish. When you pay, drop me a short line to let me know of your Insider's status. I will then REFUND your PayPal payment to the tune of 50 cents for each bag purchased. (Or, if you pay by check or money order, I will send your refund back with your package.) This means if you buy 20 bags of Chip Beads, I will refund $10.00. If you buy 40 bags, I will refund $20.00. What if you decide to go whole hog and buy 100 bags? You will get a refund of a whoppin' $50.00 back. There is NO LIMIT to the number of bags you may buy, and no Chip is out of bounds (which means, for the very first time, the more expensive chips will be included in the sale!). NOTE: This sale is NOT good in conjunction with the Value Packs sale. To be more specific, if you buy a Chip Beads Value Pack and get the 20% extra bags, you will not get the 50-cent discount per bag. This sale applies to INDIVIDUAL bags of Chips only. Chip Lovers, here's YOUR sale!

Cash Back on Chips Offer is good through November 28, 2004.

Last Week's Top Sellers

(You know you want to be just like everyone else!)

1. Stone Point Pendants

2. Value Packs (sale!)

3. Opal Chip Beads

4. Aquamarine Chip Beads

5. Power Bracelets

6. Tanzanite Chip Beads

7. Citrine Chip Beads

8. Ruby Chip Beads

9. Gold Flake Bottles