It’s a time of giving and I’m happy to have the following fabulous M&T sponsors here today to offer up some amazing goodies to help make your gift giving as simple as possible. There are a lot of prizes and a lot of winners, so make sure to scroll down and check them all out [...]

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This guest post is brought to you by Outright.com, the easiest way to track your business finances online.At Outright.com, we know how busy crafty people like you are. But we need to bother you for at least a second, as we have an important announcement to share.Coming in early 2012, things are going to be a little different when it comes to your taxes. That’s because PayPal is sending out the brand new “PayPal 1099” for this upcoming tax season.What’s that you may ask? The PayPal 1099 tracks all the money you made that passed through PayPal in the previous year and sends your this information...this same info is also sent to the IRS. You use the 1099 like any other tax document when figuring out what you owe/are owed in taxes at the end of the year. If you’ve ever worked as a contractor, you’re probably familiar with receiving a form 1099 from your client at the end of the year. This document is similar, only now, due to new laws, payment processors like PayPal are also required to send them out.Is It Complicated?Not at all! Some online sellers are getting worried their taxes will be extra difficult in 2012. And we understand – like we said, you’re busy, and complications like this just means you have less time for making and selling your product.But don’t fret. For one, you may not even get the PayPal 1099. For the 2012 tax season, they’ve reserved it strictly for certain sellers. Basically, it’s anyone who makes online selling their career. If you made over $20,000 with over 200 separate transactions, then you’ll get the PayPal 1099. If not, it’s business as usual at tax time!It's Only RevenueNow, the 1099 doesn’t cover everything you need for your taxes. The info they will report is strictly revenue. If you made $25,000 in 2011 through PayPal, then they will send you a 1099 with $25,000 reported on it.So obviously this isn’t a complete view of your tax information. You still need to report all business expenses when you figure out your taxes. If not, you’ll end up paying a boatload of money to the IRS when you really shouldn’t be.That’s why we can’t stress enough the importance of tracking all your business deposits and expenses. Every receipt, every little purchase should be written down in preparation of this new tax document. We’re probably “preaching to the choir,” though, as you’re probably already doing this! But it’s doubly important now that the IRS will get your business info ahead of time.So try to remain calm next year when that ominous looking piece of paper comes in the mail. Just remember if you ever have any questions, Outright is here to help!Worried about tracking your expenses? Outright automatically imports your financial information from your bank account, PayPal, Etsy and more. Sign up today for free Outright.com account through tax season 2012!

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Your work doesn't have to be perfect, especially in the beginning stages of the creative process. Try making something off-kilter today just to practice saying CLOSE ENOUGH! More...

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Do you ever think your social media efforts might not be producing the results you're looking for?  We have the answers to help you change that.  Here are 4 ways to make an impact using social media:1. Provide quality over quantity! Whether it's blog posts, new products or simple tweets, it’s better to have a lower volume of relevant and appealing content than a high volume of worthless content.2. If you're tweeting often, consider using HootSuite to schedule tweets in advance.  It’s nice to spread your tweets out over a period of time rather than posting tweets in bulk all at once...overall, HootSuite will help you manage your social media presence and stay organized.3. Don’t exclusively self-promote your work...promote others within your space too by re-tweeting their tweets, blogging about their work and sharing their posts on Facebook.  Remember, "what goes around comes around!"4. Don’t take long breaks between posts and social media activity.  Try to remain consistent with your blog posting and product listing schedule to keep your customers engaged and active. What social media tips do you have that help your business?Main image courtesy of ivanpw

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It used to be that every Christmas, we spent more time away from home, than at home.  The minute we were done opening presents, we rushed off to visit family.  Soon enough, we were off to visit even more family.  Finally, at the end of the day, we would come home, crash, moan about how [...]

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The GoGo squeeZ Gang, an M&T Sponsor, is at it again with more fun for everyone. This time, they are excited to announce they will be hosting the “Twelve Days of GoGo” and giving away toys, games and family friendly gift cards for twelve days in December. Starting on Monday December 5th and going through December [...]

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Expect amazement and delight at the outcome, an explosion of unique ideas. More...

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I’ve joined Sara over at Craft Snob for a fun Holiday Ornament Parade. She’s showcasing all sorts of holiday ornaments from diy bloggers. I’m sharing a cute little Ribbon Wreath Ornament, inspired from the jingle bell ribbon rings I made last year. Head over to see all the fun!

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These cute little cards are perfect for the holidays. You can gift these to friends or create 8 little reindeer to display on your mantle for a fun decoration. And it’s a great activity for kids, they’ll love to stamp their thumbs! Supplies for Reindeer Thumbprint Cards: cardstock paper brown stamping ink brown pipe cleaner [...]

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I’ve got the fabulously talented Juliann Law of PB J&J here, with a Free Printable for the holiday season. It’s time to count down the holidays and we’re sharing a fun Christmas Countdown, a puzzle for the kids to create. You could hang it on your fridge, add it to a frame on the fireplace [...]

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