Filed under: The beginning | Tags: illustrations, photography, money, blog, success, blogging, income, affiliate, referrer, money making plan, steps, achievement, work at home, working at home
This is a list of the steps taken toward the ultimate goal, since 07/07/07 until present.
A month ago, I started an appreciation system on my graphics-illustrations blog. This was to help me continue with my free work there.
Within a month I received a sum of $53, from five ladies! Appreciations varied from $5 to $18 (Thank you girls! :))
The interesting thing is that all contributions came from ladies. I don’t know is it about the female compassion or just a coincidence. But it looks like guys are not easy on theirs wallets
To draw a line on my steps to 404 039, here’s the list from the beginning until today:
- microstock business is little bit neglected last three months, but earning are more than $2000/month
- Amazon graphics-illustrations store started 12th July, earns me a whole $1,72 (LOL)
- CafePress store started 21st July, earned $18,20 since then! Not good, not good at all… I have to take better care of that shop!
- AdSense (started 17th October) is not going as expected, only $17/month
- Business card design started on 18th October, earnings are still at $0
- November 9th, I started 2 new blogs: bsilvia.com and blogffiliate.com
- All kind of affiliations (info provided on blogffiliate blog) are not going well, the sum is $0
- After joining AJ affiliate program, money making plan web site is up and running, no earnings yet
- Member of a „Smorty pays you to blog“ since November 17th earns me $48 two days ago for my first two articles! Yes! I hope that this can be my daily earning in the future!
- I’m using all kind of marketing tips learned from my husband (freekeywords wordtracker, communities…) learned from SEO Book
- I’m a member of: bloglines.com, blogcatalog.com, spicy page, ebay blogs, yahoo 360, design float, flickr, cre8buzz, technorati, fuel my blog (vote for me link), facebook, twitter, stumbleupon, digg, delicious, pixel2life, vectorials, biorust, adobe.com, halloween.com, linkedin, Digital Scrapbook Place, Kde-look, Amazon Associates, Graphic design forum, redbubble, deviant art, boxedup, blog for a year, blogger talk and blogher. (I think that’s a whole list, but not for sure)
- Today I downloaded „Camtasia“ and I will try to produce video tutorials!
- and today: I’m the newest Clickbooth - Make Money! member!
Well, that was a list of my steps in order to achieve my goal of 404 039.
Filed under: The beginning | Tags: commerce, ecommerce software, merchant, online shop, online shopping, shop, shopping, shopping card, shopping card software, store
There is this business idea that tickles my mind for several years now. It’s the online cloth shop.
The drawback of the idea is that I would need to make a rather substantial initial investment to pile up the stock. Or, maybe not? If I make a deal with a classic brick-and-mortar shop I could even sell their stuff for percentage.
Well, that’s something to think about.
Anyways, before I start contacting my possible future business partners, I wanted to check what kind of shopping cart software is available out there on the market.
That’s when I ran into Ashop Commerce.
Kind of left a good initial impression with their web site and I heard about them before. So, I applied for ten days trial in order to test them and see how that system works. They like to call it a shopping card, but to my mind that system is much more that a shopping card. It is a fully fledged ecommerce software, a web site package with integrated advanced shopping card features.
So, being a designer, I was pleased to see that I can easily modify the templates that they offer in a package. Their template customization system is based mostly on click-drag-drop system that I liked because it was simple but offered a great flexibility at the same time. I was able to change the design of the template completely to fit my idea of nicely designed web shop.
Second benefit was the fact that the maintenance of the products and categories was more than easy to do. Adding a product, together with descriptions, images and inventory tags was really really simple. No help needed there whatsoever.
Third benefit was the variety of support channels should I need one. Video tutorials, documentation, forums, live chat, email support … I felt safe.
Then marketing. The info about the products and categories is integrated into the code in a way that the site is immediately SEO optimized. In addition to that, the Ashop Commerce shopping card system offers newsletter system, affiliate system integration, mass affiliate payment through PayPal, etc. So, this part is well covered too.
All in all, I was pleased with the way it functions. The testing continues, but from what I’ve seen so far I am very close to my next step, finding a brick and mortar clothes company to be my partner.
Filed under: Close and personal | Tags: blog, blogging, croatian, dictionary, english, help, language, learn, lesson, writing
Few days ago I received an email from one guy which ask me if am for hire. Felt a little bit funny. For hire? You know… 
After a few emails he wanted to speak with me over the phone. Oh, I felt so stupid because I’m not self confident enough. That’s because of my English. I think my English stinks and that’s why I am reluctant to speak to people over the phone, particularly to native English speakers. I find it difficult to select the right words so I make loads of mmm, hhhhhmmmm, aaaaaa… etc.
Writing English, well, that’s a bit different. Google helps, dictionary and off course: there is a big help my husband who’s English is far from perfect but he manages, somehow (*kiss*)
It’s funny, but I started taking English lessons (at the same date as Italian lessons). Well, my English teacher is not very reliable (unlike the Italian one). First it took about 10 days to set up our first lesson, then she was supposed to call me to arrange the date for a second lesson, that was three days ago - and I’m still waiting for that call. It look s like I’ll have to find another one.
So, I’m here, sitting and writing. Yes, I can fluently speak and write. In Croatian. Need help? Let’s swap, I’ll help you with Croatian, you help me with my English.
Filed under: The beginning | Tags: croatia, art, tourism, zagreb, holidays, christmas, xmas, selling, shopping, christmas shopping
So, for those of you who did not know - I’m a member of ULUPUH - The Croatian Association of Artist of Applied Arts. The ULUPUH organizes art exhibitions (local and international) and is active in other arts related areas - like: lectures, workshops, performances… etc.
In November and December, every year, in center of the City of Zagreb, like in many other European cities (probably US as well) there are Christmas shopping fairs on the streets. As a member of ULUPUH I am entitled to join the contest and apply for the shopping post in one of the streets. This means that, along with other members, I can submit the images of work that I intend to sell and the jury picks the best works. If they like your work, you are given the license to sell it on the Christmas fair between November 25th and December 31st.
Last year, I was selling my stuff there, met some great people and I had a loads of fun! That was the first time I ever did something like that and I went all crazy! (this is my selling point shown on the image)
This years contest was announced this Saturday November 10th and last day to apply is Friday November 16th. Time is running out. Until yesterday I thought I could do the same as last year, but I really really don’t have enough time to do that this year! (Among other stuff I’m running 4 blogs, sure I don’t have the time!)
Anyway, if you visit Zagreb in this time of the year, please visit my guys in city center in Petriceva and Margaretska street (not the other sale points where some guys are selling imported goods!!!) and buy something from them! They are making some really great works of art!
I’m happy
Filed under: The beginning | Tags: rovinj, croatia, blog, real estate, holidays, passion, affiliation, hobby
Yeeeeah! So, my first Italian lesson is over and I’m very happy about it! (Not that it’s over, I’m happy to learn Italian). My plan is to talk with my neighbors - Italians - in Rovinj (bilingual city, but majority of domestic inhabitants speaks Italian).
So, when it comes to Rovinj, it’s probably worth mentioning that I have another strange passion: screening of the Croatian real estate market. Yes, it’s a passion. I can’t help myself. I’m not in the real estate business in any way, but almost every day I browse Internet in quest for interesting investment opportunities. I know, it doesn’t make much sense to spend so much time just screening the real estate offerings when I don’t really have enough money to buy what I want but still … I like to fantasize. And this passion of mine resulted in knowledge. After years and years of researching and screening (not just Internet but also real estate magazines, even the small local ones …) I came to a stage where I collected enough knowledge that I’m capable of identifying really bargain prices on Istria real estates.
Now, just one last step, collecting enough money not just to buy a little hacienda of mine buy also to adapt it.
Anyways, because of all this, I’ve been thinking lately of starting a blog on a subject: Real Estate in Croatia. It is quite a business, especially in last few years. The real estate prices have gone up high and on the coast, especially Istria they still did not stop soaring. There are probably thousands of Real Estate agencies in Croatia. It’s a small country but still everyone wants to make money on this market. And although I do collect loads of related data, it’s purely for my own pleasure. People suggest that I should open a Real Estate Agency. But it’s not for me. I just lack the patience that is required when dealing with lot of different kind of people. Also, I am not a seller. Can’t sell anything really. So, this passion of mine will remain just a passion, but I could really start a blog about it because It’s a pity that I keep all this research results for myself as I ain’t doing anything with it anyway.
I mean I spend like 2-3 hours, often more, just doing a research on Istria Real Estate. I filter out 2 or 3 really good offerings, show them to my husband and that’s where it all ends. Hours and days of research are just wasted. But if I put it on blog, maybe someone could make a use of it.
Ideal solution would be to join a affiliate program. But, in Croatia there is a total of two affiliation programs Adriatica and Croata.
All in all, this idea is worth thinking about. Once it might represent another step towards 404039!
And, slowly but surely, I am starting up my new web homes bsilvia.com and blogffiliate.com…
Filed under: Close and personal | Tags: croatia, hvar, island, italian, landscape, language, learning, lesson, mediterranean, summer, vacation
Two years ago we spent our summer holiday at the Island of Hvar, in Croatia (beautiful island, people - not so nice).
Just before the sunset, my husband and myself went to the heliport at the top of the hill from which the wonderful view spreads to the sea and surrounding islands. Wanted to take some photos of sunset into the sea. I know they’re sleazy images but we couldn’t resist…
Anyways, at the heliport there was this italian couple who also took pictures. So, that Italian man wanted to start some conversation, something like “Nice sunset … ” or so. The only word I could think of at that moment is “sfumato” (misty). The guy changed his face expression as if I said “Blow me!” or something. The guy turned around and walked away.
I felt a little embaressed. Wasn’t quite sure if I offended him or something. Nevertheless, as of this Monday, I am starting with italian lessions. A real adventure! (now you see how adventureous and exciting my life really is)
I wanted to start learning italian for a while now and it turned out that my friends girlfriend is a italian professor so it wasn’t too hard to arrange the whole thing.
Maybe it is not much of a step on the road to 404039 but it will be a small move at least
Here are some links to images that I took in Hvar at that occasion:
1. Mediterranean landscape
2. Small fisherman’s church
3. Hvar, stormy landscape
4. Hvar landscape on a beautiful day
Filed under: The beginning | Tags: bloggers, blogging, blogs, domains, download, earning, illustrator, income, ink, money, splatter, symbols, webhosting, workplace
Yeeeeh !
Oh I’m not in my best shape these days, but I keep on trying.
I have a new desk, and I’m settling down in a new workplace… hard to be creative in new environment.
Enough yawning! Yesterday I bought 2 domain names, one is my “user name” (bsilvia) and the other is “blogffiliate.com”. Webhosting at siteground.com as usual, I’ve been their customer for 6 years and never had any problems or issues. So I’m sticking with them.
So, now I have to combine my work in microstock agencies with my new domain name and try to get some visitors on my “bsilvia.com”. “blogffiliate.com” blog will contain useful info for new bloggers but also for other bloggers who are in need of new graphics, buttons, banners - you know, stuff I’m creating
Those two steps are steps 34 and 35 on my way to 404039!
Wish me a luck with my new blogs!
S*
PS: for you guys using Adobe Illustrator, check out my new Illustrator symbols set: Ink Splatter!
Filed under: The beginning | Tags: blogger, earning, income, investment, investor, money, online, rich, success, trade, trading
I’m going to become an Investor - yes, that’s my step no. 33!
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Forex? What is it, anyway?
The market
The currency trading (FOREX) market is the biggest and fastest growing market on earth. Its daily turnover is more than 2.5 trillion dollars. The participants in this market are banks, organizations, investors and private individuals, just like you. (click here to read full market background by Easy-Forex™).
The goods (merchandise)
Markets are places to trade goods, and the same goes with FOREX. The Forex goods are the currencies of various countries. You buy Euro, paying with US dollars, or you sell Japanese Yens for Canadian dollars. That’s all.
How does one profit in Forex?
Obviously, buy cheap and sell for more! The profit potential comes from the fluctuations (changes) in the currency exchange market.
The nice thing about the FOREX market, is that regular daily fluctuations, say - around 1%, are multiplied by 100! (in general, Easy-Forex™ offers trading ratios from 1:50 to 1:200).
How risky is Forex trading?
You cannot lose more than your “margin” (your initial investment)! You may profit unlimited amounts, but you never lose more than what you initially risked. However, risk only what you can afford and is not vital for your well-being.
How do I start trading?
Register (Easy-Forex™ offers the simplest and quickest registration process, no obligation); deposit your first trading “margin” amount (credit cards are welcome, only by Easy-Forex™); start trading.
How do I monitor my Forex trading?
Online, from anywhere, anytime. You have full control to monitor status, check scenarios, change some terms in the deal, or close it.
Want to know more? Want to get on-line training? Register here (quick, no obligation), we’ll be glad to guide you, every step of the way.
Forex trading involves substantial risk of loss, and may not be suitable for everyone.
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Local brokerage companies under consideration:
Ilirika d.d. (I took the images for them)
Trcin-vrijednosnice (non English, referred by a good friend of mine)
Filed under: The beginning | Tags: desktop, download, free wallpaper download, free wallpaper downloads, green, image, photo, photography, wallpaper
I want to share with you my latest wallpaper created using one of my images…
You can download it in 3 sizes:
Enjoy!
S*
