It's that time of year when I usually get around to asking for new volunteers for the CAST Blog.  We have many volunteers to insure that writing duties are light since we have a team of busy Etsy shop owners.  Below is a list of positions that are open and a short description of each.  If you are interested or need more information, please contact me by Etsy convo.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Rosary Bracelet, Painted Jasper, Free Shipping

Sunday Scripture

Our Sunday Scripture volunteers choose a scripture and a photo to post every third Sunday.  This is a quick and easy post to do.

Monday Devotion

We have an opening for a 5th Monday alternate for Monday Devotions.  We are looking for someone with writing skills who can write a short ORIGINAL devotion a few times a year. Our 5th Monday alternate will be the first person asked to move up to a monthly devotion writing spot if one of our other volunteers drops out.

Wednesday Featured Artist

We are looking for several people who would be willing to prepare a CAST Featured Artist post once a month. This person would work within a set format highlighting a pre-selected CAST Artist who has already filled out a questionaire for the post. No real writing skills are required, but a familiarity with using Blogger and Google Calendars is helpful.

Friday Finds

We have two openings for our most visually creative volunteer position. Each person would curate a blog post featuring a selection of items from CAST Shops using the theme of their choice every third Friday. If you enjoy creating treasuries you may like this position. A familiarity with Blogger is useful.

If you would like to volunteer or have any questions, please convo me SueRunyonDesigns.

Join the Sunday Scripture team who alternate weeks to post a scripture with some sort of photo(s). Adding your own devotion or commentary is optional.

This is for those with a writing gift. We have volunteers for 4 weeks a month, but we need someone to fill in as an alternate once in a while and to do the post for the occasional 5th Monday in a month. Usually our alternate will have one draft waiting and ready to publish when needed.

No special skills required except a little attention to detail and basic blogger know how. Our posts have a set format with questions that our featured artists answer and there is a calendar schedule to show which volunteer will write about which artist when. This is a very important part of what we do as a team to support each other.

I think this is a fun one. Our volunteers alternate weeks and pick a theme (or not) and several great CAST Team items to feature. Commentary is optional.

This is also quite fun. You get to pick which CAST Shop to feature and prepare a simple post using an Etsy mini widget, an item photo and a set format. I'm doing this on my own right now, but would love a helper.


We have two lovely ladies sharing this duty already, but they'd welcome some help since we only use uncopyrighted recipes--old family recipes, recipes that they've come up with themselves or adapted. Each month one of them prepares and photographs the recipe for our hungry blog followers to see. If you have special skills in this area we'd love the help.

If you would like to write an occasional brief post about some Etsy business topic--take your pick--we'd love to have someone who would do this!

We welcome guest bloggers! Just contact me with your idea for a post and I'll guide you on how to proceed.

To volunteer or for more info contact Sue at SueRunyonDesigns

Squirrel Photo 5x7 Fine Art Print by LaurelPhotoandCraft

two tier pie crust table Handmade china Mosaic Table by myeuropeantouch

 

We started this blog just one year ago and I think it's going quite well. We gain new followers each week and the blog has become a hub for the CAST Team. We have featured hundreds of CAST Team items and shops this year and have been inspired in many ways. I want to give special thanks to all the many volunteers who have contributed throughout 2010. You have been a great blessing to me and to the team.

We need a few new volunteers for 2011. We try to partner volunteers up with others to share the work so many of our volunteers are committed to only 1 or 2 blog posts per month. Following are volunteer positions that we are currently trying to fill:

Monday Devotion. In 2010 this has been our most popular feature thanks to Phyllis of pfdoriginalartworks who has written them weekly. Thanks so much Phyllis!  She'll be scaling back to only one post per month (2nd Monday). Monika of myeuropeantouch has volunteered to also write one per month (3rd Monday). Thanks Monika! We'd love to have a couple more volunteers to fill out the schedule. If you have a talent for writing, please pray about this. Posts can be longer, as Phyllis has done, or short and sweet. The format is up to the individual author, but at least one photo should be included with all CAST blog posts.

Wednesday Featured Artist. Cindy of cksilver heads this team and I think it's one of the best ways we have of getting our CAST Team artists some publicity. It's also a wonderful way for us to get to know a little more about our team members. Cindy could use help not only preparing posts, but in contacting and scheduling artists. There is a set format with a questionaire that each participating artist fills out so this does not require any special writing skills. Cindy would love one or two more volunteers to share the work. Please convo her if you are interested.

Guest Bloggers. These are our goals for the CAST blog:

1. To glorify God.
2. To be a refreshing, joyful place on the internet.
3. To be a central location where anyone can go to find out what is going on with the CAST team.
4. To draw in new members and to be a way for old members to discover how to interact more as a team.
5. To promote CAST shops, members and items.
6. To help each other in business.
7. To publish one new post every day in order to increase traffic and Search Engine Optimization.

I think we are doing quite well with most of those goals, but we fall a little short on the last one. I just want CAST members to know that we love to have Guest Bloggers. If you are a CAST Team member and have an idea for a blog post, please contact me with your idea. It can be a business post, a post promoting CAST Team members, a recipe, a photo of you getting to meet another CAST member in person, a tutorial or any number of other things.  Being a guest blogger is also a good way to get an extra link to your shop for Search Engine Optimization.


Please pray about these positions and contact me if you feel led to work with the CAST blog team.


Thanks,
Sue of SueRunyonDesigns

Chocolate Cupcake with Strawberry Frosting by geminiartworks

We still need some new CAST Blog Team volunteers.

We could use someone else to help with the Wednesday Featured Artist post. We have volunteers for this, but can always use more. We try to share the work so that no one has too much to do. If you could prepare a post once or twice a month or help to coordinate the artists we feature, please contact me or contact Cindy at cksilver. This a very important part of what we do to promote each other on the CAST Team. A full feature post on an artist really helps with their Search Engine Optimization for their shop AND it gives the whole team a chance to get to know a team member better.

We also could use someone who would prepare a monthly Calendar Update to make team members aware of upcoming worldwide holidays and events so they can prepare their shops. If you are interested, contact me.

And we can always use Guest Bloggers. If you have an idea of a post that would be good for the CAST blog or if you have a post on your own blog that would be nice to post on CAST as well, please contact me about it.

Thanks so much,

Sue of SueRunyonDesigns

Petal Nesting Bowls Set of Four Crochet PDF Pattern by DelightedHands3113

Hand Knit Socks, Wool Blend by JoyfulHandKnits

Order Christmas cards early--Etsy sellers tend to keep small inventories.  If you need 50 of one print you should order now! You might even be able to work out a volume discount if you order early. And if you want a photo card with your family picture you should really get going on it now (yep, we have CAST sellers who do that).

Happy Birthday Jesus Photo Greeting Card by MySavior

 

Snowman Christmas card, set of 5 - blank inside by pfdoriginalartworks

 

There are some extremely unique choices from our CAST Team for that extra special someone on your list:

Pearl Jewelry of the Month Club - 3 Month Sampler by cksilver

 

Or maybe a Gift Certificate instead:

Gift Certificates by cksilver

And perfect Teacher Gifts:

Quilted Heart Brooch by sammysgrammy

Something pretty, yet affordable, to spoil a good friend:

Handmade Zippered Pouch...Medium... Dots on Brown...FREE SHIPPING by BluebirdHangmadeBags

Black and White Bobby Pins-Set of 2 by SugarCreations