We had a blast at SXSWi this week! We’re still working on following up with so many great connections, and we picked up some great tips and ideas to make the site even better. Can’t wait to work with all our new friends!

For those of you we weren’t able to spend face time with, that’s Scott on the left, Nick on the right and me and Jon in the middle. And 3D Guitar Hero!

We are happy to report that our DIY Store Admin Panel is now being tested in private beta by six stores! Thanks to Ephraim Clothing for kicking things off about a week ago.

PRO Stores will also notice an update to their Admin Panels, though they have fewer controls under the Settings tab.

Here’s a little tour of the updated system. (Click any image for a full-screen view.)

Dashboard
As always, the Dashboard gives you immediate access to all of your store stats from this month, last month and all time. (Note the red bar across the top of this demo store, signaling that it’s in Maintenance Mode and not viewable by the public.)

Orders
Manage your orders as they arrive. Orders come in as “Open,” until you mark them as “Shipped,” “On Hold” or “Canceled” with the click of a button. Each category is color-coded for easy management when viewing All.

Products > Manage Products
Easy product searching. Easily mark your products as Active or Hidden. Easily manage your Variants (S-M-L, Purple-Pink-Blue, etc.) and Quantities (even tells you how many you’ve sold and how many remain). Add up to five product images, and easily reorder how they’re displayed.

Products > Collections
Click and drag the order of your Collections, click and drag the display order of the products IN your Collections and click to add/remove products from within a Collection.

Design
As always, easily change your store colors, banner and background image with a live preview.

Promote
Easily add/remove Discount Codes and view how popular they’ve been.

Settings
One click puts your store in Maintenance Mode so that you can make all the changes you need to before putting it in front of your customers.

Need to change your store’s name? Manage your Storenvy sub-domain on your own. Just be sure you’re prepared for the change, it’s not reversible.

Shipping Rates: Easily manage your rates by creating Groups (by item type) and Classes (by location).

Customer Support: On your Support page, describe your return policy, share size charts, etc. Update it anytime according to questions shoppers are asking you.

Taxes: Set your rates here.

If you’d like to join now as a private beta tester, try to catch us in our friendly support chat room and request a code. DIY Stores will be openly available through our homepage sometime soon.

We’d appreciate any feedback, so feel free to leave a note in the comments here or in the support chat room.

Finally — major props to Jon and Scott for working around the clock to get DIY Stores ready for launch!

When your valentines are recycled AND recession-proof, you are SO 2009.

For all the Netflixters out there — click the links for fold-by-fold instructions, which someone customized for Netflix movie sleeves based on traditional origami instructions. (We appreciate your work, “someone.”) A valentine for everyone!

The heart: Naturally.

The tray: Use it to hold trace amounts of popcorn while you watch a romantic comedy. Or maybe to serve a mini breakfast in bed?

The swan: This bird has loads of symbolism associated with it. Grace. Calm. Love. Fidelity. The ethereal. Lover of poetry and harmony. Eroticism. (All that is to say, you can’t really go wrong here.)

The shirt: Last-minute shopping? This one’s much cheaper than the real thing and JUST as stylish.

And finally…

The bullet plane: For those of you flying solo this V-Day. Stock up and consider it ammunition.

Hard to believe the holidays have already come and gone. Wishing everyone much success in 2009!

Join the bandwagon — this holiday season is all about GIVING BACK!

SUUBI(hope) is a project run by Light Gives Heat. Dave and Morgan got to meet 60+ women who meet each week to bead paper necklaces under a jackfruit tree in the village of Walukuba. Founding the project was “merely a response to a talent and a need.” “Suubi” is the Ugandan word for “hope.”

SUUBI(hope) necklaces are made of hand-rolled Ugandan paper beads. The recycled paper, from old posters, ads, magazines and newspapers, is cut into strips, rolled, glued, lightly varnished and strung.

Each necklace is delivered in this lovely box!

The store also sells American Apparel tees that we print. (What would we be without our tees?)

All proceeds from the store directly benefit Light Gives Heat’s work in Uganda, Africa, and the women of SUUBI(hope).

Spread the word, and go shopping at the Storenvy Light Gives Heat store!

This amazing picture just appeared on our Campfire page. Must be a Monday…