Table of Contents How to Throw a Customer Appreciation Sale............................................................................................... 6 Spring Cleaning, Part I: A Second Look ......................................................................................................... 8 How To $urvive Tax Season’ by hezzdesigns .............................................................................................. 10 Interview with Bonnie From Going Home to Roost .................................................................................... 12 6 Ways for Crafters to Effectively Use Twitter............................................................................................ 16 My Etsy Story - Inedible Jewelry ................................................................................................................ 19 Spring Sprucing’ by saltcityspice ................................................................................................................. 26 The Breakdown With John W. Golden – Communication .......................................................................... 28 Jewelry Styles – Picking the Right Silver Chain ........................................................................................... 32 geometric BRIGHTS’ by DittyDrops ............................................................................................................. 34 Pick Me Ups for the Mid Afternoon Slump ................................................................................................. 36 march is already here with all this…’ by verozeta ....................................................................... 40 ‘A Little Bit of Color’ by ZebrasAndBubblegum .................................................................................. 42 Interview with a Cratress - 6000 Sales in Two Years.................................................................................. 44 Top 10 Handmade Wedding Ideas for 2011 ............................................................................................... 49 Selling in Person – Home Party How-to ...................................................................................................... 51 How Great Communication can Improve Your Sales and Grow Your Repeat Customer Base ................... 55 Black and white textured garden ................................................................................................................ 58 Increase Your Etsy Sales and Traffic With an Affiliate Program ................................................................. 60 Orange…The New Spring Color Trend!!’ by luvs2create2.......................................................... 61
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Top 10 Handmade Cards ............................................................................................................................. 64 5 Tips to Organize Your Blog ....................................................................................................................... 66 3 Tips For Getting Your Treasury on the Front Page................................................................................... 68 My Etsy story: Brown Paper Bunny............................................................................................................. 70 Reclaimed Wood and Pipe Table ................................................................................................................ 74 The Breakdown With John W. Golden – Product Lead Time ...................................................................... 83 Vintgage Décor – Top 10 Vintage Etsy Items .............................................................................................. 86 Situated for Sewing – The Repurpose of Life .............................................................................................. 88 Crafty Connections...................................................................................................................................... 95 Glass Tile Pendant How-to .......................................................................................................................... 98 More Exposure for your Etsy shop............................................................................................................ 105 Trend: Guestbook Posters ........................................................................................................................ 111 Treasuries helped me improve Etsy my shop. .......................................................................................... 115 Rejection Part 1- how to be a good loser ................................................................................................. 118 Create a Custom Blog Header for Blogger ................................................................................................ 123 ‘Gray & Yellow’ by jessicatorres................................................................................................................ 127 Make What You Love ................................................................................................................................ 129 I can Do It All By Myself ............................................................................................................................ 131 Eco-Conscious Success: An Interview with Olive Bites Studio .................................................................. 151 Benefits of Joining an Etsy Team .............................................................................................................. 158 Upcycled Etsy Clocks ................................................................................................................................. 160 Depth and Beauty – an Interview with Henry Parsinia ............................................................................. 170 Top 40 LOW BUDGET Advertising and Promotion Ideas .......................................................................... 174 A ModernTake on the Doily $850 Lamp for less than $50?...................................................................... 177 Unique handmade aprons and pillow covers Sewn by Sally..................................................................... 186
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How Much Are Those Earrings? Pricing Tips For Etsy Sellers ................................................................... 187 Mother And Child-A Celebration Of Motherhood .................................................................................... 189 The Etsy Giving Tree .................................................................................................................................. 192 Crafting Your Twitter Page – Twitter Tips from Craft Buds ...................................................................... 198 Getting Started with Twitter ..................................................................................................................... 198 Account Basics ...................................................................................................................................... 198 Your Profile ........................................................................................................................................... 198 Your Icon ............................................................................................................................................... 199 First Tweet ............................................................................................................................................ 199 Wallpaper .............................................................................................................................................. 200 Finding and Following ............................................................................................................................... 200 Follow Ratio and Interaction on Twitter ............................................................................................... 201 Retweeting ............................................................................................................................................ 201 Mentioning on Twitter .......................................................................................................................... 201 The Most Important Part of Your Creative Business ................................................................................ 202 Handmade Feature – Sweet Stitch Shop .................................................................................................. 204 Social Media Blitz ...................................................................................................................................... 207 FREE 5-day ecourse ................................................................................................................................... 207 How to Create a Grab Button For Your Blog ............................................................................................. 209 Handmade Feature – Steel Petal Press ..................................................................................................... 212 Before, During, and After a Sale – Great Customer Service ..................................................................... 216 How to Create a Custom Favicon for Your Blog ........................................................................................ 218 Spring Time in Chicago-land...................................................................................................................... 220 How to Make a Copper and Bead Busines Card Holder............................................................................ 222 Winter blahs got to you? .......................................................................................................................... 225
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Proper Placement of Your Etsy Link on Your Blog or Site ......................................................................... 227 Interview with Annette Tait ...................................................................................................................... 233 Crunching the Numbers On Heartsy – Groupon for Etsy.......................................................................... 239 How much is your experience worth? ...................................................................................................... 242 Repurpose, Upcycle, and Reuse – Guest Post by Rew Elliott ................................................................... 244 800 Comments In 30 Days – Tips For Leaving And Getting More Comments .......................................... 247 How to Create Your Own Canvas Print ..................................................................................................... 248 Customer Referral Program for Etsy shops – Anafore Ignite App ............................................................ 250 Social Media Tracker from Handmadeology – Plan – Set Goals – Track Statistics ................................... 251 A Simple Way to Gain More Facebook Likes and Twitter Followers at Craft Fairs ................................... 254 ‘I Heart Red & Aqua’ by jessicatorres ............................................................................................... 256 Facebook Questions – A New Way to Interact With Your Fans................................................................ 258 The Breakdown With John W. Golden – Advertising Your Etsy Shop ....................................................... 261
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How to Throw a Customer Appreciation Sale
Shabby Chic Barn Wood Thank You Sign | by: ShandrusCreations How to Throw a Customer Appreciation Sale
A Customer Appreciation Sale is like a party! You host it, and everybody has a great time. I throw occasional specials as a shop celebration for my customers. Here‘s how it works: I set a landmark goal for the Energy Shop, and then just before I reach that milestone, I plan for what I‘ll celebrate with and how much stock I‘ll need. When looking for supplies, I try to find a bargain deal that I can buy in bulk. The Customer Appreciation Special is typically listed at 50% off, but the price still covers my expenses and shipping so the deal doesn‘t cost me anything but my time. Once the listing is ready, I announce it to my mailing list first, which is mainly composed of previous customers and they are who I‘m celebrating! After a few hours, I share the news on Facebook and Twitter as well. Now that Etsy takes coupon codes, I‘m able to simultaneously host a percentage-off sale.
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The combination of the ―1,000 Sales Customer Appreciation Sale‖ Sunstone bracelet with a coupon code I created for 20% off their entire purchase made for one of my best-selling 24 hours ever. I‘ve had these specials at 100 sales, 100 Facebook fans, 500 sales, and just recently again at 1,000 sales. I stock according to the size of the landmark. For 100 sales, I made 10 three-packs (the starter three-pack is something I regularly offer at the Energy Shop). For 100 Facebook fans, I made another 10 bracelets. For 500 sales, I made about 15 bracelets. And for 1,000, I made 24 bracelets and sold out of them within 24 hours. The ―1,000 Sales‖ bracelet became such a favorite, that I have decided to carry it indefinitely in my shop at a reduced price. Here is one reader question about the special, and I‘ll gladly offer ideas to anyone in the comments section as well. I loved the idea about creating a special “deal” that you don‟t lose at but the buyer really wins. I make fine art glass lampwork beads http://www.PatsyEvinsStudio.etsy.com which I spend a great amount of time and effort to create. I am not able to mass produce my beads and I already have them priced below retail value. What would you suggest I do to offer a special “deal” on my Etsy store? Thanks for you help. Patsy, thanks for reading! I noticed that your beads are incredibly detailed and valuable. My suggestion would be to create something simple and less time consuming that matches what you already have in your shop. I don‘t know much about making glass beads, but if possible, I would create a strand of 5 simple-to-make beads, charge for your materials and half-price your labor, and then list those as an appreciation special. You wouldn‘t need to make hundreds; a quantity of 5 listings should be enough to thank your customers the first time. It will also give you the opportunity to test the water and see if that type of sale is worth your time and effort or not. All the best, Lisa Until next time! Original Article on Handmadeology
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Spring Cleaning, Part I: A Second Look
Spring Cleaning, Part I: A Second Look I only thought I was getting a head start on my spring cleaning list this year. At first glance, my cluster of wild plum trees still appeared to be skeletal. However, with a second look, I saw that, while yet unopened, the blossoms had already formed. I still had time, but barely, to rake all of the dead leaves out from under the tree and prep the trees for their spring debut. After two afternoons of raking and burning leaves, it was time to really get down and dirty. If you take notice of the country roadside, you will see that wild plum trees frequent the fence lines. Now my personal theory is that birds eat plums. Birds sit on fences. You get the idea. Upon closer inspection you will notice that most of the time only portions of the tree cluster is still producing its sweet meat. Look even closer, and you‘ll see the cause of the problem: webbing in the fork of the tree limbs. But it‘s not the webbing that‘s the problem. It‘s what is inside the webbing, or, rather, what was inside the webbing. Hundreds of baby caterpillars. Hungry ones. And what do you suspect that they eat, this mass of hungry baby caterpillars? Blossoms and leaves.
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Three springs ago, I went out to check on the trees and from tip to root was a train of caterpillars in every direction. I wish I had taken a picture, because it was really just amazing. So Etsy! I couldn‘t really be mad at them. They were just doing what they do. After all, it was MY FAULT for not preventing this problem, for not inspecting my trees sooner. Thankfully, I am surrounded by plum trees up and down the country roads, so my passion was sated elsewhere. I was also at fault for not knowing that this was a potential problem. If you have fruit trees, then sooner or later, you will have bug problems. (Learn about the tent caterpillars here.) Sometimes maybe just here and there, but eventually your tree will be the product of a swarm. Unless you know how to prevent it. The wise man knows, ―An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.‖ After googling my problem and what to do, I decided to take matters into my own hands. (PETA members, I urge you to turn away!) I mean, instead of purchasing a chemical to kill the caterpillars with, I was just going to kill them myself. After raising babies and having all manner of bodily fluids on you, what‘s a little caterpillar gut gonna hurt? So the next spring, I inspected my tree daily, starting early in the year. I would tear the webbing down, smush it with my foot, and squish any remaining caterpillars on the tree with my fingers. They‘re so extremely tiny at this point; it was a quick, painless death. The return was a beautiful bounty of wild plums. Already this year, even in February, I already had tent caterpillars hard at work in my trees, preparing for their emergence. Alas, this is not to be, for I have been hard at work, laboring for my love. Are you picking up what I‘m putting down here? There are so many parallels here to shopownership. 1. It takes a lot of hard work to have a productive shop 2. Most shops come from humble beginnings but grow into something beautiful if given time and room to grow. 3. There is always something that can cause damage. This could be either something you have done or something that you allowed to happen. 4. If you have bad policies, bad customer service, or bad products, a quick hands-on approach is best. Put everyone out of their misery, and take care of the problem immediately. 5. Your customer just has to go a little bit down the road to find an equally satisfying product. 6. Not knowing might be a good excuse once, but never twice. There is tons of help out there for you. Utilize it. I hope you have been enlightened with part I of my Spring Cleaning series. Part II: Through the Looking Glass will entail how to look for potential problems. Here is another great Handmadeology read in the mean time: Give It To Me Straight – Truth in Business. (And if you have never tried cleaning your house in high heels and pearls, well, you are missing out! It really tones those glutes, girls.) Original Article on Handmadeology
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How To $urvive Tax Season’ by hezzdesigns Instead of working on my taxes today, I decided to make a Treasury instead! Sorry, Uncle Sam….. you’re just not as much fun as Etsy!
Vintage 1970s Sanyo Digital …
Recycled paper pencils -8 di…
Sterling & Gold Flask, Vinta…
BMTvintage
fromsoul
Nachokitty
$85.00
$14.50
$545.00
A RING – Vintage Corona Port…
10 ITTY BITTY TINY MANILLA F…
Printable Home Filing System
TheApple
endofthedaycra…
cicistudio
$17.00
$1.99
$10.00
Vintage 50s Cat Eye Glasses….
Mini Reusable Snack Bag (Gro…
iPhone icon SMALL paperclips
CollectableSpe…
fabricblooms
bearduck
$75.00
$6.00
$26.00
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Modage note pad
set of 12 recycled map envel…
Stamp Dispenser Hardwood
MeadowTea
picklehead
Boxnmor
$7.00
$5.00
$12.95
Funny Baby Onesie
Handmade Bookkeeping Spreads…
Homemade Devils Food Cake Po…
sassysamz
handmadeologyb…
SimplyDivineDe…
$15.99
$4.00
$24.00
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Original Article on Handmadeology
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Interview with Bonnie From Going Home to Roost I had the great privilege of interviewing a handful of awesome bloggers from the design scene for my book How to Make Money using Etsy. Here is the interview with Bonnie from Going Home to Roost. Bonnie Forkner goinghometoroost.com 1. Tell us a little about yourself. hello lovelies! my name is bonnie and though i was born and raised in the smoky mountains of western north carolina- the hub and i just relocated to colorado. wherever i am, i love to roost, which to me means nesting in my home and doing the things that i love. 2. Why did you start blogging? the easiest answer? because i‘m always doing a project and then on to the next creative endeavor, and i longed to share them with others in the handmade community.
French Decor 3. Where does your inspiration come from when writing articles?
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everywhere! i turn to other blogs, books, magazines, nature and all of my surroundings. i keep my camera or a notebook with me at all times so that i can log what inspires me. i keep what i call ‗style files‘ and refer to them anytime i need a little inspiration pick-me-up. 4. Who taught you or how did you learn the technical (design, setup, etc)side to blogging? haha, i‘m not sure that i ever learned! much self-research and trial and error has been the major source of info for me. i‘ve always hired out help for the design of my blog, but have learned how to tweak things along the way. 5. How do you build a community around your blog? i stay true and loyal to my readers, and everything that i do is for them. i write honestly, ask questions and always try to stay engaged and personable. 6. How has Social media like Twitter and Facebook helped your blog grow. oh my, they have helped so much! some of my larger sources for traffic are from them both. when i started i had no clue how to use them, but as i have grown and really gotten to know how they are most beneficial, they seem to be major facets of going home to roost.
Keep your creative space inspiring 7. Any specific tips you have for newbie bloggers who want to make it in the
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blogosphere? as i sorta mentioned before, stay true to yourself and right from an honest place. don‘t be so concerned with the numbers, but just with being who you are and making connections. 8.What is one thing you do that drives the most traffic to your blog? most certainly, social media!
Tick Tock Cutesy Clocks 9. Name 10 blog post ideas for a blogger in the handmade scene. ooo, how fun! 1) write a tutorial on a craft 2) give a crafty book review 3) post a photo log of a recent trip you took, maybe to a handmade storefront 4) how to do a diy project 5) before and after pictures 6) do a trend round up of handmade items 7) feature other handmade inspired blogs March 2011
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share some of what inspires you 9) share with them your workspace 10) interview a handmade artist 10. How has your blog helped your Etsy shops? oh, i would say say it‘s helped from the start. i started both my shops and ghtr at the same time, so they have grown and supported each other the whole time! 11. Name three websites you couldnâ€&#x;t live without. etsy, of course! scoutie girl design*sponge Original Article on Handmadeology
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6 Ways for Crafters to Effectively Use Twitter
Bird Lover's locket set |by: Raceytay Effectively Twitter. Either you love it, you hate it, or you‘ve never used it. I think those are the most common 3 types of Twitter people out there. Over the course of the last year I have run into many, many crafters who tell me they hate Twitter, or they don‘t know how to use it, or they have never used it. I think this is a shame because Twitter is a super useful tool for crafters. I don‘t want to spend a whole article telling you how to set up a Twitter, so if you have never used it, read this how-to article from Agent Genius and set your Twitter up in 12 easy steps. You might also enjoy The Ultimate guide For Everything Twitter to help you learn a bit more about how it works. Once you set up a Twitter you want to gain followers, and besides following others and hoping they will return the favor, a really great way to help people find you is to use a hashtag (#). Read about hashtags here and here on Mashable so you know how to use them properly! Hashtags are most important because they help people searching on Twitter to find things. If you aren‘t using hashtags at least some of the time, you are wasting a lot of your time tweeting. Another really important thing to know when using Twitter is how to use shortened URLs when tweeting. Because you only have limited space of 140 characters, you don‘t want to take up half your characters just on the URL. Use a service such as http://bit.ly/ or http://tinyurl.com/ to shorten your crazy long URLs into smaller, more manageable links.
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Alright, now that you set up an account and you know what a hashtag is and how to shorten a URL, what I want to tell you is how, as a maker of things, you can use Twitter to help expand your business name, make sales, and make connections. #1 Use Twitter to let people know you have posted a new product in your online shop Whether you use Etsy or Meylah or any other online shopping site, when you add a new item to your shop, tweet about it! Send out a tweet with a brief item description and include a link (shortened URL preferably) directly to that item. One way to increase the likelihood that some one, besides people who already follow you, will see this tweet is to use a hashtag such as #etsy (if you listed it on Etsy) or #handmade. There are many others you can use, so search what you are selling and see if it has it‘s own hashtage floating around. Using the hashtag means that people searching that tag will see your listing. The big question, I know, is you wonder is whether or not this will get you sales. I can say that many times I have sold an item almost immediately after posting the link to Twitter. Another awesome thing is that people can re-tweet to others to share your listing and that might get you a sale, or at least a new follower. #2 Use Twitter to let people know you posted a new blog article The same goes for blogs as for listing new product. When you write a new blog post, tweet a brief description of the new post, the shortened URL, and use a hashtag that relates to the post. You can use tags like #blog, or if it relates, use #etsy or #handmade here, too. There are lots of other hashtags for blogs, so search the topic of your post and see if it has a hashtag, then attach that to your blog post. #3 Host a Give-Away on Twitter to Gain Followers If you want to see the people who follow you grow, host a product give-away. Encourage people to re-tweet (abbreviated as RT) your give-away and tell them re-tweets will be entered into the drawing as well as new followers. The main reason I can see for doing a give-away on Twitter is to gain more followers, so make sure you clearly state it is for new followers or those who follow you already but re-tweet. You don‘t want to just give away something to someone who did nothing for you. #4 Meet new people and get social by attending a Twitter Party or posting a #FollowFriday tweet A great way to meet new people on Twitter and to interact on Twitter is via a Twitter Party. There are many options for Twitter parties for crafty folks. The most popular is probably the #CraftSocial (http://craftsocial.net/) hosted by Sister Diane of Crafty Pod. Another very new one is the Twitter Tea Party hosted by Oh My! Handmade Goodness. If you follow these tweeps on Twitter, you will surely learn about their Twitter Parties. At a Twitter Party you will be able to ask and answer crafty biz questions in real time and meet new tweeps joining in on the conversation while exposing yourself to new people as well. This gains you followers, and helps to build relationships with new people on Twitter.
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Another option for getting social with others is to get in the habit of doing a #followfriday or #ff post on Fridays. The simple idea is that you send out a list of @mentions for people you like to follow and hashtag it for Follow Friday. This lets others know that you like to see what this person says, and maybe later that person will #ff you and help you to get new followers, too! #5 Use a check-in service like Foursquare to tell people you are set up at a craft show (Via Twitter!) If you are already using Foursquare, you might be in the habit of checking into Joann‘s or your fave Thai place, but don‘t forget to check in at the craft fairs you are vending at! When you check in on Foursquare, it allows you to add a new venue if one doesn‘t exist, so if your fair isn‘t already created, create it, then check into it! When you check in, be sure to shout out via Twitter and say the dates and hours for the fair, maybe your booth number, and use a hashtag for the city you are in (such as #Indy or #Chicago). This will help let people know an event is going on in the area via Foursquare, and others will see it on Twitter. Gowalla is another check-in service to try, and there are many others. See which one you like best and use it to tell people where you are vending! #6 Get Personal People who like your business like to know who you are. If you are using Twitter for all of these business things, also use it let people get to know you a little better. Share links from other bloggers you like. Re-tweet something that someone else said which you admired. Answer a question for another crafter. Ask a question and see who answers or re-tweets it. Tell a little bit about your day. Don‘t be silly or annoying because some people really get bothered by the banter, but a quick ―just finished up a new painting‖ or ―heading into the studio to work‖ or something like that is really nice for people to see. Avoid posting gross bits about your life, and beware of drunk tweeting (similar to drunk dialing). Once you start to follow a good core of people, you will decide how much personal information you want to share. Just remember that if you tweet it, everyone can see it, so as the rule goes, don‘t tweet it if you wouldn‘t want your Grandma to read it. I hope those of you who aren‘t on Twitter can get up the courage to join in on the fun. If you use Twitter in the right ways it is well worth your time as a small business owner. You will meet some delightful people on Twitter and soon you will find yourself addicted. Those of you who are already there, I would love to hear your thoughts on these tips and to hear any other tips you might have for crafty peeps new to using Twitter! By the way, if you create a new Twitter account, you‘ll find me at @sundyaftrnoonhw. Please be sure to say hello with an @mention so I can follow you back! Original Article on Handmadeology
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My Etsy Story - Inedible Jewelry
Inedible Jewelry 1. Tell us your Etsy story.. how you got started in your craft and how you started selling on Etsy. My sister Susan and I started sculpting miniature foods for our dolls when we were kids. 20-odd years later, we‘re still sculpting miniature foods, but fashioning them into jewelry instead of overfeeding the Barbies. We started selling our tiny food jewelry back in 2006, at our local Charlottesville City Market. We were lucky to have such a thriving local weekly market where we could get great feedback from customers, really refine our product, and get our feet wet with the business side of things. By the end of the year, we realized we definitely needed a web presence, especially since Charlottesville is a very touristy town (Monticello, UVA), and we wanted to be able to connect with our out of town customers easily.
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We listed the first pieces for sale on etsy in early 2007, and have been selling here ever since. 2. What have you learned about business since you launched your Etsy shop? Etsy has been an unbelievable place to learn how to sell our work online. It‘s a crash course in photography, marketing, branding, SEO, everything e-commerce. At first, it was overwhelming, but by taking small steps and constantly tweaking (to this day!), we‘ve gotten the swing of things. Etsy is a fantastic place to get feedback on everything since there is such a diverse community of both sellers and buyers. For direct feedback on the business side, there‘s been nothing more helpful than reading the forums, the links to crafts-business blogs, and countless tips from other sellers. Beyond that, every time we‘d like to update something about our online business, we always test it on etsy first before applying it to our own website.
3. Tell us one piece of advice for new sellers. Before you‘re actually a seller: Set yourself up as a seller- talk to an accountant and find out everything you need to do from the beginning to be a business. Start things off right with your paperwork and bookkeeping and your life will be much easier in the long run.
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Once you‘ve done that- jump in. Seriously. After a year, your shop won‘t look much like it did initially, but the best way to start learning what works and what doesn‘t is to simply begin. It‘s so much easier to edit than it is to create from scratch. And you can get lots of good suggestions once you have something to ask questions about! Bonus: advice for established sellers Spend out. One of my favorite blogs is the happiness project ( http://www.happinessproject.com/ ), and one of her best pieces of advice is to spend out. By that she means: don‘t hoard ideas for fear that you‘ll never have another good one. Develop them, share them, and trust that you‘ll have more. Whenever I focus on creating new work, and get excited about sharing it, I get 20 new ideas in a creative wave. Or our fans on facebook offer great suggestions to improve or expand upon an idea. Sure, lots of ideas I love kind of flop, but the creative process itself generates new ideas and some of them are huge winners. Cheers! ~Jessica & Susan
Original Article on Handmadeology
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In a world where most products are manufactured by machines, Etsy offers an online platform for makers of handmade products and crafts to market and sell their goods to a vast network of buyers who demand unique, genuine products. To date, the site has attracted over 400,000 sellers who collectively have sold over 30 million items, generating more than $180.6 million in revenue. The only resource of its kind, How to Make Money Using Etsy–written by Tim Adam who has successfully been selling his products all over the world through his Etsy shop since 2007–guides readers step-by-step through the many stages of selling online.
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What‘s inside? Establish your Etsy shop Effectively photograph your products Post your products to optimize visibility and increase sales Advanced SEO for Etsy sellers Setting up a blog and effectively using it to market your Etsy shop Brand your business Use social media like blogs, Twitter, and Facebook to connect with buyers and grow your business Top Etsy seller interviews Top design blog interviews The top Etsy seller interviews include Anderson Soap Company and Dear Golden Vintage, plus 6 more in depth interviews. You will get a sneak peek into these amazing successful Etsy shops. Pre-order your copy of How to Make Money Using Etsy at these fine online book stores below!
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Original Article on Handmadeology
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Spring Sprucing’ by saltcityspice …which is kind of like Spring Cleaning, but for dudes
To Catch a Thief – men’s…
Vintage Blue Painted Garden …
hand pulled block print Vint…
blackbirdtees
ArtfulVintage
elSage
$25.00
$9.00
$40.00
Flying Ace
Vintage Red Fox Neck Tie – D…
the Grey Telephone
MySelvagedLife
FlourishAndDeb…
TheVintageApar…
$28.00
$
$35.00
Vintage Pair of Industrial W…
Organic cotton Map of Antarc…
Spork, Welcome to the Family…
halfpintsalvag…
mybeardedpigeo…
JessicaAlpern
$29.00
$55.00
$35.00
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MARCH SALE – 10 Packs of Adv…
The Thinker – original paint…
Vintage Amber or Brown Glass…
prunellasoap
fricdementol
RollingHillsVi…
$35.00
$125.00
$6.50
Brown Pinstripe Mens Upcycle…
Vintage Burnt Sienna Magnifi…
Yellow Circuit Cuff Links
derailleur
zwzzy
beadworkbyaman…
$24.00
$28.00
$29.00
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Original Article on Handmadeology
March 2011
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The Breakdown With John W. Golden – Communication
John W. Golden is a digital artist that has been designing since the 80′s. John joined Etsy in July of 2006, and has sold over 8,000 items. You can also find John‘s work in Target! The Breakdown series is a ongoing series that goes behind the scenes of John‘s successful Etsy shop. We will be looking at real questions from real sellers, and John is going to break them down and give his straight-up answer. We will be covering a wide range of topics, but all will be geared to the success of your Etsy business. Today John breaks down communication in small business. Cubits - I have only been actively selling on etsy for about 6 months and have a fairly high volume of sales (over 1200). Along with those sales comes a high volume of convos. I am wondering what your approach to communicating with your customers is? John break down: I struggle more with communications than any aspect of the Etsy Sale process.
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It is a downside of increased sales that you have less time to do some of the things that make buying something directly from its maker so great. I would rate my communications in 3 important areas as such: Convo or e-mail after the sail – intermittent at best Status or delay update – horrible Shipment notification e-mail – Rock Solid I am always working to improve the first two, but struggle because of two main factors: One – I‘m not always available to immediately contact the buyer when they buy, and that missed opportunity to make contact gets swept on down the rushing river of my daily tasks. I need to set aside time each day just to personally thank folks and if I can give an estimate of turnaround. So far, not succeeding at that. Two – Convos are limited to one person at a time and if you send the same convo over and over you can get muted. If I want to contact lots of people to let them now about a delay, I usually am facing more delay in trying to tailor a slightly different convo for each person so I don‘t get muted. I need to set up a way to quickly make contact with affected customers via e-mail. Trying some things there, but nothing too great yet. A few things that have helped me get better, and have me using a mixture of convos and e-mails: 1. A multitude of E-mail Signatures. As much as I like to write a unique personal note each time, having a bare bones e-mail signature (based on the things you say every time) saves me time. I personalize it with extra info about the order, etc. because I want it to be a personal note. I have signatures for all the types of e-mails that I have had to write repeatedly. Thanks for your purchase (which I don‘t use enough), Status update (also not used enough), and for notification of shipment for each type (First Class, Priority Mail, Domestic, International, etc.). That one I use all the time. 2. Using Endicia.com instead of Paypal.com for postage labels. Endicia is much faster than Paypal (don‘t have to load all those web pages) and auto-generates a shipping e-mail in your email client. I combine that with a signature that gives the client an idea of transit time for the service (First Class or Priority) I used, and encourages them to contact me if there are any problems with the order once received. I add a personal note depending on specifics of that order. If there has been a delay, I thank them for their patience and apologize for the wait. If they are a repeat customer, I acknowledge that and thank them. 3. Using my e-mail client as a ―hub‖ for my communications and information. Before I ship any order, I search the buyer‘s Etsy name in my e-mail client. This pulls up all convos related to an order. If a buyer makes a change to an order or their address via e-mail, I forward that e-mail (with the buyer‘s Etsy name added to the body) to myself with the Subject line ―Order Change‖ and that comes up in that search. It‘s not a bad idea to search the buyers e-mail too, in case you
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missed an e-mail. I really struggle with all the inquiries for status updates that start to pour in when my turnaround gets very long. My solution to that was to shorten turnaround, though I bet you have a pretty quick turnaround already. I try to respond immediately to each communication, but certain times of the day I have to prioritize responding: Someone wants to buy something: Respond immediately. They are in your store with money in their hands and they want to give it to you. Don‘t make them come back later. Someone just bought something! Should be as soon as possible. Where‘s my order? If the order is late, I respond immediately. If it‘s still within the window I gave for shipment, I respond as soon as I can, but at least within the hour. You‘re in my Treasury! Respond immediately and/or go to the treasury and thank the person for including you. I then share the Treasury on Twitter. Sometimes I do have to batch these and do them at night. Everything else: I take these on a case by case basis, but I do try to respond as soon as I can. I get the general impression that people are surprised by immediate responses, and most people seem to expect slower turnaround outside normal business hours and on weekends. If it‘s been more than a few hours, I always thank them for their patience.
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Read up on the Break Down Series. If you have questions for John stop by the Handmadeology Etsy Team.
Original Article on Handmadeology
March 2011
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Jewelry Styles – Picking the Right Silver Chain
Hammered Sterling Silver Link Necklace | by: burnish Sterling silver chains come in a variety of designs, and are a nice, affordable alternative to gold. The different lengths and chain designs can be layered with one another for a classy, trendy look. Alternatively, a single chain can be worn for a simple, elegant look. Regardless of chain link style, those investing in silver jewelry should also remember to purchase a high quality polishing solution and cloth to keep the jewelry looking its best. Bead Links A sterling sliver bead chain is comprised of silver beads strung together on a very fine silver chain. The beads can range in diameter from 1.5 millimeters to 6 millimeters or more. Many chains have the same size bead all around, but some use beads in graduated sizes with the largest bead front and center. Box Chain March 2011
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This style is made of 6-sided boxes of sterling silver linked together. A very strong chain design that lends itself well to the addition of charms and pendants. Box link sizes range from a very tiny 0.75 millimeters to over 3 millimeters. Cable Chain Sterling silver cable chains resemble the huge nautical chains used by ships to cast their anchors. Silver ovals are linked together in alternating directions. Men look nice wearing this style of chain that comes in very small 1-millimeter link sizes to over 7-millimeters. The larger sizes hold pendants and charms well due to the integrity of the links. Figaroa A robust chain design originally marketed only to men. This beautiful design features groupings of three smaller oval links connected one after another with a larger oval link connecting these groupings. Still a very popular design with men, this type now comes in a variety of link sizes appropriate for women, and even children. Sizes range from a dainty 1.5-millimeter link size to a whopping 15-millimeters. Rope Chains Rope chains come in a variety of diameters from 1.5 millimeter to a hearty 8 millimeters and beyond. The finer weight chains can accommodate a small pendant or charm, but larger decorative pieces should be placed on those with a heartier weight. The links resemble the look of a common rope that might be found at a hardware store, except of course, in lustrous sterling silver. Herringbone Perhaps one of the most beautiful and popular silver chain styles. This chain is comprised of highly polished flat links connected in a herringbone pattern. The flat, polished links make this one of the shiniest most lustrous chains available. Widths range from delicate 1.5-millimeters to hearty 11.5-millimeters and larger.
Original Article on Handmadeology
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geometric BRIGHTS’ by DittyDrops Feast your eyes…
Flora – graphic art print …
Custom Encaustic Triangles
Modern Wood Wall Sculpture -…
inaluxe
SewingMachines
artbyrosemary
$35.00
$100.00
$129.00
geometric pop earrings – Cus…
Diagonal Abstract Print
ELECTRIC YELLOW – big bold o…
nomilktoday
twoems
StudioLeanne
$9.50
$26.00
$29.00
Synthetic Leather Corner Boo…
Lime Green Geometric Napkin
HUMANIZE MASTER TANK
dobleele
erindollar
ruffeoheartsli…
$2.00
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$100.00
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Geometric Links Leather Frin…
Multi-colored Triangle Card
slice of dome
BooandBooFacto…
CarsonToo
spinthread
$42.00
$4.00
$50.00
Don’t Forget To Write – …
Frank Sinatra Inspired Cockt…
geometric cuff bracelets
JamieMilk
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amiramednick
$4.00
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Original Article on Handmadeology
This is a QUARTER Page sample ad If you are interested in getting your Etsy shop In the March Edition of Handmadeology you can find out more info HERE. Circulation 7,000+.
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Pick Me Ups for the Mid Afternoon Slump Hey, betcha can‘t guess what inspired this post! Yup, that‘s right, I‘m in need of a pick me up this afternoon after being up at 5AM the last three days in a row. This is the life of the entrepreneur: they don‘t tell you that part, do they?
Caffeine Addict Soap by sweetsoaptreat on Etsy
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Enjoy Tea by handz on Etsy
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Messenger Tote by jalmodovar
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Cozy by laurabucci. Now I‘m off to find some liquid energy. Have a great day! Original Article on Handmadeology
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march is already here with all this…’ by verozeta
Ghost Girl – Plastic hand pa…
Designed custom keds
paper garland . scalloped tr…
polkadotscloud
yaelfran
gretchenmist
$
$150.00
$16.00
Flying Rabbit with the sea i…
Swan shirt
Portrait pin – Ben
benconservato
kinshippress
kimslittlemons…
$120.00
$28.00
$
Botanical Nest- Archival Pri…
Giant Polar Bear
Rainy day small print
unitedthread
clairehartigan
blancucha
$20.00
$9.00
$22.00
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Woolly Bear Greeting Card
block vol2
SALE The Twin Pin
Juliapott
nomilktoday
grayinc
$4.50
$
$375.00
PP(F)1.0
Pair Green Enamel Turkish Po…
Cotton cord Liberty Peacock …
brokeDESIGN
HousingAuthori…
retrospettive
$9.99
$12.00
$45.00
.
Original Article on Handmadeology
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‘A Little Bit of Color’ by ZebrasAndBubblegum “It is not the form that dictates the color, but the color that brings out the form.” — Hans Hofmann
Three LIGHT TURQUOISE Distre…
Love Your Leg Warmers by Mad…
YELLOW WHITE STRIPES Cotton …
OldNewAgain
mademoiselleme…
bestillshop
$24.00
$35.00
$48.00
Green Lime Three – 5 x 7 Fin…
Love Day White Chocolate and…
Vintage Reconstructed 60s 70…
FacingTheLens
estheraguirre
FunkyFondledan…
$10.00
$11.50
$25.00
5×7 – United Kingdom Love
Giant Dwarf // Starlette Cro…
Vintage Russian mechanical a…
poppyandpineco…
giantdwarf
ClockworkUnive…
$10.00
$65.00
$27.00
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8×10 4-Ever Personalized Art…
Color Wheel Bracelet
Vintage Blue Kmart Deluxe 10…
SilhouetteBlue
tamar
FishboneDeco
$20.00
$32.00
$120.00
Spice rack country primitive…
Lime green trinket bowl
Fun and Flirty Vintage Ice C…
TRwoodworks
Clayshapes
zwzzy
$25.00
$12.00
$48.00
Original Article on Handmadeology
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Interview with a Cratress - 6000 Sales in Two Years
Interview with a Craftress Jill McKeever is owner of the Etsy shop For Strange Women, and I found her for the first time when I read her thoughts on making 6,000 sales after only two years of business. Her writing style is refreshing, earthy, and honest. Here is just one of the many helpful tips she gave: ―If you are not beginning your business with $10-20K in startup revenue (I didn‘t), the first 1020K that you earn with your art/craftwork will need to be reinvested (in better tools, materials that may need to be bought in bulk, things that will make your production faster/more efficient, independent contractors to do easy but time consuming tasks, hiring a designer*, etc.) before you start making a profit and paying yourself. This is just an estimated price range, and maybe not necessary for everyone, but this is what I did for myself.‖ I loved this quote very much because it‘s something I‘ve always wanted to say, but have never been able to deliver so directly. I had to know more about her, so I checked out her shop and visited her blog, Craftressing. I soon discovered that she is, hands down, the neatest person I‘ve ever met on Etsy. Among other things, she lives in a duplex: half of it is a home she shares with her boyfriend and his son; the other half became her own personal studio. She schedules and completes new projects by following the moon cycles. And she makes Kansas City, MO sound like a wonderland—this is what she has to say about her hometown: ―We live in a diverse neighborhood with a great energy, full of indie restaurants that I can walk to and get much needed rice pudding, seaweed soup, wine, and coffee.‖ Enjoy the interview:
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When does the new moon arrive and what are you working on now? The new moon is March 4th and coincidentally I am working on a Lunar Amulet that will have a new perfume sent before each new moon to put inside! You have a studio apartment. I‟ve studied your pictures of it, and the whole thing is so Virginia Woolf-like and amazing to me. How do you feel when you are in that space? It‘s comfortable. I could never be one of those artists with chaos everywhere, it stifles my creativity. I love my space and it is important to me to express myself in my surroundings. Describe your “zone.” What‟s it like when you‟re creating the perfect potion? I‘m usually alone, half-awake, half-asleep on a no-coffee morning (coffee is great on hard work days but ruins my creative process if I am making something new), during the first quarter moon, with no distractions. Not even music. I have paper everywhere with recipes scribbled out and a pretty big mess in front of me on the table.
I really appreciate your brand. As you said in your advice article, you are a reflection of your art, and vice versa. Would you say that your identity is ever-evolving? Thank you! My identity hasn‘t changed but the branding does evolve as I get closer and closer to being able to express who I am. It takes time to find yourself in a medium, and learn how to present yourself to the world through it. Design and perfumery are both relatively new concepts to me, so these have evolved over the last few years.
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I was looking through your blog, and I noticed a change in your artistry right about the time you quit your day job and went all-in For Strange Women. It seemed everything suddenly got a little more sophisticated. What gave you the confidence to make that decision? Good question! My design career began in a very un-inspiring and frustrating day job. Before I had this job (pre blog) I was just out of college and much ―darker‖ than I am now. My music and other artwork that I made was so strange that I don‘t think many people were able to connect with it. I was broke and living in a creepy century-old basement, and decided to get a real job because being a starving artist had taken its toll on me. Of course I took the first good paying job that I could get, because most employers could see I was unfit for the corporate world. I stayed at the job for 2 miserable years and bought a house to keep my mind occupied. No amount of home renovations or shopping or craft projects or cases of wine could really make me feel at ease, and I knew I had to find myself again, which is about the time I started my blog. I had nearly lost myself and wanted to come back to the person I was, but by that point I had changed. The blog was just for me, so that I could see my work, my life, and myself from an outside perspective. When I started For Strange Women I was still at my design job (for a school district) and was not able to fully change gears from the design I did there to the design I did for myself. It takes time to cleanse your system of that stuff, unfortunately, and I think I still have further to go. Although I have realized that I am a much happier person now that I am doing my own thing while earning a living, so although my current work has a little of an ―edge‖, it is nothing like my old style, and instead, yes more sophisticated. So to summarize, the design change was not a decision so much as it was an autobiographical bi-product. What advice would you give to the person you were two years ago? 2 years ago I had just started FSW and was having desperate dreams of quitting my day job. I think I did well in seeking out all the advice I needed at the time, but I would just tell myself to not worry, that quitting a stable job in the middle of a bad recession with no solid plans really isn‘t a bad idea. Things always work out, and you should never feel trapped. You installed a grow light and made a garden out of your non-working fireplace. Can we talk about that all day? hahaa yeah it‘s pretty fun~ I had a big herb garden that has lasted all winter, pretty crazy! There‘s a huge jasmine vine that I am hoping will bloom this spring- I can‘t bring it outside because it has already attached itself all over the fireplace. My boyfriend actually bought the light and installed it for me- how hot is that? (He is a professional gaffer so he likes buying and setting up lights)
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What is the strangest thing you have ever acquired? i don‘t know.. to me strange is ―normal‖ so I probably have all kinds of strange things to other people‘s standards. What was the last book you read or movie you watched that moved you? I watched ―collapse‖ a few months ago, its a documentary that has got me all excited. I really can‘t wait to see what happens when our unsustainable society finally collapses! It will be tragic and beautiful, slow yet steady, a bit painful, but fabulous. I am politically off the map because March 2011
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the future I see cannot be saved with technology or doing things as we have done them for the last 60 years. It will be much more like it was 100 years ago in another 50 years instead, only with solar panels… and this movie confirms my hope! lol Thank you, Jill. It‟s been inspirational! Stop by For Strange Women and she says: ―Thank you for visiting my shop. I love that there are others out there who connect with my aesthetic and appreciate the immense thought and creative energy that goes into every recipe.‖ We sure do!
Original Article on Handmadeology
March 2011
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Top 10 Handmade Wedding Ideas for 2011 The 2011 wedding season is right around the corner. We know how difficult it is to find that one unique item you are looking for for your special day, so here are the top 10 handmade wedding accessories from Etsy. This list is currently live and anyone can vote. We are also accepting new items until the 19th of March, so if you make awesome wedding accessories or even have some favorites from Etsy you can add them to the list. To go to the list to vote and add items click the orange banner below or go to Handmade Top 10. To view the awesome items in the list just click the pic!
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More great wedding ideas from around the web! Wedding week on Lisa Leonard‘s blog. If you are not familiar with Lia‘s work and her awesome blog, I suggest you check it out!
If you are looking for even more handmade wedding ideas for 2011, check out Wedding Gawker.
Original Article on Handmadeology
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I am a self-taught metal artist, and a certified Mig welder. I started designing modern metal furniture in 2004 after I built my first piece in Baltimore with my sister-in-law, who is a furniture designer. I found my passion in metal and kept on designing and building. I struggled for 3 years to make a name for myself in local galleries in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area before a friend introduced me to Etsy in February of 2007, and it changed my business. I started creating a jewelry line and have not turned back. I November of 2007, I had to quit my full time job because my passion was becoming a dream come true! I am now selling all over the world through my Etsy shop. I also have wholesale accounts around the country with galleries, museums and salons.
Connect Website:
timothyadamdesigns.com
Blog:
Handmadeology.com
Facebook:
facebook.com/timothyadam
Twitter:
twiiter.com/timothyadam
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This is a FULL PAGE sample ad If you are interested in getting your Etsy shop In the March Edition of Handmadeology you can find out more info HERE. Circulation 7,000+.
Selling in Person – Home Party How-to
Shelf City No. 247 | by: TheOakLeaves Article by: Fine Heart Jewelry If you are just starting out with your online shop, one of the things that you need to do is get your products in front of people – in real life. If you have a brick and mortar shop (B & M) then that‘s a good place for you to show off your stuff. But what if you‘re like me, I work from home, I make my things at home, and I don‘t have a store front in the non virtual sense. Well, one solution which has presented itself are doing home product parties.
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What is a home product party? So I am sure you have heard of ―tupperware parties‖. Basically, there is a home product sales rep and then there is the hostess of the party. The hostess of the party invites all her friends and neighbors over to her home for an afternoon. The sales rep talks about the new things that the company has to offer. Then, the invited guests shop and buy storage things and kitchen gadgets. One party I attended, the sales rep held a ―contest‖ in the beginning of her presentation. Immediately, the party participants became rivals and competitors. Guess what that did to the sales? Yup, it went through the roof! Women love to ―friendly compete‖ and ―friendly win‖. If they lost out on the pretend competition, then they made up for it and ―won‖ by buying more goods than the other women. Lesson 1: Tupperware has a lot more to offer than just storage people. Similarly, you can create this service for your online shop or company. You can contact your biggest fans and clients, ask them if they would be willing to host a product party for your company, and provide them with an incentive for saying yes. Why would you want to have a home product party? Basically, why would you want to bother someone and ask them to host a home product party for you? There are quite a few reasons, but I will focus on five here. 1. Organic marketing. This is a great way to get your name out there by being endorsed by someone else. It pulls more weight whenever someone else says, ―hey look at her gorgeous handmade jewelry‖. This is compared to you saying ―hey, look at my gorgeous handmade jewelry which I made.‖ Yeah, not the same effectiveness. 2. Low cost marketing. The associated costs for having a home party is small compared to going to a festival and schlepping your wares. For shows and festivals: there‘s paying for a space, buying a tent and the things that make it not blow away, getting the over-sized vehicle you have to get to store your stuff in, and spending the inordinate amount of time to set up and take down. Trust me, the cost is incomparable. 3. Meeting your market. This is the invaluable bonus of a home party. You get to meet your target market. The person throwing the party calls her friends. If she already loves your stuff, chances are, her friends will too. Now, I do come from the school of thought that in general, people tend to hang out with people like themselves. So, this is a casual way for you to meet your target market at a safe environment. After all, you guys are just hanging out at a house party, see? 4. Free market study. This is a great way for you to learn who buys your stuff and why they buy your stuff. Millions of dollars are spent on this by big box stores. Large corporations pay large sums of money to marketing companies who perform involved surveys, case studies, and market research to find out various buying patterns. At a home party, you can just casually engage the clients and get it straight from them. No involved research, no second guessing, and no big involved marketing company to hire and owe money to.
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5. Time savings. When someone sees your items in person and in three dimensions, it is far more informative than any amazing product photo or description you can ever show them. There is just no substitute for an up close and personal experience with your product. This will save you time in trying to explain yourself in the virtual world. A Personal Example: Specifically, home product parties work well for my jewelry shop. My jewelry philosophy is custom made is better. When a potential client meets me at a jewelry party, I can easily explain this concept to them. Basically that I can custom make anything in my shop – the perfect size, fit, color, gemstone and so on. Once a client gets this concept and then they go to my online jewelry shop, they now know that the products shown can be a jump off point for them to dream, design, or request something more to their specific style and liking. This makes the client feel like they have taken full advantage of what my online store has to offer and I believe they feel more fulfilled as a savvy shopper. Me? I feel a lot of relief not having to explain myself for them to become a savvy shopper at my online store. This is a huge time saver for me. Lesson 2: Home parties are all about marketing your wares in person. You get free endorsements. You save money on marketing and marketing research. You get to meet your target market or at least figure out who they are and what motivates them. And, it saves you time. The start up costs are low, and the marketing benefits for your company are high. In Conclusion: A home party gets people in front of your products and in front of you. Use this power for good and not evil. Learn from your clients and understand what motivates them. Then, you will also know why they buy from your online shop when they do. This is an invaluable lesson which you will only learn easily by being in front of your audience in person. Original Article on Handmadeology
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How Great Communication can Improve Your Sales and Grow Your Repeat Customer Base
Tin Can Hello Card | by: monkeyminddesign09 Doing business over the Internet is liberating. Business casual takes on a whole new meaning when you are sitting at your computer in your pajamas and haven‘t showered in a day or two. The Internet allows us to stay at home with our families and be flexible about business hours, while still communicating and selling to people all over the world. It‘s important to remember that while we can be casual about our business, being casual about communication can cost us. I have received over 2,000 Etsy Conversations over the last two years. That‘s a lot of opportunities to make sales, and I try to make sure each response is thoughtfully constructed to reinforce confidence in my shop. Here are a few key rules I‘ve developed for myself when writing to customers, potential customers, retailers or press. Always address the customer by name if it‘s given. If someone buys something from my shop I have his or her name on the receipt, so I write Dear________. It starts things off on a great personal note, and lets them know I looked took the time to notice. If I have a repeat customer, I can now tell by the lovely star Etsy includes next to their name in Sold Items – awesome! I will thank them for shopping with us again.
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Return emails and conversations within 24 hours if possible. During the holiday season, this can get rough but it‘s a rule I created for myself and I stick to it. I use ―flag‖ or ―mark unread‖ buttons on my email and Etsy Conversations to keep track of whom I have gotten back to. I also purchased a smart phone to use when we travel so I can respond to emails. Even though that makes taking a real vacation difficult, this is the kind of business I‘m in. Send a confirmation message when I receive an order. Again, when things are busy this is hard, but think about what you like when you purchase online. It‘s nice to know that your money and order has been received. If there is a note to seller I confirm the order details. If they purchased a custom or made to order item I let them know when it will ship. Reread all messages to make sure my tone is positive and happy. I have found that in almost every case, good communication at the start of a sale means very few unhappy customers or rude emails later on down the line. It‘s all about setting a good tone from the get-go, and letting folks know you want to do what you can for them. As creative people and small business owners we don‘t want to be a doormat for rude customers or people trying to manipulate us by withholding positive feedback, however we need to always be professional. These are few and far between, so I try to give customers the benefit of the doubt. Don‘t address your customers in all caps. I get emails with all caps in them from time to time, and sometimes I feel like I‘m being yelled at or talked down to. I don‘t want to risk that with my customers. Sometimes people are just really excited about buying their dog a hat, and that makes me feel great. Other times they want to make sure I notice a particular detail about their order, and that‘s understandable. However, I prefer lower case when I communicate because I know how it feels to read all caps. When you turn off the caps lock, you soften the tone. I don‘t want to threaten or scare my customers in any way. ***As a side note, this goes for item descriptions and shop announcements too. I use stars to denote important information instead of all caps. The only time I‘ve resorted to the caps button was during the holiday season when hasty shoppers were missing shipping deadlines. But maybe let‘s leave it as a last resort. Make the sale. It may feel a little sleazy, but we are salespeople and we need to hustle if we are going to make a living. When I respond to potential customers I include additional information like turnaround time so they know they will receive the item soon. Sometimes people imagine it takes me a month to crochet a sweater, and even though turnaround time is in the item description, I like to reinforce that yes, you actually will receive this handmade item in the same amount of time it would take you to order from a big box store. I also bring any special offers to their attention, and I feel that if I word it like – hey, there‘s a deal I want you to be able to take advantage of to save some money – then they see me as a friend and not a salesman. If I want something, I offer something in return. When I receive a cut and paste email asking me for something I am less likely to respond positively than when I get an email that opens with a positive comment about my work, or even better my name (available in my profile). It‘s okay to cut and paste sections of an email, but I appreciate knowing people have taken the time check out
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my stuff before they ask me to do a give away or advertise on their website. The best collaborations involve giving on both sides. I have had people write great things about my shop in exchange for a giveaway item, or even better they traded me additional advertising or their own product for doing a giveaway. Reciprocity is just good business. I love communicating with people about their pets. I have many customers that I consider friends and pen pals, and that‘s what makes my job so rewarding. I love customer photos and hearing about people enjoying my work, and I know good communication has led to improved sales. I even had a customer email her entire address book to tell them about my shop and how great the customer service was. That‘s pretty awesome advertising. In an age of text messaging and short abrupt exchanges, a well-crafted email goes a long way to help cultivate a base of repeat customers. So even as I sit here writing back to customers in my pajamas and slippers drinking coffee, I am imagining my writing voice is wearing a power suit.
Original Article on Handmadeology
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Black and white textured garden – From Winter to Spring’ by medusa1307 Handmadeology Treasury Team, enjoy!
Elegant women belt – corset …
Iridescent butterfly pendant
Lakme Bracelet
sunsfashion
Tangentine
TheSadaAbeExpe…
$39.00
$52.00
$7.00
The Wind Calls Our Name – 5x…
Crochet White vest
Small choker necklace made f…
kellydbrown
novaknata
mattiereidchic…
$15.00
$65.00
$48.00
Living Steel Jewelry Tree
Small Damask Ceramic Wall C…
Black & White Damask Mini Bu…
TimothyAdamDes…
lurearts
angelyques
$95.00
$34.00
$38.00
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Puppy Love, Mirror Mirror in…
Classic Glitter Hexagon Box
Precious black bobby pins se…
morebling
whimsicallyyou…
buttonsmaniac
$85.00
$10.00
$10.00
Puttin On The Rtiz – Chocola…
SALE The Still Morning-8&quo…
Ivory and black – Shabby and…
SkippingSkones
diemdesign
paperthoughts
$9.00
$20.00
$12.00
.
Original Article on Handmadeology
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Increase Your Etsy Sales and Traffic With an Affiliate Program
Number 4 and DOLLAR SIGN | by: GwenDelicious How to Create an Affiliate Program Are people buzzing about your shop? Do you customers write and tell you that they recommended you to all of their friends? Are blogs running your give-aways and promotions? Turn that chatter into sales by creating your own affiliate program. Courtesy of Wikipedia: ―Affiliate marketing is a marketing practice in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought about by the affiliate‘s own marketing efforts.‖ An affiliate is anyone who has agreed to promote your shop in exchange for that reward. Here‘s how to create your own affiliate network for your online storefront: 1. Establish the reward your affiliates will receive for recruiting new customers. What will your friend, customer, or favorite blogger get if they drive a new sale to your site? And what are the terms? For instance, you might offer your affiliate a $5 store credit for every new customer who comes to your shop and spends $25 or more. 2. You promote your affiliate program, asking anyone interested to contact you to sign up. Announce your program on Facebook, Twitter, your shop, blog, and newsletter, but be clear that people must contact you to begin the program so that they may receive a special discount code to share with their friends.
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3. Create a unique discount code for each affiliate. This step is essential, as the discount code you offer will be how you track which affiliates brought which new customers. What deal are you going to offer that new customer to entice them to your shop? Combine this with the terms you created for your affiliate program. For example, ―Please enjoy 5% off your first order of $25 or more with code: affiliate1!‖ Assign each affiliate a different code, i.e. affiliate1, affiliate2, affiliate3, etc. Here‘s an example of how it works: Your favorite blogger loves your Etsy shop and agrees to become one of your affiliates so that she may earn free product. She contacts you and signs up for the affiliate program you have been promoting. You thank her for her interest and generate a 5% code specifically for her to share with her readership. You offer her the code: favoriteblogger. She writes a glowing review of your shop in her next post, and then she offers her readers an exclusive 5% discount off their first order of $25 or more. She says, ―Just enter the code: favoriteblogger and enjoy!‖ You gain five new customers from this affiliate‘s post, and you reward her with a $25 gift certificate (5 new customers x $5 each sale) for the new sales. Check out my Energy Shop affiliate program here: Want to be an Energy Shop Affiliate? Please link any Affiliate Marketing you do in the comments section as well ♥ Go get ‗em! And good luck.
Original Article on Handmadeology
Orange…The New Spring Color Trend!!’ by luvs2create2
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PIF Organic Orange Calendula…
Maxi Dress in Burnt Orange, …
amber silver gold pendant
Thebearfootsha…
Asiamade2order
EllaJewelry
$0.20
$24.00
$190.00
A Little Salsa Necklace
Infinity Scarf Copper Extra …
Aloha, Vintage Focal Necklac…
beadedsplendor
JarvisGift
fromthevine
$25.00
$40.00
$19.00
Orange Gerber Daisy Flower H…
Fabric Freedom Rainbow Garde…
Stevie Wonder Songs In Key o…
ClippieDepot
lcscottage
13thFloorVinyl
$2.50
$7.50
$20.00
Altharis – silver wire wrap…
Mesmerizing Center
Czech Glass and Swarovski Vi…
MadeBySunflowe…
BlueBlairPhoto…
Jewelrybynala
$78.00
$25.00
$18.50
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Zen Dress-Short /Long Sleeve…
Charming and Functional Vint…
Spring Burnt Orange Duo Rose…
tasifashion
MotherMidnight
SweetlyFallen
$75.00
$32.00
$23.00
.
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Top 10 Handmade Cards Handmade Top 10 is designed to showcase the very best items from Etsy. Here is a great handmade card top 10 list voted on by our team.
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Handmade Top 10 is still in beta stages and we are adding more top 10 lists. Even if you are not an Etsy seller you can add your favorite items from Etsy. If your items are in a list tell your friends to come vote! Current open lists: Bags and Purses Wedding Accessories Pet Accessories Handmade Soap Original Article on Handmadeology
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5 Tips to Organize Your Blog
Printers Drawer Jewelry Display | by: bluebirdheaven 5 Steps to Organize Your Blog by Regina Morrison In order to gain much desired readership of your blog, it helps to have an organized space. And a blog which your readers can rely on and visit in search of daily information, humor, or inspiration. Flipping from topic to top without any symmetry, not blogging for days and then posting 4 posts in one day, typos, and clutter are a few things that might hold your blog back. Everyone‘s blog and situation is unique, but I find the following to be the most helpful when editing and organizing my personal blog, Acute Designs (www.acutedesigns.org). 1. Create an editorial calendar – This doesn‘t need to be anything fancy. I just use a standard spreadsheet. At the beginning of each month type out the days in one column and then brainstorm ideas for posts – listing each one next to a day. After you get all the info down that comes from brainstorming – start to organize. If you have a lot of posts that have to do with fashion, perhaps you could do one each Monday, photography each Tuesday, updates on your business each Wednesday, and so on. It is ok to sway from the calendar when unforeseen events occur, but a decent amount of consistency will give your readers a sense of stability. They will have an idea of what to expect each day.
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This consistency will also create trust with your readers. If you are a DIY expert and post your newest how-to advice every Friday, your readers will begin to trust that they can find a fantastic weekend project on your blog each Friday morning. 2. Proofread – Even though it is a blog and not a formal essay or business letter, there is value in proofreading your work. It helps to write your post, step away from the computer for a few hours and then proofread it. When the information is not fresh in your mind, you are more likely to catch silly mistakes. Spelling and grammatical errors will happen and that is fine, however several errors in a post tends to look sloppy, which might give your readers the feel that you just threw something together – rather than put a bit of heart into it. 3. Add relevant images – Remember when you were a kid and you gravitated towards the books full of pictures? In many ways, we still do that. Blogs that are all words and no graphics can look dry. Take a little time to find a graphic or take a photo and add it to your post. Or add several. Or better yet, make some posts more images and less words. Some days your readers just want to glance through a post and take in soothing eye candy. Not every post needs to be word heavy. 4. Blog consistently – In relation to #1, it is important to blog on a consistent basis. You don‘t need to post every single day but make an effort to be consistent. If you have the time to post three days a week, plan to do it Monday, Wednesday, and Friday rather than three posts all shoved into one day. As previously stated, readers will enjoy the consistency and begin to trust a blog they can depend on. 5. Clutter – Try to keep your sidebar and links at the top clutter-free. Don‘t add every button you come across online, this tends to cheapen the aesthetic of your blog. Choose items that you feel add to your blog, rather than simply fill up space. What other ideas do you have for maintaining organization on your blog? Share them in the comments – I would love some more tips! Original Article on Handmadeology
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3 Tips For Getting Your Treasury on the Front Page ‘Click Here For Cool Things’ by TheWhirlwind
recycled skateboard bench
amigurumi fat little rabbit
Clock made from a Recycled B…
deckstool
sabahnur
pixelthis
$699.99
$20.00
$109.00
80′s Vintage Sunglasses-…
Vintage Large Metal Watering…
Soft French Lace Bag with Zi…
whatthefunk
bellalulu
tortillagirl
$125.00
$48.00
$65.00
Handmade White Wabi Sabi But…
Abacus Sand and Sea origin…
Mommy and Baby Love Birds – …
GlazedOver
StudioZen
SimplyCutebyKa…
$12.00
$125.00
$10.00
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Nikon F2 Photomic Manual Foc…
Repurposed Bakelite Business…
Abstract Geometric Embroider…
creeperjess
RobertaGrove
erindollar
$450.00
$18.00
$50.00
Busy Bees Honeycomb Brooch
Mini Tunnel belt and buckle
Silver and Resin Riveted Rin…
moonlightingje…
steeltoestudio…
mkwind
$18.00
$65.00
$50.00
.
You‘ve seen them. The front page treasuries on Etsy. There‘s a new one being featured every time you turn around. So what gets these treasuries onto Etsy‘s front page? Well, I‘m sure it‘s a combination of a lot of things, but here are a few that I found out from a forum discussion on Etsy. Treasuries are largely based on these 3 things 1. Seasonal themes {see monthly articles from Etsy‘s Merchandising Desk} 2. Diversity among categories 3. Photos So many people make treasuries on Etsy. It‘s practically an art in itself. Have you ever been featured in someone‘s treasury? You‘d know thanks to the new Activity Stream. It automatically lets you know if you have. Do you pay attention to the treasuries on the front page? Take the 3 things above & go check out the treasury on the front page of Etsy right now. Did you see each of these things in that treasury? Where the products in season? Where they all the same type of thing, or did they cover a range of niches? Were the photo‘s eye catching? So some of you might be thinking, ―Why is it so dang important to be featured on a front page treasury anyway?‖
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Well, for starters, it‘s a big ego boost because it means someone thought your product was worthy to be used, & whoever chooses the front page treasuries also though that every piece of the treasury fit well together. All that being said, you have a nice product with a nice picture. That means something. Next, it‘s free advertising. Tons of people visit Etsy every day, & the first place they land is on the front page. Now granted the treasuries that are chosen for the front page are only up for an hour, but it still gets those shops an increase in views. And more views = more potential sales. So our focus as online sellers is to make awesome products, get those products seen, & get them sold…therefore doing what we love & making money at it! So in the next post we‘ll cover these areas in more detail & learn how to incorporate them into our shops. Have any of your shop‟s products made it into a front page treasury? If so, leave me a link to the product in the comments section below & tell me why you think it made it to the front page. Original Article on Handmadeology
My Etsy story: Brown Paper Bunny
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1. My Etsy story: Brown Paper Bunny Up until a year ago I had never really put pencil or paintbrush to paper, but I had always wanted to learn to draw. I was working in the Defense industry and there wasn‘t a lot of room for creativity in my day job. Finally I decided I had to take that first step and I enrolled in an online drawing and painting class. I had so much fun I also enrolled in a university night class, started a blog about my creative adventures, and participated in seven collaborative art projects, including the worldwide sketchbook project. This year I decided I wanted to grow further, do more with my art, and share it with others. Someone told me about Etsy (I can‘t believe I didn‘t know about it before) and I think I spent at least 3 hours that first time just looking at all the amazing treasures for sale. I opened my shop in January this year and I haven‘t looked back!
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2. What have you learned about business since you launched your Etsy shop? That customer service is paramount. I think I always knew that, but having ordered a lot of things from Etsy I‘ve really found that it is the extra touches, or the personal communication that makes such a big difference to your experience. I try to give the service I would like to receive. I‘ve also discovered that you have to market yourself. You have to be relentless, even when you‘re doing well you have to keep doing it, every day. It can be exhausting. 3. Tell us one piece of advice for new sellers.
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Use your profile to tell us about yourself. For so many people the joy of shopping on Etsy is that it is so personal. We want to know who we are buying from, what their story is, and why they are special. Thank you! Jess http://www.brownpaperbunny.com http://blog.brownpaperbunny.com Original Article on Handmadeology
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Reclaimed Wood and Pipe Table
Joey hard at work in his man cave A few weeks back, Joey and I headed over to Build it Green in Queens. We packed ourselves up in the mini-van and took a 15 mile road trip south to explore and learn about What BIG had to offer. When we entered, we were instantly overwhelmed by it‘s massive size and selection (about 5,000 doors, anyone?). After snooping around and planning a million and a half new DIY Projects, we calmed down, and found the wood, hidden way in the back, behind the building, sat down, and decided exactly what we were going to do next. This wood looks like it came from a mill and had the charm we wanted to add to our foyer. We really searched far and wide for a long, high table with no luck, hence we DIYed ourselves through our own. Here is what we did, how we did it, and what it cost: DIY Table Check List: 9 ft piece of wood – $20 7 ft piece of wood for legs – $20 ―L‖ shape welders metal – $6
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2, 2 ft Pipe – $20 ($10 each) ―decorative‖ metal pipe brackets AKA floor flanges – $16 (for 4) Minwax Finishing Wax Paste – $13 Wood Screws – $10 for a huge pack #8 1 inch screws and #8 1 1/2 inch screws Total for 84 inch custom table: $105
Most of the labor involved was sanding the old wood down to a state of beauty and smoothness. Joey spent hours upon hours with a hand sander getting the wood smooth and removing unattractive oddities. This part is so important for a smooth to touch and professional look. This took hours upon hours and many resporators until we found a professional grade one we were happy with. Check out Joey sporting his new look (notice the new hair cut we DIYed too?!).
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After the wood was cut to size and sanded, we took the Minwax paste and rubbed it on all the wood (table top and legs all around) to give it that super professional feel. While it dried, we proceeded to prep the hardware.
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Joey Custom Making ―L‖ Brackets
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We scoured the hardware store for quite a while and could not find ―L‖ brackets with an oldworld and worn feel. We decided to make our own. In the welding section we found these long ―L‖ shaped bars Joey turned into custom brackets. They had the finish we wanted on them, it was simply about custom sizing them and poking some holes for the 1 inch screws to go through.
It‘s hard to tell in the photo, but they have this weathered feel to them. The brackets are hidden in our design, but when we do something, we want to stay true, through and through. March 2011
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We also snagged up some weathered looking pipes to give the table support in the middle because it was a bit tall, 34 inches to be exact. We wanted to add a little architectural interest with the hardware so we picked up four floor flanges to screw the pipes into instead of just running the pipes through the legs.
We attached the legs with the pipes after the finished dried and brought the finished legs and table top upstairs separately to attached them in the hallway. This was a rather large piece of furniture, so we assembled it this way to avoid it not fitting in a door or up the stairs. The 1 1/2 inch screws were used to attach the table top to the legs.
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This is what we did Halloween night! Not a single trick-or-treater in sight (and a pound of candy I now have to deal with). We are super excited and proud of our new piece and are inspired to use this wood in my office for custom shelves, and we can‘t wait to show you. We would have spent about $1,000 on a piece like this, so it feels good to get exactly what we want for just over $100. Here she is in all her glory:
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Have you done a custom piece you are in love with? Please share, we would love to know what you did and how it turned out!
Original Article on Handmadeology
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The Breakdown With John W. Golden – Product Lead Time
owlsay says Hey John, One of my biggest issues is communicating lead times for my products. I‘ve ordered from you before and you have a pretty good explanation of how long your items will take before you ship. But I‘m also use to Etsy and ok with waiting for handmade items. I‘ve tried to make that explanation as clear as possible when a customer orders something that clearly states it has a lead time, but I still have customers who don‘t realize my handmade process really takes that ENTIRE time stated. Do you charge rush fees if a customer wants something sooner? How do you answer the ‗when will my order ship‘ question when your customer seems agitated they will have to wait? johnwgolden says It took me a while to get that turnaround statement refined to what it is now people have had difficulty comprehending it and some still do.
and plenty have
Quick answers to your questions:
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I do not charge a rush fee, not necessarily because I don‘t want to, but only because the levels of requests has not risen to a level that I need to. If I did charge, it would be as more of a deterrent. I try to give the customer my best honest guess as to when I will get their order out, and then I try to stay on top of that order. More often than not, I cannot accurately estimate how long it will take to get to an order, so I just have to give myself enough time to force that order out when I said it would go. I am still a work in progress when it comes to this. I think the buying public is used to getting purchases quickly, and that does work against sellers that have long production or turnaround times. Fortunately, most of my customers have been understanding. I don‘t know the foolproof answer to getting my turnaround times to be seen and read, but I try to get them read by putting it in the product listing, my shop description and policies and up front in the message from seller in the Etsy e-mail to the buyer. I also conclude a bit of verbiage about how busier times can affect turnaround. An extended bit about turnaround and making customers wait follows:) Ideally, we could just say 10 calendar days and folks would be willing to wait that long. I started out on Etsy shipping within 2-3 business days, so that phrasing of ―business days‖ always stayed in the estimate. One day, you are having lots of daily sales and shipping in 10-14 business days and you realize: That can be 21 calendar days! I realized most of my time management problems and unhappy customers were coming from my long turnaround, so I worked for months to get it shorter. That has almost eliminated the need to ask folks for an inordinate amount of patience (in today‘s overnight express world). Since there are so many aspects of our production process that we cannot shorten, I focused on what parts I could speed up. Now, I chose to do this as I was also adding my art blocks to my Etsy line, which added production time. So, for a while my efforts were not all that effective and it took longer for me to get the turnaround down than it should have. The upside to that was I got plenty of opportunity to deal with folks that were having to wait too long. I make sure that no matter how long someone has waited, they know how sorry I am to make them wait and how much I appreciate their patience. i also let them know what I am doing to correct that problem and to prevent it from happening again. Then I just try to get back to work as soon as possible. If you can‘t shorten your turnaround time, or can‘t immediately think of ways to do so, don‘t sweat it too much. If you concentrate on the aspects of your business that you can control, stuff like that tends to work itself out over time.
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Read up on the Break Down Series. If you have questions for John stop by the Handmadeology Etsy Team. Original Article on Handmadeology
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Vintgage DÊcor – Top 10 Vintage Etsy Items Handmade Top 10 is designed to showcase the very best items from Etsy. Our staff here at Handmadeology has put together a list of their favorite vintage items found on Etsy. Here it is!
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Handmade Top 10 is still in beta stages and we are adding more top 10 lists. Even if you are not an Etsy seller you can add your favorite items from Etsy. If your items are in a list tell your friends to come vote!
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Situated for Sewing – The Repurpose of Life
When Life Gives You Lemons |by: colorbee Situated For Sewing: The Repurpose of Life Three years ago, I ―retired‖ from a job making $40K+ with great benefits and am now a stay-athome mom and recent online entrepreneur. This article is going to bring you inside my home to show you how I have carved out a creative space of my own for mostly free. Probably like most of you, I don‘t have a whole room available to dedicate to my sewing. Instead, I had to whittle out a small nook in my bedroom for my project area. While I appreciate the beautiful spreads laid out in magazines, they just aren‘t realistic for someone on a tight budget with just a corner of the bedroom to work out of. Yes, décor is nice, but business has to come first for me at this point. Let‘s get started with the tour. Keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times please. Be sure to catch the reveal at the bottom!
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Not only do I sell vintage items, I also use them! In my kitchen alone, I have a well-loved KitchenAid stand mixer in the original Avocado green from the 70s, given to me when my best friend finally got a new one. Although the color has faded, it still works flawlessly. Next to it is my old potato press, which was also given to me. I can‘t even begin to date this thing, but it makes the best home fries. Last but not least is my old GE percolator, which I found for $1 at a thrift shop. However, we recently cracked the lid, and so far haven‘t been able to find a replacement. I would love to have this percolator, but the Frugal Frannie in me won‘t give in to Materialistic Melly. I only pull her out for very special occasions. If you are currently using a drip coffee maker, let me put a bug in your ear about the difference a percolator brings out in your coffee. The vintage theme carries back to my sewing nook. I‘m not trying to take the joy out of having new things, but if you can get something for free that works and is dependable, that is a win/win for me. I was like that even when I was employed outside of the home. My sewing machine was donated by my husband‘s sister. It is an old Kenmore, also from the 70‘s, I think. It has no plastic innards. This is a huge bonus in a machine that thrums at a high-rate of speed. Very solid. If you don‘t know of anyone who just wants to give you one, try your local Salvation Army. For some reason, the Goodwill in my area never has any, but the Salvation Army always has at least two. And pianos. They always have pianos. Another sweet soul gave me a serger and a huge box of serger thread cones. After many months of buying little spools of thread for my sewing machine, I thought, ―Man, there has got to be a way I can use those cones.‖ So I broke out my trusty companion, Google. Aha! Just what I was looking for! Double Aha! Under $6! I‘m in! Such a simple design. Easy to use. Definitely recommend this hidden jewel. While perusing Salvation Army, I found this item:
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I didn‘t even know what I was going to use it for but for $1.00, I didn‘t want to pass it up. By becoming my serger thread holder, it has found new meaning in life. No more digging out the thread I need. It‘s just a few inches away. There was more than one, so the other two are now resting spots for my ribbon—all 3 for $1.
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Husbands are useful for so many things. Mine is anyway. He‘s my ―Jim of All Trades‖. Tucked away in an old toolbox was a pair of ―vintage‖ sewing scissors. (We say ―vintage‖ all the time. It‘s a little joke around here. ―Hey, look at the vintage barbed wire.‖ Or ―The trash is getting pretty vintage.‖) He retrieved his whetting stone and began, using the proper technique shown him by his brother-in-law, who is a machinist. I ended up with a beautifully polished pair of stainless steel scissors that cut fabric like it ain‘t no joke. Too bad he didn‘t have some pinking shears in there. I mean, $18 for a new pair of pinking shears? I just can‘t make that jump. I keep searching the bins at Goodwill. No luck yet. Will trade a cord cover for a good set of pinking shears if anyone is interested. These scissors, along with a multitude of other items, are kept in what was an old art supply organizer. $1 at Goodwill. I hang it on my wall next to my table.
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Which brings me to my table. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. I ―shoulda‖ taken before and after photos of this table. It was an old Sunday School table from my church, and it was badly beaten. (Sanctuary!) Once again, I pulled out my handy-dandy husband, and he pointed me in the right direction with some sandpaper and some stripper. (Shake it like a Polaroid picture!) Turns out there was some beautiful hardwood under there. After getting it in place, it was just about two inches too short. Good thing we have a table saw and some 2x4s laying around out here. After you-know-who cut me four 2×2 squares, my table was the perfect height. My sister gave us some hardwood and trim that was left over from a recent custom cabinet installation at her home. Kudos to my husband one more time for creating a beautiful mantle for our fireplace. Free except for his time.
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While he was hanging this beautiful mantle, the shelf in our daughter‘s room fell. I took this opportunity to mount it above another shelf in my sewing nook. Let‘s not underestimate the power of the free cardboard box, either. My nook will never be featured in a magazine, but at this stage of the game I‘m focusing on my family and my customer, not myself. After a little shelf paper and some tape were applied, I had custom storage. And, yes, I got a great deal on the shelf paper.
Now the moment you‘ve been waiting for, unless of course you scrolled down before reading the article!
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Far be it from me to be a bad shop-owner, so let me take this opportunity to point out my very own custom cord covers in use above. Well, I don‘t know what you got out of this article, but I got my sewing nook cleaned up and my kitchen counter wiped down. That was worth it right there! But, seriously, I hope you found some inspiration, some glimmer of hope that you can also do whatever you set your mind to. Just because your job may have recently given up on you doesn‘t mean you have to give up on yourself. Yes, it‘s hard sometimes, but be encouraged! Look at the world with your Etsy eyes, and make something pretty out of the cardboard boxes in your life! Original Article on Handmadeology
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Crafty Connections This weeks Crafty Connections from April from Creative Apples! Each and every week I scour the interwebs and gather the best tutorials, tips, and informative links to help with your handmade craft business. In addition, I‘ll post links to cool crafty DIY projects, and blogs I think are worth following. I hope you enjoy this weeks links! Why I‟m Changing My Email Newsletter (and some thoughts about newsletters in general…)
Four months into this adventure, I‘m re-thinking the project. Business Tax Planning For Procrastinators
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It is too late to change the outcome of your year, but you can spend some time making sure you find every expense possible before you file. How to Overcome 3 Common Barriers to Success as an Artist
The good news is that each of these barriers has an antidote that you already have within your grasp to becoming a successful artist. 10 Subtle Lies That Cripple New Bloggers Along the way you may bought into ―rules-of-thumb‖ that sound right but are really holding you back. These lies are killing your blog.
Empowering Ways To Use Twitter
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Good news: There are ways to get people thinking beyond the 5-second attention span (empower others) AND actually glean substance for your own work (empower you) from your T-interactions. DIY: Oilcloth Zippered Pencil Case
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If you know of any good handmade craft marketing resources I should include in the next Crafty Connections post please don‘t hesitate to email me, or leave the link(s) in the comments section! I would love to be able to share these great resources with everyone! Also, are these links helpful to you? Let me know! I appreciate the feedback!!!! Thank you so much! -April http://www.creativeappples.etsy.com
Glass Tile Pendant How-to Look at this pretty glass tile pendant! Do you think it‘s difficult to make?
No! It‘s easy as 1-
2-3!
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First of all, you need an image. If you‘d like to make a pendant with hearts, you can download free digital collage which I‘m happy to share.
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The collage sheet is 4×6 inches, 300 dpi. It can be download there. If the link doesn‘t work, please leave a comment and I‘ll fix it. Please, don‘t forget to come back and download it. Print it on heavy paper (80-100 lb) on laser printer. NOTE: Please keep in mind, that the collage sheet can not be sold as a collage in digital or printed form. To make the pendant, you will need an image, settings for glass tile, glaze, and super glue (I prefer gel super glue).
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I usually buy supplies in SunAndMoonKits shop on Etsy. Gina who runs the shop is very nice and responsive. She always open for custom quantity of items. If you are planning to make just 1-2 pendants, you probably will need just sample size of glaze – not the big bottle. So‌ lets make the pendant First, cut of an image.
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Then, apply a little bit of glaze on the back side of the glass tile. Ell‌ maybe not a little bit but more
So it shouldn‘t be a very thin layer.
Spread it evenly without air bubbles inside. Place the image with face side on the glaze and gently press it from center to the edges. Be sure, that there is no airy spots between glaze and paper. Also, paper should slide on the glaze when you touch it. It means that right amount of glaze applied. Be sure that edges of the paper are also with no air between glaze and the image. Set aside the glass tile for a couple of hours while the glaze become firm. Then, just trim extra paper on the sides and remove extra glaze from the glass.
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Put a little bit of super glue in the setting.
And place the glass tile with paper side down.
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And your pendant is ready If you‘d like to make a personalized pendant, you can look in my blog for other free graphics , and also please have a look at my GraphicLand shop on Etsy for affordable great digital collages. Enjoy! Original Article on Handmadeology
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More Exposure for your Etsy shop Handmade Top 10 is a voting site designed to help sellers improve their products and to bring the very best handmade, vintage, and supply items in front of buyers. Our voting system is allows anyone to add items from Etsy and vote. There is no login or sign up required, and is 100% free. With the use of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Stumbleupon, and Digg, the top 10 lists can gain sellers great exposure. Along with social media exposure, our blog post widget is a live list with links that go straight to each Etsy shop. {VIDEO} How can Handmade Top 10 help your Etsy shop. 1. Through our unique voting system voters can see your items up close and personal. The large viewing area really shows off your item and there are multiple ways for voters to view your items directly on Etsy.
2. Once a list is finalized there is even more opportunity for exposure.
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3. We understand the importance of sharing and promoting lists through social media. On every list open and closed you will find a promote button.
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4. Here is what our blog post widget looks like: It is a clickable live widget that changes with the votes!
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5. We also offer unique ad or sponsor spaces. We wanted to keep the look of Handmade Top 10 clean and simple, and not fill the site with ads. Our sponsors can be found on the front page and throughout the open lists.
Quick FAQ: Q: I don‘t see a list for my category, can I add a list? A: No. New lists are created by our staff on a weekly basis. Q: I don‘t have any items to add to the open lists. What can I do? A: You can add your favorite items you found while browsing through Etsy. Q: Can you vote more than once? A: Yes. Anyone can vote on any item as many times as they want. With our unique voting system, sellers will not be able to link directly to their item. They will only be able to link to the list. This cuts down on mass voting and gives every item and sponsor more exposure. Q: What is the best way to get more votes?
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A The best way to get more votes is to share the list your are in with your friends. Share the widget on your blog as well. If you have any questions about Handmade Top 10 please feel free to ask them in the comments below.
Original Article on Handmadeology
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Trend: Guestbook Posters Don‘t get me wrong, I love books, but I am kind of loving this trend of having people sign a poster instead of a book at your wedding. Not only is it an opportunity for some really fun graphic design, but it also gives the couple something they can frame and hang on their wall to cherish for years. Some of the posters leave space within for people to sign, and others anticipate you having them matted in a larger size matte for people to sign, then framing it. As someone who worked in a frame shop in another life, always make sure you try to get something at a standard size to save a little money on framing, or price what you want beforehand as it can be expensive. Also, don‘t go over 40″ in any direction because then you‘ll be into oversize – which means oversize pricing!
{by LoveInLetters}
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{by sthblue}
{by dodelinedesign}
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{by lovliday}
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{by aprilink} Sarah Early is a graphic designer and the owner of dodeline design. Follow her on Twitter @dodelinedesign or like her on Facebook!
Original Article on Handmadeology
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Treasuries helped me improve Etsy my shop. I set up my Etsy shop and then I sat back and said, ―Well, now what?‖ I had never really explored Etsy, not even as a buyer. It didn‘t take long to discover this thing called ―Treasuries‖ and that I could make one of my own! I made my first one, and then a second and then a third. Here‘s one of my favorites ‘Glimpses of Spring through the Grey of Winter’ by aShareeDesign Spring will come….
Silver Frost Snow Princess H…
Light Gray.Carpet.Bag w/ dou…
German Shepherd Dog 11×14 Si…
ME2Designs
peacelovenpolk…
dogartstudio
$30.00
$45.00
$24.50
SALE – Ruffles Leather Flowe…
Heron – MATTE – Pure & Natur…
Loops – Large Gray and Ivory
viridian
noellabeautywo…
hmbstudios
$10.00
$4.99
$14.95
Domed and Oxidized Sterling …
Vintage Lilac Storybook Hand…
Titanium Ring or Wedding Ban…
jcjewelrydesig…
StorybookFiber…
titaniumknight…
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$26.00
$
$15.00
Shadow Time Long Arm Warmers…
Noodle Beads-sample pack
English Rose Ruffle Dress
ZenAndCoffee
mamastaub
Lirola
$26.00
$
$
Set of Seconds-Two Organic L…
A Purple Spring Afternoon – …
Felted Brooch Grey gray Rose…
madderroot
AmeliaKayPhoto…
JaneBoFelt
$
$32.00
$
Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.
When you make a treasury, most curators (that‘s what you‘re called when you make your treasury) have some theme in mind. Maybe a color scheme or a topic, or maybe you find something interesting and that thing inspires you. It doesn‘t take long to figure out that if you are trying to make your treasury look really good, you will comb through hundreds of photos to get just that one that will convey what you are trying to say with your treasury. That‘s the ticket. Combing through hundreds of photos helped me see what catches my eye for a product on Etsy. What was it about that photo that I liked? What was it about the others I didn‘t like? Uh oh, then I looked at my shop and said, ―Would any of these have caught my eye?‖ The answer was, ―No.‖ Shoot. Now what? My shop is already buried because I make and sell handbags and jewelry (right now there are 211,662 bags and purses for sale on Etsy). Add to that sub-par photographs and for sure no one will ever buy anything from me on-line unless they are already a customer of mine and will overlook the photos.
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I wrote a blog post about how I improved my product photography – you can read the post here . I still have a way to go. At least now we‘re seeing true color and clean lines and a few of my bags and jewelry have shown up in other curator‘s treasuries! Yeah!! I‘ll continue to build treasuries and comb through hundreds of photos to figure out how experienced shop owners present their products and I‘ll tweak mine some more. (That gives me an idea for a secret I‘ll tell you one of these days about how to use experienced shop owners to your advantage in treasury building.) So become a curator and make a treasury or two or twenty! It will help you improve your shop.
Original Article on Handmadeology
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Rejection Part 1- how to be a good loser
Blue Butterfly Belt Buckle | by: bmused Rejection Part 1- how to be a good loser by Martha Latta It‘s that time of year again: Spring Craft Show Season. For those of us who do many fairs each year, now is the time we are all filling out applications, planning our schedules, and waiting to hear if we get in to the fairs we applied for. We carefully complete each application, supply photos of our best work, and then we sit back and wait for the applications to close, to be juried, and we wait for the email. If you have ever applied to a juried fair, you know what I mean by the email. For a select handful of crafters, when the email arrives, it means you have been given the opportunity to do a new and exciting fair (or an old favorite), to meet new people, maybe even to travel to a new city, and of course, make money doing what you love to do. For many more crafters this will also mean something else: getting a rejection email from a fair you wanted really wanted to participate in. When you apply for a fair and get rejected, it stinks. I know it does because it has happened to me. I don‘t say that often (and for good reasons, see below), but it is true and now you all know. I get rejected. So what? Well, here‘s the deal: when it comes to being rejected, you can do one of a few things: give up, talk trash, complain, whine and moan, or you can take it as a learning March 2011
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experience and grow from it. As an organizer of a regularly occurring fair (the Handmade Promenade) I hate having to send out rejection letters because I know it feels bad to get them. That being said, there are good ways to react to those letters, and of course bad. I know it‘s really upsetting to most people to be rejected from a fair. The real problem, however, is that many people really make terrible mistakes when they receive a rejection letter. Below is a list of some of the worst things you can do for yourself after being rejected, as well as how you can turn around and instead be a good loser! BAD LOSER: You get rejected and so you send an email to the organizer telling them off, telling them how awful they are, or that you hope they fail. GOOD LOSER TIPS: Don‘t ever tell off the organizer if you ever want to apply to that fair again. In fact, being rude to one organizer can result in the word spreading that you are hard to work with, and you may very well get rejected from many more fairs. If you get rejected from a fair, instead of telling off the organizer, email and ask simply what could have made your application stronger. Many organizers will take the time to respond (though many are very busy, so don‘t expect an immediate response). It could be that they simply had way too many people in the same category as you (every jewelry seller can relate to this!) or maybe your photos weren‘t the best and it didn‘t do your product justice. Maybe you didn‘t send in a complete application. Maybe you have been making the same old stuff for years now. Whatever the problem, you won‘t know if you don‘t ask. Don‘t hound the organizer for a response, but be kind and understanding and use the feedback given to create a stronger application in the future. Many fairs get hundreds of applications for so few slots that there isn‘t always going to be room to fit everybody in. If you don‘t get in, that doesn‘t mean you shouldn‘t ever try again. BAD LOSER: You get rejected so you storm over to your Facebook / Twitter / blog and tell off the organizer in a very public forum. (You can no begin to kiss your craft fair career goodbye). GOOD LOSER: Say nothing. Or, even better, go to the fair you got rejected from as a shopper, be sure to introduce yourself to the organizer and look around (and shop of course!) and see what others are doing that makes them stand out. Better yet, offer to volunteer and begin building a relationship with the organizer. Then, the next time the fair rolls around, re-apply and make yourself stand out above the rest by being unique as well as memorable for having stopped by and shopped or helped out at the last fair. BAD LOSER: You get rejected and you post it on Facebook / Twitter / blog. You don‘t tell anyone off, but you do say you got rejected from the fair and now all your fans or readers and probably the organizers see it. GOOD LOSER: Keep your rejection to yourself. Seriously. You can talk to a close friend or other crafter, but you don‘t need to share it with the world. Fans on Facebook don‘t need to know you got rejected, and you might not think so, but organizers see your posts, and they might consider that reason enough not to have you ever again.
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BAD LOSER: You get waitlisted and assume that means you are rejected and do any of the above and therefore sever ties for future events. GOOD LOSER: Being waitlisted does not mean that you have been rejected. Do not proceed to tell anyone off or be a bad loser about it. If you have been attending a fair for many seasons, the organizers might waitlist you to open up the fair to new faces. They have to keep the event interesting and new to shoppers and you might be offering the same quality goods as always, but they are always looking for newness. It doesn‘t mean they don‘t like you or never want you to apply again, but what it does mean is that if a spot opens, they may contact you to fill it. If you get waitlisted, you need to consider if you want to stay on the wait list or not. For some crafters, being waitlisted is bad because they don‘t want to make a ton of product for an event they might not attend in the end. If this is you, kindly tell the organizer you don‘t want to be stuck in this limbo because it doesn‘t allow you to prepare properly. If you want to stay on the wait list, make sure you are planning for the chance that you may be given a call later on to participate (especially expect this right after booth payments are due. Many who don‘t pay on time will lose their spot, allowing room for you to join). I know that these tips don‘t take the sting off of being rejected, but I promise, time will. There are also many things you can do to help you grow as a crafter after being rejected. I‘ll talk about those later next week, so look for some additional tips for dealing with rejection in part two of this article, ―Rejection. Now What?‖
Original Article on Handmadeology
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NatanyaElka says 1. Tell us your Etsy story.. how you got started in your craft and how you started selling on Etsy. I come from a family of artists, teachers, and avid story tellers. When I was 4, my grandmother informed my parents that I would pass on the family tradition. My little hands were always busy; my mother has always said that art supplies were her best babysitter. When it came to college, I knew that I would study fine art ~ I wasn‘t even questioned about my choice, and my first path was photography. I soon found that my heart wasn‘t in it (though it comes in handy, now) so I transferred colleges and studied the dying art of enamelwork. Most of my classmates were septuagenarians, but I loved it. To be honest, I first learned about enameling from my aunt, when I was only 5. She was an art teacher… surprise! As far as Etsy is concerned, I‘ve been buying from my fellow artists since the site was beta (I used a different name), so I‘ve been very active within the community since it‘s inception. Oh yeah, and I *also* spent ten years as an art teacher, while slowly harvesting an enormous cache of vintage enameling stock. I had a plan
2. What have you learned about business since you launched your Etsy shop? Oh, my goodness! What haven‘t I learned? Back in the day, when I was still in college, I ran an jewelry business, too. I traveled to shows and sold by word of mouth. I actually gave people my telly number! I think lots of people are under the misconception that shopping is still conducted March 2011
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in the same way, but it‘s really not. The most important thing is to network and create in equal amounts. I‘m an avid twitter user, facebooker, and blogger. I also wear certain jewelry pieces everywhere I go, even if I don‘t feel like it. Being stopped by appreciative strangers never gets old, and it can often lead to a sale… 3. Tell us one piece of advice for new sellers. Be yourself, and brand that image. Most of my sales come from people who appreciate my creations, but they really *love* my stories. Whenever I sell anything, I give folks a copy of the story to carry with them, since I want them to think of their purchase as a true keepsake. I like to picture their grandchildren opening up a box with my treasured tale inside. The idea that any of us can become part of another person‘s larger life story is as precious to me, as the jewelry I create. Thank you for reading this… much love to handmadeology for encouraging us to ALL tell our stories. xoxo, Nat Want your Etsy shop featured on Handmadeology? Click HERE for more details.
Original Article on Handmadeology
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Create a Custom Blog Header for Blogger Hi everyone! I‘m so excited to be here with you, sharing my tips and tricks on customizing blog themes. Since this is my first post on Handemadeology, I thought it‘d be best to start from the top (literally!)- so we‘ll learn how to create a custom blog header for your blogger blog. As we all know, the header is the first thing you‘ll probably notice when you visit a new blog. If you take your blogging seriously (or just want it to look great), you‘ll want to have an attractive header to get your readers‘ attention.
We‘ll be transforming this:
into this: Here‘s what you‘ll need: 1. A Blogger blog 2. A Photo-editing program (Photoshop, GIMP, etc) 3. Stock photos or other graphics/ logos Now let‘s get started! I do realize that most bloggers are using different templates. The first thing we need to find out is how wide your header is for your specific template. 1. Find the width of your current header.
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Go to Design-> Edit HTML, and do a search for ‗#outer-wrapper‘. You will see a width specification underneath. Your code should be something similar to this: #outer-wrapper { margin: 0 auto; width: 900px; And there it is! Ok, so now that we know the width of our header (900px), let‘s get creative! 2. Create a custom banner for your blog. Open up your photo editing program of choice and create a new document 900px wide. The height can be any value.
Now you‘ll grab all of those images we talked about, and create something fantastic! If you are looking for images, there are many websites that offer free clip art or you can purchase them from sites such as iStockphoto.com. This is where the bulk of your time will be spent, and you‘ll see that it‘s easy to get carried away. Once you‘re happy with the header, save it! (Note: If you want any part of your header to be transparent, you should save your file as a .gif or .png, and make sure ‗transparent‘ is selected.)
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3. Get „er installed. Now that we have a shiny new header, let‘s show it off to the world. Don‘t worry, this is the easy part! Go to Design-> Page elements-> Header -> Edit Then you will navigate to the file on your computer that you just saved, and select ―Instead of Title and Description‖. Save and view your blog.
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Nice, isn‘t it? If you‘re eager to keep going, you can learn how to customize your sidebar titles, or add a custom favicon to your blog. I‘ll be back soon with more tips and tricks for customizing your blog. (Theme shown- A Trickle of Meaning. Custom blog theme created by Viva la Violette)
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‘Gray & Yellow’ by jessicatorres
World Traveler Men’s Cuf…
Argyle and Ikat . Designer D…
Woodsmoke and Vanilla Shea B…
kimiko611
ModernMarvelou…
FlourishBathBo…
$30.00
$38.00
$5.50
Vintage CUTE AND COZY Plaid …
vintage armchair
Marlboro Man (size Medium/La…
blueberrydelux…
namedesignstud…
FineAndDandyVi…
$
$
$30.00
Several Shades of Grey Strip…
The Classy Gent Camera strap…
100 Lemon Tree Thank You Car…
remixedbyjacki
TechieGuysnGal…
ShopOlio
$12.00
$28.00
$200.00
Deer Antlers in Oval 8×10 Ar…
Willa Bag in Mustard and Gra…
Checkerboard Cut Steel Gray …
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aldari
handmadetherap…
kyleannemetals
$16.00
$48.00
$700.00
Trees of gold – Fine Art Pho…
gray whale soup bowl with ha…
iPhone Case – Grey Wool Felt…
honeytree
monicapharr
byrdandbelle
$28.00
$32.00
$28.00
Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.
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Make What You Love
ACEO - Blue Unicorn - Watercolor Painting |by: AnikasArt Quite a few years ago I took a class that talked about how to sell your artwork as a business. One thing the teacher said that seemed odd at first, but then really made sense, is to never make anything just because you think your customers will want it. In other words, trying to guess what people will buy and then making those things. You like unicorns because they are mystical and magical creatures. You think maybe people might want hand carved polished unicorn horns, so you get busy carving a bunch of those. Time drags, you don‘t really like carving unicorn horns that much and they‘re rather boring to make, but you think that‘s what going to sell. And then they don‘t. You‘re left with a bunch of unicorn horns in a corner of your studio that you don‘t like to look at much because they remind you of the drudgery it was to make them and you‘re a little mad because they‘re taking up space in your art room. Instead, let‘s say you decided that you wanted to crochet hats because you LOVE the new yarn you found at that cute shop and you just figured out how to make a little bird woven into the pattern. Time flies, especially when you‘re working on the little bird. The whole hat makes you happy because you‘re thinking about how fun it will be to wear it. You‘re thinking about how soft the yarn feels. You put it in the corner of your studio and you smile whenever you see it.
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Winter Crochet Set: Cream & Brown Hat, Scarf, and Mittens | by: naomishandiwork That‘s what you should be making! Even if no one buys it, it makes you happy. And then maybe while you were working on the little bird you got an idea for different color or a different pattern. You‘re off! You‘ll make a bunch of them and when you‘re at the market selling your little table of stuff, you‘ll get excited when someone asks you about that hat. They‘ll be able to see how excited you are, how much fun you had making it, and they‘ll buy it! And then you‘re a little sad to see it go, because you loved it. Keep doing that and you‘ll be successful. Original Article on Handmadeology
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I can Do It All By Myself
There are times when you as a crafter might say to yourself, ―I don‘t have to buy that. I can make one.‖ I venture to say that we can probably each claim a piece of that pie. Sometimes, the pie is fresh-baked apple pie goodness. Sometimes the pie is half-baked, four-and-twenty blackbirds badness. Let‘s explore both sides of that coin. Below is an excerpt from a recent conversation with Jennifer Hutchings, Etsy owner of Dances With Flowers. I closed our conversation with ―I‘ve had to come to the realization that even though I can do anything I set my mind to, that I don‘t have the time to do it all!‖ This is her response: ―Wow, that is sooooo true that just because you CAN doesn‘t mean you should! My sis and I have a joke about saying ―I can do that!‖ We‘ve spent YEARS seeing something we like, then thinking we can do it better/cheaper. OMG, the money and time I‘ve spent chasing that particular tail! /lol I think the ―I can do that‖ that finally sank it was a couple years ago at Halloween. I‘ve never been a big fan of silk flowers, but I saw an autumn arrangement in a catalog that showed a big pumpkin as the vase, along with the most adorable little owl… and they wanted some horrible amount of money… and I just HAD to have it… so I went to Michael‘s and spent HOURS picking out all the stuff… got up to the register and almost fell over when the total was twice what the catalog had asked – and I still had to assemble it! Rofl‖ March 2011
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I can so relate to that! I have tons of tutu-making material shoved in a box in my closet. I finally broke down and ordered this one for my daughter‘s upcoming 4th birthday. Too bad she wouldn‘t be just as happy with a cord cover.
Most of the time, you can‘t buy only the amount that you need for your project, so you really end up spending more than the item would have cost if you had purchased it out right from someone who has made it their profession. And you‘re stuck with an expensive, probably crappy, version of what you could have purchased for less money and frustration. Now on to the good pie. I fell in love with mason jar lighting. But I was not about to pay the price that was being asked for them. My husband and I went to Lowe‘s and found the pendant kits on clearance for $7 a piece. I already had the mason jars. Twenty minutes after we got home, I had my new mason jar lighting completed, adding wonderful character to our country
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cottage. Granted, I am so blessed because my Jim-of-All-Trades had electrical and minor engineering know-how to make this a reality. Thanks once again to my marvelous, outstanding husband! To buy your own, check out Lamp Goods on Etsy.
Only you know your craftiness skills (or your husband‘s) and your procrastination tendencies, which can also be classified as a skill. If it is just a few extra dollars out of pocket, save yourself the time and frustration and just buy the product already made, especially if it benefits one of us many indie Etsians. If you would like for me (aka my husband, but I‘ll hold the camera) to make a tutorial on mason jar lighting, please comment and let me know.
Original Article on Handmadeology
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An Interview with Illustrator and Graphic Designer Nicole Gustafsson of Nimasprout I was excited to have the opportunity to interview Nicole Gustafsson, the fantastically talented illustrator behind Nimasprout. Nicole creates drawings, gouache paintings and prints that depict tiny and complex universes filled with imagination. Trained as a graphic designer, Nicole is currently working as a full time artist, part time framer and free lance designer. I first met Nicole through an artist residency program, and then started noticing her work all over in galleries, at friends‘ houses, local shops and craft fairs. She has a great following for her work both online and in her local community, and I talked with her about how she‘s been able to navigate between graphic design and fine art, the web and local customers and galleries. 1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get started creating drawings, paintings and prints? My name is Nicole and I am an illustrator/designer working in Lincoln, Nebraska. I grew up in Norfolk, Nebraska and my interest in art and drawing was apparent from a very young age. My childhood was a mixture of running around the neighborhood with my friends and then hanging out in my room and drawing. My family was always very supportive with encouraging my artwork, and my school would enter my work in art contests. It was very exciting to see people‘s reaction to my artwork, and it helped me to gain confidence to pursue art as a living.
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Beautiful Journey, Gouache & Ink on Wood, 2011 – Commission for the group Nature Explore, whose goal is to provide comprehensive resources to help young children connect more deeply with the world around them.
2. How do you balance your creative energy with the business side of selling and promoting your work? I wake up in the morning and focus on checking my emails, Etsy, and blog right away. That way if there are questions, orders, and messages I can answer them right away and get back to the customer. Then, when that‘s all done, I work on one of my paintings or any graphic design projects I have.
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Nicole‘s home studio in Lincoln, Nebraska 3. What have been the biggest obstacles for you while trying to make a living selling your art? I think the main challenges for any artist are time and finances. Time to do what you love, and spending time with loved ones. Making sure that I have enough money to pay the bills, fund my projects, and get some groceries is always on the back of my mind. I have a part time job in the afternoons at a frame shop to help support my income. I love having a set job schedule to go to in the afternoon and it gets me out of the house (I have some hermit like tendencies) I like to see what projects people are bringing in to have framed and working at the frame shop is another way I can create with my hands.
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Commissioned illustration set with poster and tin for the Nebraska Book Company, 2008
4. One of the things I admire about you is the great support you have for your work in the local community. What advice do you have for those looking to grow and maintain a following both on and off the web? My advice would be to talk to the customers you do have. This may be meeting them at an art reception or answering emails. I think word of mouth is some of the best free advertising an artist can have. For example, friends may be visiting at someone‘s house and see my work, then they could go online, or to a local gallery to see more of my work. Listen to what you customers like about your work, a lot of times people want a companion piece to add to their collection. Art is a great way to connect to people and make longtime friends in the process too. 5. What are three great ways youâ€&#x;ve found to promote your work and interact with potential customers? The best way I have found to promote my work is through the Internet. I started a blog when I was in college, and more recently I started a Facebook fanpage and Twitter account. Blogging has been really great for tracking my work and events in my life. I like looking back a year ago and remembering what I did and where I was. Twitter and Facebook have been really beneficial to connecting with others, where as people may be shy to post on my blog. When I update twitter or post new projects to Facebook, minutes later I can have comments and reactions to my work. I have found it very supportive and encouraging.
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6. You make prints, paintings, drawings and now adorable T-shirts as well. In addition to diversifying your artistic practice, do you find these help make your work accessible to those with different budgets who would love to own your work? I began making illustrated cards, and t-shirt designs to have something available at a lower price point in my Etsy store and have more seasonal items to sell at holiday shows or craft fairs. It definitely helps to make my work more accessible and I like that my work may then appeal to a broader audience. Even though cards and shirts may have a lower price point, it is still very important to me to pick high quality materials and printers for items.
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7. You are involved in some awesome fundraisers for charities right now. Tell us a little bit about the charities and how other artists and shoppers can help. Two of the major fundraisers I did this year was Desert Bus for Hope and Art Blocks for Ghana. Desert Bus for Hope raises money for Childs Play who provides games, books, and toys for children in hospitals. They raise money in a few ways, the main and original way they did this is by a playing the game Desert Bus, non-stop, for several days straight and live-streaming it on the internet, during that time items can be auctioned off while they play the game. Originally the auctions consisted mostly of geek swag, t-shirts, posters, etc, but in recent years the biggest items were pieces of artwork and crafts that were inspired by video games and geek culture. I donated two pieces (inspired by Legend of Zelda and Mario Brothers) and had incredible responses from the video game community. The latest charity I was involved in is Art Blocks for Ghana. They are auctioning off original works of art created by top artists within the animation and illustration community to provide boarding and education for orphaned children in Ghana, West Africa. This has been very rewarding to be included with a great group of artists. They also had two exhibits, one in New York and the other in Los Angeles, for people to view the works in person and I gained exposure to a wider audience that way. I usually get ten or so requests a year for charity art donations, and of those I try to pick two or three charities a year to participate in that I really believe in. As an artist it is important to do
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your research on charities, because otherwise your work could go for way below it‘s value and then it doesn‘t help the fundraiser and undervalues your hard work. Desert Bus and Art Blocks for Ghana are fundraisers that I know will directly impact the lives of others and I can meet other artists and groups. These two charities are also great because they update the artists exactly how their donation was used to help reach their goals. I highly recommend reading more about Nicole‘s studio practice through her wonderfully written blog, and taking a look at her beautiful artwork and graphic design on her websites and at craft fairs and galleries throughout the MidWest. Thank you Nicole for sharing your work with us!
Original Article on Handmadeology
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I have been drawn to this mixed media art on Etsy.com many times. I have used it in treasuries and I always find myself going back to look for it. It speaks to me. It is the juxtaposition of the girly petal pink, framing the devastation in Haiti which has taken away this little girl‘s childhood. She aches yet she is still hopeful. I had no idea the artist was still a little girl herself! I am so happy I can share this young seller‘s Etsy shop with you today. Her name is Kate and her store, On Behalf Of, exists in honor and recognition of children who cannot do for themselves. This big sister of three adopted children is still a little girl herself, yet she has traveled the world and has seen firsthand, those who others often look past. This has inspired the artwork, photography, and the crafting you will see here and in her very special Etsy shop. Wear this Orphan Care Bracelet in honor of the millions of orphaned children who hold on to their hope.
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Kate divides Ninety percent of the proceeds from each item in her shop and gives to the following organizations. Lahash International: http://www.lahash.net Blood: Water Mission: http://www.bloodwatermission.com Not For Sale Campaign: http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/ John M. Perkins Foundation: http://http://www.jmpf.org Shaohannah‘s Hope: http://www.shophope.org A Beautiful Idea: http://www.beautifulidea.us/ In Kate‘s own words, ―Now that I have seen, I am responsible.‖ Her art and craft help to provide clean water in developing countries, to free modern day slaves, to care for orphans, and provide medical help to those with HIV. Kate is still a little girl, doing a very grown up thing. Please help and shop at On Behalf Of, in honor of those who have not. You can also follow along Kate‘s blog to learn of her day to day involvement in bettering your world.
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This is a super easy quick project that costs next to nothing, wont stump you, and will make you smile for sure. Here is what you‘ll need, how to do it, and what it costs: Materials: purchased at True Value A stump: FREE Wiring, we got ours at Ikea: $4 Lamp Shade (optional): $10 Tools: 1 1/4 ‖ Hole bit: $10 1 1/4″ thick metal electrical pipe‖ $8 Router (optional) Total: $20-$25
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These photos really do the talking for us! Drill a hole down the center of the whole length of the stump with the 1 1/4″ hole bit. Decide what you want to be the top and the bottom of the stump. On the bottom of the stump, rout away space where the cord can fit in so the stump fits flat on your surface. Shove the pipe in the top, and then feed the cord through the top. Add your bulb and lamp shade – and you are set!
You can modify this however you want. We are thinking about spray painting the stump white, or covering the stump in a polyurethane. This stump we placed in the mudroom, and have been playing with other methods for the bedroom and maybe even the kitchen. We decided to work with stumps after a large storm in New York knocked down a bunch of trees and people were throwing them away. Have you found a good use for a stump? We would love to know! We love natural wood, and are trying to create new ways to use stumps in design, beyond the obvious. Lets get legal: We were one of the 10 bloggers True Value has chosen to work on The Blog Squad , and we are way excited to take on the challenge of showing you exciting DIY projects. They have compensated us for our time and writing, and provided materials for the projects we have worked on. However, our opinions are entirely our own and we have not been paid to publish positive comments. Did we mention we are excited to show you our DIY Blog Squad Projects? Original Article on Handmadeology
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I‟m a Helpy Helper
A Good Neighbor is the Best Possession Handmade Upcycled Necklace I‘m a Helpy Helper
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This is how the story goes down. I‘m browsing, browsing, browsing (on Etsy). Oh, that looks nice. Wow! Great photo, great product! I never would have put those colors together. I should do that. Love that photo prop. Hmmm, great product, photo could use some help. Let‘s see here. Point and click. Download. Point and click. Autofix complete. Quick message to shop owner with attachment of improved photo. (See before and afters here.) Back to browsing. Cool pic. Let‘s go take a look around in the shop. Surely she doesn‘t know that‘s misspelled. Short, gentle message to shop owner. Here we go, a little bit more time to kill. What‘s this? Ooooh, Mama likes! What else she got? Awesome shop all the way around. Quick message to shop owner telling her to keep up the great work. What do I get out of all this? Just the simple satisfaction knowing that I am hopefully being a help, being an encouragement to some other soul out there. As of yet, no one has been offended. Of course, never brag on your kids or dog, right? I think most of us always have those pregnant doubts in the back of our mind. Does this look good? I wish somebody would help me! I don‘t know what to do here. What do people think of my shop? Does everybody have one boob that‘s smaller than the other (Oo)? And just when you are in the heat of the moment, rearranging your shop, updating your profile, feeling the groove, something breaks in on you. The phone, the kids, the dog, the husband. Maybe all of them at once. Then, it‘s gone, that short moment of inspiration, the magazine feature you were daydreaming about, it all gets shut down and by the time you get everybody to shut up and leave you alone for 5 minutes, you and the one-eyed monster are having a staring contest again. (That would be your monitor, folks!) We as a community have to help each other out. I know that I‘ve just been at this online shopowner thing for only a few months now, but I have already made up my mind that I‘m going to be successful. With all of the hard work, long hours, and dedication that I have put into this, failure is not an option! And I‘m very pleased with my progress. Recently I built my own website and that has given me the ability to do better advertising, so I get sales from my Etsy shop and from www.CordCoversAndMore.com. I can‘t brag on Tim, the brains behind handmadeology.com, enough. I don‘t even remember how I found the site, but I am so glad that I did. His articles on SEO are da bomb! His site allows me the perfect outlet to help others in the same way that he has helped me: by providing great information for me to use and by giving me a chance to share my information with others. This article may not have any hardcore information in it, but sometimes you just need a friend to talk to. Won‘t you be my neighbor? If you see something awry in one of my articles or something in my shop, please let me know. Regardless of what my dog thinks, I‘m really not perfect.
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One of the jobs I had in my past-life was training adults how to use the computer. My classes covered everything from general computer knowledge up to advanced Microsoft Office end-user classes and lots of things in between. It really bothers me that I have so much knowledge that I‘m just sitting on. If you have questions that Google just can‘t answer, give me a holler. Just contact me through my Etsy shop. It will be our little secret, so the whole world doesn‘t have to read the critique. No matter how tough we think we are, very few of us can handle criticism, especially out in public. Whoever said the best things in life are free was apparently right!
Original Article on Handmadeology
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Successful Craft Show Tips
So, for those of you looking for some tips on how to have a successful craft fair, here are my favorite links from the last year or so, with tips for having a successful craft fair: From the fab Jessica at Funky Finds, here‘s a brand new page chock full of useful information and helpful craft fair tips. From Craft Fair Explosion, a great set of tips on staying hydrated in hot weather (which is not an immediate threat this time of year, but we all know it‘s coming! From the Etsy blog, a great list of tips for craft show displays and a great list of seller tips for craft fairs. From Meylah , a great article on how to make memorable product tags (because every single item that leaves your booth should be tagged) and because you can‘t have too many ideas for setting up your craft booth, here are some additional tips for setting up a craft booth that customers can‘t resist. From Handmadeology, a great article on lessons learned from someone‘s first craft fair, especially important to note are the tips for dealing with the weather at outside shows. From Oh My, Handmade Goodness, an article about breaking into the craft fair circuit (in case you are still on the fence about doing a craft show). March 2011
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And, from my own blog, an article exploring how to have a successful out-of-state craft fair. This is a great article to read if you are thinking of taking your business on the road. I hope you‘ll take time to read all of these links and be fully prepared for your next fair. I‘d love to hear some of your favorite tips for having a successful show when you set up at fairs, so be sure to share them in the comments! {Above photo from ―Show Me Your Booths‖ Flicker Photo Group} Original Article on Handmadeology
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This is a SINGLE ITEM sample ad If you are interested in getting your Etsy shop In the March Edition of Handmadeology you can find out more info HERE. Circulation 7,000+.
Eco-Conscious Success: An Interview with Olive Bites Studio I figured that if we all want to know a little something about making sales on Etsy, I‘d better contact Cat Ivins. She‘s got more than 8,800 sales between her two successful Etsy shops, Uncorked andPolarity. Cat gets her Etsy Veteranship from Uncorked Jewelry (the most fantabulously awesome and original handmade cork jewelry on the planet!), opened in late 2007 with well over 2,500 sales. Below, she describes the process in harvesting the renewable cork she uses for these unique pieces. In addition, Polarity (the original magnetic, interchangeable jewelry!) has made more than 6,000 sales. This jewelry is made from recycled metal, and Cat teams up with other Etsy sellers to use their artwork in some of her lockets! This is what Cat has to say about herself: ―I am a mad scientist mom and recycler living at the Jersey Shore using repurposed, recycled and sustainable materials in new, unique and beautiful ways committed to leaving the lightest possible footprint in my wake.‖ Buying from either of Cat‘s shops feels like being part of a global effort to shop smarter. All of Cat‘s products are birthed from her Olive Bites Studio. She also writes about her life and her shops, as well as selling on Etsy, at the Olive Bites Blog. I personally loved her ideas on marketing her shops in this post. Please enjoy the interview!
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Woodland Creatures Recycled Magnetic LOCKET SET By Polarity You have TWO successful Etsy shops! How demanding is that? Ugh! Yes, I wouldn‘t usually recommend this! I really have one studio – Olive Bites – and then 2 lines right now which I have in separate Etsy stores. If I had it to do over again I might have had just one store named for my studio, but who knows if that would have totally mucked it upthis big old internet demands niche thinking and the names of my lines are may be more memorable this way. My lines use some of the same materials and of course have a similar aesthetic and viewpoint so it is really all one in my head. Which of your shops gets more love and playtime, Polarity or Uncorked? Do you have a favorite or do you love them both equally? I usually say Polarity is my head and Uncorked is my heart. I do love them both equally – Uncorked definitely gets more play time and Polarity definitely gets more work time. Although my work is often play (not always- this is a maker myth, I think- when I read the Quit Your Day Job people saying how they get up at 10 and walk the dog and sip their coffee- I think, huh? – I have to hit the ground running every day- this stuff is work). Between the two, you‟ve made more than 8,800 sales. That‟s amazing! Do you feel that the higher your sales, the more momentum your shops have? Not exactly. I definitely have a lot of repeat customers and I have a lot of hearts and people definitely find me that way and I think there is some of the ‗nothing draws a crowd like a crowd and people wanting what other people want‘ thinking that sometimes goes into buyer‘s habits, so it definitely helps to be established. For people starting on Etsy today it is definitely harder. But, I find that everything has a certain life cycle and what works for a while for you will eventually stop working, so I constantly have to evolve and change things – and try new ways to get seen and new places to sell. Do slow sales days (weeks, or months, for that matter) still freak you out? Or have you learned that the customers are always coming and the business is ever-expanding? I used to have a cart in the mall during the holidays and every day I never sold a thing for the first 2 hours and every day I would freak out and think I would never sell another thing ever again … I still get this way sometimes, but not as much. I have a little more trust now that there is more out there for me – and as with everything there is a definite ebb and flow you have to work with – some people work harder during ebbs to get things moving, but lately I‘ve been trying to just go with the ebbs, too, and spend that time recharging with other things and doing less and then really working the flow periods.
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said, ―Cat, girls want to wear silver and gold and gemstones and stuff that is shiny and new.‖ Describe your “zone.” What‟s it like when you‟re creating your lockets and other jewelry? My favorite zone will probably always be time alone with some junk to just play with new ideas, but since I do a lot of production work- most of my locket making time is the repetitivecleaning, drilling, brazing and sanding and I used to fight against the sameness of production work, but in the last year or so I have grown to appreciate it more – it has an almost meditative quality to it – you really can‘t be thinking about anything else when working with fire and there is something very centering about that. What would you say has been the best marketing strategy for Polarity? Definitely the collaborations with other artists – when I first launched Polarity it sold pretty quickly because I was already somewhat established with Uncorked, but nothing amazing really happened with it until I started working with other artists for the illustrations. I think the energy of multiple makers working together is multiplied by a thousand! Uncorked Jewelry is made of cork oak from Portugal (a renewable material). Describe its harvesting, and please tell me how you discovered this material! Cork is harvested by removing the bark of the cork oak – an extremely delicate process done by experienced harvesters with machetes (yes, extremely delicate work with machetes – these guys are amazing!) There is a very thin skin-like membrane between the bark and the inner trunks of each tree and they need to make sure to leave that intact. The bark grows back over the next 9 or 10 years and gets harvested again. I have loved cork for a long time- the first cork I worked with was flooring underlay because we had some left over from a floor we put in and I transferred images on that with an iron and made coasters for Christmas presents.
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Save the BEES Cork Earrings in Test Tube by Uncorked I was reading through your blog, and I loved Wednesday Whines (a sort of behind-thescenes into Cat‟s life)! What started your Wednesday Whines file? I‘m not sure- probably something that drove me crazy happened and I just felt like whining about it. I know I got more comments on the whine posts than regular posts so I made it a regular thing – I have cut back a little bit because I found myself looking for things to whine about and realized this may not be a good way to go through life! But I don‘t think we have to act like everything is always perfect and like we have it all together on our blogs- I think we have to keep it more real than that or what‘s the point … Finish this sentence: When I was 18, I thought … I knew everything, some days I wish I still thought this. What is the neatest thing you have ever bought or made from recycled material?
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The neatest thing would be a table that my husband fabricated from a rusted truck hood- it is gorgeous. At the time we thought he would start a new business with work like this- but he a perfectionist maniac and spent weeks and weeks making it so we realized it was not something he could do right now for money unless we wanted to stop eating, but it is very cool. My favorite thing I made lately is a cork chandelier which I will be posting a tutorial for on my blog sometime this spring. What was the last book you read or movie you watched that moved you? Lately I‘ve been reading a lot of business books- loved ReWork – and Scandinavian detective fiction like Henning Mankell. I loved Still Alice, A Discovery of Witches and Inside a Dog. I need to get to more movies! I did see The King‘s Speech and it was excellent although I can‘t totally deal with Colin Firth as anyone other than Mr. Darcy. I recently realized that if I won the lottery, I wouldn‟t change much about what I do every day because I‟m doing so much of what I love! So, I‟m wondering: if you won the lottery tomorrow, what would change about your life? I would travel much, much more- we work way too much and have been talking about this lately- how life is short and we need to do this more. I would expand my production and hire lots of people in my town who are out of work and I would somehow buy my way into my own ecocrafting show on the green channel …. and mallomars, I am addicted and would buy lots of mallomars. Thank you, Cat! It‟s been absolutely captivating ♥ Stop by Uncorked and Polarity and Olive Bites Studio for more inspiration from Cat. Until next time!
Original Article on Handmadeology
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Benefits of Joining an Etsy Team I have never been the ―join a team‖ type of person. I am an introvert and have trouble asking for help unless I am in a perilous situation. I was selling my handmade jewelry in my Etsy.com store, Your Daily Jewels, for about six months. I should say, I was ―not selling‖ on Etsy for this time. I kept reading how sellers were quitting their day jobs and everything they did to achieve this. So, following their suggestions, off I ventured into blogging, Facebooking, Tweeting and a lot of other activities I had never before considered. Sales were still slow, (on a good day.) Discouraged, I decided to try shaking it up one more way. I threw caution to the wind and applied and was accepted into the Jewelry on Etsy Team, on Etsy.com
Crowd 41- 8 X 10 Print | by: SydnorWorks
The Jewelry on Etsy Team, (JET), is the premier organized group of jewelery crafters and sellers on Etsy.com. Eighty seven woman and one man make up this eclectic, cohesive, and very active group. Led by a Captain and three leaders, the JETs promote together, support, and educate each other; and laugh together on their forum that runs twenty four hours a day with their international membership. The JETS hold contests, special promotions, and friendly competitions all year long. The JET leaders keep an alphabetical list of members from which they choose a daily, ―Jet of the Day,‖ or JOD, to celebrate. On your JOD day, the entire team promotes you on Twitter,
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Facebook, Stumble Upon, Kaboodle, Style Hive, Treasuries and more. There is also a feature written just for your store that day on the JET Blog!
The JETs accept new members several times a year, but they do have a waiting list. Once you join, you start as a Jetling. In other words, you are assigned a mentor who helps you with all aspects of Etsy and the JETs. Smartly, the JETs require members to participate in the forum from time to time. This is great for me, otherwise my shyness may keep me from really taking part. I am still a Jetling and I could not be happier that I took a chance with a team. I have made local friends and friends from all over the world, my store looks more professional, my photos are so much better, and my prices are higher. All due to the community of JETS. Sales are great for me on most days, and on the slow days, the JETs keep my spirits up.
If you have been on the fence about joining an Etsy team, or maybe you are like me who thought I would never join a team. What is they say is the definition of crazy? Oh yeah, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Try challenging your fears and look into and apply to a team. There are hundreds of teams focused on anything you can think up as a common interest. I bet you will find one that betters your Etsy experience. You may end up like me, now I am on three teams! Thank you for reading, Norah Original Article on Handmadeology
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Upcycled Etsy Clocks
Here’s a gift idea that won’t
tick you off! Recycled soda caps “Clockpop” $25, Reaction Gifts.
I am always surprised with the talents of those artists on Etsy, and some creations I would never have imagined were possible. Kudos for these sellers who have taken old items that would otherwise end up tossed out or in a landfill and upcycled them into something grand, stylish, and functional. What‘s more, if you are shopping for male or female, look no further, these are unisex gift ideas. Which is your favorite? Tell me below!
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Military Canteen Time , $32 by IMOTIME. This seller makes clocks out of everything
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See what I mean? Time to Grate, $32, from IMOTIME! purses, boots, you name it!
Nintendo Games Can be Preserved Forever on the Wall , $22, CAE CLOCKS.
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These HubCap Clocks range from 1930′s Ford $55.99 to 1965 Corvette $89.99 by StarlingInk
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Did I mention (StarlingInk) also has hood ornament wall clocks?
KaileyHawthorn enjoys turning a record into a work of art, $45, handpainted record clock.
EyePopArt also uses records, even though the style makes them appear 3D, this one $55.
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RetroBabs loves using old vintage plates for clocks, to match the sets you collect, this one $25.
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Here’s a new one…. “RLBECC” aka Rather Large Blue Enamel Cup Clock $28.50 by WoodstockClocks.
Our Very Own TimothyAdamDesigns makes mod metal art clocks! This one, $39.50.
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Recycled Bike Brake Disc Clock, from PixelThis, $43
I should mention they also carry bike wheel clocks, $117 at PixelThis.
So there you have it. Clocks made from just about everything. There‘s plenty more adorning the walls of Etsy if you look hard enough. You will see book clocks, pink flamingo (yard
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decorations) upcycled into clocks, purses and bags made into clocks, circuit board clocks and even some CD clocks. Which above is your favorite? I always thought when you wrote an article you shouldn‘t say what your personal favorite is, so as not to upset everyone else. I do believe there‘s enough cool clocks here to adorn many people‘s tastes, so I have no problem sharing the one I love (not listed above):
Girls Only: Boot Clock from IMOTIME, $45.
This article brought to you by Cindy of RetroChalet originally published on VintageChalet Blog
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Depth and Beauty – an Interview with Henry Parsinia
ORIGINAL Abstract Contemporary Fine Modern rich textured Painting by Henry Parsinia Just take a moment and the let beauty of Henry Parsinia‘s art settle over you. I pass by a lot of paintings on Etsy, but few of them have the depth and tug of Henry‘s pieces. When most people think of birth, their idea might be of a child passing from darkness into light. But when I look at ―New Birth‖ I see the opposite, which is really often the reality of being born. You are separated from your warm, protected cove and thrust forward into the world, which can be a dark and cold place, if you allow it. I‘m not saying that was what Henry was thinking. Just my own thoughts.
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Here are some thoughts from Henry about his work: My name is Henry Parsinia, a self taught abstract artist in Los Angles California and I have been painting since 1975. I started painting as a hobby when I was just a teenager on a self-made canvas and I just related to the art so much and kept on painting whenever I had free time. In my work I realize artistic conceptions in the field of abstract expressionism. This form of art hasn‘t got limits or boundaries on languages. The feelings and emotions are more important than the regimentation and reason. I try to create an art so it is comprehensible and reachable for all. After reading his responses to my interview questions, I wanted to ask more! But I didn‘t. Instead, I just inserted them in with the rest of the interview, unasked, therefore unanswered, except for the imaginary dialogue in my mind. One thing I‟ve learned about Los Angeles is that nobody is really from there. Where did you spend your childhood? I come from a city called Shiraz which is south west of Tehran in Iran and have been here since 1977. What was it like growing up in Iran? Do you miss it, in spite of the ever-present turmoil? Not just do you miss your relatives, but do you miss the heart of your native country? I absolutely love your creation ―Hope‖. Works like these are always inspired. What was the inspiration behind this beautiful piece? The inspiration behind the piece Hope is exactly as its name states. I think as an artist I can not lose hope and can not get disappointed for any hardship we face.
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Original Abstract Contemporary Fine Modern rich textured Painting by Henry Parsinia Was life difficult for you after September 11? I heard so many stories about unfair treatment. Did the sale of your work suffer? From start to finish, what is the average time it takes you to complete one painting? The time to complete a painting is all depended on your mood and size of it, but for a normal piece is about 3 to 4 days. How many unfinished works do you have that you lost the inspiration to finish? What is your favorite creation?
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All my paintings are somehow special to me but some more than the others and Hope is one of them and I hope it would inspire as many as possible. For those of you who may be a little wary of pricing the works of your heart, please take notice that Henry is not lacking in the sales department. Let your love shine! If you love your work, so will others. Check out Henry‘s shop, and experience falling in love all over again.
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Top 40 LOW BUDGET Advertising and Promotion Ideas I started Beantown Handmade with zero start-up money, so I‘ve had to get creative with free advertisting strategies over the last two years. Here are my top 40 free (or super cheap) methods of promoting your Etsy shop and attracting more viewers to your products. I‘ve collected all my favorite marketing and promotion articles from Handmadeology and across the web and linked to them throughout this list. Some of these we‘ve heard a lot about like Facebook and Twitter, others may seem a little out there but could be worth your while. Hopefully there will a few new ideas or new articles here that will help make things happen for you and your shop!
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1. Take great photos so your items reach Etsy‘s Front Page – this has been the most successful free advertising we‘ve had in our two years on Etsy 2. Create Treasuries, Be in Treasuries 3. Make connections with Twitter 4. Make connections with Facebook 5. Post photos of your process on Flickr and participate in Flickr groups, Tumblr is another great blog/photo site 6. Comment on the Etsy blog, The Storque 7. Write your own blog, create meaningful content 8. Comment on other blogs, many blogs will link your name back to your website. When you comment make sure you enter your website in the field that asks for it. 9. Do a giveaway on a blog or website 10. Use all 14 tags to describe your item, use a few unique words/colors/descriptors 11 Offer promo codes on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc. 12. Post promo codes to sites like Etsy Saver 13. Include promo codes for returning buyers in your orders 14. Send out a monthly/quarterly shop newsletter with a free site like MailChimp 15. Hand out business cards, take them with you everywhere 16. Participate in a craft show, make sure to hand out business cards or postcards 17. Participate in Etsy Forums 18. Shop Etsy 19. Use the Etsy favorites and circle features 20. Leave feedback for Etsy purchases and sales 21. Use Google Analytics to analyze existing traffic so you can reach your target audience and keep them in your shop 22. Keep visitors in your shop by Including links to shops sections and other items in your listing descriptions 23. Fill in your country, city and state so people can find you using the Shop Local feature 24. Sign up for the Etsy newsletters so you can stay on top of opportunities, merchandising topics, and current trends 25. Optimize listing descriptions for google search 26. Ship internationally 27. Donate items to charity fundraisers, include a stack of business cards 28. Brand your items with sewn in tags, hang tags, and packaging (especially if you wholesale) 29. Provide awesome service and communication to your existing customers, they‘ll tell their friends 30. Find free places to advertise in your local community – put your business cards up in coffee shops, at your salon, gym, or places your customers might frequent 31. Post your items and others on Handmade Top 10 32. Optimize your shop‘s SEO with backlinks 33. Offer a variety of items at different price points, this will attract a wider range of buyers to your listings 34. Use your own products in public as much as possible (wear them, etc.) 35. Post tutorials on YouTube 36. Collaborate with another Etsian
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37. Create a Kaboodle profile 38. Enlist family, friends and trusted clients to help you spread the word about your products. Word of mouth is some of the best advertising out there. 39. List your site in internet directories 40. Give out a free trial product – not something we all want to do, but sometimes if you make something great it can pay to let people try it out firsthand I would love to hear some additional ways you‘ve found to creatively promote your shop. Maybe we can reach 100 ideas and make this the most comprehensive list of free handmade marketing tips on the web!
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A ModernTake on the Doily $850 Lamp for less than $50? Yes Please!
Hello Pretty people! We are so excited to share a project we did this past weekend. A few months ago, I came across a ceiling lamp, I absolutely loved. It was $850, and I just couldn‘t justify the spend, being it was simply made of doilies. I can‘t claim the quality of the lamp we DIYed is the same of the more expensive one, but I can say, we are pretty darn happy with the results! If you want to make your own doily pendant, keep reading fellow DIYers, it‘s a rewarding and messy project!
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To get started, you are going to need a few things to make this project successful. Here is a list to get you started: corn starch balloon (we used a 40‖ blown up until completely round, as pictured) upholstery thread (but any thread will do) twine drop cloth school glue cheap paintbrush petroleum jelly lamp kit 24+ doilies stiff stuff We sewed the doilies around the balloon with the upholstery thread, very carefully. We simply sewed edge of one doily, to the edge of the next, with some random overlapping. Our puppy
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Rocket, was very curious about what we were up to, don‘t mind him.
Make sure to create a space to place your bulb socket. We used some twine, and coiled it inside of a circle we cut out to create a custom fit. The image below is after we coated everything with
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the solution, but we wanted you to see how we prepped the space.
Once you have sewn about ž of your balloon, stop and do the last Ÿ separately. You will join the two parts together, after you have saturated them together in the solution.
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Lay down your tarp and hang your balloon from some twine above the tarp. We placed a large pipe across our kitchen, placing each end on the counter. We have seen people do similar projects using a curtain rod and chairs – it‘s up to you. We do suggest however, making sure you have a large tarp laying under your hanging balloon. Rub the balloon down with the petroleum jelly. This feels totally weird, and wrong. It kinda made us giggle. Mix 5 oz of the school glue with 4 tbsp of the corn starch and ¼ cup of warm water together until it‘s not lumpy. I got this recipe from ruffeled.com, from a string lantern they created, and it worked great! After your solution is smooth, take a cheap paintbrush, and coat the inside of the doily clothes you just created. Try not to use more than ½ of the solution. This is the point where it‘s going to get messy, very very messy. After you have painted the inside of both the doily sheets you have sewn together, place them both on the balloon and line them up to where they connect. Sew the two sheets of doily together. Now, you are probably all dirty from the jelly and the solution, but now you are going to get realllllllly dirty. Use your fingers to cover the whole entire exterior of the doilies with the solution. Yep. Dirty. When you are complete, let your doilies dry for about 24 hours, the pop the balloon!
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When you are complete, let your doilies dry for about 24 hours, the pop the balloon!
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It should look something like the image above! Use a clear coat to cover the inside and outside of your brand spanking new doily globe! Pretty neat!? Once the clear coat is dry, give it a few hours, you can connect your lamp kit, and hanging it where you like. We decided to cover the cord with twine, to give it a neutral color story, but you can do what you like! Perhaps paint it a variety of colors? Hot pink? Black? So many colors would look great with your new pendant!
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It should look something like the image above! Use a clear coat to cover the inside and outside of your brand spanking new doily globe! Pretty neat!? Once the clear coat is dry, give it a few hours, you can connect your lamp kit, and hanging it where you like. We decided to cover the cord with twine, to give it a neutral color story, but you can do what you like! Perhaps paint it a variety of colors? Hot pink? Black? So many colors would look great with your new pendant!
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Unique handmade aprons and pillow covers Sewn by Sally.
My mother-in-law is one creative lady. When she asked if I would help her set up her Etsy shop, I was excited cause I knew she would be filling it with unique creations. You can find her brand new Etsy Shop HERE.
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How Much Are Those Earrings? Pricing Tips For Etsy Sellers
Rustic, Organic, Copper Earrings Now that you‘re making only the things you love and that make you happy, how do you put a price on it? I‘ve researched and read a lot of advice about how to price artwork. There are formulas you can use to get you started. An excerpt from the Etsy blog gives this simplified formula: Cost Price (Labor + Materials Cost) x 2 = Your Wholesale Price Wholesale Price x 2 = Retail Price
I made some earrings that I loved out of copper and aluminum. I cut and hammered and polished and fired and twisted and a whole lot more. They take time and skill to make. I decided to sell all earrings for $12 a pair. Then I got to the market and my fellow artists saw my prices and said, ―Whoa! You can‘t sell those for that! You‘re way, way too low! I‘d buy those for $65 and I don‘t even have money.‖ I caved to the pressure (I was brand new at selling anything and they‘d been at it for a while) and I upped my prices to somewhere in the upper 20′s and low 30′s. Nothing sold. March 2011
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Another week at the market. Nothing sold. I stomped around that night after the market and said to myself, ―This is my stuff. I made it. I can sell it for whatever I want!‖ So I took off those tags and put my prices back to $12/pair. That week I sold a several pair of earrings! Ever since, I‘ve been to the markets and I sell my earring for $12. People get so excited and I get to move some inventory so that I can continue hammering away in my studio. That said, there are a couple of caveats here. One is that if your prices are too low, people think your work is not quality or that you don‘t value your work. My dad once tried to sell a boat, motor, and trailer in the paper. He priced it at $300 and no one called. A month later he put the same boat, motor, and trailer in the paper for $800. He got lots of calls and ―settled‖ on $500 with the buyer. When he listed it at $300 people thought it was junk. The second caveat is to be respectful of your fellow market sellers. I wouldn‘t price anything I‘m selling that is similar to another artist‘s work at a far lower or higher price. (The key word here is ―similar‖. Your work may not be anything like what other artists make – then you can do whatever you want as long as you remember my dad‘s boat story.) By the way, the earrings that my friend said she‘d buy for $65 – I removed the earrings from my sales table and one day when she didn‘t expect it, I gave them to her! She loves them and wears them a lot. It makes me happy that she loves them. Note: I did raise my earring prices to $14 per pair as you‘ll see in my Etsy shop!
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Mother And Child-A Celebration Of Motherhood Inspired by the first pregnancy of my sister Elise, I wanted to share a few pieces of art that celebrate motherhood! One of my favorites is this precious needle felted wool mama with her toddler. Adorable!
I also love this portrait, When She Held Her Child. This isn‘t exactly a drawing‌these are made by inking yupo paper and cutting them into layers that are set up in a miniature theater, and then photographed. You can find out more about that process at her blog.
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Created with blue and green brush strokes, this watercolor is a beautiful silhouette of a mother and her infant.
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These are all fantastic gift ideas for mothers, and are especially nice for baby shower gifts!
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The Etsy Giving Tree
Apple Tree by samsstuff The Etsy Giving Tree… Ok, so it’s not really a tree, unless you think of Etsy as the trunk, teams as the branches, shops & shop owners as the leaves. The real reason it’s a giving tree is in the helpful spirit of the site & its members. There are teams that have given to charities helping out in Haiti & New Orleans, teams & sellers that give to causes like autism awareness or cancer research & recently, sellers have come together to help the people of Christchurch, NZ & Japan. The spirit of giving is in the love & helpfulness of the giver, for the joy of giving & not about the gift. Many sellers on Etsy have come together to help those in need. Here are some of the givers on the Etsy tree, check them out, get something great & help out at the same time. Find more givers by using the Etsy search tool: HOST Team statement: Our team runs a shop on Etsy called HOST which stands for Helping Others Street Team. We sell donated items in our shop. Items come from members and some random shops on Etsy that wish to donate to help someone. We have helped by doing needs threads in the forums. Usually these needs threads are during the holiday season. At times we have arranged used clothing to be shipped to someone in need. Our shop proceeds go towards helping with shipping items that have been donated. We have contributed towards sellers shop fees that they were not able to pay. this was to help them remain open and make a small supplement to their income by having an Etsy shop. We have supplied ink for printers. Sometimes life just gets in the way and someone just needs a small boost to keep them going, be it emotional, or financial. We do not make it publicly known that we help out financially, it is done by votes with the members when we find someone needs something.
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We are a small team and have also sent out Food Gift cards to some of the shops on Etsy in their time of need. Team page: http://www.etsy.com/teams/6423/host-helping-others-street-team Team shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/HOST?ref=seller_info Etsy for Charity Team Team statement: Hand-making A Difference! Etsy for Charity (EFC) is a team of artists, from all over the world, who gather together under a unified name (EtsyForCharity), helping out and promoting any charitable activities. They will generate funds from their own shop and making donations to their favorite charities. Team page: http://www.etsy.com/teams/6364/etsy-for-charity Etsy for Autism Team statement: Every one of us has some connection to the Autism Spectrum in one way or another. Some of us sell our handmade goods and items that cater to the needs of the ASD & the Special Needs community. Others are trying to recover some of the expenses that come with having a child with Autism. Some of us have autism and would like to share with the world, our perspectives and our creativity through our Arts and abilities. One thing we all have in common is to raise awareness of the Autism Spectrum.
Many of us donate portions of our sales to our favorite Autism Awareness organizations. We have links and Resource/Donation lists. We all realize the expenses incurred in a family affected by Autism. Our team is very unique, low key, and was created to provide a community and a platform from which we can share stories, experiences, advice, support & ideas with each other while we navigate this ocean of treatments & therapies, in addition to nurturing and comforting one another during those ―melt-down‖ seasons that we are all familiar with…and maybe help some great organizations along the way! http://www.etsy.com/teams/6356/etsy-for-autism The Creatabilty Team Team statement: We are a group of artists and sellers either with disabilities ourselves, or caregivers of disabled people, who may use art and Etsy as “therapy” and our link to network with others. Create + Ability = Createability!
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Our mission is to form partnerships for building our businesses, support each other, and encourage growth within the Etsy and artist community. We choose to take back control of the terms used around our various conditions, and hope to bring knowledge and awareness to those around us. http://www.etsy.com/teams/5732/createability-team Sellers that give:
Japanese Disaster Relief T byAhpeele Our hearts are broken. 100% of the profit from this shirt will go to the japanese red cross. Please let us know if you have any questions about the final destination of the proceeds. The text on the shirt says ―the sun will rise again‖ http://www.etsy.com/listing/70228104/japanese-disaster-relief-t
Christchurch Earthquake Red Cross Donation Print by chriswaind
This print represents Mount Cook (Aoraki) the highest mountain in New Zealand, and an icon of the south island. All proceeds from this print sale will go to the New Zealand Red Cross 2011 Earthquake Appeal – to support those affected by the recent Christchurch earthquake. This will fund the New Zealand Red Cross response to the disaster, including transport and provision of goods. As weeks go by, different needs will be identified and Red Cross, there for
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the long haul with your help, will be meeting them. http://www.redcross.org.nz/donate It is New Zealand‘s greatest time of need. Please help us get through this tragedy. http://www.etsy.com/listing/57333330/christchurch-earthquake-red-cross givemoney2curecancer shop statement: I have a begun crafting for a CURE. I lost my sister Robin after a 11 year battle to breast cancer, at the age of 40. She lived everyday with inspiring passion and an unbelievable strength. At her passing I vowed to do all that was in my power to help find a cure, so that someday her daughters would not have to face this horrible diease. I will donate 100% of my profits to Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Just think your purchase could help find a CURE! Thank you! http://www.etsy.com/shop/givemoney2curecancer?ref=seller_info CancerKicker shop statement: All proceeds go to the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center to fund cancer research. If you are interested in donating an item, please convo me. Thank you for your support! http://www.etsy.com/shop/CancerKicker?ref=pr_shop_more Africanwomenswork shop statement: MY STORY – After living in Botswana, Africa for nearly three years, my family and I have now moved back to NYS to help the women I worked with by either selling their crafts/products or by bringing awareness of their way of life. My mission is to enable women (including myself) to live our chosen, desired way of life. http://www.etsy.com/shop/africanwomenswork?ref=pr_shop_more
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3d Heart Butterflies for Japan Relief by BugsLoft 3D Heart Butterflies for JAPAN RELIEF – 10 Butterfly – 100% DONATED to American Red Cross 3D Wall Butterflies – 10 White Butterfly with Red Heart – Sizes: 2″ to 4.5″ wingspan This is a series of 10 different 3D Wall Butterflies I special design for JAPAN EARTHQUAKE & TSUNAMI RELIEF. Each one is cut from recycle color paper cardstock from my art projects…. 100% OF ALL SALES GOES TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS FOR JAPANESE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI RELIEF. http://www.redcross.org samsstuff I donate a portion of each sale to Autism Speaks, a group dedicated to autism research, support & awareness.
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Red Hummingbird Love Headband
* The teams & sellers listed here have been chosen solely based on their shop & team statements, no further research has been done. Please give, but give wisely. Shop listings were written by the shop owners & are from their shops.
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Crafting Your Twitter Page – Twitter Tips from Craft Buds
Craft Buds focus on Twitter, a wonderful tool for crafting bloggers and artists to make connections in the virtual world. These relationships can transpire into more traffic and ultimately increase sales. (Photo by Craftsquatch.etsy.com)
Getting Started with Twitter I‘m going to assume that you already know the basics of Twitter, but just in case, Twitter is considered a micro-blogging site, because users are allowed to post updates of no longer than 140 characters. In other words, a teeny blog hosted on Twitter.
Account Basics When you sign up for a Twitter account, you must register a username and set up a profile for either your personal life or crafty business. The naming is very important here, as you‘ll be stuck with it for awhile. Many crafters choose the name of their business or Etsy store, or they might use their first name and craft medium (like mine, LindsaySews, which is also the name of my blog).
Your Profile The same goes for the profile section, example below (“A writer and editor by day…”). This is the space to send a brief message of what your Twitter postings will be about, like knitting or technology, so others can find you! If you plan to tweet about marathon training, but your username is chocoholic, people probably aren‘t going to find you. There‘s also a spot to put a link to your URL (blog or Etsy store). Use this space!
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Your Icon When choosing your photo icon, think of this image as prime real estate for your craft business or blog. Rather than selecting an icon of a cute cat or a cherry blossom tree, why not show off your best-selling product? A blogger might use her profile photo here or a logo, which is also a good choice, because it makes people feel like you are a real person. Whether you go with your face, company logo or a product shot, make sure your profile pic displays the feel, personal or professional, that you want to convey through your Twitter account.
First Tweet After you‘ve set up your account, it‘s time to make your first post, also known as a tweet. After all, you don‘t want people to find you and notice that you don‘t have any content on your page. My first tweet was about sewing and included a link to a blog post that I hoped readers would find helpful. If you are stuck for ideas, feel free to simply post ―I‘ve joined Twitter!‖ or something similar.
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Wallpaper You may also wish to customize your background image now (in the Design page on Twitter), so it matches the feel of your blog or online store. Twitter wallpaper or backgrounds are available at TwitPaper and many other sites or you can make your own. Do a Google search for Twitter Backgrounds for countless free options.
Finding and Following Now that you‘re set up, it‘s time to make some contacts! Twitter has a tool that allows you to import contacts from your Web-based e-mail account, which is a good start for finding people you know in the real world. Find their profiles and follow them. When you find someone whose tweets you enjoy, click on their list of followers. (In the example below, you would click on the blue 2,378 to see who is following LindsaySews). This is a great way to see who is also tuning in to this person‘s posts. Follow anyone who sounds interesting! You may also wish to see who that person is following (the blue 2,343), because they likely have the same interests you do. Follow along with some of those users and start making connections. Statistics show that around 30% of people you follow will follow you back. As you can see, I‘m now following almost the same number of people that are following me. That doesn‘t mean that all of the people I follow are also my followers, but many of them are.
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Follow Ratio and Interaction on Twitter One interesting quirk about Twitter is that you can only follow so many people per day. If you try to go beyond that magic number, Twitter will tell you to wait until tomorrow. The more followers you have, the better your follow ratio and the more people you‘ll be able to follow. Some of the ―superstar‖ Twitter users may have 100,000 or more followers, but they follow fewer than 10 people. This is someone who is known to have great Twitter power, or a large audience. You do not have this kind of following ratio to market yourself effectively on Twitter. In fact, some might say that having a more equal followers-to-following ratio makes you seem more approachable and personable, a definite advantage in the crafting and handmade communities.
Retweeting After using Twitter for some time, you‘ll probably figure out the users who are not worth following (especially if they aren‘t interacting with the community and are always about selfpromotion) and you may choose to unfollow them. Being an active citizen in the Twitter world, especially the handmade marketplace, involves some give and take. Support others in their endeavors by retweeting links and contests, and spread kindness. You‘ll be surprised how many people take notice. To retweet someone else‘s post, simply click the retweet link under that post. Click retweet again when prompted to confirm. To see which of your tweets have been retweeted by others, go to your Home page, select the Retweets tab, and choose ―Your Tweets, retweeted.‖
Mentioning on Twitter When I started Twitter, I wanted to follow as many like-minded people as possible. I found StacySews, sewLindsaysew, and some other quilting and sewing bloggers who I wanted to ―meet.‖ I followed them and occasionally ―mentioned‖ them in my posts. (You can mention another user by typing the @ symbol and their user name in a tweet, like @LindsaySews.) Before long, people started following me back. I used my best judgment on who I wanted to follow. If a person updated too often or filled up my screen with too many off-topic tweets, I‘d unfollow them. There‘s a tradition on Twitter called Follow Friday (also known as #FF), in which many users choose to mention 5 or 6 other Twitter members. An example would be a post that reads: #ff @craft @GibbsRules @kzooerica @knitpurlgurl. If someone menti0ns you in a #FF post, it is courtesy to thank them and perhaps return the favor. READ MORE on Craft Buds – Twitter lists, Searching, and Awesome Twitter Tools.
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The Most Important Part of Your Creative Business
Make Time Square Tile Magnet Have you guessed it already? The most important part of your business is YOU! Are you taking care of yourself properly? As I type this, I have to pause every few minutes and squeeze my left shoulder to try to bring some relief to what I think is a pinched nerve, caused by all of the sitting and typing and browsing and sewing I‘ve been doing. Confession is good for the soul, right? Okay, here goes. I spent over $200 on my Wii and Wii fit when I really should have made a trip to the dentist. Every day I got up and worked out faithfully. For a few weeks. Then I had several orders all at once that needed to be filled, and the workout routine got dropped like a hot potato. The conviction and the desire to work out haven‘t gone away. The Wii‘s alien-robotic voice reverberates in my head all day. I still need to lose 20 pounds, and I still need my tooth fixed. It‘s not that I don‘t have the time to work out. I have the same 24 hours in a day that everyone else has. I‘m just not making myself a priority. And I love the Wii and the Wii Fit Plus. Just
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doing 30 minutes of the available stretching exercises brings rejuvenation to my body. The soccer ball game is a great quick cardio, too! The truth is that I am my own worse enemy! I stay hyped up on coffee all day, stay up until 2 almost every night, check my email when my husband wakes up at 4 a.m. to go to work, wake up for real anywhere between 6 and 8, neglect eating, neglect feeding my family in the style they are used to (home cooked meals from scratch, fresh bread, expressions of my love in baked goods). Since I‘ve started Etsying, so much has gone on the back burner. And I just started a new blog, which I‘m so excited about that I‘m neglecting my housework EVEN MORE than I was before. It‘s just unacceptable. My sweet, sweet husband needs one of those signs that says ―Keep Calm and Carry On‖, because that‘s what he‘s doing. He‘s so supportive, and I am so blessed. He hates going to bed without me, but I have left him sleeping single in a double bed here lately. For shame, for shame! He‘s my biggest fan, and my most neglected. He deserves better! While I strive to take care of my customers, rejoicing with each positive feedback, my family sits on the sidelines, shuffling baskets of unfolded laundry around the living room. Loads of laundry are whirring in the background as I type this. I did stay up until 2 last night, but I was preparing food for the day and washing dishes. Well, and working on the new blog occasionally. Don‘t worry! I‘m not about to stop working. Having my own business is thrilling! But one of the whole reasons I hated working a ―real job‖ was because I would come home and pass out on the couch from exhaustion. Sadly, that‘s exactly what I did yesterday at four in the afternoon. Something‘s got to change, and it‘s got to be me! Quote for the day: work smarter, not harder! I hope you enjoyed the read. Off I go to jump on the trampoline with my kids for a few minutes, which is under a hundred-year-old oak tree. Being the cool mom I used to be, I (translate my husband) hung a trapeze bar in the tree over the trampoline. Best trampoline set up around! Then I‘ve got some four o‘clocks to transplant. I‘ll start my work out again tomorrow. Still sitting there? Here‘s an article on how to get a good stretch while sitting down.
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Handmade Feature – Sweet Stitch Shop Hello! I‘m super excited to introduce you to Sue from SweetStitchShop! Sue is relatively new to etsy, having only started her shop in January of this year, but you‘d never know it by looking at her shop!
I LOVE this little fabric bucket! (I‘m imagining having several of them on my shelved storing all my little sewing and scrapbook bits…)
Hi Sue! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
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My name is Sue Redekop and I live in the capital of Canada- Ottawa, Ontario. I sew and design items for children and the home. I love creating items that are cute to look at but functional at the same time. What is the first craft project you remember making? My first craft project takes me back to grade school days where I made a jewelery box out of popsicle sticks and glue. It was ―fancied‖ up a bit with gold spray paint (what can I say – it was the 70′s!) I think my mother still has it to this day. Where does your inspiration come from? I am inspired by sweet, whimsical fabrics and modern design. I love to stay on top of worldwide design trends and colors by reading blogs and magazines. Can you please describe some of your creative process? My creative process usually begins by sourcing fabrics and thinking ―that would make such a cute peasant top…fabric bin…etc.‖ or saying to myself ‖ I MUST use this fabric in some project…it‘s too sweet to pass up!‖ Fabric is definitely my starting point. What is your most prized handmade possession? My most prized handmade possessions are stuffed Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls made by my aunt who is a wonderfulseamstress and a little stitched sampler my mother made for my son. If you could give one piece of advice to a new etsy seller, what would it be? Being new to Etsy myself my best advice would be to believe in yourself everyday and just keep doing what you love despite slow or hard times. What are some of the ways you promote yourself and shop? I try to promote my work through my blog, twitter, flickr, word of mouth, local craft fairs, and local boutiques. Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/sweetstitchshop Blog: www.finehandstudio.blogspot.com/ Twitter: twitter.com/shopsweetstitch Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/35966835@N02/ Local Shops: Flock Boutique – www.flockboutique.ca/ Workshop Boutique – www.workshopboutique.ca/ Boutique Le Local – www.boutiquelelocal.com/ What are three website that you cannot live without?
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The three websites I couldn‘t live without are: Etsy Twitter New York Times online…(I am a newspaper junkie!) Where do you see yourself in ten years? In ten years I see myself in a smaller house with a dedicated sewing/music studio space and hopefully growing my brand. If you could have one super power, what would it be and why? I would love to have some type of magical superpower that would clean my house, do the dishes and all the mundane things that take time away from the creative process! Thanks so much Sue! I really enjoyed this interview!!! Please be sure to stop by Sue‘s shop and check out all the wonderful homewares and gifts! http://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetstitchshop If you would like to be featured on my blog in a Featured Artist series, or you would like to recommend an artist to me, please leave a comment or send me an email at aprilbern at gmail dot com. Thanks so much!!! -April http://www.creativeapples.etsy.com
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Being an Etsy seller I know how hard it is to get any views from just listing your items on Etsy. Marketing your Etsy items outside Etsy is a must in these days. I am excited to share this free ecourse with Etsy sellers , because I have been using these 10 steps for years and I have seen great results. I have increased my traffic to my blog and Etsy shop, moved up in the Google ranking, and have even seen my customer base grow. If you are ready to learn how to decrease the amount of time you spend promoting your Etsy items and at the same time maximize your results, the Social Media Blitz 5-day ecourse is just for you!
Social Media Blitz FREE 5-day ecourse What others are saying about our Ecourse:
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GrapeVine Ceramics and Gifts If you haven‘t signed up DO! – I‘ve just tested it on my first item and the results were AMAZING! I had 62 views in less than twelve hours. I usually get 15 a day for a new listing. It took a while to go through all the steps but I can see it getting much faster as I go on. Jewelry by Nala Thanks for sharing your Internet marketing experience and expertise with the rest of us, Tim. Your common sense approach is straight forward and strategically sound. I‘m already doing some of the things you recommend and plan to implement the rest of your suggestions with my next new listing. Thanks once again for the Handmadeology Social Media Blitz Five Day eCourse … Jenelle Montilone I just finished up my 5 days, and as always theres a wealth of great info and tips along the way! Thank you so much! Eileen Grobeck I‘m in the middle of doing this right now – it‘s been so helpful! thank you yet again Handmadeology for making this available to us struggling Etsians! Warm Regards, Tim Adam (Handmadeology.com & TimothyAdamDesigns)
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How to Create a Grab Button For Your Blog
KEEP CALM AND BLOG ON How to Create a Grab Button For Your Blog Today I‘m going to teach you how to create a grab button for your blog sidebar. Grab Buttons are those little images that usually have html code and a scrollbox underneath. I promise, you‘ve seen ‗em. Some blogs will have many of these grab buttons on their sidebar- representing other blogs they follow. Now, it‘s time to create & share your own! Here‘s what you‘ll need: 1. 2. 3. 4.
A blog A Photo-editing program (Photoshop, GIMP, etc) Stock photos or other graphics/ logos Grab Button Code
First, let‘s talk about what size we want our grab button to be. For the blog themes that I design, I always go with a 125×125 image for grab buttons. Many sidebars are at least 250px wide, which would allow you to display two of them side by side. The Grab Button size is up to you! March 2011
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Once you have created an image to your liking, we can add it to your blog. Upload the image to a photobucket or hosting account. Now, copy the code below: <div align=‖center‖> <a href=‖http://BLOGADDRESS.com‖ target=‖_blank‖><img alt=‖BLOG TITLE‖ src=‖http://GRABBUTTONLOCATION.gif‖/></a> </div> <div align=‖center‖> <form><textarea rows=‖6″ cols=‖20″><a href=‖http://BLOGADDRESS.com‖ target=‖_blank‖><img alt=‖BLOG TITLE‖ src=‖http:// GRABBUTTONLOCATION.gif‖/></a></textarea></form> </div> and add it to your blog. For Blogger, you will add it to a new HTML/Javascript Box, and for WordPress you will add it to a new Text Box. (See Below)
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Change the titles and links (in capital letters), and click save. Preview your blog and pat yourself on the back. Woo hoo, you did it! For those of you who feel anxious just looking at the code above, you can always have the code generated for you: Grab Button Code Generator. Have fun creating your new grab button
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Handmade Feature – Steel Petal Press Featured Handmade Artist– Shayna from SteelPetalPress! Shayna is a fellow Chicagoan (almost a neighbor!) and I‘m thrilled to feature her today. I‘ve seen her letterpress cards at the Renegade Craft fair and I can attest to how cool and how well made they are. This is my current favorite card…
Seriously? How fun is that? Check out a sample of some of her other products that are for sale. She creates custom wedding invites (how cool!), bound journals and really fun letterpress cards…
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Hi Shayna! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? My name is Shayna and I currently live in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago by way of San Francisco, New Orleans, Los Angeles, St Louis and Washington DC. I print handmade letterpress greeting cards, custom wedding invitations and make hand bound journals. What is the first craft project you remember making? I remember drawing birthday cards for my all my family members starting a very young age, 4 or 5 maybe? I also remember writing stories, illustrating them and turning them into books around the same age. Where do you get your inspiration from? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;m inspired by old mechanical tools, vintage objects, collectables and type. The Vandercook and Chandler price presses that i print are from the midcentury and have fascinating cranks and levers and gears. I love the tactility of it all.
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Can you describe some of your creative process? First I have to think up a new idea. This can come at any time and is usually out of the blue: riding the train, while jogging, on a Sunday morning reading the paper, running errands, riding my bike. Then I need to transform the idea into an image or object. This takes some time tinkering with the materials and the images and seeing what looks best. Then there‘s production mode, in which I just crank out a bunch of work. The last part is much less creative. What is your most prized handmade possession? The fingerless mittens a friend knit for me in exchange for a mix CD many years ago. I love them and have managed to not loose them. If you could give one piece of advice to a new etsy seller, what would it be? Do what you love and keep working at it. There will be slow times and busy times. Put care into what you do, make beautiful things, stay true to yourself and don‘t give up. What are some of the ways you promote your shop? Word of mouth has been really great for finding people looking for custom work. I also have a facebook page, twitter account, flickr and blog. http://www.steelpetalpress.com/news/ http://www.twitter.com/shaynakatherine http://www.facebook.com/steelpetalpress http://www.flickr.com/photos/steelpetalpress/ http://www.etsy.com/shop/SteelPetalPress Also, I try to renew an item at least once a day. And I sell at local and regional craft fairs. I am a member of the EtsyBRC street team and Ladies of Letterpress on ning.com: http://www.ladiesofletterpress.ning.com/ I‘ve also spent some time going door to door presenting my work to stores that might be interested in wholesale. What are the three websites you couldn’t live without? Etsy.com – naturally Facebook.com – is a love hate relationship, but because I‘ve moved around quite a bit, it helps me keep it touch with friends in other states Lastfm.com – is great for discovering new music Where do you see yourself in ten years?
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I would really love to be living in a house with a large studio where I could keep my own press and store stacks of type and survive entirely off my work. If you could have one super power, what would it be and why? I wish I was the type of person that could survive with little to no sleep. Then I would have time to both work and play and I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;t have to cut corners in any area of my life. Thanks so much Shayna!!! I hope to see you at the Renegade Craft Fair this year! Please be sure you stop by the SteelPetalPress shop and check out all Shayna has to offer!!! SteelPetalPress.etsy.com Is there any shop that you think should be featured? Would you like me to feature your shop? Please feel free to send me an email aprilbern at gmail dot com! Have a great day! -April http://www.creativeapples.etsy.com
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Before, During, and After a Sale – Great Customer Service
Mad Hatter's Tea Party/Alice in Wonderland SIGNS Imagine you‘re a customer shopping for the perfect handmade gift for your Mom for Mother‘s day. You‘ve searched through several shops, & finally narrow your choices down to two. The first store has great pictures, a detailed description, & a ―buy now‖ button to make it easy. The second store has great pictures & a detailed description including their payment, shipping, and return policies. They also include additional items that coordinate with the item you‘re interested in, & they too have a ―buy now‖ button to make it easy to purchase. But, you just can‘t seem to decide among the two so you opt for buying both products. It‘s for you Mom anyway, & she‘s worth it. Once your payment clears with the first shop, you get a message saying ―Thank you for your order.‖ Then you purchase from the second shop, & they send you a message that tells you when your order is expected to ship & that if you have any questions to contact them at their email address. Which shop sounds more customer friendly to you? Which would you return to? Many times the subject of customer service is overlooked. We‘re all about presenting a great product that people will want to buy, but we forget to make the experience of buying our product simple & easy. You can never be too specific or too detailed as to what your customer needs to know & do next. Don‘t just assume it‘s clear on how to buy from you. We as the business owners know exactly what is supposed to happen & what to do because we designed it & we look at it often. It seems obvious to us, but customers don‘t always see it that way. This is important no matter what kind of business you have or what you sell. Maybe you have an online shop where you sell tangible items, maybe you sell online digital items, or you may even
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have a brick and mortar store. It doesn‘t matter. You need to be awesome at customer service because you want your customers to come back for more & to spread the word about you, right? So the best way to nail customer service is to think of the customers experience before, during, and after their purchase. Think through the process, simplify it, and detail it for them. Before
Whether you have an online shop or a brick & mortar store, do customers know what you offer in your shop at first glance? Is your brand visible & effective? Is it easy for customers to find what they‘re looking for? Do you have things organized & accessible? Are your policies visible? You want to make your customers feel at home & let them know if they‘re in the right place or not. Don‘t waste their time. You want them to know that shopping in your shop will be a breeze. During
So your customer decides you have what they‘re looking for & they decide to stick around & shop with you. Again, no matter the kind of shop you have, you need to help your customer with every little detail. You need to show them your products. Up close, far away, from the front, from the back, at different angles, the details, in its packaging, it being used, etc. You need to describe the product. What it‘s made from, what ways it can be used, it‘s size, who it‘s for, other items it coordinates with, & so on & so forth. You should inform customers of how you ship, when you ship, how you package the item, & what to do if they want expedited shipping or insurance. What about returns, refunds, & exchanges…super important! Is it obvious where the customer needs to go to checkout? Do you include what types of payments you accept? After
So your customer decided to buy your great product! Their payment clears, & they receive their receipt/invoice. Do you include a message thanking them for their purchase? Do you include one or more ways to get in touch with you if they need to? Do you let them know when they should expect to receive their item? What about including a coupon code for their next purchase? Again, you can never be too specific or too detailed as to what your customer needs to know & do next. Don‘t just assume it‘s clear on how to buy from you. This is especially important with online selling. Help your customer to feel comfortable & confident purchasing from you, & they‘ll be sure to return bringing friends with them!
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How to Create a Custom Favicon for Your Blog
Autumn Butterfly | by: DecouDermy So, you‘ve noticed that your website still has your webhost icon in your address bar- and you‘d like to change it pronto. You‘ve also noticed that in your list of bookmarks or favorites there are cute little icons next to each. So how do you get one of those cute little icons for your own website or blog? At this point you might even be thinking ‗What in the heck is she talking about?‘ So I‘ll rewind a bit: What exactly is a favicon?
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‗A favicon (short for favorites icon), also known as a shortcut icon, website icon, URL icon, or bookmark icon is a 16×16 pixel square icon associated with a particular website or webpage.[1] A web designer can create such an icon and install it into a website (or webpage) by several means, and most graphical web browsers will then make use of it. Browsers that provide favicon support typically display a page‘s favicon in the browser‘s address bar and next to the page‘s name in a list of bookmarks.‘ -Wikipedia You don‘t have to have any special programs, just an image of what you would like your favicon to be. The best images to use are those that are not too detailed, and are square-ish in shape. Your favicon will be displayed at 16 x16 px- which is very small, so you‘ll want to keep your image as simple as possible. You may want to take a look at your bookmarks and notice which icons appeal to you the most. So grab an image (or not!), and let‘s get started. There are quite a few websites that create favicons at no charge, and here are a couple I recommend: http://www.favicon.cc/ – Allows you to upload an image to convert into a favicon -OR- you can create a favicon right there on the site. If you would like to use your own image, choose import image- and then you can preview what it will look like in the bottom center box. To create your own, simply choose colors and get creative! Once you are happy with your Favicon, select ‗Download Favicon‘ under the preview and save the file. You must save it with with name favicon.ico. http://tools.dynamicdrive.com/favicon/- Another free place to create a favicon, but this website only allows you to upload an existing image. Same thing as above, upload- preview- download. Again, you must save it with name favicon.ico. Ok so once you are happy with your shiny new favicon, you will need to log in to your web hosting account. You will need to upload the favicon to the root directory of your website. And that‘s it! It should appear relatively quickly, but if you are impatient (like me!) and would like to see it immediately- reload your page data by pressing ‗ctrl + shift + r'. A favicon is one of the many things included in my custom blog theme, but I thought I‘d share the knowledge for those of you who already have a snazzy website or blog (minus a favicon). I should probably note that getting a favicon to show up on blogger or wordpress.com does not work this way, since you can not access the root folder. However, you can add them by following the directions here: Blogger or WordPress.com. Have fun!
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Spring Time in Chicago-land OMG! I think it‘s really happening. I think spring may finally be starting to arrive in the Chicago-land area. Tom Skilling is predicting temperatures in the middle 60′s in the next couple of days. And sunshine! (I‘m a little excited, if you couldn‘t tell…) I am so looking forward to my first Botanic Garden trip of the Spring season–I have some super cute gnomes to take pictures of… In the meantime, I hope you get to enjoy your day and enjoy the Spring themed etsy finds!
Pincushion – Felted Cupcake in Vanilla Mint
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1. Butterflies, 20 Carnation Pink Butterfly Silhouettes for Girls Room, Nursery, and Home Art Decor 2. SALE 20% OFF Threads. 8×12 Fine Art Photograph. 3. The Little Ethereal Fairy Necklace- Spring 2011 4. bunting fabric bin. toy storage bin. easter bucket. Handmade by sweetstitchshop on Etsy. 5. Spring Summer Bride Bouquet Cotton Candy Pink Ranunculus With Diamond Rhinestone Accents 6. Dotty Fabric Booches – Set of Three 7. Linden Green Elsebeth Lavold Cotton Patine Yarn (110m/50g) – 9 Skeins in Color 18 8. Eggs-tra Special Colored Vegan Egg Soaps 9. Edible Sugar Butterflies Pale Yellow and Turquoise 10 Happy Spring! -April http://www.creativeapples.etsy.com March 2011
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How to Make a Copper and Bead Busines Card Holder Today Albina from AroundBeads will show you how to make a business card holder/display.
You will need: · 16‖(40cm) of 14ga round dead soft wire( you may use 16ga half hard wire as well). · Beads with large hole (optional) · Round nose pliers · Wire cutters · Flat nose pliers
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Step 1: Straighten and then cut the 14ga round dead soft wire. Measure and mark the wire in 2‖, 2‖, 2‖, 1‖, 2‖, 1‖, 2‖, 2‖, and 2‖. Find the center 2‖ section and bend the wire at 90 degree angle at one of the marks. Step 2: Slide the beads on the 2‖ section (optional). Make second 90 degree bend, so both wire ends are parallel and have ―П‖ shape. Step 3: Using round nose pliers, holding at 1‖ mark, bend the wire on an angle 30° as shown (you don‘t need to be precise). Step 4: Repeat step 3 with another wire end. Make sure that the wires run parallel.
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Step 5: At the next 2‖ mark, make 45 degree bend (again, you don‘t need to be precise), so the wire has Z-shape. Make sure that all three segments of ―Z‖ lie in the same plane. Step 6: Make 90° bends towards the outside, so the ―Z‖ and the right angles lie in perpendicular planes. Well, I hope it is not too much geometry for you. Step 7: Using round nose and flat nose pliers make spirals from 2‖ ―left-over‖ wire ends. Step 8: Adjust the wire(s) if necessary. Place your business cards in your new card holder. Tutorial by Albina (AroundBeads)
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Winter blahs got to you? If spring hasn‘t sprung in your neck of the woods, and you can‘t seem to ―Get Your Butt in the Chair‖, here are 5 ways that are guaranteed to get you motivated and back in the creative flow. MOVE Yes, move that body. just do it. exercise will get the stagnant energy out, and the fresh energy in. Release those endorphins! JUMP Jump into something new that stretches your beliefs about yourself. Build your confidence in a whole new area. SHAKE Shake it up. Try a radical change to your daily routine. Change your wake up time. Try no television. Avoid that couch that calls your name. Reclaim that extra time that has slipped away. ORGANIZE Put your studio back in order. Throw out the unfinished projects. Concentrate on one small part and see how fast you can make a huge difference. QUIET 15 minutes of natures quiet is calming and centering. Nature‘s sounds have a special soothing quality. Bundle up, get outside and treat yourself to Mother Nature‘s nourishment for the creative soul. Alison Lee is the host of CRAFTCAST.com™ , the number 1 leading website for hosting LIVE online classes with the top workshop teachers in their creative fields, as well as offering complete class recordings for sale as an immediate download. CRAFTCAST™ , the podcast, has had over 600,000 downloads with thousands of people attending the live online classes.
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Proper Placement of Your Etsy Link on Your Blog or Site
Your Etsy Shop Should Be Visible on Your Blog or Website. (Yes, This is an Issue!) Sometimes, it‘s the simple things we overlook. I‘m here today to tell you how important it is when doing your social networking, to have proper placement of your Etsy shop on your blog or web. I am not even joking here when I say this is a real issue in one of three blogs or sites. As I am involved in several Etsy teams and come in contact with thousands of members per day, I cannot tell you how many people ask me to look at their blog or web and wonder why it‘s not driving traffic to their store. Sometimes, we‘ll be talking about Google Analytics and they say, ―Well Google says I get no traffic from my blog.‖ So , I pull up their blog, and I can‘t believe my eyes. Here I will discuss examples of what I‘m talking about, (these are real blogs, that I read, and names have been whited-out to protect the unknowing!) I will show you proof that what I‘m saying is true. I will then tell you how to fix it, if you fall into one of the two categories below.
Case#1 : “The Lack of Blog” No Link to Etsy Shop on an Etsy Seller’s Blog.
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This blog has great content, however, this is an Etsy seller and has nothing to drive you to the Etsy shop. As soon as I finish this, I’m contacting her as I’ve made her an avatar to put smack dab onto the top of her blog.
Case #2 : “Placement Poverty Blog” Link to Etsy Shop Is Not “Above the Bar”, meaning you have to scroll to find it.
The Etsy Seller has a beautiful blog, and is making great use of the follow her on Twitter button, but what of the Etsy Mini? I had to scroll down to see it. It’s not at first glance, above the bar. In other words, I’m always reading her TOP POSTS. So, why would I scroll down and read something I’ve already read, which means, I probably wouldn’t notice it. Are you suffering from Placement Poverty? March 2011
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Primo Placement Solutions Your blog or web should have a nice avatar going direct to your Etsy shop. Furthermore, this should be one of the first things you see when you pull up the site or blog. Remember, it‘s the window you first see when you first pull up the screen — the top of your computer page or above the bar. You don‘t want to ―scroll down‖ the blog to find your avatar. Especially if someone is checking your top posts, or visiting your blog frequently, they may only read the first post or so. Here are examples of primo placement.
Primo Placement Position #1 : Next to the Blog Post Title.
Shameless promotion, maybe, but my store is the first thing you see onmy one blog that features other Etsy vintage sellers. Why not? I’m the top sponsor if it’s my own blog, and doing all the work, right? When you read the headline you also see my shop. Very cool placement.
Primo Placement Position #2 : Next to the Start of your Post.
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Now, I’m second down on this blog, and moved from my right hand position. On the right is a paid advertiser, so I decided that the best placement for me is to be right where your eyes start to read the post. The choice of colors for my avatar “pop” out from this page don’t you think? I could go on and on, but you can do this simple math by looking up the blogs you subscribe to. Upon visiting the page, how many actually have links, avatars, or products pointing right to their Etsy shop above the bar, on your screen staring you in the face? Do you have to scroll to find it? If this is you, do something now! If it‘s your friend, send them this article, quick!
Show them the PROOF of what I‟m saying is true! Here is my 2nd blog above, where I actually have lower placement. It is solely responsible for driving 35 new visits to my shop last month, and those people spent an average of 6 minutes and 46 seconds looking at my Etsy shop. Each one looked at approximately 4.86 pages per visit. It appears I am my own source of traffic!
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TAKE ACTION! Make either: 1. An Avatar: Quick and Easy Link to Your Etsy Shop! These were all made with either basic programs like Paint, or Picnik, which is free to use. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;t have to be fancy , but should peak your curiousity! Most were used by using Etsy photos, and adding text and a frame in Picnik. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s not to love, 5 minutes later, you are on your way to the perfect shop avatar. Add them as a Picture and link them to your Etsy shop. So quick, and so easy, and FREE.
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2. Use the Etsy Mini! If you do not want to design an avatar,you can use the Etsy Mini, which you can make in different sizes to showcase your items. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;m sure every Etsy seller is using or has heard of those, if not, this is what it looks like:
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Interview with Annette Tait Annette Tait is the creator of Dragon House of Yuen, where you can find her soft sculptures, watercolors and delightful stories about the creatures she creates. Annette has lived in Zambia and Australia and now resides in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her works primarily take the form of carefully crafted hares, and she is very active in supporting house rabbits and rabbit rescues. I am very excited to introduce you to Annetteâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s creative work and unique poetic voice, which really capture the individual spirit of Etsy.
Hi Annette, tell us a little bit about how you got started as an artist. When did you make your first soft sculpture? Hi Anne, any thanks for your questions! I made a pony for my dad when I was about 7 I think, but when I was 14 I made a few very life-
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like felt rats with moveable arms and tails and sold them at a local market in Australia. They were really popular and I loved them. Why did you decide to start selling your artwork on Etsy? It was Christmas 2007, I was out of work, as I had to leave my managers position (with Royal Doulton) due to migraines from working in a stuffy unventilated place lit with fluorescent lights, so etsy was the start of an online income for me and a future that would not have been possible a few years earlier â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so many thanks Rob Kalin for your vision! It was slight desperation. Plus I liked the look of etsy and the emphasis on hand made, it felt very approachable and the place to be. What was the first piece you posted on Etsy? I think it may have been one of my cards. The beginning was a bit rough, my photos were forgettable and my memory is vague!
Bradamante the female warrior hare
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The stories you create about your pieces in your item listings and on your blog are equally as wonderful as your artwork. Tell us a little bit about how you create the histories and narratives behind your pieces. Thank you! When I make a hare, I hold them in my hand and slowly look in their eyes and I‘ll get a feel for names with the right sound to match their expression. So for example, the creation of Bradamante, the little warrior hare, was because she has a very serious appearance but is also a very beautiful hare. So she needed a name that reflected these striking qualities. One of my favourite movies is ‗Hearts and Armour‘ with Tanya Roberts and Ron Moss, about the Moors and Saracens. It‘s a love story and Bradamante is one of the female warriors. In fact Bradamante was one of the greatest female knights in literature! Now that is saying something. So my hare had to reflect this fighting spirit in the 21st century, as all my hares live in the present, in today‘s world with all that it entails. As an ex soldier I‘m well versed to write about the military so I made her a soldier. Of course she is the best and has the respect of the other soldiers. They are in awe of her! Not only is she a fearless soldier, she happens to be a hare! Now how many hares do you know serving in the Army? and if you went into a barracks today just imagine how surprised you would be to see a tiny hare there attending the various courses. Anyway, after I get the right name with a little bit of background to the name if it has particular historical / factual qualities, I then see the hare spring to life in my mind and start to do things. Their voice is very strong and they just start to talk. Usually it just takes an image or a word or a feeling and the journey begins. And I always try to make it a little humorous and usually with some advice or small lesson squeezed in. All my animals are fallible and with small quirks and foibles. It‘s the small, everyday, unsaid things that make your heart fall in love I believe and my animals all have this. Because I wouldn‘t be doing my job very well if I was only entertaining and not enlightening. It‘s very important for me to always be getting messages across. That‘s how I‘ve learnt about life – the hard way was thru my lessons, and the easy way is thru reading about others. So my hares carry these little gifts with them and I‘m hoping that the readers see that, with open eyes, minds and hearts.
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Do you have a favorite character youâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ve created over the years? Tell us a little bit about him/her? I have no favourite characters, only voices. Priceless is witty but innocent, his wife Evdokia is passionate and strong willed. Hare, from my 2nd shop The Hares Nest, is cynical and wry and has no time for nonsense, and all my baby hares and squirrels are caring and optimistic. They carry hope for a better future where all humans will treat animals with great respect and care for the world because that is not the case now. My mother hares are more experienced and have nearly seen it all, they carry the wisdom and love that will shape the babies into decent hares. My mother hares are based on my own mum who is a perfect mum to me, always has been, now that I am old enough and wise enough to see and appreciate this! (and thank her for that!) I hope that March 2011
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everyone who reads my stories, no matter what their age, will take something away with them that will make them a better person to the animals and the world. My stories are actually written for adults, to read to themselves, to read to their youngsters, their dogs and house rabbits, and to the birds coming for dinner on their veranda. So my characters, I suppose, all have this voice of universal love in them.
Annette‘s baby hare illustrations are now available as lovely wall decals through Wilson Graphics. What are some great ways you‘ve found to build a community around your blog and your work? If only I knew?! I can only follow my own path and be true to myself. I have been inspired by others but I walk alone in this journey because I think I am rather crap at marketing, detest market research, absolutely loathe trends and the ‗in thing‘, am never swayed by public opinion and answer to no-one except myself. Plus I am completely loyal to my customers and guard their privacy vehemently and I will not boast about anything nor flaunt anything (knowlingly) unless I can put a bit of self-effacing humor in it. I believe that if people wish to stop by for a read or a smile then they can do so without interruption from me, unless of course they would like a virtual cup of tea! My kettle is always on and treats atop the cake stand.
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Crunching the Numbers On Heartsy – Groupon for Etsy
Guest Article by: Pepi‘s Musings A few days ago, I came across the handmade version of Groupon – Heartsy. Similar to Groupon, Heartsy connects with sellers on Etsy and offers their products at a discount of at least 50% off. While Groupon splits the proceeds of the deal with the retailer, Heartsy‘s services are currently free but they are planning on incorporating a transaction fee in the near future as they grow. After I discovered Heartsy, I was curious what the Etsy community thought about it. I searched through the forums and found many sellers with mixed emotions. Those featured on Heartsy before had only great things to say about it, but others felt that such a huge discount would leave them with nothing while giving their product away for free. Being a math person, it really made me wonder if they were right. This reminded me of an article I read in the New York Times last year about doing the math on Groupon and figuring out whether participating in such deals is good for your business or not. So using a similar model, I decided to do the same for Heartsy.
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There are nine key factors that an Etsy seller should consider: 1. Incremental cost of sales – how much does it cost you to make an item to get one additional sale? This doesn‘t fixed costs. If you are selling vintage, it could be 30%; jewelry might be 5060%; bath and body products might be 40%. 2. Amount of average sale – will buyers stick to the total amount offered in the coupon, or will they spend more than that? 3. Redemption percentage – the percentage of people buying the coupon and actually using it. 4. Percentage of coupon buyers that are already your customers. 5. Percentage of coupon buyers that will become regulars. 6. What is the advertising value of promoting your business to 500 people – how much do you spend on ads on Facebook or other blogs for example? 7. Cost to acquire a new customer 8. Etsy fees 9. PayPal fees. [For simplicity purposes, this model assumes that a customer buys only one coupon.] So now let‘s go through an example. Suppose you offer $19 for $40 store credit (53% discount) and you sell 40 coupons. Following the list from above, let‘s say your business numbers are: 1. 50% 2. $45 (buyers spend $5 more dollars than the coupon value) 3. 100% 4. 0% 5. 10% 6. $25 7. $5 8. 3.5% 9. $0.30 plus 2.9% Coupons redeemed = 40. Revenue: 40 x $19 = $760 (this will be different if Heartsy starts charging a fee) Additional revenue: 40 x $5 = $200 Total revenue = $960 Expense: 40 x $45 (average sale amount) x 50% incremental cost = $900 Etsy fees: 40 x $45 x 3.5% = $63 PayPal fees: 40 x ($0.3 + 2.9% x $5 (additional value over coupon)) = $18 Total expense = $981 In this example, the net revenue is -$21, which means it cost you to participate in the deal. However, it‘s important to look at other contributions to your business – how many new customers will you get? Assuming the return percentage is 10%, you get 40 x 10% = 4 new customers. This costs you roughly $5 per new customer, which is exactly what you were spending anyway (item 7). The overall cost is also similar to your current advertising cost. So
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now the question is whether it was worth going through this for just 4 new customers. In my opinion, yes, but you can make your own decision. Of course, the end results could be drastically different if any of these key inputs change. For instance, if the amount of average sale was $50, or $10 over the coupon value, then you‘d actually be making $66 in profit and still getting those 4 new customers. In another example, if your incremental costs are only 30%, then you‘ll be making $339 in profit. And of course, the opposite can happen too – if your costs are 60%, then you‘ll be paying $200 to participate in this deal. You can really help or hurt your business, so it‘s really important to know your customers, your costs, and your limits. In the case of handmade products, it‘s also good to have a good inventory of items, especially if you‘re expecting people to go over the coupon value, as well as being able to accommodate a cluster of sales at the same time. But most importantly, make sure you price your items well. Heartsy‘s current model is similar to wholesale, but there are still sellers (and also due to the unique nature of some handmade products) who find it very difficult to achieve wholesale prices, if at all. If that‘s the case with your business, then you know the answer. Now that I‘ve done the math, I‘m really curious to hear from sellers who were already featured and actually know what the exact numbers are. Original Article
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How much is your experience worth?
Children Art Dancer Mexico I attended a watercolor art class a few years ago. The teacher demonstrated his techniques while we watched and then we attempted our own paintings. During the class he told us that he would sell the demo paintings to us for $350 if we would like to buy them. Someone in the class actually had the courage to say, ―How can you sell that painting for $350 when it only took you 25 minutes to paint it?‖ He answered, ―It took me 30 years to paint that in 25 minutes!‖
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I‘ve always remembered that and it has given me courage to price my items in a way that includes my experience. Even if my materials are low cost, and even if I can make that thing in 15 minutes, no one has seen the ones in the trash or the ones I won‘t sell or the ones that I made in the beginning. We all grow as artists and we need to value our skill and experience. I can‘t remember not knowing how to sew. I learned from my mother as she sewed my dresses and my Barbie Doll‘s dresses. I‘ve made over a hundred purses, totes and wristlets since last year when I started experimenting with them. An interesting thing happens when you make that many – your voice starts to emerge. People can tell those items are made by me. The consistency and quality of the end-product has also improved and my prices reflect that. It‘s a tricky thing, this pricing business. Whole books have been written about pricing strategy. Whew! As long as I am respectful of my fellow artists and respectful of my own skills, I think I‘m on the right track.
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Repurpose, Upcycle, and Reuse – Guest Post by Rew Elliott
Click to view Red and Orange pieces from Rew Elliott Original Article by: Rew Elliott Repurposing, Upcycling, and Reusing are words I feel we should all learn and become familiar with. A large part of my business is based on these ideas. All of my rhinestones are vintage stones that I then upcycle into beautiful pieces of jewelry. I love the idea of giving new life to these old stones and having them be a part of the special moments in people‘s lives. Their flaws and marks of age only make them that much more beautiful to me. Each has a story to tell about a time and place I will never know. My love of all things old has been with me my whole life and runs very deep. I think it‘s the Irish in me! My wedding ring is an Edwardian era piece that belonged to my great-grandmother. This past Christmas my mother showed me some old family photos that she had recently dug up. My eye was immediately drawn to the ring on my great grandmother‘s hand. I recognized it immediately as my ring… her ring. What an amazing feeling. I love that it is not locked away in a safe deposit box, hiding in a dark jewelry drawer, or only worn by my mother on special occasions.
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My wedding ring. Sapphire and mine cut diamonds set in platinum and yellow gold.
In addition to working with the vintage rhinestones, I also enjoy scouring flea markets and antique shops looking for pieces that catch my eye and/or speak to me in some way. I particularly enjoy finding broken or unmatched pieces that would otherwise be considered unusable. Here is a necklace that I made from a lone vintage rhinestone earring:
Click here to view this piece in my shop A little cleaning and tweaking to the earring, the addition of a vintage rhinestone drop, which in itself was in need of a friend that really makes it shine, and some wonderful and antiqued brass chainâ&#x20AC;Ś now you have a showstopper made from lonely pieces that were just made to find each other! I get really excited about these things, which is why I love what I do. Take a look at these vintage rhinestone earrings that are made from auroura borealis clusters. The clusters were actually part of a larger piece that was so out of style it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;t even vintage-chic.
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But by breaking it down, simplifying the design, and adding some clean, modern earwiresâ&#x20AC;Ś the components are given new life and truly shine as a pair of upcycled, repurposed earrings.
View all items in my shop by clicking here! So you see, it is true that all things old can indeed be new again. I enjoy the hunt and I enjoy finding these beauties new homes. Tell me your thoughts on repurposing and upcycling. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;d love to hear your ideas/stories about how to reuse. In my opinion, reusing is far superior to recycling!
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800 Comments In 30 Days â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Tips For Leaving And Getting More Comments
letterpress card. we go together like blogs and comments | by: shopsaplingpress Since the relaunch of Handmadeology in early August 2010 there has been over 7,200 comments posted. Comments are the lifeblood of any blog. Comments build social proof and let you know as a blogger that readers are reading. Comments can also help your blog or site gain page rank and improve your Google search position. I have gathered the best of the best articles on blog comments. Enjoy! 10 techniques to get more comments on your blog A crash course in comments Is commenting on blogs a smart strategy? SEO lesson â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Effective blog commenting Effective blog commenting to increase page rank The ultimate guide to blog commenting More helpful blog links! How to write effective blog posts 101 ways to make more sales online Become a Playful Blogger and Inject Some Energy into Your Blogging
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How to Create Your Own Canvas Print A canvas print displays photographs and designs as if they were an original work of art. The depth of the canvas print adds another dimension to photographs that sets it apart from the standard, flat, framed photographs. Creating your own canvas print with photographs of special events like a wedding or family photo makes them a treasured keepsake and a welcome present.
Creating a canvas print online it very simple to do as you just go to Vistaprint.co.uk and follow these simple steps: • Choose the size of canvas print you want. • Upload your image, which can be up to 12mb in size. All of the most popular image formats are supported as well as PDFs, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, Word and Publisher documents. • Check the preview and make any edits, rotating or cropping the image if necessary. • Add some text, change the font and move things around if you want, or leave it with just the photo. • Once you are happy with your frame, save it for later if you think you might make some changes, or go to the checkout to order the canvas print. Creating the canvas print is very easy as you can see. The most difficult part is making sure that it complements the room you want to put it in. It can be tempting to jump right in and choose
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your favourite image and order the largest size they have, but will it look good once you put it on the wall? There a few things you should consider before you create your canvas print: • Style What style is your room décor? Modern, rustic, formal? Will your canvas print blend in well with the style that you already have? You want the canvas print to complement the room not clash with it. • Size The size of the canvas print is important for two reasons. If you want to break up a wall of solid colour, or make a room feel less empty, you will need to get a larger canvas print to make any impact. On the other hand, if space is limited and you the canvas print you order is too large; it can make the room feel cluttered and overcrowded. It helps if you can find something that is a similar size, like a regular photo frame or mirror, and place it where the print will hang. Think about what you want the canvas print for and the impact you want it to have; should it dominate the room, or be a subtle accent? • Colour The colour of the canvas print is important for similar reasons. If you choose a canvas print with subtle colours, it may barely be noticed. In contrast, the print has very bold colours it can be a central showpiece that catches your eye as soon as you walk in the door. Once you have decided on exactly what you need, you can go online and design your canvas print. You can have your very own work of art, customized with the image you choose, created in just a few minutes. A canvas print will have much more impact than a regular photo or poster. Marcus Taylor is a social media marketing executive and a music marketing consultant. You can contact Marcus on Twitter at @themusicguide or via his personal website http://www.marcustaylor.net
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Customer Referral Program for Etsy shops – Anafore Ignite App At Anafore, we‘ve created an app for Etsy shops that makes it easy for sellers to conduct their own customer referral programs. Remember the times when you had to run your own referral programs by sending out thank you notes and discount coupons by hand? With some technical wizardry, we‘ve taken this idea and made it really simple and effortless to carry out.
The hassle of sending out emails, tracking forwards and rewarding referrals is done automatically for you. You have full control over what you say in your emails and the discounts that you use. The app also provides a link that your customers can share on Facebook and Twitter and tells you where your links are shared. Does it work? Does it bring you sales? Etsy sellers have had good experiences with the app ―I have had sales b/c of the referral email (both people who got the referral email and then the original referrer who received a better discount when the coupon they sent was used). ‖ – codyscreations, Etsy seller If you‘re thinking about growing your Etsy sales, then this is a good tool to add to the mix.
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Social Media Tracker from Handmadeology – Plan – Set Goals – Track Statistics
Social Media Tracker Package is designed specifically to help make your social media efforts effective. If you track your progress, you can easily see what you need to improve. Social media is a powerful tool for your business, but it has many moving pieces—use these spreadsheet to stay organized. Included in this discount package: Facebook Tracker Twitter Tracker Blog Tracker These spreadsheets have 5 features: *Statistics – Each month you will type in 6 key pieces of data. From these key metrics, five additional ratios will be calculated automatically. Also automatically, 11 graphs will be created March 2011
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so you can see trends throughout the year. This spreadsheet can be used year after year. You will see what areas in your social media strategy are working well and what needs improvement. *Planner – This feature allows you to track and plan seven different type of social media activities and allows you to create a daily schedule to make sure you stay on track. The activities are customizable to your business‘ needs. You can also keep track if you have completed these activities or they are still waiting to be completed. * Goal Countdown Tracker – You should have a goal of how many activities to complete in a 1 year period. This feature allows you to create that goal and keep track of your progress toward completing it daily. Three graphs are updated automatically to encourage you towards completing this goal. *Comparison Chart – There is a lot you can learn from other‘s success (or failure). This feature allows you to compare your statistics with other sellers of your choosing after you enter in the data about their shop at any one point in time. 11 graphs make it easy to compare your social media success to others. By doing this, you should see some interesting trends and see some ways that you can improve your own blog. *Instructions – This section explains how to use the spreadsheet. Here is a screen shot from the Facebook Tracker.
Here is a screen shot from the Twitter Tracker.
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Here is a shot from the Blog Tracker.
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A Simple Way to Gain More Facebook Likes and Twitter Followers at Craft Fairs So, here‘s a question for you: did you know you can ―like‖ businesses on Facebook or follow them on Twitter from your cell phone? Even just by sending a quick text? Recently, Smaller Box wrote a nice little article called Getting Social Media Love on the Go and quickly covered how one can gain likes and followers on the go (such as at a craft fair!) by asking a customer to like or by posting a sign informing them they can quickly become a fan via text. Smaller Box even included a nice link where you can make your own sign for Facebook (so check out their article already!).
I read the article, but it is true I was still a little confused on how the process worked. I knew I could follow someone on Twitter from my phone, but I don‘t often do it, and I have never tried on Facebook, so I looked around for a bit more information about it all (read some of what I read here and here). I learned that if I sent, for example, Like SundayAfternoonHousewife to 32665 (or FBOOK) on my mobile the I can like a business just that fast. Is it really that easy I wondered? Well… It isn‘t THAT easy, but it sure isn‘t hard. First of all you (or your customer) have to have a cell phone set up to interact with Facebook or Twitter, so let‘s look at that first for each. Facebook:
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Facebook gives you a nice little tutorial so you can see how connecting your mobile phone to Facebook will work. It looks like the photo above. After you mess around, you will see the link that says ―Sign Me Up for Mobile Alerts‖ or something similar. If you do not see the link, go the right hand corner of your Facebook, click Accounts, then Account Settings, then in the menu bar, click on Mobile and follow the prompts to sign up. You will need to text an activation message to Facebook and then enter in a code online to verify your mobile number, then you are all set to post status updates or to easily ―like‖ a business. After you activate it, you can set your settings as you desire. Twitter: If you already have a Twitter account, you may already have your phone linked up to it. If you don‘t have your phone linked, you can add a mobile device by going to settings then add your mobile device. If you don‘t have an account, just follow the steps as you sign up. Now, as Twitter tells you, you can do more than tweet, you can command. Text Follow [twitter name here] to 40404 to begin following someone right away. So, why exactly is this so awesome? How many times have you walked into a shop and seen a sign that says ―Follow Us on Facebook and Twitter‖ but you forget by the time you get home? How often do you tell your customers you are on Facebook or Twitter, but they walk away without your contact information? Well, now that you know how to easily add a business via text, you can tell your customers, too! What a great way to grow your fan base right at a fair! You could even do a small promotion and offer a free sticker or button to people who like or follow you right on the spot. This would ensure your ability to follow up after an event ends! What other ways might you encourage people to like or follow you right away? By the way, are you in need of a custom Facebook URL so people can easily text to follow? Get it here: http://www.facebook.com/username/
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‘I Heart Red & Aqua’ by jessicatorres
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Red and Aqua Notecard Set
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Vintage Seam Binding – 1 (on…
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Aqua and Red Wallflowers (se…
Pillow Cover in Bliss Waves …
Set of 2 Party Bunting Scrap…
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La La Love You Poster, Light…
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Facebook Questions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A New Way to Interact With Your Fans Making your fan page interactive for your fans is a crucial part to growing your fan base. No one wants to go to a fan page that is stagnant and has nothing going on. A new feature added to your Fan page that will help you interact with your fans, is the Facebook Questions.
When you are asking questions from your Fan Page , everyone will see that the question is coming from your fan page giving your page great exposure.
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When anyone votes or answers your question it will show up in all the friends news feed. This will help your question spread and even become viral!
Facebook Questions: Here is the official Facebook Questions page. If your account is not set up for questions you can learn more about them here.
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This ebook will walk you through the steps I use to promote my Etsy shop on my Fan Pages and help you grow your fan base while driving traffic to your Etsy shop.
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The Breakdown With John W. Golden – Advertising Your Etsy Shop
John W. Golden is a digital artist that has been designing since the 80′s. John joined Etsy in July of 2006, and has sold over 8,000 items. You can also find John‘s work in Target! The Breakdown series is a ongoing series that goes behind the scenes of John‘s successful Etsy shop. We will be looking at real questions from real sellers, and John is going to break them down and give his straight-up answer. We will be covering a wide range of topics, but all will be geared to the success of your Etsy business. Today‘s Breakdown - John talks about adverting your Etsy shop. joyoustreasures says First of all thanks for posting this thread! Very generous of you to do this. Do you have any advice on how I can advertise to my market, or how to go about finding them? I have tried to get in contact with a few blogs that focus on books and reading, but got no response
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I personally think that I need to start marketing off etsy, but don‘t have much experience with that! Thanks in advance! johnwgolden says joyoustreasuries – If you can budget some money to purchase advertising on those blogs that you identified as good places to feature your work, you might find that they write a feature on your work. I don‘t ever spend much when I advertise on blogs, but only because I don‘t have much budgeted for doing so. If you can find that rare blog with lots of traffic and very affordable advertising, it can pay off. Barring that: If I was seller your product, and I had already tried the books and reading blogs, I would concentrate on trying to find and get in front of: 1) folks who love flowers and horticulture 2) folks who know folks who love flowers, etc. 3) Readers, of course 4) folks who know readers And pretty much anybody else I could think of that could need a bookmark and likes flowers . I‘d look for gardening blogs, specifically ones with a focus on gardening books. Don‘t know if those exist, but that‘s what I would look for. If you have any kind of community in place, like this team, or a Facebook page, or Twitter, I would put out to those folks that you are looking for places to approach with your bookmarks. Ask if they have any favorite gardening blogs, etc. I guess what I am suggesting is, since you have tried the places that you would expect to get a little traction generating exposure for your work, try some of the unexpected places.
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Read up on the Break Down Series. If you have questions for John stop by the Handmadeology Etsy Team.
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