We Creative Types . . .

Some Etsy advice

2010-03-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

A blog friend Miso is about to set up an Etsy shop and has asked me for any hints and tips – so here they are:

1) Try to take really good photos of the items you are selling as the standard on Etsy is very high. Try to use a plain background - lots of people use white, which can cause problems with photography. Perhaps try stone or wood. I used a wooden table which worked quite well. Have a look and see what others are using. Then try to keep the background the same in your photos. It builds up a kind of 'brand', so people get to know that they are looking in your shop.

2) Don't list all your items on one day. List 2 then wait a couple of days, list another 2 and so on. This ensures maximum exposure on the list of recently added items. (You'll see that new things keep getting added and you fall down the list so by spacing out the times of listing, it brings people to your shop, where they can browse on your other items.)

3) Join in the forums. Chatting away is where you will often make a contact - and even a sale. But remember the softly softly approach: Etsians are lovely kind folk but hate being spammed. You will also find bags of help in the forums; just go on there and ask. There will be lots of other Etsians who will willingly help you.

4) Join an Etsy Street Team. I recommend Earthpath Artisans (!) cos that's the one I belong to. By joining a team you mix with like-minded people (who want to buy your stuff!) and also get to be involved in promotions.

5) Make sure you have your shop on your blog - to bring in those customers.

6) I recommend that you try trading if you don't get sales immediately. Trading is where one Etsy seller swaps an item of similar value for one of yours. The value of this in the beginning means that you build up your reputation and get positive feedback. Also buying a few items will build up your positive feedback too.

7) Have a browse and click on lots of favourites – chances are they will favourite you back! And make sure you click the button that lets others see your favourites – this is how the Etsy network operates. You want people to find you, so no point being shy.

So there you have it. I hope this is helpful. Most of all have fun on Etsy – it really is the most pleasant, fun, creative and positive place to buy and sell hand-made items on the web!

(The pic above is a magical piece of rainbow moonstone, which found its way to its rightful owner some time ago.)

Malas that are necklaces too!

2009-07-10T23:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, you all know I am an Etsy seller, so now and then I have to promote my wares. So, I'd like to show you my new range of Mala Necklaces. That's right - malas you can wear. It is of course possible to wear the long malas as a necklace, but these are a little more stylish. I have made these malas to be a third of the normal size (36 beads), with the clasp acting as a bead. The idea is that you can wear them - or pray with them - or both!

The one above is the Buddha Eyes Mala Necklace, made from new jade and pearls. For more information about the meaning of Buddha eyes (and more) check out the amazing Tibetan Art Blog. I have also made a Lotus Mala Necklace with carnelian and aventurine, as shown below.
There are more in the pipeline – what do you think?

What a gem!

2009-06-23T16:30:00.000-07:00

It is my pleasure to present to you Etsy seller WebGems Ltd, maker of these fabulous Goddess earrings, which I am wearing right now:

So why am I promoting a direct competitor from Etsy? It would never happen on Ebay (!) But on Etsy there is more of a community vibe. It is through seeing each other's work that we are continually inspired. I have heard that most sales on Etsy are from sellers buying from each other – and it makes sense, because as artisans we know the true craftsmanship involved.

Anyway, I just want you all to take a peek in her shop. This is a jewellery-maker after my own heart. I love her use of colour and theme. She has an eye for a beautiful stone – and knows how to bring out the best in it. Take this apatite necklace and earring set, for instance:

Apatite is one of those crystals that feels as though it is embued with 'ancient knowledge'. In conjunction with this, it is said to reach into the future, giving clear sight, and some have said it aids connection with beings that are not from our planet. Closer to home, apatite is invaluable for healers as it enhances the use of any other crystal and balances all the energy bodies, connecting with the higher realms of consciousness. It is useful for meditation too.

These and many other treasures can be found in WebGems' Etsy shop. Happy hunting!

Made in Maine

2008-11-26T09:36:00.001-08:00

Christmas is coming and with it the problem of buying the right gift for all your friends and family. The age-old question: What do you buy the person who has everything? Easy: you buy them a pretty sun-catcher that they can hang in the window, like this stained-glass snowflake by RMaeDesign. They will be able to enjoy this little treasure long after the snow has melted!

Robin Mae is a stained-glass artist based in Maine, USA. I have bought several items from this seller and I am so impressed that I want to post a little article here - and share the love! The designs are attractive and so well made. They are truly pieces of art. Whether it is charming candleholders (see below), picture frames, light-catchers or cute little angel tree ornaments, you are bound to find something here that will delight your loved ones.

Equally impressive is that the items I bought were packaged so efficiently that they came across the Atlantic perfectly intact – and in record time too (less than a week). So anyone who tells you that they can't send glass from the USA to the UK - well, they are just not trying hard enough!

Let me tell you a story...

2008-11-14T04:37:00.000-08:00

There are all sorts of sellers on Etsy, and I am always surprised and delighted at the different, creative ways they find to market their hand-made goods. Today I bring you Storybeader, a talented jewellery maker with a gift for words. Each necklace comes with its own little story – which brings an interesting image or idea to mind. The one shown above, for example, the Pumpkin Magnesite and Blanket Bead Necklace, has the words:

"She laid the golden
Blanket on the bed, waiting
For friends to arrive."

Intriguing. Storybeader goes on to tell us that "This beautiful autumn necklace reminds me of friends and family gathering for the holidays." And for those with a keen interest in stones (like myself), Storybeader generously gives us more information about the stones used to make her jewellery – in this case, she says "For hundreds of years, many Native American tribes crafted magnesite into beads used as jewelry and currency. Magnesite beads were considered quite valuable and were traded individually, instead of by the strand like most money beads."

All in all a shop well worth browsing in. Storybeader's enthusiasm for her work is contagious! If you aren't tempted by one of her gorgeous, original designs (many attractively based on Native American Indian themes), then you will come away enriched with a story or two....

Visit her blog Stroll Through Storyland for more stones and their stories.

Beads for Baby!!

2008-10-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce an innovative Etsy seller, who has come up with a great idea! Baby Friendly Beads offers necklaces that can be worn while breastfeeding, which give baby something to play with. No more pinched skin or pulled hair - now baby has something to grab hold of while he or she feeds. The beads come in various patterns, and can be customised with mother and baby birthstones (above, left).

Another favourite – and practical too – are the Reminder bracelets, such as the white goddess set shown below. Mums just wear it on the left or right wrist to keep a track on which breast was nursed on last during a feed. Simple. And there are no fiddly clasps as the bracelet is on memory wire and just slips on and off. There are many other nursing necklaces and bracelets in her shop.

Jen, the creative spark behind Baby Friendly Beads and companion shop Mamas Magic Studio, also pens a lively blog. Check out Mama's Magic, for articles on the ups and downs of family life and creative writing – she's also a poet (where does she find the time!?)

Go ga-ga for baby gear!

2008-09-11T07:30:00.001-07:00

Etsy is renowned for bringing you original hand-made work, and there is none more original than JoeyandAleethea. Everything in the shop is cute and colourful – from the Monster T-shirts (right), adorable custom-made Binky bibs with handy built-in comforter, to the gorgeous eye-catching blankets. This is what I love about Etsy - where else could you buy such funky, original items at these prices? But if you fancy dressing up your cutie pie in one of these adorable outfits, you better not hang around. There is currently a six-week waiting list, such is the store's popularity.

Besides making all these wonderful items, Joey & Aleethea are keen bloggers, running the Etsy Bloggers Street Team, as well as their own blog. Catch up with them here.

Trinity Cow

2008-09-04T01:06:00.000-07:00

I felt that this piece needed a blog entry of its own! It is another one from LeaKArts . Don't you think it's amazing? My absolute favourite piece.

Predict a Riot!

2008-09-03T10:14:00.000-07:00

The first artisan I'd like to introduce runs an online shop called Supply Riot - but there is much more to this Etsy seller than the beautiful Chiyogami Japanese papers (right) and interesting stationery she sells. I first 'met' her when I was looking for some special paper to use in a piece of mixed media artwork that I was making. We soon struck up a conversation (as you do on Etsy - such a friendly ol' place) and I discovered a lovely like-minded person (and fellow aquarian). I also learned that she is actually a very talented artist. The picture shown (far right) is called Realisation, a giclee print of an original acrylic painting. You can find this and other amazing paintings at LeaKArts. I love the way her work flows from an intuitive source - they end up being more than images on a page - they seem to resonate and 'say' something. Many of her originals are on display at the Show & Tell Gallery in Portland, OR. But if you can't get there – then take a browse through her online store – some beautiful original work.