Imaginative Intentions

Enticing Customers to Return

2009-11-04T11:50:00.000-08:00

I've read tons of articles on how to bring customers to your site but it seems like not a whole lot of articles cover getting those customers to return. I thought I would put together a few tips, I try to implement in my shop to encourage buyers to come back.

1.) Ensure that the first transaction goes smoothly.
- By replying to convos/emails quickly.
- Acknowledging the transaction (a thank you convo).
- Shipping quickly and letting the buyer know that you've shipped the order with a personal convo.
- The packaging doesn't need to be stunning but it should be well-packaged to ensure that the product arrives safe and in the same condition.

*These steps only take a few minutes of your time and make a world of difference.

2.) If something goes wrong, fix it.
- As a seller who accepts payments via Paypal - I am responsible for the package until it arrives in my buyer's hand, safe and sound. If the package is lost or broken, I replace it without complaint.
- Do what you say. When you don't, make it right with the buyer. My policies say I ship within 2 business days, if I can't I let the buyer know asap and if it's appropriate, I refund the shipping costs.
- Many buyers will consider coming back even if something went wrong the first time, as long as, the problem was dealt with properly.
- Don't make excuses - take responsibility for the problem and correct it.

3.) Be friendly and professional - ALL THE TIME!
- Honestly, very few things frustrate me more than pushy or angry convos. As a professional, you should be "PROFESSIONAL" at all times. If you can't be professional at the time, walk away until you can be and read whatever you've wrote at least twice.

4.) Offer Incentives
- Providing first-time buyers with coupons for %-off, free shipping, buy 2 get 1 free, etc. Can help to ensure that they come back for more.
- If you offer too many discounts, too often, some buyers won't come back until you provide them with one (I know I won't go to Michael's without a coupon anymore).
- Listing new items regularly, to a first-time buyer everything is new but to a return customer, only some will be new. Having new items for them, may help to encourage to look for something that catches their eye.

5.) THE MOST IMPORTANT
- Create a product that is well-made, well-priced, beautifully photographed, and ensure that you stand behind your work.

I hope someone will find these points useful and can implement them to ensure they're own returning customers.

I love Firefox!

2009-11-03T07:29:00.001-08:00

I've heard for a while now that Firefox was supposed to be the better browser (compared to Internet Explorer) but I had never really taken the plunge to change it. A few weeks ago, I was playing on my brother-in-law's computer (which had Firefox) and I was really surprised how fast and easy to use it was. So, when I got home, I made the big switch on my new laptop. I was really surprised how much faster and customizable it was.

I hadn't used my desktop computer (which is about 4 years old) for a few weeks now, mostly because the internet was always a lot slower than my laptop. Anyway, after what seemed like waiting forever to list some new items, something clicked in my head. Why, hadn't I changed this computer's internet browser to Firefox? So, after a couple of minutes of downloading and installing Firefox, VOILA, new internet browser. Now, I was wondering, how of much of difference was this going to make, if any at all? Sure enough, my internet is 10 times faster than it was before. Nearly as fast as my laptop!

So, if you haven't taken the plunge to Firefox, you should at least check out it and see for yourself.

Thanks for reading,

Teri

Convoing Sellers & Treasuries

2009-10-30T11:08:00.001-07:00

I've been in dozens of treasuries over the last few months and honestly, I could probably count the number of times I've been notified by the curator on one hand. The only reason, I know I've been included in a treasury has been through www.Craftopolis.com, which I just check every couple of days.

I just wanted others to know that most sellers like to be notified when they've been included. It's pretty rare when a seller doesn't like to know.

It's really too bad that Etsy doesn't have something in place, to automatically notify the sellers, when their work has been included in something like a treasury, or the front page, or in Etsy finds, etc. Most love the extra publicity, not to mention, something as simple as someone else appreciating their work.

Also, an important thing to note - Etsy does not consider convoing the sellers of the items that you've included in your treasury, a type of spam anymore. So convo away!

Why should I convo the sellers?

- Because it's a nice thing to do!
- Common courtesy - I'm sure you would like to be notified (especially if it makes it onto the front page).
- Extra Promoting - If included, lots of sellers will blog about it, tweet about it, add the info to their facebook page, advertise it in promotions, in turn driving traffic to your treasury.
- More traffic to your treasury can result in more traffic to your shop (which is always a good thing)!
- The sellers will be more likely to look at your shop, increasing your shop traffic.

Every is going to do what they want to do. But I just wanted to say that I would appreciate a convo and I know lots of others would to!

Thanks for listening!

What a goofball!

2009-10-09T19:01:00.000-07:00

So, I'm working at the computer (unfortunately editing photos), when I start to here this thumping sound. I turn around and sure enough, it's my dog, Ava. She had reached up and stole the cup I use to dish out her dog food with. I had just changed her brand of dog food and apparently she really likes it!

The thumping noise was here trying to get all of the yummy (ugh) little bits that stuck to the cup!

I posted a couple of photos of her trying to get every little bit!

The Twitter Experiment

2009-10-09T10:54:00.000-07:00

So after discovering twitter and this post on the Etsy Forums:

Sharing my Twitter Strategy : 11000 followers by CatherinetteRings
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6127828

I was totally and utterly inspired. I figured that I had discovered one of those essential keys to success, a springboard that would launch my Etsy shop. Well....I was totally wrong, I found this approach was a total failure for me.

Now, don't get me wrong, this approach can work wonders for the right person but it didn't for me. I just want to lay out how I did it and why it failed for me.

What is this approach?

- Basically, using bulk upload programs, you receive hundreds, if not thousands of new twitter followers in a very short period of time.

What's my problem with it?

- When I started using these mass following tools, I was getting so many new followers but sometimes, quality means more than quantity, and honestly, this was one of those times. It was like 1 in every 25 wasn't a spammer (i.e. click here to get rich now, follow my strategy to make millions, look at my boobs, etc).

- I was being flooded by the number of tweets, that were irrelevant or spammy. I couldn't really connect with anyone, it got boring really, really fast.

So after 5500 followers and I'm just going to delete the account, it would take way too much time to go through each and every follower, to filter out the bad ones.

What am I going to do?

- I'm deleting my current Twitter account and I just opened up a new Twitter account. One that I will choose who I follow carefully. To ensure each contact is someone I would like to talk to and here what they're doing.

What do I think the key to Twitter is?

- I think Twitter is about connecting with people have similiar interests, and if your running a business, they should be your target market too.

- Spam Bots are not your target market!

Well, I just wanted to share that will everyone. Hopefully, after reading this post, someone else will avoid making the same mistakes I did :(

Thanks for listening!

JUST ARRIVED - Sterling Silver Chains

2009-10-04T08:08:00.000-07:00

After a request for sterling silver chains, I ordered them from a wonderfully efficient wholesaler in the US and they finally arrived the other day. I've just setup new listings for them.

I now have available 925 Sterling Silver Snake and Venetian Box Chains in 16", 18", and 20" lengths.

Chains are available to view and purchase:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7532468&section_id=6458544

I hope to be adding ball chains, silver-plated chains, and wire chokers in the very near future!

New Halloween Jewelry

2009-10-04T06:56:00.000-07:00

I absolutely adore Halloween, it's probably a toss up between Halloween and Christmas as my favorite holidays. Since Halloween is just about upon us, I decided it was about time that I started listing some of the pendants I made especially for Halloween. I think they would be a great way to show your Halloween spirit this month or for those who can't/don't dress up for Halloween but still want to show their Halloween spirit!

You can find all of my Halloween pieces in my shop - just search Halloween!

TWITTER GIVEAWAY!

2009-09-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

Really who doesn't love free stuff? Especially when it can obtained so easily! Right now, I'm running a Twitter promotion in order to giveaway this necklace:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30176729

How it works:

The 1115th RT wins, max 1 RT per hour!

Where do you enter:

http://twitter.com/ImaginaryIntent

Good luck to everyone! I will be posting the winner later!

If you like to create new things & love free supplies...

2009-09-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

Someone posted this site in the Etsy forums and I figure it bares repeating.

The Site:

Totally Tutorials (http://totallytutorials.blogspot.com/)

What do I do?

The sellers available through this site choose to give certain crafters a selection of their supplies (free) and in return, the crafter will create something with the supplies and then create a tutorial (with pictures).

Why do I care?

As a supply seller:
- The supply seller will get additional blog traffic from their post explaining the exchange.
- The supply seller will have links leading to her shop in the tutorials.
- The supply seller will be allowed to use photos of the finished products in her listings and/or blog and link to the tutorials if she chooses. This will give your potential buyers inspiration on how to use your supplies.

As a crafter:
- The receiver will get something free!
- The receiver will gain blog traffic from having their tutorial posted here.
- The receiver may sell the finished product if they wish.
- The receiver will be introduced to fabulous new supplies to test out at no charge. You might just find some new favorite suppliers.

What is the next steps?

You can find out all of the rules and which sellers are available, right here:

http://totallytutorials.blogspot.com/2009/07/get-freebie-create-tutorial.html

Anyway, I thought this was great place and I wanted to pass it along! Good luck to anyone who tries it!

Featured in a treasury!

2009-09-08T05:41:00.000-07:00

I was checking out Craftopolis early this morning and sure enough, I was featured in a beautiful treasury created Awkward (http://www.awkward.etsy.com/). The title of the treasury was 'Ghost Sisters' and it featured my 'Haunted Tree' Polymer Clay Photo Pendant (2nd row, 3rd column)!

I just wanted to thank Awkward for curating such a lovely treasury and especially for using my pendant to create it!

Finally....

2009-09-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

After reading post after post about starting a Facebook fan page. I finally put one together, which was relatively simple. Right now, the link is:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Imaginative-Intention/149004529324

Apparently, you need to have at least 100 fans before they will allow you to have a personalized URL link like facebook.com/imaginativeintention. So, I'll be attempting to successfully promote it in the near future, so that I can get my custom URL before someone else does!

Anyway, I just wanted to share what I've been doing lately.

Absolutely Brilliant Idea for....the absent minded!

2009-09-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

I'm the type of person that can be walking down the street and BAM, 3 completely new ideas pop into my head and then by the time I've make it to the crosswalk, they're all gone!

So after lurking (which sounds kinds of creepy) in the Etsy forums, I came across 1 of the thousands of Etsy tips & tricks threads, someone posted that they keep a journal. Well, I started thinking (I was NOT the type to keep a journal or diary as a kid) BUT if I could remember to write important stuff down....drum rolll...EPHINANY...then I wouldn't lose all of my ideas all the time!

So I ran over to Michael's (with 40% off coupon in hand) and bought a small sketchbook for like $6. Now, I carry it wherever I go (it fits in my purse) and I've written down things like:

- sketched out new ideas (even though I can't draw, I get the idea)
- printed off pictures from tutorials, products I like, supplies, etc

- places I want to try advertising at

- places I want to think about networking with (Facebook, Twitter, EtsyLove, etc)

- new packaging ideas

- useful tips & tricks that I come across

- ways to expand my business (like newsletters, wholesale)

- blog topics that I might want to write about

- things that I like that other sellers are doing

- photography ideas, pictures of how other's have done things I've liked

The list goes on and on, each page has it's own theme, otherwise I would never be able to keep it at all organized.

Anyway, this notebook has been an absolute lifesaver. So I figured I would share the idea!

Let me know, if you decide to try it!

I've playing around with some things lately..

2009-09-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

Sadly, I've sort of been neglecting my blog lately. It just seems like if its not one thing, it's another. Definitely been keeping me busy and sometimes not so sane! Over the next week, I'm hoping to add another 25 pendants to my shop, so please keep an eye for these new styles!

Soon I hope to be launching 2 different styles of pendants, one using stainless steel and sterling silver, and the other will be made from wood. I'm pretty excited about that but I'm not quite ready to put them in my shop yet!

In the meantime, I wanted to share a set of ceramic tile coasters I made. I saw something similiar on a website but the just the cost of shopping to me was almost $20. So I set my 'little' brain in motion and this is what happened! If anyone wants to know how I did it, feel free to contact me!

Anyway, I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

I love this...

2009-08-18T09:00:00.001-07:00

Another Etsy seller who is absolutely wonderful, was kind enough to share findings the other day. The program she found is called Animoto.

What is Animoto?
- It is a program that produces TV-quality music videos using your photos in just minutes.

How does it work?
- Choose your photos (about 20)
- Upload your photos to the program (very similiar to uploading photos to your Etsy listings).
- Choose a song.
- Click complete.

The program puts everything together and VOILA, you've just created your first absolutely fabulous 30 second video!

But what does it cost me?
- Well, if you know me, you know that I love free! So, of course this program is absolutely FREE!

What do I do with it now?
- I'm in the process of looking for places that I can advertise add my new video. So far, I've found Flickr, YouTube, Facebook fan page, and my blog but I'm still searching!

So go forth and create!

Found a fabulous new tool!

2009-08-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

I came across this absolutely fabulous new tool that can be a total life saver for any Etsy seller. What is it you ask? What does it do? Where can I get one of my own? Well, hold on, and I'll tell you!

What is it?
- Craft Weasel

What does it do?
- Tag finder helps you choose the best set of tags for your items. Enter one or more tags and Craft Weasel will search Etsy for items with those tags, then generate graphs and suggest related tags that might be suitable for your items!

Where do I one?
- http://craftweasel.com/TagToolQuery.do

Best of luck, I hope someone else finds it as useful as I do!

A couple of new projects in the works!

2009-08-12T09:37:00.001-07:00

Well I've been hoarding the supplies for about a month now. Basically, practicing to make sure I was happy with the final product. After quite a few hits and misses, I'm lauching 2 new lines of pendants.

First, after searching for nearly 3 months for the perfect cutters, I finally found a great circle cutter to create my round clay photo pendants, like this one:

Second, I know that glass tile pendants have been done over and over and over again and I had bought some glass tiles to experiment with last year but I just wasn't happy with how the glass was shaped, so I sort of gave up on the idea and kept working on new pieces. Well, I finally came across a wonderful Etsy seller who was offering something different and I am incredibly happy with the final product. I love the way the glass curves along the edge, instead of having harsh edges, it flows beautifully! Here's some examples of my new line of glass tile pendants:

Let me know what you think? Should I keep going with either of these?

August Special - Buy 2 Get 1 Free - Any Pendant!

2009-08-11T08:04:00.000-07:00

So, I've been contemplating having an sale for a while now and now that I'm back from my trip (which was amazing) and I figured now was a good time!

Any pendant in my shop, Buy 2 Get 1 Free!

*Please note that chains are not included but can be an additional $2 per chain!

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask!

Teri

Paypal's New Rolling Reserve Requirement...

2009-08-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

As usual I was lurking in the Etsy and Ebay forums when someone posted that Paypal was holding 10% of their funds for 60 days. After a bit of research, I came across a hundred or so others who were in the same predicament. Paypal was holding their funds for apparently no reason. On top of that, Paypal hadn't issued any changes to policy requirements, leaving a lot of people wondering what the heck happened. Well after I sent off a quick email to Paypal, basically asking if and what their changes were. This is the response I received:

"Hello XXXXXXXX,

Your business is important to us, and we are working hard to provide an easy, fast and secure payment service to you and your customers while keeping our prices competitive. We're also committed to clearly communicating changes to our policies and procedures. To that end, we are writing to inform you of a change to your PayPal account, which will take effect 30 days from the date of this email.

Beginning 07/26/2009, a small percentage of the total payments you receive will be held temporarily as a reserve in your account. This small reserve amount helps to ensure that funds are available to cover payment reversals or buyer chargebacks, if you do not have a sufficient PayPal account balance and do not provide the funds to do so.

A reserve is like a security deposit for your PayPal account and is standard practice in the payments industry, especially for retail segments like Cell Phones & PDAs where there is a higher-than-average risk of reversals or chargebacks. This does not mean that you have done anything wrong. We are requiring a small reserve in your account because you sell in a category that has a higher risk of reversals and chargebacks and because you are relatively new to PayPal as a seller.

Your reserve amount will be 10% of the total payments you receive, which will be held on a rolling 60-day schedule. That means 10% of the money you take in each day will be held in your account, and then made available for withdrawal 60 days later.

For example, if you receive $2,000 every 60 days into your PayPal account, then a reserve amount of about $400 would be required on a rolling 60-day period. In other words, about $6.67 would be held in reserve each day, then released 60 days later.

If you are a PayPal Money Market Fund customer, you will still earn interest on your total balance while your money is in reserve. Click here for more information or to enroll in the PayPal Money Market Fund.

We recognize this is a change in the way we do business with you. By requiring some merchants to reserve money in their accounts, we're able to lower our own costs. Keeping our costs low helps us to continue providing competitive pricing for all sellers who use PayPal.

If you have any questions about this change, please call us at 1-877-729-7252. We appreciate your business and look forward to a continued partnership.

Sincerely,

Paypal"

So, in case anyone else was wandering lost in the dark about this situation too, here's the facts straight from the horse's mouth!

Having trouble with tags, tiles, and keywords?

2009-08-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

Are you having trouble choosing those perfect tags or writing a captivating, informational titles? Well, really, who isn't!

I'm in the process of redoing my tags and titles, so that I can basically get the most bang for my buck. I've been reading through articles and websites and compiling relevant info to use. I figured there was probably others out there with my same dilema so I figured I would share the info I've found!

Etsy Storque Articles:
- http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/guidelines-tips-tagging-on-etsy-281/
- http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/seller-workshop-recap-tags-titles-descriptions-and-most-rele-4090/

Free Tag Suggestion Search Engine:
- http://craftweasel.com/TagToolQuery.do
- This free search tool allows you to enter a tag or 2 and it will build a list of suggestions of tags based on the tags other people are using for similiar items!

These 2 were the some of the best pieces of information I've come across so far as I find more, I'll be adding new info!

Good luck!

On Vacation!

2009-07-24T04:48:00.001-07:00

Hi, everyone! I am off to go camping in Banff and Jasper National Parks until August 3rd. I don't think I'm going to have any internet access while I'm camping, so I won't be able answer any emails or convos.

Please feel free to contact anyway, as I will be answering all of my emails on the 3rd when I get back.

Thank you guys for understanding!

Teri
ImaginativeIntention

Featured in 2 Treasuries!

2009-07-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

So this morning while I was wandering aimlessly through the world wide web, I decided to check Craftopolis (http://www.craftopolis.com/). Low and behold, I was featured in 2 fabulous treasuries! I'm so excited that I decided to share it with you!

The first one is titled Boulevard Nights and it was curated by aLittleUnraveled! They used my Black and White Damask Polymer Clay Necklace (top left hand corner).

See the full treasury here:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=72319

And the second is titled Flyin' High Above the Fair and it was curated by WhimiscalExpressions! They featured my Ferris Wheel Polymer Clay Necklace (2nd row, 2nd column).

See the full treasury here:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=72302

I hope you all enjoy them as much as I do!

A special thanks to the fabulous curators for doing such a wonderful job putting those treasuries together!

Gerber Onesies...Legal Issues

2009-07-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

I was lurking in the Etsy forums the other day, when I came across someone who had had some of their listings pulled from the site for trademark infringement and was confused as to why.

*They were selling embellished 'onesies' on Etsy.

So, out of curiousity, I shot off an email to Gerber asking for specifics as to what they consider trademark infringement. I received this response from an attorney with Gerber, here is an exerpt from their email:

"You are entitled to use Gerber's trademark "Onesies" when you are referring to an actual Gerber Childrenswear-brand Onesies-brand one-piece garment.

You can identify such garments by the presence of the Gerber baby head tag in the neck area and a rectangular white tag with the word "onesies" in blue located just above the left leg opening of the garment.

There are other features that distinguish my client's garment from that of others, and if you have any question regarding whether you are selling a genuine Onesies garment, please ask.

If you use the term "Onesies" in relation to only genuine Gerber Childrenswear one-piece underwear, then you are using the trademark properly, provided your use does not suggest an affiliation with Gerber.

You cannot, however, use the terms "Onesies", "Onesie", or anything similar if you are referring to a garment that is not a genuine Gerber Childrenswear garment. "

Hopefully, this will clear up some of the issues other sellers may be having or might have had in the past.

Photograph provided by: SewItForYou

Go Daddy + Facebook = $50 free ad credit!

2009-07-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

I've been humming and hawing about purchasing advertising on Facebook, I've been heard great success stories and horrible flops! Someone mentioned how they received a free Facebook ad credit and since then, I figured I would wait until another ad credit popped up and it finally did!

If you purchase a domain name through Go Daddy for $9.99, you can receive a $50 Facebook ad credit!

Expiry: September 30, 2009

Tip: Even if you aren't thinking about starting up a website, you can just simply redirect to your Etsy site or you can make sure you have it available for future use!

https://www.godaddy.com/GDSHOP/jump_pages/facebook.asp?se=%2B&ci=13612

TERMS & CONDITIONS: The promotional credit must be applied to a new Facebook Advertiser account within 15 days of creating such account and is valid only for purchase of advertising through Facebook's online advertising system in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. May only be redeemed by Facebook users who purchase Go Daddy qualifying products. Advertisers will be charged for advertising that exceeds the promotional credit. Advertisers will need to suspend their ads if they do not wish to receive additional charges beyond the free credit amount. Subject to ad approval, valid registration and acceptance of the generally applicable Facebook Advertising Terms and Conditions. The promotional credit is non-transferable and may not be sold or bartered. Offer may be revoked at any time for any reason by Facebook. One promotional credit per individual. Promotional credit equals $50.00 USD which can be applied to the purchase of advertising through Facebook's online advertising system. A $1.00 activation fee is charged separately. Offer valid only for sign ups using the code or URL link received upon purchase of Go Daddy shared hosting, virtual/dedicated hosting, WebSite Tonight®, Quick Shopping Cart®, Quick Blogcast - all plans qualify. Expires 90 days from date the customer sets up their account with Facebook. Should you purchase more than one Go Daddy product that qualifies for the above offer, you will receive the highest eligible credit value. Subsequent purchases do not qualify for additional Facebook credit.

New Michaels Coupon - 50% off!

2009-07-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

I just came across a 50% off coupon for Michaels and I figured I would pass it on;

http://img.dealspl.us/images/coupon/1247427663_0022.jpg

Creating a new line using vintage viewfinder photographs!

2009-07-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

I'm not exactly sure why, but I absolutely adore "vintage" style photograph that look like they've been basically put through the ringer - with scuff marks, holes, scratches, etc. I'm especially fascinated with those that have a viewfinder border.

What is a viewfinder border?
- Basically, it's a photograph that appears to have been taken through the viewfinder of another camera.

Anyways, I'm working on a series of necklaces using vintage-style photographs. The subjects are going to be varied, birds, flowers, architecture, etc - anything that interests or amazes me!

Here's a few examples:

Let me know what you think! I'm ALWAYS looking for new subjects, please let me know if you see anything that you would like to pass along!

Backgrounds, Backgrounds, Backgrounds!

2009-07-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

Well up in here in good ole Saskatchewan, Canada in the winter, the temperature can drop below minus 40 C, which basically means there is no well in hell, I'm going outside to take pictures. So a good indoor light setup is essential! I've been playing around with my lightbox now that it's setup properly and I got to thinking about how much I hate white backgrounds (mostly because I don't do them particularly well)!

So I've been wandering around for the last month or so, collecting backgrounds for my photographs. Here are some of the items I came up with:

First and foremost, the basic staple of jewelry photography, a jewelry display bust. If you don't have a *guinea pig* to help you photograph what your jewelry will look like on a real person, these are the next best thing. They're aren't that expensive either, I bought mine for around $20.

Scrapbook Paper! This was a total fluke because I don't scrapbook at all! I just happen to wander down that particular aisle at Michaels and EPIPHANY! It comes in a huge variety of designs and colors.

- Advice: Choose a couple of papers that best reflect your work, and stick with them, it will make your work more recognizable!.

My dad found this rock while he was camping a couple of years ago, it has a gorgeous orange and black coloring to it. I found it in their garden the other day (and sort of swiped it), so that I could see how it did as a background.

I found this piece of wood in my parent's back yard in their tree line. I didn't really think much about it but when I used as a background, it adds a real nice, rustic texture to the photo.

I picked up the piece below at a dollar store for $1.25. It doesn't really look like much when I first picked it up BUT the way it's shaped, it's profile is a perfect, inexpensive mimic of a person's bust. Which will save you $25+ on buying a true jewelry display bust!

Other backgrounds ideas:

Ceramic tiles (not the shiny ones, they'll leave a glare in the photo
Small sheet of brushed steel
Rusty iron (think farm implements)
Small pile of mulch (could be messy)
A roof shingle
etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.....

There are literally thousands upon thousands of different background display ideas. You just need to keep your eyes open for anything that seems unique or different. Even if it doesn't look good at the time, it doesn't hurt to bring it home and try it!

Has Your Treasury Been Featured on the Front Page?

2009-07-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

I recently received a question asking if there was a way to find out if the treasury you curatored (created) was posted to the Front Page. After a few minutes of double checking my theory, I notified them that in fact there was a way. How, you ask? Well, these are the steps:

1.) Go to the Etsy Front Pager's Photostream on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28488923@N05/
- This is a Flickr group that collects and posts photographs of all of the treasuries that were featured on the Front Page!
- Tip: If you've been featured and have a blog, you can copy & paste the treasury photo from the Etsy Front Pager's group and post a write up in your blog, letting others know you've been featured on the Front Page!

2.) Go to the search bar at the top right hand corner and enter your Etsy username (i.e. ImaginativeIntention). Click search.

3.) The search will bring up any Front Page treasuries you were featured on and if your a curator of any of the front page treasuries.

Well, I hope that helps anyone else who might have been wondering about it.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask!

Offering a coupon or gift certificate on Etsy

2009-07-13T19:18:00.000-07:00

A great way to encourage repeat business is through exclusive sales to current customers, event attendees, etc. Unfortunately, Etsy isn't setup to automatically to calculate a discount. So, what do you do?

Option 1:

1.) Give your customer a predetermined code or message (something that you'll remember).

2.) Let them know that they'll need to add it the "Message to Seller" section during checkout.

3.) You can either send them a revised invoice or refund the difference via Paypal.
- When refunding via Paypal, remember to use the "Refund" button at the bottom of the transaction page, otherwise the customer will be charged for accepting the refund.

Option 2:

1.) Have the customer convo you before they purchase, this allows you to adjust the price of the listing for the customer beforehand.

You can also add gift certificates to your shop for current and new customers.

- Remember to add a line in the description, that the gift certificate is accepted in your shop (and not for the entire Etsy site).

Well, I came across a few people with a few questions and I hope I cleared everything up. If anyone has any suggestions or questions, please let me know!

Finding the Fall Color Report

2009-07-09T05:48:00.001-07:00

After some aimless wandering again last night, I came across what could be a invaluable resource especially to those who are slaves to the fashion trends!

Usually 6 to 8 months prior to the season (i.e. spring, summer, fall, winter), the wonderful people at Pantone put together a "Color Report" that previews the colors of that season that in turn will be used by the top designers! You always here that "this color" will be the "it" this season, this is how you find before the season even begins!

What does Pantone do? Who are they?

Pantone is the color people! They create colors the top designers use to create they own work. According to the Pantone website, "For more than 45 years, Pantone has been inspiring design professionals with products, services and leading technology for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity."

With the fall color report, it will enable you to choose and design your own pieces based on the "it" colors for the season before the season has even arrived! Allowing you be on top of the trends and then who knows how far you go!

Anyway, I hope this is helpful to someone! I'll be making some new necklaces based some of the new colors and see how that turns out!

And again the best thing of all....IT'S FREE!

See here: http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/Pantone.aspx?pg=20644&ca=4

Good Luck!

Website to help with SEO for your shop

2009-07-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I was wandering around the World Wide Web this morning when I came across a very interesting website. Said website provided me with oodles and oodles of information that left me wandering if they could help me in optimizing my Etsy shop for search engines.

What was the website, you say, well it was http://www.websitegrader.com/. What does it do, you say, well let's see;

- you type in your Etsy shop URL and it analyzes your site and lets you know what's good and bad about your site in terms of SEO (search engine optimization).
- it points out the things you can improve upon including how long to make your shop announcement, how long to make your site title, how to improve your keywords, etc.
- it also lets you know your Google page rank, how many inbound links are coming to your site, if your included in directories, the last time Google crawled your site, your traffic rank, etc
- it also issues you a website grade (yeah just like in school) and if you make some of the improvements it suggests you can see your grade improve!
- and you can set it up to compare your site with another (a competitor for instance), allowing you to see what they're doing that your not and vice versa!

AND BEST OF ALL ITS FREE!

Anyway, I hope this might be helpful to someone, I know it was to me!

Good luck!

Creating a Twitter Background out of your Etsy Mini

2009-07-07T07:10:00.000-07:00

I created this tutorial to walk you through creating an Etsy mini that can be added to your Twitter background!

If you have any problems, or have any questions, please feel free to ask!

1.) Click on “Your Etsy” at the top of the screen.

2.) Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click on “Etsy Mini”.

3.)

- Under “Items to Show” – select “Items from my shop”.
- Under “Choose Image Size” – select “Thumbnail (75px square)”

- Under “Choose Layout” – select “1” and “5”

4.) Scroll down, your Etsy mini should appear underneath the option selection section. Make sure you can see your entire Etsy mini on screen. Using your keyboard, select Ctrl + Print Screen. You have just copied the entire screen.

5.) Open your image editing software program. Hit Paste. Your Etsy mini should appear on screen. Crop the image. Save the image.

6.) Open Twitter. Select “Settings” at the top of the page.

7.) Select “Design”.

8.) Choose “Change Background Image”.

9.) Select “Browse”. Choose your Etsy mini image that you just saved. Select open.

10.) Select “Save Changes”.

11.) VIOLA! You should have a new Twitter background of your Etsy images.

New pictures with the new light box!

2009-07-06T07:58:00.001-07:00

So, after some tinkering with the new light box setup, I thought I would post some of my new pictures. I finally bought a mannequin bust to take pictures, it seems to really help with visualization. It really helps you to see the size and how it should hang on a real person.

There is still room for improvement but its definitely a start! Fortunately, they are way better than the first photos I ever took!

Any tips or suggestions would be really appreciated!

Finally finished my new lightbox!

2009-07-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

So after a bit of searching, I finally found a light box tutorial that I liked and FINALLY put it together. I can be such a procrastinator! In case anyone was curious this is the tutorial I used:

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

It is made out of PVC pipes with a white cloth draped over it. I'm using 100 watt daylight bulbs on tripods, that I picked up at Princess Auto for $40 each.

I've included some pictures of my new setup!

Let me know what you think!

Before going to Critiques...

2009-06-25T06:51:00.000-07:00

Lately, I’ve been hanging around the Critiques forum on Etsy and I’ve noticed a lot of sellers are going straight to Critiques without really making sure that they could have done everything they should have before asking for a critique.

Why is it important to make your done your part?

When someone is taking just a glance at your shop, all they’re going to see is the big stuff, if you’re missing a banner and your location; they’re going to come back and say you’re missing a banner and your location and move on.

If you’ve got your basics covered, it forces them to look deeper. Do you have a good description, what are your photos really like, are you using all the right tags, could your announcement be shorter/longer/better, etc.

So I put together a list of some of the major things you should make sure you have in place first;

1.) Do you have a banner? Is it well done?
- Your banner is the first thing a potential buyer sees, it should draw them in.

2.) Do you have your location noted?
- You should include your city and state or country – they are a number of cities with the same name in different states and different countries.

3.) Is your avatar relevant?
- You should consider using a photo of your work or a picture of you – to capture people’s attention especially in the forums.

4.) Are your descriptions complete?
- This thread is an invaluable resource concerning all of the things that could/should be included in your description:
- http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6093673&page=1

5.) Do you photos capture your wares as good as they possibly could?
- Check out the hundreds of tutorials on taking photographs, building light boxes, which light bulbs to use, understand the settings on your camera, understand basic photo editing, etc.
- Ask yourself, if you would buy the item just based on the photo?

6.) Are you using all 5 slots for your photographs?
- Capturing the item from every angle, showing it in use, displaying on someone, etc.

7.) Are you using the feature slots for your 3 favorite pieces?

8.) Are you using all of your tags? Are they all relevant? Are you spamming with any of your tags?

9.) Are you adding new items on a regular basis?

10.) Are you promoting yourself on/off of Etsy?
- The forums, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, My Space, A blog, etc.
- Check out any of the threads on self promotion.

11.) Go in with an open mind!
- Every person has their own point of view, with a critique you'll be able to see through someone's eyes.

12.) Don't use Critiques as just another promotion venue!
- i.e. Look at this ware, what do you think?

This is just a short list of some of the things that need to be analyzed but it’s still a starting point. I wish everyone the best of luck in their Etsy endeavours!

Where Do I Find The Top Sellers Of Etsy?

2009-06-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned Etsian there is always room for improvement BUT where do you start? The wonderful people at Etsy Wiki put together a list of the top sellers on Etsy. Ok, great, now what?

1.) Find your category:
Top Sellers - Art
Top Sellers - Bags And Purses
Top Sellers - Clothing
Top Sellers - Dolls and Toys
Top Sellers - Glass
Top Sellers - Jewelry
Top Sellers - Pets
Top Sellers - Supplies
Top Sellers - Vintage

2.) Analyze them.

- Take a look at what they do and how they do it.
- Try to figure what they do right, what they do wrong.
- Pay attention to how they photograph, write their policies, descriptions, and shop announcements.
- You can convo them for tips (but don’t be surprised if they don’t respond)
- Type they’re user id’s in your favourite search engine, see where they’ve been featured, advertised, sales they’ve had, events they’ve attended, etc.
- See if they write a blog, find out what they’re doing with theirs.
- You can sign up for Google Alerts using various top sellers names.

3.) Don’t just copy them!

- Learn from them, use them as inspiration, they are the success stories of Etsy.
- Etsy isn’t about going with the flow, it’s about standing out.

4.) Implement Plan

- Don’t try to do it all at once, choose something new to try BUT try to do 1 thing at a time. Otherwise, yeah your views shot up but WHY? Is it a combo of all 5 new things you’ve tried or is just 1 of them and they rest are a waste of time!

All in all, I don’t really think there are any magical secrets of guaranteed success. Some doors open for the right people at the right time.

The best advice I can give is, when you say you’re going to do something, do it!

In the long run, your momentum will build and people will come back to your shop because they already know and trust you. The longer you are on Etsy, the bigger your shop becomes, the more often you list, the more often you are featured in treasuries, the more you land on the FP, etc - it all follows itself!

Need Craft Show Display Ideas?

2009-06-23T07:13:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I've been mulling over the idea of getting involved in local craft shows BUT honestly the idea of creating a great display scares me! I'm terrified that all I'm going to be to come up with is a flat white table with my jewelry strewn everywhere :(

So, I was searching on google for ideas when I came across the absolute best source for ideas with pictures (pictures being essential)! You know what it was - FLICKR! - if you type in

- craft show
- craft display
- craft fair
- art show
- art fair
- jewelry display
- etc

It brings up hundreds of pictures of craft shows and specific display ideas! It's fabulous!

Anyway, just thought I would share!

Flickr = A Promotional Tool?

2009-06-22T07:27:00.000-07:00

As I posted earlier, one of the big keys to success on Etsy is to promote yourself outside of Etsy. That means outside advertising, it doesn’t need to be expensive but you should have at least a basic plan and it should be well thought out.

A lot of people mention Flickr as a promo tool, and yes, it can be an effective one at that! HOWEVER, right in Flickr rules and regulations, it states that Flickr is not meant for commercial use! Meaning, if you’re a business and you want to use them, you have to follow their rules! What are their rules, you ask? Here they are right here and if you don’t play by their rules, your account will be deleted:

The rule of thumb is that you can have one link on your profile page to a commercial webpage.

You cannot have tags, descriptions, titles, or comments that indicate that an item is for sale or where to buy it.Having a watermark across the image that is a commercial URL will also cause accounts to get in trouble.In addition, if your account is predominantly commercially-oriented images, and gives the impression of being an online catalog, you may find the account deleted.Something else to keep in mind:

Joining Flickr groups is another great promotional tool BUT be careful and make sure to read group descriptions fully and only post in appropriate groups with relevant photos.
- Posting against the group rules can get your account in hot water.

Flickr is about passive marketing, meaning you can put up pictures of you, your work, your studio, any craft shows you attend, how you create, your personal photos, etc. It’s all about sharing yourself through your photos. It’s not about, ‘look at this, it’s for sale’!

All in all, follow the rules and you’ll have a fun, free way to promote your shop!

For the all the official rules and regulations, click here:

http://www.flickr.com/guidelines.gne

What You Need to Write A Great Product Description

2009-06-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

Too many people these days are listing their products with very little or no description. If your selling your products online, your customers won't be able to touch the item, all they have is hopefully a great picture and great description.

Unfortunately, too many sellers are just listing the basics, i.e. color, size, scent (bath & body), etc. Their basically just reiterating what is obviously in the picture.

What happens next? Well the customer maybe takes a quick peek and keeps going, in the world of online selling, your competing with hundreds of thousands of different sellers, you only have a few moments to capture a potential customer's attention and keep it.

The key is to keep their attention with captivating photos with detailed close-ups (you want the customer to be able visualize the product as if it was sitting right in front of them). Second, you want a detailed description that explains who, what, where, when, and why (especially why).

You want a description that draws people in! You need to make sure that they know how fabulous your item is and why they NEED to buy it!

I was in the Etsy forums the other day and I came across this post by Sparklerama (sparklerama.etsy.com) and she compiled one of the most detailed lists I've ever come across. The list isn't an absolute 'need to have every point' in your description but its definitely a great starting point.

20 Questions Your Buyers Are Asking:

1. What IS it? (It may be totally obvious to you what the item is, but it might not be so obvious to your customer).

2. What color is it? (The color on your computer monitor may not be the same as mine).

3. How big is it? (As a buyer I don't want to guess if that painting will fit over my fireplace or if those earrings are going to hang past my shoulders).

4. What is it made from? (What materials and techniques are used?)

5. How do I care for it? (Can I wash and dry that wool sweater?)

6. Who should buy it? or Who should NOT buy it? (Is it appropriate for pregnant women? Children? Pets?)

7. What is it used for? (Is it decorative? Does it have a function? Both?)

8. What does it feel like? (Is that scarf soft to the touch? What's the texture like? Is that necklace very heavy?)

9. How does it work? (Does it slip over my head? Is there a clasp? Do I tie it around my waist?)

10. Why is this one better than the one in the next shop? (What special skills, materials, or ideas do you use that make your item the best?)

11. Do I get everything in the picture? (I see 12 items in your picture, do I get them all? Only one? Does that lovely bauble in the background come with it or is it just for display?)

12. Will it fit me? (When I shop in a brick and mortar shop I might try on 12 things and find only 1 that fits well. I am taking a BIG chance on buying clothes online. Please make it easier for me by offering extensive measurement and sizing information. Don't assume that your customer will know what you mean by "small" or "Large")

13. What if it doesn't fit? (Am I stuck with it? Will you exchange it? Who pays to ship it back?)

14. Is it ready to use? (Is that painting ready to hang? Do I need to frame it first?)

15. How does it arrive? (Is it gift wrapped? Is it ready to ship or is it made to order?)

16. Will I get the EXACT item in the photo? (Is it a stock photo or do I get the exact item?)

17. Is it gonna stink? (Does that vintage item have a funky, musty odor? Does the seller smoke while he creates that item?)

18. How do I know it's "vintage"? (What kind of research did you do to determine how old that item is? Is it marked? Is there a date on it? Are you experienced with vintage and antique items?)

19. What do those fancy terms mean? (Don't take for granted that your customer knows what a cabochon is or what giclee or gocco means.)

20. Can I live without this item? (Chances are your customer can easily live without your items. It's your job to SELL it to them. Let them know why owning this item is so wonderful. Are they gonna feel like a princess with that lovely bracelet? Is that platter not only functional, but makes a wonderful work of art? Is that item the perfect gift for hard to buy for people? Does the item evoke certain emotions? Tell us what's so great about it!)

Good luck with your descriptions!

Shipping to Italy = A Black Hole?

2009-06-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

You may or may not have heard of people screaming, “DON’T SHIP TO ITALY YOUR PACKAGE WILL NEVER MAKE IT!” and it got me to wondering, why? I spoke to a friend who worked with United Nations for several years and was stationed in Italy for 2 years. He basically said 2 things, a) a lot of their customs officers are corrupt and a lot of the packages are “confiscated” and b) Italy’s restrictions for packages that allowed are a mile long!

So I went off in search of Italy’s List of Restrictions and found a huge list. Here are just some of the major ones I found:

Albums of any kind (of photographs, postcards, postage stamps, etc.).

Articles of platinum or gold; jewelry; and other valuable articles unless sent as insured packages.

Artificial flowers and fruits and accessories for them.

Bells and other musical instruments and parts thereof.

Cartridge caps; cartridges.

Clocks and supplies for clocks.

Compound medicaments and medicines.

Coral mounted in any way.

Ether and chloroform.

Exposed photographic and cinematographic films.

Footwear of any kind.

Haberdashery and sewn articles of any kind, including trimmings and lace; handkerchiefs; scarves; shawls, needlework including stockings and gloves; bonnets, caps, and hats of any kind.

Hair and articles made of hair.

Leather goods.

Lighters and their parts, including lighter flints.

Live bees, leeches, and silkworms.

Nutmeg, vanilla; sea salt, rock salt; saffron.

Perfumery goods of all kinds (except soap).

Playing cards of any kind.

Postage stamps in sealed or unsealed letters.

Radioactive materials.

Ribbons for typewriters.

Live bees, leeches, and silkworms.

Parasites and predators of harmful insects.

Roasted or ground coffee and its substitutes; roasted chicory.

Saccharine and all products containing saccharine.

Salted, smoked or otherwise prepared meats; fats; and lard.

Tobacco.

Toys not made wholly of wood.

Treated skins and furs.

Weapons of any kind and spare parts for them.

Live plants and animals.

Arms and weapons.

Human remains.

So the next time, your thinking about shipping internationally, take some time and figure out what the restrictions are for exporting to the country. It will definitely save you time, money, and headaches in the long run!

Etsy Sellers: Want to know if you were on the front page?

2009-06-18T19:42:00.001-07:00

I know lots of Etsians have wandered away from their shop and upon returning noticing a HUGE spike in their views but have no idea why? Well, there are few things you can check out right away to see if you've been featured somewhere.

1.) Craft Cult (formerly known an majaba) offers a free service where you type your username in and it will tell you if one of your items has been featured on the Etsy Front Page, Storque, or in a gift guide!

http://www.craftcult.com/etsyfeatured.php?userid =

2.) Craftopolis also offers a free service that allows you to search your username to ascertain whether you've been featured in any treasuries or gift guides!

http://craftopolis.com/index.php?com=th

3.) On Flickr, there is a Flickr group called Etsy Front Pagers and lists screen shots of all of the treasuries and the sellers featured on the Etsy home page.
- If you search your username in the search bar, it will bring up the front page that you were featured on.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28488923@N05/

4.) If you sign up for Google Alerts and add your shop name and username as alert terms, each time those terms are posted on a web page, you will receive an alert to your email letting you know, where it was posted.

http://www.google.com/alerts

5.) And the simplest way of all, search your shop name or username in any of the major search engines and see what pops up!

6.) http://socialmention.com/

Another great website, where you simply enter your shop name and VOILA, it will bring up all of the sites that your shop was mentioned on!

Just thought I would pass on some useful information!

A little something extra...

2009-06-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been reading a lot lately on the Etsy forums from other sellers who are debating what to include in their packages (that are shipped to their customers). A little something extra, if you please...I've heard tons of ideas in the hopes of a proper thank you to the customer and of course, the hope of drumming up some new/repeat business. Here are some of the best ideas I came across and some of the ones I'm hoping to employ when I start selling again:

1.) Glass Marble Magnets
- They're really cheap and easy to make. I'm thinking about making ones to match some of my pendants.
- Tutorial: http://www.flickr.com/photos/honeygirl_studio/sets/72157594472276952/

2.) Bookmarks
- I was originally thinking about creating bookmarks but I'm still debating what it will cost.

3.) Samples
- When I'm creating new lines of pendants, I'm thinking about possibly including an extra pendant.
- If your wares come in a variety of scents, colors, etc, you could include a little sample pack in with their purchase, it will give them something to smell/feel rather than buying just based on a description.

4.) Promo items with my logo
- I was wondering and doing some basic research on sending promo materials like business cards, match books, note cards, buttons, etc in the package with my logo BUT when I receive similiar stuff, I tend to toss it out, so I'm still thinking on this one.

5.) Coupons
- Come on, everyone loves coupons! Free shipping, Buy 2 Get 1 Free, $5 off $25 purchase. Whatever tempts you will probably tempt someone else. If you can do it and it makes sense profit wise go ahead!

Things to Remember When Including Freebies:

- Pay attention to weight, you don't want to be adding to the overal weight which translates to upping the postage cost.

- Try to keep your freebies "cheap", that doesn't mean they have to look cheap but you need to make sure they're not eating into your profit margin too much.

- DON'T include anything edible because of allergies, medical conditions, the heat can melt the food and ruin the rest of package, and you tell your kids not to eat candy from strangers, so why would you?

- Be careful, when shipping to other countries, each country has their own regulations, you don't want your shipment confisicated because of a problem with a freebie!

- Try to keep your freebie relevant to what your selling, it will be easier for the customer to recall who/what/why/when/where they got it from.

Something else to keep in mind, no matter how great the freebie is, the best way to keep a customer happy and encourage that customer to come back is through:

a.) A great product at a good price!
b.) Awesome customer service, before & after the sale!
c.) Professional packing!

Etsy Confession: Advice of the Day

2009-06-17T18:49:00.000-07:00

So I have 2 years of Etsy selling experience and I was thinking of some of the mistakes I made in the beginning. I figured I should pass along some of the my "mistakes" in the hopes of helping others to avoid those mistakes.

1.) DON'T list your products on Etsy all at one time!

Why:

When your item is added to your Etsy shop, it ends up at the top of the search for a few minutes and then disappears into the search pages. Those first few minutes that your item is up there, it will be in the first few items the buyer sees. If you list a few times each day, different buyers will see your items at different times. Increasing your exposure and possiblity of selling.

2.) Always fill out your policies page!

Why:

If you have a problem with a buyer who disagrees with you about how something is supposed to be paid for, or how/when something is supposed to ship, you will need something to reference to show how and when that something is supposed to be done. Otherwise, you'll both be arguing over who is right without a good, standard solution. Especially when it comes to return policies.

3.) You can't just list your wares and sit back and wait for the sales to pour in, you need to do outside of Etsy promotion, here's a few suggestions:

a) Spend at least 1-2 hours in the forums about 6 days a week, reading and posting.

b) Started a blog and post almost every day.

c) Go to forums on other websites, google, yahoo, anywhere you can think of and post there making sure your store link is in your post (but don't just post to spam).

d) Get business cards and put them in all the packages you send to customers.

e) Start a flickr account.

f) Include in your packages to current customers, coupons offering discounts on future orders.

g) Make sure your store link is in every email you send.

h) Sign up for outside advertising (Project Wonderful, Google Ads, Facebook, etc)

i) Read other people's blogs and post messages on them, they will reply and notice your blog and sometimes post a link to yours.

j) Join an Etsy blog ring, so other people also find your blog

These are just a couple of things that I've thought about lately. I'll be adding more, as I think about it! I hope someone can use some of this to help themselves become more successful!

Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle!

2009-06-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

So everyone who has kids and some who don’t have broken bits of crayons lying around and I know what you’re thinking, ‘I need to toss those out, they’re garbage’, right, NO! Using this tutorial and about 20 minutes of your time, you will be able take those little bits and make brand new crayons! It’s a great way to save few bucks and it’s good for the environment too!

Supplies:

Crayons
Old microwave safe glass cup
Mold
- I purchased the mold I used from Michaels for $3.95 (don’t forget your 40% off coupon - $1.75)

Optional:

Glitter
- You can stir glitter into the melted wax to add a little sparkle to your new crayons.

1.) Sort the crayons into piles (to match the colors you want to create). You can mix different colored crayons to create new colors.

2.) Peel the wrappers off of the crayons.

- Soak the crayons in water for a few minutes and the wrappers will slide right off.

3.) Place each pile of crayons into a separate microwave safe cup.

4.) Layout newspaper or paper towel. Place your molds on top of the paper, to catch any spills (terrible stuff to clean up).

5.) Place the cup into the microwave. Turn on high for 4 minutes.

6.) When you take the cup out of the microwave, swirl the cup or use a stir stick, a few times to mix the color together.

7.) Slowly pour the melted concoction into the prepared molds.
- Have paper towel handy, to clean up any spills.

8.) Leave and let harden for about 30 minutes. You can also stick the mold in the freezer for a few
minutes to speed up the process.

9.) After the wax has completely hardened, turn over molds and your new crayons should pop right out.

10.) Find paper and enjoy!

Note:
- Looking for cheap crayons? I bought a 1lb package of Crayola crayons for $1.99.
- Wondering what makes good molds?
- Soap molds, Candy molds, ice cube trays, muffin tins, etc

Come One, Come All...

2009-06-09T05:58:00.001-07:00

If your in Saskatchewan, specifically Mortlach, Saskatchewan, or planning to be in the area, you should make a stop at the Mortlach Saskatoonberry Festival, which is coming together on July 4th! With an expected atttendence of around 2500 people, there should be plenty to see and do! Including entertainment, events, a parade, and of course plenty of food!

Admission is only $5 or $15 for the whole family.

The festivitates start at 8am and continue on until 10pm.

If your interested in attending the festival as a vendor, please check out their website at:

http://www.mortlach.ca/saskatoonberryfestival2009.html

And their vendor application page:

http://www.mortlach.ca/f/2009_Vendor_Ap1.pdf

You should definitely check out this fine fair, it would be a shame to miss!

Public Domain & Photography

2009-06-08T17:38:00.000-07:00

What does Public Domain mean?

“Intellectual property rights which are not owned or controlled by anyone. The term indicates that these materials are therefore "public property", and available for anyone to use for any purpose”
- Wikipedia

Where can I find Public Domain Photography Websites?

Public Domain Pictures.net
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

The pictures are free for you to use, however, if your planning for commercial use, please be aware that no model release was obtained and pictures featuring products or property should be used with care.

Public-Domain-Photos.com
http://www.public-domain-photos.com/

All photos on this web site are public domain. You may use these images for any purpose, including commercial.

Burning Well.org
http://www.burningwell.org/

The images in the BurningWell repository are in the public domain. Basically, this means that you are allowed to use the images freely for any purpose, commercial or private. You do not have to pay to use them, or even acknowledge or give credit to the BurningWell repository or original photographer.

Flickr – Creative Commons
http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/

The photos listed under the Attribution section allows you to copy, distribute, display, and perform your copyrighted work - and derivative works based upon it - but only if they give you credit
The photos listed under the Share Alike section allows others to distribute derivative works only under a license identical to the license that governs your work.

PDPhoto.org
http://pdphoto.org/index.php

Photographs may be freely used by everyone. Unless something is clearly marked as being something other than public domain, you can assume it is free to use.

These websites and blubs I’ve added under each one are taken directly from their website. As I find more, I’ll be added more.

Note: The information is accurate at time of posting, please check with the website, to ensure that the requirements of usage have not changed.

Note: The public domain photograph shown is called, "Sunset In Serengeti", shot by Richard Spencer

Etsy Contest: A Handmade Moment

2009-06-07T07:46:00.000-07:00

“Attention all artists, videographers, film students, DIY addicts, advertising students, home video makers, professionals, camera nerds and other creative members of the Etsy community: here's your chance to show the world how talented you are, and help us spread the Etsy gospel while you are at it!”

Who:

You

What:

15 second or 30 second video of your own creation that advertises Etsy.com that is themed after “A Handmade Moment”

When:

From June 1, 2009 until August 31, 2009

Where:

http://www.etsy.com/

Why:

First Prize: $3,250Three Runners Up: $1,250Six Finalists: $500

For the specifics, i.e. the formal rules and guidelines, please see the official Etsy Storque page here:

http://www.etsy.com/storque/etsy-news/a-handmade-moment-4095/

Good luck to everyone!

Food for Thought: Etsy + Success

2009-06-06T10:38:00.001-07:00

Success and Etsy

"Success depends on standing out, not fitting in"

-Don Draper

First and foremost, I have to say, truer words are seldom spoken, especially when you consider everything that is Etsy. From the community, the creations, the forums, getting on the front page, etc, it is nearly impossible to become a huge success trying to capitalize on someone else’s ideas.

You need to stand out! Etsy is all about being an individual, unique and original. The next time you’re thinking about what you want to create to sell next, take a step back and think about whether these thoughts cross your mind:

"What’s going to be the next big thing?"

"What a great idea - I could make one of those."

"That person sells a lot, I’m sure I could do that."

"I always see that color on the front page, I might use it too."

"I'm sure that pattern would be easy to modify."

"That seems to be the standard price - I'll charge the same."

And then try to keep these in mind:

“Is it wrong? Would I feel bad? Would I want someone doing that to me?”
“Can I get in trouble for it?”
“Do I really want to be a band wagon jumper?”
“How long will be copying someone else’s idea, keep me interested?”
“Do you feel like an artist?”
“How will it affect my own creativity?”

I’m not trying to judge anyone, everyone will make their own decisions based on their views on right & wrong, I was just thinking about a conversation I recently had and thought I would put it into words.

And I know the true originals are becoming harder and harder to create, however, when we stop trying to strive for “original”, will there still be a point in creating?

So...yes, it's completely barren right now, BUT...

2009-06-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

Welcome, thanks for coming, please pull up a chair, sit down, feel free to grab a drink or a snack, and stay for a while...

Where oh where do I begin, well, my name is Teri! I created this blog to hopefully (keyword being hopefully) put into words, my artistically inspired ramblings. I'm thinking about "focusing" on the wondrous world of arts & crafts, in the hopes of dealing with my absolute, unyielding obsession of creating both beautiful yet functional pieces that anyone would love or at least appreciate (even if its from a distance - you know the whole, 'well its not something I would personally like but I could see how someone else might like it' or the less tactful, 'what the hell were you thinking'!

I'm also a HUGE fan of Etsy and the Handmade Movement! If you have a chance, you NEED to check Etsy out whenever you have a chance! I can't even begin to explain the amazing pieces you can find.

I've tried selling my pieces on Etsy but unfortunately, I don't think I have the discipline to create the same pieces over and over again (short attention span!). So I decided because of my obsession with learning to create new things (I'm the type that sees something I like and then brain starting churning, I could make that), and I thought I would start sharing some of things I've created and show others how I did it!

If anyone has any requests, comments, thoughts, feel free to let me know!