Showing posts with label Etsy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Etsy. Show all posts
Clever Betty
You may have noticed that my Etsy products that usually appear on the right side of this blog aren't there anymore. That's because I've decided to put my shop in vacation mode for a bit while I work on the other million things that are going on in my life right now!
If you're in the St. Louis area and need a little Clever Betty in your life, you can always head down to Cherokee Street to visit Peridot... the remainder of the products that were in my shop are now hanging out with tons of other great handmade items at the shop.
And ALSO! I am still taking custom order requests, which is part of the reason that I put the shop in vacation mode to begin with. I've got a large number to catch up with and will be posting photos for you along the way, but if you're ever interested in a custom order yourself, please contact me via the button at the bottom of the right hand column to do so!
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Show Me Etsy
Back in September I joined a local group of Etsy crafters called the Show Me Etsy Street Team. Etsy has since gotten rid of the "street team" part of the name, as many of their groups are no longer local... so we're just plain old Show Me Etsians now. (Show Me standing for crafters in the St. Louis area, which happens to be in the Show-Me state!)
We meet once a month to chat about upcoming craft shows, some of which are hosted by the group itself. We trade ideas on how to improve our shops and let each other know when we've discovered something new about being a small business owner and Etsy seller.
A few months after I joined, I was nominated to be the Public Relations Chair for the group. I ran (uncontested, but they still voted for me!) and I'm now in the process of figuring out what exactly my role is as the PR Chair! Part of this includes updating the blog, and as you can see from the link above, we're still in the process of working all the kinks out.
Also soon after I joined, I found out that the group had been in the process of creating a new logo for quite some time. Their last one was dated, and really much more of a blog header than a logo, so an update was definitely necessary.
They had posted an alchemy request on Etsy and started to work with a designer who just. didn't. get. it. Let's just say the logo looked like a shopping bag (the St. Louis arch doubled as the bag's handle,) stole Etsy's direct shades of blue and orange as a color scheme, and warranted comments such as "the hands in the logo just make me think of an Ikea instruction manual..." So yeah. It was pretty convenient when they brought that logo to the meeting and I said, "Well I'm a graphic designer... and it kinda sucks. I'll take over if you want..."
Right now we're in the process of voting on colors. What do you think?
I definitely have a favorite... but it's up to the group to vote at this point. Which color combo do you prefer?
We meet once a month to chat about upcoming craft shows, some of which are hosted by the group itself. We trade ideas on how to improve our shops and let each other know when we've discovered something new about being a small business owner and Etsy seller.
A few months after I joined, I was nominated to be the Public Relations Chair for the group. I ran (uncontested, but they still voted for me!) and I'm now in the process of figuring out what exactly my role is as the PR Chair! Part of this includes updating the blog, and as you can see from the link above, we're still in the process of working all the kinks out.
Also soon after I joined, I found out that the group had been in the process of creating a new logo for quite some time. Their last one was dated, and really much more of a blog header than a logo, so an update was definitely necessary.
They had posted an alchemy request on Etsy and started to work with a designer who just. didn't. get. it. Let's just say the logo looked like a shopping bag (the St. Louis arch doubled as the bag's handle,) stole Etsy's direct shades of blue and orange as a color scheme, and warranted comments such as "the hands in the logo just make me think of an Ikea instruction manual..." So yeah. It was pretty convenient when they brought that logo to the meeting and I said, "Well I'm a graphic designer... and it kinda sucks. I'll take over if you want..."
Right now we're in the process of voting on colors. What do you think?
I definitely have a favorite... but it's up to the group to vote at this point. Which color combo do you prefer?
BTW...
Lisa Hessel featured Sean and my engagement shoot over on her blog while we were out of town... I know you've seen the pics repeatedly, but I had to share!
*** Thanks for reading friends! The 50th sale push was a success and the BOGO deal is now completed as of 4:00 CST 1/3/11***
Also, in case you haven't noticed... I'm two sales away from 50 sales in my Etsy shop. For the next two sales, I'm going to offer a buy one get one half off special for my lucky friends who are YHMH readers... purchase both items up front and I'll refund the difference via PayPal once the transaction goes through. Happy shopping!
(And psst... that 50% off sale is still in effect, even with the above mentioned deal!)
*** Thanks for reading friends! The 50th sale push was a success and the BOGO deal is now completed as of 4:00 CST 1/3/11***
*** Thanks for reading friends! The 50th sale push was a success and the BOGO deal is now completed as of 4:00 CST 1/3/11***
Also, in case you haven't noticed... I'm two sales away from 50 sales in my Etsy shop. For the next two sales, I'm going to offer a buy one get one half off special for my lucky friends who are YHMH readers... purchase both items up front and I'll refund the difference via PayPal once the transaction goes through. Happy shopping!
(And psst... that 50% off sale is still in effect, even with the above mentioned deal!)
*** Thanks for reading friends! The 50th sale push was a success and the BOGO deal is now completed as of 4:00 CST 1/3/11***
Don't forget!
Just as a reminder, everything in the Clever Betty Shop is 50% off until it's gone! I'm adding new stuff daily as well, like these clutches:
Bobby pins: (plenty more of these to come!)
and card cases:
Plus if you're local, don't forget about the exclusive items you can find down at Peridot!
Bobby pins: (plenty more of these to come!)
and card cases:
Plus if you're local, don't forget about the exclusive items you can find down at Peridot!
Did you hear?
Everything, and I mean everything in the Clever Betty shop is 50% off starting today. There's even a few more items that will be added throughout this week! Shipping prices have even been lowered. Get started on your holiday shopping early this year--I'm prepping for a little bit of a shop facelift in 2011 so once this stuff is gone, it's gone!
Did you know...
That I'm a totally horrible blogger and missed You Had Me At Handmade's birthday? Back in AUGUST. August 9th, in fact. Whoopsiesssss... my deepest apologies, YHMAH. In my defense, I really didn't blog often enough for the first few months anyway to actually remember that I started it in August. Nor did I blog at all for the month of August in 2010 so...
In celebration of said blog birthday, I'd like to take you on a little linky link flashback.
Sean and I celebrated our first anniversary.
My coworker Ashlee got married, and I made her a pretty little purse for her big day.
I got some crazy awesome Christmas presents.
I unsuccessfully tried to use one of those Christmas presents to make a New Year's Eve dress.
I made a loooooong list of goals for 2010.
We said goodbye to one of the best tv shows in the history of tv.
I opened the Clever Betty Shop!
I learned some lessons from a rough day.
I started a few columns, all of which I've put on hold to rethink what this blog needs to be for me. But in the process, I met a good web buddy.
I did my first craft show.
We had a furry visitor for a month over the summer.
We got engaged.
I did a totally awesome custom order for a bridal party.
I was gifted a much coveted madebyhank shoulder bag.
My wedding dress has been ordered!
Clever Betty was on tv.
All that in just over a year... are you caught up yet?
BTW, though that isn't me in the pic above, I can definitely do that and I never knew I could. Huh.
Image via capture the significance
In celebration of said blog birthday, I'd like to take you on a little linky link flashback.
Sean and I celebrated our first anniversary.
My coworker Ashlee got married, and I made her a pretty little purse for her big day.
I got some crazy awesome Christmas presents.
I unsuccessfully tried to use one of those Christmas presents to make a New Year's Eve dress.
I made a loooooong list of goals for 2010.
We said goodbye to one of the best tv shows in the history of tv.
I opened the Clever Betty Shop!
I learned some lessons from a rough day.
I started a few columns, all of which I've put on hold to rethink what this blog needs to be for me. But in the process, I met a good web buddy.
I did my first craft show.
We had a furry visitor for a month over the summer.
We got engaged.
I did a totally awesome custom order for a bridal party.
I was gifted a much coveted madebyhank shoulder bag.
My wedding dress has been ordered!
Clever Betty was on tv.
All that in just over a year... are you caught up yet?
BTW, though that isn't me in the pic above, I can definitely do that and I never knew I could. Huh.
Image via capture the significance
Things I've learned this week...
It's been a while since I've done one of these posts. I suppose I'm in a listmaking mood in lieu of regular posting.
1. People love the heck out of anything yellow. Especially people who shop and sell on Etsy. Of the three items that I sell that are made from yellow and grey fabric, Clever Betty has been featured on the front page of Etsy twice, in 10 treasuries, and 3 of those items have sold. Is this just a summer thing, or should I always be on the lookout for such awesome yellow fabric as I have now? (compliments of that lovely coworker that left last week; she found it for me at an estate sale on a whim!)
2. Sunday nights will from now on be reserved for cooking a great meal with Sean. We almost always eat dinner together, but last night Sean fired up the grill, (said he was feeling manly after changing his oil and mowing the lawn) I brought him a beer, and then got to work on some baked mac 'n cheese, asparagus and cupcakes. Then we watched the first episode of Dexter. I'm already in love with it, but since Sean's a psychologist, he's having a hard time getting behind the main character... which is understandable. I think he just knows a bit more than most of us about the human mind, which I'm sure can be distracting with such a show.
3. I really miss having a dog around. (Mom and Dad, do not read that this means I want to adopt Lily) It was just nice to have her around, especially because she's so well trained and basically just wants to sit close to you and have her head petted. Oh, and treats. She always wants treats. But then, who doesn't?
4. I could ride my bike for hours, and it makes me dislike running even more. Seriously, you still get a great workout, there's a natural breeze to keep you cool, you can go further faster and you can still be understood when talking without keeling over in the middle of your conversation. Try it.
5. Weddings can get really ridiculously expensive if you let them. Being such a frugal person... it's pretty painful to think about. But in the end, we're going to have a beautiful day, and half the fun is happening right now as we pick out all the details for it all. This is the kind of day I was born for... an excuse to make pretty things for the sake of being pretty and all about us :)
6. 27" iMacs are HUGE. I'm pretty sure my last tv was smaller than this screen. I'm currently basking in the glory of a new (much needed) computer at work. Now if only the bookstore would get CS5 in stock I'd be golden.
7. There are some decent people who are actually searching for furniture on Craigslist that don't want to harm you. Read: some. Fortunately those are the folks that are inquiring about my furniture at the moment, but just to be safe... all meetings are set up during the day with Sean present. It makes me sad that I have to prep like this, but I've heard too many Craigslist stories...
8. I feel extremely accomplished when organizing all of the stuff I've unpacked at Sean's. We're on a major cleaning kick. He's even going through his boxes and getting rid of stuff. We've got a pile of Goodwill and/or consignment stuff the size of Mount McKinley. I'm pushing for a yard sale, but we'll see how that goes.
9. My future mother in law opened an Etsy shop with her best friend! They're just getting started but I'm pretty certain it's going to be full of awesome antiques and vintage finds- jewelry, dishware, glass... you name it. I'm so proud! Go check out their story- it's ridiculously cute.
10. When you forgot to shave your armpits, grabbing your fiance's electric razor because it was conveniently in the car console when you're running late to an event might seem like a great, and convenient, idea. However, when your pits aren't used to such a razor, you've got to be a bit more gentle... as in, I had absolutely no idea that electric razors (you know the ones with the three round dealies on the head) could draw blood. FYI: they do.
images via wehearit
1. People love the heck out of anything yellow. Especially people who shop and sell on Etsy. Of the three items that I sell that are made from yellow and grey fabric, Clever Betty has been featured on the front page of Etsy twice, in 10 treasuries, and 3 of those items have sold. Is this just a summer thing, or should I always be on the lookout for such awesome yellow fabric as I have now? (compliments of that lovely coworker that left last week; she found it for me at an estate sale on a whim!)
2. Sunday nights will from now on be reserved for cooking a great meal with Sean. We almost always eat dinner together, but last night Sean fired up the grill, (said he was feeling manly after changing his oil and mowing the lawn) I brought him a beer, and then got to work on some baked mac 'n cheese, asparagus and cupcakes. Then we watched the first episode of Dexter. I'm already in love with it, but since Sean's a psychologist, he's having a hard time getting behind the main character... which is understandable. I think he just knows a bit more than most of us about the human mind, which I'm sure can be distracting with such a show.
3. I really miss having a dog around. (Mom and Dad, do not read that this means I want to adopt Lily) It was just nice to have her around, especially because she's so well trained and basically just wants to sit close to you and have her head petted. Oh, and treats. She always wants treats. But then, who doesn't?
4. I could ride my bike for hours, and it makes me dislike running even more. Seriously, you still get a great workout, there's a natural breeze to keep you cool, you can go further faster and you can still be understood when talking without keeling over in the middle of your conversation. Try it.
5. Weddings can get really ridiculously expensive if you let them. Being such a frugal person... it's pretty painful to think about. But in the end, we're going to have a beautiful day, and half the fun is happening right now as we pick out all the details for it all. This is the kind of day I was born for... an excuse to make pretty things for the sake of being pretty and all about us :)
6. 27" iMacs are HUGE. I'm pretty sure my last tv was smaller than this screen. I'm currently basking in the glory of a new (much needed) computer at work. Now if only the bookstore would get CS5 in stock I'd be golden.
7. There are some decent people who are actually searching for furniture on Craigslist that don't want to harm you. Read: some. Fortunately those are the folks that are inquiring about my furniture at the moment, but just to be safe... all meetings are set up during the day with Sean present. It makes me sad that I have to prep like this, but I've heard too many Craigslist stories...
8. I feel extremely accomplished when organizing all of the stuff I've unpacked at Sean's. We're on a major cleaning kick. He's even going through his boxes and getting rid of stuff. We've got a pile of Goodwill and/or consignment stuff the size of Mount McKinley. I'm pushing for a yard sale, but we'll see how that goes.
9. My future mother in law opened an Etsy shop with her best friend! They're just getting started but I'm pretty certain it's going to be full of awesome antiques and vintage finds- jewelry, dishware, glass... you name it. I'm so proud! Go check out their story- it's ridiculously cute.
10. When you forgot to shave your armpits, grabbing your fiance's electric razor because it was conveniently in the car console when you're running late to an event might seem like a great, and convenient, idea. However, when your pits aren't used to such a razor, you've got to be a bit more gentle... as in, I had absolutely no idea that electric razors (you know the ones with the three round dealies on the head) could draw blood. FYI: they do.
images via wehearit
Oh hello, unexpected package at my door
Have you ever come home to find a package at your door and thought, "Did I order something?"
And then read the label and thought, "Well I've ordered from this store before... perhaps they had a fluke computer system issue and sent it to me by mistake."
And then proceeded to open said package and found a gift wrapped with vintage lace and your name written on a tag?
And then, tearing up, found that your lovely aunt had instructed the store to put a note inside that said, "Congratulations on your engagement!"
And also a note from the seller herself saying thank you for promoting her shop?
I have. And it was awesome. So here I am promoting madebyhank yet again. And sending a very warm thank you to my Aunt Karen for sending such a thoughtful gift (and clearly, for reading my blog and staking out the madebyhank shop in order to purchase such a thing!)
All images via madebyhank
And then read the label and thought, "Well I've ordered from this store before... perhaps they had a fluke computer system issue and sent it to me by mistake."
And then proceeded to open said package and found a gift wrapped with vintage lace and your name written on a tag?
And then, tearing up, found that your lovely aunt had instructed the store to put a note inside that said, "Congratulations on your engagement!"
And also a note from the seller herself saying thank you for promoting her shop?
I have. And it was awesome. So here I am promoting madebyhank yet again. And sending a very warm thank you to my Aunt Karen for sending such a thoughtful gift (and clearly, for reading my blog and staking out the madebyhank shop in order to purchase such a thing!)
All images via madebyhank
Another custom clutch
This time I was approached by one of my old friends from back home to make a clutch for one of her good friends for her birthday. The assignment: it must use apple green, black and white damask, (the recipient's color palette for her upcoming wedding) and be accented with a hootie owl. Yep, that's right. A hootie owl. And it was So. Much. Fun! Check it out:
Ashton and I convo'd back and forth to narrow down the details- the pink fabric for the appliqued owl, the blue button eyes.
She had an excellent idea, knew her friend's taste well, and was open to my suggestions. I can't ask for much more with a custom order!
So what do you think? Would you be so bold to carry such a clutch?
I think it will make an excellent accessory!
Ashton and I convo'd back and forth to narrow down the details- the pink fabric for the appliqued owl, the blue button eyes.
She had an excellent idea, knew her friend's taste well, and was open to my suggestions. I can't ask for much more with a custom order!
So what do you think? Would you be so bold to carry such a clutch?
I think it will make an excellent accessory!
A case for my camera
Remember when I mentioned needing a case for my new Instax Mini? Well, I decided to get a custom one made. I got it in the mail yesterday and I couldn't be more thrilled with the result!
Isthatnothemostadorablethingyouhaveeverseen? It's super sturdy and expertly constructed. Clara loves custom orders, but she's definitely got a shop that's full of cute stuff-and more than just camera cases! Go check her out at Sweet Treats.
Isthatnothemostadorablethingyouhaveeverseen? It's super sturdy and expertly constructed. Clara loves custom orders, but she's definitely got a shop that's full of cute stuff-and more than just camera cases! Go check her out at Sweet Treats.
A Nice Surprise
I don't know about you guys, but seeing that I have messages in my inbox is always pretty exciting. Especially when I get a message that tells me I've been featured on the front page of Etsy!
screenshot via craftcult
It's my first time :) I'm thrilled to have been featured with 11 other amazing artists this past Saturday in such a beautiful treasury. Now keep those email notifications coming, right?!?
If I had this...
dress pattern
I'd hope with all my might I could find similar fabric to make it in. Then, I'd pair it with this hair clip
these heels
this tote
and I'd probably ask that model up there if I could borrow her necklace while we're at it :)
New hair accessories and clutches being added to the shop as quick as I (and Sean) can!
I'd hope with all my might I could find similar fabric to make it in. Then, I'd pair it with this hair clip
these heels
this tote
and I'd probably ask that model up there if I could borrow her necklace while we're at it :)
New hair accessories and clutches being added to the shop as quick as I (and Sean) can!
Just Popping In...
because I've missed you! I promise I'll be back to regular blogging next week. But for now, I wanted to share this with you:
because Sean got me one of these for my birthday:
and all I had to do was type in fujifilm at Etsy to find the above mentioned case. Seriously... some sellers are just awesome. I'm still shopping around for a case that's a little more structured I think, but I'll keep this one on the back burner. In the meantime, I'll be busy figuring out how to deal with the hugest parallax error I've ever experienced on a camera. Should make for some interesting credit card sized images!
Two days 'til Green With Indie... I'm putting on the finishing touches! Look forward to a detailed post about my first craft show experience :)
Flanders Field Photography
If there's ever a "go to" seller for answering every last one of your Etsy related questions, it's definitely Jenny of Flanders Field Photography. Jenny specializes in flower and nature closeups, that are available in color, black and white, sepia and varying sizes. She's about to celebrate her shop's third birthday- so check it out!
Jenny is a full-time mom to two boys, but when she has time off she spends it with photography. "I wander out my door to take photos in my yard or my neighborhood, then head back inside and spend time on the computer deciding if any of them pass muster. I'm lucky to live in Seattle, where there are many varieties of plants to choose from."
"I am inspired by nature, patterns and details, and by the possibility of helping people see things in a different way. I have an engineering background, and a friend once commented about the 'geometry' of my photos. I wasn't even aware of it at the time, but I think that's a big aspect of my work as well."" Jenny is a self-taught photographer. "I started taking pictures for the purpose of decorating our home, and I got good feedback from friends and family. When a friend told me about Etsy, I decided to see if others might like my work as well!" Turns out, they do!
Wound Up
Jenny's helpful nature in the Etsy forums made her an obvious choice to feature on You Had Me At Handmade. For any newbie who is thinking about going the Etsy route, Jenny suggests "that they do a lot reading and exploring of the site so they can understand how to best present their work. The Help page is an obvious place to start, but they should also be sure to click around on the Buy page and become familiar with the different ways to shop on Etsy and how the search function works. They should also spend some time in their category to get a sense of what works and what doesn't work when it comes to listing items, then develop their own style."
"What I like most about photography is the way it has helped me to see through different eyes. I notice more details and have a better appreciation of the world around me. And it's really rewarding when someone else enjoys my view as well!" I certainly notice the detail and work that Jenny puts into her photos! You can check out her shop here, or find her on Facebook.
I've got one jam packed weekend coming up! Tonight, my parents are coming to town to have a pre-birthday dinner with Sean and I, plus his parents are coming too! I'm thinking Mexican sounds good... AND to top it all off, my Lily dog is moving in for a month long vacation from my parents' house. Tomorrow, there's cupcakes, bowling, beer, pizza and lots of friends involved to celebrate the big 2-4. And finally, Sunday... the LOST finale is going to rock my world. Have a great weekend, everyone!
Amy Cantini
If there's ever a name that can get stuck in your head simply for having the perfect ring to it, it's Amy Cantini. I found Amy in the forums a while back, chatting about Etsy success, and I continue to see her there on a regular basis asking questions and helping other sellers with theirs.
"It's difficult to pin down what exactly inspires me. The world around me I expect, and all the beauty in it. I have been surrounded by vintage items and antiques nestled amongst modern day treasures my whole life. I've watched old movies and buried my nose in the pages of old books. I have a love of times past and far away places, I'm sure it's all very romanticized in my head. I love angels and crosses and old iron works, and the beauty of nature and the peacefulness of a cemetery. I believe you can find beauty all around you everyday...sometimes though, you have to really want to see it."
In all the items for sale on Etsy, I find Amy's to be quite a refreshing change. There are few sellers who can find the beauty that she does in a cemetery. Her vellum ornaments, pictured above, showcase her skilled photography in a format that is reminiscent of the past. (Does anyone remember when you had to submit slides of your work, instead of digital images, to enter art contests? See, I'm not as young as you think!)
When asked what she advice she would give new Etsy sellers Amy says, "I think definitely to love what you're doing, it's going to be a lot of work. That has to be reward enough sometimes. Knowing you did your best. People will come eventually and you need to be prepared for it to take a while. Don't ever invest more than you can afford to lose, and only you know what that is. Never undervalue your work...but don't price yourself out of the market either. It's a fine line to walk. Just leave yourself room to have a profit after a sale. Never sell anything that you would not purchase or use for yourself. It's a piece of you, people will get to know you buy your craftmanship and your customer service." All good things come with time.
Amy says the best part of what she does is that "I made it...that's the best part. It's so much fun to take a pile of beads and findings and turn it into something it wasn't before. Same goes for wood and paint and fabric and paper. I always have my hand in something and nothing is ever finished. Things can be worked and reworked a dozen times before they're right. All of it is worth it when someone loves it as much as you do."
And finally, some words of wisdom that make me smile: "Creativity is a gift. The ability to utilize it a blessing...you never know what you'll find." Thanks for the great advice, Amy! Be sure to visit Things I Like on Etsy. Amy would be also be ecstatic if you would add her on facebook.
Happy Friday, everyone! I'm off to celebrate Maifest in Hermann, MO tomorrow, to take a break from the sewing frenzy I've been in for the Green With Indie Craft Show.
Tissage
I'm on an accessory kick lately. Hats, bags, belts, shoes... jewelry. You name it. So perhaps that's why today's Found in the Forums seller stood out this time around, as Tory of Tissage has the kind of shop that accessory lovers will drool over.
I can relate to the process Tory described she goes through when designing new pieces for the Tissage shop. "I’m often inspired by the materials themselves. If I find a fabulous vintage rhinestone brooch I start thinking of designs and I can’t wait to use it in a new piece. I often design pieces in my head as I’m falling asleep at night. I’m also inspired by the aesthetics of the late 19th and early 20th century, from the Belle Époque to Art Nouveau to Art Deco. Most of my hats are inspired by the fashion of the 1920s and 30s." I've often been told to keep a sketchbook on my nightstand for this very same reason, Tory! I find t's those times that you take a break from the rest of it all that you come up with your best ideas.
I hope you'll go visit Tissage to see the hundreds of accessories Tory has to offer! Especially keep her in mind if you're looking for custom work: "I love doing custom jewelry for weddings and other special events because I get to work directly with the buyer." Thanks for being a part of Found in the Forums Friday, Tory!
Happy Friday, everyone!
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