Storque articles by wonderamy

All About Etsy FAQ Series: Getting to Know the Etsy Teams

2008-01-11T15:24:00-05:00

"Just what are the Etsy Teams and how do I get involved?" Do you Etsy Teammates hear that ringing in your ears right now? As part of our All about Etsy FAQ series, admins Sara and Amy weighed in about Etsy Teams. Over the past year, Etsy Teams have swelled in number and it's truly gratifying to see Etsians self-organize. Soon, we hope to launch new tools to help the Etsy Community communicate and to give Etsy Teams a more visible role on the site. On the Storque, you can keep on top of Team-related content by clicking on the EtsyTeams Featured Column.

At Etsy, community is super important to us, and one big way Etsy members can become active in the Etsy Community is to join an Etsy Team. Here are a few simple things you need to know if you'd like to participate in Etsy Teams, and to learn more, you can always visit the Team's Pages at http://team.etsy.com to find lots more information in a few quick clicks.

What is an Etsy Team?
Etsy Teams are smaller groups of organized Etsy members who network, share skills, and promote their shops and Etsy together. A Team forms around a shared location, a medium, or another interest. Etsy's 150+ teams make us not just a marketplace of individuals, but an interconnected and diverse handcrafters' community. Teams are Etsy’s biggest and most creative grassroots engine for support, networking and marketing — for each team member’s shop, for the Teams themselves, and for Etsy as a whole.

How do I join a Team?
You can browse through the list of Etsy Teams, which are sorted by location and by interest, to find teams that suit you and your shop. Most Teams have contact information on their profile page about how to join. If the team you're interested in doesn't have a leader or contact person listed, you can email teams@etsy.com to join. Don't forget to include the name of the team(s) you're interested in, along with your Etsy username in the email!

Can I join more than one Team?
Sure! Please join as many teams as your schedule permits you to be actively involved in.

What team should I join?
You can browse through the Team Profiles to see what each team is up to — visiting the Teams' pages and clicking through their websites and blogs will help you get an idea of what the team is about and how active they are. We do ask that you join location-based teams according to where you spend most of your time (ie, where you live). Some Teams have membership requirements, and these are listed on the profile pages. If you have specific questions about a Team, try contacting the contact person or leader listed on the page.

There are over 150 Etsy Teams and new Teams being formed each week, so there's an Etsy Team for practically everyone! If you don't find a Team that interests you, or if there isn't currently an active Team in your area, you can start an Etsy Team yourself.

How do I update my Team's page?
If you've started an Etsy Team, you can have the profile page updated by emailing updates to teams@etsy.com, and we'll make the changes for you. You can update to add new members, include new links to websites or blogs, and let us know about event, challenges, contests and more. We like to include this kind of content in the posts we do on the Storque. If you fill out the Storque pitch form, be sure to include the words "Etsy Teams" so that the Storque editors know to forward it to the Etsy Teams admin.

Want to be in the loop about Etsy Teams? Be sure to join the Etsy Teams Email List for updates and news. Also, don't forget that the Team pages are also full of great resources, like how-to guides and downloadable graphics and more, so take a quick browse through, even if you're not currently on a Team!

Etsy Teams Mission: Ten Minute Marketing

2007-12-17T09:35:00-05:00

To: All Etsy Team Members
From: Etsy Teams Intelligence Headquarters
cc: Etsy Community Members

Re: The Ten Minute Marketing Mission

Dear Etsy Teams Operatives and Agents,

DEC. 17: WEEK SEVEN of 10-MINUTE MARKETING is POSTED at TEAMS MISSION CONTROL!

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to participate in our daily challenge to find ten minutes each week day to market your shops, your teams, Etsy.com and the Buy Handmade Pledge . We have made this mission as easy and painless as possible (for a super-sneaky covert operation) — providing you, our skillful and fabulous Agents and Operatives, with:

A weekly printable calendar of Ten-Minute Marketing Directives (available at Etsy Teams Buy Handmade Mission Control on Monday);
A weekly update of this Storque article outlining the Directives for the week; and
Secret files and documents also at Etsy Teams Buy Handmade Mission Control to facilitate your mission.

The goal of the mission is simple: to spread the word that buying handmade is the absolutely best choice to make this Holiday season. We'll be tracking your progress here at Etsy Teams Intelligence Center.

This message will not self destruct. Please copy, paste and send this article to your colleagues, compatriots and fellow team members. We are counting on you to execute this mission with the utmost delight and craftiness!

Truly,
Sara (codename: sarawearsskirts) + Amy (codename: wonderamy)
at the Etsy Teams Intelligence Center.

Etsy Teams Rock the Holidays Part 2: Global Teams!

2007-12-07T08:36:00-05:00

As promised, Part 2: Global Teams! From Team challenges to Team gift guides to member swaps, global Etsy Teams are rocking the handmade holidays in true style with events and activities around the globe. Here, again, is a small sampling of what some of the Global Teams are up to. Some of these events have already happened and some are coming up. Feel free to add your Team's events to the comments - this list is not yet comprehensive, and it's inspiring to see what Etsy Teams are up to!

Curious what Local Etsy Teams are up to this holiday season? Check out Part 1 of this article here.

Here goes, in no particular order. And again, add your Team events to the comments!

ETSY MUD TEAM

The Mud Team is having a blast with a holiday mug swap. Pictures here.

The Mud Teamers also hosted a "Mud in the Trees" raffle. Buyers made a purchase from any Mud Team shop during the event and were automatically entered in a raffle for a free Christmas ornament. Three ornament prizes created by Mud Team members were given away. Most Mud Team member shops still have ornaments for sale.

Blog: http://etsymudteam.blogspot.com

CREATIVE GLASS GUILD OF ETSY (CGGE)

The CGGE has been very busy: They hosted a November Team Challenge, and held a Gobble For Goodies Scavenger Hunt and Sale over Thanksgiving, resulting in a giveaway of three prizes to lucky winners. For the month of December they are having an "Elves Gone Wild" sale - Team members are offering a variety of sales in their shops.

Web site: http://www.cgge.org

FANTASY ARTISTS OF ETSY

The Fantasy Artists are holding a winter exhibition, and they just held a "FAE Street Team Snowflake Fantasy Contest" (info here).

Blog: http://fantasyartofetsy.blogspot.com

VISUAL ARTS TEAM (VAST)

Green Up Together is a contest for all Etsy Sellers, taking place until the end of December, from the Visual Arts Team. Create a collage or mixed media artwork and list it in your Etsy shop with the tag "GREENUPTOGETHER." Winner will receive a prize.

Blog: http://vastgallery.blogspot.com

ECO ETSY

EcoEtsy just concluded a successful sale with over 60 items sold. Every Eco Sale buyer was automatically entered in a raffle and three lucky buyers received prizes donated from EcoEtsy sellers.

Blog: http://ecoetsy.blogspot.com

ART JEWELRY COLLECTIVE (AJC)

The AJC is holding a "90 Features in 90 Days" Challenge, where members of AJC and other Etsy members feature another participant in their blog once per day for 90 days. This is a great way for Etsy Team members blogs to become more visible in search engines! Discussion is available here. They are still seeking about 30 more artists to participate so that the challenge can have maximum impact. Some participants have already seen great results (in sales) from this experimental marketing program, so hop on board!

The AJC also has an online Holiday Gift Guide, and a full-page ad in December's Ornament Magazine.

Blog: http://artjewelrycollective.wordpress.com

Gift Guide: http://ArtjewelryCollective.wordpress.com

ETSY BLOGGERS

Stormydesigns has organized a sale event for the EtsyBloggers Street Team, going on December 1st through 8th.

Blog: http://etsybloggers.blogspot.com

ETSY GREETINGS

Etsy Greetings has a beautiful holiday cards promo site up and running.

Blog: http://www.etsygreetings.blogspot.com

JEWELRY ON ETSY TEAM

JET, Jewelry Etsy Team, is holding a huge holiday sale in all of their member's shops. When you search for "JHS" on Etsy, you can view all of their special sale jewelry.

Blog: http://jewelryonetsyteam.blogspot.com

BEADWEAVERS

The Beadweavers Team has been holding challenges each month. You can see the latest entries at their blog.

Blog: http://etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com

ECLECTIC JEWELRY ARTISANS

EJA is holding a Winter Wonderland giveaway with gift packages worth over $50 each. To enter the drawing, people must identify an item in the team shop or on our website. Participants must also sign up for the EJA newsletter. EJA is also working on a team-wide collaboration. Members will gather in pairs to create items for a Valentine's Day promotion in January.

Blog: http://eclecticjewelryartisans.com

ETSY GLASS ARTISTS

The EGA has created this beautiful Holiday Glass Gift Guide.

Blog: http://etsyglass.com

EARTH PATH ARTISANS / EAST

The Earth Path Artisans / EAST team has issued a challenge to all members to create an item that falls in the theme of Winter Wonderland from December 15th through January 7th. Voting will be open to all Etsy members through their account at http://earthpathartisans.etsy.com. View all the entries here in the shop favorites and pick your favorite item by hearting it. The four entries with the most hearts win; their makers will receive gift packages filled with promotional items from participating member shops.

EAST also made a sweet promo pack earlier this fall, which can be seen here and here.

Blog: http://earthpathartisans.blogspot.com

POLYMER CLAY ARTISTS GUILD

The Polymer Clay Artists are having a monthly Challenge here.

Website: http://www.pcagoe.com

CHRISTIAN ARTISTS TEAM

CAST held a Christmas Carol Contest from Monday, November 26 through Monday, December 3rd. Ten words from the Christmas carol "Oh Holy Night" were hidden in participating CAST Shops. Winners received a Gift Basket, including gift certificates, bath and body items, ornaments, jewelry, knitted and crocheted items, a "wooliture," a child's handmade apron, stained glass, ornaments, magnets, tote bags, and more.

Blog: http://etsycast.blogspot.com

DESIGNING SWANKY MOMS

The Designing Swanky Moms are holding a Scavenger Hunt open to all Etsy buyers and sellers from December 2nd through 9th. Search the participating shops listed on the Designing Swanky Moms Blog for five pieces of the puzzle. The whole puzzle is in team members' avatars. When you've found all of the items, send a convo to Beth (http://tadadesigns.etsy.com) with all your answers. The winner will be the FIRST person to correctly find ALL FIVE pieces of the puzzle, theywill get the MAIN prize, valued well over $150. Second Place will get a smaller gift basket valued over $50. All other correct finds will get a Free Shipping Coupon for all participating shops!. The winner will be notified via convo on December 10th , and will be published on the blog and on the Etsy forums.

THE BEAD HIVE

The Bead Hive hosted a Holiday Bazaar November 30th through December 3rd. They had a hide and seek game where Etsy members were able to look for letters they hid in their shop listings. The first person to put together a Christmas word won a prize. Search "BHV Holiday Bazaar" on Etsy and look for a forum thread from the Bead Hivers about holiday sales in their shops.

Blog: http://beadhive.blogspot.com

TRASHION

The Etsy Trashion team had a giant celebration called Save the World Sunday on two dates, November 24th and December 2nd. It included a team sale, a contest for all customers to win a $50 bag of goodies, and a chat/party highlighting the great things that buying handmade and eco-friendly can mean. The chat was Sunday the 2nd - in Etsy's virtual labs at 5 p.m. EST.

Blog: http://etsytrashion.blogspot.com

Shop: http://etsytrashion.etsy.com

What's your Etsy Team up to? Leave us a comment to let us know!

Etsy Teams Rock the Holidays Part 1: Local Teams

2007-12-06T10:30:00-05:00

This week, I have been collecting evidence of Etsy Team activities this holiday season. Etsy Teams are spreading the news about buying handmade in full force, with a variety of events and activities, from huge craft fairs to small, intimate gatherings to swap cupcakes or handmade presents. Here is just a small sampling of what some of the local teams are doing from the United Kingdom to Texas to Vancouver. Some of these events have already happened and some are coming up. Feel free to add your Team's past and/or future events to the comments - this list is not yet comprehensive!

Reading through the submissions of events from Etsy Teams far and wide has confirmed my belief that Etsy Teams are truly a bedrock of the handmade movement, building interesting communities of crafters in small towns and big cities (and across the globe, in the case of the global teams - who will be featured in Part 2 of this article!).

Here goes, in no particular order. And again, add your Team events to the comments!

THE UNITED KINGDOM

CAKE OFF! CAKE OFF! Members of the The UK Team were assigned "baking buddies" and held a delicious cake swap amongst their members. They posted photos of their baking process and final results here.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA

The Vancouver Etsy Chicks of the British Columbia team regularly meet to chat and have coffee and share resources and crafting ideas. On December 9 they are having a "Twisted Secret Santa" crafty gift giving meetup.

MICHIGAN, USA

MICE (Michigan Indie Crafters on Etsy) are having a Holiday Craft Extravaganza, Saturday December 8, 11-6pm at he Royal Oak View in Royal Oak, Michigan. Over 30 Etsy MICE members will be selling thier treasures!

MICE Blog: http://www.myspace.com/micetsy

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, USA

Philly Etsy will be hosting a Holiday Trunk Show at the Mew Gallery on 9th and Christian Sts. in Philly's Italian Market neighborhood on First Friday (Dec. 7th). About 15 Philly Etsy artists and crafters will be selling their works.

Philly Etsy Blog: http://phillyetsy.blogspot.com/

KANSAS, USA

The Kansas City Etsy Street team just had a successful trunk show and are already planning one for Valentine's Day! They also just finished a sale promotion for Thanksgiving and Black Friday. The Kansas Team is "very active in promoting Etsy & each other's shops as well as encouraging a 'buy handmade' movement in Kansas City - both the Kansas and Missouri sides."

Kansas City Etsy Blog: http://kcetsy.blogspot.com
Kansas Team's Flickr group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/kcetsy

TEXAS, USA

Etsy Texas Crafters (ETC) hosted a First Monday of the Month Sale on December 3, with this month's theme focusing on stocking stuffers and holiday related gifts. ETC is also hosting a Holiday Chat: Heather of humblebeads will be facilitating a chat about stocking stuffer ideas, featuring craft projects and Etsy shopping. Check their website, http://www.etsytx.org, for additional information.

WISCONSIN, USA

The Wisconsin Etsy Street Team held its first ever holiday trunk show at a cafe in Madison on November 17th with ten artists representing. They each brought a treat to share with buyers and each donated a swag item for a basket which they gave to a volunteer who helped with the event. The event went so well that the WISTies are going to do it every month!

WIST Blog: http://wist-etsy.blogspot.com

PORTLAND, OREGON, USA

PDX ETSY is hopping with weekly skillshares, and a major craft fair on December 22 from 8am to 4pm at the PSU Smith Center next to the Portland Farmers Market in the south park blocks. Contact etsypdx@gmail.com for more information, and check out PDX's web site at pdxetsy.com.

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, USA

Several Richmond Etsy Team members are a part of The Richmond Craft Mafia, and they are having a Handmade Holiday Sale Friday Dec 7th from 6:30pm to 9pm at 4025 MacArthur Ave in Richmond, VA. They have also done some blogging about buying handmade this holiday season and the Handmade Pledge.

Blog entries: Giving Thanks for All Things Handmade and Pledge to Buy Handmade

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, USA

EtsyRain is offering gift bags in several of their members' shops. These are grab bags with five items (each from a different shop), being offered at half of their normal retail price. Search Etsy for "etsyrain goodie bags." These busy crafters also threw a craft sale on November 1st at stir, a local gallery/studio, entitled "Kick off the Holidays with EtsyRain!". The fair featured 10 Seattle area Etsy artists and crafters.

EtsyRain blog: http://etsyrain.blogspot.com. Featuring members' shops on their birthday and posts about crafty goings-on in the Seattle area.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, USA

Etsy team Boston Handmade recently had a show at Dalia's Bistro and Wine Bar in Brookline, MA. There were nine sellers Selling items ranging from jewelry to handbags. It was a great success! The first 50 people received a promo Bag full of goodies.

Also, several Boston Etsy Members will be participating in the SOWA Holiday Art Market, on Saturday, December 8th and Sunday, December 9th. The event comes at the tail end of another season of the South End Open Market, a weekly open-air crafting market chock-full of Boston Etsy sellers. The event manager even gives away two free tables to Etsy sellers weekly!

Blog: http://bostonhandmade.blogspot.com

RHODE ISLAND, USA

The brand new RI Etsy Street Team is featuring weekly interviews with an Etsian from each of the 50 states. A virtual Etsy road trip!

Blog: http://arts-in-ri.blogspot.com

CLEVELAND, OHIO, USA

The Cleveland Street Team will be running a Team table at the Cleveland Bazaar Bizarre on Saturday, December 8. Then they will host a Fire-Cider party to celebrate that most of their shows will be over soon and they can soon kick back and relax!

Blog: http://clevelandrocksetsy.blogspot.com

For info on what the Global Etsy Teams and up to this holiday season, go here!

Find Your Local Holiday Craft Fair!

2007-11-28T12:50:00-05:00

Shopping on Etsy is such a satisfying antidote to trudging through the crowds at the big box stores and shopping malls, isn't it? There's only one thing that compares: and that's seeing the handmade goodies in person, and meeting their makers!

Etsy Labs will be sponsoring the Bust Craftacular here in Brooklyn. See our post about it here.

There are an overwhelming amount of opportunities to browse handmade goods in so-called "real life" this holiday season — far too many to mention here. So, we're getting you started with a few web sites which catalog craft fairs and other off-line places to workship the Handmade.

AND, we are asking YOU to comment on this article, announcing a craft fair or handmade event that you know of (or are participating in), with all pertinent details. Spread the word about buying handmade this holiday season!

Useful Websites with Lists of Craft Fairs

indiecraftshows.com - This is an incredibly comprehensive listing of upcoming events.
indiecraftfairguide - Another fantastic list, this one with logos (so many incredible designers in the handmade movement!)
fairsandfestivals.net - This site has a paid membership service for more serious resources, but there is a free events calender which is inclusive even of the smallest shows. Click on the map to get started.
mymy.us/store/events/ - Indie Craft Fair Guide by Etsian mymy.

Here are a just a few craft shows we have marked in on our calendars:

December 1
No Coast Craft-O-Rama - Minneapolis, MN
Urban Craft Uprising - Seattle, WA
Charm City Holiday Heap - Baltimore, MD

December 2
Urban Craft Uprising - Seattle, WA
Rock Your Stocking -Nashville, TN

December 8
Art vs. Craft - Milwaukee, WI
Handmade Market - Chicago, IL
Holiday Craft Extravaganza- Detroit, MI
Bust Craftacular- New York, NY

December 9
Squidfire - Baltimore, MD
Bizarre Bazaar - Boston, MA
Atomic Holiday Bazaar - Sarasota, FL
Rebel Rabbit - Portland, OR

December 15
Craft Mutiny - Washington, DC
Bazaar Bizarre - San Francisco, CA

December 16
Rebel Rabbit - Portland, OR
Crafty Wonderland - Portland, OR

December 22
PDX Etsy Holiday|Solstice Fair - Portland, OR

Hey, did you notice something? Most of the fairs listed here are in the United States! Please use the comments below to also add online catalogs of craft fairs around the world (we'll keep looking too).

Etsy Finds: Stunning Woodturned Bowls

2007-11-24T02:24:00-05:00

I came across these beautiful woodturned bowls at caronruse's Etsy shop. Her father, a gentleman by the name of Alan Sheppard, is a long-time wood turner and is on the Register of the Worshipful Company of Turners based in London, UK. His bowls and wooden fruits are made from English Yew, Scottish Burr Elm and other fine woods. Many have the tree's natural crevices and holes in them which I love.

Finding these sent me on a mission to find other beautiful examples of woodwork on Etsy - and there is so much amazing work to choose from!

Etsy Team Guide No. 1: The Art of the Press Release

2007-10-26T11:23:00-05:00

Over here at Etsy Teams, we are working hard on a series of guides to help Teams throw wildly successful holiday promotions and events in the next few months. Stay tuned as we begin publishing guides on anything and everything related to taking full advantage of the holidays with your Etsy Team!

We are happy to announce our first guide, just published in the "Resources" section of team.etsy.com:

How to Write a Killer Press Release for Your Etsy Team!

A good press release is a must for any successful Etsy Team event. Especially at this time of the year, its important to make sure your Teams' press release outshines all the competiton! Read the guide, check out the sample press release, and get to writing!

(Crocheted kittens appear courtesy of squirrelofsnooze.)

Etsy Teams Update: New and Improved Etsy Teams Pages LIVE!

2007-10-19T08:50:00-05:00

If you've visited the Etsy Teams pages in the past few hours, you may have noticed something remarkably different about them. Namely, the pages are much easier on the eyes, as well as easier to use! While they're not quite as sweet as the upcoming Community Section we're planning, these improved pages will make it much more pleasant to find and use lots of resources for Etsy Teams. You can still find these pages with the other important links down in the lower left-hand portion of each and every page on Etsy.

You'll find these pages are much easier to navigate, thanks to Wonderamy rethinking the pages and improving the navigation bar at the top of each and every page. You can now easily access a greatly improved list of all the Etsy Teams, grouped by location or interest. Your team's profile page URL has stayed the same, so if you have it linked to blogs, websites, forums and other off-Etsy sites, you won't have to worry about fixing links and things.

We made the resources for marketing your team a breeze to find, and they include downloads and a list of helpful links. We'll be adding Etsy Team Guides frequently. You can also look for the Projects list of ongoing community projects, as well as a new link to the Workshops - here you can find all the transcripts from previous workshops (a fantastic thing to refer to), as well as find out when the next Round Table Workshops will be occurring.

To join a team, you should still email Sara and Amy at teams@etsy.com, or see the profile page of the team you're interested in joining. We're so excited about working with all of the teams, especially in the upcoming months. To keep up to date on everything in the land of the Etsy Teams, join the Teams mini-mailing list by entering your email address at http://team.etsy.com. Yay!

Questions or comments? Talk about it in the forum thread!

Fresh Shops: Soapsicles by LoveLeeSoaps!

2007-10-11T17:56:00-05:00

Leeana Provan from Daytona Beach, Florida just opened LoveLeeSoaps on October 7th. She has begun stocking her colorful shop with fresh and groovy "Soapsicles" and other unusual delights. I found Leeana in the forums, posting about the sleepless nights of excitement that can happen when you first open an Etsy shop.

Leeana makes her own soap molds, and she plans to stock her store with more uniquely designed soapy creations, such as farm animal soaps, butterfly soaps, soapsicles and mini soapsicles, massage soaps, oatmeal soap and more. Her lemon massage soap looks amazing.

These soaps would make great holiday gifts for people of many ages - and they come with a free sample and a cute package. Who will give Leeana her first sale on Etsy?

Etsy Team Tip: Build a Team Etsy Mini

2007-10-09T13:19:00-05:00

Did you know that you can make an Etsy mini to show off your team's items?

Our tip this week is to make an Etsy mini for your team that members can put on their individual blogs and web sites.

If you don't have one already, create an Etsy buyer account for your team. Then stock the "favorites" with the best items from team members' shops. Use this great collection of images to build Etsy Minis, which you can paste in your personal and team blogs, and any other place your Team members hang out on the web.

What is an Etsy mini, you ask?

An Etsy mini is like a little dynamic treasury you can make and import into your other web spaces, like on your personal web site or into the sidebar of a blog. If you go to "Your Etsy" and click on "Etsy Mini" in the sidebar, you can walk through the steps of building one of your own. A mini can have images drawn from your favorites or your shop inventory. It's a groovy tool!

Check out our past Team Tips in The Storque for more ways to promote your team!