Search results (full) for: "shop local"

Gift Ideas: Shop Local UK with HidenSeek

2008-11-29T13:32:00Z

Eloise aka HidenSeek is a renowned Bear hugger, a relentless cake-topping dismantler, an involuntarily plant killer and an amateur fairytale weaver. We invited her to curate this Shop Local guide, UK edition. Meet some artists below and match them to their items at the bottom.

So here I am Etsy! You found me... :) Where one can usually find me and that's deep in the forests of the North of England looking for inspiration or just playing carefree with all the forest creatures. Here is a rare but precious peaceful moment of me and Mr. Bear in a quiet little spot where we sometimes sit on that bench enjoying the running water, the crunching of the leaves and pushing little bugs out of our noses.

I say rare because it was one of those times that everything went truly as planned, but you have to believe me, not all times between us are as “human girl and bear very wild” co-operative!! My slightly unnerved look can prove it...Actually a few moments later... Ohh... small children may be reading... so.... everything went great :D

I think the argument started at the point where we were talking about this Shop Local gift guide... different approaches you see. Mr. Bear was thinking again with the big cavity between his head and feet (meaning his stomach rather than anything else). UK has some fine hard working bees don't get me wrong, but featuring all the honey products on Etsy just wouldn't do.

And since between the two of us only I can type, I get to pick my most dreamy gifts for a special fairytale Christmas this year!! Sorry Mr. Bear....."democratic" meritocracy wins! So enjoy some wonderful, talented artists from around the UK and their amazing handmade goodies that would make the perfect Christmas gifts.

Wish you the happiest and loveliest festive season, full of magic, fairytales and adventures!
Bear hugs,
Hidden Eloise

LeahSutton

"This is the view from my top floor apartment window. I climb out of onto the roof where I’m standing to resolve my knitter’s creative block or get a sun break in the summer. In the distance are the tree tops of Richmond Park, the largest most spectacular deer filled park in London."

Tobyboo "Office blocks, shopping centres, more office blocks, more shopping centres. For those of you who have been to Croydon, South London, you'll know it's not the most inspiring of places but for those of you with a creative head you'll know that inspiration comes from everywhere! My small oasis isn't that pretty but it's enough to clear my head, a thin park that runs along side of the railway line and is right in the centre of town. The real Tobyboo is my baby boy, who is my inspiration - having him gave me a whole new area of work to think about. My varied background consists of a degree in jewellery, working in television, making handbags and making Toby."

allthosethrees "This picture is of me on the iconic London Underground (taken by my boyfriend's youngest daughter, Charlotte). I've always had a soft spot for the 'tube' — even more so since I no longer have to use it to commute every day!"

dollyknits

"This is me in a place called The Pantiles in Royal Tunbridge Wells, where I live. I'm standing just outside my favourite pub called The Ragged Trousers. I started a knitting group called Knitty Gritty and this is where we come to knit every Tuesday night. This is where Dolly Knits began over a pint of beer!"

lostintheforest

"The picture is taken outside my family home in Aberdeenshire: it's where I escape to when I need the space and time for contemplation and reflection. The whole area is magical to me: ruined castles, pictish stone circles, beautiful scenery and nature are everywhere."

abibansaldesigns

"Here is a photo taken locally in the fields of Devon where my studio is situated. I use this landscape for my photo shoots and inspiration."

belleandboo

"Here I am on a very British beach in Hastings!"

heidiburton

"King's College was founded in 1441 by Henry VI and is one of the oldest of 31 colleges that are part of the University of Cambridge, UK. Thousands of tourists visit King's every year, mostly for its impressive architecture. I enjoy taking my journals around town and sketching whatever catches my eye in this beautiful historical city."

hoolala

"The picture was taken outside my tiny shop called For England and St. George which is situated in The Fishmarket in Northampton (United Kingdom) by a local photographer called Phil Sharp - he has photographed the great and the good including Patti Smith and Juliet Lewis amongst others. The Fishmarket has been converted into a huge contemporary artspace/gallery. It opens 3 days a week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. This is one of my most favourite places in Northampton as it is really my playground and most of my friends also run shops there - it is crammed full of local talent. This magical place enables me to take a break from my busy studio and connect with my fabulous customers. I also organize a craft fair there once a month for 50 designer/makers with my friend Bill which is incredibly popular attracting over 900+ people through the doors. Cool Britannia!"

strawberriesandcream

"This picture was taken in Winchester in front of the famous Winchester Cathedral. This beautiful Gothic Cathedral is 900 years old and I love spending my time around the Cathedral particularly in the Spring time when the first blooms are on the trees in the grounds. It is very peaceful and romantic around the Cathedral and I find it very inspiring. I also enjoy walking along the small cobbled streets behind the Cathedral that are lined by medieval houses, including the house where Jane Austen spent the last part of her life."

Thank you, HidenSeek. Now back to your hidey hole! Say hello to Mr. Bear!

Shoppers, get your holiday gifts this season with Shop Local and meet your talented neighbors (shrink that carbon footprint too)! Find sellers belonging to local Etsy Teams: Ireland, United Kingdom, Scotland, Wales.

Shop Local Posts | Gift Ideas | Shop Local in Your Area

Please let Etsy's blog know about your favorite local Etsy artists. Pitch your town, state, country or region.

Buy Handmade Pledge

2008-11-28T18:25:00Z

Here we are. It's "Black Friday" again and we weren't waiting on line at the mall. There's something in the air and it's not muzak pumped throughout the florescent lit aisles of big box stores. It's been building across the world for some time now: a movement to bring together conscientious consumption and the joy of making things.

Since the Handmade Consortium launched the Buy Handmade Pledge (http://buyhandmade.org) last year, over 30,000 people have signed. Some say "hand-made is the new black" — but it's not a trend. This is about real people making changes in their everyday lives and figuring out how to make those changes lasting and sustainable. It's about being able to quit your day job and shop local. It about personal history and the inspiration behind making something of your own vision.

Etsy admin Tara aka weirdwolf recently met some of you at the Los Angeles Felt Club and filmed why handmade is important to you. This video with Stephanie Donon is just the first of many of your Handmade Confessionals. Click here to add your video response in Youtube.

Find out more about the Handmade Consortium | Sign the Handmade Pledge

Gift Ideas: Shop Local the Borough of Brooklyn, New York

2008-11-26T11:00:00Z

Alicia Kachmar aka EternalSunshine is a freelance writer, crafter, baker and sometimes pool-hustler. She has lived in Brooklyn for four years and contributes to BrooklynBased.net. We invited her to highlight some handcrafty talent from the "County of Kings" in this installment of our Shop Local series.

"In Brooklyn, it was as though you were in your own little bubble. You were all part of one big, but very close family...." Although this was uttered many years ago by a pitcher for the Dodgers, I think it still rings true today for many Brooklynites, and definitely for those who consider themselves part of the local DIY scene. We inhabit a rapidly developing part of New York City, and while some are wary of the changes, the creativity and number of artists living and working in all parts of Brooklyn is downright impressive, inspiring and exhilarating.

LoucheLab - Ned and Aya in front of a Brooklyn mural at the corner of Bedford and North 3rd right by the best place for bagels in Williamsburg! (psst! Check out the Handmade Wedding video Etsy made with them. Their love story crossed international borders!)

katecusack - In the midst of her supplies.

Naokosstoop - Prospect Park, her "second workplace during summer."

sweetestpea (now zooguu) - Jen, far left in pic, watching election results in Red Hook with some other Etsy folks.

luckyduckletterpress - Patrick in his printing studio near the Gowanus Canal.

fernfiddlehead - Cathy in Prospect Park with her dog.

kateblack - In her old apartment in Williamsburg.

EpochBeads - Tracie with her crafting supplies stacked to the ceiling.

VigilanteLabs - Lianna working on her patterns in Brooklyn.

My Etsy shop was born 2 years ago right here in Brooklyn, and even though it's a virtual shopping experience, it isn't without a personal touch — many of my buyers tell me cute stories and inside jokes about their purchases. My favorite came from someone just a few neighborhoods over from me, truly a "Shop Local" story: she bought one of my smiling crochet s'mores for her 4-year old son, who was overjoyed at the sight of the plush and promptly named it "Fred."

They took Fred out to the Promenade, a beautiful walkway in Brooklyn with a view of the Manhattan skyline, because he wanted "to show Fred the Empire State Building." Imagine this small child, facing the glistening lights of New York skyscrapers, holding up the soft s'more in his hands! When she told me this story, I felt so happy to be part of this "little bubble." Even though I will meet very few of my customers, we are "all part of one big, but very close family."

whimsyandspice - Jenna on the Promenade with Mark, the pastry chef part of their duo.

TeeShirtGnome - Ezra, at Fulton Ferry Park.

Please let Etsy's blog know about your favorite local Etsy artists. Pitch your town, state, country or region and let us know which sellers will fill their holiday-shopper-neighbors with glee (we're talking catalog-quality photos, 100% feedback, and top-notch items at a variety of price points); include a screenshot of your Poster Sketched picks and a link to a pretty photo of yourself in your neighborhood. Tell us why you love where you live and why these sellers are distinctive. We can't wait to hear from you!

Shop Local Posts | Gift Ideas | Shop Local in Your Area | {NewNew} York Team

Gift Ideas: Shop Local North & South Carolinas with Shellieartist

2008-11-24T17:04:00Z

We invited Shellieartist to curate a collection for our blog's Shop Local series, North Carolina and South Carolina edition.

I grew up in Charlotte, NC but moved 30 minutes south to the charming and historic Lancaster, SC (lān-kŭs'tər) about 2½ years ago when I was pregnant with my son. When we first moved out here, it felt as though we were in the middle of nowhere. Although beautiful, it took some adjusting to feel comfortable. There are no bowling allies, movie theaters or book stores, but we have grown to love the quaintness that is the “Red Rose” city of Lancaster. We are lucky in many ways, with deer always roaming about our yard and the Andrew Jackson State park down the street. Therefore, we'll call it home here for many years to come.

My favorite thing about growing up in North and South Carolina is the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains on one side, and the Atlantic coast on the other. We have always been just a few hours from both, and many states do not have that luxury. Enjoy items from some of these fabulous North and South Carolina shops, which stretch from the mountains of Asheville, NC down to coast of Charleston, SC.

Lily, aka lilypottery, outside her studio, in a historic flatiron building in Greenville, SC.

Christie, aka volleyballgirl and Angie, aka myblackeyedsusan together.

"We are in front of the South Park amphitheater in Charlotte, NC. In June, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra plays here every Sunday night. It is called 'Pops in the Park' and is so fun to come enjoy with friends, wine and some cheese."

Christie, aka volleyballgirl hiking the Appalachian Trail in the Blue Ridge Mt. of NC.

Angie, aka myblackeyedsusan perched in a sculpture on the Campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.

Mollie Flatley, aka NoraJane.

"This is me and my daughter Olive enjoying a crisp November afternoon in one of our favorite spots, under the big tree in our front yard."

poutfits sporting her own sassy designs.

"Here is a pic of me in downtown Asheville during LAAFF (Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival)."

Shop Local Posts | Gift Ideas | Shop Local in Your Area

Quit Your Day Job: HoboCampCrafts

2008-11-24T16:09:00Z

Melissa of Hobocampcrafts was able to successfully quit her NYC office job to follow her passion and sell full time on Etsy. She has been able to contribute a steady income to her household along with her husband Zach, and they are now expecting a new little bundle of joy (any day now)! Melissa will be able to work from home and care for her new baby, all the while wearing the jeans she loves (one of her favorite parts about not having her previous day job) instead of stuffy business casual.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
I’ve always dreamed of something different than a 9-5 job. I think that’s why my jobs have always varied, from a union organizer to a book slinger. Etsy and craft shows have given me an outlet to showcase my work and solidify the idea of working for me. We (my husband Zach and I) joined Etsy on May 31st, 2006, and by October I was ready to leave my NYC office job for craftier pastures. I definitely took a pay cut, but not traveling two hours a day and working in a less-than-positive atmosphere were the upsides.

How long had you been on Etsy before taking the plunge into selling full time? What made you decide to do so?
In the beginning, we started seeing people who were buying from our shop and our booth at shows, and they just got us. Realizing that by going to a show we could make a good amount of money, network and be a part of the crafty community just inspired us. All the people we’ve met, either at shows or online, thought the idea of Hobocamp was hysterical. They appreciated our handmade goodness and our hobo sensibility. So after getting married in June of '06 we discussed the possibilities, and by October, I had started working at Hobocamp full time.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time before taking the plunge?
It was extremely reassuring to know I was covered under my husband’s insurance. When Hobocamp was created, two years before we joined Etsy, our two main focuses were craft shows and consignment. Now, however, Etsy is definitely our third focus. We didn’t and don’t have a formal business plan, but we have an idea jotted down. Once we decided on a name (which originates from the show Strangers With Candy) I went and got a business license. Right around this time, my husband and I were involved in a pretty bad car accident, from which we received a small settlement. (Note: I don’t recommend you look for accidents in order to finance your Etsy shop!) But, this was what we used to set up our website, buy advertising, pay for shows, Etsy bills etc.

The other things we did to prepare were paring down to one car (now we just ride the rails, mostly) and trying to live more simply by buying less, questioning our purchases and reusing and recycling more. A lot of our business aesthetics come from hobos and the dustbowl era: recycling fabrics, saving yarn to use in my work and making lovely handmade items. I didn’t worry too much about having big inventory in our shop because we were coming off the craft circuit. We always have at least two huge bins full of crafty goodness. That said, I do like to come up with something new on a semi-weekly basis to keep the shop fresh.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?
Knowing your demographic and who is buying your items can be very helpful. This can help when you’re choosing advertising, shows and other business-related decisions. As a smaller business, we need to think about our marketing budget, and it seems that taking out online ads on magazine websites, blogs and gift guides is the way for us to go. The prices are usually a fraction of what you would pay for a print ad, and for us they seem to drum up more store traffic. However, getting any kind of free press is an awesome way to get your business seen by a lot of people. We’ve been lucky to have been featured in several local publications.

Other options that we utilize, other than paying for ads, are blogging about our work and uploading pictures to Flickr. Both are free and have helped us get the word out about Hobocamp in an immense way. They’ve both been very instrumental in getting us going. We also have a website, where we have our basic info and, of course, an Etsy mini, to link people directly to our shop. This is our home base, where we offer upcoming shows, links etc. Again, the price through Yahoo is very affordable for a small business. Lastly, networking and bartering!!! If you make something people love, trade with another crafter. What better way to get free exposure than having someone wearing your cute apron to all of their shows or carrying your tote bag all around town. I think as handmade revolutionaries we need to think outside the box, and if that means making some items to be donated and raffled or trading with others, well we should welcome it!

What have you found to be unsuccessful promotion or something that's just not working for your shop?
For Hobocamp, we haven’t had the best luck with print ads in magazines. It could be the wrong publication or maybe the wrong time of year, but they don’t seem to bring the traffic we’d like.

Walk us through what a typical workday might entail.
A typical day at Camp Hobo:

- Drive hubby & part-time Hobocamper to train so he can commute to fun day job at Bravo Digital.
- Consult my to-do list, which I try to write the night before. This usually consists of:
- Packing up orders (to customers/wholesale or consignment)
- Uploading & cropping pictures
- Listing items in my Etsy shop
- Blogging about new items
- Finishing or starting custom orders
- Designing new pieces
- Photographing new items for the shop
- Gathering supplies
- I try to put on inspiring music or listen to NPR during the day.
- I take lunch/snack breaks and read blogs and check e-mail in between.

With my list, I work loosely. I try to conquer everything and set my priorities for what I “need to do," but since becoming pregnant (I'm due at the end of November) I’ve learned that not everything goes according to plan. Some days I don’t feel very good, so I do what I can, make sure my shop is updated to express my current situation and work extra-hard the next time I am feeling better. Luckily, there's always a lot of cutting and pin-work that needs to be done in my shop, and I can get this done from the couch!

I take lunch and snack breaks and will read blogs and check e-mail in between. I’ve made a lot of friends through the Etsy connection, and I’m constantly inspired by these artists. If I’m ever at a creative wall, I look through Flickr, read my blogs or grab a good art book for stimulation. There will be days when I'm just not that into sitting at my sewing machine for hours on end (especially being 9 months pregnant!), so I’ll organize fabric, design a new logo or banner or try drawing. They may be small things, but they're all working towards the common goal of building up Hobocamp.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
Working from home changes my level of stress and happiness. Although sometimes I admit it can be difficult to put the work away, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’ve always struggled with trying to be myself vs. fitting in with a business/work environment. When you’re used to stuffy offices full of business casual, you take pleasure in the little things: a fresh-brewed cup of coffee in your favorite mug, a quick cuddle with your kitties, a walk outside collecting leaves. These are all things that I feel would rejuvenate our creativity and help our stress levels if we did them on a regular basis. Animal cuddling should be mandatory at work!

If you could go back in time before you took the plunge, what advice would you give yourself knowing what you know now? What would you tell someone else?
I would offer the idea of a realistic business plan and an open mind. Some of the designs and ideas that we started Hobocamp on have changed and morphed over the years. Stay true to yourself, but know that change is good and can bring about many new opportunities. You may want to just make stationery, but if given the opportunity to learn metalsmithing, take it! You never know where it will lead you.

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
Since starting our Etsy shop over two years ago, we’ve had a steady flow of new designs and new customers from all over the globe. It's given us the chance to sell our items in shops all over the country, be featured online and in print and to build our little business. Hobocamp does not yet pay for the rent. It does, however, pay the vet bills, grocery, gas, supplies and many other things. It also provides us with a creative outlet for which we are paid. Quitting my day job and setting up shop also ensures me that I will be able to work from home and raise our daughter, which is very important to my husband and I.

I have a million new ideas a day, and I wish I could bring just five of those to fruition and see them in the shop. So following through on new ideas, possibly collaborating with other Etsians, and continuing to build Hobocamp as a label are all goals. There are also some skills I’d like to hone and then bring back to my shop. We’d also like to start screenprinting more often. Apartments aren’t always conducive to this! I know which direction I want to take Hobocamp, I just need to work hard on getting it there.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I’m grateful for Etsy’s creation. Not only is it super-user-friendly, it really is just wonderful to be a part of. In the last 2 1/2 years I have made a space for Etsy and Etsy-related matters in my heart. The items I buy, the creativity I see... on a daily basis I am pretty amazed by it all. I think I’ve also enlightened friends and family about buying handmade, and that alone is a revolutionary act! Plus, wearing jeans to work rocks!

Thanks to Melissa for sharing her story and business with us! Check out the related items below to see some of her work.

You can find some of our previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

The Etsy Seller Handbook: All Our How-Tos about Selling

2008-11-24T08:19:00Z

Dear Sellers!

Below you'll find a handy index of all the useful How-Tos about Selling on Etsy. We're calling it the Seller Handbook. We'll be adding all new how-tos for sellers to this index.

You can also search the Storque tags for "Seller Handbook" for a chronological list of all our published how-tos related to Selling.

Your Shop 101: How-Tos for Getting Started on Etsy
Please also see the Setting Up Shop Help Guide, Selling Dos and Don'ts, Selling FAQs, Listing an Item Help Guide.

[photo by Artsy]

Photography How-Tos

[image by TwoHiddenHeads]

Alchemy and Custom/Reserved Listing How-Tos

[image by moxiethrift]

Shipping How-Tos

[photo by missplum]

Advertising How-Tos
Please also see the Showcase Help Guide.

[photo by Earmark]

Business and Pricing How-Tos

[image by NewDuds]

Promoting & Marketing How-Tos

[image by DancingMooney]

Craft Show & Events How-Tos

[image by MiNDJACKET]

Social Networking, Blogging, Podcasting & Video-making How-Tos

[image by houseofharriet]

Legal Info for Artists

[image by jessgonacha]

Tagging How-Tos

[image by Anda]

Team Tips

[image by iheartmoustaches]

All about Etsy & Site Features

Comment below and let us know what other topics would be helpful for sellers! If you'd like to write a how-to for the Seller Handbook, pitch to the Storque editors.

Shop Makeover Series: Pimp Your Shop for 2009

2008-11-21T14:34:00Z

This installment of the Etsy Shop Makeover Series brings you to an important step: now that your shop is fit for public consumption, you gotta spread the word! Daniellexo gives you some tips on social networking and grassroots marketing. (Note: This post was originally published on January 28, 2008, but we've updated and revamped it for the coming year!)

I started on Etsy with blurry pictures and no idea how to run a successful shop. It took a year to make it to the now extinct Top Sellers list, but I did it. I spent roughly 10 hours a day learning about photography, d.i.y. marketing, the right time to list and renew and the other ins and outs of a successful Etsy shop. My first boost of sales came when I was mentioned in a rather popular blog. How did this happen? Not by accident. It took a lot of work. Read on to hear my formula for pimping your shop and getting sales.

Social Networking

Above: NeaWear tastefully "pimps" her shop on Facebook

Sure, you can spend a $1,000 on a tiny, tiny magazine ad. But, unfortunately, you can't click a magazine ad. I'm not saying they aren't good for building a brand, but it takes a lot of work to get a shopper from a magazine to their computer and then to your Etsy shop. I would work on your online presence instead if you are just starting out.

Where to start? First make sure your shop is focused. You need a target market; if you have a shop that's all over the map it will much harder to find your customers. Stick to a demographic, ie. teenage girls, new mothers or hipsters. Of course you can welcome all buyers, but it's easier to market with someone specific in mind.

Now what? Surf around and get familiar with the sites I link to in the rest of this article. Which ones look like the most fun to you? Sign up for those and test them out! When signing up, I suggest using your Etsy username and keeping all your accounts cohesive. You'll be easier to find that way. Now have a look at how much time you have per week. If you have a few extra hours a week, then focus on one or two social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter and Myspace.

Now don't get overwhelmed. Check out these sites and see which ones look the best for your market. It's better to have a few accounts on these sites and stake your own little area of the site instead of spreading yourself too thin. You want to build up your online presence with these tools. Make your accounts attractive to people browsing. The trick is to keep it fun, for you and your followers! Don't just post photos of your products that people can already find in your Etsy shop. Make sure you show them a bit about the maker behind the curtain; describe your process, your studio, your favorites, etc. Talk up your Etsy buddies too — share the love!

Social Networking Sites:
Facebook
Myspace
Virb
Twitter

Social Shopping & Bookmarking

Above: TomokoTahara socially shops on ThisNext, mixing her items with other great finds!

Sharing your picks with others through accounts on social shopping and bookmarking sites can be a great way to promote buying handmade. Make sure you mix promoting your own work with other great finds! Link to your accounts on your blog and in your shop profile.

Social Shopping Sites:

ThisNext
Stylehive
Stylefeeder
Kaboodle
Wishpot
Zebo

Social Bookmarking Sites:
Digg
Squidoo
StumbleUpon
Wists
Magnolia
del.icio.us

Photo Sharing

Above: mLee uses Flickr like a photo journal. I love how her Flickr account is organized into sets.

Flickr is a great site for telling your story through photos. Buyers can start to connect with the maker this way. Showing your family life, process, studios, pets, and more can remind your buyers and friends that there is a real artist behind the work in your Etsy shop! This gives your work an intrinsic value and authenticity you just can't get with a mass produced item!

Blogging

Above: the {NewNew} Team all works together to maintain their well read blog. If you don't have time to regularly update your own blog, sharing the workload by creating a Team blog is a great idea!

A blog is an online journal that your readers can subscribe to in order to learn more about your work, process and life. I would recommend Blogger.com to get started. It's pretty easy to set up. Just like the social networking sites, you want to make your blog interesting and fun. Show your readers a bit about your life, your process, things you've purchased, places you've been, etc. Join the Etsy blog ring once you get going! I started a shopping blog, Gold School. I still have about 50 readers a day. I show them items I like that are reasonably priced (90% Etsy items by the way). I also have a link in my blog to my Etsy shop. That way, my faithful readers might think, "Wow. I like this gal's taste! I wonder what she makes?"

Above: PearsonMaron's Twitter always makes me smile!

Don't have time for blogging? How about micro-blogging? Twitter.com asks one question: 'What are you doing?' Answers must be under 140 characters in length and can be sent via mobile texting, instant message, or the web. You can follow your contacts and gather followers. It's fun and addicting! Make sure you aren't just blogging about your work though — like usual, keep it interesting and fun! (Like PearsonMaron's tweets above!)

More sites to check out:

Niche Networking:
Ravelry (knit & crochet)
Designs To Love
DeviantArt (fine art)
Craftster.org (crafting)
DIYscene (D.I.Y. & alternative crafting)
BurdaStyle (sewing)

Skill Sharing:
Instructibles
Thingiverse

Video:
YouTube
Vimeo
Blip

Now get down a little routine.
Perhaps when you wake up you take a few pictures and upload them to Flickr. Then you blog about your strange dreams. Then you add a new item to Etsy and send it to all your social shopping sites. (Tip: Send your favorites to these social shopping and bookmarking sites too! If it's obvious you are just trying to pimp yourself people won't come back to see what else you've added.) Before bed work on your Myspace, perhaps.

From here you'll start collecting like minded social shoppers and perhaps you've bumped into a few blogs you like. Good! Bookmark those. You're going to need them. Find a day to yourself. Lock yourself up with some coffee and get motivated. Today you're going to get into a blog! It's cold-calling time.

I'm not going to list any blogs here for fear of 1,000 Etsy sellers contacting the same ones over and over. The trick is to find the blogs your potential shoppers read. Keep your target market in mind. Start with the smaller ones to build up your confidence. Find the bloggers email and really inspect it. What do they value most in the items they feature? How can you pitch your items in a way that would interest them and their readers? Make each email personal and specific to the blog you are writing to. Bloggers can smell a mass email a mile away. And it's not a nice smell. Oh, one more thing: don't just send them a link to your shop. Find the BEST item in your shop (and make sure its a nice clear photograph). Include a little something interesting about this item, how you made it, or about yourself. Make it easy for the blogger if they did choose to blog about your work. Send out as many of these are you can. If you don't get a response or only get one or two do not take it personally. Shopping bloggers get tons of unsolicited items sent to them. Start collecting another set of blogs to write to and have another stab at it.

Here's a sample letter:

Dear Gold School Creator,

I've been reading your blog for a few weeks now and I really love your finds (especially the weiner dog special last week!). They are all really fresh (and cheap)!

I'm writing because I think my work would interest your readers. Here's a link to my most popular item. I started making these when I broke my leg last summer and was immobile. I was so bored watching soaps all day so I decided to start embroidering these Soap Star Hankies.

Thanks for your blog and for supporting independant artist like me!

Happy Holidays,

Sally the Soap Star Hanky Maker

Keep these emails short, sweet, personalized and fun.

Getting Seen on Etsy

Above: ThePeachTree makes some gorgeous Front Page worthy Treasuries. And when these happen to land on the Front Page of Etsy, a link to her shop (just above the items) also gets a little bit of Front Page action!

Here are a few ways to pimp your shop on Etsy:

Make a treasury. I know it's not always easy getting a treasury, but try anyway. Set a timer for the next time a batch of them are about to expire and POUNCE! Keep your favorite items bookmarked and try to create a visually pleasing mix of goods. If you make a great treasury people will be interested in what you are doing in your own shop!
Renew. If you have the budget to renew once or twice a day (or more if you have lots of items in your shop) then I would really suggest it. It keeps you fresh in your category and puts you back in the Time Machine. Try different time of the day as well — I used to wake up in the middle of the night to renew!
Use your shop name as a tag in your item listings. That way if someone comes to the site and searches for you but mistakenly doesn't change the search drop-down menu to "seller" — your work will still pop up. Also use your shop name in your listings. The more the name of your shop is used on the internet, the more likely it is to come up in a web search.
Forums. Be helpful on the forums. Sure you can also post in the promotions section but you are more likely to be seen in Site Help giving some advice to a newbie. And make sure your avatar is interesting and clear so people will want to check out your shop!
Pitch an article to the Storque here. What are you the most passionate about? Can you write about your process? About your local craft scene? A review on a great sewing machine you just purchased? Let the Storque editors know why this would be a great article, who would be interested in it and why you should be the one to write it.
Comment on Storque articles that you really like. I'm not suggesting to comment on every article. Just those that really call to you. Leave a thoughtful comment and others will see your avatar and might just have a peek at your shop!
Attend Virtual Labs events. They are fun and informative (ok maybe I am a little biased). But they are a great place to connect with the Etsy community and get seen as an active member.
Join an Etsy Team. Of course, don't just join a Team to promote yourself. Join one to bond with other Etsy members and to help each other promote your work and Etsy together!

Troubleshooting

So you've done all this and aren't getting the kind of response you would like? Here are a few things you can do now:

Hire a photographer. This could even be someone who is technically savvy in your family that has a nice camera. Get them to take some pictures for you and give you some tips on working with your own digital camera.
Attend the Etsy Labs critiques and workshops. (Usually every Wednesday and Friday — see the Storque's Online Workshops featured column for times.) You can really pick up some great tips at the critiques and workshops.
Ask a seasoned shopper for advice. Don't be too shy or sensitive! Ask them for their most honest opinion.
Try something new! Keep your shop fresh and dip into another category. Perhaps you'll find a technique or craft you may like even more. Think about a niche or need that may not be met yet on Etsy.

Whew. I hope that helps you and your shop in 2009. If you have any further suggestions for marketing your shop, let everyone know by commenting below! For further questions about selling, check out The Etsy Seller Handbook and the Shop Makeover Series.

Etsy Team Grants: Success!

2008-11-21T13:38:00Z

The past few months have been busy with lots of really fantastic Etsy Team events. Here's a wrap up of some of the wonderful Etsy Team Grant projects that have been recently completed, along with the sellers and their items. See here to learn more about Etsy Team Grants, and to learn how to join an Etsy Team, check the Teams Join page.

The Etsy Texas Crafters had a booth at Maker Faire in Austin, Texas, where they presented demos and gave information to Faire attendees. You can read a great blog post on the event with links to their participating members' shops and profiles here. Some of the members who lent a hand to the Team include TimaryArts, who makes crochet and felted items, like this Oatmeal Chubby Nesting Trio (on the left below), and crabappledesign, who incorporates vintage elements into her handmade items, such as this Vintage Paper Doll note card (on the right). Find more items from sellers in the Lone Star State by searching "TeamEtsyTX".

In North Carolina, the Hornet's Nest Team had great success with their "Craft Attack!" show in October. For great photos from this show, you can search "CraftAttack" on Flickr. The Team had beautiful weather, and below are items from a vendor and an organizer of the show. On the left is LazyDogPottery's Robin's Egg Blue Coffee Mug (on the left, below) and from HappyWhosIts, a Hyacynth Whypple - Hippo Hand Puppet - Crochet Amigurumi (at right, below).

EFA, or the Etsy for Animals Team, had a really great idea for celebrating its Etsy-versary. The Team organized a great ad campaign on fantastic shopping blogs, like Modish and Hostess blog. They tracked visitors from those sites by using a coupon code incorporated into the ad designs, so that they could tell how many sales the advertisements generated. You can show your support for this Team, which raises money for animal charities through their shops, by searching "EFA Team". On the left, below, is a set of Owls in Fables - Nesting Owls, by SavageArtworks, and on the right, the Offset Sapphire Ring from AlphabettiSpaghetti.

The Boston Handmade Team had a commanding presence at Boston's SoWa Open Market the weekend of October 16, and it was wonderful! They distributed business cards that were made up for the Team, and everyone loved the cards. They used the promotional cards to chat up Etsy, their shops and why buying handmade is important to everyone. Congratulations on your success at the market, Boston Handmade! Below is a Needle Felted Lobster, from Team member CozyCottageCreations, and a Poppy Princess Vintage Necklace, from Glamourpuss. Find more items from this Team by searching "BostonHandmadeTeam".

Thanks to all the wonderful Team members who make these fantastic events happen! We're looking forward to some exciting Team Grant events in the upcoming months. To find more information on Team Grants and learn how your Team can apply, be sure to check this Team Tip.

Team Grants | Featured Teams | Team Tips