Search results (tags) for: "journal"

Quit Your Day Job: Spiderbite

2009-08-31T16:30:00-05:00

Sarah Jane, the creative mind and savvy businesswoman behind Spiderbite, was just 8 months out of earning her degree from art school and working at the Subway fast food chain when she decided to make selling on Etsy her full-time business venture. She's truly been able to start from the ground up with a fresh idea and feels the flexible hours outweigh the isolation she often experiences in running a one-woman operation. Keep reading to find out why she recommends email lists and branding a business as the best marketing one can do for their shop and why some months she's willing to live on PB&J sandwiches and Ramen noodles.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
I went to the Rhode Island School of Design for illustration and while there I took a class on developing products. For our mid-semester assignment we had to develop a product and sell it at the student sale. That’s when I came up with the Nightmare Snatcher journals. At the sale I sold out and thought it was great. So I added the books to my illustration portfolio site and a teacher of mine showed them to his friend who owned a gift shop. Next thing I knew I was wholesaling to several stores. I think I just got a bit lucky and knew some of the right people.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
When I started on Etsy I definitely knew that my goal was not to work at a fast food joint the rest of my life, but I didn’t really anticipate being able to do it so soon. I was really disappointed to graduate from art school and spend my days working at Subway. But I was really only out of college 8 months before I was working for myself. It was the greatest feeling in the world to finally stop working at sandwich shops and shoe stores and be my own boss.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
For the most part I just jumped into it. Since I was so soon out of college, I didn’t have a family to care for, a mortgage to pay, or too many bills, so it was kind of easy. I picked up a couple of bigger wholesale clients and was selling consistently on Etsy to the point that I didn’t need to work another job. When I figured out that I was making enough to pay my rent, what few bills I had, and my student loans, I decided to go for it.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?
The most effective marketing I have done by far is having an email mailing list. It’s a good non-intrusive way of keeping in contact with former customers as well as people who are just interested in your work. You can let them know about new products, sales, and special offers. I often include coupons and first dibs on certain products for those on my mailing list, which is a good incentive to keep people signed up. The key is to never add anyone to your mailing list without his or her permission and to not send out too many emails. I send about one or two a month.

My best marketing tip is to brand your company and your product. Keeping a consistent and cohesive look to all your packaging, logos, and products helps to solidify your image and company in people’s minds. That way every time they see a package, a new product, or your logo, they are immediately reminded of your company and of where to get more great items.

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
People always seem to recommend Twitter, Myspace, Flickr and a myriad of other free online venues to advertise your wares, but I’ve personally never found them to be that beneficial. For the amount of work you have to put in to get it to work for you, it seems like it would be more cost effective to pay for advertising. I’d rather pay for ad space and use my time to refine my craft and make more products to sell.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
I enjoy the flexibility of the hours the most. I’m pretty much a night owl and being able to start my day around 2-3 p.m. is ideal. I’ve worked night jobs before, but then I ended up missing everything else that my friends and family were doing because I was always working while they were off. Being able to make my own hours, I can work late at night one day and if I decide to go out the next night, I can just get my work done earlier in the day. I miss having co-workers to pal around with and complain about work to. This is probably the reason I’ve spent so much time in the Etsy Forums. I’ve gone whole days without seeing a single person, so it can get lonely working all by yourself.

Walk us through your typical workday.

Typically I get up between 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. (I said I was a night owl!) and jump on Etsy. It can be really addictive to check. So I try to limit it to 3 times a day, but I usually end up checking about 6 times a day…
If I have orders, I go through and pick them out and package them up.
Next, I start making monsters. Typically I’ll pick one main job for the day depending on what I’m running out of, whether it's cutting fur, putting together the monster faces, or adding pages to the books.
If it’s a Tuesday or a Friday, I take a trip to the post office to drop off my orders.
Finally, I just work on into the night until it’s time for bed.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
The hardest part is probably cash flow. It’s a Catch-22 when you don’t have a part-time job or a financial backer to fund your business. You need to spend money to make money, but you need to make the money in order to have money to spend. So, it can get a little tight some months. When that happens I usually eat PB&J and Ramen noodles for a month.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?
I would have started on Etsy sooner. When I signed up, I didn’t actually open up shop for about 6 months. As soon as I did, I was outselling my personal website ten-fold and had more stores contact me about wholesaling.

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
I'd like to finally reach my 1000th sale, which I’m hoping isn’t too far off. I would also like to make some new lower priced items, and some larger sized books for Spiderbite. I would likewise like to get my second shop, WeirdlingWorks, which I run with my dad, filled up and going.

Thanks to Sarah Jane for sharing her story. Have your own questions to ask? Come on by and chat with her Thursday, September 3 at 5 p.m. ET in Etsy's Virtual Labs.

You can see some of Sarah Jane's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Quit Your Day Job: crackeddesigns

2009-08-10T15:00:00-05:00

After graduating with a degree from art school, Tara a.k.a. crackeddesigns worked several day jobs that she never found truly fulfilling. After designing her own save-the-date invitations for her wedding, Tara discovered her true passion for the world of paper goods and her dream for Cracked Designs was born. She now successfully runs her paper goods business full time and enjoys brainstorming new ideas for products. Tara has found being her own boss adds definition to her life and claims she's the toughest boss she's ever had, often not knowing when to quit.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
I've always loved making things and being creative. I went to art school in Chicago and Milwaukee to further my education and love for the arts, but after I graduated I still wasn't sure what I really wanted to do. It wasn't until I made my own save-the-date wedding invitations that I knew I was completely in love with paper and design. I've always been obsessed with greeting cards and stationery, so it seemed really natural to find my calling in the paper world.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
I always dreamed that some day I would be my own boss, but it always seemed so far away — just a really nice fantasy! I had a lot of different jobs before I started Cracked Designs full time, and I was really frustrated because none of them were very satisfying. I actually designed some of my first cards while working at Starbucks! I would come home from that job with tons of little pieces of paper filled with sketches and doodles.

My husband was the one who initially told me I should just focus on Cracked Designs and to do what makes me happy. I was still a little unsure (and nervous), but once the orders started coming in more steadily and more often, I started realizing that my days of daydreaming were over!

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
I designed a lot of cards and invitations for family and friends and they really helped me to get my name out there. I spent a lot of time researching what kind of paper products were successful and unsuccessful. I worked non-stop on tweaking my line of cards to find my own unique style and make them the best I could. Since there are so many amazing paper designers out there, I really wanted to differentiate myself and put out a product that was unique and something I was proud of. It was really important for me to know what kind of competition I was going to be up against, and I think my obsessive research nature really helped me design products that are hip, but also totally unique. I also have an amazing husband who helped me figure out the legal stuff. We kind of dealt with all of that, like taxes and such as we went along. I would recommend getting all your legal responsibilities figured out before you start, it's just easier!

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?
I'm constantly promoting Cracked Designs; it's become such a natural thing. The most effective method is word of mouth! I have a lot of amazing friends and customers that spread my name around, and it's the best promotion you can get!

I also think blogs have been a great way to promote my business. I worked hard at getting my name out there to the authors of some of my favorite blogs, who then wrote awesome articles about Cracked Designs. I also just started advertising on some sites and blogs, and so far it's been working really well. I would say that it's best to research the kinds of people who visit a website before you pay to advertise, just to make sure your products fit in with the overall style/feel.

I also spend a lot of time working on my logo and marketing material design, like my business cards and postcards. So many people will see your business card and logo before they see your actual product, so I think it's so important to have those pieces really reflect your work well and draw people in.

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
I really haven't found any unsuccessful promotions; some things work better than others, but overall I would say that you should always try to get your name out there and you shouldn't expect to have people just find you.

Walk us through your typical workday.

Wake up around 8 a.m. and have coffee. Let my two huge dogs outside.
Start working in the studio. I mostly start by answering any emails and looking at what I have to accomplish that day. I am an obsessive list maker!
Work on orders, design, doodle, work on orders some more, listen to Pandora.
Eat lunch, usually in a hurry and answer more emails.
Play hide and seek with my dogs; they are excellent seekers.
Work on more orders and daydream about the next new product.
Make a trip to the post office, if necessary.
Around 4:30, my husband comes home from work and we talk about the day and brainstorm some totally rad ideas. This consists mostly of us making each other laugh and me wildly writing down and doodling crazy ideas.
My husband deals with the dogs while I continue to work in the studio.
Depending on how busy I am that day/week, I reluctantly pry myself away from the studio around 5:30 p.m.
My husband and I continue to talk about more awesome card ideas.
The rest of the night consists of me researching, doodling and answering more emails.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
I love being my own boss and being able to do exactly what I want. Working from home and being surrounded by things that inspire me is the best! I think what I miss sometimes about my day job is being able to walk away at the end of the day. When you get frustrated with your work at your day job, you can just step away and go home after it all. You and your job are two separate things — you get distance.

However, with my own business it's mine and no one else's. I can't truly walk away when I get worn out; Cracked Designs is always in the back of my mind and I'm constantly working. It's what defines me: I am Cracked Designs. It is definitely a labor of love, but I would not have it any other way. It's so awesome to be able to do something you love and seeing your vision come to life day after day. I love being able to know that I was able to build a business out of nothing, and continue to watch it grow — it's incredibly rewarding!

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
Oh man, there are a lot of hard things about running your own business. I think one hard thing for me to do is knowing when to quit. I'm always busy and could easily work all day without taking a break. I try hard to give myself a day off every once in a while. It's hard because in the back of my mind I'm thinking about what I should be doing and what needs to get done next. I've found that being my own boss is awesome, but also really demanding. I truly am the hardest boss I've ever worked for!

Another hard thing is not getting down on yourself or your products. Etsy is just a huge pool of amazing-ness, and I find it hard to not compare yourself to others. I think it's good to see what others are doing, especially in your field, but don't start comparing your products to others and especially don't change your products to try to fit in with the latest trend. It's really hard sometimes to see amazing paper products and think, "Crap, I wish I would have thought of that." You just have to know that people love your stuff, too! You got here for a reason — you make awesome things!

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?
Start small and don't give up! When I first started Cracked Designs, I wanted to do it all! I had so many big ideas that I wanted to get out there right away. It just wasn't realistic looking back on it now. It look me a long time to tweak my line of cards into what they are today. It takes time to design and make a really good product.

It's also hard not to give up when things aren't going as well as you'd like them to. My business started slow at first and there were so many times when I wanted to give up. I remember going to Art vs. Craft in Milwaukee when I first started out and seeing all of the amazing card designers there, and I got really down on myself and I kept thinking that my stuff wasn't nearly as good. I also got a lot of hard rejections from stores and craft fairs in the beginning — which just added to my disappointment.

If it weren't for my husband who was constantly supporting me, I don't think I would be here today. It's so important to have a good support system! He would always tell me that my stuff was just as good and not to compare myself to other designers. You have to really believe in your product and work through the hard stuff — hard work and dedication pay off in the end. So I would say to someone starting out that nothing comes easy and to be patient with the process of building your business. Make a product that you're proud of and don't give up!

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
I would really love to get to 1,000 sales this year! I also am working on a lot of cool new products that I would love to release in the coming year, including new journals and invitation sets. It's important for me to keep making creative designs and have a lot of variety in my shop, and I think the new products I'm working on will do just that. I would also love my wedding invitation designs to get some more exposure and promote them more in the wedding world.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Just want to say thanks to everyone out there who has supported Cracked Designs on Etsy! I sometimes can't believe that I get to do what I love every single day, and it's because of our customers that I get to do just that!

Thanks to Tara for sharing her story. Have your own questions to ask? Come on by and chat with her Wednesday, August 12 at 7 p.m. ET in Etsy's Virtual Labs.

You can see some of Tara's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Vote! Which Notebook Would You Take Back to School?

2009-07-28T10:30:00-05:00

I'm not attending any classes this fall, but all the back to school buzz has me in the mood for a nice, crisp new journal. On a recent visit to my parents' house, I dug up my middle school diary (complete with an account of my first kiss and the devastating heartbreak shortly thereafter). Yes, my handwriting is just as bad now as it was then. Any journalers in our midst? Post in the comments and tell us what you keep track of in longhand. Make sure to vote for your favorite notebook or journal in this week's poll!

Last week, we asked our readers to nominate their favorite notebooks and journals. Now it's your turn to vote! On Monday we'll announce the winner, which, along with some of the top picks, will be featured in the Members' Choice Gift Guide and here on the Etsy blog. Show your favorite sellers some love and get out the vote!

Voting Posts | Voter FAQ | Back to School Showcase

How-Tuesday: Make a Do-Si-Do Book

2009-05-26T17:00:00-05:00

A do-si-do book, like the square dancing move with your partner, swings between two signatures. These books are like two books in one and are excellent for dual purposes, like drawings and notes, or double themes like opposites or pairs. A do-si-do book makes a meaningful, handmade gift for a recent grad: one side for dreaming and one side for getting a job and paying the bills! Read on for YourSecretAdmiral / julieincharge's tutorial and you’ll be whipping up your own fine books in no time.

Tools

Paper
Scissors
Linen thread
Needle
Bone folder
Awl
Pencil

Step 1: Prepare two signatures and the covers. To make each signature, fold 5-10 sheets of paper in half and trim to size. Choose a sturdy paper or lightweight board to use as the cover. Cut the cover to be the same size as the height of the signatures and as wide as three times the width of one signature. Fold the cover into thirds using a bone folder, so it forms a Z shape.

Step 2: Make a sample signature that is the same height and width as your signatures out of a single sheet of paper. Measure and mark the placement for 3 holes on the sample signature. You’ll use this as a guide for making holes in your signatures and covers. Put one signature into one of the folds of the Z shaped cover. Using a bookbinder’s awl and your sample signature as a guide, punch 3 holes through each signature and cover.

Step 3: Pull the threaded needle through the center of the first signature, leaving a tail of thread a couple inches long inside the signature.

Step 4: Push the needle through the top hole on the spine of your book.

Step 5: Pull the needle through the bottom hole on the inside of your book, skipping over the center hole and thread tail.

Step 6: Pull the needle through the center hole on the outside of the book.

Step 7: When you pull the needle into the center of the book again, make sure that the needle and thread is on one side of the long center stitch and the thread tail is on the other. Remove the needle and trim the threads. Pull each thread taut to even out the tension of the stitching.

Step 8: Tie a simple knot over the long center stitch.

Steps 9-16: Repeat steps 1-8 on the second signature.

Ta-da! Do a little dance and away you go! Fill your book with notes, drawings, and secrets.

More crafty project downloads can be found in our How-Tuesday series on the Etsy blog! And did you know that you can buy Supplies on Etsy?

More Books and Zines Posts | Graduation Gifts for Her | Graduation Gifts for Him

Etsy Finds: One for the Memory Books

2009-04-28T12:20:00-05:00

Mother's Day is right around the corner. There aren't many people in this world who still show you unconditional love after being put through temper tantrums, dirty diapers, car sickness in the back seat, late nights worrying and waiting for you to come home, monetary loans, broken bones, hair color experimentation, or a few minor driving mishaps. I can't think of a better way to celebrate this special day than to present Mom with a photo album filled with memories of days gone by. Say thanks to her for always sticking by your side.

White Scroll Photo Album with Spring Green Japanese Silk

By brooklynbookbinder, $95.

View Item | View Shop

Chalkboard Accordion Photo Album

By moonlightbindery, $18.

View Item | View Shop

Journal 26

By dailythreads, $25.

View Item | View Shop

powerline etching book

By grimm, $34.

View Item | View Shop

Folksy Floral Photo Album

By maydaystudio, $65.

View Item | View Shop

Pink Roadster Photo Album

By charliewarlie, $45.

View Item | View Shop

Tangerine Suns 10x10 Photo Album

By watermarkbindery, $47.

View Item | View Shop

polaroid.album

By paintedfishstudio, $6.

View Item | View Shop

Pink Paper Cut Journal

By artkitten, $25.

View Item | View Shop

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | More Photos Albums | Books and Zines Posts | Gift Ideas

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Etsy in the Press: Mo' Better Sweater

2009-04-03T12:35:00-05:00

Ok, technically it was a sweatshirt, but why split hairs? This past weekend, Etsy was featured prominently on CBS Sunday Morning, presented by the entertaining and insightful Mo Rocca. Mo paid us a visit and spoke with Rob about Etsy, Davos, and the benefits of handmade items. He then set out to make a sweatshirt for himself with help from ruffeoheartslilsnoty, and have it critiqued by none other than Martha Stewart (she was forgiving). I liked this piece because it addressed the idea that handmade is serious business, but presented it in a friendly, fun and appealing tone — very much like Etsy itself.

Speaking of Martha, her guest last Tuesday was our friend Rosie O'Donnell. They talked about Rosie's charity, and the success of her Etsy shop as they crafted Munny dolls. You can see the clip here.

Changing gears a bit, another story that is prominent lately is that the economy, led by big businesses, is not doing so well. No news there. But Etsy is composed of many small business, and many of them are doing well despite the general malaise. The evidence of our cumulative success was recently documented on CNN's Small Business Success, which I also recommend you watch. You can get a few good business tips and a peek into our offices to see your favorite admins hard at work. This success is also the basis of recent articles in Entrepreneur, The Guardian, and the show Day to Day, on National Public Radio. One common thread among them is the importance of personal interaction between buyers and sellers. You can see that in the comments on this article from Apartment Therapy. This is an important point that separates us from the Targets and Best Buys of the world. The personal touch is what makes Etsy special, attracts shoppers, and keeps them coming back.

Speaking of shopping, let's move on to the stories about ... shopping! For starters, there is a two page spread in the current issue of New York magazine. Sarah Bernard gives readers a (slightly snarky) take on Etsy, and highlights some great items from local Etsians. Not to be outdone, House Beautiful magazine also features a lovely spread this month, and also features interviews with several sellers. Local sellers have also been getting some nice press from the likes of The Columbus Dispatch, the Lincoln Star Journal, and in The Age. The story in The Age also focuses on the community aspect of crafting, another important component of Etsy. This sense of community on Etsy (and this here blog you're reading) was recently recognized by the Huffington Post as well.

Moving on to tech, the buzz about Etsy's API release continues, noted by Ina Steiner of AuctionBytes, and also by Fox Business News, among others.

And finally, I stumbled across this fun bit on i09 about our beloved Jared Tarbell. I can't say I fully understand it, but it sure looks cool!

More Etsy in the Press Posts | Check Out the Community Section

Take the Buy Handmade Pledge (C'mon we're almost at 40,000!)

Quit Your Day Job: spacedogstudios

2009-03-16T14:17:00-05:00

Sarah of spacedogstudios was able to quit her day job as a floral designer in order to make a go at selling her handmade journals full time on Etsy. She's learned the importance of treating working for herself like a serious business with boundaries. She swears by wearing comfortable pants to make it through the day (a girl after my own heart)! Today Sarah shares great tips from her own success — some with a proven track record, and a few that are a little unconventional. You'll just have to keep reading to find out her recipe for a successful shop!

If you'd like to ask Sarah questions of your own or listen in on her advice in real time, we invite you to join us in a follow-up Question and Answer session this Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 at 2:30pm EDT in the Auditorium room of the Virtual Labs (the VL schedule is magically in your local time).

How did you first get into the business of making things?

I made drawings of endangered animals in high school. I made prints in college. I made things for a few shows here and there... Really just a lot of making things for any reason under the sun, like to get good grades, to have a Lego castle for my Lego horses, or just to, uh, I don't know, make something. I've always been making, but not always business-ing.

So I suppose the real answer to this question is "When I took that job as a floral designer." Suddenly it became my job to make things people wanted to buy. So I had to figure out how to do that, and slowly I started to realize something kind of amazing — I was making things, and people were buying them. Weird, huh? And you know what? I did pretty well at it; it built my confidence and got my brain moving and thinking about other things I could make (besides Art with the capital A), and somehow sell. And magically at this exact time I heard about a site called Etsy that was just starting up. Weird, huh?

When you first started selling on Etsy did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job? How long were you selling before you deciding to take the plunge?

My first Etsy listing was in February of '06 — it's true, I looked it up. And of course I had those dreams. I don't think anybody goes to college for art without having those dreams, no matter how vague, impractical, or undirected. At least I didn't, and even in my other jobs as a framer, file clerk, teacher-of-art to preschoolers, or floral designer I always had that dream there with me: that burning fire/panic that your chance at life is passing you by. You just might not now how to get it out. (I still might not know entirely.) However, I do know that when I listed a pack of cards and a bracelet back then, I had no idea what I was doing, where I was going, what I wanted to be making, how I'd make it, who would buy, what I should charge for it... but I knew I was making a step.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?

I built my business. I tried new products, expanded on the ideas of old ones, and found a place where I could focus on doing what I do (making books) and still distinguish myself. I tried my hand at a few craft fairs last year, and though I'm horribly shy and nervous, I've found it to be a good way to get my work out there, and something I could do to grow my business more. Other than that, I got a vendor's license and sat down with a tax professional. I found an accountant who specializes in micro-businesses and she set me straight with some Excel spreadsheets, good advice, and even did my taxes for me. Also, my husband and I keep a good budget. We know our expenses are covered, and my business is supporting itself. I think it's important to be at that point.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?

The most effective thing I do to promote my store is to make more work and post it. I try to do that every day, which means I might post new items every other day. But usually if I post something, I sell something. The other good tips are weirder, and I don't know if I can prove them. (Actually, this could be horrible advice so proceed with caution!) I like to have 100 items. I could be OCD, but I swear I have my best sales when I'm up around 100 items. Perhaps it's having a larger selection, or just a larger chance that someone will type "your tags" into the search bar. I don't know, but it works. Another thing I do when sales are slow is I go out and buy something from another Etsy seller. I pick up some supplies or splurge on an oh-so-perfect pair of armwarmers. It sounds so counterintuitive to spend money and not make it, but it always works. I wouldn't say that I necessarily believe in Karma, or the idea of the universe rewarding you...but then again, that's what I'm saying, isn't it? Other than that, I would say some helpful things have been to throw some pictures of my process up on flickr (Editorial note: Make sure to read flickr's Terms of Use!), join in a sale with one of the Teams, or to participate in giveaways sponsored by Etsy bloggers.

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?

There's a lot of advice out there about social networking on the internet, posting in forums, posting on blogs, having a blog, keeping up a flickr site, having stuff on Myspace or Facebook, and all of that. But all of that requires a fantastic amount of maintenance. I started all of these things in an effort to drum up business, but I only ended up making myself so busy that I didn't have time to make things. (See my number one best promotion above.) Or I ended up just sort of spacing out and mindlessly clicking around from link to link feeling bad that I wasn't sewing up adorable cats, living an exciting life, baking cookies, or building a sweet shoe rack.

Would you walk us through what a typical work day might entail being your own boss?

I get up — getting out of bed is key — and check in with Etsy and my e-mail just to see if anything amazing happened overnight.
Then I throw on some clothes, walk the dog, do yesterday's dishes, swap out laundry, brush my teeth, make coffee and a banana smoothie, take out the trash...and hopefully make it into my studio by 9:30. Okay, so it's usually 10, but I try.
I post new listings first thing. Usually it's whatever I made yesterday; some days I'm lucky and I get to just renew something. I do this first, along with any budget entries, because both of these are my least favorite parts of the "job." I know if I put them off they'll never get done.
After that I get down to making things. I have a range of products I carry so I usually just make whatever product is selling, sold out, or overflowing its bin.
I work on that until noon, and then take the dog out, check my real mail, and come back in and work. And that's pretty much what I do. Work.
I work until like 4 or 5, then I stop, pack up orders and go play DDR. (I feel like this is an embarrassing admission, but I LOVE it! I play on the expert-heavy-extreme mode.)

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?

I really like the company at work, hearing about everyone's life story, watching the dramas unfold, having people to chat with. Because being a floral designer is creative, it was a good challenge for me to work faster, better, harder. It was a good exercise for my "eye," to play with color, texture, balance and all that. There's that instant feedback from customers and co-workers — it's kind of nice to hear that someone likes your work.

What I like most about being my own boss is being free to plan my own days: to hole up in my studio and just follow my own track, lay my own plans, and see what happens. It's great to know that everything you accomplish is yours. And it's even nice to know that everything you can't accomplish is just your own personal limitation. I like not having to having to take a shower until later in the day, and I love wearing comfortable pants. The comfortable pants are definitely one of the best parts.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?

If I could go back in time, I would have started off not taking phone calls during my workday. And I would have treated my workday as a workday from the beginning: 9-5 in the studio, no laundry to grocery shopping, no taking phone calls just to chitchat, or to see if I want to go shopping. It sounds horribly strict, but I wish I'd set up those boundaries earlier because it's hard to break habits. And it's hard to just start ignoring your phone when people know they can call and that you usually answer.

My advice to people thinking about taking the plunge? Take a calculated risk. If you need the income, find ways to work in your spare time — cut down on your hours, wean yourself off of financial dependence on your job. It doesn't have to be all or nothing, at least at first.

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?

First I want to make more sales than last year. This is the overall goal every year. On a smaller level, I'm planning on attending more craft fairs to grow my business in a personal kind of face-to-face way. At the same time, I'd like to get back to making some artwork. I'm taking a few graphic design classes to brush up on my computer skills. (Okay, who am I kidding? I'm developing some computer skills.) So I'd like to make some digital prints and work on designing the insides of some books. I'd like to move forward on the fine art front a little bit more.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I just want to, again, thank Etsy and the wonderful community here. You guys rock!

Please join Sarah for her follow-up Question and Answer session this Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 at 2:30pm EST in the Auditorium room of the Virtual Labs (the VL schedule is magically in your local time). See you there!

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

Jane Brocket: A Habit of Seeing

2009-01-13T13:45:00-05:00

Between her blog, yarnstorm, and book, the Gentle Art of Domesticity, author Jane Brocket delights in the creative outlets and simple pleasures of the home. Whether it's a basket full of textured yarn or a colorful collection of books, she finds inspiration close at hand and believes you can too...

I used to assume inspiration was the province of artists and poets, architects and designers, scientists and inventors. Inspiration could surely visit only those with a higher purpose in life, with a greater sensitivity than the rest of us, with a more refined awareness than the average mortal.

I was wrong. Inspiration is inspiration, whether the end result is a painted masterpiece, a soul-searching sonnet, a richly colored homemade quilt or a batch of freshly baked scones. We shouldn't diminish our creativity by despising the results of our inspiration, but instead celebrate and exploit the wonderful feeling of elevated energy and enthusiasm we experience when we feel inspired. That quickening of the sense and the heightening of the imagination are, I'm sure, just the same for the Matisses and Wrens and Brownings as they are for the rest of us. It's just that they can do different things with their inspired talents.

Inspiration is the opposite of expiration, a drawing in, as opposed to a letting out. We can walk through life without seeing, without taking in the details, the words, the colors, the pictures, and miss the whole point of inspiration. Or, we can adopt an approach that allows us to stop a while and look and listen and reflect and enjoy. We can learn to sift through the mass of stimuli we encounter every day and to focus on what inspires us as individuals and, in doing so, create a way of seeing, a way of being receptive to inspiration.

For the one thing that sets creative people apart is that they have all acquired the habit of being receptive to inspiration, actively seeking it or even simply recognizing it. Some may have to travel to the ends of the earth to find inspiration; others may find it hiding in libraries, at the tops of mountains, buried under the earth. But the domestic artist is in the glorious position of being able to find inspiration in daily, domestic life.

Writing yarnstorm has made me focus each day on something positive so that I have a subject for my posts. When I started photographing the details of my domestic life, I was quite sure I would run out of material in a matter of weeks. But, instead of exhausting all possibilities, I actually found myself unearthing more and more sources of inspiration, all within the confines of a quite ordinary, domestic life.

The more I realized I was surrounded by inspiration, the more I felt I could do with it. Some days are more passive and ruminative, and I may feel inspired by something as simple as noticing a new flower in the garden or reading a short story, but on other days I am inspired to think up a whole quilt design, take up crochet or imagine a pineapple tea cozy.

Even if I had all the free time in the world, I would not feel compelled to create endlessly. Making things would then become mechanical and mindless, and there would be no room to contemplate inspiration and to work out how to incorporate it into my life as a unique form of self-expression. For the more willing you are to let yourself be inspired, the more you can store away in your creative resources. This way, you can call on them when you do have the time and inclination to turn the personal stash of colors, details, patterns, and textures into something tangible. And it will be all the richer in meaning as a result of this habitual and highly individual accumulation.

Copyright The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brocket, published by STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books, an imprint of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2008.

Etsy In The Press: Ho Ho Ho-liday Press

2008-12-19T13:24:00-05:00

Tis the season to shop on Etsy! And we're not the only ones who think so. Check out this veritable blizzard of stories, starting with this doozy from Good Morning America Weekend. Smart shopping, indeed. My favorite part of that one (aside from the correct pronunciation and spelling of E-T-S-Y-dot-com) is the "Sneaky Santa" graphic. Check it out! Also on the tube, KOMO (ABC) in Seattle and KSL (NBC) in Salt Lake City chimed in too.

Online, this sentiment has been echoed by The Today Show.com, MSNBC, The Wall Street Journal, She Knows, Madison Decider, World Changing, Single Minded Women, and on New University. And let's not forget print. Great shopping tips and stories can be found in the pages of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Boston Globe, The Orange County Register, the Courier Post of New Jersey, the Willamette Weekly, and the Grand Junction Sentinel. Break out your snow shovels.

For those of you who like to make things, there were several articles describing the joys of selling on Etsy coupled with some heartwarming seller stories, from the likes of The Los Angeles Times, Deseret News, ECommerce Guide, and the Knoxville News Sentinel.

And this icing on this ice storm, The Martha Stewart Show has been kind as well, featuring Etsy sellers Caroline Stender, aka papertreats, Katie Steuernagle aka matsutake, and Ashley Steele aka hiccupdecor. Great job ladies!

In summary, the flurry of press should make this a very happy holiday season for shoppers and sellers alike. See you in '09!

For more Etsy in the Press, go here!

My Top 10 Customized Moleskines Notebooks

2008-11-21T16:00:00-05:00

Take a moment and breathe across the paper. Inhale thought, idea, memory. Exhale words, brush strokes, emotion, and color. Reflect your life and the world around you onto the page.

The more saturated we become with technology, the more we seem to crave analog time. You know, a n a l o g t I m e. That little bit of quality scribble-scrawl time that acts as a kind of portable break from our fast paced lives. There is something comforting in knowing that you can reach into your pocket, your bag, or your purse and pull out a spot of safe haven for yourself. We sketch moments, we make lists, we jot down creative brilliance, lay down color with brush or pencil, all the while knowing that we can tuck it back into its little black hole until we release it to the world.

Moleskine notebooks are at the forefront of journaling enthusiasm, their quality and variety being preferred in most cases. And this grassroots enthusiasm has taken root amongst creative types — the community on Etsy being one, flickr another (with a lot of overlap). Here's my Top 10 List — a great stocking stuffer for the writerly or creative person in your life.

1) I'm Friggin' Melting - Holey Moley - Moleskine by heidiburton

Heidi Burton depicts a whimsical Christmas using the cover as a prop. The look on the snowman’s face in the window-cut cover alone is reason enough to open it and see what’s going on.

2) “Skeleton Tree” Moleskine Cahier EXTRA Large Plain Journal by shoofly

I have seen a lot of embellished cahier covers, even done a few of my own, but this white on black rendering is both unique and lovely. Shoofly also has some incredibly beautiful Gocco printed Moleskine cahier covers, like her Sunflowers as well.
Find more gocco moleskines.

3) Moleskine Ruled Journal with Original Illustration by gneural

If you like individually hand-rendered cahier covers, gneural has some high definition, high contrast pieces that really catch the eye.
Find more moleskines with original drawings.

4) Knit Moleskine Cover/Sleeve by artontherun

Winter is coming up, so why not keep your pocket Moleskine cozy and warm in its own sweater?
Find more moleskine cozies.

5) Moleskine cover with pen pocket PDF pattern by AuburnStudios

Perfect for those of us who enjoy using the cahier but may not want to mar the covers.
Find more moleskines with pockets for pens.

6) Ultra Ray Large Moleskine by modofly

John W. Golden’s work adorns this wonderfully retro ray gun Moleskine by Modofly, perfect for any futuristic genre fan, male or female. johnwgolden also has a shop of his own fancifully designed creations on Etsy.
Find more laser etched items on Etsy.

7) Down the Rabbit Hole by TheCuriousNomad

I haven’t met a person yet who doesn’t love Alice in Wonderland, and this journal cover is a fantastically fun interpretation.
Find more painted moleskines on Etsy.

8) Screenprinted Pocket size Sketchbook with Barnacle Designs by fiskandfern

Of fiskandfern’s oceanic images, this screenprinted barnacle on a black pocket cahier really stands out.
Find more screenprint moleskines.

9) Sketchbook with Liberty Vintage Wallpaper Cover by drawflowers

drawflowers has a few of these wallpaper covered Moleskines, some even the perfect colors for a wedding planner’s notes.
Find more floral-motif moleskines.

10) Quilted Monogram Moleskine Cahier Notebook by jcasa

Jcasa’s custom quilted initials give Moleskine cahiers a textile makeover.
Find more moleskines with fabric elements.

Whether you like blank or grid pages for sketching, watercolor paper for painting, or ruled for writing, Moleskines come in three main sizes: the near index card-sized Pocket, the half sheet 5.5” x 8.5” Large, and the Extra Large. One of my personal favorites is the grid; it’s great for sketching as well as writing with guides for side margins. You can also take your writing further by picking up one of the Moleskine Storyboard journals.

Moleskine users have a culture of their own and are prolific in displaying glimpses into their wonder-filed worlds. Have a look around through some of the following sites and you are guaranteed to find unique, flavorful inspiration.

Moleskine Hacks on 43 Folders | Moleskine on Flickr Hivemind | Journal Related Posts

Etsy Moleskine Items | More Top 10 Lists

Etsy in the Press: Elevator, Goin' Up!

2008-11-20T15:58:00-05:00

The Dow Jones may be stuck in the basement for a while, but the Etsy Express is heading straight to the top, and just in time for the holidays!

First floor, TV land. Last week, Good Morning America held the first of many Great American Job Fairs, hosted by our friend Tory Johnson. If you saw it live, you could see our own Matt and Christina standing right behind Tory during the broadcast, along with a poster bearing the Etsy logo. Hats off to them, as their on-screen presence involved a long flight and extra-early wake up call. Also on the telly, weesf, aka Nicky Batill, was featured on The Martha Stewart Show, demonstrating how she creates her charming animal portraits. She and Martha had a brief but glowing discussion of Etsy. Great job Nicky! On this floor, we also find not one, but two local news outlets touting Etsy as a great place to buy and sell this holiday season. Check them out at TMJ4 Milwaukee, and WREX 13 Rockford.

Second floor, Business News. The hot question these days seems to be, "How Can I Save/Make Money Online This Year?" The answer, apparently, is Etsy. At least that's what CNN, Business Week, and Time think. On the mezzanine level, the Courier-Journal of Louisvile features a nice piece about the revival of craft, and how the economy may spur its growth even further.

Third floor, Favorite Shopping Sites. It turns out we're making waves over at Lucky, down south in Baton Rouge, and just up the way at the Hartford Courant. Last stop, everybody out!

And this just in! tinaseamonster will be on NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday this Sunday.

"The air time is different in each city, NPR station. There should also be a video of me making stuff and showing off some handmade purchases online. Then I will be doing a chat on their website at 1pm EST at http://www.npr.org/gifts.

Sunday 11/23/08
LIVE online chat with Tina Seamonster, craftswoman and artist 01:30 PM - 02:00 PM EST Weekend Edition Sunday Chat Live with Tina Seamonster

Chat LIVE online right here on our Eco-Nomical Holidays group page with Tina Henry-Barrus, AKA Tina Seamonster (http://www.tinaseamonster.com) She's a D.C.-based crafter and artist, affiliated with the Washington City Paper's Crafty Bastards collective. Tina will join host Liane Hansen during the show and offer her crafty ideas to anyone who wants to particpate in the online chat this Sunday at 1 p.m. EST. She has a podcast at her crafting blog, http://www.hellocraft.com."

For more Etsy in the Press, go here!

Etsy Finds: Books and Zines

2008-11-18T08:32:00-05:00

It's been perfect book-reading weather in my living room lately. Pete has built us a large and beautifully irregular bookshelf for our apartment, and all the winter quilts have been unearthed from their closets. Since watching Etsy's Handmade Portrait on Leslie Stein last week I've been on a zine and comics hunt. This Etsy Find is a sampling of what I've noticed, with some handmade journals thrown in for good measure—it is the gift-buying season, after all, and a lot of my friends are bookworms or writers, too. Enjoy!

Cafe Royal Issue Zero

One of my favorite Etsy zines! We've been paging through copies of Cafe Royal from a box set that appeared on our office conference table the other day. Each issue is a collection of art from different artists; really unique and weird and delightful. By craigatkinson, $24.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

shapeshifter - small book

Beautiful little hand bound collection of drawings, from the shop that brought us these lovely, sad-eyed Mandragora dolls. By NuitBlanche, $20.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

printed catalogue/ book of illustration

Colorfully bright collection of illustrations by hellocornelia, $8.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Yeah, It Is

Harvey award nominated, 48 page, full color comic made out of construction paper. By larrybear, $6.

Watch our Handmade Portrait on Leslie Stein and meet the girl behind the comic!

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Through The Viewfinder New York City. No 1. (Mini photo zine and stickers.)

Collection of kateblack's photography with matching stickers! I probably sound like an 8-year-old here, but there is something downright thrilling about tiny books and matching stickers. She has more in her shop, as well as a ton of handmade sketchbooks, journals, and other clever stuff. $3.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Journal Vintage Cover

After a hiatus, we noticed one of our old faves TYLERBENDER once again had a shop full of gorgeous hand bound journals, each made with rad recycled covers! Get yours now before everyone else remembers they have gifts to buy. $44.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

birch - a small book of drawings

One last book of tiny drawings for your budding tiny drawing library (that I hope you've begun after reading through this Find.) By justmadbooks, $2.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

primary colors box set

Another favorite around here and ideal gift set for pretty much anyone who can use a pencil. By lmoss, $55.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

A Prisoner's Tale, A Shiny Keyhole Journal

TheBlackSpotBooks makes tiny journals from new paper and old, old, old leather. Watch her Process video here; you will fall in love as fast as we have. $65.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Storque Featured Buyers | Trends | Gift Ideas

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Process: New Books with Old Materials by theblackspotbooks

2008-11-07T11:35:00-05:00

MP4 | Youtube | Blip.tv | Subscribe in iTunes

Margaux Kent, aka theblackspotbooks, has always had a love for old things. Her handmade leatherbound books have the feel of beautiful antique manuscripts, like something out of a Medieval library that was used by a monk once upon a time. Her books tell stories while waiting for the words of new owners. It's a magical thing.

Margaux made her first book after her well loved vintage Italian journal fell apart at the seams. She could then see how the book was held together and from that experience she learned how to bind books. Then came the next part: what to cover the journals with? Being vegetarian, Margaux didn't want to buy new hides, so she started scouring secondhand shops where she lives in Philadelphia for old discarded leather.

Since then she has repurposed all sorts of well worn leather, from antique chairs, saddlebags, gunbelts to old purses. Her hunt for leather with a past life continues, ever searching for forgotten pieces that she can transform into new treasures.

The books she sells are so gorgeous, they challenge their owners to write really amazing words, do drawings, or paste photos!

Process is a new Etsy video series that features the intimate relationship formed between Etsy sellers and the handmade items that
they create and make available to the world through their online shops. Process is not to be confused with a How-To video, as each video isintended to show each seller's unique artistic voice through the process by which their items come to be.

Did you know you can get videos downloaded automatically by subscribing in iTunes! You can also check us out on Youtube, blip.tv and get the MP4 video too. Embed the video on your blog and you might just get a special treat from us.

In the comments, let us know if there's an artist's process you'd like to see in a video!

Gift Ideas: The Handmade Journal

2008-11-05T15:30:00-05:00

The feeling of writing in a new journal is hard to describe. There's a sense of expectation and possibility as you think about what to write upon the fresh, unfettered pages. Journals and diaries are precious possessions because they're such a comfort — a convenient place to dump all of your thoughts and worries, daily engagements, doodles while you're on the phone, phone numbers, sketches, random ideas, dreams at 4 o'clock in the morning, to-do lists, inspiring quotes...

With the coming holiday season in mind, consider a beautiful handmade journal as a gift, such as the examples below. All your thoughts can be collected in one place! Get to writing!

Look for more Journals | Book Worms and Writers Gift Guide | More Gift Ideas

Etsy in the Press: August 2008

2008-08-28T14:19:00-05:00

The latter half of August has seen some great press mentions of Etsy, with varying themes:

On the topic of do-it-yourself innovation is Forbes magazine. A particularly interesting quote reads, "For every person who uploads a how-to on Instructables, a pine cone-shaped beeswax candle for sale on Etsy or a video on YouTube, there are 10 who watch it or buy it. This 10-to-1 ratio of passive consumers to active doers plays out across much of the Web, on Flickr and Facebook. One person can create a thing of great value to many strangers or friends."

In business news, The Wall Street Journal touts Etsy as a focused, targeted marketplace in which to sell your handmade creations. USA Today lists us as a great place to sell online as well.

Internationally, Cheryl Gledhill of The Sydney Morning Herald chose Etsy as one of her three most exciting things on the web (but you already knew that), citing the great sense of community to be found here.

Thanks to all, we'll see you in the Fall with more press coverage!

For more Etsy in the Press, go here!

Etsy Finds: Back To School Notebook

2008-08-16T14:36:00-05:00

I had what Oprah calls an "a ha!" moment yesterday. I was considering hiring a personal organizer and wondering why my apartment was so unorganized when I realized my year had no cycle. I wasn't going back to school, and thus, I didn't have that pre-back-to-school organizing frenzy: That time of year when you stock up on Trapper Keepers, clean out your desk and closet and get ready to start a new year. Take advantage of this new start, young students! There are lots of items on Etsy that can help you stay organized. This notebook by sallybean is a journal, mini filing system and organizer all in one! Sally also offers custom covers, so send her an Alchemy request if you're interested! See more of my favorite handmade and vintage organizing items below.

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Etsy in the Press: July 2008

2008-07-31T15:19:00-05:00

The Etsy community is becoming the go-to source for inspirational shopping tips on all things innovative and exquisite. Word is spreading to a variety of news media, touting the value of Etsy for buyers and sellers alike. Interior designer and contributing editor for ELLE Decor, Elaine Griffin, was on the The Today Show July 29th, giving tips for buyers to acquire affordable art, and needless to say, Etsy was one of those hot tips. Griffin's philosophy—that art should not be viewed as a luxury, but rather accessible and enriching for the average consumer—is enthusiastically supported in the work of Etsy artists every day.

On July 16th, Foxbusiness.com published an article and video, profiling Etsy as part of their series on young entrepeneurs. The piece particularly highlights Etsians' diversity: from pottery to zombie bunny finger puppets. The video interview with Rob Kalin focuses on buying handmade and buying local as the future of consumerism. As they stroll through customer support and the Etsy Labs, the vision and community that makes Etsy so unique is visibly evident.

In the Canadian newspaper, the Edmonton Journal, Etsy is credited for local success stories babyleila, leilaandben, and Majestyinc. The sellers behind these powerhouse shops celebrate the community, exposure, and financial opportunities provided by Etsy. On the blog, Baltimore by Hand, Etsy seller Christy Zuccarini spreads the good word, encouraging buyers and sellers to check out the handmade marketplace, as well as all of Etsy's great features, such as Alchemy, Pounce, and of course, the Storque!

Philadelphia family newspaper, The Bulletin, praises Etsy for its "attractive, contemporary, and user-friendy" atmosphere, particularly enthusiastic about the lack of outside advertising on the site. Lastly, Syuzi Pakhchyan, author of Fashioning Technology, showed up on New Hampshire Public Radio's "Word of Mouth" program to talk about Etsy and crafting, specifically, "smart materials," such as LED lights and conductive thread. For more crafting with technology, check out the Geekery category or this How-To on LED Baby Booties.

For more Etsy Press coverage, go here!

Etsy in the Press: Creative Ventures

2008-06-26T15:12:00-05:00

June has been buzzing with talk of crafty entrepreneurship. Where to begin? How about Sydney Stoyan's heart warming tale of her Etsy experience in the National Post? It is our favorite kind of story: buyer needs necklace, buyer finds Etsy, buyer meets seller, they start a friendship. Buyer goes on to form relationships with other sellers, and discovers the pleasure of the relationships and meaning that come from buying handmade. Describing her new found joy, she concludes by saying, "You simply cannot buy this kind of thing from Louis Vuitton."

The Wall Street Journal published a piece recently describing how online selling has opened new doors for artists who want to make a living from their passions. In a similar vein, Etsy features prominently in a cover story in the May issue of Entrepreneur's StartUps magazine. The article gives some good advice on pricing and marketing your creations online, as well as tips for real-world displays. It also provides insight on the relationship between art and commerce. The Boston Business Journal just ran a thoughtful story about the rise of Upcycling, a favorite practice of mine. The current issue of Crochet Today magazine has a great introductory piece about Etsy as well, featuring interviews with Matt and a few Etsy sellers. Express, an offshoot of the Washington Post, also ran a story detailing the challenges facing upstart handmade businesses. Steve Berger, CEO of the Craft & Hobby Association, was on ABC's Money Matters, talking about the recent boom in crafting (Americans spend $32 billion on craft supplies annually!). He spoke about what crafts are popular these days, and how the internet (and Etsy in particular) has influenced the recent growth and changed the crafting culture.

On the buyers' side of things, Etsy fan, Rob Walker, was interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle, talking about his new book, Buying In (in which Etsy is mentioned). In the interview, he tells a short but amusing tale about a tie that he recently purchased on Etsy. Finally, the cultural media site artinfo.com recommends Etsy as a great place to begin collecting affordable art.

That's all for now, friends. Happy reading!

Etsy Finds: What Now?

2008-05-23T11:46:00-05:00

So you're graduating. Congrats!

Whether you look back on your years in school as a chore or the best of your life, now is the time to start writing down your experiences, because your memory will be long gone before you know it. (Trust me on this. I can barely remember my phone number at this point.)

A journal is the perfect gift for a new graduate...or simply buy one as a gift for yourself to cut out the middleman. This wooden journal by lacunawork is made from recycled paper and antique wood. Who wouldn't like to put their ideas and memories in a journal this beautiful?

Get writing today! Keep those memories alive for another time.

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Etsy in the Press: Alchemy Lives & Other Headlines

2008-03-20T17:41:00-05:00

It's been about one week since the rebirth of Alchemy, and already the press is begining to take notice. New York Magazine's Best Bets section notes the resurgence of the feature, dubbing it "genius." The irreverent crowd over at Gawker took notice as well, noting requests for a vegan jackalope and ten felted eyeballs. Check out the comments section for other hilarious suggestions. Rounding out this trio is a posting on buzzfeed in the Tech Buzz section.

In other news, triplepundit has an interesting piece about the social values associated with Etsy, and The Daytona Beach News-Journal wrote a story as well, featuring quotes from three local sellers. The New York Daily News also mentioned Etsy in a lineup of great online shopping venues.

Etsy Community Projects: PhotoLab Project

2008-03-18T17:09:00-05:00

The Etsy Community is constantly dreaming up new ideas. Some of these ideas are for improvements on the site, some are inspiration for getting out of a creative slump and some are just plain fun ideas for projects to work on with or get to know other members of the Etsy Community.

This is a series spotlighting Etsy Community Projects initiated and run by the Etsy Community. Many of these projects originate in the forums and some happen completely there. Some involve mailing packages to other Etsy members, some involve posting on other sites, like Flickr. All are fun ways to interact with other members of Etsy, be it for a short period of time or on a regular basis.

The PhotoLab Project hopes to remind us of the magic of real film while connecting Etsy community members. Etsy members are asked to list a film photo diary (an exposed but undeveloped roll of film they shot through the course of one day) in their shops to trade or sell. They should be tagged ‘photolabproject’ so that they are easy to find. Here's a little more information from smashing — who initiated the PhotoLab Project — on its inception and some tips on participating.

What inspired you to start the project?
My sister in law took my nephew and my daughter on a walk and gave them each a disposable camera. They were 3 and 2 1/2 years old. I wasn't sure what would come out. In fact, I wasn't sure any pictures would appear at all. I was wrong! The pictures were great. Simply being shot from their point of view (which is only a couple of feet lower than mine) gave me such a glimpse of their world. In the pictures, adults looked like enormous giants with tiny heads and huge feet, the sidewalk looked like a parking lot. Houses and trees seemed bigger and farther away at the same time. I was amazed. They were just pictures of a neighborhood but it changed the way I thought about their tiny lives.

This made me think: what could I learn from other people's random camera shots? I got the idea to offer exposed undeveloped rolls of film for sale on Etsy. In my item listing I welcome other people to post their exposed film, too.

Has there been a good level of participation so far?
I've sent out five to other Etsians, there were a couple of sellers who sent out one or two and I've also gotten a few emails from people who were inspired to trade film diaries with friends and start other photo projects.

Do you have any tips or advice for people who wish to participate?
When I started this I was curious about what I'd learn about other people, but you end up learning a lot about yourself. It's a fun little exercise. Lots of FAQ's are answered at the PhotoLab Project's blog.

For more coverage of Etsy Community Projects, check out our continuing series. For more tips and tricks of successful blogs, check out the Blogging Guide!

Are you organizing a project within the Etsy community, outside of an Etsy Team? Tell us about it in the comments!

Etsy in the Press: Financial Times and Other News

2008-03-07T15:39:00-05:00

Financial Times, the UK's foremost international business newspaper, recently published an article detailing Etsy's past, present, and visions for the future. Here is a snippet from that piece:

"In just under three years, Etsy has become the world’s biggest platform for selling and buying one-of-a-kind items, ranging from carefully tailored children’s clothes and old library books whose jackets have been reworked as journals, to original photographic and print artwork."

Thank you, sirs. Elsewhere, The Akron Beacon Journal published a story detailing the community aspects of Etsy and how it has changed the lives of local artists. Central PA Magazine had a few nice things to say as well.

Moving to the small screen, littleputbooks and silverdotjewelry were very excited to be featured on Good Morning America Now! (See video here).

Finally, this article wouldn't be complete without a bit of shameless self promotion. Tinaseamonster writes a regular blog for the Washington City Paper. In a recent entry, she details our Cooperative Advertising Program, care of yours truly.

Etsy in the Press: The Wall Street Journal

2008-03-06T17:28:00-05:00

In Small Business News, check out today's Wall Street Journal article by Raymund Flandez. In it, he discusses how Etsy has been successful in creating a vibrant community of users, and also how some of our users have gone on to create Etsy-related, social-networking sites of their own.

He notes, "Consumers are increasingly using the Web to talk to, and about, the companies they do business with. Some use venues like blogs and forums supplied by companies, while others create their own spaces, such as on social-networking sites, to connect with other like-minded users... Etsy, for its part, has welcomed many of those venues in an effort to build a loyal community of customers who are vocal about the site and the goods its artisans sell."

Mr. Flandez also addresses the pros and cons for business who try to use social-networking sites as a means of spreading the word about their companies. Part of the reason that this has been successful for Etsy is that the members of these sites have many common interests.

The article also mentions the many ways in which Etsy members can interact with admins and with each other, including the Virtual Labs, Forums, and The Storque. Last and certainly not least, the online article also contains a video interview featuring Mr. Flandez interviewing Rob.

Etsy in the Press: Awards Season

2008-02-21T15:28:00-05:00

Well, it's that time of year again, gold statuettes, podiums, and speeches crumpled in pockets. Not to be outshone, Etsy is getting in on the action too. Our very own Rob has been chosen by Creativity magazine as one of The 2008 Creativity 50. Here's what they have to say about it, "The list represents the biggest innovators of the year, who — through repeated demonstration of sheer brilliance or even just one spectacular feat — brought new spark to their respective fields of advertising, entertainment, marketing, technology, design and beyond." Nice photo, too.

In business news, there has been a lot of flap about the changes over at eBay. Many publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle, have touted Etsy as the hot new venue for disgruntled sellers and buyers in the handmade marketplace. Auctionbytes, a trade publication for online merchants, also featured an in-depth article about Etsy. And the Sun Journal of Maine ran a story about how the internet (in general) and Etsy (in particular) are revolutionizing the craft world, especially for people in isolated locations and small towns.

Etsy in the Press: USNews says Etsy is an Alternative to eBay

2008-02-11T18:43:00-05:00

U.S. News and World Report is recommending that disgruntled eBay folks go to Etsy with their handmade items: "Boycotting eBay? Here Are Three Alternatives: Users protesting fee changes need not stop selling altogether" by Kimberly Palmer, posted today.

Thanks Odds, who brought to this to our attention in this forum thread.

Etsy in the Press: New York Times Magazine Feature

2007-12-16T01:00:00-05:00

Please try to pick up a Sunday New York Times Magazine, today December 16, 2007. Within it you will find a well-researched and thought-provoking feature article, "Handmade 2.0," by Rob Walker on the DIY/craft/handmade movement and Etsy's role in that movement.

The article addresses many of the core challenges facing Etsy, and digs deep into the context surrounding Etsy in an engaging way. For people who are not already familiar with Etsy (or as many of us are, completely engrossed in Etsy), this article stands as a truly useful and thorough view into the company and the movement Etsy is part of. It's a good introduction, and it's also a good discussion starter.

Rob Walker writes about the importance of community (and especially women) in this movement and acknowledges many of the people working towards helping independent artists make a living from what they make, for example, the people behind the Craft Congress, Craft Mafias, Church of Craft, Faythe Levine of Handmade Nation, Craft Magazine, and GetCrafty just to name a few. A number of Etsy sellers' stories are described.

"Handmade 2.0" asks a vital question: can this movement and Etsy foster wide spread change in how people consume? Rob Walker spoke at length with Rob Kalin, one of Etsy's founders, on the flaws of the Industrial Revolution and modern life, and through these philosophical discussions, a vision of a better way to produce and consume emerges. It is a truly idealist vision, but, as the Handmade Consortium recently surpassed the 10,000 signature mark on the BuyHandmade.org Pledge and Etsy continues to break records in sales and traffic, Etsians continue to gain hope that buying handmade will really catch on and make a difference on a massive scale.

Other more troubling questions were brought to light — ones that I know I personally grapple with as an admin. Can Etsy negotiate the tricky yet crucial path of making money (building sustainable businesses) in a movement that is anti-corporate and often uncomfortable with the idea of profit as motivation (you know, in that punk rock way, in a way that I often personally feel conflicted about)? Etsy is a cooperative of sorts, and exists within a capitalist system; in such a system, not every seller will succeed. And that's a harsh reality. What will happen as Etsy attracts more and more sellers and more and more buyers? Will it start to feel like a huge mall of handmade goods? Can Etsy keep its tech features, marketing, communications, customer support at a pace with its growth? These are the questions that admin grapple with everyday and I know I've read forum threads in which sellers discuss them at length.

The Storque will be interviewing Rob Kalin aka Rokali, looking back at the past year and setting some New Years resolutions for 2008. It's been an exciting year, there's no doubt about that. Yet, there's so much work to be done.

ps
You can read the article online here. Please email it to your friends and family and spread the word!

Etsy in the Press: New York Times Geekery

2007-11-15T05:45:00-05:00

Etsy was mentioned in a New York Times article today, November 15, 2007. Read the piece, Tinkering at Home, Selling on the Web, at this link.

"Etsy (www.etsy.com) is a popular e-commerce site for people to sell their wares. Alongside more traditional items, it offers a scattering of tech-oriented accessories, including handmade iPod cases and charms for cellphones like those favored by Japanese schoolgirls."

Our good friends Phil Torrone of MAKE zine and Limor Fried of adafruit.com, are prominently featured in the article. We'll see them tonight for Handmade Music Night at the Etsy Labs, wherein NYC geeks share their hacker musical finery.

Etsy in the Press: Boston Globe

2007-11-08T06:28:00-05:00

The Boston Globe ran an article today (November 8th, 2007) entitled These Craft Lovers Click. The author, Erin Byers Murray writes about Etsy and how the site has helped erstwhile starving artists. Congratulations to:
Sweetestpea
mLee
mogo
AzureGrackle
JCDesign
These five sellers are each profiled in the piece. We wish them great success!