Search results (tags) for: "paper"

Quit Your Day Job: cicadastudio

2009-12-07T16:39:00-05:00

Michelle of cicadastudio was determined to quit her day job of 15 years as a design director and opened her Etsy shop with the intent of doing so. Michelle is a believer that being kind to one's self and keeping a positive "can-do" attitude have been her own secret recipe for success. While she doesn't miss the daily aspects of her day job, she now faces the challenge of juggling motherhood while being the CEO of her own business. She attributes the incredible opportunities she's experienced as a direct result of opening up her shop on Etsy.

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

I can't remember a time where I didn't make things. It seems that being creative and having a constant flow of hands-on projects is my whole reason for being. There's been more than one instance in my life where someone has said "you should sell these," referring to one thing or another that I'd taken up as a hobby or creative outlet. Finally, in 2004, I decided to take that more seriously and began the "master plan" to work for myself. I formed Cicada Studio to combat the dullness and stress of my day job's demands and I went with the project du jour, which was greeting cards.

Tell us about your previous working situation.
I was a design director for a private label company, which primarily entailed the conceptualizing, merchandising and producing of surface patterns and plaids for men's and boys' boxers and pajama programs. The job itself wasn't bad — as far as garment industry jobs go — but it was dry.

I had been there for nearly 15 years and I was literally burnt out. There were the stressors of daycare and kids' transport before a harried commute and hours spent away from home. As design director, I was the liaison between sales, designers, buyers and production, so I wore a lot of hats. In addition to the demands to make thousands of surface designs each year, there was the frustration of compromising my aesthetic judgment, conceptualizing new ways to do the same old thing, wowing everyone with blandness, and meeting crazy tight deadlines. I was thankful for the experience, and it's helped me immensely in my newest career, but I was really ready to move on.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
I had dreams of quitting my day job before I started selling on Etsy! Seriously, it was the reason I opened my shop. I was determined to make something of my own and I thank Etsy almost daily for giving me the opportunity to do this. I'm not sure where I'd be right now without this venue. Etsy made it possible for me to achieve my goals and opened up doors to incredible opportunities.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
I had recently remarried and had, for months and months, discussed my occupational unhappiness with my husband. He knew it was important for me to leave the job — even if it was for another, except there really weren't any available to me. Each time I neared the end of my rope and I thought I'd just quit on the spot and deal with the repercussions later, something made me reevaluate the situation: I was making a great salary, we were renovating the house, I became pregnant and needed the benefits, my husband was laid off...life stuff. It just kept me at my desk longer than I'd hoped.

It was during these times that I really began to hone my Etsy shop and the products I was selling. I created a niche in original textile designs and self-produced fabrics and was building both momentum and focus. As that began to solidly take shape, my dreams of quitting became a lot clearer and more accessible. Opportunities began to arise as I opened myself up to future possibilities. I began licensing designs for quilt collections for Henry Glass, taking on graphic design projects and sewing custom items — whatever I could get — and all of these things combined allowed me to make my bold move.

When my husband secured a job with great benefits, he encouraged me to quit because he believed in my abilities and determination. To offset the lost cash flow, we decided to live off my savings for a time, which I'm thankful I had. It was the best investment I could have made as it afforded me the opportunity to spend my time developing my business goals, sourcing, producing and marketing — basically building my businesses. It has not been easy, but it's been rewarding.

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

My blog and blog social life have been the most instrumental part in getting myself out there, seen and heard. I can directly attribute success through the promotion of my blog.
To boost traffic, I will often hold giveaways on my blog. Hands down, my most successful giveaways revolve around fabric. The sewing and crafting community is very vast, and yet simultaneously very tight. Once the word is out that there's free fabric afoot, people will magically appear.
I also love Flickr and post images to appropriate groups. When I first joined Etsy I was very active in the Forums and still have many close contacts from those days.
Being featured, either by circumstance or by submitting products to bigger (and relevant) design and sewing blogs, has also been very rewarding.

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
I haven't had any luck with paid advertising on blogs, nor have I seen any boosts in sales based on any magazine press I've received (but it sure is nice to get that!). Facebook doesn't seem to be working for me either, but I really don't dedicate myself to that venue, so it's probably my own doing.

Walk us through your typical workday.

I try to get up before the boys (one is 8, the other is 2) to take care of emails, manage the shop, read blogs and do some Twitter chit chat and organize the day. This is what I hope to achieve. If I actually get one of these things done in that time, I count myself lucky. The mornings are a frenzied routine of getting my act together and the boys out of the house to school, day care, etc.
When I get back home around 9:15, the day is now mine. I strap myself in and attack my to do list. Like any other job, there are days when I'm not so motivated. I try to set a schedule for myself, but I have realized that I am not one for routine. This is the way I roll, but it certainly can be counter-productive. Mostly, I act on impulse — everything is done when the mood strikes: shipping, designing, sewing, emailing, ordering, marketing, etc. I have from 9:30-2:45 to get as much done as possible. When there's a deadline, I make it, but I'm definitely not one to be done with a comfortable time buffer — I always seem to be working up to the last minute.
It's important to note here that I am not only the shop owner of Cicada Studio. Earlier this year I partnered up with a former colleague to create another business, Cloud9 Fabrics, which is an organic printed cotton company that wholesales directly to shops. We've been extremely successful. (Psst! there are a number of Etsy fabric shops that sell our product!) Between these two distinct jobs, there is never a dull moment. These days, my primary focus in the Etsy shop is my 2010 tea towel calendar production. I'm so excited about the response to this seemingly simple item. It is not, however, simple for me to make...and it's a big time consumer. I need a lot of self-propelled motivation to put on my mass-production hat, and there are days I want to toss it in the corner.
Eventually, I have to collect the kids, do housework, and try to find time to relax. This last part is the thing that suffers most. Since my job is now a short walk down the hallway, I am never NOT at work, and it invades my life at all times of the day. My desk is in the office, but the work itself is spread all over the place: the ironing board is like a console table in my living room, the kitchen table doubles as my sewing room, my bedroom is the photography studio. My family is very patient, but I have to admit, I am more than frustrated by all this and it's a real motivator for expanding my business further so I can successfully find an off-site situation. I like having goals like this because they keep me determined.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
There's nothing I miss about being ejected from bed, doused with water and then pushed out the door to frantically catch a train bound for NYC. I worked in the Herald Square area and it's pretty chaotic and intense. I probably had the easiest of commutes — off the train and a short walk to work — but that 5 minute walk was the most tiring aspect of the job. I also don't miss having to answer to someone and having to bend my aesthetics to fit someone else's idea of what looks good or what something should look like. Trying to read someone's mind and guess what they will want (and most times, that someone had no creative background) was mentally exhausting. That part of my job left me very dry and frustrated. It's nice that I only have myself to answer to now, even though I'm probably a tougher boss on myself than I ever had in my career....at least my wild notions make sense to me!

I miss the steady paycheck. If I'm really honest, I miss getting away from the house. And I really miss the time I spent on the train (though I really did loathe the commute). That time alone was mine to think, dream, plan, sleep, sit, rest, and zone out. I don't get that anymore. I go from mom, to business, to mom, to business in a day, and there's no pause between. It's very tiring.

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
Doing every single little thing myself. I'm a pretty self-sufficient person, but man, what I wouldn't do for some helping hands now and again. I get so entrenched with the minutia though, even when a family member will extend an offer to help, it's hard for me to change gears and let go. It's all very time-consuming and I'm very detail driven: two things that translate to lots of audible sighs during the day.

My blogging life has been a real boost for my mental health. I became part of an amazing and supportive community that acted as a reciprocal sounding board, which I felt was key, as I had gone from working with many to working by myself. The solitude took some getting used to. I had to learn to have confidence in my own work as a stand-alone thing. Honing my own personal style was something I struggled with earlier on, but through feedback and interaction, and sales of course, I began to feel more at ease with what I was doing.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?
"Focus, lady!" I am still telling myself that every day. It's not easy... ideas come from all sides, the energy is up, the creative side of me is sparked and I want to do it all. Only I can't and in order to have a cohesive shop and brand, it's really important — for both the business and myself — to keep it tight.

Advice to others: Be open to change and opportunity. Of course, I'll add "focus" to the list, but the real key is flexibility. I found that was necessary to not only quit my day job, but also settle into my own niche. When things aren't going exactly as you think they should, don't be afraid to change your perspective. Focus on what you really want, not necessarily the exact thing that gets you there. The more open you are to possibilities, the more options you'll find you have. I will also add "Be true to your nature and your ideals" — that kind of consistency shows in everything you do.

What goals do you wish to accomplish in the coming year for your Etsy business?
Next year is going to be a bit of a departure for me.

I am in the process of streamlining Cicada Studio.
I have decided to stop selling my fabrics in fat quarter measures and only focus on the sale of full yards.
I'm in the process of liquidating my on-hand fabric inventory this month.
Going forward, I will offer more handmade items as home and personal accessories as well as doing customized products, using what I have left.
I have ideas for more fabric designs, but I'm currently rethinking my base cloths and printing methods, so a lot of what will go on for the early part of next year is research and development. That's not very exciting, but it's necessary. I'd rather spend time on developing a good plan for the brand at this time vs. keeping a stocked shop. As a one-person show I have to balance my time and energy — and for now, the right thing for me to do is step back, let things glide for a time while I chart my next plan of action.
I do plan to have a 3rd annual tea towel calendar for 2011, for sure. I also have another little fabric based idea that seems quite doable and unique, but I haven't had the chance to do my homework yet.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I've been really blessed with all sorts of wonderful opportunities and people in my life, but I also feel like I deliberately put myself in their paths, too. I believe nothing is just luck. It all takes energy. It's really important to keep a positive "can do" attitude. It isn't always easy and there are some days when I have my doubts and insecurities, but when those things start eating at me, I reach out to my friends and family and listen to their supportive words; I take a look at all I've accomplished and pat myself on the back. Being kind to myself is essential. Plus, it makes it easier for me to push myself harder when I feel how emotionally and energetically rewarding it can be.

Thanks to Michelle for sharing her story. You can see some of Michelle's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Come Craft With the Etsy Labs & Esther K. Smith: Rolling Ball Books and Ornaments

2009-11-19T10:30:00-05:00

Want to test out our latest How-Tuesday project with us at the Etsy Labs? Come join us for a free workshop with artist and author Esther K. Smith— whether you're in Brooklyn or anywhere in the world. Stop by for our weekly Craft Night in our online, interactive classroom, the Virtual Labs, for a live demo via webcam at 5 p.m. ET, or in person at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn anytime between 4-8 p.m. ET at 55 Washington Street, Suite 512 in Brooklyn, New York. (Click here to see what time 5 p.m. ET is in your hometown.) Craft Night is a time to make things, sharpen your craft skills, and meet new friends.

This week, on Monday, November 23, Esther K. Smith will show us how to make rolling ball books and ornaments. Is it a book or a toy? You decide!

Esther K. Smith is Purgatory Pie Press designer and author of How to Make Books and Magic Books & Paper Toys. She handcrafts artist books and limited editions at Purgatory Pie Press in New York City, collaborating with typographer Dikko Faust and other artists and writers. Keep an eye out for her new book, The Paper Bride, in December 2009.

Looking for more paper projects? Try these how-to's:

Paper Flowers | Do-Si-Do Books

Will we see you on Monday? Let us know in the comments below.

How-Tuesday: Rolling Balls From Magic Books & Paper Toys

2009-11-17T14:14:00-05:00

As a lover of both books and crafts, I have a very difficult time letting my coffee table volumes or National Geographic issues sit on the shelf for long before I'm ripping, cutting, folding, and gluing. Pages sticky with mod podge, my collection of paper transforms into a vault of materials and inspiration. Paper guru Esther K. Smith will be hosting Craft Night at the Etsy Labs next Monday, November 23. As a teaser, she shares her Rolling Balls project from Magic Books & Paper Toys for this week's How-Tuesday. This would make a great project (with or without the kids!) as you get ready to decorate for the holidays.

Purchase Magic Books & Paper Toys

Long before I ever thought of making books, I got a hexaflexagon in the mail from Dikko. Other men send flowers, jewelry, or chocolate, but he wooed me with paper. (It worked — we've been collaborating on art and our family for many years now.)

He had read about them in Martin Gardiner's math column in Scientific American and made one for a grad-school course at the University of Wisconsin. The flexagon was cool. I made them for a while — sent one to my mathematician cousin (he was not impressed) — and then forgot about them. Years later, teaching a class at Cooper Union called Instant Artist's Books, I found that hexaflexagon again and decided to include flexagons in my class. Then I got a photocopy of a page from a Victorian children's book that showed magic wallet construction. Those two forms were so easy and interesting that I built a curriculum around them. I developed my Magic Books & Paper Toys weekend workshop, which started at New York's Center for Book Arts. I've taught it at Long Island University, The San Francisco Center for the Book, and Penland School of Crafts.

When I began teaching design for CUNY, I used flexagons with my CUNY undergrads for design and color-theory problem solving. Since their designs split and reverse, they make an interesting design challenge. They also keep me amused.

I added flip books, strip animations, and spinners with wonderful results. One student rendered a paint can that sprays graffiti, another made a subway car with cut-out windows that show the stations changing.

I've seen flip books of fingernails growing, T-shirts changing designs, and all kinds of winking, blinking spinners. I wish I could see the cool things YOU make!

I've seen these made from holiday cards as ornaments, but they are also interesting books. And it's fun to roll them. You could even put a simple pop-up inside.

You Will Need
Heavy, foldable paper
Compass or round object (glass, bowl) to trace
Pencil
Scissors
Bone folder
Adhesive
Drawing and collage materials to embellish
Velco, magnets (optional)

1. Trace circles onto the paper using a compass, or trace a jar or small bowl. The heavier the paper, the fewer circles.

2. Cut the circles out with scissors or a knife.

3. Fold them in half and burnish.

4. Adhere the folded circles back to back, lining them up with care and burnishing until you have enough to create a full ball shape when you open up the ball.

5. Place Velcro or magnets on the covers so that the ball can stay open.

6. Roll your book to be sure it works.

7. Embellish with drawing, rubber stamps, or collage.

Rolling Faces: You can put whatever appeals to you on the pages of your rolling book. Faces can be fun. One student thought faces of politicians would be nice rolling away. Cut them from magazines or newspapers and collage.

Thanks to Esther K. Smith and the good folks at Potter Craft for sharing this project with us. For more paper inspiration, check out Magic Books & Paper Toys.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide

Quit Your Day Job: monkeysalwayslook

2009-11-16T15:30:00-05:00

Allison of monkeysalwayslook and papervictory was able to leave her previous position in television production after devising a year-long plan to sell her products on Etsy. While her seemingly flawless scheme didn't work out as well as she had hoped, she found ways to make it work and is now supporting her workload full time through her Etsy shops. Allison stands by the notion that well-styled photos that tell a story are always great marketing and promotional tools. Keep reading (or, ahem, laughing) along with Allison to learn more about her personal journey.

How did you originally get into the business of making things?
I have always been artistic and come from a very supportive family who fly their freak flags high and proud. I've had jobs that were artistic in nature, but not to the extent I have now, where I have complete creative control. Creating my own products was just a natural progression, especially when I found it very difficult to work for others.

Tell us about your previous working situation.
Right out of college I worked in television production: following celebrities around, telling them how good they looked and how much I loved their new movie/album/television show/crossover act/perfume/tiny rat dog. After a number of years of premieres/award shows/press junkets and late nights, I was more than a little over it. I found myself in a “you can’t fire me, I quit” situation, so I used this newly acquired “free time” and went to art school to study graphic design. I worked as a designer for a number of years, which eventually led me to where I am now.

When you first started selling on Etsy, did you have dreams or goals of eventually quitting your day job?
That was absolutely the goal. I was planning on quitting my job in about a year and was working toward that every day. It happened a little sooner than I planned (about 10 months sooner) when I found myself in another “you can’t fire me, I quit" situation with my last job. It was absolutely the best thing that ever happened to me.

Did you do anything to prepare ahead of time?
The boring stuff: I got a business license and a Monkeys Always Look bank account and credit card. I put as much money in that bank account as I possibly could and I spent every penny of it. I also did some fun stuff: I trapped my husband into marrying me so I could be covered under his health insurance.

What are the most effective ways you have promoted and marketed your Etsy business? What's your best marketing tip?
I think the number one thing is to have a great product and be passionate about it since the product can promote itself. I was very fortunate that my husband’s dowry included an amazing camera. I think that a good picture is always a great marketing and promotional tool, and there isn’t a replacement for well-styled photos that tell a story and create a mood.

I have been featured on a few blogs and in magazines, which has been an amazing boost to my little shop. I really enjoy running giveaways on my blog and asking for people to comment with suggestions for new candle scents or garden marker inscriptions. I find this to be both a great marketing tool and just a lot of fun. I mean, really, who doesn’t love free stuff?!

What have you found to be an unsuccessful promotion?
Well, there was that time I got out of the car at a famous club with no underwear on...

Walk us through your typical workday.

I roll out of bed around 1 p.m. (Not really, but I wish.) In the mornings, the three giant dogs and I walk my husband to work. It takes about an hour and it gives me time to think about world domination and what needs to get done for the day.
If I have orders to pack up I do that when I get home.
Then the rest of the day is filled with chatting with customers (hi everyone!!!), huffing paint, playing with mud, squishing silverware, digging in the dirt, melting wax, and treasure hunting.
I usually stop when my husband gets home from work around 6 p.m. and we talk about the day while I prepare a five course gourmet meal...or heat up a can of soup.
Then after dinner I usually try to get a little more work done, since there is always something to do. I also use the quiet evening time for new product ideas, or "research and development," as my husband calls it. For every item you see in my shop, there are probably a dozen that didn’t work, that I didn't like or are just plain U-G-L-Y. Sadly, not every genius idea is really sellable or appealing.
Oh, and somewhere in the day there is hopefully a trip to the yoga studio or a run.

What do you enjoy most about not having a day job? Is there anything you miss?
Even though there is the illusion that you have the days free to play bingo and go to the water park, that is usually not the case. However, there are days when I get to take the dogs to the beach or meet my unpaid intern (a.k.a. husband) for lunch. Those are great, and I will always catch myself thinking about how great it is to be self-employed. I never take it for granted, as it really does allow the freedom you would never get working for THE MAN. (Well, that is if you consider "freedom" to be synthetic leather and fake fur-lined handcuffs that keep you tethered to the computer and packing tape.)

I just heard a quote the other day that if you "do something you love, you will never work a day in your life." That is so true. I love every minute of it and am so grateful to be able to do what I do, so thank you, everyone! I miss NOTHING! (Well, I miss the water cooler; I do love cold water.)

What's the hardest part about running your own business?
The days can be long. There are times when I'd rather be sipping cocktails at the end of the dock on my private island, but instead I am ordering shipping labels or filling out silly Q&As about myself. On these days I try to keep it interesting by punctuating the day with a Flickr or blog post of my dogs sleeping or my cat hiding in ANOTHER box. Since there is no way to predict my month-to-month income, there are some lean months, and that can be hard, especially when a new T-shirt/pound of candy/water toy for the dogs insists that I buy it.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself? What advice would you give someone else?
I wouldn’t have spent so much money buying stuff I really didn’t need. The plan was to go full time after a year of developing products (which we know didn’t happen that way). However, the first number of months being full time was spent on research and development and making up for the lost income of leaving my job. I had very little money coming in and LOTS going out. If you plan to go full time, make sure you have a product that is something that people want/need. “Make it and they will come” doesn’t necessary work in all cases, and if you were able to look though all my expired listings there is proof enough of that! (What? I can’t interest you in an infant ferret shopping cart liner? Seemed like a good idea at the time.)

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

Expand my line of goods offered and increase my wholesale accounts.
Make more Etsy friends and learn more about business.
Make my payments on-time to the mafia (ah, I mean the sanitation department).

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
If working for yourself is your dream, GO FOR IT. What are you waiting for? It's worth every minute and I have never been happier. While I can’t justify buying a two hundred dollar pair of jeans anymore (since I rarely leave the house), I think I pull off a pair of pajama pants with class and style. I’m a member of the Etsy Full-Time Crafters Team. It is made up of some amazing people who all have one thing in common: we love to gossip and we all make our living from our sales on Etsy. They are such a great system of support and I really do suggest that you get yourself on an active Etsy Street Team.

Thanks to Allison for sharing her story. You can see some of Allison's beautiful work in the Related Items. Check out previous Quit Your Day Job posts here.

Tracychong Wins the Holiday Card Vote

2009-11-16T11:00:00-05:00

Congratulations to tracychong whose Red Nosed Rudolph Pop-Up Card was chosen as the community favorite!

Are you inspired to send handwritten cards this season? Check out the Members' Choice Gift Guide where this winning card and runners-up will be featured. Thank you to everyone who voted!

Get Involved in the Next Round

For next week's round, we'll be featuring holiday ornaments on Etsy. Last week's nominations for decor overflowed with ornaments so the Voter is already almost full! So be quick like a ... reindeer? ... and paste a link to your favorite in the comments below. (If you're a seller nominating one of your own items, please just nominate one — even if you have more than one shop!)

Voting Posts | Voter FAQ

Check out the Etsy Greetings Team's Items

Vote! Which is Your Favorite Holiday Card?

2009-11-10T10:30:00-05:00

We asked our readers to nominate their favorite holiday cards. Now it's your turn to vote.

Next 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

Etsy Finds: Paper Blizzard

2009-11-03T11:33:00-05:00

I treasure the holiday memories of my youth: gift wrap flying through the air as presents were tackled and quickly eviscerated, dogs gathering around to sniff recent acquisitions with tails a'thumping, then the whole family adjourning for a fireside chat with steaming mugs of cider as the snowflakes twinkled and the picturesque holiday scene came to a close.

Today's Etsy Finds collection is virtual snow-strewn jaunt through Etsy's Holidays and Paper Goods Categories. Get pumped for the coming months with Etsy sellers' wide variety of modern, humorous, traditional and sincere takes on what the holiday season means to them — and perhaps you as well. Peruse Etsy's Cards, Calendars and Wrapping Guide and Holiday Home Decor Guide for more inspired takes on the season.

Search results (tags) for: "paper"

Quit Your Day Job: cicadastudio

Come Craft With the Etsy Labs & Esther K. Smith: Rolling Ball Books and Ornaments

How-Tuesday: Rolling Balls From Magic Books & Paper Toys

Quit Your Day Job: monkeysalwayslook

Tracychong Wins the Holiday Card Vote

Vote! Which is Your Favorite Holiday Card?

Etsy Finds: Paper Blizzard

Festive Garlands and Holiday Decor

How-Tuesday: Spooky Shadow Puppets by Crankbunny

Etsy Finds: The Space Between

Guest Curator: Wide Open Spaces

Come Craft With the Etsy Labs & Esther K. Smith: Exquisite Corpse Books

Seller How-To: Pretty as a Package

Guest Curator: N.E.E.T. Magazine

Wood

Wool

Metal

Fabric

Paper

Leather

Etsy Finds: Pulp Fiction

Etsy Finds: Color My World

Quit Your Day Job: crackeddesigns

Camera Obscura: Lightning Bolt's 13 Monsters

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: July 16, 2009

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: July 9, 2009

How-Tuesday: Elegant Parchment Flowers with Jeffrey Rudell

dragonhouseofyuen Gets the Etsy Birthday Wish

Vote! Make a Wish on Your Favorite Birthday Card

Camera Obscura: Lotte Reiniger

Come Craft With the Etsy Labs: Paper Puppets With Crankbunny

How-Tuesday: Make a Paper Finger Puppet with Crankbunny

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

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: May 14, 2009

How-Tuesday: Learn How to Make a Faux Feather Wreath

How-Tuesday: Ahoy There! Pop-Up Pirate Card

Etsy Finds: Make an Impression